Chapter 271: Fu Ji Upgrades, Passing to the Second Layer
Hearing Fu Ji’s voice in his mind, Zhang Yu was first startled, then overjoyed.
You’re finally awake.
Fu Ji, however, seemed to have heard his thoughts directly and replied, “Yes, I’m awake.”
“But it seems I’ve been asleep for quite a while.”
Zhang Yu was taken aback for a moment, then thought again in his mind, You can feel my thoughts?
Fu Ji chuckled and said, “Relax, it’s not mind-reading.”
“It’s just that now, I can engage in mental communication with my believers.”
“Not only can my voice enter your mind, but the thoughts you wish to convey to me can also be perceived by me.”
“We won’t have to type on the phone to communicate in public anymore.”
“After all, my gains this time were not small. I have recovered from a level-one lower-rank evil god to the status of a level-two evil god.”
“Hehe, the Eight Divisions call evil gods of this level Wandering Evil Shadows.”
Zhang Yu tried to send a thought, Why were you asleep for so long this time?
Fu Ji said, “Wasn’t it because the process of capturing that colleague was too rushed?”
“I spent a great deal of effort to capture him, and then fought with him for a long time before finally managing to defeat him.”
“Then, while digesting and recovering, it took a very, very long time to wake up.”
“But I’ve finally recovered to the status of a level-two evil god. Hehe… now I don’t have to fall asleep all the time to hide from the righteous gods. For the most part, I don’t need to worry about being discovered.”
Zhang Yu nodded slightly, then asked a crucial question, “So, can you increase my potential again?”
Fu Ji didn’t speak, but Zhang Yu felt a sinister power surge out from the black pearl that was Fu Ji, flowing up his arm, shoulder, neck… and finally rushing into his sea of consciousness.
The next moment, Zhang Yu felt a slight pain in the palm of his hand.
He opened his palm to look and could see a transparent symbol forming within it.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, It’s like the symbol that appeared when the Feather Book first manifested, and later when it upgraded and opened the Technique-Chaining Diagram, only it has become more complex.
However, this time, the transparent symbol did not fill up quickly as it did when it upgraded to reveal the Technique-Chaining Diagram.
Instead, like when the Feather Book first appeared, it was slowly… being filled with black.
Zhang Yu estimated in his mind, “It will probably take about three or four days to fill up completely.”
I guess that’s when a new page of the Feather Book will open.
After enhancing Zhang Yu’s potential, Fu Ji then asked, “Where’s Bai Zhenzhen? I’ll help enhance her too… Speaking of which, why are you on an airship? Where is this going?”
So Zhang Yu recounted the events that had occurred while Fu Ji was asleep.
Hearing that Bai Zhenzhen had awakened a Divine Spiritual Root, been taken to Heavenly Sword University, and become a disciple of the Divine Lord Seven Emotions, Fu Ji was shocked.
She thought to herself, Hmm? Heavenly Sword University? Is Zhen going to be refined into a Divine Spiritual Root flying sword?
Sigh, I told Zhang Yu to dig out the True Spiritual Root for himself. Now someone else has snatched it. A complete investment failure.
But it might not be a Divine Spiritual Root flying sword. After all, her root can evolve. If I were an investor, I’d at least cultivate it to an Immortal Spiritual Root before refining her, root and all, in an instant.
And taking in a disciple with a Divine Spiritual Root can bolster one’s reputation. Maybe other poor kids with innate spiritual roots will pop up too?
Dammit, thinking about it this way makes it an even bigger loss.
Although Fu Ji was unfamiliar with the details of this Divine Lord Seven Emotions, could there be any good people among the Spirit Transformation cultivators of Kunxu? Believing in a Spirit Transformation Divine Lord was worse than making a wish and swearing an oath to her, Fu Ji.
But even though she was sighing inwardly and feeling like this was a huge loss, Fu Ji didn’t dare to voice her speculations in front of Zhang Yu.
After all, in her view, it would be useless even if Zhang Yu knew, and it would only affect his cultivation.
Good thing when I analyzed Wang Yin’s self-destruction of his Foundation Establishment cultivation, I only told him that the spiritual root would be destroyed if the connection was severed after Foundation Establishment, and not about the whole ‘boil them in one pot, root and all’ thing.
Hmph, True Person Starfire also kept his mouth shut. It seems he also understands this matter shouldn’t be discussed.
Her thoughts flashed by in an instant, and Fu Ji was already smiling. “This is a good thing, a great thing.”
“Zhen has hit the jackpot, being noticed by an old Spirit Transformation monster. Her cultivation will surely advance by leaps and bounds from now on.”
“Zhang Yu, you have to hurry and catch up.”
“Otherwise, you won’t be able to get into her circle in the future. By then, she won’t even reply to your holiday greeting messages.”
Zhang Yu pouted. Zhen isn’t that kind of person.
And we don’t need to send holiday greetings between us.
If something comes up, we just tell each other.
On the first layer, Heavenly Sword University didn’t let anyone contact Zhen for security reasons.
But once we’re on the second layer, I should be able to contact her.
After all, Zhen also said she would come find me then.
Just then, Xiong Wenwu’s loud shout came from ahead. “How long are you going to hold me down? This is discrimination against demon-kin!”
The staff member pressing down on him sneered, his muscles shifting to reveal a patch of leopard print.
Then he said, “Discrimination against demon-kin? I’m a demon-kin myself. How could I discriminate against demon-kin?”
“Let me tell you, I discriminate against all of you first-layer people.”
With that, he pointed to his own eyes, then to the crowd, and warned, “Remember, I’ll be watching you all from now on. You’d better not have any funny ideas, because if you try to bring anything you’re not supposed to through customs, I will definitely catch you.”
Amidst this commotion, the surrounding people like Le Mulan, Qian Shen, and Song Hailong all watched this scene in silence.
Some had tested into the Ten Greats, some into the 36 upper-tier colleges, some into the 72 lower-tier colleges, while others planned to enter junior colleges, all traveling together on the airship to the ascension platform.
But now, standing before the staff, they all shared a single identity—first-layer people.
Of course, this excluded soul cultivator students like Zhao Tianxing, because he and the other soul cultivator students were inside shipping containers.
And beside them, Yu Xinghan watched this scene, clenching his fists tightly, a trace of unwillingness in his eyes.
Zhang Yu patted him on the shoulder and comforted him, “Han-boy, calm down. Didn’t the old man say so? People from up there are like this, they look at people from down here like beggars.”
“We just have to endure it, work hard for a while up there…”
“Once we can blend in well enough… and people can’t tell we’re from the first layer, we won’t be discriminated against anymore.”
Yu Xinghan replied, “I know all that you’re saying.”
“I’m not agitated, I’m scared…”
He touched his stomach and said, “Do you think I should take out all the synthetic food I have hidden in my rectum?”
“You fucking…” Zhang Yu quickly moved several meters away from him. “If you’re gonna die, don’t take me with you. Didn’t Master tell you about the food carrying limits?”
Yu Xinghan said helplessly, “I just wanted to bring a little more to save some money up there, to go a few steps further on the Immortal Dao.”
“Didn’t you hear Master? A cup of water up there costs as much as several days’ living expenses down here.”
“Besides, I’ve hidden it in my rectum. Even if they find it, I’ll just say I like to swallow my food without unwrapping it…”
As Yu Xinghan spoke, his confidence waned, and he shook his head. “Forget it, I’ll take it out and eat it now.”
Not long after Yu Xinghan left, Le Mulan came over again and called to Zhang Yu, “Want to get something to eat? I heard the food on the airship is in the style of the second layer’s cuisine. Want to try it together?”
Zhang Yu asked, “Is it expensive? Can I use first-layer currency?”
“I checked. Although it’s in the style of the second layer’s cuisine, it uses ingredients from the first layer, and they accept first-layer currency.”
Hearing this, Zhang Yu was relieved and followed Le Mulan to the airship’s restaurant, but he was a bit stunned when he saw the menu.
“Syringe Pouch Combo… Drug-Three Vigor… Staring at the Needle…”
Even Zhang Yu, who had eaten many famous dishes of Kunxu, was shocked at this moment. “These are all drugs, what kind of dishes are these?”
Just then, Li Xuelian walked over and sat down beside them, saying casually, “The food industry on layers two, three, and four has long been mostly crushed by the drug industry. The vast majority of people eat drugs as food; only the rich can afford to eat actual dishes. Oasis Group doesn’t sell much food here.”
“After all, most people eat to quickly replenish their stamina, energy, magic power, and nutrients, and to improve their focus and excitement to complete their work and studies. The poor at most eat some cement to suppress their overactive digestion.”
Le Mulan nodded upon hearing this. “Compared to drugs, ordinary food has no competitive edge. It’s only natural that it’s been phased out.”
Li Xuelian smiled slightly upon hearing this and glanced at her. “I hear you’re applying for pharmacology at Myriad Laws University? It seems you’ve already researched the situation on the second layer? Makes sense, your Le family has predecessors on the second layer as well.”
Fu Ji asked in surprise, “Li Xuelian is also going to the second layer with you?”
Zhang Yu explained to Fu Ji in his mind, “It seems Li Xuelian already had a job up there. She voluntarily applied to come down to the first layer to help True Person Starfire train his disciples.”
Fu Ji thought, It seems this Li Xuelian is doing quite well for herself, to be able to arrange her own transfers up and down like this. Or is it that True Person Starfire left behind some connections and influence, which she inherited?
Li Xuelian asked Zhang Yu, “Where’s that kid Yu Xinghan? Why can’t I find him?”
Zhang Yu said helplessly, “He went to the bathroom.”
Just then, a voice came over the airship’s broadcast, announcing their imminent arrival at the ascension platform and the start of customs registration, currency exchange, and other services.
Zhang Yu and Le Mulan quickly finished their meal and followed Li Xuelian to the designated area to line up. They disembarked the airship together and arrived at the ascension platform.
The ascension platform was a massive palace floating in the clouds. Stepping into it was considered stepping into the domain of the second layer.
Next, after completing the procedures, the group would continue on different airships to different cities on the second layer according to their various destinations.
This concludes the translations provided by ThunderGod95.
Subsequent chapters have been translated by Nameless.