Chapter 755: Tempering Jade into a King, Ten Years of Hard Study Finally Reaches the Shore
From the moment he became self-aware, Yu Xinghan’s heart was constantly filled with a sense of urgency.
He studied diligently and read voraciously, yet he could never shake that inexplicable feeling of pressure.
It wasn’t until he embarked on the path of the Immortal Dao that he understood its source. He yearned to storm the Apex of the Immortal Dao.
He wanted to spend his limited lifespan… climbing relentlessly, higher and higher, ever upward, hoping that one day he might ascend the 36 Layers of Kunxu and witness for himself the scenery at the pinnacle of the Immortal Dao.
But if the Apex of the Immortal Dao was a towering mountain, his own path felt as if it began in the depths of a vast ocean. He felt that if he ever stopped, he would sink endlessly toward the bottomless, dark abyss.
Even after getting into the best high school, enrolling in the top university, never relaxing for a single moment, and exhausting every ounce of his potential while accepting help from one person after another… that sense of urgency remained unchanged.
Until today, until this very moment… when the gates of the Myriad Laws Sect appeared before him, Yu Xinghan felt he had finally seen the shore.
Climb ashore! To have the same starting line as those sect disciples!
Only then can I see the higher scenery of the Immortal Dao!
Even if it’s as fleeting as a thunderclap, even if it’s just for a single moment… he wants to climb up! Climb up!
“Ashore! Ashore! Ashore!!”
Arcs of electricity shot out from Yu Xinghan’s Sea of Consciousness. A refined martial dao fist intent, like heavenly thunder descending, enveloped him, tempering his body and mind, purging even the last trace of distracting thoughts from his Sea of Consciousness.
With a sharp crackle, the Sect Examination Clone’s consciousness was utterly shattered. The pure Sect Examination Memories left behind by the clone were also suppressed by Yu Xinghan.
In that instant, his Sea of Consciousness became like a piece of crystal-clear immortal jade, refined from within, its final impurity purged.
This jade could now be called a king.
[TL note: The Yu 玉 in Yu Xinghan means jade. 王 (Wang) means king and is also a popular surname.]
Boom!
As his fist intent coalesced, Yu Xinghan had not only mastered the Nine Heavens Thunderclap Manual but had also fully circulated its martial dao mental cultivation technique.
Then, under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers, he opened his mouth and exhaled. Arcs of electricity flickered, and a Thunderous Resonance vibrated through the air as Yu Xinghan began to explain his insights on the Nine Heavens Thunderclap Manual to the Examiner…
“I circulated the Nine Heavens Thunderclap Manual in different ways for comparison, observing the effects on the spine when the mental cultivation technique was active…”
The complete testing procedure, and even the internal data, were all displayed one by one, ultimately pinpointing the cause of the periodic spiritual energy short-circuit phenomenon.
From the first to the tenth level, countless spectators held their breath. Whether they understood or not, everyone listened silently to Yu Xinghan’s explanation, awaiting the Examiners’ final verdict.
Countless messages echoed through the Spirit Realm, eventually seeming to merge into a single voice.
“Pass! He has to pass!”
Watching this scene, True Monarch Starfire couldn’t help but shout inwardly, “Push through!”
241!
When the final score appeared, countless cultivators in the lower layers erupted in victorious cheers.
At the entrance of the Dao Palace, True Monarch Martial Village, who was waiting with other Reincarnated Beings, couldn’t help but clench his fists tightly, the corners of his mouth instinctively curling upward.
“Yes! Now I can take the Sect Examination next year too!”
In that moment, he wanted to leap up and shout for joy.
But hearing the curses of the other Reincarnated Beings nearby, he immediately suppressed his smile, his expression turning grave.
“Martial Village! You useless piece of trash! Look what you’ve done!”
“If you hadn’t lost to Zhang Yu, none of this would have happened.”
“Great. Now the Lower Realm will have a Sect Examination every single year.”
Facing his companions’ accusations, True Monarch Martial Village could only endure them silently, cursing inwardly, “Hmph, didn’t you see for yourselves how powerful Zhang Yu is? If you had gone up there, you would have lost just the same, maybe even more miserably than I did.”
Looking at Yu Xinghan’s final score, True Monarch Martial Village felt another surge of relief. “He passed. That’s great, truly great.”
Meanwhile, after finishing his interview, Yu Xinghan walked out of the Dao Palace.
On his way out, he had learned the interview results of the others through the Spirit Realm.
Seeing Yu Xinghan emerge from the Dao Palace, True Monarch Starfire and Zhang Yu went to greet him together.
Yu Xinghan first embraced Zhang Yu tightly, saying with excitement, “I passed! I’ve been accepted into the sect!”
“Good brother!” Zhang Yu replied with emotion. “From now on, we’ll enter the Myriad Laws Sect together.”
Yu Xinghan said with a smile, “Zhang Yu, let’s keep climbing together and see what the Apex of the Immortal Dao truly looks like!”
After letting go of Zhang Yu, Yu Xinghan turned to True Person Starfire beside them, the excitement still evident on his face. “Master!”
True Monarch Starfire smiled and couldn’t help but pat Yu Xinghan’s head. “Your Fist Intent, Master felt it. A beautiful strike.”
Within Yu Xinghan’s Fist Intent, True Monarch Starfire sensed his unyielding spirit, his ambition, and the soaring fighting will to rise through the sect.
Looking at Yu Xinghan now, True Monarch Starfire was even more convinced that with this indomitable Fist Intent and fighting spirit, he had already overcome the influence of the Sect Examination Memories.
It was like a cultivator with a sufficiently resilient will who, after years of studying for the Sect Examination, could still maintain a pure and untarnished heart even after mastering the knowledge.
It could be said that Yu Xinghan’s current achievement had far exceeded True Monarch Starfire’s expectations.
He thought to himself, “Ten years ago, I was exiled from the sect, hitting rock bottom. Everyone thought my life was over. But who could have imagined…”
“Even after hitting rock bottom, I can still earn my way back through the exams, step by step.”
True Monarch Starfire looked at Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan before him, and Bai Zhenzhen not far away. He thought to himself, “Today, not only have I climbed back to the sect myself, but I’ve also brought three extraordinary Heavenly Chosen out of the First Layer.”
“You three will surely astonish those old geezers in the future.”
Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen also watched Yu Xinghan emerge from the Dao Palace. With her body controlled by the Sect Examination Clone, she thought, “So Yu Xinghan passed too? Well, he’s finally qualified to speak with me now!”
With that thought, she unblocked Yu Xinghan, whom she had just blacklisted.
As for Le Mulan nearby? Just a roadside weed, irrelevant.
Le Mulan watched Yu Xinghan, Zhang Yu, and True Monarch Starfire talking together, biting her lip tightly. “They’ve all become Sect Scions… Am I the only one who failed?”
She remembered the outsourcing offer the Examiner had left her.
“But Zhang Yu and the others can bring people up with them, right?”
Kuang Tianqing felt Zhang Yu’s gaze sweep over him and gave a knowing nod. He thought, “That kid… is he reminding me about the payment for the deceased’s memories?”
Just then, the figure of a Righteous God materialized before everyone, explaining the next steps to all the candidates who had passed the interview.
First, projections of celebratory firework emojis appeared as the Righteous God announced, “First and foremost, congratulations to everyone for passing this interview.”
“Next, after the necessary checks and verifications, your names will be displayed for one month.”
“During this month, we hope you will complete any necessary handovers of your duties.”
“After one month, we will return to escort you to the Eleventh Layer of Kunxu.”
After delivering these announcements, the Righteous God turned to Zhang Yu, Yu Xinghan, Bai Zhenzhen, Kuang Tianqing, and True Monarch Starfire.
He addressed the five of them, “During this month, there will be some interviews and events that the five of you will need to attend to help promote future Sect Examinations…”
In addition to this, the Righteous God explained that Sect Examination cram schools would soon be established.
Specifically, the Spirit Realm Classroom that True Monarch Starfire and Zhang Yu had used would be commercialized and opened to the public for student enrollment.
The Righteous God smiled and said, “We will also promote it as the very classroom where True Monarch Starfire tutored you. It will be named the ‘Starfire Classroom.’ I’m just confirming this with the five of you now.”
Just then, Zhang Yu noticed notifications constantly flashing in his Bionic Eye. It turned out that people from various chat tools and platforms across the Spirit Realms were continuously leaving him messages.
Especially on his social media platform, where his follower count had skyrocketed, the dense flood of messages had long since become impossible to read through.
“Accept my worship!”
“Paying respects to the Sect Examination True Monarch!”
“Bless me so I can pass the Sect Examination next year!”
After a quick scan of the Spirit Realm’s information feeds, Zhang Yu finally understood what the Righteous God had meant by “displaying the list.”
On all major Spirit Realm platforms, the preliminary acceptance list for this year’s Sect Examination was prominently displayed in the most conspicuous locations.
Opening the list revealed the names and avatars of Zhang Yu and the other four at the very top. A single thought could redirect anyone from their avatars to their social media platforms.
“Right now…” Zhang Yu thought to himself, “everyone connected to the Spirit Realm can probably see this list, and through it, they can see us.”
“Is this the Righteous God’s way of promoting the Sect Examination?”
Zhang Yu could already imagine that the number of applicants for next year’s Sect Examination would be unbelievably high, and the competition would be fiercer than anyone could have imagined.
On the First Layer of Kunxu, although there was no direct connection to the Spirit Realm, countless First Layer residents still watched the specially broadcasted interview livestream through their advanced network, learning the news of Zhang Yu and the others joining the sect.
Under the First Layer network accounts that Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen, and the others had long since stopped using, a massive number of students and cultivators were also leaving comments.
In Songyang City, on the top floor of the Red Tower Group’s office building, Director Black Dragon looked at the Sect Staff recruitment list and sighed, “To think both of them would end up joining the sect.”
“Fortunately, my keen eye for talent led me to make the right investment back then.”
He glanced at the cryogenically frozen Seed Essence nearby, which contained the traces Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan had left at Red Tower years ago.
Director Black Dragon knew that for many years to come, this would be the Red Tower Group’s most precious asset.
The Blazing Light Essence, in particular, was the most valuable of all — the absolute pinnacle, unrivaled on the First Layer.
Although they had yet to achieve any breakthroughs in their research on the Seed Essence, Director Black Dragon understood that it wasn’t because True Monarch Blazing Light’s seed was flawed, but because their research technology was inadequate.
Even with their subpar research capabilities, he believed that True Monarch Blazing Light’s name alone would be enough to make the Red Tower Group immensely wealthy.
“Tell the Marketing Department to immediately prepare the launch of the new ‘Essence Beast Protein Milk’! Don’t directly ride their fame, but give consumers the impression that the beast milk contains essence, and that drinking it will extend their lives, improve their academic performance, and advance their cultivation!”
“Also, emphasize that we possess the Seed Essence of True Monarch Blazing Light and True Person Yu Xinghan! This is a unique Immortal Dao Technology advantage that no one else on the First Layer currently has.”
Meanwhile, at Songyang High School, Wang Hai looked at the list, his eyes welling up with emotion. “I actually nurtured two sect disciples!”
To celebrate this momentous occasion, he decided to organize a three-day, all-night study session for the entire school, with all teachers providing tutoring for the students.
For some reason, his mind flashed back to the news reports about Zhang Yu’s past deeds.
“Wealth Pierces the Firmament!” “Ten Billion Heaven Mending!” “Triple Salaries!”
Wang Hai gritted his teeth and declared, “I’ll pay the overtime for the tutoring teachers myself!”
The moment the words left his mouth, regret began to gnaw at him.
But hearing the cheers from the teachers and students below, Wang Hai could only sigh helplessly. “I’m too old for this… Why did I suddenly get so impulsive?”
After a moment’s thought, Wang Hai called Lei Jun. “Old Lei, I’m planning to transform Songyang High School into a specialized high school focused on the martial dao and body refinement. We’ll cultivate students with talents in these areas, concentrating on the martial dao and body refinement tracks for the Foundation Establishment exam.”
Lei Jun’s eyes flashed. Gazing at the profile pictures of Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen on the list, he remarked with emotion, “This is long overdue.”
“I’ve been telling you, the martial dao… is the only hope for those of us on the First Layer to ascend. The martial dao is incredibly useful!”
In another part of the conservation area…
Inside an office filled with “Most Outstanding Employee” awards, the red panda An An scrolled through her phone, looking at the names on the Sect Staff recruitment list. Her gaze drifted to the adjacent room, as if recalling the days when Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen, and the others trained there.
“How wonderful.”
She touched the new white fur that had grown on his ears over the past few months and thought to herself, “This means Wenwu and the others will have a chance to take the Sect Examination in the future, right?”
On the Second Layer of Kunxu…
Mo Shangjin stared silently at the list, his eyes fixed on the profile pictures of Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan. A surge of hot blood rushed through him.
“Artifact refinement, Civil Engineering… none of it matters.”
“Passing the Sect Examination is the only true path! I need to start preparing for it too.”
With this thought, Mo Shangjin sent a message to Zhang Yu: “Apologies for the intrusion, True Monarch. [Praying Hands] Could you please sell me a copy of your Sect Examination study materials?”
On another construction site, Gongshu Jin burst into laughter as he looked at the list. “Two of the five are from Civil Engineering! Who dares say our field has no Heavenly Chosen? I say Civil Engineering is the ace major for the Sect Examination!”
In that moment, Gongshu Jin resolved to follow in the footsteps of Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan and enter a sect.
He translated his determination into a message and sent it to Zhang Yu, receiving an unexpectedly direct reply.
Zhang Yu: “If you’re serious about the Sect Examination… it’s best to switch majors during your graduate studies.”
Inside the Research Association on the Third Layer of Kunxu…
Bei Wufeng reviewed the interview results and remarked with emotion, “The monsterfolk’s fraudulent techniques were seen through by True Monarch Blazing Light at a glance, allowing them to enter the sect. Approving cultivation art copyrights requires precisely that kind of discerning eye.”
Beside him, Jin Jun stared at the list, which was now shining brightly across countless platforms. The names of Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen, and Yu Xinghan echoed throughout Layers 1 to 10.
He suddenly declared, “This is the true path of the Immortal Dao.”
“Senior Brother, let’s take the Sect Examination together.”
“If we don’t pass in ten years, we’ll try for twenty. If twenty years isn’t enough, we’ll try for thirty.”
“Spirit Transformation Certificates, Nascent Soul Certificates, Golden Core Certificates… how difficult are those to obtain? The higher-ups issue them with a single word.”
“So what if the principal is powerful? So what if he’s a Spirit Transformation cultivator? With a single word from the sect, he can be dismissed and replaced just like that.”
“No matter how strong you are down here, it’s like treading water your whole life. Only by ascending to the sect can you truly reach the shore, the real way out.”
With that, Jin Jun made up his mind and strode out of the laboratory.
Watching his retreating figure, Bei Wufeng called out in surprise, “Junior Brother, where are you going?”
Jin Jun replied, “The True Monarchs should be returning soon. I’m going to the Fifth Layer to welcome them.”
“With the True Monarchs’ high scores, even a few words of guidance would be immensely helpful.”
Hearing this, Bei Wufeng immediately said, “I’ll go with you.”
Just then, Yan Qianji blocked their path, his voice cold. “Do you think you can just leave during work hours?”
As the two fell silent, Yan Qianji slowly added, “Let’s go together.”
Meanwhile, Zhao Tianxing’s Soul Cultivator Service Group was erupting in celebration.
Zhao Tianxing: “We’re going to the sect! We’re finally going to the sect!”
Hu Yuntao: “I never imagined that after living a life of poverty, I’d get to enter a sect in death.”
Che Yufei: “Will the True Monarchs take us with them? The sects must have their own Soul Cultivators. Are we too weak? Have the True Monarchs already outgrown us?”
In an instant, the entire group fell silent, and a wave of anxiety swept through the Soul Cultivators.
Meanwhile, in another Spirit Realm Space…
Projections of sect disciples, some mysterious, others noble, gathered here. A massive flow of information surged between them.
Yun Zhiguang was among them.
Staring at the final admission list, her mind reeled, buzzing with disbelief, her scalp tingling.
Of the five candidates who passed from the lower layers, three were from the Myriad Laws Sect!
The thought alone made her Magic Power circulate faster.
“This Starfire character… with all their ups and downs, they must have connections up top,” she couldn’t help but think.
“And Kuang Tianqing’s background is completely obscure. Something’s definitely off there.”
“Then there’s Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen, and Yu Xinghan… all from the same city on the First Layer? How could that possibly be a coincidence?!”
“Corruption!”
“Five admissions from the lower layers, and all five were predetermined. It’s all corruption.”
At that moment, Yun Zhiguang felt overwhelmed by the darkness. The skies of Kunxu were too black, too murky — so dark that even she, a sect disciple, couldn’t see clearly.
“This Kunxu… I can’t see through it.”
As Yun Zhiguang sighed in frustration, voices from the Spirit Realm Space reached her.
“Yun Zhiguang, what is your Myriad Laws Sect playing at?! You let three of them slip through at once?”
“Last time, you said we didn’t need to interfere. Is this the result of your ‘management’?”
“Even a Reincarnated Being lost to someone from the lower layers. Is this the standard of your Myriad Laws Sect?”
Faced with the accusations and mockery, Yun Zhiguang was speechless, sinking into silence.
Soon, someone proposed a new strategy to deal with Zhang Yu’s group of five, but they were quickly shut down.
“Forget it. Now that those five have passed the interview, causing more trouble would be breaking the rules.”
“Ultimately, they’re already halfway to becoming sect members. For the next month… the Heavenly Court will surely protect them.”
“The matter is settled. Since the higher-ups haven’t made a move, it’s none of our business. Let’s talk about the Sect Examination market instead…”
Instantly, the Spirit Realm Space buzzed with activity again. Since the normalization of the Sect Examinations was now a certainty, the disciples decided to seize the opportunity to establish their influence in the lower layers and maximize their profits.
Yun Zhiguang quickly composed herself, no longer dwelling on her previous failure.
“From now on,” she thought, “the Sect Examinations will be held annually in the lower layers to recruit candidates.”
Yun Zhiguang could already imagine it: once the story of Zhang Yu, Yu Xinghan, and Bai Zhenzhen climbing from the First to the Eleventh Layer spread, the number of candidates participating in future examinations would skyrocket, creating a massive market and industrial chain.
To this end, Yun Zhiguang would not only refrain from attacking Zhang Yu’s group but would instead aid the Heavenly Court’s propaganda to attract even more candidates.
“In the future, the vast majority of qualified cultivators will participate in the Sect Examinations. The entire Sect Examination training market is a massive opportunity.”
“Controlling the Sect Examination industry means controlling the future of countless cultivators in the lower layers.”
“And the future screening methods for the Sect Examinations…”
Yun Zhiguang understood that as the Sect Examination market and system matured, this space would become a new battleground for various factions. A new struggle for profit, influence, and authority would unfold within it.
Just then, Yun Zhiguang saw advertisements for the Starfire Classroom and Starfire Sect Examination flashing across the Spirit Realm. The photos of True Monarch Starfire, Zhang Yu, and the others were prominently displayed.
“Hmph, the Heavenly Court may have the first-mover advantage, but they aren’t the only ones who can advertise!”
Yun Zhiguang addressed the other sect disciples: “Let’s have all the Reincarnated Beings from our sects who passed the interview promote our own Sect Examination cram schools. I refuse to believe we can’t outdo them.”
Soon after, messages asking them to endorse various Sect Examination cram schools were sent to every Reincarnated Being.
However, True Monarch Martial Village received an additional, private message from Yun Zhiguang.
Yun Zhiguang: “Don’t participate in the promotional activities. And don’t tell anyone you attended a cram school. Just say you studied at home.”
As the Sect Examination advertisements flickered before her, a hint of hesitation crossed Ye Xingli’s eyes.
But in the end, her yearning for the Immortal Dao and her desire to join a sect overwhelmed all her doubts. She sent a message to Zhang Yu.
Ye Xingli: “Senior Brother, I want to ascend to the sect with you.”
Ye Xingli knew that Zhang Yu, having been accepted into a sect, could bring others with him.
If she could follow Zhang Yu into the sect, study for the Sect Examination there, and then return a year later to take the lower layers’ Sect Examination… she would have an unparalleled advantage.
But Ye Xingli also understood that the Zhang Yu of today might not be the same person she once knew.
To break through the gates of the Myriad Laws Sect, he had likely been infused with a massive amount of Sect Examination Memories, transforming him into someone else entirely.
So, Ye Xingli knew that a simple plea for help like in the past would likely fail.
Ye Xingli: “Senior Brother, if you’re willing to take me with you, I’ll offer everything I have.”
“Even if it means incurring a huge debt, becoming a free employee, or even being used as a test subject… I’m willing.”
Before Ye Xingli could finish typing her last message, Zhang Yu had already replied: “Senior Sister, you should still call me Junior Brother.”
Zhang Yu gazed at Ye Xingli’s profile picture, his mind filled with memories of her past kindness.
He remembered back when he was just a Civil Engineering Student, before he had even joined the Artifact Refinement Department. It was Ye Xingli who had guided him in artifact refinement techniques, helped him sell his creations, concealed his secret connection with Magnetic Pole, and even shared a laboratory with him. Later, when she got her own lab, she rented out a portion of her workbench to him.
Beyond all that, her Dao Seed had also provided him with immense help.
With these thoughts in mind, Zhang Yu continued his reply: “Senior Sister, if you’ve made up your mind, then come ascend to the sect with me.”
Reading this message, Ye Xingli trembled from head to toe. She was so overwhelmed with excitement that her surging vital energy and Magic Power radiated waves of heat.
“Junior Brother… he’s still the same Junior Brother. Even after getting into a sect, he hasn’t changed.”
In her livestream chat, the numerous Junior College Students watching began asking what had happened.
Ye Xingli simply smiled without saying a word.
The livestream was great, the Junior College Students were adorable, the university was fine, and the company was good too… but…
As expected…
“The sect is where I truly want to be.”