Choices and Cultivation Methods

White Dragon High School.

As one of the Three Great Famous Schools, alongside Songyang High School and Ziyun High School in Songyang City, this school had a long history and abundant financial resources. Whether it was the number of students winning competitions each year, the number admitted to the Ten Great Top Universities, or even the number suffering breakdowns, it held a dominant position in Songyang City.

To many White Dragon High School students, there were no Three Great Famous Schools... Songyang City had only one famous school, and that was White Dragon High School.

At this moment, in White Dragon High School's cafeteria.

Zhang Pianpian ate while flipping through her Talisman Book, studying the talisman textbook she had just bought.

Just then, a petite girl sat down across from her and said mysteriously, "Pian Bao, I heard something interesting. Want to know? Treat me to a meal and I'll tell you."

Without even raising her head, Zhang Pianpian said, "Not interested."

The girl chuckled. "Your little brother sure caused quite a stir at the Central Building last time. Too bad he still wasn't accepted by a Golden Core cultivator. Don't you want to know his latest news?"

Zhang Pianpian's brows furrowed slightly. "At most, it's worth a nine-yuan Poor Man's Meal. Any more than that, and I'm not listening."

"Enough, enough." The girl smiled. "It's rare for Pian Bao to treat me to a meal. Nobody in class would believe it if I told them."

Seeing Zhang Pianpian's impatient expression, the girl continued, "A friend of mine at Songyang High School told me."

"Your brother got third place in his grade on this Monthly Exam, with a total score of 620."

Zhang Pianpian said in surprise, "620? Are you sure this information is real?"

"Guaranteed genuine." The girl said, "That score would be enough to make the top fifteen among our first-years. Pretty impressive."

"Didn't you say your brother lacked talent? He seems pretty good now."

A trace of confusion flashed through Zhang Pianpian's eyes. "My judgment cannot be wrong. He has no talent for climbing the Immortal Dao. Something must have happened to him recently."

The girl asked, "The Songyang High School Student Union will probably have their eyes on him now. Aren't you going to help him?"

Zhang Pianpian lowered her eyes and said lightly, "That depends on his own choice."

"If he is willing to sign with the Student Union, at least his high school years will be easier."

"You're testing him?" The girl curled her lip. "Isn't that too harsh? How many students can withstand the Student Union's pressure?"

Zhang Pianpian said coldly, "If he cannot withstand it, then he should take the path of someone who cannot withstand it. Otherwise, helping him would only harm him."

"What he is truly made of will ultimately depend on what kind of choice he can make."

Songyang High School.

Zhang Yu could clearly feel that the entire atmosphere of the school had changed.

During breaks, classmates who were not very familiar with him had begun greeting him.

"Zhang Yu, your Physical Strength improved so quickly. Is it really Natural Body Refinement?"

"Zhang Yu, can I borrow your Martial Dao theory exam paper to look at?"

In the hallways, students from other classes whom he did not know pointed and whispered at him.

"Look, that's the Zhang Yu Teacher Lei mentioned."

"Ugh, those monsters from the Demonstration Class really leave no way for ordinary people to live."

During Martial Arts Class, Teacher Lei Jun repeatedly played the video of Zhang Yu defeating He Dayou.

He even had Zhang Yu describe his tactical thinking at the time. As He Dayou listened, the qi and blood within him surged, his heart beat ever more powerfully, and he seemed to grow younger the longer he lived.

In the cafeteria, students began deliberately passing by Zhang Yu, seemingly sneaking glances at what dishes he was eating.

Some students with whom he had no particular relationship also wanted to share a table with him.

At dinner, Zhang Yu simply called Zhao Tianxing over and pulled him into eating with Bai Zhenzhen.

After all, Zhao Tianxing alone occupied two seats. The three of them filled the entire table perfectly.

As for that kid Zhou Tianyi, Zhang Yu had no idea what he had gone off to do today. He left school as soon as classes ended and had not come to dinner with them.

Zhao Tianxing had also eaten with them a few times recently, gradually becoming much more familiar with Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen.

Zhang Yu even noticed that Bai Zhenzhen seemed far more at ease around Zhao Tianxing than she was around Zhou Tianyi.

At that moment, Zhao Tianxing complained, "How long is the cafeteria's electronic screen going to keep displaying the Monthly Exam results? It's inconvenient even to check the prices while getting food now."

Zhang Yu took a bite of rice and sighed. "Little Zhao, that's where your perspective is too narrow. The school displays the Monthly Exam results to urge everyone to study hard. I think there'd be no problem displaying them for a few more days."

Bai Zhenzhen beside him also nodded slightly. "Exams are, after all, a student's proper duty. How could the importance of displaying scores compare to something as trivial as food prices?"

Zhao Tianxing looked speechlessly at the two people before him, especially Zhang Yu.

Then he suddenly realized that Zhang Yu was no longer the student whose Monthly Exam ranking had been about the same as his. They were no longer in the same social class on campus.

Actions that deeply stabbed other students, drove other students mad with pressure, and provoked students into fiercely fighting among themselves were, to Zhang Yu now, a naked display of pride.

Zhang Yu was clearly still condemning these inhumane practices of the school with me just a few days ago.

And now he's become like this. He sighed inwardly. Could people really change this quickly once their scores get high enough?

Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu and smiled. "Yu Zi, you seem to be in a pretty good mood."

More than pretty good.

Zhang Yu practically felt like he was on cloud nine. He had never felt that Songyang High School's scenery was so beautiful, or that its students and teachers were so warm and friendly.

For someone like him, who had no choice but to persist in bitter cultivation every single day, this was simply the most beautiful scenery, a rare consolation, heaven's reward for his diligence and self-discipline.

Zhang Yu modestly waved a hand. "Sigh, they're all useless empty honors."

"I don't know why everyone likes coming to find me."

"A-Zhen, you've been first in the grade for so long. Why haven't so many people come to hang out with you?"

Bai Zhenzhen curled her lip, her face full of disdain. "Because my first place gives them no hope of catching up. All they feel is the absolute gap between our talents."

"But your sudden improvement makes them feel there's a chance to imitate you."

"So every last one of them wants to become your good friend and peek at the secret behind your improved scores."

Bai Zhenzhen swallowed a chicken leg in one bite, mercilessly peeling back the cruel reality.

"In high school, scores are king."

"A carefully selected workbook, a paid talisman technique, or practical combat experience learned from a tutoring class—any one of these is enough to make countless high school students swarm toward it like ducks. Not to mention the secret behind you gaining seventy points in a single month. Even the top ten academic geniuses in the grade would find it hard not to be tempted."

"The students coming to find you aren't really here to be your friends. They just want to obtain the secret behind your huge score increase—preferably move those seventy points you gained onto their own heads."

Beside them, Zhao Tianxing shifted his butt, and the two chairs beneath him let out a series of overloaded squeaks.

I came in tenth this time. I also deliberately approached Zhang Yu before.

Could Bai Zhenzhen be talking about me?

Though I really do want to learn more outstanding study habits from the two of them, and take the opportunity to ask Zhang Yu how he improved his scores so quickly...

Thinking of this, he twisted even more in his seat. The atmosphere at the table seemed to become cramped, and he temporarily buried the thought of asking Zhang Yu about his methods for improving in his heart.

Even after parting ways with Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, watching one take the bus and the other take the subway, Zhao Tianxing was still thinking about it.

Was Bai Zhenzhen talking about me or not?

On the bus.

As soon as he got on, Zhang Yu, who was being jostled back and forth by the people around him, felt his phone vibrate.

He took it out and found a message from Bai Zhenzhen.

"Over the next few days, the Student Union may come talk to you about a contract."

"No matter what conditions they offer, don't agree to anything yet."

"Wait until I finish talking with them, then we can discuss it together."

Looking at Bai Zhenzhen's message, Zhang Yu's gaze shifted. So advanced contracts are negotiated with the Student Union?

Zhang Yu had never really understood Songyang High School's Student Union.

In his mind, what could a high school Student Union possibly do?

But from what Bai Zhenzhen said, the Student Union was clearly far from simple. It even had the authority to negotiate contracts with students.

I wonder what terms they'll offer me.

From what A-Zhen means, does she want us to advance and retreat together? Raise the price together?

After thinking for several seconds without figuring it out, he heard the countdown begin sounding in his mind again. Zhang Yu could only temporarily set aside these wild thoughts and scroll through the textbooks stored on his phone.

But after reading for a while, perhaps because of the feedback from his Monthly Exam results, or perhaps because of the coming contract, Zhang Yu was somewhat restless on the bus today. He could not focus on reading.

He simply put down his phone and began considering his current path of cultivation.

As for his thoughts on this matter, Ritual Power did not force anything upon him.

After all, considering the road ahead and planning his cultivation... both aligned with his wish to study hard, cultivate hard, get into university, work hard, earn money, and ultimately buy every antique in his shopping cart.

First, I'll raise the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Method to Level 10.

My next goal is the Heavenly Martial Heart Refinement Art. But this Martial Dao heart method requires a Level 3 Dao Heart, so I can only practice the Basic Heart Refining Method first. I'll raise this heart method to Level 10 while also raising my Dao Heart to Level 3, then cultivate the Heavenly Martial Heart Refinement Art...

After that, the only things I have on hand that I can practice are Basic Breathing Exercises, Freehand Fighting, and High School Basic Swordplay.

After confirming his future arrangements, Zhang Yu thought of his current savings of more than seventy thousand, as well as the income he might gain after signing a contract in the future, and a thought could not help rising within him.

Should I buy some cultivation methods that are stronger and more effective?

The previous Zhang Yu had not had the money, so he had never considered it.

But after receiving Wang Hai's sixty-six thousand today, Zhang Yu could not stop thinking about how to spend the money.

Spirit Roots, talismans, practical combat experience... many things he had never dared dream of before had now begun to take shape in his mind. He only needed to wait until the contract negotiations were over, see how much money he had in his pocket, and then make detailed arrangements.

And now that he was thinking about his future cultivation methods, the thought of buying cultivation methods surged in his heart as well.

Even if I don't buy anything, I can at least take a look and get a sense of things.

His phone screen flashed. Zhang Yu opened a shopping website and entered his real-name account.

After another round of facial recognition, Zhang Yu finally entered the website for purchasing Immortal Dao cultivation methods. However, with his current status, he could only view methods for the Qi Refining Stage.

As soon as he entered, he saw a row of recommendations stating: Your friends are viewing: Alluring Maiden Great Art, universal version for men and women; Great Dream Heart Sutra, cultivate even while sleeping; Nine Heavens Quick Success Eight Section Talismans...

(End of chapter)