Chapter 414: Magnetic Pole’s Incarnation
The moment the Earthly Fiend Bottle was refined, Zhang Yu’s face paled slightly, and a sharp pain shot through his chest.
He shook his head helplessly, thinking, “Did I still get injured during the Earthly Fiend Qi processing?”
He understood that this was partly due to his insufficient cultivation and lack of experience in handling Earthly Fiend Qi, and partly because the laboratory’s equipment was too rudimentary.
Despite his utmost caution, a few strands of Earthly Fiend Qi had still seeped into his body.
However, Zhang Yu had anticipated this.
“Fortunately, I was careful enough. This minor infection should clear up with a few days of rest.”
“The money I save on renting a high-end laboratory can now be spent on the Spirit Realm Simulation Laboratory. I’ll use the time to practice my Artifact Refinement Technique.”
For the next two days, Zhang Yu stayed indoors, only leaving his dormitory for classes. He spent most of his time in the Spirit Realm Simulation Laboratory, honing his Artifact Refinement Technique.
On this day, Ye Xingli arrived at the dormitory door and knocked on Zhang Yu’s door.
Zhang Yu looked at Ye Xingli outside the door, surprised. “Senior Sister Ye? What brings you here?”
Ye Xingli gave Zhang Yu a strange look, stepped into the dormitory, and quickly closed the door behind her.
She had already been puzzled when True Monarch Magnetic Pole instructed her to guide Zhang Yu in artifact refinement, record his performance in the laboratory, and even take photos.
But today’s events left her even more bewildered.
She pulled a round bead from her pocket. The bead shimmered with iridescent light, its interior swirling with nebula-like patterns that shifted between clarity and haze, radiating an air of mystery.
Zhang Yu asked, “Senior Sister, what’s this?”
The next moment, True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s voice echoed from the bead: “It’s me.”
Immediately, the entire dormitory seemed to tremble violently.
But Zhang Yu quickly realized that it wasn’t the physical world dormitory shaking, but rather the Spirit Realm visible through his Bionic Eye.
With a thunderous roar, a phantom pagoda shattered through space, materializing within the dormitory. It was True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s level 40 magical artifact, the Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Pagoda.
As the pagoda descended, all Spirit Realm-entangled materials within the small dormitory — from Bionic Eyes to magical artifacts — had their information transmission temporarily suppressed and taken over by the Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Pagoda.
A flash of light followed, and a phantom figure emerged from the spherical pearl in Ye Xingli’s hand, appearing before Zhang Yu.
Gazing at the slender figure clad in opulent palace robes, sensing the noble aura radiating from her, the haughtily raised head, and the arrogant glint in her eyes, Zhang Yu asked hesitantly, “Are you True Monarch Magnetic Pole?”
“Both yes and no,” the phantom replied calmly. “This is an incarnation I condensed using the Profound Yin Heavenly Pearl. It’s not my true self, but it sufficiently represents my will.”
This was Zhang Yu’s first face-to-face encounter with True Monarch Magnetic Pole. Feeling somewhat nervous, he asked, “What brings you here?”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole said calmly, “You recently purchased a batch of materials tainted with Earthly Fiend Qi, and then rested for two days. Were you infected by the fiend energy?”
Zhang Yu’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t expected True Monarch Magnetic Pole to be so attentive to his affairs. He nodded slightly. “Yes.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole continued, “You might think your constitution is strong enough to withstand it.”
“But Earthly Fiend Qi is like a bone-deep disease. If not properly treated, it could have long-term effects on your physical body, compromising its overall quality.”
At this, True Monarch Magnetic Pole smiled faintly and turned to Ye Xingli, who stood behind her. “Xingli, go outside and keep watch. Don’t let anyone disturb me.”
“Understood.” Ye Xingli cast a complex glance at True Monarch Magnetic Pole, then at Zhang Yu, before silently retreating.
Once Ye Xingli had left, True Monarch Magnetic Pole suddenly moved closer to Zhang Yu, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
Zhang Yu said nervously, “True Monarch, I don’t think the Earthly Fiend Qi has affected me too badly.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole seized Zhang Yu’s wrist and said domineeringly: “Wait until I’ve finished examining you before you speak again.”
Zhang Yu felt an overwhelming surge of Magic Power flood his body, instantly sweeping through his limbs, bones, and thirty-six meridians.
Fortunately, he had already concealed all his Dao Seeds and Chain Formation Diagrams, confident that True Monarch Magnetic Pole wouldn’t detect anything unusual.
A moment later, a sharp pain pierced Zhang Yu’s chest. Black Qi erupted from his seven orifices, gradually dissipating into the air.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole glanced at Zhang Yu with mild surprise. “The residual Earthly Fiend Qi has been purged,” she said. “Your physical constitution is remarkably robust. Even without my intervention today, you would have recovered swiftly.”
With that, True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s fingertips traced Zhang Yu’s arm, shoulder, and chest, as if conducting a thorough examination. Finally, she nodded in admiration. “Your physical body cultivation is exceptional. Many senior students with years of rigorous training can’t match your physique.”
Zhang Yu nodded slightly, feeling as if the True Monarch’s gaze was constantly scrutinizing every inch of him.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole said calmly, “Relax. Are you this nervous in front of Director Gao too?”
Zhang Yu replied helplessly, “No… it’s different.”
“How so?” True Monarch Magnetic Pole asked. “If anything, it’s only after you and I established our master-disciple relationship that Old Gao accepted you as a nominal disciple.”
As she spoke, True Monarch Magnetic Pole patted Zhang Yu’s head reassuringly. “Don’t worry. I’ve used the Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Pagoda to suppress the Spirit Realm here. No one will know I visited you today.”
Zhang Yu couldn’t help but say, “True Monarch… I think it would be better if we communicated through the Spirit Realm Network. Director Gao is a good teacher, and this feels wrong.”
Compared to Director Gao, True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s methods were clearly far more powerful. Zhang Yu really didn’t want to be subjected to her constant scrutiny.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole smiled dismissively. “Enough about Old Gao,” she said casually.
“Three months remain until the end of your second year.”
“Today, I’ll test how well you’ve learned the Artifact Refinement Department’s curriculum.”
Meanwhile, Ye Xingli, guarding the door outside, was filled with a thousand doubts: “Why would Master come to see Zhang Yu?”
“And why so secretly, making me cover for her?”
“Judging by what I just heard, is it about Zhang Yu being infected by Earthly Fiend Qi?”
“Did Master come specifically to treat Zhang Yu’s Earthly Fiend Qi?”
As these thoughts swirled in her mind, even more questions arose: “But… does she really need to handle this personally? She could have someone else take care of it, unless…”
“Master came secretly because she doesn’t want anyone to know Zhang Yu is infected with Earthly Fiend Qi? Or that Zhang Yu is working on artifact refinement?”
“Is Director Gao really grooming Zhang Yu for artifact refinement? Or…”
As these speculations surfaced, a conflicted expression gradually appeared on Ye Xingli’s face.
She even recalled stories of teachers fighting over disciples, leading to disastrous consequences.
“No way…”
“Master and Director Gao have been friends for centuries. Given their generation’s values, they wouldn’t stoop to such tactics, would they?”
Ye Xingli nodded repeatedly, inwardly repeating to herself, “Master must be here for Director Gao.”
“She must have rushed here to take care of Director Gao’s disciple.”
Half an hour later, seeing that True Monarch Magnetic Pole still hadn’t emerged, Ye Xingli considered sending another message to inquire, but worried about disturbing her master.
“How much longer will this take?”
Just then, a voice called out, “Xingli?”
Ye Xingli jerked her head up and saw Mo Shangjin approaching from a distance, looking at her curiously. “What are you doing here?”
Knowing Mo Shangjin was also a resident of this floor, Ye Xingli quickly explained, “I came to see Zhang Yu.”
Mo Shangjin smiled slightly. “Zhang Yu? Perfect timing. I need to discuss the next project with him too. Let’s go in together.”
But as Mo Shangjin stepped forward, Ye Xingli remained blocking his path.
Mo Shangjin frowned. “Hmm? Xingli, what’s wrong?”
Ye Xingli forced an awkward smile. “I… I just finished talking to him. He’s still busy with some things. Let’s not disturb him right now.”
At the same time, Ye Xingli quickly sent a message to True Monarch Magnetic Pole.
Ye Xingli: “Master, Mo Shangjin is at the door.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Don’t let him bother me.”
Ye Xingli sighed inwardly as she looked at Mo Shangjin standing before her, resigned to making small talk.
Initially, Mo Shangjin was quite pleased to be chatting with Ye Xingli. He had long wanted to cultivate a good relationship with this top student from the Artifact Refinement Department. Even if nothing else came of it, having her maintain his Bionics would save him a considerable amount of money.
But after more than ten minutes of forced conversation, Mo Shangjin began to sense something was off. He thought to himself, “Ye Xingli… why does it feel like she’s just making conversation for the sake of it? What is she up to?”
Another five minutes passed, and just as Mo Shangjin’s suspicions deepened, the dormitory door behind him finally opened.
Zhang Yu looked at the pair and asked, “Senior Mo, Senior Sister Ye, what are you two doing here?”
As Mo Shangjin turned to greet him, the Profound Yin Heavenly Pearl transformed into a nearly invisible wisp of light and slipped unnoticed into Ye Xingli’s hands.
Ye Xingli quickly greeted Zhang Yu and hurried away, simultaneously sending a discreet message: “Master, Zhang Yu is Director Gao’s disciple, after all.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Xingli, when did you become so talkative?”
Ye Xingli immediately deleted the message she was typing.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Treat today’s events as if you saw nothing.”
Ye Xingli: “[Shut up face emoji]”
Ye Xingli sighed inwardly, “Ah, what exactly is Zhang Yu’s charm?”
Meanwhile, in the dormitory on the other side:
After Mo Shangjin left, Fu Ji sighed, “Zhang Yu, have you considered what you’ll do when Director Gao finds out?”
Zhang Yu recalled True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s satisfied expression before leaving and slowly replied, “My mastery of the Artifact Refinement Technique has essentially earned True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s approval.”
“Next, I just need to pass the Artifact Refinement Department’s final exam.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole had already promised to arrange a separate exam for Zhang Yu, so he wasn’t too worried about that.
Zhang Yu sighed, “True Monarch Magnetic Pole said she’ll secretly grant me status in the Artifact Refinement Department, keeping it hidden for now. That means I can stay in the Civil Engineering Department for a few more years.”
“Ah, I’ll keep it a secret for as long as I can.”
“Director Gao has been good to me. I don’t want to clash with him.”
Fu Ji thought to herself, “Is that really for Director Gao’s sake? Or are you plotting to master the Seven Absolutes of Civil Engineering and the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power?”