Chapter 497: Zhenzhen’s True Intent, the Great Sage’s Will
The Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor design blueprint awarded for winning the Civil Engineering Finals only intensified Zhang Yu’s Team’s anticipation for the Finals.
Over the following days, he devoted himself even more wholeheartedly to preparing for the competition.
One evening, Zhang Yu was in the laboratory practicing the third cultivation art of the Artifact Refinement Prodigy, the Fire Control Divine Mirror.
A blue Fire Seed swirled into his palm. Channeling Magic Power through the Fire Control Divine Mirror’s cultivation method, he gradually refined it into wisps of Fire Control True Qi.
Just then, Zhang Yu received a message from Wen Wuya.
Wen Wuya: [Image]
Please equip your Bionic Eye to view this image.
Seeing the faint image in the thumbnail, Zhang Yu cautioned himself against clicking impulsively and skillfully analyzed the image’s content.
Now adept at this process, Zhang Yu quickly summoned Bai Zhenzhen’s video within his Bionic Eye.
Bai Zhenzhen’s voice echoed from the device: “Yu Zi, you must be getting ready for the Civil Engineering Finals soon, right?”
She smiled and continued, “With your talent and skill, winning the championship should be no problem at all.”
“Just focus on doing your best and don’t worry about me.”
“I’ve been busy preparing for the Ten Great Leagues lately. Divine Monarch Seven Emotions won’t make things difficult for me.”
“But…” Bai Zhenzhen said, “If… if Divine Monarch Seven Emotions comes looking for you, wanting to teach you swordsmanship and adopt you as her son, remember never to agree. That old hag has ulterior motives.”
Bai Zhenzhen smiled, a hint of pride flickering across her face. “Don’t worry about me either. With my unparalleled talent, I can reach the peak of any path. Mastering any sword technique will be effortless.”
“Oh, and about Divine Monarch Jade Nectar’s Bionic experiments… if you can withdraw, try to do so as soon as possible. Several Divine Monarchs are already watching the conflict between Myriad Laws and Joyous Union. This matter runs deeper than it seems…”
As she spoke, Bai Zhenzhen pondered aloud, listing each concern that had weighed on her mind recently, as if afraid Zhang Yu might stray and fall into a trap.
Though she had much more to say, her limited time forced her to focus on the most crucial points, suppressing her deeper emotions.
After recording the video, Bai Zhenzhen exhaled sharply. Her earlier relaxed smile vanished, replaced by a cold gaze as she turned to Wen Wuya. “I’m done.”
Bai Zhenzhen’s Sword Intent surged within her like a suppressed volcano, constantly enduring the immense pressure building inside.
Just moments ago, while recording the video, a thought had been brewing in her mind, one she had stubbornly refused to voice.
“Should I have Yu Zi train in the Extreme Emotion Sword Dao with me?”
“No, the Extreme Emotion Sword Dao is a treacherous path. I’ve already walked too far down this road to turn back, but Yu Zi, you mustn’t follow me down this path.”
“Yu Zi has such a bright future ahead of him. How could I ask him to cultivate the Extreme Emotion Sword Dao?”
Her fluctuating emotions continued to agitate the Sword Intent within her.
Suddenly, she lifted her head and glared at Wen Wuya.
In an instant, several crimson sword qi materialized out of thin air and slashed violently toward Wen Wuya.
Amidst crackling explosions, just as the sword qi was about to graze Wen Wuya’s face, he let out a sharp shout, formed a sword gesture with his fingers, and shattered the approaching sword qi one by one.
Watching the dissipating sword qi, Wen Wuya sighed in relief. “Zhenzhen, you nearly scratched my face just now! I just had it done yesterday.”
“Your emotions have been running so high after each video recording lately.”
Bai Zhenzhen pursed her lips and remained silent.
Wen Wuya shook his head, sighing, “I’ve been helping you record videos lately and have also been researching the Extreme Emotion Sword Dao in depth.”
“Based on my observations these past few days… your feelings for Zhang Yu aren’t entirely pure.”
Bai Zhenzhen glared at him. “What nonsense are you spouting? Zhang Yu is merely a resource for my cultivation of the Extreme Emotion Sword Dao. Like you, I’m just lusting after his body and want to use him to aid my cultivation.”
“Nonsense?” Wen Wuya smiled faintly, dodging the sword qi that materialized around him. “Bai Zhenzhen, you call that lusting after his body? You’re a devout follower of Celibate Cultivation.”
“I’m almost embarrassed to say it… you’ve fallen for him. You’re consumed by true love, possessed by madness. If you continue like this, you’ll be doomed, devoured by the Extreme Emotion Sword Dao.”
“One more word and I’ll tear your mouth apart!” Bai Zhenzhen roared, unleashing several crimson sword qi that slashed through Wen Wuya’s mouth from the inside out, producing a series of clanging strikes.
Wen Wuya’s seven orifices spewed wisps of green smoke, his small tongue darting out repeatedly, trembling in agony.
Bai Zhenzhen glared at Wen Wuya. “Wen Wuya, what trash is this ‘true love’? If you ever insult the brotherhood between Yu Zi and me, or the bond between mother and son, with such nonsense again, next time it won’t just be your face I’ll cut.”
“Leave now. I need to continue my cultivation to prepare for the Ten Great Leagues.”
“If I can achieve the Grand Slam and be granted an Immortal Sect Technique, even Master will have no reason to keep me confined.”
Bai Zhenzhen secretly resolved, “Whether it’s the Righteous Path or the Demonic Path, as long as I’m fucking strong enough, I’ll forge my own path!”
Wen Wuya thought to himself, “Is she lashing out in embarrassment? No wonder. If I were like Zhenzhen, unable to control my inner demons and falling into ‘true love,’ I’d probably be too ashamed to face anyone, terrified of being ridiculed by the heroes of the world.”
“But since she’s made a mistake, she needs to confront it early to have a chance at redemption.”
“I hope that by exposing this dark side of her heart, she’ll make a firm resolution to correct her past errors and return in peak condition… to cultivate alongside me using her Divine Spirit Root.”
However, when he recalled Bai Zhenzhen’s vow to win the Grand Slam at the Ten Great Leagues, Wen Wuya couldn’t help but shake his head. “If not for the surging of her inner demons, how could such delusions arise?”
“Win the Grand Slam and be granted an Immortal Sect Technique?”
“If someone actually achieves that, it would be equivalent to mastering an Immortal Sect-level Cultivation Art while still in university.”
“How could that be possible?”
“All the universities, all the Spirit Transformation experts… they’d never allow it.”
Wen Wuya thought to himself, “If someone were to obtain it, it would shatter the balance among the Ten Great Universities. That’s why they’ve always ensured no one gets it. Whoever does would likely become the target of everyone else.”
“A human body’s life seed contains an extraordinary amount of bloodline information.”
“Each cell within it can store the equivalent of a video in terms of data capacity.”
“A single drop of life seed contains hundreds of millions of cells. Just a few drops are enough to store over a century’s worth of a cultivator’s memories in ultra-high definition.”
“The Spirit Transformation Bionic can transmit this vast amount of information in just five seconds of synchronized cultivation, at speeds millions of times faster than your dorm’s download speed.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole marveled, “Such an efficient method of information transfer has been inherent in life since its inception. This is the profound mystery of the Heavenly Dao.”
“What makes Divine Monarch Jade Nectar’s Bionic even more remarkable is that she achieved the transfer of her Cultivation solely through the exchange of Magic Power with you.”
“This indicates that Divine Monarch Jade Nectar’s Yin-Yang Dao has long transcended mere physical reactions, delving into the profound principles of Yin-Yang harmony and the natural generation of Heaven and Earth.”
As Zhang Yu listened, he asked about another matter that concerned him: “Teacher, have you heard of the prize for the Civil Engineering Finals, the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor?”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole shook her head. “I haven’t.”
“It must be Military-Grade technology that hasn’t appeared below the Eleventh Layer. Perhaps it’s a newly developed item within the Sect.”
“But for now, it’s just a guess.”
“If you can defeat Celestial Monsters University, bring it to me afterward. Only then can we determine exactly what it is.”
As Zhang Yu left the laboratory, he mused to himself, “The Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor appearing just as I’m completing the Great Sage’s Heir set? Could it be mere coincidence? I’ve already collected three of the Great Sage’s Heir Cultivation Arts, and now there’s even news of a fourth?”
Zhang Yu shared his thoughts with Fu Ji.
Of course, he didn’t mention the Chain Formation Diagram or the Great Sage’s Heir. He simply said he felt an inexplicable attraction to the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor, similar to the Desolate Ox Soul-Quelling Heart Art, Crippled Ox Body-Sacrifice Heart Art, and Immeasurable Heart Inner Dharma Body — all originating from the Desolate Ox Great Sage.
Fu Ji replied, “Oh? Then it might not be a coincidence after all.”
Zhang Yu asked, “You mean there’s a deliberate force at play?”
Fu Ji explained, “When a cultivator with sufficient cultivation dies, their residual power, even their legacy, retains a certain degree of will.”
“Perhaps after you collected part of the Desolate Ox Great Sage’s legacy, the remaining fragments are actively drawing closer to you.”
“Could it be that you’re attracting them?”
Time flew by, and the day of the Civil Engineering Finals arrived.
As the flying boat sliced through the sky, Zhang Yu and his team approached Celestial Monsters University.
Below them, on the vast plain, stood rows upon rows of pitch-black skyscrapers, resembling coffins stacked vertically.
Zhang Yu felt as if he were looking at countless miniature versions of Myriad Laws University, crammed together so tightly that they seemed impenetrable from a distance.
Each skyscraper was now packed with Monsterfolk. Zhang Yu could even see heads poking out of windows and swarms of Monsterfolk scaling the building walls. Makeshift structures, clearly in violation of regulations, had been erected in the narrow gaps between the buildings.
From time to time, large clumps of filth were casually tossed from the high-rise windows by the Monsterfolk. Zhang Yu even witnessed a corpse plummeting from a skyscraper, triggering screams and curses.
As Zhang Yu stepped off the flying boat, a powerful stench assaulted his senses. The bizarre mix of fecal odors, the metallic tang of blood, sour decay, and countless other foul smells made him involuntarily wrinkle his brow repeatedly.
Mo Shangjin, standing beside him, advised, “Everyone, rent a magical artifact to filter the air.”
“Celestial Monsters University adheres to the principle of ‘survival of the fittest’ under the Heavenly Dao.”
“Open-ended animal experiments are conducted throughout the university, both inside and outside the campus. Various technologies are recklessly disseminated among the Monsterfolk population.”
“The risk of disease and viruses is highest on the second level. Any Monsterfolk you pass might be carrying deadly pathogens, mind-altering viruses, or highly contagious mental pollutants… Everyone, be careful. The university won’t cover medical expenses for illnesses.”