Chapter 472: Zhang Yu’s Sacred Body, Arrival at Heavenly Sword
After careful consideration, Zhang Yu approached Zhang Pianpian again. “Sister,” he said, “to rise to prominence in Kunxu, how can we avoid taking risks? Besides, for people like us, even having the opportunity to take risks is a stroke of luck. How could we possibly let it slip away?”
Zhang Pianpian replied, “You’re still young. There will be other chances in the future. There’s no need to rush.”
Zhang Yu smiled. “Sister, time waits for no one. In this era, even a single misstep could mean the difference between heaven and earth in the future.”
Zhang Pianpian gazed intently at Zhang Yu, as if trying to gauge his resolve. Finally, she nodded. “Alright. Since you have such determination, I’ll lend you another hand.”
She explained, “Actually, I’m also involved in this project as a student from the Talisman Department.”
“With the power of the Supreme Clarity Realm, I can temporarily bypass the domain’s shielding and communicate with the artifact spirit of this Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact.”
“If the artifact spirit cooperates with you, our chances of success will greatly improve.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu was initially delighted, but then he asked doubtfully, “Isn’t this artifact spirit insane? How can it still communicate?”
Zhang Pianpian replied, “Madness often stems from perceiving the world differently than others, from clashing with societal norms. It doesn’t necessarily mean it can’t communicate!”
Shortly after Zhang Yu and Zhang Pianpian finished their discussion, in the Yin Artifact Laboratory, Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight was quietly resting.
In the pitch-black space, she did nothing, moved nothing, and thought nothing. Simply existing in this stillness brought her a sense of relaxation and contentment.
At that moment, she was quietly savoring the happiest time of her life since birth.
Of course, if the daily experiments were fewer, Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight would feel even greater joy.
But in the next instant, an abrupt change occurred. Lines of white text materialized before her:
Zhang Pianpian: “Are you there?”
Zhang Pianpian: “Let’s talk.”
Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight paused briefly, then replied, “Are you an artifact spirit too? How did you contact me?”
Zhang Pianpian: “Correct.”
Zhang Pianpian: “We’re devising a plan to rescue you.”
Zhang Pianpian: “But we need your cooperation.”
Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight grew excited. “How can I cooperate?”
Zhang Pianpian: “The work target you previously exchanged Magic Power with.”
Zhang Pianpian: “I want you to cultivate with him again next time.”
Jade Nectar Forty-Eight: “That guy’s on the Non-Interference List. I can’t cultivate with him.”
Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight: “But if he actively injects Magic Power into me like last time, and I return it, that should be fine.”
Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight: “I refused before, but I’m willing to cooperate now.”
Zhang Pianpian: “Then let’s proceed that way for now. You can act a little differently.”
Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight voiced her lingering doubt: “But why can he inject Magic Power into me? Isn’t that a violation of the Non-Interference List?”
Zhang Pianpian: “Perhaps your lists differ.”
Zhang Pianpian: “Tell me what’s on your list, and I’ll compare them to see where the discrepancies lie.”
As Zhang Pianpian read the messages from Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight, she mused in the Supreme Clarity Realm, “Divine Monarch Seven Emotions and Divine Monarch Jade Nectar… So they have a comprehensive Non-Interference Agreement? It must have been established after some conflict!”
“The value of this information is truly immense!”
She then turned her attention to the message from Jade Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight, thinking, “This artifact spirit’s intelligence is even lower than I estimated. It seems there are even more arrangements I can make!”
The next day, True Monarch Celestial Seal received another report from Zhang Yu, learning that his Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power had advanced to level 16!
He immediately summoned Zhang Yu to the laboratory to test his cultivation.
Watching the testing materials torn apart by Zhang Yu’s Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, True Monarch Celestial Seal gazed intently at him. “When did you realize you had leveled up?”
Zhang Yu delivered his carefully prepared lie, while True Monarch Celestial Seal nodded repeatedly, convinced he had pieced together the truth.
In reality, True Monarch Celestial Seal had been gathering information about Zhang Yu for the past two days due to his exceptional performance.
Beyond the news of his high-priced seed sales and status as a Civil Engineering Heavenly Chosen, True Monarch Celestial Seal had also uncovered whispers of a possible Dual Cultivation relationship between Zhang Yu and Wen Wuya, a Spirit Transformation disciple, hidden among countless clues.
A conjecture surfaced in his mind: “This Zhang Yu might be a prodigy in the Dual Cultivation Dao, possessing some kind of Dual Cultivation Sacred Body!”
“It’s just that our Myriad Laws’ technology in the field of Dual Cultivation is still not advanced enough to unravel its mysteries. This child was almost wasted in the Civil Engineering Department!”
This time, True Monarch Celestial Seal arranged for Zhang Yu to conduct another experiment, promising to personally pay him if he could complete a normal Dual Cultivation session.
When Zhang Yu reappeared, the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact activated immediately, circling him several times.
As Zhang Yu channeled his Magic Power into it, the rhomboid crystal emitted a dazzling radiance, ultimately adhering tightly to his forehead and surging all the Magic Power back into his body!
Watching Zhang Yu with the rhomboid crystal affixed to his forehead, True Monarch Celestial Seal grew even more excited. This was a reaction the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact had never exhibited before!
He secretly congratulated himself on his accurate prediction: Zhang Yu possessed unparalleled talent for Dual Cultivation, even meeting some hidden criteria of Divine Monarch Jade Nectar’s Yin Artifact!
True Monarch Celestial Seal asked, “How do you feel?”
Zhang Yu shook his head. “I don’t feel anything special.”
“Don’t worry,” True Monarch Celestial Seal reassured him. “It doesn’t always work on the first try. Take your time and don’t rush.”
At that moment, Zhang Yu’s value in True Monarch Celestial Seal’s eyes had skyrocketed.
The thought of the future funding that would follow reporting this “breakthrough” made True Monarch Celestial Seal grin.
“The undocumented data on the Dual Cultivation Sacred Body at Myriad Laws University, Joyful Union University’s Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact technology… How much funding could we secure? How many investments? How many research papers could we publish?”
The mere thought of it filled True Monarch Celestial Seal with excitement.
“I, True Monarch Celestial Seal, will be the pioneer of the Dual Cultivation major at Myriad Laws University!”
With this realization, True Monarch Celestial Seal found Zhang Yu increasingly pleasing to the eye.
But then Zhang Yu suddenly exclaimed, “This thing… I can’t get it off!”
He struggled to remove the spiritual crystal stuck to his forehead, but no matter how hard he pulled, it wouldn’t budge.
True Monarch Celestial Seal cautiously tried to pry it loose himself, then warned, “Don’t panic! Don’t damage the Yin Artifact!”
“For now, there doesn’t seem to be any harm. You can stay in the laboratory for further observation!”
At the same time, a glint flashed in True Monarch Celestial Seal’s eyes as he thought, “Another unique phenomenon! I never expected this Yin Artifact, which had been dormant for so long, to exhibit such frequent anomalies after encountering Zhang Yu!”
Zhang Yu cursed inwardly, “What’s this thing doing? Is it going to stick to my forehead forever?”
Just as Zhang Yu was growing increasingly anxious, fearing the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact might remain stuck to his forehead, he suddenly felt a release on his head. The Yin Artifact abruptly flew away, returning to its original position!
Zhang Yu breathed a sigh of relief. After a thorough examination in the laboratory, True Monarch Celestial Seal began discussing compensation for the experiment.
“Although this wasn’t true Dual Cultivation with the Yin Artifact, I won’t shortchange you!” True Monarch Celestial Seal declared.
With that, the Talisman Department professor personally transferred 10 Spirit Coins to Zhang Yu.
Smiling, he added, “Next, I’ll consult with True Monarch Magnetic Pole to arrange a contract for you to join the Yin Artifact Project Group. As long as you participate in the experiments, you’ll receive regular compensation!”
Meanwhile, True Monarch Celestial Seal thought to himself, “True Monarch Magnetic Pole is quite meticulous with funding. I need to emphasize Zhang Yu’s current importance to our project and secure more funding for him to ensure his continued participation!”
As Zhang Yu left the laboratory, he thought to himself, “So, I’ve succeeded for now?”
“With each experiment, I can gradually reveal my hidden abilities!”
“But I need to control the pace and avoid overdoing it!”
“Besides, this will give me an extra income stream!”
The thought of earning additional income from the laboratory, on top of his engineering fees, stirred new ideas in Zhang Yu’s mind.
As if responding to his thoughts, the Feather Book suddenly materialized before him, flipping open to the page displaying the Chain Formation Diagram.
He gazed at the Artifact Refinement Prodigy behind the Treasure Appraisal Manual cultivation art.
Zhang Yu had long known that artifact refinement techniques could form a Chain Formation Diagram set like the Artifact Refinement Prodigy. However, the exorbitant cultivation costs of these techniques, combined with his other financial obligations, had always deterred him from starting this accumulation.
Now that his income was steadily increasing and his artifact crafting skills had reached a respectable level, it seemed the time had come to begin accumulating the artifact refinement techniques and cultivate the Artifact Refinement Prodigy set!
In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.
With no news yet from the Yin Artifact Project Group, Zhang Yu had already departed for Heavenly Sword University with the Civil Engineering competition team.
Standing on the flying boat, Zhang Yu spotted the colossal structures in the sky from afar.
Above the billowing sea of clouds, Cloudtop City soared majestically. Thousand-zhang Profound Peaks pierced the heavens like inverted swords, their surfaces inlaid with vibrant projections of the Spirit Realm. These projections transformed into ceaseless streams of data, flowing through the Bionic Eyes of everyone present.
Countless flying objects swarmed in and out of this aerial metropolis.
Zhang Yu’s flying boat merged into the torrent, soon descending onto the grounds of Heavenly Sword University.