Chapter 613: I Will Ascend Dao Qiankun to the Throne
Facing the cameras of numerous reporters, Zhang Yu began, “I owe my achievements today first and foremost to Myriad Laws University, for providing an excellent learning environment. I am also grateful to the university leaders for offering lucrative opportunities — at Myriad Laws University, everyone has a chance to earn money and find a job.”
“I must also thank my teacher, True Monarch Magnetic Pole. Participating in her Yin Artifact project greatly aided my cultivation. Without her, I wouldn’t have achieved what I have today.”
“I am indebted to my former teacher from the Civil Engineering Department, True Monarch Greenwood. Under his guidance, I laid a solid foundation in Civil Engineering, which allowed me to flexibly apply smart building technology on the battlefield.”
“Finally, I want to thank my high school teacher, True Person Starfire. It was he who helped me plan my career path and cultivate my dao heart…”
Another reporter asked, “Zhang Yu, what are your thoughts on your advertising price ranking for the next match?”
Zhang Yu blinked, a trace of confusion flickering across his face.
Beside him, Dao Qiankun sent him a message, briefly explaining what this ranking was all about.
A reporter asked, “Your advertising bid ranking for the next match has climbed to third place, trailing only Dao Qiankun and Kuang Tianqing. Do you have any comments on this?”
Zhang Yu replied, “I’ll follow the arrangements made by the school and my teachers.”
Another reporter chimed in, “Zhang Yu! Is there anything you’d like to say to Kuang Tianqing?”
Zhang Yu smiled. “Don’t run away next time we meet.”
After a barrage of questions, a reporter finally asked, “Zhang Yu, who do you think will win this year’s championship?”
Zhang Yu took a deep breath, his expression earnest and resolute. “Myriad Laws University will definitely claim the championship in this Ten Greats League!”
“I’ll help Senior Dao Qiankun secure first place.”
“I want to help him ascend to the throne of the Ten Great Universities!”
Crackle.
The air crackled as Kuang Tianqing slightly crushed it in her grip. Within her Bionic Eye, Zhang Yu’s interview video floated.
Beside her, Xue Yueshi, the second-ranked student from Heavenly Demon University and a biological female, glanced at Kuang Tianqing and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Kuang Tianqing replied coldly, “Nothing. I’m recording Zhang Yu’s interview and archiving it in my file repository.”
Another student nearby asked curiously, “What’s a file repository?”
Xue Yueshi casually explained, “Senior Kuang Tianqing holds grudges. She meticulously records every offense against her, storing detailed data about each transgression.”
Kuang Tianqing glared at the names in her file repository — Dao Qiankun, Zhang Yu, and others — and snapped, “I told you, it’s not about holding grudges.”
“This is an ancient cultivation method.”
“By recording and constantly reviewing one’s hatred and resentment, combined with a special mental cultivation technique, one can temper their dao heart.”
“This is the Hate Heart Art — using hatred to refine the heart. After all, hatred endures far longer and is more potent than other emotions or thoughts.”
Kuang Tianqing turned to her teammates and explained, “Although many Immortal Dao Technologies from ancient times have been discarded, many mental cultivation techniques still hold value. Don’t underestimate them.”
The student who had asked the question secretly messaged Xue Yueshi: “Senior, isn’t this just petty? 🙈”
Xue Yueshi: “Shhh! 🤫 Keep talking and she’ll add you to her archive too.”
Xue Yueshi: “Don’t think being a woman makes you safe from her.”
Xue Yueshi: “After mastering White Bone University’s techniques, she can now practice dual cultivation, preying on both men and women alike.”
As the competition concluded, Zhang Yu’s interview was quickly transformed into various videos and text formats, spreading across countless platforms.
Naturally, Zhang Yu himself was among the first to watch it.
While Zhang Yu watched his interview, Zhao Tianxing and the other Soul Cultivators erupted in excitement.
Zhao Tianxing shared the video in their Hometown Group, circled the sword casket visible behind Zhang Yu, and typed: “See that sword casket? I was inside it at the time!”
Mo Tianyi was repeatedly rereading the school’s announcement: “Congratulations to our students Zhao Tianxing and Mo Tianyi for achieving outstanding results in the Ten Greats League, competing alongside students from the Ten Great Universities…”
Meanwhile, Hu Yuntao received a message from Xiong Wenwu: “Can you ask President Zhang if he needs a mount?”
Che Yufei scrolled through messages from his classmates, feeling their envy and jealousy. He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: “Compared to my backbreaking labor on construction sites before… working as a Soul Cultivator under President Zhang might actually be more promising. Could this be a blessing in disguise?”
On the construction site of Myriad Laws University, Shi Huaiyu burst into hearty laughter. “Zhang Yu is going to be famous worldwide now! Our company will definitely skyrocket! And Civil Engineering, Myriad Laws… oh, wait!”
As if suddenly remembering something, Shi Huaiyu quickly manipulated her Bionic Eye to connect to stock and cryptocurrency platforms.
“It’s skyrocketing!” Shi Huaiyu exclaimed, elated. “Good thing I bought in!”
Xiao Qingxuan mused inwardly, “So, he’s trying to put Dao Qiankun on the throne? The Zhang Yu I know wouldn’t say something like that.”
Ying Xin asked her grandfather, “President Zhang didn’t use our family’s bone ash, did he?”
Ying Xin: “Grandpa, think carefully. Is there any bone ash left? I’ll scrape some more and send it to President Zhang.”
Yu Xinghan watched the segment of Zhang Yu’s interview about True Person Starfire, sighing inwardly. “Master, your name has truly spread throughout the University Realm this time.”
He sent a message to Li Xuelian: “Senior Sister, did you see it?”
Shi Yunxiang forwarded Zhang Yu’s results to the monsterfolk family group chat, saying, “Who among you has such an incredible boss? So what if they discriminate against monsterfolk? Do you even understand the inherent flaws of our kind? Especially since some monsterfolk are so low-quality, they deserve the discrimination.”
Shi Yunxiang: “I advise you all to stop worrying about ‘great monsterfolk,’ ‘ancient civilizations,’ or ‘oppression by the Human Race.’ Instead, focus on how many Spirit Coins you can earn this month.”
Le Mulan watched the video of Zhang Yu, radiating confidence and vigor. Her mind drifted back to the days when he tutored her to earn money, when he led his classmates through an economic crisis, and when the teacher dragged him to the office for juice extraction… Now, he had withstood Kuang Tianqing’s devouring embrace and devoured her whole.
Realizing this extraordinary individual was her colleague and boss, Le Mulan, Shi Huaiyu, Ying Xin, Shi Yunxiang, and the rest of the company employees felt a surge of fighting spirit, fueled by confidence and anticipation for the future.
Within the Civil Engineering Department of Myriad Laws University, Feng Tingting mused to herself, “So True Monarch Magnetic Pole and Director Gao have been nurturing Zhang Yu’s dual cultivation abilities in Civil Engineering and Artifact Refinement all along.”
“Does this mean I wasn’t exiled to Civil Engineering, but rather entrusted with high expectations?”
“Perhaps Director Gao hopes I can follow in Zhang Yu’s footsteps — mastering both Artifact Refinement and Civil Engineering, using refinement to enhance civil engineering and create new value?”
The more Feng Tingting watched Zhang Yu’s livestream, the more she sensed significant potential in this approach.
Meanwhile, Mo Shangjin, a first-year graduate student, listened to Zhang Yu’s words of gratitude and sighed inwardly, “Teacher, I was wrong.”
“I used to think you were powerless, unable to protect Zhang Yu or retain top talent in the Civil Engineering Department, forced to helplessly watch him transfer to the Artifact Refinement Department.”
“But now I realize: why must true civil engineers remain confined to civil engineering?”
“Even in the Artifact Refinement Department, Zhang Yu can still champion the spirit of civil engineering, potentially bringing even greater benefits to the field.”
At that moment, Mo Shangjin couldn’t help but marvel at Director Gao’s foresight.
He suddenly made up his mind: “I’m not going to take that guaranteed graduate student spot in the Civil Engineering Department.”
“I’ll rely on my own abilities and transfer to the Artifact Refinement Department’s graduate program!”
During class, Gongshu Jin noticed Tu Lishan abruptly stop lecturing. Tu Lishan then announced, “Students, I have some good news. Zhang Yu, one of our Civil Engineering graduates, achieved exceptional results in the Ten Greats League this year.”
“Let’s watch some highlights of his performance in the arena.”
“Remember this: the future of Civil Engineering is bright. Especially as the intensity of the Vocational College War and University War continues to escalate, our field will become increasingly vital.”
“Even after joining the Artifact Refinement Department, Student Yu never forgot to continue studying Civil Engineering Techniques…”
“Can Civil Engineering… really achieve this level?”
In the Spirit Realm, Ji Yuanshu, who had always dreamed of transferring from the Civil Engineering Department to the Finance Department, now found himself too busy as a Soul Cultivator to watch the competition live.
However, he could still manage to catch highlight clips and post-match interviews.
Watching Zhang Yu’s performance and his answers on camera, Ji Yuanshu couldn’t help but feel a complex mix of emotions.
“Perhaps I shouldn’t have been so fixated on transferring out of Civil Engineering after all.”
In a dimly lit room, Ping Han was working while watching the competition.
As he watched Kuang Tianqing on screen being engulfed by a violent tremor, Ping Han felt his own world shake violently as well.
Only then did he realize that his work environment was indeed trembling under the relentless impact of the guests’ attacks.
“We’re both in Civil Engineering… both dual cultivators…”
“Why? Why are our fates so drastically different?”
A flicker of resentment flashed in Ping Han’s eyes. Recalling Divine Monarch Jade Nectar’s orders, he suddenly steeled his resolve, shedding his earlier timidity.
“With the Divine Monarchs’ attention focused on the arena during this Ten Greats League, this might be the last chance of my life.”
“For this opportunity, I’ll stop at nothing — even if it means helping Joyful Union University reduce Myriad Laws to ashes.”
“True Person Starfire… True Person Starfire…”
After watching the interview, Wang Yin’s mind kept replaying Zhang Yu’s words, recalling his own experiences in the First Layer of Kunxu.
“Back when I was on the First Layer, I was also blocked by this True Person Starfire.”
“So it’s him again. He must have taught Zhang Yu quite a bit later, right?”
The more Wang Yin pondered these connections, the more he sensed something extraordinary at play.
“Could it all have been preordained?”
Wang Yin recalled the many figures throughout history who had suddenly risen to prominence, climbing layer by layer to the upper echelons of Kunxu. Zhang Yu now bore a striking resemblance to them.
A thought, absurd even to himself, surged through his mind: “Zhang Yu… could he actually win the championship this time?”
“Impossible…”
Despite the absurdity of the notion, Wang Yin sent the thought to his mother.
Mother: “Some people’s sudden rise to prominence is indeed connected to those above.”
Mother: “Every era produces such individuals — those who rise like lightning, ascend rapidly, and then vanish without a trace.”
Mother: “But this time, the first place is destined for either Kuang Tianqing or Dao Qiankun.”
Mother: “From what I can see, this is the only outcome most Spirit Transformation cultivators will accept.”
Mother: “Anyone else who wins will likely meet a grim end.”