No Money to Cultivate Immortality?
Chapter 10: The Feathered Tome

As the black Symbol in his palm shifted, a thick, jet-black tome suddenly materialized in Zhang Yu’s hand.

“The Feathered Tome?”

He blinked at the two large characters emblazoned on the cover, momentarily stunned.

Then, with a flicker of intent, the black book stirred in his grip, flipping open to the first page as if moved by an invisible breeze.

“This is... the table of contents?”

Aside from the prologue at the top, every subsequent line was an unreadable blur—like text smudged out by static interference.

“So only the prologue’s available for now?”

With another thought, he flipped to the prologue. On the left page was a detailed portrait; on the right, rows of stats and information.

“That’s... me?”

The image showed Zhang Yu seated cross-legged, eyes gently closed, lost in meditation. It was uncannily lifelike, as if the figure might start breathing at any moment.

Faint glimmers of light rippled within the image, and Zhang Yu instinctively understood—those represented the flow of Mana inside him.

On the facing page, the data read:

Zhang Yu

Dao Heart: Level 1

Mana: 7.7

Body Strength: 0.83

Martial Techniques:

Body-Refining Thirty-Six Forms – Level 1

Freehand Combat – Level 1

Dao Techniques:

Basic Breathing Technique – Level 1

Basic Heart-Forging Technique – Level 1

“This is me?”

“These stats list my Immortal Path attributes... The Dao Heart level’s the same as the school scans—rounded off, no decimals.”

“And these are all the techniques I’ve learned so far?”

The four techniques included the Body-Refining Thirty-Six Forms, which improved physical strength; Freehand Combat from martial arts class; the Basic Breathing Technique from Mana lessons; and the Basic Heart-Forging Technique to bolster Dao Heart. All were entry-level, stuck at level 1.

Zhang Yu frowned as he studied the numbers.

“So this is the potential the Evil God supposedly awakened in me? The Codex can scan my attributes?”

“But... is that all it does?”

He recalled what the Evil God said—awakening potential. But if all it did was provide a readout, how was that any different from the scanners at school?

“There’s got to be more to it.”

He decided to test it. Focusing on the stat panel, he mentally commanded, “Feathered Tome! Add points!”

Nothing happened. The numbers remained stubbornly still.

Zhang Yu sighed. “Figures. Some 'potential awakening'...”

He flipped to the next page—only to be met with four large characters: “To Be Continued.”

Remembering the blurred-out sections of the contents page, he speculated, “Wait... can this Codex level up too? Unlock more features over time?”

He returned to the front pages, refocusing on each line of stats and techniques, hoping something would trigger.

When his attention landed on “Body-Refining Thirty-Six Forms – Level 1,” the text flickered.

To his surprise, it lifted off the page, drifting about under his mental control.

“What the hell?”

He dragged it around for a bit, unsure what he was even supposed to do with it.

Then the string of text brushed against his portrait—and was instantly absorbed into it.

Zhang Yu felt a rush, as if a spring had poured directly into his skull, flooding him with a strange, indescribable sensation. It was like the image and he were suddenly connected.

At the same time, the seated figure in the portrait stood up—and began to demonstrate the Body-Refining Thirty-Six Forms, move by move.

Above the figure, a new line of text appeared:

Body-Refining Thirty-Six Forms – Level 1+

Zhang Yu’s heart leapt at the tiny plus sign. “There it is! My potential really was awakened!”

He honed in on the “+” with his thoughts—like mentally tapping a button.

In the next instant, the plus symbol blurred and was replaced with: (0/10)

Suddenly, he just knew: Practice the Body-Refining Thirty-Six Forms ten times to upgrade the technique.

“Ten times for a level-up?”

He stared, stunned. He’d practiced this form countless times since the semester started, but it never showed signs of leveling up before.

“Just ten times, huh?”

Zhang Yu could hardly wait. He took a step forward—and with a loud crack, his entire body twisted like a coiling python, muscles bursting with explosive force.

Back at school, he usually used exercise equipment when practicing. That was just to boost efficiency.

But the Body-Refining Thirty-Six Forms was the most basic body-strengthening martial art. It could be practiced anywhere, with or without equipment. Students could even tailor their training—focusing on strength, speed, or agility.

The old Zhang Yu had chosen a balanced path—enhancing both strength and speed without turning into a bulky hulk.

Now, in his cramped rental room, Zhang Yu darted back and forth, each step thudding against the floor as his muscles bulged and contracted, body gradually heating up.

But before he could complete a few moves, angry voices rang through the wall: “You crazy? Tearing the place down in the middle of the night?!”

He stopped at once and sighed. “These paper-thin walls... I can’t train at night here.”

Looking down at the glowing Feathered Tome in his palm, he couldn’t suppress the itch to go all-out and grind through ten sets.

“Maybe I should find a new spot.”

“I remember there’s an unfinished building nearby…”

…

Darkness.

The sound of pounding echoed through the stairwell of a skeletal, abandoned high-rise.

Under flickering neon light from a nearby street, a teenage figure flashed in and out of shadow.

It was Zhang Yu, who had come to the abandoned building to practice the Body-Refining Thirty-Six Forms.

His gaze was sharp, his movements precise. Within moments, he was drenched in sweat, body steaming.

He had already trained all morning and collapsed from exhaustion. Without injections, elixirs, or Nutritional Cultivation to aid him, each move now pulled painfully at torn muscle and strained tendon.

But the change in the Feathered Tome drove him onward.

Despite the burning ache, he forced himself to complete a full round.

Panting, he opened his palm again, and the Codex emerged.

There it was:

Body-Refining Thirty-Six Forms – Level 1 (1/10)

His face lit up with joy.

“So this is my potential?”

“I can really get it to level 2... tonight!”

Without a second thought, he launched into the second round.

But soon after, his body gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor, limbs like jelly.

“No good... I’m spent. Looks like I’ll have to continue tomorrow.”

Just as he resolved to call it a night and get some rest, a wave of dread surged through him.

A voice echoed in his mind:

“Please abide by the terms of the ritual. Fulfill your wish with effort. Do not intentionally slack off or delay. 10.”

“Please abide by the terms of the ritual. Fulfill your wish with effort. Do not intentionally slack off or delay. 9.”

“Please abide by the terms of the ritual. Fulfill your wish with effort. Do not intentionally slack off or delay. 8.”

The countdown continued. The dread in his gut deepened—something inside him threatened to burst free and shred his flesh from within.

“The ritual… the wish…”

He suddenly recalled what the ragdoll had said.

…

“If you refuse to fulfill the wish—or if you delay, slack off, or fail on purpose—the ritual backlash will tear your body apart and scatter your soul.”

…

Zhang Yu’s thoughts raced. “So… because I planned to fulfill my second wish by studying hard, getting into a top sect, and making money…”

“Even just slacking off a bit along the way is seen as stalling?”

“And if I ignore it… the ritual backlash might kill me?”

The countdown had already reached 3.

Zhang Yu sprang to his feet.

With a howl of pain, he forced his torn muscles into motion, resuming his practice of the Body-Refining Thirty-Six Forms.

The moment he began, the countdown vanished without a trace.