Chapter 10: Fierce Competition and Level 3 Body Strengthening
Zhang Yu plopped down on a random spot on the ground, staring at the crowd of people waiting for work in the plaza. A wave of exhaustion washed over him.
“This place is a nightmare. Is there no place that doesn’t require endless hustle?”
He’d barely settled when a chill crept through his chest.
“Please abide by the ritual agreement. Strive to fulfill your wish. Do not deliberately slack off or delay. 10.”
“Damn it,” Zhang Yu muttered inwardly, but the ritual’s force left him no choice — he had to get back to work.
Still, considering his body wasn’t fully recovered, and knowing the upcoming job might involve physical labor, he decided against practicing the Jianti Thirty-Six Forms. Instead, he opted for the Basic Qi Circulation Method to refine his spiritual energy.
Inhale. Exhale.
Soon, faint threads of spiritual essence began seeping from the air, gathering in his lower dantian, slowly transforming into usable spiritual power.
Time passed quietly in the rhythm of his breath. One hour slipped by.
During that time, three separate groups came to recruit. One needed temporary security staff. Another urgently required cultivators for heavy labor on a construction site. A third was hiring cultivators to sort packages for a courier company.
Zhang Yu gradually realized: most temporary jobs hiring Qi-Refining cultivators were physically demanding.
After all, Qi-Refining cultivators didn’t differ in intelligence or knowledge from ordinary humans — but their physical strength was in a league of its own. One cultivator could easily match thirty common laborers.
So, for any urgent need to boost manpower, employers naturally turned to cultivators.
Even though their pay was much higher than average, it was still cost-effective. If one cultivator could do the work of thirty ordinary workers, paying ten times their salary was a bargain.
The people waiting in the plaza were all superhuman workhorses, capable of nonstop 007 grind.
Compared to them, Zhang Yu — who still slept four or five hours a day — was just a high school student who hadn’t yet learned how to burn out.
So when the crowds surged forward every time a job appeared, Zhang Yu stayed put, maintaining his breathing rhythm. He wasn’t going to compete with seasoned high school graduates who’d already been grinding for years.
He was waiting — for Lao Wang’s promised job specifically for high school students still in school.
A few other high schoolers were doing the same. Some read books, some practiced breath control, others did martial forms. None rushed to the front. They simply waited.
Another hour passed.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
A series of faint cracking sounds echoed through the air.
Feeling his body sufficiently rested, Zhang Yu began practicing the Jianti Thirty-Six Forms.
People around him glanced over but quickly looked away. Practicing cultivation techniques during job hunts was common. And the Jianti Thirty-Six Forms, being a basic method, drew no attention.
Jianti Thirty-Six Forms — Level 2 (18/20)
Jianti Thirty-Six Forms — Level 2 (19/20)
After completing two rounds, Zhang Yu felt his muscles ache, but his spirit surged. He was just one more round away from reaching Level 3 — a milestone even Bai Zhenzhen, the top student in the entire grade, hadn’t achieved.
And here he was, doing it in just two days.
As he began the third round, a job finally appeared — one specifically for high school students.
A small sedan pulled up to the plaza. The window rolled down.
“Any first or second-year high school students? Need two martial sparring partners.”
Sparring partners — cultivators who trained with others in combat drills, following specific requirements.
The moment the words left the driver’s mouth, the quiet crowd of high schoolers erupted.
In the air, streaks of motion blurred past, accompanied by gusts of wind and thunderous footfalls as students charged toward the car.
“I’m second year!”
“My Physical Strength Level is 2.15!”
Second-year students had a clear advantage in Physical Strength Level. By the time Zhang Yu reached the car, every spot was already taken — thick, muscular bodies blocking the way.
Zhang Yu sighed. “Even getting hit in sparring is a hot commodity? Where’s the dignity of being a high schooler?”
The driver scanned the crowd of raised hands.
“Any students from key high schools?”
Half the hands dropped.
Zhang Yu shot his hand up. “I’m from Songyang High School!”
The driver asked, “Any with Martial Arts Level 3 or higher?”
Three hands remained.
“Pay 300 per hour — anyone in?”
A shaved-headed student growled, “300? That’s insultingly low!”
But the student beside him snapped, “I’ll do it!”
He hopped into the car. The sedan sped off.
The shaved head cursed, “300 an hour? Who even thinks of that? If you can’t afford proper sparring partners, why hire anyone at all?”
Another voice chimed in, “300? You’re a real worker bee. Wait till that guy gets injured — then you’ll see how much that 300 is worth.”
As the employer drove away, the crowd dispersed in grumbles and complaints, returning to their own cultivation or study.
Zhang Yu sighed and went back to practicing the Jianti Thirty-Six Forms.
At this rate, he doubted he’d land a job today.
More than ten minutes later, another car arrived — this time specifically seeking first-year students.
But the job was testing experimental drugs — a new formula developed in a lab for beginner cultivators.
Zhang Yu considered his current condition. Without hesitation, he declined. He continued his 20th round of the Jianti Thirty-Six Forms.
Then — crack!
A final, sharp pop echoed as Zhang Yu delivered the last punch.
The Jianti Thirty-Six Forms had reached Level 3.
Jianti Thirty-Six Forms — Level 3 (0/30)
Suddenly, a flood of training memories surged into his mind — as if he’d practiced the form a thousand times over.
Not just raw muscle memory, but traces of spiritual energy flowing through his body, moving in harmony with each motion.
> Jianti Thirty-Six Forms — Level 3: While cultivating, the technique naturally activates the flow of spiritual energy through the body’s meridians, accelerating physical repair and enhancement.
Where Levels 1 and 2 merely strained the body, tearing muscles to force out spiritual energy, Level 3 was different.
Now, the movements themselves guided the spiritual energy through every inch of his flesh and blood — nourishing and strengthening him with each motion.
As Zhang Yu began the next round, warm currents flowed through his limbs, silently increasing his Physical Strength Level, pushing him further from the realm of ordinary humans toward true superhuman potential.
Under the gentle warmth, the aching, sore muscles eased. He could now push harder, longer — without pain.
Then — a sudden ripple in his body.
Physical Strength Level: 0.84 → 0.85
Zhang Yu glanced at the Feather Scroll. A spark of joy flared in his chest.
No ritual pressure needed. He was driven now — by his own will.
Meanwhile, the recruitment for the drug-testing job continued.
But few first-years were willing to take the risk.
Despite calling for five students, only two showed up before the recruiter left.
As night deepened, fewer and fewer employers came. Zhang Yu still hadn’t found a job. He kept practicing.
Jianti Thirty-Six Forms — Level 3 (6/30)
After the sixth round, Zhang Yu realized he couldn’t wait any longer.
He returned to the human resources office.
Lao Wang sat behind his desk, unchanged — as if he hadn’t moved in hours.
Zhang Yu pulled out a pack of cigarettes he’d bought and handed it over.
“Wang Ge, any work I can do?”
Lao Wang glanced at the cigarette, then waved a hand. “I already told you — jobs will be called outside.”
Zhang Yu pressed on. “I mean… other than those.”
“Not every temporary job in Songyang City is driven here. Are there no other options?”
After a few minutes of persistence, Lao Wang grew impatient. “Fine. Check it yourself. I’m not stopping you. But those other jobs aren’t easy.”
He showed Zhang Yu a screenshot from his phone — a list of long-term positions.
- Long-term drug testing, with formal contracts.
- Experimental subjects for ongoing cultivation technique research.
- Underground laborers in the Kunxu tunnels, assisting exploration teams.
- Partners for patrols, helping hunt down criminals.
Zhang Yu scanned the list. All were either too dangerous… or dangerous and unattainable.
“These long-term jobs that never fill up? Yeah… they’re all traps.”
Then he pointed at one.
“Wang Ge… what about this one? ‘Participate in cultivation research’ — what’s the risk?”
Lao Wang shrugged. “You’re the test subject. You practice the latest techniques developed by big companies. They record every side effect — injuries, disabilities, even… how you die.”
Zhang Yu swallowed hard.
Then his eyes caught another listing.
“What about this one? ‘Entry-level cultivation test’ — 10,000 yuan per session. Why only first-year students?”
Lao Wang paused, then nodded. “Ah, that one. It’s a new technique developed by Xianyun Group. Tested and safe — no fatalities. No major side effects.”
“But the initial phase is extremely difficult. Fail, and you risk internal injury.”
“They’ve been testing it for a while. That’s why they’re still looking for testers.”
“It’s meant for beginner cultivators — so they’re only recruiting first-year high school students.”
He turned to Zhang Yu, frowning. “You’re not thinking of doing that, are you? Last time, a student went in, lost control of his spiritual energy, got internal injuries — had to take two weeks off. Still not fully recovered.”
“Ten thousand isn’t easy money.”
Zhang Yu sighed, shrugging helplessly.
“Can’t help it. I need the money. I’ll have to try.”
(End of Chapter)
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