Zhang Yu looked at his phone, which displayed an electronic agreement.

The agreement’s content was simple: it granted the top ten participants of the current Mana Competition the right to use Wuji Yunshou, with strict prohibitions against any dissemination or profit-making from its content, among other clauses.

Bai Zhenzhen stood beside Zhang Yu, tilting her head as she read the agreement. She complained, “How stingy! Xianyun Group is such a big company, why are they so cheap with their sponsorship? They’re only giving usage rights to the top ten overall? Shouldn’t everyone get one?”

Zhang Yu shook his head dismissively. “If everyone got one, wouldn’t that be unfair to the students who performed well in this competition?”

“In my opinion, ten people might even be too many. I feel that anyone ranked fourth or lower didn’t fully grasp the test questions this time.”

Bai Zhenzhen glared sideways at Zhang Yu.

You…

Listen to him! Unfair to students with good scores? Those ranked fourth and below didn’t understand the questions? Is that even human speech? Zhang Yu, have you forgotten how you criticized the modern immortal cultivation education system a month ago? Where did your integrity go?

Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu’s unpleasant expression with disappointment.

“My Yu Zi! My Yu Zi is dead! What stands before me now is just a zombie controlled by scores!”

“Haha, Ah Zhen, the prize money has arrived.” Zhang Yu looked at the deposit notification on his phone, feeling his smile become wider than ever.

His fourth-place finish in the Mana Competition brought a prize of 20,000 in cash, instantly boosting his savings to over 63,000.

Zhang Yu clapped Bai Zhenzhen on the shoulder beside him, sweeping his hand grandly. “Ah Zhen, I’ll treat you to dinner when we get back to school later.”

“That’s my boy!” Bai Zhenzhen said happily. “I knew you were a good kid with roots; you’d never forget where you came from.”

Soon after, students from various schools began to disperse.

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen followed the Songyang High School group out of the venue’s main entrance.

Just then, a dark figure plummeted from the top of the stadium.

“What’s that…” Zhang Yu’s eyes twitched. “Is that a person?”

Someone jumped?

Even as Zhang Yu was still processing what he saw, people on the scene had already reacted.

Normally, on an ordinary day, this person jumping might have splatted onto the ground.

But at that moment, the venue was filled with too many high school students, teachers, coaches, referees, and judges…

Especially many of them belonged to Hongta High School.

As the saying goes, “Everyone is responsible for protecting the campus environment.”

The instant the figure began to fall, several streams of etheric energy rushed forth, forming like cushions that safely caught the jumper.

Liang Qin, who had closed his eyes, awaiting death, did not experience the expected sharp pain. Instead, he felt as if he had landed on an incredibly warm, soft bed.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself being gently lowered to the ground by a mass of etheric energy.

“Why did you save me!”

Liang Qin looked at the scene in agony, showing no joy at being rescued.

During the Mana Competition, he had placed bet after bet, eventually losing all his money. His father had even called him about debt collection, which led to his desperate choice.

The teacher who saved him showed no joy either, merely stating matter-of-factly, “This campus is a no-jumping zone.”

“I’ve already reported your situation to the police. A specialist will discuss the specific compensation matters with you…”

A flicker of despair crossed Liang Qin’s eyes upon hearing this, and he quickly tried to explain, “I didn’t intend to jump! It was an accident…”

The other person calmly replied, “An accident? So, an accidental jump? That still costs money.”

Liang Qin was furious, but recalling the other’s etheric energy from moments before, he could only suppress his anger.

“I’ll find another place to jump when I get the chance.”

Now calm, Liang Qin began to consider his next jumping spot: schools, hospitals, shopping malls, residential compounds… all of them would require compensation.

“This messed-up world, it’s hard to even find a place to jump for free.”

Meanwhile, Songyang High School’s group was almost out of the campus.

Not just other students, but even Zhang Yu was no longer very surprised by the jumper. He just found the person enveloped in etheric energy somewhat familiar.

Songyang High School.

Cafeteria.

Bai Zhenzhen bit into a chicken leg, and with a soft crunching sound, she swallowed it, meat and bone alike.

Currently, a large table spread of chicken, duck, fish, and meat was before her, costing Zhang Yu over four hundred.

Given Zhang Yu’s and Bai Zhenzhen’s current cultivation levels and physical strength, this was more than enough for a hearty meal.

“Ah, the school’s pre-made meals still taste just right,” she sighed, “They have that fresh-from-the-freezer aroma.”

After taking a bite, Bai Zhenzhen lamented, “Hongta High School’s boxed meals just don’t taste right. Who knows how much artificial food they add.”

Although Zhang Yu was also enjoying his food immensely, he had more gourmet memories from his previous life. Hearing her, he said, “Ah Zhen, when I have more money, I’ll treat you to something even better.”

Bai Zhenzhen asked, “Are you talking about the medicinal meals on the second floor?”

Zhang Yu understood that for Songyang High School — no, for most high school students in Songyang City — “better food” meant food that could boost cultivation and improve scores.

As for the pursuit of taste itself… that was secondary, or rather, something most high school students in Songyang City couldn’t afford to pursue.

For high school students, taste was a luxury.

Zhang Yu didn’t explain, simply saying, “You’ll know when I have money.”

As he spoke, Zhang Yu remembered something from the competition earlier and asked curiously, “Ah Zhen, how did you figure out that set of moves you used in the last match?”

Bai Zhenzhen replied casually, “Didn’t the cultivation diagram clearly show six moves?”

“It did?” Zhang Yu exclaimed, surprised.

“Yes, it did,” Bai Zhenzhen recalled, thinking. “Isn’t it obvious at a glance?”

So you’re enlightened, huh? Zhang Yu looked at Ah Zhen before him, still unable to grasp how she could see it at a glance. It seemed students ranked beyond the top 100 also had their merits.

After speaking, Bai Zhenzhen said with a look of reluctance, “I was cornered and had no choice but to try if external martial arts could assist the mana circulation method.”

“It still didn’t work out as well as I hoped.”

Recalling her continuous setbacks in the Mana Competition today, Bai Zhenzhen firmly resolved to diligently improve her mana control.

She then looked up at Zhang Yu, and thinking of how he had stolen the show in the competition today, she suddenly felt even worse.

“Starting tomorrow, I’m going for extra classes!”

I, Bai Zhenzhen, will never be inferior to anyone in my life!

Bai Zhenzhen then asked, “Are you going to Teacher Yan’s extra classes?”

Before they parted ways today, Teacher Yan had approached Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, telling them he would use their competition results to apply for school funds to set up extra classes for the Mana Competition and encouraging them to sign up.

Zhang Yu nodded at her words. “Of course I’ll join.”

Although he achieved an excellent fourth-place finish in today’s competition, it also made Zhang Yu aware of his limitations.

If not for his last-minute insight into Wuji Yunshou gained from Bai Zhenzhen, he probably wouldn’t have made it into the top ten overall.

He hoped to become stronger in mana control, so that in future Mana Competitions, he wouldn’t have to rely on luck to win.

Furthermore, with the school investing funds, Teacher Yan’s competition classes might even include benefits like flying swords and cultivation techniques, which made Zhang Yu’s heart fill with anticipation.

Seeing Zhang Yu nod, Bai Zhenzhen’s lips curved upwards. “Alright then, we’ll go to Old Yan’s extra classes together.”

After returning home.

Zhang Yu did not cultivate the Wild Ox Soul-Suppressing Heart Art to improve his Dao Heart as he usually did.

After all, his Feather Scroll specialization was currently set to Wuji Yunshou, a martial art. It would take until tomorrow afternoon for the 24-hour cooldown to pass before he could switch it again.

So, he decided to take this opportunity to continue leveling up Wuji Yunshou.

He thought that since Wuji Yunshou only had six moves, it might level up faster than loose-form martial arts, perhaps even reaching level ten in a single night.

Thus, Zhang Yu went to the unfinished building again.

Coming here, Zhang Yu felt as if he had returned home, after all, he had spent countless evenings practicing martial arts here.

It was quiet here, and there was no fear of making noise, allowing him to train without restraint.

If his rent wasn’t already paid, and if the unfinished building weren’t without internet, electricity, or water, he would have considered moving a bed in and living in this excellent free spot.

He walked into a bare, dusty hall.

With a mere thought, streams of mana surged from his dantian, undergoing seven layers of vibration, transforming into clouds of mist that poured from his palms.

Having already mastered Level 1 Wuji Yunshou, his speed and quality in transforming mana into martial qi in one breath far surpassed any competitor in the arena today.

Feeling the cloud-like mist enveloping his hands, Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Is this Wuxiang Yungang?”

After signing the electronic agreement, Zhang Yu gained the right to use Wuji Yunshou, along with its electronic manual.

The true name of this martial qi was also written in the manual.

Wuxiang Yungang, resembling white clouds, could be both rigid and flexible. It excelled at deflecting force and using an opponent’s strength against them, making it a versatile martial qi for both offense and defense in combat.

Next, Zhang Yu began to practice the six external martial arts moves of Wuji Yunshou.

He thrust a fist forward, and the white Wuxiang Yungang brought forth a surge of powerful force, like a massive siege hammer, emitting a whistling sound.

This was Wuji Yunshou’s rigid and forceful move, specifically designed for direct attacks to break through enemy defenses.

Next, Zhang Yu shifted his hands, and the white Wuxiang Yungang swirled around his body like layers of mist, possessing a soft elasticity.

This was Wuji Yunshou’s defensive move. The now elastic Wuxiang Yungang could not only deflect the force of an opponent’s attacks but even bounce back a portion of their strength.

In this manner, Zhang Yu completed practicing all six Wuji Yunshou moves in a short while, and then repeated the entire sequence again.

The Wuji Yunshou only had a very limited number of moves, just six in total. Zhang Yu completed ten repetitions in little over ten minutes.

Wuji Yunshou Level 1 (0/10) → Level 2 (0/20)

As Wuji Yunshou leveled up to Level 2, Zhang Yu felt as if he had instantly undergone repeated practice sessions. There was a sudden, significant improvement in everything from the process of refining mana into Wuxiang Yungang, to controlling Wuxiang Yungang, and even the application of the six external moves.

Zhang Yu looked at his hands.

Previously, the Wuxiang Yungang enveloping his hands would emit wisps of white, cloud-like energy that drifted upwards, like beacon smoke rising straight into the sky—this was how it appeared when he used it in the competition.

But now, with Wuji Yunshou leveled up to Level 2, significantly fewer wisps of energy floated upwards, demonstrating his improved control over this form of qi.