Chapter 753: Nine Steps to Success!
Gazing at the four figures radiating immense light, Zhang Yu thought to himself, “The livestream should have started by now.”
“All interviews are happening simultaneously, and they’re all being livestreamed. I wonder how many people are watching my interview right now.”
But in the next moment, Zhang Yu cleared his mind of distracting thoughts and focused all his attention on the interview before him.
His gaze first swept over the four Examiners. However, their projections were so dazzlingly bright that their true forms were completely obscured. They resembled distant, lofty stars — one could see their brilliant glow but not their actual appearance.
Zhang Yu understood this was both a display of arrogance and a form of protection.
The Spirit Realm or Dharma Realm where these high-level beings resided contained far greater volumes of information and data than the lower layers.
If their complete information and data were transmitted here, it would likely cause regional Spirit Realm tremors or even severe lag in the Spirit Realm Network.
Therefore, at this moment, only a sliver of their consciousness had been transmitted through the Spirit Realm to facilitate communication during the interview.
Although he couldn’t see their faces, Zhang Yu could discern the origins of the four Examiners from the text information displayed by the Spirit Realm Projection beside them.
First was the Examiner in the central seat. Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Edict Pavilion, Review Department, Vice Minister Lu Hengzhang. The Review Department must be one of the Edict Pavilion’s core divisions. All cultivation art copyright approvals ultimately fall into their hands.”
“If I join the Edict Pavilion’s Review Department in the future, this Lu Hengzhang would be my superior.”
Just then, Vice Minister Lu’s voice echoed across the Spirit Realm.
Vice Minister Lu: “Zhang Yu, I see that from your first to third year, you studied in the Civil Engineering Department. What made you decide to transfer to the Artifact Refinement Department?”
Kunxu Third Layer.
Tu Lishan, who was watching the livestream, felt his heart sink upon hearing the question. He sighed, “It’s finally here. And they asked it right at the start. It seems that even though the Civil Engineering Department in the Lower Realm has entered a new era, in the eyes of those old fogeys up there, it’s still a major for the poor and the weak.”
Kunxu Fourth Layer.
Mo Shangjin was participating in the University’s reconstruction efforts, but today he was also watching the interview.
Hearing the Examiner’s question, Mo Shangjin’s movements paused slightly. He couldn’t help but lament inwardly, “Even at Zhang Yu’s level, the first question he’s asked is still about his ‘dark history’ of being from the Civil Engineering Department?”
Feng Tingting watched the livestream with concern, thinking, “Is this Examiner biased against Civil Engineering? Hiss… but it’s almost impossible for an upper-level Examiner not to be biased against Civil Engineering…”
Meanwhile, Shi Huaiyu, Ying Xin, Xiao Qingxuan, Xiang Shan… countless people from the Civil Engineering Department were watching this scene unfold during the interview.
They all understood that Zhang Yu’s conversation with Vice Minister Lu would undoubtedly affect the future of countless Civil Engineering students.
Outside the interview hall, in the audience, Yun Zhiguang watched coldly. She sneered inwardly, “Hmph, a mud-legged Civil Engineering student trying to enter a sect? Do you think this is still the old days? Sects don’t need such low-end talent anymore.”
Inside the interview hall, Zhang Yu faced the Examiner, who radiated a dazzling light, as if he were staring directly at the sun.
But Zhang Yu replied calmly, “Because I believe the combination of Civil Engineering and Artifact Refinement is the most promising field of the future…”
Vice Minister Lu’s voice, devoid of any emotion, drifted over faintly. “During your time at the University, all large-scale construction projects across the Ten Greats, both inner and outer, have been halted. The economic data for the Civil Engineering Domain has been declining year after year. How did you determine it has a promising future?”
Zhang Yu declared with unwavering conviction, “Because their techniques can complement each other, creating a synergy where 1+1 is greater than 2, leading to epoch-making products.”
With a flick of his finger, he projected a scene from the final battle against the Righteous Qi Alliance on the Fifth Layer.
“By combining Artifact Refinement and Civil Engineering Techniques, we were able to pierce the firmament, control the great formation, and complete massive infrastructure projects in a short time, successfully repelling the Righteous Qi Alliance’s assault…”
As Zhang Yu finished speaking, another Examiner commented, “Artifact Refinement plus Civil Engineering… that has real potential.”
Zhang Yu turned toward the voice, which came from an Examiner seated in a subordinate position.
This Examiner was shrouded in dense divine power, seemingly capable of seeing through everyone present with a single glance or thought.
Checking the Spirit Realm Network information, Zhang Yu thought, “Fourth-Tier Righteous God Geng Jiachen… This Inspector God Geng must be the Heavenly Court’s representative, here to supervise the interview as a check on the sects’ power.”
Zhang Yu knew that with the ongoing power struggle between the Heavenly Court and the sects, even if some within the sects wanted him to fail, they wouldn’t dare pose impossible questions.
“With the Heavenly Court’s counterbalance, no matter how difficult the sects’ questions are, there will always be a path for me to pass.”
Zhang Yu even found himself hoping for the most difficult questions possible.
In his view, with the Heavenly Court and the sects locked in a power struggle, the more pressure he faced, the less pressure Bai Zhenzhen and the others might have to endure.
Inspector God Geng continued, “Vice Minister Lu, Zhang Yu makes a good point. If not for the combination of Artifact Refinement and Civil Engineering Techniques, they wouldn’t have held out until the Heavenly Court’s arrival.”
“It can be said that the union of the Artifact Refinement and Civil Engineering Departments saved the Second to Fifth Layers.”
“Furthermore, with the update of Spatial Technology, the Second to Fifth Layers have entered an era of great reconstruction. This makes Civil Engineering Techniques even more crucial going forward — a key technology and a hot field for the new era.”
As Zhang Yu detailed the contributions of Artifact Refinement and Civil Engineering in the final battle, countless people within and beyond the Ten Universities instinctively puffed out their chests with pride.
Whether they had personally participated in the manufacturing and construction efforts or were part of the Civil Engineering industry themselves, they all felt a shared sense of honor.
Hearing the praise from a Fourth-Tier Righteous God was especially thrilling for countless Civil Engineering students.
Shi Huaiyu: “Even a Fourth-Tier Righteous God is praising Civil Engineering’s prospects! Maybe I should just stay in the Civil Engineering Department for my graduate studies after all.”
Mo Shangjin took a deep breath and revealed the hidden Civil Engineering projects from his resume one by one.
Feng Tingting hurriedly recorded the exchange, exclaiming, “The stigma of Civil Engineering has been washed away from this day forward!”
Tu Lishan remarked with emotion, “This is… because of Zhang Yu, the most outstanding Civil Engineer from the lower layers. He has cleansed Civil Engineering of years of humiliation.”
Tu Lishan could foresee that for the next several years, the Civil Engineering Department would likely become a highly sought-after major for many students. Some universities might even develop it into a flagship specialty program.
Meanwhile, back in the interview room, Vice Minister Lu stated coolly, “That’s merely an update for the Second to Fifth Layers. The sects have no need for such Civil Engineering Techniques.”
Inspector God Geng chuckled. “That’s not necessarily true. If the sects were to innovate their equipment, rebuild their infrastructure, or even reconstruct entirely… they would inevitably need Civil Engineering Techniques.”
As Inspector God Geng heavily emphasized the word “reconstruct,” Zhang Yu felt the atmosphere in the room instantly grow tense. An invisible pressure seemed to build between the two examiners, their wills pressing down on everyone present. The tension even crossed into the Spirit Realm, casting a heavy, oppressive feeling over the countless spectators.
Just then, another examiner stepped in to smooth things over. “Hehe, gentlemen, this is an interview for the Edict Pavilion. Let’s not get sidetracked.”
Zhang Yu glanced at the speaker. According to the Spirit Realm Information, this cultivator was from the Sky-Soaring Pavilion and was responsible for personnel selection, appointments, and dismissals. Zhang Yu mentally labeled him Supervisor Qi.
Vice Minister Lu and Inspector God Geng didn’t press the issue further. Instead, they directly announced the interview rules.
Four interview questions would appear sequentially. For each question, both Zhang Yu and True Monarch Martial Village had to answer simultaneously, and all four examiners would score their responses together.
For the examiners, simultaneously evaluating the answers of two candidates was no problem at all. They could easily listen to thousands, even tens of thousands, of people at once, let alone just two.
However, when Zhang Yu glanced at True Monarch Martial Village beside him, he found he could no longer see or hear the other candidate.
“So, I have to answer the questions simultaneously with Martial Village while maintaining this state of information isolation?”
At the same time, Zhang Yu noticed they had also been granted permission to use all ten sets of martial arts, from Martial One to Martial Ten.
“Looks like the upcoming questions will be related to the Formless Martial Art,” Zhang Yu thought to himself.
The next moment, the first interview question appeared: “You have a serious disagreement with a collaborating reviewer over the scope of legal protection for a technical proposal. How do you handle it?”
Simultaneously, a one-minute countdown appeared on the Spirit Realm Projection, indicating the candidates’ preparation time.
Seeing the question, Shi Huaiyu thought, “Is it about bribery? That shouldn’t work in a place like a sect, right?”
In Ye Xingli’s livestream, she was watching the interview with her fans. Looking at the question, she said, “It should be about clearly defining the disagreement, communicating professionally, then seeking guidance from a superior, and finally conducting a post-mortem review. I wonder if that would work…”
While countless viewers were pondering the correct answer, True Monarch Martial Village had already begun to speak.
He said, “I would quickly determine leadership authority with the collaborator based on rank, cultivation realm, and wealth…”
“It comes down to rank, cultivation realm, and wealth… Yun Zhiguang thought to herself as she sat in the audience, listening to True Monarch Martial Village’s answer. “This question tests communication, organization, and coordination skills within the sect.”
“The poor listen to the rich, the rich listen to those with higher cultivation realms, and those with higher cultivation realms listen to those with higher ranks. Only by accurately judging these factors can one function effectively within the sect.”
“And rank ultimately decides everything. Within the same department, a higher-ranking member has almost complete authority over a lower-ranking one. That’s how the sect works.”
“Anyone who hasn’t grasped this point lacks a cooperative mindset and a sect-oriented perspective.”
Meanwhile, Yun Zhiguang was also listening to Zhang Yu’s answer.
Zhang Yu: “…In conclusion, obeying my superior is my only answer.”
As they finished answering the first question, both candidates received their scores simultaneously.
Seeing that both True Monarch Martial Village and Zhang Yu scored 80 points on the first question, Yun Zhiguang thought to herself, “They both gave standard, sect-style answers. A warm-up like this won’t create any real gap between them. It seems the decisive questions are still to come.”
Just then, the second question appeared.
Yun Zhiguang’s eyes lit up as she saw the question’s content. “A talisman question?”
True Monarch Martial Village’s gaze also flickered with confidence. He thought, “That brat Zhang Yu didn’t minor in talismans at the University; he’s not an expert in this area. This question is mine to win.”
Although True Monarch Martial Village had focused primarily on the martial dao since his reincarnation, talismans remained a technique he used daily. After all, whether at the University or during his studies and cultivation on the Tenth Layer of Kunxu, talismans offered a wealth of convenient functions.
Zhang Yu, however, frowned slightly. He could only try to access his Sect Examination Memories and attempt to answer the question using the talisman expertise stored within them.
Meanwhile, many in the audience let out long sighs as they read the question.
Ye Xingli thought to herself, “Junior Brother doesn’t seem to be an expert in talismans. I wonder if he can answer this question.”
True Monarch Miraculous Hand said, “Why would they ask about talismans?”
True Monarch Heavenly Slaughter replied, “The Edict Pavilion is the institution that approves all types of cultivation arts. Martial dao techniques are cultivation arts, and talisman techniques are also cultivation arts. It’s perfectly normal to have a question on this topic.”
“Besides, this is a power struggle between the Heavenly Court and the sects. If there’s a question that plays to Zhang Yu’s weakness, there must also be one that plays to his strength.”
As Zhang Yu and True Monarch Martial Village finished answering, their scores for the second question appeared: Zhang Yu, 52 points; True Monarch Martial Village, 80 points.
Bei Wufeng’s heart sank at the sight. “The True Monarch’s total score is now 132, while Martial Village’s is 160. To catch up, he must win the next two questions.”
Wang Yin fumed, “Useless Zhang Yu! After all these years, why hasn’t he put any effort into studying talismans?!”
Xiang Shan, who was busy working, felt his elephant trunk twitch. He roared inwardly, “You just brought glory to the Civil Engineering Department! Don’t you dare lose now!”
Tian Shengong muttered, “It must be because he didn’t use the Extreme Tiger Scroll Simulator. Sigh… If I’d known, I would have gifted him a Super Membership so he could access it daily in the Spirit Realm to practice talismans.”
At that moment, countless spectators who saw the score gap grew worried for Zhang Yu.
Meanwhile, the third interview question appeared before everyone.
“Two martial artists have independently developed the ‘Ten Thousand Li Divine Fist’ and the ‘Cloud Palm.’ Both techniques share the core principle of converting a martial artist’s internal energy into a traceable energy field, but their application scenarios and structural designs differ slightly.”
“Faced with this conflict between similar patents, how would you define the scope of protection for each technique to avoid overlapping grants or protection loopholes?”
As the question was released, detailed information about both martial arts was sent to Zhang Yu and True Monarch Martial Village.
Simultaneously, a one-minute preparation timer began its countdown.
On the First Layer of Kunxu, Songyang High School had organized all its students to cheer for the interview.
Wang Hai, the former star physical education teacher and now the principal, looked at the question and thought, “This is about outlining the process for determining the differences in martial art copyrights, isn’t it?”
He pondered repeatedly, feeling that one minute was far too short.
Wang Hai sighed inwardly, “If it were me, I probably wouldn’t even finish reading the first few pages of one of the martial arts before the minute was up.”
Looking at Zhang Yu on the screen, Wang Hai thought, “You can do this, my most outstanding student ever.”
On the Second Layer of Kunxu, the old director of the Civil Engineering Department, though now a Soul Cultivator, was also watching the live broadcast.
Reading the question, he was shocked. “Read two secret manuals and determine the scope of their copyright protection in just one minute? Can they really do that?”
On the Third Layer of Kunxu, True Monarch Heavenly Slaughter frowned deeply. “One minute… How can anyone distinguish the copyright protection differences between two such similar martial arts? Is it just about explaining the method?”
In the audience, Yun Zhiguang watched the interview while simultaneously scanning information in the Spirit Realm.
Seeing the discussions among lower-level cultivators about the question, she sneered inwardly, “Finish reading the manuals in one minute? A bunch of fools. To pass this question, you need to be able to execute both cultivation arts after that minute.”
“The outcome of this round was decided before it even began.”
In the interview arena, True Monarch Martial Village’s face lit up with joy the moment he saw the third question.
The confidence he had gained from the second question now swelled even further.
“This question also plays to my strengths.”
True Monarch Martial Village’s mind flashed back to the guidance he had received over the past two weeks.
“Without the tip from the Edict Pavilion senior, Zhang Yu probably still wouldn’t know that the Ten Sets of Martial Arts we practiced in the last re-examination, Martial One to Ten, were originally split from a single, earth-shattering martial art.”
“And these ten martial arts are the Edict Pavilion’s ultimate technique for simulating all martial dao in the world, speeding up their review process!”
Over the past two weeks, True Monarch Martial Village had spent every day studying the Ten Sets of Martial Arts, researching how Martial One to Ten simulated the world’s martial dao.
The profundity and sophistication of it all often left him, a man who had dedicated two lifetimes to the martial dao, marveling. If someone hadn’t revealed the secret of the ten martial arts to him, he doubted he could have mastered them and achieved the effect of simulating martial dao even with another year of study.
After quickly reviewing the two secret manuals for one minute, a surge of Gang Qi suddenly erupted from True Monarch Martial Village’s body.
Level 10 Ten Thousand Li Divine Fist — Simulated Activation
The next moment, he fiercely simulated the Ten Thousand Li Divine Fist, unleashing streams of Gang Qi that roared like cannon fire, erupting with thunderous booms.
Immediately after, he changed his fist into a palm, and his Gang Qi surged out like roiling clouds.
Level 10 Gang Cloud Palm — Simulated Activation!
After consecutively simulating the two martial arts, he had a crystal-clear understanding of their differences and the scope of their copyright protection. He then began to answer.
At this moment, True Monarch Martial Village thought to himself, “Heh, right now, countless cultivators from the first to the tenth layers must be stunned, utterly shocked and incredulous that I could simulate two major martial arts within a single minute…”
Indeed, countless cultivators across the first ten layers were shocked, but not because of True Monarch Martial Village. It was because of Zhang Yu.
While True Monarch Martial Village was simulating the two martial arts, Zhang Yu had done the same.
Level 40 Ten Thousand Li Divine Fist — Simulated Activation!
Level 40 Gang Cloud Palm — Simulated Activation!
Simulating them simultaneously laid the disparity between the two men bare for all to see.
Compared to True Monarch Martial Village’s fist, which merely stirred up a gust of Gang Qi, Zhang Yu’s punch seemed capable of overturning heaven and earth. The violent Gang Qi was like the Heavenly River pouring down, threatening to blast a hole through the sky itself.
Watching this scene, True Monarch Miraculous Hand exclaimed in shock, “What… What’s happening? Could Zhang Yu have practiced these two martial arts before?”
True Monarch Heavenly Slaughter shook his head, his heart pounding with excitement. “It’s impossible for them to be tested on something they’ve already learned.”
Miraculous Hand gasped, “Then how could he master a martial art to this level in just one minute? Is that even possible?”
True Monarch Heavenly Slaughter, equally stunned and bewildered, replied, “It’s indeed impossible.”
As Zhang Yu began to explain, the countless spectators finally understood that both he and True Monarch Martial Village were simulating the activation of these two cultivation arts.
In Songyang High School on the First Layer of Kunxu, countless teachers and students stared at the screen, their eyes shining as they watched Zhang Yu as if he were an Immortal.
Wang Hai couldn’t help but burst into joyous laughter.
Listening to the two candidates’ explanations in the interview hall, Miraculous Hand sighed in awe, “Such a miraculous martial art exists in this world? To simulate and activate a martial art in just one minute? Truly unbelievable.”
True Monarch Heavenly Slaughter said, “It is indeed unbelievable, but even among unbelievable feats, there can be an absolute disparity.”
“Compared to True Monarch Martial Village, Zhang Yu managed to simulate the effects of a Level 40 technique. That’s simply divine skill. It shows the difference between their martial dao comprehension is as vast as the heavens and the earth.”
However, True Monarch Heavenly Slaughter understood that although there was a huge gap in their simulation effects, the interview question ultimately tested their judgment on the copyright protection scope of the two martial arts. While the disparity in martial arts proficiency provided an advantage, it wouldn’t lead to a drastically different score.
In the next moment, the scores for the third question appeared, and as True Monarch Heavenly Slaughter had predicted, the gap between them was not astronomical.
“But he’s closed the gap significantly,” Heavenly Slaughter thought to himself.
Zhang Yu scored 95 points, while True Monarch Martial Village scored 75.
“Yes! Now President Zhang has 227 points, and Martial Village has 235. The gap has narrowed instantly!” Shi Huaiyu exclaimed, watching the scene. She immediately bought some more Yu Bonds to celebrate.
On the construction site, amidst the buzzing vibrations, Fu Xinyao cursed, “Don’t get so damn excited! You’re spilling the concrete!”
Ping Han said, “A beautiful win! He should be able to catch up in the next question, right?”
Outside the interview hall, Yun Zhiguang’s gaze sharpened as she watched. She thought to herself, “Zhang Yu… No one in the Edict Pavilion should have taught him. Who on earth guided him? How did he master Martial One through Ten to such a degree in such a short time?”
At that moment, Yun Zhiguang realized her previous assessment of Zhang Yu’s talent had been severely flawed.
The martial dao talent he displayed was even more formidable than she had previously estimated.
And the Heavenly Court’s support for Zhang Yu likely far exceeded her expectations as well.
Yun Zhiguang couldn’t help but curse inwardly, “Those bastards from the Heavenly Court have completely thrown away all face! Helping Zhang Yu reach this level in such a short time? How is that any different from cheating?”
“He must be suppressed in the final question.”
Yun Zhiguang narrowed her eyes and looked at the next interview question. When she saw its content, she couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
“A cultivator has submitted a patent application for the ‘Nine Heavens Divine Elephant Art,’ claiming it integrates modern body refinement techniques with traditional ancient martial arts to significantly enhance body refinement.”
“However, the technique is accused of ‘plagiarizing the secret canon of the ancient Divine Elephant Sect.’ Neither party can provide a complete chain of inheritance evidence. What investigative and evidentiary methods would you employ to distinguish between ‘ancient text replication’ and ‘technological innovation’?”
Seeing this final question, Yun Zhiguang gradually relaxed, a faint smile even touching her lips.
“Martial Village is guaranteed to win this one.”
She could make this judgment with such certainty because the information she possessed left no room for doubt.
“Martial One to Ten… although this set of techniques is the Edict Pavilion’s exclusive tool martial art, claimed to be able to simulate all martial arts under heaven… it ultimately has its limitations.”
“Not only are the higher-level Immortal Sect techniques difficult to imitate, but there’s also one type of martial art… that is useless even if simulated.”
Yun Zhiguang knew that type of martial art was the Body Refinement Technique.
“After all, Body Refinement Techniques require tempering the physical body step by step. Only through continuous tempering can the technique’s level increase. The level of a Body Refinement Technique isn’t just a reflection of its martial dao technology; it’s intrinsically linked to the state of the body.”
“In other words, even if you can simulate martial arts, it’s extremely difficult to make any meaningful judgments about Body Refinement Techniques.”
Yun Zhiguang understood that if this were the only factor, both sides would merely be starting on equal footing.
But there was another piece of information — one known only within the sects, information the Heavenly Court absolutely did not possess.
“True Monarch Martial Village… in his previous life, he inherited the legacy of an ancient sect.”
“That sect was the Divine Elephant Sect.”
“Zhang Yu could never surpass him in understanding the Divine Elephant Sect’s secret canon.”
“Especially since this technique’s moves are simple and its content isn’t complex, True Monarch Martial Village will grasp it even faster.”
“And the Heavenly Court has yet to fully master the data from these sect-governed territories… This… is the reason for your defeat.”
Just as Yun Zhiguang rapidly analyzed the situation and reached her conclusion, Deng Bingding’s heart sank.
“It’s actually a Body Refinement Technique?”
Deng Bingding thought to herself, “When reviewing a Body Refinement Technique, simple simulation is useless, right? If we can’t catch up on this question… we’ll lose.”
“Zhang Yu… what should he do?”
Meanwhile, the countless spectators across the first ten layers of Kunxu were all pondering the difficulty of this final question.
Su Yanyang thought, “Body Refinement Techniques don’t show results in a short time. To judge their strengths and weaknesses, one must predict their long-term effects.”
True Monarch Heavenly Slaughter murmured, “At this point, it’s a test of both sides’ accumulated knowledge of body refinement martial arts. Whoever has more accumulation and deeper experience will make the more accurate judgment.”
True Monarch Miraculous Hand said, “This Martial Village is several decades older than Zhang Yu. His accumulated experience in body refinement is likely far greater.”
On the First Layer of Kunxu, Wang Hai unconsciously stood up, his gaze fixed on Zhang Yu in the interview. It was as if he once again saw the student diligently practicing body refinement in the training room.
His fists clenched without him realizing. “Zhang Yu has extraordinary innate talent and astonishing drug resistance. The first time I saw him, I knew he was a prime candidate for body refinement. He’ll definitely be fine.”
Meanwhile, as the one-minute countdown ended, True Monarch Martial Village began his confident answer: “The Nine Heavens Divine Elephant Art lacks any true innovation. The Immortal Dao principles it contains, as well as its integration with ancient martial arts, are already included in the Divine Elephant Sect’s Secret Canon…”
“The core principles of both are identical, with only superficial adjustments. It’s essentially a replica…”
As he spoke, True Monarch Martial Village demonstrated the effects of the Level 1 Nine Heavens Divine Elephant Art, showcasing his deep understanding of the technique.
Furthermore, his explanation was well-reasoned and meticulously structured. He spoke of both the Nine Heavens Divine Elephant Art and the Divine Elephant Sect’s Secret Canon with the familiarity of an expert, making his argument clear and highly persuasive even to spectators with no prior knowledge of either martial art.
On the other side, Zhang Yu did not immediately respond. He simply stood there, seemingly lost in silence.
Watching this, Vice Minister Lu said, “Zhang Yu.”
Seeing Zhang Yu still silent, Vice Minister Lu’s voice turned cold. “Zhang Yu, answer the question immediately.”
As a red warning light flashed, the hearts of countless spectators clenched. They knew that if he didn’t begin answering within the next three seconds, he would be eliminated.
Watching this, Zhao Tianxing’s heart tightened. “Ah Yu!”
Chang Buxiu, who was working overtime while watching the livestream, thought to himself, “True Monarch Blazing Light won’t lose!”
In the First Layer’s protection zone, An An the little panda, also watching the livestream, couldn’t help but clasp her paws together as if in prayer.
But Zhang Yu continued to wait… wait… wait…
In that moment, time seemed to slow to a crawl within his consciousness.
The divine light surrounding him, the Examiner’s voice, the flashing countdown before him. Everything slowed to an extreme.
This was the result of Zhang Yu’s perception reaching an unbelievable level of acuity as his mind accelerated its thought processes to their absolute limit.
At this instant, the Sixteen White Oxen in his mind roared wildly, seemingly squeezing every last ounce of potential and every shred of resource from his thoughts.
And all these resources, all this potential, were channeled into Zhang Yu’s sixteen Demon Beast Clones.
At this moment, after contracting their forms and merging into his body, Zhang Yu’s sixteen Demon Beast Clones were frantically cultivating the Nine Heavens Divine Elephant Art within him.
Every ounce of his mental power, every shred of his energy, was poured into cultivating the Nine Heavens Divine Elephant Art.
The sixteen Demon Beast Clones provided a full 16-fold cultivation acceleration.
Meanwhile, his 12th-tier Nascent Soul Sacred Body boosted his cultivation efficiency by 3.4 times.
Thus, at this moment, the seemingly motionless Zhang Yu was frantically advancing the Nine Heavens Divine Elephant Art at a staggering 54.4-fold efficiency.
Finally, under the Examiner’s urging, with only one second left on the countdown, and under the watchful eyes of countless spectators, classmates, teachers, colleagues, and companions, Zhang Yu moved.
With his first step, his body suddenly swelled, displaying the effect of the 2nd-tier Nine Heavens Divine Elephant Art.
With his second step, his muscles twitched and pulsed, and his internal and external Qi roared like a beast, the Nine Heavens Divine Elephant Art pushed to the 4th tier!
With each subsequent step, the phenomena manifesting around Zhang Yu intensified dramatically. In the blink of an eye, his body grew from two meters to ten meters tall, and layers of Gang Qi solidified into a suit of golden divine elephant armor that enveloped him.
His layered flesh gradually took on the rough, leathery texture of an Elephant Monster.
With nine consecutive steps, Zhang Yu had already pushed the Nine Heavens Divine Elephant Art to a staggering Level 20.
When the cultivation art phenomena he displayed were compared to those of True Monarch Martial Village beside him, anyone could see the immense gap between them in this technique.
Success in nine steps!
Watching this scene, Wang Hai raised his fists, pointed at Zhang Yu on the screen, and roared with laughter to the students below, “That’s my student!”
True Monarch Heavenly Slaughter felt an overwhelming shock. “In just nine steps, he pushed a Body Refinement Technique to such a level?!”
Wang Yin let out a breath, a hint of resignation flashing in his eyes. “So this is your true talent? Losing to you back then… seems it wasn’t unjust after all.”
Ping Han’s voice boomed, “See that? That’s the guy who beat me! It wasn’t my fault I lost, I just had bad luck… just bad luck…”
Hearing the sobbing coming from the magical artifact, Fu Xinyao gently patted it and comforted, “There, there, don’t cry. Everyone knows now. We really did just have bad luck.”
Meanwhile, in the audience seats outside the interview hall, Yun Zhiguang’s expression changed drastically as she watched the scene. “It’s not a Simulated Cultivation Art… This guy… this guy, in a single move, he actually pushed a Body Refinement Technique to this level? And Level 20 at that?!”
But regardless, Yun Zhiguang knew this performance had already far surpassed True Monarch Martial Village’s.
Forget True Monarch Martial Village. At this moment, none of the sect disciples in the audience could achieve this without relying on external aids.
Yun Zhiguang stared intently at Zhang Yu. “Zhang Yu…”
Yet, a sliver of hope remained in her heart. “If their analyses are the same and their final conclusions are similar, then Martial Village won’t fall too far behind in points. He still has a chance to win…”
Under the gazes of countless people, Zhang Yu slowly began to speak. “Based on my experience pushing this Body Refinement Technique to Level 20, it incorporates a new energy circulation logic from monsterfolk martial arts.”
“This martial art isn’t a simple replication; it’s an innovation.”