Chapter 534: Escalation of the Situation

Chapter 534: Escalation

Late September.

Inside the laboratory.

Jin Jun glanced at the materials, which had surged in price once again, and felt a flicker of relief.

"It is fortunate that for the sake of convenience, I stockpiled plenty of materials for the Heavenly Sun Radiant God long ago; I won't need to restock for a month or two."

"I hope this great calamity ends soon."

During this period, Jin Jun did not venture out, burying himself in the laboratory every day to advance the progress of the Heavenly Sun Radiant God, ignoring the storms raging in the outside world.

...

Returning from the company, Yu Xinghan had not yet reached the door when he spotted several acquaintances from afar.

Looking at Su Yanyang and Xiao Yunjie, Yu Xinghan smiled. "Here for a check-up again? Want a massage when you're done? I'll give you the lowest price in history."

As the economic crisis continued to unfold, more and more students were beginning to feel overwhelmed.

Su Yanyang had come to see Xiao Qingxuan for treatment, holding several bottles of daily pills used for suppressing sleep, fasting, and nourishing blood—his payment for Xiao Qingxuan.

Beside him, Xiao Yunjie was there to have Zhang Yu maintain his mechanical remains, taking the opportunity to dismantle his transformation components to relieve the pressure on his body. Of course, Zhang Yu charged for these services, but compared to the current market rates, it was a bargain that Xiao Yunjie found incredibly cost-effective.

Su Yanyang said lazily, "What massage... I'd rather just sleep more."

Yu Xinghan was surprised. "Sleep?"

Su Yanyang replied nonchalantly, "Sleeping means eating less medicine, moving less, consuming less, and passing the time quickly. Don't you think that's the best way to live right now?"

In addition to Xiao Yunjie and Su Yanyang, Li Xiao was also squatting nearby, disheveled and unkempt.

Yu Xinghan knew that for the past few days, Li Xiao had been coming to Zhang Yu’s place at a set time, waiting for Zhang Yu to finish his shift and feed him a bit of mana.

As for the rest of the time, Yu Xinghan understood that Li Xiao likely stayed outside the catacombs, scraping up the spiritual energy and bone ash that drifted out.

But today, besides Li Xiao, he had brought along another grimy, wretched-looking person.

"Ji Yuanchu?" Watching Ji Yuanchu turn his head away, Yu Xinghan thought to himself, "Sigh, if Zhang Yu keeps this up, the number of vagrants inside and outside our dormitory will only continue to grow."

Just then, as Zhang Yu arrived, Li Xiao pulled Ji Yuanchu along, and the two rushed forward like a pair of squirrels begging for food.

After the feeding was over, watching Zhang Yu disappear behind the dormitory door, Li Xiao sighed, "If only Zhang Yu could take us home with him too."

Ji Yuanchu said, "Stop daydreaming. Focus on your studies. At this time, it is the perfect moment to surpass those ahead of you and widen the gap with those behind."

Li Xiao sighed again, a thought rising in his heart: "If I hadn't been admitted to university, I would still be in the first-tier Immortal Capital, not struggling like a beggar every day. Would life be easier? Would I be happier?"

Zhang Yu naturally had no intention of bringing Li Xiao or Ji Yuanchu into his room.

After all, there were already enough people in the room, and the spiritual energy was barely sufficient; how could he bring more people in?

Moreover, Zhang Yu did not have such a deep friendship with Li Xiao or Ji Yuanchu; feeding them a few mouthfuls of mana was merely because he did not want to watch them die at his doorstep.

Regarding this, Fu Ji sighed, "Why is this guy Zhang Yu becoming more and more soft-hearted? You should beat these beggars every time you see them and drive them far away, so that their poverty-stricken stench doesn't cling to you."

Zhang Yu thought to himself, "If it were the me who had just arrived at the second tier, I would likely have had to turn a blind eye to everything."

"But now... I am, after all, wealthier and stronger. Only when one has a surplus can one make choices according to one's own will, rather than being raped by this godforsaken Kunxu."

Whenever he thought of this, Zhang Yu became even more devoted to his studies in the Spirit Realm, continuing to chase after greater power and a more prosperous future.

Zhang Yu also had to admit that by pouring the vast majority of his energy into his studies in the Taiqing Realm, combined with the blessing of his genius for artifact refining, his learning progress was advancing by leaps and bounds.

Blessing Relics, Transformation Soul Rings, Overtime Golden Hoops, Free Lotus Thrones... he mastered one blueprint after another, and after pushing them to level 20, he gained a profound understanding of the knowledge and technology contained within.

Zhang Yu estimated, "In about two or three more weeks, I will have mastered all the technology required for the Heavenly Sun Radiant God and can officially begin refining."

But soon, new changes arrived at Wanfa University.

First, daily travel times were restricted, then daily Spirit Realm traffic was capped, followed by medicine and spirit stones... as the supply of spiritual energy was limited, the once-obsolete spirit stones suddenly became the center of attention.

Outside the dormitory door, Ji Yuanchu suddenly slapped Li Xiao across the face, then lowered his voice and said, "Unemployed? Are you crazy? Do you even know what kind of thing that is to get involved with?"

Li Xiao said weakly, "I heard there’s a red envelope."

Li Xiao said helplessly, "I'm scared too, but I really have no money left. I can't survive anymore."

Ji Yuanchu gritted his teeth and said, "I have a lead in the Finance Department; I can help you get a card. But remember, just one. You absolutely cannot get more."

Inside the room, a message from Su Yanyang appeared in Zhang Yu’s ocular implant.

Su Yanyang: Zhang Yu, can you lend me some spirit coins?

Su Yanyang: I'll pay it back with bank loan interest.

Zhang Yu: [1 spirit coin]

Su Yanyang: Many thanks. Do you have any more?

Zhang Yu: No.

Su Yanyang: Things are getting chaotic outside. Be careful when you go out; don't walk where there is no surveillance.

On the other side, Shi Huaiyu looked at the medicine he had bought and said, "Damn it... limiting the daily amount is one thing, but this short-changing is too much. Just how much are those people at the top skimming off?"

As the daily supply of medicine decreased, Zhang Yu felt his body growing hungrier by the day.

He understood that if this continued for long, lacking the nourishment of medicinal power, his blood and energy would become deficient or even fail, and his physical strength might even regress.

After all, for cultivators like them, as they became more powerful, their bodies' consumption inevitably increased as well.

Thus, Zhang Yu began looking for ways to buy more medicine. He first contacted, naturally, True Monarch Magnetic Pole and Director Gao.

However, with the situation becoming tense, these two teachers seemed increasingly busy and did not reply to Zhang Yu’s messages.

Then, Zhang Yu contacted Li Xuelian through Yu Xinghan and found the dark pharmaceutical market.

But the prices of medicine in the black market had long since skyrocketed, making Zhang Yu shrink back in dismay.

Fu Ji cursed, "The School of Pharmacy must be shipping plenty of stock to the black market. Damn them, limiting the supply on one hand while driving up prices and selling it off in the black market on the other."

Then, Zhang Yu found her mentor, Yin Jiurao, through Le Mulan.

This Yin Jiurao, who had once used Zhang Yu as material for a paper, was willing to provide some extra medicinal supplies, and her requirements were simple.

In front of the office, Le Mulan looked at Zhang Yu before her, bit her lip, and said, "Zhang Yu..."

Zhang Yu smiled and shook his head at her, comforting her, "It's fine, I'll be out soon."

Le Mulan clenched her fists and said, "Endure it this time. I will definitely find a way to get more medicine as soon as possible."

Watching Zhang Yu’s back as he walked into the office and hearing the sounds emanating from within, Le Mulan felt a sense of resentment. She hated her own poverty and weakness today, which forced Zhang Yu to trade precious materials for what were usually incredibly cheap medicines.

Having received a large box of medicine, Zhang Yu finally felt full again. Returning to the dormitory, he lent a few bottles to his roommates and half a bottle to Li Xiao and Ji Yuanchu outside the door.

That night, as everyone felt the satiety in their bodies, they all experienced a moment of peace.

Just then, the clash of the God-Transforming cultivators in the live broadcast triggered a geological disaster that spread for a thousand miles.

The people who had just settled down were startled.

Immediately after, the face of Ji Yuanchu nearby stiffened, revealing a helpless, bitter smile.

Then, under the shocked, surprised, and sighing gazes of the crowd, his figure was enveloped by bursts of divine light; his physical body was gradually decomposed by the financial storm, and his soul was swept into the depths of the Spirit Realm.

Seeing this former pride of the Civil Engineering Department vanish before their eyes due to the fluctuations of a God-Transforming battle, everyone present was left with lingering fears, and their spirits, which had just calmed slightly, became anxious once more.

Hours later, Zhang Pianpian, True Monarch Magnetic Pole, and Director Gao sent messages in quick succession.

True Monarch Magnetic Pole: I have sent a batch of medicine; stay in your dormitory and ignore whatever happens outside.

Director Gao: Work on the 670th floor is suspended; you need not come, and if any trouble arises, seek out the True Monarch.

Zhang Pianpian: The Nascent Soul masters have gathered at the arena, and things may be escalating; yet, once the situation escalates, it means the higher-ups will intervene, and the matter will soon reach its end.

Zhang Pianpian: But before the end, anything can happen; you must be careful and stay put.

Zhang Yu felt a growing tension from the barrage of messages and could not help but warn those in the dormitory to be cautious and remain indoors.

As he pondered whether to invite Li Xiao, who had been outside, to come in for a while, he discovered that the man had vanished without a trace.

The following night, the group gathered to watch the live broadcast of the Ten Great Leagues.

On the screen, Dao Qiankun of Wanfa University and Kuang Tianqing of Heavenly Demon University were locked in combat, vying for the championship of the ten-school tournament.

Zhang Yu recalled that these two held the second and first spots on the Golden Core seed rankings, their simulated scores towering above all other students.

Watching the two battle until the heavens darkened and the earth shook, Zhang Yu could not help but think: "These two likely did not reveal their full strength even in the Golden Core simulations."

Just then, Dao Qiankun let out a thunderous roar, driving a golden phantom deep into Kuang Tianqing’s body.

"Advancing in the heat of battle! Break for me!"

At Dao Qiankun’s low command, Kuang Tianqing’s aura surged! It swelled! It skyrocketed!

Violent golden light erupted from within him, threatening to render his very body translucent, while a round, shimmering golden phantom of a core emerged from his lower abdomen.

Kuang Tianqing was clearly on the verge of breaking through to the Golden Core realm under the pressure of Dao Qiankun’s attack.

But the next moment, he reached into his own abdomen and crushed the golden core with his bare hand.

"Dao Qiankun, you think you can force a breakthrough with such petty tricks?"

"Take it back!"

Kuang Tianqing hurled the shattered core at his opponent: "You break through instead!"

As the battle reached its fever pitch, both fighters suddenly froze, suspended motionless in mid-air.

Yu Xinghan tilted his head, puzzled: "What technique is this? Time stop?"

Zhang Yu shook his head, a grave expression in his eyes: "The video has frozen."

The group checked their ocular implants, only to discover with shock that it was not just the broadcast—all services connected to the Spirit Realm had ceased.

Shi Huaiyu whispered in disbelief: "The Spirit Realm network... has it been severed?"

"Has our dormitory’s data allowance run out?"

Zhang Yu shook his head: "I checked earlier; the data has not been exhausted."

Yu Xinghan: "Then what on earth is happening..."

Zhang Yu attempted to connect, finding that neither his Sun-Moon Heaven-Reaching Bracelet nor his Sky-Patrol Flying Sword could access the Spirit Realm any longer.

It was as if the Spirit Realm had simply vanished.

A sense of foreboding rose in Zhang Yu’s heart: "Is it just this dormitory? Or worse, has the entire floor gone dark?"

"Or could it be... that the Spirit Realm for the entire Wanfa University has been cut off?"

At that very moment, they felt a tremor beneath their feet, and the entire dormitory began to shake violently.