Chapter 637: Core Secrets of the Finance Department
Under Jiutian Liu’s will, the spiritual energy in the atmosphere converged frantically. With a flick of his finger, he detonated the spiritual energy and air, unleashing a surging shockwave that erupted outward from Zhang Yu’s position.
Amidst the earth-shattering explosion, hundreds of thousands of tons of mud and sand were hurled skyward, transforming into billowing clouds of dust that scattered in all directions.
At the epicenter of the blast, only a massive crater remained, as if struck by a celestial meteorite.
Zhang Yu’s figure had vanished completely, seemingly obliterated by the devastating strike.
As this scene unfolded, Jiutian Liu’s aura intensified, his eyes flickering with countless images of Zhang Yu.
One vision showed Zhang Yu using a Gang Qi clone to intercept the attack while his true body went underground.
“Hmph, evading my strike… what good will that do? It’s merely prolonging the inevitable…”
Within Jiutian Liu’s military-grade Bionic Eye, Zhang Yu’s myriad projections flickered back and forth. These were future predictions based on Zhang Yu’s personal model, revealing every possible outcome for him on this battlefield.
“A desperate struggle.”
As he spoke, Jiutian Liu straightened his back, and the earth trembled violently. His surging aura seemed to shake the heavens and earth, forcing all creation to bow before him.
He pointed his finger again, and dense spiritual energy gathered in the atmosphere. Simultaneously, his Bionic Eye locked onto the most likely location of Zhang Yu underground.
At that moment, Zhang Yu’s gaze flickered slightly. “Normally, passively taking hits isn’t a smart move,” he thought to himself.
Even with the Civil Engineering Sacred Body’s enhancement, which allowed him to gain increasing resistance as his injuries worsened, Zhang Yu didn’t consider passively enduring attacks a good strategy.
While his defense would strengthen with severe injuries, his overall condition, physical functions, and various abilities would inevitably decline.
In the past, when he had been stalling for time against Kuang Tianqing or engaging in a desperate struggle against Ying Mingchi, the Civil Engineering Sacred Body had been invaluable. Not only did it enhance his defense as he took damage, but it also inflicted greater losses on his opponents.
But against Jiutian Liu, could passively taking hits inflict any losses on his opponent? Could he drag his opponent down with him as his own condition deteriorated?
Uncertain of the answer, Zhang Yu chose evasion and stealth over directly confronting Jiutian Liu’s overwhelming attack.
But in the next instant, accompanied by a thunderous explosion of spiritual energy around him, Zhang Yu burst from the ground, his heart suddenly racing. “Has Jiutian Liu’s attack power… increased?”
A line of polling data appeared in Jiutian Liu’s Bionic Eye:
“80% of viewers believe Jiutian Liu will win!”
Clearly, Jiutian Liu’s peak strike, which had forced Zhang Yu to take refuge underground, had caused his support rate to skyrocket once again.
This surge in support rate brought a corresponding surge in Qi Luck, further amplifying his power.
At that moment, the military-grade martial art of the Finance Department, the Primordial Qi Invisible Great Handprint, which drew destructive power from burning Qi Luck and spiritual energy, grew even more formidable.
Simultaneously, the military-grade Bionic Eye had locked onto all of Zhang Yu’s escape routes.
The vast spiritual energy of heaven and earth was manipulated by Jiutian Liu’s will. As his Qi Luck burned fiercely, it coalesced into an invisible, colossal hand, poised to crush Zhang Yu in its grasp.
With this crushing strike, an attack surpassing even his peak would completely tear his opponent apart.
This strike wasn’t merely the culmination of Jiutian Liu’s power since the start of the battle; it was the culmination of preparations stretching back far longer, to the time before the Ten Greats League even began.
For this strike, Jiutian Liu had prepared for far too long and invested far too much…
Just before the Ten Greats League began, in the Spirit Realm Conference Room of the Finance Department at Myriad Laws University, Jiutian Liu was once again presenting to the Nascent Soul realm teachers and his Spirit Transformation Master. As projection screens flickered to life, he detailed his market positioning, competitive landscape, product packaging, success rate, and return on investment, hoping to secure more funding for the Ten Greats League.
Following the meeting, several new investment commitments were secured, further boosting Jiutian Liu’s Immortal Dao Potential.
Despite the growing investments and his increasingly abundant Spirit Coins, Jiutian Liu couldn’t shake the feeling that the department wasn’t fully supporting him.
He sent a message, respectfully inquiring of the Evil God in his guise as a believer.
The Evil God was a secret known only to the Finance Department’s core members.
Every selected outstanding student from the Finance Department would journey to a hidden island, its coordinates never publicly disclosed. There, they would undergo trials and complete a special ritual.
Only students who passed the trials and completed the rituals could contact the Evil God, become believers, and, after having their potential unlocked, become core members of the Finance Department.
As generations of outstanding members matured, they spread throughout key positions in the financial sector, becoming a terrifying force hidden in the shadows of the Finance Department.
When Jiutian Liu questioned the Evil God, the reply was simply: “Do you think we would only invest in you?”
Jiutian Liu soon discovered that over the past six months, the Finance Department had invested in Vajra, Immortal Soldiers, Heavenly Sword, and even Heavenly Demon, Netherworld, Joyous Union, White Bone, and other universities.
“Diversification? Makes sense. You can’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
Though somewhat disappointed, Jiutian Liu wasn’t particularly surprised. No matter who won, the Finance Department would emerge victorious, for their core principle was to always align with the victor.
As for the investments in Heavenly Demon and Netherworld potentially reducing the Myriad Laws University students’ chances of winning? To Jiutian Liu, that was of little consequence.
Myriad Laws is Myriad Laws, finance is finance, and investment is investment — a fundamental principle understood by every student in the Finance Department of Myriad Laws University.
However, with the start of the Ten Greats League, something unexpected happened to Jiutian Liu.
Jin Guangyuan, the former second-ranked student in the Finance Department who had been expelled due to the Dual Rest Cult incident, contacted him.
Jin Guangyuan: “Senior Brother, my Spirit Coins haven’t been transferred this month.”
Jiutian Liu frowned. “Didn’t I tell you not to contact us unless it’s urgent?”
“Alright, I’ll look into the Spirit Coin issue for you.”
At that moment, Jiutian Liu discovered a problem with the Finance Department’s funds. Some Spirit Coin withdrawals and transfers were blocked.
“A massive amount of Spirit Coins have been transferred out?!”
Jiutian Liu’s heart pounded with alarm.
He understood that the Finance Department’s funds weren’t just their own; they represented countless deposits, loans, investments, and debts. Yet now, all of it had been spent.
It was as if a peerless martial artist had suddenly taken out massive loans, accumulated staggering debts, and then exhausted all their power.
What could the Finance Department accomplish after exhausting all its resources?
And what kind of situation would require the Finance Department to expend such immense effort?
Jiutian Liu, his mind brimming with questions, sought out his master, Divine Monarch Golden Citadel, only to find him locked in a cold standoff with Dao Qiankun, as if a major conflict had erupted between them.
Jiutian Liu speculated inwardly, “Could this be about the selection of the Immortal Sect Technique?”
The meeting seemed to have ended on a sour note. When Jiutian Liu pressed his master for answers, Divine Monarch Golden Citadel offered no explanation, merely urging him to focus on the competition and not dwell on such matters.
The very next day, news of Dao Qiankun’s death spread like wildfire among the higher echelons.
“Dao Qiankun… was killed?” Jiutian Liu thought, startled. “Did my master and the others take care of him?”
Immediately afterward, Finance Departments at other universities, besides Myriad Laws University, began similar maneuvers, causing massive flows of Spirit Coins to surge through the market.
This was no longer a matter of individual universities; it was the Kunlun Society, governed by eight Spirit Transformation Councilors, mobilizing its full power.
Jiutian Liu sensed a colossal power within it, surpassing that of any of the Ten Great Universities.
He could feel that the Spirit Coins gathered within were enough to turn the entire Kunxu’s tenth layer upside down.
Jiutian Liu didn’t know where this immense power was being channeled. All he knew was that even a fraction of it, diverted to him, had caused his popularity to skyrocket over the past week.
“The world is on the cusp of a massive upheaval. This is the most chaotic era, yet also the greatest.”
“The greater the risk, the greater the reward. This is the best opportunity I’ll ever encounter in my life.”
As the sole remaining Finance Department student among the top eight competitors, Jiutian Liu had secured the full backing of the Kunlun Society.
Under the Kunlun Society’s arrangements, every one of the Ten Great Universities featured his promotions and advertisements. Countless individuals scrambled to boost his chances of victory, and vast quantities of Spirit Coins flowed around him.
He had ascended to an unprecedented peak, and by defeating Zhang Yu, he could surge from this summit to the next.
“Zhang Yu, become my nourishment and propel me to the throne!”
On the battlefield, facing Jiutian Liu, whose popularity and Qi Luck had surged once more, unleashing his ultimate killing move, Zhang Yu didn’t dodge this time. Instead, he stood his ground, choosing to confront Jiutian Liu’s attack head-on.
As Jiutian Liu’s transformation flashed through his mind, Zhang Yu thought to himself, “With the end of the first strike, the power of the second strike has intensified.”
“As expected, Jiutian Liu’s strength grows with the accumulation of Qi Luck. The more advantages he gains on the battlefield, the more people believe in his victory, the higher his popularity soars, and the stronger he becomes.”
“Evading him will only make him more powerful.”
“I can’t let his momentum continue to build.”
At the same time, while Jiutian Liu’s strength had indeed increased with the gathering of Qi Luck, Zhang Yu was far from alarmed. In fact, he was secretly pleased, as this development confirmed intelligence he had gathered about the Finance Department.
“If he grows stronger by gaining advantages in battle, then it also means… he will weaken by losing advantages.”
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Zhang Yu roared, “Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor! Manifest!”
A dragon’s roar echoed across the battlefield as torrents of water surged forth from the depths of the earth.
Within the raging currents, the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor materialized, accompanied by four golden dragon shadows radiating brilliant light.