Chapter 268: Is the Crippled Bull Self-Sacrifice a Castrated Version?

Minor injuries don’t need treatment, which means you’re not afraid of getting hurt while training, can withstand higher intensity practice, and progress faster.

Beyond that, it also means you’re not afraid of getting hurt in actual combat.

What’s the value of not fearing injury in combat? It means that for the same overtime pay, Zhang Yu has lower costs and can earn several times more than others, making it much easier to advance rapidly on the path of immortality…

“He really has a combat-ready saintly body.”

Sparkfire True Man thought to himself: “Even with equal potential in the immortal path, having such a physique means Zhang Yu’s foundation actually far surpasses his peers.”

“The deeper the cultivation and the higher the realm, the more the medical costs rise. With that, Zhang Yu’s physique becomes even more terrifying.”

Sparkfire True Man thought of his own set of magical prosthetics.

Back in the day, he too would fight whenever it was time to fight—fighting delivery drivers, food couriers, security guards… he dared to fight anyone; construction site battles, debt-collection battles, seal-grabbing battles… he dared to join any battle.

He would take whichever job paid the most, always charging toward the most dangerous, highest-paying work.

But after Foundation Establishment, especially after Core Formation, Sparkfire True Man would look at his expensive magical prosthetics, and the first thing he considered before a fight was… will this battle damage the prosthetics?

Do I need to switch to a set of slacker gear?

Just like rich people often have multiple sets of magical prosthetics, divided into training gear, combat gear, and so on.

Poor people also have multiple sets, such as cheap but weak slacker gear that’s not afraid of breaking, and expensive exam gear that can unleash peak performance.

Otherwise, what if the precious prosthetics get bumped or scratched? Even extra maintenance costs money.

Sparkfire True Man thought to himself: “If Zhang Yu, after Core Formation, could refine his own flesh and blood into magical prosthetics, how powerful would he be?”

“But he certainly can’t afford custom-made personal prosthetics. To achieve that, he’d have to go down the path of artifact crafting himself—so he’d need to consider changing his major…”

Sparkfire True Man looked at Zhang Yu on the operating table and suddenly smiled, thinking to himself, was he overthinking this? This disciple hadn’t even entered university yet, and he was already considering him changing majors?

But on second thought, he felt it only made sense to consider it early.

“Which of the juniors from those powerful families hadn’t had their cultivation path planned out since childhood? Often by freshman year of high school they’d already chosen their university and major, by sophomore year they’d set their master’s and doctoral advisors, and mapped out their future faction routes.”

“With Zhang Yu’s talent, he should also plan early, climbing step by step, so he won’t end up like me, choosing the wrong path and wasting precious years.”

Thinking of Zhang Yu’s recent performance on the battlefield, Sparkfire True Man felt a surge of excitement: “In just an hour and a half, he cultivated the Nine Heavens Sky Void Force to such a level.”

“His martial arts talent is so outstanding that among everyone I’ve seen in my life, only one or two could match him.”

“And those people were all seeds for Nascent Soul, or even Divine Transformation.”

Looking at Zhang Yu on the operating table, Sparkfire True Man seemed to see him advancing rapidly under his guidance, eventually getting a doctorate, forming a golden core, transforming into a Nascent Soul, standing on the podium of the Ten Schools League, and thanking his master, Sparkfire True Man.

Zhang Yu looked at Sparkfire True Man, whose mouth was curling into a smile, and asked, “Senior?”

Sparkfire True Man snapped back to reality, looked at Zhang Yu who had finished treatment, put away his smile, and nodded with dignity: “Healed?”

Just as Sparkfire True Man wanted to have a proper talk with him, the eye prosthetics kept showing incoming messages.

Li Xuelian: Dad, you fought so hard today, it’s the best time to earn money, why aren’t you coming?

Li Xuelian: Dad? Where are you?

Li Xuelian: Dad! Time to work overtime! Double pay now!

Sparkfire True Man sighed and said to Zhang Yu, “I need to go work overtime first. As for the guidance, I’ll come find you after I finish overtime.”

“You’ve had a long day today, so get some good rest.”

“But remember, if the righteous deities come to talk to you about rewards in a couple of days, be sure to call me. I’ll help you negotiate. If they don’t come to you, then wait for me to take you to talk to them.”

With that, Sparkfire True Man turned into a streak of fire soaring into the sky, accompanied by countless phone vibrations and warnings from the Golden Core domain, as he plunged into the battlefield amidst a blaze of firelight.

Watching Sparkfire True Man leave, Zhang Yu was about to go find Bai Zhenzhen when he felt a tightness behind him—a warm body hugged him from behind.

Bai Zhenzhen, hugging Zhang Yu from behind, said excitedly, “Yu-zi! We won!”

“My bank account is also unfrozen!”

“Yu-zi! We can go to the Top Ten together!”

Zhang Yu turned around, looking Bai Zhenzhen up and down: “A-Zhen, are you okay?”

Bai Zhenzhen shook her head, grinning, “Don’t worry, the doctor gave me a discount, and all of it was reimbursed by the righteous deities. I didn’t spend a cent.”

Just then, a series of explosions rang out. Watching the battlefield still expanding, Zhang Yu sighed wearily, "Let's go back."

After a day of consecutive major battles, breakthroughs, cultivation, and life-or-death struggles, Zhang Yu now just wanted a good rest.

Bai Zhenzhen nodded repeatedly in response. Having barely managed to defeat Wang Yin, she had no desire to keep risking getting drawn into the remaining fights.

But on the way back to the apartment, the two quickly found conflicts everywhere along the route.

Company employees could be seen fighting from time to time, and even the subway had shut down because the subway company had also joined this corporate war.

Zhang Yu had no choice but to activate his Foundation Establishment domain.

"Foundation Establishment cultivator Zhang Yu has entered within one hundred meters of you. Please be courteous and do not collide."

The two cultivators who had been in pursuit saw the message, their expressions shifting slightly, and quickly left the street. Oasis Group employees who had been hiding felt a jolt upon seeing the notice and hurriedly left their current spot to find another hiding place.

The outsourced personnel leading a team to search for Oasis Group employees, upon seeing this message, all showed respectful awe, saluting Zhang Yu with a gaze, and only resumed their operation after he had passed.

Everyone's respect for Zhang Yu stemmed not only from his formidable strength but also from his victory over Wang Yin.

"Wang Yin was a noble sent down from above. To beat him in front of so many people is to slap the faces up there! How could Zhang Yu's background be insignificant?"

"Even if he has no background, he must be someone chosen from above—otherwise, how could he win?"

"Strong in power, deep in backing—can't afford to provoke, can't afford to provoke..."

With the Foundation Establishment domain activated, Zhang Yu could feel that everywhere he passed was calm and still. Even those who had already started fighting quickly dispersed upon their companions' reminders.

Red River, the general manager of Oasis Group, had been the first to flee after Wang Yin's defeat.

At this moment, a large group of pursuers followed behind him.

Suddenly, he sensed that the attackers' onslaught had stopped.

!

He paused for a moment, glanced at his vibrating phone, and a strange expression crossed his face. "Is it because Zhang Yu passed by?"

"Just his passing by gave me a moment to breathe..."

A bitter smile flickered across Red River's face. Recalling the scene of Zhang Yu defeating Wang Yin, he still found it utterly unbelievable and incomprehensible, leaving only a heart full of regret and remorse.

"Ah, if only I had lent Zhang Yu the money back then."

"Or... I shouldn't have taken this mission and led a team to hunt them down..."

Meanwhile, as soon as Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen returned to the apartment, they first took a shower and changed clothes. After a day of exhaustion, their bodies were still covered in bloodstains, sweat, and all sorts of grime—it was impossible not to feel uncomfortable.

Zhang Yu said, "Zhen, didn't we agree I'd shower first? What are you doing in here!"

Bai Zhenzhen snapped impatiently, "I feel awful all over. Let's wash together and get it done faster. We know each other inside and out—what's there to hide? You're the one making a fuss."

Just then, Fuji also woke up. "What are you two doing? Did you win?"

Earlier, because of too much attention from the orthodox gods, Fuji had actively hidden herself and fallen into a deep sleep, setting herself an approximate time to awaken.

Zhang Yu said, "...In the end, I used the Soul-Harming Brick to..."

Hearing Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen's replies, Fuji repeatedly said, "Good."

Bai Zhenzhen said, "But the money we borrowed earlier has to be repaid at 1.3 times—that's no small sum."

Fuji said, "It's just repaying a debt. Which Kunxu native hasn't owed debts before? As long as the three of us live well, that's what matters most."

When Zhang Yu came out after changing clothes, he found Bai Zhenzhen already lying on the sofa, fast asleep.

Since embarking on the path of cultivation, Bai Zhenzhen hadn't slept for a very, very long time.

Especially in preparation for the Foundation Establishment exam, she had been constantly under high pressure, and later, facing Wang Yin's oppression, she could hardly relax for a moment.

Now, after a series of fierce battles and finally overcoming the great mountain that was Wang Yin,

Bai Zhenzhen, suddenly unwinding, had unknowingly drifted off to sleep.

Zhang Yu smiled slightly at this sight and also lay down on the adjacent sofa, wanting to get some sleep.

But as soon as he stopped circulating his cultivation method, a few seconds later, Zhang Yu opened his eyes wide and sat up again.

Feeling the chill brought by the ritual's power, Zhang Yu shook his head helplessly and sighed, "After consecutive life-and-death battles, I almost forgot about you... Truly not a moment of relaxation."

But after restarting his cultivation method, Zhang Yu felt a sense of steadiness.

Or rather, the moment he had stopped the method earlier, he felt a hollow emptiness in his heart, and even a faint surge of guilt for having been lazy.

"Sigh, I've become the kind of person I used to despise."

"But there's no help for it… Kunxu is just like this."

Wang Yin's final words surfaced in Zhang Yu's mind, and he thought to himself, "I still have to become stronger, and richer."

As he ran the cultivation method, he once again looked toward the blood-red mantra on the back of the crippled ox in his visualization.

Unlike his previous readings of the mantra, this time as Zhang Yu read it again, he found a faint understanding dawning in his heart.

"Does this mantra complete the Crippled Ox Body-Sacrifice Art?"

"The Crippled Ox Body-Sacrifice Art I've been practicing… was it a castrated version?"

——

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