With gurgling sounds, Zhang Yu poured a large bucket of synthetic food into his mouth, swallowing it all in one go.
Immediately afterward, he circulated his Scarlet Marrow Primordial Qi slightly. With the movement of his internal organs, he accelerated the digestion of the food, and then took another bucket of synthetic food handed over by Bai Zhenzhen.
Having experienced the overload sprint and physical exertion of the previous round, Zhang Yu felt as if his entire body was parched, especially his chest, where his heart seemed to be constantly crying out for food.
Bai Zhenzhen was busy running around, constantly delivering buckets of synthetic food to him.
Compared to pre-made meals, synthetic food wasn't as tasty, but it was easier to digest and more suitable for Zhang Yu's current condition.
In order to facilitate better and faster digestion, and to avoid wasting even a bit of strength and nutrition, the synthetic food Bai Zhenzhen brought didn't even have any flavoring. It was just pure nutrition, added to Zhang Yu's body like refueling a machine.
Although it tasted terrible and disgusting, for the sake of the upcoming competition, Zhang Yu closed his eyes and tried his best to stuff these things into his stomach.
Besides Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, many other school students also came to the buffet area to eat.
There were ordinary high school students who had already been eliminated and were just there to get a free meal.
There were also students like those from Red Pagoda High School, who were large and had enormous appetites.
However, wealthy students like Yu Xinghan, Song Hailong, and Le Mulan were eating their own food and didn't come to eat with these students.
Hu Yuntao devoured the synthetic food in front of him.
Xiong Wenwu, in front of him, was even more like a whirlwind, swallowing bucket after bucket of synthetic food.
Seeing Xiong Wenwu's eating habits, Hu Yuntao couldn't help but admire him: "To prevent food from affecting his cultivation, Big Brother had his taste buds removed long ago. How many people can compare to that kind of determination?"
Xiong Wenwu glanced at Hu Yuntao and said, "The first two rounds weren't our strong suits. It's okay to be behind a bit."
"But in the upcoming strength trial, we must let everyone know that Red Pagoda is the strongest."
Hu Yuntao nodded fiercely: "Big Brother, I understand. Even if my hands and feet are broken in the next round, I will definitely hold on until the end."
At the same time, as Zhang Yu was eating frantically, two figures suddenly appeared in front of him.
It was Zhou Chechen, the vice president of the student council of Songyang High School, and Lan Ling, the head of the sports department.
Zhang Yu glanced at the name tags on their chests, thinking that these two guys must have gotten on Ziyun High School's good side to be able to come to the contestants' buffet area.
Zhou Chechen looked coldly at Zhang Yu, recalling the conversation he had with Ziyun earlier.
He thought to himself, "Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen probably used Zhang Pianpian's connections to receive technical modifications from Bailong High School."
"If Bailong makes this move secretly, and then announces after the competition that Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu have also received the latest body refinement technology modifications from Xianyun Group, then the number of ranked athletes under their name will exceed those of Ziyun or Red Pagoda, making them the biggest winner in this promotion of the new body refinement technology."
Recalling the deal Ziyun made with him, Zhou Chechen said indifferently, "Don't be too active in this round. Just participate casually."
Zhang Yu frowned and didn't reply, continuing to eat.
Zhou Chechen didn't seem to care whether Zhang Yu answered or not, and said lightly, "Your collusion with Bailong High School has been seen through by other companies."
"If you want to continue to be in the limelight, and think that Zhang Pianpian will give you an extra piece of meat, you should also think about how other companies will deal with you. Will the people behind you protect you?"
"Don't end up being sold and still counting money for others."
After saying these words, Zhou Chechen left with Lan Ling.
On the way out, Lan Ling asked in confusion, "Is that all we need to do? Don't we need to threaten him? Now that we have Ziyun backing us, we don't need to worry about Zhang Pianpian anymore, right?"
Zhou Chechen glanced at Lan Ling helplessly, thinking that this guy had really turned his brain into muscle. As expected, one shouldn't pursue extreme results in body refinement.
After thinking about it, Zhou Chechen explained, "This arena is now a battlefield for Red Pagoda Husbandry, Ziyun Pharmaceutical, and Xianyun Group. These three major companies are exerting their influence behind the scenes."
"If you try too hard... aren't you afraid of being crushed to death by the aftermath of the clash between these three giants?"
Seeing Lan Ling's thoughtful expression, Zhou Chechen further explained, "Just mention it to Zhang Yu slightly, to show that we made a move. Don't try too hard... in case you get targeted by Zhang Pianpian, or even the Xianyun Group."
"The reason we can trade with Ziyun is ultimately because our family has enough capital, and Songyang High School's transplantation technology is also what Ziyun wants."
"So we don't need to be like Zhang Yu, who only has a worthless life and has to go all out."
"What if he puts on a temporary show of glory? In the end, he won't be able to get into the Top Ten, he'll be a dog for others for the rest of his life, and he'll definitely be targeted by the company and sold by Zhang Pianpian for a good price."
Zhou Chechen recalled Zhang Yu's appearance just now and continued, "And look at how weak he looks. Obviously, he must have taken some kind of strong drug in the last round to catch up with Yu Xinghan. It may have damaged his potential, or ruined his health..."
"Plus, the pressure we just put on him will definitely have an impact on him."
"The next round is the strength trial, which is an advantageous round for Bailong and Red Pagoda. Zhang Yu's body has problems, and his mind is also affected, so his final result will inevitably be unfavorable."
"In this way, we've warned Zhang Yu according to Ziyun's requirements anyway, and Zhang Yu didn't get good results in the end, so that's enough to explain to Le Jingchen..."
Lan Ling nodded repeatedly, feeling that Zhou Chechen was indeed the vice president of the student council, and he was more thoughtful than him, the head of the sports department.
On the other side, Zhang Yu ate while watching Zhou Chechen and Lan Ling leave, thinking, "What were these two guys talking about just now?"
However, after hearing the word 'company,' Zhang Yu became a little more cautious.
After thinking for a while, he called Zhang Pianpian and explained the current situation of the competition.
Then he asked, "If I win against Yu Xinghan in the next round, will I be targeted by any company?"
Zhang Pianpian smiled and asked, "Can you win?"
After thinking about it, Zhang Yu nodded firmly: "I'm confident."
Zhang Pianpian: "Then go win."
"If you can take first place, I'll help you negotiate with Bailong."
"You just need to admit that you used the Xianyun Group's technology to improve your body refinement, and then wait to collect the money."
Hearing Zhang Pianpian's answer, especially the last word 'money,' Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen instantly became excited.
After hanging up the phone, the two of them swept away the remaining food like a whirlwind, stuffing their stomachs until they were bulging.
Touching his stomach, Zhang Yu let out a breath: "I'm full. Next is to digest, and then promote the body's growth and recovery, completely completing the breakthrough..."
Just then, Zhang Yu looked at the scars on Bai Zhenzhen's body, and recalled the strange state of Bai Zhenzhen after the sprint just now.
Zhang Yu suddenly said, "A Zhen, after we win the championship this time, I'll pay to get rid of these scars for you."
Bai Zhenzhen: "You said it! The hospital's treat is on you!"
The hospital's treat is a social activity that only close friends and relatives have in Kunxu.
Zhang Yu nodded: "Don't worry, has Dad ever lied to you since you were little?"
Bai Zhenzhen: "You son of a bitch..."
The next moment, the two came to a relatively secluded toilet.
Then Bai Zhenzhen hugged Zhang Yu from behind, leaned close to him, and said, "A Yu, I'll lend you the True Spiritual Root."
Zhang Yu was slightly stunned and said, "A Zhen, what about you then?"
Bai Zhenzhen smiled: "I can't break through in this one and a half hours anyway. It's enough to digest the food and recover some strength. I don't need the True Spiritual Root."
"But you kid, remember to take me to the hospital for a treat after you win."
With that familiar spiritual root drilling into his body again, Zhang Yu took a deep breath, nodded, and then walked into the toilet.
Then he took out a Primordial Pill that he had prepared long ago from the medicine box in his arms.
"I originally thought I wouldn't need to train today, so I wouldn't need it."
"But it's a good thing I brought it."
After all, Zhang Yu usually kept such an expensive thing as the Primordial Pill in his backpack.
The next moment, Zhang Yu swallowed the Primordial Pill in one gulp.
With the surge of medicinal power and the flood of spiritual energy, Zhang Yu had already fully activated the Scarlet Marrow Primordial Qi.
The muscles on his body tensed up, constantly absorbing the rampant medicinal power and spiritual energy in his body.
At the same time, his heart, which had been damaged in the previous sprint, was like a black hole, frantically absorbing the nutrients Zhang Yu had eaten, as well as the medicinal power of the Primordial Pill and the spiritual energy brought by the spiritual root.
His internal organs were like a rock crusher, constantly and thoroughly breaking down the synthetic food he had just swallowed, turning it into streams of warm current that poured into Zhang Yu's blood vessels, replenishing his limbs and bones.
And under long-term cooperation, the True Spiritual Root in his body had long been accustomed to Zhang Yu's cultivation of the Scarlet Marrow Primordial Qi.
At this moment, streams of spiritual energy were even being poured into his internal organs, filling those streams of warm current, accelerating Zhang Yu's digestion and absorption.
The largest stream of warm current naturally surged towards Zhang Yu's heart, accelerating its growth and strengthening in every minute and every second.
Under this constant supply, Zhang Yu's originally pale face gradually became rosy, and his breathing and heartbeat became more and more powerful.
Especially with the circulation of the Scarlet Marrow Primordial Qi, Zhang Yu's heartbeat was like a big drum, gradually making a loud booming sound that echoed in the toilet in front of him.
Outside the toilet, Bai Zhenzhen guarded the door, preventing others from breaking in, lest someone disturb Zhang Yu, or see Zhang Yu's training movements.
Lian Tianji, who wanted to chat with Zhang Yu, came here and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Zhang Yu is... cultivating inside?"
Bai Zhenzhen nodded and said, "The toilet is quieter, which makes it easier for him to concentrate on his cultivation and rest."
Lian Tianji glanced thoughtfully in the direction of the toilet, chatted casually with Bai Zhenzhen for a few words, and then left.
As an hour and a half gradually passed, Bai Zhenzhen listened to the movement coming from the toilet, and felt Zhang Yu's increasingly strong heartbeat. She gradually felt a sense of confidence in her heart.
"After Yu takes first place, takes first place, I must borrow money from him fiercely."
In the blink of an eye, an hour and a half had finally passed, and the final round of the sports competition, the strength trial with a total score of 150 points, officially began.
In the center of the arena, a two-meter-high platform rose up. Then, a giant pillar descended from the ceiling of the gymnasium.
The giant pillar was silver-black throughout, covered with layers of dense runes. It was made of some kind of unknown metal and was about five meters in diameter.
The giant pillar descended from the sky, extending all the way down from the ceiling, and finally stopped three meters above the platform.
This was the Sky Pillar of the final round.
The pillar could burst out a force of at least one thousand kilograms and up to one hundred thousand kilograms, accurately testing the strength limit of Qi training experts.
The many contestants in this round had to take turns to step onto the stage and support this Sky Pillar.
