Chapter 175: The Hunt Begins

Soon after Zhang Yu returned to his apartment, he received a reply from Xiong Haohan.

Xiong Haohan: "Thank you, Zhang Yu. The seeds you introduced this time are of excellent quality. The company is already processing your payment, and it will be transferred to you today."

Shortly after, Zhang Yu received the 100,000 intermediary fee, and his heart filled with joy.

Zhang Yu calculated the money he had earned yesterday, realizing his savings had now grown to nearly 300,000.

However, there was still no reply from Yu Xinghan, which made Zhang Yu sigh, "I originally wanted to discuss the Spirit Realm further with him, but does this guy never stop once he starts working? So diligent, truly worthy of a Golden Core disciple."

A few hours later, Zhang Yu received a message from Yu Xinghan.

Yu Xinghan: "Zhang Yu! This work really makes money and even helps with cultivation!"

Zhang Yu couldn't help but wonder, "Is this kid getting addicted? Am I going to harm him?"

Fu Ji replied, "This was a hurdle he had to overcome anyway. Selling protein for money is better than him spending money somewhere and then having to provide protein, isn't it?"

Zhang Yu took the opportunity to ask about the Spirit Realm.

He received a generous reply from Yu Xinghan: "It's a small matter. I'll give you a 50% discount on tomorrow's Spirit Realm cultivation as a thank you."

Zhang Yu could sense the excitement in his words.

Before Zhang Yu could reply, Yu Xinghan sent another message: "Don't refuse, it's just a small amount. Wait a moment."

Yu Xinghan: "Okay, I've already earned back the 50% discount amount."

Zhang Yu raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, "This kid... his immortal cultivation potential has become even more terrifying."

After arranging the time to log into the Spirit Realm with Yu Xinghan for the next day, Zhang Yu knew that hunting the evil god was next. He couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Although he had resolved not to act recklessly without sufficient assurance, Zhang Yu still felt a sense of nervousness.

Zhang Yu asked, "Have you prepared all the false intelligence to be sent through the Spirit Realm tomorrow?"

Fu Ji replied, "We've discussed it so many times, how could I not be ready?"

"But Zhang Yu, there's something you won't like to hear, but I still have to say it."

"It's about Bai Zhenzhen... Do you intend to keep hiding information about the evil god from her?"

Zhang Yu frowned upon hearing this, and said coldly, "You still want Ah Zhen to undergo the ritual with you, don't you?"

Fu Ji said, as if stating the obvious, "Why not?"

"Given our current relationship, we are partners. Would I harm either of you?"

"Undergoing the ritual to enhance potential is such a good thing, why shouldn't it be done? If Bai Zhenzhen were given such an opportunity, do you think she would give it up?"

"She's such a brilliant student; with such a good chance to improve her abilities, I dare say she'll accept it quickly."

"As for betraying you, that's even less likely given your friendship."

"For her, this is absolutely a stroke of immense luck, a great opportunity that could significantly increase her chances of passing the Foundation Establishment exam."

"It's the same for you. For instance, if Bai Zhenzhen assists in hunting my colleague this time, the success rate will be even higher."

"This benefits both of you; it's clearly a win-win situation. I don't understand why you're so reluctant."

Zhang Yu's reluctance was, naturally, well-founded.

Because according to Fu Ji, the prerequisite for increasing potential was completing the contract ritual.

And the ritual itself necessarily involved fulfilling the evil god's wishes; this was tied to the essence of the ritual, the rules established by the Evil God Kings, which even Fu Ji could not alter.

In other words, after Bai Zhenzhen's potential was activated, she would also be bound by the ritual.

Zhang Yu asked, "What if, after Ah Zhen completes the ritual, you just make a few simple wishes for her to fulfill on the spot?"

Fu Ji sighed, "If I could agree to that, I certainly would."

"But a ritual is like a talisman; it contains many rules that you can't change just because you want to."

"Every surge of a wish is sensed by the Evil God Kings."

"If I casually used up all a contractor's wishes, it would be seen as slacking off and betraying the company's interests. Both Bai Zhenzhen and I would suffer a backlash from the ritual."

Zhang Yu's brow furrowed even deeper upon hearing this, as he realized that if what Fu Ji said was true, then eliminating the ritual's influence would be even more troublesome than he had initially thought.

Fu Ji said, "Zhang Yu, I'm always by your side. What do you have to worry about?"

"Without Bai Zhenzhen's assistance, and lacking the help of such a crucial combatant, if you were to fail when hunting my colleague, wouldn't that also affect Bai Zhenzhen?"

"Moreover, this is an opportunity for Bai Zhenzhen to become stronger, to pass the Foundation Establishment exam, and to get into one of the top ten academies. Shouldn't you let her make her own choice?"

Hearing "Foundation Establishment exam," Zhang Yu sighed helplessly.

It was precisely the pressure from those top immortal cultivators at the Foundation Establishment exam, and the urgency of the second round of the Foundation Establishment exam two months later, that forced him to push forward with his plan to hunt evil gods.

But even if he increased his potential, what about Ah Zhen? In her current state, would she be able to defeat those immortal masters and pass the Foundation Establishment exam in the future?

If Ah Zhen had been born into a wealthy family from Songyang, her talent and strength would have been enough to get her into one of the top ten academies, even without taking the Foundation Establishment certification.

But as a poor person...

Zhang Yu felt he couldn't make this decision for Bai Zhenzhen, so after some thought, he decided to leave the choice to her.

That evening, under the bridge.

After hearing Zhang Yu recount all the information about evil gods, Bai Zhenzhen said in surprise, "Evil gods? Aren't those just urban legends? Do they actually exist?"

Fu Ji, in her doll form around Zhang Yu's neck, spoke up, "They naturally exist. Zhang Yu's potential, for instance, was awakened by me."

Staring at the talking doll, Bai Zhenzhen's eyes widened suddenly, and she fell into shock.

After further explanations, once she confirmed that Zhang Yu was not controlled by the evil god and that the evil god before her was temporarily not dangerous, Bai Zhenzhen's gaze suddenly became fervent.

Her eyes, as she looked at Zhang Yu, seemed to say: "You really opened up! And you waited so long to bring me along? I lent you my true spiritual root ages ago to play with."

Fu Ji asked, "So, if we perform the wish-granting ritual to activate your potential, would you be willing?"

Ever since she started preparing for the Foundation Establishment exam, Bai Zhenzhen had felt an overwhelming pressure constantly pursuing her.

No matter how quickly she progressed or how diligently she cultivated, she always felt it wasn't enough.

Now, hearing what Fu Ji said, Bai Zhenzhen's eyes gleamed as she replied, "Is that even a question? I'm eager to boost my potential immediately."

Zhang Yu sighed inwardly, realizing this was indeed the case, but he still cautioned, "However, after the ritual is complete, you'll have to grant her three wishes. For instance, this fellow's first wish for me was to fulfill a thousand wishes for her. These evil gods are not to be trusted."

Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu and said, "But aren't you temporarily controlling her now?"

"Yu Zi, I must get into one of the top ten academies."

"Since there's a way to increase the probability of that happening now, and I don't have to spend money, then taking a risk... I'm willing."

"This is my own choice. Even if something goes wrong in the future, it will be a price I pay myself."

Zhang Yu nodded slightly, "I understand."

Bai Zhenzhen looked at Fu Ji and said, "So, shall we begin? Can we do it here? Please boost my potential quickly."

Fu Ji gave an awkward laugh and said, "My current power is too weak. I can't do these things yet."

"Before I can enhance your and Zhang Yu's potential, we need to hunt another evil god."

The next day.

Soon after Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan logged into the Spirit Realm together and arrived at the Path-Seeking Hall once more.

Inside a dilapidated apartment.

An old computer screen suddenly flickered slightly, displaying lines of information, all of which seemed to be about Zhang Yu.

A scraggly-bearded man was drawn to it.

The man, Li Quan, was a high school graduate from many years ago. After being 'optimized' by his company at 50, he was currently a top delivery driver.

But secretly, he had another identity: an evil god worshipper.

And at this moment, the evil god he had contracted with was in the form of a bear doll, sitting in a corner of the room, diligently playing a game.

Li Quan looked at the evil god and said, "Master, there's a message from the Shadow Gu that Song Xu asked you to plant."

The bear doll nodded nonchalantly, "Mhm."

Li Quan could only ask again, "What should we do next?"

The bear doll clicked its tongue, impatiently pressed the pause button, and asked, "Are these all from the puppet machines?"

Li Quan nodded, "The intelligence came after jumping through three layers of puppet machines, so the other party shouldn't have discovered our location."

The doll sighed, "Ugh, what a bother. Song Xu is just too diligent. Why does he work so hard?"

The bear doll's name was Huoshan. Although he was an evil god, unlike Fu Ji, who was intent on climbing the ranks and achieving financial and cultivation freedom, Huoshan always thought it was perfectly fine to just stay on one level.

Why bother rising up? In the end, don't the Evil God Kings just take the biggest share anyway?

Instead, he was content to stay on one level, not needing to go to work or take temporary jobs. If he needed money, his followers would work for him.

Even household chores could be done for free by his most loyal followers.

As for anything he lacked or needed, his followers could work hard to buy it for him.

While he wasn't particularly wealthy, simply staying home every day to eat, drink, and play was enough for him.

At least this kind of life, in Huoshan's view, was much better than constantly striving and competing fiercely on the path of evil gods, wasn't it?

Therefore, for a long time, his goal had been to contract 'social workhorses' – specifically seeking out delivery drivers, food couriers, and construction laborers. They could earn money for him, wouldn't easily attract attention, no one would care if they died, and they were all relatively easy to deceive.

It wasn't until Huoshan contracted with Song Xu that things began to change.

"That Song Xu guy... he's too competitive."

"Ugh, maybe we should just forget about hunting this colleague this time. It feels too troublesome. What if something goes wrong? Isn't life pretty good as it is?"