Chapter 403: Students from the Alchemy Department
Gong Shuijin followed behind Zhang Yu and Ye Xingli as the three of them stepped into the banquet hall. The moment they entered, the rich aroma of cooked rice flooded Gong Shuijin’s nostrils. Glancing toward the dining table, he saw barrel after barrel of steaming rice, and his mind couldn’t help but marvel at Mo Ejin’s extravagant wealth.
Zhang Yu cast a quick glance at the table as well, and his stomach immediately growled with hunger. After all, these past days had been nothing but studying, overtime work, and cultivation—far too long since he’d last eaten a proper meal.
Just then, a young girl approached them.
She wore only a tiny tank top and shorts, her skin exposed in vast stretches. Yet, at her joints, limbs, and even her fingertips, clear seams and mechanical joints were visible—obvious signs of artificial construction. Even through Zhang Yu’s Eye Armor, he could see the intricate projection lines stitched across her body, along with brand logos and model numbers stamped all over her frame. Every detail was deliberately highlighted, as if the sole purpose of her appearance was to scream: This is not flesh. These limbs are not blood. This body is made of Spirit Armor.
Zhang Yu glanced at the ranking tag floating above her head and muttered inwardly: Alchemy Department, 15th place?
He also noticed something else—every piece of Spirit Armor she wore came from the same brand.
Wandao Jiangzong loyalist? he speculated silently.
The girl stopped in front of Ye Xingli and beamed with a sweet smile. “Senior!”
Ye Xingli introduced her. “This is Feng Tingting, my junior.”
“Tingting, this is Zhang Yu from the Civil Engineering Department.”
Feng Tingting turned to face Zhang Yu. Her eyes flickered toward the number above his head—Civil Engineering Department, 95th place—and her expression flickered with surprise.
95th place?
That number felt alien, distant. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d spoken to someone at that level—probably years ago. Had it not been for Ye Xingli’s introduction, she might’ve simply ignored him.
Then, her Eye Armor flickered slightly, scanning Zhang Yu’s Spirit Armor with precision.
Shican Modong, three-year-old model. Factoring in depreciation, current estimated value: 25.5 Lingbi. But he only has one…
She silently marked a 12.75 above his head—a figure representing his Spirit Armor’s market worth.
Feng Tingting was an extreme Spirit Armor devotee. For her, assessing a person’s worth was simple: scan their armor, check the price, and assign a value. It was how she judged social standing, and how most students in the Alchemy Department operated.
To her, it was perfectly logical—and effective. Why else could one quickly distinguish the elite, the common, and the inhuman?
The future belongs to Spirit Armor.
True flesh is obsolete.
The path of cultivation is simply: earn money, study hard, raise your Martial Energy, and replace every bit of outdated blood and bone with the latest Spirit Armor.
The number of Spirit Armors one possesses reflects their progress along the Dao.
Someone with no Spirit Armor at all? In this age, they’re handicapped.
After marking Zhang Yu with a 12.75, Feng Tingting turned her gaze to the man behind him—Gong Shuijin.
“No All-Department Ranking?” she asked Ye Xingli, frowning slightly. “Senior, is this your new Soul Cultivator? How come he’s still alive?”
Ye Xingli shook her head. “Who’d buy a living Soul Cultivator?”
“This is Gong Shuijin from the Civil Engineering Department. Don’t mind the lack of All-Department Ranking—he’s only in his second year. His Comprehensive Score is still low.”
Gong Shuijin, hearing this, lowered his head in quiet shame.
Ever since entering the venue, he’d been surrounded by students with All-Department Rankings floating above their heads. He felt like a sewer rat, utterly out of place. Standing beside Ye Xingli and Feng Tingting—both radiating high-value Spirit Armor—it only made him feel more grotesque, more flawed.
Feng Tingting nodded in understanding, then marked Gong Shuijin with a 151.
Not bad for a second-year. Evolution level is acceptable.
But… not a single piece of Wandao Jiangzong armor on his entire body?
She shook her head in silent disapproval. To her, choosing any brand other than Wandao Jiangzong was a sign of deviating from the correct path of cultivation.
After all, Wandao Jiangzong wasn’t just a top-tier corporation—it was the long-term partner of Wanfa University’s Alchemy Department. To Feng Tingting, it represented the pinnacle of technological advancement, the true essence of the Dao. It was the only brand that truly mastered the core principles of Spirit Armor.
The others—Tiangong, Jin Gang Xuan Zao—are just selling hype. Nothing more.
She glanced at Zhang Yu and Gong Shuijin once more, then turned her attention to Ye Xingli and the number floating above her head: 1???
The four-digit value—over a thousand Lingbi—made Ye Xingli glow like a celestial being in Feng Tingting’s eyes.
How could anyone not be beautiful with a body worth over a thousand Lingbi?
And the three question marks after the "1"? That was because Ye Xingli’s Spirit Armor had undergone Self-Adjustment. Even Feng Tingting’s level of expertise couldn’t precisely calculate its current value.
To her, this uncertainty only deepened the aura of mystery and perfection surrounding Ye Xingli—making her presence all the more breathtaking.
At that moment, more Alchemy Department students arrived, drawn like moths to flame. Each bore their own Alchemy Department Ranking tag, flocked toward Ye Xingli with eager anticipation.
Upon seeing her, their first instinct wasn’t conversation—it was photography.
Their Eye Armors functioned like precision calipers, meticulously measuring every shift in Ye Xingli’s form, documenting the subtle changes since their last encounter. Every parameter—posture, muscle tension, armor alignment—was recorded as vital data.
Ye Xingli was ranked 8th in the Alchemy Department. Fewer than ten students had higher Comprehensive Scores than her. To Alchemy Department students, she was the ultimate benchmark—living proof of what excellence looked like.
Then, a flurry of messages began circulating between the students and Ye Xingli.
Alchemy Department Student A: [0.1 Lingbi transfer] Senior, is my project recommendation letter okay?
Alchemy Department Student B: [0.1 Lingbi transfer] Night Senior, I want to join Professor Wang’s research group—can you help?
Alchemy Department Student C: [0.1 Lingbi transfer] Xingli Senior, has the group division for next year’s Alchemy Competition been decided?
Another student: [0.05 Lingbi transfer] Feng Senior, do you have any stock on Xingli Senior’s secondhand Spirit Armor?
Feng Tingting: Not yet. I’ll let you know when it’s available.
As the most sought-after figure in the department, Spirit Armor once used and tempered by Ye Xingli was a prized possession among Alchemy students.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yu and Gong Shuijin were completely ignored—unseen, unacknowledged.
Zhang Yu watched the silent exchange, the unspoken communication flowing through their Eye Armors. He knew instantly this was private chatter—something he couldn’t join.
Feeling out of place, he rubbed his stomach and turned toward the food tables.
“Night Senior, I’ll go grab something to eat.”
With a quick nod to Ye Xingli, he walked away.
Gong Shuijin, seeing him leave, hurried after him. Among so many students with elite Department Rankings, he felt suffocated—deeply uncomfortable.
Suddenly, a loud clamor erupted.
“There’s a rule at the dining table—first plate must be consumed in one bite. It’s a sign of respect to everyone.”
“Exactly! We can’t let the ancient dining traditions die with us!”
Zhang Yu and Gong Shuijin looked up to see a group of senior Civil Engineering students engaged in Bulk Rice Eating—gulping down bowl after bowl of rice-filled dumplings with terrifying speed.
Gong Shuijin’s breath caught in his throat. The sheer volume these seniors consumed was staggering.
Strength of digestion reflects physical power and financial status—both indicators of Xian Dao potential.
He understood now: Bulk Rice Eating was a ritual of self-display, a way to showcase one’s cultivation potential.
Will I be forced to do this too?
He glanced toward the other side of the hall, where seniors were relaxing, getting massages, and taking performance-enhancing herbs. That scene looked far more appealing.
Then his eyes landed on a familiar figure.
That’s… Yu Xinghan?
He watched as Yu Xinghan casually introduced a technician to a group of seniors.
So he’s joined his mentor’s Massage Platform and even became a manager?
Meanwhile, Zhang Yu walked toward the food tables with a calm smile.
A senior spotted him and grabbed his arm. “You’re Zhang Yu, right? Made the top seven in the Departmental Competition—awesome!”
“Come on, grab a plate!”
Zhang Yu swiftly devoured three bowls of rice dumplings, showing no sign of strain. The senior students around him exchanged impressed glances.
From afar, Su Yanyang lifted his head, glanced at Zhang Yu, said nothing, then silently clinked his bowl against Ma Xuan’s. Both drank their bowls clean.
Compared to Zhang Yu, Su Yanyang’s mind was elsewhere—focused on Xiao Yunji and another senior, Ping Han.
The Military Civil Engineering Certificate exam only admits one person per year.
Next October’s Military License exam—Xiao Yunji and Ping Han will be my biggest rivals.
As for Zhang Yu? Though he’d beaten him this time, Su Yanyang was certain of one thing: Zhang Yu’s individual strength was still inferior. The Military License exam next year wouldn’t be the moment for him.
Zhang Yu’s probably preparing for the exam three years from now.
But three years… too late for me.
Su Yanyang thought to himself: This year is my best chance.
But I can only claim the license if I defeat Xiao Yunji and Ping Han.
(End of Chapter)
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