No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Daoist Tianzhang readily agreed to Jiu Tianliu’s request.

Leading her into the Yin Artifact Laboratory, Daoist Tianzhang activated the device with a flourish, but Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight remained completely unresponsive.

Daoist Tianzhang gave an awkward smile. “The Yin Artifact still has some flaws. It doesn’t work for everyone.”

Jiu Tianliu asked, disappointed, “So I’m not compatible?”

“Can’t you force it to activate?”

“Or brute-force it somehow?”

Daoist Tianzhang replied, “True Lord Magneto is worried brute-forcing it might result in data loss, and I agree. The risks aren’t worth it.”

“Besides, we’ve already made substantial progress. There’s no need to be reckless.”

“I believe as long as we continue along this path, mass production is just a matter of time…”

“Once that happens, the entire dual cultivation market will change because of us. Every university will be swept up in an unprecedented storm. We’re going to reshape the world!”Just as Daoist Tianzhang was rhapsodizing, Jiu Tianliu suddenly spoke to the Yin Artifact, “You can hear me, right?”

“If you help me raise my cultivation now, I’ll pay you.”

“Fifty spirit coins, just for a test. Deal?”

Seeing the Yin Artifact remain completely inert, Daoist Tianzhang explained, “It’s sealed by True Lord Magneto. Its intelligence is suppressed, and it can’t communicate externally.”

Jiu Tianliu chuckled. “Looks like I was being unrealistic.”

“Some things really are best left to the professionals.”

…

Meanwhile, back in her room, True Lord Magneto thought of Jiu Tianliu and mused, “So Jin Que Mingxiao saw potential and now wants to invest more and get a bigger cut?”

She was already used to this kind of thing.

True Lord Magneto understood that while the three Divine Lords of Wanfa University had different views and predictions on university warfare and the institution’s future direction—resulting in many internal contradictions—they also frequently collaborated for profit.

In her eyes, the Nectar Coin crash and the Yin Artifact incident both bore the shadows of Divine Lord Wanhua and Jin Que Mingxiao. They had certainly profited handsomely.

True Lord Magneto knew full well: the three Divine Lords had a complex, centuries-old relationship of both rivalry and alliance.

To them, only profit was eternal.

…

Not long after Zhang Yu returned to his dorm, his sister arrived.

After conducting several checks and confirming there was no surveillance, Zhang Yu finally exhaled in relief.

“Senior Sister,” Zhang Yu said, “I’m about to go through something. Could you stand guard and make sure I’m not disturbed?”

Zhang Pianpian nodded. She knew her brother had his own secrets—just like she did.

And just as Zhang Yu never pried into her secrets, she wouldn’t question his either.

As long as spirit coin transfers continued and the bond of family remained, they would always protect each other in the Kunxu Realm.

Zhang Pianpian asked, “Does this have to do with the Spiritual Realm?”

Zhang Yu shook his head. “It’s something changing within me.”

“Understood,” she said. “Then it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“I’ll go anchor myself in the Supreme Purity Realm. I can cultivate there while shielding you using its resources.”

She didn’t press for more. Moments later, Zhang Yu received a message.

Zhang Pianpian: You can start now.

Zhang Yu took a deep breath and switched the Three-Eyed Divine Sight (Spirit Root) on his Dao Seed Codex to the Greenlotus Sword Embryo (Spirit Root).

Immediately, he felt the Greenlotus Sword Embryo stir faintly within him, though no dramatic change occurred. His body showed no signs of going out of control.

“Is it because I didn’t stay long enough in Ah-Zhen’s body, so the impact is minimal?”

He examined it further but found the Divine Spirit Root seemingly unchanged.

“Let’s test it out.”

To Zhang Yu, the most valuable enhancement the Divine Spirit Root brought was its boost to the Chain Diagram.

After repeated usage, the boost had gradually grown—from barely 1% to a notable increase.

Today’s test gave him fresh numbers: “University Saint Body—nearly 15% boost; Earth-Wood Saint Body—around 13%; Mana Pulse Flowing Stream—close to 6%; Martial Saint Body—about 12%.”

“The University and Martial Saint Bodies have the most use, so they’ve improved fastest.”

“These numbers are almost the same as last time.”

“No change?”

Just as he frowned, thinking this had all been for nothing, a new message popped up from True Lord Magneto—it was about a new contract for test subjects at the lab.

“Forty spirit coins a month?”

“If you dual cultivate with the Yin Artifact, it’s calculated per use—minimum fifteen spirit coins each time…”

“That profitable?”

“Turns out doing Immortal Dao research and scamming university funding is way better than construction work!”

“Hm, but you still need a great project lead.”

Even with many added secrecy clauses and obligations, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but laugh at the income figures. A surge of elation welled up in his heart.

In that euphoric moment, he suddenly felt his blood and energy boil, his mana accelerate—and his body subtly shift.

“Huh? What is this feeling…”

He quickly ran another test and discovered that under the influence of happiness, his Divine Spirit Root had slightly strengthened.

“A bit more enhancement for the Chain Diagram.”

“0.5%? Or 0.3%?”

“Too subtle to tell.”

Though the change was slight, Zhang Yu was thrilled.

“My Divine Spirit Root… can it now grow stronger through emotional changes?”

“Hmm, Ah-Zhen said her Extreme Sentiment Swordsmanship works like that—using the seven emotions to empower her swordplay.”

“Looks like my Divine Spirit Root gained something similar this time.”

Zhang Yu nodded in satisfaction, then sighed, “Too bad I didn’t spend more time with Ah-Zhen.”

He tapped on Bai Zhenzhen’s dimmed profile and sent her a message—but no response came.

“Sigh, I wonder what’s going on with Ah-Zhen.”

“If everything was fine, she would’ve messaged me right away.”

Moments later, Director Gao forwarded him some ancient news articles—some decades old, others nearly a century.

Director Gao: [Sword Cultivator Love Murder—Pleasure and Harmony Maiden Boiled Alive!]

Director Gao: [Family Ethics Tragedy—Father and Son Battle to the Ruin of Their Clan!]

Director Gao: [Top Heavenly Sword University Student Dies—Soul Scattered! Who Pays the Debts?]

Zhang Yu stared, bewildered.

Director Gao: Read these when you have time.

Zhang Yu thought, “As if I have time for this…”

Still, he bookmarked them for later and returned to Bai Zhenzhen’s dimmed icon.

Suddenly, he had an idea and sent a message to Wen Wuya.

Zhang Yu: Wen Wuya, do you know what’s going on with Bai Zhenzhen?

Wen Wuya: Probably undergoing training under the Seven Sentiments Lord.

Wen Wuya: Why? Want to contact her?

Zhang Yu’s heart stirred. He replied: You willing to help?

…

Wen Wuya smirked at the message.

Not long after Zhang Yu left and Bai Zhenzhen entered seclusion, Wen Wuya had consulted his teacher, Heavenly Star Divine Lord, for advice.

As expected, Heavenly Star Divine Lord was highly interested in Wanfa University’s Yin Artifact breakthroughs—and the potential conflict brewing with Pleasure and Harmony University.

When Wen Wuya expressed hesitation—wanting to maintain ties with both Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu but fearing retribution from the Seven Sentiments Lord…

Heavenly Star Divine Lord simply said: as long as there’s profit, go for it. Don’t fear the Seven Sentiments Lord. He would handle any fallout.

Wen Wuya thought to himself, “Now that they’re both out of contact, I can serve as the bridge between them.”

…

Soon after, Zhang Yu received a photo from Wen Wuya and perked up.

Zhang Yu: Is this Ah-Zhen’s hand?

Wen Wuya: That’s my hand.

“You bastard…”

Zhang Yu gritted his teeth and replied: What’s the point of sending that?

Wen Wuya: What, want the message in plain text?

Wen Wuya: Can’t decrypt it yourself?

Wen Wuya: Need me to teach you?

Wen Wuya: Seriously, you know nothing about Spiritual Realm information tech.

Zhang Yu awkwardly curled his lips and ended up forwarding the photo to Zhang Pianpian for help.

A short while later, the photo returned as a small video.

In it, Bai Zhenzhen smiled and said, “Yuzi, I’m fine. At worst, the old man will throw me into the Ten Major Leagues. I’ll be out by then.”

Seeing Bai Zhenzhen in the video, Zhang Yu finally relaxed. He then asked Zhang Pianpian, “Could this video be fake?”

Zhang Pianpian: “I didn’t detect any signs of forgery.”

Just then, Wen Wuya sent another message: I can help relay any messages between you two.

Wen Wuya: I’ll visit her regularly. If I hear anything, I’ll pass it along.

Zhang Yu: Thanks.

Wen Wuya: No need to thank me. That deal we talked about is still on the table [heart emoji]

Zhang Yu shuddered, chilled to the bone. He didn’t reply again.

Now that Bai Zhenzhen’s safety was confirmed and he had a lead on his Divine Spirit Root’s evolution, Zhang Yu left his dorm to rejoin the construction project.

He’d been away nearly a full day preparing for the Earth-Wood Tournament.

But just as he was about to step out of Wanfa University City…

Blazing red warning sigils lit up in front of him, blocking his path entirely.