Chapter 160: A Zhen Opens a Factory, Zhang Yu Works as a Laborer

Song Xu was a top student at White Dragon High School.

He was also the boss Mo Tianyi spoke of and the founder of the Poor Genius Alliance.

At the same time, his family came from the Song Clan, one of the sixteen noble clans of Songyang City.

But Song Xu didn't see any contradiction between the two—after all, who said someone with Song blood couldn't be poor?

For instance, in every generation of the Song family, many people were eliminated and had to work to pay off debts, and after a few generations, their descendants naturally became poor.

Song Xu's great-grandfather could supposedly still kneel before the main branch of the Song family, but by his generation, he didn't even have any friends left from Song Hailong's circle.

And in the eyes of most outsiders, they didn't even know that Song Xu's ancestors were also from the noble Song Clan; they just thought it was the same surname.

But fortunately, his family knew they had to leverage the power of blood ties—every generation worked hard to drain their parents' money, invest in themselves, and bravely climb the immortal path.

Just as a famous saying from a certain Song elder went: Instead of complaining about your circumstances, better complain about your family.

Song Xu's grandfather spurred his elders on just like that, drained money all the way until he got into university, became a company employee, supported the whole family on his own, and became a role model in Song Xu's eyes.

Song Xu's father fell a bit short—though he also heavily drained his parents' money, he didn't invest in himself but instead threw it into gambling, directly squeezing dry the power of the family bond.

When he learned that the retirement savings his grandfather left behind had been completely depleted, the family house had been sold off by his father, and all kinds of assets had been lost...

Song Xu felt like he was riding a big slide, except the father sliding ahead of him had taken a huge dump, and Song Xu could only watch in despair as he kept sliding down.

The only thing to be grateful for was that just when his father was about to pawn Song Xu off too, squeezing a final wave of bond power, Song Xu beat him to it and pawned his father to the main branch of the Song family, earning his first pot of gold.

Then Song Xu sold off the final inheritance his grandfather had left.

"Grandpa, there's no time to wait for your grave and your corpse to appreciate in value."

"Right now, I need you to give off that last bit of residual heat."

"Please bless your grandson from up in heaven, bless me to advance bravely and sharply on the path of immortality, and get into a good university."

Grave-Digging Palm, Level 3—push! Grandpa, rise from the earth!

After selling off his grandfather's grave and corpse, Song Xu obtained his second pot of gold.

Unfortunately, that was the last grave and the last corpse left from their family.

No matter how carefully Song Xu budgeted, he knew the money on him wouldn't last until he graduated from high school.

Fortunately, he then encountered an opportunity that changed his life.

He met an existence known as an evil god.

Spirit Realm, before the Dao-Asking Hall.

Song Xu, hiding his identity, came here this time for Zhang Yu's matter.

"If this Zhang Yu really has an evil god behind him, then as long as I hunt it, I can boost my potential again..."

"Then getting into the Top Ten universities in the future will be a sure thing."

As these thoughts flashed through Song Xu's mind, he heard Mo Tianyi ask, "Boss, what's the purpose of looking for Zhang Yu this time?"

Song Xu explained calmly, "According to my investigation, the rapid growth of these two people over the past half year was due to a certain reason."

"If I can figure out that reason, I'll be even more certain of getting into the Top Ten next year."

Hearing this, Mo Tianyi nodded to himself. Since it concerned whether the boss could get into the Top Ten, he naturally had to give his full support—even if it meant working overtime for free here at the Dao-Asking Hall, even if the company found out he leaked client information, he'd see it through to the end.

Song Xu continued watching the footage Mo Tianyi had sent.

The security guards were locked in fierce combat with a large crowd of workers; Yu Xinghan was in the middle of it, as tiny as a drop of water in the ocean.

Fists, clubs, blades, and spears surged in from all directions, and his martial arts skills could only barely keep him from capsizing.

But the Heavenly Martial Heart-Refining Technique actually ran more and more smoothly in this environment of battling heaven and earth, with nonstop intense fighting.

At the same time, a broadcast came from the factory gate.

A female voice shouted, "Go all out! Whether you kill or wound, the factory will pay compensation for you! All medical expenses will be covered too!"

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Upon hearing these words, Yu Xinghan felt a surge of exhilaration in his heart. The mental technique in his mind activated at full force, and he began to execute the moves of the Heaven-Forge Heart Tempering Art one by one on the spot, successively repelling several workers.

"No need to hold back."

"No need to consider compensation."

"Even less need to worry about medical expenses… just fight to your heart’s content!"

At that moment, Yu Xinghan felt his spirit surging, his battle intent soaring to the heavens. Power continuously erupted from his entire body, and he grew ever more adept in this battlefield.

…

Mo Tianyi explained, "The illusion will make them temporarily forget everything in the real world, immersing them fully in the current scenario. The more their own mindset aligns with the mental technique, the stronger the technique’s effect."

"For instance, Yu Xinghan cultivating the Heaven-Forge Heart Tempering Art on the battlefield to enhance his Dao Heart yields effects many times better than cultivation in reality…"

Song Xu casually nodded and asked, "What about the other two?"

Mo Tianyi apologized, "The master of this illusion is Yu Xinghan, so I can’t freely adjust the perspective." "But if we keep watching, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen will surely appear."

Meanwhile, a great battle in the illusion temporarily ended.

Yu Xinghan seized the opportunity to return to the factory and rest, only to see the boss come to them in person to offer condolences.

Bai Zhenzhen shook Yu Xinghan’s hand and said, "Well done. Next month, I’ll give you a raise."

"Come, accompany me on a factory inspection."

"There are still many workers in the factory who outwardly obey but inwardly rebel. Later, help me teach them a harsh lesson."

Watching this, Song Xu asked curiously, "Is this Bai Zhenzhen the boss? What mental technique does she cultivate?"

Mo Tianyi replied, "She has registered the Frost-Soul Ice Heart Art, a mental technique very suitable for investors."

"It can strip away distracting thoughts, stabilize the spirit, and keep one constantly calm and composed, calculating gains and losses from a detached, cold perspective."

"Many stock traders cultivate this mental technique to aid their investments."

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"It seems the intent here is for her, as the boss, to maintain an ice heart while facing various internal and external pressures, thereby deepening her understanding of the Frost-Soul Ice Heart Art and strengthening her Dao Heart…"

Song Xu nodded slightly as he listened, but he also knew that when the Frost-Soul Ice Heart Art was first created, it was not intended for investment or stocks.

"This is purely a combat mental technique, especially suited for assassination."

"The key is to ensure one’s heart remains ice-clear before and after striking, unshaken even if the sky falls, ignoring all worldly distractions, focusing entirely on the present battle, and calculating gains and losses from an observer’s perspective."

"However, compared to combat and assassination, the various deceptions, traps, pressures from above and below, and emotional stimuli brought about by changing situations in running a factory—calculating gains and losses in that context is far more complex than in battle."

"If one can maintain an ice heart in such a complex environment, still calmly calculating gains and losses, it will inevitably deepen their understanding of the Frost-Soul Ice Heart Art and have an outstanding effect on tempering the Dao Heart."

Song Xu knew that the deeper a cultivator’s understanding of a mental technique and the more their mindset aligned with it, the more effectively they could leverage the technique’s power and the faster their Dao Heart would improve.

"Heh, this training scenario is quite fitting."

Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen in the factory had already taken Yu Xinghan on an inspection tour, suppressing all disgruntled employees.

…

On the factory assembly line.

Zhang Yu’s face was pale, his body weak, and he was listlessly doing his work on the line.

Due to years of assembly line labor, he was not only frail but had also contracted a lung disease; every breath sent a piercing pain through him.

Under the operation of the Crippled Ox Body-Forsaking Heart Art, the physical pain was somewhat masked, but still not enough…

"Why?"

"Why… am I here working?"

"I remember now—for the wages, to earn money for treatment…"

Thinking of this glimmer of hope, a faint light gradually appeared in Zhang Yu’s eyes. The operation of the Crippled Ox Body-Forsaking Heart Art grew more intense, gradually suppressing his pain.

But just then, a woman’s voice rang out: "The company’s performance is poor, and it’s time for everyone to sink or swim together with the company. Starting this month, salaries will be reduced by 20%…"

Zhang Yu turned his head to see the aloof boss, Bai Zhenzhen, speaking.

And with this notice of the wage cut, Zhang Yu only felt the hope that had just risen in his heart gradually extinguish, and the injuries and illness that had just been suppressed began to ache again.

"Think... think, is there any other way?"

"At least let me rest for a few days to recover, take a few days off..."

Just as Zhang Yu was thinking this, a nearby employee said to Bai Zhenzhen, "Boss, it's almost New Year's. I haven't gone home to see my parents in years. Can I take a few days off..."

Bai Zhenzhen's face was as cold as frost, her eyes seemingly devoid of any emotion; in her calmly calculating mind, there was only the computation of all kinds of profits, data, and gains.

She patted the employee who had asked for leave on the shoulder and said, "Your parents want to see you for New Year's? No problem, just call them over here. That way, you can work overtime together at the factory during the holiday."

Another employee said, "Boss, a relative of mine passed away..."

Bai Zhenzhen said indifferently, "If someone at home dies, let them stink for now. Finish arranging the work first, then deal with personal matters."

Zhang Yu's heart darkened, and he thought again about whether he could get an advance on his wages.

Another employee nearby said, "Boss, wages have been delayed for several months now. Can we get paid this month?"

Bai Zhenzhen smiled gently, but her eyes were icy cold as she said, "The factory has indeed run into some trouble recently. It's a bit difficult to pay wages on time."

"But as the boss, I also understand that you workers have it hard."

"So I specially used your ID cards to borrow some money. We'll be able to pay wages on time this month. Just make sure to repay the loans on time."

Zhang Yu's heart sank once more, and the thing called hope within him seemed to be heading toward annihilation, causing the pain suppressed by his cultivation technique throughout his body to intensify more and more.

Bai Zhenzhen, meanwhile, found her thoughts flowing more and more smoothly. In this state of stripping away all emotion, she calmly calculated every gain and loss, squeezing out every bit of profit she could obtain, feeling the Cold Soul Ice Heart Art running more and more smoothly.