Alliance and the First Round of the Magic Competition

After exchanging greetings, Wu Qingqing picked up her phone again, opened it, and aimed the screen at Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen.

A faint glimmer flashed across the screen, and a cartoon boy appeared. She introduced him, "This is Mo Tianyi from Mangshan High School."

Zhang Yu was startled. Holy crap, a 2D avatar guy?

The boy nodded at Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen and introduced himself, "Hello, you two. I'm Mo Tianyi."

"I've already checked the surroundings. We can speak freely here."

Zhang Yu looked curiously at the phone screen and asked, "Where are you right now?"

Mo Tianyi smiled faintly. "I'm currently in the Spirit Realm. The Spirit Realm is connected to the internet, though, so I can contact you."

Then his expression turned solemn as he asked seriously, "Student Zhang Yu, I need to ask you something. Has Spark True Person taken you on as a disciple?"

Just as Zhang Yu was about to speak, Bai Zhenzhen stepped forward first, blocking him. "He hasn't."

"I told him about the pitfalls of being a Golden Core Disciple and had him reject Spark True Person."

Zhang Yu looked at Bai Zhenzhen in surprise. He did not know why she was saying this, but out of trust in A-Zhen, he said nothing and simply listened quietly to their conversation.

Upon hearing Bai Zhenzhen's words, disappointment flashed across both Wu Qingqing's face and Mo Tianyi's face on the phone screen.

Wu Qingqing could not help saying, "How could you let Zhang Yu reject that opportunity? If he wants to get into the Top Ten, Spark True Person would absolutely be a powerful ally."

Bai Zhenzhen said disdainfully, "An Old Geezer kicked out by a major Sect, with half his cultivation already carved away—if he gets divorced again and his daughter bursts his gold coins, he might end up under a bridge hole waiting for disciples to come worship him. How much could there possibly be left for us to burst out of him? Becoming a beast of burden under him might not even be as good as me working odd jobs every day."

"You..." Mo Tianyi sighed. Had I known this, I shouldn't have urged Bai Zhenzhen to try the art exhibition. Then Zhang Yu might really have become a Golden Core Disciple, and the odds of a poor person producing a student who could enter the Top Ten would have risen by a few more points.

Bai Zhenzhen continued, "I came to talk to you today because I wanted your people to get to know Zhang Yu."

"Though he's a tiny bit worse than me, he's still a rare genius blessed by heaven. The Student Union has its eye on him now too."

Mo Tianyi's image flickered as it refreshed. He had already composed himself again and said with a smile, "I've heard of Student Zhang Yu's reputation for a long time."

"Perfect. We can see what he can do in this Magic Competition."

"That's it?" Bai Zhenzhen said unhappily. "Where's the investment in real gold and silver?"

Mo Tianyi said helplessly, "We're all poor. Resources are limited. You know our focus has always been on the boss, and there really isn't much we can take out."

"This is just a little something from me personally. Please don't think it's too little..."

As he spoke, he transferred 2,000 yuan to Bai Zhenzhen.

Watching this, Zhang Yu silently exclaimed, Well, damn. So A-Zhen dragged me here today to ask for money.

But it seemed this Alliance of the Wealth-Haters was truly broke. They could not give out much money at all.

Seeing the transfer notification on the phone, Bai Zhenzhen frowned. "Only 2,000?"

She knew who he was talking about: the poor genius with the best grades, greatest talent, and strongest prospects among them, the one everyone considered most likely to break through the shackles and step through the gates of the Top Ten.

That poor genius had won the trust of these poor students, making them scrimp and save as they poured many resources into him.

They were all hoping that after this poor genius entered a top university and joined a major Sect, he would lead them all to rise, chickens and dogs alike, and slowly pierce open the Heavenly Net and Earthly Cage over Songyang City.

Even calling Bai Zhenzhen to the art exhibition last time, in her view, might well have been because they hoped that after she became a Golden Core Disciple, she could use that status to help that person.

Bai Zhenzhen said, "Didn't we agree to watch out for one another and stand together as branches of the same tree? So you talk one way and act another? Did I pay my membership fee for nothing?"

Mo Tianyi shook his head with a bitter smile. Compared to the 2,000-yuan membership fee Bai Zhenzhen had paid, the money she had extorted through every means each time had long since added up to tens of thousands.

If Bai Zhenzhen had not truly possessed extraordinary talent, and if they had not believed she could draw away a huge portion of the attention from the boss in the future, they certainly would not have invested so much money in her.

Sensing the atmosphere turning awkward, Wu Qingqing smiled and said, "Zhenzhen, don't be anxious. The boss is at a critical juncture, and there isn't much money everyone can gather together. Though Mo Tianyi manages the funds, he still needs the approval of several upperclassmen before he can take money out."

"How about this? Zhang Yu is so impressive. As long as he gets a good ranking in this Magic Competition, Mo Tianyi can talk to the upperclassmen. Then asking them for money on your behalf will be perfectly justified."

After a round of tugging and pulling, Bai Zhenzhen finally dragged Zhang Yu away from the stands.

Watching their retreating figures, Wu Qingqing said helplessly, "Every time Zhenzhen comes looking for us, she wants money. She treats us like cash machines."

Mo Tianyi said, "When it comes to getting into the Top Ten, her conviction really is the strongest among us. That's why she fights so desperately for money."

Mo Tianyi could clearly sense that Bai Zhenzhen had never planned to rely on the boss entering the Top Ten and then protecting them. What she wanted was to enter the Top Ten herself.

Mo Tianyi said, "I just didn't expect her to bring Zhang Yu along to ask for money this time."

Speaking of Zhang Yu, Wu Qingqing praised, "Raising his score by seventy points in a month—Zhang Yu really is impressive. He's worth investing in."

However, Mo Tianyi shook his head. "If he were rich, this performance would indeed be enough for him to compete for a place in the Top Ten."

"But unfortunately... he's poor."

He sighed and said with feeling, "For poor people to prop open the sky above their heads, being impressive in monthly exams alone is still far, far from enough... far from enough..."

Behind Wu Qingqing, Ye Xianyun had been silently reading the book in her hands from beginning to end, as though everything outside had nothing to do with her.

On the other side, Bai Zhenzhen walked as she said to Zhang Yu, "Yu Zi, once the Magic Competition starts, you'd better make your mom proud!"

"At least get into the top ten, so I can ask them for money with some backbone."

No... the way you directly demanded money just now was pretty forceful too. Zhang Yu thought for a moment and asked the question in his heart. "Poor people joining forces—besides watching out for each other and pooling money together, is there any other way to get into the Top Ten?"

In his view, even if a few poor students scrimped and saved, even if all of them were immortal cultivation geniuses from their respective schools, trying to break through the rich people's blockade and get into the Top Ten that way... did not seem realistic.

Bai Zhenzhen explained, "That's exactly what I want to learn from them."

"As far as I know, their boss should be a second-year student from one of the Three Great Famous Schools."

"I don't know what method he used, but he seems to have never signed with any school or Student Union up to now. Nor has he been jointly strangled out, and he has always retained his eligibility for the Gaokao."

"I want to know how he did it."

"The only method, as things stand, is to keep increasing our voice among them, find that 'boss,' and then figure out a way to make him reveal the method."

Zhang Yu asked curiously, "Then how do we increase our voice?"

Bai Zhenzhen said as though it were only natural, "We're students. The way to increase our voice is naturally through exams! Competitions! Results!"

"For poor people and rich people alike, it's the same. Whoever has better grades gets their investment."

"It's just that I'm really not good at this Magical Power Competition. We'll have to see how high you can charge."

Not long after Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen returned to Songyang High School's resting area, Zhang Yu's gaze suddenly shifted as he spotted someone in the stands.

"Liang Qin?"

Seeing Liang Qin wave at him in a gesture telling him to do his best, Zhang Yu nodded and greeted him as well.

"What the hell? He chased me all the way to Red Pagoda High School just to watch me compete?"

Brother, are you okay? If you keep this up, I won't dare turn my back on you anymore.

As Liang Qin looked at Zhang Yu in the resting area, a faint smile curled at the corner of his lips. Then he took out his phone, opened a platform, and prepared to start placing bets.

After all, gambling was a regular entertainment activity deeply loved by the people of Songyang City.

The platform Liang Qin often used was a major platform endorsed by the vice mayor. It contained everything imaginable, covering nearly every kind of thing one could gamble on in Songyang City.

With a casual search, Liang Qin indeed found various high school competition listings.

He had taken leave to watch the competition, of course, in order to track Zhang Yu and collect his payment.

But after seeing the Magical Power Competition, his hands began to itch again, and he could not help preparing to place a bet.

At the same time, Zhang Yu saw a promotional flyer from the platform drift down beside him.

"Rather than compete, bet on the competition. New users receive a 100-yuan red packet..."

Zhang Yu was speechless. Damn it, gambling ads were being promoted so openly right inside the arena? Everyone gambles, so it's not chaos, is that it?

Seeing this, Bai Zhenzhen immediately waved her hand and snatched away the flyer, staring at Zhang Yu. "Yu Zi, this is not something you should touch."

Zhang Yu said, "I think I have a pretty good chance of getting into the top ten. If I place a bet..."

Bai Zhenzhen said seriously, "How much are you planning to bet? What if you lose?"

Zhang Yu said, "The odds of winning are high..."

Bai Zhenzhen continued, "If you win, then the problem is even bigger. Your view of money will change completely. Because you've won before, you'll always want to win again."

As a native of Songyang City, Bai Zhenzhen had seen far too many people fall because of this.

She had even seen news reports of immortals gambling until they lost everything.

She continued trying to persuade him. "I'm afraid you'll get used to relying on this, and in the end, gamble away even yourself."

"Yu Zi, you really can't touch it."

Bai Zhenzhen gave a slight shake of her palm, reducing the flyer to powder.

Zhang Yu took a deep breath and circulated the Desolate Ox Soul-Suppressing Heart Sutra, suppressing the distracting thoughts in his heart. "You're right, A-Zhen. I was greedy. This really isn't something I should touch."

Zhang Yu understood the reasoning, but the immense financial pressure had still stirred a momentary greedy impulse within him.

A moment later, accompanied by a burst of music, this Magic Competition officially began.

One after another, drones controlled by Soul Cultivators flew out, delivering the props needed for this Magic Competition.

As everyone watched the items for the competition being placed in the arena, cries of surprise rose one after another.

"Flying swords!"

"Could it be sword-riding? The first round is this difficult?? Previous competitions have never tested flying swords before!"

"It's over, it's over! I've never used a flying sword!"

The host walked up to a flying sword floating in midair and said, "The sword light of the Nine Heavens chills the heavens; one sword shakes Kunxu. We thank Super Easy Kill's Nine Heavens Flying Sword for jointly sponsoring this Magic Competition."

Holy crap!

Zhang Yu cursed inwardly. A flying sword manufacturer sponsors the event, and you fucking test flying swords in the Magical Power Competition? You people have no shame at all. So if the Joyous Union Sect sponsored it, would you test dual cultivation? Go on, test it if you dare!

(End of this chapter)