Chapter 6: Freedom

Chapter 6: Freedom

"Damn!"

Bang!

"Damn!"

Bang!

"Damn!"

Bang! Bang!

In the dim cement room, Zhang Yu finally finished the second round of the 36 Body Strengthening Forms, despite the intense pain coursing through his body with each move.

He collapsed onto the ground with a thud, panting heavily.

Feeling his trembling limbs, Zhang Yu knew his body had reached its absolute limit, every inch of flesh and muscle aching and unwilling to move.

But just as he was in this state, the chill and the voice in his mind returned.

"Please adhere to the Ritual agreement, strive to fulfill your wish, and do not deliberately slack off or delay, 10."

"Shit!" Zhang Yu cursed inwardly. "I'm already at my limit!"

"I really can't go on!"

"I have class tomorrow!"

No matter how he pleaded or explained, the Countdown Protocol showed no hesitation or pause.

Seeing the Countdown Protocol about to reach its end, Zhang Yu could only curse and stagger to his feet to continue his practice.

Under normal circumstances, most people find it difficult to push themselves to their true limits when exercising alone.

It often takes a master, teacher, or coach to supervise and strictly demand that one pushes to the limit.

For Zhang Yu, it was the same. If he were on his own, he would have probably stopped after one or two rounds of the 36 Body Strengthening Forms, exhausted and ready to rest.

But the Ritual's power acted like a demonic coach, constantly watching him and threatening him with death, ensuring he did not slack off for a moment.

Third round...

Fourth round...

Fifth round...

All the way to the tenth round!

Under the constant threat of the Ritual, Zhang Yu completed the 36 Body Strengthening Forms ten times!

During this period, the pain in his muscles shifted from tearing agony to sharp stabs, and then to a numbing sensation. He felt as if his limbs were about to vanish.

Meanwhile, every bit of his Qi was being forced out, continuously injected into his damaged flesh.

After the tenth round, Zhang Yu felt as if both his body and Qi were completely drained, like a rag that had been wrung out thousands of times, unable to yield a single drop more.

At this moment, all Zhang Yu wanted was to lie on the ground, utterly unwilling to move a single muscle.

To his relief, the relentless voice did not return, seemingly satisfied that he had truly pushed himself to the limit.

During his practice, Zhang Yu had also gained a better understanding of the Ritual's nature.

"This thing is like an Artificial Intelligence, lacking true wisdom and operating according to certain rules..."

He had seen similar things in movies, TV shows, and news reports. Powerful magical artifacts often contained Spirit Cores, which functioned like AI, capable of handling various tasks and even possessing intelligence on par with humans.

Now, with the Ritual's power no longer pressing him, Zhang Yu could finally relax and feel the effects of the upgraded 36 Body Strengthening Forms.

Indeed, upon completing the tenth round, Zhang Yu sensed that the martial art had advanced.

In that instant, his understanding and comprehension of the 36 Body Strengthening Forms deepened significantly.

Details he had previously overlooked or not fully grasped now flashed through his mind like lightning.

On the Feather Scripture, the initial "36 Body Strengthening Forms Level 1 (0/10)" had changed to "36 Body Strengthening Forms Level 2 (0/20)."

"Just 20 more rounds to advance to Level 3?"

"At this rate, I could quickly push the 36 Body Strengthening Forms to Level 10!"

Zhang Yu knew that in the Foundation Building Stage, martial arts and Dao techniques could only be cultivated up to Level 10.

"By then, even without acupuncture or medication, my training results will match, or even surpass, those of Bai Zhenzhen and the others... No, they will far exceed them."

"With this, achieving the top physical strength in my grade won't be impossible."

The thought invigorated Zhang Yu, and he felt the pain in his body lessen.

"Terrifying, my potential is truly terrifying. Once unleashed by the Malevolent Deity, it's like I'm about to soar to the heavens."

With this beautiful vision of the future, Zhang Yu, exhausted from his physical training, gradually drifted into sleep.

He slept until five in the morning, instinctively waking up as he had done countless times before.

But today, his limbs were sore and weak, and even opening his eyes felt like a monumental effort.

At this moment, though awake, Zhang Yu had no desire to get up. He just wanted to sleep a little longer, even if it was on the cement floor of the Half-Constructed Tower.

"Five more minutes... just five more minutes..."

But just as Zhang Yu was about to linger in bed, the chilling voice echoed in his mind again.

"Please adhere to the Ritual agreement, strive to fulfill your wish, and do not deliberately slack off or delay, 10."

"Shit!" Zhang Yu's eyes snapped open, and he listened carefully to the voice, confirming it was not an illusion. He could only mutter curses as he sat up.

At this moment, Zhang Yu realized the situation might be more serious than he had initially thought.

"From now on, I can't slack off in anything related to my studies, cultivation, college exams, or work... anything that helps me achieve my second wish?"

"24-hour supervision, huh."

With his body still weary and exhausted, Zhang Yu hurried back to his rental apartment.

Feeling the grease and sweat on his body, he quickly paid the 323.4 Aqueduct Fee and took a five-minute shower before rushing to the bus stop.

Looking at the display on the platform, Zhang Yu thought, "The next bus is ten minutes away?"

He leaned against a pole, thinking, "I'll rest for a bit. At least that thing isn't making me practice during this time."

Just as he thought this, Zhang Yu regretted it.

A chill ran through him, and the nightmare-like voice returned.

"Please adhere to the Ritual agreement, strive to fulfill your wish, and do not deliberately slack off or delay, 10."

"Damn..." Zhang Yu cursed. "Is this thing monitoring my thoughts? If I think of a way to improve and don't do it... it will kill me?"

In the countdown, Zhang Yu, despite his fatigue, began the 36 Body Strengthening Forms under the curious, puzzled, admiring, or indifferent gazes of the people around him.

Bang!

With a final punch, Zhang Yu, drenched in sweat, collapsed onto the ground again.

Seeing the approaching bus, he felt incredibly relieved. "Finally, it's here."

Surprisingly, he found a seat on the bus today, which made him even happier.

"Finally, I can rest."

"I'll take a quick nap. Surely, it can't force me to practice on the bus, right? Unless it's Meditative Respiration..."

Just as he thought of Meditative Respiration, Zhang Yu felt a sense of foreboding.

"Please adhere to the Ritual agreement, strive to fulfill your wish, and do not deliberately slack off or delay, 10."

Sure enough, the Countdown Protocol rang out again, forcing Zhang Yu to practice the Elemental Breathing Method while on the bus.

Practicing Meditative Respiration on the bus sounded simple and efficient, but even the old Zhang Yu had given up after a few attempts.

First, the bus environment was too noisy, making it difficult to concentrate.

Second, and most importantly, the early-morning Zhang Yu was too tired.

Finding a seat, he just wanted to rest, unable to muster the energy for Meditative Respiration.

In his previous attempts, he often started to doze off after a short while.

But under the Ritual's compulsion, Zhang Yu had no choice but to focus on his breathing, fighting against the urge to sleep and absorbing the spiritual energy of the world with each breath.

At this moment, he realized the situation was far more serious than he had initially thought.

"This isn't just 24-hour supervision; it's a constant, relentless push to the brink of death."

"As long as this thing is with me, all forms of laziness, slacking off, entertainment, relaxation... will be gone from my life."

"No more weekends, no more holidays. My life will have no joy, every second dedicated to studies, cultivation, and work... until I fulfill my second wish."

Zhang Yu clutched his head, feeling a sense of despair. "I'll become a complete learning machine, a workhorse, with no leisure time, always striving to be the Overachiever King... until this pressure finally breaks me."

He sighed, "If this is how my life will be, what's the point of achieving Immortal Dao and living for hundreds of years? It would just mean enduring hundreds more years of hardship."

"Heaven above!"

The other passengers looked at Zhang Yu, who was hugging his head in pain.

But Zhang Yu could no longer care about their gazes. As the "Please adhere to the Ritual agreement..." countdown rang out again, he straightened up, suppressing his sorrow, and continued the Elemental Breathing Method.

However, a resolve was gradually forming in Zhang Yu's heart.

Until this morning, Zhang Yu had been somewhat lost in this new world.

Although he had dreams of attending a prestigious university, joining a major sect, and achieving Immortal Dao, it was hard to say how much of it was influenced by his previous life's memories and the inertia of his new life.

But at this moment, Zhang Yu finally had a clear goal, something he was determined to achieve, no matter the obstacles.

To become strong enough to remove the Ritual's compulsion.

Zhang Yu wanted... freedom!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end