Chapter 535: The Feathered Child and the Jobless Elder

A series of muffled booms echoed from the depths of the University City, like waves of thunder exploding underground.

Feeling the constant tremors beneath their feet, everyone in the dorm room turned pale.

As students of the Civil Engineering Department—all of them at the Foundation Establishment stage—they understood exactly how resilient the structure of this University City was. Its explosion-proof and quake-resistant construction was nothing short of terrifying.

Even if they went all out with their cultivation techniques, it would be nearly impossible to shake more than one floor.

The fact that the ground now trembled so violently meant that something extraordinary was happening below.

Zhang Yu looked down, as though peering into the countless layers beneath them. A thought flashed through his mind. “Something terrible must be happening down there.”

At that moment, everyone’s EyeNet implants flickered at once. Yu Xinghan exclaimed, “We’ve reconnected to the Spiritual Realm!”

But before they could breathe a sigh of relief, they realized that although the Spiritual Realm seemed connected, it was nearly unusable.

At the same time, the image of a red-lipped, white-toothed child appeared within everyone’s visual field.

The boy spoke with a clear, composed tone. “Greetings to everyone within Wanfa University City.”

“I am a Nascent Soul Divine Lord of the Feathering Sect—you may call me the Feathered Child.”

“This time, I have come to visit your University to share the teachings and lineage of my Feathering Sect.”

Everyone in the dorm felt their hearts sink.

“Nascent Soul? The Feathering Sect has a Nascent Soul cultivator?”

Zhang Yu’s mind reeled. “How could these demonic cults possibly gain control over Wanfa University’s Spiritual Realm? Where’s the Principal? The Righteous Gods? Where have they all gone?”

Fu Ji’s tone grew solemn. “With the Ten Great Sects in conflict, it’s not surprising those two demonic cults seized the chance to act. But to do so openly, causing this much chaos… they must have backing.”

“Someone behind them?” Zhang Yu sighed inwardly, as though seeing an invisible hand from the upper layers of Kunxu descending to stir the world below.

A new file notification appeared in his EyeNet interface—filled with the Feathering Sect’s doctrines and teachings.

The Feathered Child continued, “What joy is there in life? What pain is there in death? Why struggle through a lifetime of bitter cultivation when you could burn away your mortal shell and be reborn anew?”

“All who believe in the Feathering Sect shall re-enter the cycle of reincarnation and, in their next life, be born as immortals, registered in the Celestial Records.”

“Do not seek eternal life—seek the next life.”

Then, the child’s face abruptly distorted and shattered. In his place appeared an elderly man with a kindly smile.

“I am the Old Jobless One of the Unemployed Devil Sect.”

Moments later, everyone received another document—this one detailing the Unemployed Sect’s teachings.

Zhang Yu deleted it immediately, just as he had the Feathering Sect’s file.

The old man chuckled. “Study every day, work, take loans, repay debts—do you really think you’ll ever ascend in realm? In the end, you’ll only suffer for life. Perhaps one day a Nascent Soul cultivator exhales, or blinks—and your entire lifetime of effort vanishes into dust.”

“And even if you manage to save a little money, what then? You’ll spend it all extending your lifespan, buying Spiritual Realm bandwidth—and in the end, it all goes to the Heavenly Court.”

“All your life’s earnings, your value, are stolen—by the Heavenly Court, by the Ten Major Sects.”

“Today, I offer you an opportunity.”

“For the next hour, the Spiritual Realm will be severed both inside and outside the University City. No Righteous God can monitor you.”

“The Feathered Child and I will suppress any interference. For this one hour, you may do as you please.”

“Elixirs and treasures? They’re right there in the shops.”

“Artifacts and Law Husks? They’re in the factories, waiting for you to take them.”

“My followers will soon begin looting the University City.”

“If you’re ready for a different life, if you want another chance—then join us.”

“Let’s take back everything the Heavenly Court stole from you—everything those so-called immortals tricked you into giving up!”

As the Old Jobless One laughed heartily, Zhang Yu felt a strange heat rise within him, a reckless impulse to burst out the door and follow.

He quickly ran his cultivation Heart Technique to suppress it, his expression hardening.

Glancing around, he saw the same flicker of temptation on the others’ faces—quickly pressed down again.

“If what that old man said is true, then the next hour will be… dangerous.”

Under normal circumstances, even such incitement would fail in Wanfa University City—most people would restrain themselves.

But now, after months of economic collapse, countless students were already seething with frustration.

Many were already at their breaking point—one step from ruin.

The University City was like a massive powder keg, and the Feathering and Unemployed Sects’ coordinated severing of the Spiritual Realm and psychological manipulation had just lit the fuse.

“If the Righteous Gods truly lose connection, many will take desperate risks…”

The Old Jobless One’s image vanished. The Spiritual Realm fell silent once more.

No matter how they tried, they could no longer reconnect.

Yu Xinghan licked his lips and whispered hoarsely, “Was that old demon telling the truth? Will the network really be down for an hour?”

Shi Huaiyu snapped, “Impossible! The three Nascent Soul Divine Lords of our University, along with countless Righteous Gods within and without, would never allow this. They must already be counterattacking. The Spiritual Realm should be restored soon.”

Shi Yunxiang bared his sharp fangs. “But the Feathered Child and the Old Jobless One… they seemed to be Nascent Soul cultivators too. If they could ascend right under the Righteous Gods’ noses, they must have some way to resist divine power.”

Xiao Qingxuan added, “Or maybe one of them is a disguised Nascent Soul cultivator with an official qualification license.”

Yu Xinghan sighed. “The University’s three Divine Lords are currently participating in the Top Ten League—they’re in combat against other schools’ Nascent Souls.”

“And now, with the network cut off, even if they want to return, it’ll take time. And who knows whether the Feathered Child and the Old Jobless One will block them?”

The group discussed endlessly, yet no answer could satisfy them.

The powers at play—Nascent Soul cultivators, demonic sects, Righteous Gods—were far beyond their reach.

Inside Zhang Yu’s mind, Fu Ji murmured, “It might be true. Even if it’s not a full hour, thirty or forty minutes is possible. Technology like this exists.”

“But the looting—that’s not their true aim.”

“The University’s real valuables are all heavily protected. No way they can break through in that time.”

“And even if they did, without proper authorization, they couldn’t use any of it. Without complete laboratory systems, they couldn’t even analyze it.”

“Their real goal… is to spread their faith.”

Fu Ji continued, “If they merely sent out their doctrines while the Righteous Gods still held control, most people would never read them before censorship kicked in.”

“But with the Spiritual Realm severed—how many will secretly read those files out of curiosity?”

“And in this economic crisis, their message will resonate even more strongly.”

“Once some people start committing crimes under the blackout, they’ll already have one foot in the demonic sects.”

Zhang Yu nodded grimly. He could already see it—after this incident, the University would harbor countless hidden cultists and sympathizers.

Then the ground trembled again, rumbling through the floors like an earthquake.

Yu Xinghan gasped. “It’s starting—the looting!”

Shi Huaiyu turned to Zhang Yu. “What should we do? Stay here or go?”

The others all looked to him—somehow, he had become their unspoken leader.

Fu Ji advised, “No matter how fierce these demonic Nascent Souls rage, or who backs them, the University will eventually return to divine order. It’s only a matter of time.”

“What you must do now is stay alive.”

Zhang Yu’s thoughts raced.

True Lord Magneto and his sister Zhang Pianpian had told him to stay in the dorm and wait things out.

“But their advice assumed the Spiritual Realm would function. No one imagined demonic Nascent Souls would descend—or that the network itself would collapse.”

“The professors still here are probably fighting those two demons right now.”

“Without the Spiritual Realm, the dorm’s protections are gone—it was never built for defense. Everything relied on divine deterrence.”

“If we stay, and something attacks us, no Righteous God will come to protect us. Is staying really safer?”

“But if we go out…”

A knock came at the door.

Everyone turned sharply.

Outside, Mo Shangjin’s voice called, “Zhang Yu, you there?”

“We’re heading to the Civil Engineering Department’s office floor to regroup with the teachers. Want to come?”

Zhang Yu opened the door to see Mo Shangjin with a group of Civil Engineering students—Xiao Yunji, Gongshu Jin, Ma Xuan, and others. Only Su Yanyang was missing.

Zhang Yu exchanged a glance with Yu Xinghan and Xiao Qingxuan, then joined the team heading toward the departmental offices.

Mo Shangjin said, “The Anti-Gravity Corridor’s turned into a battlefield. We’re taking the side Magnetic Channel—it’s quieter there.”