Chapter Summaries

Lin Qi activated the Martial Transmission System, set up High Martial Descent, and launched it as a costly, highly realistic game. Streamer Fang Zhen bought access and woke in a chained underground room, where Lin Qi ordered him to prove his age with two thousand squats.

• Lin Qi set the game’s connection fee to the maximum, wrote its description, and confirmed its launch on the Blue Star network.
• Fang Zhen showcased his mech skills during a livestream, then spotted High Martial Descent priced at 4,999 with a claim of 100% virtual realism.
• Fang Zhen bought the game to test it for his audience and entered the virtual world.
• Fang Zhen awoke chained in a dark room and answered Lin Qi’s questions about his name and age.
• Lin Qi ordered Fang Zhen to complete two thousand squats within two hours, and Fang Zhen began while Lin Qi left the room.

Lin Qi used the Martial Transmission System to recruit Fang Zhen as a player and prepared to make money by farming Blood Essence Rice in the wilderness. After putting Fang Zhen through brutal training at Obsidian Martial Arts Hall, Lin Qi watched him die and discover that the world was a game.

• Lin Qi assessed Fang Zhen as an elementary-school-level player and learned that restoring Obsidian Martial Arts Hall would expand his player limit.
• Luo Qi repaired the hall’s generator, delivered weapons and tools, and warned Lin Qi against risking his life to farm in gang-controlled wilderness.
• Lin Qi told Luo Qi he had borrowed thirty thousand bits from the Gorilla Gang and planned to repay sixty thousand by farming Blood Essence Rice.
• Luo Qi sent Lin Qi an electronic map of gang territories and joked that she could sell his body if he could not repay the loan.
• Lin Qi made Fang Zhen perform two thousand squats over two hours, then watched him suffer sudden pain, die, and receive a system notification confirming the game was real.

Lin Qi weighed the costs and risks of sending players into the wilderness, settled on developing underground farmland, and chose a breathing technique as a player reward. Fang Zhen praised High Martial Descent on his livestream, then returned to the basement with two new players and was assigned a digging task.

• Lin Qi recorded Fang Zhen's radiation tolerance and calculated the costs of supporting players and cultivating Blood Essence Rice.
• Lin Qi rejected expensive protective equipment and decided to develop underground farmland in the abandoned district instead of relying on wilderness farming.
• Lin Qi found a damaged Fitness Breathing Technique textbook and decided to rename and copy it as a reward for players.
• Fang Zhen told his livestream viewers that High Martial Descent felt more realistic than any game he had played, while pointing out its flaws and defending its limited beta access.
• Fang Zhen paid to reenter the game and awakened beside a young man and woman, whom he reassured that he knew the routine.
• Lin Qi questioned Fang Zhen and ordered him to dig a five-meter-deep, ten-cubic-meter space within two hours and twenty minutes.

Lin Qi recruited Fang Zhen, Twilight of the Gods, and Wu Shang into the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall and offered its Soul Shocking Breathing Technique to whoever completed an impossible digging trial first. Twilight of the Gods proposed that they work together and share the reward, and the three began digging as a team.

• Lin Qi accepted Twilight of the Gods and Wu Shang as disciples after recording their claimed ages, then sent them to dig underground for the trial.
• Lin Qi announced that the first person to finish would receive the Soul Shocking Breathing Technique, which made Fang Zhen and the others eager to compete.
• Twilight of the Gods reasoned that the three could work together on one excavation and teach one another the technique afterward.
• Wu Shang introduced herself as the vice president of the Heavenly Might Guild and offered Twilight of the Gods a core-member position if he joined.
• Fang Zhen, Twilight of the Gods, and Wu Shang went to the storage room and took turns digging together.

Fang Zhen, Twilight of the Gods, and Wu Shang completed the underground digging challenge and became official disciples of Obsidian Martial Arts Hall. Lin Qi granted them a breathing technique and introduced quests that would draw them into developing and planting land for points.

• Fang Zhen, Twilight of the Gods, and Wu Shang dug a cavern despite the storeroom’s poison, with Wu Shang explaining that she could slow its spread through her body.
• Lin Qi noted Wu Shang’s exceptional physical ability and martial talent, deciding that she was Obsidian Martial Arts Hall’s ace combat power.
• Fang Zhen, Twilight of the Gods, and Wu Shang completed the challenge quest and received copies of the Soul Shocking Breathing Technique (Upper Volume) as official disciples.
• The three discovered the technique’s upper volume could be exchanged for just 1 point, despite the effort and poison involved in earning it.
• Lin Qi offered the new disciples development and planting quests, with land development earning points and planting Blood Essence Rice costing points to begin.

Fang Zhen returned to High Martial Descent after exhausting himself trying to learn how to log out safely, and his stream drew a huge audience eager to see Luo Wu Shang. Lin Qi noticed Fang Zhen’s physical abilities had improved, but a system reward interrupted his plans to test him further.

• Li Ranxing warned Fang Zhen that his poor training performance could affect his place on the team, while a new player learned Fang Zhen’s next scrimmage would be his last match.
• Fang Zhen’s livestream attracted over 265,000 viewers, many of whom had come to see Luo Wu Shang after her appearance on his previous stream.
• Fang Zhen entered High Martial Descent and found Lin Qi checking his physical measurements at the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall.
• Lin Qi discovered Fang Zhen’s strength and speed had risen slightly and suspected his repeated exposure to poisonous gas had caused the improvement.
• The system announced that Martial Transmission System reservations had surpassed ten thousand and awarded Level 1 Merit-Based Admission Privilege.

Lin Qi explored his new privileges, which let him screen players, control their personal interfaces, and extract their experience. By extracting Wu Shang’s experience, he learned the first level of the Soul Shocking Breathing Technique and decided he needed to recruit more talented players.

• Lin Qi examined his new admission privileges and realized player assessments and personal interfaces could help him screen recruits and motivate them.
• Lin Qi tried extracting experience from Fang Zhen and Twilight of the Gods, but gained nothing from either player.
• Lin Qi extracted Wu Shang’s experience and learned the beginner stage of the Soul Shocking Breathing Technique, increasing his strength.
• Lin Qi checked his data panel, confirmed his training progress, and resolved to recruit talented players.
• Lin Qi activated the assessment and interface privileges, sending new messages to the players in the high-martial world and those waiting on Blue Star.

Wu Shang and Twilight of the Gods planned to expand Heavenly Might’s cultivation resources in High Martial Descent, while a system update opened assessments for pre-purchasers. The chapter ended with Lin Qi learning that armed drifters from another tribe were moving to seize the area around the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall.

• Twilight of the Gods calculated how developing uncontaminated land and growing Blood Essence Rice could earn points for the middle volume of the Soul Shocking Breathing Technique, while Wu Shang urged him to speed up their preparations.
• Wu Shang decided to have Heavenly Might members take the new assessment test after the system announced that passing it would improve their chances of entering the game.
• Fang Zhen discovered that digging had raised his attributes and welcomed the chance to progress without studying a training method.
• Fang Zhen’s livestream viewers reacted to the update, and paid reservations continued to increase despite complaints about the assessment.
• Thunderous booms startled Lin Qi, and a passing one-eyed middle-aged man told him that armed drifters from another tribe were trying to seize their territory.

Lin Qi learned that rival wanderers planned to seize the abandoned district and set out with weapons and reinforcements from the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall. The game’s beta players eagerly followed, expecting to witness the combat system’s first major faction conflict.

• The one-eyed middle-aged man told Lin Qi that wanderers from other races wanted to occupy their abandoned district, and Lin Qi worried about losing the martial arts hall.
• Fang Zhen, Twilight of the Gods, and Wu Shang watched the gathering wanderers and discussed how to observe events outside the hall despite their restriction from leaving its grounds.
• Lin Qi gathered his compound bow and Black Steel Arrows, then ordered the three players to accompany him.
• Lin Qi explained that they were going to fight wanderers seeking to occupy their territory, and the players followed him toward the street outside the hall.

A dispute over a human residential district brought Heavy Spear Qin Mu and Hou Fei to the brink of a fight as the Crystal Race sought territory. Lin Qi watched while Fang Zhen, Twilight of the Gods, and Wu Shang marveled at the game’s technology, and the two sides agreed to settle the dispute with a duel.

• Heavy Spear Qin Mu confronted Hou Fei over the Crystal Race’s attempt to claim part of the humans’ district.
• Lin Qi recognized Heavy Spear Qin Mu’s reputation and saw how the rise of Half-Scale Race geniuses had affected the abandoned districts.
• Fang Zhen and Twilight of the Gods praised the massive crowd and sandstorm visuals, while Wu Shang tested her control by striking the road with her shovel.
• Drifters mistook the three newcomers for strange children from a gang, and Lin Qi stepped away from them.
• Hou Fei offered either a group battle or a duel, and Heavy Spear Qin Mu chose to fight Hou Fei one-on-one.

Lin Qi watched Qin Mu and Hou Fei fight over control of the area, hoping to spot a weakness that could help Qin Mu win. The two Peak Apprentices matched each other with devastating attacks, and the battle remained unresolved.

• Qin Mu and Hou Fei agreed to duel while Lin Qi considered how to help Qin Mu by identifying Hou Fei's weaknesses.
• Twilight of the Gods, Fang Zhen, and Wu Shang discussed the game's combat as Lin Qi assessed the fighters' strength and speed.
• Qin Mu and Hou Fei met in the street wearing alloy armor and wielding enormous weapons, then traded a powerful opening clash.
• Hou Fei unleashed his Wind Slaying Saber, and Qin Mu answered with Soaring Cloud Seven Spears as they exchanged dozens of full-force blows.
• Their attacks shattered the street within a hundred-meter radius, leaving the onlookers and livestream audience stunned.

Qin Mu defeated Hou Fei’s final Windless slash with help from Lin Qi’s precise warning, securing the abandoned district for the human drifters. Back on Blue Star, Luo Wu Shang emerged from the game convinced she had found a title that could replace Pilgrimage and transform virtual gaming.

• Hou Fei unleashed Windless, but Qin Mu followed Lin Qi’s warning, slipped past the slash, and knocked Hou Fei down with his spear.
• Hou Fei conceded defeat and agreed to leave with his people, while Qin Mu thanked Lin Qi and explained why he chose to remain in the abandoned district.
• The human drifters celebrated Qin Mu’s victory, and Lin Qi resolved to find more training methods and carefully select players for his remaining seven slots.
• Luo Wu Shang logged out of the game and told Qing Wei that she had found a new game that could replace Pilgrimage and reshape virtual gaming.

Heavenly Might debated whether to invest in High Martial Descent, while Lin Qi worked on setting up its entry assessment. The chapter ended with Lin Qi realizing he could use Qin Mu as the assessment opponent.

• Luo Wu Shang described High Martial Descent’s realism and combat system, and the president proposed investigating it before deciding whether to invest.
• Zhao Hu objected to creating another department and challenged Luo Wu Shang’s claims, proposing that he and Luo Wu Shang enter the game themselves.
• Luo Wu Shang warned that entering High Martial Descent was extremely difficult, but Zhao Hu remained confident he could get in.
• At the Obsidian Martial Arts Hall, Lin Qi struggled to configure the entry assessment and watched Fang Zhen rent a bed after earning points by digging planting land.
• Lin Qi realized he had touched Qin Mu the previous night and selected him as a possible assessment opponent.

Lin Qi discovered that Twilight of the Gods had recovered a chest containing complete Apprentice-level martial technique manuals, and rewarded him while warning him against returning to the dangerous rift. Lin Qi began preparing the techniques for players to learn as the game's test assessment opened.

• Lin Qi set Qin Mu as the test opponent, chose a 20-second test, and configured seven recruitment slots.
• Twilight of the Gods showed Lin Qi a buried metal chest filled with old entrance exam papers and two complete martial technique books: Crushing Rock Fist and Leopard Shadow Steps.
• Lin Qi awarded Twilight of the Gods five hundred points for the chest and learned he had retrieved it from a rift guarded by Unicorn Gold-Eating Rats.
• Lin Qi warned Twilight of the Gods not to return for more chests or lure the rats to the martial arts hall, then took the manuals to copy for players.
• The High Martial Descent game assessment opened, allowing players who had preordered to participate, with each death costing 198 to revive.

Luo Wu Shang urged Zhang Qingwei to try High Martial Descent, saying its realism might help with her brain injury, while Zhao Hu learned that Mythic Paradise was moving against Heavenly Might in Heavenly Dragon Dynasty. Frustrated that the guild was distracted from its preferred game, Zhao Hu entered High Martial Descent to test it himself.

• Luo Wu Shang and Zhang Qingwei discussed High Martial Descent as the game’s assessment attracted complaints and speculation online.
• Zhang Qingwei explained that Heavenly Might was investigating three new games because rival guilds were competing for a new home.
• Luo Wu Shang encouraged Zhang Qingwei to try High Martial Descent, and Zhang Qingwei agreed to make time despite her responsibilities and damaged neural reflexes.
• Zhao Hu’s subordinates warned him that Mythic Paradise had stationed experts in Heavenly Dragon Dynasty, Heavenly Might’s preferred new game.
• Zhao Hu blamed Luo Wu Shang for the guild’s lack of focus on Heavenly Dragon Dynasty, then opened High Martial Descent and started its assessment test.

Zhao Hu repeatedly challenged Qin Mu in a brutally realistic game, learning to evade his punches until Qin Mu revealed a second phase with a silver spear. Zhao Hu was killed by the spear attack and woke in his Game Pod to urgent news that Mythic Paradise had attacked his group.

• Zhao Hu appeared in a dark arena and learned that he had to survive for twenty seconds against Qin Mu.
• Qin Mu quickly knocked Zhao Hu out, and Zhao Hu paid to revive and challenge him again.
• After dying over a hundred times, Zhao Hu learned Qin Mu’s punching patterns and used a special drink to sharpen his concentration.
• Zhao Hu evaded Qin Mu’s punches for more than ten seconds until Qin Mu stepped back and produced a silver spear.
• Qin Mu’s seven spear shadows killed Zhao Hu, and Zhao Hu received a call saying Mythic Paradise had attacked his people in the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty.

Lin Qi acquired martial arts manuals and a transport job that could help him gather materials for the martial arts hall. Meanwhile, Zhao Hu discovered all seven High Martial Descent connection slots were gone and learned that Zhang Qingwei could enter the game without taking the assessment.

• Lin Qi finished copying Crushing Stone Fist and Leopard Shadow Steps and considered how to price them for players.
• Luo Qi delivered Blood Essence Rice seeds, food, and water, then offered Lin Qi a job transporting ore from gang-controlled mines; Lin Qi accepted and received an identification wristband.
• Zhao Hu returned to High Martial Descent after dealing with Mythic Paradise, but a system notice announced that all seven preorder connection slots had been claimed.
• Zhao Hu called Zhang Qingwei to cancel their meeting and vowed to enter High Martial Descent when more slots became available.
• Zhang Qingwei said she would enter High Martial Descent and tell Luo Wu Shang, leaving Zhao Hu stunned when she explained that he could simply buy the game.

Zhao Hu offered Zhang Qingwei his Liya Villa in exchange for her High Martial Descent slot, then returned to the test assessment when she did not accept. Zhang Qingwei entered the game before her work shift and found herself in a room with strange newcomers, where Wu Shang introduced High Martial Descent as a game.

• Zhao Hu offered Zhang Qingwei his Liya Villa for her High Martial Descent slot, but she was too bewildered to answer before he hung up and resumed the test assessment.
• Zhang Qingwei regretted missing Zhao Hu's offer, then decided to try High Martial Descent briefly before her early shift.
• Zhang Qingwei entered a dim room with six newcomers behaving strangely and questioned whether she had ended up in a mental hospital.
• A lean young man, a bashful college student, and an unshaven middle-aged man discussed how to feel something in the game, while Wu Shang introduced herself as the Heavenly Might Guild's vice president.
• Zhang Qingwei stared at Wu Shang and asked whether High Martial Descent was a game.

Zhang Qingwei and the other players marveled at High Martial Descent’s realism before Lin Qi offered two martial skills as rewards for developing the energy zone. The newcomers began competing for the manuals, while viewers outside the game rushed to try the entry assessment again.

• Zhang Qingwei excitedly tested the game’s realistic sensations, then introduced herself to Outlander Gunslinger and Peerless One Shot, who recognized Fang Zhen from his livestreams.
• Outlander Gunslinger and Peerless One Shot pledged to help Fang Zhen develop the energy zone.
• Lin Qi welcomed the newcomers to Obsidian Martial Arts Hall and told them to register, collect shovels, and develop as much energy zone as possible within twelve hours.
• Lin Qi offered Crushing Stone Fist and Leopard Shadow Steps to the two players who developed the most energy zone.
• The players and livestream viewers reacted excitedly to the martial skills, and more viewers began attempting the entry assessment.

Lin Qi awarded a martial arts manual to the team that cleared the most energy land overnight, after the players competed using repeated revivals, a hidden crack, and a lucky tunnel. Outlander Gunslinger chose Leopard Shadow Steps on Fang Zhen’s advice, giving Lin Qi a new idea for how players could use martial arts to improve their work.

• Lin Qi asked the seven newcomers to report their cleared areas and warned that false numbers could get them expelled from the martial arts hall.
• One Leaf Floating Cloud’s team reported 76 square meters, while Luo Wu Shang’s team reported 78 square meters after using a deep underground crack to avoid hauling dirt.
• Outlander Gunslinger reported 84 square meters because his team had found a dense-energy tunnel, giving Fang Zhen’s team the win.
• Lin Qi offered the two martial arts manuals, and Outlander Gunslinger started to choose Crushing Stone Fist.
• Fang Zhen urged Outlander Gunslinger to choose Leopard Shadow Steps to haul dirt faster and train the movement skill at the same time, and Lin Qi realized the players could use martial arts to improve their clearing work.