Chapter 412: How Many Vocational Students for One Shot?

Zhang Yu gave a nod at Xiao Qingxuan’s words and said, “I’ve heard a bit about it.”

Xiao Qingxuan continued, “That ancient Gold Core cultivator who possessed me… he didn’t actually plan to kill me. In fact, he taught me quite a bit. He said he’d return my body once he found a new one.”

Zhang Yu thought to himself, “There are actually good people in Kunxu?”

Xiao Qingxuan went on, “According to him…”

“He claimed to be a righteous cultivator from the Supreme Dao Sect. During a great war between good and evil, he was severely injured and sealed into a tomb by his comrades to rest and slowly recover while minimizing lifespan loss.”

“When he finally awoke, his original body had long since decayed. He had no choice but to possess mine.”

Zhang Yu pondered, “Supreme Dao Sect? Never heard of it. A washed-out sect, maybe?”

“If there was no conflict between Xiao Qingxuan and the Gold Core cultivator, then how did he rack up so much debt? And where did that Gold Core cultivator go—did he find a new body?”

Just as Zhang Yu was flooded with questions, Xiao Qingxuan continued, “At first, we got along quite well. But the more he learned about Kunxu, the more unhinged he became.”

“In the end, he took his own life.”

“What?” Zhang Yu was stunned. “He… killed himself?”

Xiao Qingxuan nodded. “He said, ‘Demons rise to the heavens, the Dao falls and the sky collapses…’ Then he left my body and went off to die.”

“Whatever he intended to do after that, I don’t know. But the key issue is that he left behind remnants—fragments of memory, habits, ways of thinking… They’ve affected me. Sometimes I feel totally out of place in this world.”

“Things I used to consider normal now provoke disgust, even revulsion. I’ve started feeling like some stubborn ancient relic…”

By now, Xiao Qingxuan’s face was lined with visible frustration.

“Like this whole scandal about the Dual Cultivation Cult—every time I see news about it, I get this unbearable discomfort, like there’s another me inside my head…”

Seeing that flicker of struggle on Xiao Qingxuan’s face, Zhang Yu felt a bit more sympathetic.

He’d been through his own rough adjustment when he first arrived in Kunxu.

But now it seemed this ancient Gold Core had it even worse.

Zhang Yu still had plenty of questions—where exactly did the cultivator go? How did he “kill” himself? What about the mountain of spirit coin debt on Xiao Qingxuan’s record?

But seeing how distressed the guy looked, Zhang Yu didn’t press. If he was willing to talk, he would. If not, no point forcing it.

So Zhang Yu simply patted him on the shoulder and offered a few words of comfort: “It’ll get better, probably.”

Xiao Qingxuan gave a bitter smile. “If only it were that easy.”

“The knowledge that Gold Core left me with is at least ten times what I had. Even just the residual fragments are a huge burden.”

“The only real fix… is the memory-wipe technology at Heavenly Demon University. Find a way to erase what’s left in my mind.”

He sighed heavily.

…

Inside the simulation lab of the Spiritual Realm.

Zhang Yu had just finished refining another Azure Cloud Sand-Pouch and finally leveled up his artifact refinement skill to level 9.

As a Qi Refinement–level artifact, the crafting technique for the Azure Cloud Sand-Pouch capped at level 10.

Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Time to head back to the real-world lab and use this level 9 technique to level up the artifact itself.”

His real-world Azure Cloud Sand-Pouch was still just level 1. Perfect chance to temper the artifact while honing his technique and eventually pushing the skill to level 10.

“Once I hit level 10, I can start learning the next-tier crafting technique—Taiyi Heaven-Bursting Bomb.”

Despite the name, Taiyi Heaven-Bursting Bomb wasn’t a pill—it was a Foundation Establishment–grade artifact. You could only learn its crafting method after mastering the Azure Cloud Sand-Pouch.

Of all the third-year artifact courses, Zhang Yu felt this one was particularly suited to him.

Still, looking at his meager balance of just over thirty spirit coins, he sighed. “Plenty more expenses coming up…”

…

Yin Jiurao stared at the image of Wan Sirou in her EyeNet terminal and said flatly, “Still not done?”

“My patience has limits.”

“You’re already three days past the deadline you promised to successfully extract the seed.”

Wan Sirou swallowed hard and replied helplessly, “This target’s Dao Heart is too firm. He also has serious psychological issues.”

“At first, I posed as a massage therapist and used spiritual charms to amplify my allure, but it didn’t even stir his desire.”

“I tried again—same disguise—but this time I channeled aphrodisiac mana into his body under the pretense of a massage… and he just switched therapists.”

A flicker of humiliation crossed Wan Sirou’s face. “After being charmed, he swapped me out. That’s a first.”

“That’s when I realized—judging by the therapist he chose—his aesthetic tastes weren’t what I expected.”

“I suspect the years of academic and cultivation pressure have warped his psyche. He’s developed a preference for niche, retro-looking undergrads…”

Yin Jiurao cut in. “I’m not here for excuses.”

Wan Sirou insisted, “It’s not an excuse—it’s an objective assessment.”

“Then I tried posing as a premium subscriber of HarmonyHub and sent him a sample product disguised as a spiritual companion…”

Yin Jiurao’s eyes flickered. She knew all too well how unique those Harmony Sect law husks were—crafted by Yin-Yang Tiandao Inc. They were essential tools for cultivation, productivity, even daily life.

Their unique structures made them formidable in Yin-Yang Harmonization Techniques and, to users, they were extensions of their bodies.

If Zhang Yu had used Wan Sirou’s law husk, she could’ve remotely harvested his essence.

But Wan Sirou said, “Even then, he didn’t use it once. His roommate, Yu Xinghan, used it a few times instead.”

She shook her head. “To ignore the latest product from Harmony University despite having the right equipment… that level of restraint is astonishing.”

She detailed every attempt she’d made, finally concluding, “His Dao Heart is like iron. Regular methods won’t work.”

“In the Yin-Yang Dao, the highest form is to refine love; the lowest, to pursue lust.”

“To get to him, I’ll have to refine his emotions. But that takes time…”

Yin Jiurao frowned. “How much time?”

Wan Sirou replied, “Half a year to a full year. If you’re willing, I can start the new plan next week—but you’ll need to pay more.”

“Otherwise, I’ll refund part of the commission.”

After closing the call, Yin Jiurao muttered to herself, “So Zhang Yu really is hiding something…”

“Should I commit to a long-term plan?”

She thought about the research projects on her desk—all stalled—and her frown deepened.

As a professor at Wanfa University, she too was under performance evaluations. Sometimes the pressure was even greater than what students faced.

With the pharma corps expanding production and markets nonstop, another delay in results would be…

A sharp glint flashed in her eyes.

“There’s no time to waste.”

“Looks like I’ll have to use more… direct methods.”

…

Inside the artifact lab.

Zhang Yu was alone, tempering his Azure Cloud Sand-Pouch.

He’d intentionally avoided bringing in Ye Xingli to split the rental fee. He didn’t want anyone seeing how fast he was advancing.

Right now, he was pouring mana into the equipment, combining it with his martial qi to repeatedly temper his level-1 artifact.

“Once an artifact is created, it can be upgraded through further refinement.”

“There are many methods—using stronger materials, changing internal circuits, enhancing restrictions, even tapping into dragon veins, the sun and moon, luck, or blood sacrifices.”

Zhang Yu thought to himself, “What if I use the tempering methods embedded within the Azure Cloud Sand-Pouch technique itself… to raise its quality?”

After finishing a round of refinement, he checked his Feathered Tome and saw that the refinement counter had ticked up by one.

Zhang Yu smiled. “As expected—refining the artifact post-creation still counts toward skill mastery.”

Just then, a message came in from Feng Tingting.

Feng Tingting: Did you hear? A student from the artifact department lost a wager with their mentor.

Zhang Yu replied, curious: A wager?

Feng Tingting: They bet they could refine their law husk to a certain standard. If they failed, the mentor got to take it and turn it into an artifact.

Feng Tingting: Sigh… never sign those kinds of contracts lightly.

After a few casual exchanges, Zhang Yu suddenly got a friend request from someone named Yin Jiurao.

Seeing she was a pharmacology professor at Wanfa University, he accepted.

Then came her first message—and it floored him.

If Zhang Yu had to sum it up: One shot, five spirit coins.

Zhang Yu flatly refused: I don’t do that kind of business.

Yin Jiurao: Ten spirit coins.

Zhang Yu, struggling: Still no.

Yin Jiurao: Twenty. But I’ll need to inspect the goods first.

Yin Jiurao: Just so you know, with twenty spirit coins, I could force it and still have plenty left for fines and restitution.

Yin Jiurao: I’m offering a legit deal—long-term business. And I’m giving you a friendly rate since you’re from the same school.

Reading that, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but curse inwardly, “What the hell is wrong with Kunxu? They arrest people for Dual Cultivation but professors can just buy students’ seed rights and walk away with a fine?”

Zhang Yu: You try anything, and Director Gao will make sure you regret it.

Yin Jiurao: And if I pay him enough, you think he won’t sell you out?

Yin Jiurao: Thirty spirit coins. I also want your blood and other materials. Final offer.

Yin Jiurao: Think it over. For that much money… do you know how many vocational students it could crush?

Zhang Yu: I’ll think about it.