Chapter 470: Widely Anticipated

A moment later, 30 spirit coins were deposited into Yu Xinghan's account.

He then transferred 3 spirit coins to Zhang Yu, who had assisted him, and 1 spirit coin each to Gongshu Jin and Ying Xin.

“I made a profit,” Yu Xinghan thought to himself, looking at the extra 25 spirit coins in his account. He felt the trip was well worth it, even with the injury.

However, Yu Xinghan’s experience thwarted True Monarch Tianzhang’s original plan.

“Yu Xinghan failed.”

“So far, only Zhang Yu has successfully completed a normal dual cultivation test.”

“What’s the difference between the two?”

“There are too many differences; it’s impossible to pinpoint them.”

“The best approach is to have Zhang Yu continue participating in the tests to gather more data.”

True Monarch Tianzhang mused, “But it would be too expensive to have him continue with the tests.”

To True Monarch Tianzhang, 30 spirit coins was by no means a large sum; he could easily produce it.

However, once testing began and the number of sessions increased, it would inevitably become a significant expense.

Although it wasn't his own money being spent, he valued the project highly and didn't intend to squander the funds.

But if he wanted to compel Zhang Yu to participate in the experiment…

“He’s an elite student from the Civil Engineering Department who obtained a military certificate in his third year. If we directly request him from the department, their asking price probably won’t be low.”

“Relying solely on me…”

Feeling he might not be able to handle it alone, True Monarch Tianzhang thought of True Monarch Ciji.

True Monarch Tianzhang: Ciji, I hear you have a good relationship with the Civil Engineering Department.

True Monarch Tianzhang: Is there a way to lower the price and get this Zhang Yu to participate in the experiment?

True Monarch Ciji: No rush.

True Monarch Ciji: The situation isn't clear yet. Let's complete the next few batches of tests first.

True Monarch Ciji: Then, we'll summarize the data and hold a meeting to decide whether to use Zhang Yu.

Upon hearing this, True Monarch Tianzhang nodded slightly, realizing he had been too eager. True Monarch Ciji’s advice was indeed sound; it was better to gather more data and, incidentally, let Zhang Yu stew a bit.

Meanwhile, Qiongjiang Nü 48 watched Zhang Yu’s retreating figure and thought, “He’s someone who can trigger the non-interference list.”

“I wonder what his situation is… could he be somewhat similar to me?”

On the way out of the laboratory, Yu Xinghan kept asking Zhang Yu about his experience in the lab, finally remarking with envy, “Ah, your luck is incredible! You increased your Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power so much in one go.”

Zhang Yu replied, “I’d rather not have gained this improvement through such luck.”

He mused, “The most important thing in cultivation is self-reliance. Only power gained through diligent, step-by-step hard work is the best and most stable.”

Next, Zhang Yu returned to the construction site and began his new work.

Although this experiment didn't bring him compensation, it allowed him to openly display the power of his Level 15 Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power.

At the construction site, roars echoed as an invisible force tore through the mountain, causing it to suddenly disintegrate and collapse. It then soared skyward like a black dragon, casting a vast shadow as it hovered in mid-air.

Witnessing this cataclysmic scene, employees like Zhao Tianxing, Mo Tianyi, and Hu Yuntao were utterly stunned.

Gazing at Zhang Yu in the sky, who seemed to stand atop the black dragon, causing the earth to tremble with a mere wave of his hand, Zhao Tianxing inwardly sighed, “Zhang Yu seems to have grown much stronger again.”

Recalling moments when Zhang Yu used to share a table with him in high school, Zhao Tianxing felt a profound sense of melancholy, thinking, “Before I knew it, Zhang Yu has reached a level beyond our imagination.”

As for Zhang Yu, having advanced his Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power to Level 15, he felt a complete sense of ease, like his body had moved from a small cage to a large one.

“Finally, I can have fewer restrictions and exert more of my true strength.”

Just then, Director Gao sent him a message, inquiring about the experiment.

Zhang Yu then repeated the same explanation he had given to True Monarch Tianzhang.

Director Gao asked Zhang Yu to see him the next day to test his cultivation.

This was not because Director Gao distrusted Zhang Yu. With True Monarch Tianzhang's confirmation and True Monarch Ciji's presence, Director Gao believed Zhang Yu's cultivation had indeed increased due to the experiment.

He was primarily concerned that such an increase in cultivation might have adverse side effects, which was why he wanted to test it.

Over the following period, news of Zhang Yu's participation in the experiment, his subsequent rapid increase in cultivation, and his Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power breaking through to Level 15 spread like wildfire throughout the Civil Engineering Department, making him the object of widespread envy.

Zhang Yu, however, remained unfazed, as this cultivation was, after all, the result of his own diligent practice.

He continued his daily routine of studying, cultivating, and working overtime… steadily accumulating his strength bit by bit.

Meanwhile, in the artifact refining laboratory that day, fierce lightning surged and was tightly contained by the surrounding equipment. A moment later, a thumb-sized, metallic square seal appeared before Zhang Yu.

This was a new magical artifact he had refined, called the Thunder Quelling Seal, capable of absorbing and discharging lightning to create protective strikes.

Especially when facing long-range attacks like flying swords, it could instantly unleash lightning to deflect their trajectory and neutralize their power.

With multiple Thunder Quelling Seals, one could even form a small array, deploying layers of lightning nets for defense.

Zhang Yu naturally refined this Thunder Quelling Seal to compensate for his flying sword's defensive capabilities, preparing for his upcoming confrontation with Heavenly Sword University.

“My foundational data has reached the limit of the Foundation Establishment stage.”

“But in terms of strength, I am far from the peak of Foundation Establishment.”

Zhang Yu thought, “A student who has mastered only one military-grade cultivation technique should only be considered in the third tier of strength among the top ten undergraduate stages.”

“I still need to master military-grade magical artifacts, military-grade spirit bones, and more military-grade powers to be considered truly top-tier among university students.”

However, Zhang Yu understood that for him, having already mastered the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, the Civil Engineering Department could hardly offer him further opportunities for advancement.

“To master military-grade magical artifacts, military-grade spirit bones, and even more military-grade cultivation techniques, I must go to the Artifact Forging Department.”

At this moment, Zhang Yu's accumulated knowledge in artifact forging, besides updating artifacts to enhance his strength, was also preparation for his future cultivation in the Artifact Forging Department.

“There’s a little over half a year left until I’ll likely transfer departments.”

“I hope everything goes smoothly.”

Just then, Zhang Yu received a message from True Monarch Ciji.

True Monarch Ciji: Go to the laboratory.

True Monarch Ciji: True Monarch Tianzhang needs to see you about something.

True Monarch Ciji: Please cooperate with his work as much as possible.

Since Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan's tests concluded, the project team had arranged many more batches of people for testing, but none had succeeded.

Because this series of experiments had taken quite a long time, and the project team's decryption work had not yielded results, some people began to voice complaints, even suggesting a change in project leadership.

It was at this point that news of Zhang Yu from the Civil Engineering Department breaking through to Level 15 in Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power spread, and it was seen as a success for the Yin Artifact Decryption Project.

Inside the laboratory, True Monarch Tianzhang said to Zhang Yu, “The progress you achieved in cultivation during the experiment demonstrates our university’s advancements in Yin artifact technology, reaching a leading inter-university level.”

“After learning of this success, several chancellors have placed high hopes on this project.”

“In particular, Divine Monarch Wanhua has given instructions, hoping we will redouble our efforts to implement the technology as soon as possible.”

Zhang Yu's heart stirred upon hearing this. He was no longer a first-year student and was well-informed about many things and people at the university.

He knew that Divine Monarch Wanhua was one of the Three Transformed Deities of Ten Thousand Laws University, overseeing the university's research in immortal cultivation technology. All aspects from the application for large-scale research projects to the formation of project teams and the conversion of technological achievements fell under his purview.

And Yan Qianji from the Artifact Forging Department was a disciple of Divine Monarch Wanhua.

“Even Divine Monarch Wanhua is paying attention to this project?”

Zhang Yu inwardly thought, 'This is trouble.' His success with the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power had absolutely nothing to do with Ten Thousand Laws University’s dual cultivation technology. What would happen when the truth was exposed?

True Monarch Tianzhang mused, “This is problematic. How can Divine Monarch Qiongjiang’s dual cultivation technique be fully deciphered so easily? The artifact spirit is not cooperating well now, and forceful decryption would inevitably lead to data loss.”

“It’s better to test a few more times.”

With this in mind, True Monarch Tianzhang planned to arrange another test for Zhang Yu to collect more data.

However, just as the price was settled and the test was about to begin, he noticed the Yin artifact circled Zhang Yu but made no further movement.

“Hmm?”

True Monarch Tianzhang, noticing this, paused slightly and sent out another wave of spiritual energy, but the Yin artifact still did not activate against Zhang Yu.

“What’s going on?” True Monarch Tianzhang wondered, “Can’t it activate?”

On the other side, Zhang Yu also sensed something was off. Watching the Yin artifact circle repeatedly, he thought, 'Is it malfunctioning? It seems Ten Thousand Laws University's technology in this area is still not very mature.'

True Monarch Tianzhang tried repeatedly. Observing the Yin artifact, which remained unactivated, his curiosity grew.

“It didn’t even activate its detection function? This has never happened before.”

“When facing Zhang Yu, this Yin artifact either performs a normal dual cultivation, improving the subject's cultivation, or it doesn't activate at all. Why is there this strange phenomenon?”

The next moment, as True Monarch Tianzhang repeatedly urged it, the Yin artifact seemed to reach its limit. With a whoosh, it shot directly into Zhang Yu's palm.

Qiongjiang Nü 48 thought, “How annoying. Don't they know this is a forbidden target on the non-interference list?”

“Never mind, let him try it himself. He’ll understand once he's blocked.”

Zhang Yu, holding the diamond-shaped, crystal-like object in his hand, looked at True Monarch Tianzhang in confusion, “What’s going on?”

True Monarch Tianzhang stroked his chin, and after a moment of thought, mused, “Could it be that this Yin artifact wants Zhang Yu to operate it manually, to use it himself?”