As Zhang Yu looked at the cultivation techniques recommended on the platform, he couldn’t help but feel curious. “My friend is looking at these? Which friend is checking out these martial arts techniques?” Unfortunately, after logging in with his real name, he realized most of his friends on the platform were classmates from school, and there were too many of them to pinpoint who exactly was browsing these techniques.
“Nine Heavens Rapid Mastery of Eight Talismans?” Thinking about his mediocre score of 60 in the Dao Arts exam, Zhang Yu clicked on it, only to be immediately deterred by the price tag of 98,000. “Talismans aren’t cost-effective. I’ll pass for now.”
He decided to check out the rankings to see what the most popular techniques were. “Longevity and Health Cultivation Technique: Revised Edition, Disease Prevention and Health Enhancement Technique, Brick King’s Detailed Guide to Excavator Palm and Crane Claw, Sports Car Leg Technique: Unabridged Version, Elevator Leap Practical Guide…”
Seeing these techniques aimed at the Qi Refining stage, Zhang Yu was slightly taken aback.
The top-selling techniques were all about extending life, curing illnesses, and strengthening the body.
He understood this perfectly—who wouldn’t want to live longer? And as for curing illnesses, it made sense since hospital bills were expensive.
It was more cost-effective to rely on cultivation techniques to stay healthy.
But the next best-sellers were either strength-based techniques mimicking excavators and cranes or agility techniques inspired by sports cars and elevators… In short, they were all techniques for laborers.
However, after a moment of thought, Zhang Yu realized why.
Compared to high school students like him, most people in the Qi Refining stage were workers—especially those in construction sites, factories, delivery services, and security jobs.
For them, techniques like Excavator Palm, Crane Claw, and Sports Car Leg were tools to earn a living, the very foundation of their survival in Kunxu.
For them, these were the truly useful techniques, far more practical than trying to break through cultivation realms or improve their cultivation level.
Understanding this, Zhang Yu adjusted the filters, setting the age range to 15 to 18. Instantly, the recommended techniques changed to things like “Mana Enhancement Strategy,” “Basic Eight Talismons General Dictionary,” and “Simplified 36 Body Strengthening Techniques…”
Looking at these, Zhang Yu felt they were too basic and simple. “Seems like these are bought by regular high school students.”
He then added another filter—technique grade.
Based on what he’d learned in school, cultivation techniques were divided into five grades: Basic, Advanced, Expert, Military, and Immortal Sect.
It was said that Immortal Sect techniques had even finer subdivisions, but Zhang Yu didn’t know the specifics.
After all, Military and Immortal Sect techniques weren’t accessible to ordinary people.
The former required joining the military or government, while the latter required joining a major sect.
As for the techniques Zhang Yu had, he estimated that his “Zhou Tian Qi Gathering Technique” was Advanced grade, while his “Heavenly Martial Heart Refining Technique” was likely Expert grade.
“Bu Zhou Mountain Moving Scripture, Heart Origin Great Hand Seal, Zhou Tian Star Sword, Bright Heart Scripture…” Zhang Yu’s eyes scanned the Expert-grade techniques, and though he was tempted, he could only shake his head in resignation. “Expert-grade techniques not only have higher cultivation requirements but also cost tens of thousands for the cheapest one. I can’t afford this.”
“Unless the school’s contract really offers me a big deal.” Zhang Yu’s gaze shifted to the Advanced-grade techniques. “I might consider buying a few of these after the contract is settled. Especially ones that suit me and can help me reach Dao Heart Level 3 faster, so I can start practicing the Heavenly Martial Heart Refining Technique.”
After browsing the platform for a while and adding a few promising techniques to his cart, Zhang Yu was about to log off when he noticed a change in the recommendations.
“Your competitor is purchasing: Mana Enhancement Strategy, Basic Eight Talismons General Dictionary, Heavenly Demon Parasitic Technique…”
What the hell? “Are they really using big data like this, pitting users against each other to stimulate spending?”
“Wait… what’s this Heavenly Demon Parasitic Technique?” When the notification said his competitor was buying it, Zhang Yu couldn’t resist clicking on it.
He discovered that the Heavenly Demon Parasitic Technique was an Expert-grade technique that combined abilities like flesh regeneration, organ transplantation, flesh devouring, blood energy compatibility, and human parasitism.
In short, it was a technique for stealing other people’s bodies.
As a former reader of web novels, Zhang Yu immediately felt that anyone who bought this technique couldn’t be a good person. “My competitor? Who’s this demon trying to cultivate the Heavenly Demon Parasitic Technique? Is this even real, or is the platform just messing with me?”
Zhang Yu checked the price—300,000 for the usage rights.
Among the people he knew, only a few could afford this, and with the term “competitor” added to the mix… “Qian Shen? Or He Dayou?” Zhang Yu immediately suspected He Dayou, especially since Teacher Lei Jun had repeatedly shown the video of their fight.
He remembered the hostility in He Dayou’s gaze.
“I’ll have to be careful around these rich people. Cultivating something like the Heavenly Demon Parasitic Technique? They’re wolves in sheep’s clothing.”
But then, in the recommendations below the purchase page, he saw: “People who viewed this also viewed: Anti-Parasitic Technique, Purification Divine Technique, Heavenly Demon Slaying Technique…” Seeing these highly targeted names, Zhang Yu began to doubt his earlier judgment. “Is the platform just trying to trick me into buying something?”
Knowing how companies in Kunxu operated, Zhang Yu wouldn’t put it past them.
He decided to keep this in mind but, before logging off, added the Anti-Parasitic Technique, Purification Divine Technique, and Heavenly Demon Slaying Technique to his favorites.
After a moment, he even added the Heavenly Demon Parasitic Technique to his favorites as well.
“Heh, I hope that guy who’s buying it sees that his competitor is looking at the Heavenly Demon Parasitic Technique, Anti-Parasitic Technique, Purification Divine Technique, and Heavenly Demon Slaying Technique…”
The night passed quickly.
Zhang Yu’s Zhou Tian Qi Gathering Technique improved again, reaching Level 8 (95/160).
His mana also increased to 12.1 after a day of hard cultivation.
The next day, at Songyang High School.
Zhang Yu received a friend request from someone with a dumbbell profile picture. “Hello, Zhang Yu. I’m Lan Ling from the sophomore demonstration class, also the sports minister of the student council. I’d like to discuss something with you. Please add me.”
After accepting the request, Lan Ling quickly sent another message. “Hello, Zhang Yu. To promote the development of immortal Dao in society and help our students achieve greater success on the path of cultivation, we’d like to invite you to discuss a contract based on mutual benefit and cooperation…”
They arranged to meet at the student council office at noon to discuss the contract.
“Finally, it’s here.”
At noon, after freshening up, Zhang Yu arrived at the student council office.
As he knocked on the door, it opened to reveal… another door.
Well, not exactly another door, but a person who looked like a door.
A student with a door-like physique opened the door, smiling and stepping back. “You must be Zhang Yu?”
Zhang Yu noticed the dumbbell in the student’s hand and greeted him. “Lan Ling?”
As they exchanged greetings, laughter came from behind the door-like student, followed by the sound of running footsteps. “Is Zhang Yu here?”
A young man who hadn’t even put on his shoes jumped off the sofa and ran up to Zhang Yu, shaking his hands excitedly. “Haha, I heard yesterday that Songyang High has produced another genius. I’ve been waiting to meet you!”
He pulled Zhang Yu inside.
Lan Ling followed and introduced, “Zhang Yu, this is Zhou Chechen, the vice president of the student council.”
Zhang Yu remembered—this was the top student in the sophomore class, a name he’d seen frequently around school after the monthly exams.
Zhou Chechen pulled Zhang Yu onto the sofa, sitting close to him.
Feeling Zhou Chechen’s tight grip and the admiration, excitement, and enthusiasm in his gaze, Zhang Yu felt a bit uneasy. Is he a fencer or something?
Zhou Chechen reached out, and a stack of documents flew from the desk into his hand. “After seeing your results, I looked into your background. I found out that debt collection calls had been made to the school about you.”
Zhang Yu’s heart sank. Are they going to use my debt to lower the offer?
But Zhou Chechen waved the documents and smiled. “I had someone buy up all your debts. 700,000 in total, across a dozen platforms. How could we let our school’s prodigy be weighed down by debt? If word got out, other schools would think Songyang High is too poor to invest in its own students.”
With a burst of mana, Zhou Chechen turned the debt documents into ash. “From now on, you don’t have to worry about repaying those debts. The 700,000 is on me, no interest, no rush to repay. Just focus on your studies and cultivation. Once you graduate and join a major sect, you can pay me back slowly.”
Zhang Yu was stunned.
The vice president had just solved his most pressing financial issue.
Zhou Chechen then picked up another document. “This is the Class A contract I discussed with the president. 50,000 a month for cultivation expenses, 20% off on spirit roots, meditation rooms, spirit realms, talismans, cafeteria meals, and potions… We’ve even prepared a single dorm room for you…”
As Zhou Chechen listed the benefits, Zhang Yu’s heart raced.
He felt the urge to sign the contract immediately.
(End of Chapter)