Patrol

Patrol

Looking back at Zhao Tianxing, who was still standing there in a daze, Zhang Yu urged, "Get to work, Little Zhao. Standing around here slacking off?"

Zhao Tianxing hurriedly followed, but he could not help glancing back at Bai Zhenzhen, who was serving dishes. They definitely won't believe this when I tell them at school. Bai Zhenzhen is actually working part-time? Did something happen to her family?

After making another round, Zhao Tianxing followed Zhang Yu into an empty emergency passageway. He saw Zhang Yu suddenly sit down cross-legged and say, "Don't just stand there. Take a break with me."

Zhao Tianxing said, "Huh? But the captain told us to keep patrolling. If he finds out..."

"The art exhibition hasn't even started yet. What's there to patrol? And in Central Building, are you really worried something could happen?"

As he spoke, Zhang Yu smiled. "Besides, didn't you want to talk to me? This is a good chance for me to talk to you about The Way of Security."

Hearing that, Zhao Tianxing remembered Teacher Wang Hai's instructions.

Then Zhang Yu dropped a shocking statement. "Being a Security Guard is all about slacking off!"

Zhao Tianxing said, "Huh?"

Zhang Yu continued, "If you patrol a few more times or a few fewer times, will your pay change?"

Zhao Tianxing hesitated. "Probably... not?"

Zhang Yu asked again, "With us here or without us here, will this venue's security level go down?"

Zhao Tianxing scratched his head. "Probably... not either? But..."

"But the time we steal belongs to us."

"Alright, I'm taking a break first. We'll head out again once the exhibition officially begins."

Watching Zhang Yu close his eyes and begin Breath Circulation, Zhao Tianxing grew nervous instead, afraid their superiors would catch them slacking off on the job.

Looking again at Zhang Yu, who had completely entered a Breath Circulation state, Zhao Tianxing both admired him for seizing every scrap of time to cultivate and felt that he was far too big-hearted...

No, wasn't I supposed to talk to him about buying medicine? How did he drag me into talking about slacking off...

Suddenly, Zhao Tianxing's gaze shifted. As he recalled Zhang Yu's words, he fell into thought.

Zhao Tianxing was the sort who was not good at socializing, yet had a delicate and sensitive mind. He cared deeply about what others thought and was prone to letting his thoughts run wild.

As he recalled what Zhang Yu had just said, he realized it all seemed to match what he himself was doing.

If I ask him a few more questions or a few fewer questions, will Teacher Wang Hai stop guiding me?

If Teacher Wang Hai has one less person—me—to investigate for information, would he really find out nothing at all?

Has Zhang Yu already seen through what I'm trying to do? Was he deliberately hinting at me with those words, telling me to slack off too?

Thinking that, Zhao Tianxing looked at Zhang Yu, who was doing Breath Circulation, once more. Even his breathing now seemed unfathomably profound.

As Magical Power flowed through his entire body, Zhang Yu silently circulated it through one Heavenly Cycle, pushing the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Method to (13/80). At last, the art exhibition officially began.

"No wonder this is an exhibition hosted by Ms. Li. Every guest here is either rich or noble."

Watching the guests enter the art exhibition one after another, Zhao Tianxing sighed from the bottom of his heart.

Although he had no idea who these people were, their luxurious clothes and accessories alone made it clear that every one of them was worth a fortune.

Even though Zhao Tianxing's father was already a minor executive at a company and their family was fairly well-off, he could still recognize many luxury goods on these people that his family could never afford.

Just then, Zhang Yu whispered, "Old Zhao, look at that!"

Zhao Tianxing followed the direction of Zhang Yu's nod and immediately saw a glittering golden figure walk in, surrounded by a crowd.

When he looked closely, he realized that the person's skin from head to toe resembled a layer of gold leaf, reflecting faint streaks of golden light.

Zhang Yu asked curiously, "What is that? A robot?"

Zhao Tianxing hurriedly covered Zhang Yu's mouth. Only after confirming that the golden man had not looked their way did he let out a soft breath.

Then Zhao Tianxing removed his hand and explained, "That's Xianyun Corporation's Songyang City director. Don't you dare talk nonsense."

"Xianyun Corporation?" Zhang Yu looked curiously at the golden man. "Then why... does he look so dazzling?"

"That's a Dharma Skeleton. Don't you know?"

Seeing Zhang Yu's blank expression, Zhao Tianxing thought that his family probably had never come into contact with such things. He patiently explained, "A Dharma Skeleton... how should I put it? It's somewhat like a prosthetic limb, but far, far stronger than any prosthetic."

"And in terms of Immortal Dao Technique, Dharma Skeletons have already expanded to cover the entire human body."

"It's like using Dharma Treasures to replace any part of the human body, preserving its original function while greatly enhancing every ability."

"However, only when Magical Power reaches over 100 can a Dharma Skeleton be implanted into the body..."

Zhang Yu's gaze shifted at those words. He knew that 100 points of Magical Power was already the limit the Qi Refining Realm could attain.

He asked, "Can one get a Dharma Skeleton implanted with 100 points of Magical Power, or do you need to reach Foundation Establishment first?"

"100 points of Magical Power is enough. But this man is a true Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. He comes from a prominent family and graduated from Ten Thousand Laws University." Zhang Yu understood. A Foundation Establishment Ancestor had graduated university and then come down to the beginner level to slaughter noobs, showing off and slapping faces in front of stubborn Qi Refining Period cultivators like them.

As more and more guests arrived, Zhang Yu spotted two more people who seemed to possess Dharma Skeletons. One had gemstone-like eyes, while a halo floated behind the other's head. Their whole style was completely different from the other wealthy people around them.

Those two, together with Xianyun Corporation's golden director, were like three centers of gravity. From time to time, they drew Qi Refining cultivators toward them, who looked as though they wished they could kneel and kowtow before them.

By now, Zhao Tianxing seemed to have gradually adjusted to wearing the Security Guard uniform. As he watched the guests come and go, he no longer appeared so constrained.

While the two patrolled, they also inadvertently overheard some of the guests' conversations.

Some marveled at how extravagantly wealthy Ms. Li Xuelian was.

Others praised the paintings at the exhibition, discussing how excellent they were and how much they ought to be worth.

Naturally, some also spoke of the Heavenly Human Martial Arts Diagram personally painted by a Golden Core True Person.

"Brother Li? Could it be that you also came to comprehend the Heavenly Human Martial Arts Diagram personally painted by Starfire Senior?"

"Of course. If a talented youth under twenty can master the Martial Arts within it, Starfire Senior will directly accept him as a disciple. This news has long spread throughout our Songyang Immortal Dao Community. How could I not come?"

What? There's information like this? Zhang Yu thought. And it has spread throughout the Songyang Immortal Dao Community? How come I didn't know?

Were the little shrimps of the Immortal Dao Realm simply unworthy of knowing?

But Zhang Yu suppressed his doubts for now and decided to carry out his duties as a Security Guard.

He walked up to the speaker and politely asked, "Sir, are you alright?"

The young man who had spoken had sword-like brows and starry eyes. At a glance, he was clearly no ordinary person. He looked at the Security Guard in confusion. "What could possibly be wrong with me?"

The youth said proudly, "I'm Lian Tianji of Ziyun High School. Can't you see I'm talking with my friend?"

Zhang Yu and Zhao Tianxing looked at him, then at his so-called "friend."

It was a box sitting on the table, its surface covered in a distinctive wood grain. Its size made it look like an urn.

Zhang Yu could not help thinking, Split personality? Did studying drive him insane?

Still, Zhang Yu knew a little about the Ziyun High School the other party had mentioned. It was an even more formidable Key High School than Songyang High School, one of Songyang City's Three Great Famous Schools. It was a school that the old Zhang Yu had not even qualified to apply to, one he had not dared dream of attending.

It was said that Ziyun High School's principals throughout the generations were famous for cruel methods, outrageous pressure, and school rules as harsh as hell.

Compared to it, all the various things at Songyang High School were merely a great witch beside a little witch. The legendary campus caste system, rules such as poor students eating in bathrooms and the weak being required to kneel before the strong... all of them were enough to make students from other High Schools tremble in fear.

Looking at Lian Tianji, who was talking to an "urn," Zhang Yu could not help sighing inwardly that Ziyun High School had truly driven people insane.

But at that moment, the "urn" spoke. "Brother Lian, these two Security Guards have probably misunderstood."

"I'm Li Xingyu, a Soul Cultivator from Mangshan High School."

Mangshan High School? A Soul Cultivator?

Zhang Yu remembered. Wasn't that a High School he had once tried applying to?

He knew that Soul Cultivators not only had lower total-score requirements for the Gaokao and followed a specialty route, but also had to abandon their Physical Bodies.

Yet as he looked at the "urn" on the table, he was still thoroughly shocked. Mangshan High School really has driven people into ghosts.

Zhang Yu hurriedly apologized alongside Zhao Tianxing before leaving. Then, after Lian Tianji and Li Xingyu exchanged a few more words, four propeller-like devices extended from the "urn," and it flew away like a drone.

Seeing this, Zhang Yu secretly rejoiced that the original owner had not chosen the path of a Soul Cultivator in the end. Otherwise, he could not even cultivate an immortal bearing with Daoist bones—what kind of immortal cultivator would he be?

No, Soul Cultivators don't even have Physical Bodies anymore. How are they supposed to practice the Martial Arts in the Heavenly Human Martial Arts Diagram?

Then he remembered what those two had just said about the Heavenly Human Martial Arts Diagram.

If that's really the case, then plenty of talented youths under twenty will probably come to this exhibition, all just to try mastering the peerless Martial Arts within the Heavenly Human Martial Arts Diagram?

Thinking that, Zhang Yu grew even more eager for this art exhibition.

Four hundred an hour. Not only was there money to earn and a show to watch, there was even a chance to comprehend peerless Martial Arts. Who said this job was no good? This job was amazing.

He turned to Zhao Tianxing and asked, "So, Old Zhao? Are you interested in the peerless Martial Arts in the Heavenly Human Martial Arts Diagram?"

Zhao Tianxing naturally shook his head.

He knew his own limits. Something that sounded as if only true geniuses or wealthy people could master—what did it have to do with ordinary people like them?

Not only was he uninterested, he felt nothing but the urge to retreat. Even if the Heavenly Human Martial Arts Diagram were brought out later, he would not want to try it at all, afraid that he would become a laughingstock before everyone.

A moment later, Zhao Tianxing, who had only just gradually adapted to his identity as a Security Guard, wished he could cover his face and flee, immediately stripping off this uniform.

Zhang Yu glanced at Zhao Tianxing, who had swiftly turned his back, then looked in the direction he had been facing and immediately spotted several familiar faces.

"Huh? Isn't that Qian Shen? And don't those others look like students from our school too?"

Qian Shen was an outstanding student who had always ranked behind Bai Zhenzhen in total scores and had remained second in the grade ever since school began.

Zhang Yu patted Zhao Tianxing on the shoulder and said, "Old Zhao, look. Aren't those our classmates?"

Zhao Tianxing quickly yanked Zhang Yu away and said uneasily, "Turn around, quickly. Don't let them see us."