Chapter 345: Frenzied Construction
Tu Lishan addressed the group, “You have fifteen minutes to prepare. Use this time wisely to plan your next steps.”
Zhang Yu examined the blueprint floating in his Bionic Eye. Using his dual-minded telepathic abilities, he quickly constructed a mental image of the final product.
“This is… a bunker, isn’t it?” Zhang Yu mused inwardly. “The bunker’s inherent structure should withstand various attacks.”
“This must also be a hint, representing the ten waves of attacks the completed structure must endure — presumably related to war.”
Thinking this, Zhang Yu sighed inwardly. “More war elements? It seems many in the Civil Engineering Department genuinely believe the University War will escalate. They’re even preparing for it in their exams.”
Examining the bunker’s design, he pondered its key features and his own strengths. “With my construction efficiency, completing this bunker within three hours should be no problem.”
“The key is to maximize the bunker’s structural integrity, allowing it to withstand more attacks and maintain greater integrity after each wave.”
“How can I leverage my advantages to the fullest?”
As Zhang Yu sank into deep thought, Li Xiao studied the blueprints in his Bionic Eye, a flash of insight sparking in his eyes as the answer formed in his mind.
“The key lies in the materials,” Li Xiao thought to himself. “I must use the highest quality materials possible to construct this bunker. The better the materials, the stronger the bunker will be. Even with the same construction efficiency, the results will be far superior.”
“Therefore, materials are paramount.”
With this realization, Li Xiao began mentally selecting materials based on the blueprint’s design, prioritizing them according to their importance.
“Since materials are the most critical factor, the outcome of this exam will essentially be determined in the first thirty minutes of material selection.”
“The competition will be fierce. I need to get ahead of everyone else and secure the highest quality materials first.”
Thinking this, Li Xiao refined his selection further, identifying the three most critical materials.
Fifteen minutes had passed in the blink of an eye. The moment Tu Lishan announced the start of the exam, Li Xiao shot forward like a rocket.
Even with his heart pounding like a raging furnace, Magic Power surging through his meridians, and his legs cleaving through the air like massive axes, accelerating to his absolute limit…
Yet he could only watch helplessly as two figures, like comets, shattered the atmosphere with supersonic thunderous resonance. They surged past him and plunged headfirst into the building materials zone.
Leading the charge was Ji Yuanshu, followed closely by Zhang Yu.
Immediately after they dove into the zone, Gongshu Jin’s figure flickered, leaving a long trail of turbulent air in his wake as he surged forward, becoming the third to dive into the fray.
Watching one contestant after another overtake him, Li Xiao felt a surge of tension but remained calm. He had anticipated this.
Mentally crossing off the top three most crucial building materials, he immediately began searching for the fourth and fifth most important materials.
“The top-ranked materials will undoubtedly be fiercely contested. It’ll be nearly impossible to snatch them,” he reasoned. “Better to focus on the next tier down…”
But after a thorough search, Li Xiao’s eyes widened in astonishment. “What’s going on?”
“Why is there only Secret Steel from grades 5 to 10?”
“Where’s the Secret Steel graded 10 and above?”
“And why are all the other materials… so low-grade?”
“Could this exam actually be requiring us to build bunkers using these substandard, even inferior, materials?!”
As Li Xiao was still reeling from his surprise, Ying Xin’s Gang Qi flared, instantly sweeping up a massive pile of substandard steel materials.
She showed no surprise whatsoever at the poor quality of the building materials.
“Didn’t they say this was a practical assessment? Then naturally, minimizing costs and cutting corners — like using inferior materials to construct high-quality structures — would be part of the evaluation.”
Ying Xin’s Gang Qi surged around her like a dragon, enveloping dozens of tons of building materials as she charged toward the target site.
Simultaneously, sonic booms erupted around her.
Ying Xin looked up to see Ji Yuanshu leading the charge, with Zhang Yu close behind. Their Gang Qi billowed like tempestuous clouds, propelling vast quantities of building materials skyward.
Watching this scene, Ying Xin sighed inwardly at the gap between herself and the two leaders, but she quickly regained her composure. “My rivals aren’t them,” she thought. “My goal is fourth place in the class.”
Meanwhile, observing the students shuttling building materials back and forth, Tu Lishan remarked, “The Immortal Dao focuses on internal circulation, while Civil Engineering emphasizes external movement. One is hidden, the other visible, yet they are interconnected. This duality embodies a profound mystery within the Immortal Dao.”
Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye. As Tu Lishan announced the end of the material transport period, Ying Xin surveyed the massive stockpile of materials at her construction site, a faint smile of satisfaction playing on her lips.
Truth be told, the amount of materials she had transported in that half-hour far exceeded what the blueprints called for.
But the reason for her excess soon became clear.
As Tu Lishan declared the construction phase underway, Ying Xin let out a low shout. Waves of high-temperature Gang Qi, radiating heat so intense it warped the air, enveloped the massive steel stockpile.
Amidst the searing heat, Ying Xin struck out with her palm. Cracking thunder echoed as Thunder Gang Qi crashed into the molten steel, refining and reshaping it.
“If you don’t have high-quality materials, refine them yourself.”
“Construction sites, especially those on the battlefield, rarely have a steady supply of top-grade materials. Resourcefulness and making do with what’s at hand are key.”
Witnessing Ying Xin’s material refinement, many students were momentarily stunned before comprehension dawned, followed by a wave of dejection in their eyes.
Li Xiao watched the scene with a silent sigh. “So she’s refining the materials on-site? Is this the practical experience passed down from the Sixth-Generation Earthmovers?”
“But most students probably realized this already. Time’s too short, and the cultivation requirements are too high.”
Just as Li Xiao was marveling at Ying Xin’s extensive experience and profound cultivation, a violent tremor suddenly shook the ground.
“What’s happening?”
Simultaneously, Yu Xinghan, who had been observing the other students, turned to see Gongshu Jin had inexplicably swapped out his arm Bionics.
His current arm Bionics resembled two colossal siege hammers, which he slammed into the ground with a deafening boom.
Yu Xinghan also noticed several other sets of Bionics neatly arranged behind Gongshu Jin, ready for immediate use.
“Fucking filthy rich bastard,” Yu Xinghan seethed inwardly, his jealousy burning fiercely. He desperately wanted to strip the Bionics off Gongshu Jin and wear them himself.
Watching Gongshu Jin’s actions, Yu Xinghan wondered, “Is he laying a foundation?”
But he quickly realized something was off. Using his Third Eye Mystic Power, he detected fluctuations in the spiritual energy in the air.
“This is… a shift in the Spirit Vein?” Yu Xinghan exclaimed in surprise. “There’s a Spirit Vein in this Examination Field?”
“Of course there is,” Gongshu Jin scoffed inwardly, sensing the shifting terrain beneath his feet. “The Examination Field simulates a real battlefield construction site environment. Naturally, there’s a Simulated Spirit Vein beneath the surface, modeled after actual Spirit Vein pathways.”
“Ordinary workers look at materials, excellent workers look at structure, but true Great Powers of the Civil Engineering Department see formations.”
“The structure and materials of a bunker… are not the most important.”
“The formation within is the crucial element.”
“With a strong enough formation, even an earthen wall can withstand the onslaught of a thousand troops, scorching flames, and thunderous strikes.”
“And to enhance the formation’s power, drawing upon the Spirit Vein is paramount.”
The Bionic he had equipped, the Earthshaker Arm, allowed him to unleash the Level 20 Earthshaker Palm when imbued with Magic Power.
Moreover, the Earthshaker Arm’s shock-absorbing structure and the collective experience distilled from countless users allowed him to unleash an Earthshaker Palm far exceeding the effectiveness of those cultivated through arduous training by students who had painstakingly reached Level 20 on their own.
“How could self-cultivated techniques, honed through solitary toil, possibly compare to the Bionics and martial arts I acquired with Spirit Coins?”
“Spirit Vein! Reveal yourself!”
Gongshu Jin’s Gang Qi blazed like wildfire around him. He channeled it in a single breath into his Earthshaker Arm. The power surged through layers of shock-absorbing structures, transforming into visible transparent ripples that twisted the air and kicked up dust. With a thunderous impact, he slammed his palm into the ground.
With a deafening boom, a student’s legs buckled, and they collapsed to the ground.
Simultaneously, the Simulated Spirit Vein beneath them, convulsing violently, shifted sharply toward Gongshu Jin’s construction site, greatly amplifying the power of his formation.
But just then, another earth-shattering tremor struck, wrenching the Spirit Vein back in the opposite direction.
Gongshu Jin whirled around to see Ji Yuanshu also unleashing Earthshaker Palm — performing the cultivation art barehanded, without relying on the power of his Bionics.
“Level 20 Earthshaker Palm?” Gongshu Jin thought in astonishment. “He’s already mastered Level 20? And its power surpasses mine? Is it because his base stats are higher?”
Gongshu Jin sensed there was more to it than that.
In his observation, every strike from Ji Yuanshu — whether in force, technique, or Gang Qi — was flawlessly executed, reaching the pinnacle of perfection.
It was as if the Spirit Vein Ji Yuanshu was drawing upon belonged there by right, ordained by Heaven’s Will. Any attempt by Gongshu Jin to defy this was akin to resisting fate itself.
After another series of devastating clashes, Gongshu Jin, despite his burning resentment, had to admit: in the battle for control over the Spirit Vein, he had been completely outmatched.
On the other side, Ji Yuanshu remained unfazed.
After a fierce exchange with Gongshu Jin, during which he completely overwhelmed his opponent, he formed a Dao Seal with his fingers. The surging Qi Luck in his mind rippled slightly, causing the divinely assisted sensation he had felt with his Earthshaker Palm to dissipate completely.
But in the next moment, that same Qi Luck surged into his coagulated Gang Qi, infusing the technique with uncanny precision. Every strand of Gang Qi, every ounce of power, flowed with perfect harmony.
Though his coagulated Gang Qi was only at Level 10, it now unleashed the power of a Level 20 technique.
This was the terrifying potential of Qi Luck Dao Techniques. By expending Qi Luck, Ji Yuanshu could imbue any of his cultivation arts with divine favor, unleashing the absolute peak potential achievable within his current Cultivation Realm.
Of course, this process consumed Qi Luck. If his Qi Luck were severely depleted or exhausted, not only would his cultivation art’s power fail to increase, but his strikes would also weaken, and errors would become frequent.
However, at this moment, Ji Yuanshu confidently sat atop the class rankings, his Qi Luck soaring and fortune smiling upon him. Defeat in this battle was unthinkable, and exhausting his Qi Luck utterly impossible.