Chapter 492: A Win-Win Situation

In Zhang Yu’s vision, an overwhelming torrent of information and matter surged toward him. The factory workers’ souls and thoughts, their blood vitality and mana—all of it was being frantically drawn toward that sinister Yin Artifact.

Even Zhang Yu himself felt his entire body stir restlessly. If not for the Nine-Heavens Solar Yang Pagoda shielding him, he might have already succumbed.

The crystal embedded in his forehead pulsed wildly, threatening to fly off at any moment.

That Yin Artifact, origin unknown, had suddenly transformed into something like a black hole, crazily devouring everything—memories, emotions, flesh, mana…

The factory workers, visible to the naked eye, shriveled rapidly. They were turning into skeletal husks.

Just then, another figure descended into the Spiritual Realm.

Divine Lord Wanhuan said coldly, “Nectar, you’ve gone too far.”

Divine Lord Nectar laughed. “So what if I have? At worst, I’ll pay for it.”

“Pay for it…” Wanhuan’s voice was calm. “Sure. How much can you afford?”

To Zhang Yu’s surprise, a price notification suddenly popped up before him.

Then he watched in shock as everything around him began to surge in value.

The factory equipment, the workers, the scattered materials on the floor—even the compensation owed to college grads—all of it skyrocketed in price at a mad pace.

Zhang Yu stared at the scene, feeling as though the entire world was saturated with peril. If he took a single misstep and bumped into something, he might go bankrupt on the spot.

Meanwhile, in the Spiritual Realm, Divine Lord Nectar exclaimed, “Old thief Wanhuan, since when could you manipulate prices to this extent?”

Wanhuan replied, “Nectar, this move is called injuring the enemy at one’s own cost. Want to keep fighting? Then keep spending.”

“But do you really have the resources to outspend me?”

With a cold snort, all the illusions vanished. The Yin Artifact that had nearly devoured everything also disappeared without a trace.

Zhang Yu felt a sudden lightness, his body returning to normal.

Only the ruined factory, the damaged equipment, and the skeletal remains of the workers bore witness to what had just occurred—not some illusion, but grim reality.

Recalling the recent price surge, Zhang Yu immediately tapped into EyeNet to scan for data. Within mere seconds, the entire Wanfa University City had undergone a violent price fluctuation—skyrocketing before crashing back down to normal.

Zhang Yu drew a sharp breath. What he had just witnessed was more terrifying than Divine Lord Nectar wrecking the factory.

“Divine Lord Wanhuan can cause such economic turbulence across the whole University City in an instant?”

“If he wanted to, could he trigger a level-three, level-five, or even higher financial storm with a mere thought? Could he bankrupt countless lives overnight?”

“And if two Nascent Soul cultivators from rival universities truly clashed, what kind of economic chaos would they unleash? How many would die in the crossfire?”

“No wonder the Ten Great Academies avoid direct conflict. If they really fought, the devastation would be unimaginable.”

Even thinking about it made Zhang Yu’s heart race.

This wasn’t a matter of dodging danger—it meant that even those uninvolved could lose everything due to a Nascent Soul clash, just from spiritual and economic aftershocks.

He suddenly remembered something Fu Ji once told him: that after starting a company, he wasn’t serving the company. Rather, the employees and the company served him. They handled the busywork so he could focus on more important matters. He was the company’s most valuable asset.

Zhang Yu wondered, “Could it be the same with universities? It’s not that Nascent Souls serve the university—but that the university serves them?”

“If not for the Ten Major Sects and the Heavenly Court pressing down from above… universities might look completely different.”

Just then, a voice echoed in Zhang Yu’s mind.

“All the things the factory just made… they’re all ruined.”

Zhang Yu blinked, realizing the voice was coming from the crystal embedded in his forehead.

As he debated what to do, the voice continued, “We worked so many overtime shifts to make all that—why was it just destroyed?”

Zhang Yu thought, They’ll compensate us anyway.

As if hearing his thoughts, the voice snapped back, “Compensate? Will she repair all this herself?”

Zhang Yu’s heart skipped. “You can hear my thoughts?”

The voice pressed on. “Will she repair it?”

Zhang Yu didn’t respond aloud, but his mind raced: Divine Lord Nectar would never come repair it personally. She’ll just pay.

The voice asked, “Where does that money come from?”

Zhang Yu didn’t want to answer, but his mind involuntarily followed the logic: From working.

“So Divine Lord Nectar also works? She earns money elsewhere, then uses it to compensate people for the destruction she causes?”

Zhang Yu’s thoughts tangled. “Maybe she works… or maybe she doesn’t. Either way, her work isn’t like ours.”

“If she doesn’t work, then where does her compensation money come from? Who ends up repairing all this damage?”

Zhang Yu sighed mentally. Can you stop already? How should I know?

Reflecting on the Nascent Soul clash, Zhang Yu felt a rising irritation.

“I just got cleared to leave campus. Now, thanks to Divine Lord Nectar’s attack, will I be restricted again?”

At that moment, Lord Magneto approached and asked, “You alright?”

“No injuries.”

Zhang Yu hesitated, then pointed at his forehead. “But this thing—there’s suddenly a voice talking to me from inside it.”

With Zhang Pianpian’s tech support, Zhang Yu could easily communicate with the Yin Artifact’s spirit. He didn’t need the crystal's direct interface.

But if he didn’t report the artifact’s mutation now and it was discovered later during inspection, he’d look suspicious.

Lord Magneto’s expression shifted slightly. She began forming incantations. Runes materialized in the Spiritual Realm like chains and bound themselves around the rhombus-shaped crystal.

Zhang Yu felt the crystal lose all power and fall from his forehead. Lord Magneto caught it in one hand.

“It may have been influenced by the actions of the Nascent Soul cultivators,” she said. “I’ll seal it for now. Come with me to the lab for a full checkup. If anything else seems off, let me know immediately.”

Several hours later, Zhang Yu emerged from the research institute.

Nothing unusual had been found in his body, but he was told to continue self-monitoring.

To his great relief, Lord Magneto informed him that he was still allowed to leave campus for work or competition.

“The Divine Lord said not to be afraid. Leave the campus if you want,” she had said calmly.

“If you cower in fear and stay inside, won’t outsiders think Divine Lord Wanhuan lost to Divine Lord Nectar? Or worse—that he was so scared, he had to keep you locked up?”

Soon after, Zhang Yu saw news reports from Pleasure and Harmony University claiming that Divine Lord Nectar had descended on Wanfa University to reclaim her Yin Artifact and capture the thief who stole it.

Fu Ji remarked, “Nascent Soul cultivators are the face of a university. Every move they make can shift the prices of virtual currency, stocks, and futures.”

“Especially since Nectar Coin just took a nosedive. Divine Lord Nectar can’t afford to say she lost—she has to say she won.”

Not long after that, Wanfa University issued its own statement, saying that under Divine Lord Wanhuan’s protection, the University City suffered no damage.

Fu Ji sighed. “You students can admit defeat in duels. If you lose, you surrender, no big deal.”

“But Nascent Soul cultivators… even if they lose terribly, they must never admit it. Saying they lost could tank coin prices and stock values far worse than the actual battle did.”

“They have to win. There’s no other option.”

Zhang Yu frowned. “Divine Lord Wanhuan says I can still leave campus, but won’t Divine Lord Nectar come after me again?”

Fu Ji thought for a moment. “This whole incident was triggered by a Nascent Soul Yin Artifact. Just being you isn’t enough to draw a Nascent Soul’s attention.”

“And Divine Lord Nectar’s attack must’ve stirred up ripples among the other Nascent Souls. She likely can’t make another move for a while. Wanhuan will probably increase your security.”

Zhang Yu said, “No matter how Wanfa University spins it, people will probably think our tech breakthrough came from that Pleasure and Harmony Yin Artifact.”

Fu Ji chuckled. “Well, there goes the theory that you guys were bluffing. Now all the other schools believe you really did copy tech from Pleasure and Harmony University. Mass production is just a matter of time.”

She added, “This clash might’ve disrupted the delicate balance between the Ten Great Academies.”

“And think about it—the artifact spirit that led you there was arranged by the Rest-and-Relaxation Cult. What if Divine Lord Nectar was also lured by them? That cult’s got some nerve, trying to stir up a war between the top schools.”

“This war between universities… it’s definitely being pushed from behind the scenes.”

The shifting powers of the Ten Great Academies. The motives of Nascent Soul cultivators. The looming threat of a full-scale war…

All of it was still too far removed from Zhang Yu’s current world.

In the days that followed, he buried himself once again in study and cultivation. Preparing for the civil engineering competition, aiming to transfer into the Artifact Refinement Department, and striving for one goal above all: to earn his place in a major sect.

…

University City, Level 120.

Fu Xinyao walked along the street, mulling over recent events.

“After I tipped them off last time, the Divine Lord used another hidden Nascent Soul Yin Artifact to descend on Wanfa University, caused a ruckus, and got away scot-free.”

“Now I have to stay here and keep gathering intel…”

Just then, Ping Han said, “That guy—his name is Ji Yuanshu. He’s in the same class as Zhang Yu.”

This time, Fu Xinyao had learned her lesson. To avoid being reported or arrested, she approached Ji Yuanshu and said:

“Hey, classmate. Interested in some free services?”