You dare to cultivate without money?!-Chapter 33 - 22 Contracts

After Li Xuelian recounted Zhang Yu's situation, she heard a light laugh from the other end of the phone.

"Truly remarkable, but no need to take him in."

Li Xuelian asked in confusion, "Why?"

Master Xinghuo burst into laughter, his tone full of joy, "I've already found a true genius."

"Also a first-year high school student, only 15 years old, mastered the Heavenly Martial Refining Heart Technique in just half an hour."

"And he doesn't have any contracts on him."

At this point, Master Xinghuo couldn't help but laugh again.

Li Xuelian exclaimed in surprise, "Is there really such a prodigy?"

Master Xinghuo chuckled, "I've always said, the first layer of Kunxu never lacks geniuses, it just lacks people willing to invest in them."

"Think about the top scorers in each subject and overall of the college entrance exams each year. You should know how remarkably talented they are."

"But this type of genius, there are quite a few every year at the first layer of Kunxu, plus a group that's almost as good, cropping up year after year, like unending weeds."

"There are too many geniuses, I just hadn't found them before, always being beaten to it, but now I've finally got ahead."

Li Xuelian looked a bit regretfully in Zhang Yu's direction, asking, "Shouldn't we sign this Zhang Yu anyway?"

Master Xinghuo: "Forget it, all the resources from our family will be devoted to the real genius next, no need to spread them thinly."

...

Inside the meeting room beside the art exhibition.

Li Xuelian looked at Zhang Yu in front of her and said apologetically, "Sorry, this fellow student, my father has pressing matters, I'm afraid he can't take you as a disciple for now."

She spoke sincerely, "But you can feel free to use the Heavenly Martial Refining Heart Technique; I'll give you a usage license."

Li Xuelian gazed at Zhang Yu with a look full of admiration, "Lastly, I'd like to give you ten thousand yuan from my personal funds."

"No need to refuse hastily, this gift purely stems from my appreciation of your talent."

"I hope that the next time we meet, you've been admitted to a prestigious university."

"Oh, right, about those videos you recorded, involving distributing the Heavenly Martial Refining Heart Technique, you'll need to delete them..."

A moment later, watching Zhang Yu's departing figure, the smile gradually faded from Li Xuelian's face.

Even though Master Xinghuo didn't plan to take him as a disciple, Li Xuelian didn't wish to make an enemy of such a talented youth.

After all, whether it was the usage license of the Heavenly Martial Refining Heart Technique or the ten thousand yuan, it was no more than a trivial gesture for her.

Such casual small gifts given to young talents were innumerable for her.

But most eventually faded into obscurity, long forgotten by her.

After handling this matter, Li Xuelian went to meet several important guests, then eagerly looked forward to seeing her father.

She was extremely curious about the peerless genius Master Xinghuo mentioned.

...

On the other side, at the still ongoing art exhibition.

Bai Zhenzhen watched Zhang Yu coming out of the meeting room and asked, "How did it go? Did you refuse Master Xinghuo? Li Xuelian didn't make things difficult for you, did she?"

Zhang Yu recalled Li Xuelian's appreciative manner just now and shook his head, "She didn't make things difficult for me."

"Before I could speak, she refused me first, saying Master Xinghuo had other serious matters..."

"In the end, she even gave me an extra 10,000 yuan."

Hearing Zhang Yu's account, Bai Zhenzhen smirked, "Classic dismissive talk."

"Perhaps after looking into your record, she found you weren't that outstanding."

"Like how your monthly exam grades are too poor, no record of sterilization, your muscles are lacking, and you're heavily in debt..."

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Listening to Bai Zhenzhen's words, Zhang Yu smirked, "Azhen, losing and then resorting to personal attacks, is that it?"

Seeing Zhang Yu's smug expression, Bai Zhenzhen couldn't help but grab his shoulder, demanding, "Tell me, what advantage are you exploiting?"

"Come on, did you bribe some staff to gain insight into the martial arts map early?"

Seeing Bai Zhenzhen's jealous and ugly face, Zhang Yu chuckled.

Keep going Azhen, watching you all show your defeated state is my current amusement.

As they conversed, Qian Shen walked over from not far away.

He looked at Zhang Yu with a solemn face and asked, "Do you usually deliberately score poorly in exams?"

The trial of the Martial Arts Map had increased Qian Shen's resistance to high scorers.

But that a low scorer could outperform him left him utterly shocked.

Seeing Zhang Yu shake his head in denial, Qian Shen was unwilling, "Impossible, if not deliberately, why does your talent mismatch your scores?"

"Hmm?" Zhang Yu thought for a moment and replied, "Exams can't totally reflect a person's potential, right..."

Qian Shen directly interrupted Zhang Yu, excitedly, "Impossible!"

"College exams and the six major high school subjects are set by the Ten Major Sects to evaluate high school students, verified and adjusted by countless experts and strong individuals, it's the most perfect, scientific, and Immortal Path evaluation system!"

"Each subject and each score perfectly illustrate the full range of differences between people, including hereditary advantages, regional backwardness, and evolutionary incompleteness..."

Looking at Qian Shen's very serious demeanor, Zhang Yu realized he had underestimated the guy.

You aren't merely a score discriminator; you've evolved from score bigot to heritage bigot, regional bigot, even racial bigot, as a supporter of score-based caste, right?

In short, according to Qian Shen, high scores equal superiority, elite status, deserving of pride, and low scores equal incompetence, trash.

This formed his longstanding worldview, his confidence as a high-achieving scholar, and one could say, the rule for all top high schools.

"Humph, if you don't want to admit, then fine."

"But I'll report this to the school, hoping you'll show your real skills in the next monthly exam, and not deliver a lame 550-point 'incomplete evolution' score."

Watching Qian Shen's departing figure, Zhang Yu felt he had been insulted yet not really.

Beside him, Bai Zhenzhen thoughtfully nodded, "There's one point among his bullshit that you should pay attention to."

"The school will surely know about this situation, and might come to discuss signing a contract with you."

"A contract?" Zhang Yu curiously looked at Azhen, vaguely remembering hearing about it, but never quite understood the specifics.

Bai Zhenzhen explained, "You know, not everyone in high school is as wealthy as Qian Shen's family."

"For many poor yet academically talented students, investment is needed."

"And the school is one of the investors."

"Usually after starting sophomore year, based on students' performances and grades in the first year, they'll select some outstanding ones to sign contracts and invest in them."

"Of course, there are very few students who are exceptionally brilliant and dazzling; to prevent them from being quickly signed by others, the school will discuss contracts as early as the first year."

At this point, Bai Zhenzhen puffed out her chest, "Like me."

Zhang Yu: "Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

Bai Zhenzhen gave Zhang Yu a sidelong glance, seemingly saying you should've known how you used to be.

Bai Zhenzhen: "With your performance at this art exhibition, the school will surely talk to you about contracts, whether to sign or not..."

Seeing Bai Zhenzhen's conflicted expression, Zhang Yu asked, "Is signing such a difficult decision?"

Bai Zhenzhen sighed, "It's not that difficult, actually. It's easy to decide based on one's circumstances."

"What's difficult is whether one's understanding of oneself is correct or not."

Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu seriously, "For example, what's the secret behind your insights in the Martial Arts Map this time?"

But halfway through, Bai Zhenzhen waved her hand, "Forget it, we shouldn't pry; no need to tell me."

"In short, if you truly have confidence and aim to get into a top ten university, don't sign that contract now."

"Otherwise, if you're settled on going to an ordinary university, just take it if the contract isn't too bad."

Reflecting on Her words, Zhang Yu asked more about the school's contracts' details.

Shortly after their conversation, someone approached Zhang Yu, a cute and charming girl.

"Hello, you were so handsome just now, can I have your contact info?"

This had happened several times since Zhang Yu gained insight into the Martial Arts Map, even Lian Tianji from Purple Cloud High School added him.

Zhang Yu was gradually getting used to it; signing off on a sigh, he added her.

"Wow, even pretty girls are reaching out?"

Zhang Yu asked, "Classmate, which school are you from?"

She replied, "I'm Wu Qingqing from the Holy Girls' Academy's honors class."

Zhang Yu's expression suddenly stiffened; in Kunxu World, someone who looks like a man may not be, but an honors student in the Girls' Academy... that surely used to be a man.

Wu Qingqing seemed to sense Zhang Yu's change of expression and lightly smiled, "Oh, your thinking is pretty old-fashioned."

"Do you think our class is just about cheats getting into an elite school but actually having rotten grades?"

"Let me tell you, our class's top students won't lose to you; you'll see in the next city-wide exam."

Zhang Yu looked speechlessly at her departing figure.

No, is that what I was thinking about?

Kunxu, even trans people here consider scores first.

"Congratulations." Zhou Tianyi approached from the side, "Did you sign with the Golden Core True Man?"

Zhang Yu saw Zhou Tianyi, suddenly remembering how quiet he had been during the Martial Arts Map trial.

In the following moments, while acting as security, Zhang Yu interacted briefly with known and unknown guests.

As today's security duty concluded, his savings grew by 1,600 and 10,000, surging to 13,300.

After paying off the remaining 5,000 loan for the month, the balance in Zhang Yu's account fell to 8,300, freeing him temporarily from collection worries.