https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-235-Rewards-Confirmed-Undercurrents-Stir/13686752/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-237-Fame-Spreads-Across-Songyang/13686757/
Chapter 236: Congratulations on Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen Successfully Passing the Foundation Establishment Qualification Exam
After leaving the examination hall, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen boarded the return train without delay.
When Fujie, who had just been awakened, learned that both of them had passed the Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate exam, she let out a hearty laugh. “Well done, well done! I knew I wasn’t wrong about the two of you. Now, all you need to do before entering university is complete your Foundation Establishment. Once that’s done, you’ll be able to join the Foundation Class right away—half a foot already in the postgraduate recommendation path.”
Thinking this through, Fujie felt a surge of excitement. What good was going to university if you couldn’t get a decent job without passing the postgraduate entrance exam?
Zhang Yu, however, frowned slightly and muttered under his breath, “Foundation Establishment before university? You make it sound like buying a medicine stick from a street vendor.”
He knew that Foundation Establishment required a personal Spirit Root, which had to be implanted into the dantian and fully integrated into one’s body—meaning he’d need to purchase a Spirit Root. And as Kunxu First Layer’s strongest high school student, the least he could afford was a Celestial-grade Spirit Root.
But Celestial-grade Spirit Roots cost tens of millions. How many classes would he have to attend at Anxue Alliance? How many extra shifts would he have to work at Hongta just to scrape together enough money before university?
“Then again… A Zhen…”
Zhang Yu turned to look at her.
Bai Zhenzhen rolled her eyes. “No way. I’m not exactly flush with cash either.”
Zhang Yu understood. Though she had her own Spirit Root and could technically establish her foundation, she wasn’t about to reveal she was a natural-born Spirit Root. To hide that fact, she’d have to buy a Celestial-grade Spirit Root just to make it seem like she’d acquired it the hard way.
Fujie chuckled in their minds. “True, the higher the grade of the Spirit Root, the better the result. Zhang Yu, you absolutely must use a Celestial-grade one.”
“But even that’s beyond your current reach,” she added. “Yet, when did I ever say you’d have to pay for it yourself?”
“Don’t you remember? There were many university representatives watching your Foundation Establishment Exam.”
“Universities care about their recruitment performance. Top schools want top students to maintain their prestige and rankings. Even lower-tier schools are eager to attract good students to climb the ladder.”
“Given how you two performed, those university reps won’t just walk away. They’ll definitely send people to contact you.”
“Of course, they can’t come down themselves easily. But they’ll likely use third-party companies to reach out.”
“So, as long as you get their support, take advantage of the generous offers they’ll make, and keep working hard to earn money on your own—you really could complete your Foundation Establishment before even stepping foot on campus.”
Zhang Yu nodded slowly. He remembered Deng Bingding had said something similar earlier—universities would come knocking early.
At that moment, Fujie added, “But right now, your first priority is to get off the train in some small city, and spend a few days there digesting the results of the exam and boosting your strength.”
Bai Zhenzhen asked, “Why not go straight back to Songyang? Are we trying to let the reps see each other, so they’ll compete and drive up the offers?”
Fujie smiled faintly. “That’s part of it.”
Zhang Yu’s eyes narrowed. “It’s about the Zhou Family?”
Bai Zhenzhen caught on immediately. “If the Zhou Family’s higher-ups guessed you two took the exam, and then they see multiple university representatives showing up to contact you… they’ll suspect you passed.”
“They’ll have two possible reactions—either try to ease the tension and rebuild relations with you… or take direct action.”
After surviving multiple brutal gang wars in the Dark Tutoring Realm, Bai Zhenzhen knew only too well how ruthless the fight for survival and power could be. Even a small chance of confrontation demanded extreme caution.
Zhang Yu added, “Especially if they know our identities.”
Though he didn’t say “Evil God” aloud, Bai Zhenzhen understood exactly what he meant.
Just as Fujie had analyzed, the Zhou Family’s leadership likely already knew they were Evil God Cultists.
If that were true, they might resort to far more extreme measures. After all, the conflict between Evil God Cultists was one where neither side dared to provoke Zheng Shen.
Zhang Yu said, “So you’re worried they’ll go desperate?”
Fujie replied, “Not certain, but we can’t afford to ignore the risk. It doesn’t hurt to be cautious. Use this time outside Songyang to absorb the results and strengthen yourselves.”
“While you’re away, anyone looking for you at Songyang High will be waiting. The more people come, the more the Zhou Family will hesitate. They won’t dare act.”
“Even better—turn off your phones. Don’t rush to respond to anyone.”
Zhang Yu still couldn’t shake the thought of the Zhou Family. That existence—aware of his Evil God Cultist identity—felt like a thorn in his throat.
Fujie added, “The Zhou Family issue can only be resolved by your own strength in the end.”
Zhang Yu nodded. Now was the perfect time to begin practicing a Technique awarded by the Foundation Establishment Exam, combined with the interest-free three million credit. He could then buy a second Technique to complete the final layer of his Martial Dao Holy Embryo.
…
Meanwhile, back at Ziyun High School.
Le Mulan stared at the test report in her hand, stunned. “This is Zhang Yu’s sweat?”
Le Jingchen corrected her gently. “It’s your combined sweat. Unfortunately, his sweat was contaminated by yours—otherwise, the purity would’ve been higher.”
Le Mulan blinked. “He’s that strong?”
Le Jingchen sighed. “Some new tech from a company, probably. That kid was used as a test subject.”
“After all, he’s the kind who’d sell his competition slot for cash. No real intention of going to a top university, I’d guess.”
Recalling the incident with Zhou Family and the appearance of the sixth-rank god, Le Jingchen mused, “Maybe he’s on the Divine Path? Perhaps he’ll become a vessel for some great deity.”
Le Mulan looked down, her expression clouded. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. With such talent, Zhang Yu had been denied entry to the Top Ten due to his background—now forced onto the Divine Path, destined to become raw material for a god’s descent. It was tragic.
“Until I graduate,” she said quietly, “I’ll keep asking him to train me.”
Just then, Le Jingchen’s phone rang.
He answered, surprised. “Yes… I entered him into the database.”
“Right. The test subject from another company—Zhang Yu.”
“Contact him?”
He hung up, frowning. “Xian Du’s headquarters just called. They want me to reach out to Zhang Yu. Someone from the main office has something to say.”
Le Mulan’s eyes flickered with confusion. She knew Xian Du headquarters didn’t call unless it was urgent—especially not directly to Le Jingchen at Ziyun High.
She thought, Could Zhang Yu’s condition really be the result of a rival company’s experiment? Is Xian Du’s leadership planning something against him?
After a moment, Le Jingchen gestured for Le Mulan to call Zhang Yu. But the call went straight to voicemail.
“Huh. That’s why they came to me. They couldn’t reach him either,” Le Jingchen mused. “Go to Songyang High School. Find him, then call me back.”
…
At Songyang High School.
Zhou Chichen stood in the courtyard, his body radiating cold frost as he practiced his family’s ancestral Technique.
Replaying the past few months in his mind, he felt the same helplessness again and again.
“I’m still too weak… just like Zhang Yu. A pawn swept up by fate, at the mercy of others, unable to choose my own path.”
His eyes darkened. “But I’m not like him.”
“Zhang Yu gave up his competition slot. Was it because Zheng Shen forbade it? He’s already doomed to be a lifelong pawn. But I still have a chance.”
“In the remaining months of senior year, I’ll fight harder. I will make it into the Top Ten.”
“I won’t be anyone’s pawn anymore.”
On the other side of the training ground, Lan Ling was pushing himself just as hard—perhaps driven by the same frustration, making a final sprint to secure a top rank in the remaining competitions, hoping to boost his chances of entering the Top Ten.
Then came a deep rumble from the sky.
Zhou Chichen glanced out the window and froze. A Flying Barge hovered above Songyang High School, then several figures leapt down from it.
But that was just the beginning.
Moments later, a streak of sword light sliced through the air and landed within the campus.
Soon after, luxury cars arrived at the front gate.
One by one, people entered the school.
Not long after, Zhou Chichen heard the news—everyone arriving was from major corporations.
Xianyun Group. Tianwu Group. Xin Chuang Medical. Wan Shou Muye. Wanli Group…
Each represented a giant enterprise, and all came directly from Xian Du’s headquarters.
Zhou Chichen stared in disbelief. “Why are so many big companies here? What does Songyang High have that draws such attention?”
“Did someone awaken a Spirit Root?”
“Or is someone in debt to all of them?”
He sent students to investigate and learned that the company representatives had been ushered into the conference room, where the principal and several school leaders were hosting them.
Just as Zhou Chichen was bewildered, the principal summoned him—asking him, as Student Union President, to join the reception.
Entering the conference room, Zhou Chichen stood before more than a dozen corporate representatives. The sheer number of powerful companies behind them made him feel like he was already three inches shorter.
He could sense it—these weren’t ordinary employees. The aura of wealth was overwhelming, and their arrogant, superior demeanor matched exactly what legends described about the Xian Du Elders.
One woman smiled sweetly. “You must be the Student Union President. Hello, I’m Zhang Bi from Tianwu Group. Do you happen to know where Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen are?”
“Zhang Yu? Bai Zhenzhen?” Zhou Chichen blinked. “You’re looking for them?”
“Yes,” Zhang Bi said, her smile never wavering. “We have some matters to discuss. But we can’t reach them.”
She shot a sharp glance into the crowd. “Some people couldn’t wait. They came straight here, forcing us all to make a round trip—only to find Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen are absent on leave.”
“You’re the Student Union President. Do you know where they are? Or do you know anyone who’s close to them and can contact them?”
Even with all his experience, Zhou Chichen was speechless. He didn’t know what to say.
The principal stepped in. “What exactly do you need from Zhang Yu? We might be able to help.”
The representatives smiled but said nothing.
They couldn’t reveal they were summoned by a higher command.
They couldn’t admit they were acting on orders from universities.
And they certainly wouldn’t mention the Foundation Establishment Exam—something that had long been an unspoken rule among the top-tier forces of the Kunxu First Layer.
Though they were employees, these representatives all came from Xian Du’s noble families. No one would break the unspoken code lightly.
They expected to quietly meet Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, exchange words, and reach a private agreement.
But someone—some reckless company—had spoiled everything by barging into Songyang High School first.
Then, the head teacher said, “I know Zhang Yu is outstanding, but we have other excellent students too—like our very capable Student Union President, Zhou Chichen—”
Before he could finish, a snort came from the crowd.
Then another.
Then a full burst of laughter.
The entire room erupted.
Zhou Chichen felt like a fool—exposed, mocked, powerless—under the cold, amused gaze of corporate giants.
The woman who had spoken earlier said again, “We only want Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen. No one else. If you don’t know where they are, find some classmates who can reach them.”
Just then, another commotion echoed from outside.
A strange sound filled the air—like hundreds of Flying Swords slicing through the sky.
Those familiar with the sound gasped. “Hundreds of Flying Swords? What the hell is going on?”
“Are we in the middle of a corporate war?”
Some leapt out the windows. Others vanished in a flash, appearing on the corridor. The crowd scrambled, each displaying their own skills.
Then, in the sky, hundreds of Flying Swords cut through the air—illuminating the sky with radiant swordlight, forming a single message:
Luzhou Group Wang Zong
Congratulates Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen on Passing the Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate Exam!
The future is vast and open—may you soar to the heavens!
The corporate representatives stared at the words, their expressions shifting.
They knew—some old rules had just been shattered for good.
(End of Chapter)
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