No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Zhang Yu dared to offer a trial class because he had absolute confidence in his teaching.

And that confidence didn’t just come from having mastered Limitless Cloud Hands, Excavator Palm, and Sports Car Leg—all at level 10.

It also stemmed from the exquisite control over mana he’d developed by pushing Zhou Tian Qi-Gathering Technique and Limitless Cloud Hands to level 10.

Not to mention his profound understanding of muscle structure and explosive strength after mastering the Body-Refining Thirty-Six Forms and Crimson Marrow Primordial Energy.

Add to that the insights gained from maxing out Indestructible Seal Method, Back-Dragon Mountain-Flipping Strike, Celestial Martial Heart-Forging Technique… Each of these techniques had broadened his understanding of martial arts.

Unknowingly, Zhang Yu had already reached a level in mana manipulation, bodily control, and martial technique proficiency that he’d never dared dream of before.

And what was more astonishing—he had made all these breakthroughs in just over two months.

Which meant that right now, he still vividly remembered what it felt like to take each of those techniques from level 1 to level 10.

He could recall the stumbling blocks, the confusion, the countless hours as a beginner fumbling through the basics.

So now, when he explained the nuances of Limitless Cloud Hands, just a few words from him could hit the key points. Casual remarks could deliver insights that others spent years—or decades—trying to comprehend.Even Old Cai, with a “One Lesson a Day” tattoo inked down his arm and Limitless Cloud Hands at level 8, found himself stunned just a few minutes into Zhang Yu’s lecture. His mind cleared. Something inside him clicked. He felt an overwhelming urge to begin practicing immediately.

Especially when Zhang Yu delved into the intricacies of the level 8 Limitless Cloud Hands—it was as if he were describing Old Cai’s very soul.

“Excellent, excellent, that was absolutely brilliant,” Old Cai exclaimed, his face beaming. “If you ever offer a dedicated class on Limitless Cloud Hands, I’ll be first to sign up.”

Nearby, Big Shovel and Car Girl exchanged a glance, surprise flickering in their eyes. They hadn’t expected Old Cai to hold this “Ma Yunteng” in such high regard.

After winning Old Cai’s praise, Zhang Yu turned to Car Girl and said, “Next, I’ll go over Sports Car Leg…”

But before he could continue, Black Crow interrupted, “Teacher Ma, your lecture is excellent—but if you added just one more thing, it would be even more popular around here.”

Zhang Yu tilted his head. “What would that be?”

Black Crow replied, “A bit of the elite high school teaching style.”

While Zhang Yu was still trying to decode what that meant, the Evil God Plushie hanging from his neck explained, “Just think about how your teachers treated you back in elite high school. Then treat them the same way. Bring out everything you experienced being ‘educated’ at White Dragon High.”

Zhang Yu thought for a moment, then looked at the group and asked, “Back at White Dragon High, I only ever taught neutered students. May I ask whether the three of you are currently neutered, or have you had your restoration surgeries?”

Old Cai scratched his head awkwardly. “We went to regular high school—no sterilization was required back then.”

Zhang Yu gave a thoughtful “Oh.”

That one little question made Old Cai, Car Girl, and Big Shovel suddenly feel… inferior. As if Zhang Yu, someone already sterilized, was on a higher tier of humanity.

Zhang Yu then casually pulled out more nuggets from his White Dragon High experience: “I noticed there’s a restroom here. Do both students and teachers still need to use it? Are we supposed to account for bathroom breaks during class?”

The trio looked at one another. Then all nodded together.

Zhang Yu’s curiosity deepened. “One more thing—I’ve always wondered, are the Cognitive Enhancers here flavor-selectable? I haven’t smelled anything in the air.”

Old Cai looked a little embarrassed. “Resources are tight. We haven’t infused the ventilation system with any Cognitive Enhancer.”

But Black Crow’s eyes lit up with excitement. He thought, “Yes, yes, that’s exactly the vibe—the way elite high schools humiliate their students!”

And so, as Zhang Yu continued his lessons on Excavator Palm and Sports Car Leg, he began naturally integrating that “elite high school flavor” into his style.

He mused, “Hmm, it’s not too hard. Just repeat how Songyang teachers usually discriminate against low scorers, and mimic the way White Dragon and Purple Cloud students talk down to the Songyang crowd.”

As Zhang Yu’s lecture continued, Car Girl and Big Shovel began to notice that his comprehension of Excavator Palm and Sports Car Leg rivaled—if not exceeded—their own. His insights into muscular exertion and mana circulation were downright enlightening.

But what really shocked them was how Zhang Yu could explain the nuances of both techniques from level 1 all the way to level 10 as if he’d just broken through yesterday.

Of course, they knew there was no way someone could’ve just mastered these arts and teach them like this. The only logical explanation was that he’d taught countless students and had immense experience guiding people through each stage of their training.

Car Girl cupped her fists, her once-cold expression now replaced by genuine admiration. “Your teaching is top-tier—your style is polished and professional. You’re more than qualified to teach here.”

Big Shovel didn’t say anything, but nodded in agreement.

In the underworld of illegal tutoring, quality spoke louder than anything. A good teacher always earned respect.

As for Zhang Yu’s teaching style? It was flawless. The way he casually wove Academic Food Chain attitudes into his words—every phrase reeked of elite high school upbringing.

Black Crow thought, “If we advertise him as a retired elite high school teacher, we’ll get swarmed with students.”

But the one most astonished throughout the whole session wasn’t the three tutors or even Black Crow.

It was the Evil God Plushie on Zhang Yu’s chest.

“This guy’s only been learning Excavator Palm for a few days!”

“Yet he’s not just quick—he genuinely understands. He can even fuse different techniques into one and truly command their power!”

“Damn it…” The plushie cursed internally. “How did he activate this kind of monstrous potential? Don’t tell me… without even realizing it, I’ve accidentally discovered a terrifying method for unlocking godlike talent and created this freak of nature?”

“Could this mean I’m qualified to become the Evil God King?”

“Was that why I got sabotaged?”

Later, Zhang Yu gave brief demonstrations of his teaching skills with Crane Claw and Elevator Leap. Naturally, these were also well received. His breadth of knowledge left everyone in awe.

After sending Old Cai and the others off, Black Crow sat down with Zhang Yu to discuss the formal class arrangements.

First up was the topic of taxes.

Black Crow explained, “You want to stay anonymous, that’s fine. You don’t have to buy the transmission or teaching rights for the techniques. But taxes—you can’t dodge those. We handle withholding.”

“Taxes are serious business. Some gangs used to leave it to the tutors, and one guy tried to dodge them. The Righteous Deities found out, arrested the whole gang, and wiped them out financially. The fines were so steep they’ll be working overtime in corporate hell for the next two hundred years.”

Black Crow shivered slightly. “So yeah, taxes are non-negotiable. We’ll handle them for you. All your earnings will be after commission and taxes.”

Aside from Limitless Cloud Hands, the most lucrative classes were Excavator Palm, Crane Claw, Sports Car Leg, and Elevator Leap.

Black Crow asked, “Teacher Ma, when are you available to start?”

Zhang Yu replied, “The sooner the better.”

Black Crow smiled. “Perfect. We’ve got an Excavator Palm class needing a teacher—59 students enrolled. Each class is 60 minutes, we’ll pay you 6,500 per session. Ten sessions a week for now. Sound good?”

Zhang Yu’s heart skipped a beat. His breath caught.

He thought, “Ten classes a week… that’s 65,000? Damn, the dark tutoring market is insanely profitable!”

Black Crow misread his silence, assuming he found the pay too low.

He added, “You’re new here, but once your teaching reputation grows, we’ll add more students and classes. Your earnings will increase.”

Zhang Yu nodded eagerly, trying to contain his excitement. “When do I start?”

“Tomorrow,” said Black Crow.

…

That evening, after leaving the compound, Zhang Yu finally let out a deep breath.

“Sixty-five thousand a week… If I do well and get more classes, I can earn even more.”

For the first time in a while, the weight of his financial burden seemed to lift.

“With this kind of income, I can finally afford Hunyuan Pills regularly. My physical strength will soar, and I’ll be ready for the martial arts tournaments.”

At that moment, the Evil God Plushie piped up, “See? I told you. Honest work doesn’t pay half as well as joining the underworld.”

“And I know the ins and outs of Kunxu’s underground world. Stick with me, and your chances of rising up will skyrocket.”

Zhang Yu didn’t reply, but inwardly, he had to admit: having this unholy creature feed him intel on the dark world really did help his cultivation path.

On the way home, the plushie tried to assert its value even more. “Remember, Zhang Yu—when you’re in illegal tutoring, trust no one.”

“And one more thing—don’t you dare feel sorry for the students buying our lessons.”

“Most of them are broke losers. Whether they borrow, sell their homes, or even organs to pay—none of that’s on us. We’re just selling. They chose to buy. If they go bankrupt or jump off a roof, that’s their own fault for being too poor to cultivate…”

Over the next few days, Zhang Yu spent his days training at school, and his nights either cultivating in the half-finished building or teaching classes at the gang’s compound. Slowly, he scraped together enough to afford Hunyuan Pills, and finally began a regimen of taking one every few days.