Chapter 354: The Competition Decision, Taiqing Fulu
After a long silence, Ma Xuan finally replied to Cong Na:
“No need to change him.”
Ma Xuan:
After all, we’re the core team. Whether Ji Yuanchi is strong or weak at this position, the difference isn’t significant.
Ma Xuan:
And Zhang Yu hasn’t trained with us for so long—rebuilding chemistry with him would be a hassle.
Ma Xuan:
Let’s keep Ji Yuanchi.
Though Ma Xuan listed several reasons, he knew deep down that the real reason for not switching Ji Yuanchi had nothing to do with any of them.
Staring at the Ranking chart, Ma Xuan thought to himself: "The old director’s time is almost up…"
He knew that within the Civil Engineering Department, two factions now held real power—the Peace Faction, led by Lin Director, and the War Faction, led by Director Gao.
But the true head of the department, the leader of Ma Xuan’s faction, had been struggling financially for over a decade. Unable to afford the costs of prolonging life, his days were numbered.
“The Finance Department could offer the old director a loan,” Ma Xuan mused.
“For that loan, the old director—who once stayed neutral—has now chosen to side with the Peace Faction.”
Ma Xuan understood clearly: in the department, loyalty and faction alignment mattered more than individual student performance or rankings.
Just then, Cong Na replied:
“If we keep Ji Yuanchi, Zhang Yu might quit the team.”
Ma Xuan:
Then there’s nothing we can do about it…
---
On the 450th Floor, in a 100-square-meter luxury apartment.
Ji Yuanchi stared at the message from Ma Xuan sent through the Competition Team channel. His internal organs trembled violently.
He tried desperately to suppress the shaking, but it was no use. With a sudden puff, he spat out a large mouthful of blood, and his aura plummeted at an unnatural speed.
At this moment, with the results officially announced, he was no longer the number one in people’s eyes.
Their faith in him eroded. The Qi Yun he had been suppressing in his mind scattered like smoke. Even the confidence once placed in him—the belief that he was a Sixth Layer cultivator—began to vanish.
Feeling the collapse of Qi Yun within his body, Ji Yuanchi sneered inwardly:
“These people… I just say a few clever words, and they instantly believe I’m stronger than I actually am.
But as soon as I fail once, they want to crush me into the dirt, dragging my strength down with every passing moment.”
He let out a cold laugh.
He knew well enough—Qi Yun, and human hearts alike—were always either overestimated or underestimated. Never objectively judged.
Yet, as he felt the backlash rippling through his body, a bitter expression crept onto his face.
Back then, when he’d flaunted his strength, drawn in Qi Yun, and used it to amplify his martial energy, refine his Dao Heart, and invigorate his physical blood, his mind and memory had all improved.
Now, with Qi Yun turned against him, not only had those enhancements vanished, but his martial energy became sluggish, his reflexes dulled, and his mental faculties degraded.
It was as if his entire cultivation state had collapsed to rock bottom.
But that wasn’t the worst part.
When Ji Yuanchi tried to activate his techniques, he found that moves once effortless now failed repeatedly—off-key, out of rhythm.
Even techniques he’d mastered at 15th and 18th level now only performed at the level of a mere 10th, or worse, 8th.
His overall cultivation had suffered a severe regression.
“At least a month,” he thought. “I’ll need at least a month to recover…
That’ll cost me classes, and my Base Stats will stagnate…”
Messages kept popping up in his Eye Armor—notifications, updates, reminders—but Ji Yuanchi ignored every single one.
He knew they’d be nothing but mockery, sarcastic jabs, or arrogant displays from others.
But Lin Director’s message? He couldn’t afford to ignore it.
Lin Director:
暂且把 Finance Department 的事放一放。
Lin Director:
Focus on Civil Engineering from now on.
Lin Director:
You must keep Zhang Yu down. Don’t let him take first place again, and certainly not master the Seven Absolute Techniques.
Lin Director:
And when he applies for his Military License in a few years, you make sure to push him down.
Ji Yuanchi’s heart dropped.
“They’re not letting me transfer to Finance Department?”
Ever since high school, Ji Yuanchi had known his life’s goal: attend Wanfa University, master the Three Absolute Techniques in Civil Engineering, then transfer to Finance Department—his lifelong dream, the path he’d sacrificed countless nights and countless hardships to pursue.
But now… that dream had been shattered.
“Stay in Civil Engineering?”
“Master, don’t you know what studying Civil Engineering means?”
“You were the one who told me not to sink in the mud of Civil Engineering…”
Re-reading Lin Director’s message over and over, Ji Yuanchi could almost feel the disappointment radiating from the words.
And beneath it—another meaning.
“You want me to stay in Civil Engineering… to block Zhang Yu? To sabotage him?”
Ji Yuanchi let out a bitter laugh.
He realized, in this moment, he had gone from being a long-term investment… to a short-term weapon.
And for the first time in his life, he truly wanted someone dead.
“Zhang Yu…”
But he knew—killing him wouldn’t help.
Only a victory through sheer, undeniable strength, a rank above him, would win back his master’s favor.
“Defeating Zhang Yu is just the first step.”
“I must graduate as the top student in the department. Then I’ll take the graduate exam for Finance Department and reclaim my life.”
Feeling the weakness in his body, Ji Yuanchi whispered to himself:
“But to reach that goal… I’ll need stronger support.”
With a firm decision forming in his heart, a strange dialog box appeared in Ji Yuanchi’s Eye Armor.
Ji Yuanchi:
I accept your wish.
Ji Yuanchi:
Tell me how to perform the Ritual…
---
On the 667th Floor Construction Site.
Zhang Yu’s dual-headed white ox roared in his mind. His Wuliang Xin Nei Fashen surged forward—now at Level 11.
Feeling his thoughts speed up, Zhang Yu continued to divide his attention—monitoring messages popping up in his Eye Armor while simultaneously channeling Gang Qi to complete the construction tasks.
At the same time, his inner cultivation technique continued advancing steadily under the Ling Rou He Yi realm, growing stronger with each passing moment.
Before long, a full night had passed.
When Zhang Yu returned to his new dorm, he found that everyone else was still absent.
He first retrieved his pre-assembled medicine, took it, and ate it. Not long after, Yu Xinghan returned with a faint smile.
"I've succeeded in becoming a disciple," Yu Xinghan announced.
As a First Layer Foundation Establishment Exam passholder, Yu Xinghan had the same right as Zhang Yu to choose his own mentor.
But like Ciji Zhenjun, the mentor Yu Xinghan selected had also imposed a condition: his academic ranking must remain within the top five of the class.
Failure to meet that standard meant even if he was officially designated, he’d receive no real instruction.
So after the final grades were released, Yu Xinghan brought his scores to the mentor and finally secured his acceptance.
Zhang Yu asked curiously: “Who’s your mentor?”
Yu Xinghan replied:
“It’s Gong Professor—specializing in Construction Site Health Management.”
“Huh?” Zhang Yu blinked.
“Construction Site Health Management? Is there even such a thing? Can that really lead anywhere?”
Yu Xinghan, seemingly understanding Zhang Yu’s surprise, explained:
“Gong Professor is a new professor.
But that doesn’t mean he’s weak.
You must know—now that Daoism is flourishing, every discipline has become increasingly complex and specialized.
Many fields are obscure, and breakthroughs are harder to achieve than ever before.
For someone to reach Jin Dan and become a professor in this era… his talent must surpass even the Golden Core Immortals of decades or centuries past.”
He grinned.
“And besides… I’m genuinely interested in the subject.”
Just as Yu Xinghan and Zhang Yu were chatting, Li Xiao called out from outside, eager to join them for their first class of sophomore year.
Yu Xinghan opened the door.
His eyes widened slightly as he locked onto Li Xiao’s hands.
“You… changed your Spirit Armor?”
Li Xiao smiled.
“Yeah. Finally saved up enough Lingbi. Got myself a Jin Gang Xuan Zao Hand Spirit Armor.”
“Wait—” Yu Xinghan frowned.
“How did you afford Jin Gang Xuan Zao? Is that even real?”
Li Xiao said:
“I wouldn’t buy fake gear. This is genuine Jin Gang Xuan Zao.”
After seeing the Spirit Armor details Li Xiao shared, Yu Xinghan growled:
“You’re so vain! Why’d you spend all your Lingbi on a Jin Gang Xuan Zao? Are you even capable of affording it? Is this zero-down, 30-year installment? People will think you’re faking it just by looking at you!”
Staring at the brand-name Spirit Armor, Yu Xinghan’s morning mood instantly soured.
But then, after scanning the details again, he burst into laughter:
“Nine-handed?!”
He patted Li Xiao’s shoulder, grinning:
“Damn, I was scared for a second—thought you’d finally upgraded your credit limit.
But nine-handed? That’s great! Practical, reliable, performance matches new ones.
We college students—we live by thrift and frugality. Spend where it counts, save where we can.”
As Yu Xinghan and Li Xiao continued chatting, Zhang Pianpian returned to the dorm.
Zhang Yu glanced up at her head and noticed: the senior, now in her fourth year, had risen to 44th in the Spellcraft Department Foundation Establishment Realm.
“Sister’s improved again.”
“But this still isn’t her real strength, right? I remember she’s always controlling her ranking.”
Zhang Yu could imagine her methodically climbing the ranks—slow, steady, gradually rising into the top tier.
Then his eyes moved to her chest, where her Dao Seed—Taiqing Fulu—glowed faintly.
Last night, after his Lingbi savings finally broke 56 million, he’d finally gained the chance to activate the Taiqing Fulu.
Zhang Yu thought: “It’s time to talk to my sister.”
He sent her a message:
“Senior, are you short on funds?”
Zhang Pianpian:
Why suddenly asking this?
Zhang Yu:
You were always in the top 50 of the department, yet you live simply, use plain things.
Are you saving up for something big?
Zhang Pianpian wasn’t surprised.
It wasn’t a hard conclusion to reach.
She replied casually:
“So? You want to lend me money?”
Zhang Yu:
I’ve got 56 million Lingbi. How much do you need?
Zhang Pianpian paused, her eyes widening slightly.
She hadn’t expected Zhang Yu to have saved so much.
For a college student, that was an enormous sum—enough to drive brothers to fight, parents to turn on their children.
Zhang Pianpian stared at him through the screen, then sent:
“You don’t need it yourself?”
“You’re willing to lend it to me?”
(End of Chapter)
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