As a flicker of light and shadow danced before his eyes, a black and gold scroll slowly unfurled within Zhang Yu's ocular artifact. Its ancient aura and noble colors seemed to open a mysterious world before him.
“Welcome to Golden Core Direct.”
“Golden Core Direct is a renowned, free golden core guidance tool that offers services such as golden core benchmarking, cultivation guidance, cultivation flaw detection, artifact testing, spirit artifact optimization, energy saving and cooling, and intelligent upgrades.”
“Would you like to use Golden Core Direct Premium?”
A user interface box appeared: "Golden Core Direct. Welcome to Golden Core Direct. Golden Core Direct is a renowned, free golden core guidance tool that offers services such as golden core benchmarking, cultivation guidance, cultivation flaw detection, artifact testing, spirit artifact optimization, energy saving and cooling, and intelligent upgrades. Would you like to use Golden Core Direct Premium? Already purchased? Log in directly. Pay now."
Seeing the two options below — 'Log in directly with an existing Premium account' and 'Purchase Premium access' — Zhang Yu could only click the 'X' in the top right corner.
The next moment, the ancient aura and noble colors vanished completely. The black and gold scroll transformed into something resembling a school notebook, and some functions seemed to subtly disappear. How could Zhang Yu describe the feeling? It was like a secret manual he had just acquired had transformed from the Nine Yang Divine Skill into ordinary Long Fist.
But Zhang Yu didn't mind. If it looked bad, so be it; if functions were reduced, so be it. Paying for it was out of the question.
As soon as he opened the notebook, a notification popped up in his ocular artifact: 'External service requesting detection permission. Do you agree? Yes/No'
Golden Core Direct: 'Detected that artifact body has not yet obtained detection permission. Please grant permission for more accurate benchmarking.'
Zhang Yu naturally didn't want the system to scan his artifact body, so he immediately selected 'No' and then clicked the largest button on the notebook to begin the Golden Core simulated benchmark.
During this detection process, Golden Core Direct continuously displayed notifications, requesting detection permissions for various parts of Zhang Yu's body. Zhang Yu, of course, clicked 'No' for each one.
Consequently, a series of registration boxes appeared, requiring Zhang Yu to manually fill in detailed information about his body, including his artifact body, cultivation techniques, and basic data. If he could provide relevant school certifications, these data would also be recognized.
So Zhang Yu slowly filled them in one by one. Of course, he had mastered far too many cultivation techniques, so he only entered a small portion. Especially 'black' cultivation techniques like the Immeasurable Heart Inner Dharma Body, which certainly couldn't be included. Furthermore, items like the Chain Dharma Map and Dao Seed Scroll naturally could not be entered either.
Once Zhang Yu finished filling out the information, his final result appeared: 'You achieved a high score of 81,372 in the Golden Core simulated benchmark, surpassing 86% of students [Click to Share].'
Golden Core Direct: 'During the benchmark process, 37 cultivation deficiencies were found. Please remedy them as soon as possible [Click to One-Click Remedy].'
Zhang Yu clicked on it out of curiosity and discovered issues like missing hand artifact bodies, missing organ artifact bodies, missing spinal artifact bodies, and so on. Each entry was followed by a list of recommended artifact bodies. Evidently, due to Zhang Yu's lack of artifact bodies, he lost quite a few points in this area.
In addition, there were recommendations for surgical modifications to increase mana circulation speed, Dantian configuration optimization, muscle response speed optimization—a plethora of proposed surgical, pharmaceutical, and Daoist art solidification solutions. Then came a host of issues like cultivation technique optimization, updates, and upgrades, followed by recommendations to use newer versions of techniques, upgraded techniques, or cultivate different types of techniques to compensate for his deficiencies in certain areas.
Looking at each of these cultivation flaws, Zhang Yu, who had initially felt quite good about himself, suddenly had the sensation that he was riddled with weaknesses.
“However, I certainly have significant room for improvement,” he mused. Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Military-grade cultivation techniques, military-grade artifact bodies, military-grade magical artifacts… not only are they necessary to win the Top Ten Leagues, but they will also be needed to forge a Golden Core in the future.”
“Once I win the Top Ten Leagues, I'll definitely need to complete my credits ahead of schedule and graduate a few years early.”
“The sooner I achieve these, the sooner I win the Top Ten Leagues, the sooner I graduate, and the sooner I break through to the Golden Core stage…”
As he closed the benchmark results, another leaderboard appeared on Golden Core Direct.
“Golden Core Seed List? Updated daily?”
Zhang Yu looked at the list, a thought stirring in his mind: “Is this the Foundation Establishment stage, the current Golden Core simulated benchmark list?” He scanned it and found there was also a true Golden Core list, a score ranking for the Golden Core realm, but that was still quite distant for Zhang Yu, and he had no interest in looking at it.
“It must have automatically displayed the Golden Core Seed List to me because it knows I'm a university student in the Foundation Establishment stage.” Zhang Yu instinctively looked at the first place: “The first place is from Heavenly Demon University? 510,000 points?”
“Second place is from Myriad Arts University? Daoist Arts Department, Dao Qiankun, 509,881 points. That's only a tiny bit less than the first place, isn't it?”
Zhang Yu continued scrolling and saw that the Golden Core Seed List was almost entirely dominated by students from the Top Ten universities. He tried to click on Dao Qiankun, the second-place holder, to see if he could view their profile. However, upon clicking, he could only see basic information, such as that the person belonged to the Daoist Arts Department at Myriad Arts University's undergraduate level.
Below the person's avatar, details such as '3 cultivation deficiencies,' '1233 cultivation change alerts,' '99 cultivation technique practices,' '7 equipped artifact bodies,' 'spiritual root details,' and 'news inquiries' were all inaccessible.
Golden Core Direct: 'Please purchase Premium service to view more information.'
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “I'm not buying it.”
Zhang Yu continued to scroll down and soon found himself listed after the 500th position. Of course, it wasn't because he ranked over 500th; rather, the Golden Core Seed List only recorded the top 500, then displayed below that Zhang Yu ranked 500 and had not yet entered the Golden Core Seed List. As for Zhang Yu's exact rank, it was clearly not visible at the moment.
While Zhang Yu was viewing the leaderboard, notifications kept popping up intermittently in his ocular artifact.
Golden Core Direct: '37 cultivation deficiencies found [Click to View].'
Golden Core Direct: 'Your friends' scores might be higher than yours. Pay to view others' simulated benchmark scores.'
Golden Core Direct: 'Sensitive artifact body detected as unencrypted.'
Zhang Yu couldn't help but frown slightly: “Unencrypted?”
Fuji reminded him, “Don't mind it. It's trying to trick you into giving it permission to your ocular artifact.”
“Your ocular artifact was encrypted by Zhang Pianpian. With her talisman cultivation, there shouldn't be any problem in that regard.”
Looking at Golden Core Direct, which was still occasionally displaying notifications, Zhang Yu couldn't help but curse, “This piece of junk talks too much nonsense.”
Just then, a new notification appeared that caught Zhang Yu's attention.
Golden Core Direct: 'Click to share benchmark data and receive a Premium skin.'
While Zhang Yu was running the Golden Core simulated benchmark, deep within the spirit realm, in a small private group that outsiders could hardly detect, Zi Yunzhen, ranked 4th in the Artifact Forging class, said: “They actually let him transfer.”
Class Rank 4, Zi Yunzhen: “This Zhang Yu has been in the Civil Engineering Department for three years. Can he even understand Artifact Forging?” Zi Yunzhen said, somewhat resentfully: “And he comes in and immediately ranks 48th in the entire department, and 2nd in the class? What kind of nonsense is that?”
Zi Yunzhen: “Are those comprehensive scores from Civil Engineering even worthy of being converted?”
Zi Yunzhen: “Zhang Yu should have to start over from freshman year. Why is he transferring to our junior year?”
Another artifact forging student named Rong Xuan said: “I don't know what the director was thinking, bringing in a civil engineering student.”
Class Rank 8, Rong Xuan: “The class group chat feels like it's got a whiff of dirt and rust.”
Rong Xuan: “Sigh, I don't even want to post in that chat anymore.”
Class Rank 4, Zi Yunzhen: “But you just welcomed him in the group.”
Rong Xuan: “One has to give face to Magneto True Monarch, right?”
Class Rank 4, Zi Yunzhen: “An experimental subject paired with a Soul Transformation Yin Artifact in the lab—it's one thing to mess around with it in the lab, but to openly bring him into the Artifact Forging Department? I heard this guy only has one ocular artifact, and no other artifact bodies anywhere else. It's really… sigh…”
Just then, the class's Rank 1, who had been silent, spoke up.
Su Yunni: “Watch your words.”
Class Rank 4, Zi Yunzhen: “I'm just speaking up for everyone.”
Zi Yunzhen: “Why should so many people in this class, who have spent so much money in the Artifact Forging Department for three years, now be suppressed by a stinky civil engineering student?”
The small group immediately erupted in discussion, with most students expressing strong disapproval of Zhang Yu, the civil engineering student, being brought into the Artifact Forging Department.
Just then, Rong Xuan, who was ranked 8th, said: “Quick, look at the class group chat! Zhang Yu just posted his Golden Core simulated benchmark score!”
Zhang Yu: 'I achieved a high score of 81,372 in the Golden Core simulated benchmark, surpassing 86% of students [Click to Share].'
This was already the highest Golden Core benchmark score in the entire class.
In an instant, the small group, which had just been buzzing with discussion, fell silent.
After a long pause, Zi Yunzhen slowly said: “How could his score be so high? He didn't cheat, did he?”
Someone replied: “It's certified, so it shouldn't be fake. Besides, faking it would only bring shame upon himself.”
Su Yunni, Class Rank 1, said: “I used Premium membership to look at his benchmark results.”
Su Yunni: “Mainly, the military-grade cultivation technique, Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, added a significant number of points.”
Su Yunni: “Secondly, his foundation is solid, and he practices quite a few cultivation techniques.”
Su Yunni: “If he could equip more artifact bodies, his score would likely be even higher.”
Class Rank 4, Zi Yunzhen: “So that's how it is.”
Zi Yunzhen: “The Civil Engineering Department has simple content and less competition, which allowed him to get a military-grade cultivation technique early on.”
Zi Yunzhen: “But no matter how many points Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power adds, it's of no help to artifact forging skills.”
Zi Yunzhen: “He can brag now, but once the final exam results come out, his rankings in various areas will definitely drop again.”
Although most people in the Artifact Forging class shared similar thoughts, faced with Zhang Yu's higher Golden Core simulated score, they couldn't bring themselves to continue mocking him. They simply planned to wait for the final exam to see his artifact forging results and laugh then. What could a 'civil engineering dog' who'd spent three years on construction sites possibly know about artifact forging?
Just then, Su Yunni, Rank 1, asked Zi Yunzhen, Rank 4: “When are you coming to help out at my company?”
Zi Yunzhen: “I still have some things to consider.”
Su Yunni: “No worries. My door is always open for you.”
Zi Yunzhen knew that Su Yunni's magical artifact service company had always dealt with the recycling of second-hand magical artifacts and artifact maintenance. Although joining her company might incur significant intermediary fees, it would lead to more commissions and effectively maintain connections. Zi Yunzhen then contacted Ye Xingli, asking: “Senior Sister, are you still taking commissions for the Dragon Vein Treasure Forging Art?”
After finishing with Golden Core Direct, Zhang Yu quickly went to the laboratory and resumed his cultivation practice. Streams of True Fire shot forth, fluctuating and surging with his Daoist incantations, burning the second-hand magical artifact before him.
Several hours later, the True Fire streams changed color, drifting around Zhang Yu like nimble swimming fish.
Fire Control Divine Mirror Level 10.
Zhang Yu's spirits lifted. He thought, "The third cultivation technique of this artifact-forging prodigy has finally reached Level 10. I'm one step closer to completing this Chain Dharma Map set."
“Cultivating this Fire Control Divine Mirror is too troublesome. Every time I forge a second-hand magical artifact, it costs money, and if the forging skill isn't high enough, it's hard to sell. It's really cost me a lot.”
“With Fire Control Divine Mirror at Level 10, whether selling the forged artifacts directly or offering services, it should be easier to sell now.”
Just then, Zhang Yu received a message.
Ye Xingli: “Junior Brother, are you still taking commissions for the Dragon Vein Treasure Forging Art?”
[3 hours ago] Chapter 1158: Red Sun
17604 · 0 · 35
19376 · 0 · 52
