Chapter 396: The Loser, Second Absolute
Inside the luxurious dormitory, Ji Yuanshu’s spirits had plummeted since his defeat in the competition and his heated argument with Ma Xuan and the others.
Director Lin’s cold treatment, in particular, made him feel increasingly abandoned.
When Ji Yuanshu learned that Zhang Yu’s team had once again triumphed over Su Yanyang, he thought to himself, “Just as I suspected.”
His subsequent conversation with Gongshu Jin only confirmed this.
“The War Faction orchestrated this, investing vast resources to ensure Zhang Yu’s victories against both me and Su Yanyang.”
“Still, it’s some consolation that Su Yanyang lost too.”
Ji Yuanshu felt that Su Yanyang’s failure made his own defeat seem less significant.
“Master should understand that this defeat wasn’t my fault.”
“But with my Qi Luck now backfiring, he’s likely unwilling to invest further in me.”
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Ji Yuanshu sensed the two credit cards in his consciousness, their Qi Luck flowing back and forth between them.
“The dual-card, dual-loan setup has temporarily shielded me from the Qi Luck backlash.”
“In the future… I’ll have to rely solely on myself to fight against the War Faction’s machinations.”
At the construction site on the 667th floor, Su Yanyang, who was working, turned to see Ma Xuan standing nearby.
Ma Xuan smiled. “Watch closely and learn how to compete in the Civil Engineering Competition.”
Su Yanyang’s face darkened. He turned away and said coldly, “If my teammates hadn’t been so incompetent, the Soul Cultivators hadn’t slacked off, and the opponents hadn’t had a master strategist guiding them, I would never have lost.”
Ma Xuan nodded. “I understand. It’s a shame, Senior Brother. If you had secured seventh place this time, you could have completed the Seven Absolutes next semester. Passing the Military Certificate exam next year would have allowed you to cultivate the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power.”
Su Yanyang glanced at Ma Xuan, remembering that he too had lost to Zhang Yu. He sighed. “Just one move short.”
“The War Faction probably saw me as a threat and went to great lengths to target me. I was their real target; you were likely just collateral damage.”
Ma Xuan asked, “Senior Brother, are you still planning to take the Military Certificate exam next year?”
Su Yanyang replied calmly, “Of course. Opportunities like this are rare; I can’t afford to give up easily.”
After a few more exchanges, Ma Xuan said, “I kicked Ji Yuanshu off my team. Since you’re without a team now, why don’t you join us for next year’s competition?”
Su Yanyang shook his head. “Let’s talk about that next year. I don’t want to think about the competition right now.”
Netherworld University.
Wang Yin’s mind fully activated the Imperial Heart of the Sovereign mental cultivation technique, his dao heart as firm as bedrock.
Recalling what had happened with Zhang Yu, he now saw it as nothing more than a minor setback.
“No, Zhang Yu’s deception was actually a blessing in disguise.”
“For a mere handful of Spirit Coins, he exposed a flaw in my mental cultivation technique, allowing me to overcome a deficiency in my dao heart and undergo this tempering.”
“Otherwise, with such a glaring weakness in my mastery of the Imperial Heart of the Sovereign, a future defeat against a peer might have left me permanently crippled.”
Wang Yin inwardly sighed with relief. “Having undergone this tempering, I’ve completely rectified the flaw in my mental cultivation technique. My future path will now be smooth and unobstructed.”
“Zhang Yu, Zhang Yu… I shouldn’t hate you. I should thank you.”
“You’ll never know how much you’ve helped me, nor how your actions have forged such a formidable opponent.”
His mother, sensing Wang Yin’s mental state, nodded slightly. “Your condition is excellent. It seems you’ve truly shifted your perspective and overcome your inner obstacles.”
Wang Yin smiled faintly. “The essence of the Imperial Heart of the Sovereign isn’t about avoiding failure, but about facing it without fear.”
“From this moment forward, every failure will only serve as nourishment, strengthening my dao heart. No longer will anything impede the flow of my mental cultivation technique.”
“From now on, I will master my mental cultivation technique, not be bound by its constraints.”
The woman nodded. “What if you encounter Zhang Yu again?”
Wang Yin replied calmly, “Such a trivial being has always been nothing more than someone else’s blade. Unless absolutely necessary, I have no interest in striking him down.”
The woman smiled faintly. “Very well. Then I shall test your dao heart once more.”
With a thought, Wang Yin’s mother projected a holographic screen between them.
Watching the playback, Wang Yin asked, “What is this?”
“Footage from the Civil Engineering Competition at Myriad Laws University,” she replied coolly.
“Zhang Yu participated in this competition.”
“Observe this side of Zhang Yu you’ve never seen before.”
Hearing Zhang Yu’s name, Wang Yin’s expression remained unchanged, showing no visible emotion.
But as the footage sped up, showing Zhang Yu’s battle against Su Yanyang in the first half, Wang Yin’s brow furrowed slightly.
He turned to his mother, forcing a smile. “Mom, what’s so interesting about this competition?”
“Keep watching,” she said coldly. “Open your eyes wide and observe Zhang Yu’s true nature.”
At his mother’s insistence, Wang Yin had no choice but to finish watching the second half of the battle.
After it was over, he finally couldn’t resist asking, “What was Zhang Yu’s final result?”
His mother replied calmly, “Seventh place in the Civil Engineering Department. He was awarded the Seven Absolutes of Civil Engineering from Myriad Laws University.”
She explained the concept of the Seven Absolutes, then added, “Zhang Yu has already been accepted as a nominal disciple by True Monarch Greenwood of the Civil Engineering Department.”
“Judging by current developments, he will likely receive even more focused cultivation in the future.”
Observing the changes in Wang Yin’s expression, his mother continued, “In a few years, he might even pass the Military Certificate exam and master the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power.”
Seeing Wang Yin’s rapid breathing, his mother sighed. “It seems you haven’t truly mended the flaw in your heart.”
Wang Yin forced a smile. “Mom, I just need some time to adjust.”
“The stronger Zhang Yu becomes, the greater the tempering effect on my dao heart. It’s actually a good thing.”
“The more he wins, the more I win too…”
His mother shook her head and sent him the recording. “You’ve disappointed me greatly.”
“Watch it more often when you have time.”
“Only when you can watch it with a heart as still as an ancient well, without any emotional fluctuations, will you have truly mended the flaw in your heart.”
The day after the Civil Engineering Competition awards ceremony, Zhang Yu arrived at the simulated construction site Director Gao had arranged, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
Director Gao glanced at Zhang Yu and said calmly, “Today, I will teach you the Second Absolute of the Seven Absolutes of Civil Engineering: the Great Wilderness Mountain-Shifting Force.”
“This technique forms the foundation for generating power among the Seven Absolutes. By combining the physical body with Gang Qi, it mimics the destructive power of various geological disasters. Each strike and stance possesses unparalleled might, capable of both construction and enhancing physical strength.”
As Director Gao spoke, a colorless Gang Qi surged from his fist, transforming into a visible shockwave that violently shook the earth, unleashing a seismic-like force.
He then pressed his palm downward, and the surging Gang Qi, like collapsing mountains and shattering peaks, transformed the entire area into layers of sand and dust, as if they had been transported to a desert.
“Mountain collapses, earthquakes, mudslides, rock explosions, desertification… Every strike and stance of the Great Wilderness Mountain-Shifting Force can reshape the terrain.”
“And when combined with the Profound Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Seal, its power multiplies exponentially…”
As Director Gao explained, Zhang Yu gained a deeper understanding of the Great Wilderness Mountain-Shifting Force’s formidable capabilities.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “The Mountain-Shifting Gang Qi generated by this technique is like a seismic wave. Not only is it immensely powerful and destructive, but it can also trigger tremors in the earth itself.”
“With sufficient force, it can create effects resembling earthquakes, landslides, mudslides, or desertification.”
Zhang Yu recalled the Minor Threefold Combination techniques Shi Huaiyu, Ma Xuan, Su Yanyang, and others had demonstrated in the Civil Engineering Competition.
“When they used the Minor Threefold Combination, their ability to alter terrain, manipulate earth and sand, and unleash geological disasters stemmed from the Profound Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Seal and the Great Wilderness Mountain-Shifting Force.”
Director Gao, having finished his explanation, watched Zhang Yu practice the Great Wilderness Mountain-Shifting Force with anticipation.
“That kid mastered the Profound Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Seal in just one hour and fifteen minutes last time,” Director Gao thought, his face remaining impassive. “How long will it take him to master the Great Wilderness Mountain-Shifting Force this time?”
“I’ve mastered it,” Zhang Yu declared after hastily performing the Great Wilderness Mountain-Shifting Force once. The cultivation art’s techniques flooded his mind, each movement and stance now ingrained in his memory as if he had practiced them countless times.
However, he naturally didn’t reveal his mastery. Instead, he performed the technique a second time in front of Director Gao.
Before seeking Director Gao’s guidance, Zhang Yu had consulted Shi Huaiyu.
When Shi Huaiyu first cultivated the Great Wilderness Mountain-Shifting Force, it had taken her nearly three days to fully master it.
According to Shi Huaiyu, the fastest student in the Civil Engineering Department’s history to master this cultivation art had taken just over half an hour.
Forty-eight minutes later, as Zhang Yu practiced repeatedly, his movements steadily improved, gradually transitioning from clumsy beginner to proficient practitioner.
After all, the memories of cultivating the Great Wilderness Mountain-Shifting Force step by step were still fresh in his mind, making this repetition feel like a natural progression.
Director Gao watched this scene, nodding repeatedly in approval.
In his eyes, Zhang Yu’s progress was visible with each repetition, showcasing an astonishing natural talent.
When the forty-eight minutes had passed, Zhang Yu unleashed a punch that shattered a large section of the ground before him. Director Gao was once again amazed.
“He mastered it in just forty-eight minutes?”
“I remember records faster than this… but those were almost always fabricated for publicity.”
“This kid’s aptitude is truly…”
Zhang Yu turned to Director Gao and said, “Teacher, I’ve mastered it.”
Director Gao nodded. “The situation within the department is complex right now. Someone might target you someday. Don’t tell anyone about your progress with this cultivation art.”
After Zhang Yu nodded, Director Gao continued, “Next, I’ll explain the arrangements for your upcoming Military Certificate exam.”