Chapter 144: Let’s Do It, Yu-boy! Let’s Completely Unleash Our Immortal Dao Potential!
With the conclusion of the Dao heart test, Deng Bingding reported the results to her superiors.
Although Zhang Yu’s valuation was unknown, Deng Bingding believed it was primarily because this particular Dao heart test had been relatively simple.
The same was true for the inflated results of the other students.
“If this were reality, with genuine threats and inducements, they would never be able to command such a high price.”
“But it is, after all, just a test. It is sufficient for weeding out the weak-willed and identifying students with potential.”
In the test results Deng Bingding submitted, besides the outstanding performances of Zhang Yu, Ye Lingxiao, and Yun Jing, the rather unique performance of Bai Zhenzhen was also specially noted.
Several other students whose foundational data was lacking and who had also fallen behind in the Dao heart test were likewise flagged, awaiting a decision from above on whether they should be eliminated.
A short while later, the gods in attendance saw the reply from their superiors.
A thumbs-up.
This signified that their work had been approved, and the faint tension in the gods’ hearts immediately eased.
Then, they received a more detailed response.
For instance, there were commendations for Zhang Yu, Ye Lingxiao, Yun Jing, and Bai Zhenzhen, as a form of encouragement.
Seeing this, Deng Bingding was slightly taken aback; she had anticipated the commendations for the first three, but the one for Bai Zhenzhen was somewhat unexpected.
After all, in her view, while Bai Zhenzhen’s performance had been unique, it was far from being as outstanding as the other three.
Could it be that someone from above… appreciated this Bai Zhenzhen’s performance?
Deng Bingding continued reading the reply. “Hmm, and several other students are to be eliminated?”
When Zhang Yu opened his eyes again, he found himself back in the registration office.
The middle-aged woman who had registered him was sitting behind her desk, watching him.
Deng Bingding spoke, “You should still remember the contents of the Dao heart test, correct?”
After all, the Eight Ministries of Righteous Gods now emphasized keeping a paper trail for all work, to facilitate reviews after the fact. All the data from the Foundation Establishment exam and the Dao heart test, right down to the memories the students experienced in the illusion, were preserved.
Zhang Yu nodded, the suspicion in his heart finally confirmed.
So everything I just experienced was some kind of illusion?
Deng Bingding looked at Zhang Yu with an appreciative expression and said, “You performed very well in this Dao heart test.”
“Your heart is set on the Immortal Dao, your goals are lofty, and your resolve is unshakable. Both I and the leadership above are very impressed with you.”
“Therefore, to encourage you, the higher-ups have specially approved a bonus.”
At the word ‘bonus,’ Zhang Yu’s eyes instantly lit up. Money was the one thing he needed most on his path along the Immortal Dao.
But when he saw Deng Bingding flick a Red Envelope Talisman from her fingertip, Zhang Yu’s expression changed abruptly.
The damn bonus is a high-interest loan?
Are these devil incarnates really this adept at scamming students?
Zhang Yu couldn’t help but curse silently in his heart.
Deng Bingding spoke again, “Here is a 300,000 interest-free loan. Once you receive it, you will just need to repay 5,000 each month for a total of 60 months.”
Seeing the Red Envelope Talisman fly toward him, Zhang Yu immediately realized how shallow his previous thoughts had been.
He hurriedly and respectfully accepted the envelope.
“Thank you, examiner. May I ask how I should address you?”
Deng Bingding said coolly, “You may call me World Roaming God Deng. I am the examiner for this year’s Foundation Establishment exam.”
“Your performance this time has caught the eye of the higher-ups. Cultivate well over the next year and strive to pass the Foundation Establishment exam next time. Once you reach the second level, a great future will surely await you.”
Evidently, based on the data from Zhang Yu’s magic power, physique, and martial arts, Deng Bingding did not believe he could pass this year’s Foundation Establishment exam.
Zhang Yu understood that this was indeed the case for the vast majority of first-year high school students, and he couldn’t possibly argue the point.
At present, Zhang Yu said respectfully, “Thank you for your guidance, World Roaming God Deng.”
Deng Bingding nodded. “You may go.”
The next moment, Zhang Yu felt a large hole open up beneath his feet, and his entire body fell into it.
When Zhang Yu came to his senses again, he had returned to the bathroom stall in the station.
Carefully opening the stall door, he stepped out into the main restroom and looked at the crowds of people coming and going outside.
This time, it’s really over, isn’t it?
A moment later, Bai Zhenzhen emerged from the women’s restroom. After exchanging a few words, they finally confirmed that the Dao heart test was truly finished.
Bai Zhenzhen had also received a bonus: a 150,000 interest-free loan.
Bai Zhenzhen let out a light sigh of relief. “I didn’t think the test would come with a bonus. This exam reform is really great.”
This bonus was a huge relief for both Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, whose savings had been nearly depleted.
However, they didn’t dare to linger in the high-priced Immortal Capital, and the two were soon seated on a train for their return journey.
While Bai Zhenzhen went to the restroom, Zhang Yu pinched the bead on his chest.
The next moment, Fu Ji’s voice, as if waking from a dream, echoed in his mind. “Hm? Is it over?”
Before coming to the Immortal Capital to participate in the Foundation Establishment exam.
Zhang Yu had been somewhat hesitant about whether or not to bring Fu Ji with him.
On one hand, although Fu Ji currently seemed completely harmless to him, Zhang Yu vividly remembered her identity as an evil god and the process of their wish-making, and he didn’t dare leave her by herself, which might give her an opportunity to escape his control.
But on the other hand, by participating in a competition that was being watched by righteous gods, he couldn’t help but worry about the possibility of Fu Ji being discovered, or even the ritual’s power within his body being detected.
However, just as Zhang Yu was hesitating, Fu Ji had suggested that he could bring her along, saying, “If I were to speak and communicate with you, or probe the outside world, then my presence might indeed be discovered.”
“But if I retract my consciousness and thoughts, voluntarily giving up all attempts to probe the outside world, I would be equivalent to an inanimate object, which would be more than enough to deceive a mere Foundation Establishment exam.”
“We are in the same boat now. If something happens to you, I’m finished too. I definitely wouldn’t lie to you.”
“The so-called righteous gods have their talismans; we evil gods have our rituals.”
“When it comes to the ability to make money, we may not be as skilled as the righteous gods, but when it comes to concealing our tracks and evading detection, how could the righteous gods possibly compare to us evil gods?”
“If that weren’t the case, wouldn’t all of us evil gods who have infiltrated Kunxu have been captured long ago…”
This was the reason Fu Ji had been willing to speak to Zhang Yu in this way.
On one hand, she knew that even now, Zhang Yu did not truly trust her. Trying to persuade him to leave her outside would only deepen his suspicions and destroy the small amount of trust they had managed to build during this time.
On the other hand, Fu Ji now regarded Zhang Yu as a blue-chip stock with immense potential.
Based on my many years of investment experience, trying to deal with Zhang Yu now and causing internal strife… would be like buying a blue-chip stock and selling it before it has a chance to rise. That is a major taboo in investing.
For this kind of stock, one must have patience and hold on to it tightly… Just like with this Zhang Yu, now is the perfect opportunity to lend him a hand, further gain his trust, and work together to make the pie bigger.
Only when he has truly matured will it be time to consider reaping the rewards.
Besides, he and I have already completed the ritual. I have every advantage in this regard, so why start an internal conflict with him so early? The days ahead are long…
At this very moment on the train.
The awakened Fu Ji said, “Although I wasn’t discovered this time, there was a period where I felt my sea of consciousness tremble, and it seemed as if divine power was surging in the outside world.”
“The Foundation Establishment exam you participated in was of a rather high caliber.”
Fu Ji sighed. “If you truly manage to obtain the Foundation Establishment qualification certificate, you will inevitably attract even more attention from the righteous gods.”
“To ensure our safety and to hide myself and the ritual even more deeply, you must help me hunt my colleagues sooner rather than later. When I recover a portion of my power, my ability to hide will be stronger, and your potential can be further stimulated.”
“That boss behind Mo Tianyi is definitely connected to my colleague. You can start by taking him down.”
This was Fu Ji’s other objective: to use this opportunity to once again urge Zhang Yu to hunt evil gods.
Although Zhang Yu did not reply, he was already quite moved by the idea.
Of course, it wasn’t just because of Fu Ji’s persuasion, but also because of the gap in power he had felt from the second-year students in the Immortal Capital this time.
“In this year’s Foundation Establishment exam, the strongest of the second-year students are already approaching the limits of Qi Refinement.”
“In another half a year, there will likely be even more students in this exam who have cultivated their Dao heart, magic power, and physique to the limits of Qi Refinement.”
Zhang Yu knew that if he wanted to contend with these students who had reached the pinnacle of high school cultivation, he too would have to push his own stats toward the peak of Qi Refinement.
Stimulate my potential, upgrade the Feather Book… how could I not want to do such a thing?
However, that poor student’s boss was most likely a second-year at White Dragon High. Yet, being backed by an evil god and having won a competition, his strength was probably already at the level of a third-year.
To even confront him, Zhang Yu would have to ensure his own strength reached a third-year level first.
Strength… In the end, I still need more strength.
And to get stronger, besides upgrading the Feather Book, the only other way is with money.
Do I have to spend time working again?
Zhang Yu hesitated; he had already sacrificed too much of his cultivation time for the sake of working part-time jobs.
And although he now had a 300,000 interest-free loan, it still wouldn’t last long when compared to his various cultivation expenses.
Just then, Bai Zhenzhen returned from the restroom and looked at Zhang Yu, asking curiously, “Yu-boy, what are you doing spacing out while holding your phone?”
Zhang Yu said, “Zhen, the more I work, the more I’ve come to understand one thing.”
“You can’t get rich by working.”
“Especially if we want to pass the exam, the money we earn from working is far too slow.”
Bai Zhenzhen said, “Isn’t that obvious? If you could get rich from working, there wouldn’t be any jobs left for us to work.”
Zhang Yu continued, “To earn big money, you have to rely on loans.”
“Borrowing money is the fastest way for young people in Kunxu to make money.”
If Zhang Yu had previously wanted to accumulate strength without relying on loans, then after witnessing the level of the Immortal Capital’s elites on this trip, he felt an even greater sense of pressure.
There was also the pressing need to hunt the evil god.
All of this required him to increase his strength significantly over the next six months, and he needed to further accelerate his cultivation.
And the first method that came to his mind, which was also the most common method in Kunxu, was to take out a loan.
Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu earnestly and said, “Yu-boy, what you said really struck a chord with me.”
“After seeing so many of the Immortal Capital’s chosen ones at the exam this time, I’ve realized that we haven’t been pushing ourselves hard enough.”
“If we continue this 24-hour cycle of work and cultivation, if we continue to slack off like this, how can we possibly compete with the elites of the Immortal Capital?”
“Let’s do it, Yu-boy!”
“Our credit ratings must have increased over these past few months, so our loan limits should have gone up as well.”
Bai Zhenzhen also took out her phone, opened the app, and took a deep breath. “Let’s take out a loan for the full extent of our Immortal Dao potential!”
The next moment, as the two of them tapped away at their phones, the numbers in their bank accounts changed dramatically.
In that instant, Zhang Yu felt as if he could see rivers of gold crossing vast distances to pour into his body, frantically fueling his Immortal Dao potential.