Chapter 394: The Victor's Joy

Inside the magnetic channel, Gongshu Jin sped forward while reviewing the messages he received through his optical-bone interface.

As soon as he made progress, Gongshu Jin posted on his social media about coming in seventh in the civil engineering competition and securing the right to use the Xuanhuang Zhenyue Seal.

To Gongshu Jin, this was only natural. When you make progress, you should flaunt it, otherwise how would your loan limit increase, family ties deepen, blood relations be maintained, or friendships endure?

His post immediately garnered numerous comments. There were congratulations, inquiries about details, offers for emergency funds, and an endless stream of promotions from sellers of medicine, Daoist services, and various immortal cultivation products. Even some fellow fourth-level natives, also residing on the second level, sent him inquiries.

Although Gongshu Jin had joined some groups for fourth-level natives residing on the second level and added some as friends, as a civil engineering student with neither a departmental ranking nor the top spot in his class, he was largely unremarkable among most fourth-level natives. It was rare for them to contact him, and Gongshu Jin's spirits were lifted.

Just then, another person sent him a message.Ji Yuanxu: "Hello, Gongshu Jin!"Gongshu Jin thought, "Isn't this Ji Yuanxu, once the class's top student, now ranked fifth?"

With the final calculation of the competition's composite scores, the already close class rankings underwent drastic changes. Gongshu Jin, Ying Xin, and Yu Xinghan, who were originally third, fourth, and fifth respectively, each advanced one spot, pushing Ji Yuanxu down to fifth place.

Whenever he thought of the sixth-level senior he once had to look up to, now firmly beneath his heel, Gongshu Jin felt that the money had been well spent.

Gongshu Jin: "What can I do for you?"

Ji Yuanxu: "Did your team's other portion of the Seven Ultimates go to Zhang Yu?"

Gongshu Jin: "Yes."

Ji Yuanxu: "The War Faction gave you a lot of support, didn't they?"

Gongshu Jin: "We definitely wouldn't have gotten this far without Director Gao's support."

Ji Yuanxu: "Thumbs up."

After concluding his conversation with Ji Yuanxu, an idea sparked in Gongshu Jin's mind.

"If I can master the Three Civil Engineering Seven Ultimates and the Minor Triad before Ji Yuanxu, then in my future civil engineering career, I might always have an edge over him!"

How could he surpass Ji Yuanxu more quickly?

Gongshu Jin had tried throwing money at himself but failed. Later, he invested heavily in the competition team and successfully acquired the Xuanhuang Zhenyue Seal. "More precisely," he mused, "I didn't just invest in the team; I invested in my confidence in Zhang Yu!"

"I need to maintain a good relationship with Zhang Yu. If another opportunity like this arises, I must seize it firmly!"

"What does Zhang Yu like?"

Information about Zhang Yu surfaced in Gongshu Jin's mind.

"Overtime? Taking medicine? Eating? Massages?"

**Ying Clan Ancestral Temple Group Chat**

Ying Xin: "I got seventh place in the civil engineering department competition."

Ying Xin: "[Screenshot of rankings]"

Third Patriarch: "Excellent, excellent. Was the ash used?"

Ying Xin: "Great-Grandpa, thanks to smearing your ashes on the competition ground, we managed to hold on during the first half of the final match."

Fifth Patriarch: "Now you're considered a staunch student of the War Faction. Next, you should try to find a good teacher."

Fifth Matriarch: "Send the ashes when you need to. If you run out of money, we'll send more."

Fourth Patriarch: "Especially Zhang Yu, you should build a strong relationship with him. It would be best if you could get him to join our family."

Ying Xin: "I've probed him, but I get the sense he's a type of ascetic who isn't interested in such things. His eyes are only on cultivation and overtime!"

Feeling the care from her family elders, Ying Xin smiled faintly.

Suddenly, her gaze sharpened, and she asked, "Where's Great-Great-Ancestor?"

Fifth Patriarch: "The First Generation has temporarily frozen his thoughts."

Fifth Patriarch: "The cost of maintaining his consciousness is getting higher and higher, so he has to choose to freeze most of the time to survive at the lowest cost."

Fifth Patriarch: "But it's fine. As long as we pay his fees on time, he'll be able to last a bit longer!"

Ying Xin sighed inwardly. Even if he could hold on, with more descendants choosing to freeze and the unfrozen ones growing more distant from the First Patriarch... stopping the payments would eventually become a matter of time.

Unless a descendant could rise to prominence, achieve great success, and amass a fortune, it would be impossible for the ancestors to live another lifetime, only to face the inability to renew their fees once more.

Yu Xinghan continuously observed Shi Huaiyu's muscle texture with his Three-Eyed Divine Ability.

Then, with power flowing from his fingertips, he channeled bursts of energy deep into her body.

Simultaneously, a surge of magical power followed, penetrating her meridians.

This was a massage technique Yu Xinghan learned from a professor of construction site health management. It could both condition muscles and tendons, alleviate meridian wear, and improve cultivation efficiency for magical power.

However, while learning these techniques, Yu Xinghan also realized they were equally lethal skills, adept at destroying flesh and meridians.

When he asked the professor about it, the latter chuckled, "It does incorporate some ancient assassination techniques."

"But it's enough for you to know. Modern killing primarily relies on money; with money, you can kill however you please. Without it, you can't even kill a mortal. Assassination techniques are useless."

"You have a great talent for physical therapy and rehabilitation. The university world is changing rapidly, and war clouds loom. I believe that rehabilitation and physical therapy will have enormous markets in many fields, not just construction sites, in the future. You must work hard!"

Watching Shi Huaiyu moan in comfort, Yu Xinghan suggested, "Senior, I can also do a kidney maintenance session for you later. Would you like to get a membership card?"

"It's guaranteed to be more cost-effective than going to a clinic!"

During this period, Yu Xinghan had gradually turned almost all the competition team members into his clients, and through them, he began to acquire more senior-year clients.

Thinking of his steadily rising composite score and income level, Yu Xinghan became even more grateful for joining the competition team.

Just then, Yu Xinghan received a message from Lian Tianji.

Lian Tianji: "Brother Xinghan, I saw your social media post. Congratulations on getting seventh place in the competition!"

Yu Xinghan: "I saw the photos you posted on your social media too. Is that girl your classmate from Hehuan University?"

Lian Tianji: "That's me!"

Yu Xinghan: "Ah?"

Lian Tianji: "After successfully establishing my foundation, I transferred to the Foundation-Building Yang-Extreme Class. Here, only the top student in the class can be a man!"

Yu Xinghan: "What?"

Lian Tianji: "Conversely, in the Yin-Extreme Class, only the top student can be a woman!"

Lian Tianji: "I carefully considered it before choosing a class, and in the end, I decided to endure hardship first for later enjoyment!"

Just then, Shi Huaiyu, under Yu Xinghan's touch, groaned in pain and said, "Yu Xinghan, what are you doing?"

Yu Xinghan apologized profusely and refocused his attention on Shi Huaiyu.

At the same time, a voice echoed repeatedly in his mind.

"Zhang Yu. Hehuan University is not our paradise."

"But what if one goes not as a local student, but as a tourist...?"

Yu Xinghan had to admit that his interest was piqued.

Just then, Li Xuelian also sent a message.

Li Xuelian: "Good results. My investment in you and Zhang Yu wasn't wasted!"

Li Xuelian: "I've connected you with a group of injured security department students."

Li Xuelian: "See if you can get their business!"

Back in his dorm, Yu Xinghan was about to tell Zhang Yu about Hehuan University, but a glance at Zhang Yu's current state told him he was on a call with Bai Zhenzhen.

Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu and happily said, "Your team came in seventh in the departmental competition this time?"

Zhang Yu nodded, recounting the competition process, which brought a broad smile to Bai Zhenzhen's face on the other end.

Bai Zhenzhen: "Great! Now we're both getting closer to the Top Ten League!"

Zhang Yu nodded, "Yes, Ah Zhen, let's improve together. We can even enter the sect together someday!"

Fu Ji thought to herself, "One is participating in an inter-school league, the other in a departmental competition. The gap is huge. Bai Zhenzhen is really flattering Zhang Yu!"

Bai Zhenzhen: "Haha, was the Azure Silk Flying Sword Mom gave you useful in this competition?"

Zhang Yu: "It's useful, alright, but there's too little of it. Can I get more?"

Bai Zhenzhen: "Do you really think it's as simple as plucking a hair? That's forged from the Sword Intent of Seven Emotions; it's not something you can just get on demand."

Bai Zhenzhen: "Besides, as your strength increases, this Azure Silk Flying Sword will become less and less effective. You can just get a new magic treasure then!"

Zhang Yu, however, shook his head and said, "There's no need to replace it. Even if I don't use this Azure Silk Flying Sword for combat, it can connect to the network at crucial moments. I want to keep it with me always!"

Bai Zhenzhen suddenly asked curiously, "You always carry it with you?"

Zhang Yu smiled and raised his right hand, showing the Azure Silk Flying Sword wrapped around his finger like a ring. He said, "Yes, I always carry it. It can connect to the network in the wilderness, cut materials on construction sites—it's very convenient!"

Bai Zhenzhen looked at the strand of hair on his finger and asked, "So... you don't wear it when you're playing, do you?"

Zhang Yu paused slightly, then immediately retorted with annoyance, "That's not 'playing'; I'm working, I'm earning money! Don't forget, I supported you bit by bit until you graduated high school!"

Bai Zhenzhen: "Right... 'work'!"

Bai Zhenzhen then added, "By the way, can you please stop talking so much nonsense with Wen Wuya?"

Zhang Yu nodded, "I get paid just for sending random stuff every day. I can't stop!"

Bai Zhenzhen rolled her eyes. "Every time he sees me now, he talks about civil engineering and construction sites. He's driving me crazy!"

Zhang Yu said, "I'll think of something!"

After Bai Zhenzhen ended the call, the voice of the Seven Emotions Divine Monarch echoed in her ear: "What do you two think Wen Wuya is?"

Bai Zhenzhen was startled by the sudden voice, then patted her chest and said, "Zhang Yu's wallet, of course!"

The Seven Emotions Divine Monarch asked curiously, "Even now, do you still not feel that the gap between Zhang Yu and you is too wide?"

"Let alone Zhang Yu himself, even the most outstanding students in his department are nowhere near Wen Wuya!"

"Wen Wuya is the kind of friend on your level, and in the long run, he's also a more suitable connection for you!"

Bai Zhenzhen said, "Mom, if everything is about money and profit, is that still true emotion? Can one still cultivate the Extreme Emotion Sword Dao?"

The Seven Emotions Divine Monarch replied calmly, "If wealth and profit are integrated as part of what measures emotion, why can't that also be the Extreme Emotion Sword Dao?"

Bai Zhenzhen said, "But if one can transcend all of that and propel sword intent with pure, ultimate emotion, isn't that what you'd rather see, Mom?"

"Are you trying to guess my thoughts?"

The Seven Emotions Divine Monarch smiled, "The time and life of a God Transformation cultivator are far more vast than you imagine. Instead of trying to guess my intentions, you should spend more time recognizing your own true desires!"