Quasi-Fifth Stage

Obsidian Martial Arts Hall, sparring room.

"After entering your own data, you only need to attack Instructor Number One directly." Lin Qi watched Luo Wu Shang step forward and began teaching everyone how to use Instructor Number One. "You have three chances to attack. How you adjust things is up to you. As for demonstration weapons, there are specially made weapons in the weapon case beside you. Just pick one."

The student who had buried the Mechanical Doll underground had been quite professional. The metal case contained not only the Mechanical Doll, but also matching specialized weapons—everything was complete, saving Lin Qi the expense of procuring them himself.

Specialized weapons for testing techniques were very expensive, because they were not made of metal but a specially formulated rubber. Even if someone used Martial Artist-level strength to strike the Mechanical Doll with one, it would not suffer the slightest damage. Instead, it could precisely test every piece of data.

"Can I use a weapon?"

When Luo Wu Shang heard that weapons could be used, her eyes immediately lit up, and she quickly walked toward the weapon case placed to one side.

The weapon case was not large, only 1.2 meters long and 0.5 meters wide, but the weapons inside were quite comprehensive: sabers, spears, swords, bows, axes, whips, and more than ten other types. They were all made of rubber and assembled from parts.

But Luo Wu Shang did not mind. She was even rather pleased. After all these days, she could finally use a decent weapon.

She immediately picked up a one-handed longsword from within and swung it a few times.

"Not bad. The weight is barely acceptable."

After adapting to it for a moment, Luo Wu Shang was quite satisfied with the one-handed longsword in her hand.

"Alright, attack Instructor Number One." Looking at the prepared Luo Wu Shang, Lin Qi was also curious about just how skilled she truly was.

During their previous battle against the White Feather Gang members in the wilderness, Luo Wu Shang's performance had genuinely stunned him.

Her reactions had already surpassed human limits. Especially after Lin Qi learned that Point Star had been a sword technique Luo Wu Shang had created herself in the virtual game Pilgrimage, it had nearly made his jaw drop.

A sword technique created in a virtual game could actually be reproduced in the world of High Martial Descent. It was as unbelievable as directly using the martial arts of peerless masters from wuxia novels in reality.

After all, a virtual game was still a virtual game. Because of the virtual engine, it could never be completely real. A real person could not possibly achieve the effects of a game character.

But Luo Wu Shang had done it. Even if it was only a simplified version, it was still unbelievable.

Luo Wu Shang held the sword in one hand and stood just over a meter away from Instructor Number One. After drawing a deep breath, the longsword in her hand instantly thrust out six points of black light.

The six points of black light resembled a cross-shaped mark, stamping themselves directly onto Instructor Number One's chest and making the firmly fixed Instructor Number One sway slightly.

"Comparing data..."

"Unknown martial skill detected. Please name the martial skill."

"Point Star."

"Recording data... Martial skill Point Star confirmed. Result: Stage Four, 26%. This martial skill has reached the Quasi-Martial Artist level."

As Instructor Number One announced the test result, everyone present erupted into an uproar.

"Wu Shang, you're awesome!"

"A Quasi-Martial Artist-level martial skill? Wu Shang is way too terrifying! If I remember correctly, the Crushing Stone Fist and Leopard Shadow Steps we learned are only Apprentice-level. The martial skill Wu Shang created herself is actually a whole level higher!"

"Wu Shang! How about teaching me? I'm willing to pay a thousand points!"

Just as everyone exclaimed over the new martial skill Point Star that Luo Wu Shang had displayed, she launched two more consecutive attacks against Instructor Number One.

"Martial skill Point Star. Result: Stage Four, 28%. This martial skill has reached the Quasi-Martial Artist level."

"Martial skill Point Star. Result: Stage Four, 22%. This martial skill has reached the Quasi-Martial Artist level."

As Instructor Number One revealed the new data once more, the entire room again cried out in amazement and admiration. Yet Luo Wu Shang alone stared fixedly at Instructor Number One.

The way she looked at Instructor Number One was like a wolf that had gone hungry for three days spotting meat, her gaze brimming with excitement.

"Even such minute changes in my force can be detected by Instructor Number One?" Luo Wu Shang's eyes gleamed as she looked at its conclusions. "Doesn't that mean that as long as I adjust according to the results Instructor Number One gives me, I can fully realize Point Star in High Martial Descent even faster?"

At that moment, it was not only Luo Wu Shang who realized it. Everyone present realized it as well.

"Holy crap! This game actually has a hidden feature for creating and developing martial skills?" After hearing Luo Wu Shang's words, Twilight of the Gods instantly understood, his breathing growing hurried.

Previously, when everyone practiced Crushing Stone Fist and Leopard Shadow Steps, they could clearly see their proficiency progress on their own data panels. Players familiar with virtual games all knew that such proficiency bars existed to help players master martial skills.

The more correct a player's movements were, the higher their proficiency would rise. Once it reached 100%, that meant they had perfectly mastered the martial skill.

As for the various techniques players created themselves in virtual games, the games did not support them, so players could only explore, adapt, and adjust on their own. This could be called an unwritten rule of all virtual games.

But High Martial Descent had now completely shattered that rule.

Not only could it guide players in learning the martial skills included in the game, it could also guide players in creating and refining their own martial skills. Such a free style of gameplay was simply unheard of.

Meanwhile, Fang Zhen's livestream had completely exploded.

"This game is really this free?"

"I have to play this game! With virtual realism already at 100%, and players actually able to create martial skills however they want, can't I recreate every badass skill I learned before in High Martial Descent? Then I can beat the White Feather Gang people into the ground!"

"Haven't you noticed? High Martial Descent is playing a grand game of chess. The gameplay it has released lately keeps increasing, and now it even allows self-created martial skills. That means even players from other games would not be starting completely from scratch when entering High Martial Descent. With 100% virtual realism and an ever-expanding range of features, it can completely replace every virtual game on the market and become a true second world!"

"Fuck, that's true! Streamer, I'll pay one million for an account!"

"One million? You really dare dream. This game company's ambition is to create a true second world. Now that it has already achieved 100% virtual realism, all that remains is expanding the gameplay. When hundreds of billions of people worldwide are playing one game, what kind of spectacle will that be? Do you think your one million can smash open the gates to a new world?"

"No, I need to try the assessment challenge more times. Next time, I have to get in!"

As more and more players realized this, they all chose to challenge the assessment boss once again.

The ticket to a new world was right before their eyes. If they could obtain it early, then standing atop the world in the future would not be beyond reach.

For a time, players who had still been hesitating over whether to buy it all chose to purchase High Martial Descent and try their luck. The number of pre-orders soared in a straight line, faintly nearing one hundred thousand.

Yet Lin Qi, inside Obsidian Martial Arts Hall, had no idea what was happening. The number of pre-orders had risen so quickly.

However, under Instructor Number One's testing, it was not only Luo Wu Shang who gave Lin Qi a surprise. Zhang Qingwei also gave him an enormous surprise.

Surging Wave Blade, Stage Four, 18%!

Another Quasi-Martial Artist-level martial skill. Normally, it was a skill only Quasi-Martial Artists could master, yet Luo Wu Shang and Zhang Qingwei, who were merely Quasi-Apprentices, had both mastered one. It could be said that once the two reached the Intermediate Apprentice level, they would likely find it difficult to encounter any opponents among Apprentice-level experts.

It would not be an exaggeration to say they could rival Peak Apprentices like Qin Mu.

Bang!

At the booming sound from the sparring room, Lin Qi, who had only taken two steps away, hurriedly ran back.

Instructor Number One was now his precious tool for driving the players forward. If it got damaged, he had no money to repair it.

"What happened?"

"What is going on with you all?"

Lin Qi looked at the still-swaying Instructor Number One in the sparring room, One Leaf Floating Cloud with only one arm remaining, and Fang Zhen and the others standing nearby with their mouths hanging open. His face was full of confusion.

"Comparing data..."

"Recording data... Martial skill Spiral Demon Spear Kill confirmed. Because this martial skill was not fully executed, the result is temporarily set at Stage Five, 0%. This martial skill is temporarily classified as Martial Artist level."

System: It has been detected that a player has created a Martial Artist-level martial skill, Spiral Demon Spear Kill. Reward: the introduction slot limit has increased by 20.

System: Congratulations, Host, for triggering the hidden mission "Heaven gave birth to my talents." Have players create three Martial Artist-level martial skills or training methods. Current progress: one. Reward: the introduction slot limit has increased by 40.