No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Ziyun High School.

Lian Tianji sighed. “While the rest of us high school nerds are still comparing breeding loans, figuring out which microloan app charges the lowest interest, and hunting down credit card promo rates…”

“The strongest high schooler is already crowdfunding his cultivation on name recognition alone.”

He shook his head. “Compared to Zhang Yu, our potential on the Immortal Path isn’t even in the same dimension.”

“I’m really jealous of the grade-topper who gets to study with him all the time.”

That’s when Lian Tianji suddenly froze. “Wait… I remember the typical loan platform interest rates are about…”

He began listing off the rates from various lending platforms.

Then he did the math in his head: “Zhang Yu’s offering 1.3x repayment…”

Comparing both sides’ interest rates, Lian Tianji’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Doesn’t that mean I could borrow from the bank and lend it to Zhang Yu—and just make easy money lying down?”

He quickly realized the only potential risk. “What if Zhang Yu doesn’t pay me back?”

But thinking of Zhang Yu’s reputation as the strongest high schooler, the talk of the entire first floor of Kunxu, his imminent Foundation breakthrough, and everything Lian Tianji knew about him…

“Screw it!”

“If I can survive this, my potential on the Immortal Path will go through a total rebirth!”

“Which college I get into… whether I can build my Foundation… maybe it all comes down to this one move!”

…

White Dragon High School.

Song Hailong glanced at his phone, uninterested.

But that’s when Yu Xinghan suddenly showed up beside him. “Hey, Song, lend me some cash. I’ll pay you back 1.05x.”

Song Hailong blinked. He immediately thought of Zhang Yu’s 1.3x and thought to himself: “This guy’s trying to…”

Yu Xinghan nudged him. “Hmm? Not gonna listen to your grade’s top student?”

“And it’s not like I’m not paying you back. Don’t be so stingy, okay?”

“Just toss me whatever you’ve got, even a few thousand will do.”

After getting the transfer, Yu Xinghan gave a small smile and moved on to his next target.

He was thinking: “Borrowing low, lending high… I can make a nice cut from the interest difference.”

As for why Yu Xinghan didn’t just take a loan?

“No way a loan beats borrowing from classmates.”

“Loans have due dates! They make you pay on time!”

“Classmate loans are smaller, sure, but they’re safe.”

“Even if this investment flops, I can stall forever.”

…

Songyang High School.

After transferring his money, Wang Hai muttered, “Kid, go and build your Foundation already.”

“If you succeed… then I, Wang Hai, can say I’ve taught a student who made it to Foundation. A gold-star teacher.”

“Heh… no regrets left in my teaching career.”

On the training grounds nearby, Lei Jun silently put his phone away and sighed.

“Even if I never achieved anything myself… never passed the Foundation License exam after ten years of college…”

“At least… my student did.”

“Go, Zhang Yu.”

“Carry this potential I pass on to you.”

“Let those higher-ups see—poor people can build Foundations too.”

…

At Songyang High, a Student Council officer ran up to He Dayou.

“President! Did you see the messages in the group chat?”

“Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen are borrowing money!”

“Could it be a scam?”

“Should we kick them, mute the group?”

Now a senior, He Dayou gave a soft sigh. “I’ve confirmed it. It’s not a scam. It really is Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen borrowing money.”

The officer asked cautiously, “Should we intervene?”

He Dayou was silent for a moment, thinking: “With their connection to Director Wang of Oasis Group, there’s no way they’re short on money.”

“Something must’ve gone wrong.”

He remembered how back in first year, he believed that poor kids like Zhang Yu could never catch up to someone like him.

But now, as the He family and other major clans in Songyang declined, new thoughts stirred in his heart.

“Poor, rich… heh. In front of Wang Yin, what difference is there between me, Zhang Yu, or Bai Zhenzhen?”

“We’re all just broke worms on the first floor.”

He looked at the junior in front of him and said calmly, “Let them be. No need to get involved.”

Then after the student left, He Dayou glanced at the group chat again—and quietly sent over ten thousand yuan.

“We’re all broke worms anyway. This is all I can do for you.”

…

Over the past nine months, thanks to the Oasis Group’s publicity and the sheer prestige of the Foundation License, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen had become the most renowned high schoolers on the first floor.

In their hometown of Songyang City, this was even more pronounced.

Never mind how proud the students of Songyang High were—even White Dragon High students would puff their chests with pride whenever they remembered that Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen used to come over regularly for sparring matches.

“I watched every single sparring match when Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen visited our school. I even paid for front-row kneeling tickets—at one point, I was just a few meters away!”

Now, with word of Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen borrowing money spreading like wildfire, the student body’s interest exploded.

“No wonder they’re the strongest high schoolers—borrow money like a boss!”

“Of course! If you wanna climb the Immortal Path in Kunxu, you’ve gotta know how to borrow! If Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen didn’t know how to hustle for loans, how could they be number one?”

“Wait, is this real? Could be a scam, right? @groupadmin”

…

Oasis Tower.

Wang Yin soon received word of Zhang Yu’s massive borrowing campaign.

“That broke bastard.”

His gaze turned sharp. “So because I froze his account, he’s borrowing to build his Foundation?”

“He doesn’t even realize… without our company’s marketing, they wouldn’t be famous in the first place. No way so many people would loan them money!”

The fact that Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen were using the reputation Oasis had built for them to get loans—Wang Yin found it deeply insulting.

To him, it was like watching someone dig up the company’s foundation.

“Ungrateful dogs…”

“Freeze his new account! Shut down their social media—now!”

A voice from a Righteous God whispered in his ear. “We’re trying. But the account’s access is unusually high—someone from the Eight Divine Officials is shielding him.”

Wang Yin scowled. “You can’t even handle this?”

The voice replied, “It seems to be the same group of Righteous Gods that’s been covertly obstructing our moves.”

Wang Yin’s eyes flickered with murderous intent. “Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen… after everything I gave you, the money I burned on your publicity… you collude with outsiders to betray Oasis?”

“Ungrateful curs.”

He dialed Chi He’s number. “The inspectorate has the green light. No one will block you now.”

“Find them fast. And also…”

“They might be trying to buy a Heavenly Spiritual Root. Keep an eye on courier services.”

…

In just over three hours, waves of transfers flooded in, and Zhang Yu’s account balance soared.

49.58 million!

52.7 million!

56.1 million!

As he watched the numbers climb, Zhang Yu felt as if countless hands were reaching toward him from afar, offering him their own cultivation potential, injecting it into his body.

He could feel it—step by step, powered by their support, he was approaching the Foundation Establishment Realm.

At that moment, Fu Ji glanced at the swelling balance and said, “Almost enough for the Heavenly Spiritual Root.”

“But Wang Yin definitely knows you’re borrowing for Foundation now.”

“He’ll probably try to intercept the Heavenly Spiritual Root delivery.”

“And… once you start Foundation Establishment, you’ll be immobilized for at least 30 to 60 minutes.”

“So someone has to protect the delivery. And protect you.”

“I’ll go,” said Bai Zhenzhen from the side.

“Ah-Zhen!” Zhang Yu said. “They’re after you!”

Bai Zhenzhen smiled. “Which is exactly our advantage.”

She tapped her temple. “I’m not being impulsive. I thought this through.”

“Wang Yin can’t afford to let our deal fall apart.”

“So his main objective is to catch me.”

“If I show up, I’ll draw most of their forces.”

“And they won’t kill me easily—while I’m free to go all out. That’s another edge.”

“Plus, they know we’re buying a Heavenly Spiritual Root. That’s more info we can use.”

“In short… I’m the better cover.”

She smiled. “Yuzi, your only job now is to build your Foundation.”

“If you succeed, we might just win this. These last two years of high school won’t have been in vain.”

“Promise me, Yuzi.”

She suddenly threw her arms around Zhang Yu. “You have to succeed!”

Feeling Bai Zhenzhen’s resolve, her thundering heartbeat against his chest, Zhang Yu hugged her back and said, word by word, “Ah-Zhen, you have to hold out until I succeed!”

…

Whoosh.

Northern outskirts of Songyang City.

A courier, leaving behind a streak of shadows, sped toward the delivery point.

Per the delivery instructions, he arrived at an abandoned factory and stepped into its depths.

In his earpiece, Chi He’s voice came through.

“Go further.”

“Turn right.”

“That room—the tracking signal’s from inside. Knock first…”

“Don’t worry, we’ve surrounded the building. Backup’s ready.”

The courier took a deep breath and knocked. “Heavenly Spiritual Root delivery. Anyone in there?”

No response. He knocked again.

Instead, the door slowly creaked open on its own.

The courier paused, scanning the room—completely empty.

Except for a human skin lying on the floor.

He urgently reported into his mic, “Zhang Yu shed the skin! They’re not here!”

That human skin was a tracker Wang Yin had given Zhang Yu.

Oasis had activated the tracking as soon as they started the manhunt.

But with interference from the Righteous Gods, they’d never gotten a perfect fix.

Outside, Chi He heard the report and thought, “Was this a trap? Did he guess we’d intercept the delivery…”

At that moment, a wave of killing intent crashed down on him.

With a crackle, the air around him surged with electricity, prickling his skin with pain.