Chapter 13: Shock
The Funding Association was, in truth, a private organization within the Sect.
It had no official connection to the Guiyuan Sect.
Du Tian led Zhang Su to a spacious courtyard.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
Du Tian stepped forward and knocked.
The courtyard gate opened, and an Outer Disciple’s face lit up when he saw it was Du Tian.
"Brother Du, has Senior Brother Zhang chosen a funding offer?"
Du Tian shook his head. "Senior Brother Zhang isn’t satisfied with any of your offers. He has come to the Funding Association to negotiate in person."
Du Tian then stepped aside, revealing Zhang Su behind him.
"Senior Brother Zhang?"
The Outer Disciple immediately understood.
’This is Zhang Su, the one who’s been making a name for himself in the Outer Sect lately!’
"Senior Brother Zhang, your presence brings light to our humble establishment! Please, come in!"
The Outer Disciple’s attitude toward Zhang Su was extremely respectful.
Zhang Su walked straight into the courtyard.
The courtyard was temporarily rented by the Funding Association. There were many people inside, almost all of whom were Outer Disciples.
The Guiyuan Sect had a rule that only Outer Disciples were allowed to reside within the Outer Sect.
These Outer Disciples weren’t the sponsored geniuses, but simply hired with silver each month to keep the Funding Association running.
Zhang Su walked into the living room.
"Senior Brother Zhang, please wait a moment. The vice president of the Funding Association will be here shortly."
Zhang Su nodded.
Afterward, Du Tian whispered in Zhang Su’s ear, "The vice president of the Funding Association is named Yan Bo. He’s also an Outer Disciple at the Ninth Layer of the Qi Blood Realm."
Before long, Yan Bo arrived.
Dressed in a white robe, he had an extraordinary bearing.
"Junior Brother Zhang."
"Senior Brother Yan."
The two sat down.
Yan Bo began, "Junior Brother Zhang, you’ve probably received many funding offers by now. Is there something you’re dissatisfied with? If you have any requests, please feel free to state them."
"Requests..."
Zhang Su looked at Yan Bo and said calmly, "I do have a request. The funding you’re offering me is too low—it’s merely a Fourth-Level Funding."
Yan Bo understood instantly.
’I figured as much.’
Yan Bo smiled. "Junior Brother Zhang, the funding level is determined by the sponsors. You may be highly talented, but you’re currently overage. Within the Sect, it’s extremely difficult for an Overage Disciple to advance to the Inner Sect."
"Perhaps that’s what the sponsors are worried about."
"Being overage... is a problem. However, perhaps those sponsors don’t know my true talent!"
Yan Bo froze for a moment.
He carefully sized up Zhang Su, noting his completely confident expression.
’Could it be that Zhang Su has another card to play?’
Just then, Zhang Su mobilized the Qi Blood within his body.
BOOM.
Instantly, a powerful pressure of Qi Blood burst from his body and enveloped Yan Bo.
"This... He’s broken the human limit?"
Yan Bo was also at the Ninth Layer of the Qi Blood Realm.
He still hadn’t broken the human limit himself.
He had been constantly refining his Qi Blood, attempting to cultivate Inner Strength, but there was still no sign of it forming.
As a result, he only had about a Hundred Threads of Qi Blood in his body, making him extremely sensitive to any amount that surpassed that.
He could tell at once that Zhang Su’s Qi Blood far exceeded one hundred threads.
’That means he must have broken the human limit!’
And Yan Bo knew all too well what breaking the human limit implied.
Only by practicing a Top-Level Cultivation Technique was it possible to break the human limit and surpass a Hundred Threads of Qi Blood.
SWOOSH.
The color drained from Yan Bo’s face instantly.
He stared intently at Zhang Su.
"Junior Brother Zhang, you... you’ve cultivated a Top-Level Cultivation Technique?"
"No, I haven’t cultivated a Top-Level Cultivation Technique."
"You haven’t? Then how did you break the human limit?"
Yan Bo was bewildered.
"I practice the Heaven-Swallowing Blood Nourishing Technique."
"Heaven-Swallowing Blood Nourishing Technique? That sounds somewhat familiar..."
Yan Bo searched his memory.
He had been in the Guiyuan Sect’s Outer Sect for a long time.
He prided himself on being knowledgeable and well-informed.
The name of this Cultivation Technique was certainly impressive, and he felt like he’d heard of it before, but he just couldn’t place it.
"Wait, the Heaven-Swallowing Blood Nourishing Technique... that... Unparalleled Divine Technique?"
Suddenly, Yan Bo remembered.
’It’s not a Top-Level Cultivation Technique, but... an Unparalleled Divine Technique!’
In the vast Outer Sect, among tens of thousands of disciples.
There were many who dared to attempt cultivating an Unparalleled Divine Technique.
Hadn’t Zhang Su himself tried to cultivate an Unparalleled Divine Technique before?
However, the number of disciples who could even reach the entry-level, let alone break the human limit with an Unparalleled Divine Technique, could be counted on one hand!
Among all the Outer Disciples, only the top three had successfully cultivated an Unparalleled Divine Technique.
The other seven in the top ten all practiced Top-Level Cultivation Techniques.
"That’s right, an Unparalleled Divine Technique! Senior Brother Yan, with this level of talent, what kind of funding do you think I can get?"
Zhang Su’s gaze was fixed on Yan Bo.
"Breaking the human limit with an Unparalleled Divine Technique..."
Yan Bo’s heart pounded with excitement.
’That’s an Unparalleled Divine Technique!’
For the tens of thousands of disciples in the Guiyuan Sect’s Outer Sect, it was an unattainable dream.
Everyone was ambitious enough to want to cultivate an Unparalleled Divine Technique.
But who had ever actually succeeded?
Now, someone who had mastered an Unparalleled Divine Technique was standing right in front of him.
"Hahaha, Junior Brother Zhang, forget about those previous offers—reject them all! I’m confident that once this news gets out, you’ll receive countless third-level and even Second-level Funding offers!"
At this point, Yan Bo no longer mentioned the "Overage" issue.
Being "Overage" was a major problem for most Outer Disciples, even for some renowned geniuses.
But in the face of an Unparalleled Divine Technique, being Overage meant nothing.
As long as someone could master an Unparalleled Divine Technique, no one would care that they were Overage.
"Senior Brother Yan, I’m in a hurry. I’ll sign a contract with the first party to offer Second-level Funding."
Zhang Su stated.
This was also a way of doing Yan Bo a favor.
After all, this gave him room to maneuver.
Wouldn’t whoever Yan Bo notified first have a time advantage?
Yan Bo understood immediately.
He stood up and cupped his fists at Zhang Su. "Thank you, Junior Brother Zhang! Within one hour, I guarantee a Second-level Funding contract will be placed before you."
"Good. I’ll wait here."
Zhang Su then closed his eyes to rest.
He only needed one Second-level Funding offer.
As for what benefits Yan Bo might gain from this, that was a testament to Yan Bo’s own abilities and had nothing to do with him.
And so, Yan Bo immediately turned and left.
’He must already have someone in mind.’
Now, only Zhang Su and Du Tian remained in the living room.
A storm was already raging in Du Tian’s heart.
He was stunned.
Utterly stunned!
Others might not know, but Du Tian lived under the same roof as Zhang Su. He thought he knew Zhang Su’s situation like the back of his hand.
’How long has it been?’
’Zhang Su had actually mastered an Unparalleled Divine Technique without anyone knowing?’
’He’d even broken the human limit.’
Along with his shock, Du Tian also felt a deep sense of awe toward Zhang Su.
Because he could no longer fathom Zhang Su.
"Senior Brother, you could actually wait a bit longer. Someone might offer first-level funding," Du Tian reminded him softly.
But Zhang Su shook his head. "If I keep waiting, someone might eventually offer a First-level Funding Contract, but how long would that take? Ten days? A month? Or several months?"
"I’m already Overage. A month is too long. Every moment counts!"
"Besides, a Second-level Funding is enough for me to cultivate Inner Strength and advance to the Inner Sect. Once I reach the Inner Sect, any contract—whether for second-level or first-level funding—will have to be renegotiated anyway..."
Du Tian opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
He was right. Whether it was second-level or first-level funding, it would make little difference once Zhang Su advanced to the Inner Sect.
Zhang Su waited quietly in the living room.
Yan Bo had said it would take an hour.
But in reality, it didn’t even take that long.
Yan Bo returned in just half an hour.
Zhang Su opened his eyes.
Yan Bo stepped aside, revealing two women behind him.
One, a slender woman in a green dress, appeared to be a handmaiden.
The other woman wore a veil. She approached with graceful, light steps and bowed to Zhang Su. "Gu Ying greets you, Sir."
"Hm? Gu Ying?"
Zhang Su’s pupils contracted sharply.
’He had heard that name before!’