https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-53-Monthly-Exam-Ends-Storms-Loom/13686458/
Chapter 52: Hidden Currents
Zhang Yu stared at the pile of items before him—tank top, shorts, wristbands, ankle cuffs, and two large jars sitting beside them.
This was his purchase: weighted training gear and beast meat powder.
The weighted suit—durable, affordable, and practical—was a classic choice for cultivation. It allowed him to secretly push his body without drawing attention from classmates, and could be effortlessly discarded during battles to create a flashy, overpowered impression. A true staple on the immortal path, and one he couldn’t afford to skip.
This time, Zhang Yu had bought a suit totaling 150 kilograms, capable of strengthening his physique even during daily movement.
On the other side, the beast meat powder served as a high-grade nutritional supplement—essential for replenishing the constant blood and flesh consumption caused by his cultivation, helping him grow taller, faster, and stronger.
Together, the two items cost over 4,000 yuan, leaving his savings at just 59,000.
"Ugh… still too poor. Only cheap, commoner-grade gear for me."
Back on the shopping site, Zhang Yu had actually longed for something far more powerful—an External Spiritual Root known as the Berserk Spirit Root, rumored to accelerate metabolism and physically enhance the body by devouring every bit of nutrients it could access. According to the ad, you’d grow stronger even if you ate nothing but feces.
But it was absurdly expensive—40 million yuan.
Spending that much just to experience the thrill of “eating shit and getting stronger” was beyond Zhang Yu’s current reach.
“Ah well… I’ll try the school’s free rental program next time—maybe the Muscle Growth Spirit Root.”
Slipping the weighted suit on piece by piece, Zhang Yu immediately felt his body grow heavier. Simple actions—bending, walking, lifting his arms—now came with overwhelming resistance. Each movement became laborious.
“Huff…”
Before he’d taken more than a few steps, a shout erupted from downstairs:
“Who the hell’s tearing down the building at this hour?!”
Realizing it was his own noise from the suit, Zhang Yu decided to head straight to the abandoned construction site.
Every step felt like dragging chains. His muscles ached, his joints protested. But as he activated the Huangniu Zhenhun Xinfa, a quiet determination surged within him—the longing to steadily increase his Physical Strength Level. The discomfort faded, replaced by a deep, satisfying sensation of constant training.
“Looks like this cultivation method really works on this too.”
His next goal? To keep the Huangniu Zhenhun Xinfa active at all times—maintaining it even while enduring the suit’s burden, using it to continuously elevate his Dao Heart Level.
“24 hours a day—cultivating both the Dao Heart and the body.”
If he could pull it off, he’d accelerate his Dao Heart progress while simultaneously forging a stronger physique.
Thinking about it, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly.
“Can’t help it… those rich kids from the top three schools are all insane.”
“To survive, to get into one of the Top Ten Elite Universities, to enter a major sect… you just can’t afford not to compete.”
Returning to the half-finished building, Zhang Yu sat cross-legged, maintaining the Huangniu Zhenhun Xinfa in his mind, visualizing the vivid image of an old ox tilling the soil. He let his body rest, focusing on keeping the cultivation state steady.
Theoretically, a cultivation method could be sustained indefinitely. Like multitasking—listening to a novel while playing a game. But mental fatigue, external distractions, and complex mental tasks (like solving exam problems or planning combat strategies) often broke the focus.
Though his Dao Heart instructor had said that advanced cultivators could maintain their method as long as their mind remained clear, Zhang Yu had never managed it before.
But since he’d upgraded the Huangniu Zhenhun Xinfa to Level 10 and raised his Dao Heart Level to 2, sustaining the method had become far easier.
It was like before, maintaining the method felt like solving math problems in his head nonstop. Now, it was more like counting from 1 to 1,000—simple, automatic, effortless.
“I should now be able to maintain this cultivation method while doing more complex tasks.”
So Zhang Yu began testing it. After resting, he stood up, walking back and forth while keeping the method active.
It felt like half his brain and half his muscles had been severed—like learning every movement from scratch.
The next night, he returned, attempting light warm-up exercises while maintaining the method.
By the third day, he was adapting—practicing Wuji Yunshou while wearing the weighted suit and keeping the cultivation method running.
At Level 6, Wuji Yunshou was already second nature. Each movement flowed without thought, as if he’d performed it a million times.
Now, with the Dao Heart image in his mind and his body strained under the suit’s weight, he practiced the form.
His Martial Energy surged through his body, vibrating violently with each motion, erupting outward as Wuxiang Yun'gang—a stream of spiritual force.
But splitting focus between the cultivation method and the physical exertion, compounded by the suit and energy drain, slowed his progress significantly.
Three days passed. Only then did he finally push Wuji Yunshou to Level 10.
“Only Level 10?” Zhang Yu muttered, already dissatisfied with the pace.
“Damn… the Feather Scroll still isn’t doing enough. It’s limiting my potential and my self-discipline.”
In the dim light of the abandoned building, Zhang Yu’s Martial Energy rose from his dantian, silently vibrating seven times before spreading through his limbs and erupting from every pore.
For an instant, white mist swirled around him—ethereal, radiant, giving him the appearance of a true immortal.
“This is the effect of Wuji Yunshou at Level 10. The Wuxiang Yun'gang no longer flows only from the hands—it emerges from every part of the body, making every movement both offense and defense.”
But the energy cost was staggering. Zhang Yu could barely last a few minutes before collapsing, forced to stop.
After days of relentless training, his stats had improved:
- Martial Energy: 16.9
- Physical Strength Level: 1.28
- Dao Heart Level: 2 (65%) — still the fastest-growing, thanks to the nearly constant cultivation of the Huangniu Zhenhun Xinfa
---
That afternoon, Zhang Yu had just entered the classroom when a weary middle-aged woman approached a desk, quietly gathering belongings.
Zhang Yu frowned.
Then Zhou Tianyi leaned over and whispered:
“Liang Qin dropped out. That’s his mom, come to collect his things.”
“Wait… what?” Zhang Yu blinked. “Why?”
Zhou Tianyi sighed. “He got into debt—over a hundred thousand yuan from gambling. His parents found out, and they immediately pulled him out.”
“Apparently, they even stormed into the teacher’s office yesterday. Liang Qin kept begging on his knees, but they still insisted on the withdrawal.”
Zhou Tianyi shook his head. “His parents were right. Once gambling takes hold, you’re stuck as a mortal forever. No chance of stepping onto the immortal path.”
“Even if he became a true immortal, he’d fall—lose all his power, go bankrupt, and start over as a commoner.”
Zhang Yu fell silent.
Liang Qin’s gambling habits reminded him of his original self. He thought—if I hadn’t come here, I might’ve ended up like him.
Just then, Bai Zhenzhen grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the classroom.
“The poor bastards finally responded. Sign the electronic contract.”
After Zhang Yu signed, his phone buzzed—two transfers, each 10,000 yuan.
Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen both stiffened.
Bai Zhenzhen grinned. “They actually sent 20,000 at once? They must really value you.”
“Transfer 8,000 to my account. I’ve got plans.”
Zhang Yu didn’t ask. He sent the money and asked, “What’s going on? You’ve been disappearing every day after school.”
Bai Zhenzhen smiled. “Just trying to find a way into the Top Ten.”
“They’re taking us seriously. We need to make them ease the pressure.”
She paused, then added:
“Next month’s Monthly Exam ends—Zhou Chichen will come back to push us to sign. If we refuse again, they’ll bring heavier pressure.”
“And you? You got fourth place in the Mana Competition. They’ll definitely try to force you into a contract. Can you hold out?”
Zhang Yu hesitated. He wasn’t sure.
But seeing her worried eyes, he laughed. “I’ll hold. Just don’t give up on me.”
Inside, he knew the truth.
The Ritual would either break him—or force him to reach the Top Ten. No middle ground.
Just then, that familiar chill surged through his body—his cultivation instinct, urging him to return and train.
“Ah… no time to talk. My strength is the only thing that matters. I’ve got to go.”
Bai Zhenzhen gripped his shoulder. “Remember—when you refuse, blame Ziyun High School or Bailong High School. Say they’re recruiting you. Use that to stall negotiations.”
“Most importantly—don’t let them suspect you want to get into the Top Ten.”
Watching Zhang Yu rush away, Bai Zhenzhen sighed.
“Yu’s getting even more serious these days.”
“He’s under a lot of pressure too.”
“But it’s fine. I’m almost there… I’ll find that guy soon.”
“Not bad, me. Even if Yu beat me by a little in the Mana Competition, when it comes to getting into the Top Ten… only I can protect him.”
---
Meditation Chamber
Zhang Yu, renting the Muscle Growth Spirit Root, felt a fresh surge of vitality with every breath.
With each inhalation of spiritual energy, the root in his body returned a tiny, livelier spark—Growth Spirit Energy.
As his flesh absorbed it, he felt his body move on its own, devouring nutrients with unnatural speed.
For 6 to 12 hours, this state would persist—dramatically amplifying the effectiveness of his Physical Strength Level training.
Wei Xin’s voice echoed over the intercom:
“Zhang, need an extension?”
Zhang Yu exhaled slowly. After a pause, he said:
“Add one hour.”
---
Training Grounds
Wushu teacher Lei Jun was giving Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen private lessons for the upcoming Martial Arts Competition.
Roars and crackling energy filled the air as two figures clashed—like two titans locked in combat.
Zhang Yu unleashed Wuji Yunshou, his fists driving forward with waves of Wu Dao Qi.
But Bai Zhenzhen’s fingers snapped like blades—her movements precise, her attacks targeting the weakest points in his defense.
In an instant, she shattered his barrage.
Lei Jun barked:
“Zhang Yu! Wuji Yunshou is about adaptability, not brute force. Stop relying on strength alone!”
Zhang Yu wasn’t trying to dominate with power—he just couldn’t keep up. Bai Zhenzhen’s combat experience was far beyond his. Without instinctively using Wu Dao Qi to overwhelm her, he was constantly on the defensive.
“How the hell is she so good?”
Even without full effort—only Level 1 Wuji Yunshou—Zhang Yu was still being outmatched by Bai Zhenzhen’s mastery of basic techniques.
“Is she cheating? Can she see through my moves? Is she reading my mind? How does she always hit my weak points?”
---
Days passed in a blur of study, cultivation, and training.
Another week slipped by.
The big day arrived—the Songyang High School Monthly Exam.
And now, eyes from every corner—classmates, teachers, student council members, and countless others Zhang Yu didn’t even know—were slowly turning toward him and Bai Zhenzhen.
(End of Chapter)
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