You dare to cultivate without money?!
Chapter 89 - 89 69 Hidden Spirit Root

89: Chapter 69 Hidden Spirit Root 89: Chapter 69 Hidden Spirit Root Not long after, as the last contestant stepped down from the stage, all the scoring for the contestants on-site was completed.

During this time, two other contestants from different high schools withdrew from the tournament, leaving a total of 33 contestants to be divided into 8 groups for the elimination rounds.

Seven of these groups had four contestants each, who would draw lots to face each other in pairs, eliminating opponents until one remained.

One group, however, had five contestants, who, after drawing lots, would have matchups with one contestant getting a bye, eliminating opponents until one remained.

Thus, each of the 8 groups would have one person remaining, forming the top 8 finalists in this competition.

After the scoring phase ended, there was a break period.

Zhang Yu stretched lazily and wanted to accompany Bai Zhenzhen to the bathroom.

But after searching for a long time, they couldn’t find any sign of a bathroom around the competition venue.

Seeing Song Halong walking by, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but ask, “Do you know where the bathroom is?”

Song Halong smiled arrogantly and said, “White Dragon High School doesn’t have a bathroom.”

“Huh?” Zhang Yu was shocked.

“Do you just go anywhere?”

Song Halong’s face darkened, and he replied coldly, “At White Dragon High School, both teachers and students have undergone digestive system modification surgeries, so there’s no need for such outdated, dirty, and time-wasting places like bathrooms.”

Zhang Yu was speechless.

“Then what should we do?”

Song Halong said indifferently, “You can try looking on the first floor.

There might be bathrooms left for the lower class people there.”

So Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen managed to find two simple toilets outside the hallway on the first floor, with a fee of 10 bucks per person.

After borrowing money from Qian Shen, they both cussed and grumbled while finishing their bathroom visit.

When they returned to the competition venue, the groupings for the 8 groups had been completed.

Simultaneously, eight huge stages rose on-site, where the elimination rounds for the 8 groups would be conducted concurrently.

Looking at the groupings, Zhang Yu sighed with relief, “Luckily, Azhen isn’t in the same group as me.”

“But Azhen’s group…”

Looking at the high-scoring contestants in Bai Zhenzhen’s group, Zhang Yu slightly frowned, “They are very strong.”

It was a demon descendant contestant from Red Tower High School.

With a humanoid body, a tiger’s head, and a coat of tiger fur, it looked like a humanoid tiger.

In Zhang Yu’s Heavenly Eye Talisman’s inspection earlier, the top of the contestant’s head displayed a series of component assessments.

Protection Zone | Dragon and Tiger Demon Blood | Medicine Barrel | Steel Bones

Zhang Yu recalled Lei Jun’s translation regarding this: “From the Demon Descendant Protection Zone, containing a mixed bloodline of tiger demon and dragon blood, having consumed a lot of medicine, and undergone some bone-modification surgery.”

Zhang Yu thought to himself, “I remember he scored 266 points in the scoring match, right?

He was the second highest scorer among Red Tower High School students.”

Based on Zhang Yu’s observation of his performance in the scoring match, from his understanding, this demon descendant named Hu Yuntao was indeed a high-powered, high-agility, high-attack, high-defense hexagonal warrior, showing no obvious weaknesses in combat.

“This guy didn’t participate in the magic contest last time; he probably isn’t good at mana control.”

“But coming to the martial arts contest indicates his actual combat skills are particularly strong.”

Zhang Yu’s gaze swept over the opponent’s hands, which emitted a cold light with sharp claws, “Shouldn’t the monster contestants have their claws trimmed off?

Isn’t this akin to bringing your own weapons?

So unfair!”

“This must be the type of opponent Azhen hates the most.”

With a hint of concern, Zhang Yu headed to his assigned group competition area.

“Please don’t go bankrupt, Azhen.

I can’t lend you any more money.”

…

Bai Zhenzhen arrived at her group competition area.

She saw the other three contestants had already arrived, coming from White Dragon High School, Purple Cloud High School, and Red Tower High School respectively.

And the most eye-catching was the contestant from Red Tower High School, who looked more like a tiger-headed nerd than a person.

Then the four of them began the drawing, and Bai Zhenzhen drew Hu Yuntao.

After the duel between the two, the winner would battle the victor from the other two, determining the finalist for this group.

Bai Zhenzhen touched her lower abdomen, feeling the concealed power within, and slowly walked toward the stage.

“I have endured for so long, at last, I get a chance to use you.”

“Today, it’s finally my turn to amaze everyone and soar high!”

Opposite her, Hu Yuntao casually walked onto the stage, seemingly disregarding Bai Zhenzhen, appearing distracted.

…

Hu Yuntao, like Xiong Bufan who participated in the magic contest, was from the breeding base of the demon descendant protection zone.

But Hu Yuntao never felt ashamed of this identity nor considered the demon descendant identity inferior.

On the contrary…

within Hu Yuntao was a sense of pride, a pride in his race and bloodline.

Because Hu Yuntao had dragon lineage, his body contained the bloodline of a dragon, making him far nobler than those ordinary humans!

In the protection zone, Hu Yuntao’s ‘father’, a director of Red Tower High School, would sow seeds every month for the maternity bodies of various races in the breeding base, making them conceive ‘father’s children.

Each month, there were hundreds or thousands of demon descendants born in the breeding base, inheriting the dragon’s bloodline from ‘father’, making them extraordinary from birth.

From the womb, these children would be injected with various drugs and undergo adaptability training continually.

Weak ones go to work, strong ones go to school — this was the principle Hu Yuntao learned while growing up.

Since young, those who couldn’t adapt to the drugs would be sent to work in food factories.

Once grown, those found lacking in intelligence would work as employees in the ecological protection zone.

As they grew further, those with insufficient potential would work in clothing, leather, textile factories…

etc.

Only after passing one challenge after another, breaking free from one job opportunity after another, could one reach the paradise known as Red Tower High School.

There, they would sign a contract with ‘father’ and be truly recognized as his son.

Thus, getting the opportunity to continue studying and taking university entrance exams.

I don’t want to labor!

I want to study!

This is the cry in every demon descendant’s heart in the breeding base.

And Hu Yuntao, was such a school director’s son who passed all those challenges to study at Red Tower High School.

He went through countless trials, broke through multiple job detours, and finally earned the qualification to attend high school and take university exams.

Now, he aimed to defeat all opponents in this competition with the bloodline bestowed by his father, making his father proud!

…

On stage.

With the referee’s countdown of 3!

2!

1!, Hu Yuntao swiftly charged, his claws bringing a chilly, metallic sensation akin to sharp blades, intending to slash at Bai Zhenzhen.

The woman in front of him was far inferior to him in terms of build, strength, or speed.

Hu Yuntao was confident in tearing her arms, ripping her throat, and utterly defeating her in the next instant.

“This strike alone costs you a medical fee of six hundred thousand.”

However, in the next moment, a surge of intense threat flooded him, instinctively causing Hu Yuntao to halt and retreat hurriedly.

Upon looking again at Bai Zhenzhen ahead, he felt threads of spirit machine converging toward her, even gathering at her fingertips, emitting a faint sword light.

Hu Yuntao’s eyes flickered.

“Combat Spirit Root?”

…

In the audience.

Qian Shen, watching Bai Zhenzhen’s side of the stage, curiously asked, “What kind of Spirit Root is that?

I don’t feel like I’ve seen it before.

But the commotion in attracting the spirit machine is significant; it should be a Heavenly Spirit Root, right?”

Zhao Tianxing, beside him, remarked, “No wonder Azhen doesn’t even have money for food; she must have spent it all renting the Combat Spirit Root.

It seems she really wants to win.”

Considering the travel back and forth and the hours needed for the competition, Zhao Tianxing estimated that renting this Combat Spirit Root must cost tens of thousands, and he couldn’t help but click his tongue.

Participating in this martial arts competition indeed costs a lot.

…

On stage.

Bai Zhenzhen, feeling the spirit machine filled in every part of her body, thought to herself, “Everyone must assume I’m renting a Combat Spirit Root for this martial arts competition, huh?”

But Bai Zhenzhen knew differently.

Instead of renting a Spirit Root, she’d prefer to spend money on elixirs and cultivation techniques.

After all, she naturally had a Spirit Root.

To hide this Spirit Root within her, Bai Zhenzhen felt as if she had been holding in the need to go to the bathroom since she was a child, and this holding…

has lasted ten years now.

“Azhen, you must control yourself not to absorb the spirit machine.

Don’t let anyone find out about your Spirit Root.”

Countless mornings, the first thing Bai Zhenzhen heard upon waking was those words.

“Azhen, hold on!

Don’t stir the spirit machine; don’t let anyone find out about your Spirit Root.”

Countless nights, awakened by those words, Bai Zhenzhen had to regain control over her Spirit Root, compelling it to stop.

“Azhen, I know it’s difficult, but only if you control it and hide your Spirit Root can we return to Songyang.”

It was like being unable to breathe when meeting air, unable to drink when encountering water, unable to use the bathroom when needing to relieve herself.

Don’t let anyone find out about your Spirit Root!

Don’t let anyone find out about your Spirit Root!

Don’t be discovered!

Don’t be discovered!

Bai Zhenzhen held it in, held it in…

until one day, she felt like her Spirit Root was stifled away.

That day was Bai Zhenzhen’s happiest since she became aware.

After 9 years of suppressing, hiding the bothersome thing was finally gone, and she no longer had to hold it in.

But soon she realized the Spirit Root hadn’t vanished but instead hid itself, as did more than just the Spirit Root…

After holding her breath time and again, the Spirit Root hid with her.

She was like a ghost, unseen and unnoticed by anyone…

or perhaps everyone was like a ghost to her too, with no one to communicate with.

That night…

it seemed like the entire world was left with only her.

Until she found a way to let people see her again.

…

Watching the spirit machine rushing toward Bai Zhenzhen more and more violently, Hu Yuntao decided not to give her any more time and roared as he charged again.

But in the next moment, Bai Zhenzhen disappeared from his sight.

Hu Yuntao widened his eyes, scanning the entire stage.

No!

No!

No!

A stealth-type Combat Spirit Root?

To locate her, he abruptly retreated to a corner of the stage, scanning the entire stage, yet he saw not a trace of Bai Zhenzhen.

Could it be…

In the next moment, he suddenly felt an intense sense of danger.

Suddenly reappearing in front of him, Bai Zhenzhen pointed a finger at Hu Yuntao’s Dantian.

Although the move was quick and dangerous, Hu Yuntao’s reaction was quick and swift—almost as if sparks flew as he clawed at Bai Zhenzhen’s extended sword finger.

“Hmph!

With weaker strength and slower speed, even taking your opponent by surprise, what makes you think you can win against me?”

But the next moment, as if she had foreseen Hu Yuntao’s attack trajectory, Bai Zhenzhen maneuvered her sword finger back.

Hu Yuntao attempted to chase, only to feel a pain in his foot and was tripped by Bai Zhenzhen.

Everything seemed so fitting as if he had actively rushed to be tripped.

With a soft thud, Hu Yuntao looked at himself falling off the stage, his heart full of unwillingness.

Roar!

“I am not convinced, I haven’t exerted my full strength yet!”

Watching the ranting and finally carried away by the referee by the nape, Hu Yuntao, Bai Zhenzhen casually flicked her fingers.

“Idiot, I haven’t used my full strength either.”

This battle, Bai Zhenzhen wins!