"Ding! The gaming pod has finished replenishing its energy and resumed operation. Host, would you like to start the game?"
"Host, in the thirty-fifth century, humanity on Earth has colonized the entire Milky Way, and life science research has reached a new level. Ancient martial arts and mechs shine equally brightly among the stars! This game system assists with ancient martial arts cultivation and can help you become an invincible martial artist who shines across the stars!"
"As long as you start the game, passing this lousy little test will be a piece of cake!"
Jiang Jie was tempted. Besides, this was his only chance.
"Are kings, nobles, generals, and ministers born to their stations? Nobles aren't born noble either! You're nobles? Barons? Ha! Before long, my title will definitely be much higher than yours! I'm hungry. I'll come back for the trial this afternoon!" Jiang Jie declared loudly, then threw his head back and laughed. Immediately afterward...
He turned and left!
Now, he was going back to prepare-to play the game!
Behind him came their unrestrained mockery, followed by Baron Soroson's icy voice. "Heh, I hope you can become a professional this afternoon. Otherwise... I won't let you die easily!"
Returning to the room Prince Arthas had prepared for him, Jiang Jie locked the door from the inside, then closed his eyes and selected "Enter game."
The next moment, he vanished entirely.
Within a special space unknown to anyone, a coffin-like gaming pod floated in midair. Jiang Jie was already lying inside.
At that moment, what Jiang Jie saw was an ethereal space, gray and hazy all around, with nothing in it.
Then, an indescribably beautiful girl appeared before him.
"Hello, host. I'm Xiao Feng, your auxiliary AI. Given that you're currently facing a crisis that will be difficult to survive unscathed, I specially recommend a cultivation technique best suited to your current circumstances: Lightness Skill: Skimming over Water! Ding-ding! Look over here!"
Xiao Feng pointed into the distance. Jiang Jie saw his surroundings change instantly, and he arrived on a beach, with a calm sea stretching before him.
"Allow Xiao Feng to grandly introduce Surfing Beach, created specifically for martial arts such as Lightness Skill: Skimming over Water, Stormy Waves Palm, and Frenzied Dance Wave-Cleaving Saber!"
Jiang Jie gazed at the endless sea in the distance. This gaming pod is so miraculous. It can practically create things out of nothing. Or is everything before me fake, an illusion indistinguishable from reality?
He was listening expectantly to Xiao Feng's introduction when she abruptly changed tack. "Well, let's start training!"
Start? Training?
What happened to that grand introduction?
Xiao Feng, although your Feng is the "crazy" in "madhouse," please don't actually be a lunatic! Why does my future feel so bleak? Who covered my eyes so I couldn't see your peerless beauty?
Xiao Feng pointed, and all the information about Lightness Skill: Skimming over Water entered his mind, becoming his memories. The next moment, he completely understood how to execute it. What came next was training!
How would he train?
Simple: charge straight toward the boundless sea and sprint across its surface!
Except...
"Xiao Feng, what if I drown?" Jiang Jie asked the question that concerned him most.
Xiao Feng waved a hand. "Don't worry, host. If you drown, just try again. You'll revive on the spot with full health and mana. Nothing to worry about."
Jiang Jie overlooked certain words in Xiao Feng's reply and thought the gaming pod's design was wonderfully considerate. Only when the training truly began did he realize that Xiao Feng was as much of a troll as ever...
Lightness Skill: Skimming over Water!
This lightness skill was everywhere in the thirty-fifth century, but it worked very well. In fact, anything that widespread was good, like Taijiquan. Having been tested by countless people, it was the perfect martial art for beginners!
Jiang Jie recalled the knowledge in his memories, then faced the sea and broke into a sprint!
Then...
He charged into the sea,
And swallowed several mouthfuls of water! "So stupid! Did you circulate your internal energy?" Xiao Feng mocked from the beach.
Jiang Jie hurriedly circulated his cultivation technique, but before he had run more than a few meters, he fell into the water.
The problem was, wasn't this the shore? Why was the water more than ten meters deep just a few meters out? Fortunately, Jiang Jie could swim. He finally managed to swim back up, only to hear Xiao Feng's mockery again:
"Stupid, stupid! Do you understand continuous circulation? Do you understand keeping something in reserve? Your IQ is worrying!"
Looking back, he saw that Xiao Feng had somehow procured a beach umbrella and a lounge chair. She was lying there wearing sunglasses and drinking soda!
"Forget it. I won't stoop to arguing with an AI, especially a crazy AI with scrambled programming!"
Jiang Jie charged into the sea again and again, swallowing water again and again. Finally, after hundreds upon thousands of attempts, he could run freely across the surface. In his delight, however, he forgot that he was still a beginner who hadn't even reached the first layer of the Acquired Realm, and his internal energy was limited. So...
His internal energy ran out, and he fell into the river!
He was already a hundred meters from the beach, his swimming was mediocre, and running flat out had exhausted him. After swallowing who knew how much water, he drowned...
Then he revived on the spot with full health and mana!
He really did revive on the spot!
He revived directly in the seawater, swallowing a huge mouthful the instant he came back!
"Screw you, Xiao Feng!"
Jiang Jie was furious. Only after several attempts did he finally reach the surface. Then he exerted himself and sprinted back to the beach before his internal energy ran out, narrowly avoiding drowning a second time!
Seeing Jiang Jie's murderous gaze, Xiao Feng leisurely rose. "Host, let's end this training session here. You're too weak, and your body can't take it... Go eat!"
The next moment, Jiang Jie's surroundings changed, and he returned to his room.
Jiang Jie felt terribly hungry, his stomach growling. Apparently, training in the gaming pod consumed energy too, so he couldn't keep it up for long. Xiao Feng also told him that every operation of the gaming pod consumed energy, and it had to absorb more before it could operate again. Basically, a full day of absorbing energy only allowed it to run for one hour...
Of course, that hour was extra. While he trained in the gaming pod, time outside stood completely still.
Since Prince Arthas had already left instructions, Jiang Jie only had to say the word before the guard patrolling outside went to have someone prepare food. Half an hour later, the same young maid from before entered with a tray.
"Little brother, I brought your food!" Her voice arrived before she did. Although the young maid's face was still a little pale, she was mostly fine now. She had only been poisoned, and the poison had quickly been neutralized after she drank an antidote potion. That was how miraculous this world's potions were!
"It isn't poisoned this time, right?" The moment the words left his mouth, Jiang Jie wanted to slap himself twice.
Who says something like that? Isn't that just upsetting her?
But the young maid didn't seem to mind. There was pity in her eyes as she looked at Jiang Jie. "Little brother, why don't you run away? Or I could help you plead with Princess Calia and ask him to find a way to send you to Stratholme! It's a great city second only to Lordaeron. You could live very well there! In any case, you can't stay in Lordaeron anymore, or you really could die!"
Jiang Jie froze, then quickly caught on. "You're afraid I'll be poisoned to death again? Or that Baron Soroson will kill me?"
The young maid looked troubled. "Little brother, you don't know this, but Baron Soroson is an officer in Lordaeron's peacekeeping force. He holds a very high position! If he wanted someone dead, it would be easier than crushing an ant! All the city's peacekeeping guards are his men!"
Without a word, Jiang Jie polished off the food in no time. He was simply too hungry to care about anything else.
Wiping his mouth, Jiang Jie smiled. "It's fine. Once I become a professional, Soroson won't dare move against me openly! As long as I'm careful then, there won't be a problem."
The young maid hurriedly said, "Then go now! Or should I plead with His Highness and ask him to speak to the examiner in charge of recruiting rogues, to get you in through the back door? No, no, you'd still be better off leaving Lordaeron and going straight to Stratholme!"
Jiang Jie shook his head speechlessly.
Stratholme? Girl, sending me there would really be the death of me! I really would die there! Your beloved prince will soon lead his men to massacre that city. You don't know that yet, do you?
"It's fine. I'll definitely live for ten thousand years. I won't die!"
Jiang Jie lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. "How am I supposed to take the trial when I'm this worn out? I'm going to sleep for a bit. Don't disturb me!"