https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-535-Yuhua-Child-and-the-Wuye-Elder/13687239/
Chapter 534: Escalation of the Crisis
Late September. Inside the Laboratory.
Jin Jun glanced at the again-rising prices of raw materials, feeling a quiet sense of relief.
"Good thing I stocked up early on materials for the Tian Ri Huang Shen. I won’t need to restock for another one or two months."
"Hope this wave of calamity ends soon."
Jin Jun stayed indoors, dedicating himself entirely to advancing the Tian Ri Huang Shen project, ignoring the chaos unfolding beyond the lab’s walls.
…
As Yu Xinghan returned from the Company, he spotted several familiar faces long before reaching the door.
Seeing Su Yanyang and Xiao Yunji, Yu Xinghan grinned. "Back for another check-up? Afterward, fancy a massage? My all-time low price."
With the ongoing economic crisis deepening, more and more students were feeling the strain.
Su Yanyang had come to visit Xiao Qingxuan for treatment, holding several bottles of daily-use pills—meant to suppress sleep, sustain energy during fasting, and nourish vital blood—as payment.
Beside him, Xiao Yunji had come to Zhang Yu for spirit armor maintenance, also removing his deformed spirit armor to relieve internal pressure. Of course, Zhang Yu charged for these services—but at a fraction of what other vendors demanded. To Xiao Yunji, it was an unbeatable deal.
Su Yanyang stretched lazily. "Massage? I’d rather just sleep longer."
Yu Xinghan blinked. "Sleep?"
Su Yanyang shrugged. "Sleep cuts down on pills, exercise, energy consumption. It’s the most efficient way to survive this time. Isn’t that the smartest way to live right now?"
Besides Xiao Yunji and Su Yanyang, another figure crouched nearby—Li Xiao, disheveled and unkempt.
Yu Xinghan knew Li Xiao had been showing up every day at Zhang Yu’s place, waiting for Zhang Yu to finish work so he could receive a few doses of martial energy.
During other times, from what Yu Xinghan knew, Li Xiao likely lingered just outside the Underground Cemetery, scavenging stray spirit energy and bone ash.
But today, Li Xiao had brought someone else—a grimy, exhausted man.
"Ji Yuanchi?" Seeing the man turn away, Yu Xinghan sighed inwardly. "Damn… Zhang Yu’s going to turn our dorm into a shelter for every homeless soul in the district."
At that moment, Zhang Yu arrived.
Li Xiao immediately tugged Ji Yuanchi forward, both rushing toward Zhang Yu like two hungry squirrels.
After the feeding, as Zhang Yu disappeared behind the dorm door, Li Xiao sighed. "It’d be great if Zhang Yu could bring us inside too."
Ji Yuanchi said, "Stop daydreaming. Focus on studying. This is the perfect time to pull ahead of those in front and widen the gap behind."
Li Xiao exhaled again, a shadow crossing his mind. If I hadn’t gotten into university… would I be better off now, still in the First Layer’s Xian Du, not forced to beg like a beggar every day? Would life be easier? Happier?
Zhang Yu had no intention of letting Li Xiao or Ji Yuanchi into the dorm.
The dorm was already packed, spirit energy barely sufficient. There was no room—or reason—to bring more people in.
Besides, Li Xiao and Ji Yuanchi weren’t close friends. Zhang Yu feeding them a few doses of martial energy was simply out of mercy—not wanting to see them die on his doorstep.
Fujie muttered bitterly, "Zhang Yu’s getting soft. Those beggars should be beaten and chased off every time. Don’t let their stench stick to us."
Zhang Yu thought to himself: If I were still the Zhang Yu who just arrived in the Second Layer, I’d have turned a blind eye to all this.
But now… I’m richer. Stronger. With some surplus, I can finally make choices based on my own will—not be raped by this godforsaken Kunxu system.
Every time he thought this, Zhang Yu redoubled his efforts in Ling realm cultivation, chasing ever greater power and a brighter financial future.
He also had to admit: devoting most of his time to studying Taiqing Jing, combined with his Alchemy Genius talent, had made his progress nothing short of staggering.
Fubao Shelí, Tihua Zizai Hunhuan, Jiaban Jingu, Mianfei Liantai—each blueprint he mastered, once pushed to Level 20, revealed layers of deep knowledge and technical insight.
Zhang Yu estimated: Another two or three weeks, and I’ll have all the skills needed for Tian Ri Huang Shen. Then I can finally begin refining.
But soon, Wanfa University saw new changes.
First, daily travel time was restricted. Then, Lingjie flow was capped. Soon after, medicines, spirit stones—everything became scarce as spirit energy supply dwindled. Even outdated spirit stones suddenly became hot commodities.
Outside the dorm, Ji Yuanchi suddenly slapped Li Xiao across the face, then leaned in, voice low.
"Unemployed? Are you insane? Do you even know what this is before you touch it?"
Li Xiao winced. "I heard there’s a bonus."
He whispered, "I’m scared… but I’ve got nothing left. I’ll die if I don’t get something."
Ji Yuanchi clenched his teeth. "I’ve got a contact in the Finance Department. I can get you a card—just one. Don’t get more."
Inside the dorm, Zhang Yu’s Eye Armor lit up with a message from Su Yanyang.
Su Yanyang: Zhang Yu, can I borrow some Lingbi?
Su Yanyang: I’ll repay it with bank loan interest.
Zhang Yu: [1 Lingbi]
Su Yanyang: Thanks. Any more?
Zhang Yu: That’s all I have.
Su Yanyang: Be careful out there. Don’t go to places without surveillance.
Meanwhile, Shi Huaixu stared at the medicine he’d bought, muttering, "Damn it… daily limits are bad enough, but short-changing like this? How much are they siphoning off?"
As daily medicine rations shrank, Zhang Yu felt his body grow hungrier by the day. He knew if this continued, lack of medicinal power would starve his vital blood—risking depletion, even a drop in Physical Strength Level.
After all, the more powerful cultivators became, the greater their bodily demands.
So Zhang Yu began searching for more medicines.
His first call was to Ciji Zhenjun and Director Gao.
But with the crisis escalating, both teachers seemed too busy to reply.
Next, he reached out through Yu Xinghan to Li Xuelian—and found the Dark Medicine Market.
But prices there had skyrocketed. Zhang Yu stared at the numbers and backed away in disbelief.
Fujie snapped, "The Pharmacy Department’s definitely flooding the black market. They restrict supply on one hand, then jack up prices on the other."
Then Zhang Yu contacted Le Mulan, who connected him to her mentor, Yin Jiurao.
The same Yin Jiurao who had once used Zhang Yu as material for her thesis—now offered a small supply of extra medicinal agents, at a simple request.
At the office door, Le Mulan looked at Zhang Yu, biting her lip.
"Zhang Yu…"
Zhang Yu smiled, shaking his head. "It’s fine. I’ll be out soon."
Le Mulan clenched her fists. "Just hold on this time. I’ll find a way to get more medicinal agents, fast."
Watching Zhang Yu disappear into the office, listening to the muffled sounds from within, Le Mulan felt a surge of helpless fury. She hated her own weakness—forcing Zhang Yu to trade precious material just to get ordinary medicine.
With a large crate of medicinal agents in hand, Zhang Yu finally felt full again.
Back in the dorm, he lent several bottles to his roommates, and handed half a bottle to Li Xiao and Ji Yuanchi outside.
That night, everyone felt a deep sense of relief as warmth spread through their bodies.
But then—on the live stream, the clash between Hua Shen triggered geological disasters across a thousand-mile radius.
The momentary calm shattered.
Ji Yuanchi froze, his face paling. A bitter, helpless smile tugged at his lips.
Then, under stunned, horrified, and anxious gazes, his body was enveloped in radiant light. His physical form began dissolving, piece by piece, consumed by the Financial Storm. His soul was dragged into the Deep Ling realm.
Witnessing the sudden disappearance of a former Civil Engineering Department prodigy—just from the ripple of a Hua Shen battle—left everyone shaken. Their fragile peace crumbled once more into anxiety.
Hours later, messages arrived from Zhang Pianpian, Ciji Zhenjun, and Director Gao.
Ciji Zhenjun: I’ve sent a batch of medicinal agents. Stay in the dorm. Don’t go out no matter what happens.
Director Gao: Halt all work at the 670th floor. You don’t need to come in. If anything comes up, contact Ciji.
Zhang Pianpian: The Hua Shen are gathering on the field. Some things might escalate. But when the situation escalates… that means higher authorities will step in. The crisis will end soon.
Zhang Pianpian: But until then… anything could happen. Be careful. Don’t wander off.
Zhang Yu felt his nerves tighten from the string of messages. He warned everyone in the dorm to stay put, not to go outside.
As he considered whether to invite Li Xiao inside temporarily, he realized—Li Xiao had vanished.
The next night, the group gathered around the live stream, watching the Top Ten League.
On screen, Dao Qiankun of Wanfa University clashed with Kuang Tianqing of Tianmo University, deciding the fate of the Ten-School Battle’s first place.
Zhang Yu remembered: these two were ranked second and first on the Jin Dan Seed Ranking List. Their Jin Dan Simulation Benchmark Scores were legendary in the Group Chat.
Watching them fight with brutal intensity, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but think: These two aren’t showing their full strength. Not even close.
Then—Dao Qiankun roared, slamming a golden phantom into Kuang Tianqing’s body.
"Battle Upgrade! Break through!"
In that instant, Kuang Tianqing’s aura exploded—growing, surging, spiraling out of control.
Blinding golden light erupted from within, threatening to turn his body translucent. In his lower abdomen, a round, golden Jin Dan phantom emerged.
Kuang Tianqing was on the verge of breaking through to the Jin Dan cultivation stage—under Dao Qiankun’s assault.
But then—without warning—he plunged his hand into his belly and crushed the Jin Dan.
"Dao Qiankun… is that all you’ve got?
Here, take it back!"
He hurled the shattered Jin Dan at his opponent.
"Break this!"
Just as the battle reached its peak—both combatants froze mid-motion, suspended in midair.
Yu Xinghan tilted his head. "What’s this move? Time stopped?"
Zhang Yu shook his head, eyes grave. "No. The video’s frozen."
Everyone reached for their Eye Armor—then gasped in unison.
It wasn’t just the live stream. All Lingjie services had halted.
Shi Huaixu whispered in disbelief. "The Lingjie Network… broken?"
"Did we run out of Lingjie Flow?"
Zhang Yu shook his head. "I checked earlier—traffic wasn’t maxed out."
Yu Xinghan frowned. "Then what’s going on?"
Zhang Yu tried—Sun and Moon Connecting Bracelet, Heaven-Scanning Flying Sword—nothing worked. No connection to the Lingjie.
The Lingjie realm… had vanished.
A cold dread crept into Zhang Yu’s chest.
Is it just our dorm? Or worse—entire floor? Or… the whole of Wanfa University?
At that moment, the ground trembled beneath them. The entire dorm shook violently.
(End of Chapter)
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