https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-139-College-Entrance-Exam-Ends-Pianpian-Departs-Repaying-Monthly-Ticket-Loan-8-/13686607/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-141-Exam-Reform-the-Foundation-Establishment-Test-Please-Vote-for-Me-/13686609/
Chapter 140: Saying Goodbye to Zhang Pianpian, Registration Begins
(Thank you to 'Lingjiang de Haitun' for the Alliance Patron donation)
Listening to Zhang Pianpian’s instructions from the other end of the phone, Zhang Yu nodded occasionally, murmuring “Mm-hmm” now and then.
“The Top Ten Sects have established ironclad rules: Kunxu’s layers are strictly isolated from one another to maintain order and a stable business environment. To return to a lower layer, you must either—like Xinghuo Immortal—suffer a massive loss of cultivation and assets, crawling back in disgrace after countless hardships… or be assigned a special mission, like the Songyang Director at Xianyun Group, sent here to sit on the cold bench.”
“But both of those are just outcomes of failure—falling short during your ascent. I won’t choose either.”
“Brother,” Zhang Yu said firmly, gripping his fist, “I want to climb higher—up to the upper reaches of Kunxu, to see the view beyond. My eyes will only look upward. I won’t turn back.”
“If we ever meet again, it’ll be up there—never in Kunxu’s First Layer.”
“I’ll catch up to you, sister,” he declared into the phone.
Zhang Pianpian chuckled. “Then I’ll be waiting for you at Wanfa University.”
Zhang Yu hesitated, then asked, “With all this difficulty between layers, do you have anything you can’t take up there? Something you’re leaving behind? Like a house, a car, or something valuable?”
Pfft! Bai Zhenzhen couldn’t help but snort, feeling like she was listening to a good grandson asking his grandmother for an inheritance before she ascended to heaven.
Zhang Pianpian replied, “I’ve left you three talismans.”
Zhang Yu stared at the three photos she sent—each a screenshot of a complex, arcane rune. He couldn’t decipher what they were for, but a thought struck him: Can screenshots actually be used?
Zhang Pianpian continued, “The first is a Freeze Talisman—it can freeze another person’s bank account, though the higher their faith level, the shorter the freeze duration. The second is a Thundercall Talisman, which triggers an alarm and summons the Patrol Force’s armed units within a minute. But remember—each use costs at least 10,000. Make sure you’ve got the funds before using it. The third is a Swiftstep Talisman, which summons a small earth spirit to carry you. It can transport you up to 10 kilometers in an instant—but it costs 3,000 per kilometer, deducted directly from your account. Budget carefully.”
Zhang Yu’s eyes sparkled. These talismans were real gold.
Zhang Pianpian added, “I’ll send you the contact of the Captain of the Songyang City Inspection Department. I’ve stored the talismans with her. Add her as a friend. When you need one, send her the request—she’ll activate it for you.”
“Also, if you ever hit a wall you can’t break through, go to her.”
She paused, as if weighing something, then said, “If you need a higher-level divine identity for cover, she can help elevate you. You can discuss the details with her. But remember—she can promote you at most to a Special Appointee.”
“And above all—never meet her alone at night.”
“Keep working as a contract worker. Never sign a formal contract.”
“Don’t rush on the loans. Just keep repaying them slowly, as per the contract. Focus your money on self-improvement. The more debt you carry, the better—because in this world, debt can be a measure of power.”
“Also—don’t open the Foundation Establishment Exam registration site until you reach Xian Du City. I’ve never taken it. You’ll have to figure things out on your own.”
And so, Zhang Pianpian patiently went through each piece of advice, and Zhang Yu listened intently, absorbing every word.
Finally, she said, “We have no roots in Kunxu’s First Layer. Remember—never use my name. Never claim my status. Don’t cause trouble in my name.”
“After I leave, the more you can endure, the better. And if you pass the Foundation Establishment Qualification Exam—then you must be even more careful not to draw attention.”
Zhang Yu felt a bead of sweat roll down his forehead. Seriously, does my sister really think I’m some kind of bully who’d go around causing chaos?
“Don’t worry, sister. I’ll be waiting for you at Wanfa University. I’ll come find you in two years.”
After hanging up, Zhang Yu felt a sudden emptiness—like a protective elder was ascending to the heavens, leaving him alone to face the world.
“…Well, first things first—let’s handle the Foundation Exam registration.”
He picked up his phone and dialed his homeroom teacher, Su Haifeng.
“Hey, Old Su. Bai Zhenzhen and I need two days off.”
“This is something Zhang Pianpian’s sister asked me to help with before she left.”
“You can’t grant this? Then I’ll tell her—she’ll have to ascend with regret.”
“Thanks, Old Su.”
…
Time passed swiftly.
The day before the Foundation Exam registration arrived.
And today was the day Zhang Pianpian would step onto the Ascension Platform—officially leaving.
Night.
Songyang City, Intercity Train Station.
Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen sat together in the waiting hall, awaiting the high-speed train to Tiantai City.
They’d chosen Tiantai over a direct route to Xian Du—not to reveal their true destination.
And now, as they waited, they continued to practice breath cultivation.
Over the past few days, Zhang Yu’s stats had improved again: Martial Energy rose to 61.4, Physical Strength Level reached 6.08.
But their money was dwindling fast.
Especially since the College Entrance Exam period had triggered stricter controls across Songyang City. Patrolmen were everywhere, especially near high schools. All schools banned outsiders. Even Anxue Alliance had suspended tutoring sessions—costing Zhang Yu a major income stream.
He sighed. The College Entrance Exam really was life-or-death—determining university admissions, second-layer ascension chances, and the futures of countless families. It made the entire city feel like it was on edge.
His savings had now dropped to just 50,000.
“Gotta find a way to earn more. After this registration, maybe expand the Dark Tutoring Realm’s operations?”
An hour later, his phone vibrated softly.
A message from Zhang Pianpian:
> I’m going first.
The moment she sent it, her profile picture turned gray.
Zhang Yu knew—unless he found a special communication method, he wouldn’t be able to reach her again until he ascended to Kunxu’s Second Layer.
A wave of quiet sorrow washed over him.
“Our next meeting… probably two years from now.”
“Thankfully, I’ve still got A Zhen.”
He turned to Bai Zhenzhen, who was greedily devouring a bucket of synthetic food.
“A Zhen? Why’d you eat my portion?”
Bai Zhenzhen shrugged. “You were staring at your phone, spaced out. I thought you weren’t eating.”
Zhang Yu groaned. “You really—”
Not long after, they arrived at Tiantai City’s station and boarded another train.
Hours passed.
…
The train raced across the land.
Zhang Yu glanced at A Zhen beside him—and saw her leaning against the window, eyes wide with awe.
“Yu, look! Look at that!”
Far in the distance, from sky to earth, stretched an endless cityscape.
That was Xian Du City—their destination.
Above the city, white and golden Sacred Clouds spread like floating continents and islands. Among them rose countless immortal palaces, towering skyscrapers piercing the clouds—creating a true sky city.
Below it all, the earth remained shrouded in perpetual shadow. Dense, dark buildings sprawled across the land, and in the gloom, neon lights flickered endlessly.
A young man sitting nearby pointed upward.
“Uncle, have you ever been to the Upper City?”
The elderly man beside him, face etched with deep wrinkles, glanced up with calm indifference.
“Yeah. Back when I was young, I worked there. The Upper City used to have just a few floating islands. Now it’s grown so big the clouds are thick as a wall. Now the wealthy call it Kunxu’s Half-First Layer.”
“The Upper City keeps growing. But the Lower City? More and more days are dark. Now it’s always night.”
The youth frowned. “No daylight at all? Doesn’t it feel suffocating?”
The old man scoffed. “As long as you can earn, what’s the difference between day and night? Kid, I’ll tell you—here in Xian Du, even begging is better than working in a factory elsewhere.”
The train slowed to a stop at a Lower City station.
As Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen stepped off, a chill swept through the air.
They looked up—only to see the churning sea of clouds above, where the Upper City floated.
From the outside, the Sacred Clouds shimmered white and gold. But from below, looking up through the cloud layers, it was pitch black—like storm clouds endlessly surging.
“Is it because the upper buildings and roads block the sunlight from reaching the lower layers?” Zhang Yu thought. “It’s so oppressive…”
If I had to live here long-term, cultivating in the Great Sun Qi Sea would be nearly impossible.
They didn’t wander. Instead, they stayed in a quiet corner of the station, following Zhang Pianpian’s instructions to open the registration website.
They’d tried before—always a blank screen.
Now, in Xian Du City, the site finally had content: a countdown timer.
“Still not open?” they muttered.
So they wandered the station, marveling at the prices—hundred-yuan boxed meals, ten-yuan bottled water, and a pair of stockings priced at fifty million.
Bai Zhenzhen suddenly pointed at the white stockings.
“Yu, that’s an External Spiritual Root!”
“Mm-hmm,” Zhang Yu said.
“If you wear that, you’ll effectively have a Spiritual Root.”
He rolled his eyes. “If anyone’s wearing it, it should be you. Then give me your Zhen Linggen.”
Bai Zhenzhen grinned. “Deal. But you buy me one.”
Zhang Yu chuckled. “Right. Once I’m rich, I’ll buy you seven—seven different colors. One for each day of the week. You’ll never wear the same one twice.”
As they joked, the countdown finally hit zero.
The screen displayed a message:
> Find a space with no cameras, no outsiders—just you alone. Then click confirm.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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