Chapter 82: Level 10, Part-time Job

In the small garden behind the teaching building, Zhang Yu was practicing the "Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand" technique, each movement producing a powerful whoosh.

Just then, a teacher suddenly emerged from the side, looking at Zhang Yu and asking, "What grade and class are you in? What's your name? Why are you here during class time? Are you skipping class?"

Zhang Yu calmly replied, "I'm Zhang Yu from Senior Year 1, Class 1. I came out to practice martial arts during math class."

Upon hearing Zhang Yu's name, the teacher's demeanor immediately softened. When he learned it was math class Zhang Yu was skipping, all traces of seriousness vanished from his face.

Skipping math class? That's barely considered skipping class! How can you be a top student at Songyang High if you haven't even skipped a general education class like math for the sake of cultivating the immortal path?

So, after verifying that Senior Year 1, Class 1, was indeed having a math class at that time, the teacher nodded and said, "Class ends in 27 minutes. Remember to go back quickly when it's over, don't miss the next class."

After the teacher left, Zhang Yu silently resumed practicing the "Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand."

Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand Level 9 (89/90)

The reason he didn't practice the "Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand" in the math classroom was that this martial art was progressing too quickly, and he didn't want to attract attention in class.

With the completion of the last move, the "Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand" immediately leveled up to Level 10. Instantly, a flood of martial arts experience and practice memories surged from Zhang Yu's mind, bringing his understanding of the "Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand," grappling, and wrestling to a peak.

At the same time, he also felt the Level 10 effect of the "Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand." When he performed the martial art again, he could accurately sense his own center of gravity. Zhang Yu realized that if he wished, he could also sense an opponent's center of gravity, and even instantly disrupt it using the techniques of the "Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand," throwing them to the ground.

"Got it," he thought. "Just trip anyone, and they'll fall. It's truly a pure combat martial art. And it feels quite compatible with my Limitless Cloud Hand and Indestructible Seal Method..."

As streams of white Qi erupted from his palms, with his mastery of Level 10 Limitless Cloud Hand and Level 10 Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand, Zhang Yu vaguely felt that he could combine these two martial arts.

"By using Formless Cloud Qi to substitute for the explosive power of my hands," he mused, "I could perform grappling and wrestling techniques from a distance."

A sudden realization flashed in Zhang Yu's mind: "Although the Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand is driven purely by physical force, this isn't a drawback; it's an advantage. Because this means that practitioners can later integrate various powerful forces, whether it's Qi, palm strength, or fist strength, into the Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand. This martial art is like a large framework that can incorporate many different combat techniques..."

At that moment, Zhang Yu understood the foresight behind Song Hailong cultivating this set of Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand. It was not only suitable for Song Hailong's current needs, allowing him immediate use, but also served as preparation for future increases in combat power.

"I wonder if he thought of this himself," Zhang Yu pondered, "or if it was designed for him by his family or private tutors."

It was dinner time in the cafeteria.

Every student was diligently eating. After all, high school students, regardless of whether they attended one of the three prestigious schools, a key high school, or an ordinary high school, were never unenthusiastic about their meals.

However, a vague sense of pervasive resentment seemed to hang over the cafeteria today. It was the collective dissatisfaction with the cafeteria food.

Bai Zhenzhen walked through the cafeteria hall, carrying her tray. Despite her striking beauty, her icy demeanor made her seem unapproachable to many students.

As soon as she sat down, Bai Zhenzhen complained, "Half the food stalls are selling synthetic food now, and the remaining pre-made dishes have all gone up in price! These beasts!"

Clearly, propelled by the momentum of Oasis Group, synthetic food was being continuously promoted in Songyang City and had, without anyone realizing it, already entered high school cafeterias.

Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhao Tianxing and Qian Shen and declared, "We absolutely cannot buy synthetic food. We must fiercely boycott it and make them lose a fortune!"

"Is synthetic food even fit for human consumption?" she added. "And who knows what they put in it..."

As Bai Zhenzhen was speaking, she saw Zhang Yu carrying a large plate of something mushy. He sat down at their table, drawing their surprised glances.

Bai Zhenzhen exclaimed in surprise, "Yu Zi! Why are you eating that? Aren't you against synthetic food?"

Zhang Yu replied matter-of-factly, "Today, the cafeteria is having a promotion: free samples of synthetic food."

Bai Zhenzhen immediately stood up. "I want to see just how bad this synthetic food tastes."

She went to the synthetic food counter, where she heard the cafeteria worker in front explaining, "This is meat paste, this is vegetable paste, this is rice paste. After you've chosen, then pick your flavor: Mapo Tofu, Kung Pao Chicken, Seafood Feast..."

After a while, Bai Zhenzhen returned to her seat with the free synthetic food. Taking a bite, she looked shocked. "This is synthetic food?"

She couldn't tell what immortal technology was used, but as Bai Zhenzhen took a bite, she found that not only the taste and aroma, but even the texture, were seventy to eighty percent similar to real pre-made dishes.

Bai Zhenzhen distinctly remembered the cafeteria worker scooping out various pastes, yet after mixing them with different flavorings, they developed various textures—some like fatty meat, some like vegetable leaves, some like fish...

This was entirely different from the synthetic food she had tasted before.

Bai Zhenzhen exclaimed, "Have the related immortal technologies made a breakthrough?"

Zhang Yu remarked from the side, "Indeed, these large companies don't do business at a loss. They clearly have confidence if they dare to push this product to compete with pre-made dishes."

"This stuff doesn't taste bad, and it's convenient and cheap. In the future, I'm afraid there will be fewer and fewer places selling pre-made dishes in Songyang City."

Zhao Tianxing sighed, "Won't many pre-made food factories go out of business then? And many people will lose their jobs."

As they ate and talked, Zhang Yu noticed that Qian Shen and Zhao Tianxing seemed preoccupied, so he asked them about it.

Qian Shen sighed and then explained how he, Zhao Tianxing, and three other first-year high school students had been recruited into the competition team.

With a look of shame, Qian Shen said, "Sigh, we joined the sports competition team first, even though our scores aren't as good as yours. I feel undeserving."

Zhao Tianxing also looked nervously at Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen.

Among classmates, joining or not joining a competition team created another layer of social hierarchy, enough to cause even the closest friends to feud. If lower-scoring students took competition spots from higher-scoring students, it was considered an academic grievance, enough to spark intense campus bullying, potentially ending with one party's tragic suicide.

Since the physical education class, Zhao Tianxing had been worried that Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen would have an issue with this. As someone who genuinely cared about others' opinions, he was particularly concerned that people might mistakenly think he had used some underhanded means to secure the competition spots.

But Zhang Yu, listening to them, merely smiled faintly. "It's fine," he said. "We already know about this. It's just those rats in the student council meddling."

He then explained about the competition scheduled for a month later.

Zhang Yu continued, "Next, we'll all cultivate individually. A month from now, we'll compare our physical scores to see who qualifies for the competition."

Hearing this, and understanding that the final decision would still be based on scores, both Qian Shen and Zhao Tianxing felt much more at ease.

They secretly thought to themselves, "As expected, for us high school students, scores still do the talking."

After dinner, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen left school together, preparing to take the subway to Bailong High School.

On the way, Bai Zhenzhen said, "I've talked with Song Hailong. We'll go two days a week, two hours each day. For each two-hour session, he'll pay you 5,000, and me 2,000."

Zhang Yu's spirits lifted upon hearing this. "5,000 per session, twice a week is 10,000. That's 40,000 a month, isn't it? Damn, these rich people are seriously loaded!"

Bai Zhenzhen added, "But he also set a condition: if, during any two-hour combat training session, we can't win a single round against him, then he won't need us anymore."

After speaking, Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu and asked, "Yu Zi, can you do it?"

Although Zhang Yu had defeated Song Hailong in the martial arts competition, that was by relying on the out-of-bounds rule. If his physical strength couldn't keep up with Song Hailong's, or even fell further behind, it would be even harder to win.

"Of course I can," Zhang Yu said. "Little Song just relies on his toughness, strength, and ability to take a beating. Once my physical strength gradually catches up to his, he won't be able to win a single round."

"But what about you, Ah Zhen, can you do it?"

Bai Zhenzhen snorted, rubbing her lower abdomen. "I asked my godmother to lend me some money so I can rent a spiritual root for cultivation every day," she said. "My progress speed from now on... you might be startled, Yu Zi."

At the mention of renting a spiritual root, Zhang Yu felt a surge of curiosity. "What kind of spiritual root did you rent?" he asked. "When can I try it out?"

Bai Zhenzhen subconsciously touched her stomach. "Try it out?"

Zhang Yu said matter-of-factly, "We're like brothers; with our hearts united, why can't you lend me the spiritual root you rented to try out?"

Bai Zhenzhen frowned. "Let me think about it," she said.

She thought to herself, "Can I lend my spiritual root to Yu Zi? Can I? It doesn't seem entirely impossible..."

Zhang Yu chimed in, "How stingy. I've lent you my 100,000-valued talisman book to play with several times already."

Bai Zhenzhen retorted indignantly, "How dare you say that? Every time, you only let me touch it. You wouldn't even let me tap it a few times!"

Zhang Yu said helplessly, "I was afraid you'd accidentally tap me into bankruptcy. Alright, I'll let you play with it on the way today, how about that?"

The two boarded the subway, luckily managing to grab two seats this time.

Still urged by the ritual, Zhang Yu seized every moment to cultivate his mental techniques and enhance his Dao heart. Bai Zhenzhen leaned against his back, curiously exploring the talisman book.

Over half an hour later, they arrived at Bailong High School. After presenting the monthly pass Song Hailong had arranged, they headed to the agreed-upon training room.

"Yu Zi, look," Bai Zhenzhen whispered, "so many of them are kneeling in class. What are they doing?"

"Who knows," Zhang Yu replied, "maybe it's a custom of Bailong."

Opening the door to the agreed-upon training room, they saw Song Hailong already inside, doing warm-up exercises. Seeing Zhang Yu arrive, Song Hailong's eyes lit up. Pointing at the ground, he said, "Lie down."