Chapter 458: The Vast Artifact Refinement Department, Another Battle with Vajra
As the Profound Yin Heavenly Pearl radiated layer upon layer of light, the avatar of True Monarch Magnetic Pole materialized before Zhang Yu.
The slender figure, clad in opulent palace robes, sat on an office chair, gazing at Zhang Yu with satisfaction. “I underestimated you. You actually mastered the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power in such a short time.”
“While luck and True Monarch Cloud Haven’s assistance played a role, your innate talent in the Martial Dao was indispensable.”
With a snap of her fingers, True Monarch Magnetic Pole patted her lap. “Come here.”
“Let me examine your body!”
Zhang Yu, remembering his future enrollment in the Artifact Refinement Department, gritted his teeth and sat on her lap.
As True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s fingers traced his body, strands of Magic Power seeped into his meridians, probing his physical condition. Zhang Yu felt like a prime artifact crafting material, undergoing constant evaluation by the True Monarch.
“Excellent!” True Monarch Magnetic Pole exclaimed. “Your physique now possesses traces of Earthly Fiend Gravity. This is the body-tempering effect of the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power!”
“Through years of cultivating and wielding this martial art, a practitioner’s flesh and blood gradually acquire a natural force, radiating Earthly Fiend Gravity with every movement!”
“If one’s cultivation is profound enough, and their comprehension of the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power is sufficiently deep, even after the flesh and blood are separated from the body, they retain traces of Earthly Fiend Gravity and an innate adaptability to it. This makes them excellent materials for crafting flying or protective magical artifacts!”
Zhang Yu couldn’t help but tremble at these words. Forcing a strained smile, he asked, “True Monarch, are you… thinking of using some of my flesh and blood to refine a magical artifact?”
At that moment, Zhang Yu felt as humble as a junior college student.
True Monarchnetic Pole held Zhang Yu close, stroking his small hand as she chuckled, “What nonsense! Would a dignified Nascent Soul True Monarch like myself stoop to using materials from a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator?”
“I was merely pondering that throughout history, none of the cultivators who mastered the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power ever delved into artifact crafting. Myriad Laws University has a vast research gap in this area!”
“If you can integrate the mysteries of the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power into your artifact crafting research — for example, by successfully refining your own flesh and blood into a Bionic — that alone would be enough for several academic papers!”
“And if you make any breakthroughs in the process, even minor innovations in the techniques related to Earthly Fiend Gravity, you could secure a place in academic research after advancing to the Golden Core stage. That would also benefit my artifact crafting research!”
Zhang Yu nodded thoughtfully.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole continued, “Let’s talk about your department transfer. Now that you’ve mastered the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, have you decided to switch to the Artifact Refinement Department after your third year?”
Zhang Yu’s expression turned solemn. He nodded earnestly and said sincerely, “Teacher, the Civil Engineering Department is excellent, and I have a promising future there. Director Gao has been very good to me, but… I’m too eager to progress!”
“I want to go further on the Immortal Dao, pursue postgraduate studies, even a doctorate, and perhaps join a Sect!”
“I know the Artifact Refinement Department is the only place where I can realize these dreams!”
“People strive for higher places, water flows to lower ground. While the Civil Engineering Department has treated you well, the Artifact Refinement Department offers far greater horizons!”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole nodded with a sigh. “It’s good you’ve made up your mind.”
“But Old Gao is still the head of the Civil Engineering Department. While I’ll support you in this, it’s impossible to think he won’t have his own ideas.”
“You need to be prepared for the pressure.”
Just then, True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s eyes flashed. She casually approved Yan Qianji’s request, and his Spirit Realm Projection materialized before her.
Yan Qianji reported, “True Monarch, we’re encountering some difficulties with the artifact spirit decryption. We need your guidance…”
“Explain the problem first,” True Monarch Magnetic Pole replied calmly.
As Yan Qianji spoke, his gaze kept returning to the True Monarch before him. A strange thought surfaced in his mind: “Why does it look like True Monarch Magnetic Pole is holding someone?”
Though her arms appeared empty, Yan Qianji knew such things could be concealed. Yet her posture and movements unmistakably resembled those of someone cradling another person.
“But is that even possible?” Yan Qianji wondered inwardly. “Someone like True Monarch Magnetic Pole… who would she be holding? It couldn’t possibly be Ye Xingli, could it?”
Filled with curiosity and astonishment, Yan Qianji ended his report and disconnected the communication.
Zhang Yu, however, hadn’t seen Yan Qianji’s private communication with True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s projection. He could only sense that she had been engaged in a remote conversation with someone.
After finishing his call with Yan Qianji, True Monarch Magnetic Pole continued, “The Seven Absolutes Bionics of the Civil Engineering Department, though not Military-Grade, can synergize to greatly enhance the power of the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power. Their unique enhancements to Earthly Fiend Gravity are particularly noteworthy.”
“Remember to take all relevant blueprints with you before transferring departments. They’ll serve as excellent references for your future Bionic crafting…”
Fu Ji listened to True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s guidance, thinking, “You two masters and disciples are really trying to strip the Civil Engineering Department bare! Once you’ve extracted the essence of the department’s Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power and Seven Absolutes Bionics for artifact crafting, what will be left? It’ll probably just become the Civil Engineering Class under the Artifact Refinement Department of Myriad Laws University!”
After finishing what she needed to say, True Monarch Magnetic Pole patted Zhang Yu on the shoulder and said, “You can go back now. Focus on the upcoming competition, and don’t rush the transfer. I’ll take care of it for you.”
Late January.
At the construction site.
As Zhang Yu’s hand seals shifted, the nearby mountainside exploded with a thunderous roar. The debris soared into the sky, where it was churned by invisible vortexes, rapidly disintegrating into a vast cloud of dust.
Zhang Yu then pointed a finger, unleashing a wave of Earthly Fiend Gravity. In an instant, the swirling dust cloud was compressed into a tight, compact mass.
Through his recent cultivation at the construction site, Zhang Yu’s Earth Essence Art had already reached Level 20, the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage.
This also meant his Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power had reached Level 20, the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage.
Moreover, with the added boost from the Inverted Kunlun First Layer of the Chain Formation Diagram, Zhang Yu’s Mountain-Shifting Divine Power could inflict even greater environmental destruction.
He had briefly tested this power in an uninhabited wilderness area, and even without exerting his full strength, the results had been astonishing.
As for his full potential, he had only one conclusion:
“Incredible!”
Just then, Zhang Yu saw a message from Feng Tingting.
Feng Tingting: “Zhang Yu, have you heard? True Monarch Magnetic Pole was seen embracing someone in her office late last night!”
Zhang Yu: “Huh?”
Feng Tingting: “It must be some top-tier artifact crafting material to make a True Monarch play with it so late!”
Zhang Yu: “Maybe!”
Feng Tingting: “I wonder who could be worthy of being held by a True Monarch like that!”
Feng Tingting: “I’d be happy with just some scraps!”
Zhang Yu: “Where did you hear this?”
Feng Tingting: “Why do you ask? I wouldn’t reveal such things casually!”
Zhang Yu shook his head, thinking that with True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s cultivation level, she wouldn’t let anyone see who she was holding.
Several hours later, another day had passed. Fu Ji reviewed the workload of each employee, calculated their wages, and reported the figures to Zhang Yu.
Zhang Yu paid everyone, secretly wincing as his account balance dwindled.
“Sigh, I just need to hold on. This is Myriad Laws University’s own project, so they won’t delay payments. I should receive a batch of funds next month!”
The Soul Cultivators who received their wages sent their thanks.
Zhao Tianxing: “Thank you, President Zhang.”
Hu Yuntao: “Thank you, President Zhang.”
Ying Xin’s Grandfather: “Thank you, President Zhang.”
Seeing Zhang Yu’s promptness in issuing payments, Fu Ji couldn’t help but comment, “These are long-term employees working on the entire project, not daily laborers with lower wages. Do you really need to pay them every day?”
“We’re not a big corporation, and the project funds haven’t even arrived yet. I think we could easily delay their payments by a month or two after the project’s finished!”
“We’ve got plenty of Spirit Coins saved up. You could use them for your own cultivation. When you’re not on-site, you could spend more time in the Spirit Realm Projection, practicing your artifact crafting skills!”
Zhang Yu shook his head. “Zhao Tianxing started late and wasted a lot of time in his first year of university. He really needs the money.”
“Mo Tianyi has been a Soul Cultivator for years, and his monthly expenses are considerable.”
“Hu Yuntao and Che Yufei are drowning in debt. Their financial situation is even worse.”
“As for the Ying Family members, they’re at an age where daily maintenance costs are unavoidable. Since they’re helping me here, I don’t want to delay their wages.”
Fu Ji was astonished. “You little brat… why are you being so considerate to your employees?”
She snapped angrily, “Why throw perfectly good Spirit Coins at them every day? It’s like pouring money down the drain!”
Zhang Yu replied calmly, “It’s not like we’re short on funds.”
Fu Ji retorted, “This won’t work! It’s crippling our company’s competitiveness. How are we supposed to grow?”
“Since you made me CFO, you’ll have to listen to me on this!”
To be honest, Zhang Yu didn’t know how to answer Fu Ji’s question.
He understood that her point had some merit: lowering labor costs could indeed enhance a company’s competitiveness.
But at least for now, while he had the means to avoid wage cuts, Zhang Yu refused to do so.
He couldn’t imagine how he would even broach such a topic with Zhao Tianxing, Che Yufei, and the others.
After fruitless attempts at persuasion, Fu Ji suddenly exclaimed, “You little bastard! Are you planning to exploit only me in the entire company?”
Zhang Yu reassured her, “You’re a shareholder, after all. As the company grows, you’ll reap immense benefits!”
At that moment, Fu Ji realized something: “Damn it… it seems I’m the only one who can’t quit Zhang Yu’s company.”
Several days later, Zhang Yu accompanied Shi Huaiyu, Su Yanyang, and others to Vajra University.
Today marked their Losers’ Bracket showdown with Vajra University, determining who would truly be the ultimate loser of this year’s competition.
As they gazed down at the golden-gleaming university beneath the flying boat, only Zhang Yu maintained an air of calm. Su Yanyang and the others, visibly tense and apprehensive, clearly lacked confidence in the upcoming contest.