No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Messages from the Seven Sentiments Lord continued to flash across Bai Zhenzhen’s EyeNet, blinking relentlessly.

Seven Sentiments Lord: Are you planning to ask him yourself?

Seven Sentiments Lord: And what would that even accomplish?

Seven Sentiments Lord: The moment you feel the need to ask, the moment you begin to doubt him—that’s when you know it’s not you who changed, but him.

Bai Zhenzhen didn’t respond to the Seven Sentiments Lord. Instead, her figure disappeared into the billowing dust and smoke.

“This old geezer…”

She glanced at the messages flashing on her EyeNet and curled her lips. “Always trying to interpret a modern young woman’s mindset with some fossilized ideology. No wonder your Extreme Sentiment Swordsmanship is a dead-end tradition.”

As the thought crossed her mind, Zhang Yu’s figure emerged once more in her mind.

Zhang Yu had truly stepped onto the path of Dual Cultivation. No wonder that even when he was talking with Wen Wuya, he’d nearly turned it into a transaction.

He kept thinking about borrowing a Divine Spirit Root today, too, but every time he brought it up, there was something suspiciously… eager about it. So borrowing the Spirit Root was just an excuse—the real goal was definitely to Dual Cultivate with me!Thinking this far, Bai Zhenzhen sighed inwardly. “Yuzi’s really changed. He’s no longer that high school boy I once knew.”

“Is it because he’s grown up, finally walking the path he once dreamed of?”

If Bai Zhenzhen’s understanding of cultivation had once been vague, now as a top student at Heavenly Sword Sect University, she had deep insight into all the various Immortal Paths.

Take Dual Cultivation for example—just like the path of Ascetic Cultivation, it was a legitimate cultivation discipline. The Pleasure and Harmony University, one of the Ten Major Sects, specialized in it and carried a legacy of true orthodoxy.

It was even more difficult than Ascetic Cultivation, demanding a purer Dao Heart and presenting far greater challenges.

“Back in high school, Yuzi lacked the willpower and talent in this area. I thought he wasn’t suited for the path and kept advising him to focus on making money first, and then later pursue the path of Ascetic Cultivation.”

“I never expected I had underestimated him.”

Looking at the current Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen felt as if she were watching a once mischievous child who used to sneak off for self-study, now growing up and striding confidently into the gates of Pleasure and Harmony University, vindicating himself with pride.

“Since he’s already on the right track and making progress, I should support him.”

But when she thought of her own Extreme Sentiment Swordsmanship, Bai Zhenzhen’s expression dimmed once more.

“Yuzi’s on the righteous path now, and yet I’m the one walking further and further down a dark road.”

“If things go on like this, never mind being his number one… I might not even qualify as a proper companion.”

A hint of helplessness appeared on her face. “Should I make Zhang Yu quit the Dual Cultivation world? Give up his job at the Yin Artifact Laboratory?”

“How could I ask that?”

“I’m the one on the wrong path—what right do I have to make him abandon a righteous profession he’s succeeding in?”

Having reached this point, Bai Zhenzhen gradually steeled her resolve.

“There’s only one way.”

“Just one.”

“Renounce the path of evil. Find a way to leave Extreme Sentiment Swordsmanship and walk the path of Dual Cultivation alongside Zhang Yu.”

But she knew well that this was no easy path. It might even be a dead end. For starters, her master, the Seven Sentiments Lord, would never agree so easily.

“I’ll have to plan this carefully…”

Suppressing the storm of thoughts in her heart for now, Bai Zhenzhen followed the instructions Zhang Yu had left before their separation, weaving her way through the smoke deeper into the battlefield.

The entire battlefield had been turned into utter chaos after the clash between the two sides. It looked like it had weathered several massive earthquakes, riddled with craters, fissures, and jagged mounds.

In the next moment, the ground beneath Bai Zhenzhen gave way. A force pulled her underground.

She knew this was Zhang Yu using his Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might to bring her in, so she didn’t resist and allowed herself to be drawn deep into the earth.

When she caught sight of that familiar figure in the depths below, she whispered, “Yuzi…”

Zhang Yu didn’t reply. He simply wrapped her in a tight embrace.

Feeling the firmness of his body against hers, Bai Zhenzhen quickly protested, “No, Yuzi! Even if we’re underground, even with your arrays shielding us, it still might not be enough…”

We can’t Dual Cultivate here! What if the Seven Sentiments Lord sees us?!

Dual Cultivation wasn’t the problem—but doing it with Zhang Yu, someone fully committed to the Dual Cultivation path… If the Seven Sentiments Lord believed he was obstructing her Extreme Sentiment Swordsmanship, she might very well ruin him financially!

But Zhang Yu gave her no chance to rephrase or explain further. He only murmured, “It’s coming.”

Bai Zhenzhen blinked in confusion. “Coming?”

Then she felt a shift in the Spiritual Realm above.

The projection of a treasure known as the Nine-Heavens Solar Yang Pagoda descended onto the spectator stands, and the voice of True Lord Magneto rang out slowly:

“My… experimental subject has broken through?”

“This involves sensitive research data. I ask everyone not to spread it around.”

At the same time, under the suppression of the Nine-Heavens Solar Yang Pagoda, the surrounding Spiritual Realm momentarily stalled.

Taking advantage of this temporary freeze, Zhang Yu held Bai Zhenzhen even tighter, their bodies pressed close together.

In the next moment, Bai Zhenzhen’s eyes flew open wide in shock as she stared at him.

Something had entered!

Something had gone in!

A Divine Spirit Root?!

And it’s the same as mine?!

Zhang Yu actually had one of these?

And he… he just gave it to me?

In that instant, Bai Zhenzhen could feel their Divine Spirit Roots linking together, merging into one, and finally taking root in her dantian.

And as the two Spirit Roots became intimately connected, a strange transformation began to occur between them!

To Zhang Yu’s relief, the Divine Spirit Root didn’t go berserk or spiral out of control as he had feared. It remained hidden, stable, and there was no need to swap out his Greenlotus Sword Embryo using the Dao Seed Codex.

He mused to himself, “Is it because it was copied? There are two of them, huh.”

Looking at Bai Zhenzhen, who now stood stunned, mouth agape and eyes wide, Zhang Yu grinned.

“Cool, huh?”

“Surprised?”

“Pretty awesome, right?”

Seeing Zhang Yu’s smug expression, Bai Zhenzhen bit her lip, then shot him a fierce glare.

“Zhang Yu… you’ve ruined me!”

Zhang Yu blinked in confusion. “Huh?”

Bai Zhenzhen thought to herself, My Extreme Sentiment Swordsmanship just had a massive breakthrough…

Opening her mouth, she muttered softly, “There’s no turning back on this evil path now…”

…

Just moments earlier.

Outside the battlefield.

Su Yanyang, Shi Huaiyu, and the others were making their way out.

Shi Huaiyu asked, “Where’s Zhang Yu?”

Su Yanyang answered offhandedly, “He said he left a treasure behind and needed to go retrieve it.”

Xiao Yunji said excitedly, “Winning this match gets us even closer to the finals.”

“Especially with Zhang Yu’s Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might reaching Level 18. We’ve got a real shot even coming from the loser’s bracket!”

While his teammates buzzed with excitement, Su Yanyang felt oddly empty inside, starting to envy Zhang Yu a bit.

“Sigh… He jumped eight levels with help from the Yin Artifact Project. Must feel amazing.”

“But I don’t even have to do much. Just follow Zhang Yu and we keep winning. That’s not so bad either.”

At that moment, Wanfa University’s team ran into Yue Guanqiong and others who had also exited.

Their expressions were grim, like they’d just been crushed under mountains of debt.

And as soon as Yue Guanqiong spotted Su Yanyang, he demanded, “Where’s Zhang Yu?”

“He destroyed so many flying swords. He should pay us back.”

Mo Shangjin chimed in the competition group chat: See? Last year they tried to scam me the same way.

As the teams exchanged heated words, the projection of True Lord Magneto suddenly descended from above. The Nine-Heavens Solar Yang Pagoda blazed with ten thousand rays of light, appearing in everyone’s EyeNet.

True Lord Magneto swept her gaze across the crowd, then briefly checked the messages Zhang Yu had sent her.

Zhang Yu: Teacher, my Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might just broke through again.

Zhang Yu: But ever since I enrolled at Heavenly Sword Sect University, I’ve had this constant feeling that someone’s been watching me.

Zhang Yu: I’m worried someone’s eyeing my research results. What if they try something after the competition?

At that moment, a sword-shadow appeared opposite True Lord Magneto, speaking coolly:

“Magneto, this is Heavenly Sword Sect University—not Wanfa University. You don’t get to lock down the Spiritual Realm here.”

As the sword-shadow danced through the realm, the brief stillness caused by the Nine-Heavens Solar Yang Pagoda quickly dissipated, and the Spiritual Realm resumed its flow.

True Lord Magneto didn’t seem bothered. After all, she wasn’t here to start a war with Heavenly Sword Sect.

Her projection and the Nine-Heavens Solar Yang Pagoda were more than enough to stop anyone from trying to spy on Zhang Yu from the other side.

“Unless they’re prepared for all-out conflict.”

With a cold snort, she turned her attention back to the field and said lightly, “Surely there’s no issue if I look for one of our own Wanfa University students?”

With a flick of her finger, a talisman glowed, and a storm surged up from the ground, scattering the lingering dust and revealing two figures within.

Seeing the dust clear, Zhang Yu instinctively tried to slip away—only to find Bai Zhenzhen had gripped his hand tightly.

“Ah-Zhen?” he turned to her, surprised.

Meanwhile, outside the battlefield, the Heavenly Sword Sect students who had been demanding compensation were suddenly struck speechless.

Seeing Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen walking out of the battlefield hand-in-hand, their bodies jolted as if struck by lightning.

“Bai… Bai Zhenzhen?!”

“Why? Why is Bai Zhenzhen with him?!”

“Ahhh! Our noble Nascent Soul cultivator from Heavenly Sword Sect University, the ace of the Flying Sword Department—why is she holding hands with that civil engineer?!”

Then, just as the students were losing their minds, Wen Wuya strolled up beside Zhang Yu with a soft chuckle.

Yue Guanqiong’s vision darkened. He could only mutter to himself, “This world… has gone insane!!”