No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Over the past month, Zhang Yu had slowed his cultivation progress due to a depleted body and instead invested more resources into foundation-strengthening efforts to restore his vitality.

Now, a month later, although his rate of improvement had decreased, he had reached Dao Heart Level 13 (98.5%), with 573.4 Mana, 14.65 in Physical Strength, and a Mana Quality of 159%.

He had also completed the fourth required Breathing Technique for Mana Pulse Flowing Stream, after mastering Whirlpool Breathing Technique, Hunyuan Embryonic Breathing Sutra, and Heavenly Fortune Longevity Technique.

At this moment, he was seated cross-legged in his dorm, cultivating the fifth Breathing Technique required for Mana Pulse Flowing Stream.

A milky-white stream of Martial Qi surged from his mouth, circling him in fog-like waves and forming an external cycle around his body.

This Breathing Technique, called the “External Martial Qi Circulation Method,” utilized external Martial Qi loops to aid in the consolidation of spiritual essence.

Through this process, the practitioner also honed their control over Martial Qi.

The reason Zhang Yu chose this technique was because once his Physical Strength reached Level 15, Martial Qi would become a key conduit for channeling physical power. Enhancing his Martial Qi control ahead of time would dramatically improve his work efficiency.

He mentally calculated, “Another month and I should be mostly recovered. My Physical Strength should also break through to Level 15.”

As Zhang Yu was immersed in his cultivation, a message popped up in his EyeNet—a digital invitation from Gongshu Jin.

Gongshu Jin: A senior from the Artifact Refinement Department just crafted a new artifact and is holding a treasure-appraisal banquet. He invited Mo Shangjin, and Mo-shixiong wants us to tag along.

Ever since Zhang Yu’s meeting with Director Gao, he had sensed that he’d been quietly absorbed into the same faction as Director Gao and Tu Lishan.

Mo Shangjin, now a practitioner of Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might, also belonged to this faction.

So did Gongshu Jin, who ranked just one spot below Zhang Yu in class and had joined the faction earlier.

Lately, both had been casually greeting Zhang Yu and sharing bits and pieces about the internal affairs of the Civil Engineering Department.

Staring at the invitation, Zhang Yu’s interest piqued. “A treasure-appraisal banquet?”

He asked: Is there food?

Gongshu Jin: It’s hosted by a senior from the Artifact Refinement Department—of course there’s food. It’s a buffet.

Zhang Yu’s eyes lit up with shock, then joy.

In Wanfa University City, food was a high-end luxury. The poor lived on pills, while the rich dined on actual meals. The wealthier the cultivator, the more they could afford to eat.

And a buffet? That was the kind of extravagance only the ultra-rich could indulge in.

When Yu Xinghan heard about it, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Buffet? A buffet?! And someone’s paying for it?!”

“This is… this is just blatant flaunting of wealth!”

Zhang Yu nodded in agreement, swallowing a bit of saliva. Inwardly he thought, “Those Artifact Refinement people are loaded. I hope they keep forging artifacts every day and hosting banquets after.”

Yu Xinghan looked at Zhang Yu. “Bro, can you take me along?”

Zhang Yu shook his head and said helplessly, “If guests were allowed, I’d bring the whole dorm, but even I’m just tagging along.”

Yu Xinghan sighed. “Li Xiao was right. These rich folks, the scraps from their fingers are enough for us to feast on.”

“But you can’t beg your way into that world. You have to break in like Zhang Yu—on your own strength.”

As Yu Xinghan watched in envy, Zhang Yu returned to cultivating until the next day’s banquet arrived.

…

Wanfa University City, 568th Floor.

Zhang Yu followed behind Gongshu Jin into a restaurant.

It was his first time in a University City restaurant. The space wasn’t much larger than a classroom, but it was finely decorated, and a mouthwatering aroma lingered in the air, making Zhang Yu salivate uncontrollably.

Inside, a dozen people were already gathered. At the center stood three figures, their rankings displayed above their heads, glowing as if lit from within.

One of them was Mo Shangjin from the Civil Engineering Department, whom Zhang Yu had met before.

Another was a woman whose skin shimmered like starlight, her white hair glistening like gemstones. All over her body were branded models and serials of various Law Husks, enough to make most students tremble and back away for fear of financially crippling themselves just by bumping into her.

Zhang Yu saw the Artifact Refinement Department’s 15th rank over her head and immediately knew—this was Ye Xingli, today’s buffet host.

Gongshu Jin looked at Ye Xingli and felt his heart pounding wildly.

“All those premium Law Husks… every one of them custom-made or limited edition… What I have is junk compared to hers.”

“She’s gorgeous. Seriously, if I could dual cultivate with her even once—who knows how much I’d get paid?”

Gongshu Jin had always been a studious genius, never interested in dual cultivation—after all, he wasn’t some arts student from Pleasure and Harmony University.

But seeing someone this wealthy, even he couldn’t help but want to get “cultivated” once.

Her wealth exuded a magnetic pull he couldn’t resist.

Zhang Yu shifted his gaze to the last man among the trio: Cang Lanyu, ranked 9th in the Talisman Department.

As Zhang Yu looked at him, he saw shimmering lights dancing on the man's clothes, face, hands, and even every strand of hair.

These lights were projections from deep within the Spiritual Realm, converging in Zhang Yu’s EyeNet into mysterious symbols and slogans.

Heavenly Eye Law Husk—see the world more clearly!

Local favorite of second-floor Kunxu residents. If you’re not wearing it, you’re not local.

Watch streams in the Illusory Realm, feel the fusion of spirit and flesh…

Seeing all those ads on him, Zhang Yu quickly averted his gaze, cursing inwardly, “Damn it, did those few glances just earn him money again?”

Gongshu Jin glanced at Cang Lanyu with envy. The man had an ad-signed sigil from a Righteous God, constantly linked to the deep Spiritual Realm. As long as he was within it, his entire body would refresh with new ads nonstop.

And the longer someone looked at him, the more customized and tempting the ads became.

“Just looking at him makes him richer and stronger!”

Gongshu Jin thought, “This guy… he’s someone you can’t even dare to look at if he’s your opponent.”

As Zhang Yu and Gongshu Jin surveyed the scene, the other attendees took note of them.

Ye Xingli, her skin glimmering like a river of stars, smiled faintly. “You two are late. As punishment, one bowl of rice each.”

The moment the rice was set before him, Zhang Yu was hit by a wave of intense fragrance. Just the smell alone made his mouth water and filled him with energy.

Gongshu Jin, however, thought to himself, “Punishment by rice?”

He recognized this wasn’t just any rice.

“Cooked from Heaven-Essence Rice, each grain is compressed with dense food essence. One grain is enough to sustain a Qi Refinement cultivator for three days and nights.”

“If you eat too much, you’ll get indigestion—too much Qi and blood in the stomach, dizziness, nausea…”

Even Foundation Establishment cultivators with low capacity could faint just from half a bowl—this phenomenon was known as “rice-overload.”

He suspected the crowd was waiting to see them embarrass themselves with “rice dizziness.”

After all, most second-floor students couldn’t afford real food and never trained their digestion. A small appetite was common—and ridiculed.

The bigger your appetite, the more respect you earned. Small appetite? Total shame.

Just as Gongshu Jin began to circulate his energy in preparation, he saw Zhang Yu grab the bowl and attempt to gulp it down in one bite.

“No!” Gongshu Jin tried to stop him, thinking, “Does he not even know what Heaven-Essence Rice is?!”

Zhang Yu swallowed half a bowl in one gulp. The fragrant, soft, and elastic grains burst with flavor on his tongue.

But soon he noticed the rice was incredibly tough. Even after dozens of chews, it refused to break down.

A senior student chuckled, “Take it easy. Heaven-Essence Rice is hard to digest. You’re supposed to eat it in small bites, not gulp it like that.”

Others laughed too, clearly expecting Zhang Yu to pass out soon.

But then, Zhang Yu didn’t even chew—he just swallowed everything whole.

With the University Saint Body providing peak-level Foundation Establishment digestion, Zhang Yu’s gut was already terrifyingly efficient.

And after his wild stint at that construction site, where he digested Corrosionbane Membrane Marrow and Spiritsteel Alloy, his stomach had been reforged like a weaponized forge—able to break down even Grade-20 Spiritsteel.

As his gut rumbled, it turned into a dreadful millstone, pulverizing the Heaven-Essence Rice and releasing vast amounts of food energy.

Hot waves surged through his limbs. His body, parched and depleted, drank it all in like dry earth soaking in spring rain.

It was like taking a full-body medicinal bath.

“So good! Delicious! Absolutely amazing!”

“You not eating that?” Zhang Yu asked, grabbing Gongshu Jin’s untouched bowl. “Then I’ll take it.”

Watching Zhang Yu demolish two full bowls and still wanting more, Ye Xingli raised an eyebrow in admiration. “Now that’s an appetite!”

“Someone bring him another bowl!”

Zhang Yu laughed. “Rice without meat? That’s just no fun.”

“That’s easy!” Ye Xingli declared. “Bring him a platter of Dragon Liver and Phoenix Gallbladder!”

She turned to Zhang Yu. “Think you can handle it?”

Zhang Yu grinned boldly. “Make it three bowls of rice and three platters of Dragon Liver and Phoenix Gallbladder!”