Chapter 321: Final Exam

Inside the office.

Tulishan looked at Zhang Yu, whose hair had already turned white, and couldn't help frowning: "Are you sure you're okay?"

"If you die on the job and delay the project, you'll have to pay compensation."

Zhang Yu's hair had turned white due to extreme fatigue and weakness. Hearing Tulishan's reminder, he said calmly: "It's fine, Teacher Tu. I know my own constitution very well."

"Besides, for someone like me, a First Layer student, when a rare opportunity comes, I have to seize it with all my strength and give it my all—otherwise, how can I ever break through?"

"My recovery ability is strong. I believe my constitution can see me through."

Feeling the determination in Zhang Yu's eyes, Tulishan sighed inwardly. In his many years of teaching, he had seen countless daring and hardworking people, but Zhang Yu's attitude… gave him a sense of a mindset that set life and death aside.

At that moment, he formed a judgment about Zhang Yu: "This child's steadfastness in pursuing the Dao is something I have rarely seen in my life."

"If this were a few hundred years ago, in ancient times… he would probably have died long ago."

"It's only in this era of flourishing immortal cultivation…"

"In the future, he will either lose everything and face eternal damnation, or rise step by step—taking postgraduate exams, pursuing a doctorate, climbing higher and higher."

"Given this child's nature, there are only these two outcomes, absolutely no third possibility."

But Tulishan understood that the latter outcome was far too remote; the former was the more probable possibility, and this would mean that the Civil Engineering Department's investment in Zhang Yu would be difficult to recover.

Just then, Director Gao's message appeared in Tulishan's eye implant.

Director Gao: "Don't stop him, but set a limit—no more than 10 portions a day."

Tulishan understood that these medicines were meant to squeeze cultivators, not to enhance their foundation out of nothing. Exceeding 10 portions a day would only shorten lifespan without any other medicinal effect, wasting spirit coins for nothing.

Tulishan: "But what if Zhang Yu dies…"

Director Gao: "We are the Civil Engineering Department of Wanfa University, not some ordinary college or vocational school that only thinks about cutting losses."

"Since he is so confident, why shouldn't I give him a chance to fight for his life?"

"I have never been stingy about giving students a chance to stake their lives."

Seeing Director Gao's words, Tulishan felt deeply moved: "The director is truly magnanimous, willing to risk a loss to let students fight for their lives."

Tulishan looked at Zhang Yu and said: "Then just make sure you know your limits."

"Remember, once you feel something is wrong, stop immediately."

…

So in the last half month of the construction site work, Zhang Yu began working overtime, taking medicine, and cultivating like crazy every day.

Before and after taking medicine, he switched to the Earth-Wood Sacred Body; when cultivating techniques, he switched to the University Sacred Body; and when the workload was heavy, he chose which set of Chain Method Diagrams to use depending on the situation…

Especially with the support of the Earth-Wood Sacred Body, the weaker his body became, the more recklessly he could swallow medicine and circulate Civil Engineering techniques, making his growth speed far exceed that of the past.

Apart from that, of course, he continued to refine No. 20 Special Steel every day.

In the eyes of many students and teachers, Zhang Yu was pushing himself too hard—so hard that he was almost at his limit, almost unable to hold on…

Che Yufei was shocked: "This guy—every time I think he can't go on, he keeps fighting; every time I feel he's about to die, he makes it through another day… but at this rate, he'll eventually collapse. How much debt does he owe?"

Tulishan thought to himself: "With such a steadfast heart for the Dao, if he were a rich man, his future would be limitless. What a pity. Even if he gets through this, his remaining lifespan will be far too short. Not to mention he's now this weak—I wonder how many points he can score on the final exam."

Gongshu Jin had also heard bits and pieces about Zhang Yu and had witnessed Zhang Yu's weak state several times.

He sighed inwardly: "It seems… I was mistaken before? Zhang Yu is just an ordinary poor guy from the First Layer?"

"But how could someone who dealt with Wang Yin before be an ordinary poor guy? Could it be that under the pressure from Youming University, Zhang Yu was abandoned and has now turned into a poor man?"

Shaking his head, Gongshu Jin understood that with all these twists and turns, how could an outsider like him guess correctly?

But seeing Zhang Yu risking his life like this made Gongshu Jin once again feel the helplessness of the poor.

"Being poor… is terrifying. Staking your life on such low-value opportunities, and still you can't catch up with us."

Gongshu Jin thought to himself: "Good thing I'm a rich man."

Zhang Yu's matter flashed through Gongshu Jin's mind, but his real goal was to surpass Ji Yuanshu in the final exam.

…

At the end of February.

Unknowingly, time arrived on the day of the project's completion, also the end of Zhang Yu's first semester in university.

Everyone packed their luggage, boarded the flying boat, and set off on the return journey.

"Including these three months on the outdoor worksite, I've been in the Second Layer for eight months now."

White-haired Zhang Yu stood at the bow of the ship, gazing at the shrinking method-dregs factory below, reflecting on the gains he had made here over the past three months.

Not only had the Earth-Building Saint Body reached its ultimate form, but the Qi Sea Spirit Root in his dantian had also achieved a 100% spirit root fusion degree under the feedback of the Green Spirit Gu Worm, further enhancing his mana circulation, mobilization, and absorption of spiritual energy.

And with daily consumption of various ferocious medicines, the inhalation of spirit stones, and the digestion of high-quality mana in the Profound Creation Relic, Zhang Yu had made great progress in mana.

His mana had now reached 546.8, and his mana quality had reached 157%.

As for the Dao heart, due to the high internet fees at the worksite over the past three months and the consequent lack of spiritual realm services, its growth had been slower, reaching Level 13 (70.8%).

Physical strength, through the operation of various body-refining techniques and the support of violent medicinal power, had been forcibly pushed by Zhang Yu to the level of 14.39.

Just from these basic data increases, Zhang Yu's strength could be said to have achieved a leap-like improvement, and his savings had grown to 22 spirit coins through these three months of work.

But these were not his greatest gains.

At this moment, all 206 bones in his body had been refined with No. 20 Spiritual-Forge Secret Steel. He could be said to possess a set of bones that were indestructible and incredibly sturdy at the Foundation Establishment stage.

Sitting back in the flying boat cabin, Zhang Yu knew that in the short term, he wouldn't have such a good buffet opportunity again.

"Even if there were such a good opportunity again, there's no need to eat like this."

Zhang Yu could feel that the medicine had become somewhat numb; the later days brought increasingly worse effects.

His body was like sugarcane that had been squeezed dry by medicinal power several times over—not a drop of juice left.

Zhang Yu thought to himself: "Next time I take medicine... it should be medicines that can supplement nutrition and vitality extensively and strengthen my foundation."

He switched to the Martial Dao Saint Embryo to enhance his self-healing ability, while beginning to heal his injuries through the activation of his body.

Zhang Yu thought to himself: "The boost from the Martial Dao Saint Embryo... has weakened a bit more."

While treating his injuries, Zhang Yu thought: "After returning, the next goal in my cultivation techniques should be to gather the 'Qi Vein Long Flow' chain diagram set."

During this period, because he had been working on the worksite, he lacked the time and environment for focused cultivation of breathing techniques. After finishing the Earth-Building Saint Body, he had no chance to push forward the Qi Vein Long Flow.

"Besides the Qi Vein Long Flow, I need to continue upgrading Yu Xinghan's Dao Seed, and also Le Mulan's Deep Cold Dharma Vein, and my sister's Supreme Clarity Talismans..."

The various future cultivation plans briefly flashed through his mind. Zhang Yu's eyes gleamed: "But before that, I still need to complete the final exam first."

Zhang Yu clenched his fists, feeling the surging power inside his body and those unbreakable bones. He thought: "I wonder what level I can reach now."

Inside the dormitory on the 125th floor of the Ten Thousand Methods University City.

Zhang Yu looked at the empty room, knowing that everyone was busy with their own things and hadn't returned yet.

After sending everyone a message that he had arrived home safely, Zhang Yu first hurried off to return the borrowed Profound Creation Relic and Green Spirit Gu Worm one by one.

Then, on the way back, he checked the schedule for the final exams.

Different from high school final exams, the final exams at Ten Thousand Methods University only required self-application and then completion within the specified time and venue.

Most of the people in the Foundation Establishment class had already finished their final exams, leaving only Gong Shu Jin and Zhang Yu, who had been on the outdoor worksite and had not yet taken theirs.

Zhang Yu looked at the class ranking and found that, without the score bonus from the final exam, he had fallen to 28th place, at the very bottom.

"Being 28th in the Foundation Establishment class would look too ugly when going out. I'd better apply for the final exam soon."

The exam application process appeared on Zhang Yu's eye display, and he applied for a test slot one week later.

Over the next week, besides studying and cultivating, Zhang Yu spent his time healing his body and replenishing nutrition and vitality.

In the blink of an eye, seven days had passed. With his body restored to its peak state, Zhang Yu strode toward the agreed-upon exam venue.

It wasn't just Zhang Yu and Gong Shu Jin, the two parties involved, who were paying attention to the final exams.

Many students in the Foundation Establishment class were also watching Gong Shu Jin's results.

Ying Xin refreshed the class ranking and thought to himself: "I wonder how much Gongshu Jin has improved this time? Can he challenge Ji Yuanshu?"

On the other side, Tuli Shan, as a teacher, was observing Gongshu Jin's exam situation through the Spirit World Network.

First were several consecutive professional course exams. Relying on the professional skills honed over the past three months at the construction site, Gongshu Jin almost flawlessly completed all exam content.

Next was the Dao-heart exam.

Although he was at a remote construction site, by spending money daily, Gongshu Jin could enjoy Spirit World services every day to temper his Dao-heart...

Suddenly, Tuli Shan discovered that Zhang Yu was also taking the final exams.

Using his teacher privileges, he curiously checked Zhang Yu's exam situation.

"Oh? Professional courses similar to Gongshu Jin's, almost all perfect scores? It seems these three months were not wasted."

"His Dao-heart is still a bit lacking. After all, he hasn't used the Spirit World services much, so it's normal that he can't compare with Gongshu Jin."

"His magical power isn't too far behind Gongshu Jin?" Tuli Shan nodded slightly: "It seems indeed a lot of potential has been squeezed out."

"Next is the body-tempering exam, right? Were the two assigned to the same exam venue?"

Thinking of Zhang Yu's state of weakness when he left the construction site, Tuli Shan shook his head slightly: "Although his potential was stimulated time and again, and he didn't die at the site, the damage to his body is too great. Not to mention how much lifespan was lost, his current weakness will probably require a lot of time and spirit coins to recover."

"Although Zhang Yu's physique is somewhat special, it's not as strong as he claims. Relying on this alone to defeat a wealthy person like Gongshu Jin is still far from enough."

Looking at the upcoming body-tempering exam, Tuli Shan thought to himself: "The results of the body-tempering between the two will probably be the biggest gap."