No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Just as Zhang Yu voiced his curiosity, Ying Xin proactively answered him.

After all, Ying Xin was a local from the Second Floor of Kunxu. Before entering university, she had already watched numerous livestreams of the Flying Sword Tournament.

As she explained, the contestants on screen each demonstrated unique flying sword techniques.

There were Living Flying Swords from Netherworld University, maneuvering and attacking like sentient creatures, capable of locking onto targets autonomously.

There were Law-Eye Flying Swords from Vajra University, able to visually track targets up to 80 kilometers away for precise guidance.

And then there were Wanfa University's flying swords, which connected to the Spiritual Realm Network via the sun and moon to lock onto targets.

Only then did Zhang Yu realize: the sun and moon in the Second Floor of Kunxu were both massive artifacts constructed under the guidance of Wanfa University.

Whether it was the sun or moon, they were immense artifacts continuously maintaining the Spiritual Realm Network across the entire Second Floor of Kunxu.

Looking up at the bright moon overhead, Zhang Yu thought to himself, “No wonder I could get signal at that remote construction site—it was because of this?”

At the same time, a new realization dawned on him.

“This Flying Sword Tournament isn't just about the cultivators. The quality of the flying swords matters just as much.”

He had initially assumed the tournament was like javelin or discus throwing—mostly reliant on the user's skill.

But now it seemed more like a racing competition, where the quality and design of the sword were just as important as the operator.

“A tournament only the rich can afford to play.”

As Ying Xin prepared to introduce the next team, Yu Xinghan’s eyes narrowed. “I know this group.”

Zhang Yu gave him a surprised look. Yu Xinghan was also from the First Floor—how could he know any of the contestants?

“They’re from Pleasure and Harmony University,” Yu Xinghan said. “Senior Red Xiao, Senior Jiu Rao, and Senior Liu Yun.”

“You know them all?” Ying Xin asked, curious.

Yu Xinghan said proudly, “I’ve watched a ton of their battle videos. I know every detail of their flying sword techniques.”

Zhang Yu recalled something and thought to himself, “No wonder Senior Red Xiao’s job workload is so heavy. So all that money went into flying swords, huh?”

As the tournament continued, Zhang Yu noticed that each of the Ten Great Academies had distinct flying sword styles, while the 36 Upper Academies and 72 Lower Academies, despite minor variations, all derived their techniques from the top ten.

As for vocational colleges… were there even any participants from vocational schools? Zhang Yu hadn’t paid attention.

Unknowingly, the latter half of the night slipped by. The morning sun slowly cast its glow over the competition grounds.

At that moment, Bai Zhenzhen appeared alongside a few representatives from Heavenly Sword Sect University.

She brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear, and with a flash of sword light, those strands of hair transformed into fine flying swords of refined steel. They shot skyward, gleaming under the morning sun as they tore through the air at speeds too fast for the naked eye.

Her Law Husk flickered. In her ocular interface, streams of data from the refined steel swords and the Sky-Piercing Flying Swords flooded in—visual feeds from the sword’s perspective, the target’s coordinates, wind direction, altitude, and more.

In less than two minutes, the target was visible in her eye-network.

With a shift in her sword seals, a streak of electric light flashed. The refined steel sword pierced the target clean through.

Ying Xin sighed from the side, “Sigh… she was already playing with flying swords in freshman year. By sophomore year, she’s competing in tournaments. We’re sophomores and still pounding Foundation Stakes.”

But Zhang Yu, watching Bai Zhenzhen’s effortless movements, was reminded of something she had said before about exams.

“She mentioned hundreds of kilometers… could it be their exams involve piloting flying swords across that distance?”

“If so, then Heavenly Sword Sect University must be deliberately hiding even more advanced flying sword technologies.”

As the match ended, Yu Xinghan noticed Zhang Yu had vanished again and messaged him: Where are you?

Zhang Yu replied: Busy. Head back first, no need to wait.

…

In a secluded alley, Bai Zhenzhen embraced Zhang Yu, transferring a Zhen Spirit Root to him.

Zhang Yu took a deep breath. “Ah-Zhen, try to stay longer, alright?”

Her voice whispered into his ear. “I want to stay too, so I can pass on more Zhen Spirit Roots to you.”

“But it’ll depend on how the tournament goes.”

…

After receiving another Zhen Spirit Root, Zhang Yu skipped class and applied for extra shifts at the construction site.

With his multi-threaded cognition, he operated the Expert-Grade Breathing Technique at Level 20 and the Heaven-Shattering Strike at Level 20 simultaneously—both nourishing his Divine Spirit Root.

“One technique takes thirty hours. Ten techniques would take three hundred hours. There’s no way I’ll make it before Ah-Zhen leaves.”

“But if I run two simultaneously, that’s 150 hours.”

“Time’s still tight, but copying the Dao Seed before Ah-Zhen leaves isn’t impossible.”

With one cognition running the Breathing Technique, the second running the Heaven-Shattering Strike, he activated a third to lightly trigger the War Demon Life-Draining Technique—boosting physical strength by only 0.1 levels, well within sustainable limits.

“With this third technique in play, running all three together raises the success rate.”

He mentally reviewed all the techniques he had trained in, noting which muscles and meridians each used. Some could run concurrently; others could not.

He arranged them into compatible groups, maximizing the efficiency of Divine Spirit Root nourishment.

Thus, for the next few days, Zhang Yu did nothing but train relentlessly and rendezvous with Bai Zhenzhen to exchange Zhen Spirit Roots—once before the match, once after.

The Flying Sword Tournament grew increasingly intense. Beyond the initial long-range strikes, events now tested destructive power, speed, technique, and distance.

But the most dangerous round was the Sword Duel.

Within a 10-kilometer radius, contestants engaged in direct flying sword combat—victory going to whoever forced a surrender or destroyed the opponent’s sword.

It was in these duels that Zhang Yu finally saw military-grade flying swords in action. Each one transformed into blinding sword-light, cleaving through anything in its path with astonishing speed and force.

And in these duels, Bai Zhenzhen became a sensation.

With just seven refined steel flying swords, she cut through opponent after opponent with overwhelming force.

When she finally faced a military-grade sword user, she unleashed a formation of 108 refined steel swords, enhanced by her Divine Spirit Root, cloaking sword-light and sword-aura to form an invisible net that shredded her opponent.

She directed 72 flying swords to intercept the military-grade sword, while the other 36 stealthily flanked the enemy and struck at their core.

The audience erupted in amazement, and Bai Zhenzhen’s star rose higher than ever.

Ye Xingli, a top student from the Artifact Refinement Department, was also watching. Fascinated by the techniques, she murmured to herself, “A Divine Spirit Root versus military-grade swords?”

“These invisible swords are too advantageous in a duel. The opponent didn’t even get to unleash their full power before they were taken down.”

“But now that she’s used this trick once, future opponents will be on guard.”

As more learned that Bai Zhenzhen was the disciple of the Seven Sentiments Lord, their curiosity only grew.

Soon, her ocular interface was flooded with offers.

“Miss Bai Zhenzhen, interested in endorsing our product?”

“Do you accept advertisements?”

“You have 100 spirit coins in standby credit. Reply ‘YES’ to claim within five minutes…”

“Would you be open to an interview?”

Endorsement requests, ad deals, sponsorships—even people offering her loans—the messages kept pouring in.

When she left the hotel, crowds were waiting outside. Cameras clicked the moment she appeared.

With a few bursts of acceleration, she vanished from sight.

…

In a quiet alley.

Zhang Yu held her from behind, whispering, “You’re getting more and more famous.”

“Mm…” Bai Zhenzhen murmured softly, feeling the Divine Spirit Root return to her dantian. “Just some irrelevant people. It won’t interfere with us.”

“Be careful,” Zhang Yu said. “No one can find out about us.”

Later, Bai Zhenzhen returned to the hotel and found Wen Wuya waiting again.

“Zhenzhen,” he asked, “why do you keep going out alone?”

“Just taking walks. Any problem with that?” she replied.

“You’ve got a few strands out of place…”

With a flash, she darted past him. “I’m going to take a shower. Don’t follow me.”

Watching her go, Wen Wuya sighed and thought, “What is she really up to? Should I investigate a little?”

…

As the Flying Sword Tournament progressed, many contestants gained attention—Bai Zhenzhen among them.

People were fascinated not only by her Divine Spirit Root, but especially by her mysterious mentor—the Seven Sentiments Lord.

Soon, more information surfaced about how intensely she had been trained.

In her first university term, she was awarded a temporary military certificate due to her exceptional high school sigil-crafting scores.

In the first semester, she joined senior patrol squads, capturing Evil Gods and dangerous entities from the Black Agricultural Underworld, accumulating massive military merit.

By second semester, she was promoted due to those merits and her innovations in modifying Sky-Piercing Flying Swords—gaining an official military post in Heavenly Sword Sect University, along with access to approved military-grade techniques and Spirit Roots.

Ying Xin thought in awe, “Damn, this is insane. No wonder she’s the disciple of a Nascent Soul cultivator! We could never dream of that path.”

Gongshu Jin envied her. “This is how the rich do it. Getting a military post as a freshman. Only the rich can fast-track like this.”

Che Yufei commented, “Bai Zhenzhen’s progress is insane, and she doesn’t even have a wrinkle on her face… That’s a top-tier mentor right there.”

Watching her, Ji Yuanshu found her sword-like hair utterly captivating, and the gleaming light of wealth from her swords even more so.

Thinking of the Seven Sentiments Lord behind her, he could only revere her. “As long as you have money, you can break every rule in university and crush everyone without it underfoot.”

Ye Xingli from the Artifact Refinement Department also sighed in admiration. “So rich… the Seven Sentiments Lord isn’t just wealthy, they’re brilliant too. Using money to pave a shortcut to the Immortal Path for their disciple—what an incredible bond. Even if Bai Zhenzhen gives her everything to her master in the end, it would still be worth it.”

Admiring Bai Zhenzhen, envying her, praising the master-disciple bond, marveling at her accomplishments, worshipping the Seven Sentiments Lord’s wealth, lamenting how the rich are always smarter… The Spiritual Realm Network overflowed with praise for both Bai Zhenzhen and her powerful mentor.