Chapter 974: It’s My Turn to Be Dad, Lower Beast Gang Grows Stronger Again

“I’m causing trouble?”

Watching Zhang Yu being pulled by Bai Zhenzhen and stepping into the Immortal Grotto-Heaven step by step, Bu Yingshu was both shocked and angry.

Hearing Bu Yuangui’s words at this moment made Bu Yingshu even more furious: “Since when can a Heavenly Sword person ride on our necks on the land of our Myriad Laws? Has my dignified Myriad Laws Immortal Clan actually become second-class citizens in front of Bai Zhenzhen?”

Although she was extremely indignant, sensing Bu Yuangui’s resolute attitude, Bu Yingshu didn’t try to speak to him again.

Because Bu Yingshu understood that for Bu Yuangui to be so firm, this must be the intention of the higher-ups.

Moreover, she already sensed the flow of power in the Dharma Realm. Obviously, if she messed around again, she would be immediately seized, and she would only end up in a more wretched state.

At this moment, only one thought remained in Bu Yingshu’s mind: “Dad is old, it should be my turn to be Dad.”

“Those old fogeys at the top are also old and useless. They don’t have the slightest bit of sharpness left, to actually let a sword brute run wild in our Myriad Laws.”

“If I were to achieve Immortality, it would absolutely not be like this.”

At this moment, Bu Yingshu’s ambition and desire to ascend and become an Immortal grew wildly in her heart, reaching yet another peak.

But the next moment, her vision flashed, and a message from Zhang Yu had already appeared before her eyes.

Zhang Yu: “Profound Monarch Bu? What just happened? Are you alright?”

Seeing the message Zhang Yu sent, Bu Yingshu fiercely clenched her fists.

In Bu Yingshu’s view, Zhang Yu was a subordinate she had guided and nurtured all along; he had always seen her in boundless glory, seen her profound background, and seen how her word was absolute within the Myriad Laws Sect.

Now, letting Zhang Yu see her in this state, seeing her actually having to back down when facing Bai Zhenzhen, and having to let someone from another sect act so arrogantly on her own territory…

Just thinking about it made Bu Yingshu feel as if she had been slapped hard across the face.

It was an intense feeling of shame.

“No! I can’t let Zhang Yu think that I backed down!”

Thinking of this, Bu Yingshu hurriedly replied, “Something urgent suddenly came up at home, so I had to leave first.”

After thinking about it, Bu Yingshu added, “Did Bai Zhenzhen say anything? Tell her that I have an emergency today and don’t have time to deal with her. She won’t be so lucky next time.”

Zhang Yu: “Okay, I understand.”

Reading Zhang Yu’s reply several times, Bu Yingshu still felt that his response was too cold and calm.

So Bu Yingshu couldn’t help but reply again, “Little Yu, do you think I’m lying to you? I really have an emergency today. I’ll send you a video of the family meeting later.”

Zhang Yu: “Yeah, I believe you.”

Bu Yingshu: “What did Bai Zhenzhen come to find you for today?”

Zhang Yu: “Just casually chatting between friends.”

Bu Yingshu: “Are you going to do dual cultivation?”

Zhang Yu: “We’re just sitting together and chatting, it’s not what you think.”

Bu Yingshu: “Weren’t you dual cultivation partners before?”

Zhang Yu: “If you insist on thinking that way, there’s nothing I can do.”

---

Inside the Immortal Grotto-Heaven.

As Bai Zhenzhen felt the pleasure of the Great Void Dao Body pouring into her, she thought of Bu Yingshu texting Zhang Yu, and a smile couldn’t help but appear on her lips.

Streams of sword intent representing Supreme Bliss, Extreme Emotion, and Shock surged and soared wildly within her body.

“Bu Yingshu, today I am inside the door, while you are outside.”

“Yu-Zi is finally in my grasp!”

At the same time, Fu Ji’s voice transmitted into Bai Zhenzhen’s mind.

“Bu Yingshu is still questioning Zhang Yu, and Zhang Yu is already getting impatient. I reckon he’ll soon be too lazy to explain and will leave it to me to take over,” Fu Ji said.

“A-Zhen, do you want me to help you scold her?” Fu Ji added.

Naturally, Fu Ji wouldn’t actually scold Bu Yingshu, and she knew Bai Zhenzhen wouldn’t let her use Zhang Yu’s account to do so either, but she knew saying this would win Bai Zhenzhen over a bit.

Fu Ji thought to herself, “Hehe, with Bai Zhenzhen and I working together from the inside and outside, how can those guys in Zhang Yu’s head compete with me?”

Bai Zhenzhen replied, “Reply as you normally would, and continue to maintain a good relationship between Yu-Zi and her. After all, it’s better for Yu-Zi to have her support in the Myriad Laws Sect.”

Listening to Fu Ji’s continuous reports on the chat contents, Bai Zhenzhen seemed to already see Bu Yingshu’s awkwardness outside the door. The emotions and sword intent in her heart grew increasingly joyful, and the flow of her sword qi became even fiercer.

“Bu Yingshu, I refined my sword technique grade in the Heavenly Sword Sect, continuously earned Extraordinary Merits, fought for countless honors, and maneuvered through alliances to seize the spokesperson position for the three major Sect Enterprises. I even built the number one startup company within the sect — all just so that one day, I could stand before you with absolute confidence.”

“And to let you know that I will personally take back what I lost, and let you taste the same humiliation I suffered back then.”

Along with Bai Zhenzhen’s thoughts, an even more turbulent sword qi surged madly from within her Dantian.

Especially with the enhancement of the Great Void Dao Body, coupled with the original blessing of the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo, Bai Zhenzhen was able to push the Blissful Sword Technique and Extreme Emotion Sword Technique higher and higher purely by relying on these thoughts in her heart and the emotions they birthed.

In the blink of an eye, both sword techniques had broken through the level 55 threshold, reaching the mid-level of Void Refinement.

And Bai Zhenzhen could feel it even more clearly — this momentum had not yet stopped. Within today… these two sword techniques of hers would inevitably break through to level 60, reaching the upper limit of Void Refinement.

It even felt as if there was still more to come, an endless stream of inspiration for upgrading her sword technique’s grade and scenes of whimsical ideas continuously surfaced in her mind.

At the same time, Zhang Yu asked with a face full of curiosity, “A-Zhen, what exactly is going on?”

Bai Zhenzhen explained, “Some of the old fogeys in the Heavenly Sword Sect originally wanted to prop me up. They used my lower realm identity and innate talent as a gimmick to launch a startup company and swindle money.”

“I seized this opportunity to elevate the grade of several sword techniques, creating the Bai Zhenzhen Version of the True Inheritance-Tier Extreme Emotion Sword Technique and the Blissful Sword Technique, as well as the Bai Zhenzhen Version of the Strategic-Tier Shock Sword Dao. Of course, within the Heavenly Sword Sect, these sword techniques already had their own True Inheritance versions, Strategic versions, and even Sect-Guarding versions and Heaven-Opening versions developed. It’s just that the new versions I developed pointed out a new technical route and demonstrated another possibility.”

“Because of this, the startup company became even more popular, making those old fogeys place heavy bets on it again.”

Bai Zhenzhen said confidently, “Before the company goes public and its stock price hits the peak, I will be their key protection and investment target…”

Listening to Bai Zhenzhen’s account, even though she made it sound simple and easy, Zhang Yu could feel the danger involved just by thinking about it.

Zhang Yu thought to himself, “If there’s a chance, I need to provide A-Zhen with a second Dao Seed as well.”

Then, the two of them chatted about the Heavenly Sword Sect’s visit.

Bai Zhenzhen explained, “I was arranged to join the delegation by the old geezers, taking the opportunity to do some advertising and pull in some investment for the company. As for the delegation’s main purpose, I’m not clear on that.”

“However, everyone who came from the Heavenly Sword Sect in this delegation is a figure with actual power. I’m afraid there really is some plan they want to cooperate on…”

Listening to Bai Zhenzhen’s account, Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Cooperation… Could it be the plan to confiscate the world’s Books?”

The first thing that popped into Zhang Yu’s mind was what Su Xianchen had said last time: the Ten Immortal Emperors… were all planning to start confiscating the books of the world.

“Since the Ten Immortal Emperors all plan to confiscate the world’s Books, it’s quite normal for them to cooperate with each other…”

The thoughts flashed through his mind. Although Zhang Yu had his suspicions, he ultimately couldn’t verify them and could only drop the matter for now.

Thus, Zhang Yu refocused his attention on Bai Zhenzhen.

Since A-Zhen had finally managed to come over this time and had even broken through to the Void Refinement Realm, Zhang Yu planned to pull her in to practice the martial arts related to the Great Void Dao Body together. This would further advance the layers of his Chain Formation Diagram and accelerate the improvement of his immortal aura, allowing him to undergo Tribulation Transcendence as soon as possible.

“Also, there’s A-Zhen’s Azure Lotus Sword Embryo. This is a good opportunity to nourish it with the max-level Void Refinement cultivation arts I’ve cultivated, and quickly upgrade this Dao Seed by another level.”

Thus, after chatting for a bit longer, Zhang Yu recommended cultivation arts related to the Great Void Dao Body to Bai Zhenzhen.

Given the trust between them, there was naturally no need for Zhang Yu to explain much. Bai Zhenzhen gladly accepted and memorized the list of cultivation arts Zhang Yu mentioned one by one.

Next, Zhang Yu hurriedly began nourishing Bai Zhenzhen’s True Spirit Root.

---

“That’s actually Bai Zhenzhen?”

Not long after the conflict between Bai Zhenzhen and Bu Yingshu broke out, related videos, images, and messages had already successively spread throughout the Spirit Realm and Dharma Realm.

Although Bu Yingshu had vigorously pushed the Righteous Gods to scrub the information, she still couldn’t stop the private exchanges among many people.

Looking at the footage in the video, Zi Yunzhen, Su Yunni, and Liu Xiangqiao all sighed in amazement.

During their university years, they had been Zhang Yu’s classmates in the Artifact Refinement Department, and even served as assistants in Zhang Yu’s laboratory.

Previously, they had come up along with Mo Shangjin and other newly promoted Sect Staff, studying within the sect as outsourced cultivators.

With their success in the Sect Examination this time, they became Rank 1 Sect Staff of the Effectiveness Department.

Zi Yunzhen sighed, “Dao Monarch Bai was already a genius of Heavenly Sword University back in the lower realm, third place in the Ten Greats League, and one of the first gate-crashers of the Lower Realm Sect Examination. To think that she is now also an all-powerful figure in the sects, becoming a rising entrepreneurial star of the Heavenly Sword Sect.”

Thinking of the various rumors between Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu, Zi Yunzhen couldn’t help but secretly regret missing the opportunity during her university days, thinking to herself, “Sigh, it’s a bad habit passed down from high school. Myriad Laws happened to be a traditional university that repressed dual cultivation at the time. If a cultivator doesn’t understand dual cultivation, how can they climb the Immortal Dao?”

Su Yunni said, “I originally thought Profound Monarch Bu was already an incredible big shot, but I didn’t expect Dao Monarch Bai to stand her ground against her, not being the slightest bit weaker.”

Liu Xiangqiao: “Even so, aren’t the two of them still competing for the right to engage in dual cultivation with Zhang Yu? Who could have imagined that a few years ago, Dao Monarch Zhang had to nourish a fetus and get an abortion for Profound Monarch Bu, but now their statuses have reversed, and it’s Dao Monarch Bu standing outside the door waiting just for a chance.”

As the three women worked, they chatted freely in their small group chat, gossiping about Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen, and Bu Yingshu, accumulating intelligence and information within the sect.

Right at this moment, Zi Yunzhen asked another person in the small chat group, “Lian Tianji, I heard that you knew Minister Zhang and Dao Monarch Bai back in the lower realm, is that true?”

The person Zi Yunzhen asked was none other than Lian Tianji, who had graduated from Purple Cloud High School, studied at Joyful Union University, and later changed his name to Lian Tianji. ¹

And now, as the first of the new batch of Sect Staff recruited from graduates of non-Myriad Laws universities, Lian Tianji was selected by Zhang Yu to join the Effectiveness Department.

After all, according to Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan’s ideas, the Sect Staff they recruit in the future would not be limited to Myriad Laws University, but rather elites selected from the Ten Great Universities, recruiting all the Heavenly Chosen of the Ten Universities from the lower realm under their command.

And the reason why Lian Tianji changed back to his original name and appearance was also very simple…

Lian Tianji recalled his first day of reporting for duty. When Minister Zhang saw him, he only said one sentence: “Tianji, your appearance has really changed drastically now; I couldn’t even recognize you.”

Lian Tianji thought to himself, “I originally wanted to repay Minister Zhang with my Yin Body and the skills I learned from Joyful Union University.”

“But I was mistaken. I didn’t expect that Minister Zhang is already a renowned dual cultivation prodigy both inside and outside the sect. How could he possibly think highly of my petty tricks?”

“It’s better to change into an appearance Minister Zhang is more familiar with, so he’ll remember me more…”

So after that day, Lian Tianji took out a loan directly to change his physical form within the sect, reverting back to how he looked in high school.

Later, when Lian Tianji ran into Zhang Yu again, he heard the other party laugh and say, “That’s more like it. This look suits you much better.”

Lian Tianji heard that since that day, many people in the department had spent money to alter their physical forms.

Because of this, Lian Tianji was held in higher regard by others, as they gradually learned that he had a past with Minister Zhang and had known him since their high school days.

Just then, Lian Tianji’s gaze shifted as he unexpectedly saw a group of familiar people arrive at the Effectiveness Department, walking towards Zhang Yu’s office.

“The one leading is… Yun Zhiguang? Behind her are people from Joyful Union University, Myriad Laws University… are they the leaders of the various schools?”

Yun Zhiguang walked through the offices of the Effectiveness Department. Looking at the workplace that occupied an entire minor realm and thinking of Zhang Yu’s current prestige, she could not help but sigh with emotion.

She still remembered the year she took the mission to the lower realm and arrived at Myriad Laws University. The very first time she saw Zhang Yu, she had trampled him underfoot; the gap between the two of them was like the difference between clouds and mud.

But at this very moment…

“I heard Minister Zhang is going to undergo Tribulation Transcendence this year?”

A hint of emotion flashed through her heart. When Yun Zhiguang arrived in the office and saw Zhang Yu’s descended projection, she bowed, her face full of respect.

She knew that even if she advanced to Void Refinement after returning to the sect, she would still be nothing in front of Zhang Yu. For him to descend a projection just to see her was already giving her plenty of face.

“After all, the gap between one Void Refinement cultivator and another can be even greater than the gap between Void Refinement and Qi Refining.”

Yun Zhiguang recalled the Void Refinement Law Edict Rankings she had seen earlier. Within the Myriad Laws Sect… Zhang Yu’s Law Edict Expiration Date had already ranked in the top three.

“This is a third-generation Law Edict. The Thought Tide Amplification is constantly growing, and its efficiency far surpasses second-generation Law Edicts.”

“If not for the fact that Minister Zhang’s Law Edict is temporarily only operating within the pilot zone, if the scope were just a bit larger, it would probably already be the number one Law Edict of the Void Refinement stage.”

But even so, Yun Zhiguang knew that he was now the well-deserved number one person in the Void Refinement stage of the Myriad Laws Sect.

Although the two of them had conflicts and clashes in the past, they later found an opportunity to turn from enemies into friends.

Taking advantage of her cooperation with him in the lower realm, Yun Zhiguang felt that upon returning to the sect, she would be able to establish a connection with Zhang Yu.

On the other side, after Zhang Yu descended his projection and looked at Yun Zhiguang before him, he spoke up, “So it’s Little Yun? You’re back?”

Yun Zhiguang hurriedly replied, “Greetings, Minister Zhang. I first went to the hall to hand over my mission report, received my new position and Void Refinement Certificate, and then was arranged to break through to Void Refinement. I just broke through today, which is why I finally had the free time to come over…”

Zhang Yu nodded. “You’ve worked hard on the construction in the lower realm. The connection of the Dharma Realm is a grand plan of the sect. You must have spent a lot of effort to complete the mission on time, right?”

Yun Zhiguang said, “Thanks to your care, Minister Yu’s help, and the cooperation of everyone from Myriad Laws University, the construction of the Dharma Realm in the lower realm was very successful.”

Zhang Yu then asked, “I heard the Immortal Ascension Hall has already approved your Superior Merit? Have you registered for this year’s Law Establishment?”

Yun Zhiguang replied, “I have registered, but it hasn’t been approved yet.”

Speaking of this, Yun Zhiguang sighed inwardly. She knew that the Law Establishment Quota was already highly sought after. Especially now, during the initial stage of the third-generation Law Edicts, the major Dao lineages were scrambling to insert their people, making the competition far more intense than ever before.

Zhang Yu said, “Sect Staff like you, who are willing to give up the superior cultivation conditions of the upper realm and head to the lower realm to build the sect, are exactly the ones who should take on more burdens in order to make greater contributions to the sect.”

Hearing this, Yun Zhiguang’s spirit jolted, and a hint of a thought surged in her heart: “Is Minister Zhang giving me a hint? Could it be… if I enter his tutelage to uphold his Law Edict, he would be willing to recommend me to participate in the Law Establishment?”

Just as myriad thoughts swirled in Yun Zhiguang’s mind, Zhang Yu looked toward Heavenly Slaughter, Myriad Hands, and the others to the side.

Because after Zhang Yu took office as the Vice President of the Former Days Graveyard Development Zone Committee, he had utilized the power of the Reformist Faction to gradually transfer the older generation of the Ten Schools’ Spirit Transformation cultivators — such as Old Gao, Magnetic Pole, and Nether Spring — to work under his command.

Therefore, under the recommendations of the older Spirit Transformation experts, the Ten Great Universities had selected new candidates for school leaders.

At this moment, Heavenly Slaughter and Myriad Hands had both become Spirit Transformation Divine Monarchs and had completed their training in the upper realm. They were just about to head to the lower realm to take up the positions of principal and vice-principal at the various schools.

Once, the position of principal of the Ten Great Universities was something Divine Monarch Heavenly Slaughter had dreamt of.

But right now, when this position was truly in his hands, it no longer seemed so attractive in Divine Monarch Heavenly Slaughter’s eyes.

Divine Monarch Heavenly Slaughter thought to himself, “Senior Gao has now become a Rank 4 Sect Staff, and Senior Magnetic Pole has even been promoted to a Rank 5 Sect Staff, breaking through to the Void Refinement Realm.”

“But when we go to the lower realm to become the principals and vice-principals of the Ten Universities, if we don’t encounter fortuitous encounters, we will probably be locked in the Spirit Transformation Realm for the rest of our lives.”

Thinking of this, Divine Monarch Heavenly Slaughter felt an incomparable nostalgia for the upper realm and the sect.

“Sigh, even if we stay in the sect and act as Outsourced Cultivators like Divine Monarch Nether Spring and the others, as long as we follow Minister Zhang, our chances of breaking through to the next cultivation realm in the future will be greater than now.”

Suppressing the distracting thoughts in his mind, Divine Monarch Heavenly Slaughter spoke, “Minister Zhang, although the sect has ordered us to return to the lower realm to manage the Ten Universities, to be honest, we all feel empty inside and don’t know where to start…”

Zhang Yu smiled slightly and said, “Cultivating students and allowing more lower realm talents to be transported to the upper realm, opening up the circulation between the upper and lower realms… I think this is the sect’s intention, and the Immortal Emperor’s intention.”

“I believe that as long as you do your jobs well, the sect will definitely reward you…”

Divine Monarch Heavenly Slaughter recalled what Old Gao and Magnetic Pole had told him earlier, thinking to himself, “Minister Zhang’s intention is probably for us to cultivate students, select the outstanding talents of the Ten Universities, and then send them to the sect to add to his manpower.”

“After all, for Minister Zhang to continue developing in the sect, he will definitely lack manpower, and most cultivators in the upper realm are not easy to control. In contrast, after the students from the lower realm test into the sect, they will be helpless and have no one to rely on but Minister Zhang, making them easy to control…”

At this moment, Divine Monarch Heavenly Slaughter seemed to already see Zhang Yu gradually becoming a towering tree growing across both the upper and lower realms, constantly absorbing talents from the lower realm to serve as nutrients for his continued growth in the sect.

“If we do a good job, perhaps we can be like Senior Magnetic Pole — first becoming sect contractors, then obtaining Sect Examination qualifications, and finally testing into the sect, raising our rank, and breaking through to new cultivation realms…”

Divine Monarch Heavenly Slaughter and the others knew in their hearts that this was the only hope for further promotion they could see so far.

After bidding farewell to Zhang Yu, Divine Monarch Heavenly Slaughter and the others went to the lower realm to take up their posts.

Yun Zhiguang also left the Effectiveness Department with a heavy mind.

And a few days later, Zhang Yu’s eyes lit up slightly: under his nourishment, the Azure Lotus Sword Embryo finally ushered in another upgrade.

Join the conversation on Discord