Chapter 829: The Gathering Storm
Deep within the Spirit Realm.
In a clean and tidy room, Ying Aikun’s consciousness drifted through countless streams of information, examining the incoming messages.
Not long after he proposed the deal to the Heavenly Court, Ying Aikun had “choked to death” by accident while taking medicine. He was subsequently transformed into a Soul Cultivator, placing him under the Heavenly Court’s constant surveillance.
After his death, Ying Aikun actually felt a sense of relief. He knew that to bring down the Supreme Truth Immortal Clan and deal with the Supreme Truth Immortal, the Heavenly Court would do everything in its power to protect him.
As a Soul Cultivator residing in the Spirit Realm, Heavenly Court’s domain, and under the protection of numerous High-Grade Righteous Gods, even an Immortal would face significant obstacles trying to harm him. It would be no easy task.
Similarly, Heavenly Court’s campaign against the Supreme Truth Immortal would not be settled in just one or two battles.
“This is only the beginning. There’s much more fighting to come.”
“Unless the Supreme Truth Immortal ascends to the rank of Immortal Emperor, perishes, or… she pledges her Dao Lineage to another Immortal Emperor and completely abandons her own pursuit of that title, this conflict will likely never end.”
Ying Aikun estimated this would be a lengthy struggle, possibly lasting decades, or even centuries.
As long as he remained valuable during this period, he would continue to be under the Heavenly Court’s protection.
As these thoughts churned in his mind, Ying Aikun’s gaze fell upon news about Zhang Yu.
“Kunxu Hero…”
Ying Aikun let out a bitter laugh, his mind flashing back to the first time he had seen Zhang Yu in the Ethereal Communications Department’s office building.
Back then, Zhang Yu had seemed like nothing more than an ant he could crush with a single thought, a worthless lowly Sect Staff member.
Who could have imagined that since becoming Zhang Yu’s enemy, he had suffered one defeat after another? Not only had Zhang Yu rammed his incarnation with an Immortal Shuttle, but he had also been defeated by Zhang Yu using Ying Xintian’s Legacy.
Now, Zhang Yu had become a celebrated Kunxu Hero, while he himself had been reduced to a Soul Cultivator dwelling in damp darkness, his future bleak.
In just a few short months, everything had changed. He had fallen into the mud, while Zhang Yu had ascended to the clouds. Their positions had completely reversed.
Ying Aikun’s mood had finally stabilized, until he saw Zhao Tianxing’s interview…
“Wait… a Soul Cultivator brought up from the Lower Realm? What the hell is a ‘Vocational College’? Is that even allowed?”
“This is outrageous! Now you’re even promoting a Soul Cultivator from Zhang Yu’s household?”
“Even when I was still part of an Immortal Clan, we never played games like this.”
At that moment, Ying Aikun couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. “So dark… The heavens of Kunxu are truly dark.”
Over the past few days, Ying Aikun had repeatedly replayed the entire sequence of events in his mind. The more he thought about it, the more he felt the situation was riddled with the fingerprints of behind-the-scenes manipulators.
“This was all a setup. Me, Zhang Yu, even Su Lengyou… we were all pushed into this game to stage this grand drama.”
“The goal was to deal with the Supreme Truth Immortal Clan, restrain the Supreme Truth Immortal, and even drive change in Kunxu.”
“My current fate, Zhang Yu’s elevation to the forefront — we’re just caught in the great wave of this era…”
“We… are all just pawns for those above.”
“Zhang Yu, your current position may seem glorious, but it’s also fraught with endless danger. Throughout Kunxu’s history, how many who charged ahead in times of change managed to survive? How long can you last?”
Ying Aikun suddenly burst into laughter. “Then let them praise you, let them praise you, hahaha… The higher they lift you now, the harder you’ll fall when you’re no longer needed.”
“I’ll be waiting to see your downfall.”
Inside the Heavenly Demon Sect.
“The Supreme Truth Immortal Clan has suffered a devastating blow this time. Everyone is on edge, and their standing among the Ten Great Sects will likely plummet.”
“Thank goodness I’m no longer a cultivator affiliated with the Supreme Truth Immortal Clan.”
Su Lengyou felt a wave of relief as she watched news reports detailing the ruin of one Supreme Truth Immortal Clan member after another.
When she saw reports about Zhang Yu and his friends from the Lower Realm, she felt no jealousy or envy. Her emotions remained completely undisturbed.
In Su Lengyou’s view, compared to Zhang Yu, who now stood out like a tall tree in the forest, drawing all eyes, she was the true biggest winner among all the pawns in this affair.
“Jumping from the sinking ship of that Supreme Truth scoundrel to the Reincarnation Immortal Emperor’s side feels like a rebirth for me.”
In this major crisis, she had seized the opportunity to switch from serving an Immortal to serving an Immortal Emperor. Su Lengyou saw this as a blessing in disguise — a great blessing, in fact.
“Originally, following the Supreme Truth faction, I was nearing the upper limit of my career progression.”
“But now, under the Reincarnation Immortal Emperor, the sky’s the limit. Ascending to become an Immortal in the future might not even be out of reach.”
In contrast, Zhang Yu had attracted far too much attention, which Su Lengyou suspected was a setup to destroy him through excessive praise.
Moreover, after becoming the Vice President of the Development Zone’s Management Committee, he, a mere Rank 4 Sect Staff member with a low Spirit Transformation Realm cultivation, had plunged into intense conflicts of interest. His future seemed bleak, far less advantageous than her own quiet switch of allegiance.
Su Lengyou’s greatest hope now was to find an opportunity to serve the Reincarnation Immortal Emperor as soon as possible, preferably by achieving something significant to prove her loyalty, competence, and value.
But since returning to the Heavenly Demon Sect, she had received no assignments, leaving her slightly anxious.
So, for the past few days, Su Lengyou had been contacting Kuang Tianqing daily.
Although Kuang Tianqing was only a Rank 4 Sect Staff member, he was a reincarnated cultivator who could continue to be part of the Reincarnation Group. In Su Lengyou’s eyes, he was an experienced veteran who couldn’t be underestimated.
Su Lingyou: “[100,000 Immortal Coins] Are you busy?”
Kuang Tianqing looked at the message from the Rank 7 Sect Staff member, a Tribulation Transcendence Realm cultivator, who was being so polite and had sent another Red Packet. He couldn’t help but think approvingly, “This Su Lengyou is loyal.”
Kuang Tianqing: “I know you’re anxious, but don’t worry. Your mission is coming soon.”
A glint flashed in Su Lingyou’s eyes as she replied: “I wonder if Senior could reveal a few details?”
Seeing this Tribulation Transcendence Realm cultivator call him “Senior,” Kuang Tianqing, who hadn’t even broken through to the Spirit Transformation Realm and was still at the Nascent Soul Realm, couldn’t help but remark, “This new era’s Kunxu atmosphere still has its merits.”
Kuang Tianqing: “The higher-ups will send you to the Former Days Graveyard next, to redeem yourself through meritorious service.”
Hearing the words “redeem yourself through meritorious service,” Su Lingyou’s gaze sharpened. She replied: “What kind of mission is it?”
Kuang Tianqing: “This time, you’re to assist in the reconstruction and resumption of production in the Former Days Graveyard’s Development Zone, with a particular focus on vigorously promoting the Soul Cultivator Industry.”
Kuang Tianqing: “The Development Zone’s reconstruction involves the future of the Soul Cultivator Industry, the tangled interests of the major sect-enterprises in the Former Days Graveyard, and the conflicts between various sects’ Dao Lineages. The struggles are incredibly complex, so you must handle things with extreme care.”
Kuang Tianqing: “In short, the sect… needs to make money, and the industry… the sect needs to restore it.”
Reading Kuang Tianqing’s messages, Su Lingyou’s eyes flickered as she thought to herself, “Promote the recovery of the Soul Cultivator Industry in the Former Days Graveyard’s Development Zone? That’s right. Using Soul Cultivators as Kunxu’s essential consumables, constantly reincarnating through cycles of life and death — this aligns perfectly with our Reincarnation Group’s interests.”
“So it seems… Zhang Yu, as the Vice President of the Management Committee, could actually be of help to me.”
After a moment of thought, Su Lengyou instantly understood that she and Zhang Yu had unknowingly ended up on the same side.
As for their past conflicts, in Su Lengyou’s view, they were not worth mentioning.
In Kunxu, people became enemies for profit and allies for profit. One moment, they might slaughter your entire family; the next, they’d treat you as their own. Such things were perfectly normal.
“But he’s probably surrounded by dangers now, walking on thin ice…”
In the Former Days Graveyard, within the Ethereal Communications Department office.
Zhang Yu sighed inwardly, “Though this Development Zone is small, it has all the necessary components. From security, land, and finance… to the appointment and dismissal of Sect Staff, the Management Committee has authority over almost everything.”
Immortal Slayer said, “It’s like a small state within a state. The area isn’t large, but the Management Committee’s power is extensive, and the situation is complex and chaotic. Governing this place requires great skill and ability.”
“But if you can achieve results in this position, you’ll demonstrate your capabilities and prove you have what it takes to join Kunxu’s ruling class.”
“But if you mess up, you could lose everything.”
Fu Ji said, both nervous and expectant, “This is a trial, and even more so, a test, right? Hehe, it’s a test given to us by Ying Xintian’s Immortal Network.”
Zhang Yu understood that although Ying Xintian had introduced him to the higher-level Immortal Network during the previous incident, it didn’t mean the Immortals above would automatically throw their full support behind him and invest all their resources in his development.
He still needed to prove his worth and demonstrate his abilities to earn their investment.
For instance, by acquiring the legacy left by Ying Xintian and taking the initiative against the Supreme Truth Immortal Clan, he had shown his value, attitude, and courage.
As a result, he was granted legitimacy for the Immortal Legacy and then thrown into the position of Management Committee Vice President.
And this was yet another trial and test.
If he could successfully achieve results in this position, the Immortals above would likely grant him the opportunity to break through to the Void Refinement Realm, then toss him into an even more difficult and arduous role.
“Maybe they’ll just keep throwing me into one trial after another until I finally fail, proving that my potential has reached its limit,” Zhang Yu thought.
At this moment, he felt as if he had been thrown into an Immortal’s alchemy furnace, to be tempered and refined a thousand times over…
Immortal Slayer analyzed, “The situation in the Development Zone is complex. First, the industries within the labyrinth originally belonged to various enterprises. These enterprises are affiliated with different sects, many of which are rivals or enemies. Each relationship will need to be carefully mediated.”
“Even more troublesome is that the Soul Cultivator Industry isn’t just about itself; it’s also tied to the booming Artifact Spirit Industry.”
“If the High-Intelligence Artifact Spirits decide to intervene, the Development Zone will be dragged into the conflicts between various Dao Lineages.”
“There’s another problem: the position of Management Committee Vice President is typically held by a Rank 6 Sect Staff member, a cultivator at the Void Refinement Realm. Our current rank and cultivation level are far from convincing. Coupled with our status as Lower Realm Cultivators, we’ll likely face significant obstruction in our daily work…”
Zhang Yu nodded as he listened. “That’s why I want to bring in a team of my own people.”
“Yu Xinghan and Senior Sister are trustworthy, but their strength is still lacking.” As Zhang Yu’s gaze shifted, a notification materialized before him.
His request to transfer three Lower Realm Spirit Transformation Cultivators — Magnetic Pole, Greenwood, and Nether Spring — had been approved.
Magnetic Pole and Greenwood were beyond question. Both had been his teachers at the university and had fought alongside him through life-and-death battles. During the University War, they had entrusted their lives to him, making them absolutely reliable.
As for Nether Spring, Zhang Yu saw her as someone connected to Wang Yin. In their past interactions, she had always been easy to communicate with among the Spirit Transformation Cultivators.
So, Zhang Yu had requested her transfer as a trial run.
“If Nether Spring works out, I’ll bring over all the other Spirit Transformation Cultivators currently in training at the universities to assist me.”
Seeing the notification, Zhang Yu breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worried that transferring Nether Spring from Netherworld University might be problematic, unlike Magnetic Pole and Greenwood from Myriad Laws University.
But now, it seemed that outsourcing personnel faced no major obstacles from either the universities or the sects.
With these three Spirit Transformation allies, he could grant them a portion of his authority, further expanding his influence and management capabilities over the Development Zone. This was all a prerequisite for his future success.
Zhang Yu understood: “The Immortals above want to temper me, to test me, but what they need… isn’t just a Kunxu Cultivator who can generate profits. Not someone who endlessly exploits those below, like most Kunxu Cultivators.”
Recalling the process of obtaining Ying Xintian’s Legacy, Zhang Yu thought, “Brother Dao’s Immortal Network… the people they want are those who can get things done beautifully while adhering to their ideals.”
Looking at the various reports about his climb from the First Layer to his current position, Zhang Yu realized he had been forged into a banner representing reform. Therefore, his actions had to align with this ideology.
Inside the Training Academy.
In the chat group for contracted Spirit Transformation Experts, several Spirit Transformation Cultivators were discussing Magnetic Pole and Zhang Yu.
One of them typed: “This Magnetic Pole grabs anyone she sees to talk about her disciple, Zhang Yu.”
Another person typed: “Anyone who didn’t know better would think she was the one who promoted Zhang Yu. He barely ever visits Magnetic Pole. I’d say their relationship is just average.”
Someone else added: “She’s just his University teacher. What does she have to do with Zhang Yu climbing so high? I bet it’s just like the rumors said — she’s a proxy master. Zhang Yu’s true lineage must be from some major figure in a sect.”
This comment immediately sparked a flurry of responses from the other contracted Spirit Transformation Experts in the group, who all began speculating about Zhang Yu’s real master.
Just then, someone posted a picture of Magnetic Pole, Greenwood, and Nether Spring, typing: “They’ve been transferred!”
Someone immediately asked: “Transferred where?”
The person who posted the picture replied: “I heard they were sent to the Former Days Graveyard Development Zone to assist Divine Monarch Zhang.”
Hearing this, someone immediately expressed envy: “A famous disciple actually coming back to hire his own master… It seems Magnetic Pole and the others have a genuinely good relationship with Zhang Yu.”
The few Spirit Transformation Cultivators who had just been questioning Magnetic Pole fell silent. They even left their rooms and looked in the direction Magnetic Pole and the others had departed.
To these Contracted Spirit Transformation experts, most of whom hailed from the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Layers, a disciple surpassing their master and then hiring them as a subordinate was a heartwarming tale of deep master-disciple bonds.
And if such a thing were to happen in the Sect Layers — a disciple providing their contracted master with a good job — that would be even better.
Clearly, in their eyes, the work of rebuilding the Development Zone was a prime job that attracted the sect’s attention, a place where it was easy to earn money and achieve results.
Meanwhile, at the academy’s main gate.
Divine Monarch Sinful Lotus of Heavenly Demon University, Divine Monarch Wisdom Foundation of Vajra University, and several other Spirit Transformation experts from the Ten Universities were all seeing off Magnetic Pole’s trio.
Divine Monarch Sinful Lotus pursed her lips and said, “Magnetic Pole, remember to ask Zhang Yu if he has any work for us too. You know our strength, we definitely won’t hinder his mission. We guarantee we’ll do everything perfectly.”
Divine Monarch Wisdom Foundation looked at Old Gao and sent a mental transmission: “Greenwood, don’t forget I was the one who helped you refine Divine Monarch Blazing Light’s Nascent Soul. If there’s a chance for a job within the sect, you must save one for me first.”
Amidst the reluctant farewells of the Ten Universities’ Spirit Transformation experts, Magnetic Pole, Greenwood, and Nether Spring transformed into three streaks of divine light, soaring into the sky. They flew toward the Central Apex Heaven teleportation gate, preparing to travel to the Former Days Graveyard.
Gazing at the shrinking Training Academy below, Magnetic Pole sighed inwardly. “To think that after all this time, I’ve finally come to work in the sect.”