Chapter 532: The Situation Escalates

Late September.

In the lab, Jin Jun looked at the materials, which had risen in price again, and felt a slight sense of relief. "Good thing I stocked up on a lot of the materials needed for the Heaven-Sun Divine Emperor earlier for convenience; I won't need to restock for another month or two." He sighed, "I hope this tribulation ends soon." During this period, Jin Jun stayed indoors, spending his days in the lab, pushing forward with the Heaven-Sun Divine Emperor's progress, oblivious to the turmoil outside.

Yu Xinghan, returning from the company, saw several familiar faces from a distance before even reaching the entrance. Looking at Su Yanyang and Xiao Yunji, Yu Xinghan smiled, "Here for another check-up? How about a massage afterward? I'll give you the lowest price ever!"

As the economic crisis continued to escalate, more and more students gradually felt overwhelmed. Su Yanyang was there to see Xiao Qingxuan, holding several bottles of elixirs used daily to combat sleep, fill the stomach, and nourish qi and blood – these were his payment to Xiao Qingxuan. Xiao Yunji, on the other hand, was there to have Zhang Yu maintain his magical artifacts and, while he was at it, remove the transforming artifact he was wearing to reduce his personal burden. Of course, Zhang Yu charged for these services, but compared to the prices of businesses nowadays, they were much cheaper, making it an incredibly good deal in Xiao Yunji's eyes.

Su Yanyang lazily said, "A massage? I'd rather get more sleep!" Yu Xinghan asked in surprise, "Sleep?" Su Yanyang casually replied, "Sleeping means less medicine, less exercise, less consumption, and time passes quickly. Don't you think it's the best way to live these days?"

Besides Xiao Yunji and Su Yanyang, a dishevelled Li Xiao was also squatting nearby. Yu Xinghan knew that for the past few days, Li Xiao had been coming to Zhang Yu's place regularly, waiting for Zhang Yu to finish work and feed him some spiritual power. As for other times, Yu Xinghan understood that Li Xiao was likely staying outside the underground catacombs, waiting for stray spiritual energy and ashes to appear. However, today, besides Li Xiao himself, he had also brought a dusty, dishevelled person. "Ji Yuanxu?" Yu Xinghan thought to himself, looking at Ji Yuanxu, who had turned his head away. "Sigh, if Zhang Yu keeps this up, the number of vagrants inside and outside our dorm will only increase!"

Just then, as Zhang Yu arrived, Li Xiao pulled Ji Yuanxu along, and they immediately rushed forward like two squirrels begging for food. After being fed, Li Xiao watched Zhang Yu disappear behind the dormitory door and sighed, "It would be great if Zhang Yu could take us home too." Ji Yuanxu said, "Stop daydreaming and focus on studying. This is the perfect time to surpass those ahead and widen the gap with those behind!" Li Xiao sighed again, a thought rising in his mind: "If I hadn't gotten into university back then, I'd still be in the Immortal Capital on the first level. I wouldn't have to struggle like a beggar every day. Would life be easier and happier?"

Zhang Yu naturally had no intention of bringing Li Xiao and Ji Yuanxu into the dormitory. After all, there were already enough people in the dorm, and spiritual energy was barely sufficient; how could he bring more in? Besides, Li Xiao, Ji Yuanxu, and Zhang Yu didn't have that deep a relationship. Zhang Yu only casually fed them a few mouthfuls of spiritual power because he didn't want to see them die at his doorstep. Fu Ji sighed, "Zhang Yu is getting too soft-hearted. Beggars like them should be driven away every time you see them; don't let their poor stench stick to you!" Zhang Yu thought to himself, "If it were me when I first arrived on the second level, I would probably have to turn a blind eye to everything. But now... I am ultimately richer and stronger. Only with some leeway can I make choices according to my own will, instead of being confined by this cursed Kunxu and having my will trampled!"

Whenever he thought about these things, Zhang Yu became even more engrossed in studying the Spirit World, continuing to pursue greater power and a brighter future. Zhang Yu also had to admit that by dedicating most of his energy to studying in Taiqing City during this period, coupled with the blessing of being a crafting prodigy, his learning progress was incredibly fast. Merit Relics, Self-Transformation Soul Rings, Overtime Golden Headbands, Free Lotus Pedestals… He learned blueprint after blueprint, and after advancing them to level 20, he thoroughly understood the knowledge and techniques they contained. Zhang Yu estimated, "In about two or three more weeks, I'll have mastered all the techniques required for the Heaven-Sun Divine Emperor and can officially begin crafting it!"

But soon, new changes came to Myriad Laws University. First, daily travel times were restricted, then daily Spirit World data usage, followed by restrictions on medicine and spirit stones. As spiritual energy supply became limited, the once obsolete spirit stones suddenly became highly sought after!

Outside the dormitory door, Ji Yuanxu suddenly slapped Li Xiao across the face, then whispered, "Unemployed, are you insane? Do you even know what that is before you touch it?" Li Xiao weakly replied, "I heard there were red packets to be had!" Li Xiao helplessly said, "I'm scared too, but I really have no money left. I can't survive!" Ji Yuanxu gritted his teeth and said, "I have a connection in the finance department; I can help you get a card. But remember, only one card, absolutely no more!"

Inside the dormitory, Su Yanyang's message appeared in Zhang Yu's vision.Su Yanyang: "Zhang Yu, can you lend me some spirit coins?"Zhang Yu: "1 spirit coin."Su Yanyang: "Thanks. Any more?"Zhang Yu: "No!"Su Yanyang: "It's getting chaotic outside. Be careful when you go out; don't go to unsupervised areas!"

Meanwhile, Shi Huaiyu looked at the medicine he had bought and said, "Damn it... Daily limits are one thing, but short-changing the amount is too much. How much have the higher-ups embezzled?"

As the daily supply of medicine decreased, Zhang Yu felt his body growing hungrier by the day. He understood that if this continued for too long, without the nourishment of medicine, his qi and blood would become deficient or even deplete, and his physical strength might even regress. After all, for cultivators like them, as they grew stronger, their bodies naturally consumed more. So, Zhang Yu began to look for ways to acquire more medicine. Naturally, the first people he contacted were True Lord Ciji and Director Gao. However, as the situation grew tense, both teachers seemed to become increasingly busy and didn't reply to Zhang Yu's messages. Then, Zhang Yu contacted Li Xuelian through Yu Xinghan and found the dark medicine market. But the prices for medicine on the black market had already skyrocketed, making Zhang Yu hesitate. Fu Ji cursed, "The School of Pharmacy must have been shipping a lot of goods to the dark medicine market. They limit the supply on one hand, while the black market prices soar and sell out!"

Then, Zhang Yu contacted Le Mulan to reach her mentor, Yin Jiurao. Yin Jiurao, who had once written a paper using Zhang Yu as her subject, was willing to provide some extra medicine, and her request was simple. In front of the office, Le Mulan looked at Zhang Yu, bit her lip, and said, "Zhang Yu..." Zhang Yu smiled, shook his head at her, and comforted her, "It's fine, I'll be out soon!" Le Mulan clenched her fists and said, "Bear with it this time. I will find a way to get more medicine as soon as possible!" Watching Zhang Yu's back as he walked into the office, and hearing the sounds from inside, Le Mulan felt a sense of resentment. She hated her current weakness, which forced Zhang Yu to exchange himself, a valuable 'material', for medicine that was usually so cheap.

Zhang Yu, finally feeling full after getting a large box of medicine, returned to the dormitory and lent a few bottles to his roommates, and half a bottle to Li Xiao and Ji Yuanxu outside the door. That evening, everyone felt a sense of peace as they experienced fullness within their bodies. Just then, the clash of the God-Transformation stage cultivators in the live broadcast triggered geological disasters spreading for thousands of miles. Everyone, who had just felt at ease, was startled. Immediately after, Ji Yuanxu's face stiffened, revealing a helpless, bitter smile. Then, under everyone's shocked, amazed, and sighing gazes, his body was enveloped by divine light, his physical form gradually disintegrated by the financial storm, and his soul was swept into the depths of the Spirit World. Witnessing this former civil engineering prodigy disappear before their eyes due to the fluctuations of a God-Transformation battle, everyone present was shaken, and their minds, which had just calmed down slightly, became anxious again.

Several hours later, Zhang Pianpian, True Lord Ciji, and Director Gao successively sent messages.True Lord Ciji: "I've had a batch of medicine sent over. Stay put in the dormitory; don't get involved no matter what happens outside!"Director Gao: "The work on the 670th floor has been temporarily halted, you don't need to come. If you encounter any problems, remember to find Ciji!"Zhang Pianpian: "God-Transformation cultivators are gathering at the arena; things might escalate. However, once the situation escalates, it means the higher-ups will intervene, and the matter will temporarily conclude!"Zhang Pianpian: "But before it ends, anything can happen. Be careful, and don't run around!"

Zhang Yu grew tense from the series of messages and couldn't help but warn everyone in the dormitory to be careful and not go outside. When he considered whether to let Li Xiao temporarily come inside, he found that the other person was already gone.

On the night of the second day, everyone gathered to watch the live broadcast of the Ten Major Leagues. In the broadcast, Dao Qiankun of Myriad Laws University and Kuang Tianqing of Heavenly Demon University were locked in battle, determining the champion of the Ten Schools Combat Tournament. Zhang Yu remembered that these two were ranked second and first on the Golden Core Seed List, respectively, with their Golden Core simulation scores far surpassing all other schools. Watching them fight fiercely on screen, Zhang Yu couldn't help but think, "These two probably aren't even showing their full strength in their Golden Core aptitude scores." Just then, with a roar, Dao Qiankun projected a golden phantom into Kuang Tianqing's body. "Breakthrough during battle, shatter!" As Dao Qiankun whispered, Kuang Tianqing's aura surged dramatically—it exploded, it went wild. Intense golden light burst from his body, seemingly making his physique transparent, and in his lower abdomen, a round, gleaming golden core phantom emerged! Kuang Tianqing was clearly about to break through to the Golden Core realm under Dao Qiankun's attack! But the next moment, he reached into his abdomen and crushed the golden core with his bare hand. "Dao Qiankun, you think these paltry methods can force me to break through?" "Here, take it back!" Kuang Tianqing flung the shattered golden core back at his opponent. "Now you break!"

Just as the intense battle was in full swing, both sides simultaneously froze, suspended mid-air! Yu Xinghan tilted his head, puzzled, "What kind of move is this? Time stop?" Zhang Yu shook his head, a grave expression in his eyes. "The video froze!" Everyone present manipulated their eye-screens and were shocked to discover that it wasn't just the live broadcast that had frozen; all other Spirit World services had also stopped. Shi Huaiyu said incredulously, "The Spirit World network... is it down?" "Did the dormitory's Spirit World data run out?" Zhang Yu shook his head, "I checked earlier; the data isn't used up!" Yu Xinghan: "Then what's going on...?" Zhang Yu tried, only to find that neither the Sun-Moon Transcendent Mirror nor the Sky-Patrolling Flying Sword could access the Spirit World. The Spirit World seemed to have vanished! An ominous thought rose in Zhang Yu's mind: "Is this only happening in the dorm? Or worse, the entire floor? Or... has the Spirit World at Myriad Laws University completely shut down?" Just then, everyone felt a tremor under their feet, and the entire dormitory began to shake violently!