Inside the artifact refining lab.

Night Xingli glanced at Zhang Yu, observing his recent refining results. *He can already consistently produce Level 5 Azure Sky Sand,* she thought. *Though Zhang Yu started a bit weaker, his ability to advance his artifact refining skills to this level within a month, while simultaneously taking civil engineering courses, shows his strong learning aptitude in this area.*

*If he keeps this up, a department transfer isn’t out of the question…*

Just then, Night Xingli noticed a jade bracelet inadvertently peeking out from Zhang Yu’s sleeve.

“Is that… a Yin-Yang Bracelet?” Night Xingli’s gaze sharpened. “Zhang Yu, is that a new artifact you bought?”

Hearing her, Zhang Yu turned and showed her the bracelet. “You mean this, Senior Sister?” he asked. “Director Gao lent me this body-tempering artifact.”

Director Gao had previously mentioned getting Zhang Yu an artifact to improve his body-tempering efficiency. However, after more than half a month passed with no news, Zhang Yu had thought Director Gao had forgotten. But a few days ago, the director sent the bracelet over, saying it was for him to use until his physical strength reached Level 20.

The bracelet, named the Yin-Yang Bracelet, continuously absorbs spiritual energy with the alternation of day and night once spiritual power is infused. It balances the *yang* qi and *yin* essence within the body, achieving the effect of tempering the physique and strengthening flesh and blood.

*A Yin-Yang Bracelet…* Night Xingli mused. *This is a new artifact refined by Master, not yet released, is it? Did Master give it to Director Gao for him to lend to Zhang Yu?*

*Master is truly too good to Director Gao…*

Thinking this, Night Xingli sighed, “Director Gao has gone to great lengths to support your artifact refining. He even specifically borrowed this body-tempering artifact for you, so you can temper your body even while refining artifacts.”

Zhang Yu was startled by her words and quickly denied, “Director Gao doesn’t know I’m refining artifacts.”

Night Xingli paused, “Hm?”

Zhang Yu added, “Senior Sister, Director Gao doesn’t like me refining artifacts. Please remember not to tell anyone from the Civil Engineering Department about me being here. Every time I come here to refine, I have my roommate book the lab for me, precisely to keep it a secret.”

*True Lord Magnetic Pole said Night Xingli would keep it a secret, didn’t he?* Zhang Yu thought to himself. *It feels like she has no sense of confidentiality at all, even mentioning Director Gao supporting my artifact refining.*

Night Xingli, however, was slightly stunned. *I remember Master clearly saying that Director Gao wanted Zhang Yu to transfer departments,* she thought. Sensing the contradiction in their words, Night Xingli frowned slightly. *Why does Zhang Yu say Director Gao dislikes his artifact refining? Did I remember incorrectly?*

Night Xingli was certain she hadn’t misremembered. Furthermore, there was one thing she could confirm: both Zhang Yu and her Master had asked her not to mention this to Director Gao.

*Something’s wrong.*
*This is incredibly wrong.*
*Could it be that the one who wants Zhang Yu to transfer departments isn’t Director Gao, but…*

A figure flashed through her mind, and Night Xingli quickly halted her speculation. Looking at Zhang Yu, who was still refining Level 5 Azure Sky Sand, she murmured to herself, *No, that’s impossible.*

*It doesn’t make sense.*
*Master and Director Gao have been friends for hundreds of years.*
*There must be something I haven’t figured out.*

Night Xingli then recalled Zhang Yu’s relationship with Wen Wuya.

True Lord Magnetic Pole, Director Gao, Zhang Yu, Wen Wuya, the Artifact Forging Department, the Civil Engineering Department, Heavenly Sword University… For a moment, Night Xingli felt as if a thick fog surrounded her, making the whole situation unfathomable.

Ten Thousand Laws University City.

Basement Level 1.

Zhang Yu and Le Mulan were traveling through the magnet-elemental passage, heading towards Basement Level 9.

“Are you also going to Tianlan Pharmaceuticals’ factory?” Zhang Yu asked curiously.

Le Mulan nodded. “My department and Tianlan Pharmaceuticals have always had a cooperative relationship,” she explained. “Tianlan Pharmaceuticals is expanding its new production line this time, and my mentor asked me to help adjust it.”

Since becoming her mentor’s disciple, Le Mulan had begun to study self-produced medicine techniques. This technique involved using one’s body as a cauldron and spiritual power as fuel to refine ingested medicinal ingredients into various elixirs. This method wasn’t suitable for mass-producing medicines like a pharmaceutical factory, but it had the advantage of linking cultivation to medicine-making levels. It didn’t require large amounts of capital and time to set up production lines, and the direction of medicine production could be easily adjusted, making it very suitable for high-end medicine. Additionally, the process of adjusting the medicine production line, like this current task, was perfectly suited for cultivators like Le Mulan to participate in testing.

Le Mulan looked at Zhang Yu and asked, “Are you also here for the factory expansion?”

Zhang Yu nodded, the image of Director Gao asking him to join the factory project appearing in his mind. This factory project offered a large supply of medicines daily, involved underground construction, was very suitable for cultivating the second of the Seven Civil Engineering Arts—the Great Wilderness Mountain-Moving Force—and also provided a decent income.

*Director Gao probably hopes I’ll eat well and practice the Great Wilderness Mountain-Moving Force diligently on this site, while also improving my physical strength,* he thought. *Although my Great Wilderness Mountain-Moving Force actually reached Level 20 not long ago…*

*Still, it’s worthwhile to come to this site, take more medicine, and earn more money,* Zhang Yu reasoned. After all, he now had artifact refining, a costly endeavor, so he was willing to do anything that could earn him more money.

In no time, the two arrived at the main gate of Tianlan Pharmaceuticals’ factory and saw a large group of cultivators gathered there, seemingly waiting for something. Some of them spotted Zhang Yu and Le Mulan, and their eyes, after scanning the Ten Thousand Laws University rankings displayed above the two, filled with a hint of awe and envy.

As Zhang Yu looked at the rankings above these cultivators’ heads, he thought, *Guangliao Technical Vocational College? Are these all vocational students?*

Meanwhile, amidst the bustling crowd, a line of text projected from the spirit world appeared at the factory gate: “Now hiring operators, salary 0.0003 spirit coins/hour, registration here →”

As the text appeared, the cultivators on site stirred, all pushing towards the direction indicated by the arrow. Seeing this scene, Zhang Yu finally understood: these vocational students were here to apply for jobs at the factory.

At the same moment, Xiao Qingxuan appeared before Zhang Yu. “You’re here?” he said calmly. “Perfect. We have a new factory building that needs to be completed urgently. Use your Great Wilderness Mountain-Moving Force to help dig the foundation.”

Zhang Yu bid farewell to Le Mulan and followed Xiao Qingxuan into the factory, only to realize he was heading in the same direction as the vocational students.

“Are these vocational students also going to the new production line?” Zhang Yu asked curiously.

Xiao Qingxuan nodded. “Things are urgent, and we don’t have blueprints. I’ll take you to see the factory building they’re currently using. We’ll just build an identical one later.”

Zhang Yu followed him to the entrance of a factory building, where he heard a factory manager speaking: “We don’t hire people with only Eye-Frame Augmentations.”

A vocational student argued, “My physical body has been painstakingly trained for eight years, enduring day and night, consuming countless elixirs. It won’t be inferior to a Dharma Skeleton.”

The manager scoffed, looking at him. “Do you think a physical body you painstakingly trained alone can compare to a Dharma Skeleton developed by experts, manufactured by large companies, updated through generations, and integrating the wisdom of countless individuals?”

“Moreover, assembly line work requires standardization. Everyone’s physical body size and shape are different; how can we standardize that? If you want to join the factory, install a Dharma Skeleton first. If you don’t have enough money, we can provide rental. If you’re not even willing to spend money, why are you here looking for work?”

As the vocational student hesitated, many of his classmates rushed forward: “I’ll rent! I’ll rent!”

Zhang Yu paid little mind to this; in this world, whether as a student or a job seeker, Dharma Skeletons were a huge advantage, and he was accustomed to it.

The next moment, he and Xiao Qingxuan walked into the factory, only to suddenly see vocational students being sent onto an assembly line.

“Are your limbs to be sold or stored?”
“If stored, the storage fee will be deducted from your salary.”

Amidst the *swish-swish-swish* of cutting, Zhang Yu watched as the vocational students on the assembly line had their limbs severed, their chests torn open, and then were uniformly fitted with tool-shaped hand Dharma Skeletons and organ Dharma Skeletons for digestion and endocrine regulation. One after another, living bodies were sent onto the assembly line, and amidst flying blood, they were instantly transformed into standardized assembly line operators of various models.

Seeing this scene, Zhang Yu was slightly stunned. He couldn’t help but say, “What the hell… is this a slaughterhouse?”

“How can it be a slaughterhouse?” Xiao Qingxuan said. “It’s simply a uniform replacement with work Dharma Skeletons for easier installation on the production line. After the digestive system is uniformly adjusted, collective feeding can be done through feeding tubes… After the endocrine system is adjusted, the absorption of medicine can be enhanced… After all, a factory is not a school. Operators are on the assembly line 24 hours a day, and all maintenance work is also carried out on the assembly line.”

Watching the operators continuously being produced on the assembly line, Zhang Yu felt as if these people were being turned into parts, one by one, ultimately assembled onto the pharmaceutical factory’s production line. Through Xiao Qingxuan’s explanation, Zhang Yu then learned that the factory had only recently recruited more operators due to its expansion. The factory building Zhang Yu was to help construct today was indeed the assembly line factory for producing these operators.

Xiao Qingxuan reminded him, “Use your Eye-Frame Augmentations to record the factory’s data. Try to replicate it one-to-one later.”

Zhang Yu looked at the speed at which the assembly line was continuously producing operators and couldn’t help but ask, “Is this still not enough?”

Xiao Qingxuan replied, “The operators produced here don’t just supply this one factory area; they supply other factory areas as well. The intensity of the university war has recently increased again, and medicine sales have risen. Many pharmaceutical companies believe that future wars will further expand, and have decided to establish new production lines. There’s still a significant shortage of standardized operators for these assembly lines.”