Evening.
Lin Ye appeared on the fifth floor of the Martial Arts Pavilion and headed for the Virtual Combat Room.
His progress in Lost Track Steps that afternoon had given him a considerable boost in confidence.
But when he thought of the Mountain-Suppressing Fist he had been studying in his mind for days, without ever testing it in real combat, unease crept in. So he decided to try Virtual Combat and put it to the test.
As it happened, he had learned from his teacher Zheng Huai that the school's Virtual Pods were connected to Martial Dao, so he had decided to give it a try.
Martial Dao was a virtual combat game. It was said to have been launched by the Star Alliance Human Martial Arts Association to hone martial artists' skills.
It was hugely popular among martial artists. Back in high school, Lin Ye had often heard classmates planning to apply for the Martial Arts Stream discuss it.
Before, he hadn't paid it much attention and had never played it. But now that he was set on the path of a martial artist, he was bound to give it a try.
Several Virtual Pods stood inside the Virtual Combat Room. Lin Ye walked over to an unoccupied one and ran his fingers across its smooth surface. The pod door slid open without a sound.
He lay down inside. The door closed, and his consciousness connected.
After a faint sensation of weightlessness, Lin Ye found himself on a pure-white starting platform. He searched for Martial Dao and connected to it.
In an instant, his field of vision rearranged itself.
"Welcome to the Martial Dao public training platform."
"Please create your virtual character."
A gentle guiding voice sounded in his ear.
A character-creation screen appeared before Lin Ye. It let him adjust details such as his virtual character's build and appearance.
He had no intention of fussing over it. He selected "Standard Build" and used the system's "Average Face Template No. 3"—the face of an unremarkable young man, the sort you'd forget as soon as you saw it.
"Character created."
"Please name your character, or select random generation."
Lin Ye thought for a moment and entered "Night Walker," but the system informed him that the name was already taken. Too lazy to think of another, he chose "Random Generation."
[Generating nickname...]
[Your virtual character's nickname is: Ye 12138]
"Ye 12138?"
Lin Ye repeated it. It rolled off the tongue well enough, so he didn't give it another thought and confirmed the name.
"Character [Ye 12138] created successfully."
"Loading beginner's guide..."
After the brief beginner's guide, Lin Ye opened Martial Dao's most important module: [Ranked Match].
He had heard about Martial Dao's ranking system long ago. Or rather, it was similar to a game he had played in his previous life. The ranks were: Unranked, Black Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond, Meteor, Sunlight, Master, Grandmaster, and King.
Each major rank had five tiers. Once a player accumulated 100 victory points, they entered a promotion match. They needed to win just one of the three rounds to advance to the next rank.
"Ding. Matching for Ranking Match... You must complete five matches to determine your initial rank."
The system's prompt rang in his ear.
In the next moment, Lin Ye appeared on a standard metal ring twenty meters in diameter. He looked ahead as his opponent slowly materialized: a lean young man with an ordinary face and a sharp gaze. His ID above his head read [Gale 24568].
"Begin!"
As the countdown ended, the lean young man launched the first attack. He darted forward, his legs cutting through the air with a faint whistle as he struck at Lin Ye's lower body and chest.
Just like his name!
Lin Ye marveled inwardly. He could feel that his virtual body's physical attributes had been capped at a fairly low level—the Body Forging Mid-Stage. More precisely, they were lower than his real-world stats, probably around 200.
Facing the fierce attack, Lin Ye didn't panic or immediately use the Mountain-Suppressing Fist to defend. Instead, he responded with the basic stance of the Rolling Stone Fist, steadily blocking his opponent's strikes as he shifted his footing and adapted to the body and the rhythm of the fight.
Seeing Lin Ye counter with the most basic Rolling Stone Fist, the lean young man, whose ID was [Gale 24568], felt victory was within reach. A faint smile tugged at his lips, and he immediately sped up his attacks. In an instant, his assault surged like a rising tide.
Unfortunately for him, Lin Ye had a solid foundation. With his Consummation-level mastery of the Rolling Stone Fist, he defended himself without a gap, and even his occasional counters posed a serious threat.
After twenty exchanges, the lean young man grew anxious at his inability to break through. A side kick left an opening, and Lin Ye seized the chance. After blocking the kick, he followed with a solid advancing straight punch to the chest and abdomen. His opponent staggered backward. Lin Ye pressed his advantage, building on his momentum until he ultimately won.
[Victory, Ranking Match (1/5)]
A moment later, the second match began.
A lean young man with the ID [Blade 28725] appeared. He wasn't skilled with his legs, but, true to his name, he wielded a fast blade. Its flashing edge was a formidable threat, yet Lin Ye continued to maneuver with the Rolling Stone Fist. The difference was that he began weaving in moves from the Mountain-Suppressing Fist. His steps grew heavier, and he reduced the range of his dodges. Most of the time, he used slight shifts of his body alongside the Rolling Stone Fist stance to block and intercept attacks, giving the impression of "still as a mountain."
Faced with Lin Ye's "still as a mountain" defense, [Blade 28725] grew increasingly anxious. His swift blade was repeatedly turned aside by Lin Ye's steady guard, and his rhythm faltered under the pressure. In the end, Lin Ye struck with such force that he knocked the long blade from his opponent's hand, then landed a punch squarely on his chest. His body immediately dispersed.
[Victory, Ranking Match (2/5)]
The third and fourth matches went much the same way. Lin Ye faced opponents with different styles, some relying on strength, others on technique. But by centering his fighting on the Rolling Stone Fist and blending in moves from the Mountain-Suppressing Fist, he became more proficient in the latter while growing ever more adept at controlling his virtual body.
In particular, the "intent" that surfaced unconsciously when he used the Mountain-Suppressing Fist gave his defensive counters a distinctive pressure. It made his opponents anxious, yet left him difficult to shake. Their composure crumbled, and he won both matches.
[Ranking Match (4/5), four consecutive victories.]
The fifth match was also Lin Ye's final Ranking Match.
This opponent was a little different: a towering, broad-shouldered man with the ID [Iron Wall 24685] above his head.
Judging by his build, Lin Ye could already guess what kind of fighter he was.
The countdown ended, and the fight began.
From the outset, the man named [Iron Wall 24685] adopted a defensive strategy. He guarded his vitals with both fists, planted his feet firmly, and watched Lin Ye calmly, waiting for him to attack and leave an opening so he could take him down with a single strike.
Lin Ye tested his opponent with the Rolling Stone Fist several times and found his defense was indeed airtight. Ordinary attacks would have little effect.
Perfect. I'll use you to test the Mountain-Suppressing Fist.
Seeing this, Lin Ye decided not to hold anything back. He sank his breath, and his movements seemed to slow by half a beat. An intangible "Momentum" spread from him, pressing against his opponent's mind.
Then he planted his foot and advanced. His fingers curled into fists, and his aura became a massive mountain, rolling forward with a rumble as he slowly bore down on his opponent.
The towering man's brow furrowed under the weight of Lin Ye's pressure. Though he could feel his composure wavering, he stuck to his defensive strategy.
As the distance between them closed, Lin Ye threw a punch. He used no flashy feint, simply lifting his right fist from his waist, twisting his body, and driving the punch forward.
Mountain-Suppressing Fist: Mountain Collapse!
The punch wasn't especially fast, but its fist edge was as steady as a mountain and as heavy as a peak. It carried an overwhelming force, as though the strike wasn't made of flesh and bone but of an entire mountain rock breaking apart.
Alarm bells rang in the towering man's mind. He crossed his arms, sank his waist, and braced himself in a horse stance, bringing his defense to its limit as he prepared to take the punch head-on.
"Boom!"
Fist met arm. There was no great crash, but a strange, muffled vibration shuddered between them.
Both men retreated several steps.
Their physical attributes were clearly the same, yet Lin Ye retreated only three steps while the towering man fell back five. The difference in their strength was plain.
But that was only the beginning.
Sensing his advantage, Lin Ye didn't let up. Once his body stabilized, he suddenly drove his left foot forward and leaned like a colossal mountain tilting over. His left fist followed close behind, again using the Mountain-Suppressing Fist, but this punch carried an added force of "crushing down."
Mountain-Suppressing Fist: Mountain Tilt!
The wind of his punch compressed the air with a low, mournful whistle.
The towering man was horrified. His opponent's technique was too strange—not only was it tremendously powerful, but it also carried an eerie force that could shake the mind and dissolve one's will to fight.
Facing the incoming punch, he could only force his energy upward, press his palms together, and thrust them out, hoping to dispel the force with softness.
"Thud!"
Fist met palms.
The towering man felt an irresistible, crushing force travel up his arms. His body, which had only just steadied, shuddered again, and he stumbled back three great steps. His face flushed red, and his breathing turned ragged.
This time, Lin Ye had broken through his defense head-on.
Lin Ye followed like a shadow, giving his opponent no chance to catch his breath or regain his composure. His fists alternated, sending out one Mountain-Suppressing Fist technique after another. With each strike, the accumulated force grew heavier, and every blow carried that crushing, suppressive power.
After several more exchanges, Lin Ye knocked the towering man off the ring.
[KO! Perfect Victory!]
[Ranking Match (5/5) complete. Record: 5 wins, 0 losses.]
[Assessing your initial rank based on your performance...]
[Assessment complete: Congratulations, [Ye 12138]. Your initial rank is: Black Iron II.] [Starting with your next match, your virtual body's physical attributes will adjust dynamically according to your rank and more closely reflect genuine exchanges of skill. May you enjoy many victories in battle!]
Before you continue