Self-Configuration - Fanatical Cultivator!

"Blade techniques that treat leather armor like paper..."

"At this level, back in the Eastern Zhou period, it would have been decent, making one invincible on the battlefield. But nowadays, it's completely insufficient."

"Many alien gladiators, even without armor, possess skin or scales with defensive capabilities equivalent to chainmail."

Zhou Zhe fell into thought, muttering to himself, "Practicing the Wind Riding Blade Technique is many times more difficult than the Wind Element Body Tempering Technique. But no matter what, before stepping into the arena, I need to at least raise it to level 2!"

Thanks to Lin Ye's gift, he not only learned the Wind Riding Blade Technique, a killer move, but also reached the third layer of the Wind Element Body Tempering Technique, just one step away from Grand Perfection!

In the Cosmic Arena matches several days later, Zhou Zhe's chances of survival increased significantly.

Even so, Zhou Zhe didn't slacken in the slightest and continued to cultivate diligently.

Life is his own, and there's only one. Once lost, nothing remains.

Money, wealth, power, fame...

All of it exists dependent on life.

He had to take responsibility for his own life.

Deities, who are almost omnipotent, seem to deeply understand the principle that enjoying something alone is not as good as enjoying it with others. Every Cosmic Arena match is broadcast live globally, and perhaps even across the entire universe.

Thanks to the live broadcasts, Zhou Zhe had also observed many alien gladiators.

Judging from the words and actions of some alien gladiators, it seemed...

The vast majority of aliens have a good understanding of the Cosmic Arena!

This Cosmic Arena is by no means a recent phenomenon, but rather a game of the Deities that has existed for countless eons!

Many alien species are born with extraordinary abilities, including but not limited to: spitting fire, transforming into ice, and emitting high-energy crimson laser beams from their eyes...

There are even some who possess naturally tough bodies, impervious to blades and spears. Even when firearms are permitted in the arena, small-caliber weapons might not be able to penetrate their defenses.

Cultivate!

He must make full use of every minute and second, cultivating frantically, to survive in the Cosmic Arena!

But...

Zhou Zhe, after all, was just an ordinary person.

Aside from his slightly higher-than-average looks, everything else about him was just average—his perseverance included.

The perseverance level of an ordinary person is such that after just making a resolution and swearing an oath to persevere no matter what, they'll give up their efforts dejectedly within a few hours, wasting time on leisure activities.

Slightly better individuals might last a few more days after reading motivational content.

Zhou Zhe had to admit—diligence and effort are also a form of talent!

But most people in the world lack these talents!

Including himself!

The chaotic thoughts and growing sense of frustration made it impossible for Zhou Zhe to continue cultivating.

"Sigh..."

Zhou Zhe sighed, slowly opened his eyes, and looked at the wall clock with a sense of helplessness.

How much time had passed?

Not even five hours, right?

"That's it?"

Zhou Zhe clenched his fist, filled with unwillingness. "Zhou Zhe, is this all you've got? Even with the strongest comprehension talent, this is all you can achieve?"

But then again...

If he were a diligent genius, even with average talent and intelligence, he would have already changed his own destiny.

But he wasn't!

Reason told Zhou Zhe clearly that he should be diligently cultivating the Wind Element Body Tempering Technique and the Wind Riding Blade Technique right now, but emotion controlled his body.

"I want to work hard, but my brain won't let me..."

The next moment, Zhou Zhe's eyes lit up!

"Appear!"

With a thought, the mysterious notebook materialized before his eyes.

Ink-blue lines intertwined to form text—

[Name: Zhou Zhe]
[Talents: Absolute Comprehension; Self-Configuration.]
[Skills: Wind Element Body Tempering Technique (Level 4/4); Wind Riding Blade Technique (Level 1)]

Looking at the [Self-Configuration] under the Talents section, Zhou Zhe felt his heartbeat suddenly quicken, and his breathing became slightly heavier.

"Self-Configuration talent."

"Judging by its literal meaning, it should be about setting one's own attributes?"

Zhou Zhe blinked. "If I set myself to be an omniscient and omnipotent deity... then..."

Ideals are grand, reality is harsh.

The very next instant, a line of explanatory text appeared on the notebook: [Self-Configuration] talent cannot directly affect matter and energy, and is only applicable to oneself.

So that's how it is...

Zhou Zhe felt a bit dejected, but quickly cheered up.

If he could directly set himself to be an all-powerful deity, what would be the difference from an invincible cheat?

It doesn't matter!

Even if it's just a personality modification for a short period, it's already incredibly overpowered!

Zhou Zhe's eyes narrowed slightly, a divine light flashing within them...

[Self-Configuration] talent activated!

Personal setting modification: Super diligent, ultimate effort fanatic cultivator!

Time limit: Until the Cosmic Arena begins.

In an instant, Zhou Zhe felt as if something had changed within him.

If there had been a mirror, he would have immediately noticed that his gaze had become much sharper.

However, there was no need for that.

Zhou Zhe's mind was filled with nothing but cultivation!

He immediately closed his eyes, his mind clear and focused, immersing himself completely in the cultivation of the Wind Element Body Tempering Technique and the Wind Riding Blade Technique!

At this moment, not a single distracting thought occupied his mind!

Cultivation! Cultivation! Cultivation!

Fatigue?

Drowsiness?

Annoyance?

Scattered thoughts?

Sorry, absolutely none!

Diligent and hardworking people can do whatever they want!

Zhou Zhe, who was passionately devoted to cultivation, could completely ignore these negative emotions and physical feedback!

Cultivation made Zhou Zhe happy!

In the time that followed, apart from eating, drinking, excreting, and sleeping, Zhou Zhe poured almost all his time into cultivation!

Time flew by, and it was impossible to tell how long had passed.

Zhou Zhe's frenzied cultivation was interrupted by a visitor.

For Zhou Zhe in his diligent and hardworking mode, time was life, the most precious thing right now!

If it were anyone else, Zhou Zhe would absolutely not waste his time meeting them, but this visitor was different.

Zhang Miaoran, the person who had given Zhou Zhe the Swift Wind Pavilion membership card.

The person who had given him hope to survive!

As the ancient saying goes, "A drop of kindness received should be repaid with a gushing spring."

Although Zhou Zhe didn't say it, he kept Zhang Miaoran's kindness in his heart and would never forget it!

Zhou Zhe was in a precarious situation himself and couldn't repay her kindness with a gushing spring, but when Assistant Zhuang informed him of Zhang Miaoran's visit, he immediately stopped cultivating and rushed out of the Swift Wind Pavilion to the main entrance.

The young girl in the gray dress stood gracefully, her dark hair by her temples swaying in the wind, carrying a hint of fragrance.

Seeing Zhou Zhe appear, Zhang Miaoran's eyes lit up. "Zhou Zhe, you seem to have changed a lot."

Hearing this, Zhou Zhe also took a moment to examine himself.

He smiled wryly and shook his head. "I've probably become a lot sloppier!"

He hadn't realized it while immersed in his cultivation mode, but now that he had snapped out of it, he immediately noticed the passage of time.

More than thirty hours had passed since he started cultivating!

During this time, apart from the necessary eating, drinking, and bodily functions, he hadn't even washed up, and his body was dirty, emitting a faint strange odor.

Zhou Zhe felt a bit embarrassed, but he quickly realized—the mysterious notebook had given him a powerful sixth sense, allowing him to clearly perceive others' goodwill, malice, and...

Affection.

The emotions emanating from Zhang Miaoran were an intense, fiery affection that Zhou Zhe couldn't ignore!

"Is this what it feels like to be loved?"

Zhou Zhe felt as if he were walking in a world of ice and snow, and Zhang Miaoran had provided him with a small cabin, where he could enter and sit by a burning fireplace to warm himself.

It felt warm and comfortable.

This was Zhou Zhe's first time experiencing such a feeling, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.

Lin Ye, who had been observing him, noticed Zhou Zhe's awkwardness. To ease the tension, she quickly asked, "Have you encountered any extraordinary abilities during this time?"

She had initially wanted to ask Zhou Zhe if he was confident he could survive the Cosmic Arena, but the words caught in her throat, and she swallowed them back down.

Some questions were better left unasked.

Zhou Zhe replied with a serious expression, "I'm not bragging, but my talent is quite good!"

"While I can't yet unleash eighty-meter sword energy with a casual swing or fly through the air by riding the wind like in movies and anime, but... compared to before, I'm already very strong."

Hearing this, Lin Ye felt a surge of happiness.

She asked softly, "How strong?"

A hidden question lay beneath her words—could he survive?

Zhou Zhe focused his attention slightly, and the mysterious notebook appeared before his eyes.

Skills:

[Wind Element Body Tempering Technique, Max Level (4/4) — Constitution greatly increased, Agility greatly increased.]

[Wind Riding Blade Technique, Level 2 — While wielding a blade, damage output slightly increased. Even with an ordinary blade, you can slice through metal as if it were mud! This skill's max level is 3.]

Involving supernatural powers, this was no longer a level that normal humans could achieve through conventional training.

If neither side could use firearms and only swords were allowed, Zhou Zhe could completely take on a hundred opponents and emerge victorious!

Of course, this was assuming the opponents were average adult human males on Earth.

Alien races were not included in this calculation.

After all, "alien" was a broad term, much like "foreigner."

What if some aliens could tear apart crocodiles when they were still infants?

As Zhou Zhe's thoughts shifted, the data panel in front of him vanished without a trace.

His gaze fell upon Lin Ye's pretty, delicate face, and he said earnestly, "I'm probably strong enough that if I punch someone, they'll have to quickly kneel down and beg me not to kill them."

His words startled the young woman.

A moment later, Lin Ye's face broke into a smile, a blush spreading across her cheeks.

She had been worried about Zhou Zhe's mental state, but it seemed her concerns were unfounded.

Lin Ye's subtle fragrance wafted towards him, and Zhou Zhe suddenly realized he had unconsciously moved too close to her...

Lin Ye seemed to notice it too.

Their heartbeats quickened by a couple of beats, and a subtle, intimate atmosphere formed between them.

"Zhou Zhe, Zhou Zhe, Zhou Zhe..."

The young woman stuttered, her voice trembling, "Promise me, you'll survive."

Zhou Zhe blinked in surprise, then responded with unwavering resolve, "I will! I will definitely survive! And when that time comes, we..."

Suddenly, a warm, magnetic male voice sounded from not too far away.

"Little Zhe, the weapon custom-made for you has been finished."

Lin Ye snapped back to reality, her face flushing, her ears turning bright red. "Ah, I have to go!"

Saying this, she lowered her head and scurried away.

Zhou Zhe turned around and saw his mentor, Lin Ye.

At that moment, Lin Ye was holding a long saber.

The scabbard appeared to be made of animal hide, treated to a dark blue hue that shimmered with a faint glow.

Lin Ye seemed to have recovered well; the shattering of the Wind Element Heart hadn't affected him significantly, and he even had the energy to tease:

"Girlfriend?"

"..."

Zhou Zhe didn't know how to answer, as his relationship with Lin Ye hadn't been clearly defined yet.

Lin Ye seemed to sense his awkwardness and didn't press the issue further, getting straight to the point. "I collected your body data earlier, and based on your height, arm length, muscle-to-bone strength ratio, and force application habits, I've custom-made this Tang Dao for you."

"Throw away that practice saber."

"Catch!"

With that, Lin Ye tossed the saber towards Zhou Zhe.

Clang!

The moment it landed in his hands, Zhou Zhe knew this was no ordinary item.

The saber was heavy, likely weighing around 30 jin.

It was too heavy, far too heavy!

This long saber weighed nearly ten times that of practice blades; an ordinary person would be utterly incapable of wielding it!

However, Zhou Zhe had already reached the Grand Perfection realm in his cultivation of the Wind Element Body Tempering Technique. His physical fitness surpassed human limits, reaching a Superman level. While not by a vast margin, it was enough to meet the standard for using this long saber.

The blade was evenly coated with a colorless blade oil, and the saber itself emitted a faint metallic scent.

This saber made Zhou Zhe feel an almost blood-related connection.

It felt natural!

It felt incredibly natural!

Weapons tailored to you were truly extraordinary!

It was as if this wasn't a weapon, but an extension of his own arm, a part of his very being.

The blade was already sharpened to an extreme degree. A mere brush of his finger against it left tiny bloodstains on his fingertip.

The blade gleamed silver, while the saber's spine was coated in a black-blue baked paint, adorned with cloud patterns, making it exceptionally beautiful.

A great killing weapon!

In the Cosmic Arena, a good weapon could practically determine one's life or death.

"A new weapon requires breaking in, and also skilled adaptation," Lin Ye said as he turned around. "Moreover, it's time to test the results of your cultivation."

"Come with me."

Zhou Zhe took a deep breath, calmed his emotions, and followed Lin Ye to the pre-prepared saber-testing room.

"Don't disappoint me..." Lin Ye murmured softly, looking at Zhou Zhe beside him.

Oh my god, this setup is finally out...

These two chapters combined are almost seven thousand characters! Two chapters are better than three! Requesting recommendation votes!