No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

When he saw the message from Tian Yang, Wang Yin's gaze turned cold.

“You threatening me?” he replied.

Tian Yang didn’t answer. He sent a screenshot instead.

It was the class ranking for Zhang Yu’s group, accompanied by their homeroom teacher, Immortal Jiao Lei, praising Zhang Yu in the chat.

Seeing Zhang Yu ranked second, Wang Yin’s eyes narrowed. His mood soured as a simmering anger began to stir in his chest.

Even the Emperor's Heart Technique in his mind thumped unevenly, like a lagging network—congested and stalling.

Right now, Wang Yin felt that seeing Zhang Yu earn even one spirit coin was more painful than losing ten himself.

At that moment, Tian Yang replied: “I’m not threatening you. I’m just stating facts.”

Tian Yang: “If nothing unexpected happens, Zhang Yu will work overtime every day, make money every day, and keep getting stronger.”

Tian Yang: “But I have a way to make him skip his pills, stop working overtime, and sleep a full eight hours every night—until he gradually turns into a useless waste.”

Wang Yin’s first reaction: “Impossible.”

Wang Yin: “Who would willingly self-destruct like that?”

Tian Yang: “I’ll feed him three meals a day. Make him addicted to eating. Let him get food-drunk for eight hours a day.”

Wang Yin was briefly stunned. “With Zhang Yu’s current strength, overeating would definitely knock him out.”

“The more he eats, the more his digestive system stretches and adapts. His appetite will grow too. Miss one meal, and the hunger pangs will drive him mad. The addiction will only deepen.”

“And without immense digestive strength, he’ll get food-drunk faster and easier.”

Just picturing Zhang Yu addicted to rice and collapsing every day made Wang Yin feel like even his cultivation technique was flowing smoother.

But he still had one doubt.

Wang Yin: “Where’s he getting the money to eat three meals a day?”

Tian Yang: “That’s where you come in.”

Wang Yin: “I want to see the livestream. Every bite, every nap.”

After ending the call with Wang Yin, Tian Yang turned to Zhang Yu and chuckled. “That screenshot of your teacher’s praise might’ve hit his soft spot.”

Zhang Yu wasn’t surprised. In a university that placed so much weight on rankings and results, standings weren’t just for intimidating classmates—they could provoke enemies too.

Zhang Yu asked, “So, what’s the plan for tomorrow?”

Tian Yang looked at him. “You eat a lot, right?”

…

The next day.

Wang Yin tuned into the livestream to see Tian Yang dragging Zhang Yu to a feast.

Tempted by the aroma of Heaven-Essence Rice, Zhang Yu visibly gulped, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

Wang Yin sneered. “Hmph. That broke rat must’ve been starving in University City.”

The next moment, Zhang Yu devoured three bowls of Heaven-Essence Rice in a row—then promptly collapsed to the floor, completely out cold.

Watching it unfold, Wang Yin burst into unrestrained laughter.

And for the next few days, he watched Zhang Yu being stuffed with rice day after day.

Watching Zhang Yu give in to the hunger, watching him get food-drunk and pass out, brought Wang Yin immense satisfaction. The Emperor's Heart Technique in his mind circulated smoother and smoother.

Especially during his daily cultivation—so long as Zhang Yu was still asleep—Wang Yin felt peace and joy.

The longer Zhang Yu slept, the more exhilarated Wang Yin became. His cultivation grew smoother by the day.

“With that level of strength, and still downing three bowls per meal? Now he’s hooked on rice—missing a meal probably gives him withdrawal.”

“That guy’s basically half-crippled already.”

With that thought, Wang Yin felt another burst of clarity in his cultivation. His Dao Heart was growing more polished.

He could feel that his recovery in Dao Heart level would soon accelerate.

…

On screen.

Zhang Yu swallowed the last of the Heaven-Essence Rice in his bowl—along with the concealed pills hidden inside.

As the potent medicinal force surged through his body, he quickly began channeling his Expert-Grade Breathing Technique, focusing his spiritual energy and refining his mana.

From the outside, he appeared utterly still, lying on the ground as if deep asleep.

Inside, Zhang Yu thought darkly, “Wang Yin’s such a bastard, actually wants me sleeping eight hours a day? Bet he’s cultivating like mad while watching my stream.”

“I can’t slack off either!”

With Berserker Pills, Spirit Root Stimulants, and other tiger-wolf-tier drugs spurring his potential, Heaven-Essence Rice stabilizing his foundation and restoring his reserves, plus the graveyard’s high-density spiritual energy…

His breathing efficiency soared—skyrocketed—far surpassing any state he’d ever reached before.

With mana roaring like a dragon, like a raging river, Zhang Yu had to actively activate his body’s cellular regeneration just to keep up with his fraying meridians.

…

Wang Yin: “He’s still sleeping too little. Still working and studying 16 hours a day. Make him sleep even more.”

Tian Yang: “Too much sleep will raise suspicion. But I have other ways.”

Tian Yang: “I’ll praise his talent every day, build up his confidence, shower him with compliments until he stops trying to improve. He’ll adopt a ‘good enough’ attitude.”

Wang Yin was skeptical: “Zhang Yu’s not the type to be misled by flattery.”

But soon after, Wang Yin saw Tian Yang pointing at Zhang Yu’s projects, praising them non-stop.

“Ten centimeters off? Still acceptable.”

“This one passes too.”

“Everything’s approved.”

“Relax, it’s not like you’re crafting a divine artifact. For a freshman, this is already top-tier.”

Watching Zhang Yu’s subpar work get waved through, Wang Yin couldn’t help but grin. He could already envision Zhang Yu becoming a half-ass worker in the future, never improving, stuck in mediocrity forever.

But it still wasn’t enough.

Wang Yin: “I want him worse off.”

Tian Yang: “I have more methods—but it won’t come cheap.”

Wang Yin: “Let’s hear it first.”

Tian Yang: “I’ll surround him with beauties who adore him, pamper him, care for him, shower him with emotional value. Let him get lost in lust and love, distracted and unfocused, until he can no longer work or study properly.”

Wang Yin: “From what I know, Zhang Yu reaching this stage without being a eunuch means he’s not someone easily swayed by women.”

Tian Yang: “Even laborers crave a massage after grinding all day on a construction site.”

…

Off-screen, Zhang Yu was redoing his assignments.

Hearing that Tian Yang wanted to take him to a massage parlor, he hesitated. “Isn’t this going too far?”

Tian Yang: “You still want to make money or not?”

Zhang Yu: “Fine. Let’s go.”

…

Inside the massage parlor.

Yu Xinghan complained, “Why aren’t the masseuses here yet?”

He turned to Li Xiao. “Go check what’s going on. We’ve been waiting almost half an hour.”

A moment later, Li Xiao sent a message: “All the masseuses are booked. They’re serving Zhang Yu.”

Yu Xinghan’s eyes narrowed. He immediately stood up—he wanted to see this for himself.

Moments later, he saw a circle of masseuses surrounding Zhang Yu.

Each one was physically powerful, patient, exuding grace in strength and speed. They came in every shape and size, with years of expertise in massage.

Under their hands, every inch of Zhang Yu’s skin seemed lovingly pampered. His blood and energy stirred under their constant kneading.

Yu Xinghan was stunned. Then he saw Tian Yang standing nearby.

Last time Zhang Yu and Tian Yang struck a deal, Yu Xinghan had been told to monitor them. He vaguely knew it involved some exchange about Director Wang.

Now, watching this, a complex light flickered in his eyes—part admiration, part horror.

“So vicious… so many masseuses at once. Director Wang must be trying to rot Zhang Yu’s willpower and soften his resolve.”

“Knowing Zhang Yu… I’m not sure he can hold out.”

“No. I have to help my brother. I have to block this for him.”

Li Xiao, who had been posted farther last time and knew less, just stared in awe and mentally noted everything.

“So this is the secret behind Zhang Yu’s skyrocketing grades?”

…

At the same time, Wang Yin was watching through Tian Yang’s EyeNet feed.

“Massage does help the body,” Wang Yin thought. “But if he doesn’t get addicted, there’s no point continuing…”

The next moment, Wang Yin saw Zhang Yu slowly react to the touch, subtle changes in his body.

His eyes lit up. “There it is!”

“That little brat is reacting!”

“Hahaha, this is working.”

On screen, Zhang Yu sighed to Fu Ji in his mind, “To fool Wang Yin, I had to circulate my mana, boost my energy, and fake being seduced. What a sacrifice.”

Fu Ji asked curiously, “I’m the only one who can hear you right now. Be honest—are you faking it, or…”

Zhang Yu fumed, “You’ve been with me this long and still don’t know me? As if I’d be swayed by a few masseuses.”

In the following days, Wang Yin continued watching Zhang Yu gorge himself into food comas, enjoy massages, slack off in work. He felt more and more satisfied.

By investing just a little of his immense wealth, he could drag a poor genius like Zhang Yu into the mud. That aligned with his will and strengthened his cultivation.

“And this is just the beginning. Once I pull the plug on his spirit coin allowance, what will Zhang Yu—so used to these comforts—do then?”

The thought filled Wang Yin with excitement.

Though his Emperor’s Heart Technique was running flawlessly already, he knew that one final push would deepen his control and sharpen his focus.

“When that happens, my Dao Heart level will climb even faster.”

So, Wang Yin made another request to Tian Yang.

He wanted to see Zhang Yu beg him in first-person view—on his knees, groveling and pleading, tail between his legs.

A few days later, through Tian Yang’s eye-feed, Wang Yin saw Zhang Yu standing before him, pleading.

“My overtime application…”

Wang Yin’s voice, channeled through the Spiritual Realm Network and into Tian Yang’s ear, came out of Tian Yang’s mouth: “The sixth version of your overtime request? Still not good enough. Rejected. Do it again.”

Zhang Yu: “But—”

“But what?” Wang Yin barked. “Listen up. Starting today, not only will you leave work on time—I want you off ten minutes early!”

“Unless I say otherwise, you’re not allowed to stay on site a second longer!”

Watching Zhang Yu shuffle away, dejected, Wang Yin felt elated. The heart-devil plaguing him had finally dissipated.

Tian Yang smiled slightly. “Well, Director Wang? Is our deal settled?”

“No problem,” Wang Yin said. “But from now on, keep feeding him three meals a day. Eight hours of sleep. Early clock-outs. No overtime. And assign a few more masseuses every day.”

“I’m footing the bill. I want him completely ruined. I want him cut off from the Immortal Path forever.”

At that moment, Wang Yin was confident his Dao Heart level would soon reach Level 20 again.

He marveled at how well-spent his money had been. Not only did he strike down Zhang Yu—he advanced his own cultivation.

And as Tian Yang listened to Wang Yin’s escalating demands, he thought to himself:

“Won’t be long now… my friend’s next move is coming.”