No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Zhang Yu felt the oncoming Martial Intent crash into him like a tangible force, trying to burn everything—his flesh, organs, bones, soul, and consciousness—into ash.

Just brushing against it gave him a brush with death. The gap between them was simply too vast.

At that moment, Xinghuo Zhenren’s voice exploded in his ears.

“Activate your Heart Technique. Resist my Martial Intent with your will.”

Zhang Yu channeled the Sacrificial Oxheart Technique with all his strength. Accompanied by the roar of a white ox in his mind, a surge of fighting spirit burst forth from his heart.

Flashes of desperate struggles, life-or-death battles, and his relentless duels with Wang Yin surged up from the depths of his memory.

On the other side, watching the two of them grit their teeth and stand their ground under the pressure of his Martial Intent, Xinghuo Zhenren gave a slight nod and withdrew his aura for the moment.

“Rest for 30 seconds. Then we go again.”

Thirty seconds later, a new wave of overwhelming pressure erupted from Xinghuo Zhenren.

This time, it wasn’t blazing flames Zhang Yu felt, but an oppressive force so tyrannical that it made the air feel a thousand, ten thousand times heavier—like it would crush his bones and force him to his knees.

Xinghuo Zhenren said coldly, “Endure. Don’t kneel.”

Gone was the kindly elder image from before.

Once training began, Xinghuo Zhenren exuded the aura of a battlefield general. Every order, every instruction carried the weight of absolute authority.

From that point on, he repeatedly blasted the two with Martial Intent, forcing Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen to use their Heart Techniques at full power to withstand it.

And each time, his Martial Intent changed.

Sometimes Zhang Yu felt like he was being burned alive. Other times, crushed by atmospheric pressure. Sometimes pierced by ten thousand blades. And at times, his thoughts themselves froze over…

The sheer variety stunned him.

“How many Heart Techniques does this old man even know?”

“He switches them so naturally. Isn’t he worried about developing multiple personalities?”

Through this trial of will and technique, Zhang Yu felt like a longsword—while Xinghuo Zhenren’s Martial Intent was a whetstone. Each strike sharpened the blade, making it tougher and keener.

He could clearly tell this method was far more effective than practicing on his own.

Dao Heart: Level 11 (0.3%) → (0.5%)

Sacrificial Oxheart Technique: Level 11 (3/110) → (35/110)

Seeing the two pale and visibly swaying, Xinghuo Zhenren finally halted the onslaught.

“That’s enough for today. Any more and it’ll damage your spirit.”

“But keep your Heart Technique running. Especially remember that feeling of resisting pressure.”

“Keep that sensation alive—maintaining tension will help you strengthen your Dao Heart more efficiently.”

As soon as he left, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen collapsed to the ground. Their bodies hadn’t moved much, yet they felt utterly drained.

From then on, Xinghuo Zhenren would summon them periodically for more brutal training.

His methods were exactly as he described: crude but effective.

If Zhang Yu had to put it into words... it was the ultimate budget-friendly cultivation regimen.

Of course, that only worked because it was Xinghuo Zhenren.

“If he charged for this... we’d never be able to afford it,” Zhang Yu thought.

He silently noted this debt: “Thanks, old man. Once I make it big, I’ll make sure your name resounds across Kunxu.”

Under his training, their Dao Hearts and physical strength increased steadily—far more than what they could’ve achieved solo.

As for mana, they had another arrangement.

…

That day, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen arrived at the Protected-Zone Breeding Facility. One after another, they passed through the gate with a simple face scan.

Clearly, they were well acquainted with the place.

They made their way to the base of a mountain—a Spirit Vein node that once felt so distant, so unattainable, that even dreaming of entering was a luxury.

Now, not only could they breathe within the protected zone, but they could also train inside the mountain.

But before each trip, Zhang Yu had to complete a task: deliver a “shipment” per Chairman Long's requirements from Red Tower Breeding Company.

Bai Zhenzhen waited outside as Zhang Yu entered the nearby restroom.

Minutes passed. Then more.

Eventually, Bai Zhenzhen called out, “You done yet?”

Annoyed, she muttered, “Why does it take longer every time? I’ve been waiting half an hour.”

Zhang Yu’s embarrassed voice came from inside, “Almost… quit rushing me.”

“You think you’d even be allowed in the Spirit Vein without my ‘contributions’?”

She rolled her eyes. “Then next time, can you prep at home and bring it with you?”

“You think I don’t want to? Red Tower demands it fresh!”

Ten more minutes passed. Bai Zhenzhen sighed.

“Even after Foundation, he’s still not cured.”

“Foundation should’ve enhanced his body... but that means that thing probably got stronger too. Better nourished. Even harder to deal with.”

“Who knows how much nutrition, how much blood essence, how much spiritual energy it’ll leech in the future... what a tumor on the path to immortality.”

“But still, it has its uses—it gets us into the Spirit Vein ahead of others.”

“Once we’re broke again, it could even become our emergency fund.”

She pondered a compromise.

“What if we made it detachable? Like his Third Eye.”

“Strap it on when needed. Lock it up when not. That way, it won’t waste resources or hold back his body-refining.”

“We’re basically siblings at this point. If he can’t make the hard choice, maybe I should do it for him?”

She truly believed Zhang Yu would understand.

“Every time he finishes, there’s always this shadow of regret on his face. He wants to be rid of it. Just hasn’t found the courage.”

As she plotted her intervention, Zhang Yu finally emerged.

“All set. Let’s go.” He waved coolly, striding ahead with pride.

As soon as they passed the Spirit Vein gate, an overwhelming surge of spiritual energy washed over them. Their Spirit Roots trembled in response, sending waves of bliss through their bodies.

Zhang Yu lived for these moments. Only inside the Spirit Vein did his Qi Sea Spirit Root and his newly cultivated Whirlpool Breathing Technique feel fully unleashed—not like the suffocating, stifled days outside.

Yes, suffocating.

Ever since reaching Foundation, the world had felt thin. The air stale. Spiritual energy scarce.

“Spirit Veins are the real deal.”

But then he remembered how long it took to get in today and frowned.

“That was a bit of a time sink.”

“Still—not my fault. I did my best.”

Glancing at Bai Zhenzhen beside him, his face suddenly flushed red. He turned away.

She raised an eyebrow. “If you’ve got something to say, spit it out.”

Zhang Yu stammered, “Well… I thought of a faster way…”

She tilted her head. “What way?”

“Uh…” He turned even redder, took a deep breath… then chickened out. “Never mind.”

As they continued deeper into the Spirit Vein, Fu Ji silently cried out in protest from within Zhang Yu:

“Do neither of you care how I feel? You think it’s easy, being stuck in here?”

“Hell, I ought to charge a viewer’s fee.”

“Damn it. If I ask to be stationed with Bai Zhenzhen instead, that little punk Zhang Yu’ll get suspicious—think I’ve got ideas.”

“Sigh. Guess I’ll treat it like watching Animal Planet.”

Deep in the Spirit Vein, Zhang Yu began to cultivate with the Whirlpool Breathing Technique.

This Foundation-level technique created mana vortices that expanded the range of spiritual energy intake with every breath, up to his physical limit.

Combined with his Qi Sea Spirit Root, his absorption radius instantly expanded to 100 meters.

In this moment, he was like a bottomless sinkhole, sucking in spiritual energy from all directions.

“This technique may not run constantly like the Great Sun Qi Sea Technique, but a few hours here equal days of grinding with that one. Much more efficient.”

“And I haven’t even maxed it out yet. The mana refinement speed will only get better.”

Mana: 200.5

Whirlpool Breathing Technique: Level 10 (1/100)

“Finally hit level 10.”

As the technique surged, whirlpools of mana circled his body, hungrily devouring the surrounding energy.

“At this level, the vortex manifests externally. It should further expand my absorption radius.”

“With my Spirit Root, it’s already up to 150 meters.”

Meanwhile, not long after they entered the Spirit Vein…

A shriek of flying swords and the pulse of battle-grade Spirit Roots erupted as an armed security squad arrived in a flying vessel—surrounding the very restroom Zhang Yu had just used.

Workers in hazmat suits entered the facility and emerged carrying a massive armored case, their faces solemn as they loaded it onto the ship.

…

As Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen immersed themselves in Foundation-stage cultivation—steadily building Dao Heart, mana, and body strength…

Elsewhere, trouble was brewing with Oasis Corporation.

That day, just after another grueling training session with Xinghuo Zhenren, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen received a call from Inspectorate Captain Yun Ni.

“You remember that mysterious expert who ambushed Bai Zhenzhen during the Red River operation?”

“Well, we’ve confirmed his identity—he was Zhou Yang, of the Zhou Family.”

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen both stiffened. They knew the Zhou Family might have ties to an Evil God.

Yun Ni continued, “We’ll be launching a full investigation into the Zhou Family. Since you two were involved, I wanted to ask—”

Zhang Yu cut in, “You’re going to investigate them? Can Ah-Zhen and I come too?”