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

During that day's magic class, the students of the demonstration class were sitting cross-legged in the quiet room, circulating their breathing techniques.

The cameras in front monitored the students' every move, recording whether they opened their eyes, scratched themselves, moved their hands and feet, or wiggled their butts… any slight abnormality was recorded.

All this data was uniformly recorded as a 'distraction rate'.

The class with the highest weekly distraction rate would be publicly criticized by the entire school.

The students of the demonstration class didn't care; no matter how they were assessed, their class would inevitably be the first.

The student with the lowest weekly distraction rate would not only be publicly praised but also rewarded with 500 yuan and one hour of free access to a Heavenly Spiritual Root.

This made the students of the demonstration class perk up. Each of them stared at the daily distraction rate like bulls in heat, and the whole class was filled with an atmosphere of intense competition.

At that moment, with the sound of a bell, everyone who had been quietly cultivating in the quiet room stopped and looked at the large screen in front, anticipating the distraction rate data for this class.

1st Place: Zhang Yu, Distraction Rate 0%, Mana 8.3

2nd Place: Bai Zhenzhen, Distraction Rate 0.03%, Mana 11.2

3rd Place: Qian Shen, Distraction Rate 0.12%, Mana 11.1

…

Looking at the distraction rate ranking, the students in the classroom didn't speak, but from the subtle changes in their eyes and expressions, a trace of surprise could be felt spreading.

The instructor of the mana class was named Yan, a female teacher with her hair in a bun and wearing black-rimmed glasses.

At that moment, Teacher Yan looked at the results on the big screen and said, "I won't name the students whose distraction rate exceeds 0.3% today."

"It's been three months since the start of the semester. How many times have I said, 'Focus your mind and harmonize your Qi'?"

"With such a high distraction rate, how can your breathing efficiency compare to others?"

"Everyone cultivates for 24 hours a day. You don't have more time than others. If your breathing efficiency is low, you'll fall behind little by little each day. After three years of high school, the gap in your mana might be 10, 20, or even 30 points."

"And how many times have I said that students who can't lower their distraction rate can come to my office to buy calming agents? I sat in my office for three hours yesterday afternoon, and no one came to ask me… Do you all think you have no problems at all?!"

After a round of criticism, Teacher Yan smiled slightly and looked at the top few on the screen, saying, "Of course, there are also students who performed very well."

"Here, I commend the three students with the lowest distraction rates, especially Zhang Yu, who has had a 0% distraction rate for four consecutive days. Compared to before, it's a qualitative leap."

"Also, his mana has increased by a full 0.5 points in the past three days, which shows that he must have worked hard in his spare time, either renting a spiritual root or renting a high-spiritual-energy cultivation room, right, student Zhang Yu?"

All the students' eyes immediately looked over.

But Zhang Yu still had his eyes closed, looking half-asleep, and continued to silently circulate the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Technique.

Teacher Yan praised, "You see, this is the attitude of a true academic. He doesn't stop even after class, seizing every minute and second to cultivate and become stronger."

Zhao Tianxing looked at Zhang Yu, who was still earnestly breathing, and found that he couldn't understand this classmate more and more: "He's clearly such a hardworking person, so why does he slack off in physical education class and not practice medicine?"

Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu, who still had his eyes closed, and thought, "Yu-zi has been breathing except when he's eating and pooping these past few days. He's working so hard… Could he be forced by those 700,000 yuan debt collection calls?"

On the stage, Teacher Yan continued, "Of course, you get what you pay for. There's no free lunch on the path of immortality. You can't go far without spending money. Recently, there have been vacancies in the school's Heavenly Spiritual Root rentals. Interested students can come to me."

Before Teacher Yan left, she said something that caught Zhang Yu's attention.

"By the way, the city's magic competition is starting next month. Almost all high schools in the city will participate in the first-year group. The first-place prize is 100,000 yuan…"

"Because registration for the competition is next Friday, the school plans to select the top ten students in terms of mana level in the first grade to participate in the magic competition next Friday…"

…

That night, in the cafeteria.

Zhou Tianyi had to rush to tutoring class early, leaving only Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen at the table.

After being stared at by Bai Zhenzhen for so long that he couldn't stand it, Zhang Yu said, "A-Zhen, I know my looks are very high, and I'm like a crane among chickens in this Songyang High School, which only knows how to study, but you don't have to stare at me so intently."

Bai Zhenzhen asked, "You said you want to participate in the magic competition too?"

"Too bad, A-Zhen," Zhang Yu shook his head and said, "If you, the peerless genius who is number one in the grade, weren't my friend, you would have challenged me, then been repeatedly slapped in the face by my amazing performance on the field, and finally experienced dozens of levels of pupil earthquake."

Bai Zhenzhen shook her head: "Yu-zi, you want to participate in the city-wide mana competition."

"That's all the high schools in Songyang City sending their most outstanding, most mana-rich, and richest students to compete, gathering countless rich people who are just waiting to die."

Bai Zhenzhen said with a face full of emotion: "What would be the result of an ordinary person like you participating?"

Her eyes seemed to have already seen the magnificent scene of the future, and she said with a face full of sorrow: "Being repeatedly humiliated by countless experts, becoming a stepping stone for the rich, the clown of Songyang High School, and the school's reputation falling to the dust!"

"That's too miserable, I can already see you being trampled under the feet of other high school geniuses, your Dao heart shattered, looking like a dead dog."

Zhang Yu rolled his eyes: "Don't exaggerate too much, the mana competition isn't a ring match, it's not shameful to lose."

"And the first place has 100,000 yuan."

"Even if it's just the top ten, there's 10,000 yuan."

Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu's greedy appearance, thinking that Yu-zi was indeed being forced to the point of madness by the collection company and was delusional about participating in the competition.

Zhang Yu was indeed in financial difficulties. Although he had earned 13,000 yuan from Xianyun Company a few days ago, he immediately used 10,000 to repay the loan, and then spent 1,500 to pay the rent, leaving him with only more than 2,000 yuan.

"If you want to participate, first think about how to raise your mana level to the top ten in the grade. You're only ranked 16th now, right? How much more money do you have to borrow to get into the top ten?"

Zhang Yu also quickly calculated in his mind.

His current mana is 8.3, ranking 16th in the grade.

And the student currently ranked tenth in the grade has a mana of 9.5.

So, if Zhang Yu wants to surpass the other party, he must raise his mana to a level of 9.5 before next Friday…

"No, we have to consider that everyone will improve."

"Then, to be on the safe side, it's best to raise the mana to a level of 10.0 before next Friday."

"There are eight days until next Friday. Within eight days, raise the mana from 8.3 to 10.0, a full increase of 1.7?"

"That's an increase of more than 0.2 every day… is that possible?"

Absolutely possible! Easily possible!

In the eyes of other teachers and students, Zhang Yu's rapid improvement these past few days must have been obtained by investing heavily and renting high-quality spiritual roots and venues.

But Zhang Yu knew that all of this came from his amazing potential and extreme self-discipline.

The level 4 Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Technique allowed him to increase his mana by as much as 0.5 in just 3 days. He believed that as the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Technique continued to upgrade, his mana increase would definitely become faster and faster.

"After all, in the Qi Refining stage, the highest level of a skill is level 10."

"A level 4 breathing technique is impossible for most first-year high school students to achieve in the first semester."

"And if I continue to cultivate, I'm afraid I can raise the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Technique all the way to level 8, level 9, or even level 10 in a short period of time, which is a level that many people may not be able to reach even after three years of high school."

Just as Zhang Yu was invigorated by this thought, he suddenly found Bai Zhenzhen reaching a chopstick towards his bowl.

"How dare you!" Zhang Yu scolded and raised his chopsticks to block.

Then, with the sound of clanging collisions, his chopsticks were easily knocked down by Bai Zhenzhen.

Feeling the familiarity in Bai Zhenzhen's movements, Zhang Yu was surprised: "Basic High School Swordsmanship? You've already learned it? And you've incorporated it into your chopsticks?"

Quickly grabbing a few pieces of meat from Zhang Yu's bowl, Bai Zhenzhen chuckled: "Is it difficult, Yu-zi? Isn't it just a matter of having hands?"

Zhang Yu thought: "Damn, she showed off again."

Bai Zhenzhen quickly ate a few mouthfuls of rice mixed with the meat she had grabbed, and said in surprise: "I didn't expect the pork ribs in the 5-yuan set meal to be quite delicious. I'll buy one next time too."

Patting her slightly bulging belly, Bai Zhenzhen burped and said, "Alas, eating any more will affect my tutoring class."

Saying that, she pushed the plate towards Zhang Yu: "Here's some extra food for you, Yu-zi."

Looking at the neatly arranged half-portion of 'leftovers' that Bai Zhenzhen had left untouched, Zhang Yu understood that this was intentionally left for him.

Seemingly because she understood Zhang Yu's financial difficulties, Bai Zhenzhen had often been feeding him during dinner these past few days.

Zhang Yu grabbed the plate, and while eating, he said, "A-Zhen, you don't have to consider my self-esteem or face or anything. With our relationship, it's okay to just give me money directly."

Bai Zhenzhen rolled her eyes: "I have to go to tutoring class. Eat slowly."

…

Outside the cafeteria.

A tall figure was standing in the nearby stairwell, staring intently at the direction of the cafeteria door.

A moment later, when he saw Zhang Yu walking out of the cafeteria door, this tall figure's spirits lifted, and he immediately followed.

Following Zhang Yu out of the school gate, when he saw the other party enter the stationery store across the street, Zhao Tianxing's eyes flickered, and he thought to himself: "Could this be where Zhang Yu gets his goods?"