By the civil engineering competition arena.

Unlike the spiritual realm’s spectator stands, the audience seats specifically prepared for the real world were almost empty at this moment. After all, even if people truly wanted to watch the competition, most would do so directly from the spiritual realm; very few would physically attend in person.

On the spectator stands, Bai Zhenzhen stood alone at the highest point, watching the competition.

However, Bai Zhenzhen had activated the power of her Divine Spirit Root, making herself appear like a wisp of air, attracting no one’s attention. This hidden ability of the Divine Spirit Root always allowed her to avoid people she didn’t want to see and situations she wanted to avoid, effectively disappearing from the world.

Yet, the Divine Spirit Root could only conceal her; it couldn’t make Zhang Yu disappear with her. This was why she hadn’t used this technique to transfer the Divine Spirit Root earlier. Hiding herself alone would only raise suspicion. Especially if Zhang Yu couldn’t immediately control the Divine Spirit Root after the transfer, it might suddenly become visible.

Although Zhang Yu also possessed a Divine Spirit Root, he was not proficient in its concealment abilities. Furthermore, he considered that during a spirit root exchange, the intense stimulation from the Divine Spirit Root would likely make it uncontrollable. Therefore, he never contemplated recklessly exchanging spirit roots just because of the concealment ability, as the risk was too great. If anyone had been observing them at that moment, it would have led to the worst possible outcome.

On the competition field, thunderous rumbles echoed continuously.

Streaks of meteor-like fire shot towards Zhang Yu like raindrops, shattering the atmosphere layer by layer and producing thunderous roars.

At the same time, a message from the Seven Emotions Divine Lord appeared in Bai Zhenzhen’s ocular core.

Seven Emotions Divine Lord: Watching Zhang Yu’s competition?
Bai Zhenzhen: Yes.
Seven Emotions Divine Lord: The gap between you two is growing.

On the field, Zhang Yu suddenly activated the Heaven Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power. The turbulent telluric gravity acted like a black hole, deflecting the incoming meteors, sending them crashing into the ground.

Bai Zhenzhen: Zhang Yu has already mastered military-grade cultivation techniques. He’s catching up to me step by step.
Seven Emotions Divine Lord: But he’s from the civil engineering faculty. Mastering the Heaven Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power means he’s rooted in civil engineering and can’t leave the construction site.
Bai Zhenzhen: Civil engineering can also produce dragons.
Seven Emotions Divine Lord: Perhaps.

Seven Emotions Divine Lord: But will Zhang Yu still be the Zhang Yu you know then? Did he tell you about participating in the Infernal Artifact experiment and gaining cultivation upgrades from it? I’m not an old-fashioned person who opposes dual cultivation. Dual cultivation broadens the boundaries of one’s immortal path and strengthens its foundation, which is good for most cultivators. However, once a person begins to taste the benefits of dual cultivation, starts manipulating their own desires and emotions, and grows stronger in the process, they will no longer cherish these things. He’s now served as a test subject in the Infernal Artifact experiment and gained significant advantages. He will gradually become a different person. Emotions and dual cultivation will merely be bargaining chips and resources for his cultivation, making him unsuitable for someone like you who cultivates the Extreme Emotion Sword Dao.

Bai Zhenzhen: I trust Zhang Yu.

Seven Emotions Divine Lord: The poor cannot withstand tests.

Bai Zhenzhen remained silent, but her mind involuntarily replayed the scene from earlier today when Zhang Yu spoke with Wen Wuya. If it were the old Zhang Yu, he would have decisively refused Wen Wuya without the slightest hesitation, right? Has he changed because he participated in the Infernal Artifact experiment and gained benefits from it? And today, when they were together, Zhang Yu also seemed impatient to transfer her Divine Spirit Root. Asking her to watch the competition seemed to be part of a scheme to transfer her spirit root… At this thought, Bai Zhenzhen’s expression shifted, and she wondered, “Has Zhang Yu truly changed? Is he no longer the person he was in high school?”

Seven Emotions Divine Lord: I don’t care if Zhang Yu ends up building bridges or roads. I just don’t want your Extreme Emotion Sword Dao to suffer a backlash, wasting your valuable time for nothing.

Bai Zhenzhen said nothing, only shifting her gaze back towards the competition arena.

Streaks of meteors soared into the sky, covering most of the competition field. Facing the overwhelming, meteor-shower-like assault, Zhang Yu took a deep breath. His hand seals changed, and clumps of telluric gravity condensed like miniature black holes, ascending into the sky and devouring the falling meteorites.
Aura of the Ten Phases of Star Suppression — Stardust Bind.

On the other side, large sections of mountains floated into the air, forming an aerial fortress that layered and protected Heavenly Sword University’s construction site. Yue Guanquan stood proudly atop these floating mountains. With a flick of his finger, the Great Freedom Instant Hell Sword Qi infused large sections of rock, streaking across the sky like falling meteors, covering the area where Myriad Law University was located.

“As my offensive escalates,”
“How much longer can you hold out?”

Yue Guanquan chuckled softly, as behind him, numerous silently floating flying swords were already poised for action.

In the spiritual realm’s spectator stands, Wan Gouxuan from Immortal Weapon University was intently watching the competition below. He mused, “Heavenly Sword University’s Great Freedom Instant Hell Sword Qi can attach to all things, transforming grass, wood, bamboo, stone, soil, and gravel into projectile flying swords. Not only does it enable ultra-long-range construction, but the sharp sword qi it contains can also shatter mountains and break rocks.” “It boasts high construction efficiency, adapts to most construction environments, requires no specific tools, and has low construction costs… It’s a top-tier large-scale civil engineering cultivation technique.”

Reflecting on this, Wan Gouxuan sighed, “Myriad Law University, or rather, Zhang Yu, is completely suppressed.” “Zhang Yu already has to expend more energy defending against Yue Guanquan’s flying sword attacks. What’s more, Yue Guanquan’s own strength surpasses Zhang Yu’s.” “If he hadn’t advanced his cultivation technique to the 16th level through some Infernal Artifact experiment, the situation would probably be even worse.”

At this point, a hint of envy flashed through Wan Gouxuan’s mind. How long had it taken him to cultivate a military-grade technique from level 10 to level 16? Yet, Zhang Yu had achieved such a leap in a short period? How could he not be envious? However, what comforted Wan Gouxuan was that this leap would ultimately not allow Zhang Yu to catch up to Yue Guanquan.

Wan Gouxuan assessed, “For Zhang Yu to win now, he must break through. Remaining a stationary target… losing the match is only a matter of time.”

Beside Wan Gouxuan, Xiang Shan from Celestial Demon University curled his elephant trunk and stated calmly, “Didn’t you notice that Zhang Yu blocked all of Yue Guanquan’s attacks?” “All attacks?” Wan Gouxuan paused, “He blocked all the flying swords Yue Guanquan launched?” Xiang Shan replied, “It’s to cover his teammates, because he has no other choice.”

“If Heavenly Sword University’s construction site were on the ground, Zhang Yu could tunnel underground all the way there. With the might of the Heaven Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, he could cause landslides and ground fissures at Heavenly Sword University.” “But Heavenly Sword University’s site is in the sky, which not only greatly reduces the threat posed by the Heaven Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power but also allows Yue Guanquan to attack Myriad Law University’s site at any time.” “Because the Great Freedom Instant Hell Sword Qi’s attack range far exceeds that of the Heaven Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, Yue Guanquan can threaten everyone at Myriad Law University from a distance, outside Zhang Yu’s attack range.”

Xiang Shan analyzed, “His cultivation technique is countered, his power is suppressed, and his tactics are completely targeted. Zhang Yu’s only option is to cover his teammates, allowing them to quickly complete their formation and, with the formation’s enhancement, find a way to turn the tide.” “So, the question now is how long he can hold out under Yue Guanquan’s assault.”

Watching Zhang Yu accurately intercept each meteor streaking across the sky, causing them to fall to the earth, Xiang Shan praised, “Zhang Yu’s martial talent is truly astonishing.” “Whether it’s control, activation speed, or range… he has unleashed the full power of the Heaven Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, perfectly intercepting every move from Yue Guanquan.” “However, Yue Guanquan is still far from using his full power.”

At this point, Wan Gou next to him asked, somewhat puzzled, “Why is Yue Guanquan using these ordinary materials for his attacks? Why not just use flying swords directly?” Xiang Shan replied, “It’s because of Mo Shangjin.”

The elephant demon from Celestial Demon University slowly explained, “He’s worried that defeating Zhang Yu too early will cause Mo Shangjin to ‘buy back in’ and rejoin the match. So, he’s stalling for time, gradually increasing the pressure, to give his teammates more time to set up formations and construct defensive works.”

Moments later, streaks of sword qi rose from Heavenly Sword University’s aerial fortress. Xiang Shan’s gaze shifted, “Yue Guanquan’s offensive is about to escalate.”

Like magical artifacts, flying swords can also be categorized into teaching-grade, professional-grade, enterprise-grade, and even higher military-grade and immortal sect-grade. At this moment, numerous teaching-grade flying swords were poised for action before Yue Guanquan. If Zhang Yu had been a little closer, he would have realized that these were the temporary flying swords previously rented by Su Yanyang and others. It wasn’t that Yue Guanquan didn’t want to use better flying swords, but teaching-grade ones were more cost-effective and safer to deploy.

Yue Guanquan looked in Zhang Yu’s direction and said calmly, “The warm-up is over.”

As the Great Freedom Instant Hell Sword Qi activated, temporary flying swords shot skyward with a whoosh, generating powerful air currents and thunderous sounds, hurtling towards Zhang Yu at several times the speed of sound.

Seeing this, Zhang Yu’s eyes narrowed, “Is it here? The real flying sword attack.”

In the previous moment, the sword shadows were still hovering above the aerial fortress; in the next, they were already within a hundred meters of Zhang Yu. Amidst a series of thunderous flashes, the Thunder Suppression Seal activated repeatedly, sending out bolts of lightning that continuously deflected the flying swords’ thrusts. Simultaneously, the Earth Suppression Seal also activated, forming an aura around Zhang Yu that further impeded the flying swords’ penetration.

Yet, beneath the flashing lightning, the deflected flying swords traced elegant arcs, then reoriented themselves like nimble fish, continuing to press their attack on Zhang Yu. Furthermore, bursts of sharp sword qi erupted from the flying swords’ bodies, directly tearing apart the Earth Suppression Seal’s aura and continuing their assault towards Zhang Yu.

Although his body-guarding magical artifact couldn’t entirely obstruct the flying swords’ offensive, it provided Zhang Yu with more reaction time, allowing him to successfully activate the Heaven Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power and seize the flying swords before him.

With a crackling explosion, a flying sword shattered under the suppression of the Heaven Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, transforming into countless fragments. But before the soul cultivators working for Zhang Yu could rejoice, each fragment emitted a sharp aura, as if one flying sword had transformed into dozens or even hundreds, continuing their assault on Zhang Yu.

Watching this scene, Mo Shangjin commented in the competition chat group: “See, this is how it got damaged last year.”