Chapter 777: The Group Leader’s Perk, Snatching Spiritual Energy
Yu Xinghan: “You became a Group Leader so quickly? You’ll officially be promoted to the 3rd Rank next year?”
Yu Xinghan: “Come on, let me bask in your promotion luck!”
Le Mulan: “I want to bask in it too!”
Ye Xingli: “Congratulations, Junior Brother! Who would have thought that less than three months after joining the sect, you’d be riding the Promotion Accelerator and already be a Quasi-3rd-tier Sect Staff?”
True Monarch Starfire (3rd-tier Sect Staff): “Zhang Yu, well done. I have high hopes for you.”
Since arriving at the Sect Layer and connecting to the Dharma Realm, Zhang Yu had created a group chat with Yu Xinghan and the others.
Reading the messages flooding the chat, Zhang Yu smiled faintly and thought, “That old fox Starfire… what has he been up to? How did he get promoted even faster than me?”
Zhang Yu believed he had seized every opportunity, pushing his promotion speed to its absolute limit.
But True Monarch Starfire had clearly skipped a grade.
Just then, Zhang Yu felt a slight twitch in his lower abdomen as something extended into him.
Simultaneously, Bai Zhenzhen’s excited voice echoed in his mind: “Zhang Yu, it’s me.”
“It’s time to exchange Spirit Roots today.”
She said eagerly, “Hurry, put your Spirit Root inside.”
Feeling Bai Zhenzhen’s body heat, Zhang Yu asked, “A-Zhen, you seem to be in a good mood today?”
Bai Zhenzhen cackled strangely, “Hehehe! Just thinking about you, the high and mighty Quasi-3rd-tier Sect Staff, with so many subordinates, who treats everyone with neither humility nor arrogance, having your Spirit Root firmly in my grasp… it excites me!”
Zhang Yu’s brow twitched. “A-Zhen? What’s wrong with you?”
He sensed that the Bai Zhenzhen he was interacting with now was vastly different from her usual self, more like her Sect Examination Clone.
Bai Zhenzhen’s voice came again, this time much steadier but tinged with embarrassment: “Yu Zi, the Sect Examination Clone has been cooped up for too long, so I let her out for a bit.”
Thinking about it, Bai Zhenzhen felt a wave of helplessness.
Although the Sect Examination Clone was incredibly useful for work and cultivation, her social conduct was filled with countless traits… that Bai Zhenzhen found unacceptable.
Her utterly bottomless moral and work ethics had forced Bai Zhenzhen to suppress her completely.
But after a while, the Sect Examination Clone simply went on strike and refused to do any work.
Bai Zhenzhen thought to herself, “It’s better to vent than to suppress. I need to find an outlet for her.”
Zhang Yu asked in surprise, “Let her out?”
Bai Zhenzhen said sheepishly, “Yu Zi… today… let her exchange Spirit Roots with you. I… I’ll supervise her from the side.”
The next moment, Bai Zhenzhen’s voice changed again: “Heeheehee, Bai Zhenzhen, you useless thing! Just watching me exchange Spirit Roots with Zhang Yu is enough to make your Extreme Emotion Sword Dao surge, isn’t it?”
Zhang Yu thought, “A-Zhen… since joining the Heavenly Sword Sect, she seems to have gotten even stranger.”
Zhang Yu had been too busy lately to learn the specifics of Bai Zhenzhen’s experiences at the Heavenly Sword Sect. He only knew that the sect’s Immortal Dao Technology for channeling emotions into Sword Intent and sword qi was becoming increasingly advanced. This had led to constant internal conflicts, a steady decline in security, and a string of sect-related sword violence incidents.
Whenever he thought about this, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but worry about Bai Zhenzhen’s situation.
“A-Zhen, remember to call me anytime you need help. I’ll lend you my Spirit Root.”
After finishing his conversation with Bai Zhenzhen, Zhang Yu called Yu Xinghan over.
At this moment, Yu Xinghan looked at Zhang Yu with a mix of envy and jealousy, feeling that all his recent days in the Martial Arts Pavilion had been wasted.
Zhang Yu, however, smiled faintly and said, “I called you over this time because I have something good to show you.”
Due to the close proximity of the Edict Pavilion and the Martial Arts Pavilion, Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan could meet almost anytime they wished.
However, because Zhang Yu had been busy with the Review Department’s affairs, he hadn’t met with Yu Xinghan until now.
This time, Zhang Yu had summoned him in connection with the martial dao fusion he was currently assessing.
Zhang Yu’s voice echoed in Yu Xinghan’s mind: “Look with your Third Eye.”
As gusts of wind swirled around him, Zhang Yu once again executed the martial dao simulated during his Adaptability Assessment.
The two Expert-Grade Techniques, Cloud Sea Breath and Celestial Soul Freeze, merged in his hands, transforming into a stasis field that spread outward.
Yu Xinghan’s Third Eye widened abruptly, locking onto Zhang Yu’s every movement and every subtle fluctuation of spiritual energy and Magic Power, both inside and outside his body.
Zhang Yu asked, “Did you understand?”
Yu Xinghan replied in astonishment, “You simulated and evolved two cultivation arts to deduce a new effect?”
Zhang Yu confirmed, “That’s right. Does it give you any inspiration?”
Yu Xinghan nodded slightly, his gaze shifting. “Are you trying to create a new martial art?”
Zhang Yu shook his head. “This alone probably doesn’t qualify as a brand-new martial art. At most, it’s just an extension of Immortal Dao Technology based on Cloud Sea Breath and Celestial Soul Freeze.”
As he spoke, Zhang Yu’s aura changed, and he once again activated the fused state of his three mental cultivation techniques. Yu Xinghan nodded repeatedly in approval.
This was Zhang Yu’s purpose for calling Yu Xinghan over today: to pass on his experience with martial dao fusion and see if Yu Xinghan could use it as a foundation to create a completely new martial art.
According to Zhang Yu’s calculations, with his Formless Martial Art demonstration, Yu Xinghan’s observation using his Third Eye Mystic Power, and Yu Xinghan’s own innate talent for experimentation… it was entirely possible.
At the very least, it would be simpler than creating a new martial art from scratch.
However, the process was fraught with complications. Not only did they need to further refine the cultivation art’s originality and move beyond a simple patchwork of existing techniques, but they might also have to deal with licensing issues for Cloud Sea Breath and Celestial Soul Freeze.
The details were too tedious, and Zhang Yu felt he didn’t have the time for it, so he simply handed the task over to Yu Xinghan.
If they succeeded, they could earn a substantial sum of money, and Yu Xinghan would have a chance to make a name for himself in the Martial Arts Pavilion.
Yu Xinghan looked at Zhang Yu and said solemnly, “Brother, thank you. This will really help boost my performance. If this cultivation art earns any money from licensing later, I won’t take a single cent. It’s all yours.”
Zhang Yu replied, “Since we’re brothers, how could I let you work for free? If we make money, we’ll split it fifty-fifty.”
Ever since Zhang Yu had learned about the sect’s laws, Dao Lineages, and various internal factions, he had come to understand the importance of allies, companions, and a loyal team within the sect.
This realization strengthened his resolve to support Yu Xinghan. In fact, he planned to help not just Yu Xinghan but other companions as well, including the students from the Ten Universities who might join the sect in the future. They could all become his team, his allies.
The next day arrived in the blink of an eye.
This was Zhang Yu’s first official day as Acting Group Leader.
Inside the office of Martial Dao Group One.
Having become the Acting Group Leader, Zhang Yu now possessed his own independent office space.
He slowly sat down, feeling the chair naturally envelop him, nourishing his entire body, flesh and blood. A continuous flow of spiritual energy emanated from it, making him feel an inexhaustible surge of strength.
“No wonder Qu Yizhi always liked to stay in his office,” Zhang Yu thought to himself.
With a thought, the work interface exclusive to the Group Leader of Martial Dao Group One appeared before his eyes.
Now, Zhang Yu could see the tasks being performed by his subordinates and the various review tasks currently assigned to Martial Dao Group One.
As long as Zhang Yu wished, he could adjust the allocation of tasks, choosing which ones to assign to which people.
The simplest application of this power was that in the future, Zhang Yu could first pick through all the cultivation arts assigned to Group One for review before distributing them to his subordinates.
With his rank increasing to Level 2, Zhang Yu’s salary had also risen. His monthly after-tax base salary had doubled to 2,000 Immortal Coins, with performance bonuses as Acting Group Leader calculated separately.
“This is probably why so many Level 2 Sect Staff rush to the Twelfth Layer after work.”
Besides this, as a 2nd Rank staff member, Zhang Yu had also been granted access to more Sect Layers.
For example, he could now legally go to the Twelfth Layer, where he could enjoy richer spiritual energy, higher concentrations of immortal aura, and more Sun and Moon Radiance to enhance his Dao Wisdom and Comprehension.
Zhang Yu had already read the introductions to the Twelfth Layer. Unlike the Eleventh Layer, which only allowed cultivators to maintain a youthful appearance, the immortal aura concentration on the Twelfth Layer ranged from 1% to 2%. This allowed cultivators there to keep their physical bodies in a peak state, preventing them from weakening as their lifespan dwindled, right up until the moment of death.
Furthermore, the Sun and Moon Radiance felt on the Twelfth Layer could double a cultivator’s thinking speed, keeping them in a state of accelerated thought for extended periods.
Zhang Yu understood that these two basic benefits alone were enough to make countless Level 2 Sect Staff flock to the Twelfth Layer. Not to mention that, besides the Central Apex Heaven at its center, the Twelfth Layer also featured many more Small Worlds worth exploring. It was said that as long as one had the money, each of these Small Worlds offered different benefits to sect disciples.
Of course, the main prerequisite for enjoying these benefits was being able to leave work on time every day.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Once I’m officially promoted from Acting Group Leader to Group Leader next year and reach the 3rd Rank, I’ll be able to go to the Thirteenth Layer. The benefits there will be even greater.”
Once he reached the Thirteenth Layer, he would be just one layer away from the Fourteenth Layer, where Fu Xiantian had left his legacy. But Zhang Yu understood that the leap from the Thirteenth Layer to the Fourteenth Layer, from a 3rd-tier Sect Staff to a 4th-tier Sect Staff, from Nascent Soul to Spirit Transformation, was a qualitative one.
“In terms of the Review Department, I’d need to be promoted from Group Leader to at least Deputy Minister.”
Zhang Yu mused, “But there’s no point in rushing now. I’ll focus on securing the Group Leader position this year.”
As Zhang Yu’s first day as Group Leader ended, the members of Group One watched him leave, all sighing in relief.
They had been worried about Zhang Yu’s arrival, fearing he would implement the same aggressive performance-boosting tactics he had used with Martial Dao Group Three.
But Zhang Yu clearly had no such intentions. Or rather, he didn’t plan to make any major moves until Luo Wuji stepped down and the new Minister of the Review Department was confirmed.
As soon as Zhang Yu left work today, he ran into Qu Yizhi approaching him.
Seeing the unconcealed worry and anxiety in the other man’s eyes, Zhang Yu knew exactly what he feared.
Qu Yizhi thought anxiously, “True Monarch Zhang is now Group One’s leader. If he stops guiding us, how will we ever improve our performance?”
After some pleasantries, Zhang Yu’s next words brought a measure of relief to Qu Yizhi’s troubled mind.
Zhang Yu smiled faintly and said, “Group Leader Qu, even though I’ve moved to Group One, you can still come to me if you need help. I can continue to guide your work.”
Qu Yizhi quickly replied, “Thank you, Group Leader Zhang.”
Zhang Yu then added, “However…”
At the word “however,” Qu Yizhi immediately tensed, knowing the crucial part was coming.
Zhang Yu spoke slowly, “If I spend too much time guiding Group Three, it wouldn’t be fair to my own team in Group One.”
Qu Yizhi understood. Now that Zhang Yu was a Group Leader, his performance evaluation was no longer based on his individual achievements but on the collective performance of his entire group.
Qu Yizhi knew full well that if Zhang Yu put his mind to it, he could easily elevate Martial Dao Group One’s performance, making them the top-performing group among the three.
So Qu Yizhi quickly said, “Before I came, I discussed this with my team. As long as you, Group Leader Zhang, are willing to help us, all the bonuses we earn during this period will be yours.”
Zhang Yu was slightly taken aback. “All of it? That… doesn’t seem right.”
Qu Yizhi hurriedly insisted, “It would be our honor.”
His mind raced through the recent rumors about Zhang Yu. Though he couldn’t tell which were true and which were false, he was certain of one thing…
“He became Acting Group Leader in just three months. How could his background possibly be insignificant?”
Qu Yizhi thought to himself, “I probably wouldn’t even get a chance to bribe someone of his stature, let alone establish a long-term relationship of mutual benefit. Besides, without him, I wouldn’t have earned these bonuses in the first place. Even if I give him the money, I still gain valuable experience and seniority.”
With this in mind, Qu Yizhi firmly insisted that all the bonuses should go to Zhang Yu.
Seeing his resolute attitude, Zhang Yu could only reluctantly accept, sighing at the overwhelming enthusiasm of his colleagues from Martial Dao Group Three.
A few days later, inside Gu Qingya’s office.
Zhang Yu looked at Gu Qingya, noticing the unconcealed delight on his face.
Gu Qingya looked at Zhang Yu and said, “The higher-ups have made their decision. After Luo Wuji steps down, I will temporarily take over as Minister of the Review Department.”
Zhang Yu’s eyes flickered. “Congratulations.”
Gu Qingya waved his hand dismissively, smiling. “Ah, it’s all happening so fast. I haven’t even had time to prepare, let alone decide which new regulations to propose.”
Then, Gu Qingya looked at Zhang Yu and advised, “For the next year, focus on your work, build your foundation, and secure your position as Group Leader. That will make it easier to get your official appointment a year from now…”
Zhang Yu nodded, listening to Gu Qingya’s advice. Finally, he asked, “Leader, what if I want to advance to the 4th Rank after this…?”
Gu Qingya paused, then shook his head and chuckled in disbelief. “Kid, how long have you even been here? How long has it been since your last promotion? And you’re already thinking about the 4th Rank?”
Zhang Yu sighed. “Leader, I’m just too eager to advance.”
Gu Qingya pursed his lips. “After you get your official appointment next year, focus on solidifying your position for a few years first. We can talk about it later if a position opens up.”
Zhang Yu asked, “If… the Deputy Minister position becomes vacant someday, do you think I’d have a chance?”
Gu Qingya looked at Zhang Yu with a half-smile. “You want to go against Lu Hengzhang?”
Zhang Yu replied, “Leader, it’s not that I want to go against him. He already sees me as a mortal enemy. With the Innate Dao Lineage at stake, he won’t rest until he has me permanently crushed beneath his heel.”
Hearing Zhang Yu’s words, Gu Qingya’s heart stirred slightly. He sighed and said, “So you know about the Innate Dao Lineage too? It seems you’ve really done your homework.”
“You’re right. Lu Hengzhang and the Dao Lineage behind him are indeed the mortal enemies of us cultivators from the Lower Realms.”
“But within the sect today, their influence is immense, and the new industries they’ve promoted dominate the field.”
“It’s not hard to make him suffer some losses, but completely unseating him… that’s not so easy. Without a perfect opportunity, it’s extremely difficult to achieve.”
Zhang Yu asked curiously, “New industries?”
Just then, the entire room trembled slightly, and Zhang Yu felt the concentration of spiritual energy in the room begin to decline.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “The spiritual energy is cut off again?”
This wasn’t the first time Zhang Yu had experienced a spiritual energy outage. It was said that due to a surge in spiritual energy consumption, the supply on the Eleventh Layer was insufficient, leading to restrictions during certain periods.
Feeling the decreasing spiritual energy concentration, Gu Qingya sneered, “High-intelligence Artifact Spirits… heard of them? That’s what the Innate Dao Lineage is pushing.”
Zhang Yu frowned upon hearing this. “High-intelligence Artifact Spirits? Aren’t those too costly for widespread practical use?”
Gu Qingya replied, “They’ve reportedly made a breakthrough, lowering the cost. Many platforms have already launched related products.”
“The reason the Eleventh Layer is experiencing spiritual energy outages now is because the operation of these high-intelligence Artifact Spirits consumes vast amounts of spiritual energy…”
Hearing this, Zhang Yu’s brow furrowed tightly. He thought to himself, “high-intelligence Artifact Spirits… If these things continue to develop, and their costs keep dropping, won’t they eventually replace Soul Cultivators? And combined with magical artifacts, they could even replace manual labor… replacing all sorts of Cultivators?”
A sudden realization struck Zhang Yu: “The Innate Dao Lineage… their goal is to use the Innate to suppress the Acquired. If high-intelligence Artifact Spirits replace human labor, then from now on… the Upper Cultivators who control these artifacts will remain forever supreme, no longer needing Lower Cultivators at all!”
“In that case, they could completely seal off the advancement paths for middle and lower-level Cultivators.”
As this thought took hold, Zhang Yu felt an incredibly dark and desperate future unfolding before him.
Immortal Slayer sighed inwardly, “When I left the sect, low-cost high-intelligence Artifact Spirits were still just a concept. I never imagined they’d already be competing for spiritual energy.”
Sensing Zhang Yu’s tension, Immortal Slayer offered some comfort, “Don’t worry so much. Although high-intelligence Artifact Spirits are developing rapidly, not everyone supports them, not even all the Upper Cultivators and Immortals.”