Chapter 763: Expert Benefit Exchange, Homework
“The simplest way to improve work efficiency is, of course, to turn one person into two, and two into four. The more people you have, the higher your efficiency will naturally be.”
The training instructor on the stage spoke confidently, “For example, take the pure souls imported from the Heavenly Demon Sect. Inject your own copied memories into them, and wouldn’t you have created an excellent Soul Cultivator?”
Zhang Yu’s heart sank. “Turning myself into a Soul Cultivator? No, that’s not quite right…”
Although it sounded like copying his own memories, Zhang Yu felt it was almost the same as cloning himself.
He could already picture it: he’d open his eyes one day to find he was a clone, forced to work for the original for free, relentlessly exploited…
Zhang Yu sighed inwardly. “This is like exploiting yourself, oppressing yourself. It seems that even after joining the sect, the disciples… at least the junior ones… don’t have it easy.”
Just as Zhang Yu was thinking this, the instructor on the stage continued, “Copying your own memories is certainly the cheapest method, but it’s also extremely risky.”
“After all, everyone’s memories contain personal privacy. There’s always the worry that if you copy them for work, the memory data could leak, and your privacy could be exposed.”
“The memory database leak from the outsourced Cultivators still sends shivers down the spines of countless Cultivators in the Ten Great Sects.”
The training instructor shook his head and continued, “Furthermore, once a memory is copied, the clone not only knows all the original’s secrets but often shares the same personality and even believes itself to be the original.”
“Such a clone will never be content to remain a copy. It will inevitably try to overthrow the original and become the true self.”
“There have been several historical incidents where clones successfully rebelled against their originals and took their place.”
“Since then, many Cultivators have sworn never to copy their own memories.”
“Of course, I’m not saying the self-replication industry is flawed. Techniques like Self-Memory Editing to mitigate risks, or openly accepting the clone’s challenge and raising Memory Gu to determine who becomes the true self, are all promising Immortal Dao Technology paths. It’s just that the public hasn’t fully accepted them yet…”
Zhang Yu listened to the training instructor’s words and thought darkly, “Is he… covering his own ass?”
Immortal Slayer affirmed, “Of course. Who knows how many people are recording this lecture? If he didn’t add that explanation and his earlier remarks were leaked and seen as an attack on cutting-edge technology, he’d be in serious trouble.”
“From what I know, the Cultivators involved in raising Memory Gu and Self-Memory Editing are quite extreme, and they’re backed by powerful factions. If they target you, it could be a fight to the death.”
Zhang Yu was astonished. “To the death? They’d actually kill someone?”
“Of course not,” Immortal Slayer replied. “I mean they’ll sue you until you’re bankrupt, sue you until you die. The backers of these cutting-edge technologies are all major figures in the sects. Ordinary Cultivators can’t win against them.”
Meanwhile, the training instructor on the stage continued, “In short, the path of self-memory replication has a bright future, but I still advise new sect members to avoid it for now. There are lower-risk options available.”
“For example, you can purchase some cheap work memories and inject them into low-level Puppets or low-level Outsourced Cultivators. This creates highly effective subordinates.”
As the training instructor spoke, he tapped his finger, conjuring a light screen. On it were rows upon rows of memory products, labeled respectively as “Hardworking Uncle,” “Dual Cultivation Doll,” “Hypnotized Student,” “Honest Worker,” and so on.
“These are some of the more popular cheap memories, suitable for various job roles. They come pre-loaded with numerous work skills…”
The instructor tapped to play a video. A young man’s body, having just been injected with a memory, suddenly shouted, “Where am I?”
“Who are you people? Do you know who my dad is…?”
“I’m bankrupt?”
“My memories were sold?”
The video showed the young man’s emotions shifting from anger to terror, then to despair. He then began learning various work skills until the memory was finally encapsulated, becoming a memory product.
While showcasing the various cheap memory products, the instructor said, “Expert Benefit Exchange is the largest memory trading platform in the Dharma Realm. Besides cheap memories, they sell many high-quality items each month. You can browse it in your spare time.”
Just then, the instructor’s eyes lit up as he selected a memory product labeled “Crime Code 8003.”
The memory was injected into a young girl’s body. She snapped her eyes open and roared, “My Master is Ying **! How dare you touch me?!”
Hearing the roar filled with censored words, Immortal Slayer suddenly said in a cold voice, “Is that… Master’s senior sister? Or junior sister?”
Zhang Yu was shocked. “Fu Xiantian’s senior or junior sister? That would make her Brother Dao’s… or rather, Grandmaster Ying Xintian’s disciple?”
Immortal Slayer’s voice turned somber. “Not everyone agreed with Master’s methods. Aside from a few absolutely trusted individuals, many didn’t even know what was happening.”
“It seems that after the incident, those who remained in the sect were purged. Their assets were likely seized, and even every shred of their flesh, every fragment of their memories… were devoured by the greedy mouths within the sect.”
Meanwhile, the training instructor continued, “Sometimes, you can find memories of heinous criminals up here. These memories carry some risk and are often incomplete, but you might get lucky and find a hidden gem. Sometimes, their performance is surprisingly good…”
Watching this, Immortal Slayer sighed. “Their memories were likely shattered into countless fragments. Some were used for experiments, others sealed away. Those containing too many secrets became high-priced resources. The parts with fewer secrets were sold as cheap memories, used for labor…”
Zhang Yu watched with mixed feelings as the sales numbers climbed. He could already picture the girl’s memory being bought and installed in various laboratories, factories, and offices… She would awaken to find her past erased, with nothing ahead but endless work until death.
Though he knew it was just a memory, Zhang Yu felt as if a person was being exploited for all eternity.
“Not for all eternity,” Immortal Slayer said softly. “As Immortal Dao Technology advances, her work experience will become obsolete. Fewer and fewer people will buy her memory, and eventually, she’ll be completely discarded.”
“Zhang Yu, this is the consequence of resisting Kunxu. Are you prepared for this?”
Zhang Yu’s heart tightened at the words. He then heard the training instructor on the stage continue, “Of course, besides memories, if you can also purchase a powerful Puppet, injecting the memory will result in even higher work efficiency.”
“If you can acquire the physical body of a powerful cultivator and inject it with a high-performance memory, you’ll have an excellent work assistant. Best of all, their body and memory become your exclusive assets. You hold all ownership rights, even their every act of remembering or forgetting requires your authorization…”
“Naturally, these methods are expensive. I know you’re all new to the sect and may not be able to afford them.”
“Therefore, I recommend you lease Outsourced Cultivators, especially the Personal Outsourced Cultivators you brought into the sect with you.”
“These newcomers lack experience in sect work. Their most valuable assets are their cultivation and physical bodies. Injecting them with outsourced memories and putting them to work is an excellent choice…”
As he spoke, the training instructor began teaching the crowd how to manage Outsourced Cultivators.
“We sect members should dedicate most of our time to cultivation, innovation, and advancing Immortal Dao Technology.”
“Therefore, learning how to manage various outsourced personnel is a mandatory course for every Sect Staff member.”
“Dharma Drugs are an excellent method. Only sect disciples have the right to purchase them. By providing Dharma Drugs to Outsourced Cultivators, you can effectively control them.”
As Zhang Yu listened intently, a row of advertisements for Dharma Drugs suddenly appeared before his eyes.
Adjustments to physical senses, prolongation of high cognitive states… It seemed he could easily acquire them with a mere thought and a tap of his fingertip.
“This stuff is truly… inescapable,” Zhang Yu thought grimly.
He recalled how in High School, he had to actively inject the drugs. In University, taking them daily was as routine as eating a meal. Now, under the pervasive influence of the Dharma Realm, a simple tap of his finger was all it took to receive the drug’s effects directly from the realm itself.
“It’s like clicking a pop-up ad while browsing the internet and getting high instantly…”
Everything had become more convenient and efficient, but it also made addiction easier and fostered a deeper dependence on the Dharma Realm and its Dharma Drugs.
“At first glance, the Dharma Realm resembles the Spirit Realm. But whether it’s trading memories, cultivation arts, leasing cultivation, optimizing oneself, or consuming Dharma Drugs… the Dharma Realm’s ability to interfere with reality far surpasses that of the Spirit Realm.”
At the same time, the training teacher on the stage concluded, “Dharma Drugs cost money, and the amount each person can buy per day is limited. Therefore, you must learn to use them rationally.”
“Today’s homework is very simple. You must choose one of three options: feed the Outsourced Cultivators you brought with you Dharma Drugs, engage in dual cultivation with them, or become their loan guarantor. Let me see your methods for managing outsourced personnel.”
“Remember to send me the video of your assignment.”
Reflecting on the lesson, Zhang Yu felt a surge of complex emotions.
Initially, he had thought the teacher would instruct sect disciples on how to further exploit themselves.
He soon realized that wasn’t the case.
“Instead of exploiting ourselves, are sect disciples supposed to systematically learn how to exploit and harvest others?”
Zhang Yu understood with growing clarity… In the sect’s eyes, sect disciples were positioned more as managers than as basic employees.
After class, True Monarch Starfire created a group in the Dharma Realm and added everyone to it.
Then, True Monarch Starfire’s message appeared in the group chat: “Don’t rush to do your homework. Come to my room first. I have something to tell you.”
As Zhang Yu was leaving the classroom, a message from the training teacher popped up before his eyes.
The other party inquired, “Zhang Yu, do you only have a Heavenly Spirit Root?”
The training teacher who sent the message was named Hong Jian, the same one who had initially guided them in installing the Myriad Laws Steward.
Zhang Yu guessed that Hong Jian was reviewing his self-inspection report and replied with a simple “Yes.”
Hong Jian continued, “A Heavenly Spirit Root will increasingly hold you back. You need to replace it as soon as possible.”
Hong Jian: “I happen to have some unused Immortal Spirit Roots. See if you need any?”
As he spoke, Hong Jian sent a series of Immortal Spirit Root recommendations, making Zhang Yu sigh inwardly. “Is he trying to sell me an Immortal Spirit Root?”
Immortal Slayer said, “Second-hand Spirit Roots have too many pitfalls. Don’t even consider it.”
Zhang Yu nodded slightly and thought, “As expected, a Heavenly Spirit Root still draws too much attention. I need to hurry up and earn more money to switch to an Immortal Spirit Root.”
While Zhang Yu was pondering, Hong Jian sent another message: “Are you short on money? I can lend you some.”
Zhang Yu naturally declined. He had no intention of taking on a large debt before securing a sufficient income.
However, his desire for an Immortal Spirit Root unconsciously grew stronger.
Immortal Slayer said, “It’s not just about the Immortal Spirit Root. You need to hurry and advance to the 4th Rank, obtain the Spirit Transformation Certificate, and ascend to the Spirit Transformation Realm.”
“After reaching the 4th Rank, you’ll have much more freedom within the sect, and the constraints and influence of various policies will also diminish.”
Zhang Yu nodded and said, “Yes, after joining the sect, I’ll start at the 1st Rank. I’ll do my best to reach the 4th Rank within 5 to 10 years.”
In Zhang Yu’s view, reaching the 4th Rank in 5 to 10 years was already an incredibly fast pace.
But Immortal Slayer said, “Three years. You’d better reach the 4th Rank within three years.”
Zhang Yu’s gaze flickered. “Why?”
His first thought was the Dharma-Warding Talisman; the one he possessed would expire in three years.
Immortal Slayer explained, “The Dharma-Warding Talisman is only one reason. There’s another… Master hid an inheritance on the Fourteenth Layer, and you need to be at least 4th Rank to go there.”
“But it can only remain hidden for another three years at most before it’s certain to be discovered.”
“In fact, after just one year, the chances of it being found will skyrocket. The longer you wait, the more likely the inheritance will be discovered.”
Zhang Yu’s heart stirred. “An inheritance left by Fu Xiantian?”
He asked aloud, “What inheritance? What’s inside?”
“I don’t know,” Immortal Slayer said. “Master once told me that it contains something left by Grandmaster Ying Xintian… If we ever have a chance to enter the sect again in the future, the items inside will be of great help.”
Zhang Yu was naturally very concerned about this so-called inheritance.
But he wasn’t very confident about advancing from the 1st Rank to the 4th Rank within three years, so he could only say, “I’ll do my best.”
When Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan arrived at the room assigned to True Monarch Starfire, they found Ye Xingli, Le Mulan, and Li Xuelian already gathered there, having finished their Outsourced Cultivator training.
Seeing Zhang Yu arrive, Ye Xingli proactively sent him a message: “Junior Brother, I’ve received the homework assignment. Just let me know which option you choose — taking the Dharma Drug, dual cultivation, or borrowing — and I’ll fully cooperate.”
Looking at Ye Xingli, Zhang Yu thought to himself, “The Dharma Drug… let’s rule that out first.”
Just thinking about the Dharma Drug made Zhang Yu picture Ye Xingli developing a frantic dependency on it after taking it, begging him to feed her the drug every day, even willing to do anything just to get another dose…
Zhang Yu didn’t want Senior Sister Ye Xingli to become like that.
“As for dual cultivation…”
As Zhang Yu pondered, True Monarch Starfire spoke up. “None of you are to take the Dharma Drug.”
He sighed and continued with deep emotion, “This thing may seem to have countless benefits. After taking it, one’s willpower becomes as unyielding as steel, self-discipline as precise as a machine, elevating all qualities to become a true Dao Seed.”
“But the stronger the effects of the drug, the more severe the side effects when it wears off.”
“Most people, after the drug’s effects fade, can no longer accept their flawed selves.”
“Ultimately, under the influence of the Dharma Drug, in their desperation to get ahead and win in the competition, their dosage will increase, their cognitive adjustments will become more extreme, and they will become completely enslaved to the drug. These things are absolutely detrimental to the path of the Immortal Dao…”
Listening to True Monarch Starfire’s warning, everyone nodded slightly. Since none of them had ever taken the Dharma Drug, they had no attachment to it and readily agreed to his advice.
But True Monarch Starfire still seemed uneasy, saying worriedly, “Compared to what I knew before… obtaining the Dharma Drug is far too easy now. Just a few clicks in the Dharma Realm, and you can get an infusion directly.”
“I took a look, and the Dharma Drug is practically everywhere these days. You could end up taking it just by accepting a gift, receiving a message from a friend, or using a freebie from some service…”
“So, in this regard… you must be careful.”
After discussing the Dharma Drug, True Monarch Starfire frowned and said, “As for dual cultivation…”
In his own view, True Monarch Starfire naturally advised against reckless dual cultivation.
But he understood that Zhang Yu and the others were cultivators raised in a new era, with vastly different views on the matter. Thus, he decided not to forcibly forbid them.
Instead, True Monarch Starfire said, “I don’t recommend you engage in dual cultivation just for the sake of it.”
Looking at Zhang Yu and the others, he sighed. “Ever since the Void Refinement Dao Monarchs established the laws, I’ve seen countless cases of cultivators turning against each other because of dual cultivation.”
“I just checked the news in the Dharma Realm, and it seems this situation has become even more rampant within the sects.”
“Stealing seeds during dual cultivation, scamming for child support, disputes over the unequal distribution of cultivation benefits… there are far too many cultivators who have broken ties over such things.”
“You’ve all fought your way up together. I don’t want to see you part ways over personal gain in the end.”