Chapter 239: Hehuan

"Qinghe Vocational Arts College?" Zhang Yu raised an eyebrow. "That’s not a university—you mean a vocational school, right?"

Tao Lin quickly responded, "How could you call it a vocational school? That’s such an outdated term! According to the latest policy, Azure River College is officially recognized by both the Heavenly Court and the Ten Major Sects. It’s a legitimate university acknowledged across all of Kunxu."

"The campus spans over a thousand square kilometers, with more than 100,000 students and faculty. Including supporting personnel, the total population easily tops a million."

"We offer over 80 popular majors and have established partnerships with many major corporations. Graduates are guaranteed job placement opportunities..."

"Stop, stop, stop." Zhang Yu waved a hand, cutting him off. "You don’t need to say another word. I’m not going to a vocational college."

As Zhang Yu moved to show him the door, Tao Lin thought to himself, So it really won’t be that easy.

"That whole pitch didn’t fool him at all? Most high schoolers stuck on the First Floor don’t know how the Second Floor works. Hearing all that, they’d be blown away by the scale of Azure River College."

"And yet..."

Tao Lin carefully noted the undisguised contempt in Zhang Yu’s eyes. The disdain ran deep—he could feel it. Zhang Yu clearly harbored a visceral aversion to vocational education.

As expected, academic elites like him have institutionalized bias. The moment they hear the word ‘vocational,’ their guts churn.

Now let’s see if the offer on the table can sway them.

From Tao Lin’s perspective, the terms offered by Azure River College were generous enough to tempt just about any high schooler. A bit less worldly, and they’d have agreed on the spot.

So he hurried on, "Zhang Yu, Azure River College sincerely wants you. Even if you got into one of the Ten Major Sects, they’d treat you as just another gifted student among many."

"But if you choose Qinghe, you’ll be the centerpiece of the whole school. The institution will dedicate its full strength to nurturing you."

"First off, our president, the Nascent Soul Cultivator True Lord Shixin, has personally expressed her willingness to mentor you. She’s promised to train you into a full Gold Core Cultivator during your studies—and she’ll even use Pleasure and Harmony Sect’s Yin-Yang Harmonization Techniques to raise your cultivation."

Zhang Yu hesitated for a moment—not because of the Nascent Soul Cultivator or the Yin-Yang Techniques, but because he was genuinely shocked by Qinghe’s level of commitment.

He thought to himself, Maybe vocational colleges aren’t completely without merit...

Sensing Zhang Yu’s brief pause, Tao Lin pressed on. "And I know what you're thinking—about the reputation of vocational schools."

"But True Lord Shixin can arrange for you to upgrade your degree and test into Pleasure and Harmony University."

"You probably know Pleasure and Harmony University is one of the Ten Major Sects. Like Qinghe, it’s under the Pleasure and Harmony Sect’s umbrella. True Lord Shixin is a graduate herself."

"As her student, you’d have access to her entire network at Pleasure and Harmony University. That gives you an edge even over those who directly test into it."

"Ordinary undergraduates at Pleasure and Harmony University start off as cauldrons for the senior students. But with True Lord Shixin backing you, you’d skip that step entirely and jump straight into the top-tier Yin-Yang Harmonization Projects."

"You could receive instruction in the sect’s signature techniques like Heavenly Demon Drill, Heart-Corroding Disk, Spirit-Flesh Fusion, and Nectar Devourer."

"Not only would you rack up university credits quickly, you’d also become one of the school's top talents..."

You son of a—why didn’t you lead with that?! Don’t you know how much I value academic performance? How badly I want to improve my grades in college?

Zhang Yu sighed inwardly. That Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Pleasure and Harmony Sect clearly knows how to recruit. She went straight for the angle that appeals most to someone like me—boosting academic scores and cultivation at the same time.

Noticing his shifting expression, Tao Lin added, "I know the Foundation Establishment exam rewards allow you to choose a teacher when entering university."

"But choosing is one thing. Whether they’re actually willing to teach you seriously is another."

"In most universities, the more powerful the teacher, the more top students they have. You’ll only get a fraction of their attention—not like at Qinghe, where you’d receive full focus."

"And another thing… Once you enroll, Azure River College will assign you ten study partners, give you a scholarship of ten spirit coins per year, a private dormitory, free access to law husks, spirit roots, cultivation cauldrons—and when you’re ready to advance to Gold Core, you’ll even get a special fund for that—"

Before he could finish, Zhang Yu had already shoved him out the door.

Tao Lin stood outside, a mix of surprise and resignation in his heart. Not even tempted, huh? No wonder he’s one of the top high schoolers—his resolve, willpower, and insight are way beyond the average.

Facing the closed door, he called out, "I’ve added you both as friends. If you have any questions, feel free to message me. I won’t bother you further."

Zhang Yu asked, "Fu Ji, why did we reject him? Even if we don’t accept, wouldn’t it be smart to keep that as a fallback option?"

Fu Ji snapped, "You think you can make it in the Pleasure and Harmony Sect?"

"Based on what I’ve observed this past year—and your performance in the Red Tower—you’re way too healthy, way too undisciplined. You’ve got zero talent for Pleasure and Harmony Sect cultivation."

Zhang Yu flushed with embarrassment, but stubbornly retorted, "Undisciplined? How many high schoolers can cultivate with a spirit root in their body like I can? Do you even know how much progress I’ve made this year?"

Bai Zhenzhen nodded and added, "I can vouch for that. Just this past month, our household’s toilet paper usage has dropped by around twenty percent. Yuzi really is improving."

"Ah-Zhen!" Zhang Yu snapped. "Who told you to keep track of that?!"

Bai Zhenzhen replied coolly, "Well, don’t use my paper next time and I won’t know, will I?"

Fu Ji scoffed. "Do I even need you two to tell me? I can see for myself."

"But Zhang Yu, while you’re still fumbling through solo cultivation, the students eyeing the Pleasure and Harmony Sect have been training themselves for three, five, even ten years."

"Hehuan is an arts university. It’s all about foundational skills built from early childhood. How do you compare to that?"

"You’d get eaten alive on day one. Your studies, your cultivation—completely ruined. You’d get wrung dry by those senior brothers and sisters at Pleasure and Harmony University."

"That’s your biggest weakness—something you’ve never even trained. So forget it."

Zhang Yu still looked a bit indignant. Not for any noble reason—just that on the Immortal Path, you sometimes have to face your weaknesses head-on. That’s how you temper your will and move forward.

Especially with the Feathered Tome in his arsenal, he believed that with a few rounds of practice, he’d quickly master all those Pleasure and Harmony University techniques and thrive.

But Fu Ji’s next words crushed that hope.

"Don’t forget you’ve still got a Ritual on you. There’s no way you’re getting into a vocational college."

"Applying directly to Pleasure and Harmony University without those advantages? Not even close to the others in the Ten Major Sects."

Zhang Yu let out a long sigh, realizing that a future prodigy of the Pleasure and Harmony Sect had been crushed before he’d even risen.

"A Ritual… and I don’t even have the freedom to choose my own college."

"One day, I’m going to destroy that stupid thing."

Fu Ji continued, "Even a trashy vocational college can track you down this easily? Looks like the people from Songyang City are almost here too."

"Turn your phones back on. Check your messages and see what’s happening."

As Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen turned on their phones, a flood of messages and missed calls poured in, leaving them dazed.

After a moment, Bai Zhenzhen exclaimed, "How does everyone already know we passed the Foundation Establishment exam?!"

She clenched her fists. "Damn! I was saving that for a big school-wide announcement after the college entrance exams. Now I won’t even get to see the shock on their faces!"

Zhang Yu was stunned. "Director Wang of the Oasis Group is donating ten million to us? What’s going on?"

Bai Zhenzhen replied, "What else could it be? No one gives away that much money without expecting a return. It’s definitely an investment. They probably want to turn us into company dogs."

Zhang Yu thought of Lan Ling and Zhou Chechen, his expression turning grim. "Company dogs again?"

Fu Ji lazily chimed in, "If it were just 100,000, I’d curse him out with you."

"But he’s giving you ten million. I think it’s worth asking—what’s so bad about being a dog?"

"If you want to buy your own spirit root and complete Foundation Establishment before graduation, that Wang guy might just be your best shot."

So while continuing their intense cultivation, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen kept an eye on their phones and the incoming flood of messages.

Two days later, Zhang Yu finally pushed his Grand Heavenly Dragon Strength to Level 10, completing the final layer of his Martial Saint Embryo.

Seeing the new effect of his Martial Saint Embryo, Zhang Yu was elated. His strength had taken another massive leap forward.

"If I had this power during my final fight with Ye Lingxiao, I probably wouldn’t have needed to drag it out. I could’ve crushed him fast."

With his Martial Saint Embryo complete, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen boarded a train home.

But just as they stepped off, they ran into someone completely unexpected.

"Yue Jincheng and Si Zhouyu? Those two stalkers again?"

Zhang Yu also spotted a young man standing beside them—he looked like serious trouble.

Especially with those five blinding golden characters above his head: Purple-Gold Merit Lord.

"Someone from the Zhou Family?" Zhang Yu tensed up. "They’re waiting for us right at the station? What do they want?"

In that moment, he was immensely grateful that he’d taken Fu Ji’s advice and stayed out training long enough to fully develop his Martial Saint Embryo. No matter what came next, he was ready to face it.