[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-no-money-what-cultivation":3,"chapter-no-money-what-cultivation-no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-28":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},163377,323,"Chapter 28: Dao Arts and Actual Combat","no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-28",28,"\u003Cp>Freehand Technique Level 2 (0\u002F20) → Freehand Technique Level 3 (0\u002F30)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the fifteen moves of the Freehand Technique became increasingly proficient in his mind, and even the subsequent variations and interconnections of each move became incomparably clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mana circulation for each move also became instinctive; Zhang Yu felt that if he were to strike out now, the mana within his body would naturally shift and flow to his hands and feet on its own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The passive breathing of the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Technique also played a role in this process.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling the mana circulation in his body, Zhang Yu sensed that because mana was constantly moving throughout his body at all times, it allowed him to channel mana more smoothly when executing the Freehand Technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was somewhat moved by how much the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Technique helped beginners, not only in breathing and body tempering but also greatly benefiting combat martial arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the exam was about to start soon, leaving Zhang Yu no time for further reflection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a short session of breathing exercises to recover some stamina, he hurried off to the examination hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first test in the afternoon was the Dao Techniques exam, and the second was the Martial Combat Practical exam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The content of the Dao Techniques exam mainly involved the knowledge and use of talismans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, those at the Qi Refining realm had yet to grasp true Dao techniques and could only use their knowledge and mana to activate talismans, so the three years of high school Dao Techniques courses were basically all talisman-related.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fu\" refers to talismanic spells, and \"Lu\" refers to registers; so-called talismans are secret methods by which people communicate with spirits and harness divine power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the computer lab.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arriving at the exam hall, Zhang Yu sat in front of a computer, silently recalling in his mind all sorts of knowledge about talismans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not far away, Zhao Tianxing was frantically flipping through the textbook, repeatedly memorizing some knowledge points he was afraid to forget.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Zhenzhen rested her head on the desk for a nap, seeming completely unperturbed by the upcoming exam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, as the bell rang, the students placed all items unrelated to the exam on the table at the front of the classroom and returned to their assigned seats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, the computer screens in front of everyone flickered, and their exam papers appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First question: Which of the following talismans belongs to the talismanic spell of the Universal Travel Four-Access Deity of the Transportation Department?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relevant information instantly surfaced in Zhang Yu's memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Transportation Department, one of the eight divine departments of Kunxu, governs all roads, aviation, and waterways within Kunxu, with the authority to supervise all traffic across the realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Universal Travel Four-Access Deity is a full god in the Transportation Department responsible for urban roads; Zhang Yu remembered that one of the deity's powers seemed to be recording all surveillance data of urban roads and vehicles...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the talismanic spell, one could borrow the power of the Universal Travel Four-Access Deity to access various surveillance within the city's road network—this was known as knowing three hundred years ahead without missing a single detail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After this flash of memory, Zhang Yu continued to look at the options below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were four options, roughly like this:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a、！*★，°*:.☆(￣▽￣)\u002F$:*.°★*。\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>b、(o>e(o>u(≧∩≦)(￣ー￣)x(^▽^)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>c、*`)`)*▍`)*`)(((`)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>d、『』～o(▽｀o)=▊=▋=▍\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All four options are the opening lines of talismanic spells. Judging by the style, they all belong to full gods of the Transportation Department... Heh, trying to mess with my head from the get-go?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It should be option d, the vehicle surveillance talisman, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu thought it over and chose d, then the next multiple-choice question appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Which of the following talismanic spells does NOT belong to report talismans?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu paused for a moment: \"Report talismans? I've never studied that. Another out-of-syllabus question?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frowning, he randomly picked one that looked right and moved on to the next question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One by one, he finished all the multiple-choice questions, and then came fill-in-the-blank and short-answer questions, where the difficulty escalated sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example: \"Please write a health check talisman to respectfully invite the Healthy Spring Deity of the Health Department to inspect whether there are any growths in your stomach.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another: \"What talisman should be used to quickly subdue three ordinary humans without mana, located 30 meters due north? Please draw the talisman. The following are the specific data of the three humans and the surrounding environment...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it... Can't I just knock those three ordinary humans down directly? Why use a talisman?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Zhang Yu was sweating profusely writing a detention talisman, he heard the sound of a chair being dragged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked up and saw his classmate He Dayou, who had already finished the exam paper and was about to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu remembered that He Dayou had ranked third in total score in last month's monthly exam and was just like Qian Shen—one of those filthy rich guys.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unlike Qian Shen, who focused on grades, He Dayou loved to flaunt his wealth and basically had no interaction with Zhang Yu on normal days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Handing in his paper early like this was itself a kind of flaunting behavior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was simply because talisman studies was a subject that required throwing money at it to truly succeed, the exam that drew the clearest line between the poor and the rich.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many people even called talismans the language of the rich.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Specifically, so-called talisman drawing could mobilize the power of the Eight Great Divine Departments to accomplish all kinds of incredible things, and the Eight Great Divine Departments were often referred to by the world as the Eight Chief Gods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the school only taught the most basic methods of talisman drawing; to learn more advanced ones, or even many talismans not taught in school, one had to purchase a Lu script.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition to the expensive purchase cost of the Lu script, there were also membership fees, fees for offerings to the gods, belief levels, and other huge expenditures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be said that the talismans provided by the Lu script, apart from being divided according to the cultivator's realm level, the most important reliance was money. Only by spending enough money on the Lu script could one have sufficient belief levels, unlock more permissions, master more advanced talisman drawing methods, and various different types of talismans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after completing the above prerequisites did one have the qualifications to painstakingly practice talismans, such as one-on-one talisman conversations with the Eight Chief Gods, talisman error reporting guided by the gods, and talisman optimization while receiving divine guidance during practice… Of course, such a process of hard practice was also expensive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be said that the entire process of talisman learning outside campus was built on money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout this whole process, once you violated the rules set by the Eight Chief Gods—for example, privately passing on talismans, or using talismans to violate sect laws—you would be punished, with fines for minor offenses and total bankruptcy for major ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time Zhang Yu attended his Dao Arts class to learn talismans, he couldn't help but sigh that this was an absolutely unfair and unjust course—it was also the best subject for rich kids to rack up points in the college entrance exam, the one that could most widen the gap with the poor—no wonder it was called the language of the rich.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhang Yu had also heard that talismans weren't even the most expensive in Dao Arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many Dao Arts that could only be learned after Foundation Establishment required huge sums of money, enough to leave a college student deep in debt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having finally made it through that Dao Arts exam, as soon as Zhang Yu walked out of the classroom, he saw a large crowd surrounding He Dayou, checking answers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Dayou gave a slight smile, pulled out something like a jade tablet, and scribbled on it with a series of ghostly strokes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the mana in his hand fluctuated, a golden shadow slowly emerged from the jade tablet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Dayou laughed and said, \"This is the Answer Talisman of the Heaven-Knowing Myriad-Questions Deity. If you have any questions, just ask Him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many students who saw this gasped again, their eyes fixed on He Dayou filled with envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Zhang Yu was staring at the jade tablet in He Dayou's hand, Bai Zhenzhen's voice rang out from beside him: \"That's a Lu script, right? And with that whole jade-colored skin, this guy must have been planning this flex for a long time, huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu turned his head and saw Bai Zhenzhen beside him, indignant and twisted with jealousy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu asked, \"How did you do on the exam?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Zhenzhen said in dissatisfaction, \"What do you think? At least a quarter of the talismans were stuff we never learned.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Last year's college entrance exam exceeded the syllabus by 20%, and this year it hits 25%? If this keeps up, by the time we take the exam, will half the paper be content we've never been taught? They really have no shame.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I just hope I don't run into those filthy rich brats in the practical exam; otherwise, I'll beat them until they fail.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, He Dayou seemed to sense the gazes of Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu, turned around, and gave them a slight smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Zhenzhen instantly switched to a light and carefree expression and nodded slightly at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment later, the next exam was about to begin, and He Dayou walked toward the martial arts practical exam venue with a few companions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Dayou was exactly the kind of person who could write \"My School Board Dad\" for his elementary school essay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because his father really was a board member of Songyang High School.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But having grown up in luxury and fine clothes, he didn't think his life was easy—he was just one of more than thirty children of his father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only after passing layers of assessments, competing again and again, and completing family KPIs over and over that he became one of only two high school students and two cultivators among those thirty-plus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for his other mortal siblings, to repay their upbringing debts, they had long gone to work at their father's company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Although I'm a rich kid, what's really allowed me to get to where I am today is ultimately my own effort and talent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I earned my father's investment through my own hard work—why can't I flaunt my wealth?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those poor losers just complain about fate all day, thinking I only got here because I have a rich dad? A bunch of childish, ridiculous idiots.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carrying this mindset, He Dayou had always looked down on those who were both poor and academically poor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when he entered Songyang High School as the son of a board member and gained a deeper understanding of many unspoken rules there, he gradually began to despise even poor students with good grades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No matter how good your grades are, they're only temporary. These poor people simply don't understand... from the moment they're born, they never had a chance to rise up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Maybe they stopped being the same species as us a long time ago.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this mindset, He Dayou maintained his overall rank of third in the grade, flaunting his wealth from time to time, living a peaceful school life while waiting for the moment he would be admitted into a top university.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until one person's change shattered the peace in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Zhang Yu's increasingly hard work over the past half month, which had even driven the entire class to join in the frenzy, he felt disgusted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This kind of poor bastard... counting his debts on his fingers every month, rushing off to work every day after school, making a few hundred or a thousand in small change, scrimping and saving to cultivate immortality, deluded into thinking he'll strike it rich overnight and live forever.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They have no idea who they're really up against in the college entrance exam.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And they still bounce around at school.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Poverty is just so ugly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Dayou couldn't stand Zhang Yu's frantic efforts, as if hard work alone could let him surpass people like them—the wealthy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially after hearing the rumor that Zhang Yu had been accepted as a disciple by a Golden Core True Person, this board member's son specially used his connections to confirm the news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After confirming that Zhang Yu had not been accepted as a disciple by a Golden Core True Person, his disgust for this person reached a peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Deliberately not clarifying, trying to borrow power from others?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he planned to take the opportunity during the practical exam to teach this poor bastard a lesson and make him recognize his true place.\u003C\u002Fp>",2155,"2026-05-29T04:54:22.303Z","2026-06-01T04:29:11.989Z",1,"deepseek-v4-flash","90d980046599b73ac995cf979c020256945c5845cab72a8fd374781b92bd1677","no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-29","no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-27",711,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fno-money-what-cultivation-cover.jpg"]