Chapter 532: Escalating Situation
Late September.
In the laboratory, Jin Jun glanced at the materials, which had once again risen in price, and felt a flicker of relief.
“Good thing I stockpiled plenty of materials for the Heavenly Sun Radiance God earlier, just for convenience. I won’t need to restock for another month or two.”
“I hope this Great Tribulation ends soon.”
During this time, Jin Jun remained secluded in his laboratory, focusing solely on advancing the progress of the Heavenly Sun Radiance God, paying no attention to the turmoil outside.
Yu Xinghan, returning from work, spotted several familiar faces long before he reached the entrance.
He smiled at Su Yanyang and Xiao Yunji. “Here for another treatment? How about a massage afterward? I’ll give you the lowest price in history.”
As the economic crisis deepened, more and more students were feeling overwhelmed.
Su Yanyang had come to see Xiao Qingxuan for treatment, carrying several bottles of medicinal pills for daily use — to suppress sleep, stave off hunger, and nourish vital energy — as payment.
Xiao Yunji, standing beside him, was there to have Zhang Yu maintain her Bionic and remove her Transforming Bionic to reduce her physical strain. Zhang Yu’s services weren’t free, but his prices were far lower than those of commercial providers, making it an incredibly good deal in Xiao Yunji’s eyes.
Su Yanyang drawled lazily, “A massage? I’d rather catch up on sleep.”
Yu Xinghan looked surprised. “Sleep?”
Su Yanyang replied casually, “Sleeping means less medicine, less exercise, less consumption, and a faster passage of time. Don’t you think it’s the best way to get by right now?”
Besides Xiao Yunji and Su Yanyang, Li Xiao was squatting nearby, his hair disheveled and clothes grimy.
Yu Xinghan knew that Li Xiao had been coming to Zhang Yu’s place at regular intervals every day, waiting for Zhang Yu to finish work and feed him some Magic Power.
As for the rest of the time, Yu Xinghan knew that Li Xiao likely stayed outside the underground cemetery, scavenging scattered spiritual energy and bone ash.
Today, however, Li Xiao had brought someone else along — a person covered in dust and grime.
“Ji Yuanshu?” Yu Xinghan thought to himself as he watched Ji Yuanshu turn away. “Sigh, if Zhang Yu keeps this up, we’ll have even more vagrants hanging around our dorm.”
Just then, as Zhang Yu arrived, Li Xiao grabbed Ji Yuanshu and rushed forward like two squirrels begging for food.
After Zhang Yu finished feeding them and disappeared into the dorm, Li Xiao sighed. “If only Zhang Yu would take us home too.”
Ji Yuanshu replied, “Stop daydreaming and focus on studying. This is the perfect time to surpass those ahead of us and widen the gap with those behind.”
Li Xiao sighed again, a thought surfacing in his mind: “If I hadn’t gotten into university, I’d still be in the First Layer of the Immortal Capital, not struggling like a beggar every day. Would life be easier? Happier?”
Zhang Yu had no intention of bringing Li Xiao and Ji Yuanshu into the dorm.
After all, the dorm was already crowded, and the spiritual energy was barely sufficient. How could he possibly accommodate more people?
Besides, Zhang Yu wasn’t particularly close to Li Xiao or Ji Yuanshu. He casually fed them a bit of Magic Power, simply not wanting them to die at his doorstep.
Fu Ji sighed, “Why is Zhang Yu getting so soft? These beggars should be beaten every time we see them and driven away. We can’t let their stench of poverty cling to us.”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “If I were the Zhang Yu who had just arrived on the Second Layer, I probably would have turned a blind eye to everything.”
“But now… I’m richer and stronger. With some breathing room, I can make choices according to my own will, rather than having my will violated by this Kunxu cesspool.”
Whenever he thought of this, Zhang Yu threw himself even more wholeheartedly into his studies in the Spirit Realm, continuing to pursue greater power and greater wealth.
He had to admit that by focusing most of his energy on learning in the Supreme Clarity Realm, combined with his talent as an Artifact Refinement Prodigy, his progress was truly remarkable.
Good Fortune Relic, Self-Transformation To Control Others Soul Ring, Overtime Golden Hoop, Free Lotus Throne… He mastered blueprint after blueprint, and after advancing them to Level 20, he gained a profound understanding of the knowledge and techniques they contained.
Zhang Yu mentally calculated, “In another two or three weeks, I should master all the techniques required for the Heavenly Sun Radiance God and officially begin refining it.”
But soon, new changes swept through Myriad Laws University.
First, daily travel hours were restricted. Then, daily Spirit Realm data usage was limited. Next came restrictions on medicines, Spirit Stones… As the supply of spiritual energy dwindled, the once-obsolete Spirit Stones suddenly became highly sought after.
Outside the dormitory, Ji Yuanshu slapped Li Xiao across the face and hissed, “Unemployed? Are you insane? Do you even know what you’re getting involved with?”
Li Xiao mumbled weakly, “I heard there were red envelopes.”
Ji Yuanshu sighed in exasperation. “I’m scared too, but I’m truly out of money. I can’t survive like this.”
Ji Yuanshu gritted his teeth. “I have a contact in the Finance Department who can help you get a card. But remember, just one card. Absolutely no more.”
Inside the dormitory, Zhang Yu’s Bionic Eye displayed a message from Su Yanyang.
Su Yanyang: “Zhang Yu, can you lend me some Spirit Coins?”
Su Yanyang: “I’ll repay you with bank loan interest.”
Zhang Yu: [1 Spirit Coin]
Su Yanyang: “Thanks! Any more?”
Zhang Yu: “None left”
Su Yanyang: “Things are getting increasingly chaotic outside. Be careful when you go out and avoid areas without surveillance.”
Meanwhile, Shi Huaiyu examined the medicines she had purchased and muttered, “Damn it… Limiting the daily supply is one thing, but this blatant shortchanging is outrageous. How much are the higher-ups skimming?”
As the daily medicine supply dwindled, Zhang Yu felt his body growing hungrier by the day.
He understood that if this continued for too long, the lack of medicinal power would lead to insufficient or even depleted vital energy, potentially causing his Physical Strength to regress.
After all, cultivators like them, who grew stronger, inevitably consumed more resources.
Zhang Yu began searching for ways to obtain more medicine.
His first contacts were naturally True Monarch Magnetic Pole and Director Gao.
However, as the situation grew more tense, both teachers seemed increasingly busy and didn’t respond to Zhang Yu’s messages.
Next, Zhang Yu contacted Li Xuelian through Yu Xinghan and gained access to the Dark Medicine Realm.
But the black market prices had already skyrocketed, leaving Zhang Yu hesitant to proceed.
Fu Ji cursed, “The Pharmacy Institute must be funneling supplies to the Dark Medicine Realm. Damn them for restricting the official supply while profiting from inflated prices on the black market!”
Zhang Yu then contacted Yin Jiurao, Le Mulan’s mentor, through Le Mulan.
Yin Jiurao, who had previously written a thesis using Zhang Yu as her subject, agreed to provide additional potion supplies, her only condition being simple.
Outside the office, Le Mulan looked at Zhang Yu and bit her lip. “Zhang Yu…”
Zhang Yu smiled and shook his head reassuringly. “It’s okay. I’ll be out soon.”
Le Mulan clenched her fists. “Endure this time. I’ll definitely find a way to get more potions as soon as possible.”
Watching Zhang Yu’s retreating figure enter the office, Le Mulan felt a surge of resentment as she heard the commotion inside. She hated her own powerlessness that forced Zhang Yu to trade his precious research material for the daily necessities that should have been readily available.
With a large box of potions in hand, Zhang Yu finally felt full again. Back in his dorm, he shared several bottles with his roommates and lent half a bottle each to Li Xiao and Ji Yuanshu outside the door.
That night, as everyone felt the comforting fullness in their bodies, a sense of peace settled over them.
Just then, the battle between the Spirit Transformation cultivators on the live stream triggered geological disasters spreading across a thousand-mile radius.
The group, who had just found peace, was immediately startled.
Immediately, Ji Yuanshu’s face stiffened, a bitter smile of resignation crossing his lips.
Under the shocked, astonished, and mournful gazes of the crowd, his figure was enveloped in waves of Divine Light. His physical body gradually disintegrated under the Financial Storm, and his soul was swept into the depths of the Spirit Realm.
Witnessing the disappearance of this former Heavenly Chosen of the Civil Engineering Department due to the aftershocks of the Spirit Transformation battle, the audience felt a renewed sense of dread. Their recently calmed spirits were once again gripped by anxiety.
Several hours later, Zhang Pianpian, True Monarch Magnetic Pole, and Director Gao sent messages one after another.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “I’ve had a batch of potions delivered. Stay in your dorm and don’t worry about what’s happening outside.”
Director Gao: “Work on Level 670 is temporarily suspended. You don’t need to come in. If you encounter any problems, contact Magnetic Pole.”
Zhang Pianpian: “All the Spirit Transformation cultivators have gathered at the arena. Things might escalate soon, but once that happens, the higher-ups will intervene, and the situation will be resolved.”
Zhang Pianpian: “Before that happens, anything could happen. Be careful and don’t wander around.”
Zhang Yu, unnerved by the series of messages, immediately warned everyone in the dorm to stay vigilant and avoid going out.
As he considered whether to let Li Xiao, who was waiting outside the door, come in for the time being, he discovered that Li Xiao had vanished without a trace.
The following night, everyone gathered around to watch the Ten Greats League broadcast.
On the screen, Dao Qiankun of Myriad Laws University and Kuang Tianqing of Heavenly Demon University were locked in a fierce battle, vying for the top spot in the Ten Universities Tournament.
Zhang Yu recalled that these two were ranked second and first respectively on the Golden Core Seed Rankings, their Golden Core simulation scores towering above all other schools.
As he watched their earth-shattering clash on the screen, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but think, “These two are probably holding back even in the Golden Core Direct Guidance simulations.”
Suddenly, Dao Qiankun roared, sending a golden phantom strike into Kuang Tianqing’s body.
“Mid-battle breakthrough! Break through now!”
At Dao Qiankun’s command, Kuang Tianqing’s aura surged violently — exploding, erupting, and spiraling out of control.
Intense golden light erupted from his body, threatening to render him transparent, while a perfectly round, golden Golden Core phantom materialized in his abdomen.
Kuang Tianqing was about to break through to the Golden Core Realm under Dao Qiankun’s assault.
But in the next instant, he plunged his hand into his abdomen and crushed the Golden Core phantom with a brutal squeeze.
“Dao Qiankun, you think such a trick could force me to break through?”
“Take it back!”
Kuang Tianqing hurled the shattered Golden Core at his opponent, shouting, “Break it yourself!”
In the heat of their fierce battle, both combatants froze mid-air, their movements abruptly suspended.
Yu Xinghan tilted his head, puzzled. “What kind of technique is this? Time stop?”
Zhang Yu shook his head, his expression grave. “It’s the video feed that’s frozen.”
The others activated their Bionic Eyes, only to discover with growing alarm that not only the livestream was frozen, but all Spirit Realm Services had ceased functioning.
Shi Huaiyu exclaimed in disbelief, “The Spirit Realm Network… it’s down?”
“Did we run out of Spirit Realm data in the dorm?”
Zhang Yu shook his head. “I checked earlier. We still have data left.”
Yu Xinghan: “Then what’s going on…?”
Zhang Yu tried accessing the Spirit Realm through both his Sun-Moon Sky-Piercing Bracelet and Sky-Patrolling Flying Sword Network, but neither could connect. The Spirit Realm seemed to have vanished entirely.
A chilling thought struck Zhang Yu. “Is this just our dorm? Or is it worse — the entire floor?”
“Or… has the Spirit Realm connection been severed across all of Myriad Laws University?”
Just then, a tremor shook the ground beneath their feet, and the entire dorm began to tremble violently.