You dare to cultivate without money?!

Chapter 1301 - 829: Gathering Storms

Deep within the Spirit Realm.

In a clean and tidy room, Ying Aikun’s will wanders through countless streams of information within the Spirit Realm, examining the inflow of messages.

Not long after submitting a request to negotiate with the Heavenly Court, Ying Aikun accidentally "choked to death" while taking medicine, subsequently being transformed into a Soul Cultivator, constantly monitored by the Heavenly Court.

After his death, Ying Aikun instead felt at ease, knowing that in order to overthrow the Taizhen Immortal Clan, to deal with the Taizhen Immortal, the Heavenly Court would certainly do its utmost to protect him.

As a Soul Cultivator, staying in the Spirit Realm, the Heavenly Court’s territory, under the watchful eyes of numerous high-ranking True Gods, even if an Immortal wanted to harm him, it would be quite a challenge, not an easy task.

And dealing with the Taizhen Immortal is certainly not something that a mere one or two battles can resolve.

"This is just the beginning, there are more battles to come."

"Unless the Taizhen Immortal becomes an Immortal Emperor, or falls to death, or... she takes her own Taoist Inheritance and submits to the Immortal Emperor Sect, completely abandoning the chance to challenge the status of Immortal Emperor, this struggle will likely not end."

Ying Aikun estimates this will be quite a long period, possibly ten years, even decades or a century.

During this time, he still has value, thus will remain under the Heavenly Court’s protection.

As his thoughts swirled, Ying Aikun’s gaze caught sight of news about Zhang Yu again.

"Kunxu Heroes..."

Ying Aikun let out a bitter smile, recalling his first encounter with Zhang Yu in the office building of the Ghost Faith Department.

Back then, Zhang Yu seemed to him nothing more than a lowly Lower Beast Sect Clerk, easily crushed like an ant and not worth mentioning.

But since confronting Zhang Yu, Ying Aikun repeatedly faced setbacks; not only was his avatar shattered by Zhang Yu using an Immortal Shuttle, but he was also defeated by Zhang Yu’s legacy from Yingxin Heaven.

And now, Zhang Yu has become the hot-blooded Kunxu Hero, while Ying Aikun has become a Soul Cultivator, his future prospects uncertain.

In just a few months, everything has turned upside down; Ying Aikun has fallen into the mire, while Zhang Yu has risen to the clouds, their statuses completely reversed.

Ying Aikun’s mood had temporarily calmed down until he saw Zhao Tianxing’s interview...

"Isn’t... the Soul Cultivator brought up from the Lower Realm? What is a college degree? Is this acceptable?"

"It’s too much; now even a Soul Cultivator in Zhang Yu’s family is being elevated?"

"Even when I was in the Immortal Clan, it wasn’t played like this."

At this moment, Ying Aikun couldn’t help but sigh: "So dark, the skies of Kunxu are truly too dark."

Over the past few days, Ying Aikun repeatedly recalled the whole situation’s course, feeling increasingly that the entire situation is fraught with the traces of behind-the-scenes manipulation.

"This is a scheme. Whether it’s me, Zhang Yu, or even Su Lingyou... all were pushed into the scheme, culminating in this grand spectacle."

"It’s all for dealing with the Taizhen Immortal Clan, restraining the Taizhen Immortal, and even fostering Kunxu’s transformation."

"Whether it’s my current situation, or Zhang Yu being thrust onto the waves, they’re all just swept away by the tides of the times..."

"We... are merely pieces on the board."

"Zhang Yu, your current position may seem infinitely glorious, but it’s equally fraught with peril. Through Kunxu’s historical transformations, how many leading figures have truly preserved themselves? How long can you last?"

Ying Aikun suddenly laughed: "Then let them elevate you, elevate you, hahahaha... The higher they elevate you now, the more brutal the fall when you’re no longer needed."

"I await your downfall."

...

Inside the Sky Demon Sect.

"This time, the Taizhen Immortal Clan’s vital energy is severely wounded, causing everyone to feel insecure, and their status within the Ten Great Sects will likely plummet."

"Thankfully, I no longer belong to the Taizhen Immortal Clan’s cultivators."

Su Lingyou watched the news reports of Taizhen Immortal Clan members left bankrupt and felt a burst of relief.

Seeing news about Zhang Yu and his Lower Realm friend, Su Lingyou neither felt jealousy nor envy, nor did her feelings fluctuate much.

In Su Lingyou’s view, compared to Zhang Yu who now stands out in the forest, drawing all eyes, she is actually the biggest winner among the many pieces in this event.

"Leaping from the sinking ship of Taizhen’s old villain to join the Reincarnation Immortal Emperor was like a rebirth."

Amid such a significant crisis, grasping the opportunity to switch allegiance from the Immortal Sect to the Immortal Emperor Sect seemed like a blessing in disguise, a tremendous fortune.

"Originally following Taizhen’s lineage, I was approaching the limit of what I could achieve."

"But now under the Reincarnation Immortal Emperor, the vast expanse awaits, and the future holds opportunities for Ascension to Immortality."

On the other hand, Zhang Yu, from Su Lingyou’s perspective, attracts too much attention and risks being exalted to the point of downfall.

Moreover, his appointment as vice-chairman of the development area’s management committee, with low status as a Level 4 Sect Staff and low cultivation in the Divinity Transformation Realm, engaging in fierce interest conflicts, portends a worrisome future, far less strategic than her quiet switch of allegiance.

Su Lingyou’s biggest anticipation now is to quickly find an opportunity to work for the Reincarnation Immortal Emperor, achieve some accomplishments, proving her loyalty, skills, and value.

But since returning to the Sky Demon Sect, these days have brought no tasks for Su Lingyou, making her a bit anxious.