Chapter 536: Kunxu’s Zero-Cost Purchase

“Snatching shit! Snatching shit!”

“Out of my way! It’s all mine!”

“Hahahaha, it’s been so long since I’ve eaten my fill!”

Watching the group of Qi Refinement students acting like madmen, Zhang Yu and Mo Shangjin casually waved their hands. The overwhelming Earthfiend Gravity swept across, knocking every single one of them unconscious.

This was already the third wave of Unemployed Devil Sect followers they had encountered on the way. Although these cultists were clearly penniless vagrants who had been wandering the streets for days, the students from the Civil Engineering Department were still secretly terrified—none of them had expected that so many cult believers had already infiltrated University City without anyone noticing.

As the group continued forward, they discovered that the longer they went on, the more chaotic things became. With no Righteous Gods monitoring the area, no surveillance working, and no suppression from the university administration, more and more people began to act out of line.

Some pedestrians, while fighting cultists, killed their opponents and stripped their Law Husks bare.

Some joined the cultists in looting stores, taking whatever supplies they could grab.

Others, shouting about reincarnation and “finding a better next life,” launched suicidal attacks across the city, worsening the chaos and casualties.

Fires, explosions, corpses, intense battles, and the occasional tremor rumbling from the underground—everyone gazed upon University City, only to find it completely unrecognizable.

“Teacher Tu Lishan!”

Before the Civil Engineering students could steady their nerves, a figure wreathed in black smoke appeared, clashing fiercely with Tu Lishan.

Feeling the surging Gold Core-level mana between the two, Zhang Yu and Mo Shangjin immediately activated the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might, leading the others as they quickly retreated.

But even with that, the shockwaves from a Gold Core battle were too terrifying for Foundation Establishment students. The backlash scattered them in all directions, and before long, the team that had been advancing together was split apart.

Zhang Yu glanced around. Yu Xinghan, Le Mulan, Xiao Qingxuan, Shi Huaiyu, Shi Yunxiang, and Ying Xin—the six companions who had left the dorm with him—had managed to stay close by. Fortunately, they hadn’t been separated.

…

At the same time, outside Zhang Yu’s dormitory.

A “man” smashed the door to pieces. Seeing the empty room, he sighed softly. “Zhang Yu already left?”

Behind him stood a burly figure surrounded by a thick shroud of black mist. The man spoke in a calm, deep voice, “This is the place you said Zhang Yu lived?”

The “man” nodded. “Yes, Zhang Yu. He’s not only a genius from the Civil Engineering Department—he earned his Military License as a junior and mastered the level-20 Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might. He even transferred to the Artifact Refinement Department later. His talent is extraordinary.”

“He also participated in the Nascent Soul Yin Artifact experiment and gained significant benefits from it. He must know a lot of classified information.”

The burly shadow smiled faintly. “Indeed, someone our sect could use. If we can recruit him, the Sect Master will be pleased—and there will be great rewards for us.”

Then he turned his gaze toward the “man” and asked, “Do you think he’ll willingly join?”

The “man” answered solemnly, “Zhang Yu has helped me so many times. I can’t just watch him continue to sink into the quagmire set by the Ten Major Sects. Whether he wants to or not, I’ll force him to join us if I must.”

“It’s just… we don’t know where they went now…”

The burly shadow waved his hand. “No matter.”

“The so-called severance of the Spiritual Realm doesn’t mean it’s gone—it’s just that our Sect Master has temporarily hijacked the portion of the Spiritual Realm within and around Wanfa University.”

“At this moment, to the university’s teachers and students, the Spiritual Realm is inaccessible.”

“But to us, we can still use parts of it to manipulate nearby resources.”

“Since we’ve found where Zhang Yu stayed, locating him won’t be difficult.”

With a flick of his finger, the nearby dormitory surveillance footage appeared in front of him.

“Oh? Mo Shangjin?”

“Perfect. We’ll take him too.”

…

Soon after.

On a shattered street.

Mo Shangjin knelt on the ground, bleeding heavily, staring in shock at the “man” before him and the burly figure behind. His face darkened. “You two…”

The “man’s” appearance had clearly been altered beyond recognition.

But even through the distortion, the “man” couldn’t hide the hint of satisfaction twisting across his face.

He looked down at the senior who had always stood high above him and laughed wildly. “Senior Mo Shangjin! Surprised? Didn’t expect this day to come, did you? You’re kneeling before me now!”

“So what if your grades are good? In the end, you’ll join the Unemployed Devil Sect just like me.”

With a dull thud, the burly figure shattered Mo Shangjin’s final resistance, knocking him unconscious and slinging him over one shoulder.

“Let’s go. We still need to find Zhang Yu.”

The “man” quickly followed, trembling inwardly.

“Zhang Yu… I’m coming for you.”

Just thinking of Zhang Yu filled his heart with resentment.

“Zhang Yu… why did you help Le Mulan, Yu Xinghan, and Ying Xin… but never help me?”

Clearly, his true feelings were the opposite of what he’d claimed earlier. Forcing Zhang Yu to join the sect wasn’t gratitude—it was hatred.

“These past years, how many times have I tried to win you over? How many times did I beg you?”

“I’ve waited outside your door every day like a dog, just for a few scraps of your mana!”

Li Xiao’s heart twisted with furious envy. “Zhang Yu… you were playing me. Playing me and Ji Yuanshu!”

“Why couldn’t you just help us a little more?”

“If you’d helped, Ji Yuanshu might not have died. And maybe… I wouldn’t have joined the Unemployed Devil Sect…”

Under the torment of this economic crisis, Li Xiao’s conviction on the Immortal Path had wavered for the first time in his life.

And when compared to Zhang Yu, that wavering turned into jealousy, envy, and burning resentment.

They had started at the same level—so why had the gap become so vast?

They were the same year—so why did he help Yu Xinghan but not him?

Zhang Yu clearly had so many resources—just a little more could’ve helped him survive the hardship…

These feelings reached a breaking point after Ji Yuanshu’s death.

So he joined the Unemployed Devil Sect, volunteering Zhang Yu’s information.

And the sect had shown great interest in recruiting Zhang Yu.

Now, as Li Xiao spotted Zhang Yu and his group in the distance, his heart throbbed with sick delight.

“Hehehe… Zhang Yu, no matter how brilliant you are, no matter how great a scholar you’ve become in the Artifact Refinement Department—in the end, you’ll be like me. You’ll join the cult, hahahahaha…”

Meanwhile, Zhang Yu and his companions turned sharply, spotting the approaching burly figure and, further behind, Li Xiao.

Seeing Mo Shangjin being carried like a rag doll, Zhang Yu’s expression darkened.

The burly figure pointed a finger, and the surrounding space trembled.

Array lines flared to life—sealing off the entire street.

The buildings around them warped and shifted, forming walls that trapped the group inside.

The burly figure finally spoke, voice calm as stone. “You may call me Wuying.”

“There’s no surveillance here. The area is sealed. No one can hear what we’re about to discuss.”

“Zhang Yu, I’d like to invite you to join the Unemployed Devil Sect.”

Then he turned to the others, smiling faintly. “Of course, the same invitation extends to all of you.”

Zhang Yu’s mind raced as he replied with a calm smile, “Sorry, but joining the Unemployed Sect looks bad on the résumé. I’ll have to pass.”

Wuying said evenly, “Won’t you at least hear the offer first? Join us, and every cultivation technique from every sect will be open to you.”

“Not just expert-grade techniques—even military-grade ones.”

“Not just from Wanfa University either. We have techniques from other universities too…”

Zhang Yu’s heart sank. “If what he’s saying is true… that means the Unemployed Devil Sect has infiltrated many universities—they must have inside agents to gather all that classified data!”

He smiled faintly. “Pity none of them come with a license, huh?”

Wuying said, “Why be bound by licenses? Mastering higher techniques makes you stronger—certificates are nothing but illusions of authority.”

Zhang Yu sneered inwardly. He knew that if he practiced any of their techniques, he’d be handing them leverage over him for life.

Seeing Zhang Yu’s expression shift, Wuying sighed softly. “It seems you misunderstand our sect. I’ll just capture you first and explain later…”

Before he could finish, Zhang Yu’s qi suddenly erupted, his aura surging as he entered the Mountain-Moving Giant state.

He unleashed both Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might and Nine Heavens Cloudstride Force at full power.

“Mountain-Moving Nine Heavens! Thousand Hands Saint Martial!”

Golden qi roared like a storm of countless warriors striking as one, crashing toward Wuying.

The ground quaked violently, engulfed in blazing golden light.

Yet in the next instant, to everyone’s horror, Wuying ripped through the storm with a single motion and tapped a finger against Zhang Yu’s chest.

A sharp crack echoed—Zhang Yu’s golden armor shattered, and a gaping wound burst open in his chest.

“Gold Core!”

Feeling Wuying’s surging mana, everyone’s hearts filled with dread.

“If you come quietly,” Wuying said coolly, “you’ll suffer less.”

Just as everyone thought it was over, Zhang Yu spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with qi, sending it hurtling toward Wuying.

Wuying brushed it aside effortlessly and sent another palm strike that sent Zhang Yu flying.

This time, even he frowned slightly. “This kid’s endurance is absurd…”

Meanwhile, Zhang Yu’s thoughts were racing. “Should I use the Divine Spirit Root?”

“Foundation versus Gold Core… my win rate is zero.”

“If I use its hidden ability, I might escape—but my secret will be exposed.”

He knew that once revealed, it wouldn’t just be the cult who discovered it—Yu Xinghan and the others would too.

As for joining the cult—that was absolutely impossible. He even suspected that if he did, the Stupidity Ritual would immediately trigger and kill him on the spot.