What’s the point of cultivating immortality if you don’t have money?.

Chapter 323 Zhang Yu's Appetite

Over the past month, Zhang Yu's cultivation progress has slowed down due to physical depletion, and he has devoted more resources to strengthening his foundation and enhancing his physical strength.

Now, a month has passed, and although the progress has slowed down considerably, he has still reached the level of Dao Heart Level 13 (98.5%), Mana Power 573.4, Physical Strength 14.65, and Mana Quality 159%.

After mastering the Biwu Qigong, Hunyuan Taixi Jing, and Tianfu Changshou Gong, Zhang Yu completed the breathing exercises required for the fourth Qi Meridian Long Flow.

At this very moment, he was sitting cross-legged in his dormitory, practicing the techniques required for the fifth stage of Qi Meridian Flow.

A milky-white aura surged from his mouth, swirling around his body like layers of mist, forming a large external circulation.

This technique, called the "External Circulation Breathing Method of Martial Qi," uses the external circulation of martial arts qi to assist in the gathering of spiritual energy.

In this way, one can hone their control over martial arts qi while practicing breathing exercises.

Zhang Yu chose this breathing technique because he thought that after his physical strength reached level 15, the transmission of physical power through Qi would become particularly important, which could greatly improve work efficiency. Therefore, he should start practicing the related Qi control as soon as possible.

Zhang Yu estimated in his mind: "In another month, I will be able to make up for the deficiencies in my body, and my physical strength should be able to break through to level 15."

Just as Zhang Yu was diligently cultivating, a message popped up in his eyes. It turned out that Gongshu Jin had sent an invitation.

Gongshu Jin: A senior member of the weapon-refining department recently forged a magical artifact and held an appraisal banquet, inviting Mo Shangjin, a senior student. Mo Shangjin invited us to come and see it as well.
Since his last meeting with Director Gao, Zhang Yu has found himself seemingly categorized into the faction to which Director Gao and Tu Lishan belong.

Mo Shangjin, who has already mastered the power of the Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Force, is also a member of this faction.

Gongshu Jin, who was ranked one place lower than Zhang Yu in the class, also joined this faction before Zhang Yu.

During this time, the two would occasionally greet Zhang Yu and tell him about the internal situation of the Civil Engineering Department.

Upon seeing the invitation sent by Gongshu Jin, Zhang Yu's heart skipped a beat: "An appraisal banquet?"

He asked: Is there anything to eat?

Gongshu Jin: It's a banquet hosted by a senior member of the weapon-refining department, so of course there's food, and it's a buffet.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu was startled, then overjoyed.

In this university city of Wanfa, food is a luxury. The poor survive on medicine every day, while only the rich have the opportunity to eat, and the richer they are, the more they can eat.

Buffets are clearly something only the very wealthy can afford here.

Upon hearing this news, Yu Xinghan exclaimed in surprise, "A buffet? It's a buffet?! And they're treating everyone to a buffet?!"

"This is... blatant flaunting of wealth!"

Zhang Yu nodded with a sigh, swallowing hard, thinking to himself, "The people in the weapon crafting department are really rich. I hope they can successfully craft magical artifacts every day and then hold a feast."

Yu Xinghan looked at Zhang Yu: "Brother, can I come with you?"

Zhang Yu shook his head and said helplessly, "If I could bring people, I would definitely call everyone in my dorm, but even I was brought by someone else."

Upon hearing this, Yu Xinghan sighed inwardly, "Alas, Li Xiao is right. These rich people at the top could easily afford to eat and drink to their hearts' content by just letting slip a little bit of their wealth."

"However, you can't get into the circle of rich people by groveling."

"Only those like Zhang Yu, who rely on their own abilities to break in, can succeed."

So, under Yu Xinghan's envious gaze, Zhang Yu continued to cultivate diligently and finally waited for the treasure appraisal banquet the next day.

……

Wanfa University City, 568 floors.

Zhang Yu followed Gongshu Jin into a restaurant.

This was Zhang Yu's first time visiting a restaurant in Wanfa University City. Upon entering, he found that the restaurant was roughly the size of a classroom, but the decor was exquisite, and the air was filled with a strong aroma of food, causing Zhang Yu's mouth to water uncontrollably.

Inside the restaurant, more than ten people had gathered, with the three leaders standing in the center of the crowd, their names displayed above their heads as if shining brightly.

One of them was Mo Shangjin from the Department of Civil Engineering, whom Zhang Yu had met before.

The other woman's skin shimmered like stars, and her white hair shone like jewels. Various brands and models of magic weapons appeared all over her body, enough to make most college students tremble with fear and keep their distance, for fear of accidentally offending her and going bankrupt from paying compensation.

Looking at the ranking of 15th in the weapon crafting department above her head, Zhang Yu knew that this woman was Ye Xingli from the weapon crafting department, and also the organizer of this buffet.

Gongshu Jin, standing to the side, looked at Ye Xingli and felt his heart pounding faster and faster.

“All of her top-tier magical artifacts are custom-made and limited editions… Compared to hers, everything I’m wearing is rubbish.”

"So beautiful... This woman is so beautiful. I wonder how much money I could get if I could cultivate with her once."

Gongshu Jin, a top student who has studied diligently since childhood and focused on cultivation all the way, has never been interested in dual cultivation. After all, he is not one of those art students who are trying to get into Hehuan University.

But seeing how wealthy Ye Xingli was, he couldn't help but want to be "repaired" by her.

After all, the other party was simply too rich; the wealth emanating from them was incredibly attractive, making it impossible for him to look away.

Zhang Yu turned his gaze to the last man among the three, Cang Lan Yu, who ranked 9th in the talisman system. As Zhang Yu's gaze swept over him, he could see that the man's clothes, face, hands, and even every single strand of hair were flashing with dazzling light.

Those rays of light were projections from the depths of the spirit world. They converged and intertwined in Zhang Yu's eye sockets, eventually transforming into lines of mysterious patterns and characters.

Heavenly Eye Dharma Body, making your world clearer!

The first choice for locals and those on the second floor of Kunxu is the Dharma Body; if you don't wear it, you're not a local.

Watch the live stream on the Illusory Realm and experience the union of spirit and flesh...

Seeing all the advertisements on the other person's clothes, Zhang Yu quickly looked away, cursing inwardly, "Damn it, did he profit from those few glances?"

Gongshu Jin glanced at Cang Lanyu with envy. The latter possessed an advertising talisman bestowed by a righteous god, his entire body constantly connected to the depths of the spirit realm. As long as he was under the shroud of the spirit realm, no matter when or where, his entire body could refresh with all sorts of advertisements.
The longer you look at it, the more customized the advertisement becomes, and the more powerfully it becomes alluring.

"Just by watching him, he's making money; just by watching him, he's getting stronger!"

Gongshu Jin thought to himself, "This is a man who, once he becomes an opponent, one dares not look him in the eye."

Just as Zhang Yu and Gongshu Jin were observing the people in the arena, the dozen or so men and women in the arena also noticed them.

With a faint smile, Ye Xingli, whose skin seemed to contain a flowing galaxy, said, "You two are late. You'll each have to eat a bowl of rice as punishment."

As Zhang Yu looked at the food being served to him, he felt a rich aroma wafting towards him. Just smelling it made his mouth water and gave him a surge of energy.

Gongshu Jin, watching this scene, thought to himself, "Is this a punishment meal?"

Gongshu Jin knew that the food in front of him was no ordinary meal.

"The rice made from this fine rice is made from highly concentrated food essence. One grain is enough to feed a Qi Refining cultivator for three days and three nights."

Gongshu Jin thought to himself, "If one eats too much, it may even cause indigestion, excessive blood and qi in the stomach and intestines, dizziness, and blurred vision..."

He knew that Foundation Establishment cultivators with insufficient appetite would experience dizziness and lightheadedness after eating only half a bowl of Heavenly Essence Rice due to the enormous digestive burden. This was known as "food sickness."

Gongshu Jin thought that at this moment, most of the people in the restaurant were probably looking forward to seeing them make a fool of themselves and lose their appetite.

After all, most students can't afford food on the second floor, and they don't train their digestive abilities, so their appetite is often very small, and they are prone to feeling dizzy when eating.

In short, Gongshu Jin understood that once appetite and economic conditions became related, the bigger one's appetite, the more respect one would receive, and the smaller one's appetite, the more one would be looked down upon. As for things like offering food as a form of respect or punishing others by forcing them to eat, these were all standard practices.

Just as Gongshu Jin was concentrating his energy, preparing to have a big meal, he saw Zhang Yu reach out and take the rice bowl from him, opening his mouth to swallow it in one gulp.

"No!" Gongshu Jin reached out to stop him, thinking to himself, "This Zhang Yu! Doesn't he even know about Heavenly Essence Rice?"

Zhang Yu swallowed half a bowl of rice in one gulp, and felt the aroma of the rice explode in his mouth. Each grain of sweet and soft rice flowed on his tongue, releasing endless flavors.

But soon he realized that the rice was particularly chewy, and even after chewing it a dozen times, he still couldn't chew it properly.

At the same time, an older student chuckled and said, "Take it easy. This kind of refined rice is hard to digest. You should eat it in small bites, not in one big bite."

The other students also started joking, seemingly already imagining Zhang Yu's dizzy state in a moment.

But in the next moment, Zhang Yu swallowed the Heavenly Essence Rice in his mouth without even chewing it, and then swallowed the rest of the Heavenly Essence Rice in the bowl in one gulp.

With the peak Foundation Establishment digestive power brought by the University's Sacred Body, Zhang Yu's digestive ability was already terrifyingly strong.

During his previous field construction trip, he also incorporated the Corrosion Abyss Membrane and No. 15 Spiritual Steel into his stomach and intestines, as if he had put a layer of weapons and armor on his stomach and intestines, turning his stomach and intestines from fighting bare-handed into fighting with weapons. When he went all out, he could even digest No. 20 Spiritual Steel.

At this moment, as his stomach and intestines began to move slightly, it was like a terrifying millstone, crushing all the Heavenly Essence Rice he had swallowed and releasing its rich food essence.

In an instant, Zhang Yu felt streams of heat surging from his stomach and spreading throughout his limbs and bones. His body, as if parched land had received sweet rain, frantically absorbed these streams of heat.

After swallowing that big bowl of rice, Zhang Yu felt as if his body had taken a medicinal bath, his physical strength had increased, and he felt indescribably comfortable all over.

"Delicious! Delicious! So delicious!"

"Aren't you going to eat?" Zhang Yu looked at Gongshu Jin, who was standing there in a daze, and took the bowl from him. "Then I'll eat it for you."

Seeing Zhang Yu finish two bowls of Heavenly Essence Rice and still look like he's not satisfied, Ye Xingli's eyes also revealed a strange look: "What an appetite!"

"Someone, bring this man more rice."

Looking at the rice bowl that had been placed in front of him again, Zhang Yu laughed and said, "Rice without meat is just too boring to eat."

“That’s easy!” Ye Xingli said loudly, “Give him another plate of dragon liver and phoenix gall.”

After saying that, she looked at Zhang Yu and asked, "Can you eat this?"

Zhang Yu said boldly, "Three more bowls of rice, and three plates of dragon liver and phoenix gall!"

(End of this chapter)