Chapter 35: Choices and Cultivation Techniques

Bailong High School.

As one of the three prestigious high schools in Songyang City, alongside Ziyun High School, the school boasted a long history and immense financial resources. Whether in terms of the number of annual competition winners, the number of students admitted to the top ten universities, or the number of students who suffered mental breakdowns, the school held a dominant position in Songyang City.

To many students at Bailong High School, even... what "three prestigious schools"? There was only one prestigious school in Songyang City, and that was Bailong High School.

Meanwhile, in the cafeteria of Bailong High School.

Zhang Pianpian was eating her meal while flipping through her Talisman Book, studying a newly purchased textbook on talismans.

Just then, a petite girl sat down in front of her and said mysteriously, "Pian-bao, I heard some interesting news. Want to know? Tell you what, buy me lunch and I'll let you in on it."

Without even looking up, Zhang Pianpian said, "Not interested."

The girl chuckled. "Your brother certainly made quite a splash at the Central Building last time. It's a pity he wasn't taken in by a Golden Core cultivator in the end. Don't you want to hear his latest news?"

Zhang Pianpian's brow furrowed slightly. She spoke up, "The most you'll get is a 9-yuan pauper's meal. Anything more expensive and I'm not listening."

"Alright, alright," the girl laughed. "It's a rare occasion that Pian-bao is treating me to lunch. If I told people in class, no one would believe it."

Seeing the look of impatience on Zhang Pianpian's face, the girl continued, "The news came from a friend of mine at Songyang High School."

"Your brother took third place in the grade for this month's exam, with a total score of 620."

Zhang Pianpian said in surprise, "620? Are you sure your news is real?"

"Guaranteed," the girl said. "With that score, even in our first year of high school, he'd be in the top fifteen. Impressive."

"Didn't you say your brother lacked talent? It seems he's doing quite well now."

A flicker of doubt crossed Zhang Pianpian's eyes. "My judgment is never wrong. He does not have the talent to climb the path of immortality. It seems something has happened to him recently."

The girl asked, "The Songyang High School Student Council will probably keep an eye on him now. Aren't you going to help him?"

Zhang Pianpian lowered her eyes and said indifferently, "It depends on his own choices."

"If he's willing to sign with the Student Council, at least his high school years will be easier."

"You're testing him?" The girl curled her lip. "Aren't you being too strict? How many students can actually withstand the pressure of the Student Council?"

Zhang Pianpian said coldly, "If they can't withstand it, they should walk a path they can't withstand. Otherwise, helping him would only be harming him."

"His true caliber will ultimately depend on the choices he makes."

...

Songyang High School.

Zhang Yu could clearly feel that the atmosphere of the entire school had changed.

During class breaks, unfamiliar classmates began to greet him.

"Student Zhang Yu, your physical strength is improving so fast. Is it really natural body tempering?"

"Zhang Yu, can I borrow your martial arts theory paper to look at?"

In the hallways, students from other classes he didn't know were pointing and whispering about him.

"Look, that's the Zhang Yu Teacher Lei was talking about."

"Sigh, these monsters in the demonstration class really don't leave any room for others to live."

In martial arts class, Teacher Lei Jun repeatedly played the video of Zhang Yu defeating He Dayou.

He even had Zhang Yu explain his combat thoughts at the time. Listening to this, the blood qi in He Dayou's body surged, and his heartbeat grew stronger and more rhythmic, making him feel younger and younger.

In the cafeteria, students began to intentionally veer around Zhang Yu, seemingly trying to sneak a peek at what he was eating.

Some students with whom he had little rapport even tried to sit at his table.

At dinner time, Zhang Yu simply called Zhao Tianxing over, pulling him and Bai Zhenzhen to eat together.

After all, Zhao Tianxing took up two seats by himself, so the three of them filled the table perfectly.

As for that kid Zhou Tianyi, no one knew what he was up to today; he had left school immediately after class and hadn't come to eat dinner with them.

Zhao Tianxing had eaten with them a few times recently and had gradually become much more familiar with Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen.

Zhang Yu even noticed that in front of Zhao Tianxing, Bai Zhenzhen seemed much more relaxed than she was in front of Zhou Tianyi.

At that moment, Zhao Tianxing complained, "How much longer is that electronic screen in the cafeteria going to display the monthly exam results? It's inconvenient to check the prices when ordering food now."

Zhang Yu took a bite of food and sighed, "Xiao Zhao, that's just your narrow perspective. The school displays the results to urge everyone to study hard. I think displaying them for a few more days is fine."

Beside him, Bai Zhenzhen nodded slightly. "After all, exams are our duty as students. How can the importance of displaying scores be compared to the mere price of a dish?"

Zhao Tianxing looked at the two of them, especially Zhang Yu, with a sense of speechlessness.

Then, he suddenly realized that Zhang Yu was no longer the student whose monthly exam ranking was similar to his. They were no longer in the same social class on campus.

Those actions that deeply stung other students, applied insane pressure, and incited fierce internal competition—to the current Zhang Yu, they were nothing more than blatant displays of prestige.

"Just a few days ago, Zhang Yu was still criticizing these inhumane school practices with me."

"Now he's turned into this," he lamented in his heart. "Does a person's character really change this quickly once their scores go up?"

Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu and smiled. "Yu-zi, you seem to be in a very good mood."

"Good" was an understatement.

Zhang Yu felt absolutely ecstatic.

He had never felt that the scenery at Songyang High School was so beautiful, or that the students and teachers were so friendly.

For someone like him, who had to persist in bitter cultivation every single day, this was the most beautiful scenery, a rare solace, and a reward from heaven for his diligence and self-discipline.

Zhang Yu waved his hand modestly. "Sigh, it's all just useless fame."

"I don't know why everyone likes coming to find me."

"A-Zhen, you've been the top of the grade for so long, why don't as many people come to hang out with you?"

Bai Zhenzhen curled her lip, her face full of disdain. "Because my being number one leaves them with no hope of catching up; all they feel is the absolute gap in talent."

"But your sudden progress makes them feel that imitation is possible."

"So, every single one of them wants to be your good friend to pry into the secret of your improved grades."

Bai Zhenzhen swallowed a chicken leg in one gulp, ruthlessly exposing the cruel reality.

"In a high school campus, scores are king."

"A selection of excellent exercise books, a paid talisman technique, or even combat experience learned from a cram school—all are enough to make countless high schoolers flock to them. Not to mention the mystery of how you improved by 70 points in a single month; even the top ten scholars in the grade would be tempted."

"These students coming to find you aren't really here to be your friends. They just want to obtain the secret of your massive score increase, ideally transferring those 70 points of progress onto themselves."

Beside them, Zhao Tianxing shifted his weight, causing the two chairs beneath him to emit a strained creak.

He thought to himself, *I'm the tenth place this time, and I also intentionally approached Zhang Yu before.*

*Is Bai Zhenzhen talking about me?*

*Although it's true that I wanted to learn some excellent study habits from them and take the chance to ask Zhang Yu the secret to his rapid improvement...*

Thinking of this, he squirmed even more, feeling as though the atmosphere at the table had become awkward. He temporarily suppressed the thought of asking Zhang Yu for his secret.

Even as he parted ways with Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, watching one take the bus and the other take the subway, Zhao Tianxing was still thinking about this.

*Was Bai Zhenzhen actually talking about me?*

...

On the bus.

Just as he boarded and was being squeezed by the surrounding crowd, Zhang Yu felt his phone vibrate.

He took it out and saw a message from Bai Zhenzhen.

"In the next few days, the Student Council might approach you regarding a contract."

"No matter what the terms are, don't agree to anything yet."

"Wait until I've finished talking to them, then we can discuss it together."

Looking at the message, Zhang Yu's eyes flickered. He thought, *So high-level contracts are negotiated with the Student Council?*

He had never really understood the Student Council of Songyang High School.

In his concept, a high school Student Council? What could they actually do?

But based on what Bai Zhenzhen said, the Student Council was clearly not simple; they even had the authority to negotiate contracts with students.

"I wonder what the terms of the contract will be."

"Judging by A-Zhen's tone, do they want to stand with me? To drive up the price together?"

After pondering for a few seconds without finding an answer, and hearing the countdown in his mind, Zhang Yu could only temporarily set aside these wandering thoughts and flip through the textbooks stored on his phone.

However, whether it was due to the feedback from his monthly exam results or the impending contract, Zhang Yu felt somewhat restless on the bus today, unable to focus on his reading.

He simply put his phone down and began to contemplate his current path of cultivation.

Regarding his thoughts on this matter, the Ritual Power did not impose any pressure.

After all, contemplating the road ahead and planning his cultivation... all aligned with his wishes to study hard, cultivate hard, get into a good university, work hard, earn money, and eventually buy everything in his shopping cart.

"First, I'll raise the Zhou Tian Qi-Gathering Method to Level 10."

"The next goal is the Heavenly Martial Heart-Refining Sutra, but that martial heart method requires a Level 3 Dao Heart. So, I can only practice the basic heart-refining method first. While raising that method to Level 10, I'll also raise my Dao Heart to Level 3, and then move on to the Heavenly Martial Heart-Refining Sutra..."

"After that, the only things I can practice are basic breathing, loose-hand techniques, and basic high school swordplay."

After confirming his future arrangements in his mind, Zhang Yu thought of his current savings of over seventy thousand yuan and the potential income he might receive after signing the contract. An idea began to form.

"Should I buy some more powerful and effective cultivation methods?"

The previous Zhang Yu had no such intention because he had no money.

But after receiving sixty-six thousand from Wang Hai today, Zhang Yu couldn't help but think about how to spend it.

For example, spiritual roots, talismans, combat experience... many things he previously didn't dare to dream of, he now had vague ideas about. He would just wait until the contract was settled to see how much money he had before making specific arrangements.

As he thought about his future learning arrangements, the urge to purchase cultivation methods surged in his heart.

"Even if I don't buy them, I can at least take a look to get an idea."

The phone screen flashed as Zhang Yu opened a shopping website and entered his real-name account.

After another round of facial recognition, Zhang Yu finally entered the purchasing website for Immortal Path cultivation methods. However, given his current status, he could only see methods for the Qi Refining stage.

As soon as he entered, he saw a row of recommendations that read: *Your friends are also viewing: The Great Method of the Lustful Maiden (Unisex Version), The Great Dream Heart Sutra (Cultivate while sleeping), Nine Heavens Rapid Success Eight-Part Talisman Talismans...*

(End of Chapter)