https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-155-Ling-Realm-Cultivation-the-Emergence-of-the-Poor-Alliance/13686624/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-157-The-True-Method-of-Sacrificing-One-s-True-Mind/13686626/
Chapter 156: A Zhen Opens a Factory, Zhang Yu Takes a Job
Song Xu was a top student at Bailong High School. He was also the "big boss" referred to by Mo Tianyi, the founder of the Poor Genius Alliance. Moreover, his family hailed from the Song Clan—one of the Sixteen Noble Families of Songyang City.
Yet Song Xu saw no contradiction between these two realities. After all, who said a person with Song Clan blood couldn't be poor?
Every generation, many members of the Song Clan were discarded and forced to work off debts. After a few generations, their descendants naturally became impoverished.
His great-grandfather, it was said, once knelt before a member of the main branch of the Song family. But by Song Xu’s time, even the friendship of Song Hailong—the son of a close family friend—had been lost.
To most outsiders, they had no idea Song Xu’s ancestors were once part of the noble Song Clan. They assumed he was just another commoner with the same surname.
Still, the family had never forgotten the power of blood ties. Each generation poured every last coin from their parents into self-investment, striving to climb the path of the Dao with relentless determination.
As one Song Clan ancestor once said: It’s pointless to complain about your environment—complain about your family instead.
Song Xu’s grandfather had followed this philosophy. He burned through his parents’ savings, pushed himself to the limit, and finally earned a university degree. He became a company employee, supporting an entire family on his own—becoming Song Xu’s personal role model.
His father, however, had fallen short. Though he’d also invested heavily in his parents’ wealth, he hadn’t channeled it into himself. Instead, he’d thrown it all into gambling—draining the family’s spiritual legacy in one reckless burst.
When Song Xu learned that his grandfather’s pension had been completely wiped out, that their home had been sold, and all their assets lost to the gambling tables…
It felt like he was riding a giant slide. But the man in front of him—his father—had just dropped a massive, stinking pile of excrement. And Song Xu could only watch in despair as he slid down, helpless.
The only thing that saved him was his quick thinking. Just as his father was about to mortgage Song Xu to the main branch of the Song Clan for one final burst of familial power, Song Xu acted first—mortgaging his father instead. That deal gave him his first fortune.
Then, he sold his grandfather’s final inheritance.
"Grandpa, I don’t have time to wait for your tomb and body to appreciate in value."
"Right now, I need you to give me your last bit of strength."
"Please, watch over me from above. Bless me as I strive forward on the Dao path—bless me with a place at a top-tier university."
Digging Palm Level 3—Activate! Grandpa, dig up for me!
After selling his grandfather’s tomb and remains, Song Xu gained his second fortune.
But that was all they had left. The final burial plot. The last corpse.
Even with meticulous budgeting, Song Xu knew his money wouldn’t last until high school graduation.
Fortunately, he soon encountered a life-changing opportunity.
He met the being known as the Evil God.
…
In the Ling Realm, before the Hall of Inquiry.
Disguised, Song Xu had come here for one reason—Zhang Yu.
If this Zhang Yu truly has an Evil God behind him… then hunting that entity could boost my latent potential again.
Then securing a spot in the Top Ten would be guaranteed.
As the thought crossed his mind, Mo Tianyi asked, “Boss, what’s the real objective this time?”
Song Xu replied calmly, “According to my investigation, both of them have grown rapidly over the past half year—due to some specific trigger.”
If I can uncover that trigger, my chances of making the Top Ten next year will skyrocket.
Mo Tianyi nodded silently. If this had anything to do with the boss’s dream of entering the Top Ten, he’d do anything—work overtime for free at the Hall of Inquiry, even if it meant getting fired for leaking client data. He’d follow through to the end.
Song Xu continued watching the footage Mo Tianyi had transmitted.
…
Security guards and a massive group of workers clashed in a brutal melee. Yu Xinghan, caught in the storm, seemed like a single drop of water in the vast ocean.
Fists, clubs, blades—everywhere. His martial arts cultivation barely kept him from being overwhelmed.
Yet in this chaotic, relentless battle, the Tianwu Cultivation of the Heart Scripture flowed smoother than ever.
At the same time, a loudspeaker crackled from the factory gate.
A woman’s voice rang out:
“Give it your all! No matter if you kill or injure them—the factory will cover all medical costs and compensation!”
Hearing that, Yu Xinghan felt a surge of exhilaration. His heart-forging cultivation ignited fully. The techniques of the Tianwu Cultivation of the Heart Scripture poured out one after another—each strike sending multiple workers reeling.
No need to hold back.
No need to worry about consequences.
No need to think about medical bills…
Just fight—without restraint!
In that moment, Yu Xinghan felt his spirit surge. His battle aura soared to the heavens. Power roared through his body, and he moved through the battlefield with increasing ease.
…
Mo Tianyi explained, “The Illusory Realm lets them temporarily forget the real world—fully immersing themselves in the present scenario. The more their thoughts align with the cultivation technique, the stronger the results.”
“For example, Yu Xinghan practicing the Tianwu Cultivation of the Heart Scripture in battle—its effectiveness is dozens of times greater than in real-life practice.”
Song Xu nodded casually. “And the other two?”
Mo Tianyi apologized, “The Illusory Realm’s controller is Yu Xinghan. I can’t freely switch perspectives.”
“But just keep watching. Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen will appear soon enough.”
Meanwhile, the battle in the Illusory Realm ended briefly.
Yu Xinghan took a moment to rest inside the factory—only to be greeted by the boss herself, who came to personally commend him.
Bai Zhenzhen gripped Yu Xinghan’s hand and said, “Well done. Next month, I’ll raise your salary.”
“Come. Join me on a tour of the factory.”
“There are still many workers who don’t respect me. When we get there, you’ll help me teach them a lesson.”
Watching this scene, Song Xu asked, “Is Bai Zhenzhen the boss? What cultivation technique does she practice?”
Mo Tianyi replied, “She registered under the Hanpo Ice Heart Scripture—a cultivation method ideal for investors.”
“It clears mental clutter, stabilizes the spirit, and allows one to remain cold, calm, and detached—observing every decision from a purely rational, indifferent perspective.”
“Many stock traders use it to guide their investments.”
“So this factory is designed to test her as a boss—forcing her to maintain an icy heart under extreme pressure from within and without—deepening her understanding of the Hanpo Ice Heart Scripture and strengthening her Dao Heart.”
Song Xu nodded slightly—but he also knew the truth: this technique hadn’t originally been created for stock trading.
“It was born purely for combat—especially assassination.”
“It demands absolute stillness of heart, like ice. Even if the sky collapses, you remain unshaken. You ignore all distractions, focus entirely on the single battle before you, calculating every move from a detached observer’s viewpoint.”
“But compared to combat, running a factory brings far greater complexity—layers of deception, pressure from all sides, shifting circumstances, emotional turmoil… the calculations involved are infinitely more intricate.”
To maintain a clear, ice-cold mind in such chaos… to calculate every cost and gain with perfect precision… that would deepen the understanding of the Hanpo Ice Heart Scripture beyond measure. The refinement of Dao Heart would be unmatched.
Song Xu knew: the deeper a cultivator’s understanding of a technique, the more aligned their mind became with it—resulting in greater power, faster Dao Heart cultivation.
Hmph. This cultivation environment is perfectly suited.
Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen was already leading Yu Xinghan through the factory floor, suppressing every dissenting worker with ruthless efficiency.
…
On the factory assembly line, Zhang Yu stood pale-faced, weak and trembling, laboring through his shift with barely any strength.
Years of factory work had left him frail, and he now suffered from lung disease. Each breath brought sharp, stabbing pain.
Under the Cannibal Cow Serenity Heart Technique, the pain was dulled—but not enough.
Why?
Why am I here?
Then it came back to him…
For the salary. To earn money. To pay for medicine.
That spark of hope rekindled in his eyes. The technique surged within him, pushing the pain deeper into the shadows.
But then a voice cut through the air:
“Due to poor company performance, we’re all in this together. Starting this month, salaries are cut by 20%.”
Zhang Yu turned. The speaker was none other than the cold-faced boss—Bai Zhenzhen.
As the news sank in, the fragile hope within him began to fade. The pain, once suppressed, surged back with renewed force.
Think… think of another way…
At least let me rest a few days to recover… Just a few days off…
Just as he thought it, another worker spoke up:
“Boss, it’s almost the Lunar New Year. I haven’t seen my parents in years. Can I take a few days off?”
Bai Zhenzhen stared impassively. Her expression was ice. Her mind, devoid of emotion, was already calculating profits, data, returns.
She placed a hand on the worker’s shoulder and said, “Your parents want to see you at the Lunar Festival? No problem. Just call them here. We’ll have them join you—right here at the factory, working overtime.”
Another worker said, “Boss, my relative passed away…”
Bai Zhenzhen replied flatly, “Let the funeral wait. Handle your work first. Personal matters can come later.”
Zhang Yu’s heart sank. He thought of requesting an advance on his salary.
A third worker spoke: “Boss, wages have been delayed for months. Can we get paid this month?”
Bai Zhenzhen smiled—her eyes, however, remained cold.
“The factory has been facing some difficulties lately. Paying on time is a bit tough.”
“But as the boss, I understand how hard it is to work for a living.”
“So I’ve borrowed some money using your ID cards. The salary will be paid on time this month. Just remember to repay the loan.”
Zhang Yu’s spirit plummeted. The last flicker of hope was extinguished. The pain, once kept at bay by his cultivation technique, now surged through his body with renewed ferocity.
Yet Bai Zhenzhen’s mind grew sharper. In this state of complete emotional detachment, she calculated every cost and gain with flawless precision, extracting every last bit of profit.
And the Hanpo Ice Heart Scripture flowed through her like water—more fluid, more powerful than ever.
(End of Chapter)
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