[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-no-money-what-cultivation":3,"chapter-no-money-what-cultivation-no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-299":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},164168,323,"Chapter 299","no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-299",299,"\u003Cp>\"Pay money?\" Zhang Yu asked curiously. \"Is that a thing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Xinghan sneered, \"This old guy, he really gives everyone a different price.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, he contacted Li Xuelian through the eye relic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Xinghan: Senior Sister, I need to tell you something…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuelian: I know. What do you want to do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Xinghan: He is my teacher after all, so I don’t mind giving him some spirit coins as a token of respect, but his asking price is too high. I’ll give him at most 0.1 spirit coins as an introduction fee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Xinghan: One of Master’s students works security at a construction site, right? Could you ask about his channels?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuelian: Ever since Dad had his incident, those students have been avoiding us like the plague. I’m afraid they won’t be able to help you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Xinghan: I’m just asking. This local teacher is counting on the fact that new students like me have no way to learn the market. If I can get another price channel, it shouldn’t be hard to negotiate him down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing that matter with Yu Xinghan, Li Xuelian asked, \"Now that the three-month basic course is over, where do you and Zhang Yu rank?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing their results, Li Xuelian showed a satisfied smile and replied, \"Good results. I found a friend who can help you improve your mana quality.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Xinghan’s heart stirred. \"Not through the platform?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuelian: \"Black-market trade.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing the news from Li Xuelian, Yu Xinghan relayed it to Zhang Yu beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu knew that trades conducted through the mana platform were all legal formal transactions—every bit of mana was inspected and guaranteed by the platform—but they also came with hefty service fees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you dealt directly with others in a private trade, you could save those fees, but you lost the guarantees and might even fall victim to mana fraud—like someone passing off low-quality mana as high-quality, or mana that was indeed a bit higher in quality but not as high as claimed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, black-market mana trades violated school regulations. If a student was caught, besides fines, their comprehensive score would be deducted, causing their ranking to drop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu had once considered trading with someone, but lacking connections on the second layer and having no trustworthy trading partner, he had ultimately given up on the idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, hearing that Li Xuelian was the introducer, he immediately nodded and said, \"Worth a try.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu thought to himself, \"It’s not just about Le Mulan’s Dao Seed—I need higher mana quality to help her out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Improving mana quality itself will also enhance the effects of many of my techniques and increase my cultivation efficiency.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the two of them followed Li Xuelian’s directions and arrived at an empty street on the 85th layer of Wanfa University City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Xinghan said, \"This is the mortal district? Why isn’t there a single mortal here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu looked at the empty street before him and shook his head. Although he often came below the 100th layer to practice techniques, up to now he had never seen a single mortal on these streets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mortals here seemed to stay forever in their own houses, never needing to come in or out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire area below the 100th layer was always so desolate, with not a trace of human figures in sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu thought, \"But with no people on the streets and a lack of surveillance, this area below the 100th layer really is suitable for black-market trades.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yet, given Wanfa University’s capabilities, fully surveilling the area below the 100th layer shouldn’t be hard. Why…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, Li Xuelian appeared before them and said, \"It’s me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since this is your first trade, I’ll take you through it once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuelian led the two of them to the meeting spot, where a dark figure appeared before them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other party was completely shrouded in a layer of black mist, completely concealing their appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan had also—under the guidance of Master Xinghuo—painfully practiced techniques for controlling their muscles to alter their appearance. At this moment, one had taken the form of Gongshu Jin, and the other the form of Ji Yuanshu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuelian had transformed into an unfamiliar man’s image, showing no trace of her original self.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Li Xuelian exchange countersigns with the other party, Zhang Yu used the power of detection rituals to sense the surroundings and confirmed there were no cameras.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the exchange of countersigns, the other party gave a slight nod. \"My rule: payment first, then mana.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Xinghan asked, \"How many spirit coins for 100 mana?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other party snorted with a laugh. \"Minimum 10,000 mana per sale.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Xinghan frowned and said, \"We can’t take that much in one go. And do you even have 10,000 mana?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other party seemed used to this question and said calmly, \"Of course we do it in batches—I’ll give you 100 or 200 at a time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a final round of negotiation, the other party offered a price of 1 spirit coin for 10,000 mana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu thought to himself that it was indeed much cheaper than the platform price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuelian added, \"I want to inspect the goods.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other party, unsurprised by this, channeled a stream of mana into Li Xuelian's palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuelian's eyes lit up: \"Such pure mana.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"175% mana quality.\" The other party smiled and said, \"I always deal in good stuff—you'll understand once you use it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuelian nodded at Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan, signaling that it was fine, then sent a message: Send me the money; I'll trade with him to reduce your risk of exposure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although they were a bit worried about being cheated if they handed over the spirit coins all at once, after getting repeated reassurances from Li Xuelian, and trusting her, Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan still paid up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each contributed 0.5 spirit coin, for a total of 1 spirit coin sent to Li Xuelian, who then, under the other party's guidance, used the 1 spirit coin to buy several books on the second-hand market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, under Li Xuelian's supervision, the other party extended both hands and placed them on Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan's bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next moment, Zhang Yu felt an extremely dense yet completely non-aggressive stream of high-quality mana surge into his body, and under the other party's deliberate control, it lay still and silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu quickly channeled his own mana, using it to impact the high-quality mana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In repeated impacts, he could feel his own mana becoming a bit tougher, while some of the high-quality mana continuously mingled with his own. Although it was soon diluted and dissipated, the residue still made Zhang Yu feel that his mana had become more condensed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the blink of an eye, the clump of mana that the other party had infused had completely dispersed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling the change in his own mana, Zhang Yu thought to himself, \"If I could have an expert like this infuse me with such high-quality mana every day, my mana quality would improve by leaps and bounds.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu wished he could enjoy this service all the time, but he knew how often he could indulge depended not on his needs but on his account balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing at his account balance, in the three months since entering university, aside from the 2.5 spirit coin scholarship and the 5 spirit coins Bai Zhenzhen had sent him, he had absolutely no income.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he had been frugal every day, after accounting for monthly rent, internet fees, communication fees, transportation costs, food expenses, the cost of purchasing cultivation techniques, and the 0.5 spirit coin for this high-quality mana, Zhang Yu now had a little over 11.4 spirit coins left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Next, I need to buy the Earth and Wood Sacred Body and the Long Flow of Qi technique; I need to keep at least 7 or 8 spirit coins.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And then daily expenses...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu sighed inwardly, and after discussing with Yu Xinghan, they decided each would pay 0.5 spirit coin, for a total of 1 spirit coin per month, to purchase 10,000 mana from the other party, who would infuse them once each per day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu figured his grades were still decent, so a slower improvement in mana quality was completely acceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other party, however, said, \"Only a bit over 333 units of mana infused for both of you combined per day? That would only improve your mana quality by 2 or 3 percent in a month.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And the higher your mana quality gets, the less effective it becomes; you'll need much more infusion.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With your potential, you could definitely handle multiple infusions per day. I think 5 spirit coins a month would greatly accelerate your mana quality improvement.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Declining the sales pitch, Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan accepted the remainder of the other party's infusion for the day, then returned to their dormitory, intending to circulate their energy and slowly digest it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before entering the dorm, Yu Xinghan said, \"You go back first. I have something to do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu gave him a strange look and asked, \"Aren't you going back quickly to digest? Where are you going?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Xinghan said impatiently, \"None of your business.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shot off in a flash, images of Li Xuelian's appearance before and after her transformation constantly surfacing in his mind. He felt his extremely strong body gradually heating up as his blood and qi accelerated, and his thoughts grew wild and unruly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Xinghan thought to himself, \"I haven't seen Senior Sister in a while—how is she getting more and more...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can't stand it; I need to release some pressure, or I won't be able to settle down in meditation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking this, a hint of shame rose in Yu Xinghan's heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is unpaid overtime, after all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes he wanted to get down on his knees and beg himself not to work for free like this, but he found that even on his knees, he could still keep going.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And shortly after Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan left,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the person in the black mist said to Li Xuelian, \"Boss, aren't you going to give your friends a discount?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuelian said indifferently, \"Can you give them a discount once, and then give them a discount for their whole life?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's go. Time for work.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a flash of their figures, the two shot toward the deeper parts of the university city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time came to the next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This day was exactly the first day of the official start of school in September.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yu looked at the class schedule and found that the three basic courses—Dao Heart, Mana, and Body Tempering—were still mostly the same, except that the number of classes had decreased somewhat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In contrast, the number of specialized courses had greatly increased, with many more courses on construction and inspection, intended to train them to make good use of the various civil engineering skills they had learned over the past three months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In today's construction class, they saw Zhang Yu activate a basic-level technique called Concrete Qi, using the method of controlling mud with qi to pour a large amount of concrete into a target position several meters away.\u003C\u002Fp>",1893,"2026-05-29T04:54:42.391Z","2026-06-01T04:29:12.818Z",1,"deepseek-v4-flash","cf93371cab2dff9e036262266fe50531d02640a3b876dc6983cf934c8194368b","no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-300","no-money-what-cultivation-chapter-298",711,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fno-money-what-cultivation-cover.jpg"]