Chapter 704: Zhang Yu’s Plans
At that moment, Zhang Yu continued his design work while simultaneously focusing a portion of his consciousness on this matter. Hearing Wen Wuya’s explanation, a flicker of doubt arose in Zhang Yu’s mind.
Zhang Yu: “If they wanted to seize the Sword Repository by force, why didn’t they just break the seals? Why bother with a transfer agreement?”
Wen Wuya: “When Zhenzhen refused to hand over the keys to the Sword Repository, they did indeed attempt to break in by force.”
Wen Wuya: “However, after breaching the Repository, they discovered that all the sword artifacts had been awakened.”
Wen Wuya: “Without the authorization granted by Divine Monarch Seven Emotions, any attempt to forcibly seize these sword artifacts would trigger their self-destruction.”
Wen Wuya: “This was especially true for the Spirit Transformation-level flying sword among them. If it chose to self-destruct, even a Spirit Transformation Divine Monarch couldn’t stop it, and all the sword artifacts in the Repository would be annihilated.”
Wen Wuya: “That’s why they need Zhenzhen to sign the transfer agreement and hand over the Sword Repository’s access permissions.”
Zhang Yu asked again, “Tell me more about the specific situation at Heavenly Sword University.”
Through Wen Wuya’s explanation, Zhang Yu gradually learned that since the war began, Heavenly Sword University had suffered tremendous losses. Meanwhile, the five Spirit Transformation Divine Monarchs had been depleting vast resources to advance their cultivation.
Furthermore, Heavenly Sword University had failed to gain any advantage in the competition for Spatial Technology, yet they continued to pour funds into the Research Association and the import of spatial products. This led to persistent deficits and a worsening economic situation.
To alleviate this crisis, Divine Monarch Blade Commander proposed opening Divine Monarch Seven Emotions’ Sword Repository, liquidating its contents to cover the university’s financial shortfall.
The other four Divine Monarchs maintained a neutral stance, refraining from direct intervention. However, they would undoubtedly benefit once the Sword Repository was breached.
Inside Heavenly Sword University, Bai Zhenzhen sat cross-legged in a meditation chamber, a projection materializing before her.
Bai Zhenzhen recognized the cultivator, True Monarch Severing Clouds, as a disciple of Divine Monarch Blade Commander and a figure of real power within Heavenly Sword University.
True Monarch Severing Clouds spoke, his voice cold, “Bai Zhenzhen, will you continue to resist?”
He glared at her, thinking, “Bai Zhenzhen, you think you can still act like you’re a Spirit Transformation disciple, with Divine Monarch Seven Emotions watching over you? The times have changed. I’m the Spirit Transformation disciple now, and you’re just a Golden Core cultivator.”
Bai Zhenzhen gritted her teeth. “The Sword Repository was entrusted to me by my master. If she returns and finds it gone, how am I supposed to explain?”
True Monarch Severing Clouds thought, “Trying to intimidate me with an old Spirit Transformation Expert?”
But to Severing Clouds, and indeed to most cultivators across the Ten Great Universities, the Old Spirit Transformation Experts had vanished with the Sixth Layer of Kunxu. Whether they would ever return alive was uncertain.
Even if they did return, the universities’ assets had long been divided and absorbed by the Ten Greats and the Righteous Qi Alliance. How much power would these returning experts retain? They were no longer a threat.
As time passed and the new Spirit Transformation Experts’ cultivation steadily advanced, their ability to assimilate resources grew, and their apprehension toward the Old Spirit Transformation Experts gradually diminished.
Seeing True Monarch Severing Clouds’s nonchalant demeanor, Bai Zhenzhen continued, “The sword artifacts in the Sword Repository range from Qi Refining to Spirit Transformation levels, their value beyond measure. Are you really going to take them all with just a few words? Isn’t that going too far?”
Although Divine Monarch Blade Commander had initially promised Bai Zhenzhen she could select three sword artifacts, the number was later reduced to two, then one, and finally restricted to artifacts below Foundation Establishment level. Bai Zhenzhen cursed inwardly.
True Monarch Severing Clouds’s gaze sharpened, his eyes flashing with sword light. “In these times of great upheaval, when the school’s very survival hangs in the balance, and everyone must contribute, you’re still haggling over such trivialities?”
“If Divine Monarch Seven Emotions were still here, I’m certain she would have personally opened the Sword Repository and donated the swords to alleviate the school’s crisis.”
True Monarch Severing Clouds said calmly, “Bai Zhenzhen, the school is going to dispose of the Sword Repository. This is the will of the majority. Stop clinging to the illusion that you can continue to monopolize the assets left by the Divine Monarch for the entire school.”
Bai Zhenzhen suppressed her anger and replied, “I can cooperate with the school by allowing the sword artifacts in the Sword Repository to be deployed and hired out by the school. At least don’t sell them…”
True Monarch Severing Clouds waved his hand, interrupting her again. “They are all school assets. What’s this talk of deployment and hiring out?”
“The school has already signed a contract with Netherworld University. These sword artifacts will be sold to them. You’d better cooperate quickly. If you delay the school’s business, no one can protect you. No amount of money will be enough to compensate for the losses.”
Bai Zhenzhen’s heart sank. “Sell them to Netherworld University? They’ll tear the sword artifacts apart, stripping them of their essence, and the lingering souls within will be…”
True Monarch Severing Clouds snorted coldly, cutting her off. “That’s none of your concern.”
“Bai Zhenzhen, we’ve given you your chance.”
“If you continue to resist stubbornly, clinging to the delusion of monopolizing the Divine Monarch’s assets, it won’t be as simple as house arrest anymore. We’ll freeze your accounts, seize your assets, and you might end up bankrupt, saddled with debts you can never repay in your lifetime.”
“Consider this carefully.”
Watching Bai Zhenzhen, the once-Spirit Transformation disciple, now biting her lip and offering no further resistance, True Monarch Severing Clouds chuckled inwardly with a mix of relief and satisfaction.
“It seems I can tighten the screws further for now. Let’s see if Seven Emotions has passed anything else to Bai Zhenzhen, something she’ll finally cough up.”
In the next moment, True Monarch Severing Clouds’s Spirit Realm Projection vanished from before Bai Zhenzhen.
Shortly after, True Monarch Severing Clouds’s gaze flickered in his office as he received a message from Wen Wuya.
Reading the message, he mused to himself, “True Monarch Blazing Light wants to visit Bai Zhenzhen?”
“True Monarch Blazing Light… isn’t that Zhang Yu? The Second-Generation School Elite from Myriad Laws University, the one Magnetic Pole forced into the Research Association, the guy who’s been bleeding our funding dry…”
True Monarch Severing Clouds couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy and jealousy, lamenting that his own master hadn’t been as skilled at nurturing disciples as Magnetic Pole.
As the one overseeing Bai Zhenzhen’s case, True Monarch Severing Clouds was well aware of the close relationship between Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen.
Yet he coldly rejected Wen Wuya’s request.
True Monarch Severing Clouds: “Bai Zhenzhen is currently cooperating with the investigation and cannot be disturbed.”
In truth, True Monarch Severing Clouds understood that isolating Bai Zhenzhen from the outside world was crucial to breaking her. As a practitioner of the Extreme Emotion Sword Dao, she needed to be cut off from all support to succumb to the pressure.
He believed his goal was nearing completion. There was no way he would allow Zhang Yu to contact Bai Zhenzhen at this critical juncture.
Simultaneously, True Monarch Severing Clouds issued a stern warning to Wen Wuya.
True Monarch Severing Clouds: “Wen Wuya, remember your allegiance. You are either a Heavenly Sword or a Myriad Laws disciple. The university trained you to serve its interests, not to leak information to outsiders.”
Wen Wuya immediately replied: “True Monarch, Zhang Yu contacted me first. I had no choice.”
Watching this former Spirit Transformation disciple now cower and act with such timidity, True Monarch Severing Clouds couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction.
For the past ten months, True Monarch Severing Clouds had been tirelessly working to completely eradicate the influence of the Old Spirit Transformation Experts and suppress their disciples and followers.
After reprimanding Wen Wuya, True Monarch Severing Clouds had returned to his duties.
But soon, a notification flashed in his Bionic Eye: a friend request from True Monarch Blazing Light of Myriad Laws University.
“Hmm? Coming straight to my door?”
True Monarch Severing Clouds initially considered ignoring the request, but after considering Divine Monarch Magnetic Pole of Myriad Laws University, he ultimately accepted Zhang Yu’s friend request.
Zhang Yu: “Greetings, True Monarch Severing Clouds. I’ve long admired your reputation.”
True Monarch Severing Clouds: “True Monarch Blazing Light, there’s no need for such formalities. State your business directly. I have university affairs to attend to.”
Zhang Yu: “I wish to see Bai Zhenzhen.”
True Monarch Severing Clouds replied sternly: “Bai Zhenzhen is implicated in a case involving the embezzlement of university assets. No one may visit her until she has fully cooperated with the investigation.”
Zhang Yu: “True Monarch Severing Clouds, could you do me a favor? [100 Spirit Coins]”
True Monarch Severing Clouds: “True Monarch Blazing Light, this is an internal matter for Heavenly Sword University. Is Myriad Laws University attempting to interfere?”
True Monarch Severing Clouds: “If not, please mind your own business and refrain from interfering in matters concerning other universities.”
True Monarch Severing Clouds: “Otherwise, I’ll have to ask Divine Monarch Magnetic Pole how she’s been teaching her disciples.”
After rejecting Zhang Yu, True Monarch Severing Clouds thought to himself, “Hmph, the Second-Generation School Elite from Myriad Laws University thinks he can meddle in Heavenly Sword’s affairs?”
In True Monarch Severing Clouds’s view, Zhang Yu, with Divine Monarch Magnetic Pole’s backing, could indeed run rampant within Myriad Laws University and even the Research Association.
But attempting to interfere with Heavenly Sword University? That was an overestimation of his influence.
True Monarch Severing Clouds shook his head. “How dare you meddle in Heavenly Sword University’s internal affairs? Not even your Master Magnetic Pole could get away with that.”
Especially now that Myriad Laws University no longer held a monopoly on spatial technology, True Monarch Severing Clouds saw no reason for Heavenly Sword University to fear them.
Of course, if Zhang Yu were willing to keep throwing money at him and begging, True Monarch Severing Clouds wouldn’t mind giving him some face.
However, in the following days, Zhang Yu made no further contact. True Monarch Severing Clouds frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing through his mind.
On the other side, after concluding his conversation with True Monarch Severing Clouds, Zhang Yu made no further attempts to contact anyone else at Heavenly Sword University.
He knew that with his current strength, financial resources, and influence, it would be extremely difficult to exert any meaningful influence within the university.
“Trying to help Bai Zhenzhen by fighting True Monarchs and Divine Monarchs within Heavenly Sword University… that’s far too difficult and not my area of expertise,” Zhang Yu thought to himself. “But I do have my own strengths… namely, using Immortal Dao Technology to influence the Ten Great Universities.”
The products Zhang Yu was developing, particularly the Spatial Technology he was implementing, would impact countless industries across the Ten Great Universities. Certain strategic choices in these technologies could affect the gain or loss of tens of thousands of Spirit Coins for a single university.
And as it happened, one particular aspect of his current design seemed particularly relevant to Heavenly Sword University.