Chapter 385: Severing Hair to Forge a Sword
After stepping into the Two Realms Separation Great Formation, Zhang Yu found himself completely cut off from the Spirit Realm Network. He could no longer see messages in the contest group or communicate with his teammates. The world around him had also undergone a drastic transformation.
The various markers his teammates had placed in his Bionic Eye’s vision were gone.
The constant stream of information that had been flickering across his vision had vanished.
Even the arena’s lighting had dimmed, and the warnings, competition rules, and advertisements that had once floated in the air had disappeared.
Turning to look beyond the barrier, he noticed that the neon lights and vibrant colors that had illuminated the arena’s perimeter were now completely extinguished.
Cut off from the Spirit Realm, all that remained were drab, gray buildings, resembling a primitive, unenlightened world. The vibrant vitality of the Spirit Realm was nowhere to be seen, making the physical world seem pale and dull by comparison.
Zhang Yu realized he had unconsciously grown accustomed to constant communication with the Spirit Realm. Without its support, everything felt cumbersome and unnatural.
In the next moment, Tian Yang struck Zhang Yu with a palm, and a sharp Sword Intent descended like lightning, surging into his body. It shattered the barriers that had blocked his connection to the Spirit Realm, restoring clarity and vibrancy to the world around him.
Simultaneously, Shi Huaiyu’s messages reappeared on everyone’s Bionic Eyes.
Shi Huaiyu: “Where are you guys?”
Tian Yang: “Just broke through the Two Realms Separation Great Formation with the Sky-Patrolling Flying Sword Network.”
Tian Yang: “Don’t send anything that uses too much data.”
Tian Yang: “Otherwise, I’ll run out of credits and get turned into a Spirit-Severed Body. That would be a real pain.”
As they exchanged messages, Zhang Yu, Xiao Qingxuan, and Tian Yang were already hurrying deeper into the defensive fortifications built by Su Yanyang.
The further they ventured, the more labyrinthine and complex the insect nest-like structure became.
At the same time, the spiritual energy gradually thinned, causing their Magic Power recovery rate to steadily decline.
Shi Huaiyu warned, “As Su Yanyang’s formation nears completion and his control over the Spirit Veins increases, the concentration of spiritual energy in the air will gradually decrease.”
Shi Huaiyu: “The deeper we go, the more severe the situation will become. Conserve your Magic Power during the upcoming operations.”
Just then, Zhang Yu stopped, frowning. “Are we going in circles?”
He compared the footage recently recorded by his Time-Worn Demonic Eye with the current path and realized they had definitely been here before.
But Xiao Qingxuan shook his head. “I compared our recent routes. We haven’t been here before.”
Shi Huaiyu: “Zhang Yu, are you sure you’re not mistaken?”
Zhang Yu paused, slightly taken aback. “Am I mistaken?”
He sent the comparison images to the group chat. Tian Yang exclaimed, “Don’t send such high-resolution images!”
Xiao Qingxuan examined the images. “Could your Bionic Eye be malfunctioning? We haven’t been to this place you photographed.”
Zhang Yu frowned, a deep sense of confusion rising within him.
Within the Spirit Realm Space, the teachers naturally wouldn’t let their divided consciousnesses idly wait during the three-hour break.
As the new round of the competition officially began, the teachers from the Civil Engineering Department gradually arrived.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole was the last to arrive, but no one dared to comment on her tardiness.
Seeing her finally arrive, Director Gao breathed a sigh of relief. He had feared she would lose interest in watching the competition and simply not show up.
Director Gao: “Why did you take so long? What were you doing?”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “My new student achieved some unexpected results, and I became curious and investigated further.”
Director Gao: “Oh? You mean the one who got in through connections?”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Yes. It seems those who use connections truly possess unique talents.”
Director Gao: “Of course. Things are different now. In the past, only the incompetent needed connections. Now, having connections means you’re capable.”
Director Gao: “What’s the student’s name?”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole didn’t answer Director Gao. Instead, she watched the five ongoing competitions and suddenly remarked, “Oh? Someone at Myriad Laws University is still using the Sky-Patrolling Flying Swords?”
At that moment, few teachers were watching the competition between Zhang Yu and Su Yanyang.
Most teachers believed the skill gap between the two was too vast, making the match uninteresting. They anticipated Su Yanyang would crush his opponents effortlessly.
But True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s remark immediately drew the teachers’ attention.
When they saw Zhang Yu retrieve the Azure Silk Flying Sword and prepare to use Heavenly Sword University’s Sky-Patrolling Flying Swords to break the Two Realms Separation Great Formation, Lang Yougong exclaimed in surprise, “Zhang Yu can use the Sky-Patrolling Flying Sword Network? When did he apply to Heavenly Sword University for permission?”
Another teacher commented, “This isn’t a common commercial arrangement. The Azure Silk Flying Sword grants direct access to the Sky-Patrolling Flying Swords. It seems to have been gifted by someone of considerable status within Heavenly Sword University.”
Director Lin’s expression remained unchanged, his gaze as still as an ancient well, but his mind raced with thoughts.
He recalled Zhang Yu’s recent meeting with Wen Wuya, a Spirit Transformation Disciple from Heavenly Sword University.
Director Lin thought, “That old fox Gao Chongguang has actually made contact with a Spirit Transformation expert from Heavenly Sword. Could they have reached some agreement regarding the use of the Sky-Patrolling Flying Swords?”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole couldn’t help but glance at Director Gao a few more times before sending him a private message: “Are you collaborating with Heavenly Sword University on the Sky-Patrolling Flying Sword Network?”
The Spirit Realm… for every cultivator, it was of paramount importance.
Without access to the Spirit Realm, not only would daily life and cultivation become inconvenient, but work and study efficiency would also plummet.
Ensuring stable communication with the Spirit Realm, especially maintaining connectivity outside University City, was therefore crucial.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s mind drifted to the twin suns and moons hanging in the sky. “Our Myriad Laws University’s World-Illuminating Sun and Moon are decent, but their fees are exorbitant.”
“If we could introduce the Sky-Patrolling Flying Swords as competition, we could save a fortune annually.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole understood that the Artifact Refinement and Civil Engineering Departments used the Spirit Realm on a scale far exceeding individual students’ usage.
The monthly Spirit Realm expenses were a substantial burden for any department.
“Old Gao really managed to find a foothold this time.”
“From the perspective of the Sky-Patrolling Flying Sword Network, focusing on cost reduction and efficiency improvements would be a far more convenient way to engage Heavenly Sword University than getting caught up in the pro-war versus pro-peace debate.”
Director Gao read True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s message without replying, maintaining his inscrutable expression.
He recalled the close friendship between Wen Wuya and Zhang Yu.
“That flying sword refined by Azure Silk… Could it be the one Wen Wuya made from his severed hair and gifted to Zhang Yu?”
“Have their ties deepened to this extent?”
Director Gao was utterly astonished. Could such things still happen among young people in Kunxu these days?
A Spirit Transformation Disciple becoming fast friends with a student from the First Layer, severing his hair as a gift, and even granting the student access to the Sky-Patrolling Flying Sword Network…
Director Gao couldn’t help but wonder if Zhang Yu had become a spy for Myriad Laws, selling out classified information.
But he quickly dismissed this absurd notion, thinking to himself, “I’ll question him thoroughly next time.”
“This disciple of mine continues to surprise me.”
Meanwhile, the competition continued.
Watching Zhang Yu’s transformation after entering the defensive fortifications, Wei Huai, a teacher from the Peace Faction, remarked, “He must have fallen into the Myriad Ghosts Bewildering Great Formation.”
A teacher beside him agreed, “Indeed, it’s the Myriad Ghosts Bewildering Great Formation. They likely triggered it while sharing the Spirit Realm connection through the Sky-Patrolling Flying Swords.”
“Now, what they see through their Bionic Eyes is a mix of truth and illusion, and the information they receive is generated by the Formation Spirit. Every move they make is practically under Su Yanyang’s watchful gaze.”
Another teacher from the Neutral Faction praised, “Su Yanyang’s team has deployed the Myriad Ghosts Bewildering Great Formation flawlessly. It shows they’ve mastered the relevant courses on intelligent architecture.”
Tu Lishan knew that the advanced students’ intelligent architecture curriculum combined architecture and formations, adding Formation Spirits and House Spirits to buildings to achieve intelligent, digitalized, and information-integrated structures.
Wei Huai added, “Su Yanyang’s cost control is also remarkable. He managed to operate the Myriad Ghosts Bewildering Great Formation effectively using just three Soul Cultivators.”
In the arena, Fu Ji suddenly said, “Zhang Yu, you’ve been ensnared. Your vision has been deceived, and even the information transmitted by your Bionic Eye has been distorted.”
Zhang Yu’s heart stirred. “My Bionic Eye have been tampered with?”
To allow his natural eyes to gradually adapt to his enhanced body, Zhang Yu had long alternated wearing his Bionic Eyes.
While this prevented his Time-Worn Demonic Eye from reaching its optimal performance, it now allowed him to observe with his natural eyes.
However, when Zhang Yu closed his left eye and then his right, he detected nothing unusual.
Fu Ji said calmly, “Don’t bother trying. If they can target your Bionic Eyes, they can certainly target your natural vision as well.”
“These perception-obscuring formations are all derived from versions of Ancient Formations.”
Fu Ji continued, “The Ancient Formations versions were originally designed to deceive the physical senses. It was only after the advent of Bionic Eyes, when they proved ineffective against them, that the formations were modified to simultaneously interfere with both the physical body and Bionics.”
“Do you know why what you just saw clashed with Xiao Qingxuan, Tian Yang, and the others? It’s because you’re using the Time-Worn Demonic Eye, which far surpasses their Bionic Eyes in performance, allowing you to endure the illusion for a longer period.”
“If you want to test this, try sending a message. The messages you send and receive are likely being distorted.”
Zhang Yu pondered for a moment before sending a message to the contest group:
Zhang Yu: “@Yu Xinghan, do you remember Senior Sister Hongxiao’s latest work?”
Yu Xinghan: “Blooming Secret Bud released last month.”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Tch, in the contest group… how could Yu Xinghan be so candid?”
“After all, in Kunxu, those of us who appreciate these works from a purely artistic perspective, without engaging in dual cultivation, have always been a persecuted and marginalized minority.”
“The real Yu Xinghan would either pretend not to see my message or feign ignorance about what I’m talking about.”
“It seems Fu Ji was right. Even the messages we’re sending and receiving are fake.”
With this realization, Zhang Yu grabbed Xiao Qingxuan beside him and cut straight to the point: “Our vision is being deceived, and the messages we’re sending and receiving are being distorted…”