“Legend has it that Lingxi Shenjun of Hehuan University, when he was young, struggled to take the first step, and his Dao heart repeatedly regressed.”

“But it was precisely through these repeated regressions that he gradually found another path, ultimately realizing the Dao of ‘only after having feelings can one be multi-faceted in love, only after being multi-faceted in love can one be deeply affectionate, and only after being deeply affectionate can one forget feelings.’”

“To be able to love anyone, to embrace anyone, to have an equal and deep love for all beings in heaven and earth – that is the ultimate form of forgetting feelings. This is the Tai Shang Shen Qing Dao.”

“With this single improvement, the output of this cultivation method immediately surged several times over.”

“Similar improvements have been continuous over the years. It is this spirit of endlessness and never stopping its forward progress that laid the foundation for the rise of Hehuan Sect in modern times.”

Listening to Zhang Yu talk enthusiastically about the history of dual cultivation techniques, Fu Ji remarked, “It seems you paid close attention in your classes in the illusion.”

Zhang Yu replied, “Naturally. My original goal was to collect real information on junior college students. Even in an illusion, I would still attend classes diligently and not miss a single piece of information.”

“This junior college simulation illusion has its merits, allowing me to learn a lot of extracurricular knowledge.”

“Hmm… although there are some strange aspects, I think I can continue to try it.”

Since he had already paid the Lingbi with Ye Xingli, Zhang Yu then selected several different scenarios to try.

After he was done, Zhang Yu also received a message from Ye Xingli.

Ye Xingli: How was it, junior? Did you gain anything?

Zhang Yu: I gained a lot.

Zhang Yu: I feel like my junior college student content is so high it scares me a little.

Ye Xingli: These scenarios do capture some of the essence of junior college.

Ye Xingli: But I always feel it’s not realistic enough, too bizarre, and too much of an entertainment take on junior college.

Ye Xingli: There isn’t a single work that truly records real junior college life.

Ye Xingli: The data inside probably can’t be referenced either.

Zhang Yu nodded slightly. “Real junior college life… I’m afraid no one pays attention to it.”

“Or rather, among the users who can enjoy this kind of spirit world simulation service, very few would be concerned with real junior college life.”

“They just treat junior college students as a form of bizarre pastime, entertainment, or a way to temper their Dao heart.”

Zhang Yu replied: Senior sister, you’re right. These scenarios can help us get a feel for the temperament of some junior college students.

Zhang Yu: But relying on these to design refining products is probably far from enough.

Ye Xingli: It seems we still need to collect information from actual junior college students.

Recalling the scenes he had just witnessed in the illusion, Zhang Yu’s eyes flickered slightly, and he said, “Why don’t we just buy it from junior college students?”

“Select a group of junior colleges from all corners of the world, distributed in different regions of the second layer, belonging to various top ten academies.”

“Have these junior college students record their daily lives with their eye-skeletons and then sell them to us.”

“This way, by fast-forwarding through their recordings, we can collect a large amount of firsthand information about junior college students in a short period.”

Ye Xingli: Good idea, let’s do that.

Ye Xingli: I can contact a group of people from my fans.

Zhang Yu: I also know many junior college students.

Ye Xingli: Then we each collect, and we’ll compile it in a month.

Zhang Yu: Okay.

Zhang Yu was not in a hurry to finish information gathering early, as for him, with Tiangong Kaiwu, modifying design blueprints did not take much time.

Instead, information gathering was more crucial. Only with sufficient and accurate information provided to Tiangong Kaiwu could Zhang Yu better obtain the design blueprints he desired.

So, Zhang Yu then posted a new task in the Songyang Fellow-townsman group, seeking to purchase daily life recordings from junior college students via their eye-skeletons.

This immediately received enthusiastic participation from countless junior college students.

“Do you want recordings from soul cultivators?”

“My eye-skeleton capacity isn’t enough, can I sell just a few hours at a time?”

“Are there any requirements for video quality?”

Facing the inquiries from numerous junior college students, Zhang Yu answered a few questions, felt it was too time-consuming, and handed it over to Fu Ji to answer.

Zhang Yu: “Fu Ji, I need you to understand: collect data as realistically and efficiently as possible.”

Fu Ji: “What about the cost?”

Zhang Yu: “The daily life of junior college students, how much money can that cost?”

“The rice welfare that the school gives me, an excellent student, every week, if I give it out, would be enough for them to eat for a year.”

Fu Ji: “Save money wherever you can! You’ve only earned a few Lingbi and you’re already spending lavishly?”

Zhang Yu said, “They are fellow-townsmen after all, don’t be too harsh.”

Meanwhile, many university students in the fellow-townsman group also became restless upon hearing this.

Hehuan University, Lian Tianji: Are daily videos from university students not acceptable?

Shanhe University, Lan Ling: Do you accept videos from military academy students?

Zhang Yu: No need, only junior college students.

After delegating the specific acquisition matters to Fu Ji, Zhang Yu immersed himself back into Taiqing territory to begin his daily simulated refining practice.

With full effort in his Taiqing practice, Zhang Yu made rapid progress. He secretly estimated, “By around the end of March, I should be ready to start refining the Taihao Sheng Lü Jian Zhen.”

While Zhang Yu and Ye Xingli were jointly collecting information on junior college students,

In Magnetic Pole Zhenjun’s laboratory.

Looking at the new artifact skeleton in front of her, Magnetic Pole Zhenjun frowned repeatedly. “Why does it feel like… this design has a distinct junior college vibe?”

“Has my aesthetic sense declined?”

Magnetic Pole Zhenjun planned to read more of the latest artifact design papers later to maintain her artifact aesthetic.

Just then, the primary intelligent spirit in the laboratory sent her a reminder.

“Oh? Has Zhang Yu registered for the design competition?”

“Hmm, it’s about time I helped him with introductions.”

In Ye Xingli’s laboratory.

Zhang Yu sent a new contract to Zi Yunzhen and the other three assistants.

“The new contract has few changes, mainly adding some confidentiality clauses. If you all find no issues, please sign it.”

Zhang Yu’s upcoming Taihao Sheng Lü Jian Zhen project, after all, no longer needed to go through reviews, and thus did not require constant announcements or leaving traces everywhere.

Considering his refining skills were becoming more proficient and his techniques stronger with each refining attempt,

Especially as he mastered more and more artifact blueprints, the refining efficiency bonus provided by the Refining Genius also increased…

Zhang Yu decided to sign confidentiality agreements with his assistants to prevent them from revealing too many laboratory details, which might attract unnecessary trouble.

Zi Yunzhen and the other two looked at the confidentiality clauses and were accustomed to them.

After all, Zhang Yu’s was not their first laboratory to work in, and they found various confidentiality clauses in a lab to be perfectly normal. After a quick scan, they all signed the new contract under the witness of a True God.

Zhang Yu smiled with satisfaction at this scene and said, “Good, now everyone, seize the time to study.”

“By the end of this month, I estimate I will begin the formal refining of the Taihao Sheng Lü Jian Zhen.”

Hearing these words, Zi Yunzhen’s heart trembled, and Su Yunni exclaimed, “It’s starting at the end of March? Isn’t that too fast? Can the preliminary technical preparations be completed?”

Zhang Yu said calmly, “You don’t need to worry about that. What you need to do is complete the learning of the knowledge required for assistants before the end of March, and don’t hold up the project.”

“Once the refining of the Taihao Sheng Lü Jian Zhen is completed, I will give you bonuses.”

Seeing the three assistants’ mixture of anticipation and immense pressure, Zhang Yu was unconcerned.

Having been in the refining department for over a year, and having seen the laboratories of several Zhenjun in the refining department, as well as Senior Sister Ye Xingli’s, Zhang Yu increasingly understood that high pressure was the norm in laboratories.

Assistants always needed to be pushed and squeezed to unleash their potential and not slow down the project’s progress.

On the other side, Zi Yunzhen and the other two took a deep breath, without any intention of refuting. After all, studying while experimenting under the boss’s pressure was a basic skill for refining students.

Although 99% of the miscellaneous tasks done by laboratory assistants might also be accomplished by an excellent junior college student,

The remaining 1% of miscellaneous tasks, and how to discern whether a task belongs to that 1% or 99%, would require sufficient immortal Dao techniques and knowledge.

Before formally beginning the refining of the Taihao Sheng Lü Jian Zhen, extensive study was indispensable.

For the bonus Zhang Yu promised, and even more for the experience of a military-grade project, Zi Yunzhen and the other two were also fully energized.

Not long after Zhang Yu finished painting the ‘pie’ for his assistants, he received a message from Magnetic Pole Zhenjun.

Magnetic Pole Zhenjun: Do you have time?

It was rare to receive a message from his master proactively, so Zhang Yu quickly stopped what he was doing and replied: Yes.

Magnetic Pole Zhenjun: I want to talk to you about the design competition.

Magnetic Pole Zhenjun: This year’s design competition judges include one from our Wanfa, one from Jingang University, and three others from Youming University, Tianmo University, and Baigu University, respectively.

Magnetic Pole Zhenjun: The one from Wanfa is Xuan Yin Zhenjun, and I’ve already put in a good word for you.

Magnetic Pole Zhenjun: For the remaining four judges, you need to prepare gifts.

Zhang Yu: I have to give gifts?

Magnetic Pole Zhenjun: Nonsense, which design competition doesn’t involve gift-giving?

Zhang Yu: What should I give?

Magnetic Pole Zhenjun: What else can you give besides Lingbi?

Zhang Yu thought, “That’s pretty direct…”

Magnetic Pole Zhenjun: I’ll send you the price list for these four. Tell me when you have the Lingbi ready.

Zhang Yu looked at the price list and felt a pang in his heart. “Four Yuan Ying Zhenjun, collectively asking for over 100 Lingbi from me? Sigh, it’s not much for Yuan Ying Zhenjun… but it’s too expensive for a university student.”

Zhang Yu, who had thought he had enough money, never expected to have to bleed so much.

Zhang Yu: Can it be cheaper?

Magnetic Pole Zhenjun: This is already the lowest price.

Magnetic Pole Zhenjun: If you weren’t a student of Wanfa, my disciple, you wouldn’t even have the chance to send Lingbi.

Magnetic Pole Zhenjun: Remember, never give less than the number I give you; if you do, they will definitely cause trouble for you.

Magnetic Pole Zhenjun: And don’t go too high above this number, it will disrupt the market.

Zhang Yu asked: After sending the Lingbi, is it guaranteed that I will get the military certificate?

Magnetic Pole Zhenjun: After sending it, it gives you a chance to compete fairly for rankings with others who also sent gifts.