Within an apartment near Ziyun High School.

Zhang Yu was scrolling through the news on his phone, the content causing him to furrow his brow slightly. “Songyang City is becoming increasingly chaotic.”

In recent times, although Zhang Yu had been silently teaching and cultivating every day, it didn’t mean he was unaware of the events happening outside.

With Bai Zhenzhen occasionally bringing back information, coupled with the various news and shifts in public opinion online, he was gradually confirming a truth!

That was, in addition to the increasingly fierce struggles in the dark tutoring world, even involving corporations, similar phenomena were occurring in other sectors!

The dark shopping world engaged in smuggling, the dark medicine world selling fake drugs, and the dark catering world selling fake pre-made meals – one gang after another was engaging in fierce battles to compete for market share!

And the corporations behind them were also engaging in various forms of competition!

For example, Zhang Yu had encountered more discounts and received more coupons on shopping and food delivery platforms, which were price wars between corporations!

But Zhang Yu also noticed that many things he valued, and even websites he frequently used, were being reported and taken down, which were reporting wars between corporations!

There were also various products and cultivation methods being bombarded with negative reviews, with fluctuating ratings. Media outlets were exposing Ziyun Group’s pollutant leaks one day, and revealing that Hongta Group was cutting corners in meat products, not using additives or drugs, the next…

Zhang Yu knew that these were all corporations deploying online armies to manipulate public opinion!

Although corporate competition was becoming increasingly fierce, it didn’t significantly affect Zhang Yu’s daily life. On the contrary, some of the promotional activities allowed him to heavily exploit the benefits!

For example, the cultivation method platforms had several rounds of discount promotions, saving him tens of thousands in expenses when purchasing cultivation methods!

And as Zhang Yu sensed the changes in Songyang City, he had a feeling that the competition between gangs and corporations had become increasingly intense ever since the Oasis Group’s synthetic meat was introduced to the market!

Upon hearing Zhang Yu’s speculation, Fu Ji said from the side:

“Don’t overthink it. It’s too big, and it’s not related to us. Just focus on cultivating your methods and preparing for the final Foundation Establishment Examination!”

Zhang Yu knew Fu Ji was right, and sighed. Indeed, it wasn’t up to a high school student like him to overthink such matters!

Exiting the news webpage, Zhang Yu’s gaze turned to the newly purchased, discounted cultivation method, the “Town Dharma Primal Body”!

Thanks to this discount, he was able to buy this technique ahead of time, but after scraping together the money, his account balance plummeted once again, leaving him with only twenty-thousand yuan!

Whenever he thought of this, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but sigh in his heart: “Although I’ve earned a lot in the past two months, I’ve also spent a lot! The vast majority of the money has been transformed into cultivation methods, integrated into my body!”

And the “Town Dharma Primal Body,” which could form the seventh cultivation method of the Martial Dao Sacred Embryo, was a body refining technique that enhanced the physical body’s resistance to external Dharma power!

“The human epidermis has five layers. This method uses one’s own Dharma power to gradually temper the epidermis, so that each layer can resist a portion of the Dharma power invading from the outside…”

Once the “Town Dharma Primal Body” was cultivated to level 10, all five layers of the epidermis would be fully tempered, and the physical body would possess a strong resistance to Dharma power!

“If I want external Dharma power to enter my body, it’s simple. I just need to envelop the opponent’s Dharma power with my own Dharma power!”

Zhang Yu knew that when he used the Imperishable Dharma Seal to absorb the opponent’s power, he needed to guide the opponent’s Dharma power into his body!

Zhang Yu thought of the assassination attempt he had encountered last time. If he had mastered this “Town Dharma Primal Body” at that time, the fight would have been much easier!

Just as Zhang Yu was pushing the “Town Dharma Primal Body” to level 3, accompanied by the sound of the door opening and closing, Bai Zhenzhen had slowly entered the apartment, looking exhausted!

Zhang Yu turned to look at Bai Zhenzhen and felt a palpable killing intent, which made Zhang Yu’s hair stand on end, as if a sword were pointed directly at his throat!

“This Zhenzhen, ever since participating in gang wars, she’s been giving off an increasingly dangerous aura!”

However, as Bai Zhenzhen entered the apartment, the killing intent gradually dissipated, and she returned to her usual high school prodigy demeanor!

Zhang Yu looked at the time and said in surprise, “Why are you back so early today? It’s only two o’clock.”

Bai Zhenzhen casually took off her combat jacket and threw it on the ground. It was covered with inscriptions of “Divine Art” and “Great Dharma”!

Zhang Yu knew that the cultivation methods on it were fake. Wearing them wouldn’t result in a fine, but they could intimidate many people in battle, like ancient generals wearing helmets with the likenesses of ghosts and gods, serving to intimidate opponents on the battlefield!

Her long pants and underwear were also casually discarded. Bai Zhenzhen, oblivious to Zhang Yu’s accustomed gaze, walked naked toward the bathroom!

Zhang Yu could see a few shallow wounds on Bai Zhenzhen’s arms, and even a few faint characters!

Those were the mark of the Golden Class Gang’s experts’ stamp weapons. One stamp could imprint a set of cultivation methods on the opponent’s body. Although not immediately fatal, it would be enough to bankrupt the person in the long run!

However, seeing that Bai Zhenzhen was only grazed by a few characters, it was clear that she had dodged the opponent’s attack at a critical moment!

Hearing Zhang Yu’s question, Bai Zhenzhen turned around with a blank expression and said, “I just kidnapped their students to the gang when the Dark Class Gang and the Golden Class Gang announced a truce!”

Zhang Yu quickly turned his head away and scolded, “I’ve told you several times, don’t walk around naked in the house! What if you cause me to lose my means of production again? That’s all money!”

Bai Zhenzhen tilted her head, impatiently saying, “We’re all so familiar already, why bother hiding when changing clothes? Isn’t that tiring and a waste of time? Do we have a lot of time?”

Then, she sneered and looked at Zhang Yu with disdain. “Tsk, and it’s not like you don’t have that problem either.”

“Last night when I came back, you had already gone out, so I didn’t see you, right? But I saw that the trash can was full of crumpled tissues…”

Zhang Yu slapped the floor in annoyance and said, “I told you not to rummage through the trash can!”

“Besides, I used those to wipe my snot, not what you’re thinking!”

Bai Zhenzhen rolled her eyes, turned her back to Zhang Yu, took off her last pair of shorts, and said impatiently, “Isn’t it all the same!”

“Yu, don’t you see how low Hongta’s price for you has dropped? Your thing is now worth less than plain water. It’s already useless!”

“You little…”

Zhang Yu looked at Bai Zhenzhen’s face and sighed in his heart. Zhenzhen, Zhenzhen, have you forgotten how your father made money pipe by pipe to support you a few months ago? Now that it’s not worth anything, you’re saying such disheartening words!

Bai Zhenzhen continued, “Having it is always a hassle. After the Foundation Establishment Exam, we don’t have to save money anymore. I’ll pay for you to go to the hospital for sterilization, a one-stop service!”

With that, Bai Zhenzhen walked into the bathroom, and soon the sound of water could be heard!

Fu Ji recalled what Bai Zhenzhen had just said and was somewhat surprised. “They actually called a truce?”

She said to Zhang Yu, “Check the news.”

Zhang Yu picked up his phone and checked the news according to Fu Ji’s instructions. He quickly saw the announcement that Xianyun Group and Shenhai Group would cooperate and exchange shares!

Seeing Zhang Yu’s surprised gaze, Fu Ji smiled and said, “What’s so surprising about that? Exchanging shares, mutually binding, and then further monopolizing the entire industry – isn’t that a common phenomenon in Kunxu? It’s been escalating in recent years and hasn’t stopped!”

“Moreover, whether it’s Xianyun Group or Shenhai Group, although they seem to be in competition, both companies ultimately belong to the Ten Great Sects’ Myriad Dharma Sect!”

“As long as someone from the sect mediates, these two companies could not only cooperate, but even merge!”

Fu Ji continued, “However, this cooperation does seem a bit sudden. Check their other news!”

Zhang Yu said, “After the two companies cooperate, they announced that they would enter the food industry and cooperate with Oasis Group.”

“Oasis Group… I feel like everything is related to them.”

Fu Ji thought to herself, “Oasis Group, behind it is the Underworld Palace, right? It seems like it’s that kind of thing again! Don’t let Zhang Yu meddle in other people’s business!”

Fu Ji casually said, “Alright, no matter what, it has nothing to do with you. Hurry up and cultivate. The most important thing for you now is the Foundation Establishment Examination. Don’t worry about anything else!”

With the Dark Class Gang and the Golden Class Gang calling a truce, Bai Zhenzhen, who didn’t have to fight on the front lines, suddenly had a lot of time!

So, in addition to cultivation, she invited martial arts teachers from Songyang High School to accompany her in combat training every day, honing her cultivation methods and tempering her body and Dharma power in battle!

Days passed in this way, and soon it was January…

January 1st!

Two days later was the final round of the Foundation Establishment Examination!

Inside the apartment, Zhang Yu, sitting cross-legged, had one half of his body frozen with frost, while the other half was scorching hot, emitting billowing heat!

He was cultivating the eighth cultivation method of the Martial Dao Sacred Embryo, the “Kan Ice Li Fire Body Tempering Technique.” It used Kan Ice Dharma Power and Li Fire Dharma Power to temper himself, allowing the body to have a strong adaptability to high and low temperatures, and further enhancing resilience!

And at this moment, it was the crucial moment for Zhang Yu to push the “Kan Ice Li Fire Body Tempering Technique” to level 10!

With a bang, Zhang Yu’s body was no longer cold on one side and hot on the other. Instead, it was hot and cold all over, alternating between hot and cold, and finally, ice and fire merged into one, returning to normal!

Zhang Yu felt the changes in his flesh and blood and slowly exhaled!

“Finally, the eighth cultivation method of the Martial Dao Sacred Embryo is complete!”

After the “Kan Ice Li Fire Body Tempering Technique” was pushed to level 10, Zhang Yu could feel that his body not only had a stronger adaptability to temperature changes, but also, after activating this cultivation method, he could fight in a high-temperature or low-temperature state, and both states had their own uses!

And looking at the second layer effect of the Martial Dao Sacred Embryo, Zhang Yu also laughed and said, “Although I haven’t been able to cultivate the Martial Dao Sacred Embryo to its ultimate effect, it should be enough to pass this Foundation Establishment Examination!”

Looking at his phone and finding that his leave had been approved, Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Everything is ready, I can set off!”