Chapter 63: The Assassination, and a Friend

Chapter 63: The Assassination, and a Friend

Inside the Half-Constructed Tower, after waiting for over two hours, Zhou Tianyi finally believed he had a chance to ambush Zhang Yu.

But the lightning-fast attack was met with a surge of Vitality Qi from Zhang Yu's back, catching Zhou Tianyi off guard.

Zhou Tianyi had only one foot on the ground when he kicked out. The sudden rebound from the Formless Cloud Qi left him unsteady, and he was sent flying backward.

"What!"

Zhang Yu had only been practicing the Infinite Cloud Hands for less than a month. How could he already be able to emit Vitality Qi from his back?

The moment Zhou Tianyi felt the powerful surge of Vitality Qi, shock overwhelmed him.

But before he could recover, a menacing figure was already charging at him, appearing right in front of him.

Previously, Zhou Tianyi had only seen Zhang Yu from a distance while he was practicing. He had thought Zhang Yu looked impressive, but now, face to face, he truly felt the intensity of that presence.

A wild, murderous intent and boundless fighting spirit. Under the influence of the Heavenly Martial Cultivation Heart Sutra, Zhang Yu seemed like a demonic entity, and Zhou Tianyi felt an overwhelming urge to flee.

But as Zhou Tianyi instinctively took a step back, Zhang Yu immediately attacked with full force.

Seeing the masked figure (Zhou Tianyi) who had attempted to ambush him, Zhang Yu, under the influence of the Heavenly Martial Will, was fully in combat mode.

Fight, fight, fight! Crush all enemies to dust!

Level 10 Infinite Cloud Hands unleashed its full power.

Zhang Yu's palm struck out, and Spiritual Power surged from his Dantian, oscillating seven times in an instant, transforming into a torrent of Formless Cloud Qi that poured forth.

Faced with the overwhelming Formless Cloud Qi, Zhou Tianyi knew it was a matter of life and death. With a roar, he gathered all his strength and kicked out with his remaining leg.

Boom!

The moment the two forces collided, Zhou Tianyi felt his Spiritual Power falter. The Formless Cloud Qi struck him like a truck, sending him flying until he crashed into a nearby concrete wall.

The wall cracked with a loud bang.

Zhou Tianyi fell to the ground, surrounded by shattered concrete and bricks.

He tried to struggle to his feet, but the pain was excruciating. He didn't know how many bones or muscles were broken, and he collapsed again.

Zhang Yu slowly approached, his eyes still filled with the murderous intent from the Heavenly Martial Cultivation Heart Sutra. He looked coldly at the masked Zhou Tianyi and asked, "Who are you? Why did you attack me?"

Zhou Tianyi didn't answer, instead assessing his injuries, his mind dark with despair.

Injuries this severe would cost a fortune to heal and could severely impact his Xian Dao cultivation, possibly even destroying his path to immortality.

As he was lost in thought, Zhang Yu tore off his mask.

When he saw Zhou Tianyi's face, Zhang Yu's expression showed a moment of surprise. "Zhou Tianyi?"

Zhou Tianyi's mind raced. He looked at Zhang Yu and said, "Zhang Yu, do you know why you were admitted to Songyang High School?"

Seeing Zhang Yu listen, Zhou Tianyi continued, "It's because your physical body matches that of certain wealthy individuals. They selected you to be cultivated in high school."

"Like many other poor students at Songyang High School, your physical body's compatibility is a hidden criterion."

Zhang Yu frowned. He didn't immediately trust Zhou Tianyi but asked, "Why Songyang High School? Couldn't they cultivate you elsewhere?"

Zhou Tianyi sneered. "Do you think Songyang High School is just a simple place? There's a far more complex and dark side to it."

"Poor students at Songyang High School can be their dogs, or they can be spare parts. Of course, they need to be cultivated uniformly, alongside the same cultivation practices."

Zhang Yu suddenly thought of the Heavenly Demon Parasitic Technique. Could one of the students at Songyang High School be cultivating this technique?

Zhang Yu stared at Zhou Tianyi. "So, you were sent by the Student Union?"

"Songyang City is complicated..." Zhou Tianyi shook his head but suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

In his state under the Heavenly Martial Cultivation Heart Sutra, Zhang Yu showed no mercy to the masked attacker, dealing lethal blows.

Zhou Tianyi felt the severity of his injuries and knew he needed immediate treatment. If not, his Xian Dao cultivation would be severely impacted, and his life might be in danger.

His eyes flashed with urgency, and Zhou Tianyi spoke faster. "Zhang Yu! You were awakened by the Ebon Deity, right? You gained some ability from it?"

Zhang Yu's gaze sharpened, but he remained silent, unwilling to reveal his contract with the Ebon Deity.

Zhou Tianyi continued, "You don't need to deny it. You..."

His face flushed with pain, and he struggled to speak.

"Zhang Yu... we're on the same side..."

"Take... take me to a nearby clinic."

Seeing Zhang Yu's inaction, feeling his life slipping away, Zhou Tianyi's eyes grew more desperate. "I... I have an Ebon Deity behind me too. That existence... is very interested in you..."

At that moment, his body temperature rose, and sparks of fire appeared on his cheeks.

Fear flashed in Zhou Tianyi's eyes as he shouted, "I didn't mean to say it, I didn't really say it! Wait, I was just using him..."

Feeling the fire intensify, Zhou Tianyi finally cursed, "Idiot!!"

"This idiot!"

In the next moment, a burst of crimson flames erupted from his body.

Watching Zhou Tianyi turn to ashes in an instant, Zhang Yu's brow furrowed.

"Zhou Tianyi was an Ebon Deity's subordinate?"

But thinking of the Eight Divine Authorities' greed for money and the Ebon Deity's demand for lives, Zhang Yu realized the Ebon Deity wasn't without its advantages.

After all, the Kunxu Realm was filled with poor people who had no money but plenty of lives to give.

"Perhaps the Ebon Deity has many followers in the Kunxu Realm."

Looking at the dissipating ashes, he thought, "Was this a ritual backlash?"

"Seems like a contract ritual gone wrong."

Reflecting on the events of the day, Zhang Yu wondered, "Have I caused too much trouble, drawing the Ebon Deity's attention? No, Zhou Tianyi has known me for a long time. Was he watching me all along?"

His heart sank, but he knew he couldn't confide in anyone about this.

The three prestigious schools, the Student Union, the Ebon Deity... thinking of his future opponents, Zhang Yu sighed, "I must strengthen myself."

Especially after defeating Zhou Tianyi, he realized that if he hadn't been strong enough, he would have been at the mercy of his opponent.

Recalling the day's events—the trials in the illusion, the protection from Zhang Pianpian, and the victory over Zhou Tianyi—Zhang Yu had a sudden realization and smiled.

Previously, he had felt a mental conflict between the Wild Bull Soul-Stilling Art and the Heavenly Martial Cultivation Heart Sutra. But now, he thought, "When to fight and when to retreat. Adapt to different situations with different mindsets. Such a simple truth, why was I conflicted before..."

At that moment, the flow of the Heavenly Martial Will became even more harmonious, and switching between the Wild Bull Soul-Stilling Art and the Heavenly Martial Cultivation Heart Sutra felt seamless.

"Keep practicing."

Whether facing hidden enemies or opponents from Songyang High School and the prestigious schools, Zhang Yu needed to further enhance his strength.

The night passed, and Zhang Yu's Heavenly Martial Cultivation Heart Sutra reached level 6 (41/60).

Elsewhere.

In the office of Songyang High School.

Su Haifeng, listening to the voice on the other end of the phone, was surprised. "He suffered a ritual backlash and died? He betrayed?"

Listening to the other side, Su Haifeng nodded repeatedly. "I will cooperate with you to handle Zhou Tianyi's withdrawal from the school."

"Don't worry, no one at the school will notice anything unusual."

"But how should we handle Zhang Yu next?"

"To be honest, the Board Trustee, the Student Union, the inspection team... I think he has attracted too much attention. Since Zhou's hidden move has failed, the rest of us aren't suitable to take risks and expose ourselves. Perhaps we should temporarily let Zhang Yu be and observe other candidates."

"After all, Zhang Pianpian can only protect him for half a year at most..."

...

Songyang High School.

The school remained calm, filled with the atmosphere of learning.

Zhang Yu felt this calm, watching students focus on their studies and cultivation, as if the intense conflict at the Training Ground the previous day had never happened.

Even the disappearance of Zhou Tianyi today went largely unnoticed by the class. Only a few heard that he had withdrawn, much like Liang Qin, without causing any significant ripples. After all, withdrawals were not uncommon at Songyang High School.

But Zhang Yu noticed some subtle differences.

For instance... no students were willing to approach him anymore.

The classmates who occasionally greeted him, asked questions, or sought cultivation advice... were suddenly gone.

It was as if an invisible barrier had formed around him, driving away all the surrounding students.

He knew why.

"All afraid of being implicated by the Student Union, they don't even dare to speak to me?"

Snap!

Bai Zhenzhen casually placed his tray on the table and sat opposite Zhang Yu.

Seeing Ah Zhen, Zhang Yu was relieved to have such a good friend.

Bai Zhenzhen quickly started eating and looked at Zhang Yu. "Feather, lend me the Talisman Codex for a few days."

Zhang Yu retracted his previous thought. I don't have a friend who would casually borrow a valuable item worth 100,000.

Snap!

Qian Shen also placed his tray on the table and sat next to Zhang Yu.

Zhang Yu smiled. Although Old Qian's grades were a bit lower and he had a bit of a bias against low-scoring students, he seemed to be a reliable friend.

Qian Shen ate a few bites and then suddenly asked, "That... 699-score Zhang Pianpian, are you close with her?"

"Can you introduce me? I want to add her as a friend..."

Zhang Yu glared at Qian Shen.

He retracted his previous thought.

You little brat!

I consider you a brother, and you want to hit on my sister?

Do you even know if you have a place in her heart?

But Zhang Yu then thought about Qian Shen's situation as an outsider and saw the admiration in his eyes.

Zhang Yu understood. This is a fan who wants a friend spot, right?

Zhang Yu said, "Adding a friend should be no problem."

"But it costs 3000. Just transfer it to me."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end