Chapter 113: Pre-Competition Breakthrough, the Sky Pillar
With a series of gulps, Zhang Yu poured a large barrel of synthetic food into his mouth, swallowing it all in one go.
He then circulated the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi, and with a churning of his internal organs, he accelerated the digestion of the food before accepting another barrel from Bai Zhenzhen.
After the previous round’s grueling sprint and extreme physical exertion, Zhang Yu felt an insatiable hunger and thirst wracking his entire body, especially from his heart, which seemed to be crying out for sustenance.
Bai Zhenzhen bustled about, continuously bringing barrels of synthetic food to his side.
Compared to pre-made meals, synthetic food was less palatable but easier to digest, making it more suitable for Zhang Yu’s current condition.
To ensure better and faster digestion without wasting a single drop of energy or nutrition, the synthetic food Bai Zhenzhen served was completely unflavored; it was pure sustenance, barrel after barrel, like fuel being poured into Zhang Yu’s body.
Though it was disgusting and hard to stomach, Zhang Yu closed his eyes and forced it all down for the sake of the next event.
Besides Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, many students from other schools had also come to the cafeteria area to eat.
There were ordinary high school students who had already been eliminated and were just there for a free meal.
There were also students like those from Red Pagoda High School, who were massive in stature and had astonishing appetites.
However, wealthy students like Yu Xinghan, Song Hailong, and Le Mulan were eating their own provisions and did not join the others.
Hu Yuntao was devouring the synthetic food before him.
Xiong Wenwu, opposite him, was practically inhaling it, downing one barrel after another like a storm.
Watching Xiong Wenwu eat, Hu Yuntao couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration. Big Brother had taste-removal surgery long ago so that food wouldn’t interfere with his cultivation; how many people possess that kind of determination?
Xiong Wenwu glanced at Hu Yuntao and said, “The first two rounds weren’t our strong suit, so falling a little behind doesn’t matter.”
“But in the strength event up next, we have to let everyone know that Red Pagoda is the strongest.”
Hu Yuntao nodded fiercely. “I understand, Big Brother. I’ll hold on until the very end in the next event, even if it means breaking my arms and legs.”
Meanwhile, as Zhang Yu was eating voraciously, two figures suddenly appeared before him.
It was Zhou Chechen, the vice president of Songyang High School’s Student Council, and Lan Ling, the head of the athletics department.
Zhang Yu glanced at the ID cards on their chests, wondering what kind of connections these two had used with Purple Cloud High School to get into the contestants’ private cafeteria.
Zhou Chechen looked coldly at Zhang Yu, recalling his recent conversation with the people from Purple Cloud.
Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen most likely underwent technical modification from White Dragon High School through Zhang Pianpian’s connections, he thought.
If White Dragon pulls this off and later announces that Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu also received the Immortal Resonance Group’s latest body tempering technology, then the number of their sponsored contestants who place will surpass Purple Cloud or Red Pagoda, making them the biggest winner in this promotion.
Recalling the deal between Purple Cloud and his own side, Zhou Chechen said coolly, “You don’t need to be so aggressive in this next event. Just participate casually.”
Zhang Yu frowned but didn’t reply, simply continuing to eat.
Zhou Chechen didn’t seem to care whether Zhang Yu answered. “Your little conspiracy with White Dragon High School has been seen through by the other corporations.”
“If you want to keep showing off, thinking Zhang Pianpian will toss you an extra piece of meat, you should consider how the other corporations will deal with you. Do you think the person backing you will protect you?”
“Don’t get sold out and still be counting the money for them.”
After saying his piece, Zhou Chechen left with Lan Ling.
On their way out, Lan Ling asked, confused, “Is that all? Shouldn’t we have threatened him a little? We have Purple Cloud backing us now, so we don’t need to worry about Zhang Pianpian anymore, right?”
Zhou Chechen shot Lan Ling a helpless look, thinking that this guy had truly trained his brain into muscle. Extreme body tempering really isn’t worth pursuing.
After a moment’s thought, Zhou Chechen explained, “This arena is now the battleground for Red Pagoda Husbandry, Purple Cloud Supplements, and the Immortal Resonance Group. These three corporations are the ones pulling the strings.”
“If you fight that hard… aren’t you afraid of being crushed by the aftershocks of their clash?”
Seeing Lan Ling’s pensive expression, Zhou Chechen elaborated, “Just giving Zhang Yu a little warning is enough. We’ve done our part. Don’t go all out… and end up being targeted by Zhang Pianpian, or even the Immortal Resonance Group.”
“Our ability to make a deal with Purple Cloud ultimately relies on our own capital, and Songyang High School’s transplant technology is something Purple Cloud wants.”
“So we don’t have to be like Zhang Yu, who has nothing but his own life to risk, throwing himself into every fight.”
“So what if he gets a moment of glory by fighting so desperately? In the end, he won’t get into the Ten Greats and will spend his life as someone’s dog. Eventually, he’ll be targeted by the corporations and sold for a good price by Zhang Pianpian.”
Recalling Zhang Yu’s appearance just now, Zhou Chechen continued, “Besides, look how weak he looks. To catch up to Yu Xinghan in the last round, he must have taken some kind of potent drug that probably damaged his potential or ruined his body…”
“Coupled with the pressure we just put on him, it will definitely affect him.”
“The next round is the strength event, which is White Dragon’s and Red Pagoda’s specialty. With Zhang Yu’s body compromised and his mind affected, his final result is bound to be poor.”
“This way, we’ve warned Zhang Yu as Purple Cloud requested, and in the end, he won’t get a good result. That’s enough to answer to Le Jingchen…”
Lan Ling nodded repeatedly, feeling that Zhou Chechen, as the student council vice president, was far more thoughtful than a mere head of the athletics department like himself.
Back in the cafeteria, Zhang Yu watched Zhou Chechen and Lan Ling leave as he ate. What were those two just talking about?
However, the mention of corporations put him on guard.
After some thought, he called Zhang Pianpian and explained the current situation at the competition.
Then he asked, “If I beat Yu Xinghan in the next round, will I be targeted by some corporation?”
Zhang Pianpian chuckled and asked, “Can you win?”
Zhang Yu thought for a moment, then nodded firmly. “I’m confident.”
Zhang Pianpian replied, “Then go win.”
“If you can take first place, I’ll negotiate with White Dragon for you.”
“All you’ll have to do is admit you used the Immortal Resonance Group’s technology to enhance your body tempering, and then wait for the money to roll in.”
Hearing Zhang Pianpian’s reply, especially the final word “money,” both Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen instantly grew excited.
After hanging up, the two of them devoured their food like a whirlwind, stuffing themselves until their stomachs were bulging.
Patting his belly, Zhang Yu let out a breath. “I’m full. Now to digest, promote my body’s growth and recovery, and complete my breakthrough…”
Just then, Zhang Yu noticed the scars on Bai Zhenzhen’s body, recalling her strange condition after the sprint.
Zhang Yu suddenly said, “Zhen, after we win the championship, I’ll pay to have those scars of yours removed.”
Bai Zhenzhen replied, “You said it! You’re treating me at the hospital then!”
In Kunxu, treating someone at the hospital was a social gesture reserved for the closest of family and friends.
Zhang Yu nodded. “Don’t worry. Since we were kids, when has your old man ever lied to you?”
Bai Zhenzhen retorted, “You son of a…”
A moment later, the two arrived at a more secluded restroom.
Bai Zhenzhen then hugged Zhang Yu from behind, pressing against him. “A’Yu, let me lend you my True Spiritual Root.”
Zhang Yu was slightly taken aback. “Zhen, what about you?”
Bai Zhenzhen smiled. “I can’t have a breakthrough in the next hour and a half anyway. I just need to digest my food and recover some stamina, so I don’t need the True Spiritual Root.”
“As for you, kid, remember to treat me at the hospital after you win.”
As the familiar spiritual root entered his body once more, Zhang Yu took a deep breath, nodded, and walked into the restroom.
He then took out a prepared Crimson Marrow Primordial Pill from the medicine box in his pocket.
“I thought I wouldn’t be training today and wouldn’t need this.”
“Good thing I brought it, though.”
After all, something as expensive as a Crimson Marrow Primordial Pill was something Zhang Yu always kept in his personal bag.
The next moment, Zhang Yu swallowed the pill.
As the medicinal power surged, spiritual energy flooded in, and Zhang Yu began to operate the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi at full capacity.
Every muscle in his body tensed, absorbing the rampant medicinal power and spiritual energy.
At the same time, his heart, which had been depleted during the previous sprint, acted like a black hole, frantically absorbing the nutrients from the food he had eaten, the medicinal power of the pill, and the spiritual energy from the spiritual root.
His organs worked like a rock crusher, completely breaking down the synthetic food he had just consumed, transforming it into warm currents that flowed into his blood vessels and nourished his entire body.
Through long-term integration, the True Spiritual Root within him had long since adapted to Zhang Yu’s cultivation of the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi.
At this moment, streams of spiritual energy were being infused into his organs and mixed with those warm currents, accelerating his digestion and absorption.
The largest of these currents naturally flowed towards his heart, accelerating its growth and strengthening it with every passing second.
Under this continuous supply, Zhang Yu’s originally pale face gradually became rosy, and his breathing and heartbeat grew stronger and more powerful.
Especially as the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi circulated, his heartbeat sounded like a great drum, its thunderous thump, thump, thump echoing throughout the restroom.
Outside, Bai Zhenzhen stood guard at the door, preventing anyone from entering and either disturbing Zhang Yu or witnessing the commotion from his cultivation.
Lian Tianji, who had been looking for Zhang Yu, came over and couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Is Zhang Yu in there… cultivating?”
Bai Zhenzhen nodded. “It’s quieter in the restroom, easier for him to focus on cultivating and resting.”
Lian Tianji cast a thoughtful glance towards the restroom, chatted casually with Bai Zhenzhen for a few more moments, and then left.
As the hour and a half slowly passed, Bai Zhenzhen listened to the sounds coming from inside, feeling Zhang Yu’s heartbeat grow steadily stronger, and a sense of confidence grew within her.
“When Yu-boy takes first place, when he gets first, I’m definitely going to borrow a huge sum of money from him.”
In the blink of an eye, the ninety minutes were up, and the final event of the athletics meet—the strength event, worth a total of 150 points—officially began.
A two-meter-high platform rose from the center of the arena, and then a giant pillar descended from the ceiling of the stadium.
The pillar was silver-black, covered in dense layers of fine runes, and made of some unknown metal, with a diameter of about five meters.
It descended from the ceiling, extending all the way down until it stopped three meters above the platform.
This was the Sky Pillar, the final event.
The pillar could exert a downward force ranging from a minimum of one thousand kilograms to a maximum of one hundred thousand kilograms, capable of accurately testing the strength limit of a Qi Refinement stage expert.
For this event, the numerous contestants would take turns ascending the platform to hold up the Sky Pillar.