Chapter 523: Slightly Famous (Thanks to 'cuivie' for Gifting Alliance Leader)

Chapter 523: A Modest Reputation (Thanks to 'cuivie' for the alliance leader donation)

The Spirit Realm.

Inside the classroom of the Artifact Refinement Department.

Unlike the Civil Engineering Department, many courses in Artifact Refinement are accelerated within classrooms located in the Spirit Realm.

This allows students of the department to achieve higher learning efficiency, though it also requires them to pay significantly higher tuition fees.

However, for those capable of enrolling in the Artifact Refinement Department, the high tuition is merely the most trivial of their many expenses.

As the Mana Conduction lecture concluded for the day, Zhang Yu stood up in the Spirit Realm classroom and walked toward the instructor.

The instructor for this course is known as True Person Jiuduan. Having graduated with a doctorate from the Artifact Refinement Department of Myriad Dharma University and successfully retained as faculty, he is just over fifty years old—a man who can be called young and promising wherever he goes.

Like most teachers and students in the department, True Person Jiuduan judges people by their Dharma remains.

After all, the path of artifact refinement is fueled by wealth; in his view, financial status is the most important criterion for selecting talent.

The most intuitive way for students to distinguish financial power is by looking at the Dharma remains worn by others.

To facilitate his own management of students, he assigns notes to each one, displayed through his ocular remains, ensuring effective oversight whether in reality or the Spirit Realm.

Take, for example, the many students in this class.

Class topper Su Yunni, clad head-to-toe in high-end gear from the Myriad Crafts Sect, glows with a faint purple light in Jiuduan’s eyes. To him, such a student is a minor elite—whether for lab chores or outsourced projects from refinement companies, she is ready to work immediately, a prime beast of burden.

On the other hand, Zi Yunzhen, fourth in the class, also wears Myriad Crafts Sect gear, but only the basic models; in Jiuduan’s eyes, she emits a faint blue light.

He considers such students far more mediocre, often requiring extensive guidance before they can be productive, though they are at least diligent and suitable for the troublesome, dangerous, and dirty work.

Students who secretly use a few second-hand Dharma remains or mid-range brands are few and far between in any given class.

In Jiuduan’s eyes, they are bathed in green; he views them as expendable consumables. Their greatest contribution to the industry is their tuition spending. Despite lacking the potential for the department, a few always manage to enroll every year.

As for the rest, those covered in low-end remains—or possessing nothing but their ocular remains—are rarely seen by Jiuduan outside the department.

In his eyes, they are a flat, grayish-black. The lower the total value of their remains, the darker they appear.

There are vast numbers of such people in the University City, and with each year’s population growth, they become increasingly worthless.

To Jiuduan, these black-hued individuals are akin to walking wet waste; the only difference is that throwing them into a landfill would incur a fine.

Sometimes, Jiuduan has to admit that the Netherworld University handles this better. They periodically clear out the low-end population in the University City to prevent the wet waste from wandering around.

Such actions are like pouring disinfectant into a river, effectively maintaining the price environment for human life, ensuring that the low-end population does not become too cheap due to oversupply, preventing human life from being devalued, and allowing the poor to live with more dignity.

At this moment, as Zhang Yu approached, a large, grayish-black shadow emerged in Jiuduan’s vision.

"Zhang Yu?"

The name surfaced instantly in Jiuduan’s mind. This student from the Civil Engineering Department, who possessed only a single four-year-old ocular remain, was more memorable than any other—a classified "unknown" in his eyes.

According to Jiuduan’s classification, Zhang Yu should be wet waste.

But given the common sense that wet waste doesn't exist in the Artifact Refinement Department, combined with his grades, Zhang Yu should also be considered a person.

This made the Zhang Yu before him seem like a mysterious, unknown species, leaving a deep impression on Jiuduan.

Zhang Yu spoke: "Teacher, I would like to request a leave of absence for a period."

Jiuduan asked: "Why?"

Zhang Yu explained: "I intend to build a prototype of the Heavenly Sun Radiant God. I need to spend more time in the laboratory to study and accumulate the necessary technical preparations."

Zhang Yu truly did not want to spend more time in class; he had already learned the relevant content, and through his refined skills, he had mastered it deeply.

The prototype of the Heavenly Sun Radiant God was indeed his next goal, and in his view, it was the best reason for leave, much like a Civil Engineering student asking for time to work on a construction site.

Jiuduan frowned slightly: "You want to build a prototype of the Heavenly Sun Radiant God? Ambition is good, but the path of refinement requires a solid foundation. Mana conduction is a fundamental course; you should master your current studies first..."

A student who had transferred from Civil Engineering only two months ago claiming he wanted to build a Heavenly Sun Radiant God prototype? To Jiuduan, this was nothing but nonsense.

If he agreed so easily, wouldn't he be seen as a fool?

Zhang Yu, having anticipated this, immediately sent over the data for the artifact he had refined: the Yin-Yang Shield.

He knew that no amount of verbal explanation could compare to seeing the results.

The Yin-Yang Shield, capable of switching between the Li-Fire and Profound Ice defensive modes and further enhanced by his own techniques, best reflected his mastery of mana conduction.

Seeing the data, Jiuduan was initially dismissive, but after a moment, his brows lifted in surprise. The more he looked, the more astonished he became.

Jiuduan: "Did you really refine this yourself?"

In Jiuduan’s view, the Yin-Yang Shield was entirely at the level of a senior student, and the data clearly indicated that Zhang Yu’s knowledge of mana conduction was exceptional.

"Very well," Jiuduan smiled slightly. "Are you currently involved in any projects? Would you be interested in joining my lab?"

At this moment, Zhang Yu was marked with a purple light in Jiuduan’s eyes—an exception made for a prime beast of burden he could put to work immediately to earn him money.

"I don't have much time lately," Zhang Yu naturally shook his head. Over these days, he had learned quite a bit about the department from Ye Xingli.

He knew that joining such a teacher’s lab meant being driven relentlessly in exchange for guidance and cultivation opportunities.

As for the pay, it was likely worse than moving trash on a construction site.

Zhang Yu had his own cultivation plan and money-making intentions; he had no need for such arrangements. To him, the teacher’s guidance was inferior to practicing more on his own.

Jiuduan nodded and smiled: "Fine. If you’re interested, contact me anytime. You are always welcome here."

On the other side of the classroom, most students had vanished after the bell.

Zi Yunzhen, however, had stayed behind to listen to their conversation after seeing Zhang Yu approach the instructor.

Seeing the importance Jiuduan placed on Zhang Yu, she felt a secret shock: "This Zhang Yu... he really is becoming more and more formidable."

Ever since Zi Yunzhen became Ye Xingli’s assistant, she had occasionally seen Zhang Yu practicing refinement techniques in the lab, watching as he mastered one after another.

Zhang Yu’s explanation was the influence of his Deification Dharma remains, which made Zi Yunzhen’s eyes turn red with envy.

"I can dual-cultivate too! I can change my gender!"

Unfortunately, Zi Yunzhen had also taken the test and had not been favored by the Deification Dharma remains.

As Zhang Yu’s refinement skills improved and his scope widened, the number of orders he received gradually increased, earning him a modest reputation among the students.

Zi Yunzhen thought to herself: "But he’s only a junior, and he’s already preparing to build a prototype of the Heavenly Sun Radiant God? Isn't he taking too big a step?"

She did not hold high hopes for Zhang Yu’s choice.

"Whatever techniques the Deification remains pass down is all a matter of luck. How could it possibly help you complete the Heavenly Sun Radiant God?"

"He just got lucky, and now he actually thinks he’s a refinement genius?"

As Zhang Yu requested leave from one teacher after another, the news of his preparation for the Heavenly Sun Radiant God prototype spread to more students, subtly adding to his fame.

...

Inside the laboratory.

Ye Xingli flicked her wrist, unfolding the Vacuum Calamity Transformation Map.

Within the space enveloped by this military-grade artifact, airflow, temperature, humidity, spiritual energy, and gravity—all sorts of data shifted under her control, creating the exact experimental environment she required.

Following these actions, an artifact on the workbench was gradually dismantled, revealing its internal structure.

On the other side of the lab, Zhang Yu, who was practicing his refinement techniques, suddenly frowned: "Such a thick, irritating smell. Is this evil energy?"

Ye Xingli nodded: "This is an artifact used by factories to purify terrestrial evil energy, but something went wrong, causing a leak."

"A minor leak of malevolent energy would have been nothing, yet it seeped directly into the lower-level water pipes of the university town, contaminating the entire supply."

"Fortunately, the factory manager had a stroke of genius; he quickly dumped his own excrement into the pipes, claiming it was merely a sewage leak. In the end, not only did he avoid paying damages, but he even charged the impoverished residents who had drawn the water a fee for their 'sustenance'."

Zhang Yu confirmed once more that in this Kunxu, one must never be poor, for if you are poor, you are forced to pay even for the privilege of being fed filth.

As Ye Xingli continued to manipulate the Vacuum Kalpa Transformation Map, she sent a private message to Zhang Yu: "I heard you asked the professor for leave to prepare for the Heavenly Sun Radiant God? You still haven't given up?"

Zhang Yu replied: "Yes, I am quite confident."

Seeing his persistence, Ye Xingli did not try to dissuade him, but merely offered a reminder: "If you truly intend to proceed, remember to inquire about who in the department is planning to attempt the Heavenly Sun Radiant God in the coming years."

Ye Xingli: "Although the authorities have never made an official announcement, the number of military-grade certifications issued each year is strictly limited. For a specific military-grade artifact like the Heavenly Sun Radiant God, generally only one certificate is approved per academic year."

Ye Xingli: "Therefore, everyone tries to coordinate with the department in advance to avoid any conflicts."

Ye Xingli: "[Jin Jun]"

Ye Xingli: "This Jin Jun is set to complete the prototype of the Heavenly Sun Radiant God in the next academic year starting this September. He is not your competitor; he is a friend of mine, and you may consult him if you have any questions."

Hearing this, Zhang Yu thought to himself: "The next academic year, you say?"

"It is almost June now. In three months, September will arrive, the new academic year will begin, and I will be a senior."

"Everyone assumes that since I am only starting my preparations now, it will take me several years to finish."

"But at my current pace, I will complete the prototype of the Heavenly Sun Radiant God by the next academic year, which puts me in direct competition with this Jin Jun."

"If he secures the military certificate for the Heavenly Sun Radiant God first, I will have to wait until my fifth year..."

...

Within the Spirit Realm Grotto-Heaven.

Jin Jun opened the Golden Core Direct Pointer and checked his simulated Golden Core benchmark score: 158,312.

Checking the simulated score of his Golden Core every day, observing his own incremental progress, had long been a habit for Jin Jun.

His Spirit Realm projection flickered, transforming into a figure over three meters tall, clad from head to toe in golden Dharma-remains.

Across the shell of these remains, various parameter projections flickered incessantly, showcasing the formidable power of the armor he had either crafted himself or reinforced through secondary refinement.

As a master of the military-grade technique "Grand Void Artifact Strategy," his refining capabilities naturally far surpassed those of the vast majority of students in the Department of Artifact Refinement.

(End of chapter)