Chapter 600: Chapter 541: Beginning the Prototyping Machine Forging
Mid-October.
In the dorm room.
Zhang Yu, having just returned from his spiritual training in the Taiqing Realm, saw the delightful announcement from Wanfa University.
Looking at the contents, Zhang Yu thought to himself, "Has the Ten Great Leagues ended?"
"This year’s end seems faster than previous years."
"Tao Qiankun from the Taoist Skills Department got second place in the technique battles. Jiutian Liu from the Finance Department secured first in the fortune battles, and from our Artifact Refining Department, Yan Qianji got second in the treasure battles. Senior Ye Xingli took tenth in the treasure battles..."
Zhang Yu thought to himself, "Even though Senior’s ability to design magic treasures is formidable and can rank within the top five among a hundred schools, when it comes to head-to-head treasure battles, she seems to be slightly inferior compared to top students from other schools."
However, this further made Zhang Yu appreciate Senior’s talent in magic treasure design, driving him to desire replicating her Tao seed.
Zhang Yu also thought, "Yan Qianji, as a Divinity Transformation Disciple, is already the face of our Artifact Refining Department. Did he also lose a match this time and didn’t get first place?"
Looking at the rest of the rankings, Zhang Yu concluded, "The first places in technique battles and treasure battles this year were taken by Sky Demon University and Nether University, respectively."
"Sky Demon and Nether, truly worthy of being among the strongest three of the Ten Great Universities, like Wanfa."
Seeing the names on the leaderboard, Zhang Yu sighed, "The Ten Great Leagues is truly filled with masters."
And thinking about how he must overcome these many top scholars, defeating them one by one to obtain Immortal Sect techniques, Zhang Yu felt a mix of worry, nervousness, and a surge of excitement.
At this moment, he also saw Bai Zhenzhen’s rank of seventh in the sword battles.
"Azhen did well this time, achieving this rank in just her fourth year..."
Zhang Yu sent a congratulatory message to Bai Zhenzhen.
After thinking for a while, he sent a congratulatory message to Ye Xingli as well.
Ye Xingli: Thank you! Had some good luck this time, still need to keep working hard
Reading Ye Xingli’s reply, Zhang Yu thought to himself, "Alas, Senior used to reply with bank transfers, how come she hasn’t transferred any spirit coins recently?"
Zhang Yu even felt a strange illusion recently, as if talking with Ye Xingli felt like chatting with people from the Songyang hometown group.
At this time, Bai Zhenzhen’s invitation appeared.
With Zhang Yu’s agreement, his consciousness crossed numerous Spirit Realms and arrived in a room.
This was a secret room in the Spirit Realm arranged by the Seven Emotions Divine Monarch for him and Bai Zhenzhen, where they used to meet daily.
In an instant upon meeting, Zhang Yu tightly embraced Bai Zhenzhen.
Feeling Zhang Yu’s arms tightly around her, Bai Zhenzhen softly said, "Yu Zi, sorry, I haven’t been replying to your messages, it’s because mom forbade me from contacting you."
Feeling Bai Zhenzhen quietly leaning against his chest, seeing the seldom calm demeanor of his always energetic brother, Zhang Yu smiled and said, "As long as you’re alright."
Bai Zhenzhen asked, "How about you? Did you encounter Demon Sect followers?"
The two continued to embrace as they shared their experiences during this period.
Of course, in the room arranged by the Seven Emotions, Zhang Yu would never reveal his true encounters of fighting the Demon Sect’s Golden Core, only repeating the words already told to the True God.
While discussing the Ten Great Leagues, Bai Zhenzhen also shared news about the changes next year.
Listening to Bai Zhenzhen’s news, Zhang Yu was taken aback, "So starting next year, the results of the Ten Great Leagues will determine more interests distribution among the Ten Great Universities, and the competition process will become even fiercer?"
"There’s also the self-selected Immortal Sect techniques." Bai Zhenzhen solemnly said, "Selecting techniques from the Taoist Collection Catalog, this reward is incredibly enticing."
"Moreover, it’s hard to say if future Ten Great Leagues will ever offer such good opportunities again, this might be the only chance in this particular edition."
Every time Bai Zhenzhen thought of this, she couldn’t help but sigh, "The Taoist Collection Catalog was specifically created by the Ten Great Sects to establish a new Immortal Dao System, intended to record various Immortal Dao materials and reportedly includes all techniques in the world."
"Even with a grain of salt, that it doesn’t record all techniques, or if the Ten Great Sects limit the selection range, the available techniques are still numerous, and they’re all Immortal Sect level..."
"If expert-level techniques are merely routinely powerful, and military-level techniques disregard conventions, then Immortal Sect level techniques can change the game completely, creating a dimensional reduction strike against techniques below Immortal Sect level, belonging to an entirely different hierarchy of techniques."
Hearing this, Zhang Yu nodded repeatedly, feeling boundless longing rise within him.
As Bai Zhenzhen continued, her voice lowered, "It’s a pity, next year... the time is too tight."
Zhang Yu asked, "Will the competition format change?"
Bai Zhenzhen nodded, "The exact situation hasn’t been finalized, but according to rumors, all military competitions will be consolidated into one project."
"One project?" Zhang Yu was shocked, "Does that mean students from technique battles, treasure battles, fortune battles, sword battles, and others will all compete in one track?"
Bai Zhenzhen nodded, sighing softly, "Such a pity, if only it could be delayed by two or three years, we might stand a chance."
"But next year..."
Thinking of the top scholars in the sword battles and other geniuses originally from different tracks, Bai Zhenzhen let out another long sigh.
With her current strength, she already has a gap compared to these senior students.
But Bai Zhenzhen is confident that given a bit more time, she will definitely catch up to these senior students in the future.
However, a year is still too tight, especially since this time the conflict among the Ten Great Universities has erupted. Next year, there’s the bait of self-selected Immortal Sect Techniques, and these upperclassmen will certainly receive full support from their schools and various assistance from the Divinity Transformation Divine Monarch.
This makes it even harder to catch up to these upperclassmen within a year.
Hearing this, Zhang Yu also nodded slightly, but a sense of determination ignited in his heart.
He looked at Bai Zhenzhen and said, "No matter what, it would be a pity to give up on such an opportunity."
"In the coming year, we’ll give it our all to fight for it."
Sensing the seriousness in Zhang Yu’s eyes, Bai Zhenzhen also nodded in agreement.
Just then, the voice of the Seven Emotions Divine Monarch rang out around them: "In this year’s Ten Great Leagues, all military competitions combined resulted in 11 student deaths. Each of them was stronger than you."
"And next year’s Ten Great Leagues will be even more intense and more brutal."
"Meanwhile, the skill level of the next batch of participants will be higher, possibly the most powerful cohort since the establishment of the Ten Great Leagues."
"Zhang Yu, if you rashly participate, you might die."
"And your death might cause a backlash from Zhenzhen’s Extreme Emotion Sword Dao."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu was slightly stunned, then turned to Bai Zhenzhen and said: "Azhen, don’t worry, I won’t die. Whether it’s you or the academic stars from other schools, none of you can kill me."
Bai Zhenzhen nodded slightly, but thought to herself: "If Yu Zi is truly in danger during next year’s competition, even if I am disqualified, I must step in and protect him."
The two continued their conversation, and before leaving, Bai Zhenzhen reminded Zhang Yu: "Yu Zi, from now on, try to take on fewer projects outside of school."
"After this economic crisis, the forces of the Demon Sect have risen significantly, and you know they have mastered the techniques to hijack the Spirit Realm, so there will definitely be more actions."
"And with severe conflicts among schools, in the coming year, regarding the Ten Great Leagues, there will inevitably be various open and secret fights."
"The wilds will definitely become more dangerous..."
...
After ending the contact with Bai Zhenzhen, Zhang Yu focused more on his studies and cultivation in the days to come.
After all, there is less than a year left until the next Ten Great Leagues, and even from his perspective of extraordinary talent, this time is very tight, and he must make the most of every minute and second.
Several days later, as he originally expected, Zhang Yu finally pushed the production skills of more than ten magic treasures to Level 20 through simulated cultivation in the Taiqing Realm.
And the various artifact-refining techniques contained in these magic treasures indeed encompassed the techniques needed for refining the Heavenly Sun Divine Prototype Machine.
At this point, Zhang Yu could finally start the formal refining of the prototype machine.
But he didn’t plan to continue immersing himself in simulated practice within the Taiqing Realm.
"The refining of the Heavenly Sun Divine Prototype Machine must be done step by step, recording every refining, every improvement, every advancement completely."
"In this way, it will be easier for me to pass the review."
If he directly pushes the production skills of the Heavenly Sun Divine Prototype Machine to Level 20 in the Taiqing Realm and then makes a splash in reality by refining the magic treasure to Level 20 for the first time...
"Impressive indeed, but unreal, would likely be deemed as fraud, adding quite a few twists for me."
"Even if all the twists ultimately verify that I’m not faking it, it might still attract unnecessary interest from many people, questioning how I managed to reach Level 20 in my first refinement of the prototype machine."
Zhang Yu thought that this Heavenly Sun Divine Prototype Machine... couldn’t be pinned on Qiongjiang Divine Monarch’s Magic Remains.
"Let everyone witness it firsthand; they’ll understand that I elevate the prototype machine step by step with absolute talent."
Zhang Yu made up his mind to first refine a Level 1 Heavenly Sun Divine.
Then, in the laboratory, conduct repeated refinements and improvements, elevating the Heavenly Sun Divine to Level 20.
And during the repeated refinement process, I can also take advantage of Yu Shu’s convenience to elevate my mastery of the blueprint to Level 20.
However, before beginning the refinement, Zhang Yu first did some calculations.
Due to the interference of the economic crisis, Zhang Yu’s income had sharply decreased over the past period. Apart from the 40 spirit coin subsidy from the laboratory, he had almost no other job income and even used his savings to pay company employees a portion of salaries.
Fortunately, during this time, his cultivation has been completed through simulated practice in the Taiqing Realm, costing Zhang Yu no money, unlike the previous cultivation consuming a significant amount in Artifact Refining Techniques.
Nevertheless, his bank balance at the moment is less than 120 spirit coins, clearly insufficient to complete the prototype machine’s refinement.
Zhang Yu thought to himself: "The refinement of the prototype machine requires at least 300 spirit coins, considering the issue of overspending, and the costs of repeated changes and refinements, it would take at least 400 spirit coins, even 500 to be safer."
"Of course, this is for others; with my talent in artifact refining, perhaps I can save quite a few spirit coins."
"But overall... my current spirit coins definitely aren’t enough."
"I need to earn money."
Although the total number of spirit coins is still quite short, Zhang Yu remains confident.
On one hand, the 120 spirit coins are enough for him to start working, allowing him to earn money while refining.
On the other hand, as the economic crisis has ended, there are countless opportunities to earn money throughout University City at the moment.