Chapter 88

Several days after the martial arts competition ended, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen finally landed an advertisement—a group ad featuring all the competitors.

Walking on the street, Zhang Yu couldn't help asking, "Did you hear what Song Hailong said yesterday? Why is it that he, as a third-place finisher, already got a solo ad, while we only got a group shoot?"

Bai Zhenzhen pursed her lips and said, "I asked around, and the general reason is... it's been half a year since school started, and in another half year we'll be sophomores."

"Because they're afraid we'll crash, no one wants to give us solo ads."

Hearing Bai Zhenzhen's answer, Zhang Yu only felt bewildered: "Crash? How could we crash? Are they worried we'll mess around with fans?"

Bai Zhenzhen shot Zhang Yu a sideways glance and said matter-of-factly, "What nonsense are you talking? Messing around with fans isn't even a real crash. They're worried about our grades dropping badly after we enter sophomore year, since we're poor, you know."

Zhang Yu instantly understood—the crash for a top student at Kunxu was a drop in grades. That made sense.

But then he grew annoyed again: "Does being poor mean you're guaranteed to crash in sophomore year?"

"We're already poor enough, yet it's harder for us to make money than for someone rich like Song Hailong. He can get solo ads, but we can't."

"By the way, then why did they ask us for the group ad? Aren't they afraid we'll crash?"

Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu like he was an idiot: "Are you stupid? In a group ad, if we crash, they can just cut us out, can't they?"

Half an hour later, the two arrived at a film studio and saw several familiar faces from the three major high schools already there.

But right now, all these people were deliberately or unconsciously glancing at a youth, a youth surrounded by more than a dozen staff members.

Bai Zhenzhen wondered, "Who's that? He's got quite the entourage."

Zhang Yu was also curious: "Isn't this the group ad for the top eight of the martial arts competition? That guy doesn't seem to be one of them, right?"

Lian Tianji popped up from behind them and said, "That's Yu Xinghan, the last disciple that Starfire True Person found in another city. He's probably transferring to White Dragon High School soon."

Watching the youth surrounded like a moon circled by stars, with many assistants, makeup artists, directors, and so on, Bai Zhenzhen's eyes flickered: "Starfire True Person? You mean that Golden Core cultivator who was optimized out?"

Lian Tianji nodded at her words: "According to Starfire True Person, this Yu Xinghan is his final disciple who will inherit all his techniques and wealth, and will be Songyang City's top scorer in the college entrance exam."

"Because he carries the title of a Golden Core disciple and such high praise, Xianyun Group brought him in to shoot the ad together."

"Look at Song Hailong, heh heh... there are almost sparks flying out of his eyes. After all, this Yu Xinghan is transferring to White Dragon High School, so he's bound to compete with Song Hailong for first place in the grade."

Zhang Yu looked at Song Hailong and felt like he was seeing a startled tabby cat—back arched, fur bristling, staring intently at Yu Xinghan.

Zhang Yu's eyes moved, and he suddenly said, "Then in the upcoming competitions, this Yu Xinghan will be participating too, right?"

Lian Tianji nodded: "Of course. In the next sports competition, that guy is likely to be a strong contender for the championship." As he looked toward Yu Xinghan, a spark of competitive fighting spirit also ignited in his eyes.

Just as Lian Tianji, Zhang Yu, and Bai Zhenzhen were talking,

a certain gaze was quietly fixed on their location.

The owner of that gaze was none other than Yue Mulan from Ziyun High School.

Originally, Yue Mulan had no interest in this kind of ad shoot, but for one thing, the Golden Core disciple Yu Xinghan would be there, and she was curious about him.

For another... well, it was because of the only two poor people among these competitors: Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen.

As she watched the two, Yue Mulan thought to herself: "I've been looking at the photos on his Moments every day lately, and they don't disgust me as much as before. This is a good chance to get closer."

But every time she thought about contacting Zhang Yu, the image of him sitting on her, with that dirty, hot, and bloody water splashing all over her, involuntarily flooded her mind, giving her goosebumps.

"Forget it, I'll start with the easiest first."

"Anyway, when the actual shoot starts, I'll have to get close to them eventually."

So Yue Mulan silently observed the two, her gaze constantly drifting toward their direction.

The content of the shoot that followed involved all the competitors jointly recommending Xianyun Group's tutoring institution.

Throughout the shoot, people kept finding chances to cozy up to Yu Xinghan, add him as a friend, giving Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen a real taste of how popular a true Golden Core disciple was.

As for the central position of the entire ad, it was completely occupied by Yu Xinghan, surrounded by the other competitors like green leaves around a flower.

Except that the top three in martial arts—Zhang Yu, Yue Mulan, and Song Hailong—were the leaves beside the flower; fourth-place Bai Zhenzhen was the stem under the leaves; and Lian Tianji, ranked lower, was the mud beneath the flower.

According to the director, they would later fill the entire screen with the words "Last Disciple of a Golden Core True Person," making him the absolute protagonist.

During the shoot, Zhang Yu noticed that Yue Mulan, who came close to him, was acting strangely—taking deep breaths one moment, trembling slightly the next. He finally couldn't help asking, "What are you doing?" Seeing Zhang Yu turn his head, Yue Mulan involuntarily stepped back: "You... nothing, none of your business."

Zhang Yu muttered "psycho" in his heart and ignored him.

Le Mulan, however, covered her nose and thought to herself: "He smells awful... Is this what Mom meant by the 'subway smell' of poor people?"

"I was right to come this time after all. I'm slowly getting used to it."

After spending four hours finally finishing the shoot, Zhang Yu took thirty thousand yuan, while Bai Zhenzhen took eight thousand, and they each went home.

But no sooner had he gotten home than Zhang Yu's newly earned thirty thousand turned into a Hunyuan Pill, which he swallowed in one gulp.

Feeling waves of狂暴藥力 coursing through his entire body, Zhang Yu immediately seized the time to begin cultivating the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi.

As the medicinal power of the Hunyuan Pill spread through his limbs and bones, Zhang Yu felt as if his muscles, organs, and even his bones were like parched earth finally receiving rain, frantically absorbing the streams of medicinal power as he circulated the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi.

A full half hour later, the medicinal power slowly dissipated within his body.

But Zhang Yu knew the power wasn't truly gone—it had merely been temporarily absorbed into his muscles, organs, and bones.

Though Zhang Yu hadn't felt any increase in physical strength yet, he felt vigorous and full of inexhaustible energy.

!.

He knew that over the next few days, the absorbed medicinal power would continuously take effect, enhancing his cultivation efficiency as he practiced the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi and further strengthening his body.

Without delay, he eagerly resumed his cultivation of the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi.

And as the entire night passed with Zhang Yu frantically cultivating the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi, he would train until exhausted, then lie down, and when the ritual urged him, knowing he could train again, he would stand up and continue.

Under such extreme training, his physical strength instantly rose from level 1.67 to level 1.70.

"What a pill, truly a great pill. Expensive things really do have their reasons."

…

So over the next few days, Zhang Yu seized every moment to continuously cultivate the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi, striving to further improve his physical strength before the medicinal power was truly spent.

Sometimes Zhang Yu couldn't help but lament: "Kunxu, you really have turned people into beasts. Here I am, actually pushing myself now—for three straight days, I haven't heard the ritual's nagging."

And during this training process, Zhang Yu could feel his body getting stronger bit by bit with every passing moment.

"After all, unleashing the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi at full power at level 10 is, in theory, something only a top high school student could do."

"But using it now to boost my physical strength of 1.7 is like a max-level expert returning to the noob village to level up—truly a fierce and rapid advance."

In just three short days, as the medicinal power was exhausted, his physical strength grew continuously, rising from level 1.70 to level 1.87.

At this moment, standing in the classroom, Zhang Yu felt that the medicinal power had been completely drained. He sighed inwardly, his longing for money growing ever stronger.

"In Kunxu... you really can't get by without money."

Just as he was thinking this, the voice of Lei Jun, the practical combat teacher, came over, snapping Zhang Yu out of his daze.

"Zhang Yu, He Dayou, you two spar as a pair."

Zhang Yu was slightly taken aback. Normally in practical combat class, he was almost always assigned to Bai Zhenzhen's side. Why was he grouped with He Dayou this time?

A king fighting a stubborn bronze? What did Old Lei mean?

Lei Jun's intention was simple: he wanted Zhang Yu to teach He Dayou a lesson, because He Dayou had been acting too arrogantly in practical combat class lately.

"Relying on his surging physical strength to charge around recklessly, without any regard for the combat techniques I teach."

So Lei Jun sent out his ace, Zhang Yu, planning to make the other realize the importance of combat skills and martial arts.

He Dayou, with a gloomy face, came before Zhang Yu, thinking to himself: "After this period of implantation and adaptation training, my physical strength should already be far above Zhang Yu's. But this kid's practical combat ability is too strong…"

Just as He Dayou was calculating in his mind, he saw Zhang Yu strike out with a palm.

He instinctively reached out to block, only to find Zhang Yu grabbing his hand and engaging him in a contest of strength.

"What!" He Dayou was first startled, then delighted: "You actually dare to match strength with me now?"

He Dayou's other hand also lunged toward Zhang Yu. Their hands clasped together, and with the clash of their mana, both erupted with their inner strength.

He Dayou let out a fierce shout, intending to lift Zhang Yu and hurl him out of bounds.

But the next moment, He Dayou felt the other's hands as firm as rock—immovable under his force.

——

I've repaid another chapter of monthly ticket debt. Fellow Daoists, please continue lending me your monthly tickets.