Chapter 785: Bu Yingshu’s Dedicated Tool
Under Bu Yingshu’s intense gaze, Zhang Yu could only read the main text of the Derivative Cultivation Art while trying to formulate some questions.
But as she listened to Zhang Yu’s questions, Bu Yingshu couldn’t help but frown slightly. “What kind of ridiculous questions are these?”
Zhang Yu forced a smile. “Dao Monarch, I haven’t read or studied this Derivative Cultivation Art before. How about I go back and prepare first, then seek your guidance tomorrow?”
Previously, Bu Yingshu might have let him go.
But now, the Immortal Clan noblewoman was particularly enthusiastic about this matter and had no intention of letting him leave so easily.
With a light tap of her fingertip, she projected the entire text of the cultivation art into the air.
“No need. I’ll guide you through it and help you prepare.”
Bu Yingshu then gave a brief overview of the entire cultivation art before looking at Zhang Yu and asking, “So? Do you understand?”
In her view, given the talent Zhang Yu had displayed, her single explanation should have been enough for him to grasp the basics.
But faced with her question, Zhang Yu nodded awkwardly.
He thought to himself, “What is this woman up to? Why is she suddenly so eager to teach me martial arts?”
What frustrated Zhang Yu even more was that he had already leveled a cultivation art to level 40 today. The Feather Book’s specialization switch was still on cooldown, so he couldn’t rapidly advance another martial art.
Immortal Slayer spoke up, “Is it because of the Dao Seed’s upgrade?”
Zhang Yu’s heart skipped a beat at the suggestion. Recalling Bu Yingshu’s recent changes, he thought, “That’s actually a real possibility.”
“She’s noticed her Dao Seed… or rather, her talent has improved, but she doesn’t know why. So she wants to repeat everything she’s done over the past few days?”
As Zhang Yu pondered this, Bu Yingshu had already begun guiding him through the Derivative Cultivation Art.
Resigned, Zhang Yu activated his Third Eye Mystic Power, observing Bu Yingshu and mimicking her movements to circulate the cultivation art.
Fortunately, the Third Eye Mystic Power granted him exceptional martial dao learning abilities. Even without the Feather Book’s specialization bonus, he gradually grasped the basics of the martial art through imitation.
Nearby, Zheng Meng watched in astonishment, her mind reeling in disbelief. “The Dao Monarch is personally instructing Zhang Yu in martial arts? Teaching him the Derivative Cultivation Art step by step?”
“How could this be happening?”
“Why is this happening?”
As Zheng Meng stared in shock, Bu Yingshu suddenly turned to look at her.
When Bu Yingshu’s gaze fell upon her, Zheng Meng immediately straightened up, her face filled with anticipation.
But Bu Yingshu’s voice was cool as she asked, “Why are you still here?”
“Zhang Yu and I have things to do. You can leave now; you’re not needed here.”
Zheng Meng glanced back repeatedly at Bu Yingshu and Zhang Yu practicing together, her heart screaming, “No! I was the first one on the Dao Monarch’s experimental platform! Why is he the one staying behind?!”
Bu Yingshu, of course, paid no mind to Zheng Meng’s thoughts. She continued to diligently guide Zhang Yu, hoping that by repeating the past few days’ activities, she would trigger another talent upgrade.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yu’s mind raced, trying to figure out how to handle the situation.
“Preventing Bu Yingshu from upgrading… that’s definitely not an option.”
After all, the Myriad Laws Immortal Clan Dao Seed held immense potential in Zhang Yu’s eyes. It would be a crucial foundation for his future ascent to the Apex of the Immortal Dao. How could he not let it upgrade?
“I have to let Bu Yingshu upgrade! But letting her discover that the upgrade is related to me… that’s also not ideal.”
“Ideally,” Zhang Yu thought, “I could let her upgrade without her connecting it to me.”
But just thinking about it, Zhang Yu realized how troublesome it would be. After all, the Dao Seed Register originated from him, and it required them to refine the Immortal Dao Technology within the cultivation art together. No matter how he racked his brains, he couldn’t think of any way to remove himself from the equation.
Just then, Immortal Slayer spoke up: “Perhaps we’re overthinking this. Maybe we should try the opposite approach.”
“The opposite approach?” Zhang Yu asked doubtfully. “Let Bu Yingshu think her talent upgrade is related to me?”
“Exactly,” Immortal Slayer replied. “Think about it carefully. The key issue isn’t whether she connects the talent upgrade to you, but how she connects it.”
“If she directly realizes you have a special method to help her upgrade her Dao Seed, or even share Dao Seeds, that would obviously be disastrous.”
“But what if she believes you inspire her? That being with you makes her especially confident, capable, and insightful? She might value you even more, which we could then use to our advantage.”
Hearing this, Zhang Yu’s eyes immediately lit up. “You’re right. We can make her think that.”
“We could even… use the feedback from Dao Seed upgrades to condition her like a conditioned reflex. For example, make her think she needs to be more polite to upgrade? Or that she has to spend more money on her subordinates?”
The thought of training an Immortal Clan noblewoman like a dog made Zhang Yu slightly thrilled.
But Immortal Slayer quickly poured cold water on his idea: “That’s too risky. For now, it’s best not to try something like that.”
While Zhang Yu and Immortal Slayer were conversing, Bu Yingshu, after giving her instructions, silently sensed the changes within her body.
“I don’t seem to feel anything…”
So, Bu Yingshu decided to repeat the subsequent procedures. She had Zhang Yu lie down on the experimental table again and began tormenting him while he asked questions.
Zhang Yu felt like a lab rat, not only being physically abused but also mentally drained.
After all that, still feeling nothing, Bu Yingshu looked at Zhang Yu and said, “Submit a report on the martial art I just taught you.”
“Huh?” Zhang Yu was taken aback, then explained, “I haven’t fully mastered this cultivation art yet.”
Bu Yingshu replied domineeringly, “Just submit it. Cut the crap.”
With no other choice, Zhang Yu racked his brain and submitted a relatively simple report.
After all, he hadn’t used the Feather Book to raise the cultivation art to Level 40, so his understanding of it was far from complete. He certainly couldn’t extract its Immortal Dao Technology in one go.
As expected, Bu Yingshu showed no reaction after reading Zhang Yu’s report.
“Am I missing something?” Lu Hengzhang’s image suddenly flashed through Bu Yingshu’s mind. “Is it because I didn’t beat him this time? But I didn’t beat him last time either.”
“Whatever, I’ll just try it and see.”
Does one need a reason to beat a stray dog?
To Bu Yingshu, of course not.
And Lu Hengzhang, a mere 4th Rank cultivator with no Immortal Clan backing, was nothing more than a stray dog in her eyes.
Until she figured out exactly how her talent was triggered, Bu Yingshu decided to repeat every step as closely as possible.
Without another word, Bu Yingshu’s figure flickered and shot toward Lu Hengzhang’s location at extreme speed.
Lu Hengzhang looked up in astonishment as Bu Yingshu descended amidst a howling gale. “Dao Monarch?”
Without giving him a chance to answer, Bu Yingshu once again seized Lu Hengzhang’s head.
“No! Dao Monarch!”
Moments later, Bu Yingshu had already left the office, leaving behind Lu Hengzhang, who was now sitting on the ground with a dazed expression, having been slapped with several more fines.
“Why?” Lu Hengzhang muttered, his face contorted with resentment. “Why come back for me? I didn’t do anything!”
As a supporter of the Innate Dao Lineage, Lu Hengzhang had always held Upper Cultivators and the Immortal Clan in the highest reverence and offered them unwavering support. Why was he being targeted like this now?
“There must be a reason.”
Zhang Yu’s image suddenly flashed through Lu Hengzhang’s mind.
Despite being oppressed by an Immortal Clan member, he didn’t blame Bu Yingshu. Instead, his thoughts turned to Zhang Yu.
“That Lower Beast must have been sowing discord in front of Dao Monarch Bu again, smearing my name.”
“Zhang Yu!” Lu Hengzhang seethed internally. “Deceiving a noble lady of the Immortal Clan… you truly deserve to die.”
The next moment, a Dharma Drug calmed his turbulent emotions.
At the same time, he recalled the intelligence he had just received today and thought to himself, “Let him be smug for now. Dao Monarch Bu will be leaving soon anyway. Zhang Yu… he won’t be able to cause trouble for much longer.”
Over the next few days, Bu Yingshu repeatedly tried to replicate the process but could never grasp the key.
This was due to Zhang Yu’s deliberate control.
Although Bu Yingshu instructed him in martial arts daily, he intentionally avoided fulfilling her request to refine Immortal Dao Technology together.
Zhang Yu thought, “Since she’s trying to replicate the process and find a pattern, I can’t let her succeed every time.”
“Especially during the talent enhancement process, I absolutely cannot let it be a round number like exactly ten cultivation arts again.”
Thus, as several more days passed, Bu Yingshu felt that no matter what she tried, her talent remained unchanged, as if something was always missing.
A sense of emptiness gradually enveloped Bu Yingshu, but she couldn’t pinpoint its source or figure out what she was lacking.
It wasn’t until another day had passed. Under Zhang Yu’s persistent questions and guidance, Bu Yingshu proactively summarized the Immortal Dao Technology within an Expert-Grade Technique. As she did, a faint glimmer of understanding flashed in her eyes.
Like a pebble dropped into an ancient well, it sent ripples spreading through her heart.
The thoughts on Immortal Dao Technology in her mind instantly brought her numerous insights.
She even felt her talent become more vibrant, as if she had gained a deeper understanding of the world.
At the same time, Zhang Yu could see on the Dao Seed Register that the [Myriad Laws Immortal Clan] had moved one step closer to the 3rd-tier.
Meanwhile, Bu Yingshu’s heart filled with joyous surprise. “This time, it’s so obvious! Is it because my talent has grown stronger, allowing me to clearly feel… that my comprehension of martial arts has improved again?”
Bu Yingshu recalled the recent period and thought, “So it really is related to refining Immortal Dao Technology?”
She remembered how it all began: she had guided Zhang Yu in refining basic-grade martial arts, which had awakened her talent.
Then came intermediate-grade martial arts, and now, expert-grade martial arts…
“After my talent broke through, it was through step-by-step training, refining increasingly difficult cultivation arts, that I reached my current level.”
“No, it’s not just that…”
Bu Yingshu thought of Zhang Yu again. “I’ve refined Immortal Dao Technology before. This time, besides refining, there was also… guiding…”
At this thought, Bu Yingshu grew slightly excited and immediately decided to try again.
“Zheng Meng, lie down here.”
Zheng Meng excitedly lay down on the experiment table.
A short while later, Bu Yingshu cast Zheng Meng aside, utterly bored, and sought out Zhang Yu once more.
Without the Third Eye Mystic Power, Zheng Meng’s learning ability seemed inferior to Zhang Yu’s in Bu Yingshu’s eyes.
Moreover, questioning and guiding Zheng Meng gave Bu Yingshu no sense of feedback or progress whatsoever.
In stark contrast, when with Zhang Yu, Bu Yingshu felt an incredible synergy with this Lower Realm Native. Not only did he learn martial arts faster, but his daily insights into the martial dao also inspired her.
Bu Yingshu naturally didn’t know that Zhang Yu relied on the Feather Book each day to raise a martial art to level 40, thereby gaining a profound understanding of the technique.
Although her time with Zhang Yu wasn’t always fruitful — sometimes there would be no reaction for a day or two — at other times, she could feel her talent advance twice in a single day.
Whenever this happened, Bu Yingshu would feel a faint thrill surge through her.
“Mmm…”
“It’s coming… it’s coming again…”
Before the experiment table, Bu Yingshu let out a soft moan. Though it was only a subtle rush of pleasure, the talent advancement it signified made her tremble with delight.
At this moment, her gaze toward Zhang Yu grew increasingly satisfied.
Through days of testing, she realized that only when guiding Zhang Yu did she experience that special synergy, that feeling of being inspired.
“How could I be so perfectly in sync with this Lower Realm Native? How could he stimulate me, inspiring my talent to advance?”
Each time this thought crossed her mind, a flicker of shame arose within her.
But every time, her relentless pursuit of the Apex of the Immortal Dao suppressed that shame.
Simultaneously, Bu Yingshu’s curiosity about the situation grew.
“Why is this happening? What’s so special about Zhang Yu?”
Bu Yingshu didn’t know, but for now, she decided to ignore it.
“Who cares why? I’ll just use him to my heart’s content first.”
“And… no other Immortal Clan members can ever find out about this. He is now my exclusive tool.”
In that moment, Zhang Yu had become a resource in Bu Yingshu’s eyes — one only she could use.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yu glanced at his Myriad Laws Immortal Clan Dao Seed, which had advanced further, now halfway to the 3rd-tier. He let out a soft sigh of relief.
But his respite was short-lived. Bu Yingshu soon dragged him away to study the next Expert-Grade Technique.
Zhang Yu quickly protested, “The experiment! Dao Monarch, we haven’t done today’s experiment yet!”
Bu Yingshu snorted coldly. “What experiment? Isn’t studying with me more satisfying than any experiment?”
She thought to herself, “How could an experiment compare to this thrill? As long as my talent keeps advancing, refining and verifying the Blood Tide Essence Qi Sacred Contemplation will be child’s play in the future.”
But Zhang Yu couldn’t accept this.
No experiment meant no payment.
“Damn it…”
Faced with this situation, Zhang Yu felt he couldn’t speak his mind. He realized… it would be incredibly difficult to make Bu Yingshu connect the experiments, the money, and her talent advancement without arousing her suspicion.
Immortal Slayer advised, “Just let her use you for free. Focus on upgrading your Dao Seed first; we can deal with the rest later.”
Fu Ji, unaware of the Dao Seed situation, exclaimed in alarm, “Zhang Yu, what’s going on? Why aren’t you doing the experiments anymore? We’re losing eight or nine thousand Immortal Coins a day from the meat sales!”
Zhang Yu glanced at his savings of less than 200,000 Immortal Coins and thought, “I’ll just have to endure it. Once her Dao Seed is mostly upgraded and she’s had her fill… she’ll eventually need to do experiments to verify the Blood Tide Essence Qi Sacred Contemplation.”
However, Bu Yingshu’s craving for talent enhancement far exceeded Zhang Yu’s expectations.
Bu Yingshu: “Don’t you dare leave. Get back here.”
Zhang Yu: “Dao Monarch, my shift is over…”
Bu Yingshu: “Then work overtime.”
Zhang Yu: “But…”
Bu Yingshu flicked a finger, and a string of numbers appeared above Zhang Yu’s head.
+3000 Immortal Coins
Bu Yingshu declared arrogantly, “Here’s 3,000 Immortal Coins. Work another ten hours of overtime for me.”
What else was there to say? Zhang Yu smiled and replied, “You’re the boss.”
A day later, Zhang Yu said, “Dao Monarch, it’s been twenty-four hours.”
Bu Yingshu, reveling in the thrill of her Dao Seed advancing again, grinned. “Again.”
Zhang Yu: “Dao Monarch, the higher-ups are urging you to attend the meeting again…”
Bu Yingshu: “I told them I’m busy.”
After repeated summons, Bu Yingshu finally left to attend the Special Task Force’s exchange meeting.
While she was in the meeting, Zhang Yu received a continuous stream of reports from her — all of them technical data on Immortal Dao Technology extracted from various Expert-Grade Techniques.
He couldn’t help but find it ironic. He used to be the one sending her reports; now, she was sending them to him.
Bu Yingshu: “Study these well. We’ll continue when I get back.”
Staring at the reports, Zhang Yu felt as if each one was another impatient demand from Bu Yingshu. He could sense her anxiety — the desperate urgency of someone whose talent had been stagnant for years, now finally seizing an opportunity to advance.
Amidst this frantic push, Zhang Yu saw that the Myriad Laws Immortal Clan was just one Expert-Grade Technique away from reaching the 3rd-tier Dao Seed.
Meanwhile, at the Special Task Force meeting, the atmosphere grew tense and confrontational.
Yang Kaitai, the Vice Pavilion Master of the Edict Pavilion and a 6th-Rank Void Refinement Dao Monarch, was reporting on recent progress.
“…The Blood Tide Essence Qi Sacred Contemplation is impossible to cultivate or simulate… The applicant’s qualifications are also highly questionable… The entire technique is filled with impractical fantasies…”
With each point Yang Kaitai raised, Bu Yingshu’s expression darkened further.
Finally, Yang Kaitai concluded, “I recommend we immediately halt the review process and reject the Blood Tide Essence Qi Sacred Contemplation. This technique has no chance of passing.”
Bu Yingshu snorted coldly. “Have you not seen the technique’s effects? It would be immensely beneficial to the Myriad Laws Sect. How can you reject it simply because you can’t cultivate it?”
Yang Kaitai replied calmly, “A technique that cannot be cultivated might as well not exist. Alternatively, Dao Monarch Bu, you could invite the technique’s creator to cooperate with our review. Let us see if this technique is truly as powerful as designed.”
Bu Yingshu’s anger flared at his words.
“Invite the creator? How could I possibly do that?”
She knew he was saying this deliberately, aware that the origins of the Blood Tide Essence Qi Sacred Contemplation could not withstand scrutiny or be exposed.
A month ago, Bu Yingshu might have hesitated, feeling conflicted and overwhelmed by the difficulty of the situation.
But now, with her enhanced talent, Bu Yingshu’s confidence soared. She believed she possessed the potential to ascend and become an Immortal.
In her view, as her talent continued to improve, deconstructing and verifying the Blood Tide Essence Qi Sacred Contemplation would be child’s play.
So, Bu Yingshu declared arrogantly, “There’s no need for the creator. I will verify the technique you can’t, and I will explain the technologies you can’t comprehend, one by one.”
Yang Kaitai ignored her and turned to the Edict Pavilion Master. “Pavilion Master, I still recommend we stop wasting resources.”
“This Special Task Force, composed of so many people, consumes vast amounts of resources daily. The longer this drags on, the more waste and overspending we’ll incur…”
Seeing him dare to ignore her, a cold glint flashed in Bu Yingshu’s eyes.
Hearing his words, she sneered inwardly.
She knew that while he spoke of the Special Task Force’s waste, he was actually accusing her of being wasteful, making it clear he didn’t believe she could verify the technique.
She could even sense that every Edict Pavilion cultivator in the meeting room shared Yang Kaitai’s sentiment.
“Rebellion! This is absolute rebellion!” Bu Yingshu cursed inwardly. “A pack of house slaves! How dare they accuse me of wasting the sect’s resources? Even if I squandered them like sand, it’s not your place to criticize me!”
Ordinarily, Bu Yingshu would have disciplined him on the spot.
But Yang Kaitai was a Void Refinement Cultivator, just like her. Moreover, the Edict Pavilion Master, who was listening in remotely, not only outranked them but was also a full Cultivation Realm higher.
More importantly, Bu Yingshu understood that Yang Kaitai’s fierce opposition stemmed from something deeper. The approval of the Blood Tide Essence Qi Sacred Contemplation was tied to a struggle over the Myriad Laws Sect’s future direction — specifically, its policy toward monsterfolk and even the Monster Saints.
“Just testing the waters with one Blood Tide Essence Qi Sacred Contemplation has flushed out so many opponents, so many treacherous officials.”
Shortly after the meeting ended, Yang Kaitai’s Dharma Realm Projection materialized before Zhang Yu.
The Vice Pavilion Master of the Edict Pavilion looked down at Zhang Yu with a calm gaze. “Zhang Yu, has Dao Monarch Bu made any progress recently? Report to me.”
Seeing Zhang Yu’s silence, Yang Kaitai added coolly, “Zhang Yu, Dao Monarch Bu will eventually leave the Special Task Force, but you will remain in the Edict Pavilion. You’d best think carefully about certain matters… before you make an irreversible choice.”