Chapter 450: Boundless Refining Dept. vs. Vajra

As the Profound Female Heavenly Pearl emitted layers of light, this incarnation of Magnetic Pole True Lord appeared before Zhang Yu.

The graceful figure in court attire and luxurious clothes sat in an office chair, looking at Zhang Yu with satisfaction and said, "I didn't expect that I still underestimated you. In such a short time, you actually managed to cultivate the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power."

"Although there was also a coincidence in timing and the fulfillment by Perching Cloud True Lord, your talent in martial arts is also an indispensable part."

After saying that, Magnetic Pole True Lord patted her own thigh and said, "Come here."

"Let me check your body."

Zhang Yu thought about his future entry into the Artifact Refining Department and could only grit his teeth and sit on her thigh.

Feeling Magnetic Pole True Lord's fingers glide over his body, strands of mana drilled into his internal meridians, exploring the condition of his body.

Zhang Yu felt as if he were a piece of fine artifact refining material, constantly receiving comments from Magnetic Pole True Lord.

"Not bad, not bad." Only to hear Magnetic Pole True Lord say, "Your physical body now naturally carries traces of earthly fiend gravity. This is the body-refining effect of the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power."

"Cultivating and using this martial art for years, the cultivator's flesh and blood will unknowingly carry an innate power, allowing them to burst out earthly fiend gravity in every movement."

"If one's skill is high enough and their insight into Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power is deep enough, even after their flesh and blood leaves the body, it will still carry that trace of earthly fiend gravity and contain adaptability to it. It is truly excellent material for making flying artifacts and protective artifacts."

Zhang Yu could not help but tremble inwardly upon hearing this, forcing a smile and saying, "True Lord, do you want to use some of my flesh and blood... to refine an artifact?"

At this moment, Zhang Yu felt as humble as a college student.

Magnetic Pole True Lord held Zhang Yu, stroking his little hand while laughing, "Nonsense! I am a dignified Nascent Soul True Lord, would I covet your Foundation Establishment stage material?"

"I was just thinking that throughout history, cultivators who mastered Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power never studied artifact refining. The Ten Thousand Methods University has a vast gap in this area of research."

"If in the future you can combine the secrets of Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power with artifact refining research—for instance, first successfully refining your own flesh and blood into a Dharma Skeleton—that would be enough to publish several papers."

"In this process, if you can make some discoveries and bring a little innovation to the related techniques of earthly fiend gravity, then after advancing to Golden Core in the future, you can have a place in academic research and also help me in artifact refining research."

Zhang Yu nodded thoughtfully.

Then Magnetic Pole True Lord continued, "Tell me about your department transfer."

"Since you have already cultivated the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power, have you decided to transfer to the Artifact Refining Department after your junior year?"

Zhang Yu's expression was solemn. He nodded seriously and said earnestly, "Teacher, the Civil Engineering Department is good, and there is a promising future there. Director Gao has also treated me well, but... I really want to improve."

"I want to go further on the path of immortality, want to take the graduate entrance exam, pursue a doctorate, and even enter a sect."

"I know only the Artifact Refining Department can fulfill these dreams of mine."

"People strive to climb higher, water flows downhill. Although the Civil Engineering Department treated you well, our Artifact Refining Department offers even broader horizons." Magnetic Pole True Lord nodded with emotion, "Good that you have made up your mind."

"But Old Gao is, after all, the director of the Civil Engineering Department. Although I will help you with this matter, it's impossible to say Old Gao has no feelings about it."

"You must be mentally prepared for the pressure involved."

At that moment, Magnetic Pole True Lord's eyes flickered. She casually approved Yan Qianji's request, and saw his spiritual realm projection descend.

Only to hear Yan Qianji report to Magnetic Pole True Lord, "True Lord, there's a problem with the artifact spirit decryption. We need your guidance..."

Magnetic Pole True Lord said calmly, "First, tell me what the problem is."

While reporting, Yan Qianji looked at Magnetic Pole True Lord before him, and a thought surged in his mind: "In Magnetic Pole True Lord's arms... how does it seem like she's holding someone?"

Although there was clearly nothing in Magnetic Pole True Lord's arms, Yan Qianji knew that could be concealed, and Magnetic Pole True Lord's movements resembled holding someone too much.

"But is it possible?" Yan Qianji thought to himself. "Someone like Magnetic Pole True Lord, who would she hold? It couldn't be Ye Xingli, could it?"

Full of curiosity and shock, Yan Qianji ended the report and disconnected the communication.

Zhang Yu, however, could not see the projection of Yan Qianji's separate communication with Magnetic Pole True Lord; he only sensed that Magnetic Pole True Lord seemed to be on a remote call with someone just now.

After finishing the call with Yan Qianji, Magnetic Pole True Lord continued, "The Seven Extremities Dharma Skeletons of the Civil Engineering Department, though not military-grade, can coordinate with each other to greatly enhance the power of Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power, with unique features in the amplification of earthly fiend gravity."

"Remember to take all the related blueprints before transferring. They will be a good reference for your future Dharma Skeleton refining..."

Fuji listened to Magnetic Pole True Lord's guidance and thought to herself, "You master and disciple really want to strip the Civil Engineering Department bare. In the future, the essence of the Civil Engineering Department's Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Shifting Divine Power and the Seven Extremities Dharma Skeletons will be taken to the Artifact Refining Department. What will the Civil Engineering Department have left? It might as well become the Civil Engineering Class under the Artifact Refining Department of Ten Thousand Methods University."

On the other side, after saying what needed to be said, Magnetic Pole True Lord patted Zhang Yu's shoulder and said, "You go back first. Focus on the competition next. Don't rush the department transfer. I will help you arrange it."

Late January.

At the construction site.

As Zhang Yu's palm seal shifted, the mountain in the distance exploded with a thunderous blast. After soaring into the sky, it was swiftly ground into a cloud of dust by invisible vortices.

Then Zhang Yu pointed a finger, and a beam of earthly fiend gravitational force shot out, instantly gathering the scattered dust into a compact mass.

After this period of cultivation at the construction site, his Kun Yuan Art had already reached Level 20, the peak of Foundation Establishment. This also meant his Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power had likewise reached Level 20, the peak of Foundation Establishment.

At the same time, with the added boost from the first layer of the Chain Diagram's Overturning Kunlun, the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power Zhang Yu unleashed could cause massive destruction to the environment.

Zhang Yu had once tried it out in an uninhabited wilderness. Even without exerting full force, the results had already stunned him.

As for what he could achieve at full power, he had only one word for it in his mind.

"Earth-shattering."

Just then, Zhang Yu saw a message from Feng Tingting.

Feng Tingting: Zhang Yu! Did you hear? The True Lord of the Magnetic Pole was holding someone in his office late last night!

Zhang Yu: Huh?

Feng Tingting: It must be some top-grade artifact-refining material, something so good the True Lord couldn't resist fiddling with it even late at night.

Zhang Yu: Maybe.

Feng Tingting: I'm so curious what kind of person the True Lord would hold like that.

Feng Tingting: I wish he'd spare me some scraps.

Zhang Yu: Where did you hear that?

Feng Tingting: Why do you ask? I'm not going to just reveal that sort of thing.

Zhang Yu shook his head, thinking that with the True Lord of the Magnetic Pole's cultivation level, no one should have been able to see that the person in his arms was him.

A few hours later, another day had passed. Fuji reviewed the workload of each employee, calculated their pay, and then reported it to Zhang Yu.

Zhang Yu sent out the wages one by one, inwardly wincing as he watched his account balance steadily shrink.

"Sigh, just hold on a little longer. This is a project from Myriad Methods University itself—they won't stiff me on the payment. A batch of money should arrive next month."

The Soul Cultivators who received their wages sent thanks one after another.

Zhao Tianxing: Thank you, Boss Zhang.

Hu Yuntao: Thank you, Boss Zhang.

Ying Xin's grandfather: Thank you, Boss Zhang.

Seeing how promptly Zhang Yu handed out wages, Fuji couldn't help saying, "This is a long-term hire—you're employing them for the whole project. It's not like they're day laborers on lower pay. There's no need to give them money every day, is there?"

"We're not a big company, and the project payment hasn't even arrived yet. In my opinion, you could just wait until the project ends and then delay their pay by a month or two—no problem."

"That money sitting in your hands is a tidy sum. You could use it for your own cultivation. When you're not at the site, you could go to the Spirit Realm more often and practice artifact refining in simulations."

Zhang Yu shook his head at that and said, "Zhao Tianxing came to cultivation late in life and wasted a lot of time in his freshman year. He's really short on funds right now."

"Mo Tianyi started as a Soul Cultivator early, but his monthly expenses are considerable."

"Hu Yuntao and Che Yufei are buried in debt—their financial situation is even worse."

"And the Ying family members—needless to say—at their age of death, they can't skimp on daily maintenance costs. Since they've come to help me, I don't want to suppress their wages..."

Fuji was shocked. "Kid, what the hell... Why are you coddling your employees like this?"

She fumed, "Good spirit coins, how can you just hand them out to employees every day? That's like throwing money into the water!"

Zhang Yu said calmly, "There's still money in the account."

Fuji retorted, "You can't do this. It's killing the company's competitiveness. How are you going to grow and expand like this?"

"Since you made me the finance director, you have to listen to me on this."

To be honest, Zhang Yu didn't know how to answer Fuji's question.

He even understood that, from a certain perspective, Fuji was right—keeping labor costs low does increase a company's competitiveness.

But at least for now, when he had the ability not to suppress wages, Zhang Yu didn't want to do that.

He also couldn't imagine what tone he should use to talk about such things with Zhao Tianxing and Che Yufei.

After a round of persuasion that got nowhere, Fuji suddenly thought of something and said, "You little shit... in the end, the whole company only ends up squeezing me, right?"

Zhang Yu comforted her, "You're a shareholder. Once I develop well in the future, you'll benefit endlessly too."

At that moment, a realization suddenly struck Fuji: "F***... it seems I'm the only one in Zhang Yu's company who can't quit."

A few days later.

Zhang Yu, following Shi Huaiyu, Su Yanyang, and the others, arrived at Vajra University.

Today was the day they would meet Vajra University in the losers' bracket, deciding who would be the true loser of this competition.

Gazing at the golden, glittering university below the flying boat, apart from Zhang Yu, who looked as calm as a breeze, Su Yanyang and the others were both nervous and worried, clearly not fully confident about the upcoming competition.