Re-entering the Battle Net

Seeing this line of text, the expression on Xu Ziming's face turned strange in an instant.

The sword had been listed for two years without selling, yet the seller insisted on the price of twenty thousand; no matter how he looked at it, the situation was suspicious.

Just as he was still hesitating, a string of messages arrived from the other side.

"My younger brother is currently in a martial arts high school and has his college entrance exam next year. With twenty thousand yuan, I can buy him a Small Marrow Cleansing Pill to improve his aptitude. My father passed away because of this sword, but I don't want my brother to fail his dreams due to a lack of resources."

No wonder it wouldn't sell; there was actually a seller who would openly admit that their sword had cursed someone to death. It seemed the seller truly had no idea of the sword's actual value.

"Did your father leave behind any cultivation techniques?"

"No, my late father only practiced the Basic Body Forging Method. However, if you enjoy collecting, our family does have a few other items."

"Fine, pack up those items as well. I agree to pay you twenty thousand yuan."

As he spoke, Xu Ziming set up the Trading Column.

The Trading Column was specifically designed by the current trading platform to prevent fraud; the seller's goods would enter the trading space in advance.

Only after the items passed inspection could the buyer make the payment, and the buyer would only receive the items after paying. Otherwise, even if the items had entered the trade, they would be returned to their origin.

"The items have been placed into the Trading Column."

Before long, the other side sent a message. Xu Ziming checked it and saw that, besides the Jinghong Sword, there were indeed a few small items attached. He immediately paid the money.

His original goal was just the sword, and the initial haggling was merely to prevent the other party from becoming suspicious.

Now that he had obtained the sword and received several extra items, he couldn't have asked for more.

The moment he clicked pay, the Jinghong Sword and the other items appeared before his eyes.

After touching these items one by one, Xu Ziming couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. They were almost all mundane objects; while they might have some value as collectibles, they were completely worthless to him.

Finally, he placed his hand on the Jinghong Sword with a heart full of excitement.

The next moment, the familiar Equipment Slot appeared before his eyes. Xu Ziming did not equip the sword immediately but instead aimed his wristband at it to scan.

[Battle Net weapon registration successful. Weapon changed. No weapon attributes detected. Please name your weapon.]

"Let's call it Jinghong."

[Weapon name registration successful. The sword Jinghong has replaced your original weapon.]

Seeing this, the corners of Xu Ziming's mouth curled up slightly.

It was time to log back into Battle Net; the Silver Battle was tonight.

[Welcome to Battle Net, Little Ming Who Can't Use a Sword]

[Please begin your journey at the Peak of Martial Way today]

Listening to the familiar voice in his ears, Xu Ziming found himself once again in the center of that familiar Martial Arts Arena.

His Life Energy Level had increased again, his swordsmanship had improved, and he had the Qilin Body and the Jinghong Sword.

Combined, these four factors had already sublimated his strength to a great degree.

Xu Ziming had a vague intuition: if it were the current him, he could likely defeat the version of himself from three days ago in just a few moves.

He clicked on [Ranked Match].

Xu Ziming's gaze landed once again on his [Black Iron I] rank.

Because of the failure in his last promotion match, he had to win one game today before he could attempt the promotion match again.

Without hesitation, he clicked the start button.

[Matching, 1s]

[Match successful!]

The familiar abandoned alien battlefield appeared in Xu Ziming's field of vision once again.

A handsome-looking boy holding a staff stood not far across from him.

"Wow! I got matched with a handsome brother! I'm from Chuanyu Province, but I'm currently studying in Suzhe Province. Interested in adding me as a friend?"

After saying this, the handsome young man immediately gave Xu Ziming a flirtatious wink.

Oh no, someone from Chuanyu!

A string of rumors about that city flashed through Xu Ziming's mind, and he felt a wave of goosebumps rise over his skin.

He gripped the Jinghong Sword tightly, his eyes as determined as if he were about to join the party.

He absolutely could not let him succeed!

He absolutely had to add this handsome brother as a friend!

On the other side, the handsome boy's figure began to move.

Being able to reach the Black Iron I rank meant his own strength was not weak. Now, going all out, he reached Xu Ziming's back in just a moment.

"Too slow."

Although in the handsome boy's perception he seemed quite fast, in Xu Ziming's eyes, this speed was simply not worth mentioning.

The moment he teleported behind him, Xu Ziming slashed his sword backward. With a soft pfft, the delicate-looking man dissolved into a ball of light and vanished completely.

[Ranked Match Victory]

[Ranked Score +45, Current Rank: Black Iron I]

[Promotion Match about to begin. Proceed with matchmaking?]

"Match."

Xu Ziming did not hesitate, quickly initiating the matchmaking process; he was determined to reach the Silver rank tonight.

He stood still for two seconds as the surrounding dust seemed to thicken, finally settling when the notification for a successful match appeared.

A familiar figure reappeared before Xu Ziming.

It was none other than Angry Haki-mi.

"Him again?" Xu Ziming paused. "This guy is a pure Silver-rank gatekeeper."

As the battle commenced, Xu Ziming could clearly see a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugging at his opponent's lips.

It was the look of someone who had been on a losing streak and finally felt like they had found a guaranteed win.

He could finally experience the feeling of crushing a novice; the Silver rank was too brutal, and every time he gained a few points, he would be knocked back down by those above him.

Yet, looking at the guy in front of him now, an indescribable sense of crisis welled up in his heart.

It must be an illusion. How could a normal person improve this much in just three days?

The moment that thought crossed his mind, Xu Ziming's figure vanished.

There were no flashy footwork or rhythmic maneuvers, just a straight, head-on charge.

Yet, he found he could barely track the speed.

So fast!

Even though his vision hadn't registered him arriving, a powerful gust of wind blew his hair back.

He had no time to react, relying solely on his sixth sense as a martial artist to raise his spear and defend in one direction.

"Clang!"

The sound of clashing weapons rang in his ears.

Xu Ziming instantly retracted Jinghong and followed up with a dozen stabs, each strike possessing a natural, seamless beauty.

It reached a point where Angry Haki-mi couldn't even perceive the attacks despite his best efforts.

He raised his spear in a panic, swinging it around his body regardless of the toll on his vitality.

His blood energy was in disarray.

Now!

Xu Ziming seized the opening, thrusting his sword straight into Angry Haki-mi's shoulder, causing blood to spray out in spurts.

How is this possible?

The thought circled in Angry Haki-mi's mind.

He simply couldn't fathom how someone's strength could grow so much in just three days.

He yanked the sword out, leaped backward, and pulled a small pill from his waist, popping it directly into his mouth.

"Boom!"

A massive vortex of energy swirled around him, and his aura surged by thirty percent.

"I absolutely cannot lose to him!"

His eyes burned with ferocity.

"Seriously? You're popping pills in a game?"