Chapter 338: First Meeting at the Club

No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Longtai Health & Massage Club.

Zhang Yu looked up at the club's sign and gave a slight nod. “So this is where the Civil Engineering Department's competition team is holding its first group training session…”

“Very on-brand. Very civil engineering.”

After changing clothes and putting on the wristband, Zhang Yu entered the room where Ma Xuan and the others were waiting.

The moment he stepped in, a wave of heat slammed into him—this place felt like a furnace.

Except for Cong Na, whose build was relatively average, the other four were literal mounds of muscle sprawled across massage beds, like dormant volcanoes radiating waves of heat.

But Zhang Yu, being a man who’d once been sponsored by Director Wang and spent his days frequenting massage parlors, had long developed a personal system for rating establishments.

Now, he took in the female massage therapists beside Ma Xuan and the others. Their bodies were built like raptors, their gazes fierce and full of fighting spirit, and the hormonal side-effects of long-term pill use had given them visible stubble.

Zhang Yu instantly concluded: this place was 100% legit.

Ma Xuan lifted his head. “Zhang Yu, you made it?”

“Go ahead and lie down. We’ll talk while we warm up.”

Ma Xuan was a bald young man—completely hairless.

Zhang Yu eyed his jade-smooth scalp and figured it had to be some kind of special Law Husk.

The man’s arms and legs had all been removed and set aside; clearly, they were detachable Law Husks and didn’t require a massage.

Ma Xuan was the captain of the competition team, its original founder, and by far the most muscular person in the room.

Judging by his collection of Law Husks and the fact that he didn’t bother to hide his full stature, Zhang Yu could tell the guy was well-off.

As Ma Xuan spoke, the other four team members turned their gazes on Zhang Yu.

Aside from Cong Na’s friendly expression, the others all looked him over with clear scrutiny. It was obvious they hadn’t fully accepted this freshman yet.

At Ma Xuan’s invitation, Zhang Yu lay down on an empty massage bed. The captain continued, “Before we start formal training, we get a good massage here to warm up. That way, we reduce wear and tear on the body during practice.”

“You’ve read over the competition rules, right?”

Zhang Yu nodded. “I have.”

The Civil Engineering Department’s construction competition was held under high-risk simulated battlefield conditions. Contestants had to perform construction tasks while under attack from the opposing team.

The event demanded formidable construction skill, resilience, and pressure resistance…

As Ma Xuan explained key competition points, Zhang Yu felt a pair of steel-like hands press down on his back.

At the same time, a voice asked, “Sir, do you have any Law Husks installed?”

Massage therapists always checked for Law Husks before starting. If they accidentally damaged one, they might end up working for free for weeks.

Zhang Yu replied casually, “Other than my eyes, I’ve got none. Go ahead.”

The next moment, power surged from the therapist’s massive palms, sinking deep into Zhang Yu’s flesh.

But Zhang Yu only smiled and said to her, “Go harder, Master. I can really take it.”

Years of consuming Tiger-and-Wolf Tonics had made his body grow through cycles of damage and repair. His skeleton had been reinforced with Spiritsteel Alloy #20. And after enduring countless sessions at massage parlors, his tolerance was in a league of its own.

The therapist's eyes gleamed. Without another word, she amped up the pressure.

“Harder. As hard as you can. I’m the type who needs the deep stuff.”

With a sharp exhale, the therapist activated her hand Law Husk. Her palms grew hot, and arcs of electricity crackled from her fingers, penetrating Zhang Yu’s skin and burrowing into his muscles.

On the adjacent bed, Bu Ziran quietly observed.

Ranked 48th in the department, Bu Ziran’s most memorable moment to Zhang Yu was when he once unboxed a Lung-type Law Husk from Wandao Craftsmen Sect in the group chat.

Now watching the therapist engage her Law Husk for Zhang Yu, Bu Ziran mused, “Oh? Showing off body toughness through massage?”

He understood—when a college student joins a new group, displaying one’s strength is key to integration. It’s like how dogs sniff each other’s butts when they meet. It’s necessary.

The tougher your body, the stronger the pressure you need—that’s what it means to “be hard to press.”

In massage culture, being “hard to press” is a mark of strength. It earns respect from every therapist.

In the Civil Engineering Department, even more so. On any job site, the strongest guy is usually the one who’s hardest to press.

Bu Ziran thought, “Back in the Ancient Spiritual Realm, before networks were widespread, the best way to size up a stranger was to take them for a massage.”

“One round of deep tissue work told you all you needed to know.”

“But that’s ancient history. Judging by Zhang Yu’s data, under full-strength Law Husk massage, he’d be lucky to last five minutes…”

Ten minutes later, Bu Ziran was staring in disbelief. “He’s not just toughing it out, is he?”

Zhang Yu, meanwhile, was savoring the power sinking into his muscles, each wave erasing days of accumulated fatigue and microdamage. It was pain, but the good kind.

Twenty minutes in, the therapist was sweating. To her, it didn’t feel like massaging a person—it was like kneading a pile of Law Husks.

“His bones are this hard? Is he

sure

he doesn’t have Law Husks installed?”

Thirty minutes later, her hands were throwing up alerts. She had to stop and request a replacement therapist—any more pressure and her Law Husk would suffer irreversible damage.

Naturally, all the others noticed.

Ma Xuan chuckled. “Zhang Yu, your Bodyguard Force must be top-notch. That level of toughness is way above your current rank.”

Zhang Yu smiled modestly. “I can take a hit, that’s all.”

The others now looked at Zhang Yu in a whole new light. His massage performance had clearly earned their respect.

Soon after, the six headed to the Civil Engineering Department’s simulation worksite for joint training—learning to work as a team.

As Zhang Yu summoned multiple humanoid Martial Qi constructs to help with construction, Cong Na was visibly impressed.

“Ma Xuan was right—this guy improves fast.”

“Back when I sparred with him, he could only fight briefly using blurred Martial Qi.”

“But now? He’s maintaining detailed constructs like it’s nothing?”

On the other side of the site, Ma Xuan launched a palm strike that stirred invisible ripples through the air.

The ground surged like a wave, swallowing building materials before redistributing them precisely.

Zhang Yu watched, stunned. “That looks just like Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might…”

Ma Xuan caught his look and smiled. “This is the

Small Threefold Harmony

, a minor fusion from the first three of the Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes. It lets you command the earth and control terrain with an invisible force field.”

Zhang Yu asked, “Can it control any type of ground?”

“Most metals and minerals are fair game,” Ma Xuan replied.

He then gleefully manipulated the terrain—raising waves, swallowing supplies, raising protective walls, and even pulverizing finished structures at will.

Each team member had their own skills, but Zhang Yu found himself most envious of Ma Xuan’s

Small Threefold Harmony

“If I stay top of my class for the next three years,” Zhang Yu thought, “I’ll be eligible to learn that technique too…”

…

In the days that followed, Zhang Yu’s schedule gained a new entry: competition training. It didn’t take much time, but it added to his already busy life.

And after failing repeatedly to master Spirit-Flesh Fusion, Zhang Yu was mentally preparing to spend Spirit Coins.

To generate new income, he reached out to an underground mana trader—this time to

sell

his mana.

Still below the 100th floor, in a deserted alley.

As always, the other party was shrouded in black mist. No face. No information. Pure anonymity.

In the past, Zhang Yu had always been the buyer. But today, he was the seller.

The shadowy figure said, “We can help you find a buyer, but we charge a brokerage fee. First, we need to test your mana quality.”

“No problem,” Zhang Yu said flatly. “Go ahead.”

The figure tossed over a Vajra Forge Relic. “Inject your mana into this.”

Zhang Yu took the relic and channeled his mana into it—not activating the Frost Abyss Technique, just feeding it a steady stream of standard mana.

He pushed in around 500 units, then tossed the relic back.

Soon, that very relic landed in the hands of Li Xuelian.

As she tasted the mana within, she murmured, “He’s improved fast.”

“And he’s selling mana now… meaning his total capacity and recovery rate must’ve grown a lot.”

“It’s only been a year, right?”

“Father really

did

have a good eye…”

Just then, a message flashed through Li Xuelian’s ocular Law Husk.

Yu Xinghan: “Shijie! Got any gigs for me?”

Li Xuelian had once been proud of Yu Xinghan for making a name in the dark massage underworld.

But now, seeing Zhang Yu stepping into underground mana trading…

She couldn’t help but sigh.