Chapter 510: Master Is Useless, Can't Protect You (Thanks to 'Bamboo Wind Pulling')

Chapter 510: Master is useless and cannot protect you (Thanks to 'Zhu Feng Wan Xian' for the alliance leader reward)

Every time Zhang Yu felt the touch of the Magnetic Pole Monarch, his body would involuntarily shudder, a sensation akin to being a piece of meat on a butcher's block, being picked over and examined by the other party.

This feeling became increasingly pronounced, especially after participating in experiments hosted by the Monarch and undergoing his tests time and again.

Yet, upon hearing the Monarch’s question, he suppressed his inner turmoil and replied, "I have declined the invitation from the Finance Department."

The Magnetic Pole Monarch said indifferently, "The terms offered by Finance are not bad; one could even say they are terms no other department could match."

"By refusing them like this, will you not regret it in the future?"

Zhang Yu said firmly, "Because I know the Finance Department is not for me; the Artifact Refining Department is the true path I must walk."

Director Gao’s gaze darkened upon hearing these words, his expression complex beyond measure.

The Magnetic Pole Monarch, however, smiled slightly, as if looking at a piece of fine material or the perfect test subject. While stroking Zhang Yu’s arm, he remarked, "Whether you are suited for artifact refining is debatable, but you are certainly well-suited to be refined into an artifact."

"Are you not afraid that after transferring to the Artifact Refining Department, I might use you to forge an artifact in the future?"

"Whether it is the effect of the Heaven Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, using your body’s materials to enhance the Earthly Fiend gravity within a magical treasure..."

"Or perhaps, once I fathom the mysteries of the Soul-Transformation Dharma Remains, using your components to forge a Yang-type artifact..."

"They all seem like excellent choices."

Zhang Yu’s body trembled slightly, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Teacher, as long as I can enter the Artifact Refining Department, I am willing to take these risks."

Director Gao, standing to the side, watched this scene, his gaze suddenly sharpening, his breathing growing heavier.

The Magnetic Pole Monarch chuckled, pinching Zhang Yu’s small hand, and said, "These hands, constantly manipulating the Heaven Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power and tempered day and night by Earthly Fiend gravity, are becoming increasingly suitable for modification."

"Tell me, do you really want to join the Artifact Refining Department that much?"

Zhang Yu looked at the Monarch earnestly, his gaze unwavering, and said word by word, "Teacher, you know I have a dream: to one day be admitted into the Sect."

"As long as I can enter the Sect, I am willing to risk anything."

"And compared to the Finance Department, the Artifact Refining Department is the most suitable path for me."

The Magnetic Pole Monarch said, "Zhang Yu, the possibility of you entering the Sect is extremely low, one might even say non-existent. Even so, you are willing to bet everything?"

Zhang Yu: "I am."

Director Gao, witnessing this, was slightly shaken, murmuring to himself, "Enter the Sect? Zhang Yu actually has such an ambition? Why did he never tell me..."

The Magnetic Pole Monarch sighed, "If you wish to enter the Sect, the Civil Engineering Department truly cannot support your ambition. But why didn't you join the Artifact Refining Department directly back then?"

Zhang Yu said helplessly, "Because I am poor. If I had joined the Artifact Refining Department directly, I wouldn't have been able to afford the tuition for all the refining courses or the costs to complete all the independent experiments."

"A teacher I met in high school told me I could join the Civil Engineering Department first, earn money, and then find a way to transfer to the Artifact Refining Department."

Director Gao opened his mouth upon hearing this, forced to admit that the Civil Engineering Department indeed could not support Zhang Yu’s ambition.

If he had heard of Zhang Yu’s desire to enter the Sect... what would he have said?

Other than advising him to give up, there seemed to be no other possibility.

Because if there was even a sliver of an impossible chance in the Artifact Refining Department, then in the Civil Engineering Department, it was absolutely, completely, and utterly impossible.

And given Zhang Yu’s poverty, joining the Artifact Refining Department directly would have been a dead end.

The only path before him was to earn money and then transfer.

Yet, even so, the difficulty of that path was extraordinary.

Recalling the hardships Zhang Yu had faced over the past three years, Director Gao could not help but sigh softly.

Meanwhile, the Magnetic Pole Monarch continued, "Then what plans or thoughts do you have for entering the Sect? And what do you intend to do after joining the Artifact Refining Department?"

Zhang Yu said, "I want to participate in the Top Ten Military Competitions and win a Sect-level cultivation technique. If I can win a Sect-level technique, my chances of entering the Sect will surely increase, right?"

Watching Zhang Yu’s persistent demeanor, Director Gao sighed again in his heart.

Participating in the Top Ten Military Competitions, vying for first place in all categories, and capturing a Sect-level technique... this was something the Civil Engineering Department could never achieve, and he, as the Director, could not help with at all.

If Zhang Yu had voiced this plan within the Civil Engineering Department, others would only have dismissed it as a delusion.

But watching Zhang Yu walk step by step to this day, even though the goal remained distant, he was closing in day by day. Director Gao had to admit that the boy was extremely serious and focused on this endeavor.

In terms of prospects, the Civil Engineering Department lacked the soil to nurture Zhang Yu’s ambition.

In terms of profit, Zhang Yu would benefit more in the Artifact Refining Department, and according to their contracts, he would bring more profit to Director Gao in the future.

In terms of support, he was already powerless to lift the boy higher, and might even become a shackle holding him back.

Looking at Zhang Yu, carrying his ambition and forging ahead, Director Gao realized he no longer had a single reason to keep him. Letting go voluntarily seemed to be the most rational and correct choice.

At the same time, numerous professors, experts, leaders, and teachers from the Civil Engineering Department were sending messages. Director Lin: Old Gao, the Finance Department has already made a move. Hurry and take Zhang Yu to apologize, or how much trouble will this cause?

Old Director (Soul Cultivator): Old Gao, how is the situation? Why do I hear that the Finance Department has already taken action?

Director Gao couldn't help but reply: I call you Old Director out of respect; without it, you’d be a dead man.

With that, he blocked the Old Director.

But even after venting, Director Gao could not dispel the gloom in his heart.

"When it comes down to it... I am simply too incompetent."

"Letting go voluntarily is better than having a direct confrontation with Zhang Yu."

"Magnetic Pole... you bastard, you calculated that I would do this, didn't you?"

Thinking of this, Director Gao sighed again.

Watching the Magnetic Pole Monarch still handling Zhang Yu like a test specimen, Director Gao couldn't help but send a message: Be gentle. You are nearing Soul Transformation, while Zhang Yu is only at Foundation Establishment.

Director Gao: Zhang Yu’s physical body is something I’ve spent years feeding with medicine and arranging training grounds for, watching it be tempered bit by bit. It is now at the golden standard for the Foundation Establishment stage.

Director Gao: You must ensure he is properly forged into a growth-type Dharma Remain.

Magnetic Pole Monarch: Don't worry, Old Gao. For your sake, I will take good care of him.

Meanwhile, Director Gao clicked on Zhang Yu’s profile and began drafting his thoughts.

Glancing at Zhang Yu and the Magnetic Pole Monarch before him, he sent the message: Zhang Yu, the Finance Department has begun to move. Master is useless and cannot protect you.

Director Gao: I have arranged for the Magnetic Pole Monarch to take you in for the transfer.

Director Gao: Once you go to the Artifact Refining Department, you must study hard and never forget your goal.

Standing before the Magnetic Pole Monarch, Zhang Yu’s figure jolted, and he said, "Monarch, Director Gao is letting me transfer to the Artifact Refining Department?"

The Magnetic Pole Monarch sighed, "Old Gao is a broad-minded man. He does this for your future; you must remember to repay him well in the future."

Zhang Yu said, "Director Gao’s kindness to me is like a rebirth. He is my teacher for life, and I will surely repay him generously in the days to come."

Magnetic Pole Monarch: "No need for such useless talk. In the future, fulfill your contract well, help Old Gao earn more money, and let him live a few more years—that will be enough."

Watching this scene, Old Gao’s figure flickered, and his spirit world projection silently dissipated.

And when he woke up in his office at the Civil Engineering Department, he saw another message from Tu Lishan.

Tu Lishan: Director, I heard from some students that Zhang Yu seems to have been getting quite close to the Magnetic Pole Monarch.

Tu Lishan: Before the Civil Engineering finals, I even heard Zhang Yu say he wanted to transfer to the Artifact Refining Department.

Tu Lishan: Is there any truth to this?

Director Gao: I instructed Zhang Yu to say that, to bolster morale before the tournament.

Director Gao: This is an arrangement between True Monarch Magnetic Pole and me; we intend for Zhang Yu to pursue advanced studies in the Department of Artifact Refining. Keep this to yourself; do not spread it around.

……

Just as Director Gao departed, a flicker of light crossed True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s eyes. She toyed with the Zhang Yu in her hand and remarked, "You finished the first three years of the Artifact Refining curriculum long ago, and you have already mastered much of what follows."

"But to secure a ranking in the Ten Great Leagues, that is far from enough."

Although Zhang Yu possessed remarkable talent, now further bolstered by the Divine Transformation Dharma Remains which had greatly accelerated his cultivation speed,

True Monarch Magnetic Pole still deemed the prospect of him being accepted into a major sect highly unlikely.

Of course, she would not dampen his enthusiasm; in her view, there was no harm in him striving harder with that as his goal.

The same held true for the Ten Great Leagues.

"Securing the authorization for a Celestial-grade cultivation technique is something everyone has conspired to lock down."

"However, there is no need to tell Zhang Yu that in advance."

"Let him use it as a goal to burn brightly with his current fighting spirit and give it his all; even if he hits a wall in the future, it will be of no consequence."

True Monarch Magnetic Pole offered a faint smile, looked at the Zhang Yu before her, and said, "To participate in the Ten Great Leagues, relying solely on the single military-grade technique you possess is useless."

Zhang Yu nodded, "Teacher, I understand. That is why my first intention after transferring departments is to acquire the military-grade power of the Artifact Refining Department."

True Monarch Magnetic Pole nodded and said, "The military-grade powers of the Artifact Refining Department include the Taihao Sacred Law Sword Array, the Vacuum Tribulation Transformation Map, and the Heavenly Sun Radiant God from the Dharma Treasure lineage, as well as the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor brought over by your Civil Engineering Department—that could count as one, too."

"Beyond those, there are the cultivation techniques: the 'Heaven and Earth Destruction Formless Heart Weapon' and the 'Great Void Divine Artifact Strategy'."

"Have you thought about which one you would choose?"

Zhang Yu felt a surge of excitement, wishing he could learn every single one of them.

Hearing True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s words, he shook his head repeatedly and asked, "Teacher, I do not know which of these is better suited for me, nor am I clear on the process for obtaining these military-grade powers. Does it also require waiting for the military certification exam?"

True Monarch Magnetic Pole replied indifferently, "Rest assured, our Artifact Refining Department is not like the Civil Engineering Department, where you must wait two years for a chance to take the military certification exam. In the Artifact Refining Department, if you meet the criteria, you have the opportunity to obtain certification without an exam."

——

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(End of this chapter)