Chapter 866: Holding Absolute Power, Life and Death in a Single Thought
After analyzing the Immortal Emperor’s reply, Fa Liuyuan looked at Zhang Yu and said, “You have jointly submitted proposals with me twice in a row, and you have been pushed by us to your current position. Now that you are about to be in charge of the power to raise salaries, you have completely caught the Immortal Emperor’s eye.”
“But don’t think that just because the Immortal Emperor replied so quickly this time, even using an exclamation mark and showing such importance, you can act arbitrarily.”
“Remember the content of our conversation today, remember what you said to me today, and remember what your goal is.”
Zhang Yu knew that the other party was referring to his previously stated long-term goal of wanting to ascend and become an Immortal and achieve cultivation freedom.
Fa Liuyuan continued, “I have already agreed with the two Immortals that if you achieve merit consummation this time, when you break through to the Void Refinement realm in the future, we will support you in coming into contact with the most cutting-edge Law Edict technologies and include you in the plan to create a new Dao Lineage.”
Saying that, Fa Liuyuan patted his shoulder and said, “When that time comes, maybe it will be you yourself sending a message to the Immortal Emperor, and then sending a copy to me.”
Ever since Ying Xintian betrayed the sect, the Reformist Faction’s power had greatly decreased, and over the past few years, its decline had become increasingly obvious.
This also made Fa Liuyuan value Zhang Yu, the Immortal Legacy holder chosen by Ying Xintian, even more.
In particular, Zhang Yu’s series of performances allowed him to see some possibility of becoming an Immortal in the other party, making Fa Liuyuan feel that after he and Tai Yuebai each ascended to immortality, Zhang Yu might be another Immortal Candidate for the Reformist Faction.
Zhang Yu nodded solemnly. He could feel that Fa Liuyuan was using this kind of future promise to increase his perception of long-term benefits.
And only this kind of expectation and hope for the future could help him resist the temptation brought by the right to raise salaries.
At the same time, the Sect Examination Clone in Zhang Yu’s mind looked at the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor’s reply, already excited to the extreme: “What does Fa Liuyuan know! He has no idea how much the Immortal Emperor values us.”
“Did you guys see the Immortal Emperor’s reply? The Immortal Emperor’s meaning is clearly that no matter how much we raise salaries next, as long as it is justified, he will shoulder it for us.”
“What kind of favor is this? What kind of trust? What kind of expectation?”
“With the decentralization of the limitless salary increase right, the heavy burden of expanding the Dharma Realm to the entire Soul Cultivator industry has completely fallen on our shoulders!”
The Sect Examination Clone shouted in Zhang Yu’s mind: “What virtues or abilities do we possess to receive such a heavy entrustment from the Immortal Emperor? We absolutely cannot fail the Immortal Emperor’s trust this time.”
Listening to the excited shouts of the Sect Examination Clone, Fu Ji said, “Can you not yell so loudly? You’re giving me a headache.”
Auspicious God: “Isn’t it just replying to a message? Do you have to be so excited? You’re disturbing Boss Fu Ji.”
Fu Ji said dismissively, “Do you really think the Immortal Emperor values us that much? He values the Dharma Realm Dao Lineage, and he values the Soul Cultivator market. Tossing out these few words is just to make us risk our lives.”
“Just a couple of empty words, and it makes you feel like we are unworthy? Where did your usual guarded and vigilant sect nature go?”
At this point, Fu Ji sighed, “Don’t be fooled by how beautifully the Immortal Emperor is speaking right now, it is all to make us work without holding back. Once we have no more use to him, or if we cause him trouble next, I am afraid that after the matter is done… he will just abandon us without a second thought.”
Having said this, Fu Ji was already feeling deeply worried. In her view, this right to limitless salary increases was an opportunity, but it was also a deep crisis.
Fu Ji sighed inwardly, “Can’t this kid Zhang Yu just be grounded and steady, and climb up step by step? Why does he like explosive improvements so much?”
Fu Ji considered herself to be someone who was very fond of speculation and going all-in, but seeing Zhang Yu’s actions this time, she also felt a burst of worry, fearing that the salary increase rights involved too much… and things wouldn’t end well afterwards.
The Sect Examination Clone shouted, “If we cause trouble for the Immortal Emperor, isn’t it only right to be abandoned? Only being loyal to the Immortal Emperor is the highest expression of sect nature.”
Fu Ji said speechlessly, “There’s really nothing to say to a sect animal like you.”
Regarding the argument in his mind, Zhang Yu was noncommittal and didn’t say anything.
But he knew that the more the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor sent him messages like this, the more it showed how much the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor looked forward to the upcoming changes in the Former Days Graveyard, and how eager he was for the expansion of the Dharma Realm.
Once he failed to handle this matter well and failed to meet the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor’s expectations, then as gentle as the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor was to him now, the subsequent settling of accounts would be just as cold and ruthless.
Immortal Slayer also warned, “No matter what kind of Immortal Emperor he is, he is first and foremost a Kunxu cultivator. Although you should understand this in your heart, I feel I should still remind you, absolutely do not think that you have a special relationship with the Immortal Emperor, or that you have a friendship with the Immortal Emperor.”
Just then, Fa Liuyuan, who was standing to the side, said, “Since the Immortal Emperor has already agreed, the salary increase right should be issued… within today. The rest is up to you.”
After saying goodbye to Zhang Yu, Fa Liuyuan’s projection disappeared from the Former Days Graveyard.
At the same time, Fa Liuyuan looked at the image of Zhang Yu disappearing in front of him and sighed in his heart, “This is good luck, but it might also be bad luck. Ultimately, whether one becomes a blade to be used and discarded, or a chess piece that step by step becomes a chess player, still depends on the cultivator themselves…”
Not long after Fa Liuyuan left, Zhang Yu received another message from Le Mulan.
Le Mulan: “I’m fine. I feel great right now! It’s just not very convenient to stay in touch.”
After Zhang Yu chatted with Le Mulan for a few sentences, she stopped replying again.
Although he really wanted to know the specific situation on Le Mulan’s side, Zhang Yu knew that he had to preside over the overall situation in the Former Days Graveyard next and simply had no time to manage matters elsewhere.
Just then, a message crossed the Spirit Realm and floated directly in front of Zhang Yu.
Silently, without any heaven-shaking drums and gongs, and without any publicity, a document approving the limitless salary increase authority was placed in front of Zhang Yu.
Zhang Yu understood in his heart that the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor must have done this intentionally to give their competitors no time to react, catching them completely off guard.
And when Zhang Yu grasped the information of this approval document in his hand, the limitless salary increase authority granted by the Myriad Laws Sect merged with him.
At this moment, two massive words emerged in his eyes: Salary Increase!
When Zhang Yu focused his mind on it, an image of the entire Former Days Graveyard also floated before him.
The Netherworld Assets Department, the Soul Cultivator Company, the joint venture company… First, the names and profiles of all the Sect Staff under Zhang Yu’s management appeared before him.
Then came the ID numbers, names, and profiles of all the outsourced cultivators and outsourced Soul Cultivators.
Next was everyone’s salary data and their specific salary breakdowns.
All of this was within Zhang Yu’s perception.
At this moment, what appeared before Zhang Yu seemed no longer to be individual people, but representations of one distinct expense after another.
Zhang Yu could feel that within this Former Days Graveyard… as long as he willed it, he could freely adjust and increase the salaries above the heads of countless cultivators under his jurisdiction.
In an instant, he could give a cultivator a wealthy future and greatly increase their Immortal Dao potential.
With a single thought, he could also make a Soul Cultivator have enough money next month to resurrect and live another life.
In a fit of rage, he could even reduce a Sect Staff’s salary to zero, turning them into a salary-less entity.
At this moment, Zhang Yu could feel the Immortal Dao potential, cultivation growth, life and death of countless cultivators….. all within his single thought.
“Unlimited Salary Increase, although it’s called a salary increase, it actually includes the upward and downward adjustment of salary.”
“In the sect, this is simply holding the power of life and death…… No, it’s more terrifying than the power of life and death. In this Kunxu where money can buy almost everything, this is an authority that can make the living die and the dead live.”
At the same time, Zhang Yu unknowingly looked up and saw a series of salary amounts and salary components above his head.
He could feel that as long as he reached out his hand towards the top of his head and casually modified a few numbers, he could become wealthy overnight the next time salaries were distributed.
This wonderful sensation made even Zhang Yu feel a hint of intoxication.
“If you do not fail me, I shall not fail you.”
Right at this moment, the Sect Examination Clone recited the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor’s message in Zhang Yu’s mind. This message was like a basin of ice water poured over his body, making him quickly snap back to reality.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Limitless salary increase authority… With this kind of power in hand, coupled with the push of the Aspiration for the Immortal Dao lineage, no wonder few people can withstand it.”
After sighing, Zhang Yu shook his head and first called Yu Xinghan, Ye Xingli, as well as Magnetic Pole, Greenwood, and other important subordinate cultivators into a conference room.
Looking at these cultivators who had followed him and fought their way up all the way from the lower realm, Zhang Yu circulated the magic power in his body for a cycle, and then said, “Everyone, I just received a limitless salary increase authority granted by the upper echelons of the Myriad Laws Sect.”
Then Zhang Yu briefly introduced the function of this authority.
As Zhang Yu spoke these words, the room fell silent.
Yu Xinghan muttered, “Increase first, report later? Specially approved by the Immortal Emperor? The higher-ups actually handed down such a thing?”
Magnetic Pole initially looked pleasantly surprised, but her expression quickly changed to one of heavy solemnity as she asked, “Zhang Yu, how do you plan to use this salary increase authority?”
On the other hand, when Shi Huaiyu, Jin Jun, and Bei Wufeng heard Zhang Yu’s words, their hearts stirred with anticipation, and they couldn’t help but smile.
Shi Huaiyu’s mind was filled with excitement: “With this authority, couldn’t Minister Zhang just casually raise our salaries? Then I can average down on my investments again. As the old saying goes, it is never too late for a gentleman to average down. To think I would actually live to see the day I get a salary increase in the sect to average down…”
Jin Jun’s heart swelled with excitement: “Minister Zhang called us here, could it be he is going to directly raise our salaries? How much will it be? Double? Ten times?”
Bei Wufeng glanced at everyone present and nodded slightly in his heart: “It seems this secret salary increase does not include the monsterfolk.”
But in the next moment, Yu Xinghan suddenly spoke, and his words took them completely by surprise.
“Minister Zhang, I hope that while you hold this power, you do not raise your own salary, or the salary of anyone present.”
Hearing Yu Xinghan’s words, some of the people present were surprised, some were caught off guard, but others looked thoughtful.
Zhang Yu, however, was slightly taken aback before nodding in gratification and saying, “This is what I called you all here to talk about today.”
“The Immortal Emperor granted this power to expand the Dharma Realm and help us capture the Soul Cultivator market, not for us to seek personal gain.”
“Therefore, I have decided to temporarily use this power only on the frontline Soul Cultivators.”
Upon hearing Zhang Yu’s decision, although many people present felt disappointed, given Zhang Yu’s current status and prestige, no one dared to voice any opposition.
Zhang Yu continued, “So after I raise the salaries for the Soul Cultivators, don’t come asking me about raising salaries for others, and absolutely do not speak up for anyone else…”
“If anyone is investigated by the People’s Congress afterwards because of the salary increases, I will not protect them…”
After some urging and warnings, Zhang Yu then announced the specific measures for the salary increase.
Spirit Realm, within the Myriad Souls Workshop Platform.
Lu Hengzhang was waiting for a new work assignment.
Ever since he was converted into a Soul Cultivator and sent to the Former Days Graveyard to work and pay off his debts, Lu Hengzhang had been muddling along day by day in the Soul Cultivator Company under Zhang Yu.
Although he had already become a Soul Cultivator, as a supporter of the Innate Dao Lineage, Lu Hengzhang always harbored an aversion towards cultivators from the lower realm like Zhang Yu. Because of his ties to the Innate Dao Lineage, this feeling of repulsion was deeply rooted.
And after seeing Zhang Yu prop up Zhao Tianxing as the company’s spokesperson last time, Lu Hengzhang became furious to the extreme, to the point where he would report him every single time he saw him.
“Using a college Soul Cultivator from the lower realm as a spokesperson, how can the company possibly be run well? Who would dare to hire Soul Cultivators from this kind of company? It is precisely because Zhang Yu is messing around like this that the company’s market share has been slow to increase.”
When he heard that after the end of this Sect Examination, Zhang Yu’s Netherworld Assets Department had already gathered more than a dozen lower realm cultivators, Lu Hengzhang felt even more bitterly disappointed and pained.
“A perfectly fine Netherworld Assets Department is going to be turned into a den for lower realm cultivators at this rate!”
Lu Hengzhang continuously posted related messages and comments in the Spirit Realm, only wanting to bring this news to the attention of the upper echelons of the Myriad Laws Sect.
But this time, halfway through posting, he realized his Spirit Realm Flow was almost used up, and he was nearly out of Immortal Coins to recharge it.
Because he was involved in the Heavenfall Incident, he needed to pay off his debts, which meant that even though Lu Hengzhang worked with all his might every day, his Immortal Coins were still far from enough.
Just then, the figures of his past colleagues, superiors, and others surfaced in Lu Hengzhang’s mind.
Ever since he became a Soul Cultivator, he had not contacted them.
Looking at his gradually depleting Immortal Coins at this moment, he tried to borrow some from them, only to discover, as expected, that he had already been blocked.
“It is normal. I have become a Soul Cultivator after all, so what right do I have to interact with them? Let alone borrow money.”
Although Lu Hengzhang understood in his heart that according to the ideals of the Innate Dao Lineage, becoming a Soul Cultivator meant he should be in such a position, an indescribable emotion still surged within him.
With his flow bottoming out, the stretched income of Immortal Coins… also forced Lu Hengzhang to reduce his posts in the Spirit Realm.
He moved into a Yin Artifact with more people, reduced his browsing in the Spirit Realm, and lowered his browsing quality.
Unknowingly, the world before Lu Hengzhang’s eyes seemed to be constantly degrading.
Videos gradually turned into images, images gradually turned into a simple black and white pictures, and the black and white pictures finally disappeared, transforming into lines of text information.
Unknowingly, only countless words remained before Lu Hengzhang’s eyes.
And later, in order to further save Spirit Realm expenses, even these words gradually disappeared by more than half. In his field of vision, only a piece of darkness remained, as well as the lines of text emerging in the darkness, which were the work instructions he received every day.
Losing perception of the outside world, Lu Hengzhang felt as if he had fallen into the abyss of darkness step by step. His destiny, his future… everything seemed to be enveloped by darkness.
“Is this the feeling of a Soul Cultivator?”
Lu Hengzhang thought to himself, “Truly lower-class trash, they deserve to be trampled underfoot for a lifetime.”
“So be it, dead people… should have the feeling of dead people.”
Just when Lu Hengzhang felt that he was more and more like a dead person, and more and more like he had lost contact with the world of the living, a notification, like a sharp sword made of light, pierced the darkness before Lu Hengzhang’s eyes.
“A pay… a pay raise?!”
Looking at the notice issued by Zhang Yu, Lu Hengzhang’s heart trembled.
“Zhang Yu… gave us a pay raise?”
Driven by his instinct as a supporter of the Innate Dao Lineage, Lu Hengzhang wanted to open his mouth and curse, wanting to question what gave Zhang Yu the right to raise the salaries of Soul Cultivators. This was simply a disruption of the industry, a reckless squandering of the sect’s money, simply a malicious pay raise.
But looking at the dark world before his eyes, he could not utter a single word.
Because he no longer had any spare Immortal Coins to leave a message in the Spirit Realm.
However, starting from the second day, a massive amount of text information flooded back into Lu Hengzhang’s world.
Although his surroundings remained completely dark, at this moment Lu Hengzhang felt that he had reestablished his connection with the physical world, feeling as if he had come back to life.
“Giving Soul Cultivators a pay raise… might… not be entirely without merit.”
It was also at this time that Lu Hengzhang saw the numerous comments in the Spirit Realm criticizing Zhang Yu.
“The malicious pay raise initiated by Zhang Yu! It is a severe destruction of the business environment in the Former Days Graveyard.”
“Such a short-term, large-scale pay raise for Soul Cultivators absolutely didn’t go through formal procedures, nor was there any research, and no relevant enterprises were consulted. Zhang Yu is trampling on enterprise rights!”
“I see Zhang Yu is acting like Traitor Ying, brainwashed by the Rebellious Immortal’s inheritance! He should be immediately dismissed and investigated!”
Looking at the various criticisms aimed at Zhang Yu in the Spirit Realm, Lu Hengzhang wanted to say something, but ultimately said nothing.
He just followed the thoughts of countless Soul Cultivators, crossed the Spirit Realm together, went to Zhang Yu’s account, and left the simplest message: “Strong.”
At the same time, in the Management Committee office on the other side.
Xiao Yunhe looked at the news of Zhang Yu’s comprehensive pay raise, his eyes full of disbelief.
“Increase the revenue share for Soul Cultivators?”
“According to business volume, Dharma Realm usage points… raising the comission percentage? The more you use the Dharma Realm, the more money you make?”
“Giving this much money to Soul Cultivators?”
“Is this guy insane? Who gave him the power to hike salaries so maliciously?! This is ‘carrying firewood to put out a fire’ — as long as the wood remains, the fire will never die!”