https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-229-The-Fate-Lies-in-the-Third-Trial/13686746/
Chapter 228: The Burden of Spirit Armor
When Zhang Yu first used the power of his ocular Spirit Armor to glimpse the true nature of the examination hall, his immediate reaction was to wonder: Why wear it at all? If I just avoid the ocular Spirit Armor, I’d miss fewer ads. Isn’t that fine?
But after glancing a few more times at the endless rows of Light Screens, each plastered with advertisements, he realized he’d been naive.
A flood of information about Spirit Roots, Spirit Armor, and their prices surged into his mind.
"Former Divine Spirit Root? Could military-grade Divine Spirit Roots really be downgraded and entering the civilian market?"
"And these prices… 4.99? 2.98?"
At first sight of those numbers, Zhang Yu was stunned. Could it be that global prices have shrunk by ten million times, while my money stays unchanged?
But such an absurd thought vanished from his mind almost instantly.
Then he noticed the word Lingbi appearing behind some of the prices in the ads.
Zhang Yu frowned inwardly. Lingbi? Is that the currency used up there? Looks like it's incredibly valuable—just a few Lingbi can buy a Spirit Root?
A quiet sigh escaped him. Just this one small corner of the scene already holds countless pieces of information.
If I go to university without using ocular Spirit Armor, I won’t even see the ads—let alone access all the other vital data. Compared to those who wear Spirit Armor, I’d be at a massive information disadvantage…
If I ever fall into such poverty, I might never have a chance to rise again.
Even this tiny glimpse revealed just how crucial ocular Spirit Armor truly was.
But then, suddenly, an odd discomfort flared in his eyes.
Instinctively, he reached toward his eye socket—yet felt nothing. His hand couldn’t block his vision, couldn’t cover anything.
Right. My sensory connection to the eye has been severed.
Now the sensation in my eyes comes from the Spirit Armor itself… Is the Armor itself causing the discomfort?
The dissonance was unbearable—the feeling of touching his own eye while perceiving no sensation at all. It was as if his eye socket was whispering, You no longer have eyes.
Yet his mind insisted, You do have eyes. You not only have eyes, but you’re wearing a pair of ocular Spirit Armor.
And when the Spirit Armor’s gaze swept toward him, forcing him to confront a third-person view of his own body lying on the operating table, the unease deepened.
The discomfort in his eyes intensified.
At that moment, two numbers appeared above Zhang Yu and Ye Lingshao’s heads—their current synchronization rates with the Spirit Armor.
Zhang Yu: 97%
Ye Lingshao: 99%
Huang Zichou’s voice echoed through the chamber:
"In the process of Body Refinement cultivation, as your Physical Strength Level increases, your control over your physical form grows stronger. Through relentless training, the bond between body and mind becomes tighter and tighter."
"When you grow accustomed to the powerful physique you’ve forged through years of struggle—when your body and mind are so deeply intertwined—any slight misalignment between them becomes painfully noticeable."
Zhang Yu nodded silently in agreement. Though this body had once belonged to the original Zhang Yu, over the past year of grueling cultivation, he had long since become inseparable from it. Every breakthrough, every mastery of Technique had fused his spirit with his flesh.
Huang Zichou continued:
"The tighter the body-mind connection, the more jarring the dissonance feels after linking with Spirit Armor—and the lower your synchronization rate becomes."
"As synchronization drops, you may experience nausea, agitation, phantom pains, hallucinations… Don’t worry. These are all normal reactions."
"Just like now—your original connection to your eyes has been cut. The Spirit Armor has taken over. Your brain thinks your eyes are gone, but the Armor tells you they’re still there. In this contradiction, your mind may conclude you’re injured—and gradually develop phantom pain."
Meanwhile, in Zheng Shen’s network, several examiners were evaluating the two candidates.
A minor deity named Mu Guiyin remarked:
"Zhang Yu’s physical form is undeniably powerful. But precisely because of that strength, he’s become overly dependent on it. That makes adapting to a new Spirit Armor much harder."
"In contrast, Ye Lingshao has undergone countless surgeries since his time in the spirit womb. He’s been rebuilt dozens of times—his body has long been accustomed to sudden changes."
"And once his Martial Energy reached 100, with the Night Family’s resources, he must have tested countless Spirit Armors. Though he ultimately returned to his natural body, his adaptability to Spirit Armor is unquestionably high."
Mu Guiyin sighed.
"This is the difference in foundation. That gap will only widen in the coming synchronization data. Ye Lingshao’s rate will remain higher than Zhang Yu’s."
"Of course, the most important factor in Ye Lingshao’s ultimate victory lies in one more point…"
Hearing Mu Guiyin’s words, Huang Zichou thought to himself: That guy was backing Ye Lingshao in the last stage too.
How many shares of Luzhou Group and the Night Family has he secretly bought behind the scenes?
Though he grumbled inwardly, Huang Zichou had to admit: Mu Guiyin was right. Ye Lingshao’s advantage in this stage was overwhelming.
After Zhang Yu and Ye Lingshao had briefly adjusted to the Yuanjian Spirit Armor, Huang Zichou introduced the second piece of Spirit Armor.
A single, pure white arm—so lifelike it seemed to pulse with energy—floated before him.
Huang Zichou announced:
"This is the Jianzong, a professional-grade arm Spirit Armor from Tianwu Group."
"Tianwu Group, a veteran developer of combat Spirit Armor, has perfected this lightweight model by integrating the best features from previous generations. It’s ideal for cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage."
"Not only is it made from ultra-high-strength materials capable of withstanding the power struggles of Foundation Establishment cultivators, but once infused with Martial Energy, it automatically converts that energy into high-powered sword qi."
"Inside, it can store a 20th-level sword technique."
"Currently, Tianwu Mall offers thousands of sword techniques. Simply place an order, download the technique into Jianzong, and install it—voilà, you instantly possess a 20-level sword skill."
"With a mere thought, Jianzong can execute pre-set combat tactics, while its internal spirit soul assists in refining the sword movements."
As Huang Zichou spoke, dozens of Light Screens flared to life around the chamber, showing a user wielding Jianzong, slicing through the air with blazing sword beams.
Zhang Yu watched, stunned. Is this really a Spirit Armor for Foundation Establishment cultivators?
It can even store sword techniques…
He felt increasingly certain that wealth was becoming an even greater factor in the Dao at the university level.
But he quickly pushed the thought aside. The immediate priority was the Foundation Establishment Exam.
Either Zheng Shen is afraid the Qi Cultivation Stage Spirit Armor wouldn’t challenge us enough… or they’re just using this to advertise.
Zhang Yu understood: the same professional-grade Spirit Armor at the Foundation Establishment level would be stronger—and heavier to bear—than its Qi Cultivation equivalent.
Just like how a cultivation Technique at the Foundation level is far more powerful—and harder to master—than one at the Qi Cultivation stage.
He mused: This kind of Spirit Armor must carry a heavy burden.
Seeming to sense their unease, Huang Zichou reassured them:
"Though Jianzong is designed specifically for Foundation Establishment cultivators, this isn’t about implanting the Armor into you."
"Your blood circulation, muscle strength, and even your flesh and bones aren’t physically connected to the Armor."
"You don’t need to expend Martial Energy to power it. There are no requirements for energy, no rejection reactions between materials and cells…"
"It’s simply a temporary neural link—simulating the experience of having a Spirit Armor. You can connect multiple Armors at once, even link to a Foundation Establishment-level one."
Zhang Yu realized: this exam was merely testing their physical bodies’ ability to adapt to unfamiliar Spirit Armor through neural signal transmission—far from actual implantation. That’s why they could even interface with a Foundation-level Armor.
Moments later, after Huang Zichou finished explaining, he once again invoked the Health Department’s Spell, severing Zhang Yu and Ye Lingshao’s connection to their right arms.
For an instant, Zhang Yu felt an eerie emptiness from his shoulder down—no sensation, no presence of an arm.
But the feeling lasted only seconds. Soon, he sensed the new arm.
He watched as the Jianzong, floating in midair under divine force, obeyed his thoughts—clenching into a fist, bending at the elbow, swinging—moving through various motions.
Yet the more he tried to adapt, the more awkward it felt. The movements lagged slightly behind his intentions—always one beat behind.
Then, without warning, Jianzong froze completely.
No matter how hard Zhang Yu urged it, the arm refused to move.
His heart skipped. Did my synchronization drop so low that I’ve lost connection entirely?
At that moment, a voice echoed from within Jianzong:
"Your free trial time has expired. Watch a video to earn more."
Simultaneously, Zhang Yu noticed Ye Lingshao’s Jianzong had also stopped—emitting the same warning.
What the hell? Zhang Yu cursed silently. Are we supposed to watch ads during the exam?
Huang Zichou quickly explained:
"Must’ve been a glitch during the test setup—someone accidentally used up too much free time."
"Under normal circumstances, becoming a member of Tianwu Mall lets you skip ads entirely."
Zhang Yu glanced at Huang Zichou, who was now addressing the audience stand with a practiced smile.
Right. Not explaining to us exam-takers. Just pitching to potential customers.
And honestly… you’re not worried about exam errors. You’re obsessed with product experience.
Meanwhile, Huang Zichou whispered into the internal network:
"Everyone, use the link I sent. Watch one video each. We’ll all get enough free time for the exam."
So the five Zheng Shen examiners, in unison, mentally tuned out, each diving into the video via the Divine Power Network.
As for paying for a membership? Who’d foot the bill? What was the official designation? How would it be reimbursed?
After a moment’s thought, they all decided: Better just watch the damn videos.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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