Chapter 576: Chapter 517: Stalling Until They Become Soul Cultivators
Thunder Extreme True Monarch was a figure resembling colored glass, with not a trace of flesh and blood visible on his body.
This was because almost ninety-nine percent of his flesh and blood had been replaced with magic treasures.
A myriad of spiritual energy circuits connected from the ground and walls to Thunder Extreme True Monarch, transmitting a vast amount of spiritual mechanism and information.
Layers of array light shrouded him, making it impossible to see any details on him.
It’s said that this Thunder Extreme True Monarch’s true body sat in the office year-round, almost never going out, traveling the Spirit Realm through his mind and projecting across various places.
In Zhang Yu’s eyes, the True Monarch’s stillness made him seem more like a temple idol rather than a living person.
Zhang Yu knew that Thunder Extreme True Monarch adhered to the Artifact Refining Department’s Magic Treasure School—a school Feng Tingting had mentioned as an old-fashioned faction which deemed flesh outdated, viewed magic remains as dubious, and believed that transforming humans into magic treasures was the ascent path for the Immortal Path’s future.
Zhang Yu did not comment on such a theory; after all, his skill levels in the Immortal Path and artifact refining were not high enough to judge its merits.
What Zhang Yu worried about now was, "Would this Thunder Extreme True Monarch be discriminative against humans?"
Zhang Yu recalled the several times he faced discrimination after joining the Artifact Refining Department, either due to his previous status as a civil engineering student or because of his unmodified flesh body.
"In the Artifact Refining Department, the Magic Remains Sect discriminated against flesh bodies; those with more magic remains looked down on those with fewer, and those with expensive ones despised cheaper options. The Magic Treasure School, however, discriminated against both magic remains and flesh bodies alike."
"Could it be that Thunder Extreme True Monarch is delaying my engineering payment out of prejudice?"
As Zhang Yu’s mind filled with these thoughts, Thunder Extreme True Monarch spoke.
The glass-like face showed no movement of a mouth, but vibrations in the air formed sounds that reached Zhang Yu’s ears.
"Zhang Yu, right? What do you want?"
Zhang Yu smiled politely and said, "It’s about the engineering payment..."
Thunder Extreme True Monarch replied coldly, "Didn’t I tell you not to urge me again?"
Zhang Yu explained, "True Monarch, our company is small, with financial rotation difficulties. I’m currently advancing the employees’ salaries myself..."
Thunder Extreme True Monarch said coolly, "Which engineering project doesn’t require some advanced payment? Is it just you who can’t manage? If you can do it, do it; if not, leave."
Zhang Yu was stunned, thinking about how to reveal his status as a disciple of Magnetic Pole True Monarch to avoid the True Monarch treating him dismissively. Yet, he heard Thunder Extreme True Monarch continue, "I know you’re the new disciple of Magnetic Pole True Monarch."
"But whoever comes here must follow the rules equally."
Zhang Yu said, "Uncle Master..."
Thunder Extreme True Monarch replied, "Who told you to call me Uncle Master? Here, we don’t talk about interpersonal connections, and Wanfa University’s downfall lies in these very things."
After saying this, a cold scoff like thunder exploded next to Zhang Yu’s ears, making his head dizzy.
Thunder Extreme True Monarch continued, "Everything here follows protocol. The engineering payment that should be yours won’t shortchange you."
"Alright, if there’s nothing else, leave. Don’t interfere with my work."
Zhang Yu left the office looking frustrated, thinking, "Is Thunder Extreme True Monarch really as impartial as he says? Does Kunxu truly have such fair leaders still?"
"Should I seek help from my Master?"
Zhang Yu shook his head, deciding not to act hastily before the full scope of the matter was clear.
After all, he didn’t know how deep the relationship between Magnetic Pole True Monarch and Thunder Extreme True Monarch was or whether Magnetic Pole True Monarch had any stakes here.
To gather information, the first person Zhang Yu thought of was Zhang Pianpian, followed by Feng Tingting from the Artifact Refining Department and then Senior Sister Ye Xingli.
Shortly after Zhang Yu reached out, a response flashed on his eye remains.
The first to reply was Feng Tingting.
Feng Tingting: Did you go wearing your original flesh body?
Zhang Yu: Yes, you know I only have this set of flesh body. What else would I wear?
Feng Tingting: Thunder Extreme True Monarch is the well-known stubborn old guard in the department, staunchly on the side of only magic treasures
Feng Tingting: In his class, even a dog passing by has to wear a magic treasure collar
Feng Tingting: You went all flesh. Do you think he would favor you?
Seeing Feng Tingting’s reply, Zhang Yu thought indeed, Thunder Extreme True Monarch was really a human discrimination advocate.
After Zhang Yu thanked Feng Tingting for the information, she added: Zhang Yu, when are we co-renting a lab to refine artifacts together?
Feng Tingting: Ever since I studied civil engineering, fewer and fewer people in the Artifact Refining Department have been willing to bother with me...
Reading Feng Tingting’s response, Zhang Yu lamented that perhaps both he and Feng Tingting were the most likely in the Artifact Refining Department to be viewed through biased lenses.
At this moment, Ye Xingli also sent a message.
Ye Xingli: Did you pay?
Zhang Yu: Pay?
Ye Xingli: I don’t know if the Civil Engineering Department spoiled you too much before or if you really don’t understand
Ye Xingli: The so-called Artifact Refining Department is just a few floors, several labs; money still needs to be earned separately
Ye Xingli: So many projects, so many tasks, who goes first, who goes last, who gets more, who gets less, and how do we divide it?
Zhang Yu: Should I just send the money to Thunder Extreme True Monarch?
Ye Xingli: Thunder Extreme True Monarch is full of integrity and values rules the most. He wouldn’t just take your money.
Ye Xingli: [Bian Hao] This is Thunder Extreme True Monarch’s student. You should go find him.
Looking at the business card Ye Xingli sent, Zhang Yu thought to himself, "It’s all about money in the end."
Zhang Yu added Bian Hao, explained his purpose, and after some discussion, received a donation link from the other side.
"Public Welfare Laboratory?" Zhang Yu looked at the content of the link, suddenly getting angry, "10 spirit coins?"
"Damn it... My pre-tax engineering payment totals just over 20 spirit coins, then after distributing to the employees and paying taxes, I’m lucky to make a dozen spirit coins, and they suddenly want 10 spirit coins from me?"
Zhang Yu took a deep breath, controlled his anger, and asked Bian Hao if he could give less.
Bian Hao: Junior, it’s not up to me to decide how much money is too much or too little.
Bian Hao: Everyone donates a lot, those who donate less can’t get in queue.
Bian Hao: If you donate less, I’m afraid you give for nothing.
Bian Hao: Ultimately, if you’re not doing it, others will do it; if you’re not donating, others will donate.
Zhang Yu couldn’t help but roll his eyes, "Is it all in competition now?"
Looking at the 10 spirit coins donation link, Zhang Yu did the math again in his head.
Currently, in his monthly stable income, the biggest part is the lab subsidy of 40 spirit coins, then the reimbursement from Magnetic Pole True Monarch and Director Gao’s company of 30 spirit coins, followed by sister’s repayment of more than 10 spirit coins, then Wen Wuya’s monthly stipend of 10 spirit coins...
Zhang Yu initially thought that the artifact refining civil engineering project could also become stable monthly income in the future.
But now it seems not only unstable, but after deducting these donations, the earnings are far less than imagined.
Looking at the numbers floating on the eye skeleton, Zhang Yu cursed silently in his heart, "Damn, in the end, I make 40 spirit coins monthly from deception, 30 spirit coins from connections reimbursement, over 10 spirit coins from family loan payback, and 10 spirit coins from rich people’s reward."
"While the civil engineering power accumulated with great effort for more than three years and the pile of technology and magic treasures, along with hired employees, ended up earning the least?"
Zhang Yu also thought that if so, he might as well not get involved in the civil engineering project of the artifact refining department.
But thinking again, he knew it’s not possible.
On one hand, there are so many mouths in the company waiting for food, and on another, although his current income is high, there are also many places to spend money, so every extra earning from the civil engineering artifact refining project is very important to him.
Zhang Yu sighed silently in his heart, "To become an artifact refining genius, you have to rely on repetitions to stack the levels of artifact refining techniques."
"Alas, practicing 10 artifact refining techniques to level 20 in a few months is akin to cultivating 10 Taoist skills to level 20..."
"Don’t say regular artifact refining students spend money like I do, even the Taoist skill department probably doesn’t have many people spending money like me."
Zhang Yu knew very well that most artifact refining students can’t cultivate so many artifact refining techniques like him; they usually choose specialization areas and spend money to hire others when needed.
Just like Zi Yunzhen previously hired him to perform Dragon Vein Treasure Casting Technique to enhance the Five Element Flag.
"If it’s just about spending money to become an artifact refining genius, it’d be acceptable. I can afford it with my earnings now and still save a bit of spirit coins every month, but next, I also have to prepare for the military-level magic treasure."
Zhang Yu knew, once the artifact refining genius is achieved, he needs to start preparing the prototype forging of Heavenly Sun Divine.
The molding of this military-level magic treasure costs a lot, from the early technical preparation to the purchase of materials, to the rental of various equipment and laboratories.
Earlier, Zhang Yu and Fu Ji calculated the amount, at least 300 spirit coins need to be spent.
If certain loss and error are considered, it’s not impossible for the total to swell to 500 spirit coins.
And for such a project, how many can perfectly align with the budget without overspending?
The more he thought about the places where money will be needed, the more Zhang Yu wanted to earn money.
"Everyone says 1000 spirit coins are enough to attack the Golden Core, but if I want to win the top ten tournament, or break into the sect, how can it be satisfied with an ordinary Golden Core?"
While Zhang Yu was thinking back and forth about it, older sister Zhang Pianpian also sent a message.
Zhang Pianpian: This Thunder Extreme True Monarch has delayed a lot of engineering payments, causing several companies to go bankrupt, and dragging hundreds of soul cultivators.
Zhang Yu: Then there’s no solution?
Zhang Pianpian sighed and replied: If it was hundreds of years ago, in ancient times, I’d definitely advise you to forget about it.
Zhang Pianpian: But in today’s era, as long as he’s at Kunxu, as long as he’s in this university sequence system, whether a Golden Core or Nascent Soul, he must follow the rules.
Zhang Pianpian: Within rules, he can suppress you without you being able to say anything.
Zhang Pianpian: But if he deviates from the rules, even as a Nascent Soul True Monarch, he can be thunderously punished.
Zhang Yu, hearing this, responded thoughtfully: Are you saying... he deviated from the rules?
Zhang Pianpian: I haven’t found out specifically yet, but from the existing information, this person definitely has a hidden thunder beneath him.
Zhang Yu: Why?
Zhang Pianpian: Haven’t you thought about it, other companies spent so much money, even more than you, then how did they earn it back?