After receiving Bai Zhenzhen's agreement, Zhang Yu said, "I asked around, and there's still a shortage of teachers for high school foundational techniques over there. I've been watching you practice lately, and your level in these techniques shouldn't be low, right?"
Bai Zhenzhen's foundational high school techniques had already reached levels 4 and 5 over two months ago.
Since then, she had experienced something unprecedented in her life—gradually releasing the constraints on her spiritual root and using it to cultivate like crazy.
This brought her an experience she had never had before.
With her spiritual root active 24/7, it became more and more in sync with her, and its effects grew stronger.
Now, her foundational high school techniques had almost all reached levels 9 and 10. Such astonishing progress was enough to catch the attention of countless powerful figures and even the company.
So... should she tell Zhang Yu?
But then she thought about how Zhang Yu had even confessed to her about the dangerous business of the dark tutoring world.
As partners who had agreed to aim for the top ten schools together, wouldn't it be too unkind to keep hiding this from him?
"Anyway, Zhang Piaopiao already knows."
"Besides, I've been thinking about letting Yu try using my spiritual root soon. He'll find out eventually..."
With that in mind, Bai Zhenzhen immediately leaned close to Zhang Yu and whispered in his ear, "All the foundational techniques I learned in high school, I've basically reached levels 9 and 10."
Although Zhang Yu had already suspected that Bai Zhenzhen had some kind of advantage, he was still slightly surprised when he heard this.
He then recalled what Wa Wa had mentioned about spiritual roots during lunch and thought to himself, "Could it be related to the spiritual root in Bai Zhenzhen's body?"
Wa Wa, who overheard Bai Zhenzhen's words, was also shocked: "What the hell? Where did this freak come from? Did someone unlock her potential?"
Seeing Zhang Yu's stunned expression, Bai Zhenzhen first smiled proudly, then, with a hint of showing off, she leaned in again and whispered, "Do you want to know how I did it?"
Zhang Yu scratched his slightly itchy ear and said, "You can tell me whenever you feel like it. If you don't want to, that's fine too."
It's just a cheat, right? As if he didn't have one.
Zhang Yu then brought up the topic of the dark tutoring world: "I'll go ask again tonight about which high school foundational courses are the most popular and which ones are short on teachers. You prepare well these next few days, and I'll take you to try out a class."
Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu in surprise, thinking to herself, "Is Yu really not curious at all about how I managed to push my foundational techniques to levels 9 and 10 so quickly?"
She had been planning to tell him, but seeing Zhang Yu's indifferent expression made her lose all interest in showing off.
It was like a child wanting to show off their treasure, only to find that the adults didn't care at all.
"Hmph, when my spiritual root is ready for you to use, let's see if you'll beg me then."
With that thought, Bai Zhenzhen huffed and ran off to train by herself.
Over the next few days, aside from preparing for the tutoring sessions with Bai Zhenzhen, Zhang Yu spent most of his time fully focused on cultivating the Red Marrow Primordial Qi.
One day, while practicing on the rooftop with Bai Zhenzhen, Zhang Yu's muscles and tendons continuously emitted low rumbling sounds.
He was constantly refining his muscles, internal organs, bones, and even his bone marrow.
Under the nourishing effects of the Primordial Qi Pill, he could feel his physical strength improving bit by bit.
Zhang Yu could sense that this cultivation wasn't just improving his physical strength.
His body's foundation and innate talent seemed to be growing stronger as well, thanks to the Primordial Qi Pill.
"Although the top ten sects in the Kunxu Layer have rules that no one can truly start cultivating until high school, or else it's considered illegal cultivation punishable by death..."
"But the rich aren't like the original Zhang Yu, who lived in poverty until high school."
Zhang Yu now knew that the wealthy in Songyang City started training from a young age.
Even if they didn't officially start cultivating, they underwent various surgeries, took supplements, and used other methods to enhance their potential and foundation before high school.
Even someone like Zhao Tianxing, who came from a less wealthy family, had been fed all sorts of supplements by his parents since elementary school.
In other words, most students at Songyang High School weren't like the original Zhang Yu, who started cultivating with a completely natural and unaltered body.
Zhang Yu speculated, "Maybe it's because of this gap that the original body had poor drug resistance, which led to problems with his internal organs from taking too many pills."
But now, after cultivating the Red Marrow Primordial Qi and taking the Primordial Qi Pill, Zhang Yu felt that his muscles, internal organs, bones, and even his bone marrow were gradually becoming fundamentally stronger.
It wasn't just about getting stronger through wear and tear, like when he practiced the 36 Body Strengthening Techniques in the past.
Under the combined effects of the Red Marrow Primordial Qi and the Primordial Qi Pill, he felt his blood and energy becoming more vigorous, his digestion improving, his metabolism speeding up, and even the waste and toxins hidden in his organs being gradually expelled.
"If I keep strengthening my foundation like this, my body's potential will grow, and it'll be easier to improve my physical strength in the future."
"Especially since my internal organs are feeling more and more comfortable... If this continues, I should be able to take more body-refining pills for cultivation, right?"
Just then, his phone rang.
Zhang Yu answered and found that it was Song Hailong calling.
Song Hailong: "Zhang Yu, I'm calling to let you and Bai Zhenzhen know that our training sessions are canceled from now on."
"Huh?" Zhang Yu was surprised.
"Are you sure?"
Song Hailong said, "Thanks for your hard work over this period. It's helped me improve a lot in ground combat."
"But you must have noticed, right? My physical strength is improving faster and faster. You won't be able to keep up."
Zhang Yu thought to himself that he could now take the Primordial Qi Pill continuously, so his physical strength would definitely catch up to Song Hailong's in the future.
He was about to try persuading Song Hailong to keep paying for the sessions.
But then Song Hailong continued, "You're excellent, but I've found an even better sparring partner. And since my time is limited, I have to end our cooperation."
Zhang Yu asked curiously, "Who is it?"
He wanted to know who was stealing his business.
Song Hailong gritted his teeth and said, "Yu Xinghan."
From Song Hailong's tone, Zhang Yu could almost picture him with a twisted expression and veins popping on his forehead.
Song Hailong continued, "He's the top-ranked first-year student in the recent monthly exams."
"Heh."
Song Hailong laughed sarcastically.
"He needs a sparring partner and thinks I'm the most suitable in White Dragon High's first year. So he's paying me 10,000 yuan an hour to be his combat sparring partner."
"I don't care about the money, but challenging this guy every day and slowly surpassing him is exactly what I want."
"Alright, that's all. Keep cultivating, or I might not even see you in the sports competitions..."
Hearing this, Zhang Yu could only suppress his original intention to persuade Song Hailong.
What else could he say?
Damn, his employer had now become someone else's employee.
Someone stronger was paying Song Hailong to spar with him.
How could he compete with that?
Zhang Yu silently hung up the phone and relayed the unfortunate news to Bai Zhenzhen.
Bai Zhenzhen sighed upon hearing it.
"Damn, our income just dropped again. Looks like we have no choice but to go to the Dark Study Gang for tutoring. I'll prepare a bit more, and we'll go in a couple of days."
Bai Zhenzhen thought about how she and Zhang Yu were doing gang-related work, struggling for a few thousand yuan an hour in tutoring fees.
Meanwhile, Song Hailong was earning 10,000 yuan an hour just by sparring with a strong opponent.
Bai Zhenzhen couldn't help but sigh, "Damn, why is it so easy for these rich people to make money?"
...
Two more days passed.
Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen met at the agreed-upon subway station.
With the Red Marrow Primordial Qi in effect, Zhang Yu had once again transformed into the image of "Teacher Ma."
As for Bai Zhenzhen, after taking off her mask, her face, arms, and neck were covered in tattoos, and she had long blonde hair.
It wasn't until Zhang Yu checked his phone that he recognized her.
What the hell? When did Bai Zhenzhen become a tattooed warrior? A rebellious girl?
Seeing Zhang Yu's shocked expression, Bai Zhenzhen said with disdain, "Didn't you say we needed to disguise ourselves? You have the Red Marrow Primordial Qi to change your appearance, so I had to use some temporary tattoos, a wig, and padding to change my look. I'll wash it off when I get home."
"With this and the mask, no one should recognize me, right?"
"And I don't look like a high school student anymore, do I? Otherwise, how would I pass the interview?"
Zhang Yu's gaze shifted from Bai Zhenzhen's tattoos to her chest, hips, and shoes.
He thought to himself, "So she used padding? No wonder her figure looks bigger. With the tattoos and wig, she really doesn't look like a high school student at all."
But thinking about the upcoming interview for the tutoring position, Zhang Yu couldn't help but ask, "Won't all these tattoos be a problem during the interview?"
Bai Zhenzhen replied, "What kind of gang interview would reject someone for having tattoos?"
"Besides, I think this is the style the Dark Study Gang should have. Look at the words I put on—doesn't it show my determination to be an illegal tutor?"
Zhang Yu looked at the tattoos on her face: "Endless Homework," "Classes Every Day," along with images of desks, chairs, classrooms, and blackboards.
He suddenly felt that this was indeed the style he had seen in the Dark Study Gang.
Wa Wa commented, "Based on my years of experience in the underworld, her tattoos are definitely a plus for the interview. At least from the looks of it, she seems more like a Dark Study Gang member than you do. She gives off the vibe of a high school teacher who's in deep debt and forced to sell classes."
"Alright then," Zhang Yu nodded and led Bai Zhenzhen, who had put her mask back on, toward the Dark Study Gang's territory.
However, since they were bringing Bai Zhenzhen this time, they first took the subway.
After getting off the subway, Zhang Yu looked at the remaining distance and said, "There's still quite a bit of road left. I'll carry you the rest of the way."
(End of Chapter)