No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Just then, a thunderous boom echoed from not far away. Zhang Yu turned his head and saw a wave of frigid air shooting into the sky, half-freezing the body of a senior student.

But the next second, that student let out a roar as flames erupted across his body, quickly suppressing the chill.

He gasped, “Good thing some time’s passed. The lingering mana from a Gold Core stage isn’t as powerful anymore. If I’d caught that head-on earlier…”

Everyone watching grew even more cautious. Zhang Yu activated his Three-Eyed Divine Sight, maintaining a constant 360-degree field of vision to stay alert for any movement.

As he swept up another gust of Martial Qi and cleared away more shattered wall debris, a chilling aura suddenly rushed at his face.

Beneath a crumbling wall, a chunk of steel wrapped in layers of flesh-like tissue pulsed up and down—as if it were breathing.

Even to his naked eye, Zhang Yu could see thick Resentment Qi pouring out of the steel, surging outward in all directions.

“Resentment Qi?” Zhang Yu muttered.

Fu Ji commented, “Careful. That much resentment? If it gets inside you, best case you’re bedridden for days. Worst case, it’ll rattle your spirit and shatter your Dao Heart.”

Just then, several senior students hurried over. Che Yufei remarked, “It’s Resentment-Alloy—used for making puppets.”

Zhang Yu asked, “Should we check with Professor Tu on how to handle it?”

Che Yufei clapped him on the shoulder, eyes lighting up. “Ask the professor? Nah, I’ll just check tonight with the scrap dealers, see what it’s going for.”

“Same rules as always: the prof gets 50%, we split the rest.”

Seeing how casually the upperclassmen treated all this, Zhang Yu suddenly gained a deeper understanding of the Civil Engineering Department.

Not long after, another deafening crash rang out—a giant metal hand shot up into the sky, swatting a Foundation Establishment student across the ruins. Blood spurted from every orifice, bones snapping like twigs.

Zhang Yu only learned afterward: the student had unearthed a half-assembled puppet arm, which had abruptly activated and lashed out.

Later, as Zhang Yu lifted a beam, his Three-Eyed Divine Sight detected strange ripples in the surrounding spiritual energy.

He instantly triggered the Time-Wrecking Demon Pupil. The whole world slowed in his vision.

He saw the ground beneath him swell upward—dirt shifting like jaws, lunging to devour him.

The War Demon Life-Draining Technique roared to life. A full 1.0-level physical enhancement erupted, and with Zhang Yu’s own power layered on, he shot clear in a flash.

The spot he’d been standing was swallowed by a mound of dirt.

Zhang Yu let out a breath of relief. “A factory protection array?”

Then he looked at the broken beam in his hand and smiled—this was no ordinary material.

Still, after thinking it over and glancing at the massive ruins around him, Zhang Yu decided not to handle it on his own. He ran off to find Che Yufei.

Che Yufei’s lips curled into a smile as he saw Zhang Yu hand the beam over. He patted Zhang Yu’s shoulder and said, “You follow the rules. Once we get paid for this haul, I’ll send your cut over.”

Zhang Yu took the chance to ask, “What is this made of?”

“Oh, that?” Che Yufei answered like a seasoned pro. “That’s third-grade Special Alloy Steel. Handles heavy loads—used for structural beams and pillars…”

And so, amidst the ruins filled with lingering Gold Core mana, puppet-making hazards, and factory protection arrays, Zhang Yu cultivated while clearing debris and gathering materials—learning from Che Yufei the properties of each component.

It was dangerous work. But thanks to his Three-Eyed Divine Sight, Time-Wrecking Demon Pupil, and the Earth-Wood Saint Body’s resilience, Zhang Yu was able to complete his tasks with relative safety.

…

After a long night of hard labor and three rounds of pill-taking, Zhang Yu and his team were still at it.

Meanwhile, Gongshu Jin and the others had just finished their online courses and were starting their shifts.

“I’ll get started first,” Mo Shangjin waved to everyone, then nodded toward Gongshu Jin. “You too, Gongshu. Let’s give it our best.”

Mo Shangjin knew Gongshu Jin was under special mentorship by Director Gao, being trained in the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might. Since they met, he’d always been friendly to this younger student who shared part of his name.

Under Gongshu Jin’s admiring gaze, Mo Shangjin floated into the air. As he formed hand seals, the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might erupted. Trees were ripped from their roots, layers of mountain rock shifted.

Gongshu Jin understood: Mo Shangjin was reshaping the terrain to redirect the Spirit Veins.

“If Spirit Veins are like rivers, then altering the terrain is like changing the river’s course—essential groundwork for array construction.”

He glanced at other seniors—one transformed into a dragon, boring tunnels into the earth to build underground transport channels.

Another clapped their hands together, conjuring a high-heat force field that smelted recovered metal into fresh construction materials.

Gongshu Jin murmured to himself, “Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might—legendary military-grade Technique of Wanfa Sect’s Civil Engineering Department.”

“And the Star-Torrent Meridian Surge, Crimson Flame Mystic Might—high-end Techniques requiring rare pills, Law Husks, and massive resources. Deep foundations, long payoffs.”

“But once mastered, they make money fast—and don’t grind the body too hard.”

He understood now: it wasn’t that teachers didn’t want to train poor students in these Techniques—they simply couldn’t afford them. They were left with self-harming Techniques that force the body to its limits.

Such methods let them barely keep up at first, but eventually, they’d be left behind, their income on the job site lagging tenfold, even a hundredfold.

Watching his seniors unleash their power, Gongshu Jin’s blood boiled. Full of resolve, he stepped toward his own post.

He spread his hands. His newly implanted Law Husk arms roared to life, twin cyclones swirling as he unleashed his new Technique—Netherdepth Infernal Force.

Cement, sand, mineral powder, Spirit Stones—everything around him was swept up into a gray tornado.

Director Gao came over, nodding slightly. “Remember, concrete composition has to adapt to the worksite, the array’s specs, and the type of Spirit Vein present…”

…

As Gongshu Jin’s team began their work, the tremendous noise drew Zhang Yu’s attention.

He watched the swirling tornado, airborne dust and rock, and the rumbling earth beneath it all…

He sighed, “Compared to them, we’re just construction grunts.”

“No… they’re more like living construction equipment.”

Shaking his head, Zhang Yu refocused on his own tasks.

Another day passed. The students were given a one-hour break.

Zhang Yu switched his Chain Diagram setup to University Saint Body for pill intake, then returned to his room and switched to Martial Saint Embryo to accelerate healing.

He thought, “As my cultivation increases, the boost from Martial Saint Embryo weakens.”

“Figures. A Qi Refinement-tier setup can’t last forever.”

He logged into the Spiritual Realm Network, checked his messages, and replied to each.

Just then, Che Yufei and the others entered.

“What are you doing holed up here?” Che Yufei said. “You can’t just grind and cultivate all day. You gotta relax too.”

“The group masseurs have set up a massage room. Today they’re doing discounts. Come on.”

But under the dual effects of Martial Saint Embryo and body reactivation, Zhang Yu was rapidly recovering and didn’t want to waste money. He shook his head.

Che Yufei said, “If you don’t get massages on a job site, how are you gonna live long enough to earn more money?”

“Come on.” Shi Yunxiang had already walked out. “I’m picking first.”

Seeing Zhang Yu repeatedly refuse, Che Yufei gave up and left.

Just then, a message popped into Zhang Yu’s EyeNet: Bai Zhenzhen.

Yuzi, off work yet?

Zhang Yu: Yeah. Doing some breathing. Then I’m gonna keep grinding. Internet’s expensive—turning it off soon.

Bai Zhenzhen: I heard everyone in Civil Engineering gets massages after work to recover. You not going?

Zhang Yu: My coworkers went. I didn’t. No need.

Bai Zhenzhen: You sure? You need it. Don’t break your body.

Zhang Yu: Not wasting money.

Bai Zhenzhen: Ugh, I’m such a useless mom. Can’t even send my kid money for a massage.

Zhang Yu: Cultivate hard. If you wanna show filial piety, save it for next time you see Dad.

After a few casual exchanges, Zhang Yu ended his breathing session. Feeling mostly recovered, he headed back into the ruins alone.

In the days that followed, Zhang Yu continued grinding—taking pills, cultivating, working overtime. In this perilous environment, he constantly broke himself down and rebuilt himself again.

At the same time, his understanding of the ruins’ materials deepened. While others were off getting massages, he began sneaking opportunities to collect materials—and eat.

His first choice: a bit of Grade-20 Spiritsteel Alloy originally used to armor puppet cores.

This alloy was blast- and impact-resistant and could evenly absorb martial force—tough as a top-tier Foundation Establishment body cultivator.

If he could digest it using the University Saint Body’s peak-level metabolism and the level-20 Soil-Eating Divine Technique, refining it into his bones, he’d finally have a skeleton tough enough to rampage across the Foundation Establishment Realm.

But when he finally scavenged some, he found it nearly impossible to digest. Ten days, maybe half a month, would barely fortify a few finger bones.

He thought, “What do I do? Learn another Technique? Try digestion-boosting meds?”

He dismissed every option.

Then it hit him: “The University Saint Body gives me amazing digestion—but my gut’s base strength still depends on my physical body.”

“To digest Spiritsteel faster, my gut needs to be tougher. Stronger. Like armor for my intestines.”

His eyes lit up. Images of material specs from the ruins flashed through his mind.