[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-no-money-what-cultivation":3,"chapter-no-money-what-cultivation-no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-120":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","No Money, What Cultivation?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},163469,323,"Chapter 120","no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-120",120,"\u003Cp>Shortly after Zhang Yu and Zhang Pianpian finished contacting each other, several electronic contracts were sent over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They outlined the promotional requirements for their imitation beast-muscle, as well as the demands for filming commercials and serving as brand ambassadors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The specific compensation was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Endorsement fee of 600,000 per year, paid in three installments...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu's heart surged as he looked at this remuneration; it was the first time he had been this wealthy since arriving in Kunxu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the moment he thought about how he should have been earning more, how that damn Le Jingchen had tagged him as a peerless prodigy along with Ziyun, ruining his commercial value, anger flared up in him again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen, seeing her total endorsement fee of 400,000, was also flushed with excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haha, even though my ranking this time isn't as high as Zhang Yu's, I don't have that peerless-prodigy label, so I don't attract all that dirty traffic focused on prodigies like Yu does.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the contracts also imposed quite a few restrictions on them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, they could not deny having used the imitation beast-muscle, nor could they prevent others from using it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another clause concerned the explanation for lacking visible physical signs: on one hand, it was due to their strong control, and on the other, it was thanks to Xianyun Group's excellent technology that allowed them to adapt quickly, so no one had noticed their physical traits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, he and Bai Zhenzhen had to state that the main reason they were able to achieve excellent results in sports competitions was precisely the imitation beast-muscle technology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other restrictions included not criticizing the imitation beast-muscle, not using Ziyun or Hongta's new body-tempering techniques, and so on and so forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, after seeing the compensation, both Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen considered these trivial matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen signed the contracts, they saw many staff members and a body-tempering influencer blogger arrive at Songyang High School's rest area, saying they wanted to interview Zhang Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having been tipped off in advance by Zhang Pianpian, Zhang Yu was well prepared and quickly pulled Bai Zhenzhen along to appear before the cameras...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's right, the achievements we have today are all thanks to receiving the imitation beast-muscle technical transformation from Xianyun Group...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Before, I was a poor student who couldn't even crack the top ten in my grade, but ever since I got the imitation beast-muscle, everything I eat tastes great, the acupuncture doesn't hurt, I'm more focused in class, and I gain muscle faster...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Afraid of low scores? Go for imitation beast-muscle. I believe that in the future, students who don't use imitation beast-muscle will lack competitiveness and be gradually weeded out in the high school tide...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen's interview continued, a large crowd of students and teachers from both ordinary and key high schools quickly gathered around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu then noticed that many of them, including some from the live audience, headed over to the nearby Xianyun Group booth for consultations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially after the interview ended, Zhang Yu saw students from ordinary and key high schools running toward the booth with hope and longing on their faces, like so many leeks willingly offering themselves up, which stirred some emotions in him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the evil god disguised as a prayer bead on Zhang Yu's chest said, \"Why are you sighing? Don't tell me you're pitying those poor bastards?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If they don't spend their money here, they'll spend it somewhere else. Getting drained by someone else is still getting drained—might as well let us make a bit off it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu moved to a corner and said in a voice only he could hear, \"I don't pity them. After all, the imitation beast-muscle technology is genuinely useful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heh, really useful?\" The evil god chuckled softly. \"Qi refinement has its limits—Dao Heart maxes out at Level 10, mana at 100, and physical strength at Level 10.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you think those students you're competing against, even without the imitation beast-muscle, if given more time to train slowly, could reach that limit?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu paused for a moment, but he already had the answer in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every student present was a top academic since childhood; given enough time, pushing their cultivation to the limit of Qi Refinement should not be a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The evil god said in a low voice, \"A long time ago, scoring above 650 on the college entrance exam and getting one or two competition awards in three years of high school was enough to secure a spot in the Top Ten.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Later, the required exam scores got higher and higher. Students had to maximize their stats in just three years, compressing the cultivation that normally took five or even ten years in the Qi Refinement stage into three.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then, the requirements for competition awards got stricter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Competition started from the third year of high school, then gradually moved to the second year, and eventually the first year.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now, they're using imitation beast-muscle just to reach the second-year level by their first year.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This imitation beast-muscle... it's nothing more than squeezing out power they could have cultivated in another year or two or three, earlier.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But just like when they promoted body-tempering injections before—when the majority starts using injections and imitation beast-muscle, the Daoist wastes are still Daoist wastes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those who couldn't get into the Top Ten still won't, those who couldn't get the foundation-establishment qualification still won't, and their ultimate ceiling in life remains the limit of Qi Refinement.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What difference is there from before, when they weren't taking injections or using new body-tempering techniques?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, no, there is a difference—these Daoist wastes have taken on another debt for this imitation beast-muscle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you understand now? The only function of these body-tempering techniques is to help them compete against other students in high school.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But no matter how hard they try, no matter how desperately they push, the number of slots in the Ten Greats won't increase, the number of people who pass the Foundation Establishment qualification exam won't go up either, and the ceiling for Qi Refining won't change one bit.\" The Evil God chuckled again. \"From start to finish, the Ten Greats and the companies are just screwing with them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But they sure do a good job of it—making them hand over their money willingly, screwing them far more smoothly than we Evil Gods ever could.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the Evil God was snickering, Zhao Tianxing cautiously walked over and began asking Zhang Yu about the imitation monster muscle matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last time, during Songyang High School's special training program, Zhao Tianxing had chosen to drop out, partly because he thought the program was too cruel, and even more because he was afraid of wasting his family's money and ending up with nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, seeing Zhang Yu's results had sparked enormous interest in Zhao Tianxing for the imitation monster muscle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since he had, so to speak, watched Zhang Yu's rapid progress day by day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally Zhao Tianxing had been too embarrassed to ask Zhang Yu the reason for his swift improvement, but now that he saw Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen actively promoting and giving interviews, he too wanted to come and find out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at Zhang Yu and asked, \"A-Yu, is the imitation monster muscle really that powerful? Can it close the gap between us and the top three high schools?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu nodded and said, \"Mm, it really is powerful. Without the imitation monster muscle, I wouldn't have taken first place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Tianxing asked expectantly again, \"Do you think I ought to use the imitation monster muscle?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at one another—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking about the constraints in the contract, Zhang Yu could only nod again. \"Mm, it's pretty good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Tianxing smiled. \"So you think I should undergo the modification too?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Zhao Tianxing with a face full of excitement, as if he had already made a decision, Zhang Yu said jokingly, \"Actually, part of the reason I'm so strong is the effect of natural body refinement—that's how I can control the growth in physical power with such ease.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Tianxing, assuming Zhang Yu was joking, laughed along with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Evil God, disguised as a prayer bead, sneered coldly. \"Still trying to hint that he shouldn't spend the money? Save your breath. Everyone's starting to use the new technology—if he doesn't spend, how can he keep up? He'll just be eliminated early.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Besides, these immortal-road deadbeats won't listen to you. If you keep trying to persuade them, heh... they'll just think you're lying to them, afraid they'll surpass you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't end up breaking the contract and losing your friends all at once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is Kunxu. The tide is this way—how could a single person like you change it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, He Dayou had been straining his ears to catch the conversation between Zhao Tianxing and Zhang Yu. Hearing this, he couldn't help thinking to himself: \"Natural body refinement? I don't think there's a single part of you that's natural.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then his eyes flickered as another thought crossed his mind: \"When he says that, could it be that he's afraid that once we all undergo imitation monster muscle modification, we'll catch up to him in the future?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, a trace of worry surged in He Dayou's heart. \"I wonder—since I've already had a transplant operation, would there be any problem with getting the imitation monster muscle on top of that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu looked at the classmates around him and could sense the restlessness stirring in their hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hint of helplessness flashed through Zhang Yu's mind. It was as if he could already see that, not long from now, one after another, all his classmates would become neither man nor beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the future, Songyang High School could be renamed Songyang Monster Zoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No—at this rate, a few years from now, I'm afraid the entire city of Songyang will turn into a Zootopia of madness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Evil God, disguised as the prayer bead, said, \"Kid, you still have time to worry about others?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu walked aside and said quietly, \"You haven't talked this much in a long time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just resting a bit, saving my strength,\" the Evil God chuckled. \"Besides, there are a lot of eyes on us here. If I talk less, I won't risk giving away any clues and getting us both into trouble.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kid, everyone in this arena, from top to bottom, are a bunch of blind fools. They've only seen the tip of your talent—otherwise they'd definitely want to dissect you, study you from bone to tendon...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But even so, there are still plenty of people who bear you ill will right now. And that 'elder sister' of yours—in two months she'll be leaving Songyang City to go to a university on Kunxu's second level, right? In two months, I'm afraid quite a few people will come after you...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu said coldly, \"What are you trying to say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Evil God tempted, \"Don't you want to further unleash your potential? Don't you want to become stronger and richer—so that after your sister leaves, you can protect yourself, look after Bai Zhenzhen, and one day even ascend to Kunxu's second level together...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, even though this Evil God had been quiet lately, through silent observation he had gained a better understanding of Zhang Yu's situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu didn't reply, only thinking to himself: \"Of course I want to further unleash my potential.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staring at the feather book floating before him, Zhang Yu wished it would ding-ding-ding-ding-ding and jump a hundred thousand levels in one go, so he could punch Kunxu to pieces with one blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But at what cost?\" Zhang Yu said flatly. \"Are you trying to trick me into dealing with one of your colleagues again?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Evil God smiled faintly. \"How is that a trick? I'm just giving you a reminder. You always have a backup path. All you have to do is hunt another Evil God for me, and your potential will surge wildly again! Explosively! Madly!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he received no reply from Zhang Yu, the Evil God knew in his heart that this suggestion had already taken root in Zhang Yu's mind. Now it was only a matter of waiting for him to walk that path.\u003C\u002Fp>",2067,"2026-05-29T04:54:22.303Z","2026-06-01T04:29:11.989Z",1,"deepseek-v4-flash","069f602cd7aebb3f0bd6ee908e5804c6bb605bf6ca1aa5a23ccefb581ea959a3","no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-121","no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-119",711,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fno-money-what-cultivation-cover.jpg"]