Chapter 540: Self-Selected Immortal Sect Technique
Outside the Spirit Realm arena of the Ten Greats League, Zhang Pianpian gazed at the Heavenly Demon University student before her and murmured, “Finally… we meet.”
The student chuckled. “I can sense a unique aura about you. Devouring you will bring me closer to the Divine Emperor’s realm.”
Zhang Pianpian replied calmly, “You and I are merely two among countless competitors. Moreover, it’s possible that no one will ever reach the end of this path.”
The student shook his head. “With such little confidence, why did you even dare to seek me out?”
In an instant, their mental wills clashed fiercely within the Spirit Realm, exchanging over a thousand strikes in the blink of an eye.
Observing the student trembling like a sieve, Zhang Pianpian sighed. “It’s not a lack of confidence. I simply foresee myself taking another step down this dead-end path, and I feel only sorrow.”
Shortly after, the Heavenly Demon University student’s corpse was discovered, causing another wave of commotion.
Before the Sword Duel Competition, Bai Zhenzhen reviewed the incoming reports, her anxiety growing uncontrollably.
“Myriad Laws University City attacked by the Demonic Cults?”
“Zhang Yu disconnected?”
“Is he alright?”
“Damn the Demonic Cults!”
“What if Zhang Yu joins the Unemployment Cult… and becomes a useless NEET?”
The thought of this scenario sent shivers down Bai Zhenzhen’s spine, and a wave of intense fear washed over her.
It’s okay, even if Zhang Yu doesn’t work, I can support him in the future.
But Bai Zhenzhen knew things weren’t that simple.
A person’s lack of employment meant a severe decline in their Immortal Dao Potential. They would be unable to secure loans, rent housing, or access their Spirit Realm accounts.
Gradually, they would face humiliation from classmates, contempt from teachers, and abandonment by society, sinking to the very bottom of the social hierarchy and becoming wandering vagrants in the Immortal Dao World.
This was the norm, and it would inevitably lead to a severe regression of their dao heart.
Moreover, prolonged unemployment would leave gaping holes in their resume, making it nearly impossible to find work again. It would be like falling into an abyss, with little hope of ever climbing out.
Deficiencies in Immortal Dao cultivation would further jeopardize their lifespan and strength. They might end up like Lower College Students, unable to withstand even a stray wisp of sword qi.
The thought of accidentally killing Zhang Yu with her own sword qi sent Bai Zhenzhen’s emotions into turmoil.
She wanted to contact Zhang Yu immediately, but Divine Monarch Seven Emotions’ voice echoed in her mind.
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “Finish the Sword Duel first.”
Suppressing her anger, Bai Zhenzhen retorted, “What does any of that matter now? If Zhang Yu gets entangled with the Demonic Cults and never works again, what then?”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “He’s naturally protected by his teachers at Myriad Laws University City. If he can still be bewitched by the Demonic Cults, it just proves he’s nothing special.”
Bai Zhenzhen struggled to suppress the surging emotions in her heart, saying slowly, “Do you know how I feel right now? It’s like a hundred thousand volcanoes are about to erupt inside me — anger, anxiety, fear — I’m going to lose my mind!”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions: “Good. Maintain that.”
Bai Zhenzhen: “Damn it! If this keeps up, I’m afraid I’ll lose control and kill my opponent!”
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions chuckled. “As if anyone wouldn’t want to do the same.”
In the sky, streaks of crimson sword light slashed through the air like lightning.
Divine Monarch Seven Emotions declared, “We’ve reached this point. If you want to kill, then kill.”
I’ve been wanting to unleash a massacre for ages.
Bai Zhenzhen’s heart jolted at these words, followed by a wave of helplessness, which only intensified her emotional turmoil.
Damn it! This woman pretends to be normal, but she’s the craziest one of us all!
Moments later, Bai Zhenzhen, seething with anger, stepped onto the arena to compete for a spot in the Sword Duel’s top eight.
Her figure shot skyward like a crimson comet, hurtling straight toward the White Bone University students’ position.
Amidst the crackling explosions, Bai Zhenzhen shattered every sword technique her opponent unleashed with her surging sword qi.
What terrified her opponent even more was the relentless intensification of Bai Zhenzhen’s sword qi, which seemed to grow without end.
Simultaneously, each sword strike that landed on Bai Zhenzhen grew weaker than the last, as if she were adapting to her opponent’s attacks at an impossible speed.
After a series of fierce clashes, the sky erupted with a thunderous roar, and the White Bone University disciple plummeted to the ground.
Crimson sword qi materialized in the air, swirling like sentient dragons as they pursued the falling student.
In the next instant, another earth-shattering blast shook the heavens as someone intervened to protect the student.
“The victor has been decided. There’s no need to — “
Before the rescuer could finish speaking, Divine Monarch Seven Emotions let out a long, mocking laugh. “You were the ones who interfered first!”
Lightning-fast sword light filled the sky in an instant. Amidst a chorus of screams, countless white lotuses bloomed mid-air, blocking Divine Monarch Seven Emotions’ assault.
“Seven Emotions, how dare you act so brazenly?”
Myriad Laws University’s encampment.
Dao Qiankun watched the sword light and white lotus blossoms intertwine across the distant sky, silently noting, “The intensity of the battle has escalated again.”
Simultaneously, he sensed the phantom of half a Golden Core within his body, a trace of helplessness flashing across his face.
During his duel with Kuang Tianqing of Heavenly Demon University for first place in the competition, he had ultimately failed to suppress the blossoming of his Golden Core, fully entering the Golden Core Realm and suffering elimination as a result.
Fortunately, his breakthrough during the competition was considered a work-related injury. When he immediately dispelled the Golden Core, reverting to the Foundation Establishment stage, no one held him accountable for the unauthorized breakthrough.
Yet gazing at the remaining phantom of half a Golden Core within him, Dao Qiankun keenly felt the gap between himself and Kuang Tianqing.
Even when I exert my full strength, I can’t completely dissolve the Golden Core in one go. Instead, it leaves behind a phantom core. With just a slight provocation, I might lose control of my inner reserves and break through to the Golden Core Realm again.
He recalled his repeated attempts to shatter the Golden Core during his battle with Kuang Tianqing. Each time, the residual phantom core grew denser, until after ten attempts, he could no longer contain it and fully broke through to the Golden Core Stage.
In contrast, Kuang Tianqing had completely shattered his Golden Core each time, demonstrating even greater power.
Dao Qiankun thought to himself, “Only a dozen or so Golden Core shatterings, and I couldn’t suppress my breakthrough any longer… How am I any different from those ancient cultivators who couldn’t control their cultivation and had to break through mid-battle? I’m nothing like the strongest student of Myriad Laws University.”
He resolved, “After returning, I’ll train by shattering my Golden Core daily. I’ll shatter it right before breaking through to the Golden Core Realm to further enhance my combat prowess in this area.”
Kuang Tianqing, I won’t lose to you again next year.
However, as he watched the battle between Divine Monarch Seven Emotions and Divine Monarch White Lotus escalate, Dao Qiankun mused, “Next year’s Ten Greats League will likely be even more intense.”
On the other side of Myriad Laws University’s encampment, Jiutian Liu from the Finance Department was observing the operation of a Luck Model through Magic Power.
As he watched the data fluctuations of countless students on the model, Jiutian Liu sighed inwardly, “Truly, a storm is brewing, and dragons and serpents are rising from the land.”
As the saying goes, “Times create heroes.” When eras shift, countless individuals blessed with Qi Luck emerge, each vying for dominance.
Jiutian Liu’s mind flashed with images of the competitors who had perished in the Ten Greats League over the past few days, and the devastating losses and casualties suffered by Myriad Laws University City.
“Many may die, but those who survive will gain more nourishment and become stronger,” he thought, watching the direction of the battle between Divine Monarch Seven Emotions and Divine Monarch White Lotus. “Still, the higher authorities can’t allow unrestricted slaughter within the universities.”
“They’ll intervene soon, won’t they?”
Over the next few days, the clashes between Spirit Transformation cultivators gradually subsided.
One by one, the Spirit Transformation cultivators began to withdraw from the scene.
Stock prices and cryptocurrency values stabilized, and the Financial Storm gradually calmed.
With the cessation of hostilities among the Spirit Transformation cultivators, the Spirit Veins reopened and resumed operation. Rents gradually decreased, and the Earth Disaster slowly abated.
Massive quantities of Spirit Coins flooded from the banks, like life-saving waters being distributed across the land.
Projects across the land resumed operation, and numerous struggling companies stabilized with Spirit Coin support, gradually ending the wave of unemployment.
Simultaneously, vast numbers of Righteous Gods descended from the heavens to oversee management in various regions, ruthlessly suppressing any Evil Cultists who dared to surface.
To Jiutian Liu, it felt as if an invisible, colossal hand had descended from the sky, instantly smoothing over everything, forcibly ending the conflict between the Ten Greats and halting the economic crisis.
However, Jiutian Liu sensed that while the crisis had been forcibly suppressed, the underlying tensions between the Ten Greats had been laid bare. The half-exploded powder keg, now forcibly contained, was accumulating even more terrifying pressure.
Regardless, as long as the higher authorities maintained control, even if the lower factions wanted to fight, they would be confined to designated times, locations, and methods — limited to the Ten Greats League. A full-scale eruption was impossible, and the Ten Greats themselves would never truly intervene.
Jiutian Liu trusted the Finance Department’s assessment on this matter.
On the flying boat returning to Myriad Laws University.
Yan Qianji from the Artifact Refinement Department exclaimed in surprise, “Is the Ten Greats League going to be reformed again next year?”
Ye Xingli, who was reading the same document beside him, felt a slight shock. “Are they planning to use the Ten Greats League to resolve conflicts between universities? The competition will determine the allocation of even more benefits among the universities.”
Yan Qianji couldn’t contain his astonishment. “The Immortal Sect Techniques awarded will no longer be specified? Instead, the Dao Repository’s catalog will be opened, allowing the victors to choose any Immortal Sect Technique they desire?”
Ye Xingli’s heart surged with excitement at this revelation.
She thought to herself, “This year’s Ten Greats League already saw severe conflicts between universities, bordering on outright hostility. Next year, they’ll likely be vying for Immortal Sect Techniques.”
Now, with the option to choose their own Immortal Sect Technique, the stakes have become astronomically high. Even Spirit Transformation cultivators would be tempted to support their students in the competition, and the rivalry could easily spill beyond the arena.
Ye Xingli could already envision the coming year, filled with countless overt and covert battles unfolding both on and off the battlefield.
The promise of a self-selected Immortal Sect Technique was like bait, drawing countless teachers and students from the Ten Greats Universities into a frenzied rush.