Faced with Zhang Pianpian’s question, Zhang Yu looked at the Dao Seed on her chest, then glanced at Yu Xinghan, who was engrossed in conversation with Li Xiao, and messaged privately: “It’s fine, Senior Sister. I don’t need this money for now, so please take it.”

Zhang Pianpian felt a surge of emotion. When she had initially helped her junior, it was merely an impulsive attempt, seeing that he had considerable talent. Little did she know that he would rise so quickly. Now, not only was he attending Myriad Arts University with her, but he could also lend her such a large sum of spirit coins.

Especially striking was his reply at that moment. “I don’t need it, you can take it…” It was hardly a normal human thing to say. Would a sane person actually say that? Yet, for some reason, hearing this outlandish remark, Zhang Pianpian felt an unprecedented sensation well up inside her.

Zhang Pianpian nodded slightly, looked earnestly at Zhang Yu, and messaged: “Alright then, lend me 25 spirit coins. I’ll definitely repay you within six months at the earliest, or a year at the latest.”

Zhang Yu replied: “Is 25 spirit coins enough? How about I just lend you 50 instead?” He thought to himself, “Over the past few months, through several attempts and casual conversations, the Dao Seed’s requirement for 50 spirit coins has remained unchanged. It seems 50 spirit coins is indeed the minimum.”

Zhang Yu had always deeply felt his Senior Sister’s power. Especially after arriving at Myriad Arts University, he had witnessed her modifying dormitory spirit energy consumption data, and later, in the underground catacombs, he saw her shutting down networks, hijacking surveillance, and manipulating others’ dharma skeletons. Combining this with the 50-spirit-coin cost of the Grand Pure Talisman, Zhang Yu was convinced that Zhang Pianpian’s Dao Seed must be extraordinarily powerful.

“Alright then… Grand Pure Talisman! Activate!”

Meanwhile, Zhang Pianpian on the other side was slightly stunned by Zhang Yu’s message, a flicker of hesitation crossing her mind. For her, 50 spirit coins were naturally better than 25, but Zhang Yu only had 56 spirit coins in total. Lending so much in one go…

As Zhang Pianpian was still contemplating, she saw that Zhang Yu had already transferred 50 spirit coins.

Zhang Pianpian messaged: “Are you insane? Who just transfers that much money when lending it?”

Zhang Pianpian looked at Zhang Yu as if he were an idiot. After all, in Kunxu, lending money in such a way was nothing short of foolish. Money was simply too important. With money came potential, strength, future, and even life itself. Lending money, especially 50 spirit coins in one go, was like lending out one’s life, transferring one’s potential to someone else.

Since Zhang Yu had decided to lend 50 spirit coins to Zhang Pianpian to activate her Dao Seed, he wasn’t going to waste any more time procrastinating. “Since I’m going to lend it anyway, I might as well be straightforward about it.” So he replied: “Senior Sister, please take it. I know you need the money. Besides, if you become stronger, it benefits me too. You’ll be able to look out for me better.”

Zhang Pianpian looked at Zhang Yu before her, thinking about how her junior had lent her the 50 spirit coins he had painstakingly saved. She felt an unprecedented surge of emotion in her chest. Zhang Pianpian had witnessed thousands upon thousands of spirit coins before, but at this moment, she felt that no matter how much money there was, it couldn’t compare to the preciousness of the 50 spirit coins Zhang Yu had just given her. “Is this the bond of family?”

Silently accepting the 50 spirit coins transferred by Zhang Yu, Zhang Pianpian felt a warm current flow from his body into her own. It was his potential for immortal cultivation, his life, his future. And now… he had poured these precious things into her. “Junior, I’ve felt your potential, and I understand your intentions. I will make good use of all this…”

Just as Zhang Yu saw her accept the 50 spirit coins, he received an electronic contract from her. Seeing the contents of the contract, Zhang Yu was slightly surprised: “A repayment contract? Starting next month, she’ll pay me 5 spirit coins per month? For a total of 12 installments?”

Zhang Pianpian: “I’ve accepted the money. What I need to do now really does require as much money as possible. Please sign this contract. You lent me money, and I’ll pay you interest. That way, our friendship won’t be in vain.” Zhang Pianpian thought, “You’re willing to lend me money, and I’m willing to pay you interest. That’s what true family does. This repayment contract is the bond between us siblings.”

Zhang Yu, of course, didn’t know about the bond in Zhang Pianpian’s heart, but since she insisted, he signed the contract. As the contract was completed, Zhang Pianpian felt the sibling bond between her and Zhang Yu deepen. Zhang Yu, meanwhile, observed Zhang Pianpian curiously, wanting to see how the Dao Seed called Grand Pure Talisman would be activated. But he only saw Zhang Pianpian close her eyes, her consciousness seemingly journeying deep into the Spirit Realm.

A moment later, when Zhang Pianpian opened her eyes again, the Dao Seed had been silently and completely lit up.

Grand Pure Talisman (Talisman) Level 1

Zhang Yu thought, “It’s done?”

Just then, Yu Xinghan, who was standing nearby, pulled Zhang Yu and said, “Let’s go. Why are you still standing there? We’re going to class. It’s the first class of sophomore year; we can’t be late.”

Without time to fully experience the effects of Grand Pure Talisman (Talisman) Level 1, Zhang Yu had no choice but to head to the classroom with Yu Xinghan and Li Xiao.

Inside the classroom, when Zhang Yu walked in, he noticed that the very center seat in the first row had been left empty. Ying Xin was waving at him, saying, “Senior Brother, over here!” Seeing Ying Xin’s enthusiastic demeanor, Zhang Yu thought, “As expected of a sixth-generation civil engineer. She adapts quickly, clearly from a well-established family tradition.”

Zhang Yu sat down, with Yu Xinghan to his left. Li Xiao was about to sit on Zhang Yu’s right, but Ying Xin squeezed him out. Ying Xin glanced at Li Xiao and said, “I have something to discuss with Senior Brother. You can sit somewhere else for now.”

Sitting to Zhang Yu’s right, Ying Xin took out a box for an energy potion and presented it to Zhang Yu: “Senior Brother, I went to your dorm last night to find you, but it seemed you weren’t there. So I thought I’d give you this in the classroom.”

Zhang Yu took the box. He didn’t think much of it when he saw it was an energy potion, but when he opened the cap and saw the white powder inside, he was startled. “Flour?!” “Are you seriously bringing this stuff to me in the classroom?” But the next moment, he realized: “Wait, could this be the family heirloom ashes Ying Xin mentioned? Why is it so white?”

Fu Ji said, “This indicates high-quality ashes, cleanly incinerated. It might contain certain metallic substances, and the person who was cremated was at least at the Foundation Establishment stage.”

Realizing the bottle didn’t contain flour, but just ashes, Zhang Yu breathed a slight sigh of relief. Fu Ji commented, “Ying Xin deliberately put it in a medicine bottle to prevent others from seeing it, didn’t she? Quite a talent for civil engineering.”

Ying Xin watched Zhang Yu open the bottle cap and added, “These are my great-grandfather’s. Just a sprinkle into concrete using a blood sacrifice method can greatly enhance a building’s strength. Senior Brother, you’ll definitely be participating in this year’s Civil Engineering Competition, right? You can use this then.”

Zhang Yu looked at Ying Xin, weighed the bottle in his hand, felt its contents, and smiled slightly: “Little Ying, I appreciate your thoughtfulness.”

Ying Xin smiled slightly, thinking that since Zhang Yu had become Director Gao’s registered disciple, by connecting with Zhang Yu, she would also be connecting with Director Gao. She secretly thought, “Great-grandfather, now that you’re with Zhang Yu, please bless me so that I can make a name for myself under Director Gao in the future and become a top figure in the construction industry.”

Just then, the lecturer arrived in the classroom. He walked onto the podium and stated directly, “My name is Wei Huai, and I’m your instructor for this Engineering Geology course. Starting from sophomore year, civil engineering students will need to learn cultivation techniques for large-scale construction. To successfully employ such techniques and maximize their power, one must have a thorough understanding of mountains and terrains, and insight into the geological conditions of the site…”

Sitting in the classroom, Zhang Yu tried to multitask using his Immeasurable Heart Inner Dharma Body. While listening to the instructor’s explanation, he opened the Dao Seed Manual in his Jade Book and began carefully sensing the effects of the Grand Pure Talisman Dao Seed. “To upgrade to the second level, I need to give Senior Sister 100 spirit coins?! My Senior Sister’s talent really is quite expensive.”

As Zhang Yu continued to sense carefully, more information came from the Dao Seed. “The Grand Pure Talisman has only one specific effect… which is the ability to open a Spirit Realm Cave Dwelling through the Spirit Realm?”

Feeling this, Zhang Yu’s heart yearned to delve into the Spirit Realm at that very moment to see what this Spirit Realm Cave Dwelling was like and what its effects were. However, he remembered his Senior Sister’s warning: it was best not to operate the Immeasurable Heart Inner Dharma Body, that ‘black cultivation technique,’ when entering the Spirit Realm. Without activating this ‘black cultivation technique,’ he couldn’t multitask, listening to the lecture while simultaneously trying out the Dao Seed’s effects. “I can’t skip class. I’ll have to try it out when I have some free time.”

Listening to the lecture, Zhang Yu gradually gained a general understanding of the relationship between various large-scale construction methods and different terrains and landforms. Zhang Yu then focused on classes for the rest of the day. It wasn’t until he returned to his dormitory that he stopped operating the Immeasurable Heart Inner Dharma Body and put on his Spirit Realm mask.

The next moment, as he activated the power of the Grand Pure Talisman, he felt his consciousness rapidly traverse the Spirit Realm, countless iridescent phenomena flashing past him. When Zhang Yu came to his senses, he found himself in front of a Taoist temple shrouded in mist and surrounded by mountains. Looking at the three large characters above the temple entrance, Zhang Yu murmured, “Grand Pure Realm?”

He walked into the temple and found it wasn’t large, only consisting of one main hall. Zhang Pianpian was seated cross-legged within the hall, facing an incredibly tall divine statue with an indistinct face. The moment Zhang Yu stepped forward, Zhang Pianpian suddenly turned her head, looking at Zhang Yu outside the hall with surprise. But the next instant, a hint of murderous intent flashed in her eyes, and she thought, “Zhang Yu couldn’t possibly be here. How dare someone impersonate my junior and infiltrate the Grand Pure Realm?”

With a single hand sign, the heavens and earth instantly trembled. Zhang Yu felt a powerful force strike his body, and the next moment, it felt as though he was being torn apart. To Zhang Yu’s disbelief, information like his identity account, bank account, and transaction records flowed out from his body, floating in the surrounding air like scattered refuse. Seeing this information, Zhang Pianpian was also slightly shocked: “Zhang Yu? Is it really you? How did you get to the Grand Pure Realm?”