Deliberately Raising the Difficulty? Lin Chuan Steps In

Chapter 16: Deliberately Raising the Difficulty? Lin Chuan Steps In

"You haven't actually learned how to play?"

Yan's expression immediately turned ugly at those words.

He had never been known for his patience among the Spirit Hall Golden Generation. If he had not already suffered a few setbacks in this shop, then somewhere else, if someone had spoken to him like that, he would have thrown a punch long ago.

But now, staring at the repeated "You Died" messages flashing on the screen, he could not bring himself to argue.

Tang San said nothing either.

He understood better than Yan that Lin Chuan was not mocking them.

They really had not fully understood the game yet.

So far, they had merely been relying on a Soul Master's reflexes, instincts, and combat experience to force their way through. That was fine against ordinary Little Demons, but against an opponent like the White-Clothed Scholar, who truly changed his rhythm, their previous experience was no longer enough.

Grandmaster stepped forward.

"Boss, are you saying this game has its own independent cultivation system?"

Lin Chuan glanced at him.

Grandmaster had asked cautiously. He had not called the game an illusion, nor had he called the system a Soul Tool.

That saved Lin Chuan a great deal of explanation.

Lin Chuan nodded. "You could understand it that way. Right now, you're only using the most basic dodges and light attacks. There's still a lot more you can use."

As he spoke, he pointed toward the corner of the screen.

"This is your health."

"This is the gourd. It restores health, but it has limited uses."

"This is staff momentum. Build it up, and you can unleash heavier attacks."

"These are spells, like the Immobilization Technique. It can't win for you, but it can create opportunities."

"There are also attribute upgrades, equipment, spirits, and relics. Before this, either you didn't notice them, clicked them at random, or picked them up without knowing how to use them."

Ma Hongjun looked utterly bewildered.

He had originally thought he was just here to try something new, maybe learn how to fight demons at most.

But after a few words from Lin Chuan, he suddenly felt as if a teacher were inspecting his homework on the spot.

Worst of all, he had barely understood any of it.

"There's this much to playing a game?"

Oscar rubbed his nose. "Why does this sound even more troublesome than cultivation?"

"Isn't cultivation the same?"

Lin Chuan countered, "Soul Power, Martial Souls, Spirit Rings, soul skills, the body, mental strength, combat experience—which one isn't important?"

The Shrek group fell silent at the same time.

Only then did they realize they had thought of the game too simply before.

On Douluo Continent, a Soul Master's victory or defeat had never been determined by Soul Power alone.

Soul skill combinations, Spirit Ring age, fighting habits, terrain, and mentality could all change the outcome.

This game was the same.

It had merely replaced those things with another set of rules.

Tang San said quietly, "So if we want to defeat the White-Clothed Scholar, we can't just think about dodging and counterattacking. We also have to learn to use every mechanic."

Lin Chuan nodded. "That's right."

Hu Liena frowned. "Then why didn't you tell us from the start?"

Lin Chuan looked at her and smiled. "When you first began cultivating, would your teacher stuff all the experience of their entire life into your head?"

Hu Liena froze.

She wanted to retort, but found that it really did sound like something a Spirit Hall teacher would say.

A beginner disciple had not even figured out how to circulate Soul Power yet. Forcing an entire set of advanced combat techniques into their head would only leave them flustered.

The game was the same.

It was just that this boss made the word "teaching" sound far too much like a complimentary service thrown in after taking their money, which made her teeth itch a little.

Lin Chuan continued, "Tell you too early, and you won't remember it. Die a few times, learn what pain feels like, and then you'll understand."

It was not a particularly polite thing to say.

But no one in the room thought he was wrong.

Ma Hongjun scratched his head and muttered, "No wonder I kept feeling like I wasn't playing it right."

Lin Chuan said no more and walked straight to an empty machine before sitting down.

He did not put on a virtual helmet. He simply used the keyboard and mouse to activate spectator demonstration mode.

That only left everyone even more puzzled.

Tang San's gaze fell on the keyboard and mouse.

He had tried those things before, but they had felt like a layer separated him from the game, nowhere near as direct as the helmet.

But when Lin Chuan placed his hands on them, his entire bearing seemed perfectly natural, like a swordsman gripping a sword or a blacksmith holding a hammer. He did not need to think about what he was holding at all.

That meant the setup was not inconvenient.

They simply did not know how to use it yet.

No one voiced that thought.

But the expressions on their faces had already made it abundantly clear.

"The boss isn't wearing a helmet?"

Ma Hongjun's eyes widened. "You can fight like that too?"

Lin Chuan casually flexed his fingers.

"Yes."

He had not been among the top action game players in his former modern world, but his familiarity with the basic controls of "Black Myth: Wukong" was already enough for him to serve as a coach to these Soul Masters who were experiencing it for the first time.

The screen lit up.

The character appeared beside a Land Shrine.

Lin Chuan did not rush forward. Instead, he first organized the inventory, adjusted the attributes, then explained the gourd, spells, and staff momentum once more.

Everyone gathered behind him, as though they were watching a Soul Master inspect their Martial Soul and Soul Tools before a battle.

Flender had originally wanted to maintain the dignity of a headmaster, but after watching for only a moment, he unconsciously leaned half a step closer.

He was stingy, not blind.

Every time Lin Chuan clicked on an interface, he could see the training value behind it. Especially the review system and attribute upgrades—if they could truly help students avoid detours, then spending money became difficult to criticize.

Tang San watched with exceptional focus.

He discovered that every choice Lin Chuan made had a purpose.

He was not choosing whichever stat was highest. He was preparing specifically around the White-Clothed Scholar's attack patterns.

"More light attacks aren't always better."

Lin Chuan spoke as he operated the controls. "Greeding for hits is the fastest way to die. You always think you can land one more staff strike, but in truth, the BOSS has already started its attack."

Yan's face reddened slightly.

That was clearly aimed at him.

"Rolling isn't something you should keep doing either."

Lin Chuan continued, "Rolling around recklessly drains your stamina, and it also puts you in worse positions."

Ma Hongjun coughed.

That was aimed at him.

Oscar stood beside him, suppressing laughter so hard his shoulders shook.

Ma Hongjun bumped him with his elbow and whispered, "What are you laughing at? You weren't much better just now."

Oscar immediately wiped the expression off his face. "I was observing the enemy."

"And the Immobilization Technique."

Lin Chuan had the character raise a hand, and the Little Demon on the screen instantly froze.

"This isn't for saving your life. It's for creating attack windows or interrupting key moves. Use it too early, and you waste it. Use it too late, and it's too late."

Tang San's eyes brightened slightly.

This was very similar to judging timing with hidden weapons.

The same method, used at different moments, could produce completely different results.

Lin Chuan quickly made his way to the White-Clothed Scholar.

The internet café fell completely silent.

Everyone wanted to know what Lin Chuan meant by the "correct way to play."

The White-Clothed Scholar raised his spear.

Lin Chuan did not retreat.

He merely rolled lightly, skimming past the spear tip to evade the first strike, then immediately retaliated with two staff blows.

The tapping of the keyboard was soft.

Yet every tap seemed to land upon everyone's hearts.

There were no Spirit Rings, no soul skills, no aura spilling outward.

There was only the character on the screen weaving through the White-Clothed Scholar's spear strikes.

Even Yan unconsciously shut his mouth.

He did not attack excessively, only following up with two strikes.

The White-Clothed Scholar drew back his spear, while Lin Chuan had already withdrawn.

The movement did not look flashy, but it was so clean that it made people uncomfortable.

Every dodge seemed as if he knew in advance where the opponent would strike.

Every attack landed in the gaps where the White-Clothed Scholar found it hardest to retaliate.

Hu Liena's gaze grew increasingly grave.

She suddenly understood.

Lin Chuan was not faster than them in reaction.

He simply knew better than they did when to stop.

That was harder than knowing how to attack.

The first phase was quickly pushed to critical health.

Lin Chuan did not greed for the final strike. Instead, he waited until the White-Clothed Scholar's move missed, then brought down a charged staff blow.

The staff momentum crashed down, and the White-Clothed Scholar dropped to his knees.

The water's surface trembled as the second phase began.

Only then did Lin Chuan speak.

"Watch carefully."

"The real difficulty starts now."