Chapter 464: Yin Artifact Decoded, Dual Degree
Within the Supreme Clarity Realm, Zhang Yu was conducting a simulated upgrade experiment on the Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill.
As the experimental equipment powered up, the pill underwent continuous transformation under the scorching flames. Zhang Yu was using his newly acquired Qi Pivot Phase Transformation technique to cycle the pill through solid, liquid, and gaseous states.
Once successfully refined, the Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill would be able to freely transition between these three states and merge with a cultivator’s Gang Qi, transforming both and granting various extraordinary benefits.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Once my artifact crafting skill reaches Level 20, I can try upgrading my Great Unity Golden Liquid Pill in the Physical World. While I’m at it, I’ll merge those few pills I have.”
He added inwardly, “The Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power is devastating and highly controllable, but it lacks defensive capabilities.”
Recalling the previous battle, he mused, “Especially against attacks like the Great Sun Manifestations, neither the Mountain-Shifting Divine Power nor the Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force can effectively block them.”
“I can’t rely on brute force every time.”
“I need proper defensive capabilities.”
Zhang Yu understood clearly that as his strength grew and he began to compete at the Military-Grade level, his magical artifacts needed to evolve to fill in his various shortcomings.
For example, defenses against attacks like the Great Sun Manifestations, as well as mobility, reconnaissance, stealth capabilities, and so on.
While Zhang Yu was diligently working on his self-improvement, in the depths of the Spirit Realm, True Monarch Magnetic Pole was reviewing the project reports from the past period, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
The initial work to decipher the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact had progressed rapidly.
However, as the decryption efforts deepened, the project’s pace slowed. This was due to the complexity of the embedded talismans increasing almost exponentially, gradually reducing everyone’s efficiency.
Yet in the latest report, True Monarch Magnetic Pole discovered that a student named Zhang Pianpian had made significant breakthroughs recently, even uncovering unique patterns in the talismans of the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact.
“This will greatly accelerate our decryption efforts. If everyone learns Zhang Pianpian’s method, we might finish the complete decryption within days.”
With this thought, True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s curiosity about Zhang Pianpian grew.
After briefly reviewing Zhang Pianpian’s records, True Monarch Magnetic Pole discovered an unusual connection between Zhang Pianpian and Zhang Yu.
“They knew each other since high school.”
“After coming to university, they even started living together.”
“It seems they have always been supporting and helping each other?”
What surprised True Monarch Magnetic Pole even more was the abundance of classified information contained within Zhang Pianpian’s file.
“Even I can’t access it?” she thought.
Though she couldn’t view the classified data directly, True Monarch Magnetic Pole, seasoned by years of experience and sharp intuition, quickly pieced together clues from various fragments of information. Leveraging the Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Pagoda’s spiritual realm intelligence-gathering capabilities, she reached several conclusions.
“Could this involve connections within the Ministry of All People?” she mused. “Moreover, Zhang Pianpian seems capable of utilizing computational resources from a high-tier Spirit Realm Grotto-Heaven. This must be how she accelerated the decryption progress.”
“To be able to leverage Heavenly Court resources in such a way, Zhang Pianpian’s connections must be extraordinary.”
“Could Zhang Yu’s rapid progress in artifact crafting also be due to her influence?”
“But Zhang Yu isn’t even in the Talisman Department… Could it simply be that Zhang Pianpian is personally looking after him?”
“Could it be that Zhang Pianpian owes him a significant debt, compelling her to help him so extensively?”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole shook her head, acknowledging the lack of sufficient information to untangle these relationships.
After a moment’s thought, however, she chuckled. “Civil Engineering, Artifact Refinement, and now the Talisman Department… My disciple sure knows how to spread his charm.”
Inside the dormitory.
Supreme Clarity Realm.
The Supreme Clarity Realm was currently enveloped in layers of mist, continuously emitting enigmatic signals that seemed to emanate from the Nine Heavens above.
In the main hall, Zhang Pianpian slowly opened her eyes, thinking to herself, “Now that we have the Side Hall’s simulation capabilities, it should be smooth sailing to disguise the Supreme Clarity Realm as a resource of the Heavenly Court.”
“True Monarch Magnetic Pole must already be misled.”
“With this setup, even if Zhang Yu makes remarkable progress in artifact crafting through the Supreme Clarity Realm and reveals some of it, it shouldn’t arouse True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s suspicions.”
A faint smile appeared on Zhang Pianpian’s lips, but she quickly suppressed it, refocusing on the talisman before her.
“Time is running out.”
“I need to hurry.”
Inside the Civil Engineering Department office, Director Gao was reviewing Zhang Yu’s project progress. He nodded approvingly. “The kid’s getting more skilled and reliable by the day.”
“I should introduce him to more people next time. After all, securing more projects and earning more money will help him advance further on the Immortal Dao path.”
At that moment, Director Gao felt that even if Zhang Yu couldn’t lead a team to place in the top three of the Inter-University Competition this year, he could fully accept it. After all, Zhang Yu was still young, only a third-year student.
“If he loses this year, there are still seven more years to go.”
In that moment, Director Gao seemed to envision Zhang Yu dominating the university Civil Engineering Competitions for the next seven years, securing first place each time. He imagined the company’s stock prices soaring and project bids succeeding one after another.
After graduation, Zhang Yu would pursue his master’s and doctoral degrees under his guidance, eventually passing the assessment and advancing to the Nascent Soul stage, becoming his most capable disciple.
“In the future, this kid might even join me on the battlefield, participate in the University Wars, and completely transform the Civil Engineering landscape at Myriad Laws University — and perhaps the entire academic world…”
Just as Director Gao was lost in his reverie, a message arrived from True Monarch Magnetic Pole.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Did you hear about Old Wang’s last disciple from the Security Department? He didn’t get his degree.”
Director Gao: “Yeah, I know. Probably just a weak spot in his studies, right?”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “He was such a promising student. Who could have imagined this would happen?”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Fortunately, he had a double major.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Even though he didn’t get the Security Department degree, he still has the other one. Otherwise, ten years of study would have gone to waste, and he’d be ruined.”
Director Gao: “Why are you suddenly telling me this?”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “I’ve been thinking about how more and more schools outside are promoting double majors. After all, a single specialization isn’t enough for students’ cultivation anymore.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “To put it bluntly, if the job market for one major tanks, at least they have another to fall back on.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Studying two majors simultaneously saves time, fosters cross-disciplinary thinking, enhances competitiveness, and builds a broader network. You agree, right?”
Director Gao frowned at the messages. After a moment’s contemplation, he replied: “The academic pressure is already overwhelming. It’ll be tough to convince students to take on another major.”
“We two together surely can’t be outmatched by a mere student, right?”
“After centuries of friendship, you must support me on this.”
“You wouldn’t oppose me, would you?”
“Old Gao?”
Director Gao frowned slightly as he read True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s messages. “What is this Magnetic Pole up to…? Could it be…”
Just as Director Gao was wavering between confusion and concern, another message arrived:
“Tomorrow, I’ll talk to Feng Tingting and have her come to the Civil Engineering Department to earn another degree.”
“With dual cultivation in Civil Engineering and artifact crafting, she’ll become a versatile, plug-and-play talent, specializing in smart construction.”
Director Gao’s eyes lit up at this proposal. The Civil Engineering Department was clearly supportive of having an artifact refinement expert come to study with them.
He sighed inwardly: “Ah, what was I worrying about earlier?”
Magnetic Pole and I have been friends for centuries, and she’s the head of the Artifact Refinement Department with so many academic overachievers under her. Why would she covet a student from Civil Engineering?
With this thought, Director Gao replied: “No problem. I’ll personally arrange everything when the time comes.”
In the Spirit Realm, True Monarch Magnetic Pole read Director Gao’s reply with a faint smile.
Over the following days, the efficiency of deciphering the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact surged dramatically, accelerating the entire project team’s progress.
Before long, it was mid-February.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole led a team of staff members, encircling the artifact spirit within the Spirit Realm.
The artifact spirit now floated before them like a blank sheet of paper, devoid of any mental fluctuations.
After relentless work, the deciphering effort achieved a major breakthrough. True Monarch Magnetic Pole had successfully suppressed most of the artifact spirit’s intelligence, reducing its cognitive level from that of an 18-year-old to that of a five-year-old.
The reason for choosing this method over more violent approaches to forcibly seize control of the Yin Artifact was simple: True Monarch Magnetic Pole wanted to observe the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact’s most natural and complete operational processes, gaining a detailed understanding of how the high-intelligence Artifact Spirit functioned.
Forcing control through brute force could have resulted in the loss of crucial data.
For True Monarch Magnetic Pole and Myriad Laws University, gaining control of the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact wasn’t the most important thing.
Cracking Joyful Union University’s technology and Divine Monarch Jade Nectar’s techniques — that was the true objective.
The Professor of the Talisman Department remarked, “The first phase is complete. Now we just need to continue experimenting with this Yin Artifact, gather vast amounts of data, and gradually unravel Joyful Union University’s technology. Who knows? Myriad Laws might even establish its own Dual Cultivation Academy in the future.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole chuckled. “Indeed. When that time comes, you’ll be the founder of Dual Cultivation studies at Myriad Laws University, filling a crucial gap on campus.”
However, as they began further trials, True Monarch Magnetic Pole discovered that activating and operating the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact required very specific conditions.
“Too high a cultivation level doesn’t work, and neither does too low.”
“Divine Monarch Jade Nectar was quite picky. Even after resetting the Yin Artifact to its default settings, she imposed numerous troublesome screening criteria.”
After a moment’s contemplation, True Monarch Magnetic Pole concluded, “For now, the best experimental subjects are still students.”
“It seems Divine Monarch Jade Nectar created this Yin Artifact specifically to communicate with students.”
The Professor of the Talisman Department nodded. “Let’s gather a group of students for the experiment.”
A student’s eyes lit up. “Teacher, how much will we be paid to participate?”
“Paid?” The professor chuckled. “This is a Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact, and most of its spiritual intelligence has been suppressed. Interacting with it will undoubtedly bring significant benefits. You should be paying me.”
After a moment’s thought, he said, “We’ll announce it publicly… no, let’s give Divine Monarch Jade Nectar some face. We won’t make it public. Instead, we’ll discreetly notify students from each department to apply by paying a fee.”
A student nearby asked, “If we’re notifying them discreetly, which students will we contact?”
The professor pondered for a moment. “The top ten students from each department. Anyone among them who’s interested can apply.”
He then turned to True Monarch Magnetic Pole beside him. “What do you think, Magnetic Pole?”
Magnetic Pole nodded. “Let’s proceed tentatively. We’ll see how it goes.”