Chapter 464: Zhang Yu with Soaring Spirit Coins

Chapter 464: Zhang Yu and the Surge of Spirit Coins

Amidst a deafening roar, Zhang Yu channeled the Heaven-Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power, his fists raining down in violent, rhythmic strikes.

Under the relentless sweep of the Earth-Sha gravitational force, the ground shuddered as if caught in an endless earthquake, threatening to pulverize everything above and below the surface.

Columns of sand and soil transformed into black dragons, coiling and strangling every living thing in their path.

Successive fields of Earth-Sha gravity manifested, locking onto his opponents with frantic precision.

As Zhang Yu unleashed this frenzied assault, the text scrolling across Chan Rong’s ocular skeleton flickered wildly—a torrent of messages from his teammates.

"Stop him, quickly!"

"We can't hold on! If he keeps this up, my Dharma skeleton will shatter!"

"Chan Rong, where are you?"

Chan Rong replied: Hold the line! Victory is within reach!

Chan Rong pushed the Great Sun Myriad Aspects to its limit, slamming into Zhang Yu with searing, incandescent light, bombarding him blow after blow.

Seeing the desperate pleas of his team, Chan Rong fought with everything he had, attacking Zhang Yu with reckless abandon.

Yet Zhang Yu remained indifferent, letting the scorching fire envelop his body, ignoring the frantic onslaught as he focused solely on the earth, driving his palms down again and again to maximize his offensive momentum.

Under the churning of the Heaven-Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power, the entire landscape became a boiling sea, not only crushing the construction site but forcing Chan Rong’s teammates to surrender one by one.

...

In the Spirit Realm’s spectator stands.

Wan Gouxuan remarked, "It is over."

On the field, after repelling all of Chan Rong’s teammates, Zhang Yu shifted entirely to a defensive stance, masking his presence and dodging incoming strikes, no longer attacking Chan Rong but merely stalling him in place.

Wan Gouxuan continued, "Just a little longer, and the Wanfa University formation will be complete."

"Once Zhang Yu retreats slightly and gains the formation's support, he will have nothing to fear from Chan Rong."

"Chan Rong can neither defeat a fully defensive Zhang Yu nor overcome the rest of Wanfa University."

The remainder of the match unfolded exactly as he predicted; by the time the final whistle blew, Chan Rong had failed to best Zhang Yu.

Wan Gouxuan assessed, "In the end, the Great Sun Myriad Aspects of Diamond University is far inferior to the Heaven-Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power of Wanfa University."

"The versatility and raw power of these two military-grade techniques are worlds apart."

"Even if Chan Rong has a deeper mastery of his technique, it is to no avail."

Beside him, Yue Guanyuan said coldly, "It seems we will still have the chance to face Wanfa University in this inter-collegiate league."

Wan Gouxuan frowned. "If it were only Zhang Yu, it would be of no consequence."

"Though he possesses exceptional talent, rapid martial progress, and keen tactical awareness—and his defensive arts are both durable and potent—he is... not wealthy enough."

Yue Guanyuan nodded slightly. Not wealthy enough—a weakness far more critical than mere mediocrity.

After all, with enough money, even the mediocre can overcome obstacles through sheer expenditure.

Conversely, even the gifted cannot become wealthy overnight.

Yue Guanyuan analyzed, "No matter how fast his martial arts progress, without the funds to equip a Seven-Absolute Dharma skeleton or afford top-tier artifacts, his construction and destruction limits will always fall short of ours."

"He can only use his technique's advantage to bully someone like Chan Rong, who practices the Great Sun Myriad Aspects."

What truly troubled Wan Gouxuan and Yue Guanyuan now was something else entirely.

A single Zhang Yu was formidable, but they were confident they could suppress and eventually defeat him.

But what if Mo Shangjin were added to the equation?

At this moment, the still-recovering Mo Shangjin, whose return date remained a mystery, hung over them like the darkest of clouds.

...

Outside the arena.

Chan Rong intercepted the Wanfa University team.

Zhang Yu tilted his head. "Something the matter?"

Chan Rong asked, "How much for a friend request?"

Zhang Yu: "Huh?"

Chan Rong said, "I can offer at most 13 spirit coins."

After this battle, Chan Rong had judged that Zhang Yu’s friendship was worth purchasing—an investment with potential for future profit.

Especially since Zhang Yu, who possessed only a single ocular skeleton, displayed such astonishing martial prowess; in Chan Rong’s eyes, he was a stock with immense upside.

High martial skill meant the ability to generate wealth; even if he were broke this year, he would eventually accumulate capital.

And possessing only one skeleton meant his potential for future upgrades was massive—once he had money, he would spend it lavishly.

After all, the man was in the Civil Engineering department, not the Artifact Refining department; he would eventually need to purchase both Dharma skeletons and artifacts.

"Zhang Yu may not have the money for a new skeleton now, nor does he use many artifacts, but he will have to buy them eventually."

"He can't just use one set of Wanfa University’s Seven-Absolute skeletons forever; he will need spares for different scenarios and to reduce wear and tear..."

Winning or losing a match was one thing, but it wouldn't stop Chan Rong from seizing a business opportunity.

Especially since, despite losing to Zhang Yu, he and his team had surrendered in time, suffering minimal losses.

Unlike last year, when Mo Shangjin had shattered all their skeletons and artifacts in a single blow.

Zhang Yu, unaware of Chan Rong’s inner machinations, haggled briefly before selling his friend request for 13 spirit coins, happily watching his bank balance grow.

On the flying ship leaving Diamond University, Mo Shangjin’s projection spoke: "You all performed well in this match."

"Especially Zhang Yu, who effectively utilized the advantages of his technique to bridge the gap in raw power..."

Beside him, Su Yanyang reflected on the battle, thinking with relief: "It’s fortunate Zhang Yu mastered the Heaven-Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power. I can just coast through the next few matches and conserve my immortal potential; I’ll just rely on him."

Though they had won, Mo Shangjin soon brought new pressure upon them.

"Looking at the schedule and the strength of the field, Heaven Sword University and Immortal Soldier University will likely be our greatest opponents."

"I went to watch their matches earlier; both teams are incredibly strong this year."

Mo Shangjin continued, "Here are the recordings of their matches; you should watch them when you return."

Zhang Yu idly opened a video, gazing at a battlefield cleaved in two by a single strike from the Heaven Sword team, and another where the Immortal Soldier University flipped the entire arena with a giant puppet. He felt the sheer, terrifying power of these opponents.

At the same time, Mo Shangjin added, "In terms of raw strength, both of these teams are currently superior to you."

"Furthermore, both of these universities harbor deep hostility toward our Wanfa University."

Zhang Yu asked curiously, "Deep hostility? Why?"

Mo Shangjin sighed. "It’s a grudge inherited from our predecessors."

"I have tried for years to resolve it, but to no avail."

"In any case, you must be extremely careful when you face them."

As Zhang Yu watched the footage of Heaven Sword and Immortal Soldier, he thought to himself: "As time passes, the strength I can reveal will gradually increase, making me ever more powerful."

"But beyond that, the best way for me to improve... is through artifacts."

As the days of practicing and unleashing the Heaven-Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power wore on, Zhang Yu gradually sensed that the magical artifacts he had forged last year were failing to keep pace with his progress.

They were still serviceable for menial tasks at the construction site.

But when I exert the full force of the Heaven-Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power, they simply do not match my needs.

Zhang Yu mused: If I have the chance to upgrade my arsenal, it should significantly bolster my strength.

Yet, all of this requires both capital and expertise.

Regarding funds, Zhang Yu fretted over the wages he still had to front for the construction crew.

As for the technical side, it demanded further study, time in the laboratory for refining, and simulated experiments in the Spirit Realm—all of which were equally costly.

Sigh, I must wait for the project payment to arrive.

...

Within the Civil Engineering faculty group chat.

Wei Huai, the geology professor, remarked: The higher-ups are investigating Zhang Yu for mastering four supreme techniques in such a short span.

Wei Huai: I fear this matter remains somewhat irregular.

Tu Lishan: It was all for the sake of the department's performance this year; the authorities will surely understand.

Wei Huai: My concern is that even with the irregularity, the results may still prove lackluster.

Wei Huai: Students from the other top ten universities follow a methodical path with military-grade techniques, building deep foundations.

Wei Huai: Zhang Yu, in his haste, lacks such accumulation; I fear that even with the Mountain-Shifting Divine Power, he will be no match for them.

Tu Lishan: Congratulations to the competition team for their victory over Vajra University! [Confetti][Confetti][Confetti]

Tu Lishan: Director Gao, [Competition Video] I have asked Mo Shangjin to upload the footage.

Director Gao watched the chat logs, a cold sneer forming in his heart.

He understood that Wei Huai’s intervention was nothing more than a puppet show directed by Director Lin.

Although he had successfully pressured Zhang Yu into learning the Seven Civil Engineering Absolutes at breakneck speed, Gao knew the pacifist faction was waiting to gloat, eager for Zhang Yu to fail so they could seize an excuse to strike.

Fortunately, the lad has some backbone, Director Gao thought to himself.

Scanning the tournament schedule, he sighed: Next month we may face Heaven Sword University or Immortal Armament University; both are notoriously tough nuts to crack.

At the same time, he recalled the attention paid by True Monarch Qiyun a few days prior.

Gao knew the Principal had been monitoring the department’s progress, especially since Zhang Yu was his personal pick. If the results were poor, and Director Lin and the Finance department launched an assault, the True Monarch would lose face.

Thus, upon today’s victory over Vajra University, Director Gao reported the news to the True Monarch.

True Monarch Qiyun replied: Not bad.

Gao: Zhang Yu recently started a company and took on our school’s construction project.

Gao: But as a small firm, their cash flow is tight; I was wondering if the school could lend a hand.

True Monarch Qiyun: The school has always supported student entrepreneurship.

True Monarch Qiyun: I will speak to them and have the process expedited.

True Monarch Qiyun: Tell Zhang Yu and his team to keep up the good work.

True Monarch Qiyun: Strive to reach the top three; the prizes for this inter-university competition are quite substantial.

Seeing the reply, Director Gao exhaled in relief, confident that the project payment would no longer be delayed.

This would undoubtedly provide a massive boost to Zhang Yu’s strength, helping the competition team achieve even greater heights.

...

Time slipped away, and in the blink of an eye, it was early February.

Having just wrapped up all work on the project, Zhang Yu channeled the Heaven-Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power and soared into the sky, heading toward the University City.

He scrolled through his messages along the way.

Feng Tingting: Ah! My thesis for this semester was sent back for revisions!

Seeing her complaint, Zhang Yu knew that as one advanced in the Refining department, the thesis became an increasingly vital component.

By the time one reached the Golden Core or Nascent Soul stages, it would only grow more critical.

After all, the Golden Core certification still required an exam, while the Nascent Soul certification, though exam-free, demanded a rigorous sequence of theses, achievements, and peer reviews.

Just then, Zhang Yu’s eyes flashed; the project payment had finally arrived.

His balance of spirit coins surged to over 140!

Seeking monthly votes.

(End of chapter)