https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-339-Higher-Tier-Qi-Mai-Chang-Liu-88-/13686896/
Chapter 340: Chui Xin Ju
Zhang Yu stared at the new First Layer effect of Qi Mai Chang Liu, his gaze sharpening slightly. Without hesitation, he immediately began testing it.
With a surge of Martial Energy flowing through his body, it coalesced into swirling Wuxiang Yun'gang that rose from his dantian. In an instant, the powerful spiritual force erupted behind him in three distinct Wuxiang Force formations. As each of the three forces moved in synchronized combat—executing various martial arts techniques Zhang Yu had mastered—the consumption of his Martial Energy spiked sharply.
Yet, something struck him: despite the intense expenditure, the rate at which his energy drained was far slower than before.
Zhang Yu thought to himself: "During normal cultivation, there’s always inevitable loss in energy transmission. When the energy flows outside the body, the loss increases even more."
"But with the effect of Qi Mai Chang Liu’s First Layer, that loss is significantly reduced—meaning my Martial Energy now lasts much longer."
"And combined with the original boost to energy recovery speed from Qi Mai Chang Liu…"
As he mused, Zhang Yu mentally willed it, and two more Wuxiang Forces materialized instantly, fully activated.
After several rounds of trial and error, Zhang Yu confirmed that under Qi Mai Chang Liu’s enhancement, his Martial Energy could sustain the full power output of five Wuxiang Forces—or two Shenhan Forces.
"This efficiency improvement is nearly double."
Feeling the subtle but profound impact of the Second Layer effect, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but marvel. Though the gain was just reduced energy loss, it felt like a threshold had been crossed—drastically increasing his output per unit of time.
"I wonder what the final layer of Qi Mai Chang Liu is capable of."
He calculated the timeline. He should be able to complete the last First Layer by August—just before the final exams—meaning he’d unlock the full potential of Qi Mai Chang Liu by semester’s end. A growing sense of anticipation filled him.
And then there was Yu Xinghan’s Third Eye Ability upgrade, his own Ling Rou He Yi, and the Second Heart Method—each of these he hoped to achieve before the semester concluded.
"This term, I’ll defeat Ji Yuanchi and claim first place in the class."
"If I maintain top rank for three consecutive years, I’ll earn the first three techniques from the Three Masters of Tu and Wood."
Zhang Yu had long coveted Ma Xuan’s Xiao Sanhe. Now, a quiet sigh escaped him: "Good thing I only need to stay at the top of the class to claim it."
"So this university ranking system… isn’t entirely useless after all."
---
A few days later, as Zhang Yu was considering when to showcase his recent progress during the next training session, the team captain Ma Xuan sent him a message.
Ma Xuan: Zhang Yu, regarding next semester’s competition arrangements, there’s something I need to discuss with you.
Ma Xuan: You have exceptional talent, and your progress has been rapid. I’ve always seen you as our secret weapon.
Ma Xuan: Cong Na also really likes you—she says she enjoys working with you.
Zhang Yu read these words, and unease prickled at his gut. "Why the sudden praise? Something bad’s coming."
Ma Xuan: However, there’s a student ranked higher than you who’s joining the team.
Ma Xuan: The team has unanimously decided: you’ll temporarily take the reserve position.
Zhang Yu froze.
"This is the same toxic culture in universities—rank obsession, meritocracy worship."
"Does a ranking number reflect my true worth?"
Fujie interjected: "You said the same thing when you beat Gong Shuijin in ranking. You can’t only value rankings when they benefit you."
Zhang Yu grimaced. He knew the truth—this was a world ruled by rankings. High rank meant authority, priority, respect. In Wanfa University City, this system was law. He had no power to challenge it—nor did he want to.
And yet… he’d also benefited from it.
But reserve status?
Zhang Yu thought: "If I don’t get on the field, even if the team wins, my Comprehensive Score won’t rise much."
"Damn. This is a hassle."
Just as he was brooding, he noticed the new member had already been added to the team’s group chat.
"Ji Yuanchi?"
Seeing the name of the student ranked just above him, Zhang Yu frowned. "Just one spot above me? What’s he doing here?"
"Wait—he’s transferring to Finance Department, right? So he’s chasing a higher Comprehensive Score for the competition?"
Ma Xuan: Welcome, Ji Xue, to the team.
Cong Na: Welcome! Welcome! [Confetti][Confetti][Confetti]
Bu Ziran: Brother Ji, long time no see!
Yang Yan: Haha, Yuanqi, you’re back! Our competition ranking next semester will definitely go higher!
Watching the warm welcome from everyone, Zhang Yu felt a pang of isolation. The contrast to how he had been received when joining was stark.
Seeing the group chat buzz with laughter and camaraderie, he felt even more out of place.
A few days later, the team held another training session—and this time, Zhang Yu wasn’t even notified.
"These guys…" Zhang Yu thought darkly. "They’ve officially written me off."
"I’ll never fit in with these rich kids."
"Should I switch teams?"
"Or stay here and just ride the coattails for a few extra points?"
But then, a flicker of doubt crossed his mind.
"Wait… if I stay, no matter how many points I gain, as a reserve, I’ll always get fewer than Ji Yuanchi."
"That means next semester, I’ll start off already behind him in ranking."
"Is this… intentional? Is he deliberately using this system to keep me down?"
Zhang Yu couldn’t be sure. He certainly wouldn’t ask Ji Yuanchi. But the thought of switching teams grew stronger.
"Forget it. I’ll just keep cultivating. Focus on the final exam."
"The registration deadline’s still far off. Once I boost my ranking, I’ll reassess whether to leave."
From then on, Zhang Yu carried a quiet fire in his heart, pushing himself harder than ever in cultivation.
---
Time passed swiftly.
By mid-July, the semester was nearing its final stretch. With finals just over a month away, the dormitory finally received the Lingbi from their previous raid on the Darkness Seed Realm.
Gazing at the bank account balance, the group members’ eyes sparkled with hope.
Yu Xinghan, his face flushed with excitement, thought: "Now I can finally afford a Spirit Armor."
"But which one? Should I upgrade my hand massage armor to boost income efficiency… or get a cultivation-focused Spirit Armor to accelerate my progress?"
Images of countless Spirit Armor models flashed through his mind—options he’d meticulously researched during the long days when he couldn’t afford a new one.
Le Mulan stared at the numbers, silently calculating: "With my savings added, this should be enough for the Super Metabolism upgrade surgery."
Having reached the Second Layer, Le Mulan had quickly learned from her brother that the company had already developed the advanced surgical upgrade.
Zhang Yu, meanwhile, examined the numbers in his Eye Armor.
Though he’d sold some Martial Energy for extra income over the past two months, he’d also spent heavily on pills, Spirit Stones, Dao Arts, and Spirit Artifacts—his savings had been steadily dwindling.
But now, with today’s Lingbi, his total had reached a staggering 42.9 Lingbi.
For the first time, Zhang Yu felt a surge of exhilaration. This was more Lingbi than he’d ever held.
But then came the question: Where to spend it?
"My sister’s Taiqing Fulu still requires 50 Lingbi."
"42.9 to 50—only 7.1 more. But with my current income, even if I cut all expenses and slow my cultivation speed, it’ll take at least two or three months."
"And worst of all—I still don’t even know what the Taiqing Fulu actually does."
He thought: "But if I invest in Ling Rou He Yi instead, I can immediately unlock a Second Heart Method."
He’d been trying to break through Ling Rou He Yi on his own, making tiny progress—but no real breakthrough in sight. He’d begun to accept that self-driven success was unlikely. The solution? Just throw money at it.
On one side: two or three more months of waiting, with no guarantee of success.
On the other: a quick, guaranteed path to a powerful new method—perfect for the upcoming finals.
And with finals just over a month away, the choice directly impacted his chance at first place.
"Ling Rou He Yi. I’ll go for the Second Heart Method."
After a long moment of reflection, the cold chill of Ritual Power washed over him, urging him forward. With a deep breath, Zhang Yu activated his Spiritual Interface Mask, his consciousness diving into the Ling Realm—just in time to arrive at Chui Xin Ju.
---
A pure white, empty room.
A single line of text appeared before Zhang Yu:
"Hello, I’m Chui Xin Ju Server Spirit 3001001. It’s a pleasure to serve you."
"How may I assist you?"
Zhang Yu replied: "Ling Rou He Yi—the 30 Lingbi package, please."
As soon as he spoke, the plain white room expanded rapidly—transforming in an instant into a lavish courtyard with mountains, rivers, and elegant pavilions.
Beneath the original text, a graceful woman in traditional palace robes appeared, smiling warmly.
"Hello, Mr. Zhang. Please, have some tea."
Zhang Yu took the offered cup. The transformation from a bare room to a grand estate was astonishing.
"Fast change—really, it’s all about who you are."
"But… I kind of like it. Consumerism truly is a trap."
He asked: "First, explain how you’ll help me achieve Ling Rou He Yi."
The woman replied: "Chui Xin Ju has collected countless breakthrough records from cultivators. Based on your personal profile, we select the most suitable breakthrough experience and simulate the exact environment the original cultivator used during their breakthrough."
"Once you purchase this service, you can simulate one breakthrough per day."
"According to our data, the longest recorded breakthrough took 29 days."
Zhang Yu’s eyes narrowed. "So… even the least gifted cultivator can reach Ling Rou He Yi after 29 simulated breakthroughs?"
She smiled. "You could say that."
After confirming his purchase of the 30 Lingbi package, a detailed price list, contract, promotions, and various subscription options appeared before him.
"No membership. No promotions. No extras. Just the 30 Lingbi package—Ling Rou He Yi, done."
Just as he spoke, the system displayed a payment plan.
"Installments? How many?"
"12 months, 3.3 Lingbi per month. Starting next month?"
Zhang Yu mentally calculated: "That’s over 9.6 Lingbi in total… paid over a year."
"Can I really earn 9.6 Lingbi in a year with the extra cash from this installment?"
Before he could decide, the palace maiden spoke again:
"If you sign up for installments now, we’ll give you a free Heart Match Test—perfectly tailored to help you choose your ideal Second Heart Method."
Zhang Yu nodded. "I’ll do it."
He knew: after Ling Rou He Yi, a Second Heart Method was inevitable.
After signing the contract, he underwent psychological and willpower assessments. Based on his cultivation path, mental state, and Dao Heart Level, the system instantly generated a personalized simulation environment.
(End of Chapter)
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