Chapter 297: The Spirit Coins Spent Remained by His Side in Another Form
As Zhang Yu browsed the various items on the platform, he couldn’t help but think, “Fu Ji! Didn’t you tell me before that the Immortals of the Ten Great Sects wanted to recruit more people to compete and work harder?”
“But now they’re not only reducing recruitment but also stopping it altogether?”
Fu Ji sighed. “The Immortals undoubtedly want to intensify competition among those striving to ascend. They want them to exhaust themselves, their families, and sacrifice everything so the Ten Great Sects can maximize their profits and comfortably reign from their cloud-piercing heights.”
“Otherwise, you wouldn’t even have had the chance to take the Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate exam.”
“But the fact that the Ten Great Sects are increasingly reducing recruitment can only mean… their Sect Grotto-Heavens are likely already overcrowded.”
Fu Ji mused, “Since establishing the current college entrance exam, university, and corporate system, the Ten Great Sects have been recruiting the most exceptional Immortal Dao talents every year. A Golden Core cultivator can live for 400 years, a Nascent Soul cultivator for nearly a thousand, and those who break through further — Spirit Transformation, Void Refinement, and beyond — live even longer.”
“Thinking about it that way, the sect’s population consumption is indeed far lower than its growth.”
“However, I don’t think Zhang Pianpian’s claim that the Ten Great Sects have stopped recruiting, dividing the world into two separate realms, is entirely accurate.”
“This should only be temporary.”
“Once a significant number of those above die off, the Ten Great Sects will undoubtedly resume large-scale recruitment.”
“The problem is… that might take a century, or even several centuries?”
Fu Ji suddenly exclaimed, “I understand now! This must be cyclical.”
“Periods of expansion followed by periods of contraction, it all depends on the population fluctuations within the Ten Great Sects.”
“To the Immortals, these might just be brief fluctuations, minor ripples. But for those of you below the sect, it means generations — ten, twenty, even thirty generations.”
“And because the sect’s recruitment policies trickle down to companies and universities, it could ultimately affect the entirety of Kunxu.”
Hearing Fu Ji’s deduction, Zhang Yu cursed inwardly, “What terrible timing!”
He asked again, “So, the wish granted by this ritual can’t be undone?”
“If I die, I’m taking you with me.”
Fu Ji chuckled helplessly. “Ordinary wishes, sure, but this one’s beyond my control. It’s all your fault for being so clever and personally devising this plan to fulfill the wish.”
“Now that the ritual has been approved and is fully operational, reaching this stage, it’s far beyond my power to reverse it.”
“This concerns the very essence of the ritual, the rules established by the Evil God Kings themselves.”
Zhang Yu sighed inwardly, but he didn’t regret his actions. If he hadn’t had the inspiration to temporarily stall Fu Ji’s wish, he might not even be alive now.
At this point, neither the Immortals nor the Evil God Kings were within his influence.
“I can only focus on doing my best.”
As he scrolled through the dazzling array of goods on the Spirit Realm Network, Zhang Yu thought, “My cultivation art’s progress is already astonishingly rapid.”
“What I need most now is to further enhance my foundational stats.”
With that thought, Zhang Yu began opening various products and services…
Half an hour later, the first item Zhang Yu had purchased arrived.
As the packaging box was opened, a large box of jade coins shimmering with fluorescent light appeared before Zhang Yu.
These jade coins were shaped like circular coins, their color a deep jade green, their surfaces patterned with wispy, cloud-like textures, and each coin contained faint wisps of spiritual energy. They were precisely the lower-grade Spirit Stones Zhang Yu had purchased.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “lower-grade Spirit Stones, middle-grade Spirit Stones, upper-grade Spirit Stones… Once the currency of Kunxu, but now, trying to pay with these would likely earn you a torrent of abuse and outright rejection.”
Long before the advent of Spirit Coins and online payment systems, Kunxu’s monetary system had undergone several evolutions, rendering Spirit Stones obsolete as currency.
Later, due to their inherent spiritual energy, middle-grade and lower-grade Spirit Stones were repurposed as Immortal Dao resources, while upper-grade Spirit Stones, in addition to their Immortal Dao value, also gained collector’s value.
However, with the increasing sophistication of the Spirit Realm Network and the continuous development of formations, spiritual energy pathways, and various facilities in buildings, spiritual energy was piped directly into dormitories and connected to every household, further diminishing the use of middle-grade and lower-grade Spirit Stones.
“But, since Spirit Stone prices fell, some frugal individuals who are willing to endure the inconvenience still buy them to absorb spiritual energy for cultivation.”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “And because the poor still buy them, Spirit Stone prices have gradually stabilized within a certain range.”
With this thought, he picked up a lower-grade Spirit Stone and swallowed it whole.
As the Primordial Chaos Fetal Breath Sutra circulated, strands of spiritual energy were extracted from the stone, merging into Zhang Yu’s magic power cycle. He refined them drop by drop into his own magic power.
Zhang Yu’s reason for buying lower-grade Spirit Stones was to enhance his spiritual energy absorption efficiency, allowing him to refine more magic power each day.
After all, he had classes during the day and construction work at night, leaving him very little time to absorb spiritual energy in his dormitory.
He had also considered Spiritual Energy Formation Stones. Carrying one of these stones would essentially make him a mobile formation node, allowing him to enjoy a constant influx of spiritual energy anywhere in University City.
However, this option was both expensive and would allow others to track his monthly spiritual energy consumption.
After careful consideration, Zhang Yu ultimately chose to swallow lower-grade Spirit Stones.
He swallowed ten lower-grade Spirit Stones in one gulp, feeling them transform into a miniature furnace within his stomach, continuously releasing spiritual energy to enhance his magic power.
As his Qi Sea Spirit Root expanded and contracted in rhythm with the Primordial Chaos Fetal Breath Sutra, Zhang Yu felt a surge of exhilaration as it frantically absorbed the spiritual energy.
He continued consuming Spirit Stones, increasing from ten to fifteen, and finally reaching twenty-three before sensing the release and absorption of spiritual energy reach its limit. It felt as if a miniature Spirit Vein had sprouted within his abdomen.
“Absorbing spiritual energy from twenty-three Spirit Stones simultaneously — this is my current maximum efficiency for breathing techniques.”
“By cultivating with Spirit Stones daily, I can improve my breathing technique efficiency even during classes and work.”
“But this method… while cheaper than using Spiritual Energy Formation Stones for constant spiritual energy infusion, it still costs a significant amount each month.”
Zhang Yu calculated that daily Spirit Stone cultivation would cost approximately 0.48 Spirit Coins per month.
However, considering the massive number of disciples entering the Ten Great Sects, Zhang Yu understood that this expense was merely the beginning.
In the Dao Techniques Department service area, Zhang Yu sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, surrounded by flickering thunderlight that continuously pulsed into his body. This stimulated the Qi Sea Spirit Root in his Dantian, enhancing his Spirit Root integration level and sharpening his five senses.
The Dao Techniques Department student casting the Thunder Magic asked, “Zhang Yu, how does it feel?”
Zhang Yu replied in a deep voice, “Increase the intensity a bit more.”
The student chuckled. “Alright.”
“Have you gotten a membership card yet, Zhang Yu?”
“For daoist arts enhancements like the Divine Firmament Thunder Wave, it’s best to come three times a week for at least half an hour each session.”
“If you sign up now, you get a 30% discount…”
Zhang Yu asked, “How much does a membership card cost?”
The student smiled. “Just one Spirit Coin. Even if you don’t use up all the Divine Firmament Thunder Wave sessions, you can try out our other daoist arts services…”
Zhang Yu’s account balance: 9.45 Spirit Coins
Artifact Refinement Department Teaching Level.
Yun Jing placed a jade box before Zhang Yu.
After Zhang Yu helped Yun Jing drive away his classmates last time, the two had stayed in touch.
This time, Zhang Yu sought Yun Jing out hoping to get a discount and save some money.
Yun Jing said, “This is the cultivation-type magical artifact you wanted, the Nine Hells Mountain-Suppressing Belt.”
“When worn, it allows you to channel Earth Vein Primordial Qi to nourish your physical body. As a harmless form of Primordial Qi, Earth Vein Primordial Qi acts as a lubricant between your physical body and magic power, enhancing the efficiency with which you reinforce your body with magic power.”
“Additionally, by harnessing Earth Vein Primordial Qi, the Nine Hells Mountain-Suppressing Belt can apply up to 50 times normal gravity to your body, aiding in body refinement and unlocking your physical potential.”
“For many wealthy individuals, cultivation-type magical artifacts or cultivation-type Bionics are essential for body refinement.”
Zhang Yu understood that body refinement during the Foundation Establishment Stage required the reinforcement of magic power.
Especially as the Spirit Root integration level increased, with Spirit Roots and Meridians permeating the entire body, the physical body and magic power gradually merged. A Cultivator’s physical body gradually transformed from mere flesh and blood into a transcendent vessel.
The Nine Hells Mountain-Suppressing Belt before him could enhance the efficiency of magic power’s reinforcement of the physical body, thereby boosting the effectiveness of body refinement.
It could also further temper the body through additional gravity, forcing out the cultivator’s latent potential.
Zhang Yu opened the jade box, examined the belt inside, and asked, “What’s the price?”
Yun Jing replied, “This is a product developed jointly by the department and the company. The best discount I can offer is 10%, bringing the monthly cost down to 1.35 Spirit Coins.”
As Zhang Yu fastened the belt, a clear female voice announced, “Welcome to the Nine Hells Mountain-Suppressing Belt. Unregistered user detected via Bionic Eye. Please authorize connection.”
A notification popped up in Zhang Yu’s Bionic Eye interface. Upon granting permission, a small belt icon appeared in his Bionic Eye’s field of view.
Tapping the icon brought up the belt’s user interface.
“User registration required. Please complete registration before using this product.”
After Zhang Yu completed the registration, another notification appeared.
“We’ve detected an unused discount coupon on your account…”
Zhang Yu checked and saw it was the 10% off coupon Yun Jing had mentioned.
A moment later, at Zhang Yu’s mental command, streams of Earth Vein Primordial Qi surged from the belt into his body.
Nourished by this Earth Vein Primordial Qi, his flesh and blood seemed to undergo a subtle transformation, enhancing the flow of magic power through his body, making it smoother, more efficient, and more effective.
Through the Bionic Eye’s interface, Zhang Yu also noticed options for adjusting gravity from 1x to 50x, along with modes for running, weight training, climbing, and customization.
By regulating the body’s gravity circulation and localized adjustments, he could further enhance his body refinement efforts and conduct targeted strength training.
Zhang Yu first tested the 5x gravity mode, instantly feeling his entire body weigh down, his internal organs beginning to sag.
After experimenting with various modes and assessing their body refinement effects, Zhang Yu nodded. “This is the one.”
Account Balance: 8.1 Spirit Coins