No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Primary – Mana Pulse Flowing Stream (6/6): The more Breathing Techniques you’ve mastered, the faster your mana regenerates.

Looking at the first-level effect of Mana Pulse Flowing Stream, Zhang Yu felt a flicker of curiosity stir in his heart.

“Simple and straightforward.”

“With the number of Breathing Techniques I’ve mastered so far, I wonder how much faster my mana regen will get.”

Intent on testing it out, Zhang Yu instantly surged with Martial Qi, manifesting arms of energy that stretched out to grab the surrounding steel bars.

Normally, the further Martial Qi had to extend, the more mana it consumed.

To conserve mana, Zhang Yu usually limited the range of his energy arms to short or medium distances while performing Breathing Techniques.

But this time, to maximize mana consumption in a short span, Zhang Yu extended his energy arms over thirty meters.

Like fog condensing into storm-serpents, eight arms burst out from his back and shot in all directions like giant pythons.

One was laying bricks, another twisting rebar, another clearing debris… Zhang Yu looked like a one-man construction crew rampaging across the site.

Such a wide-area, long-range mana drain left him keenly aware of how fast his reserves were depleting.

“At this rate, I’ll be bone dry in ten minutes.”

With that thought, Zhang Yu opened the Chain Diagram in his Feathered Tome and switched from University Saint Body to Mana Pulse Flowing Stream.

In an instant, he felt a flood of insights from every Breathing Technique he’d ever practiced pour into his mind.

It was as if all the meridians involved in those techniques had been thrown open, widening and accelerating the intake of spiritual energy.

His dantian felt like a black hole, devouring every surge of incoming spiritual essence and refining it straight into mana…

His regeneration rate was skyrocketing.

“If I would’ve run dry in ten minutes before… now I can probably hold out for an hour.”

Zhang Yu’s heart trembled with anticipation for the next two levels of Mana Pulse Flowing Stream.

“Shame I can’t use this to mass-sell mana.”

He frowned. “The recovery rate is too absurd. If I start selling huge volumes, I’ll definitely draw the wrong kind of attention.”

“But small, daily sales should be fine.”

“And there’s still Le Mulan…”

He figured he could now afford to donate a bit more mana to Le Mulan each day, helping her improve her mana quality faster.

“At this rate, with my constant infusions and her own investments, Le Mulan’s Frost Abyss Technique should complete by next month.”

After some thought, Zhang Yu switched back to University Saint Body. He was still in the growth phase, and University Saint Body would help accelerate his training efficiency more than just recovering mana.

The energy arms withdrew in waves, and Zhang Yu resumed his usual short- to medium-range work, carefully balancing mana output and intake.

In the days that followed, Wang Yin never showed up again. No offline retaliation, no refund demands, no confrontations—he didn’t even contact them. It was like none of it had ever happened.

Without Wang Yin’s patronage, Zhang Yu could no longer afford daily meals and massages, and his cultivation felt sluggish in comparison. He was not used to the drop in speed.

“Still no word from Director Wang?”

Zhang Yu couldn’t help asking Tian Yang the same question again.

Tian Yang shook his head. “He blocked me. I can’t reach him at all.”

“Last I heard, he’s gone offline to focus on studying and cultivation—he’s preparing for the grad school exams.”

Zhang Yu let out a sigh. He felt like a streamer whose biggest patron had ghosted him. Not only had the guy stopped watching his stream—he even blocked the manager.

The spirit coins he’d earned from Wang Yin in that short period had outstripped all his other earnings in University City. Zhang Yu truly realized just how much faster money came in from streaming compared to part-time jobs.

And he wasn’t the only one who’d felt that.

“Still no news from Director Wang?”

When Zhang Yu shook his head, Yu Xinghan sighed inwardly. The days of daily freeloaded massages were probably over.

“Oh well. At least I’ve got enough footage from that massage parlor to keep going for a while.”

During that period, Yu Xinghan had been using Three-Eyed Divine Sight to master massage skills, while also recording plenty of "store exploration" footage to edit and upload weekly.

“My construction logs and store-exploration videos are getting more views, but living off that? Still a long shot.”

“I need something that brings in quick cash now.”

“But my massage skills are still new… need more hands-on practice.”

With that, Yu Xinghan turned to Li Xiao and said, “Wanna test out my massage skills?”

Li Xiao eagerly agreed. He laid face-down while Yu Xinghan practiced, chatting idly.

“Xinghan, what kind of ocular husk are you using?”

“Tiangong’s.”

“No way! Same as mine. What about Brother Yu?”

“Time-Wrecking Demon Pupil.”

“Oh~ so, where’s your next site? Can I tag along?”

Over the next few days, whether on Li Xiao or occasionally Zhang Yu, Yu Xinghan refined his stolen massage knowledge until he’d fully absorbed the techniques accumulated by professional therapists over years of experience.

Then he contacted Li Xuelian.

Yu Xinghan: Senior Sister, I want to join the dark massage scene.

Li Xuelian: You’re going unlicensed? Can you even massage? Since when?

Yu Xinghan: My technique’s rock-solid! Try it and see for yourself!

Li Xuelian: It’s not that I don’t believe you.

Yu Xinghan: Just one trial, please! One session—you’ll be convinced!

Li Xuelian: No need. I’ll get you a gig.

Though disappointed she declined his massage offer, the thought of finally joining the underground massage world brought Yu Xinghan some relief.

“Construction content and store reviews have long-term potential, but they take years to pay off.”

“I need something that makes money now.”

Thus, unlicensed massage—dark massage—became his path forward, made possible by his Three-Eyed Divine Sight and countless reconnaissance trips to massage parlors.

“With my rapid mastery of these techniques, I’ll earn fast cash in the dark massage scene. And if my videos blow up later, I’ll just clean up and go legit.”

After another practice round on Zhang Yu, Yu Xinghan followed Li Xuelian’s referral and landed his first job.

It wasn’t glamorous—low-tier outdoor massage, below the 100th floor of University City.

Yu Xinghan: “Got work tonight. Don’t wait up if anything comes up.”

Zhang Yu watched him leave and muttered to himself, “His massage skills have improved so fast… Did he really use Three-Eyed Divine Sight to learn them?”

“How many massage parlors did he visit, exactly?”

Shaking his head, Zhang Yu stood and stretched his now-relaxed body before stepping off the construction site.

His figure flickered, and moments later he leapt into the anti-gravity channel, heading up to the dormitory level.

At the same time, Le Mulan was also hurrying back to the dorms. A message from Zhang Yu popped up in her ocular husk.

Zhang Yu: “Xinghan’s working tonight. Senior sister's off prepping for a competition with her classmates. It’s just us—let’s make the most of it.”

Le Mulan: “Okay, I’m almost there.”

Just then, a burly, dark-skinned man blocked her path, smiling broadly. “Le Mulan, give me a chance. I promise I won’t disappoint.”

Le Mulan frowned, but Xuange stepped in front of her, snorting coldly. “Move.”

The man backed off, forcing a wry smile. “Just one favor, Le Mulan. I’ll pay—one spirit coin…”

But the frost in Xuange’s eyes only deepened. With a resigned sigh, the man turned and left.

Xuange thought to himself, “Le Mulan’s mana quality has risen so much lately. Her innate ice-type mana is attracting attention. Everyone wants to dual cultivate with her now.”

“Once she enters the Foundation Establishment class next semester, there’ll be even more people chasing her…”

“But they don’t know—Zhang Yu is the true premium dual cultivation partner.”

Watching Le Mulan’s mana quality skyrocket these past days made Xuange green with envy.

“It’s all thanks to Zhang Yu.”

As she disappeared behind the dorm room door, Xuange stared after her with a wistful look. “When will it be my turn…”

Then, suddenly, the door reopened. Le Mulan poked her head out. “Xuange, can you take the trash out?”

“Sure!”

Le Mulan turned back inside and handed the unwrapped supplement to Zhang Yu. “Here’s your discounted tonic from the Pharmacy Department. I picked it up on the way.”

“No rush on the meds. Let’s start.”

Zhang Yu nodded slightly and sat behind her, pressing his palm to her back and channeling his mana into her body.

Le Mulan immediately felt the surge—stronger, faster, and far more intense than usual.

It went on and on, until she felt like she was at her limit.

Finally, Zhang Yu withdrew his hand.

Le Mulan gasped. “That was… a lot. Are you sure you’re okay?”