You dare to cultivate without money?!

"Shit-grabbers! Shit-grabbers!"

"Get out of the way! It's all mine!"

"Hahaha, it's been a long time since I've had a meal this satisfying!"

Watching the crazed Qi Refinement students, Zhang Yu and Mo Enting casually struck out, a sweep of formidable Earth Evil Gravity easily knocked them all unconscious.

This was already the third wave of Demon Sect cultists they encountered on the road. Although these cultists were clearly impoverished stragglers on the streets, they nonetheless left many Civil Engineering students secretly alarmed; it seemed none had realized how stealthily so many Demon Sect believers had infiltrated University City.

And as they continued forward, it became apparent that as time went on, with no True God's supervision, no surveillance presence, and no oppression from high school authorities...more and more began exhibiting outrageous behavior, turning University City increasingly chaotic.

Some pedestrians killed Demon Sect cultists during battles and stripped their bodies of Magic Remains.

Others joined the cultists in raiding shops, pillaging their supplies.

Demon Sect cultists were yelling about entering reincarnation or finding better births as they launched suicide attacks everywhere, further escalating the intensity of battles in University City and causing more casualties.

Fires, explosions, corpses, fierce battles, and the occasional violent tremor from underground...as everyone looked at the University City in front of them, it seemed to become unfamiliarly strange.

"Mr. Tu Lishan!"

Seeing Tu Lishan, the group still hadn't calmed down when they saw a figure covered in black smoke had already engaged in a fierce fight with him.

Feeling the tumult of Golden Core-level Mana from both sides, Zhang Yu and Mo Enting both activated the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain Shifting Divine Power, leading the group in full retreat.

But the Golden Core-level battle was still too terrifying for Foundation Establishment students; under the shock waves, the group was directly scattered, and soon the team that had been advancing together was split apart.

Zhang Yu glanced around him; Yu Xinghan, Le Mulan, Xiao Qingxuan, Shi Huaiyu, and Shi Yunxiang, the five partners who came out of the dorm with him, stayed closely by his side and were not scattered.

...

Meanwhile, outside Zhang Yu's dormitory.

A "man" shattered the door and with a sigh, gazed at the emptied room, "Zhang Yu and the others have left?"

Behind him, a robust figure surrounded by thick black fog spoke calmly, "This is the place you mentioned where Zhang Yu stays?"

The "man" nodded, "That's Zhang Yu. He's not only the Civil Engineering Department genius, who obtained the military certificate by junior year, mastered Level 20 Heavenly Kunlun Mountain Shifting Divine Power, but also moved to the Artifact Refining Department, his talent is astonishing."

"And it was he who participated in the Divinity Transformation Yin Artifact experiment, gaining many benefits, surely he knows quite a bit about the experiment's secrets."

The robust figure smiled slightly, "Indeed, he is a talent the sect needs. If we can smoothly bring him into the fold, the Sect Hierarch will be delighted, and there will be heavy rewards."

After saying this, the robust figure looked again at the "man," asking, "Do you think he will willingly join the sect?"

The "man" solemnly replied, "Zhang Yu helped me so much, how can I watch him continue to sink into the mire set by the Ten Great Sects? Whether he's willing or not, even if it forces me, I will compel him to join."

"It's just that we don't know where they've gone now..."

The robust figure waved dismissively, "No matter."

"What is called the Spirit Realm collapse, is not the disappearance of the Spirit Realm, but the Sect Hierarch temporarily hijacked the Spirit Realm inside and outside Wanfa University."

"At this moment, for Wanfa University's teachers and students, the Spirit Realm here is unusable."

"But for us, we can still leverage a portion of the Spirit Realm's power to mobilize nearby resources."

"And having found where Zhang Yu once was, finding him won't be difficult."

The robust figure snapped his fingers lightly, and the surveillance footage near the dorm appeared before him.

"Oh? Is it Mo Enting?"

"Perfect, let's take him in too."

...

Not long after.

On the shattered street.

Mo Enting kneeled half-way in blood, watching in shock the "man" and the robust figure behind him, his face looking grim, "You guys..."

The "man" clearly underwent transformation, making it impossible to discern his original appearance.

Yet, even in transformation, the "man" couldn't hide the hint of a delighted smile on his face.

Looking at the formerly high and mighty senior now forced onto his knees, the "man" couldn't help but laugh to himself, "Mo Enting, senior, who would have thought? Who would have thought such a day would come, where you'd kneel before me?"

"What good are your grades now? The same you all must join the Demon Sect with me."

With a light thud, the robust figure shattered Mo Enting's final resisting strength, knocking him unconscious again and carrying him casually in hand.

"Let's go get Zhang Yu."

The "man" hurriedly caught up with the robust figure, his heart increasingly trembling.

"Zhang Yu... I shall come for you."

Thinking of Zhang Yu, a trace of resentment welled up in his heart involuntarily.

"Zhang Yu... why do you help Le Mulan, help Yu Xinghan, help Ying Xin... why help so many people yet refuse to help me?"

Evidently, his thoughts were starkly contrary to what he had just stated; at this moment, the intent to force Zhang Yu into the sect stemmed not from gratitude but from resentment.

"How many times have I shown favor to you over these years? Pleaded with you how many times? I've done everything possible to curry favor with you, and you?"

"These days, I wait outside your door like a dog everyday, constantly begging you, constantly waiting just to obtain a mere sliver of Mana."

Li Xiao's heart surged with intense anger: "Zhang Yu... you're just playing with me, playing with me and Ji Yuanshu."

"Why can't you help us more?"

"If only you helped us a little more, maybe Ji Yuanshu wouldn't have died, and maybe I wouldn't have joined the Demon Sect..."

Amidst the torment of the economic crisis during this time, Li Xiao experienced an unprecedented wavering in his path of the Immortal Path and his future.

This wavering, when contrasted with Zhang Yu, made his heart fill with endless jealousy, envy, and unwillingness.

We're all on the same level, so why is there such a huge difference?

We're all on the same level, so why help Yu Xinghan and not me?

Clearly, there are so many resources, and if just a little more were given to me, I could get through this difficult time...

This emotion reached a peak after Ji Yuanshu's death.

So he chose to join the Unemployed Sect and actively provided information about Zhang Yu.

The Unemployed Sect was also very eager to recruit Zhang Yu.

Just then, Li Xiao finally saw Zhang Yu and the others not far ahead, and his heart immediately filled with a sickly pleasure.

"Heh, Zhang Yu... no matter how good your grades are, how great you are at switching departments, or how impressive you are as a genius in the Artifact Refining Department, you'll still end up like me, joining the Demon Sect, hahaha..."

Meanwhile, Zhang Yu and the others also turned their heads abruptly, looking at the mighty figure chasing from behind, and further back, Li Xiao.

Seeing Mo Enting being carried in the opponent's hand, Zhang Yu's heart sank.

At the same time, the mighty figure's fingertip lightly tapped, seemingly invoking the power of the Spirit Realm.

Numerous array powers activated, directly sealing the entire area.

With thunderous booming sounds, the surrounding streets and houses transformed, blocking the whole space like city walls.

The mighty figure then said calmly, "You can call me Wuying."

"There's no surveillance from the Spirit Realm here, and the nearby buildings have also been temporarily sealed by me, so no outsiders can hear our conversation."

"Zhang Yu, I want to invite you to join the Unemployed Sect."

Then he looked at the others present and smiled slightly, saying, "Of course, you're all welcome to join as well."

Zhang Yu's mind was racing as he thought about what to do, while he smiled and said, "Sorry, the Unemployed Sect isn't good for my resume, so I'm not considering it for now."

Wuying said calmly, "Won't you first hear the conditions? As long as you're willing to join, the Cultivation Techniques from all sects that we possess will be available for you to learn."

"Not only expert-level techniques but also military-level techniques can be passed on to you."

"And it's not just from Wanfa University; our sect has also explored military-level techniques from other universities..."

Hearing this, Zhang Yu's heart sank: "If what he says is true, does it mean the Unemployed Sect has insiders in many universities? Only then can they collect military-level techniques from each school?"

Zhang Yu smiled faintly, "Pity there's no proof, right?"

Wuying said calmly, "On the Immortal Path, why be constrained by that certificate? Cultivating profound techniques naturally makes you stronger, so what's the difference if you have a certificate or not? It's nothing but a mere reputation, mere external possessions."

Zhang Yu sneered, knowing that if he really practiced the techniques the other offered, he'd likely become a leverage held firmly by the other party.

Seeing the changes in Zhang Yu's expression, Wuying sighed, "It seems you misunderstand our sect very much; I'll have to capture you first, then slowly talk with you..."

Before Wuying finished speaking, Zhang Yu's Gang Qi suddenly surged, entering the state of a Mountain Shifting Warrior.

Then the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain Shifting Divine Power, combined with the Nine Heavens Cloud Sky Force, burst forth in unison, going all out from the start.

Mountain Shifting Nine Heavens! Thousand Hands Sacred Martial!

Gang Qi, like countless strong warriors striking simultaneously, fiercely besieged Wuying.

In the deafening roars and ground tremors, Wuying's body was engulfed by the golden flame-like Gang Qi.

But in the next moment, under the shocked eyes of everyone, Wuying directly tore through the Gang Qi, lightly pointing at Zhang Yu's chest.

With a crackling sound, Zhang Yu's golden armor shattered, and a bloody hole burst open on his chest.

"Golden Core!"

Feeling the mighty mana waves emanating from Wuying, a wave of fear surged in everyone's hearts present.

Wuying said calmly, "If you are willing to cooperate with me, you can suffer less."

Just when everyone thought victory was certain, they saw Zhang Yu suddenly spit out a mouthful of blood, mixed with Gang Qi, and rushed toward Wuying.

Casually dispersing the blood Qi, Wuying then struck another palm from a distance, once again sending Zhang Yu flying.

This time, even Wuying couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly, feeling that Zhang Yu was excessively resistant to blows.

At the same time, Zhang Yu was also rapidly thinking in his mind: "Should I use the Divine Spirit Root?"

"Foundation Establishment battling Golden Core... my winning chance is 0."

"If I use the hidden ability of the Divine Spirit Root, maybe I could find a chance to escape."

"But that would expose my secret."

Zhang Yu knew that if this secret were exposed now, it would not only be exposed to the Demon Sect but to Yu Xinghan and others as well.

As for joining the Demon Sect, to Zhang Yu, that was the worst of the worst options; he even suspected that upon joining, a fool's ritual would immediately start to try to kill him.