Chapter 592: Pre-Competition Advertising Placement
Zhang Yu, now flush with funds and completely focused on the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor, had no interest in working at the construction site during the final month before the Ten Greats League.
However, Director Gao personally requested his assistance. Mo Shangjin had been busy preparing for graduate school entrance exams, and with the increasing number of large-scale projects at the site, he was overwhelmed and needed Zhang Yu to cover half-day shifts.
Since Director Gao himself had asked, Zhang Yu naturally couldn’t refuse.
Given that the construction team consisted of monsterfolk, Zhang Yu decided to adopt a firm approach to ensure their cooperation. He wanted to avoid any issues arising from perceived discrimination that might lead a monsterfolk worker to act irrationally and waste everyone’s time.
According to some of his monsterfolk friends, harshness was far more effective than politeness in getting lower-level monsterfolk to obey — the more you scold them, the more compliant they become.
To prevent any accusations of discrimination, Zhang Yu enlisted Shi Yunxiang’s help.
A Rat Monster glared angrily at Shi Yunxiang, snarling, “Lion Monster! We’re all monsterfolk! How can you help outsiders bully your own kind?”
“My own kind?” Shi Yunxiang sneered inwardly. “Whether Rat Monsters and Lion Monsters are even considered the same kind is debatable. But even if you were all Lion Monsters, all my own kind, even if we shared the same mother…”
“Zhang Yu is the one who pulled off that earth-shattering case with me, the one who fought to the death against the Demonic Cult’s Golden Core cultivators.”
“Besides, he got me a raise!”
Zhang Yu stepped forward. “Everyone…”
Shi Yunxiang glared at the assembled monsters. “You little beasts!”
Zhang Yu: “Let’s get to work.”
Armed with two Military Certificates, the prestige of his top-ranking position at Myriad Laws University, and Shi Yunxiang’s assistance, Zhang Yu activated the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power. The monsterfolk present cooperated, and thankfully, no major incidents occurred.
After the work was completed smoothly, Zhang Yu reached out with a telekinetic grab. As the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power surged, he swiftly carried Shi Yunxiang toward University City.
Flying through the desolate skies, Zhang Yu gazed down at the tranquil earth beneath the cloudless expanse, dotted with bustling university cities. He thought to himself, “The scars left by the last economic crisis are finally beginning to fade.”
“The Finance Department at Myriad Laws University has been temporarily suppressed by the teachers.”
“The monsterfolk have quieted down.”
“The Dual Rest Cult’s conspiracy has been exposed and their networks dismantled across the land. Testing for the Dual Rest Virus is becoming routine.”
“The Civil Engineering Department’s projects are expanding, and their business is booming.”
“The Ten Great Universities have managed to contain their conflicts, preventing another Spirit Transformation-level war.”
“The Evil Gods remain dormant, biding their time…”
Zhang Yu sensed that everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction, and the Kunxu Second Layer felt remarkably peaceful.
Having witnessed the economic crisis triggered by the Spirit Transformation Divine Monarchs, Zhang Yu now deeply appreciated the importance of peaceful development.
“I hope this tranquility lasts a little longer.”
Time flew by, and it was already late August.
A glint flashed in Zhang Yu’s eyes as he withdrew from the Supreme Clarity Realm.
After weeks of frenzied study and simulated artifact refinement, he had mastered all the knowledge and techniques required to refine the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor.
“Besides enhancing the physical body, the armor’s greatest ability is to condense water vapor, create water fields, generate torrents, and rapidly breed Demon Beasts within those torrents, forming a massive aquatic army.”
“In ancient times, wearing this armor would have been like carrying a mobile aquatic army, ready to fight or flee at a moment’s notice.”
“In modern times, these rapidly bred Demon Beasts wouldn’t be suitable for combat, but they’d be perfect for selling.”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “This Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor is basically a portable breeding ground, isn’t it?”
“Aquaculture… I wonder if it’s profitable.”
Zhang Yu wasn’t familiar with aquaculture, but he sensed that the cultivation art hidden within the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor lay within the technology for rapidly breeding vast armies of aquatic creatures.
Yet he still hadn’t managed to extract it and form a proper cultivation art.
“Is my mastery still insufficient?”
Zhang Yu studied the design blueprints, secretly speculating based on his current knowledge and skills. “Perhaps I need to master the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor blueprints to Level 20, or actually refine the armor, wear it, and use my body to participate in its operation… Only then might I have a chance to extract the cultivation art from the technology.”
“Then let’s begin.”
Zhang Yu glanced at Liu Xiangqiao, Zi Yunzhen, and the other assistants who were ready nearby, then walked over and began refining the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor.
In the following days, Zhang Yu either practiced simulating the armor’s refinement techniques in the Supreme Clarity Realm or refined the actual Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor in reality. As his artifact refinement skills rapidly improved, the magnificent armor gradually took shape.
Early September.
In a conference room in the Spirit Realm, True Monarch Tranquility, the school team’s teacher, was introducing the team’s competitors to potential sponsors.
“Zhang Yu, disciple of True Monarch Magnetic Pole, defeated Bei Wufeng, the second-ranked artifact refiner, in the Sword Duel. He practices dual cultivation in artifact refinement and civil engineering, specializing in empowering civil engineering projects with artifact refinement techniques…”
As True Monarch Tranquility spoke, he could sense the sponsors’ lack of interest in Zhang Yu.
This was understandable, as sponsors typically sought out competitors with the highest potential for success in the Ten Greats League.
Figures like Dao Qiankun, Jiutian Liu, and Yan Qianji were the sponsors’ primary targets.
“Ye Xingli is ranked third in the Artifact Refinement Department. She excels in Bionic design and livestreaming sales. With our investment and guidance, she has already amassed 8 million followers…”
As True Monarch Tranquility began introducing Ye Xingli, he noticed the sponsors’ attention sharpen considerably.
Even disregarding her potential performance in the Ten Greats League, her 8 million followers alone were enough to pique their interest.
However, upon discovering that the majority of her followers were Junior College Students and Lower College Students, the sponsors’ enthusiasm quickly waned.
Ye Xingli walked through the Refining Factory.
With a surge of Magic Power, cylindrical pillars rose up, then burst open to reveal row after row of Bionics within.
Looking at these Bionics, a hint of satisfaction appeared on Ye Xingli’s face.
In her view, the competition of the Immortal Dao… was essentially a battle of Bionics.
To defeat an opponent, one only needed to defeat their Bionic.
She had tirelessly filmed videos, hosted live-streaming sales, and earned money, finally completing the refinement of these Bionics just before the Grand League.
Ye Xingli thought to herself, “My military-grade magical artifacts and Bionics have already reached their control limit.”
“To unleash even greater power and achieve better results, I need to equip different Bionics tailored to each opponent from the Ten Great Universities and their diverse Bionic types.”
“In this year’s Ten Greats League… I will not lose in the Bionic competition.”
“This will be another opportunity for my fan base to explode again.”
In the Spirit Realm conference room, True Monarch Tranquility continued his introduction: “Yan Qianji, the top student in the Artifact Refinement Department, personal disciple of Divine Monarch Myriad Transformations, and a member of the Heavenly Sun Radiance God’s development team for the past three years…”
As True Monarch Tranquility spoke, the eyes of the advertisers seemed to light up one by one.
Someone immediately shouted, “I want the chest advertisement!”
Another vied: “I’ll take the head advertisement!”
One person, while contacting their superiors, said, “What about the Heavenly Sun Radiance God’s branded advertisements? We’ll take them all, no matter the price.”
In front of the puppet production line, the Heavenly Sun Radiance God stood proudly, radiating a unique black flame.
Yan Qianji sat on the Heavenly Sun Radiance God’s shoulder, watching the colorful puppets being rapidly produced on the assembly line, a satisfied smile on his face.
“This year’s Ten Greats League is truly amazing.”
“If the school hadn’t increased its investment, my puppet production line wouldn’t have been completed so easily.”
In the Spirit Realm’s conference hall, Jiutian Liu’s projection materialized.
He gazed at the eager advertisers and smiled faintly. “I’ll handle the negotiations for my advertisements myself.”
Facing the overwhelmingly enthusiastic advertisers, Jiutian Liu stated, “A fixed price is out of the question.”
“Each of my advertisements will include a built-in link.”
“In addition to the slot fee, there must also be a tiered commission structure…”
Though Jiutian Liu’s demands were exceptionally stringent, they did nothing to dampen the advertisers’ enthusiasm.
After all, most companies predicted that Jiutian Liu had the potential to reach the top ten in this year’s Ten Greats League, making him a highly sought-after target for advertisers.
Once all of Jiutian Liu’s advertisement slots were sold out and his projection vanished, the advertisers turned their hungry gazes toward True Monarch Tranquility.
“There’s only one left.”
“Just Dao Qiankun now…”
“We’ll bid whatever it takes to secure it!”
If Jiutian Liu was considered a guaranteed top-ten contender by most companies, Dao Qiankun was seen as a guaranteed top-three contender, with a strong chance of vying for first place.
In many advertisers’ budgets, the funds allocated for Dao Qiankun’s advertisements were ten times greater than those for Jiutian Liu!
But facing the ravenous gazes of the advertisers, True Monarch Tranquility could only offer a wry smile. “My apologies, everyone,” he said helplessly.
“Dao Qiankun has refused to sell any advertisement slots.”
“He said…”
“He doesn’t need Spirit Coins.”
In the secluded cultivation chamber, the cold voice of the artifact spirit echoed: “Commencing the 9,876th Golden Core breakthrough attempt…”
As spiritual energy circuits activated, tangible streams of spiritual energy surged forth, converging upon Dao Qiankun.
With a crackling explosion, like thunderclaps erupting, the blinding golden light gradually faded from Dao Qiankun’s body.
The artifact spirit calmly reported: “Golden Core breakthrough failed.”
Dao Qiankun casually tossed aside a blackened, spherical bead, remarking indifferently, “This one’s finally given out after all this time. Have them bring another.”
Allowing the puppet to retrieve the spent Golden Core, Dao Qiankun glanced at his updated record.
“Excellent. Before the Ten Greats League, I’ll reach 10,000 Golden Core breakthrough attempts.”
“I… will become the strongest beneath the Golden Core realm!”
“Kuang Tianqing…”
His gaze fixed on the Golden Core Direct Guidance display before him, then shifted to the top scorer on the simulation rankings.
Currently, on the Golden Core Seed Rankings, Dao Qiankun held the top spot with an impressive score of 520,000, surpassing Kuang Tianqing.
Yet Dao Qiankun understood this was far from their true capabilities. Kuang Tianqing, like himself, was undoubtedly pushing his limits under the full support of his university.