No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan had already heard Zhang Pianpian’s explanation over lunch, so they had a deeper understanding of the Foundation Class at Wanfa University.

Each year, a new Foundation Class was established across Wanfa University’s various departments.

These classes weren’t just for high school students who had already completed Foundation Establishment. They also included university students who earned their Foundation License at Wanfa and achieved Foundation within the same year.

Fu Ji explained, “For example, if a Qi Refining student from Civil Engineering successfully reaches Foundation this year, they’ll be added to your cohort of the Civil Engineering Foundation Class.”

“Usually, the majority of Foundation Class students are homegrown—meaning they achieved Foundation during their time at the university.”

“Students like you and Yu Xinghan, who reached Foundation in high school and entered university already qualified, are the minority.”

“But don’t worry. Those homegrown students… they’re just people who were stuck in Qi Refining for a few extra years. It doesn’t make them stronger—just means they’re less talented and lack real Immortal Path potential.”

When Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan arrived at the classroom, three students had already arrived.

One of them was notably tall—maintaining a full three meters in height. His body rippled with raw muscle, making no effort to restrain it.

What stood out most were his eyes. Within the pure-black sclerae, white characters glowed faintly: “Sky Eye.”

His back, partially exposed as he turned, revealed a spine marked with flowing golden runes etched into the bone.

Zhang Yu muttered inwardly, “That’s an ocular Law Husk… and one along the spine too? But… kinda flashy, isn’t it?”

Fu Ji chuckled. “You’re not wrong. The white markings in his eyes and the golden runes on his spine? Those are brand logos.”

“One’s the ‘Sky Eye’—a high-end ocular Law Husk by the Sky Eye Corporation. The other is a premium spinal Law Husk from the Vajra Forge brand. Top-tier stuff, no doubt.”

“But they’re still a notch below your Time-Wrecking Demon Pupil. That thing’s low-key luxury—an elite model bought by Wang Yin himself. A top-shelf ocular Law Husk for the Foundation Realm.”

Fu Ji rambled on like a salesman, clearly in her element. “Showing off luxury brands, flaunting high-end gear—totally normal in the upper universities. If you’ve got power, flaunt it. Otherwise, how will people know you’re loaded? How will they respect you?”

“Besides, branded Law Husks come with better performance and stronger power output.”

“When I worked in university sales, I scammed plenty of students who wanted to take out loans just to afford name brands.”

As Fu Ji chattered, Zhang Yu’s mind shifted focus. Information from three Foundation auras he’d initially ignored now came to the forefront.

Foundation Cultivator Gongshu Jin from Kunxu 4th Floor has entered within 10 meters of you. Do not add strangers as friends.

Foundation Cultivator Ying Xin from 2nd Floor has entered within 10 meters of you. Sixth-gen Civil Engineer reporting in!

Foundation Cultivator Li Xiao has entered within 10 meters of you. Pleased to meet you all.

All three Foundation domains maintained only a 10-meter radius. Zhang Yu understood this was due to the space limitations within the University City—most students consciously shrank their domains.

“A Fourth-Floor bigshot?” he thought, eyeing the flashy, muscle-bound guy. “Must be Gongshu Jin.”

Meanwhile, the three newcomers also noticed Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan.

A stocky young woman stepped forward. “You two—show us your entrance exam scores and base stats. We’re compiling class rankings. Let’s see where you place.”

She added, “Oh, right. I’m Ying Xin. We’re all first-year students, right? You two look like this year’s batch as well?”

Yu Xinghan, knowing this was an unspoken rule in college, wasn’t bothered. She nodded. “Yes, we’re freshmen this year. I’m Yu Xinghan. Entrance score: 692. Dao Heart level 10. Mana: 220.21. Physical strength: 10.25.”

Seeing their expectant stares, Zhang Yu saw no reason to hide either. “Zhang Yu. Score: 670. Dao Heart level 11. Mana: 276.9. Physical strength: 10.94.”

Though he’d nearly aced every subject, his Dao Techniques score was only 71.

After all, that category was expensive to improve. And since he already had his Foundation License, he only needed a 600+ score to qualify for the Ten Major Academies. So he hadn’t focused on raising that score further.

When Ying Xin heard his score, she frowned slightly, surprised that Wanfa University would admit someone with only a 670.

But after hearing his Dao Heart, mana, and strength stats, she gave a small nod of approval.

She asked again, “What floor are you from?”

When they answered “First Floor of Kunxu,” a flicker of contempt flashed across her face. Gongshu Jin, beside her, didn’t even bother hiding his disinterest, looking away.

Ying Xin then shared her own stats and introduced Gongshu Jin.

Zhang Yu mentally compared: Ying Xin from 2nd Floor scored 695, with slightly better baseline stats than him.

Gongshu Jin from the 4th Floor? A perfect 700. Dao Heart level 12. Mana and strength stats over 20% higher than Zhang Yu’s.

Then came the most low-key of the three: Li Xiao.

A message popped up on Zhang Yu’s ocular Law Husk—it was from Yu Xinghan.

“Remember Li Xiao? He’s from Xiandu. Got his Foundation License the same year I did.”

Zhang Yu blinked. He’d been too focused on his own cultivation back then to notice who else had qualified that year.

Li Xiao shared his score of 693, with base stats slightly lower than Zhang Yu’s. He said no more.

He made no effort to bond with fellow First Floor natives like Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan—instead, he clung tightly to Gongshu Jin and Ying Xin.

Gongshu Jin glanced at them, then said flatly, “Among the five of us so far, Zhang Yu ranks third. Yu Xinghan fifth.”

Naturally, he and Ying Xin were ranked first and second. Xiandu’s Li Xiao was fourth.

New students trickled into the classroom. When asked by Gongshu Jin or Ying Xin, they shared their scores and stats.

Though all were newly Foundation-established university students, not a single one could top Gongshu Jin’s numbers.

Just like Fu Ji said—spending extra years stuck in Qi Refining doesn’t make you stronger after breaking through. It just proves your lack of talent and Immortal Path potential.

Zhang Yu watched Gongshu Jin, who sat like a job interviewer, judging every new student and maintaining his undisputed position as the class’s number one.

Before long, a small crowd had formed around him, basking in his presence.

Gongshu Jin thought to himself, “The true elites all went to the Big Three departments—Finance, Forging, Dao Techniques. Here in Civil Engineering, I might just snag the top rank.”

Meanwhile, Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan stood silently in a corner, ignored by all.

As more Foundation students arrived, their rankings slipped.

Zhang Yu was pushed down to twelfth place. Yu Xinghan fell to eighteenth.

But neither of them minded. They were veterans of clawing their way up from the bottom, one gritty step at a time.

Yu Xinghan seized the moment to run her Heart Technique, drawing in spiritual energy in silence.

Zhang Yu, on the other hand, was experimenting.

After hearing Zhang Pianpian mention the cement-adjuvant supplement, he’d gotten an idea.

“With my heightened body control from the Sacrificial Oxheart Technique, can I suppress my digestive functions? That way, I wouldn’t need to eat cement at all.”

He was now attempting to slow intestinal peristalsis and reduce digestive fluid secretion.

This was his first time trying such a thing since leveling the Sacrificial Oxheart Technique to 20, massively enhancing his bodily autonomy.

Back in the First Floor days, he was always trying to ramp digestion up, not slow it down.

Now, focusing inward, he felt his consciousness delve into his gut. Peristalsis eased. Digestive fluid production diminished.

“It’s working!” He lit up internally. “Looks like I really don’t need to eat cement anymore.”

Even Fu Ji was impressed. “Your Sacrificial Oxheart Technique is wild. The applications are all over the place.”

Meanwhile, Li Xiao from Xiandu glanced at Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan as they quietly cultivated.

He sneered to himself. “Hmph. Still think hard work and bitter cultivation will get you anywhere in the Second Floor?”

“A few months or years of grinding can’t compare to a few scraps tossed down from the rich up above.”

Sticking close to Gongshu Jin, Li Xiao saw the group talking about Law Husks. He looked into Gongshu Jin’s eyes and smiled. “Gongshu Jin, what brand is your ocular Law Husk? It looks pretty special.”

Gongshu Jin replied curtly, “Sky Eye.”

Li Xiao’s eyes lit up. “Sky Eye Corporation? Me too! Mine’s from them as well!”

Gongshu Jin smirked dismissively and said nothing. He clearly didn’t think much of Li Xiao’s attempt to latch on.

Ying Xin laughed. “Your model’s a high-end one, right? I think the cheapest starts at 10 spirit coins.”

Gongshu Jin said calmly, “Roughly. Mine’s fully upgraded—cost around twelve.”

Gasps of admiration echoed through the classroom.

Li Xiao swallowed hard, envy flashing in his eyes as he looked at Gongshu Jin’s ocular Law Husk—his own now felt woefully inadequate.

Just then, the room flickered.

A new Foundation domain enveloped everyone present.

Foundation Cultivator Ji Yuanshu from Kunxu 6th Floor has entered within 100 meters. Please remain silent.

The classroom, once bustling with chatter, fell instantly silent.

Even the aloof Gongshu Jin narrowed his eyes, joining the others in turning toward the door.