Chapter 480: Keep Your Civil Engineering Hands Off
The messages from Divine Monarch Seven Emotions continued to flash across Bai Zhenzhen’s Bionic Eye, pulsating incessantly.
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “Are you going to ask him yourself?”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “What good would that do?”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “When you feel the need to ask, when you doubt someone, it means you haven’t been changed — they have.”
Bai Zhenzhen didn’t respond to Divine Monarch Seven Emotions. Instead, she allowed her figure to vanish into the swirling dust and smoke.
“That old geezer…”
Glancing at the messages on her Bionic Eye, Bai Zhenzhen pursed her lips. “Always trying to understand modern young people like me with those outdated ideas. No wonder your Extreme Emotion Sword Dao is dying out.”
As she thought this, Zhang Yu’s image flashed through her mind again.
Now that Zhang Yu had truly embarked on the Dual Cultivation Path, he had nearly made a deal with Wen Wuya during their conversation.
Even today, he kept bringing up the Divine Spirit Root, but every time he did, he’d get all flustered… It seems borrowing the Spirit Root is just a pretense. His real goal is to trick me into Dual Cultivation!
As Bai Zhenzhen pondered this, she couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. “Yu Zi has truly changed. He’s no longer the boy I knew from high school.”
“Is it because he’s grown up and finally embarked on the path of his dreams?”
If Bai Zhenzhen’s understanding of Immortal Dao cultivation had once been uncertain, now, as an Academic Overachiever at Heavenly Sword University, she possessed a profound knowledge of the various cultivation paths practiced by different sects.
Dual Cultivation, for instance, was as legitimate a path as celibate cultivation. Joyful Union University, one of the Ten Greats renowned for its focus on Dual Cultivation, was a true institution with a storied legacy.
Yet Dual Cultivation was also a more arduous path than celibate cultivation, demanding a stronger Dao Heart and greater resilience.
“Back in high school, Yu Zi lacked the perseverance and talent for this path. I thought he wasn’t suited for it and kept advising him that once he earned enough money, he should avoid getting lost in self-study and instead pursue celibate cultivation.”
“I underestimated him.”
Looking at Zhang Yu now, Bai Zhenzhen felt as if she were seeing the mischievous boy who had once been obsessed with self-study, but who had now gained recognition by entering Joyful Union University.
“Since he’s now on the right path and has even achieved success in this field, I should naturally support him.”
But when she thought of her own Extreme Emotion Sword Dao, Bai Zhenzhen’s expression darkened.
“Yu Zi has embarked on a bright path, while I’m straying further and further down a wicked one.”
“If this continues, not only will it be impossible to remain his closest friend, but even maintaining our companionship will become difficult.”
A helpless expression crossed Bai Zhenzhen’s face. “Should I persuade Zhang Yu to leave the Dual Cultivation Realm? To give up his work at the Yin Artifact Laboratory?”
“How could I?”
“Having strayed onto this deviant path myself, what right do I have to ask Zhang Yu to abandon his legitimate career where he’s already achieved success?”
As these thoughts swirled in her mind, Bai Zhenzhen gradually made up her mind. “There’s only one way.”
“Just one way.”
“To turn away from evil, find a way to extricate myself from the Extreme Emotion Sword Dao, and walk the Dual Cultivation Path alongside Zhang Yu in the future.”
Bai Zhenzhen understood that this path wouldn’t be easy, and might even be a dead end. Her master, Divine Monarch Seven Emotions, would never easily agree.
“This matter requires careful planning…”
Suppressing her thoughts for now, Bai Zhenzhen followed the instructions Zhang Yu had given her before they parted, navigating through the smoke and dust toward the heart of the battlefield.
The entire battlefield was in chaos after the fierce battle between the two sides, resembling a land ravaged by repeated earthquakes. Giant craters, fissures, and mounds of earth scarred the landscape.
Suddenly, Bai Zhenzhen felt the ground give way beneath her feet, and a force dragged her underground.
Knowing it was Zhang Yu using his Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power to pull her down, she didn’t resist, letting him pull her deeper into the earth.
When she saw his familiar figure in the depths, Bai Zhenzhen whispered, “Yu Zi…”
Zhang Yu didn’t reply, but instead pulled her into a tight embrace.
Feeling his firm body against hers, Bai Zhenzhen quickly said, “Yu Zi, this won’t work. Even underground, even with your Formation shielding us, it might not be enough…”
“We can’t engage in Dual Cultivation here! Divine Monarch Seven Emotions might see us!”
Dual Cultivation itself isn’t a problem, but if it’s with Zhang Yu, who has fully embraced the Dual Cultivation Path… If Divine Monarch Seven Emotions thinks Zhang Yu is hindering my cultivation of the Extreme Emotion Sword Dao, she might bankrupt you!
Bai Zhenzhen didn’t have time to carefully choose her words. Zhang Yu simply said, “It’s here.”
Bai Zhenzhen blinked in surprise, unsure what he meant. Then she sensed a change in the Spirit Realm above.
A projection of the magical artifact known as the Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Pagoda descended upon the spectator stands. True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s voice echoed slowly, “Has my… experimental subject broken through?”
“This involves our experimental data. Please refrain from spreading this information.”
Simultaneously, under the pagoda’s oppressive aura, the surrounding Spirit Realm seemed to freeze momentarily.
In that instant, as the Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Pagoda temporarily sealed the Spirit Realm, Zhang Yu pulled Bai Zhenzhen closer, pressing her tightly against him.
The next moment, Bai Zhenzhen’s eyes widened in shock as she stared incredulously at Zhang Yu.
It’s inside!
Something has entered!
A Divine Spirit Root?!
It’s the same Divine Spirit Root as mine?!
Zhang Yu actually has this?
And he’s just giving it to me?!
In an instant, Bai Zhenzhen felt their Divine Spirit Roots connect, merging into a single entity, as if they had become one Spirit Root, ultimately taking root together in her Dantian.
As the two Spirit Roots intertwined, a miraculous transformation began between them!
To Zhang Yu’s relief, the imagined loss of control or berserk behavior of the Divine Spirit Root never materialized. It remained hidden, sparing him the need to use the Feather Book’s Dao Seed Register to replace the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo’s Divine Spirit Root.
Zhang Yu mused inwardly, “Is it because it’s a copy? Two roots now.”
Staring at Bai Zhenzhen, whose mouth hung agape and eyes widened, Zhang Yu grinned. “Impressive, right?”
“Shocking, isn’t it?”
“Awesome, isn’t it?”
Seeing Zhang Yu’s smug expression, Bai Zhenzhen bit her lip, then glared fiercely at him. “Zhang Yu, you’ve ruined me!”
Zhang Yu looked puzzled. “Huh?”
Bai Zhenzhen thought to herself, “My Extreme Emotion Sword Dao cultivation has skyrocketed…”
She opened her mouth and murmured, “I’m going down the Demonic Path with no turning back.”
Moments earlier, outside the arena, Su Yanyang, Shi Huaiyu, and the others emerged.
“Where’s Zhang Yu?” Shi Huaiyu asked.
“He said he left a magical artifact inside and wanted to go back for it,” Su Yanyang replied casually.
Xiao Yunji exclaimed excitedly, “Winning this match brings us one step closer to the finals!”
“Especially now that Zhang Yu’s Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power has reached level 18! We have a great chance of making it all the way through the Losers’ Bracket!”
Watching his jubilant teammates, Su Yanyang felt a pang of envy for Zhang Yu.
“Sigh, gaining eight levels in his Cultivation Art through the Yin Artifact Experiment… that must feel amazing.”
“Still, it’s not bad for me either. As long as I stick with Zhang Yu, we’ll keep winning.”
Just then, the Myriad Laws University team encountered Yue Guanqiong and his group, who were also leaving the arena. Yue Guanqiong and his teammates looked grim, as if they were drowning in debt.
The moment Yue Guanqiong saw Su Yanyang’s group, he demanded, “Where’s Zhang Yu? He destroyed so many Flying Swords — he needs to compensate us!”
Mo Shangjin typed in the contest group: “See? They tried to extort me the same way last year.”
As the two sides spoke, True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s projection suddenly descended, the Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Pagoda materializing before everyone’s Bionic Eyes, radiating a brilliant light that stretched for tens of thousands of zhang.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole swept her gaze across the arena before pausing on the message Zhang Yu had sent her:
Zhang Yu: “Teacher, my Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power has broken through again.”
Zhang Yu: “But ever since I entered Heavenly Sword University, I’ve felt like someone’s been watching me.”
Zhang Yu: “I’m afraid someone might covet the results of my experiments and target me after the competition.”
In the next instant, a sword shadow materialized opposite True Monarch Magnetic Pole, its voice calm: “Magnetic Pole, this is Heavenly Sword University, not Myriad Laws University. You have no authority to seal the Spirit Realm here.”
As the sword shadow danced through the Spirit Realm, the realm, which had momentarily stiffened under the pagoda’s influence, regained its vitality.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole remained unperturbed. After all, she hadn’t come to wage war against Heavenly Sword University.
Her projection, combined with the Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Pagoda’s strategic deployment, was enough to deter Heavenly Sword University from forcibly spying on Zhang Yu.
“Unless they want a direct confrontation with me.”
With a cold snort, True Monarch Magnetic Pole shifted her gaze from her opponent to the arena below. “I’ll simply search for our Myriad Laws University students. Surely that’s not a problem?”
With a flick of her finger, a talisman flashed, and a sudden gust of wind swept across the arena below, gradually dispersing the lingering smoke and dust to reveal two figures within.
As the smoke cleared, Zhang Yu prepared to dodge aside, but found himself rooted in place. Bai Zhenzhen had tightly gripped his hand.
“A-Zhen?” He turned to look at her, surprised.
Meanwhile, outside the arena, Yue Guanqiong and the other Heavenly Sword University students were still demanding compensation from Myriad Laws University for their damaged Flying Swords.
When they saw Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen slowly walking out of the arena hand in hand, the students trembled violently, their minds erupting with frantic cries.
“Bai… Bai Zhenzhen!”
“Why? Why is Bai Zhenzhen here?”
“Ah! Ah! Ah! Our noble Spirit Transformation disciple from Heavenly Sword University, the ace of the Flying Sword Department! Why is she holding the filthy hand of that Civil Engineering worker, Zhang Yu?!”
The next moment, Wen Wuya chuckled softly as he joined Zhang Yu’s side. Yue Guanqiong felt a wave of despair wash over him, muttering inwardly, “This world… has gone mad!”