Jiang Liu stood a meter and eighty centimeters tall, with pristine white wings twice his height spread from his back. He wore light blue clothes, held a flaming red sword, and had a gray-white crown on his head. He was more decked out than a QQ Show avatar. Anyone who knew him would recognize him as a cultivator; anyone who didn't would think he was cosplaying.
His appearance was synchronized with reality, and everyone in the private room was stunned. They stared at Jiang Liu in utter disbelief.
What had he just said?
Eight magical artifacts? Qi Refining Layer 8?
And he even had wings. Was he about to take off?
Li Dongze stood nearby, watching Jiang Liu transform into such a dazzling figure. The sight dealt a massive blow to his young heart.
What the hell? Why was my little brother so badass?!
My family had been raking in Spirit Stones, and nearly half of them had gone toward raising me. Yet I'd only made it to Qi Cultivation Level 4, with four magical artifacts.
My cultivation was lower than Jiang Liu's, my gear was worse, and even my Spirit Root couldn't compare.
So which of us was the rich kid here?
He was so jealous he could die. At last, he understood how Jiang Liu must have felt when Li Dongze used to flaunt his expensive gear in other games.
He was jealous enough to explode!
Li Dongze was jealous, while Boss Wang was simply stunned. His eyes nearly popped out of his head. He looked at Jiang Liu's magical artifacts, then at the big blade in his own hand, and suddenly wondered if he'd acted rashly.
I'm almost forty. Why am I picking a fight with some young guy?
A one-on-one duel? The first fight since the start of the Cultivation Era? How embarrassing.
Who still settled things with violence these days? Even in the Cultivation Era, people had to obey the law!
Wang Hui, Wang Hui, why were you getting more foolish with age?
Boss Wang's expression shifted from one extreme to the other. Flexible as ever, he took a quick look at their relative strength and immediately burst into hearty laughter. "Hahahaha! I was only joking. Fighting in private is illegal. Fellow Daoist Jiang, you really ought to brush up on the law."
"That glittering outfit looks great, though. Fellow Daoist Jiang, would you be interested in endorsing my bathhouse?"
Now he understood why Jiang Liu had asked whether he had a submachine gun or a Gatling gun. It turned out Jiang Liu wasn't afraid of melee weapons at all.
Forget a submachine gun or a Gatling gun—he didn't even have a pistol!
"I'll pass on the endorsement. I'm just a little less handsome than Peng Yanzu, so I know my limits."
Seeing Boss Wang back down, Jiang Liu didn't immediately put away his magical artifacts or suppress his aura. Instead, he asked, "Then is splashing paint on someone's door illegal?"
"Of course it is!"
Boss Wang raised his voice, speaking with righteous indignation. "I personally abhor all illegal behavior. You don't need to say another word, Fellow Daoist Jiang. The hooligans who splashed paint on your door have already turned themselves in. They'll be locked up for at least a month!"
"As for those three who disturbed the elderly people in your family, I'll have them copy out the Eight Honors and Eight Shames a thousand times and post it on Douyin!"
"Good."
Satisfied with Boss Wang's response, Jiang Liu nodded. He withdrew his oppressive aura, then silently pulled out his Universe Bag and stuffed away his wings, robe, and the rest of his gear.
Damn, what a hassle. Couldn't there be a one-click unequip option?
"Then, Boss Wang, can we leave?"
Jiang Liu took off his gear and gestured toward the door. The suited bodyguard blocking the way immediately stepped aside.
"Of course, of course. Or why not stay and have some fun?"
Boss Wang gave an awkward laugh, pulled two room cards from his pocket, and handed them over with a suggestive smile. "Fellow Daoist Jiang and Young Master Li, you've come all this way. Why not head upstairs and stay a couple of days? I've just signed a few new female cultivators. How about you two help me test the waters?"
Hiss.
Jiang Liu drew in a sharp breath, his heart stirring.
A couple of days. A few female cultivators. Test the waters.
That tempting offer had left him a little dazed.
He turned to look at Li Dongze. His eyes were practically glowing green as he stared at the room cards, his hand twitching back and forth. He wanted to take them, but he didn't dare.
No. The Li family had already done me a favor. How could I corrupt their innocent rich kid?
How would I face Uncle Li after that?
"Forget it. We still have to get back to school."
Jiang Liu waved his hand, turned decisively, and walked out of the private room, his steps just a little unsteady.
Seeing Jiang Liu leave, Li Dongze couldn't help looking disappointed.
A good buddy stood by his friend through thick and thin. So be it. If Jiang Liu was too chicken to go, he couldn't be bothered to brave it alone.
"Uncle Wang, let's add each other."
After adding Boss Wang as a friend, Li Dongze hurried out of the private room and caught up with Jiang Liu. The two of them quickly left the bathhouse.
They wouldn't be coming back to that den of temptation.
On the way back to school, Li Dongze kept pressing Jiang Liu.
"How did you get your cultivation so high? Where did you get all those magical artifacts?"
Jiang Liu brushed him off. "I got lucky with a draw. I'm just blessed by the RNG gods, so try to understand. Stop asking me about it every day."
Li Dongze: "..."
I can't understand!
You call that luck? I'd believe you if you said you were the chosen one!
"Sell me a few. I'll pay whatever you want."
"Go buy the First Recharge."
"The later First-Charge Gift Packs are too expensive. I've spent all my Spirit Stones on Limited-Time Gift Packs and draws."
"The fourth stage gives you wings for only 648 Spirit Stones. You can't afford that?"
"That cheap? I'm buying!"
Once he got back to school, Jiang Liu immediately started cultivating. All he had to do now was break through to Qi Refining Layer 9. His cultivation was too low, and nearly all the game's content was locked. It wasn't much fun to play.
After circulating the Three Revolutions Mysterious Technique in reality, he entered Cultivation Era and checked out the second chapter's story. He went straight into the story using his paper-doll avatar.
Stage 2-1. Enter.
Battle failed.
Huh?
Were the enemies in 2-1 actually at the Foundation Establishment Stage?
Nope. Not messing with that.
Jiang Liu spent only a few seconds in the second chapter before returning to the first. With nothing else to do, he might as well go get beaten up.
Immersive Experience!
Destroy the Lingyun Sect Senior Disciple!
Failed. Try again. Failed. Try again!
Jiang Liu spent the rest of his time in Stage 1-10, challenging the Lingyun Sect Senior Disciple over and over. They fought until the world spun and his head felt like it was about to split.
He was trying to pit his few hours of combat experience against the Lingyun Sect Senior Disciple's more than a decade of experience. It was incredibly difficult, but he didn't care.
It was all fake, and he could repeat the fight as many times as he wanted. What did he have to fear?
He'd already taken on that old bastard in 1-7. Was he really going to be scared of this guy?
He just had to keep fighting.
Once, twice, ten times, twenty times.
Jiang Liu was stubborn. He fought from noon until night, getting more fired up with every death and more excited with every attempt.
At first, the Lingyun Sect Senior Disciple's doppelgängers left him scrambling.
After ten attempts, he could kill one of them.
After twenty, he could kill two.
After thirty, he could fight the Lingyun Sect Senior Disciple to a draw.
Forty attempts, fifty, sixty.
After witnessing the Lingyun Sect Senior Disciple's Three Afterimages, Lingyun Sword Art, Flying Step Technique, Sky Control Art, Crimson Prism Palm, and all sorts of other techniques—
He cleared the stage!
At the Lingyun Sect's training grounds,
Jiang Liu stared blankly at the Lingyun Sect Senior Disciple lying on the ground. His face was numb as two silent streams of tears rolled down his cheeks.
Movement techniques, footwork, swordsmanship, palm techniques, flight—
It was just too unfair!
Please add this to your reading list! I'll do my best to balance the amount of game content with the real-world story.
Before you continue