Chapter 493: Value of Life Extension (Thanks to 'Immortal Qingwei' for Gifting)

Chapter 493: The Value of Longevity (Thanks to 'Qingwei Xianren' for the alliance leader reward)

"Free?" Ji Yuanshu stared at the stranger with a wary gaze.

Though Ji Yuanshu was currently poorer than he had ever been in his life, the trials he had endured had sharpened his instincts to their absolute peak.

"What good could ever come for free? Another swindler? Not this time."

With this thought, Ji Yuanshu retreated a few steps, his expression guarded, before turning to depart with haste.

Watching this, Fu Xinyao frowned, thinking to herself, "These fellows from the Civil Engineering Department at Wanfa University... they truly are a nuisance."

"No matter. I shall take it slow."

Fu Xinyao knew that while the Qiongjiang Divine Lord had left her here to gather intelligence, she was also a pawn planted within Wanfa University.

By utilizing the Divine Artifact of the Nascent Soul, the Divine Lord could descend at any moment and exert wide-ranging influence over the material world through the Spirit Realm.

"Wanfa University stole the Divine Lord's Dharma Remains; they will surely not cease their research."

"And the Divine Lord will not let this matter rest."

Fu Xinyao mused, "This current struggle is merely an appetizer. There is much more fighting to come."

...

Time slipped away amidst the endless cycle of announcements from Wanfa and Hehuan Universities.

Compared to the pressing demands of work and study, even the clash between two Nascent Soul Lords gradually faded from the collective concern.

Especially as late February arrived and the final exams approached, the students of University City grew increasingly hurried and preoccupied.

As soon as class ended that day, Le Mulan flickered into motion, moving at high speed through the magnetic conduit toward her dormitory.

She wanted to deliver the newly refined potion to Zhang Yu.

Le Mulan had not contacted him in advance, for she did not wish to waste a single moment of his time.

She knew how busy Zhang Yu was; every minute and every second of his time was far more valuable than her own, and often days would pass without a glimpse of him.

Le Mulan had considered if there was something else she could offer him.

But like the vast majority of students at Wanfa University, her finances were far from abundant, with most of her income poured directly into her own cultivation.

Thus, the only things she could offer were the fruits of her labor—the potions she brewed herself.

"But the potions I refine now... would Zhang Yu even value them?"

"To him... are they perhaps nothing more than a triviality?"

Yet, Le Mulan knew these were the best gifts she could provide.

Just then, a gust of wind swept past, and Zhang Yu’s figure soared into the air, vanishing down the street in a flash.

Le Mulan attempted to give chase, but no matter how she pushed her speed, his silhouette grew smaller until, in the blink of an eye, he stepped into the anti-gravity conduit.

And the anti-gravity conduit was a path Le Mulan was not qualified to enter.

Looking up at Zhang Yu, who shot into the sky and disappeared into the conduit, Le Mulan lowered her head and walked slowly back toward her dormitory.

On the other side, upon arriving at the examination hall, Zhang Yu began his final exam for the semester.

With his current strength, the exam was a breeze; he led the field with ease, finishing nearly every paper early and departing as the top student.

In a flash, the time came for the final Engineering exam.

Tu Lishan reminded the students, "Check your gear! Is the Dharma Remains' mana fully charged? Has your membership service expired? Is your Spirit Realm bandwidth sufficient? Every year, Wanfa students run into these issues during exams, and I hope our Civil Engineering Department can avoid them this year..."

As the exam commenced, the entire hall shuddered with a boom.

Many candidates looked toward Zhang Yu’s station, only to see the heavens seem to overturn; every material on the construction site appeared to gain a life of its own, leaping, deforming, and assembling under the mountain-moving power of the Heavenly Kunlun...

The tower required for the exam rose at a speed visible to the naked eye under the gaze of the crowd.

Having finished first, Zhang Yu left the hall amidst the envious stares of his peers.

He wondered to himself, "Was that Le Mulan I saw on the road earlier?"

Zhang Yu sent a message to Le Mulan: Are you in the dorm?

Zhang Yu: Wait for me.

As he hurried back, Zhang Yu thought, "Le Mulan’s Deep Cold Dharma Pulse should reach Level 2 today."

With Zhang Yu’s occasional infusions of mana—especially since he had acquired the Blazing Sun Dharma Pulse to complement her Deep Cold one—Le Mulan’s growth in mana quality, while not as staggering as his own, had already surpassed most Foundation Establishment students of her level.

Now, as the first semester of her junior year drew to a close, not only had her mana reached 1,000 units, but its quality was increasingly approaching 200%.

Zhang Yu estimated that today would be the day her mana quality hit that 200% threshold.

He was highly expectant of the effects this upgrade would bring to her Dao Seed.

Thus, upon entering the dormitory, Zhang Yu could not wait to infuse her with his own mana.

As Le Mulan’s mana quality hit 200%, a chill first rose from within her, followed by a surge of heat that flowed back through her meridians into Zhang Yu’s body.

Le Mulan said with some surprise, "The mana within me... it seems to have changed again?"

Zhang Yu, glancing at the Level 2 Deep Cold Dharma Pulse on his Dao Seed chart, nodded. "Indeed, it has." After some testing, Zhang Yu gradually grasped the function of the Level 2 Deep Cold Dharma Pulse.

If the Level 1 pulse merely imbued mana with a cold property—capable of freezing Qi and blood, sterilizing wounds, and inflicting cold toxins—the Level 2 pulse took this coldness a step further.

"With the mana in constant circulation, it can maintain the body at a low temperature. Even when the physical body is pushed to its limit, the internal heat can be suppressed below 60 degrees."

Zhang Yu knew this was an astonishing figure, as the heat released by a cultivator’s body during a full-power burst could be dozens or even hundreds of times the norm.

The longer the burst, the higher the internal heat, which placed a greater burden on the body and could even reduce the efficiency of one's techniques.

"The Level 2 Deep Cold Dharma Pulse doesn't just lower internal temperature; it conducts that heat out through the mana."

Zhang Yu mused, "In this sense, it cools the body while simultaneously increasing the external temperature."

While impressive, Zhang Yu did not consider this earth-shattering; Kunlun lacked no shortage of techniques, artifacts, or Daoist arts that could achieve similar ends.

"The truly formidable part is the longevity effect."

"With long-term use of the Level 2 Deep Cold Dharma Pulse, the life-extending benefits to the physical body are even more pronounced."

"If this effect continues, extending one's lifespan by 10 to 20 percent should be well within reach."

"And this lifespan... is money itself."

Just then, Feng Tingting sent a message: Zhang Yu, have you heard? The old department head of Civil Engineering can no longer extend his physical life; he’s retiring!

Feng Tingting: It seems Department Head Gao will take over the work for now.

Feng Tingting: If he performs well within a year, he’ll likely be confirmed in the position.

Zhang Yu thought, "Even with a Civil Engineering degree, this Feng Tingting is as gossipy as ever."

"Though... she seems to talk less about artifact refining gossip lately and more about the Civil Engineering Department."

Zhang Yu quickly sent a message to Department Head Gao to offer his congratulations.

Recalling the news about the old head, Zhang Yu couldn't help but sigh, "Lifespan... something so many people spend until they are bankrupt, just to keep it going a little longer."

Feeling the Deep Cold Dharma Pulse within him, he looked at Le Mulan with burning eyes, thinking, "A 10 to 20 percent extension... even if the effect were halved, for cultivators who have tried every method and find the cost of longevity ever-increasing, how much would this be worth?"

With Le Mulan by my side, my future lifespan will be extended, granting me more time to toil and labor, allowing me to travel much further along the path of immortality.

Moreover, this is merely the second level of the Abyssal Frost lineage; as it continues to evolve, the life-extending effects will surely become increasingly profound.

Contemplating this, Zhang Yu looked at Le Mulan with eyes gleaming, feeling that she was becoming more valuable with every passing moment.

Yet, at the same time, he understood that her situation was growing increasingly precarious.

Once those decrepit old fossils nearing the end of their days discover this, they will surely find a way to seize control of her.

But such control carries both immense risks and significant rewards.

Meanwhile, Le Mulan also sensed the life-extending properties of her Abyssal Frost lineage, and her heart was plunged into a state of shock.

Watching the dazed expression on Le Mulan’s face, Zhang Yu thought to himself: The crux of the matter is... what does Le Mulan intend? Does she plan to trade this ability of hers in exchange for more cultivation resources?

With this in mind, Zhang Yu gazed at her intently until she finally regained her composure.

Le Mulan: Zhang Yu, my mana...

Zhang Yu nodded: I felt it too; your mana has the power to extend one’s lifespan.

Le Mulan’s cheeks flushed with a mix of excitement and anxiety as she asked: What should I do?

Zhang Yu said solemnly: I advise you to keep this matter a secret for the time being.

Le Mulan, if you trust me, once I have the means in the future, I can protect you and allow you to profit from this ability with far greater safety.

From Zhang Yu’s perspective, while Le Mulan’s Dao Seed, the Abyssal Frost lineage, originated from her own being, it was only through his Dao Seed Compendium that it had achieved such enhancements; the two of them were mutually fulfilling.

If Le Mulan could continue to cooperate with him, although there would be no immediate windfall, it would be safer in the long run, and the potential would only grow as the Abyssal Frost lineage continued to ascend.

Yet he also knew that from Le Mulan’s perspective... things might not appear that way.

Because Le Mulan knew nothing of his Feathered Tome, nor his Dao Seed Compendium, and he could never reveal such secrets to her.

Thinking of this, he sighed inwardly; if Le Mulan insisted on cashing in on her Abyssal Frost ability immediately, he would have no way to stop her.

Hearing Zhang Yu’s words, scenes from the past few years flickered through Le Mulan’s mind: the image of Zhang Yu battling Wang Yin, the moments he had poured his mana into her time and again, and the sight of people like Zhao Tianxing now working in his company...

Le Mulan said slowly: I trust you.

She thought to herself: You are perhaps the most trustworthy person I have ever encountered in my life.

Zhang Yu looked at the Dao Seed at her chest, nodded, and said earnestly: Rest assured, you will never regret this choice.

To upgrade the Abyssal Frost lineage to the third level requires 5,000 mana and a mana quality of 250%.

Zhang Yu understood that such a level could only be reached by those in the Golden Core stage.

(End of Chapter)