Upon hearing Zhang Yu’s question, Fu Ji inwardly sighed, “This guy really does care a lot about his sister.”

Fu Ji knew that if she didn’t answer properly, it would only make Zhang Yu more curious.

After a moment of thought, Fu Ji explained, “The ‘Divine Path,’ as it’s called, refers to individuals who are noticed early on by the Eight Deities and subsequently sign a contract for cultivation.”

“They not only gain resources but also receive direct instruction from the gods.”

“Especially in the art of talismans, they genuinely master related cultivation methods, allowing them to modify various parameters of talismans, customize their own exclusive talismans, and directly harness the power of the Eight Deities.”

“It’s nothing like you guys, who can only mindlessly draw on spellbooks and stare blankly at them once your money runs out.”

“I once saw a true talisman master fight another spellcaster. With a single ‘report talisman,’ the master froze the opponent’s bank account, leaving them with nothing but their spellbook to stare at.”

Zhang Yu asked, “So, if you’re on the Divine Path, can you use talismans even without money?”

“Of course not. What god would you appeal to if you have no money?” Fu Ji replied. “However, those on the Divine Path have high credit limits; they’re all like ‘innate loan saints’ with unfathomable potential.”

Fu Ji sighed, “Every time you think you’ve finally bankrupted them, they somehow manage to borrow more money, and their combat power skyrockets. They become stronger after taking out loans, which is why these guys are best at making breakthroughs in combat.”

At this point, Zhang Yu began to understand slightly. Was this the difference between insiders and regular users? Did talismans also have actual cultivation methods? And being noticed early by the Eight Deities…

Zhang Yu recalled memories of his sister from his original body’s mind.

The former Zhang Pianpian seemed to have started changing in elementary school, becoming more mature, smarter, and more self-assured.

However, at that time, Zhang Yu was too young. He was either being criticized or hit by his sister every day and didn’t notice anything unusual about her changes.

Even at this moment, though more curiosity and doubt swelled within him, Zhang Yu’s primary concern remained…

“So many benefits?” Zhang Yu asked seriously, “What’s the cost? What’s the price?”

This was Kunxu; Zhang Yu didn’t believe stories about benevolent gods appreciating mortal talent, taking them as disciples, and nurturing them into success.

In the world of Kunxu, any gift from the wealthy or the gods always came with a hidden price tag.

Fu Ji had already prepared her answer and replied, “All individuals who sign a contract with the Deities and embark on the Divine Path must join the Eight Deities after university graduation and work as religious personnel without pay for anywhere from several decades to several centuries.”

Zhang Yu gasped. Free labor for such a long time? His sister had been downgraded from a mere worker to a true beast of burden.

Fu Ji continued, “Of course, those who want to embark on the Divine Path also need a specific talent.”

Zhang Yu asked, “What talent?”

Fu Ji chuckled, “They must be poor.”

“After all, not only are the rich born that way…”

“…but those destined to be beasts of burden are also born that way. If your family isn’t poor enough, you can’t be one.”

Damn it… Zhang Yu was speechless for a moment, only able to marvel at his family’s ‘extraordinary talent.’

Observing Zhang Yu’s expression, Fu Ji knew she had managed to gloss over the topic this time. She thought to herself, “You should worry about yourself instead.”

Recalling Zhang Pianpian’s behavior, Fu Ji mused, “Judging by that woman’s actions, the Deity she signed with might be a god-tier entity, involving divine appointments at level 10 or higher.”

“Once Zhang Yu attends university, he’ll realize this isn’t something he should concern himself with.”

Not long after Zhang Yu finished speaking with Fu Ji, Bai Zhenzhen called him over.

The two of them met with the contact person from Xianyun Group and were then led to a dressing room.

Inside the dressing room, Yu Xinghan and Song Hailong were already waiting.

This time, several individuals with high rankings in the sports competition and connections to Xianyun Group were gathered to film a commercial.

Yu Xinghan, who was scrolling through advertisements on his phone, glanced at the two as they entered and greeted them, “Oh, you guys are here too.”

Song Hailong, who was seizing the moment to practice his breathing techniques, nodded at them and then resumed his rigorous training.

It was only Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen’s current achievements that earned them this respect, prompting the proactive greeting.

If it had been Zhao Tianxing entering, those two White Dragon people would likely have ignored him, collectively turning into stern icebergs.

Zhang Yu, however, initiated conversation again, asking, “Do you have any connections for spirit veins or the Spirit Realm?”

Yu Xinghan’s eyes lit up, and he stopped scrolling through ads. He asked, “Why? Do you want to rent them?”

Zhang Yu nodded, “Do you have a way?”

Yu Xinghan chuckled, “Spirit veins are a no-go. They’re incredibly scarce, with everyone occupying their own. If you want to use one, you have to rent it and wait in line. I don’t have any connections to help you with that.”

Song Hailong suddenly interjected, “For spirit veins, you should go to Xiong Wenwu or Hu Yuntao. Hongta Ranch is the biggest landlord in Songyang City.”

“All three large spiritual energy ecosystem reserves within a hundred kilometers are managed by Hongta Ranch.”

Zhang Yu nodded subtly, making a mental note of this information.

Yu Xinghan added, “While spirit veins are out, I might be able to help you with the Spirit Realm.”

The Spirit Realm, a spiritual world created jointly by the Ten Great Sects, was also a place Zhang Yu considered similar to a virtual network world.

Due to its unique nature, the Spirit Realm served various purposes, including teaching, examinations, and tempering one’s Dao heart.

It was said that the higher one’s cultivation level and the closer one was to the upper echelons of Kunxu, the greater the influence and functionality of the Spirit Realm.

As a Golden Core Perfected Being who had descended from the upper layers, True Master Xinghuo possessed considerable assets in the Spirit Realm, even owning his own Spirit Realm cave dwelling. Even while in the first layer, he could occasionally explore the upper layers of Kunxu through spiritual excursions in the Spirit Realm.

However, for those with insufficient cultivation in the lower layers of Kunxu, especially the poor in the first layer, access to the Spirit Realm was severely restricted. Even daily access attempts and target destinations were strictly limited. Gaining access to the upper layers of Kunxu via the Spirit Realm required multiple levels of approval.

It was easy to imagine that using the Spirit Realm to temper one’s Dao heart would undoubtedly be another lucrative business.

At this moment, Yu Xinghan pondered for a moment and said, “I need to go back and ask my master. I’ll get back to you with an answer later.”

A few moments later, the group’s makeup artist approached.

The head makeup artist was petite but strikingly beautiful. Every feature—her eyes, nose, ears—was perfectly proportioned, making her seem like a perfectly sculpted statue.

The makeup artist spoke, “Everyone, my name is Miaoyun, and I’ll be your image designer for today.”

“Today’s commercial requires us to capture your transformation before and after receiving the simulated demon muscle implants.”

As a seasoned professional who hadn’t been fired in 50 years—a true veteran worker—Miaoyun was proficient in skills like expense reporting, passing blame, holding meetings, and developing proposals. She also held the record for the longest accumulated meeting time at Xianyun Group’s Songyang branch.

With her extensive experience, she clearly understood that high school academic achievers appearing in commercials often had strong personalities. Therefore, she couldn’t give them options; she had to issue direct instructions.

She then explained, “Soon, we’ll first apply makeup to make you look rather thin, poor, and weak…”

Zhang Yu understood this was meant to create a “poor, awkward, and ugly before surgery, rich, handsome, and successful after surgery” contrast.

Next, Miaoyun approached Song Hailong, inwardly sighing at the trouble. She detested transforming the appearance of large-built individuals; it took a long time and consumed a lot of magic power, yet the performance metrics were the same as for smaller people.

“But at least he’s not as big as a bodybuilder influencer…”

Miaoyun recalled the last time she accidentally damaged a bodybuilder influencer’s prosthetic muscles and had been paying for the damages ever since, a bitter taste filling her mouth.

“I wonder if my overtime request for next month has been approved. I can’t survive without overtime.”

Although her mind was racing with thoughts, Miaoyun’s movements were skillful and swift.

Her fingertips repeatedly tapped Song Hailong’s body, infusing him with streams of magical power. Immediately, Song Hailong’s muscles visibly contracted and shrank, and even his skeletal structure began to shift.

Especially after Miaoyun’s fingertips pressed over Song Hailong’s eyebrows, eyes, and cheeks, his entire image and demeanor transformed dramatically. From a strong little giant, he instantly became gaunt and shifty-looking.

After finishing, Miaoyun rubbed her palms. Clearly, Song Hailong’s physique was quite resilient, and it had taken her considerable effort to alter him.

Zhang Yu, watching from the side, was slightly startled, as he couldn’t discern Miaoyun’s hand speed at all. This makeup artist’s power far surpassed that of them, the students.

He sighed inwardly, thinking, “As expected of a corporate drone from a large company; their combat power is indeed superior to high school students.”

Witnessing Song Hailong’s sudden transformation, he marveled, “It’s like molding a person.”

He also realized that Miaoyun’s own perfect and exquisite appearance must have been self-sculpted.

Next, Miaoyun approached Yu Xinghan. After touching him with a finger, she commented, “Your magic resistance is quite good, but you should lower it for now.”

Yu Xinghan replied awkwardly, “It’s a body-hardening technique; I really can’t retract it.”

Miaoyun sighed helplessly. More than large-built clients, she detested working with clients who practiced body-hardening techniques. The difficulty instantly changed from molding clay to bending steel, causing much greater wear and tear on her hands.

She inwardly lamented, “It looks like these hands won’t last past this year; I’ll have to replace them.”

When Miaoyun approached Bai Zhenzhen, she observed her appearance for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Little girl, I really like your face shape. Do you sell face models?”

Bai Zhenzhen, with her cold demeanor, replied coolly, “Given my appearance, do you think I’d have grown this old without having sold a face model yet?”

“Fair point,” Miaoyun chuckled. “Tell me your name, and I’ll go collect one.”

As a seasoned makeup artist and image designer, Miaoyun constantly collected various face models to keep up with the latest trends; otherwise, she wouldn’t pass the company’s annual technical assessment.

In her view, Bai Zhenzhen’s face model was a valuable technical reserve.

As for Song Hailong and Yu Xinghan? Their faces were clearly just cosmetic enhancements for the wealthy, used either to maintain their image or conceal personal information.