Chapter 336: First Meeting at the Club
Longtai Health Massage Club.
Zhang Yu looked up at the club’s sign and nodded slightly to himself, thinking, “The Civil Engineering Department competition team’s first full-team training location… is at a massage club.”
“Perfectly logical, perfectly Civil Engineering.”
After changing into his workout clothes and putting on his wristband, Zhang Yu entered the room where Ma Xuan and the others were.
The moment he stepped inside, a wave of heat washed over him, the room’s temperature soaring as if it were a giant furnace.
Except for Cong Na, who wasn’t as physically imposing, the other four hulking figures lay prone on massage beds like four dormant volcanoes, their muscles radiating waves of heat.
Having frequented massage parlors daily thanks to President Wang’s funding, Zhang Yu had developed his own criteria for evaluating such establishments.
Looking at the female technicians beside Ma Xuan, Cong Na, and the others — their Tyrannosaurus Rex-like physiques, fiercely determined gazes, and the stubble grown from long-term medication — Zhang Yu immediately concluded that this massage club was highly legitimate.
Ma Xuan looked up and said, “Zhang Yu, you’re here?”
“Lie down first. We can warm up and talk at the same time.”
Ma Xuan was a young man with a completely bald head, not a single strand of hair remaining.
Zhang Yu gazed at the jade-like smoothness of his scalp, thinking it must be some kind of special Bionic.
Ma Xuan’s hands and feet had been detached and placed to the side, clearly because these Bionics didn’t require massage.
Ma Xuan was the captain of the competition team, its earliest founder, and the most physically imposing member.
Observing the multiple Bionics embedded in Ma Xuan’s body and his habit of stretching out rather than shrinking down, Zhang Yu immediately knew the man must be quite wealthy.
As Ma Xuan spoke, the other four competition team members turned to look at Zhang Yu.
While Cong Na’s gaze was relatively friendly, Zhang Yu could sense the other three members scrutinizing him intensely, clearly not fully accepting him as a Freshman.
At Ma Xuan’s invitation, Zhang Yu lay down on an empty massage bed. Ma Xuan continued, “Before we start formal training, let’s get a good massage here to warm up. It’ll reduce wear and tear on our bodies during the session.”
“You’ve reviewed the competition rules, right, Zhang Yu?”
Zhang Yu nodded. “I’ve read them all.”
The Civil Engineering Department’s construction competition required teams to build structures in the high-risk environment of a simulated battlefield while simultaneously withstanding attacks from opposing teams.
This was a competition that demanded exceptional construction skills, resilience against physical blows, and the ability to withstand intense pressure…
Just as Ma Xuan was explaining the key points of the competition to the group, Zhang Yu felt a pair of steel-like arms press down on him.
Simultaneously, a voice asked, “Sir, do you have any Bionics on your body?”
Technicians always checked for Bionics before starting a massage, a precaution born from experience. Accidentally damaging a client’s Bionics could lead to prolonged unpaid work.
Zhang Yu casually replied, “The only Bionics I have are my eyes. You can massage without worry.”
In the next moment, a powerful force surged from the Technician’s massive, fan-like hands, penetrating deep into Zhang Yu’s flesh.
Zhang Yu smiled faintly and said to the Technician, “Master, I prefer a strong massage. Could you please use a bit more force?”
As a long-term user of Tiger Wolf Medicine, Zhang Yu’s body had grown stronger through constant wear and repair. His bones were reinforced with Secret Steel No. 20, and he had endured countless massage sessions at the Longtai Health Massage Club. His tolerance for massage pressure was exceptionally high.
The technician behind him heard these words, a glint flashing in his eyes as he silently increased his force.
“More pressure, master.”
“As much as you can muster. I thrive on intensity.”
The technician exhaled sharply, activating his Hand Bionic. The device instantly grew hot, scorching even, and emitted arcs of electricity that pierced Zhang Yu’s skin, penetrating deep into his muscles.
On the massage bed beside Zhang Yu, Bu Ziran quietly observed him.
Bu Ziran ranked 48th overall in the All-Attribute Department. If Zhang Yu were asked for his strongest impression of him… it would be that time Bu Ziran unboxed the Myriad Paths Artisan Group’s Lung Bionic in their group chat.
Watching the technician activate his Hand Bionic and apply pressure to Zhang Yu, Bu Ziran thought, “Oh? Is he trying to demonstrate his physical strength through the massage?”
Bu Ziran understood that when university students entered a new social circle, showcasing their strength was a common way to integrate — much like dogs sniffing each other’s rear ends — a necessary means for quick assimilation.
The stronger one’s physique and the higher the body’s resilience, the greater the pressure required for an effective massage. This was what they meant by “taking it.”
In massage parlors, clients who could “take it” were seen as powerful and earned the respect of countless technicians.
This was especially true in the Civil Engineering Department, where the strongest individual on a construction site was often the one who could endure the most grueling labor.
“Back in the ancient Spirit Realm, when the Spirit Realm Network wasn’t as advanced,” Bu Ziran mused, “the best way to gauge a stranger’s strength was to take them for a massage.”
“After a session, by observing how much force they could withstand, you could accurately assess their capabilities.”
“But this isn’t the ancient era anymore. With Zhang Yu’s stats, even under the full force of a Technician’s Bionic, he’d barely last five minutes, tops…”
Ten minutes later, Bu Ziran stared at Zhang Yu in astonishment. “This guy… is he really not just gritting his teeth and enduring?”
Zhang Yu felt waves of energy penetrating deep into his flesh, gradually erasing the fatigue and injuries that had accumulated over the past few days. A blissful, tingling sensation washed over him.
Twenty minutes later, cold sweat began to trickle down the Technician’s back. She felt less like she was massaging a person and more like she was kneading a series of Bionic artifacts.
“His bones are so hard! Does he really not have any Bionics inside him?”
Thirty minutes later, the Technician, seeing the Hand Bionic flashing urgent warning signals, had no choice but to stop and request a replacement.
“If I keep going at this intensity, my Hand Bionic will suffer severe wear and tear, possibly malfunction!”
Zhang Yu’s performance quickly drew the attention of the others.
Ma Xuan chuckled, “Junior Brother Zhang Yu, your Protective Cultivation Arts are clearly quite advanced. Your physical strength far exceeds your current cultivation level.”
Zhang Yu smiled modestly, “I’m just a bit more durable than most.”
Meanwhile, Bu Ziran and the others exchanged glances, their perceptions of Zhang Yu shifting dramatically. His massage skills had clearly earned their respect.
The six of them left the massage club and headed to the Civil Engineering Department’s simulated construction site for joint training. They worked together to familiarize themselves with each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Watching Zhang Yu manifest multiple Humanoid Gang Qi constructs to assist in the work, Cong Na’s heart stirred again. “Ma Xuan was right. This guy’s progress is astonishingly rapid.”
“When I sparred with him before, he could only maintain a blurry Gang Qi for brief bursts of combat.”
“How long has it been? Now he can maintain such intricately detailed Humanoid Gang Qi to perform manual labor?”
Meanwhile, on the other side, Ma Xuan unleashed a palm strike, sending invisible ripples surging through the air.
Under his palm strike, the ground surged upward like a colossal, rolling wave, swallowing construction materials and rearranging them into different positions.
Zhang Yu watched, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. “This power… it’s remarkably similar to the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power.”
Noticing Zhang Yu’s astonished gaze, Ma Xuan chuckled. “This is the Minor Threefold Combination, the culmination of mastering the first three Absolutes of the Seven Absolutes of Civil Engineering. It allows one to harness earth energy and manipulate the ground beneath their feet with an invisible force field.”
Zhang Yu asked curiously, “Can you manipulate any material in the ground?”
“Most metals and minerals pose no problem,” Ma Xuan replied.
As he spoke, Ma Xuan, his face radiating pride, activated the Minor Threefold Combination to reshape the terrain.
The earth rippled like water, molded to his will. It swallowed construction materials one moment, then erected them into protective walls the next. At times, it even pulverized completed walls into dust…
Though the other competition team members each possessed unique skills, Zhang Yu found himself most envious of Ma Xuan’s Minor Threefold Combination.
“If I can maintain my first-place ranking in class for the next three years of university, I’ll be able to master this cultivation art too,” Zhang Yu thought.
In the days that followed, Zhang Yu’s daily routine gained another element: competition training. Though it didn’t take up much time, it further enriched and occupied his life.
After repeated attempts to achieve Spirit-Flesh Unity yielded no success, Zhang Yu mentally prepared himself to spend Spirit Coins.
To secure a new source of income, he contacted the underground Magic Power traders, intending to sell his own Magic Power to them.
They met again in the same deserted alleyway below the 100th floor.
As always, the trader was shrouded in a layer of black mist, concealing both their features and any identifying information.
In the past, Zhang Yu had always purchased Magic Power from this trader; this time, he wanted to sell his own.
The trader’s voice echoed from within the mist: “We can find you clients, but an intermediary fee is required. First, we need to assess the quality of your Magic Power.”
Zhang Yu replied calmly, “No problem. Go ahead.”
The black-robed figure tossed Zhang Yu a Profound Creation Relic, instructing him to infuse it with his Magic Power.
Zhang Yu caught the Relic and immediately began channeling his Magic Power into it.
However, he deliberately refrained from activating the power of his Profound Cold Meridian, opting instead to infuse it with his ordinary, gentle Magic Power.
After pouring in approximately 500 units of Magic Power in one continuous flow, Zhang Yu tossed the Relic back to the figure.
Moments later, the Profound Creation Relic appeared in Li Xuelian’s hands.
Savoring the Magic Power Quality within the Relic, Li Xuelian murmured, “His progress is astonishingly rapid.”
“And he’s already selling his Magic Power? That means his total Magic Power reserves and recovery rate must have increased dramatically as well.”
“It’s only been a year, hasn’t it?”
“Dad’s judgment was spot-on after all…”
Just then, a message appeared in Li Xuelian’s Bionic Eye.
Yu Xinghan: “Senior Sister! Any new assignments?”
Li Xuelian had been genuinely pleased to see Yu Xinghan making a name for himself in the dark massage industry.
But now, witnessing Zhang Yu already selling his Magic Power on the black market, Li Xuelian couldn’t help but sigh.