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Chapter 314: Final Exam
Inside the office. Tu Lishan stared at Zhang Yu, who now had a head full of white hair, and couldn’t help but frown. “Are you sure you’re fine?” he said. “If you drop dead during work and delay the project, you’ll be liable for compensation.”
Zhang Yu’s hair had turned white from physical exhaustion and extreme weakness. Hearing Tu Lishan’s warning, he replied calmly, “It’s fine, Teacher Tu. I know my own Constitution.”
“Besides, for someone like me at the First Layer, such an opportunity is rare. I have to seize it with everything I’ve got—no holding back. Otherwise, how can I ever rise?”
“My recovery ability is strong. I believe my Constitution can hold.”
Feeling the unwavering resolve in Zhang Yu’s gaze, Tu Lishan felt a quiet pang of admiration. Over his years of teaching, he’d seen countless bold and daring students. But Zhang Yu… there was something in his stance that carried a terrifying indifference to life and death.
At that moment, a judgment formed in Tu Lishan’s mind: This boy’s will to cultivate is something I’ve rarely seen in my life.
If this were hundreds of years ago… he would’ve already died.
But now, in this age of flourishing Dao…
He’ll either burn through everything—his fortune, his lifespan, and never recover—or he’ll climb higher and higher, eventually advancing to postgraduate studies, pushing beyond the First Layer.
For someone with such a mindset, there are only two paths—no third option.
Yet Tu Lishan knew the second path was nearly impossible. The first—ruin and early death—was far more likely. And that meant the Civil Engineering Department’s investment in Zhang Yu might never be recovered.
Just then, Director Gao’s message appeared in Tu Lishan’s Eye Armor.
Director Gao: “Don’t stop him. But set a limit—no more than ten servings per day.”
Tu Lishan understood. These pills were not magic—they were tools to push cultivation past natural limits, not to create strength from nothing. More than ten servings a day? That was just cutting life short. No real benefit. Just wasted Lingbi.
Tu Lishan hesitated. “But what if Zhang Yu dies?”
Director Gao: “We’re the Civil Engineering Department at Wanfa University, not some risk-averse junior college or ordinary university.”
“He’s confident. Let him fight for it. What’s the harm in giving a student a chance to give everything?”
“I’ve never been stingy with giving students a shot at everything they’ve got.”
Seeing those words, Tu Lishan sighed inwardly. The Director truly has vision. Willing to risk losses just to give a student a chance to fight to the death.
Tu Lishan turned to Zhang Yu. “Then you know your limits. Be careful.”
“Remember—once you feel anything off, stop immediately.”
…
And so, in the final two weeks at the construction site, Zhang Yu plunged into relentless overtime—working, taking pills, and cultivating nonstop.
He switched between Tu Mu Holy Body before and after taking medicine, used University Holy Body during cultivation, and adjusted his Chain Law Diagram set depending on workload—sometimes even combining them in sequence.
Especially with the support of Tu Mu Holy Body, the more exhausted he became, the more freely he could consume pills and activate the Civil Engineering Department Technique. His progress skyrocketed beyond anything before.
Of course, he still spent every day refining No. 20 Secret Steel.
To the eyes of other students and teachers, Zhang Yu was simply pushing himself to the brink—burning out, barely holding on.
Che Yufei watched in stunned silence. This guy… every time I think he’s about to collapse, he finds a way to keep going. Every time he looks like he’s on the verge of dying, he survives another day. But one day, he’ll break. What kind of debt is he running from?
Tu Lishan sighed inwardly. With such a firm cultivation spirit, if only he were wealthy… his future would be limitless. Too bad… even if he survives this, his lifespan will be severely shortened. And look at him now—so weak. I wonder what kind of score he’ll get on the final exam?
Gong Shuijin had heard rumors about Zhang Yu, and had even seen him in person—pale, trembling, barely standing.
He felt a flicker of surprise. So… I misjudged him? Zhang Yu was just a common poor First Layer cultivator?
But he managed to defeat Wang Yin. How could someone like that be ordinary? Maybe the pressure from Youming University caused him to be abandoned… and now he’s fallen into poverty.
He shook his head. The truth behind it all was too complicated for an outsider to understand.
But seeing Zhang Yu risk his life like this… Gong Shuijin felt once again the crushing weight of poverty.
Poverty… it’s terrifying. You’re willing to sacrifice your life for something so little, yet still can’t catch up to us.
Thankfully, I’m not poor.
Zhang Yu’s plight passed through Gong Shuijin’s mind like a brief shadow. His true focus remained on surpassing Ji Yuanchi in the final exam.
…
Late February.
Time slipped by unnoticed. The day arrived when the construction project ended—and Zhang Yu’s first semester at university came to a close.
Everyone packed their things and boarded the Flying Barge, beginning their journey back.
Adding the three months spent at the remote construction site… I’ve been in the Second Layer for eight months now.
Standing at the bow of the barge, Zhang Yu gazed at the Spirit Armor Factory below, shrinking into the distance. He reflected on the achievements of the past three months.
Not only had his Tu Mu Holy Body reached its ultimate form, but the Qi Hai Linggen in his dantian had also achieved 100% Spirit Root Fusion Degree, thanks to the constant nourishment from Bilin Bug. His martial energy flow, control, and spiritual energy absorption had all improved dramatically.
With the daily intake of fierce medicinal pills, the Spirit Stone Breathing Technique, and the digestion of high-quality martial energy from the Xuanzao Relic, his martial energy had also surged.
Now, his martial energy stood at 546.8, and martial energy quality had reached 157%.
Dao Heart had grown more slowly—due to the high cost of Ling's services at the construction site—but had still reached Level 13 (70.8%).
Physical Strength Level, meanwhile, had been pushed to 14.39 through the continuous use of Body-Refining Techniques and the brutal power of medicinal herbs.
All these base stats had undergone a leap in strength. His savings had also grown to 22 Lingbi through three months of work.
But none of this was his greatest gain.
Every one of his 206 bones had now been refined into No. 20 Lingfa Miguang Steel—giving him a skeletal structure so strong and resilient that, in the Foundation Establishment Stage, it was nearly unbreakable.
Back in the cabin of the Flying Barge, Zhang Yu knew he wouldn’t have another chance like this anytime soon.
Even if such an opportunity came again… there’s no need to devour like this.
He could feel it—the medicine had become numb. The effects were fading with each passing day.
His body felt like a sugarcane that had been pressed dry—no more juice left to extract.
Zhang Yu thought to himself: From now on, I’ll need to take supplements that replenish nutrients and essence—reinforce my foundation.
He switched to Martial Dao Holy Embryo to boost his self-healing ability, while simultaneously activating his body’s natural regeneration.
The Martial Dao Holy Embryo’s enhancement… is getting weaker again.
As he healed, he mentally mapped out his next cultivation goals.
After this, I should focus on assembling the Qi Mai Chang Liu Chain Law Diagram Set. I haven’t had time to work on it since I’ve been stuck at the site.
Besides Qi Mai Chang Liu, I need to keep upgrading Yu Xinghan’s Dao Seed. And Le Mulan’s Deep Cold Mana Vein. My sister’s Taiqing Fulu…
A flicker of future plans passed through his mind. Then his eyes narrowed.
But first—finish the final exam.
Zhang Yu clenched his fist, feeling the surge of power within him—and the unbreakable strength of his bones.
Just how far have I come now?
…
At Wanfa University, on the 125th floor, in his dorm room.
Zhang Yu looked around the empty room. Everyone was still busy with their own things—no one had returned yet.
He sent a message to the group: I’m back safe.
Then he hurried to return the borrowed Xuanzao Relic and Bilin Bug.
On his way back, he checked the final exam schedule.
Unlike high school, Wanfa University’s final exams were self-applied. As long as students completed them within the designated time and location, that was all that mattered.
The Foundation Establishment Class had already finished. Only Gong Shuijin and Zhang Yu remained—because of their time at the remote construction site.
Zhang Yu glanced at the class rankings. Without final exam scores, he had fallen to 28th place—a humiliating position.
28th in the class? That’s too embarrassing. I’d better apply for the exam as soon as possible.
His Eye Armor displayed the application process. He secured a spot at the exam hall one week later.
For the next seven days, Zhang Yu spent his time studying, cultivating, healing his body, and replenishing his energy.
Before long, the week passed. His body had fully recovered. He strode confidently toward the exam hall.
…
The final exam wasn’t just on Zhang Yu’s mind. Gong Shuijin was also under watch.
Many students in the Foundation Establishment Class were tracking Gong Shuijin’s results.
Ying Xin refreshed the class ranking. I wonder… how much has Gong Shuijin improved? Can he challenge Ji Yuanchi now?
Meanwhile, Tu Lishan, as a teacher, observed Gong Shuijin’s exam through the Ling界 Network.
The first few professional courses were completed flawlessly. Thanks to the skills he’d forged at the construction site, Gong Shuijin had executed every task with near-perfect precision.
Then came the Daoxin Exam.
Though far from civilization, Gongshu Jin had spent lavishly every day—affording constant spiritual realm services to train his Dao Heart.
Suddenly, Tu Lishan noticed Zhang Yu was also taking the exam.
Curious, he used his teaching privileges to peek at Zhang Yu’s progress.
Hmm… professional courses are on par with Gong Shuijin—almost perfect scores. So those three months weren’t wasted.
Dao Heart is a bit behind—no surprise, since he couldn’t afford Ling界 services. Still, it’s reasonable compared to Gong Shuijin.
Martial energy? Not far behind at all. Tu Lishan nodded slightly. So he really did push his potential to the limit.
Now… the Body Refining Exam. Are they in the same exam hall?
Thinking back to Zhang Yu’s frail state when he left the site, Tu Lishan shook his head.
Yes, his potential was unleashed again and again—but he didn’t die. Still, the damage to his body is immense. Beyond just lifespan loss, his current weakness will take time and Lingbi to recover.
Zhang Yu’s Constitution is unusual… but not as extraordinary as he claims. Relying only on that won’t be enough to beat someone like Gong Shuijin—a true rich cultivator.
As the Body Refining Exam approached, Tu Lishan thought to himself: Their Body Refining scores… will likely be the widest gap of all.
(End of Chapter)
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