Chapter 510: Master Can’t Protect You

Every time Zhang Yu felt the touch of True Lord Magneto, his body would involuntarily shiver, as if he were a piece of meat on the butcher’s block being poked and prodded.

Especially after participating in the experiments led by True Lord Magneto and enduring repeated tests, this feeling only intensified.

Still, when he heard the question, he suppressed the emotional turmoil in his heart and replied, “I declined the offer from the Finance Department.”

True Lord Magneto said mildly, “The Finance Department’s offer wasn’t bad. In fact, it was something no other department could have matched.”

“You just rejected it like that? Won’t you regret it later?”

Zhang Yu replied with conviction, “Because I know the Finance Department isn’t right for me. The Artifact Refinement Department is the path I should follow.”

Upon hearing this, Director Gao’s gaze darkened, and his expression grew complicated.

True Lord Magneto, however, smiled faintly, as if eyeing a fine piece of material—an ideal test subject. While caressing Zhang Yu’s arm, she said, “Whether or not you’re suited to refine artifacts is debatable, but you’re definitely well-suited to become refinement material.”

“Aren’t you afraid that once you transfer to the Artifact Refinement Department, I might use you for refining?”

“Whether it’s using the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might from your body to enhance an artifact’s Earthfiend Gravity…”

“Or studying the mysteries of Nascent Soul Law Husks and using your materials to forge a yang-type artifact…”

“Both sound like good options.”

Zhang Yu’s body trembled slightly. He gritted his teeth and said, “Teacher, as long as I can join the Artifact Refinement Department, I’m willing to take those risks.”

Director Gao, watching from the side, suddenly tensed, his breathing growing heavier.

True Lord Magneto chuckled and pinched Zhang Yu’s hand. “These hands, having worked with Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might day and night and tempered by Earthfiend Gravity, are getting more and more suitable for transformation.”

“So, you really want to join the Artifact Refinement Department that badly?”

Zhang Yu looked seriously at her, his eyes filled with resolve. “Teacher, you know this—I have a dream. One day, I want to join a sect.”

“To get into a sect, I’m willing to take any risk.”

“And compared to the Finance Department, the Artifact Refinement Department is already the best path for me.”

True Lord Magneto asked, “Zhang Yu, your chances of joining a sect are very slim—virtually none. Even so, you're willing to risk everything?”

Zhang Yu answered, “I am.”

Director Gao trembled again as he watched. He murmured to himself, “Join a sect? Zhang Yu actually had this idea? Why didn’t he ever tell me…”

True Lord Magneto sighed. “If you really want to join a sect, the Civil Engineering Department can’t support such ambition. But why didn’t you apply directly to the Artifact Refinement Department in the first place?”

Zhang Yu said helplessly, “Because I’m poor. If I joined the Artifact Refinement Department right away, I wouldn’t even have enough money to finish the courses or complete the experiments on my own.”

“A teacher I met in high school told me I could join the Civil Engineering Department first, earn some money, and then find a way to transfer.”

Director Gao opened his mouth but said nothing. In his heart, he couldn’t deny it—his department truly couldn’t support Zhang Yu’s ambitions.

If he had known Zhang Yu’s desire to join a sect… what would he have said?

Apart from persuading him to give up, there probably wouldn’t have been another option.

Because in the Artifact Refinement Department, there was at least a faint sliver of possibility. But in the Civil Engineering Department? It was an absolute impossibility.

And with Zhang Yu’s financial situation, joining the Artifact Refinement Department directly would have been a dead end.

The only viable path… was to make money and transfer later.

Even so, the difficulty of this path was extraordinary.

Recalling Zhang Yu’s struggles over the past three years, Director Gao couldn’t help but sigh.

At the same time, True Lord Magneto asked, “Then what’s your plan for joining a sect? What will you do after transferring to the Artifact Refinement Department?”

Zhang Yu replied, “I want to enter the military competition in the Top Ten League and win an Immortal-Class Technique. If I can get one, my chances of joining a sect would rise.”

Seeing Zhang Yu’s determined expression, Director Gao sighed again.

Joining the military competition and aiming for first place to win an Immortal-Class Technique—this was something utterly impossible in the Civil Engineering Department, something he himself could do nothing to help with.

In fact, if Zhang Yu had voiced this goal while still in the Civil Engineering Department, others would have dismissed it as mere fantasy.

But watching how far Zhang Yu had come, even though the goal remained distant, he had been getting closer step by step. Director Gao had no choice but to admit—this student was utterly serious and utterly focused on achieving that goal.

In terms of future potential, the Civil Engineering Department couldn’t support Zhang Yu’s ambition.

In terms of benefit, the Artifact Refinement Department would yield far greater returns—and according to the contract between them, Zhang Yu’s future could bring Gao even more profit.

As for offering help, Director Gao could no longer do anything. He might even become a shackle, holding Zhang Yu back.

Watching Zhang Yu shoulder his ambition and press forward without hesitation, Director Gao realized he had no reason left to try and keep him.

Letting go willingly had become the most reasonable, the most correct choice.

Just then, messages began to flood in from the Civil Engineering Department’s professors, experts, and faculty.

Director Lin: Old Gao, the Finance Department already made a move. Get Zhang Yu back here to apologize—don’t let this spiral into something bigger!

Old Director (Soul Cultivator): Old Gao, what’s going on? I heard the Finance Department’s already making moves?

Director Gao replied: “Calling you Old Director is giving you face. Without it, you’re just a corpse.”

Then he blocked the old man.

But even after venting, the bitterness in his heart remained.

“In the end… I was just too useless.”

“Letting go willingly is better than tearing things open.”

“Magneto… you calculated that I’d do this, didn’t you?”

Thinking this, another sigh rose in Director Gao’s heart.

Seeing True Lord Magneto still treating Zhang Yu like a lab specimen, Gao couldn’t help but message her:

Director Gao: Be gentle. You’re nearly Nascent Soul stage, Zhang Yu’s only at Foundation Establishment.

Director Gao: I’ve spent years feeding him pills and setting up cultivation grounds, refining his body step by step. He’s now the golden standard for Foundation Establishment.

Director Gao: Make sure you forge him into a high-growth Law Husk.

True Lord Magneto: Don’t worry, Old Gao. For your sake, I’ll take good care of him.

Meanwhile, Director Gao opened Zhang Yu’s profile and began drafting a message in his head.

After one last look at Zhang Yu and True Lord Magneto, he sent:

Director Gao: Zhang Yu, the Finance Department has made their move. Your master is useless and can’t protect you anymore.

Director Gao: I’ve arranged for True Lord Magneto to handle your department transfer.

Director Gao: After joining the Artifact Refinement Department, study hard. Don’t forget your goal.

Zhang Yu’s body trembled sharply. He asked, “True Lord, is it true that Teacher Gao agreed to let me transfer?”

True Lord Magneto sighed. “Old Gao is a broad-minded man. Everything he’s done is for your future. You must remember to repay him someday.”

Zhang Yu said, “Teacher Gao’s kindness is as great as a second life to me. He’ll always be my teacher. I will repay him, no matter what.”

True Lord Magneto replied, “No need for empty words. Just stick to the contract, help Old Gao make some money, and keep him alive a few years longer.”

At that moment, Old Gao’s projection vanished from the Spiritual Realm.

When he awoke in his office in the Civil Engineering Department, a message from Tu Lishan was waiting for him.

Tu Lishan: Director, I heard some students say Zhang Yu’s been close with True Lord Magneto for a while now.

Tu Lishan: Before the Civil Engineering finals, I even heard him say he wanted to transfer to the Artifact Refinement Department.

Tu Lishan: Is that true?

Director Gao: I told him to say it—to boost morale before the competition.

Director Gao: It was all part of an arrangement with True Lord Magneto. Zhang Yu is going to refine his skills in the Artifact Department. Keep it to yourself and don’t spread it around.

…

After Director Gao left, True Lord Magneto’s eyes gleamed as she toyed with Zhang Yu.

“You’ve already finished the first three years of the Artifact Department’s curriculum, and even learned much of the advanced material.”

“But if you want to place in the Top Ten League, you’re still far from ready.”

Although Zhang Yu had decent talent and now benefited from a Nascent Soul Law Husk, which greatly accelerated his cultivation, the idea of joining a sect still seemed far-fetched to her.

Still, she wouldn’t crush his enthusiasm. If he had a goal, he’d be more motivated—and that suited her just fine.

The same went for the Top Ten League.

“Getting access to an Immortal-Class Technique has already been locked down by all the major players.”

“But no need to tell Zhang Yu that just yet.”

“Let him burn with ambition for now. Even if he hits a wall later, it’s not a big deal.”

With a faint smile, she said, “To compete in the Top Ten League, a single military-grade technique won’t cut it.”

Zhang Yu nodded. “Teacher, I understand. So my first goal after transferring is to acquire a military-grade technique from the Artifact Department.”

True Lord Magneto nodded. “In the Artifact Department, our military-grade techniques include the Grand Solar Saint-Law Sword Array, the Vacuum Cataclysm Diagram, and Heaven’s Solar Glory.”

“You could also count the Biyue Goldcrystal Armor that your Civil Engineering Department brought over.”

“In addition, there are techniques like Heaven and Earth Cataclysm Formless Mind-Weapon and the Void Artifact Codex.”

“Have you thought about which one you want?”

Zhang Yu grew excited just hearing about them. He wanted to learn every single one.

He shook his head. “Teacher, I don’t know which one suits me best. And I’m not familiar with the process to acquire these military-grade techniques. Do I need to wait for the Military License Exam?”

True Lord Magneto replied calmly, “Relax. We in the Artifact Department aren’t like the Civil Engineering Department. You don’t have to wait two years for an exam.”

“If you meet the requirements, you can earn a license without taking any test.”

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