No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Among all the combat techniques Zhang Yu had mastered so far, Nine Heavens Cloudstride Force was the most powerful and valuable in real battle.

This former military-grade Technique could open air apertures within his Martial Qi, allowing each aperture to absorb his strength and unleash it explosively when needed.

When Zhang Yu first pushed the Nine Heavens Cloudstride Force to Level 10, it could open ten apertures. Each one could store an incoming strike from an opponent and release the force all at once in a flurry of ten counterblows.

Later, after he advanced the technique to Level 20, not only did the number of apertures increase to twenty, but the amount of power each aperture could store grew as well—matching the improvements in Zhang Yu’s physical endurance.

Zhang Yu still remembered that during his fierce fight with ✔️Wang Yin, it was ✔️Xinghuo Zhenren who had taught him that the key to maximizing the power of this technique lay in pairing the different types of absorbed force—palm strikes, punches, and the like—with corresponding techniques in coordinated sequences.

Not long after acquiring the Three-Eyed Divine Sight, Zhang Yu created the Fifty-Fifty Split Combat Style, and immediately realized how seamlessly it could integrate with the Nine Heavens Cloudstride Force to massively enhance his counterattack potential in high-level battles.

Then, when his physical body reached Level 15 and his physique began to blend harmoniously with his Martial Qi, Zhang Yu, while operating Martial Qi for construction tasks, stumbled upon yet another breakthrough idea.

Just like now—by using the Three-Eyed Divine Sight combined with Formless Cloud Qi, he could simulate human-shaped Qi constructs performing ✔️Cong Na’s exact techniques.

And embedded within the Formless Cloud Qi were the air apertures from the Nine Heavens Cloudstride Force, unleashing the Tendon-Breaking Palm strikes that Cong Na had just thrown at him.

Under Cong Na’s astonished gaze, a series of humanoid Qi constructs emerged from behind Zhang Yu. Blow after blow, they mirrored her technique and palm force perfectly, halting her advance with uncanny precision.

“He knows Tendon-Breaking Palm too? And at such a profound level?”

Cong Na’s first reaction wasn’t that Zhang Yu had stolen her technique or absorbed her strikes—it was simply that his mastery of Tendon-Breaking Palm must be advanced.

She let out a light chuckle as waves of Martial Qi surged through her.

“Seems I really underestimated you.”

“Guess I’ll get a bit serious.”

She punched out, Martial Qi spiraling from her fist like a massive drill, smashing toward Zhang Yu with tremendous force.

It was the Starry Spiral Pulse Technique from the Civil Engineering Department. At higher mastery, it could tunnel through mountain bodies and bore underground at incredible speeds.

In that moment, Cong Na’s spiral Martial Qi shredded the humanoid Qi constructs blocking her path like paper.

But just then, another Qi construct charged forward, mimicking her every motion—fist clenched, elbow cocked—then blasted out a matching strike.

Boom!

An identical spiral burst of Martial Qi exploded outward.

Their fists collided with a deafening crash, sending shockwaves in every direction and whipping the air into a violent gale.

“He knows the Starry Spiral Pulse Technique too?!” Cong Na was stunned again, but she quickly caught on.

“No… that’s not it.”

Replaying the exchange in her mind, she realized: “He absorbed my power… and released it back at me?”

“What a brilliant redirection technique.”

“What kind of Technique is this?”

There were many techniques that redirected or absorbed force, but none came to mind that could so precisely replicate her moves and re-emit her Martial Qi using Qi constructs.

Though Zhang Yu’s constructs could mimic her Starry Spiral Pulse Technique, they lacked her raw strength. After a brief standoff, the construct shattered under pressure.

Cong Na took a deep breath, her fighting spirit burning brighter.

“Who would’ve thought a freshman could be this formidable?”

“Hey! I’m talking to you!”

Zhang Yu didn’t even turn around—he was still absorbed in his work.

Cong Na grinned. “Cocky little freshman.”

“Let’s see if you can copy this move.”

She thrust out both arms, and holes opened along her forearms. Her Martial Qi channeled through artificial meridians, accelerating and firing out with tremendous speed.

At the same time, her forearms began to spin rapidly...

“Just having powerful martial skills isn’t enough in the Foundation Establishment Realm.”

“To unleash a technique’s full might, you need a compatible Law Husk.”

Cong Na knew that most university students weren’t qualified to learn military-grade techniques. Expert-Grade Techniques were usually the ceiling.

So to push an Expert-Grade Technique further, many students opted for Law Husks designed specifically to enhance their chosen (Techniques).

Now, with her Starry Spiral Pulse Arms activated, her next punch would be massively amplified.

But before she could strike, a message popped up in her EyeNet.

Ma Xuan: Stop, Cong Na.

Cong Na: Why? My next punch will definitely beat him.

Ma Xuan: It’s just a test. No need to use the Starry Spiral Arms.

Cong Na: Even without the arm Husk, I’d still beat him if given more time.

Cong Na: He’s abusing Qi redirection—how long can he last at this rate?

Ma Xuan: Cong Na, this is just a test, not a real battle. Don’t let it get to your head.

Before she could retort, his next words made her pause.

Ma Xuan: If you keep this up, won’t the casing of your Starry Spiral Arms wear down? And your impact joints—how many more uses before they need replacing?

Ma Xuan: Fighting Zhang Yu is costly—in time, effort, and money.

Thinking of the maintenance bill for her Law Husk, Cong Na suddenly felt that, perhaps, friendly sparring should stay friendly.

With her fighting spirit cooling off, she began to agree with Ma Xuan.

“This guy… is ridiculously tanky.”

“And that kind of tankiness is the kind that punches back.”

“If this keeps going, my Law Husk will take real damage.”

If Cong Na had ever played video games, she would’ve felt like Zhang Yu was one of those annoying monsters that exist solely to drain your equipment’s durability—even if you win, you’d have to pay to repair your gear.

Cong Na: So what, you want him on the team?

Ma Xuan: What if you faced someone like him during the department’s selection tournament? Wouldn’t that be unpleasant?

Cong Na squinted. “Gross.”

Ma Xuan: Exactly. Zhang Yu isn’t just mentally frustrating—his Qi redirection is perfect for stalling top-tier opponents.

Cong Na chuckled, already picturing upperclassmen grimacing as they fought Zhang Yu.

Ma Xuan: And he’s been in Wanfa University for less than a year. By the next semester’s selection, his strength will have grown even more.

At that moment, in another building in Wanfa University City, Ma Xuan reflected silently:

“To absorb and reflect Martial Qi… that’s the Nine Heavens Cloudstride Force, isn’t it?”

“Mastering a former military-grade Technique… even though it's now classed as Expert-Grade, it’s not something you can just buy casually.”

“This Zhang Yu… might just be our secret weapon.”

…

Once Zhang Yu finished the job, he turned to Cong Na and asked, puzzled, “Why’d you stop?”

She smiled. “You’ve shown enough to pass the test. And I don’t like pointless fights.”

“Funny. Me neither,” Zhang Yu chuckled, subconsciously touching the Green-Silk Flying Sword on his index finger.

If she had punched with her Law Husk-enhanced spiral technique, he would've been forced to use the flying sword Bai Zhenzhen gave him.

“So… I passed?” he asked.

As a top student at Wanfa University, Cong Na was quick to adjust to reality.

Having seen Zhang Yu’s strength, she dropped her previous condescension and replied politely, “I personally think you’re fully qualified. Welcome to the competition team.”

“But the others have to agree too.”

“Let’s add each other first. Once they approve, I’ll pull you into the group.”

After saying goodbye, Zhang Yu vanished again, heading back toward the underground crypt.

“Surprisingly smooth,” he thought.

“That means I can join the competition next semester.”

Just then, a message popped up in his EyeNet.

Le Mulan: Zhang Yu, I think my mana is about to undergo some kind of transformation.

Zhang Yu perked up. “Double blessings today.”

Zhang Yu: Where are you? I’m coming.

…

Moments later, he arrived at the dorm. Le Mulan was sitting cross-legged, radiating a chilling cold that dropped the entire room’s temperature.

Seeing him, she said, “It’s close, but I feel like I’m missing a little push.”

Zhang Yu stepped forward. “Don’t move. I’ll give you a boost.”

He channeled a wave of mana into her body. As Le Mulan absorbed it, her dantian suddenly trembled.

A wave of terrifying cold burst outward from her core, surging through all her meridians.

Wherever the chill spread, her circulating mana shifted drastically—it was undergoing a transformation.

Her blood and mana seemed to freeze, and she slipped into a half-sleep, half-conscious state.

At that moment, she was frozen in body, her mind hibernating.

No one knew how much time passed before she stirred again—only to discover her meridians and mana had transformed completely.

Before she could savor the change, she noticed Zhang Yu frozen stiff beside her.

“Zhang Yu… got frostbitten?!”

She panicked. “Did I freeze him when he was transferring mana to me?”