[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-no-money-what-cultivation":3,"chapter-no-money-what-cultivation-no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-27":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},163376,323,"Chapter 27: Sprint Between Exams","no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-27",27,"\u003Cp>3:00 AM.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the office of Songyang High School.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Haifeng stared at the list on the computer screen while speaking into the phone: \"Hmm... no change in Dao Heart performance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His Spiritual Power improved rapidly recently; looks like most of his time and money went into Breathing Exercises, which is how he managed to break into the top 10.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As for Physical Strength, since he's been isolated it hasn't been tested in three weeks, but it had already dropped to 19th place before. Now that he's focused on Spiritual Power, it'll be a godsend if he can even keep 19th.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His Martial Arts and Dao Techniques also show no significant improvement; these two subjects might drop to below 30th in this month's exam.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at Zhang Yu's recent performance records, Su Haifeng shook his head: \"Anyway, I'm not optimistic about him making big progress in this month's exam.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The school will probably still give him a D-Level contract.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I understand. I'll try my best to persuade him to sign the contract.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't know how he earned Li Xuelian's recognition, but the exams are over, and he should have realized his own situation by now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hanging up the phone, Su Haifeng casually closed Zhang Yu's performance records and looked at the next document.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For him, Zhang Yu was just one small matter among many; there were more things and more important students at Songyang High School that needed his attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>4:00 AM.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the unfinished building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today was the day of Songyang High School's monthly exam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although after nine days of torment, Zhang Yu's strength had improved significantly again, he was still seizing every moment to practice the Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques, striving to further enhance his strength before the exam officially began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at this moment, the panel on his Feather Book Prologue had become:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dao Heart Level 1\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spiritual Power 11.7\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physical Strength Level 1.05\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relying on his passive Breathing Exercises interspersed with occasional active ones, Spiritual Power had increased from 10.5 to 11.7.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physical Strength, through his frantic training, had risen from Level 0.85 to Level 1.05.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the greatest improvement over these nine days was in the Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques, which had now become Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques Level 9 (89\u002F90).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with Zhang Yu's final punch at this moment, the Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques finally broke through to Level 10, reaching the limit achievable in the Qi Refining Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the instant he elevated the Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques to Level 10, countless memories seemed to flow through his mind—the image of him practicing the Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques over and over again, his deeper and more profound understanding of his own physical body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After countless meticulous refinements, his body finally experienced a qualitative change and began to adjust itself in a more rational way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if a thunderous roar echoed in his mind!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his heart pumped wave after wave of blood and energy through his limbs and bones, Zhang Yu's entire body seemed to undergo a transformation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His flesh tightened and expanded, and a series of crisp cracks came from his bones and joints; his overall body outline even seemed to grow slightly larger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His muscle distribution became more suited for exerting force, his skeletal structure became stronger and more stable, and his entire body appeared more balanced and coordinated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This optimization of body structure, which should have been completed bit by bit in the process of raising the Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques to Level 10, was now accomplished in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physical Strength Level 1.05 → Level 1.25\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the adjustment and optimization of his body structure, Zhang Yu's Physical Strength surged by 0.2 levels at once, a 20% increase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In particular, Zhang Yu could sense that the improvement from this body structure optimization was not just a one-time boost to Physical Strength, but had longer-term effects. A more balanced and coordinated body structure would allow him to walk the path of body refinement more smoothly and quickly in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu smiled slightly, excitement rising in his heart: \"Raising the Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques to Level 10 actually allows me to actively optimize my body structure once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does every skill reaching Level 10 bring such a big improvement?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was information the teacher had not taught in class.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhang Yu figured that skill Level 10—even for a basic martial art like the Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques—was far too distant for first-year high school students. It was perfectly normal for the teacher not to mention such information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Next, I'll also raise the Zhou Tian Qi Gathering Method to level 10 and see what happens.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Tian Qi Gathering Method Level 8 (3\u002F160)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu estimated that it would take him at most a week to raise this breathing technique to level 10.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, even though he thought so, he wasn't in a hurry to immediately switch the Yushu's specialization to the Zhou Tian Qi Gathering Method, simply because he had other plans today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please abide by the ritual agreement, strive to fulfill the wish, and do not deliberately slack off or delay. 10.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Zhang Yu was feeling exhilarated and somewhat emotional about his improvement, that damned countdown sounded again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu cursed a few times, but then realized that this thing had no will or intelligence, so cursing only left him with a hollow feeling like punching cotton.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he sat down cross-legged, practiced breathing and meditation, while also resting his body that had been toiling all night, to regain his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ready... to face the monthly exam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Songyang High School.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hurried students wore a hint of unease on their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, the campus seemed to be tinged with a murderous aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu looked up and saw that the original banner reading \"Live to Learn, Learn to Die\" had been replaced with an anti-suicide slogan: \"One Jumps, the Whole Family Pays.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the rooftop had been wrapped with a layer of barbed wire, increasing the difficulty for students to jump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Zhenzhen remarked beside him, \"Looks like those beastly-faced school leaders finally care about the students. Knowing the monthly exam might drive people to suicide, they specially added some protective measures.\" But when they arrived at the cafeteria for breakfast and saw the notice about price increases on some dishes, Bai Zhenzhen couldn't help but fly into a rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Prices up again? How many times since the semester started?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A bunch of vermin can't even run the cafeteria properly—how are they supposed to run the school?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu comforted her, \"Sigh, being inhuman is normal for them. Keep calm, don't let it affect today's monthly exam.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But a moment later, hearing the new rules from the cafeteria auntie serving food, Zhang Yu fumed, \"Why can each person only get one 5-yuan set meal per day? I could get ten portions yesterday! Students just want to eat their fill—why can't that be allowed?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, alright, Yu.\" Bai Zhenzhen patted Zhang Yu's shoulder and comforted him, \"Don't act rashly. A teacher is looking this way. I'll buy an extra 'Poor Man's Set' for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carrying their trays to find seats, Zhang Yu checked his account balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he had once again received the 500-yuan reward for 0% distraction rate, his savings had dropped to 6000 due to the massive food expenses from daily body tempering, the continuous use and purchase of neural filler, and miscellaneous costs like transportation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And time was about to welcome a new month, which meant new loan payments, new rent, utilities...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plus food expenses. After starting high-intensity body tempering, Zhang Yu found his appetite growing—eating ten jin a day was normal, and daily food costs ran several hundred yuan, which would amount to tens of thousands per month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu increasingly felt that cultivating immortality was indeed—a money-burning endeavor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I hope I score well on the monthly exam and get a good contract.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Otherwise, I'll have to go work part-time again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, Zhou Tianyi sat down beside the two with his tray. He shook his head helplessly: \"Do you know why the cafeteria raised prices?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen both looked up sharply, staring at Zhou Tianyi, waiting for him to continue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To promote Green Oasis Corporation's synthetic food, the city government raised tariffs on food ingredients imported from other cities. From now on, the price of all food except synthetic products will likely keep rising across Songyang.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I heard the principal is also considering replacing the cafeteria's pre-made meals with synthetic food.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The original Zhang Yu had actually eaten quite a bit of synthetic food before starting cultivation, since it was much cheaper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fried insects, plant protein, plus recycled water and oil—even pigs wouldn't eat it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We won't even get pre-made meals anymore?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen let out another lament, cursing Green Oasis Corporation and the city government for being inhuman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After breakfast, because it was the monthly exam, the three didn't return to the classroom as usual but headed to their respective exam rooms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The morning session consisted of the general education exam and the martial arts theory exam, both written tests—the former out of 50 points, the latter out of 20.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The afternoon session featured the Dao arts exam worth 100 points and the martial arts practical exam worth 80 points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 80 points from the practical test plus the 20 points from the morning's martial theory made exactly 100 points for the martial arts class.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The morning was all written exams, and the original Zhang Yu had long since mastered this material thoroughly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the exam, Zhang Yu, unlike his classmates who busied themselves checking answers, hurried through lunch and then made his way to the small garden to start training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Free Hand Strike Level 1 (0\u002F10)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu switched Yu Shu's specialization to Free Hand Strike, which was why he had not switched to Cyclical Qi Gathering Method before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After pushing Thirty-Six Forms of Body Strengthening to Level 10 yesterday, no amount of breathing through Cyclical Qi Gathering Method in the remaining time could yield much improvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if he seized the daytime break to improve Free Hand Strike, which was only Level 1, Zhang Yu estimated he could raise this martial art to at least Level 2.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This would certainly provide a considerable boost for the afternoon martial arts practical exam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking this, Zhang Yu trained even more earnestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he executed his moves, driven by his physical strength at level 1.25, his entire body's muscles and bones rang out in unison, each punch and palm strike carrying the sound of wind and thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, with each move he made, strands of magical power were channeled to different parts of his body, enhancing the power of that move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Free Hand Strike is a basic practical martial art. Although it consists of only fifteen moves—some punches, some palm strikes, some kicks, some throws—each move not only deals with different combat situations but also has a corresponding magical power circulation route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Zhang Yu was repeatedly practicing these fifteen moves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a practical martial art, Free Hand Strike's training intensity is far lower than that of Thirty-Six Forms of Body Strengthening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coupled with Zhang Yu's current physical level of 1.25, the mana circulation from Level 8 Cyclical Qi Gathering Method, and the physical optimization from Level 10 Thirty-Six Forms of Body Strengthening, his speed in practicing Free Hand Strike moves was extremely rapid. In just over fifty minutes, he raised Free Hand Strike to Level 2.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Free Hand Strike Level 1 (0\u002F10) → Free Hand Strike Level 2 (0\u002F20)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, Zhang Yu felt the fifteen moves of Free Hand Strike flash repeatedly in his mind, and in no time he had memorized them thoroughly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhang Yu did not stop. Although he felt some fatigue in his body, he decided to continue practicing this martial art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There are still two and a half hours until the afternoon exam starts.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's see if I can push Free Hand Strike to Level 3 before the exam.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Zhang Yu practiced the fifteen moves of Free Hand Strike over and over, sweating like rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body grew increasingly tired, his hands and feet gradually became sore and weak, and his movements began to slightly lose their form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But whenever Zhang Yu thought of the mountain of debt on his shoulders and the ever-increasing expenses, he gritted his teeth and persisted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After more than two hours, a huge drop of sweat fell to the ground with a plop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Zhang Yu's entire body was steaming with heat, his muscles having risen sharply in temperature from over three hours of high-intensity exercise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But a smile appeared on Zhang Yu's face; he had finally successfully pushed this martial art to the third level.\u003C\u002Fp>",2149,"2026-05-29T04:54:22.303Z","2026-06-01T04:29:11.989Z",1,"deepseek-v4-flash","3078247839d4f6a54b6979f7078a5e179510501aba4d02f64f1dd4b121ce58a0","no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-28","no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-26",711,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fno-money-what-cultivation-cover.jpg"]