Wang Yin mused silently, "If soone can’t even fight for their own interests, how will they ever fight for the company’s? Compete for resources?"
"If Zhang Yu is just as timid and spineless—can’t even muster the nerve to ask a single question when soone close to him gets in trouble—then his future prospects are limited."
Wang Yin knew full well: in Kunxu, you had to fight, claw, and grab what you wanted. That was the only way to rise above the crowd.
If your guard dogs were all ek and docile, how would you ever send them out to bite?
But dogs that bit without command—wild and reckless—were just as useless.
"You can’t let them lose their fire, let them beco too timid."
"But they also have to know the rules. No biting without my order."
"This ti is perfect—let Zhang Yu learn the hard way that the company’s interests are the bottom line. Non-negotiable."
Wang Yin planned to apply pressure, then offer a small reward later on. A proper tuning-up for this promising material—so that one day, he’d be worth bringing up to the top.
…
Ti trickled by. Before long, it was September.
With Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen officially entering their final year at Songyang High, a new batch of first-years had also arrived on campus.
As Zhang Yu watched the new students walk through the gates, it was like looking at a younger version of himself: just as poor, just as powerless, just as desperate.
He glanced at the number in his bank account: 43 million.
Not only had his savings stopped growing this month, they’d actually shrunk—eaten up by last month’s spending and debt repaynts.
Why? Because this month’s money… hadn’t been wired from Director Wang yet.
Zhang Yu understood. Wang Yin was clearly waiting for him to co crawling back and apologize.
If he still wanted to get money from Wang Yin, he’d have to play by his rules. He’d have to beco his obedient little lapdog.
But what if he turned to Xinghuo Zhenren instead? What if he chose to go to Wanfa Sect University?
Then he’d be giving up four million a month from Wang Yin—tens of millions over ti.
At this mont, even running Full Pockets Technique or the Sacrificial Oxheart Technique produced barely any results in his mind.
It felt like two divergent paths stretched out before him, and he didn’t want to take either one.
Zhang Yu thought back to when he first arrived in Kunxu. He had dread—again and again—of escaping poverty, of becoming soone who didn’t have to stress over interest paynts.
But now, even with 43 million in his account, he found himself facing the sa damn problems.
Either suffer endlessly.
Or suffer a little less—and beco so rich guy’s dog.
Zhang Yu kept reminding himself:
“Hold it in, Zhang Yu.”
“Just like you did with Zhou Chechen. Just like you did with Lan Ling.”
“With my talent, as long as I endure, the day will co when my strength is enough.”
Just then, his phone buzzed. It was a ssage from Chi He, General Manager of the Oasis Group—an invitation for him and Bai Zhenzhen to attend a party that evening.
…
At the party, the mont Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen arrived, Director Wang personally welcod them and kept them close all night—sharing pills, toasts, and drinks.
Then he brought them to a massive blood pool. Gesturing to the lifelike carvings of people along the pool’s outer walls, he explained:
"This Blood Vitality Pool was built on the foundation of eighteen Qi Refinent peak cultivators."
"Their bodies are still connected to the blood in the pool. They continuously circulate their energy, day and night."
"Just by soaking in the pool, your own blood and Qi are drawn into motion—as if those eighteen cultivators are training your body for you. rely sitting inside is the equivalent of nonstop cultivation."
"If you undergo Foundation Establishnt in this pool, your physical strength will instantly rise above Level 12. You’ll save at least a year of hard labor."
Looking at those slowly rising chests and still-beating hearts embedded in the wall, Zhang Yu no longer felt as queasy as he had when he first saw the living clothes rack.
By now, after spending ti with Director Wang, he had a pretty clear sense of the Netherworld Sect’s artistic and cultivation aesthetics.
It was all about pushing the limits of “birth” and “body.” If you could imagine it, they probably already made it.
Zhang Yu still didn’t like it, but at least now he could keep a straight face.
But what really startled him was: “This… this pool has to be worth a fortune.”
“For Director Wang to give us sothing this valuable…”
Zhang Yu was coming to understand Wang Yin’s style as well.
The man hadn’t even gotten an apology, yet he was already offering this kind of gift…
A sense of foreboding crept into Zhang Yu’s heart.
After the introduction to the Blood Vitality Pool, Director Wang patted Bai Zhenzhen on the shoulder and said fondly, “Ah-Zhen, there’s sothing I have to tell you.”
He gently stroked her hair and said with a tinge of regret, “A very important client up top has taken a liking to your body. They’ve offered a high price to buy it.”
“The offer ca suddenly, but it’s a generous one. I took the liberty of accepting on your behalf.”
“Ah-Zhen, it’s ti to change your body.”
Both Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen froze. The words rang like thunder in their heads.
Director Wang calmly stroked her hair, like she was his most beloved pet, and said, “Don’t worry. Once you change bodies, I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of.”
“With this Blood Vitality Pool, and a powerful new body, you’ll recover your physical cultivation quickly.”
“This ti, you’ll suffer a bit—but in the future, I’ll invest heavily in your training. I won’t let you down.”
He added comfortingly, “Once you enroll in Netherworld University, you’ll see—body replacent is a routine procedure. Nothing to worry about.”
His gaze was gentle. His tone was matter-of-fact.
And that was what terrified them most.
He was serious.
He genuinely believed he was doing right by her. That he wasn’t shortchanging her. That he’d paid a fair price. That switching bodies wasn’t a big deal.
As Bai Zhenzhen’s body trembled with anxiety, Zhang Yu suddenly grabbed her hand.
He smiled at Director Wang and said, “No problem at all, Director Wang. I’ll answer on Ah-Zhen’s behalf.”
“But could we have a few days to prepare?”
Seeing their calm expressions, Wang Yin nodded slightly. “Go ahead.”
…
They walked out of the Oasis Tower hand in hand, silent the whole way ho.
Once inside the apartnt, Bai Zhenzhen broke the silence.
She gripped Zhang Yu’s hand, pulled him to face her, and said, “Yuzi, don’t do anything reckless.”
“I gave you my Zhen Spirit Root. What’s one body? I’ll just switch. It’s like Director Wang said—we’ll rebuild my strength soon enough…”
Zhang Yu replied flatly, “And what if you don’t?”
“What if the new body doesn’t work for you? What if it doesn’t match your spirit?”
He shook his head. “Ah-Zhen, I’ve made up my mind…”
Bai Zhenzhen said helplessly, “Then what do you plan to do? Fight Director Wang? Oasis Group has money, people, power—and we can’t even beat his semi-automated Talisman Book. How do we fight?”
With her real combat experience and her Zhen Spirit Root-enhanced instincts, she had simulated countless battle scenarios.
Every one of them ended the sa: 0% chance of victory.
Zhang Yu said slowly, “Ah-Zhen, I really wanted to endure.”
“When he ssed around in Songyang City—I endured.”
“When he stirred up trouble on the first floor—I endured.”
“When Old Zhao got sold off—I endured that too.”
“I kept telling myself: as long as I endure, get stronger, get richer—I’ll eventually never have to endure again.”
“But he crossed the line. Selling you—he should never have done that!”
Cold light glead in Zhang Yu’s eyes as a fierce will to fight gathered in his mind.
“Ah-Zhen, I tried to hold it in—but this goddamn Kunxu, this goddamn system, this goddamn company, these goddamn rich bastards… they keep pushing us until there’s nothing left to endure.”
“So I’ve figured it out.”
In the mindscape of his ditation, the long-dormant Sacrificial Ox began to open its eyes.
“To Director Wang, if soone offers enough money, he’ll sell us without a second thought.”
“That’s the Oasis Group. That’s the Netherworld Sect. That’s what Kunxu is.”
“To them, we’re not even pets. We’re assets.”
“If they warn us beforehand, give us a little compensation, na a high price—then in their eyes, they’re already being rciful.”
Zhang Yu’s expression was colder than ever—calm, razor-sharp. The edge dulled by recent comfort had returned in full force.
“But the reverse is true too.”
“If soone offers us a good enough price—we can sell him.”
“This is Kunxu, goddammit.”
Fu Ji burst out laughing. “Now that’s more like it, kid. You’ve gained another layer of understanding.”
She knew Zhang Yu would never abandon Bai Zhenzhen. If she kept trying to talk him down, it would only backfire. Better to join him—and start scheming.
Bai Zhenzhen’s gaze flickered.
If there was any way to keep her original body, of course she didn’t want to lose it.
Now, looking at Zhang Yu’s determined face, she felt the weight of his resolve—his unshakable will.
“Yuzi, I understand.”
“I… don’t want to sell my body either.”
She exhaled. Sword intent glead in her eyes.
“Then we won’t endure.”
“If we have to fight, we fight.”
“Poor folks like us were never going to make it in this world without risking our lives anyway.”
“These past months… we’ve gotten too comfortable.”
“Tell . What’s your plan?”
Fu Ji chid in, “Judging from what Xinghuo Zhenren and Deng Bingding said last ti, the sects above are using the Righteous Gods and that Gold Core Cultivator to move against Oasis Group.”
“You’ll need to use their montum.”
Zhang Yu opened his contact list and found Deng Bingding’s na.
He called imdiately and asked, “So… how do you plan to take him down?”
Deng Bingding’s heart stirred.
“Looks like… the ti has co.”
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