https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-445-Want-to-know-how-I-beat-you-/13687089/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-447-Gaining-the-Four-Supreme-Arts/13687091/
Chapter 446: The Victor Has Already Won, the Loser Does Not Lose
As the twenty strikes from Nine Heavens Cloud Sky expended their power in an instant, Ping Han roared in fury, bursting from the earth and unleashing a storm of scythe-like blades in fierce combat with Zhang Yu.
The thunderous explosions echoed like thousands of lightning bolts tearing across the Battlefield.
Ping Han’s blade energy transformed into a torrent of emerald light, blazing like a dazzling comet.
Zhang Yu’s countless palm imprints, radiating intense golden and white qi, surged forward like a sky-ripping vortex, relentlessly engulfing Ping Han.
The clash of green and gold energies tore through the Battlefield, each moment erupting in the sound of countless massive detonations.
Ping Han felt each strike of his blade was twisted and deflected, redirected into a barrage of palm force aimed at him.
Worse still, that force carried Zhang Yu’s own strength—Golden Thread Jade Disc, Di Shasha Bottle, Zhendi Yin—all continuously transformed through Jiuxiao Yun Kongjin, amplified into a relentless storm of palm strikes.
In the brutal exchange, Ping Han realized he was being utterly overpowered.
He attempted to escalate his techniques again, unleashing Human Dao Flood—but it had no effect on Zhang Yu.
Inside his mind, Ping Han thought: Did he shut down his Eye Armor?
Indeed, Zhang Yu had deactivated his Eye Armor. After completing Jianbao Jue, analyzing and memorizing Ping Han’s weaknesses, he had temporarily disabled the armor.
Now, he stood entirely bare—no Spirit Armor, no enhancements. Every move came from his raw body, martial energy, and Gang Qi.
Every ounce of strength, every thread of thought, was pushed to the absolute limit—solely to crush Ping Han.
Strike! Strike! Strike again!
Ping Han felt as if he were being swallowed by an endless tide of palm shadows.
Zhang Yu loomed before him like a tsunami, unstoppable. No matter how many blade waves he unleashed, they were always doubled back with devastating force.
Boom!
Another palm slammed into Ping Han’s back—but he remained upright, unshaken, continuing the fight with cold resolve.
How long can you keep this up? Ping Han thought. Do you really believe your martial arts can pierce through my armor?
After all, the years of training can’t match the price of a high-end armor.
But then, Zhang Yu’s assault showed no sign of slowing. Soon, Ping Han’s shock turned to hesitation, then disbelief.
When he finally sensed Zhang Yu’s momentum waning—thinking the man had reached his limit—seconds later, the assault surged back to its peak.
Ping Han’s confusion deepened into bewilderment, then sheer astonishment.
Then, as a new blow struck his leg, a sharp crack echoed from within his armor.
What?
In an instant, more cracks erupted through the armor. Gang Qi surged in, hammering against Ping Han’s body.
Boom, boom, boom!
Blood mist began erupting from his body with each impact.
He roared, trying to retreat—but a bloodied, mangled figure slammed straight into his face.
“Ping Han!” Zhang Yu, drenched in crimson Gang Qi, seized his arm.
Zhang Yu: “If the money in Crypto Trading is truly yours, why won’t you give it everything?”
“Don’t talk nonsense!” Ping Han snarled, swinging his other hand, slashing with blade energy.
In a breath, they were locked in close-quarters combat.
Ping Han’s blades sliced through Zhang Yu’s blood-streaked aura, while Zhang Yu’s palm strikes hammered through the cracks in Ping Han’s armor, tearing into his flesh.
Then—suddenly—Ping Han felt his Spirit Armor go dead. The hand that had just summoned blade energy collapsed, lifeless.
What?!
In shock, Ping Han watched as the blood-streaked Zhang Yu seized his head.
“Ping Han,” Zhang Yu said coldly, “the financial pressure from Crypto Trading has made you too afraid to go all in.”
“Because that money… isn’t really yours.”
With his other hand, he unleashed a crimson wave of Gang Qi, striking Ping Han’s limbs in rapid succession—shutting down his armor at hands and feet.
Zhang Yu added: “A tiny bit of risk, and your position collapses instantly.”
“You can’t fight with everything because you’re scared—scared of market swings, scared of leveraged losses, scared of not having enough to cover your margin.”
“So even at the end, you still hold back. You’re too afraid to gamble everything.”
Boom!
Zhang Yu yanked Ping Han’s head forward and slammed him into the ground.
Ping Han’s body stretched into a black line, and Zhang Yu surged after him—punching him into the earth again.
“Fight back, Ping Han!”
“You still have strength, still have funds—why won’t you strike?”
“Are you afraid your balance will vanish, and you can’t face Qiongjiang Coin’s volatility?”
Ping Han gritted his teeth, glaring at Zhang Yu, who kept pummeling him into the dirt. He wanted to fight—but each time, he held back.
Crack!
Zhang Yu shattered Ping Han’s chest plate, then gripped his head, coldly demanding: “Surrender.”
“Isn’t that what’s going through your mind?”
“Because you know you can’t win.”
“And fighting further only hurts your Crypto Trading.”
Ping Han stared, eyes wide, his face twisted with shame and fury—exactly as Zhang Yu had predicted.
At that moment, the crowd erupted in despair. The sky above the battlefield filled with flashing, frantic text projections.
“Don’t do it, Zhang Yu! Let go of Ping Han!”
“What about the Coin Price? You’re ruining it!”
“Please stop, Zhang Yu!”
“Useless Ping Han!”
Zhang Yu, now fully reactivated Eye Armor, looked up at the sky and bellowed: “Stop your damn Crypto Trading! If it’s that easy to make money lying down, why would it ever be for you?!”
He shook Ping Han violently. “Look at him! After this, will he still be a threat?”
For a moment, the sky went silent.
Then—laughter.
Ping Han pointed at his chest, where the Coin Price glowed. “It’s rising again.”
“16.91!”
“Everyone! It’s rising!”
Zhang Yu swung a final punch into Ping Han’s skull—CRACK!—a burst of blood mist exploded from his helmet.
But then, Ping Han dropped to his knees.
“Zhang Yu… this victory is yours.”
“You’re right. In my eyes… you’re not as important as Crypto Trading.”
He removed his armor, his helmet, then raised one hand to the sky, the other pointing at his chest.
“Look!” he shouted. “The Coin Price is rising again!”
“Don’t panic! A little competition in the Civil Engineering Department? It can’t affect Qiongjiang Coin!”
“This is Hua Shen’s grand plan! The more you buy now, the faster it rises—the more you earn!”
Zhang Yu stared at the battered, blood-covered Ping Han—nose broken, face swollen, eyes bruised—but grinning like a man who had just won the world.
And yet, he stood there, radiating triumph, as if he were the true victor.
Above, the sky’s text projections shifted—then coalesced into a flood of repeating words:
Buy! Buy! Buy! Rise! Buy! Rise! Rise!
Zhang Yu, staring at the endless wave of text, could almost feel the Spiritual Network, where countless distorted, feverish faces stared back.
Beside him, Ping Han laughed wildly. “Come on, everyone—buy Qiongjiang Coin! Let’s charge forward on the immortal path!”
Charge! Charge! Buy! Rise! Buy! Charge!
Zhang Yu felt a deep, quiet sorrow rise in his chest.
These people…
Fujie said: “Don’t overthink it. The poor don’t live for anything else—except being harvested by the rich.”
“Ping Han was right. The poor aren’t even people—just ghosts.”
“Qiongjiang Coin is their trial. Only those who survive it can become human.”
“And even then, how many are fighting just to climb one layer?”
Zhang Yu mentally replied: I think I’ve failed the task Director Gao gave me.
Fujie chuckled: Director Gao never expected you to do it alone. This is Hua Shen’s war. You’re just collateral.
Zhang Yu’s eyes flickered. Hua Shen’s war? You mean… Qiongjiang Coin has already threatened other Hua Shen interests? Someone’s going to step in to take down the Qiongjiang God?
Fujie said: Of course. Every university, every junior college—none are untouched by Hua Shen’s influence.
To stand firm in it is already a miracle. To swim against the current? Impossible.
As Fujie spoke, Zhang Yu’s gaze fell on a message appearing in his vision:
Che Yufei: Senior, are you really selling?
Shi Huaixu: Junior, you’re dumping everything?
Su Yanyang: Brother, is there real risk?
Fujie grinned. “See? You’ve already made an impact. Someone’s being shaken.”
At that moment, Ji Yuanchi and the other five teammates all surrendered.
They hurried to join Ping Han, then left the battlefield—no signs of defeat in their eyes. Instead, they chattered excitedly about the Coin Price rising.
Meanwhile, as Zhang Yu and his teammates left, he noticed something strange.
Except for Xiao Qingxuan, every one of them wore looks of deep anxiety, hesitation, and inner conflict—no joy, no victory.
Zhang Yu couldn’t help but say: “If you’ve bought Qiongjiang Coin, sell it now. You’ve already made a profit.”
Che Yufei nodded. “Yeah, I’m selling right now.”
Zhang Yu turned to the hesitant Shi Huaixu. “Sister, sell it.”
Shi Huaixu struggled. “But… it’s still rising.”
“Maybe… wait a few more days?”
Zhang Yu sighed, shaking his head. He didn’t push further.
Then, Xiao Qingxuan spoke quietly: “Huaiyu, sell it. Don’t go back to losing everything like before. Don’t go back to using a Ghost Kidney.”
Shi Huaixu looked at her earnest face, then gave in. “Fine, fine… I’ll sell.”
…
Above the battlefield, Jiutian Liu chuckled. “Well, it’s clear—this is the people’s will.”
“Zhang Yu may be stronger than Ping Han—but he can’t stop the people’s desire to get rich.”
Yan Qianji sneered. “People’s will? I see nothing but your Finance Department manipulating the crowd, spreading rumors, stirring up emotion.”
Jiutian Liu laughed. “Qianji, you misunderstand us too much.”
“If you like, come to our department. I’ll explain everything—and help you find funding. Your Alchemy Department’s lab budget is clearly insufficient.”
Yan Qianji tilted his head. “Jiutian Liu… your department will be purged again soon.”
“When you sell your assets, make sure to leave me a few pieces of your physical body and Spirit Armor. I’ll pay top price.”
Jiutian Liu smiled. “Economy’s weak. Many of your Alchemy factories are losing money. When you go bankrupt, send me a message—I’ll buy your assets at fair value.”
Their gazes locked across the spiritual realm, then both vanished.
From then on, Zhang Yu stopped worrying about Qiongjiang Coin.
He studied, cultivated, competed—living a quiet, ordinary life at university.
(End of Chapter)
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