Chapter 318: Immortal Sect Technique

Zhang Yu's heart stirred slightly upon hearing Bai Zhenzhen. "The Top Ten League?" he thought.

It wasn't the first time he'd heard those four words, but Zhang Yu, always buried in his studies and work at the construction site, still knew very little about the league.

From his rough understanding, it seemed to be a competition exclusively for university students.

But seeing Bai Zhenzhen's formal attire and hearing her mention the opening ceremony, Zhang Yu realized he might have previously underestimated the importance of the Top Ten League.

As if sensing Zhang Yu's confusion and curiosity, Bai Zhenzhen began to explain, "The Top Ten League is a competition exclusively for undergraduate students from the ten top-tier universities."

"Among its various professional contests, the most highly valued and prestigious is the military competition."

"The military competition evolved from the original Top Ten Martial Arts Contest and now includes military skills and military exercise competitions."

As Bai Zhenzhen explained, Zhang Yu gradually gained a deeper understanding of the Top Ten League.

During these military competitions, contestants and teams from various universities showcase their respective schools' and companies' cutting-edge immortal cultivation techniques.

It serves as both a promotional exhibition for immortal cultivation techniques and a demonstration of power from the participating universities.

It can be said that the results of each year's Top Ten Competition significantly influence the development of various technological fields, investment directions, research objectives, and even the top universities' elite recruitment, the stock performance of universities and companies, and regional resource allocation for the following year.

Bai Zhenzhen remarked, "The Top Ten League doesn't just significantly impact various fields; it also profoundly affects the participants themselves."

"Excelling in the competition, gaining recognition, or even achieving a ranking, not only earns favor from companies and leads to excellent job opportunities but is also crucial for future master's and doctoral studies."

"And if someone can reach the pinnacle, sweeping all individual military competition categories to achieve a Grand Slam, they will be recognized as the strongest undergraduate in the Top Ten..."

As she spoke, Bai Zhenzhen's eyes sparkled, making Zhang Yu feel as if stars were shining within them.

"Those who attain this 'strongest' title will be granted usage rights to an Immortal Sect-grade cultivation technique by the Top Ten Sects... Naturally, after that, they will no longer be eligible to compete in the Top Ten League."

Upon hearing Bai Zhenzhen's words, Zhang Yu's eyes immediately lit up.

Cultivation techniques are categorized into five levels: Basic, Intermediate, Expert, Military-grade, and Immortal Sect-grade.

Since high school, Zhang Yu had primarily used Expert-grade cultivation techniques.

It wasn't until his third year of high school that, through desperate struggle and sheer coincidence, he mastered 'Nine Heavens Cloud Void Energy,' a pre-military-grade cultivation technique, and the complete version of 'Crippled Ox Self-Sacrifice Mind Art,' which was nearly military-grade.

As for Kunxu's true military-grade cultivation techniques, he hadn't yet had the chance to experience them firsthand. He had only once seen a senior, Mo Shangjin, demonstrate the military-grade technique 'Heavenly Kunlun Mountain Moving Divine Power' at an outdoor construction site, which left a deep impression on him.

"Military-grade and Expert-grade cultivation techniques truly have a world of difference; they feel like they belong to different dimensions entirely."

Zhang Yu couldn't help but wonder, "Just how powerful would an Immortal Sect-grade cultivation technique be?"

Bai Zhenzhen continued, "Yuzi, an Immortal Sect-grade cultivation technique isn't just useful during your university years or only at the Foundation Establishment stage."

"As long as you continue cultivating this technique, it will provide a massive advantage even at the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages!"

"After all, many Nascent Soul True Monarchs still don't have access to Immortal Sect-grade cultivation techniques."

Bai Zhenzhen said excitedly, "Just gaining access to an Immortal Sect-grade cultivation technique will make you a cut above the rest in university, standing tall above countless envious and jealous students! You'll become an unattainable presence!"

"Universities will lavish us with resources, companies will queue up to invest in us! We'll have countless doctoral supervisors to choose from!"

Bai Zhenzhen clenched her fists, her cheeks flushed, and declared excitedly, "We'll be directly admitted to doctoral programs, showered with glory, trophies, and spirit coins!"

"Yuzi, don't you want to ascend to the top of the university's hierarchy, trampling those wealthy students from above, humiliating them at will, and ultimately becoming an undergraduate emperor, directly admitted to a doctoral program?!"

As Zhang Yu listened to Bai Zhenzhen's impassioned words, he felt a warmth spread through him, as if he could already envision himself reaching the pinnacle, admired by thousands.

"You've got my blood boiling."

Zhang Yu nodded, clenching his own fist. "Yes, of course I want to," he said slowly.

Bai Zhenzhen smiled. "Then, Yuzi, let's make a pact."

Bai Zhenzhen extended her palm towards him. "Let's participate in the Top Ten League together in the future and see who claims the strongest title first."

As he looked at Bai Zhenzhen's outstretched hand, Zhang Yu felt a momentary daze, as if he was seeing the same Bai Zhenzhen who had once made a pact with him to get into the Top Ten universities together.

And this time, faced with Bai Zhenzhen's invitation, a challenge even more difficult and seemingly impossible, Zhang Yu likewise extended his hand without hesitation.

"A'Zhen, then it's a deal. See you at the Top Ten League."

Thus, across the spiritual network, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen joined hands.

Although there was no physical contact, at that moment, both felt as if they could transcend the spiritual network, sensing the life pulse from each other's bodies and the boundless fighting spirit in their eyes.

After disconnecting.

Zhang Yu looked at Zhang Pianpian beside him and asked curiously, "Sis... Senior, how does one participate in the Top Ten League?"

Zhang Pianpian calmly replied, "Students from the Top Ten universities who are within the Foundation Establishment stage can participate if they pass their school's selection. Normally, only students ranked in the top ten of their entire department get the chance."

Just as Zhang Yu thought the requirements weren't too difficult, he heard Zhang Pianpian continue, "If you're referring to the military competition within the Top Ten League..."

"Then there's an additional requirement: you must possess a military qualification certificate and have mastered the power of a military-grade cultivation technique."

Seeing Zhang Yu's surprised expression, Zhang Pianpian offered a slight smile. "Isn't it normal for a military competition to require military-grade power? Though, I hear the requirements weren't always this high. Over time, the demands of any competition tend to increase."

Zhang Yu thought to himself, "Military-grade cultivation technique? For the Civil Engineering Department, achieving a military-grade technique requires being first in class for seven years. But I want to transfer departments, so perhaps I'll have to consider the military-grade technique from the Artifact Refining Department?"

As Zhang Yu pondered, Fuku Hime searched through the spiritual network, thinking to herself, "Winning all individual military competition categories and becoming the strongest in the Top Ten... No one has managed that in decades, have they?"

"Immortal Sect-grade cultivation techniques are not easily obtained; the waters here run incredibly deep."

"Still, participating in the Top Ten League and achieving good rankings is certainly beneficial."

"Bai Zhenzhen was likely just trying to motivate Zhang Yu."

Then Fuku Hime had another thought, murmuring to herself, "But come to think of it... after so many conversations with Bai Zhenzhen, I still don't know her current ranking at Heavenly Sword University. Is she deliberately keeping it a secret?"

Meanwhile, Zhang Pianpian looked at Zhang Yu, thinking, "The Top Ten League... Given my brother's rapid progress, in a few years... perhaps I really could join him in the team competition."

"If we could achieve a good ranking, I might be able to postpone reporting to the Divine Department right after my bachelor's degree and pursue a master's or even a doctoral degree."

Over the next few days, Zhang Yu continued his daily routine of studying, working overtime, and cultivating.

That night, as spiritual energy surged within him, spreading throughout his limbs and nourishing his body, his cultivation of the Heavenly Fortune Longevity Art finally advanced to Level 20.

At Level 20, the Heavenly Fortune Longevity Art could fully draw in spiritual energy to nourish the physical body without refining it into magic power, significantly boosting the technique's efficiency in body nourishment.

However, Zhang Yu found this effect far too slow. Was he truly expected to rely on painstaking, gradual effort, little by little, to solidify his foundation and cultivate his essence?

"How can this keep pace with Kunxu, or with the Top Ten universities?"

"Compared to slow cultivation, it's clearly more effective to consume more tonics and health supplements."

Returning to his dorm from the construction site early one morning, Zhang Yu spotted a package at the door and knew his order had arrived.

He picked up the package, opened the door, and stepped inside, only to see Yu Xinghan suddenly spin around with a thud, frantically pulling up his waistband.

Yu Xinghan roared, "You damn... don't you know how to knock?"

"Show some respect as a roommate!"

Zhang Yu snorted coldly. "Can't you go outside?" he demanded. "Can't you find an empty spot below the 100th floor? Who's disrespecting this dorm now?"

Yu Xinghan retorted indignantly, "You little punk... don't think I don't know what you and Le Mulan have been doing in this dorm!"

"Huh?" Zhang Yu said awkwardly. "Don't change the subject."

Yu Xinghan scoffed, "Hmph, secretly making money all by yourself and not including your buddy? And here I was, supporting you so much in high school, even spending so much on you."

Zhang Yu replied, "Didn't I repay you? If I hadn't introduced you to Red Tower, you might have already gotten yourself sterilized a second time. How else could you have strengthened your immortal foundation as you did later, achieving your current 'seed freedom'?"

Just outside the dorm, Le Mulan, who had spent the night interning at a pharmaceutical factory, had just returned. As she opened the door, she overheard Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan's conversation.

Listening to their conversation, a hint of awkwardness appeared on her face.

She had thought her actions with Zhang Yu were discreet enough, but apparently, Yu Xinghan had found out.

"How on earth did he know?" Le Mulan wondered. "I was so careful not to let anything slip."

But she quickly pushed that thought aside, turning to another concern: "It seems next time, Zhang Yu and I will have to meet outside. It'll be a big problem if we're discovered here, especially since they'll know I'm letting Zhang Yu earn extra money alone, which could easily sour roommate relations."

Le Mulan understood perfectly that, whether on the first or second layer, in high school or university, earning money without including friends could easily ignite conflicts.

Meanwhile, Xuange stood beside Le Mulan, listening to the conversation from inside the room, and a thoughtful expression crossed his face.

"They've known each other since high school? And they've been using this to strengthen their immortal cultivation foundation since then?"

Xuange's gaze sharpened. "High schools on the first layer... are they really that liberal?"

"And it seems... with quad-cultivation, interpersonal relationships are indeed more complex than with dual-cultivation."

"Who cultivated how many times with whom, who cultivated more, who cultivated less, who ended up losing out or gaining each month—it all involves a complex dynamic of multi-cultivation relationships."