That Was It?

After his spiritual energy ran out, Jiang Liu didn't leave Stage 1-7. Instead, he turned around and crossed swords with the Lingyun Sect Outer Elder.

Swordsmanship, footwork, movement techniques.

With a sparring partner as tough as a punching bag, Jiang Liu's combat experience improved by leaps and bounds. It took only a short time for him to go from being completely overwhelmed to turning the tables and killing his opponent.

When his spiritual energy recovered, he used the Lingyun Sect Outer Elder to practice his aim with Heart Piercing Drop.

When his spiritual energy ran out, he used the Lingyun Sect Outer Elder to practice swordsmanship, footwork, and movement techniques.

The Lingyun Sect Outer Elder was a true talent scout!

One hour, two hours, three hours.

Jiang Liu went from having the time of his life to growing impatient. After killing the Lingyun Sect Outer Elder dozens of times, he brought his sword down one last time and resolutely entered the Stage 1-8 story level.

He died because of me. I should let him go.

Once Jiang Liu realized that the Lingyun Sect Outer Elder was helping him less and less, he abandoned him without hesitation and threw himself into the embrace of Stage 1-8.

However, Stage 1-8 wasn't the battle level he'd expected. It was a story level.

The scene shifted.

The protagonist, who had killed the Lingyun Sect Outer Elder with a sword strike like a swimming dragon at the City Lord's Manor, was now a prisoner.

After entering Immersive Experience, Jiang Liu found himself inside a prison cart, his hands shackled. His mind filled with question marks.

[You killed the Lingyun Sect Outer Elder. The City Lord was furious and ordered three hundred elite soldiers to capture you. He also sent word to the Lingyun Sect, which dispatched several disciples to escort you to its grounds.]

Jiang Liu: "?????"

What kind of dogshit plot was this?

The Lingyun Sect killed your daughter, and I avenged her. Then you turn around and sell me out?

Was this NPC just asking to be cursed out?

Jiang Liu didn't even want to play through garbage like this. He chose to skip it outright.

Stage 1-8 skipped. Entering Stage 1-9.

The scene shifted again.

In Stage 1-9, Jiang Liu found himself being held in a bronze hall. A dozen or so Lingyun Sect disciples in white robes surrounded him, while the Lingyun Sect Master and several elders stood in front, discussing what to do with him.

[How dare he kill a member of my Lingyun Sect? This villain must be beheaded in public to uphold the sect's prestige!]

[Beheading is too good for him! Give him a thousand cuts!]

[Why not lock him in the Thunder Demon Cave and keep him from ever finding peace?]

Good grief. They weren't discussing what to do with him. They were discussing how to kill him.

Skip, skip.

Stage 1-9 skipped. Reaching the final level of Chapter One.

It was time to fight the BOSS!

Jiang Liu's heart skipped a beat, and he focused all his attention on the game.

When he entered the final level, Stage 1-10, he found himself in a martial arts arena. Across from him stood a dashing young man in his twenties.

Above the young man's head was the label "Lingyun Sect Senior Disciple." Jiang Liu checked his information and saw that he was only at Qi Refining Layer 9.

How could the Senior Disciple of such a huge sect only be at Qi Refining?

How embarrassing!

[Knowing you are about to die, you unleash a stream of curses in the Lingyun Hall in your despair, denouncing every member of the Lingyun Sect as a villain and provoking the wrath of the crowd.]

[Just as the Great Elder is about to kill you on the spot, the long-silent Lingyun Sect Master speaks.]

[Seeing that you have reached Qi Refining Layer 8 at such a young age, the Lingyun Sect Master takes a liking to your talent. He promises you in front of everyone that if you can defeat the Lingyun Sect Senior Disciple, he will spare your life and allow you to become an elite disciple of the Lingyun Sect.]

[Overjoyed, you accept the challenge. At the same time, you shoot the elders a subtle glance filled with hatred and secretly swear that if you survive...]

Hm?

Jiang Liu had been a little disappointed by the earlier events, but the moment he saw that last line, he jolted with excitement.

What was this leading up to?

Join the Lingyun Sect and then purge it from within?

Now that was a plot he could get behind!

Let's do this!

[Battle begins]

The instant the countdown ended, Jiang Liu raised the Sunrise Sword in one hand and used Heart Piercing Drop with the other, aiming straight for the Lingyun Sect Senior Disciple's heart!

After practicing countless times on the Lingyun Sect Outer Elder, Jiang Liu could now send Heart Piercing Drop exactly where he wanted. This single drop could pierce the heart of anyone below Qi Refining Layer 8!

And yet—

It missed.

The Lingyun Sect Senior Disciple's figure swayed. He took a step using some mysterious footwork, and his body shifted into three afterimages. With effortless ease, he dodged Heart Piercing Drop and appeared in front of Jiang Liu in the blink of an eye.

The few meters between them vanished in an instant.

Jiang Liu had gained some real combat experience by now. He wasn't too surprised when Heart Piercing Drop was easily dodged. He was just about to step back when the three afterimages rushed toward him, their speed making his scalp tingle.

So fast!

So many!

He'd only ever trained one-on-one with the Lingyun Sect Outer Elder. When had he ever been surrounded and attacked by three opponents?

What kind of movement technique was this? How could one person become three?

In a daze, he flailed about in a panic—and the battle was over.

[Battle failed]

[Young hero, please start over]

Kicked out of the story, Jiang Liu stared silently at the glowing red Stage 1-10 final level.

He'd been laughing at the idea that the Senior Disciple of a sect was only some Qi Refining weakling. Sure, the man was one level above him, but Jiang Liu hadn't thought he'd lose.

He had eight magical artifacts. How could the Senior Disciple of some little sect possibly be richer than him?

And now, he hadn't lasted three moves before becoming the weakling himself.

"How could the gap be so huge?"

Jiang Liu scratched his head, completely baffled.

He'd spent several hours sparring with the Lingyun Sect Outer Elder in Stage 1-7!

His combat experience had improved tremendously. His swordsmanship, movement techniques, and footwork had all started to take shape. He'd even figured out a fighting style that suited him.

And yet, he'd almost been killed instantly!

It wasn't a gap in cultivation or equipment. It was purely a gap in combat experience!

After thinking it over, Jiang Liu finally understood. He let out a quiet sigh.

He'd been too arrogant.

"Why did I think a few hours of practical experience could compare to a Senior Disciple from the cultivation world?"

Jiang Liu shook his head with a bitter smile. A few hours of combat experience?

The other guy had several years, maybe even more than a decade!

With a gap that huge, expecting to clear the level on his first try was pure wishful thinking.

"Once I've activated Immersive Experience, I can't treat Cultivation Era like a game anymore."

Jiang Liu muttered to himself. Then, a sudden thought struck him. If that was the case, could he win without Immersive Experience?

Curious, he entered Stage 1-10 again.

This time, he didn't activate Immersive Experience. He chose normal mode instead.

In Stage 1-10, two paper cutout figures stood facing each other, one on each side.

Turn-based combat began.

Round One.

Jiang Liu's paper cutout used Heart Piercing Drop on the Lingyun Sect Senior Disciple. The Senior Disciple failed to dodge and was hit.

The Lingyun Sect Senior Disciple used Threefold Afterimage, splitting into three figures.

Round Two.

Jiang Liu's paper cutout used Heart Piercing Drop on one of the Senior Disciple's clones. The clone died.

The Senior Disciple and his clone attacked Jiang Liu together. The clone's attack was blocked by the Spirit Rhinoceros Pendant.

Round Three.

Jiang Liu's paper cutout killed another clone.

The Senior Disciple used Lingyun Sword Art on Jiang Liu. It hit.

Round Four.

Jiang Liu's paper cutout used Heart Piercing Drop on the Senior Disciple. It hit.

The Senior Disciple used Lingyun Sword Art on Jiang Liu's paper cutout. It hit.

Round Five.

Jiang Liu's paper cutout used Heart Piercing Drop on the Senior Disciple. The Senior Disciple's health bar emptied.

[Battle victory]

[Obtained Cultivation Points.]

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