Chapter 503: Civil Engineering Student? Artifact Refining Lord! (Thanks to 'Lang Cai')

Chapter 503: A Civil Engineering Student? A Master Artificer! (Thanks to 'Langcai' for feeding the colleagues, sending talismans, money, Zhang Yu, and stockings)

In the rest area outside the arena.

During the timeout.

The members of the Wanfa team gathered together, their expressions heavy and grim.

Mo Shangjin sighed helplessly: "My apologies, everyone. If we continue, the spirit coins required will exceed my budget and jeopardize my future career, so... I cannot accompany you any further."

The others had no objections. Whether it was Su Yanyang, Xiao Yunjie, Shi Huaiyu, or Xiao Qingxuan, they all believed that if they were in Mo Shangjin’s position, they would likely make the same choice.

This was the sheer terror of military-grade power.

Facing Xiangshan, who possessed an extra layer of military-grade strength, the gap between the two sides was simply insurmountable.

Having felt this power firsthand, everyone was already considering surrender in their minds.

After all, with even Mo Shangjin withdrawing, the power imbalance had become even more lopsided.

Under the reformed rules of this year's inter-school league, there were no substitutions allowed for surrenders, injury retirements, or deaths—much like a real battlefield, a loss of personnel was permanent. Thus, they couldn't even bring in reinforcements.

Su Yanyang thought to himself: "Should I be the first to say it? If we keep fighting, the losses will only mount. Sigh, I don't have the energy to keep struggling."

Beside him, Shi Huaiyu thought: "Everyone must be planning to surrender, right? Then... it is time to show my resolve..."

Thinking this, she was about to step forward and shoulder the responsibility of leading the surrender, but she saw Zhang Yu move first.

The others watched this scene, their gazes shifting. Su Yanyang thought: "Zhang Yu, that guy, he really has guts. He always manages to be the first to lead the surrender."

Just as similar thoughts arose in everyone's minds, they heard Zhang Yu speak slowly: "We cannot replenish our numbers, but neither can Xiangshan on the other side. He is all alone now."

Xiao Yunjie’s expression shifted, thinking: "Zhang Yu... is he not trying to surrender?"

Zhang Yu continued: "And if we win this time, we won't just get prize money and comprehensive points; we will also receive the blueprints for military-grade armor. You all know the value of those."

"Beyond that, our resumes will gain the prestige of having overcome the weak to defeat Xiangshan, who wields two military-grade powers..."

Xiao Yunjie felt a slight stir in her heart. Of course, she wanted the benefits Zhang Yu mentioned, but thinking of Xiangshan’s terrifying strength... she found it hard to muster the will to fight again.

When all was said and done, facing Xiangshan with his two military-grade powers... how could they possibly win?

Just then, Zhang Yu spoke up: "Everyone, if you are willing to trust me... then fight one more time with me."

He looked at Mo Shangjin and said: "Senior, I would like to borrow your Seven Absolutes Dharma Skeleton."

Mo Shangjin was stunned by these words, looking at Zhang Yu earnestly.

He and everyone else present had the same thought in their minds at that moment.

"Can we... really trust you?"

As if sensing their thoughts, Zhang Yu took a deep breath, hesitated for a moment, and then made up his mind: "Actually... I am a student of the Artificer Department."

Mo Shangjin: "Huh?"

The others stared blankly at Zhang Yu, not knowing what he was talking about.

Zhang Yu revealed his Artificer Department exam results and a photo of himself with the Magnetic Pole True Monarch, then continued: "I am a disciple of the Magnetic Pole True Monarch. After this Civil Engineering competition, I will officially transfer to the Artificer Department."

The crowd stared in shock, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Zhang Yu... is a Master Artificer?

No... we were all supposed to be eating dirt together on the construction site, why are you running off to become a Master Artificer?!

Su Yanyang looked at Zhang Yu’s Artificer exam scores repeatedly, feeling bitterness in his mouth, bitterness in his heart, and bitterness through and through.

Even if Zhang Yu had crushed him before, it was a civil engineering student beating a civil engineering student, but why are you running to the Artificer Department now? Can't you just keep crushing me in the Civil Engineering Department?

Facing their shocked gazes, Zhang Yu continued: "Everyone, please trust me one more time. As an Artificer, I will definitely lead all of you from the Civil Engineering Department to win this competition."

Looking at the Master Artificer before them, the credibility of his words surged in their minds.

Shi Huaiyu was the first to stand up and say: "I believe you."

Xiao Qingxuan nodded as well: "Then let's keep fighting."

Xiao Yunjie looked at Zhang Yu’s gaze and said: "Since you are an Artificer, I believe you."

Su Yanyang sighed: "You’re from the ace major, we’ll listen to whatever you say."

Finally, everyone’s eyes turned to Mo Shangjin.

In that instant, Mo Shangjin felt as if he understood many things... the friendship between Director Gao and the Magnetic Pole True Monarch... the True Monarch’s support for Director Gao... Ye Xingli’s repeated visits to the dormitory... Feng Tingting’s sudden transfer.

"So that’s it. The teacher and the Magnetic Pole True Monarch... have they been playing this grand game of uniting the Civil Engineering and Artificer Departments all along?"

Just then, Zhang Yu said: "Senior Mo, I can pay the rent..."

"No need," Mo Shangjin smiled slightly. "Just pay the maintenance fees after the match."

"Hurry up and find someone to perform the transplant."

"Our sizes are a bit different, and there isn't much time for adjustments. The doctor might be a bit rough to save time, and there’s the synchronization rate to consider..."

Listening to Mo Shangjin, Zhang Yu said firmly: "It doesn't matter, I can manage to hold out for one match."

A moment later, as the doctor arrived, Zhang Yu felt his arms being temporarily detached, followed by a strange sensation as complex artificial meridian structures were gradually connected to his body.

The skin and flesh on his back were replaced with the Dharma Skeleton of anti-gravity ribbons. His arms and hands were replaced with Dharma Skeletons capable of launching Comet Blasts and Gravitational Wave Cannons.

His spine was replaced entirely, and as the spinal Dharma Skeleton was installed and mana flowed through, Zhang Yu felt the range of his Gang Qi, the reach of his Earthly Gravity, the efficiency of his full-body force dissipation, and his mana circulation efficiency... all of them were enhanced.

One piece of the Seven Absolutes Dharma Skeleton after another was grafted onto Zhang Yu, making him feel the earth-shaking changes occurring within him.

...

The rest area of Sky Demon University.

Xiangshan sat alone with his eyes closed, yet he felt not a shred of loneliness.

The cheers from the audience, the messages of encouragement and congratulations from countless clansmen and friends appearing in his ocular display...

He could feel that he was by no means fighting alone.

He could also feel that victory had never been as close as it was at this moment.

"All demon descendants are hoping for change; we have waited for this day for far too long..."

Xiangshan knew that from the generation of demon descendants who founded Sky Demon University, the entire university had been divided by race.

Whatever race you were determined your major, your major determined your future job, and your job determined the ceiling you could reach.

The ceiling, future, and work of a demon descendant were decided the moment they were born.

But were the races that occupied the ace majors truly stronger?

Xiangshan knew... they were not.

"It is just that their ancestors occupied the best positions when they founded Sky Demon University, and they have lived until now, holding onto everything for generations..."

"And today, I shall become the ancestor of the countless demon descendants who will rise in the future."

As the timeout ended, Xiangshan slowly stood up and walked toward the arena.

In an instant, as the match resumed, the entire arena erupted once more, the demon descendants in the stands dancing wildly, celebrating Xiangshan’s victory in their own way.

"Who says the Civil Engineering Department can't make the school team!"

"Neither race nor profession should be restricted!"

"Let him be born! Let him be born! Let him be born!"

Meanwhile, on the arena floor...

Watching Zhang Yu, who had already transitioned into his four-armed state, floating in mid-air with black-gold dharma remains transplanted into his body and ribbons fluttering behind him, Xiang Shan said coldly, "It seems you still refuse to give up."

"Then allow me to personally shatter every last one of those unrealistic notions inside your heads."

As he spoke, Xiang Shan lunged forward, a surge of air pressure sweeping outward as he charged once more toward Zhang Yu.

"End this fight quickly..."

Just as this thought crossed Xiang Shan's mind, he saw Zhang Yu’s aura erupt violently, the golden flames enveloping him as he transformed into a Mountain-Moving Warrior in his four-armed state.

In the moment of their collision, Xiang Shan’s strength pulverized a layer of solid aura, pierced through a layer of liquid aura, and was finally slowly absorbed by a layer of gaseous aura.

"This form..." Xiang Shan narrowed his eyes slightly. "Was it designed specifically for close-quarters combat? Before, it must have been kept in reserve to assist Mo Shangjin, conserving mana to better support him, which is why he didn't enter this mode."

"But... do you truly believe this kind of aura can contend with my military-grade dharma remains?!"

"How utterly ignorant!"

In the ensuing fierce battle, the arena shook as if the mountains were collapsing and the earth itself were splitting asunder.

Xiang Shan was astonished to find that the Zhang Yu before him was even more resilient than Mo Shangjin.

"Specialized materials combined with protective aura, bolstered by the deflection and rebound of the Nine Heavens Cloud Sky Arts, aided by the Seven Absolute dharma remains, and anchored by the foundation of the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving divine power..."

Xiang Shan had long since studied the intelligence on Zhang Yu, and after this brief exchange, he had reached his own conclusions.

"He is pitting the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving divine power against my Sumeru Mountain King Sutra."

"The former military-grade martial art, the Nine Heavens Cloud Sky Arts, coupled with the Seven Absolute dharma remains, and his own astonishing martial aptitude and constitution—he is barely managing to go toe-to-toe with me and my military-grade dharma remains."

"Interesting..."

As he spoke, Xiang Shan allowed a fist to slam into his chest; his military-grade dharma skin absorbed the force, channeling it back into his own body before he struck out fiercely at Zhang Yu.

"Reflecting my attacks?" Xiang Shan sneered. "Let’s see how many times you can keep that up!"

Terrifying power surged back and forth between them, continuously absorbed and redirected by the Nine Heavens Cloud Sky Arts and Xiang Shan’s military-grade dharma remains.

As this force was exchanged and unleashed, their movements grew increasingly violent, each blow causing the entire arena to tremble and sway.