Chapter 102: The Competition Arrives
Night.
Beside the riverbed.
Zhang Yu’s muscles twitched and pulsed as he circulated the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi with the aid of the True Spiritual Root.
Ever since joining the sports competition team and securing a spot in the athletics meet, Zhang Yu had not once returned to the team’s training gym, instead continuing to cultivate quietly as before.
After all, the 30,000-yuan Crimson Marrow Primordial Pills had consumed the vast majority of his income, and he had no money to enjoy the Nine Dragons Acupuncture Technique and related alchemical enhancers provided by the team.
Bai Zhenzhen, on the other hand, didn’t need to spend her money on something as expensive as the Crimson Marrow Primordial Pill, so she learned the Nine Dragons Acupuncture Technique and bought the related drugs from the competition team to try them out.
Bai Zhenzhen’s review of the team’s training method was: “After the shots, you can’t get full, you can’t fall asleep, and you can’t stop training. The body tempering effects are insane! Yu-boy, using enhancers is so much more effective than natural body tempering. You should hurry up and try it.”
Of course, Zhang Yu knew that Zhen could handle the acupuncture not only because her drug resistance was quite good, but also because she had the assistance of the True Spiritual Root. Furthermore, the spiritual root had recently begun to transfer a portion of the effects from his own Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi cultivation, strengthening her internal organs…
Just then, his phone vibrated. Zhang Yu opened it to find a message from Zhao Tianxing.
“Hm?”
It was the news that was currently spreading like wildfire through all the Songyang High group chats: the complete defeat of Songyang High’s second-year students in the sports competition, Oasis Group’s sharing of partial Immortal Dao technology, the comprehensive breakthrough in body tempering techniques at the three major high schools, and the soaring physical strength of their top students across all grades…
Zhao Tianxing knew that Zhang Yu spent nearly every second of his time cultivating and couldn’t be bothered to look at group chats, having muted all the Songyang High student groups he had joined. That was why he had sent the message directly to his good friend to give him a heads-up.
After reading it, Zhang Yu was quite surprised. “Lan Ling and that group of second-years, they all lost?”
“New technology? I wonder how much Song Hailong and the others have grown… Maybe I can ask my sister.”
Zhang Yu knew that Lan Ling’s skill was by no means weak. For him to not even make it into the top ten of the athletics meet, it was clear that the students from the three major schools must have made significant progress after obtaining the breakthrough in body tempering technology.
Feeling a hint of pressure, Zhang Yu could only calm his mind and refocus his attention on cultivating the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi.
A short while later, Bai Zhenzhen, now wearing a blonde wig, stick-on tattoos, padding, and a mask, came running over.
She leaped gracefully onto Zhang Yu’s back, skillfully hopping on and wrapping her arms around him from behind. “It’s time, Yu-boy. We need to get to class.”
At the same time, the True Spiritual Root flashed faintly and slipped back into Bai Zhenzhen’s stomach, making her feel a wave of comfort.
With the True Spiritual Root switching back and forth between their bodies during this period, Bai Zhenzhen wasn’t sure if she had adapted to the shape of the root after Zhang Yu had stretched it, or if the spiritual root had adapted to their two forms. Now, the transfers were almost free of the previous discomfort, leaving only a refreshing sensation of spiritual energy infusing her body.
Zhang Yu activated his Sports Car Legs, dashing toward the industrial park like a gust of wind. As his physical strength had surged, the speed of his technique had also become faster and faster.
Feeling Bai Zhenzhen’s head resting on his back, Zhang Yu said, “Zhen, you’re pretty fast now too. Have you considered learning Sports Car Legs for travel? This cultivation technique is really useful.”
“No.”
Leaning on Zhang Yu’s back, Bai Zhenzhen closed her eyes, comfortably circulating her breathing exercise to seize the moment and refine her magic power.
Seeing that Zhen didn’t seem to get his meaning, Zhang Yu decided to be more direct. “Sigh, running such a long way every day, I feel like my shoes are about to wear out.”
Bai Zhenzhen, however, kept her eyes tightly shut as if she hadn’t heard a thing, continuing to absorb spiritual energy through her breathing.
Is Yu-boy trying to hint at something? Does this guy want to turn the tables, make me learn Sports Car Legs, and carry him so he can cultivate on the way? Silly child, whoever gets to ride on top would never be willing to get down.
Feeling Bai Zhenzhen seem to hug him even tighter, resolute in her decision not to get off, Zhang Yu cursed inwardly.
This girl, Zhen. I was hoping that once she got stronger, she could carry me for a bit too. Good brothers should take turns riding each other, and I could get more time to cultivate. But now she won’t even be my running partner. She’s just using me as a chauffeur, cultivating while I’m running every day.
So Zhang Yu thought for a moment and said, “I always feel like it’s not good for one person to do all the running. If both of us could run, it would be like having dual engines. If one gets sick or injured, the other can still go, don’t you think so, Zhen?”
But Bai Zhenzhen seemed not to hear, only clamping her powerful thighs tighter around Zhang Yu, the sound of her breathing exercise echoing like thunder.
Zhang Yu thought, This girl… she’s pretending not to hear me again, isn’t she?
Bai Zhenzhen thought, Good son, you want me to get down already? You have no idea how thick-skinned your old mom can be!
I could ride on you for a year without getting off!
In the days that followed, as the sports competition drew ever closer, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, amidst their constant ascetic training, gradually felt a growing sense of urgency.
Fearing that they wouldn’t achieve a good ranking in the competition, they always seized every possible opportunity to become stronger.
And so, time passed day by day in their arduous cultivation…
On this day, inside a training room at Purple Cloud High School.
Bai Zhenzhen walked in, a little puzzled, and looked at the slightly panting Le Mulan. “You asked me to train with you?” she asked curiously.
Le Mulan nodded. “I need to practice my close combat.”
“But I’m telling you beforehand, no moves like spitting blood or saliva.”
Actually, the training partner Le Mulan had wanted to hire was Zhang Yu.
But she felt that the leap from his clothes to the man himself was a bit too large. If he were to end up sitting on her again… she was afraid it would leave an even deeper shadow on her heart.
It just so happens that this Bai Zhenzhen is also poor, and she’s with Zhang Yu every day. Her bottom line is probably just as low. I’ll test the waters with her first.
After a few moments of combat, Le Mulan confirmed her suspicions. The other person’s scent on Zhang Yu’s clothes is Bai Zhenzhen’s.
And Bai Zhenzhen has Zhang Yu’s scent on her as well.
Those two… they must be doing close-quarters combat training together every day, right? That’s why they’ve left their scents on each other.
So right now, I’m indirectly training with Zhang Yu.
At this thought, Le Mulan felt her breathing quicken and her nerves tense slightly.
I knew it. I have to keep training.
An hour later, the training ended. Bai Zhenzhen looked at the 5,000 yuan that had been transferred to her account and felt a complex mix of emotions. These guys from the three major high schools… they really have money to burn.
On this day, within the Dark Learning Gang’s compound.
As soon as Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen entered the underground classroom, they noticed that many people they passed—security guards, teachers, salespeople—were injured.
Upon asking, they learned that the Dark Learning Gang and the Golden Class Gang had clashed yesterday over student recruitment.
Zhang Yu asked again, “Where’s Cai Tou? Why haven’t I seen him?”
Che Nu sighed, a trace of sadness in her eyes. “Oh, Cai Tou left.”
Zhang Yu was surprised. “He… did something happen during the fight?”
Che Nu smiled at his words. “How could that be? Cai Tou is very strong; he wouldn’t die in a small skirmish like yesterday’s. He was… fired.”
Zhang Yu said, “Fired? If he’s so strong, why was he fired?”
Che Nu shook her head helplessly. “What’s the use of being a good fighter? No matter how well a Qi Refinement cultivator can fight, can they block a flying sword? It’s not as good as being able to teach a few more classes and earn more money.”
“But Cai Tou is old, and he’s been taking Dao heart buffers for so many years. His memory has been getting worse and worse these past few months, and fewer students were signing up for his classes. His performance wasn’t up to par, so naturally, he had to go.”
As she spoke, Che Nu gave a bitter smile. “In the end, whether you’re in a company or a gang, if you don’t get into a university and obtain a Foundation Establishment certificate, isn’t this how everyone ends up? Leaving sooner or later is just a matter of time.”
Watching Che Nu’s dejected figure walk away, Bai Zhenzhen slowly pressed against Zhang Yu from behind and passed the spiritual root to him.
She said with a determined expression, “Yu-boy, we must get into one of the Ten Greats and achieve Foundation Establishment.”
Zhang Yu nodded with equal resolve. “Yeah. I’m going to cultivate first. You have a good class.”
In the cafeteria during lunchtime.
Zhao Tianxing watched with envy as Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen shoveled synthetic food into their mouths with gusto.
I can’t believe Zhen and Yu-boy actually made it onto the competition team.
But the three major high schools have gained so much momentum after getting Oasis Group’s technology.
Zhao Tianxing recalled some recent rumors and looked at Zhang Yu. “Li Yong and Ye Haitao from the competition team are making a scene, demanding a refund. Do you guys know about this?”
“Huh?” Zhang Yu shook his head. “No idea. I haven’t been to the team training for the past two weeks.”
Bai Zhenzhen chimed in from the side, “Yeah, I heard them arguing when I went. I think it was about getting their money back.”
Zhao Tianxing lamented, “Sigh, a single strategic move by a behemoth like Oasis Group can unknowingly affect the future of so many families.”
Qian Shen also nodded, his expression grave. “From now on, the three major high schools will monopolize all competitions.”
“But that’s not the scariest part. They’ve already monopolized all the other competitions besides the athletics meet in the past.”
“The scariest part is that with their enhanced body tempering techniques, the top students’ physical education scores are bound to soar, and the average scores will rise again.”
“I did the math yesterday. If this continues, with the dual gap in competitions and scores, Songyang High might only have one or two people per graduating class who can get into the top Ten Greats in the future.”
The doll, disguised as prayer beads hanging on Zhang Yu’s neck, let out a chuckle in his mind. “The wealthy families of Songyang City are starting to fight among themselves.”
“Heh heh, this is the work of the wealthy families behind the three major high schools. They want to completely monopolize the admission spots to the Ten Greats and squeeze out all the other high schools.”
Zhang Yu was startled. Infighting among the rich?
Sensing Zhang Yu’s surprise, the doll chuckled lightly and continued, “Wealth continuously accumulates. The three major high schools get the most admissions to the Ten Greats from Songyang City every year. The families behind them grow stronger and stronger, and their wealth naturally grows much faster than that of the other high schools.”
“Otherwise, how do you think they managed to slowly monopolize the competitions, year after year?”
“The situation in Songyang City is actually considered pretty good.”
“I know of some cities on the first layer of Kunxu where a population of tens of millions is served by only a single key high school.”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, So we’ve happened to run into the era where the three major high schools are further monopolizing the spots in the Ten Greats?
Zhang Yu sighed. The longer he stayed in Kunxu, the more weary he felt. It was as if the entire world exerted an invisible pressure, constantly urging him, pushing him to hurry up and run forward.
As the days passed one by one, the day of the sports competition finally arrived.