Chapter 342: Ah-Zhen Arrives, Finals Approach, and the Mentor Dilemma

No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Zhang Yu nodded in agreement with Le Mulan’s urgency.

After all, university students—especially those at Wanfa University—were constantly short on time. Making the most of every minute was crucial.

He struck forward with one palm, pressing his hand to Le Mulan’s back. A wave of bone-chilling mana surged into her body.

Because it came from the same Frost Abyss Technique, Le Mulan found it much easier to absorb Zhang Yu’s mana.

But as their combined chill rapidly intensified, a bluish-purple tinge spread visibly across Le Mulan’s face.

Zhang Yu knew that if this continued, the training would have to end prematurely.

If she forced it any further, she would suffer severe frostbite. Once medical bills came due and her body entered recovery, her cultivation progress would take a significant hit.

Zhang Yu, who had been counting on Le Mulan to reach the second level of her Frost Abyss Technique, couldn’t let that happen.

So, when he sensed her body temperature dropping rapidly, Zhang Yu had no choice but to activate his own blood qi and press his warm, heat-emitting palm against the other side of her back.

“Zhang Yu, don’t just warm my back—other places are cold too.”

As her trembling body leaned against him, Zhang Yu shifted their posture to warm her more effectively.

In that moment, it felt like he was holding a bundle of soft, slippery snow—icy to the touch.

Suddenly, he frowned and said, “Stop squirming. If you don’t behave, I’ll stop helping.”

Le Mulan immediately stilled her waist, nodded obediently, and said through chattering lips, “Mm.”

Outside the door, Xuange quietly listened to the sounds coming from the dormitory.

Normally, the Le Mulan he knew was cold and distant, aloof even toward classmates. Her personality could only be described as reclusive.

Especially after becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the attitudes of those around her shifted. Even lowly Qi Refinement cultivators started fantasizing about dual cultivation with her.

The more attention she got, the more she shut everyone out.

Xuange had often seen her treat her classmates like air, completely ignoring the Qi Refinement students around her.

But right now, eavesdropping outside the door, Xuange felt like he was seeing another side of Le Mulan.

“Dual cultivation really changes a person,” he murmured. “Le Mulan’s even developed a double personality.”

…

In the days that followed, Zhang Yu continued his repeated attempts to achieve Spirit-Flesh Fusion.

This time, when he opened his eyes in the Spiritual Realm, he remembered his current simulation identity.

He was a laboratory-grown experimental subject.

From a young age, he had trained in the Sacrificial Oxheart Technique, solely to build greater endurance and generate more data for the lab.

But on his first official workday, the lab staff never showed up.

Instead, a group of uniformed strangers opened the cages and released all the experimental subjects.

“The lab is under arrest for forcing minors to cultivate. All responsible parties have been taken into custody.”

“From here, your future will be determined by your cultivation levels…”

Because his cultivation was so low, Zhang Yu qualified for protection under the Mortal Protection Act and was released into the outside world.

Clueless and destitute, he wandered society. All he had was the Sacrificial Oxheart Technique etched into his mind.

He stole, scrounged, and labored under the table. Time and again, he ran the heart technique until, finally, he could circulate it even in his sleep. He could endure the cold, pain, and sleep soundly through the night.

But then, the entire world froze around him.

Zhang Yu looked up in confusion as two figures glowing with divine might approached.

“High-intelligence artifact spirit fusion with flesh seems successful. We’re ready for the physical realm trial.”

“Retrieve him. Don’t let him escape into the Spiritual Realm Network.”

“As for full deployment… the cost of intelligent artifact spirits is still too high. No use discussing it.”

“Can’t beat soul cultivators for price-to-performance. Far more efficient than artifact spirits.”

…

Zhang Yu removed his Spiritual Realm Mask, muttering, “So this time I was a high-grade artifact spirit?”

“Why did breaking through feel so much easier than it does for humans?”

He shook his head and tried to hold onto that fleeting sensation in his mind.

Later that night, Zhang Yu connected with Bai Zhenzhen as usual.

“Yuzi,” Bai Zhenzhen beamed at him. “Good news—I’m transferring to Wanfa University next semester!”

Zhang Yu’s eyes lit up. “Seriously? You’ll be here in person??”

“Mhm! I’ll be competing in the university Flying Sword Tournament.”

“This year’s tournament is being hosted right here at Wanfa.”

Her projection walked over and leaned in close with a bright smile. “We’ll finally get to see each other again, just like old times.”

Hanging up happily, Bai Zhenzhen looked forward even more to the upcoming tournament.

…

The next day, Zhang Yu logged into the Heartforge Pavilion again.

This time, when he opened his eyes, he saw robed Qi Refinement cultivators standing before him, waiting as he led them in a protest for unpaid wages.

Zhang Yu pulled out a small box from his sleeve and opened it to reveal several golden pellets.

“Ever since the Shenshao Sect split during the sect war, their military-grade weapons have scattered far and wide. These here are Taiyi Heaven-Bursting Bombs.”

“The Dao officers from the Wanfa Sect keep piling on tasks until we’re worked to death. Only this thunder bomb can blast out the bitterness in our hearts.”

“Let’s all chip in. I’ll find the supplier. As long as we have enough spirit stones, there’s no weapon we can’t buy!”

With his encouragement, various treasures and flying swords once hoarded by sect militaries were distributed among the cultivators.

One Taiyi Heaven-Bursting Bomb killed a Dao officer in the provincial office, and a grand battle erupted.

Zhang Yu fell in the first wave of combat.

Long after, he ended his feigned death and slipped off the battlefield.

He found his handler and reported, “Mission complete. Where to next?”

Zhang Yu was a weapons dealer.

He roamed the sect territories. If war or rebellion brewed, he sold weapons. If peace lingered too long, he stirred up unrest and sold even more.

His motto: “Whatever the enemy opposes, we support. Whatever they support, we take a thirty-percent cut.”

In this era—before the Spiritual Realm Network and the divine bureaucracy—business was booming.

He wasn’t the only one. The world was ablaze with war and rebellion.

But Zhang Yu understood: behind every war and riot lay the will of immortals.

When the immortals finally decided to end the wars, military-grade power became strictly regulated, and Zhang Yu’s profits—and safety—plummeted.

Amidst growing paranoia and sleepless nights, his cultivation finally nudged past the final threshold—he reached Spirit-Flesh Fusion.

…

Removing the Spiritual Realm Mask, Zhang Yu recalled the image of himself charging Dao officers, heart racing with insight.

“Feels like I’m getting closer again.”

Each session left the White Ox in his mind more vivid, more alive.

He was getting closer and closer to full Spirit-Flesh Fusion.

So close.

Just a little bit more.

…

August arrived in the blink of an eye.

Final exams loomed, less than a month away.

That was when a Righteous God contacted Zhang Yu to ask if he had chosen a mentor—end-of-year deadlines were approaching.

Zhang Yu had already prepared for this.

After winning the high school Foundation Establishment exam on the first floor, he had earned the right to choose a university mentor.

University mentors determined one’s faction for undergrad, grad school, and even doctoral paths.

Zhang Yu had to be extra cautious—especially since he wanted to transfer into the Artifact Refinement Department.

He’d even consulted Zhang Pianpian.

“If your goal is to transfer by junior year, you want the strongest mentor you can get,” she’d said.

“The Artifact Refinement Department and Civil Engineering Department get along, sure, but to make it into the top 20 and transfer, a powerful mentor helps smooth everything.”

“But powerful mentors also demand more. And Artifact Refinement is a flagship department.”

“Given that you’re switching from Civil Engineering… even if they’re forced to accept you, they may treat you coldly.”

“The worst-case scenario is choosing a mentor who won’t actually mentor you. That would waste your chance entirely.”

“My advice? Stick with Civil Engineering. Graduate, then switch in for your master’s.”

Zhang Yu knew she was right—statistically, postgrad transfers were easiest.

But with the Evil God Ritual looming, he needed to enter one of the Ten Major Sects before they sealed their gates.

He had no time.

He needed to transfer, finish early, and break through.

So, with Zhang Pianpian’s help, he chose True Lord Magneto, a Nascent Soul-level associate director of the Artifact Refinement Department, and a likely future department head.

If Zhang Yu got his support and had the grades, transferring would be no issue.

But a man of such status had no reason to care about a Civil Engineering student. If assigned directly through a Righteous God, he might ignore Zhang Yu altogether.

Fortunately, Zhang Yu had another ally.

A message appeared in his EyeNet feed.

Deng Bingding: Long time no see, Zhang Yu.

Thanks to his past achievements on the first floor, Deng Bingding had reached the second floor and secured a new role within Wanfa University.

He’d been quietly collecting intelligence, growing more convinced of his suspicions:

“Zhang Pianpian is backed by a god-tier figure from the Wanmin Division.”

“Zhang Yu must be from the same faction—he disrupted the Netherworld Palace’s operations on the first floor.”

“These two are worth helping.”

With his help, Zhang Yu managed to add True Lord Magneto as a contact in the Spiritual Realm Network before formally designating him as his mentor.

Zhang Yu: Teacher, I’m not sure if Deng Youshen mentioned my situation.

Zhang Yu: I want to transfer into the Artifact Refinement Department by junior year. I’d like to become your student.

After a long wait, just as Zhang Yu wondered if he’d been ghosted, the True Lord finally replied: “Mm.”

Then silence.

Following Fu Ji’s advice, Zhang Yu reluctantly sent a 0.1 spirit coin red envelope.

It was accepted instantly.

The True Lord responded: “I don’t recommend it.”

Out of options, Zhang Yu summoned Deng Bingding again.

The Righteous God created a group chat and said: “I have a proposal.”

He then shared a plan he and Zhang Yu had already prepared:

Deng Bingding: Director, I know your standards are high, especially for Artifact Refinement transfers.

Deng Bingding: But this kid has real talent.

Deng Bingding: What if—after he designates you as mentor—you don’t make it public? Nobody needs to know.

Deng Bingding: Just give him a little guidance. If he proves himself by junior year, then he’ll truly be your student.

Deng Bingding: If not, we pretend this never happened.

Another long silence. Then Deng Bingding pinged Zhang Yu.

Zhang Yu sighed and sent another 0.1 spirit coin red envelope.

True Lord Magneto: Interesting.

True Lord Magneto: If by junior year you break into the Civil Engineering Department’s top 20, complete the Artifact Refinement Department’s first three years’ curriculum, and pass their junior finals—then I’ll accept you.

Zhang Yu’s eyes lit up.

He had a goal. A standard.

That was all he needed.

With Deng Bingding’s help, Zhang Yu officially designated the True Lord as his mentor. No one else knew.

He thanked Deng Bingding once more.

But Deng Bingding declined his red envelope and smiled.

“It was nothing. Just a few words.”

“Good luck, Zhang Yu.”

“I believe you’ll join the Artifact Refinement Department and truly earn your place under the True Lord’s tutelage.”

With his mentor settled—for now—Zhang Yu poured his energy back into study, cultivation, and side gigs.

As the exam deadline crept closer, he completed the final layer of the Mana Pulse Flowing Stream Technique.

Yu Xinghan’s Three-Eyed Divine Sight finally advanced to Level 2.

And at last, the gates of Spirit-Flesh Fusion opened before Zhang Yu—revealing new depths of the Sacrificial Oxheart Technique.