You dare to cultivate without money?!-Chapter 37 - 26: Registering for the Law Competition and the Arrival of Monthly Exams

Chapter 37: Chapter 26: Registering for the Law Competition and the Arrival of Monthly Exams

Songyang High School.

In the blink of an eye, four days had passed since Zhang Yu rented the Qi Sea Spirit Root.

This day was the day for first-year students of Songyang High School to be selected and register for the city-wide law competition.

In Magic Power Class.

As the bell signaled the end of class, Zhang Yu seldom stopped his Breathing Skill, opened his eyes, and looked toward the big screen.

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After several days of hard cultivation, his mana had rapidly increased, surging from 9.5 to 10.5, with such swift progress drawing the attention of many classmates.

Additionally, his Circulation Qi Gathering Method had also climbed from level 6 to level 8 (3/160), although this achievement was known only to him. Should classmates and teachers become aware, it might not just be simple astonishment.

After all, though Zhang Yu's mana increment was swift, there were precedents. Many wealthy people could throw enough money to achieve faster mana growth than he did.

But raising a Breathing Skill to level 8 in such a short time... At Zhang Yu's current level, he knew of no one else capable of such a feat.

Currently looking at the big screen, the yearly mana rankings emerged.

First place, Bai Zhenzhen, 12.1

Second place, Qian Shen, 11.9

Zhang Yu continued to scroll down, soon finding himself in eighth place.

Eighth place, Zhang Yu, 10.5

"Eighth place?" Zhang Yu nodded slightly, knowing that registering for the law competition would be no problem.

However, a chill quickly washed over him as he listened to the countdown, forcing Zhang Yu to close his eyes again and seize the time to start Breathing Skill.

On the podium, Teacher Yan flipped her hair, glanced at the rankings, and said with satisfaction, "This past week, everyone's distraction rate dropped by 8%, and mana improvement efficiency is up 12% compared to last month. I'm very pleased."

Watching Zhang Yu seizing the time to continue Breathing Skill, she nodded contentedly and continued, "I must particularly commend one student here—Zhang Yu."

"Not only did he maintain a 0% distraction rate for two consecutive weeks, but he also made a qualitative leap in his mana last week, jumping from 16th to 8th place, which is truly remarkable. Let's applaud him."

Scattered applause sounded, and Teacher Yan then announced the participation of the top ten in the law competition.

"The law competition starts next month. As soon as I get the specific participation times and rules, I'll send them to you."

"Alright, class dismissed."

"Oh, by the way, anyone who wants to buy Gathering Spirit Pills, remember to come to my office. There's a discount promotion going on..."

Below the stage, Bai Zhenzhen seemed to have lost some weight, her cheeks appearing a bit sunken.

Watching Teacher Yan's cheerful demeanor, she inwardly thought, "Even with all this effort, it's still because of..."

With that thought, she subconsciously glanced at Zhang Yu's seat and found him starting to Breathing Skill again.

"You beast, Zhang Yu, you beast! Stop it! Don't keep rolling me!"

Fuming inwardly, Bai Zhenzhen couldn't bear watching her good buddy progress alone, closing her eyes in pain and starting Breathing Skill as well.

Not far from Bai Zhenzhen, Qian Shen was watching both Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu intensely. Seeing them use every bit of break and teacher talk time to Breathing Skill, his heart sank.

As a student in Songyang High School's demonstration class, Qian Shen prided himself on not being afraid of competition.

Yet, after competing with Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen over these past eight days, his mindset began to change.

"Barely going to the bathroom or scratching an itch, I really can't match their level!"

"Am I the one not fully evolved compared to them?!"

Glaring at the two continuing with their Breathing Skill, Qian Shen unwillingly closed his eyes.

Compete! Just keep on competing!

...

In Physical Education Class.

Amidst numerous students practicing acupuncture or Body Refinement, accompanied by beast-like roars, the floor was permeated with an overwhelming scent of sweat.

Bai Zhenzhen wiped the sweat off her head and instinctively glanced at the small dark room in the corner.

Zhang Yu, isolated by the PE teacher Wang Hai and others, had been self-training there during recent PE classes.

Yet at that moment, Zhang Yu wasn't continuing his Breathing Skill like in the past few days; instead, he began practicing the Thirty-Six Forms of Body Building.

With a series of explosive sounds, Zhang Yu's muscles swelled with a fierce power, lifting the training equipment before him abruptly, setting it down, and lifting it again...

Simultaneously, the specialty in Yu Shu had been switched from the level 8 Circulation Qi Gathering Method to the level 3 Thirty-Six Forms of Body Building.

There was naturally a reason for Zhang Yu's actions.

Mainly, due to the lack of matching Spirit Roots, Zhang Yu's ability to collect spirit machines was too limited, weakening the effects of further upgrading the Circulation Qi Gathering Method.

Moreover, having qualified for the law competition, his next target was the monthly exam nine days later.

"Recently, mana has increased significantly, and the passive Breathing Skill effect of the level 8 Circulation Qi Gathering Method is already six and a half tenths as effective as active Breathing Skill."

"My mana score for this monthly exam shouldn't be bad, and continuing to invest heavily... the cost-effectiveness is a bit low for raising my score."

Zhang Yu pondered, "To improve my monthly exam score from here on, I need to focus on the Dao Heart, Physical Education, Martial Arts, and Daoism."

"As for Dao Heart... although I haven't mastered the Heavenly Martial Refining Heart Technique, I've comprehended all its mysteries and should score well in the Dao Heart exam."

"For Martial Arts, aside from the 20 points in theory, the remaining 80 depend on actual combat. I need to hire someone to spar, and rapid improvement is difficult."

"Daoism is even harder; improvement is impossible in the short term."

After thinking it over, Zhang Yu felt it was better to spend the next 9 days enhancing the Thirty-Six Forms of Body Building and his physical strength.

Especially as while practicing the Thirty-Six Forms of Body Building, he discovered an additional benefit from the Circulation Qi Gathering Method.

Whenever he urged his Qi, and his muscles expanded and contracted with force, the mana cycle within his body continued to operate, transforming threads of spirit machines into mana alongside the flow of mana.

During this process, as mana coursed through the damaged tendons and torn muscles, it began to nourish areas worn from training, rejuvenating flesh and blood, speeding up recovery, and increasing the effects of the workout.

The Thirty-Six Forms of Body Building, once reaching level three, could elicit similar effects with mana.

Now, with the Circulation Qi Gathering Method in operation, a more intricate and meticulous mana cycle continuously covered Zhang Yu, significantly enhancing his recovery and Body Refinement results.

If he originally could practice the Thirty-Six Forms of Body Building only twenty or thirty times in a day, with the help of the Circulation Qi Gathering Method, he could now practice fifty to sixty times daily.

Thus, in the times that followed, Zhang Yu intended to focus on intensifying his practice of the Thirty-Six Forms of Body Building.

While these thoughts flashed through his mind, a wave of emotion suddenly surged within Zhang Yu.

"I seem to be getting more used to this intense training."

"Ah, this troublesome Kunxu is turning people into ghosts."

But after practicing the Thirty-Six Forms of Body Building fifteen more times, Zhang Yu found he had been mistaken.

Lying sweaty on the ground, an imprint of sweat formed a vague human shape on the soaked floor.

Even if PE teacher Wang Hai saw this scene of diligent hard work, he would surely say, "Take a break, rest for a while."

But what oversaw Zhang Yu at this moment was not a person, but an occurrence of an... ritual: keep pushing.

"Please adhere to the ritual agreement, strive to fulfill your desires, and refrain from intentional laziness and procrastination, 10."

Zhang Yu lamented, "Idiot! I've reached my limit."

So tough!

Compared to Breathing Skill, this Body Refinement is so much harsher.

Zhang Yu only felt his lungs panting like bellows, every inch of his body screaming with tearing soreness.

"I was too naïve, thinking I'd already adapted to this broken world."

Listening to the constant countdown by his ear, Zhang Yu remained lying there like a dead fish until the countdown approached its final moment, at which point he leaped up, enduring the full-body soreness and fatigue, resuming the Thirty-Six Forms of Body Building practice.

Thirty-Six Forms of Body Building level 3 (22/30)

After barely completing another round, Zhang Yu lay back down in his sweat, listening to the chilling countdown and feeling the ritual power seemingly ready to tear his body apart.

"Is this a world people can adapt to?"

"Damn... Before I'm driven to jump off a building, I must break this cursed ritual!"

That afternoon, contrary to his usual habit, Zhang Yu spent over 100 yuan in one go, ordering a huge meal to the surprise of Bai Zhenzhen and Zhou Tianyi.

If mana growth depends on absorbing more spirit machines.

Then improving Body Refinement results relies on more and more nutritious eating.

"I want to eat ten pounds!"

When Bai Zhenzhen saw Zhang Yu's lunch portion, she knew how intensely he had drilled in PE class today.

"Does he think he's rolled enough in mana and now wants to start rolling on physical strength?"

When did this guy start trying so hard?

Could it be that not being castrated brought extra competitiveness?

Watching Zhang Yu devour a chicken leg whole, crushing it into bits with a few bites and swallowing, Bai Zhenzhen unconsciously quickened her eating pace as well.

Zhou Tianyi remarked helplessly, "Slow down, there's no grading for eating speed."

Not far away, Su Haifeng, also eating at the canteen, looked at the slowly eating students and thought to himself, "Lunch is still too long."

"I've always said the school should install more surveillance cameras in the cafeteria, and report and fine anyone who takes more than 10 minutes to eat."

Thinking of this, he drafted a proposal, planning to send it to the principal as a valuable suggestion for cafeteria reform.

In the days following, aside from attending regular classes, Zhang Yu practiced the Thirty-Six Forms of Body Building whenever he had time; when he reached his limit and couldn't train anymore, he would be forced to practice Breathing Skill.

Tormented day by day like this, the time finally reached the monthly exam nine days later.