Amidst gurgling sounds, Zhang Yu poured a large bucket of synthetic food into his mouth, swallowing it all in one gulp.

Immediately afterward, he slightly circulated his Scarlet Marrow Primordial Qi, accelerating the digestion of the food with the peristalsis of his internal organs. Then, he accepted another bucket of synthetic food brought by Bai Zhenzhen.

Having experienced the previous overload sprint and physical exploitation, Zhang Yu felt an insatiable hunger throughout his entire body, especially his chest, where his heart seemed to be constantly crying out for food.

Bai Zhenzhen was busy running around, continuously delivering bucket after bucket of synthetic food to him.

Compared to pre-made dishes, synthetic food wasn’t as delicious but was easier to digest, making it more suitable for Zhang Yu’s current condition.

To facilitate better and faster digestion, without wasting a single bit of energy or nutrition, the synthetic food Bai Zhenzhen brought didn’t even contain any flavoring or seasonings. It was purely nutrition, added to Zhang Yu’s body like refueling a machine.

Although it tasted awful and disgusting, Zhang Yu closed his eyes and forced himself to fill his stomach for the sake of the upcoming competition.

Besides Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, many other students from different schools were also in the buffet area eating.

Some were ordinary high school students who had already been eliminated and came to get a free meal.

Others were students like those from Red Pagoda High, who possessed enormous physiques and astonishing appetites.

However, wealthy students like Yu Xinghan, Song Hailong, and Le Mulan were eating their own food and didn’t join the other students for the buffet.

Hu Yuntao devoured the synthetic food in front of him.

Xiong Wenwu, in front of him, was even more impressive, inhaling bucket after bucket of synthetic food.

Seeing Xiong Wenwu’s eating manner, Hu Yuntao couldn’t help but admire him: “To avoid food affecting his cultivation, Big Brother underwent taste bud removal surgery long ago. Few can match such determination.”

Xiong Wenwu glanced at Hu Yuntao and said, “The first two rounds weren’t our strong suits. It’s okay to be a bit behind.”

“But in the upcoming strength test, we must let everyone know that Red Pagoda is the strongest.”

Hu Yuntao nodded fiercely: “Big Brother, I understand. Even if I lose an arm or a leg in the next round, I’ll definitely hold on until the end.”

At the same time, while Zhang Yu was frantically eating, two figures suddenly appeared before him.

They were Zhou Chechen, the vice president of the student council of Songyang High School, and Lan Ling, the head of the sports department.

Zhang Yu glanced at the name tags on their chests, wondering what connections these two guys had with Ziyun High School to be able to enter the contestants’ buffet area.

Zhou Chechen coldly looked at Zhang Yu, recalling his recent conversation with Ziyun’s representatives.

He thought to himself: “Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen probably used Zhang Pianpian’s connections to receive technical modifications from Bailong High School.”

“If Bailong secretly announces after the competition that Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu also underwent the latest body refining technology modification from Xianyun Group, then the number of their top-ranked contestants will surpass Ziyun or Red Pagoda, making them the biggest winner in this promotion of the new body refining technology.”

Recalling the deal between Ziyun and his school, Zhou Chechen said indifferently: “Don’t be too eager in this round. Just participate casually.”

Zhang Yu frowned, not responding, and continued eating.

Zhou Chechen didn’t seem to care whether Zhang Yu replied, saying calmly: “Your collusion with Bailong High School has been discovered by other companies.”

“If you want to continue showing off, thinking Zhang Pianpian will give you more benefits, you should also consider how other companies will deal with you. Will the people behind you protect you?”

“Don’t end up being sold out while counting money for others.”

After saying these words, Zhou Chechen left with Lan Ling.

On the way out, Lan Ling asked in confusion: “Is that enough? Shouldn’t we threaten him? With Ziyun backing us now, we don’t have to worry about Zhang Pianpian anymore, right?”

Zhou Chechen glanced at Lan Ling helplessly, thinking that this guy’s brain was all muscles. Indeed, one shouldn’t pursue extreme results in body refining.

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Chechen explained: “This arena is now a battlefield for Red Pagoda Husbandry, Ziyun Pharmaceuticals, and Xianyun Group. It’s these three major companies exerting their power behind the scenes.”

“If you push too hard… aren’t you afraid of being crushed by the aftershocks of these giants’ clashes?”

Seeing Lan Ling’s thoughtful expression, Zhou Chechen further explained: “Just slightly mentioning it to Zhang Yu is enough, don’t push too hard… You might end up being targeted by Zhang Pianpian or even the Xianyun Group.”

“Our ability to trade with Ziyun ultimately relies on our own substantial resources, and Songyang High School’s transplantation technology is also something Ziyun desires.”

“Therefore, we don’t have to risk our lives like Zhang Yu, going all out in everything.”

“What’s the point of achieving temporary glory like him? He won’t be able to get into the top ten universities in the end, and he’ll spend his life as someone else’s dog. Eventually, he’ll be targeted by the company and sold by Zhang Pianpian for a good price.”

Zhou Chechen recalled Zhang Yu’s appearance just now and continued: “And look at how weak he looks. Clearly, he must have taken some kind of potent drug in the previous round to catch up with Yu Xinghan, possibly damaging his potential or ruining his health…”

“Adding the pressure we just put on him will definitely have an impact on him.”

“The next round is a strength test, which is a strong point for Bailong and Red Pagoda. Zhang Yu has physical problems and is mentally affected, so his final result will inevitably be unfavorable.”

“In this way, we have warned Zhang Yu according to Ziyun’s request, and Zhang Yu indeed didn’t achieve good results in the end. That’s enough to explain to Le Jingchen…”

Lan Ling nodded repeatedly, feeling that Zhou Chechen was worthy of being the vice president of the student council, thinking things through more thoroughly than him, the head of the sports department.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yu ate while watching Zhou Chechen and Lan Ling leave, wondering: “What were those two guys talking about just now?”

However, upon hearing the word “company,” Zhang Yu became cautious.

After some thought, he called Zhang Pianpian and explained the current situation of the competition.

Then, he asked: “If I win against Yu Xinghan in the next round, will I be targeted by any company?”

Zhang Pianpian smiled and asked: “Can you win?”

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Yu nodded firmly: “I’m confident.”

Zhang Pianpian: “Then go win.”

“If you can get first place, I’ll help you negotiate with Bailong.”

“You just need to admit that you used Xianyun Group’s technology to improve your body refining, and then wait to collect the money.”

Hearing Zhang Pianpian’s answer, especially the last word “money,” Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen instantly became excited.

After hanging up, the two devoured everything even more voraciously, filling their stomachs until they were bulging.

Patting his stomach, Zhang Yu exhaled: “I’m full. Next is digestion, then promoting body growth and recovery, completely completing the breakthrough…”

Just then, Zhang Yu looked at the scars on Bai Zhenzhen’s body, recalling the strange state she was in after the sprint ended.

Zhang Yu suddenly said: “A-Zhen, after we win the championship this time, I’ll pay to help you remove these scars.”

Bai Zhenzhen: “You said it! We’re treating at the hospital then!”

Treating at the hospital was a social activity reserved for the closest friends and family in the Kunxu world.

Zhang Yu nodded: “Don’t worry, when has Daddy ever lied to you since you were little?”

Bai Zhenzhen: “You little…!”

The next moment, the two arrived in front of a relatively secluded restroom.

Then, Bai Zhenzhen hugged Zhang Yu from behind, pressing against him, and said: “A-Yu, I’ll lend you my True Spirit Root.”

Zhang Yu was slightly stunned, saying: “A-Zhen, what about you?”

Bai Zhenzhen smiled: “I can’t break through in this one and a half hours anyway. It’s enough to digest the food and recover some strength. I don’t need the True Spirit Root.”

“But you, remember to take me to the hospital for a treat after you win.”

As the familiar Spirit Root drilled into his body again, Zhang Yu took a deep breath, nodded, and walked into the restroom.

Then, he took out a Primordial Pill he had prepared long ago from a medicine box in his pocket.

“I originally thought I wouldn’t need it today since there was no training.”

“But it’s a good thing I brought it.”

After all, Zhang Yu usually kept such expensive items as Primordial Pills in his backpack.

The next moment, Zhang Yu swallowed the Primordial Pill in one gulp.

As the medicinal power surged and spiritual energy swarmed in, Zhang Yu fully activated his Scarlet Marrow Primordial Qi.

The muscles all over his body tensed, constantly absorbing the rushing medicinal power and spiritual energy within his body.

At the same time, his heart, which had been damaged in the previous sprint, was like a black hole, frantically absorbing the nutrients Zhang Yu had eaten, as well as the medicinal power of the Primordial Pill and the spiritual energy from the Spirit Root.

His internal organs were like a rock crusher, continuously and thoroughly breaking down the synthetic food he had just swallowed, turning it into streams of warmth that flowed into Zhang Yu’s blood vessels, replenishing his limbs and bones.

Through long-term coordination, the True Spirit Root within his body had already become accustomed to Zhang Yu’s cultivation of the Scarlet Marrow Primordial Qi.

At this moment, streams of spiritual energy were even injected into his internal organs, filling those streams of warmth, accelerating Zhang Yu’s digestion and absorption.

The largest stream of warmth naturally flowed toward Zhang Yu’s heart, accelerating its growth and strengthening it every second that passed.

Under this continuous supply, Zhang Yu’s originally pale face gradually became rosy, and his breathing and heartbeat became more and more powerful.

Especially as the Scarlet Marrow Primordial Qi circulated, Zhang Yu’s heartbeat sounded like a large drum, gradually emitting loud thumping sounds that echoed within the restroom.

Outside the restroom, Bai Zhenzhen guarded the door, preventing anyone from barging in, so that no one would disturb Zhang Yu or see his cultivation movements.

Lian Tianji, who wanted to chat with Zhang Yu, came here and couldn’t help but ask curiously: “Zhang Yu is inside… cultivating?”

Bai Zhenzhen nodded and said: “The restroom is quieter, making it easier for him to concentrate on cultivating and resting.”

Lian Tianji glanced thoughtfully at the restroom, chatted casually with Bai Zhenzhen for a few words, and then left.

As the one and a half hours gradually passed, Bai Zhenzhen listened to the movements coming from inside the restroom and felt Zhang Yu’s heartbeat becoming stronger and stronger. She gradually felt a sense of confidence in her heart.

“When Yu Zi takes first place, I must borrow money from him severely.”

In the blink of an eye, the one and a half hours finally passed. The final round of the sports competition, the strength test with a total score of 150 points, officially began.

In the center of the arena, a two-meter-high platform rose up. Then, a giant pillar descended from the ceiling of the gymnasium.

The pillar was silver-black, covered with layers of dense runes. It was unclear what kind of metal it was made of, but it was about five meters in diameter.

The giant pillar descended from the sky, extending all the way from the ceiling, and finally stopped three meters above the platform.

This was the Sky Pillar of the final round.

The Sky Pillar’s body could unleash a force ranging from a minimum of one thousand kilograms to a maximum of one hundred thousand kilograms, accurately testing the strength limit of Qi Refining stage experts.

In this round, the contestants would take turns stepping onto the platform to support this Sky Pillar.