Chapter 294: Helping Le Mulan, First Day on the Job Site

No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

After class each day, Zhang Yu spent nearly all his time cultivating the Earth-Wood Saint Body, leaving him with little opportunity to practice the professional Techniques taught in class.

The Feathered Tome had a one-day cooldown for switching Techniques. To ensure swift progress with the Earth-Wood Saint Body, Zhang Yu had never switched it to any of the Civil Engineering basics like Mana Manipulation.

Without time or the boost from the Feathered Tome, he'd only reached Level 1 in a few class-taught Techniques like Mana Manipulation through scattered practice over the last three months.

Just then, a thunderous rumble echoed in the distance. Streams of concrete surged like gray dragons, flowing precisely into position under Gongshu Jin’s control, drawing gasps from the surrounding students.

"Multithreaded control at over thirty meters? That's gotta be Mana Manipulation at Level 10!"

"Fourth-Floor Grandpa levels up so fast?"

"Well, duh—he’s loaded. Cultivation’s easy when you’re rich."

Gongshu Jin barely reacted to the praise. With a private tutor, Tech Artisan Law Husk's imitation mode, and constant Divine Projection corrections, learning this stuff was a walk in the park.

He glanced at Zhang Yu, whose progress still looked like a beginner’s, and sighed internally. “He doesn’t seem poor… But his martial arts talent, ugh… My buddy's in for a rough few years.”

That day, after the Engineering Array Design class, Tu Lishan reached out to Zhang Yu. “Come to the job site after school tomorrow,” he said.

“I’ll send you the address.”

“666th floor?” Zhang Yu murmured after checking the location. “Finally, I can make some money on-site?”

…

In the dorm.

Zhang Yu had just finished absorbing a wave of high-quality Mana. As it fully dissipated, he opened his eyes with a look of lingering satisfaction.

Then he noticed Le Mulan sitting nearby, meditating. He thought to himself, “I wonder if my current Mana quality could help her improve.”

“If it works… I might get her Dao Seed sooner—her so-called Frost Soul Vein. That Dao Seed should help refine my Mana quality, right? Could save me a ton.”

With that, Zhang Yu walked over and said, “Le Mulan, let me try something—see if I can boost your Mana quality a bit.”

Le Mulan blinked. “How?”

“I’ll inject Mana into your body. You try to resonate and connect with it.”

But as Zhang Yu explained, Le Mulan couldn’t help recalling what Xuange had said about dual cultivation.

“Dual cultivation... It starts with Mana resonance, doesn’t it?”

“Xuange said my innate Specialized Mana is particularly effective in dual cultivation…”

“Wait—is Zhang Yu trying to dual cultivate with me?”

Her heart skipped a beat. “If that's the case... as long as I get to keep the final product each time, it might be worth considering.”

“I just hope he doesn’t charge too much.”

Xuange had mentioned that in dual cultivation, the one at the lower realm usually paid the higher one.

“If Zhang Yu charges more than Feather Juice sells for, I’ll be losing money every time.”

Zhang Yu frowned at her complicated expression. “Something wrong? If it’s inconvenient, we can forget it.”

Le Mulan took a deep breath. “How much should I pay you?”

Zhang Yu chuckled. “No charge. We’re from the same hometown, and now we’re roommates. Helping each other out is only natural.”

Le Mulan’s eyes flickered. She hesitated. “Then... then…”

What she was about to say made her feel deeply embarrassed.

She’d rarely taken advantage of others, so even asking now made her blush faintly.

Finally, she mustered the courage. “The thing that’s left in me afterward… can I keep it?”

Zhang Yu burst out laughing. “Of course! If it’s inside you, it’s yours.”

Le Mulan blinked, stunned. She thought he'd haggle or bargain—but he just gave it to her straight.

Reflecting on his generosity, she thought, “Guess I let something slip. He must have figured it out.”

“But Zhang Yu didn’t make a fuss. Just gave it to me. He really does treat me as a friend.”

She made a silent vow: she’d still pay him. Otherwise, taking both the benefit and the product without paying wouldn’t feel right.

Zhang Yu grasped her wrist. A stream of Mana flowed into her like a gentle brook.

After a while, he frowned. “Not much effect.”

“Sigh… Guess it’s because you haven’t reached Foundation Establishment yet. Hard to improve Mana quality like this.”

Seeing him pause, Le Mulan couldn’t help asking, “That’s it?”

Zhang Yu shrugged. “What else? Gotta wait until you hit Foundation Establishment.”

Hearing this, the anticipation surging in her heart was doused in cold water. The Mana flowing in her body seemed to cool her whole being.

“So I need to reach Foundation Establishment?” she asked, disheartened.

Zhang Yu nodded. “When’s the Foundation Establishment exam, anyway?”

He knew university students took it yearly, unlike the months-long version in high school.

At top schools like Wanfa Sect University, even the Foundation Licenses were awarded in higher numbers.

Le Mulan sighed. “Sometime in November—about two and a half months from now.”

She touched her dantian. “I already bought a Spirit Root. Once I get the license, I can establish Foundation immediately.”

As a top student from Purple Cloud High, consistently ranking among the top five in Songyang City—even without Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen, and Yu Xinghan—Le Mulan had long hit the Qi Refining peak.

But now she’d have to compete with all the top-tier students from the Ten Great Academies...

Zhang Yu glanced at her Dao Seed and said, “Hang in there. If you need help, just ask.”

Le Mulan looked at him and gathered her nerve. “I want to…”

Zhang Yu paused. “Want what?”

Hearing her repeat the phrase, he thought, “Seriously? Again?”

Le Mulan said, “I can pay. I don’t want to wait until Foundation Establishment…”

Fu Ji chimed in, “She’s offering money, and you’re hesitating? You’re broke, remember? Take the cash! What kind of college student turns down easy money?”

“I don’t know why you want to help her boost her Mana quality, but hey—earn more, get stronger, and you can give back after she hits Foundation.”

Zhang Yu frowned. Something still felt off.

That night, he told Bai Zhenzhen his concerns.

She laughed. “What’s there to think about? Sell, obviously!”

“Turning down money? You nuts?”

Zhang Yu sighed. “Maybe I am being too sensitive.”

“When Kunxu people get this kind of offer, shouldn’t they go all in and sell like crazy?”

…

After hanging up, Bai Zhenzhen bit her lip, deep in thought.

A woman’s voice whispered in her ear, “My dear disciple… your heart is in turmoil.”

Bai Zhenzhen murmured, “Why… do I feel a little uneasy?”

She imagined Zhang Yu getting closer to someone else while she was away. That uncomfortable feeling stirred again.

Seven Sentiments Lord asked, “Feeling unhappy?”

“Am I… the jealous type?” Bai Zhenzhen wondered aloud.

“Do I not want Zhang Yu to have any friends closer than me?”

“I’m not that petty… right?”

The Seven Sentiments Lord replied, “Intent arises from emotion. And emotions are complex—even you may not fully understand your heart.”

“In Extreme Sentiment Swordsmanship, this confusion is a major flaw.”

“If you’re unsure, reflect carefully. Understand what you’re feeling.”

“Ask yourself: if they were dual cultivating, how would you feel?”

A crackle of electricity danced across Bai Zhenzhen. She muttered, “Depends on how much money he made.”

The Seven Sentiments Lord chuckled. “To master the sword, you must master your feelings. But to master your feelings, you must first understand them…”

…

The next morning, Xuange arrived at the 125th-floor dorm, ready to walk with Le Mulan to class.

He’d been working hard to become her friend, aiming to join their four-person group.

As Le Mulan stepped out, Xuange was about to greet her when he froze—he’d spotted a measuring cup flash in her hand before she quickly hid it in her clothes.

His hand trembled. Pain flickered through his heart.

“Damn it… Why not me?”

“We’re both in Qi Refining. Why Le Mulan, not me?”

…

After school that day.

In the Magnetic Channel.

Zhang Yu glanced at his account. He’d earned an extra 0.05 Nectar Coins from his secret side job with Le Mulan.

“Wonder when the next round is?”

“Hopefully the Second Floor company actually invents something useful and doesn’t toss it aside as junk.”

Yu Xinghan said, “Hurry up. It’s your first day on-site. Don’t be late.”

With that, the two rocketed through the University City’s layers, past bustling markets, dusty Civil Engineering classrooms, the glittering Finance halls, and the Divine-force-radiating Sigil temples…

At the 666th floor, they arrived at a massive construction site—open to the night sky.

Seeing the moon and stars above, both Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan froze.

After three cramped months in their 5-square-meter dorms, that boundless sky made them feel a sudden, liberating expansion of spirit.

Then a voice called out, “You too?”

They turned and saw Li Xiao staring at Yu Xinghan. “You paid too?”

Yu Xinghan nodded—he’d given 0.01 Nectar Coins as a referral fee.

Li Xiao thought, “So it’s not just me handing over 20% of my monthly pay.”