Chapter 389: Loser, Second Absolute

Inside the luxurious dormitory.

After losing the competition and having a big argument with Ma Xuan and the others, Ji Yuanshu's mood was very low.

In particular, the cold treatment from his master, Director Lin, made him feel that he was being abandoned.

When Ji Yuanshu learned that Zhang Yu's team had once again defeated Su Yanyang, he thought to himself, "Just as I expected."

Subsequent exchanges with Gongshu Jin further confirmed this in his mind.

"The War Faction set up the whole thing, pouring in a lot of resources to push Zhang Yu to defeat me and Su Yanyang one after another."

"But at least Su Yanyang also lost."

Ji Yuanshu felt that Su Yanyang's defeat made his own loss seem less significant.

"My master should also understand that the fault for this defeat does not lie with me."

"But now that my fortune has turned against me, my master probably won't want to invest too much in me anymore."

Thinking of this, Ji Yuanshu sensed the two credit cards in his mind that were passing fortune back and forth.

"Two cards, two loans—for now they've helped me survive this backlash of fortune."

"In the future... I can only rely on myself and the mighty hand of the War Faction."

…

At the construction site on the 667th floor.

Su Yanyang, who was working part-time, turned his head and found Ma Xuan standing nearby.

Ma Xuan smiled and said, "Watch carefully and learn—how exactly do you play the civil engineering competition?"

Su Yanyang's face darkened. He turned away and said coldly, "If it weren't for my incompetent teammates, the soul cultivator slacking off, and the opponent having a master guiding them from behind, I would never have lost."

Ma Xuan nodded and said, "I know. I understand."

"Senior brother, this time was truly a pity for you."

"If you had taken seventh place this time, you could have gathered all Seven Ultimates next semester, and if you pass the military certification next year, you could cultivate the Mount Kunlun Moving Earth Divine Power."

Su Yanyang turned to look at Ma Xuan. Remembering that Ma Xuan had also lost to Zhang Yu, he sighed and said, "Just one move short."

"The War Faction must have seen the threat I posed, which is why they went to such lengths to ambush me."

"I was their real target. The rest of you were probably just collateral damage."

Ma Xuan asked again, "So, senior brother, do you still plan to take the military certification next year?"

Su Yanyang said calmly, "Of course. Opportunities are few—how could I give up so easily?"

After chatting for a while longer, Ma Xuan said, "I kicked Ji Yuanshu out."

"Senior brother, you don't have a team either now."

"How about next year's competition... you join our team?"

Su Yanyang shook his head. "Let's talk about it next year. I don't want to think about competitions right now."

…

Netherworld University.

Wang Yin's mind was fully operating the Emperor's Heart technique, his dao heart as firm as a rock.

At this moment, recalling what had happened with Zhang Yu, he felt it was nothing more than a bit of frost and wind.

"No—Zhang Yu tricking me last time was even a good thing."

"It was just a few spirit coins, but it exposed the flaw in my technique, allowing me to see the shortcoming in my dao heart and undergo this refinement."

"Otherwise, with such a huge flaw in my operation of the Emperor's Heart, if I ever lost to a peer-level expert in the future, I would never have a chance to rise again."

Wang Yin secretly sighed to himself. "Instead, through this refinement, I have completely mended the flaw in my technique. My future path will surely be smooth."

"Zhang Yu, oh Zhang Yu, I shouldn't hate you—I should thank you instead."

"You will never know how great a favor you've done me, nor how terrifying an opponent your own actions have shaped."

Sensing Wang Yin's mental state, his mother nodded slightly. "Good condition. It seems you've truly reversed your thinking and seen through the obstacles in your heart."

Wang Yin smiled faintly. "The key to the Sovereign's Imperial Heart is not that failure is forbidden, but that one must have no fear of failure."

"From now on, any failure will only transform into nourishment, feeding my Dao heart, and will never again hinder the smooth flow of my heart technique."

"From now on, I control the heart technique—it no longer binds my thoughts."

The woman nodded. "And if you encounter Zhang Yu again?"

Wang Yin said indifferently, "That kind of ant-like thing was nothing but someone else's blade from beginning to end. Unless necessary, I have no interest in making a move against him."

The woman smiled slightly. "Good. Then let me test your Dao heart once more."

With that, Wang Yin’s mother moved her mind, and a light screen projected before the two of them.

Looking at what was playing, Wang Yin asked in confusion, "What's this?"

The woman said flatly, "A recording of the Civil Engineering competition at Wanfa University."

"Zhang Yu participated in this competition."

"Just take a look at the side of Zhang Yu you've never seen..." Hearing Zhang Yu's name, Wang Yin’s expression remained unchanged, seemingly without any emotional fluctuation.

But as the recording played faster and he watched the first half of the battle between Zhang Yu and Su Yanyang, Wang Yin’s brow began to furrow slightly.

He turned his head and forced a smile. "Mom, what's there to see in this competition?"

His mother said coldly, "Keep watching. Open your eyes wide and carefully observe how Zhang Yu appears in it."

Insisting under his mother's pressure, Wang Yin had no choice but to watch the second half of the battle as well.

After finishing, he couldn't help asking, "What was Zhang Yu’s final result?"

His mother said flatly, "Seventh in Civil Engineering. He received the Seven Wonders of Civil Engineering at Wanfa University."

She explained the concept of the Seven Wonders of Civil Engineering, then continued, "Now Zhang Yu has been accepted as a nominal disciple by Azurewood True Lord of the Civil Engineering Department."

"From the looks of it now, he will be given focused training in the future."

Watching Wang Yin’s expression change, his mother went on, "Perhaps in a few years he'll pass the military certification and master the Tiankunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power."

Seeing Wang Yin breathing heavily, his mother sighed and said, "It seems you haven't truly mended the flaw in your heart."

Wang Yin forced a smile. "Mom, I just need some time to adjust."

"The stronger Zhang Yu gets, the greater the tempering effect on my Dao heart—it's a good thing."

"The more he wins, the more I win too..."

His mother shook her head and sent the recording to him. "You've disappointed me too much."

"Take some time and watch it more often."

"Only when you can watch it as calm as an ancient well, with no emotional change at all, will it prove you've truly mended the flaw in your heart."

The day after the Civil Engineering competition rewards were distributed.

Zhang Yu, carrying a hint of anticipation, arrived at the simulated construction site agreed upon with Director Gao.

Glancing at Zhang Yu, Director Gao said flatly, "Today I'll teach you the second of the Seven Wonders of Civil Engineering: the Great Waste Mountain-Shifting Force."

"This art is the foundation of force generation among the Seven Wonders. Using the physical body in coordination with qi, it mimics the power of various geological disasters. Each move and stance is immensely powerful, usable both for construction work and for tempering the body's strength."

As Director Gao spoke, a colorless qi accompanied his fist as it shot forward, transforming into a visible wave that violently shook the earth, erupting with the force of an earthquake.

Then he pressed down with his palm, and surging qi seemed to shatter mountains and sever peaks, turning the entire ground into layer upon layer of sand and dust, as if it had become a desert region.

"Avalanches, earthquakes, mudslides, rock bursts, desertification... every move and stance of the Great Waste Mountain-Shifting Force can alter the terrain."

"And if combined with the Profound Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Seal, its power is doubled..."

As Director Gao explained, Zhang Yu increasingly understood the formidable aspects of this Great Waste Mountain-Shifting Force.

Zhang Yu thought to himself, "The mountain-shifting qi unleashed by this technique is like a kind of vibrational wave. Not only is it immensely fierce and destructive, it can also trigger tremors in the earth."

"And as long as the driving force is strong enough, it can create effects like earthquakes, avalanches, mudslides, desertification, and so on."

Zhang Yu again thought of the Xiao Sanhe that Shi Huaiyu, Ma Xuan, Su Yanyang and others had used in combat during the competition.

"The reason why they could change the terrain, manipulate sand and mud, and trigger various kinds of devastation like geological disasters when they performed the Xiao Sanhe was because of the Xuanhuang Zhenyue Seal and the Dahuang Yishan Force."

After finishing his explanation, Director Gao, standing by, looked expectantly at Zhang Yu's practice of the Dahuang Yishan Force.

"Last time this kid took 1 hour and 15 minutes to master the Xuanhuang Zhenyue Seal."

Director Gao's face remained expressionless, but he guessed in his heart, "How long will it take him to master the Dahuang Yishan Force this time?"

"It's done." After performing the Dahuang Yishan Force in a hasty and perfunctory manner, various memories of practicing this technique flooded into Zhang Yu's mind. He felt as if every move and stance was now firmly in his mind, as if he had practiced it over and over again.

However, of course he did not say that he had already mastered this martial art; instead, he performed it a second time in front of Director Gao.

Before coming for Director Gao's guidance this time, he had already consulted with Shi Huaiyu.

Back then, Shi Huaiyu had spent about three days to completely master this Dahuang Yishan Force.

And according to Shi Huaiyu, the fastest student in the history of the Civil Engineering Department to practice this technique took about half an hour or so.

Thus, after 48 minutes, as Zhang Yu practiced over and over, his moves and stances continuously improved, gradually progressing from a novice to someone who had gained a deeper understanding.

After all, the memories of step-by-step cultivation to master the Dahuang Yishan Force were still fresh in his mind, so imitating it again now was like a natural outcome.

Watching this, Director Gao nodded inwardly repeatedly.

In his eyes, every practice session of Zhang Yu showed visible improvement, displaying astonishing talent.

And after 48 minutes had passed, as Zhang Yu threw a punch that cracked a large area of ground before him, Director Gao was once again amazed in his heart.

"He actually mastered it in 48 minutes?"

"I recall that any records faster than this... were almost all faked for hype."

"This kid's talent is really..."

Zhang Yu looked at Director Gao and said, "Teacher, I've mastered it."

Director Gao nodded and said, "The situation in the department is complicated now; someone might come after you any day. Don't tell others about your practice progress from now on."

After seeing Zhang Yu nod, Director Gao continued, "Next, I'll tell you about the arrangements for the future military certification exam."