Chapter 533: The Ascension Child and the Unemployed Elder
Deep within University City, a series of muffled, earth-shaking booms reverberated like distant thunder.
Feeling the ground tremble violently, the students in the dormitory exchanged uneasy glances.
As Foundation Establishment cultivators with advanced training in the Civil Engineering Department, they were intimately familiar with the city’s structural integrity and its formidable defenses against explosions and earthquakes.
Normally, even their combined efforts could barely affect the floor below.
The sheer intensity of the tremors now indicated a source of extraordinary power!
Zhang Yu lowered his gaze, as if peering into the unfathomable depths beneath them, and murmured to himself, “Something catastrophic is happening down there!”
Suddenly, their Bionic Eyes flickered in unison. Yu Xinghan announced, “The Spirit Realm connection has been reestablished.”
But before they could breathe a sigh of relief, they realized that while the Spirit Realm connection appeared to be restored, it was virtually unusable!
At that moment, the image of a fair-skinned, rosy-lipped child materialized in their Bionic Eyes.
The child spoke, “Greetings to everyone in Myriad Laws University City!”
“I am the Ascension Child, a Spirit Transformation Divine Monarch of the Ascension Cult. You may call me Ascension Child!”
“My purpose in visiting Myriad Laws University is to engage in scholarly exchange and impart the teachings of the Ascension Cult!”
The crowd was stunned by this revelation.
“Spirit Transformation? The Ascension Cult actually has a Spirit Transformation expert?”
“How could these Evil Cults control the Spirit Realm of Myriad Laws University? Where’s the School Head? Where are the Righteous Gods?”
Zhang Yu wondered, Where have they all gone?
Fu Ji grew serious. “It’s not surprising that these Demonic Cults seized this opportunity during the Ten Greats conflicts. But to act so brazenly, causing such a commotion… someone must be backing them!”
“Someone backing them?” Zhang Yu sighed inwardly, as if he could see an invisible hand reaching down from the upper echelons of Kunxu, stirring up this chaos.
In the next moment, Zhang Yu noticed a document had been sent to his Bionic Eye, densely packed with the Ascension Cult’s doctrines and information.
The Ascension Child continued, “What joy is there in life? What bitterness in death? A lifetime of arduous cultivation is futile; better to shed this mortal coil and be reborn anew!”
“All who believe in the Ascension Cult shall enter reincarnation and be reborn into Immortal wombs, gaining entry into the Immortal ranks! Forsake eternal life; seek only a better next life!”
Just then, the Ascension Child’s head seemed to shatter, and a smiling old man materialized in everyone’s Bionic Eyes!
“I am the Unemployed Elder of the Unemployment Cult!”
In the next moment, everyone found a leather-bound book filled with the Unemployment Cult’s doctrines appearing in their Bionic Eyes!
Zhang Yu immediately deleted it, just as he had done with the Ascension Cult’s materials earlier.
The Unemployed Elder continued, “Studying, working, borrowing money, repaying loans — do you really think you can break through to higher realms like this? In the end, you’ll just suffer your whole lives! Maybe today a Spirit Transformation Divine Monarch will breathe, or tomorrow they’ll blink, and all your life’s efforts will be wiped away!”
“Even if you manage to save some money in the end, what’s the point? It’ll just go toward prolonging your lives, buying Spirit Realm traffic, and ultimately be sent to the Heavenly Court!”
“Your entire life’s earnings, the value you’ve produced, is being stolen by the Heavenly Court and the Ten Greats!”
“Today, I offer you an opportunity!”
“For the next hour, the Spirit Realm within and around University City will collapse, and no Righteous God will be able to monitor anything!”
“This venerable one and the Ascension Child will suppress all external and internal interference. For the next hour, you can do whatever you desire!”
“Spirit Pills and Precious Medicines?” They’re right there in the shops!
“Magical artifacts and Bionics?” They’re waiting for you in the factories!
“My followers will plunder the entire University City!”
“Those who want to change their lives, those seeking an opportunity — join us!”
“Come with us to seize back what the Heavenly Court stole from you, what those Immortals swindled from your hands… take it all back!”
Watching the Unemployed Elder laughing wildly through the Bionic Eye, Zhang Yu felt an inexplicable urge surge within him, as if he wanted to burst out of his dorm room and follow the Elder’s words!
He immediately began circulating his mental cultivation technique, suppressing the impulse. His expression grew increasingly grave.
He glanced around at the others, noticing faint traces of temptation on their faces, quickly suppressed.
“If what the Unemployed Elder says is true, then for the next hour…”
In ordinary times within Myriad Laws University City, Zhang Yu believed that even with the Unemployed Elder’s bewitchment, most people would have suppressed their impulses.
But the city was far from ordinary. After days of economic crisis, countless residents harbored pent-up resentment. Many were on the brink of financial ruin, barely surviving.
Myriad Laws University now resembled a massive powder keg. The Ascension Cult and Unemployment Cult’s actions — severing the Spirit Realm connection, distributing propaganda, and bewitching the entire campus — were like a spark drifting down.
If the Righteous Gods truly lost their oversight, many might resort to desperate measures…
Meanwhile, the Unemployed Elder had vanished without a trace, and the Spirit Realm fell silent once more.
The students in the dormitory discovered that no matter how they tried, they could no longer connect to the Spirit Realm.
Yu Xinghan licked his lips, his voice hoarse. “Could that fiend be telling the truth? Will the Spirit Realm really be severed for an hour?”
Shi Huaiyu declared firmly, “Impossible. Neither the three Spirit Transformation Divine Monarchs nor the countless Righteous Gods within and outside the university would allow such a thing to happen. They must already be sending reinforcements. The Spirit Realm should reconnect soon!”
Shi Yunxiang gritted his teeth, baring his sharp fangs, and murmured, “But the Ascension Child and Unemployed Elder… they must also be at the Spirit Transformation stage, right? If they could advance to Spirit Transformation right under the Righteous Gods’ noses, it means they possess some method to resist the Righteous Gods!”
Xiao Qingxuan chimed in, “Or perhaps it’s a Spirit Transformation expert disguised as someone with Spirit Transformation credentials!”
Yu Xinghan sighed, “The university’s three Spirit Transformation experts are currently participating in the Ten Greats League and clashing with Spirit Transformation experts from other universities!”
“And with the Spirit Realm severed here, they likely can’t return quickly. Even if they do, would the Ascension Child and Unemployed Elder block their reinforcements?”
The group debated endlessly, but no satisfactory answer emerged.
Whether it was the Ascension Child, the Unemployed Elder, or the university’s three Spirit Transformation experts, all were far beyond their reach. How could they possibly grasp the intricacies of their conflicts and the shifting tides of the situation?
Just then, Fu Ji’s voice echoed in Zhang Yu’s mind, “It might be true. Even if it’s not an hour, it’s probably at least forty minutes, or perhaps thirty. Such technology exists in this world!”
“However, robbery probably isn’t the main objective of the Ascension Child and the Unemployed Elder!”
After all, the truly important assets of Myriad Laws University would undoubtedly be heavily guarded, impossible to breach in a short time.
“Even if they managed to steal those critical resources, they likely wouldn’t be able to use them without proper authorization. Without a complete laboratory system, they couldn’t crack the codes!”
“Their true purpose for this attack… is likely proselytization!” Fu Ji analyzed. “If they simply mass-distributed their doctrines to everyone in University City, the Righteous God could quickly regain control, monitor all students and faculty, and prevent most people from reading them!”
“But after disconnecting the Spirit Realm for a period, who knows how many people will seize the opportunity to pore over the Ascension Cult and Unemployment Cult materials!”
“Especially during this economic crisis, many will be more easily drawn to these Demonic Cults!”
“And if they commit crimes while the network is down, they’ll have one foot firmly planted in these Demonic Cults!”
Zhang Yu nodded slightly. He could already envision the aftermath of this incident: countless new Demonic Cult members or casual believers secretly infiltrating University City.
Just then, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble violently, as if an earthquake were shaking University City to its core!
Yu Xinghan exclaimed in alarm, “Is it starting? The Unemployed Elder’s prophecy of the believers’ rampage?”
Shi Huaiyu turned to Zhang Yu and asked, “What should we do? Stay here or go out?”
The others also looked at Zhang Yu, unconsciously treating him as their leader.
Fu Ji said, “No matter how fiercely these two Spirit Transformation demons rage, and no matter who’s behind them, University City will ultimately return to the Righteous God’s control and its original order. It’s only a matter of time!”
“Your priority now is to survive this period as safely as possible!”
Zhang Yu’s mind raced. According to True Monarch Magnetic Pole and his sister Zhang Pianpian, he should stay in the dormitory and hide until everything calmed down.
“But Master and my sister’s advice was based on the Spirit Realm functioning normally,” Zhang Yu thought to himself. “No one could have predicted the descent of Spirit Transformation demons, let alone the temporary collapse of the Spirit Realm in University City!”
At this moment, the teachers remaining in University City were likely all engaged in combat against the two Spirit Transformation Demon Lords!
Without the Spirit Realm, the dormitory had lost its protection. To save costs, the dormitory itself lacked defensive capabilities, relying entirely on the Spirit Realm and the deterrent power of the Righteous Gods!
If they stayed in the dormitory, even if attacked, no Righteous God would descend to protect them. Was it truly safe to remain here?
But going outside…
Just then, a knock echoed through the room. Everyone turned to look at the dormitory door.
Mo Shangjin’s voice came from outside: “Zhang Yu, are you there? We’re planning to leave and join the teachers in the Civil Engineering Department’s office area. Are you coming?”
Opening the door, Zhang Yu saw Mo Shangjin standing outside with a group of Civil Engineering students. Xue Yunxian, Gongshu Jin, Ma Xuan, and others were among them, but Su Yanyang was nowhere to be seen.
Zhang Yu exchanged glances with Yu Xinghan, Xiao Qingxuan, and the others before joining Mo Shangjin’s group. Together, they headed toward the Civil Engineering Department’s office area.
Mo Shangjin explained, “The Anti-Gravity Passage, which connects the upper and lower levels, has already erupted into a full-scale battle. It’s beyond our capabilities to intervene. We’ll take the more secluded Primordial Magnetic Channel instead!”