Chapter 477: Even Civil Engineering Can Produce Dragons
Beside the arena for the Civil Engineering Competition.
Unlike the spectator stands in the Spirit Realm, the stands specifically prepared for the Physical World were almost empty.
After all, even those who genuinely wanted to watch the competition would mostly do so from the Spirit Realm. Few would bother to physically attend in their mortal bodies.
At the highest point of the stands, Bai Zhenzhen stood utterly alone, watching the competition unfold.
However, Bai Zhenzhen had activated the power of her Divine Spirit Root, making herself as imperceptible as a wisp of air, drawing no one’s attention.
This hidden ability of her Divine Spirit Root allowed her to evade unwanted encounters and disappear from the world at will.
Yet the Divine Spirit Root could only conceal her alone; it couldn’t hide Zhang Yu as well. This was why she hadn’t used it to transfer the Divine Spirit Root earlier.
After all, hiding only herself would only arouse suspicion, like trying to cover up something obvious.
Especially after transferring the Divine Spirit Root, if Zhang Yu failed to control it immediately, it might suddenly manifest.
While Zhang Yu also possessed a Divine Spirit Root, he wasn’t skilled at concealing his abilities. Moreover, he anticipated that the intense stimulation during the Spirit Root exchange would inevitably cause him to lose control. Therefore, he never considered recklessly exchanging Spirit Roots, relying solely on his concealment skills — the risk was simply too great.
If someone were observing them at that moment, it would trigger the worst possible outcome.
On the competition field, thunderous roars echoed continuously.
Streaks of fiery light, resembling shooting stars, rained down upon Zhang Yu, shattering layers of the atmosphere with thunderous booms.
Simultaneously, a message from Divine Monarch Seven Emotions appeared in Bai Zhenzhen’s Bionic Eye.
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “Watching Zhang Yu’s competition?”
Bai Zhenzhen: “Yes.”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “The gap between you two is widening.”
On the field, Zhang Yu abruptly activated his Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power. The surging Earthly Fiend Gravity formed a black hole-like vortex, deflecting the incoming meteors and slamming them into the ground.
Bai Zhenzhen: “Zhang Yu has already mastered a military-grade cultivation technique. He’s steadily catching up to me.”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “But he’s from the Civil Engineering Department. Mastering the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power proves he’s deeply rooted in that field and can no longer leave construction sites.”
Bai Zhenzhen: “Even the Civil Engineering Department can produce dragons.”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “Perhaps.”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “But will the Zhang Yu of that time still be the one you know?”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “Did he tell you about participating in the Yin Artifact Experiment and upgrading his cultivation technique?”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “I’m not some old-fashioned relic opposed to Dual Cultivation.”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “Dual Cultivation expands the boundaries of the Human Immortal Dao and enriches the foundations of the Immortal Dao. It’s beneficial for most cultivators.”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “But once someone tastes the sweetness of Dual Cultivation, begins toying with their desires and emotions, and grows stronger in the process, they’ll no longer cherish those things.”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “He’s now a guinea pig in the Yin Artifact Experiment, reaping immense benefits. He’ll gradually transform into someone else. Emotions and Dual Cultivation will become mere bargaining chips and resources for his cultivation, making him incompatible with your Extreme Emotion Sword Dao.”
Bai Zhenzhen: “I believe in Zhang Yu.”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “The poor cannot withstand temptation.”
Bai Zhenzhen remained silent, her mind involuntarily replaying the scene she had witnessed earlier that day: “Zhang Yu conversing with Wen Wuya.”
If this were the Zhang Yu she knew from before, he would have decisively rejected Wen Wuya without a moment’s hesitation, wouldn’t he?
Could his participation in the Yin Artifact Experiment, and the benefits he gained from it, have changed him?
And when they were together today, Zhang Yu seemed so eager… to transfer her Divine Spirit Root?
Even his insistence that she watch the Civil Engineering Competition seemed like part of a scheme to steal her Spirit Root…
The realization struck Bai Zhenzhen, and her expression shifted. Had Zhang Yu truly changed? Was he no longer the boy she knew from high school?
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “Whether Zhang Yu ends up building bridges or paving roads is irrelevant to me. I simply don’t want your Extreme Emotion Sword Dao to backfire, wasting all your hard work.”
Bai Zhenzhen remained silent, her gaze shifting back to the competition arena.
There, streaks of light soared into the sky, arcing across most of the arena like shooting stars.
Gazing at the overwhelming spectacle of meteor showers raining down like a celestial deluge, Zhang Yu took a deep breath. His palm seals shifted, coalescing fragments of Earthly Fiend Gravity into swirling spheres that rose into the sky like miniature black holes, devouring the descending meteors.
Ten Phases of Suppressing Stars — Stardust Bind.
Meanwhile, massive chunks of mountains levitated, forming an Aerial Fortress that layered upon layered, shielding Heavenly Sword University’s construction site.
Yue Guanqiong stood proudly atop the mountain peak. With a flick of his finger, Great Freedom Instant Hell sword qi infused the floating stones, transforming them into blazing meteors that streaked across the heavens, converging upon Myriad Laws University’s location.
“As my offensive escalates,” Yue Guanqiong chuckled softly, “how much longer can you withstand it?” Behind him, dozens of Flying Swords hovered silently, poised for battle.
In the spectator stands of the Spirit Realm, Wan Gouxuan from Immortal Armaments University watched the arena below with rapt attention.
He mused inwardly, “Heavenly Sword University’s Great Freedom Instant Hell sword qi can adhere to all things, transforming grass, trees, bamboo, stones, soil, and gravel into flying swords that can be launched as projectiles. Not only does it enable ultra-long-range construction, but the razor-sharp sword qi within can shatter mountains and split rocks.”
“High construction efficiency, adaptable to most environments, no specialized tools required, and low costs… it’s a top-tier large-scale civil engineering cultivation art.”
With this thought, Wan Gouxuan sighed, “Zhang Yu from Myriad Laws University is completely outmatched.”
“Defending against Yue Guanqiong’s flying sword attacks already requires Zhang Yu to expend more energy. Moreover, Yue Guanqiong’s inherent strength surpasses Zhang Yu’s.”
“If Zhang Yu hadn’t somehow pushed his cultivation art to level 16 through some Yin Artifact Experiment, the situation would be even worse.”
As he pondered this, a flicker of envy crossed Wan Gouxuan’s mind. How long had it taken him to advance his military-grade cultivation technique from level 10 to 16? Yet Zhang Yu had achieved such a leap in a mere fraction of the time. How could he not envy him?
Still, Wan Gouxuan found solace in the fact that this leap, however impressive, would ultimately fail to close the gap between Zhang Yu and Yue Guanqiong.
Wan Gouxuan remarked, “Zhang Yu has to break through forward to win now. Staying put as a sitting duck… it’s only a matter of time before he loses.”
Beside him, Xiang Shan from Celestial Monsters University curled his trunk and said calmly, “Haven’t you noticed? Zhang Yu has blocked all of Yue Guanqiong’s attacks.”
“All of them?” Wan Gouxuan was slightly taken aback. “He’s blocked every Flying Sword Yue Guanqiong has launched?”
Xiang Shan replied, “He’s doing it to protect his teammates. He has no other choice.”
“If Heavenly Sword University’s construction site were on the ground, Zhang Yu could tunnel straight through. The full force of his Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power would be enough to cause landslides and earthquakes on their side.”
“But Heavenly Sword University’s site is airborne. This not only greatly diminishes the threat posed by Zhang Yu’s Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, but also allows Yue Guanqiong to strike Myriad Laws University’s site at will.”
“The Great Freedom Instant Hell sword qi’s attack range far exceeds that of the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power. This allows Yue Guanqiong to threaten everyone at Myriad Laws University from well beyond Zhang Yu’s attack range.”
Xiang Shan analyzed, “His Cultivation Art is countered, his cultivation is suppressed, and their tactics are completely tailored to exploit his weaknesses. Zhang Yu’s only option is to protect his teammates, allowing them to complete the Formation quickly. With the Formation’s enhancements, they might find a chance to turn the tide.”
“Now, it all depends on how long he can withstand Yue Guanqiong’s onslaught.”
Xiang Shan watched as Zhang Yu precisely intercepted each meteor streaking across the sky, sending them crashing to earth. “Zhang Yu’s talent in the Martial Dao is truly astonishing.”
“His control, speed, and range… he’s unleashed the full potential of the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, perfectly countering every move Yue Guanqiong throws at him.”
“But Yue Guanqiong hasn’t even begun to fight at full strength yet.”
Wan Gouxuan, standing nearby, frowned. “Why is Yue Guanqiong using these ordinary materials for his attacks? Why not just use his Flying Sword?”
“Because of Mo Shangjin,” Xiang Shan replied, the Elephant Monster from Celestial Monsters University explained slowly. “He’s afraid that defeating Zhang Yu too quickly would force Mo Shangjin to use his revival card. So he’s stalling, gradually increasing the pressure to give his teammates more time to set up their Formation and defenses.”
Moments later, streams of sword qi erupted from Heavenly Sword University’s Aerial Fortress.
Xiang Shan’s gaze sharpened. “Yue Guanqiong is about to escalate his assault.”
Like magical artifacts, Flying Swords are categorized into instructional-grade, professional-grade, enterprise-grade, and higher tiers like military-grade and immortal-grade.
At this moment, a row of instructional-grade Flying Swords hovered before Yue Guanqiong, poised to strike.
Had Zhang Yu been closer, he would have recognized these as the temporary Flying Swords Su Yanyang and his group had rented.
It wasn’t that Yue Guanqiong lacked access to superior blades; instructional-grade swords offered the best balance of cost-effectiveness and reliability.
Yue Guanqiong glanced in Zhang Yu’s direction and said calmly, “The warm-up is over.”
As the Great Freedom Instant Hell sword qi activated, the temporary Flying Swords shot skyward with a thunderous roar, unleashing shockwaves and sonic booms as they accelerated to several times the speed of sound, hurtling toward Zhang Yu.
Zhang Yu’s eyes narrowed as he watched the spectacle. “Here it comes. A true Flying Sword assault.”
One moment the sword shadows were still hovering above the Aerial Fortress; the next they were within a hundred meters of Zhang Yu.
Amidst the booming thunderlight, the Thunder-Suppressing Seal activated repeatedly, unleashing bolts of lightning that continuously deflected the swords’ lethal trajectories.
Simultaneously, the Earth-Suppressing Seal activated, forming an aura around Zhang Yu that further hindered the Flying Swords’ piercing attacks.
Yet, under the dazzling thunderlight, the deflected Flying Swords traced graceful arcs, adjusting their trajectories like schools of fish to continue their assault on Zhang Yu.
Each Flying Sword erupted with razor-sharp sword qi, tearing through the Earth-Suppressing Seal’s aura as they relentlessly slashed toward Zhang Yu.
Though the Body-Protecting Magic Treasure couldn’t completely block the Flying Swords’ onslaught, it granted Zhang Yu precious reaction time. He swiftly activated the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, seizing the nearest Flying Sword.
Amidst crackling explosions, the captured Flying Sword shattered under the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power’s crushing force, scattering into countless fragments.
But before the Soul Cultivators working for Zhang Yu could celebrate, each fragment suddenly emitted a razor-sharp aura. As if a single Flying Sword had multiplied into dozens or even hundreds, they resumed their deadly assault on Zhang Yu.
Mo Shangjin, watching this unfold, remarked in the contest group: “See? This is exactly how they got damaged last year.”