Chapter 51: Undercurrents Surging

Zhang Yu looked at the vest, shorts, wristbands, and ankle weights in front of him, as well as the two large jars next to them.

These were the weighted training gear and monster meat powder he had purchased.

Weighted training gear was durable cultivation equipment, affordable and easy to use. It allowed one to train discreetly without classmates noticing, and it even offered a dramatic effect when removed during combat. It was truly a classic and essential item for anyone on the path to immortality.

The weighted gear Zhang Yu bought this time weighed a total of 150 kilograms, allowing him to train his physical body even during daily activities.

The monster meat powder, on the other hand, was a nutritional supplement designed to better replenish his daily flesh and blood consumption and provide the necessary nutrients for growth, helping him become taller, faster, and stronger.

These two items cost him over 4,000 yuan in total, reducing his savings to just over 59,000 yuan.

"Sigh, I'm still too poor. I can only afford this 'pauper's gear'," he lamented.

While browsing the shopping website, what Zhang Yu truly desired most was an external spirit root called the Gluttony Spirit Root.

It was said that once implanted, this item would intensely stimulate the body's metabolism and physical strengthening daily, absorbing all possible nutrients to feed the flesh and blood. According to the advertisements, one could even grow stronger by eating excrement every day.

Unfortunately, it was too expensive, costing forty million yuan per piece.

Spending forty million to experience the sensation of growing stronger even by eating excrement was not something Zhang Yu could afford at the moment.

"Sigh, I guess I'll have to try the school's Muscle Enhancement Spirit Root during the next free rental period," he thought.

As Zhang Yu put on each piece of the weighted gear, he felt his body grow heavier and heavier. Simple actions like bending down, walking, and raising his hands were met with significant resistance, making movement much more difficult.

"Whew..."

Before he could even take a few more steps, a shout echoed from downstairs: "Are you tearing down the building at this hour?!"

Realizing the noise was due to the weighted gear, Zhang Yu, still wearing it, headed to the unfinished building.

As he walked, it felt as if multiple shackles were attached to him. Zhang Yu could feel various discomforts emanating from different parts of his body.

However, after activating the Desolate Ox Soul-Suppressing Art and focusing on his desire to constantly improve his physical strength, these discomforts were temporarily suppressed. Instead, a sense of satisfaction arose, as if his body was being trained every moment.

"As expected, the Desolate Ox Soul-Suppressing Art works for this too," he mused.

Zhang Yu's next goal was to maintain the Desolate Ox Soul-Suppressing Art as constantly as possible. While resisting the discomfort of the weighted gear, he would continuously use the art to raise his Dao Heart level.

"Twenty-four hours a day, training both my Dao Heart and my physical body."

If he could achieve this, he would further increase the efficiency of raising his Dao Heart level, while also simultaneously strengthening his physical body.

Thinking about how he had voluntarily added such a significant burden to himself without any external pressure, Zhang Yu couldn't help but give a wry smile.

He sighed inwardly, "There's no other way. Those ridiculously rich students from the top three prestigious schools are crazier than the last."

"To survive, to get into the top ten universities, to enter major sects... I can't afford not to compete intensely..."

Back at the unfinished building, Zhang Yu, still in his weighted gear, sat cross-legged on the ground. He diligently maintained the state of the Desolate Ox Soul-Suppressing Art, continuously visualizing the image of the old ox plowing the wilderness in his mind, while simultaneously allowing his body to rest.

Theoretically, as long as a cultivator could persevere, the cultivation art could be maintained indefinitely.

It was akin to listening to an audiobook while playing a game, a manifestation of multitasking.

However, mental weakness, fatigue, and various external stimuli could all disrupt the maintenance of the cultivation art.

And if one needed to use their mind for complex tasks, such as solving problems during an exam or strategizing during combat, the cultivation art would be even harder to maintain.

Thus, although the Dao Heart instructor had said that cultivation arts could theoretically be maintained at all times, and powerful cultivators could sustain them as long as their consciousness remained clear, the original Zhang Yu had never managed to do so.

However, since Zhang Yu had recently raised the Desolate Ox Soul-Suppressing Art to Level 10 and his Dao Heart level had reached Level 2, he found it increasingly easy to maintain the cultivation art.

If maintaining the cultivation art before felt like constantly solving complex math problems in his mind, now it felt like simply counting from 1 to 1000, much simpler.

"Now, I should be able to perform various more complex exercises while maintaining the cultivation art."

This was why Zhang Yu was now attempting to practice maintaining the Desolate Ox Soul-Suppressing Art under more diverse circumstances.

After resting for a while, Zhang Yu, still in his weighted gear, stood up and began walking back and forth while maintaining the cultivation art.

He felt as if half of his brain had been discarded, half of his muscles had vanished, and he was learning every movement from scratch.

The next evening, back at the unfinished building, Zhang Yu tried performing simple warm-up exercises while maintaining the cultivation art.

On the third day, Zhang Yu, growing increasingly accustomed, began practicing the Limitless Cloud Hand while wearing the weighted gear and maintaining the cultivation art.

The Level 6 Limitless Cloud Hand felt as though it had been practiced thousands of times in his mind; every movement came naturally without much thought.

At that moment, his mind maintained the visualization of the cultivation art while his body, under the pressure of the weighted gear, continuously practiced the Limitless Cloud Hand techniques.

The mana within him surged with mighty force, transforming into wisps of Formless Cloud Aura that emerged through repeated vibrations.

However, because he needed to divide his attention to maintain the cultivation art, combined with the weighted gear and mana consumption, Zhang Yu's efficiency in practicing the Limitless Cloud Hand slowed considerably.

It took him three full days to finally advance the Limitless Cloud Hand to Level 10.

Listen to that: 'only' pushed to Level 10.

Clearly, Zhang Yu still found this pace a bit slow.

"Sigh, Feather Scroll is still not powerful enough; it limits my potential and discipline," he muttered.

In the unfinished building, Zhang Yu's mana surged from his Dantian, completing seven consecutive vibrations in silence, then dispersed throughout his limbs and bones, erupting from his entire body.

In an instant, white cloud-like mist enveloped Zhang Yu's entire body, giving him the appearance of an immortal sage.

"This is the effect of the Limitless Cloud Hand reaching Level 10. The Formless Cloud Aura is no longer limited to the hands but surges from all parts of the body, truly integrating offense and defense," he realized.

However, the mana consumption also increased significantly with this, and Zhang Yu felt he couldn't sustain it for more than a few minutes, so he quickly stopped.

After days of arduous training, Zhang Yu's abilities had once again improved across the board.

His mana, through continuous day and night breathing exercises, increased to 16.9.

The constant wearing of weighted gear and the practice of Limitless Cloud Hand brought his physical strength to Level 1.28.

His Dao Heart, under the almost ceaseless training of the Level 10 Desolate Ox Soul-Suppressing Art, continued to be the fastest to improve, reaching Level 2 (65%).

One day, shortly after Zhang Yu arrived in the classroom, he saw a middle-aged woman with a weathered face standing by a desk, tidying something.

As Zhang Yu felt curious, Zhou Tianyi, who was beside him, said, "Liang Qin dropped out. That's his mom packing his stuff for him."

"Huh?" Zhang Yu asked, somewhat surprised, "Why?"

Zhou Tianyi sighed, "Apparently, he owed over 100,000 from gambling. After his parents found out, they immediately came to withdraw him."

"I heard his family caused a scene at the teacher's office yesterday. Liang Qin kept kneeling and kowtowing, but his parents insisted on withdrawing him."

Zhou Tianyi shook his head and sighed, "His parents are right. Once you get addicted to gambling, you're destined to remain a mortal for life, never achieving anything on the path to immortality."

"Forget about him being a high school student; even if he truly became an immortal, he'd fall, lose all his cultivation, go bankrupt, and return to being a mere mortal."

Zhang Yu fell silent. Liang Qin's situation with debt was somewhat similar to his original self. He thought that if he hadn't transmigrated, the original Zhang Yu might very well have ended up the same way.

Just then, Bai Zhenzhen dragged Zhang Yu out of the classroom and told him, "Those stingy guys finally sent word. Sign the electronic agreement they sent."

Soon after Zhang Yu signed the electronic agreement, a transfer notification appeared on his phone.

Seeing the 20,000 yuan transferred, both Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen felt a jolt of excitement.

Bai Zhenzhen remarked, "Those penny-pinchers actually sent 20,000 in one go. Looks like they really value you."

"Transfer 8,000 to my card. I need it."

Zhang Yu didn't ask why. After transferring the 8,000, he simply urged, "What have you been so busy with lately? You vanish every day after school."

Bai Zhenzhen smiled slightly. "Just trying to figure out a way to get into one of the top ten universities."

"Since those penny-pinchers value us so much, we should make them help us alleviate some pressure."

At this point, as if remembering something, she reminded him, "After next week's monthly exam, Zhou Chechen will likely come to persuade us to sign again."

"If we refuse the student council again this time, they'll definitely put more pressure on us."

"Especially since you got fourth place in the magical arts competition this time, they'll definitely try to force you to sign. Can you stand your ground?"

Zhang Yu wasn't sure himself, but seeing Bai Zhenzhen's concerned look, he laughed heartily and said, "Of course I can handle it. Just make sure you don't give up halfway."

Zhang Yu thought about the ritual's coercion, muttering to himself that he either died from the ritual or got into one of the top ten universities—there was no other choice.

As he was thinking this, that incredibly familiar chill resurfaced within him. Zhang Yu knew it was forcing him to go back and study cultivation.

"Sigh, never mind. My own strength is what matters most. I'm going back to cultivate now."

Bai Zhenzhen held his shoulder, reminding him, "When you refuse, you can deflect by saying Ziyun High and Bailong High are trying to recruit you. Keep negotiating with the student council to buy time."

"Remember, absolutely do not let them realize that you're aiming for one of the top ten universities."

Watching Zhang Yu's hurried departure, Bai Zhenzhen seemed to sense his urgency.

"Yu Zi has been working harder and harder lately."

"He must be feeling very anxious too."

"But it's okay. I'm almost there... I'm close to finding that person..."

"I really am something. Even though Yu Zi was slightly better than me in the magical arts competition, when it comes to getting into a top ten university, I'll still have to cover for him."

Inside the quiet cultivation room.

Zhang Yu, having rented the Muscle Enhancement Spirit Root, felt that with every breath he took in spiritual energy, as it was absorbed into the spirit root, the root would feed back a stream of even more vibrant spiritual energy.

This was the growth-promoting spiritual energy provided by the Muscle Enhancement Spirit Root.

As this growth-promoting spiritual energy was naturally absorbed by his flesh and blood, he felt his entire body's tissues seem to writhe on their own, beginning to rapidly consume all nutrients.

With the continuous effect of the Muscle Enhancement Spirit Root and the constant influx of growth-promoting spiritual energy, this state would last for 6 to 12 hours, significantly boosting the effectiveness of Zhang Yu's physical strength training.

Wei Xin's voice sounded over the intercom: "Student Zhang, would you like to extend your session?"

Zhang Yu slowly exhaled, and after a moment's thought, said, "Add one hour."

Inside the training grounds.

Martial arts instructor Lei Jun was giving Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen extra lessons in preparation for next month's martial arts competition.

Amidst rumbles and sharp cracks, two figures clashed back and forth, tearing at each other like two colossal beasts.

Zhang Yu's Limitless Cloud Hand unleashed a torrent of surging martial arts aura.

Yet, Bai Zhenzhen joined her fingers like a sword, creating a flurry of sword shadows that pierced the weakest and most crucial points of the aura, instantly dispersing the incoming blast.

Lei Jun, observing from the side, shouted, "Zhang Yu, the Limitless Cloud Hand emphasizes adaptability above all. You must seize opportunities and not always rely on brute force."

Zhang Yu didn't want to rely solely on overpowering others either. It was just that Bai Zhenzhen's combat experience was far superior to his. If he didn't instinctively use martial arts aura for direct suppression, he would be almost constantly suppressed by her.

"How is this Zhen so incredibly strong?"

Although Zhang Yu wasn't using his full strength, he was still employing his Level 1 Limitless Cloud Hand. Yet, Bai Zhenzhen completely suppressed him using only a few basic martial arts, leading Zhang Yu to strongly suspect Bai Zhenzhen was cheating.

"Damn it, is she using X-ray vision or aimbot? Or reading my moves? How does she always hit my weak points? How does she always see through my techniques?"

Days passed for Zhang Yu in a cycle of continuous studying, cultivating, and taking extra lessons.

In the blink of an eye, another week passed.

The big day for Songyang High School's monthly exam arrived once again.

Meanwhile, classmates, teachers, the student council, and various other people Zhang Yu knew or didn't know, were gradually turning their attention towards him and Bai Zhenzhen.