No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Minor injuries don’t need treatment—this meant Zhang Yu could train harder without fear of getting hurt, accelerating his progress.

More importantly, it meant he didn’t have to fear getting injured in real combat.

And what did that mean in terms of value?

It meant that with the same hazard pay, Zhang Yu could take on more dangerous gigs at a lower cost, earning several times more than his peers. That alone would let him rocket ahead on the Immortal Path…

“A true combat physique,” murmured Xinghuo Zhenren to himself.

“Even if two cultivators had the same Immortal Dao potential, someone like Zhang Yu, with this kind of body, would possess far deeper reserves than his peers.”

“The stronger your cultivation, the higher the price of medical treatment. Which means… the scarier this physique becomes as he climbs higher.”

Xinghuo Zhenren couldn’t help recalling his own Law Husk.

Back in his day, he used to throw hands at the drop of a hat—brawling with delivery drivers, food couriers, security guards… He’d fight anyone, anywhere: construction site brawls, debt-collection scuffles, battle-for-a-stamp campaigns—you name it.

Wherever the money was, that’s where he went. Always diving headfirst into the most dangerous, highest-paying jobs.

But once he reached Foundation Establishment—and especially after forming his Gold Core—his first thought before any fight was: “Will this damage my Law Husk?”

“Do I need to switch into my slacker set?”

Just like the rich always had multiple Law Husks—some for training, some for combat—poor folks also owned several. There were durable but weak slacker sets, and pricey “exam gear” that let them unleash their full power.

Otherwise, what if the expensive gear got dinged or scratched? Even just maintaining it a few more times costs real money.

Xinghuo Zhenren thought to himself, “If Zhang Yu can one day refine his own flesh into a Law Husk after forming his Gold Core, how terrifying would that be?”

“But there's no way he’ll be able to afford a custom Law Husk. To do that, he’d have to go down the artifact-crafting route… and that would mean switching majors…”

He glanced at Zhang Yu lying on the operating table, chuckled to himself, and thought, “Am I thinking too far ahead? The kid’s not even in university yet, and here I am planning out his specialization.”

But after a moment, he nodded. “No, it’s not too early.”

“All those elite clan scions—don’t they all have their cultivation paths mapped out from a young age? By their first year of high school, they’ve picked out their university and major. By freshman year, they’ve chosen their master’s and PhD advisors, even aligned themselves with future factions.”

“Zhang Yu’s talent is extraordinary. He should have a roadmap too—step by step, rising steadily. Otherwise, he could end up like me, wasting precious years by taking the wrong path.”

Recalling Zhang Yu’s performance in battle, Xinghuo Zhenren’s heart surged with excitement. “Just ninety minutes, and he’s already brought the Nine Heavens Cloudstride Force to this level.”

“His martial aptitude… in my entire life, maybe one or two people could compare.”

“And those few? Every last one a candidate for Nascent Soul, or even Soul Formation.”

Staring down at Zhang Yu on the table, Xinghuo Zhenren could already see it: under his tutelage, Zhang Yu climbing to the peak—earning his doctorate, forming a Gold Core, advancing to Nascent Soul, standing on the Ten Academy Tournament podium and thanking his master, Xinghuo Zhenren.

Zhang Yu looked up at the man, who was smiling to himself.

“Senior?”

Xinghuo Zhenren blinked and snapped back to reality. Seeing that Zhang Yu’s treatment was complete, he wiped away his smile and nodded sternly. “You’re healed?”

Just as he was about to sit down and have a serious talk, messages started popping up in his Law Husk’s visual feed.

Li Xuelian: Dad, now’s the best time to earn! Why aren’t you here?

Li Xuelian: Dad? Where are you?

Li Xuelian: Dad! Overtime! Double pay!

Xinghuo Zhenren sighed and turned to Zhang Yu.

“I need to go clock in. We’ll talk about your future once I’m off the clock.”

“You’ve all been through enough today. Get some rest.”

“But remember—if the Righteous Gods come talk to you about rewards, make sure I’m there. I’ll handle the negotiations. If they don’t come to you, then I’ll take you to them.”

With that, Xinghuo Zhenren vanished in a streak of firelight, soaring skyward amid vibrating phones and Gold Core alerts. Blazing like a comet, he dove straight back into battle.

Watching him go, Zhang Yu turned to find Bai Zhenzhen—but before he could take a step, a warm body suddenly hugged him from behind.

“Yuzi! We won!” Bai Zhenzhen squealed with excitement.

“The bank account’s unfrozen!”

“Yuzi! We can both make it into the Top Ten!”

Zhang Yu turned to inspect her closely. “Ah-Zhen, are you alright?”

She shook her head, beaming. “Don’t worry! The doctor gave me a discount, and I got everything reimbursed by the Righteous Gods. Didn’t cost me a dime.”

Suddenly, explosions echoed in the distance. Staring at the ever-expanding battlefield, Zhang Yu sighed. “Let’s go home.”

After an exhausting day of battles, breakthroughs, cultivation, and deathmatches, he just wanted a proper rest.

Bai Zhenzhen nodded eagerly. After barely scraping out a victory against Wang Yin, she had no desire to risk being dragged into more chaos.

But the road home was anything but calm.

Clashes broke out on nearly every block—companies fighting companies. Even the subway had shut down because the transit company had joined the corporate war.

Zhang Yu had no choice but to activate his Foundation Establishment Domain.

“Foundation Cultivator Zhang Yu has entered within 100 meters. Please be respectful and avoid collisions.”

Two dueling cultivators saw the notification and froze. They quickly vacated the area.

A hiding Oasis Group employee saw the message and bolted, seeking another spot to lie low.

Third-party personnel sweeping for Oasis Group staff paused when the alert appeared. With solemn respect, they saluted Zhang Yu as he passed, resuming their work only after he was gone.

The reverence was due not just to Zhang Yu’s overwhelming strength—but because he’d defeated Wang Yin.

“Wang Yin’s a bigshot from up top. Beating him in front of everyone? That’s a slap to the face of the higher-ups! There’s no way Zhang Yu’s background is small.”

“Even if he doesn’t have a background, he’s clearly someone chosen by those above. Otherwise, how else would he win?”

“Strong as hell, powerful backers—better not mess with him…”

As Zhang Yu walked, his Foundation Domain smoothed everything in his path. Even fights already in progress stopped as people scattered upon recognizing his presence.

After Wang Yin’s defeat, Oasis Group’s general manager Chi He was the first to flee.

Now, a mob was chasing him.

Suddenly, the pursuit paused.

Chi He blinked in confusion and checked his buzzing phone. His face shifted. “Was it because Zhang Yu passed through?”

“To think his mere presence gave me a moment to breathe…”

A bitter smile tugged at Chi He’s lips. He replayed the moment Zhang Yu bested Wang Yin in his mind—still unbelievable, still incomprehensible. All that remained was regret.

“If I’d just lent Zhang Yu that money back then…”

“Or maybe… maybe I shouldn’t have taken that hit order in the first place…”

Back at the apartment, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen showered and changed. After a day like this, they were both filthy—streaked with blood, sweat, and grime. It was impossible to feel comfortable like that.

“Ah-Zhen, didn’t we agree I’d go first? What are you doing in here?” Zhang Yu called out from the bathroom.

“I’m dying in here! Let’s just shower together and get it over with. We know each other inside and out. What’s there to be shy about?” Bai Zhenzhen shot back, exasperated.

Just then, Fu Ji stirred awake. “What are you two up to? Did we win?”

She had voluntarily gone dormant earlier due to all the attention from the Righteous Gods, setting a timer to wake herself.

“…I hit him with the Soul-Crushing Brick…” Zhang Yu began.

Upon hearing their answer, Fu Ji clapped happily.

“But the money we borrowed has to be paid back at 1.3 times the amount. That’s no small sum,” Bai Zhenzhen said.

Fu Ji replied, “It’s just debt. Who in Kunxu isn’t in debt? As long as the three of us live well, that’s all that matters.”

When Zhang Yu emerged from the bathroom, Bai Zhenzhen was already fast asleep on the couch.

She hadn’t slept in ages—not since beginning her cultivation. Between preparing for the Foundation Establishment exam and enduring Wang Yin’s constant pressure, she’d had no time to rest.

Now that the nightmare was over, her body had finally let go.

Zhang Yu smiled, then lay down on the neighboring couch, hoping to sleep.

But the moment he stopped circulating his Heart Technique, he sat bolt upright again.

The chill from the Ritual’s power crept in. Zhang Yu sighed. “Almost forgot about you… No rest for the wicked, huh?”

He resumed circulating his Heart Technique, and with it came a sense of grounding.

In fact, the moment he stopped, he’d felt a void in his chest—a vague guilt for even thinking of slacking off.

“Sigh. I’ve become the kind of person I used to hate.”

“But what choice do I have? This is Kunxu.”

Wang Yin’s final words echoed in his mind. Zhang Yu clenched his jaw.

“I need to get stronger. I need more money.”

As he cultivated, his eyes turned once more to the meditation image—the Sacrificial Ox and the blood-red incantation scrawled across its back.

Unlike before, this time something stirred in his heart.

“This incantation… it completes the Sacrificial Oxheart Technique?”

“So the version I’ve been cultivating… was the censored one?”