Chapter 190: The Sacred Body Complete, A Leave of Absence for the Exam
Inside the cafeteria of Songyang High School.
Zhang Yu scooped up a spoonful of pure white synthetic food and swallowed it, feeling the sand-like substance grate against his mouth and a fishy odor of fat and protein rise in his throat.
This was unflavored, unprocessed synthetic food. The texture was like eating vomit, and the taste was like a combination of some kind of insect and rotting meat.
But no matter how awful it tasted, for Zhang Yu, it was currently the cheapest and most cost-effective channel for supplementing the fat, protein, vitamins, and other nutrients required for survival and cultivation.
Sigh, I’m so poor.
Because he was being tracked and monitored throughout the city, he had lost his job opportunities in the dark world of tutoring, causing his income to plummet.
Even with his continued seed-selling and the supplement from Bai Zhenzhen’s delivery work, after deducting the two major expenses of alchemical enhancers and food, there was very little left over.
Coupled with the 45,000 in loan interest each month, it was even harder for Zhang Yu to save any money.
“I have to save wherever I can.”
For example, for his meals in the cafeteria, Zhang Yu chose to enjoy the natural flavor of the ingredients to save on the daily seasoning fee for synthetic food.
As for expenses like renting a spiritual root for cultivation, renting access to the Spirit Realm, purchasing cultivation techniques, or buying cultivation tools, Zhang Yu had cut them all back.
“Thankfully, after the High School Sacred Body entered its second stage, my digestion and absorption abilities for each meal have been greatly enhanced. I don’t need to eat as much as before to meet my body’s needs.”
By constantly saving money this way, Zhang Yu’s bank account finally held 33,000 yuan.
But as for this 33,000 in savings…
“I don’t dare spend a single extra yuan.”
After all, he was about to participate in the second round of the Foundation Establishment exam. Aside from travel expenses, he was genuinely afraid this blasted exam would charge some other fee.
“If it really comes to that, I’ll ask Zhao Tianxing and Qian Shen to lend me some money.”
As Zhang Yu was enjoying the food’s natural flavor, Zhao Tianxing, sitting beside him, looked at him with an expression of wanting to speak but hesitating.
Zhao Tianxing thought to himself, Yu-boy didn’t beat Bai Zhenzhen in the September or October exams, and it seems his magic power and physical strength have even regressed. He must not be in a good mood right now, right?
A drop in grades… in Zhao Tianxing’s eyes, this was practically the most terrifying thing that could happen in high school.
And if your grades dropped while your good friend surpassed you, it could easily lead to the end of the friendship.
Things like getting jealous of a friend’s grades and secretly adding extra laxatives to their food, covertly putting milk tea in their energy drinks, or incessantly sending them amusing short videos…
Zhao Tianxing had seen far too many instances of good friends turning against each other due to changes in their grades.
On top of that, Zhao Tianxing had noticed that Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu had been interacting less recently, barely speaking to each other in or out of class.
They often don’t even eat lunch together anymore.” Zhao Tianxing mused. “Could their relationship have really soured?
But if I just ask them like this, is that really a good idea? Wouldn’t it provoke Zhang Yu?
Might it make Zhang Yu think… that I’m trying to mock him for his declining grades?
While Zhao Tianxing was hesitating, Qian Shen, who was next to him, spoke up. “Zhang Yu, why have your grades been slipping recently?”
Zhang Yu sighed and said casually, “I’m out of money.”
Zhao Tianxing took the opportunity to ask, “Are you and Bai Zhenzhen okay? I’ve noticed you two don’t talk much.”
“We’re fine. What could possibly be wrong?”
Zhang Yu thought about how he and Bai Zhenzhen, under immense pressure, had been focusing on their respective cultivation, seizing every second to become stronger. Naturally, they had few opportunities to interact at school and could only exchange a few words after returning home.
“Besides, Zhen has to work as a delivery driver. She has her dinner on the road every evening after getting it from the cafeteria.”
Just as Zhang Yu was thinking this, his phone vibrated slightly. He had received a message from Bai Zhenzhen.
Bai Zhenzhen sent a 200 yuan transfer. Please accept payment.
Bai Zhenzhen: Son, here’s your breakfast money for tomorrow morning. Mom just earned it from a delivery run.
Zhang Yu: Thanks, Mom.
Bai Zhenzhen: But if your income from selling seeds keeps decreasing, Mom won’t be able to support you either.
Bai Zhenzhen: You’re so young, how can your quality be so poor? Can’t we find a way to improve the quality and earn more money?
Zhang Yu didn’t continue reading Bai Zhenzhen’s messages, merely thinking to himself that after he returned from this second round of the Foundation Establishment exam, he really did need to find a way to make some money.
After dinner and another four hours of supervised tutoring under the watch of Teacher Zhou, Zhang Yu walked back to his apartment outside Purple Cloud High School under the glow of the streetlights.
Watching Zhang Yu walk into the apartment building, Si Zhouyu, who was following not far behind him, stretched lazily.
After the shift change today, she was the one assigned to monitor Zhang Yu.
And for her, monitoring Zhang Yu was much easier than monitoring Bai Zhenzhen.
After all, Zhang Yu didn’t run all over the place delivering food like Bai Zhenzhen. Most of his time was spent either at school or in the apartment, living a repetitive, day-after-day existence.
And this monotonous, day-in-day-out surveillance made even Si Zhouyu feel a sense of helplessness.
“But after being tormented for so long, he should be making a move soon, right?”
Si Zhouyu believed she had a clearer picture of Zhang Yu’s current situation than many of the teachers and students at Songyang High School.
After all, her team had access to all kinds of data and information, including surveillance footage of Zhang Yu in the classroom every day, his various expenses at school, and the results of every exam and test.
And in Si Zhouyu’s view, with both his financial situation and his grades continuously declining, Zhang Yu’s mental state was bound to be getting worse and worse.
“For a genius who has only ever known progress, watching yourself fall step by step is the most painful process, the easiest way to shatter your Dao heart.”
Si Zhouyu had seen too many similar cases back at Jinzhou Junior College.
Countless students who thought they had some talent, some gift, who considered themselves geniuses.
Only after they stepped onto the second layer did they discover that there were always heavens beyond heavens, people beyond people, and only then did they learn what kind of monsters the students from above the first layer were…
A so-called genius on the first layer was merely at the threshold to see those monsters.
Shaking her head, Si Zhouyu refocused her thoughts on the present.
“Especially now… Bai Zhenzhen’s grades are improving, and she can even work part-time while Zhang Yu is in tutoring.”
“His psyche will definitely become more and more unbalanced.”
“So… make your move already. Let me see what kind of backer you really have.”
As she thought this, Si Zhouyu was already sitting on the rooftop of a nearby high-rise, keeping an eye on the apartment entrance while opening her phone.
“Sigh, during this surveillance period, I’ve nearly finished listening to all the good audiobooks.”
“I’ll just find one at random.”
Si Zhouyu knew that another difficult night lay ahead.
While Si Zhouyu was staking out the building, inside the apartment, Zhang Yu had just taken off his clothes and was beginning to practice the forms of the 200,000-yuan Dragon-Elephant Mountain-Shattering Palm.
After three months of intermittent deductions using the True Spiritual Root, his expert-grade cultivation technique finally had a new level 10 effect.
The original level 10 effect of the Dragon-Elephant Mountain-Shattering Palm was called Dragon Tendon Elephant Bone. Through repeated practice, it continuously improved Zhang Yu’s physical structure, giving him a more Immortal-Dao-aligned, more powerful carrying capacity, allowing him to withstand and transmit higher bursts of power.
Now, after being deduced by the True Spiritual Root, the Dragon Tendon Elephant Bone effect had been further enhanced and integrated into the circulation of magic power, granting Zhang Yu’s meridians a higher carrying capacity for magic power as well.
With a thrust of his palm, Zhang Yu’s physical strength, which had already reached 9.89, erupted. The terrifying force seemed as if it would shatter the very air, stirring up a storm in the room and producing a series of explosive cracks.
Feeling the surging power within his body, a faint smile couldn’t help but touch the corners of Zhang Yu’s lips.
Perhaps to outsiders, the data from his every test and exam showed no progress, and even some decline, but Zhang Yu himself knew very well how much progress he had made these past few days.
And watching this scene, Fu Ji was secretly amazed. This kid… to be able to improve so rapidly under these conditions, what on earth happened to his potential that was enhanced later?
Zhang Yu knew that his ability to continue advancing so bravely on the path of the Immortal Dao under such impoverished and suppressed conditions was due to many reasons: selling seeds for money, Bai Zhenzhen’s support, the effects of the True Spiritual Root, the feedback from the Crippled Ox Body-Sacrifice Heart Art under pressure, and so on…
But the most important point was the High School Sacred Body in his Technique-Chaining Diagram, which had been fully completed after he pushed ten high school basic techniques all to level 10.
Primary - High School Sacred Body (6/6): Alchemical enhancer load, absorption, and metabolism abilities increased to the peak of Qi Refinement.
Advanced - High School Sacred Body (8/8): Food digestion, absorption, and metabolism abilities increased to the peak of Qi Refinement.
Ultimate - High School Sacred Body (10/10): Cultivation efficiency and effect of all Qi Refinement stage techniques are doubled.
Looking at the High School Sacred Body in the Technique-Chaining Diagram, Zhang Yu marveled, “Now, whether I’m eating or taking medicine, I can spend less money for a stronger effect, and I don’t have to worry about various side effects.”
“And this final enhancement… when I cultivate a technique, every single practice session is equivalent to three of the original.”
Resistant to eating, resistant to enhancers, resistant to cramming. Truly worthy of the name High School Sacred Body.
With these enhancements, not only had Zhang Yu’s physical strength soared to 9.89, but his magic power had also increased to 97.56 units.
Only his Dao heart lagged somewhat, but it had still reached level 7 (18.4%).
“If it weren’t for the fact that improvement gets harder the closer you get to the limits of Qi Refinement, I probably would have maxed out my physical strength and magic power long ago.”
Just then, Zhang Yu’s phone vibrated slightly, carrying a message from Su Haifeng.
Su Haifeng: Asking for leave again? What’s your situation now that you still have the nerve to ask for leave?
Zhang Yu thought, He’s not approving it, as expected? Then, if I want to attend the Foundation Establishment exam, the only way is…
Zhang Yu scrolled through his phone’s contact list to Patrol Captain Yun Ni.
According to Zhang Pianpian, if he encountered any difficulties, he could try asking Yun Ni for help.
A moment later, Zhang Yu sent a message.
Zhang Yu: Captain Yun, I’d like to ask you for a favor. I want to go to the Immortal Capital, but the school won’t approve my leave. Is it possible for you to send Bai Zhenzhen and me on a business trip in the name of the patrol team?
Zhang Yu: Don’t worry, we absolutely will not cause any trouble there. We just have some things to take care of.
Yun Ni’s reply came faster than Zhang Yu could have imagined.
Yun Ni: I’ve approved it. You don’t need to tell me the reason, and you don’t need to report back to me when you return.