No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

”...Under the weight of the Immortals and Buddhas, all beings are like grass... Bones shatter, tendons snap, blood dries, marrow withers...”

”...Survive death nine times and never retreat—only then can the Primordial Spirit return to the Fleshly Realm.”

Zhang Yu muttered the blood-inked incantation that echoed through his mind, each line seeping with violent revelation. In an instant, deep insights welled up from within him.

The first time these bloody verses had appeared was during that desperate battle alongside Bai Zhenzhen against Wang Yin. As Zhang Yu fought to his final breath, the Sacrificial Oxheart Technique surged to an unprecedented peak.

But afterward, no matter how many times he reviewed the incantation, he could never truly grasp its essence.

Not until his second solo clash with Wang Yin. After pushing his body to its absolute limits through a deathmatch unlike any before, Zhang Yu began to glimpse the true profundity hidden in those lines.

It was like a lightning bolt tearing through the fog in his mind—fragments of the original Sacrificial Oxheart Technique, the mysterious insights of the incantation, and the soul-deep agony of his fight all fused together, assembling into something more whole, more profound: the complete Sacrificial Oxheart Technique.

Eyes shut, Zhang Yu had already begun circulating this new, refined technique.

This shift in his cultivation was akin to rewiring his very thoughts, rewriting the intent behind his will.

Ordinarily, that would be close to impossible.

But after clashing against Wang Yin repeatedly—especially in the life-or-death struggle of the day—his mentality and convictions had undergone a dramatic shift.

So now, when he transitioned to the complete Sacrificial Oxheart Technique, it happened naturally, without resistance.

As the older version of the technique faded, giving way to the complete form, a resonant bellow rang out from the depths of his consciousness.

Roar!

In his mind’s eye, the white ox that had once struggled helplessly through a swamp—scarred with gashes, pierced by blades, scorched by fire, and struck by lightning—began to shed its wounds.

Even its severed limbs began to twitch and regenerate.

Its blind eyes reopened. Its deaf ears perked up.

Roar!

With another mighty cry, the surrounding swamp boiled. Now fully restored, the white ox let out a triumphant bellow, its hooves floating above the mire, standing proud above the sea of mud.

The churning swamp beneath seethed and roared, forming grasping black hands reaching for the ox—only to be crushed beneath its roar, subdued and trampled underfoot.

Gazing inward at this white ox, suspended in defiance above the mire, Zhang Yu felt his entire consciousness sink into his flesh. It was as if he had merged into every piece of his own blood and bone—controlling his body in a way he had never experienced before.

Every piece of flesh, every bone, carried his intent—becoming truly alive.

Before, when Zhang Yu was injured, his body would recover instinctively, governed by biological reflex.

But now, this ”living” flesh healed in response to his will.

How the wound closed, whether the immune system activated or not, how a broken bone thickened or grew back—Zhang Yu could consciously dictate it all.

This was the bodily activation granted by the Sacrificial Oxheart Technique.

And Zhang Yu could sense that as he further refined this technique, the future held even greater possibilities—scarless healing, self-cleaning arteries, organs opening and closing at will, nerves rebuilding themselves according to his command...

”If I keep advancing the true Sacrificial Oxheart Technique, my self-recovery rate will multiply far beyond anything I had before.”

”Even injuries that once demanded external treatment might eventually be healed through pure self-regeneration.”

As he felt the true power of this technique, a realization struck him like a silent thunderbolt.

”The true Sacrificial Oxheart Technique wasn’t just created to help disabled cultivators get back to work.”

”The so-called ’sacrificial ox’ is a beast that fights to the last breath. Even if its limbs are torn off, even if it’s mangled and maimed, it never backs down. It sacrifices itself to keep fighting, refusing to fall.”

”And to be able to keep sacrificing itself over and over, it needs overwhelming regeneration—only then can it snatch survival from death.”

”Otherwise, one sacrifice would be the last.”

Zhang Yu let out a breath, astonished. ”The version I practiced before... sure, it helped with recovery a bit, but it’s leagues behind the complete one.”

”Did the platform intentionally neuter the technique into an incomplete version?”

He thought back to the ox he once visualized: ”A crippled technique… It’s like slicing off the ox’s legs, blinding it, deafening it.”

Just then, Fu Ji spoke up. ”Zhang Yu, your aura just shifted. Did you just master a new heart technique?”

When Zhang Yu described the terrifying potential of the complete Sacrificial Oxheart Technique, Fu Ji was visibly startled.

”From what you’re saying, this technique is approaching military-grade.”

”Even if it’s not quite there, it’s at least pre-military level.”

”You absolutely cannot let word of this get out. If anyone asks why you heal so fast, just say you’ve got a rare constitution.”

Fu Ji exhaled, then continued. ”As for the platform nerfing techniques… that’s standard practice. But this one being close to military-grade? That means if this kind of regeneration spreads… it could completely upend the medical industry.”

”If everyone can heal themselves, how would the hospitals make money? All those pills, potions, even defensive gear and artifacts—they’d all take a hit.”

Zhang Yu nodded slightly. Whether it was the explosive healing or the platform’s careful pruning, he had made up his mind to keep this technique secret.

”I’ll only share it with Ah-Zhen. No one else.”

”Though I wonder if she can learn it…”

As he reflected on how he’d stumbled into the full version, doubt crept in.

”If the technique was already castrated, how did I still manage to uncover the complete version?”

”Could it be that the creator, the Oxheart Sage, left some hidden layer within it? So even practicing the incomplete version could eventually reveal the full one?”

But no matter how he tried, Zhang Yu couldn’t fathom how such a thing could even be possible.

He tried searching the web for the Oxheart Sage, but there was almost nothing. And what little he did find was mostly disgruntled workers cursing the creator of both the Soul-Stabilizing Oxheart Technique and Sacrificial Oxheart Technique.

He asked Fu Ji about it, but even that veteran Evil God didn’t know anything.

”Anyone capable of creating a technique like the Sacrificial Oxheart Technique wouldn’t be ordinary.”

”But it’s like someone erased him from existence.”

”Guess collecting the full Great Sage’s Heir set from the Chain Diagram won’t be easy either.”

Zhang Yu shook his head, realizing that speculation would get him nowhere. He suppressed his wandering thoughts and focused back on cultivating the complete Sacrificial Oxheart Technique.

Before he knew it, night had passed.

Sacrificial Oxheart Technique: Level 10 → 11 (3/110)

Dao Heart: Level 11 (0.3%)

Physical Strength: Level 10.01 → 10.02

As the first rays of morning sunlight spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, Zhang Yu slowly opened his eyes.

He stood up, and his body crackled and popped with kinetic energy. He felt completely renewed.

After a night of uninterrupted training, the complete Sacrificial Oxheart Technique had been fully stabilized—able to operate continuously, just like the previous version. As long as he remained conscious, it would run twenty-four hours a day without pause.

And his body, now fully activated, continued to respond to his will, adjusting in minute ways, refining its structure to suit his fighting style and cultivation needs. Even his physical strength had subtly increased.

Zhang Yu thought to himself: ”If I keep cultivating like this, letting my body stay in this activated state, it will continuously evolve under my guidance. That’s not just healing—that’s long-term optimization.”

He was starting to fully grasp just how overpowered this technique was.

Then, Zhang Yu picked up his muted phone.

Since yesterday’s victory over Wang Yin, the phone hadn’t stopped vibrating.

Congratulatory messages, fan letters, friend requests...

Phone calls, video chats, loan requests, debt collectors, @s in chat groups, red packet demands, selfies, pornographic spam—it was all there. Zhang Yu never realized he had so many ’friends’ in Kunxu.

At first, he had read them with amusement, basking in the emotional massage. But eventually, it got overwhelming, so he muted everything.

Now, glancing at it again, he saw rows of red notification dots from every app imaginable.

Too lazy to read them all, he tapped on a few from people he recognized.

Yu Xinghan: Bro, you still need money? I can lend you more—1.1x interest, not 1.3.

Qian Shen: Do you know Wang Yin’s college entrance and competition scores? I searched everywhere, nothing.

Le Mulan: You’re not locked into that Oasis Group contract anymore, right? I wanted to ask for something. Meet at the usual place.

He Dayou: Old classmate, Songyang High is proud of you. We know you must be busy, so we’ve already requested time off for you. The principal wants to know when you’re free to come back and give a motivational speech to the seniors—and inspire the younger students, too.

Zhao Tianxing: Message deleted

Zhao Tianxing: Congratulations! Wishing you rising success and a radiant Immortal Path!

Xiong An’an: Thank you! I didn’t get laid off after all! All of us demon-kin in the sanctuary owe you big time.

Mo Tianyi (still working overtime): That was brilliant! Watching you smash that rich bastard’s head in—I bought a video membership just to see it. You really stood up for all of us poor folks. I just had to say that. I know you’re probably swamped, so no need to reply.

Song Hailong: Xianyun Group wants to renew your endorsement deal. If interested, contact me.

Chairman Long from Red Tower: Want to ride the dragon?