Chapter 516: Maintenance of Personal Brand (Thanks to 'Lamp Plating River Embankment Maple')

Chapter 516: Maintaining a Personal Brand (Thanks to 'Deng Du Jiang Di Feng' for the Alliance Leader donation)

After reviewing the parameters of the Taiyi Golden Liquid Pill several times, Zi Yunzhen felt her breath hitch in her throat.

She couldn't help but reply: Did you really make this all by yourself?

She mused inwardly, "Did Senior Sister Ye Xingli help him with this?"

"A civil engineering student... how could he possibly reach this level?"

Facing Zi Yunzhen's skepticism, Zhang Yu replied calmly: Did you not see the maker's signature on the artifact?

Zhang Yu: It was completed entirely by me; or are you suggesting I faked it?

In the world of artifact refining, accusing someone of forgery is a grave offense that can lead to ruin, and Zi Yunzhen dared not make such a powerful enemy of the material favored by the Magnetic Pole True Monarch.

Zi Yunzhen: That is not what I meant.

Zi Yunzhen: I was just too surprised.

Zi Yunzhen: I never imagined someone from the Civil Engineering Department could refine the Taiyi Golden Liquid Pill so perfectly.

Zi Yunzhen: And you even pushed the Dragon Vein Casting Technique to level 20.

Zhang Yu replied matter-of-factly: Without peerless talent, why would the Magnetic Pole True Monarch have helped me transfer departments?

Looking at Zhang Yu's somewhat arrogant reply, Zi Yunzhen felt quite annoyed, but after glancing at the artifact's parameters again, she had to swallow her pride.

After all, an artifact is the ultimate proof of an artisan's skill; as long as the results are solid, it can silence any critic.

Zhang Yu asked: Student Zi, do you still require the Dragon Vein Casting service?

Zi Yunzhen: Yes.

Zhang Yu: What kind of artifact?

Zhang Yu: Please send me the parameters so I can take a look.

Zi Yunzhen looked at the array flags she intended to infuse with dragon vein power, and her face suddenly flushed red.

After hesitating for a moment, she sent the details: [Five Elements Flags]

Then she quickly explained: These Five Elements Flags are not my best work.

Zi Yunzhen: I use them for auxiliary experiments, just temporarily.

Zhang Yu: 3 Spirit Coins.

Zi Yunzhen: That works.

Seeing the price, Zi Yunzhen agreed immediately.

This was exactly why she had sought out Ye Xingli in the past; the man's rates were truly reasonable.

As a student of the Artifact Refining Department, Zi Yunzhen had commissioned custom work from many upperclassmen.

While large corporations offered cost-effective, stable products with comprehensive spiritual network support, many personalized needs were either impossible to meet or prohibitively expensive.

This was where expert refiners were needed for secondary refinement—to enhance artifact durability, expand functions, or upgrade the intelligence of the artifact spirit.

Even for the same brand and model, different personalized refinements could lead to vastly different results.

After some negotiation, Zhang Yu and Zi Yunzhen successfully signed the contract, waiting only for her to deliver the artifact so he could complete the secondary refinement and return it.

After accepting the deposit, Zhang Yu, despite his deep reluctance, transferred a 0.3 Spirit Coin commission to Ye Xingli.

Ye Xingli: No need to transfer this; once you've made a name for yourself in the Artifact Refining Department, you won't need my cover anymore.

Zhang Yu: Senior Sister, I have relied on you to bring me business for so long. I am still new to this department and unfamiliar with the ropes; I must continue to trouble you to introduce clients to me.

Seeing Ye Xingli accept the commission after his insistence, Zhang Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"My reputation is not yet established, and with my history in Civil Engineering, it would be difficult to secure orders in the Artifact Refining Department without Ye Xingli's help."

"I must rely on Senior Sister to keep bringing me business."

Beyond business considerations, Zhang Yu had another motive: the Dao Seed within Ye Xingli.

"Senior Sister Ye was able to secure a ranking in the design competition so early; her refining talent must be formidable. She likely possesses a Dao Seed of her own."

Aside from his mentor, the Magnetic Pole True Monarch, Zhang Yu intended to get closer to Senior Sister Ye, hoping to eventually replicate a Dao Seed from her.

...

Several days later, Zi Yunzhen received the artifact back from Zhang Yu. After testing it, she thought to herself: "It really is a level 20 Dragon Vein Casting Technique."

Eager to show off, she quickly posted the artifact's details in a small group chat, and soon her classmates began to respond.

"Yunzhen, your Five Elements Flags are finished?"

"Did you hire someone to infuse them with dragon vein power?"

"The quality is very high; how much did it cost?"

Zi Yunzhen curled her lips slightly and replied: You certainly won't believe it if I tell you.

Zi Yunzhen: Zhang Yu refined this for me.

8th-ranked Rong Xuan: Zhang Yu? That civil engineering dog refined it for you? You're joking, right?

Zi Yunzhen looked at her chat history with Zhang Yu and the screenshots regarding the Taiyi Golden Liquid Pill. Although she wanted to post them to show how well-informed she was, she decided against it without Zhang Yu's consent.

Zi Yunzhen immediately replied: I spoke with Zhang Yu, and his refining skills are not low at all.

Zi Yunzhen: Taiyi Golden Liquid Pill level 20, Dragon Vein Casting Technique level 20.

Rong Xuan: How is that possible? Does he even have time to study refining while working on the construction site?

Zi Yunzhen: If he didn't have the skill, why would the Magnetic Pole True Monarch have dragged him into the Artifact Refining Department?

Someone replied: Perhaps it's the result of the Apotheosis Dharma Remains experiment.

Another added: Yun Ni, it looks like he might be coming for your first-place spot.

Su Yunni, the top student in the class, stared at the messages in the group, her gaze narrowing slightly.

As the top-ranked student from freshman to junior year, Su Yunni had long set her sights on the department rankings, paying little attention to class standing because she had absolute confidence in her position.

But she never expected that a transfer student from Civil Engineering would jump to second place in the class, and now, it seemed he might even threaten her position?

Su Yunni couldn't imagine the ridicule she would face if this civil engineering student surpassed her to take first place. Her personal brand value would plummet, and her company's revenue would inevitably be affected.

At this thought, a surge of intense fighting spirit welled up within her.

"I must not let this civil engineering student surpass me."

"I must ensure nothing goes wrong in this semester's final exam."

With that, Su Yunni immediately adjusted her study plan, slightly reducing her advanced learning schedule to focus more on consolidating and reviewing her junior-year coursework. Zhang Yu was naturally unaware of what the other students in the class were thinking.

As for the final exam, he didn't take it to heart.

On one hand, he had already mastered the first three years of the Artifact Refining curriculum and passed the Magnetic Pole True Monarch's examinations.

On the other hand, his main focus was the 'Refining Prodigy' project; once that was done, he would move on to the prototype of the Sun-Scorching Divine Machine. Final exams were just a trivial matter.

Returning to his dormitory that day, Zhang Yu saw his sister, Zhang Pianpian, for the first time in a while.

Ever since she joined the Apotheosis Dharma Remains experiment and raised her Taiqing Realm to level 2, Zhang Pianpian had become increasingly busy.

With Zhang Yu becoming increasingly occupied, the two found it a rarity to cross paths.

Seeing the tenth-place ranking in Talismanry hovering above Zhang Pianpian’s head, Zhang Yu remarked in surprise, "Senior, your rank has climbed again?"

Zhang Pianpian gave a slight nod. "I took part in a few competitions recently to boost my standing, just to make it easier to qualify for the Ten Great Leagues."

She smiled then, adding, "I heard you transferred to the Artifact Refining Department?"

"Not bad. You’ll be eligible for the Ten Great Leagues in a couple of years, won't you?"

Watching his sister’s steady ascent, the flicker of complacency Zhang Yu had felt was instantly extinguished; he steeled his resolve to redouble his efforts in both labor and cultivation, striving to earn his own place in the Ten Great Leagues as soon as possible.

...

A few days after his transfer.

Zhang Yu sent a message to the Magnetic Pole Monarch: Teacher, have the sanctions from the Finance Department not ceased yet?

Magnetic Pole Monarch: I have no authority over the Finance Department's sanctions.

Magnetic Pole Monarch: Enough, stop pestering me. There is a project at the factory site; have your company take it on.

Zhang Yu: Thank you, Teacher.

Magnetic Pole Monarch: Hmm?

Zhang Yu: [1 Spirit Coin] Thank you, Teacher.

Magnetic Pole Monarch: Hmm.

Staring at the chat history, Zhang Yu mused, "It seems that from now on, any civil engineering project I take in the Artifact Refining sector will require a kickback to my teacher."

Upon arriving at the factory site mentioned by the Magnetic Pole Monarch, Zhang Yu realized it was an expansion of an auxiliary plant contracted by the Wanfa University Artifact Refining Department.

Unlike the massive undertakings of the Civil Engineering Department, projects of this nature were modest in scale; the portion allocated to Zhang Yu could be handled almost entirely by his own company’s staff.

"I stand to make twenty spirit coins from this contract. It doesn't compare to the grand civil projects, but it demands far less of my time."

Zhang Yu calculated that he only needed to be present for a few days to channel the Heaven-Kunlun Mountain-Moving Power, leaving the remainder of the work to Ying Xin’s grandfather, Zhao Tianxing, and the others.

Upon further reflection, Zhang Yu realized that while the Artifact Refining Department lacked massive projects, it was flush with these smaller, steady ones—a perfect fit for his current state, allowing him to focus his energy on the path of artifact refinement.

"The only question is when the payment will be issued."

"Once the first installment clears, everything else should flow smoothly."

Zhang Yu checked his balance. Despite the occasional artifact commission, the constant need to cultivate his techniques and front the capital for civil projects meant his spirit coins vanished as quickly as they appeared; his savings still hovered around ten coins.

...

As the days slipped by, mid-March arrived in the blink of an eye.

Streams of true fire cast a brilliant, incandescent glow, dancing and weaving in response to Zhang Yu’s will.

On this day, Zhang Yu finally pushed his Imperial Fire Divine Mirror to level twenty.

"Phew, I can finally begin the fourth technique of the Artifact Refining Prodigy."

"And with the Imperial Fire Divine Mirror at level twenty, I can now repair magical treasures by refining their materials."

The thought sent a jolt of excitement through him.

The restoration of magical treasures spanned many disciplines: casing repairs, component replacement, spiritual circuit mending, and the healing of sentient artifacts—each requiring a distinct set of skills.

The Imperial Fire Divine Mirror, with its ability to reshape materials through intense heat, was perfectly suited for repairing the outer shells of such treasures.

"There are plenty of people in need of repairs; this should bring in a handsome income."

Just then, Zhang Yu received another image file from Wen Wuya.

After skillfully decrypting the data, a video of Bai Zhenzhen flickered to life.

She smiled, saying, "Yu-zi? You successfully transferred?"

"That’s wonderful. Now that you’re in Artifact Refining instead of Civil Engineering, not only will you have more prestige, but it will be much easier for you to join the Ten Great Leagues."

"Things are going well here. The management is becoming increasingly lax; I might be able to get out sooner than expected. When I do, I’ll come find you..."

Just as Zhang Yu watched the smile on Bai Zhenzhen’s face and began to smile in return, the video before him suddenly distorted, and waves of iridescent, seven-colored light erupted from the screen.

(End of chapter)