Chapter 662: An'an, Spark, the Thoughts of the Upper Sect

Chapter 662: An'an, Xinghuo, and the Thoughts of the Upper Sect

Xiong Wenwu: Yuntao, did Director Zhang say which cultivation technique he is going to choose?

Hu Yuntao: This is a major decision for Director Zhang; how could I possibly interject?

Xiong Wenwu: Then did you mention the Heavenly Demon Reincarnation Scripture to him?

Xiong Wenwu: The school asked me to pass the message, I had no choice.

Seeing Hu Yuntao's prolonged silence, Xiong Wenwu thought to himself, "This kid."

Then he shifted his gaze to another avatar on his ocular relic, the face of a red panda, which unmistakably belonged to An'an, working in the reserve on the first level of Kunxu.

This was his reward for relaying messages for the Heavenly Demon University, allowing Xiong Wenwu to communicate daily, free of charge, with people on the first level of Kunxu and transfer some funds to them.

Xiong Wenwu: An'an, did you receive the money I had someone transfer to you?

An'an: Why are you sending me money? I am an outstanding employee, with all my meals and drinks covered every day; where would I even need to spend money?

Xiong Wenwu: Just consider it savings on my behalf; I will spend it when I return to the first level.

An'an: What kind of defeatist talk is that? You got into the Heavenly Demon University, you are already so exceptional, how can you still be thinking about coming back?

An'an: You need to work hard to stay on the second level, understand? Otherwise, all those years of studying would be for nothing.

An'an: Study hard, work more overtime, and listen to your superiors; the leaders will notice.

Reading An'an's replies, Xiong Wenwu glanced at his own body, already reforged into a mount configuration, and sighed inwardly, yet said nothing.

...

At this moment, there were still ten hours until the commencement of the award ceremony.

Inside Zhang Yu's artifact-refining laboratory, numerous assistants bustled back and forth.

Hu Yuntao, as a soul cultivator, was also participating in the restoration of the Seven Absolutes Dharma Relic.

He observed Zhang Yu nearby, who had just finished repairing the ocular relic and was finally relaxing a little.

Hu Yuntao: Director Zhang, there is something I wish to discuss with you.

Zhang Yu: Go ahead.

Listening to Hu Yuntao recount the intelligence regarding the Heavenly Demon Reincarnation Scripture, Zhang Yu nodded to acknowledge he understood.

Zhang Yu knew this was undoubtedly the intricate web of relations within the demon-blooded clans, passed from demon to demon, step by step, until it reached him.

Similar situations had occurred more than once since he won the championship, and Hu Yuntao was far from the first contact on his list to introduce him to immortal sect techniques.

"Sigh, the network of Kunxu..."

Zhang Yu shook his head, lamenting inwardly that with the high-speed flow of information in the Spirit Realm, the interpersonal network of Kunxu had become unprecedentedly complex and vast.

And at this very moment, this great net was descending upon him from all directions with an overwhelming, all-encompassing momentum.

With a sigh, Zhang Yu had already re-equipped the fully restored Nine Nether Demon Eye relic.

Watching as all parameters returned to normal levels, Zhang Yu proceeded to inspect his other magical treasures and dharma relics.

While he was recuperating from his injuries, the school had dispatched personnel to repair the Blazing Sun God, the Taihao Holy Law Flying Sword, the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor, and the Seven Absolutes Dharma Relic.

With the massive investment of spirit coins and manpower, the entire restoration process was executed with unprecedented efficiency.

By now, the majority of Zhang Yu's magical treasures and dharma relics had been fully restored.

Donning the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor once more, placing the Taihao Holy Law Flying Sword into its scabbard, and swallowing the Blazing Sun God as a spark of fire, Zhang Yu had returned to his peak condition.

Only the Seven Absolutes Dharma Relic remained placed on the experimental table, as Zhang Yu had chosen not to install it.

After all, unless it was a critical moment requiring a dharma relic to urgently boost his abilities, Zhang Yu had always tried to maintain the purity of his physical body.

All of this was to ensure his flesh was constantly nourished and adapted, allowing his physical form to grow alongside his cultivation, paving the way for forging his body into a customized dharma relic in the future.

Shortly after Zhang Yu finished the restoration work and stepped out of the laboratory, a message from Yu Xinghan popped up in his ocular relic.

Yu Xinghan: Hurry up and accept Master's friend request!

Zhang Yu was slightly taken aback, thinking to himself, "Master?"

In the next instant, his eyes lit up abruptly, and he opened his pending friend request list.

Because there had been far too many random people trying to add him as a friend recently, Zhang Yu had long ignored all requests; now, scanning the list, he quickly found True Monarch Xinghuo's avatar.

"Teacher Xinghuo actually came too?"

After swiftly accepting the request, Zhang Yu sent a message: Teacher, you have come to the second level?

True Monarch Xinghuo: It is all because of the earth-shattering feat you pulled off on the second level.

True Monarch Xinghuo: After you won the championship, someone directly invited me to the second level to attend the award ceremony and see you.

True Monarch Xinghuo: I was thoroughly bored down below, so I took the opportunity to come up and sightsee.

At the same time, Yu Xinghan also sent a message: Zhang Yu, we are almost there.

After asking Yu Xinghan for their exact location, Zhang Yu took to the skies directly, flying out to greet them.

He saw that aboard the flying ship, besides True Monarch Xinghuo, Yu Xinghan, Li Xuelian, and Le Mulan had all been invited by the school.

Zhang Yu thought to himself, "They invited all my dorm roommates? I wonder if my sister will come too?" True Monarch Xinghuo's gaze swept over Zhang Yu, finally settling on his eyes as he said, "Hehe, your cultivation is progressing quite well. But your troubles seem to have multiplied?"

Zhang Yu nodded with a helpless smile.

Looking at True Monarch Xinghuo, he was reminded of many events from the first level.

Zhang Yu recalled that great battle against Wang Yin, and how he had stopped Wang Yin from altering the first level.

Yet, unknowingly, Zhang Yu found himself having stepped, one by one, into a position similar to Wang Yin's, now poised to initiate changes across the entire second level, and even the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth levels.

Beside him, Yu Xinghan stepped forward, about to pat Zhang Yu on the shoulder, but recalling the recent talisman warning to be cautious in word and deed, he immediately shrank back in fear.

He gave an awkward laugh, "Haha, Zhang Yu, do you have any idea how many people in the university want to spar with you right now?"

At the same time, a trace of worry inevitably flashed in Yu Xinghan's eyes; having experienced being converted into an evil god's believer by Zhang Yu, he knew deeply that his sworn brother harbored many secrets.

Thus, seeing Zhang Yu exposed under the gazes of so many Transformation and True Gods, Yu Xinghan felt it was akin to dancing on the edge of a blade.

Le Mulan walked over at this moment, nodding to Zhang Yu; unable to fully comprehend the pressure he currently faced, she simply followed her own thoughts and brought a good amount of healing salves from the department, doing what she could for him.

Although Zhang Yu temporarily no longer needed these salves after receiving the best treatment from the Medical Academy, he still accepted them with a beaming smile.

Following this, Zhang Yu escorted the group onto his chartered flying ship.

After chatting for a while, True Monarch Xinghuo dismissed the others one by one, leaving only him and Zhang Yu in the room.

True Monarch Xinghuo got straight to the point: "Have you decided what to choose?"

Zhang Yu sighed and said, "Teacher, I am somewhat lost. I feel like whatever I choose seems right, yet whatever I choose also seems wrong."

True Monarch Xinghuo nodded thoughtfully and said, "Because the immortal arts themselves hold no right or wrong; where they ultimately lead and what results they yield depends entirely on how humanity applies them."

"Since you can say such a thing, it seems you do not want to choose the Dharma Realm?"

Zhang Yu looked at True Monarch Xinghuo and said, "You know about the Dharma Realm as well?"

True Monarch Xinghuo nodded and said, "Someone asked me to persuade you, to solidify your resolve in choosing the Divine Creation Chapter of the Dharma Realm."

Zhang Yu asked, "Then what is your opinion?"

True Lord Xinghuo pondered for a moment before speaking, "The Dharma Realm... even in the celestial heights, this is hardly a universally adopted art."

"Whether for the academies or for you in your current state, the Scripture of Divine Creation in the Dharma Realm is far too premature."

"Once the arts of the Dharma Realm begin to proliferate, the ultimate outcome will inevitably slip beyond the grasp of all involved."

Zhang Yu sighed, "Yet if I forgo the Dharma Realm, the alternatives offered by the other academies leave me equally hard-pressed."

True Lord Xinghuo replied, "Then choose none of them."

Zhang Yu looked at True Lord Xinghuo and asked, "None at all?"

True Lord Xinghuo said, "You are, after all, a disciple of the Myriad Methods Academy now. I know you fear that selecting the immortal sect arts coveted by rival academies might bring trouble upon your own brethren."

"Then select an immortal sect art that lies outside the Ten Grand Selections."

"So long as this art continues to yield profit for the Ten Great Sects and brings revenue to the Myriad Methods, they will tolerate your choice."

Zhang Yu nodded; he had pondered this very path himself, yet a lingering doubt remained in his heart.

"But my understanding of immortal sect arts is shallow. Which specific art could achieve such a feat? And what, for that matter, are the true intentions of the Supreme Sects..."

Though he was told he could freely choose any immortal sect art, Zhang Yu knew the higher-ups would inevitably harbor their own preferences and aversions regarding his decision.

Should he select an art that the heavens above absolutely could not stomach being passed down to the lower realms, he feared it would not be long before he simply vanished without a trace.

True Lord Xinghuo said, "The political landscape of the sects is labyrinthine, and its members bear their own heavy burdens. They must weather the pressures of true immortals and the Heavenly Court, fend off the relentless pursuit of the younger generation, and secure the flow of resources from the realms below."

"Yet a complex landscape can sometimes be distilled to its simplest essence, for all things ultimately bow to the pursuit of profit."

"So long as an art can elevate the productive efficiency of the lower realms and generate greater wealth for them, it should be well within the bounds of their acceptance."

"It is much like those who champion the Dharma Realm; they do so because it can add a full hundred points to their own harvest."

"Different academies make different choices, all driven by the desire to maximize their own interests, seeking to reap eighty, a hundred, or even a hundred and twenty points of profit."

"But if you can add a mere five to ten points to everyone's harvest, then though they may be dissatisfied, though they may be furious, and though they may despise you, they could never bring themselves to stop you and willfully sabotage their own growth in revenue."

Hearing this, Zhang Yu nodded in thoughtful reflection before asking, "Then tell me, Master, what manner of immortal sect art do you believe could achieve such a feat?"

True Lord Xinghuo continued, "Zhang Yu, how much do you understand of spatial technologies?"

At these words, a chill ran through Zhang Yu's heart, though his expression remained perfectly composed. "What are spatial technologies?"

(End of Chapter)