Chapter 171: Zhang Yu’s Means of Production
“We understand you have a loan with an interest payment due next month. As it happens, we have an installment plan with a reduced processing fee available right now…”
Bai Zhenzhen hung up. The thought of next month’s interest payment of over twenty thousand, combined with the less than ten thousand in her bank account, made it impossible for her to rest easy any longer.
“Sigh… It’s great that I passed the first round of the Foundation Establishment exam.”
“But I’m completely out of money.”
The pressure of her debt, the intensity of the examination, the uncertainty of the future… All of it immediately washed away the joy Bai Zhenzhen had felt from passing the first round and learning the Myriad Sword Everlasting Art for free.
Although the income from her tutoring just about allowed her to cover loan payments and the most basic cultivation expenses, it was a precarious balance.
But when she thought of her opponents in the Foundation Establishment exam, Bai Zhenzhen felt a deep conviction that the most basic level of cultivation… was nowhere near enough.
“If I want to keep improving at this pace, I need to throw money at it! And more money! And then even more money!”
“How am I going to make a fortune when I get back?”
After a moment of contemplation, Bai Zhenzhen shared her anxieties with Zhang Yu.
A look of grim determination then flashed across her face as she said, “Yu-boy, what if we just officially join the Dark Learning Gang and make money through their turf wars!”
At this point, Bai Zhenzhen’s power had reached the level of a third-year high school student, placing her in the late stage of Qi Refinement. This, combined with the boon of her True Spiritual Root, several level-ten deduced cultivation techniques, and her mastery of the Myriad Sword Everlasting Art, lent her words a murderous air.
Zhang Yu frowned. “Participate in turf wars… and officially join a gang?”
He asked worriedly, “Will we have to kill people?”
Bai Zhenzhen nodded, her expression equally concerned. “Killing is definitely…”
“Sigh,” she lamented. “The Dark Learning Gang offers guarantees, but after you kill someone… what if we end up paying out more than we earn?”
Is that what you’re worried about?
Zhang Yu looked at Bai Zhenzhen, exasperated. Even after nearly a year here, he still couldn’t get on the same wavelength as the natives of Kunxu.
Bai Zhenzhen continued, “Well then… what if I get into modifying cultivation techniques? Or what if we sell what we learned?”
“A high-value item like this has to be worth a lot of money, right?”
At this thought, Bai Zhenzhen’s eyes began to sparkle.
Zhang Yu understood now. Bai Zhenzhen wanted to sell a pirated copy of the Myriad Sword Everlasting Art she had learned.
A wave of helplessness washed over him. “Why does every suggestion you make get more illegal and more dangerous? If we get caught with such a precious cultivation technique, we’re finished.”
Bai Zhenzhen said matter-of-factly, “How are poor people like us supposed to make real money without taking risks? Do you think safe, high-paying jobs are just going to fall into our laps?”
“If we hadn’t learned something so valuable this time, we wouldn’t even have the option to take this kind of risk!”
Zhang Yu sighed in resignation once more. “Let me think about it.”
He had originally assumed that as his strength grew, he could earn more money through legitimate means like tutoring.
But after witnessing the power of the prodigies from the Immortal Capital, Zhang Yu felt more keenly than ever that he would never have enough money.
Therefore, he decided to consult a certain someone about his next steps.
A short while later, while Bai Zhenzhen was in the restroom, Zhang Yu summoned Fu Ji.
“Hah…” Fu Ji stretched with a soft groan and said lazily, “So? You passed the first round of the Foundation Establishment exam, didn’t you?”
Zhang Yu nodded and gave her a summary of the situation.
Fu Ji’s heart leaped with joy. As an evil god well-versed in the art of deception, she immediately picked up on the anxiety in his words regarding the upcoming exams.
This kid won’t be able to hold out for much longer, she thought. He’ll definitely hunt my colleague to further enhance his own potential.
Fu Ji found this perfectly understandable. After all, just from his description, she could sense how formidable those students from the Immortal Capital were.
The ones he called Number 23 and Number 11, in particular, sounded like they were in a league of their own.
When Zhang Yu mentioned his thoughts on making money, Fu Ji said directly, “Dedicating yourself to the dark world of tutoring is certainly a viable path.”
“However, things like modifying and deducing cultivation techniques are out of your league. You don’t have the power to navigate those deep waters yet.”
“What about becoming a star instructor for the Dark Learning Gang? At our current level… how much could we make?”
“To become a star instructor for the Dark Learning Gang, you’ll still have to face conflict,” Fu Ji explained.
“Rival instructors coming to challenge your turf, local gangs targeting you with ambushes, corporate security teams hunting you down…”
“Once you’re a star instructor, the more you earn and the more famous you become, the more terrifying the attacks you’ll face will be, and the stronger you’ll need to be.”
Not strong enough again? Zhang Yu felt like he was running in circles, always ending up back where he started.
Just then, Fu Ji added, “Frankly, with your own terrifying potential, if it were boosted just one more time, I think you’d have enough to pass the Foundation Establishment exam, even without making a fortune.”
“Instead of getting entangled in gang warfare while you’re still outmatched.”
“You’d be better off improving your own potential.”
Zhang Yu knew she was once again referring to hunting the other evil god to increase his potential.
This time, however, he didn’t object, merely asked, “To hunt your colleague, I’ll need intelligence on him. What’s your plan?”
A flash of delight crossed Fu Ji’s mind as she immediately laid out her scheme. “I’ve completely absorbed the Shadow Gu he planted last time.”
“The command pre-set within the Shadow Gu was to transmit a message to him the moment you logged into the Dao-Querying Hall.”
“As long as we follow Yu Xinghan and log into the Spirit Realm’s Dao-Querying Hall one more time, just like before, I can feed his master false information.”
“With that false information, we can lure him into a trap, draw him out, and ascertain his identity and strength.”
“Then, we find a chance to turn the tables and track him, and when the opportunity arises, we’ll crush him without mercy…”
“Which brings me back to my earlier question,” Zhang Yu said.
“Even with Yu Xinghan’s connection, it costs a hundred thousand to log in.”
“Where am I supposed to get that kind of money right now?”
“It seems I have to go back to working and saving up…”
But Fu Ji was one step ahead. “You have to cultivate and work. How long will it take you to save up that much? The next round of exams is only two months away.”
“I’ve thought of a way for you to earn a little extra cash.”
Zhang Yu’s curiosity was piqued. “What is it?”
Fu Ji gave him a mysterious smile. “There’s something very special about you that could sell for a handsome price.”
Zhang Yu froze for a second. As the implication dawned on him, his face hardened and he lowered his voice. “You have got to be kidding me… You want me to get castrated? And then sell… it?”
In that instant, Zhang Yu was horrified to find that the first thought to cross his mind was, How much would that even sell for?
He sighed internally. You devil incarnate, Zhang Yu! You absolute devil incarnate! How did you come to this?! Willing to sell your own flesh and blood for filthy lucre?! Where is your shame? What happened to your noble soul from Earth?
Sigh, few people from Earth could come here and stay sane. This is just a necessary evil for the sake of climbing the Immortal Dao.
Just as Zhang Yu was wallowing in secret shame for his thoughts, Fu Ji’s incredulous voice cut through. “Are you insane? Why would I tell you to sell that?”
Zhang Yu breathed a sigh of relief, but the thought that this evil god’s morals seemed higher than his own only deepened his shame.
“That’s your means of production! It’s the goose that lays the golden eggs! Why would you ever dig it up by the root and sell it?”
So much for that… Zhang Yu realized he had overestimated the evil god’s principles. He frowned. “You… you want me to… to sell… myself?”
“Sell my own body?”
“Could that possibly pay more than tutoring?”
Fu Ji sounded even more exasperated. “How could that kind of unskilled labor possibly pay more than tutoring?”
Her voice was laced with disappointment. “I want you to sell your essence. To produce some protein for sale.”
“What?” Zhang Yu was stunned. “That sells for money?”
“Well, that depends on whose protein it is, and who you’re selling it to,” Fu Ji said.
“Given your recent performance, selling some to Red Pagoda Husbandry to make a little extra money shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Your rate of improvement demonstrates a certain potential and talent.”
“They’ll be interested in your bloodline and genes.”
“Besides, don’t you have an acquaintance at Red Pagoda High School? Have him put you in touch.”
Fu Ji chuckled. “As for whether Red Pagoda Husbandry can actually learn anything from your protein, that’s obviously impossible.”
“Your power comes from the potential I unlocked, which has nothing to do with your bloodline, genes, or anything of the sort.”
…
The Preserve.
Inside the incubation room of the breeding base.
Xiong Wenwu, who was in the middle of a breathing exercise, felt his phone vibrate. He opened it to see a message from Zhang Yu.
Zhang Yu: I want to sell my **
…
Zhang Yu stared at the message from Xiong Wenwu.
Xiong Wenwu: Aren’t you sterilized?
Zhang Yu: I had a reversal surgery.
Xiong Wenwu: Oh.
Xiong Wenwu: Not interested.
Zhang Yu turned to Fu Ji, fuming. “See? He’s not interested at all!”
“What’s the rush?” Fu Ji said. “This is a gray area in Red Pagoda. Just say what I told you to say.”
So Zhang Yu sent another message to Xiong Wenwu.
Zhang Yu: I mean, could you help put me in touch? See if Red Pagoda Husbandry is buying.
Zhang Yu: I’ll send over all my physical data from the last monthly exam.
Zhang Yu: An absolutely prime specimen of a male high school student. Could you ask your company if they’re interested?
After a long pause, a reply came from Xiong Wenwu.
Xiong Wenwu: Tomorrow at eight. 32nd floor of Red Pagoda Tower downtown. Find manager Xiong Haohan. He’ll talk to you.
Zhang Yu: Thanks so much!! I’ll be sure to thank you properly once I sell a lot and make some money.
Bai Zhenzhen, who had returned to her seat, saw Zhang Yu’s joyful expression. “Yu-boy, did you win the lottery?”
Zhang Yu chuckled. “Zhen, do you know the difference between you and me?”
“Huh?” Bai Zhenzhen asked, confused.
He grinned smugly. “I have a means of production, and you don’t.”
After Zhang Yu explained, Bai Zhenzhen looked at him with pure envy. “So that useless root of yours is actually good for something.”
The next morning, Zhang Yu arrived on the 32nd floor of Red Pagoda Tower. After stating his business at the reception desk, he was shown into a small conference room to wait.