Chapter 488: Confrontation Before the Divine Lord (Thanks to 'Frantic Night Unfinished')

Chapter 488: Confrontation Before the Divine Lord (Thanks to 'Frantic Night' for feeding Zhang Yu so much dog food)

"That scoundrel Feng Yuhan!"

Magnetic Pole True Lord was deeply dissatisfied with the actions taken by Feng Yuhan of the Research Department.

"Since when did my laboratory become a place for him to interfere?"

"He is even meddling with critical experimental subjects now; will he soon be auditing the chat logs of every member in the project team? Will he be monitoring everyone's spiritual remains?"

"If he is to monitor and inspect everything, then what is left for me to oversee?"

"As the project progresses and its importance grows, will he eventually dictate my itinerary? Will he start meddling with the project's funding and personnel as well?"

Of course, while Magnetic Pole True Lord was extremely displeased and prepared to strike back, she understood that Feng Yuhan’s actions were not entirely without logic.

As the project’s significance escalated, the control over personnel and assets would inevitably become more stringent.

"But this control must remain in my hands."

Magnetic Pole True Lord knew that the initiative in project management had to stay with her; she would never yield it.

Regarding the specific matter of Zhang Yu leaving campus, she saw both pros and cons, so she intended to ask the young man himself to choose the path that promised the greatest victory.

Hearing the question, Zhang Yu pondered for a moment before voicing his own thoughts.

In truth, on the way back, he had already consulted with Fu Ji and reached a decision.

As his Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power continued to be "whitewashed," his Yin-artifact experiments were drawing more attention, and venturing off-campus might indeed trigger reactions from other institutions.

However, if he remained confined to the University City, not only would his income plummet, but he would also have to abandon the Civil Engineering Competition he had prepared for so long, potentially even jeopardizing his chances of transferring departments.

"If that happens, my rate of progress will be hindered, and my future prospects of entering a major sect will diminish."

"Especially if this precedent is set, will they lock me down even further? Will they eventually confine me to the lab or monitor me twenty-four hours a day?"

Zhang Yu would never accept such a fate.

Moreover, compared to the tightening pressure he might face on campus, the risks outside seemed manageable to him.

As long as he maintained strict confidentiality, his safety would not be low.

If he could secure the support and protection of the Ten Thousand Laws, his safety would be even more assured.

In moments of dire necessity, he still had his sister, who presided over the Taiqing Realm, to mask his spiritual information.

He possessed the Divine Root copied from Bai Zhenzhen to conceal his tracks.

And he had the Green Silk Flying Sword, which could link directly to the Sky-Patrol network to summon aid from Magnetic Pole True Lord or Director Gao at any moment.

Thus, upon hearing the inquiry, Zhang Yu stated his prepared response: "Teacher, I wish to go out."

"I do not want to limit my potential on the Immortal Path because of these experiments. I want to earn more wealth and travel further along the road to immortality."

"As for the risks, I believe they are within my control..."

Magnetic Pole True Lord nodded slightly. "Your thinking is sound, but it lacks depth in certain areas."

"Come with me to see the Divine Lord of Myriad Transformations."

"We shall discuss the specific countermeasures and the pros and cons as we walk."

Zhang Yu was startled. "Go directly to see... the Divine Lord?"

Magnetic Pole True Lord replied, "With the Divine Lord’s endorsement, most obstacles will vanish, and the project will be able to develop to its fullest extent."

...

University City, Level 666.

Since the completion of Level 666, Zhang Yu had never set foot inside.

Every time he passed by via the anti-gravity or magneto-magnetic channels, he saw only a completely sealed perimeter; he didn't even know where the entrance was.

Zhang Yu had often felt curious about what lay within this hermetically sealed level.

A classified laboratory? A repository for vital data? A vault for precious artifacts and spiritual remains?

Only when he arrived today and beheld the blue sky, white clouds, and vast earth did he gasp in shock: "This is..."

Magnetic Pole True Lord said indifferently, "Virtual reality technology of the Spiritual Realm—where the false and the real intertwine, appearing both tangible and illusory."

Director Gao, standing beside them, added, "Do not make a scene when you meet the Divine Lord of Myriad Transformations in a moment."

Zhang Yu did not know what had passed between the two, nor how they had summoned the Divine Lord; he only knew that Director Gao had joined them halfway to Level 666.

Now, as they walked across a plain, they soon encountered a village.

Row upon row of adobe houses stood beneath rough thatch roofs, their walls eroded into gullies by rain, the ground slick with mud.

Listening to the scratching of hens, the grunts from the pigsty, the splashing of water by village women, and the coughing from the kitchens, and observing the straw belts and mottled rags worn by the villagers, Zhang Yu felt a momentary illusion that he had traveled back in time to an ancient rural village.

Yet, as they passed, the villagers did not even glance at them, treating him, the Director, and the True Lord as if they were air, which struck Zhang Yu as deeply unsettling.

Magnetic Pole True Lord explained, "They are not real people; pay them no mind."

The next moment, the three stopped in unison. Magnetic Pole True Lord and Director Gao bowed slightly to a villager working in the fields, saying respectfully, "Divine Lord."

Zhang Yu looked at the figure before him, his heart skipping a beat: "Che Yufei?"

The Che Yufei before him possessed no Foundation Establishment aura, no ranking projection above his head, and from within to without, showed no trace of Spiritual Realm information; he appeared as an ordinary mortal. "Che Yufei" looked at the three and smiled faintly. "Magnetic Pole, Qingmu, you have come?"

He then turned his gaze to Zhang Yu and said calmly, "You must be Zhang Yu, right? You seem to recognize this new body I have purchased?"

His eyes narrowed, and countless flickers of light seemed to pass through them. A moment later, he smiled. "Oh, both in the Civil Engineering Department, worked on projects together, competed in contests together?"

"Do not overthink it. I possess an Arbitrary Possession Permit; Che Yufei is merely one of the bodies I recently acquired."

Watching the serene smile of the Divine Lord of Myriad Transformations, Zhang Yu felt as if he were witnessing a financial storm where the flesh and blood of countless souls were swallowed in a single gulp.

Zhang Yu quickly composed himself and lowered his head in reverence.

The Divine Lord of Myriad Transformations chuckled. "Do not be afraid. An Arbitrary Possession Permit is not a Free Possession Permit; it costs money. I do not possess living people at random—that would be letting you off too easily."

He then turned back to Magnetic Pole True Lord and Director Gao. "Speak your piece."

Magnetic Pole True Lord tapped her fingertip, and beams of light suddenly manifested.

As she displayed images of the Civil Engineering League, she said, "The reason our project results were publicized so rapidly is because Zhang Yu participated in the league."

"If Zhang Yu continues to compete, it will not only showcase our results but serve as further promotion, paving the way for future product sales."

"The Civil Engineering League is, one might say, an excellent promotional opportunity."

Director Gao then tapped his finger, shifting the display to the league's information, and pointed to the grand prize for the finals. "Furthermore, the champion of this competition will receive the blueprints for a military-grade exoskeleton designed for construction."

Although Director Gao understood this was a common tactic from above to stoke competition between universities, he had to admit the prize was highly attractive.

Director Gao continued, "With Zhang Yu and Mo Shangjin, this is a golden opportunity for the Civil Engineering Department to take the title, which would greatly bolster the prestige of our Ten Thousand Laws University and lift the stock prices of many associated companies."

Director Gao knew that the Divine Lord of Myriad Transformations held indirect stakes in many of those very companies.

Magnetic Pole True Lord added, "A military-grade exoskeleton could compensate for the lack of accumulation in our Artifact Refining Department. Once handed over for slight improvements, it would add another self-developed military-grade secret technique to our university."

As she spoke, she waved her hand, displaying Zhang Yu’s academic records.

In Director Gao's eyes, Zhang Yu’s rapid progress in exams and rankings over his three years, his achievement in obtaining a military certification as a junior, and his cultivation of the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power... all of it made the Director puff out his chest with pride.

In the eyes of the Divine Lord of Myriad Transformations, Zhang Yu’s accomplishments extended beyond mere civil engineering; he had completed the first three years of the artifact refinement curriculum and passed every examination.

There were also the various techniques of artifact crafting he had mastered, and his stated intention to transition into the artifact refinement department in the future.

The Divine Lord nodded slightly. "Zhang Yu is truly a talent. Old Gao, you have worked hard."

Director Gao smiled. "It is no hardship; it is all for the sake of the academy."

The Divine Lord laughed heartily. "It is rare to find such magnanimity. If every department head in the academy were as devoted to our collective future as you, why should Wanfa fear not becoming the premier university in Kunxu?"

Upon hearing this, a strange sensation stirred in Director Gao’s heart.

But before he could dwell on it, the Divine Lord continued, "Venturing out certainly has its benefits, but what of the risks?"

The True Lord of Magnetic Poles replied, "The risks are manageable..."

Just then, a voice cut through the True Lord’s words: "Magnetic Poles, do not speak so recklessly. Who can guarantee that the risks are truly manageable?"

The True Lord of Magnetic Poles turned to see the spiritual projection of Feng Yuhan hovering nearby, watching them with a cold gaze.

The Divine Lord smiled faintly. "I summoned Feng as well; it is better to discuss these matters face-to-face. Once the logic is laid bare, there is nothing that cannot be negotiated."

Feng Yuhan stared at the True Lord of Magnetic Poles. "Magnetic Poles, do tell—how exactly are these risks manageable?"

The True Lord of Magnetic Poles snorted. "With the academy’s resources, we can requisition a few magical treasures and talismans. Can we not protect a single student?"

"Besides, with me watching and ready to descend at any moment, did I not keep Zhang Yu perfectly safe during the Heavenly Sword incident?"

Director Gao had been on the verge of interjecting that he, too, would protect Zhang Yu, but hearing the True Lord’s words, he opened his mouth and ultimately said nothing.

*It is for the best,* he thought. *Her reputation carries more weight than mine; her words will be more effective.*

Feng Yuhan sneered. "A student? Is he merely a common student? He carries the fruits of the laboratory within him; he is the academy’s asset."

"And does mitigating risk not require new investment? Are we to pour the academy’s treasures and talismans into the ground just to cultivate your artifact refinement department? Magnetic Poles! Is this an academy project, or your own personal endeavor?"

The True Lord of Magnetic Poles retorted, "Do not attempt to divert the topic. We are discussing whether the risks are manageable! Enough with this talk of 'yours' and 'mine.' I suspect someone simply wants to seize the project and claim it as their own."

"Feng Yuhan, do you not know how you secured your position, or how many benefits have lined your own accounts?!"

"What kind of utter nonsense are you spewing?!" Feng Yuhan roared. "I act to prevent the loss of academy assets and to lower project risk, yet I am subjected to such malicious slander? Is this how your artifact refinement department conducts itself?"

The heavens trembled slightly, and the voice of the Divine Lord rang out slowly: "Address the matters at hand. You are both teachers of Wanfa; do not attack one another."

The True Lord of Magnetic Poles said coldly, "Feng Yuhan, you claim the outside world is dangerous and that project personnel must be confined. Is the academy itself one hundred percent safe, then?"

"Protecting project personnel is the academy’s duty. Are we to lock away every student who produces a result within the university city? Within the laboratory?"

"Participating in competitions, on the contrary, offers far greater publicity..."

Feng Yuhan’s gaze sharpened. "Very well, let us speak of competitions. Even if you, True Lord of Magnetic Poles, can protect him outside the campus, what of the arena itself?"

"If Zhang Yu is beaten to his knees at the Civil Engineering League, humiliated and ravaged before a crowd, and then harvested for his secrets, will you still be able to step onto the field to save him? Will that be good for the project’s publicity?"

"Or do you intend to pour more funding into Zhang Yu, expecting us to simply buy him every championship for years to come? Will you be the one to fill this bottomless pit?"

Requesting monthly votes.

(End of chapter)