Zhang Yu glanced back at Zhao Tianxing, still standing frozen in place. "Get to work, Little Zhao. You planning to stand there slacking off all day?"
Zhao Tianxing jolted and hurried after him. He couldn't resist another glance at Bai Zhenzhen, who was busy plating dishes nearby.
*If I tell people at school about this, nobody would believe me. Bai Zhenzhen — working a part-time job? Did something happen to her family?*
After another lap of patrol, Zhang Yu led Zhao Tianxing into an empty service corridor and promptly sat down cross-legged on the floor.
"Sit. Rest a bit."
Zhao Tianxing blinked. "But the captain said to keep patrolling. If he catches us—"
"The exhibition hasn't even started yet. What's there to patrol?" Zhang Yu waved dismissively. "And we're in the Central Tower. What could possibly go wrong?"
He grinned. "Besides, you wanted to chat, didn't you? Perfect timing. Let me tell you about the Way of the Security Guard."
Zhao Tianxing remembered Wang Hai's instructions. But before he could say anything, Zhang Yu delivered his thesis:
"The entire point of being a security guard is to slack off."
"What?"
Zhang Yu continued, Socratic in his approach. "If you patrol ten times or zero times, does your pay change?"
Zhao Tianxing hesitated. "I... don't think so?"
"If you're here or not here, does the security level of this venue drop?"
Zhao Tianxing scratched his head. "Probably... not? But—"
"But the time we steal back is ours." Zhang Yu closed his eyes. "I'm going to rest. We'll go back out when the exhibition actually starts."
---
Watching Zhang Yu settle into a breathing meditation, Zhao Tianxing grew increasingly nervous. Being caught slacking on the job felt like a ticking bomb.
He studied Zhang Yu's calm face — impressed by how the guy seized every spare second for cultivation, yet simultaneously baffled by the sheer size of his nerves.
*Wait. Wasn't I supposed to ask him about buying medicine? How did I end up discussing slacking off...*
Zhao Tianxing's eyes suddenly widened. He replayed Zhang Yu's words in his mind.
*If I ask a few more questions or a few less, would Teacher Wang Hai stop guiding me?*
*If Teacher Wang Hai didn't have me to investigate things, would he really be unable to find anything?*
*Did Zhang Yu already see through what I'm doing? Is he deliberately hinting that I should slack off too?*
He looked at Zhang Yu's meditating form again. Even the rhythm of his breathing seemed unfathomable now.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yu circulated his mana through a full cycle, pushing the Zhou Tian Qi Gathering Method to 13/80. By the time he opened his eyes, the exhibition was officially underway.
---
*Ms. Li certainly draws a crowd. Everyone here is either rich or powerful.*
Zhao Tianxing gaped at the guests streaming in. He didn't recognize any of them, but their attire and accessories practically screamed money. Even his father — a mid-level company manager with a decent income — couldn't afford half the luxury items on display here.
Zhang Yu nudged him. "Old Zhao, look at that."
Zhao Tianxing followed his pointing finger and saw a figure made of pure gold light walking in, surrounded by attendants. The person's skin gleamed like gold leaf, reflecting thin rays of golden light with every step.
"What is that?" Zhang Yu whispered. "A robot?"
Zhao Tianxing clamped a hand over his mouth, watching nervously until the golden figure passed without looking their way. He exhaled.
"That's the Songyang City Director of the Celestial Rhythm Group," he hissed. "Don't say stupid things."
"Celestial Rhythm Group?" Zhang Yu stared at the golden man. "Why does he look so... shiny?"
"That's a dharma skeleton. You don't know about them?" Zhao Tianxing took in Zhang Yu's blank expression and realized his family probably couldn't afford to know. He explained patiently, "Think of it like a prosthetic, but infinitely more advanced. In modern Daoist technology, dharma skeletons can replace any part of the human body. They preserve the original function while dramatically enhancing every capability."
He paused. "But you need at least 100 mana to get one implanted."
Zhang Yu's eyes sharpened. He knew 100 mana was the absolute ceiling of Qi Refining. "So you need 100 mana, or do you need to reach Foundation Building?"
"100 mana is enough. But this one is actually a true Foundation Building cultivator. Graduate of Wanfa University."
*Foundation Building old master, university graduate, coming down to Layer 1 to flex on a bunch of Qi Refining students. Right.*
As more guests arrived, Zhang Yu spotted two others with suspected dharma skeletons — one with eyes like gemstones, another with a halo glowing behind his head. They looked like entirely different species from the surrounding wealthy guests.
The three of them formed gravitational centers, pulling in every Qi Refining cultivator nearby, who hovered around them practically vibrating with the urge to kneel.
---
Zhao Tianxing seemed to be growing into his security uniform. He no longer flinched at every passing guest.
During their patrols, they caught fragments of conversation.
Some guests marveled at Li Xuelian's extravagant spending. Others debated the value and quality of the paintings on display.
Naturally, several discussed the Celestial Combat Painting — the one personally painted by a Golden Core True Person.
"Brother Li? Are you also here to comprehend the Celestial Combat Painting painted by Senior Starfire?"
"Naturally! If a genius under eighteen can master the martial art hidden within, Senior Starfire will take them as a direct disciple. That news has spread across the entire Songyang Daoist community. How could I not come?"
*Wait, there's news like that?* Zhang Yu thought. *And it's spread across the Songyang Daoist community? How come I didn't know?*
*Is it because minor cultivators don't deserve to know?*
He shelved the question for now and decided to execute his security duties. He walked up to the speaker.
"Sir, are you alright?"
The speaker was a young man with sharp eyebrows and star-bright eyes. He looked at the security guard with confusion. "Why wouldn't I be alright?"
He announced proudly, "I am Lian Tianji of Purple Cloud High School. Can't you see I'm talking with a friend?"
Zhang Yu and Zhao Tianxing exchanged a glance, then looked at the so-called "friend."
It was a box sitting on the table. The box had a distinctive wood-grain texture and was roughly the size of an urn.
*Schizophrenia? Studied himself into madness?*
Zhang Yu was vaguely familiar with Purple Cloud High School. It was a more prestigious key high school than Songyang High — one of Songyang City's three great academies. The original Zhang Yu hadn't even had the qualifications to apply. He couldn't have dreamed of it.
Rumor had it that Purple Cloud High's successive principals were known for their ruthless methods, suffocating pressure, and hellishly strict regulations. The school's legendary caste system — where failing students ate in the bathrooms and the weak knelt before the strong — was enough to make students at other high schools shudder.
Looking at Lian Tianji casually chatting with an urn, Zhang Yu had to admit: Purple Cloud High really did drive people insane.
But then the urn spoke. "Brother Lian, these two security guards seem to have misunderstood."
"I am Li Xingyu, a soul cultivator from Mount Mang High School."
Mount Mang High? Soul cultivator?
Zhang Yu remembered — that was the high school he'd once tried to apply to. He knew soul cultivators had lower total score requirements for the college entrance exam, following a specialized arts track. But the cost was surrendering one's physical body.
Looking at the urn on the table, he swallowed hard. *Mount Mang High really does turn people into ghosts.*
He and Zhao Tianxing apologized and backed away. Behind them, four rotor blades sprouted from Li Xingyu's box, and the urn flew off like a drone.
Zhang Yu silently thanked heaven that his original body hadn't chosen the soul cultivator path. Without a body, he couldn't even maintain proper Daoist dignity, let alone cultivate immortality.
*Wait — if that soul cultivator has no body, how is he supposed to practice the martial art from the Celestial Combat Painting?*
He recalled the information about the painting. *If it's true, then a lot of young geniuses under eighteen will show up, all trying to master the supreme martial art hidden in that painting.*
The prospect made him increasingly excited.
Four hundred an hour, and he got to watch a show. Maybe even learn a supreme martial art. Who said this job was bad? This job was incredible.
He turned to Zhao Tianxing. "What about you, Old Zhao? Interested in the supreme martial art from the painting?"
Zhao Tianxing shook his head without hesitation. He knew himself well. Something that only true geniuses or the wealthy could master had nothing to do with ordinary people like him.
Not only was he uninterested, he was already planning to stay as far from the painting as possible when it was unveiled. The thought of making a fool of himself in front of everyone was unbearable.
Then, just as Zhao Tianxing was finally getting comfortable in his uniform, he wished he could rip it off and disappear.
Zhang Yu spotted familiar faces. "Hey, isn't that Qian Shen? And a few others from our school?"
Qian Shen — the student who had ranked second in their grade since the semester began, perpetually chasing Bai Zhenzhen's score.
Zhang Yu patted Zhao Tianxing's shoulder. "Look, Old Zhao. Aren't those our classmates?"
Zhao Tianxing grabbed Zhang Yu and yanked him around. "Turn around! Don't let them see you!"