Chapter 456: Chairman Zhang

Early January.

At a university battlefield.

This was one of the nodes of a major battlefield array. Not long ago, a skirmish completely destroyed the array node and the fortress above it, leaving only ruins.

Currently, several junior cadets were waiting there. They had been informed that a team from Myriad Law University had taken on the repair project for the site, and their assistance was required.

As they waited, and no one arrived, they began to wonder if the Myriad Law University team would be late.

The cadets felt a tremor beneath their feet. Then, the ground before them exploded outwards, and massive rock formations shot skyward, floating in mid-air as if defying gravity.

Simultaneously, large quantities of construction debris, previously destroyed and buried underground, also surged upwards, as if gripped by invisible giant hands, even reassembling themselves.

A cadet watching the scene exclaimed, "Is this what the construction teams from the Ten Greats are like? Their efficiency is astounding!"

Another added, "Maybe it's a teacher from one of the Ten Greats leading them. Only then could there be such earth-shattering power!"

The next moment, magical artifacts were ejected from treasure chests, rapidly descending upon the construction site from above.

The Sky Blue Cloud-Gathering Pouch released vast amounts of Sky Blue Sand, which poured into numerous Formless Golems, transforming them into workers bustling about.

The Earth-Stabilizing Seal emitted an aura, temporarily reinforcing the temporary structures. The Earth Fiend Bottle ingested and exhaled sand and mud, producing concrete on site.

The Golden Thread Jade Wall projected scorching rays, performing heating operations for various welding and smelting tasks.

In mid-air, Zhang Yu stood on the air. As his hand seals shifted, surging Earth Fiend Gravity erupted, dragging countless materials back and forth, reconstructing the entire site as if it were a set of building blocks.

However, even the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power was not omnipotent.

While Zhang Yu could now perform large-scale topographical alterations and even invert an entire building with a single palm, he still couldn't conjure materials like templates, cement, or rebar from nothing. Nor could he manage all the intricate details of a construction site alone.

This is why Zhao Tianxing and others were operating magical artifacts to assist him in completing the battlefield fortress project.

To ensure the project's completion, Zhang Yu's Soul Cultivator team had once again expanded.

The Ying family had brought in several more ancestors, and Zhao Tianxing's team now included Hu Yuntao and Che Yufei.

Several Ying family ancestors, experienced in both their living construction work and their post-mortem soul cultivation, provided guidance. Under their tutelage, everyone — from the college students Zhao Tianxing and Mo Tianyi, to the new soul cultivators Hu Yuntao and Che Yufei — made rapid progress.

Che Yufei, in particular, as a senior student at Myriad Law University, had long since advanced his Dao Heart to Level 20. After becoming a soul cultivator, the spiritual realm calculation pool he could command was much vaster, and his potential far exceeded that of the college students.

Subtly, whether it was the earlier arrivals like Zhao Tianxing and Mo Tianyi, or the later addition Hu Yuntao, everyone gradually began to look to Che Yufei as their leader.

As he worked, Che Yufei comfortably said to Zhang Yu, "Senior, thank you for giving me this work opportunity!"

Zhang Yu replied, "Junior, I also hoped to have some trustworthy soul cultivators to assist me!"

Che Yufei responded, "Don't worry, we've signed a contract. I won't say anything careless about whatever I see concerning your work here."

Che Yufei added, "By the way, I still can't believe you mastered the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power so quickly!"

Zhang Yu: "It was merely a fortunate coincidence!"

Zhang Yu continued, "My current success isn't just due to my own efforts; it's also because of Kunxu's ongoing development, and Myriad Law University has provided me with many opportunities!"

After a brief chat with Che Yufei and noting his good work status, Zhang Yu turned his attention to Hu Yuntao.

Zhang Yu: "Xiao Hu, are you adapting to the site work?"

Hu Yuntao: "Mr. Zhang... Mr. Zhang!"

Zhang Yu: "Why 'Mr. Zhang'? Just call me by my name!"

Hu Yuntao: "Mr. Zhang, I majored in security at Heavenly Demon University. I've never worked on a construction site before!"

Hu Yuntao continued, "But I promise to double my efforts and learn quickly. I won't let down this opportunity you've given me!"

Zhang Yu: "There's no need to be so nervous; you can learn the work gradually."

After a few casual remarks, Zhang Yu asked, "How is Xiong Wenwu doing now?"

Hu Yuntao: "He's doing quite well. He found a Seventh Tier Master and works part-time as their mount. You could say he's living a good life now!"

After confirming that both Che Yufei and Hu Yuntao were progressing smoothly without major issues, Zhang Yu suddenly had a thought and remarked, "Why do I feel like a boss inspecting new employees?"

Fuki chuckled, "Don't you think you are?"

"In Kunxu, the stronger you are, the higher your income. Having mastered a martial art like the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, you're no longer just a low-level worker."

"Now, with the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, you can single-handedly undertake large-scale projects, then hire labor to handle the auxiliary tasks for you, and earn a profit from them."

Listening to Fuki's words, Zhang Yu felt a strange sensation.

He shook his head and continued to work, simultaneously practicing the techniques of the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power.

The Seven Absolutes Compendium summarizes the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power techniques as the Ten Phases of Star Suppression, referring to ten distinct methods and applications.

These ten phases are not inherently superior or inferior; they are simply suited for different environments and tasks. As the user's cultivation, realm, and the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power's level advance, their effects become increasingly astonishing.

At this moment, Zhang Yu extended a finger, and a subtle, distorted light shimmered at its tip. The transparent atmosphere around it visibly rippled, like an invisible vortex slowly expanding.

The next moment, this invisible vortex shot forth, engulfing the pervasive dust and smoke of the construction site as it moved, gradually condensing them into a sphere of mud and sand.

The Star Dust Bind, one of the Ten Phases of Star Suppression, harnessed the Earth Fiend Gravity generated by the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power. This power condensed into a sphere and shot forth, forming gravitational orbs that could vary in size and range.

Immediately afterward, Zhang Yu's hand seals shifted again, and he struck with another palm from a distance.

With the Chaotic Star Drag, another of the Ten Phases of Star Suppression, the rapidly changing and chaotic Earth Fiend Gravity caused the rock formations seized in mid-air to violently tremble, then instantly shatter into pieces.

Zhang Yu continued to cultivate and work, and in the blink of an eye, several hours had passed.

The Ying family ancestors reported the project's completion status to Zhang Yu.

Among them, Ying Xin's grandfather said, "Of the four soul cultivators you brought in, setting aside the two college graduates for a moment, the one from Myriad Law University and the other from Heavenly Demon University certainly possess great potential!"

"After all, soul cultivators have limited resources, limited lifespans, and therefore limited total working hours."

"Within a finite amount of time, by engaging in more exceptional projects and achieving greater growth, their future prospects will be much brighter."

"Therefore, it's always better to cultivate soul cultivators as early as possible. These two, having only recently passed away, are at a perfect stage for training..."

Zhang Yu nodded slightly towards Ying Xin's grandfather. With deceased ancestors above him and living grandchildren below, this grandfather was truly the pillar of the Ying family, and the one whose words carried the most weight.

What was notable was that the timing of his passing was neither too early nor too late: he wasn't outdated in terms of construction site experience, understood various technologies and projects, and had accumulated extensive experience in the field of soul cultivation.

Consequently, Zhang Yu largely entrusted the current management of the soul cultivators to him.

After detailing various work situations, Ying Xin's grandfather continued, "Mr. Zhang, I believe it's time for you to establish a company!"

"A company?" Zhang Yu chuckled, "What kind of company would I, a university student, establish?"

Ying Xin's grandfather, however, spoke seriously, "You are no longer an ordinary university student. You are a university student who has mastered military-grade power!"

"As long as you continuously take on projects, supporting a team will be no problem."

"Moreover, you also need a team to help you earn more."

"Furthermore, the taxes on personal income are much higher than those on company revenue."

"From what I know, anyone at any university who has mastered military-grade power either holds a position in a large company or runs their own small one."

After speaking, Ying Xin's grandfather grinned, "If you decide to start a company, you could have Ying Xin handle the financial and accounting work. She studied a lot in that area to further her own development!"

Zhang Yu thought to himself, "A company, really?"

"Isn't it too early for that!"

One day later, as work concluded, Zhang Yu received his day's earnings: a total income of over 3 spirit coins.

Earning so much in a single day made Zhang Yu's heart pound with excitement.

"But I still have to share the earnings!"

Next, Zhang Yu began reviewing the work data reported by Ying Xin's grandfather, specifically the construction output of each soul cultivator, calculating their remuneration accordingly.

He then transferred payments to the Ying family ancestors, Zhao Tianxing, Che Yufei, and the others.

As he calculated and distributed the payments, he watched his own share of the money slowly diminish.

At that moment, Zhang Yu couldn't help but recall the words of both Ying Xin's grandfather and Fuki.

"Am I already distributing the project's profits?"

"Am I already considered... a small boss?"

Fuki said, "You really should consider establishing a company."

"Forming a company makes it easier to hire and manage more people, and then earn more money through their work."

"Especially as your cultivation level increases, whether in construction or artifact refining, the larger your project scope and the broader your influence, the more people you'll need for supporting work."

"For the strong, the most crucial role of subordinates isn't to assist in combat, but to help generate income. The greater your ability, the more profit you can extract from more people."

Fuki chuckled, "In Kunxu, true powerhouses establish companies and ruthlessly exploit their subordinates!"

"If you don't operate this way, you'll earn less and pay more in taxes. How then can you compete with other powerhouses at your level?"

Zhang Yu nodded, "Perhaps. I'll research and consider it further when I get back."

After paying out roughly 0.3 spirit coins in total wages, Zhang Yu then paid over 1 spirit coin in taxes. He thought to himself, "I need to establish a company!"

"Once personal income gets high, the Heavenly Court's taxes become utterly ridiculous."