"This blade technique is considered exceptionally outstanding even among foundational martial arts."
Having mastered it effortlessly, Wang Xian left the library.
On his way home, his mind continuously replayed and savored the movements.
With his past life’s martial insights, he could naturally recognize the unique brilliance of this blade technique at a glance.
It harnessed the fluidity of water to shape the form of the blade.
"At my current progress, with the right sparring partner, reaching mastery within a month won’t be difficult."
The fastest way to elevate one’s martial prowess was always through real combat.
A suitable opponent was ideal—preferably free and consistent.
His uncle’s martial arts school was a decent option, but most trainees there focused on fist techniques.
Sparring with a blade in hand would be out of place.
That left only one alternative: the virtual world.
Joining other martial schools cost money, and Wang Xian saw no need for that.
Besides, he didn’t have much to splurge with at the moment.
So, the only choice was...
"Martial Infinite..."
Rongcheng, Old District, Hailan Community, Unit 3, Floor 10, Room 38.
The moment he returned home, Wang Xian thought of this game.
Eagerly heading to the study, he strapped on the virtual helmet and equipped the accompanying martial gear.
The house had been left to him by his parents, and he lived alone.
So, he could do whatever he pleased at home without restraint.
The helmet and gear had been purchased when he first entered high school, costing several thousand in total.
Most people in Dragon Country could afford them, contributing to the game’s nationwide popularity.
[You haven’t logged in for three months. Bubble has prepared a welcome-back reward for you...]
A notification chimed the moment he logged in.
In his past life, Wang Xian recalled rarely playing this game during his senior year.
High school seniors weren’t burdened with strict evening self-study sessions—unless you counted solo martial training.
Most of his time was spent reading novels or begging Chen Yuting to let him spar with her at the martial school...
Even when he did play, it was usually the game’s "Battle Royale" mode.
But that mode leaned toward casual fun, with the system adjusting players' real-world martial prowess for balance.
It was the crowd’s favorite entertainment option.
"Bubble" was the game’s AI assistant.
"Enter Solo Martial Arena Ranked Matches."
Wang Xian cut straight to the point.
The Solo Martial Arena Ranked Matches were the most prestigious mode in the game.
A player’s real-world martial ability underwent no system adjustments—only a minor margin of error.
In other words, your in-game performance would deviate no more than 5% from reality.
Of course, for martial artists above the third realm, even a 5% difference could be significant.
For those beyond the sixth realm, a mere 1% disparity could be magnified infinitely.
But for those below the third realm, a 5% gap hardly mattered.
Since the mode had credibility, it naturally drew more attention, viewers, and stronger competitors.
[Player vitality detected: 0.5. This is your first ranked match. Adjust sensory settings? (Note: Higher settings increase realism and pain perception.)]
"Set all to maximum."
[Settings applied. Current rank: Bronze, 0 wins, 0 losses.]
[Searching for opponent...]
[Match found. Opponent: Spicy Little Chicken (Bronze), Vitality 0.6, 5 wins, 2 losses.]
The moment the match began, Wang Xian felt his vision blur as he materialized on a martial arena.
Across the platform stood a shorter man, masked and wielding a longsword, his flowing hair giving off a chivalrous aura.
Of course, Wang Xian knew this was just a cosmetic skin—virtual attire for flair.
"Let’s spar," the opponent chuckled, clearly pleased to face a greenhorn with zero wins.
Wang Xian nodded.
The moment the words left the man’s mouth, his blade flashed like cold light as he lunged forward with an oddly elusive footwork.
Fast.
Wang Xian’s eyes gleamed.
Indeed, anyone daring to compete in martial ranked matches had some skill.
This guy’s vitality was only mid-tier compared to his classmates, yet his speed surpassed any of them.
It meant he could utilize at least 80% of his physical potential.
Wang Xian remained still, merely tilting his blade slightly.
Waiting calmly.
The way of water was ever-changing.
So too was the way of the blade.
Then, in an instant—
Wang Xian’s saber surged with an intangible force as he slashed outward.
"Huh?" The opponent barely reacted, hastily raising his sword to block.
But the next moment, the blade descended like a storm—smooth, relentless, unbroken.
Within a few strikes, the man faltered.
A final cleave shattered his form, dissolving him into motes of light as he vanished from the arena.
[Victory! Current record: 1 win, 0 losses.]
[9 more wins to advance to Bronze I.]
Wang Xian clicked his tongue.
The Flowing Water Blade Art’s opening move, "Flowing Clouds," hadn’t even finished before his opponent fell.
Still, virtual sparring had its charm.
"Flowing Clouds" was the foundational stance, designed to lock the foe in an unending tide of strikes, wearing them down like an inexhaustible current.
"Blades are interesting..."
In his past life, he’d only ever used spears.
This time, he could explore other martial disciplines to broaden his understanding.
Without pause, he queued for another match.
His second opponent was slightly stronger in vitality and record.
But they only lasted long enough for him to complete "Flowing Clouds."
By the fifth opponent, he finally unleashed the second stance: "Storm and Darkness."
In the Flowing Water Blade Art, this technique conjured countless afterimages—swift as wind, dense as rain, illusions masking lethal truths.
A semi-finishing move.
Once "Flowing Clouds" locked the rhythm, an abrupt shift to this stance made it nearly impossible to counter.
With this, Wang Xian secured four more consecutive wins.
By now, his comprehension of the Flowing Water Blade Art had deepened.
"Too bad no one’s pushed me to use the final stance yet..."
He’d only grasped it conceptually.
If he could execute "Tidal Surge"—the ultimate technique—in actual combat, he’d likely reach perfection in the Entry Realm within days.
However, his winning streak attracted fiercer opponents.
The last two had vitality nearing 1.0, and most had trained in foundational martial arts.
[You’ve won 9 consecutive matches. Proceed to the final placement match?]
"Continue."
[Searching for opponent...]
[Match found. Opponent: Everlasting Kirito (Bronze I), Vitality 1.5, 58 wins, 3 losses.]
The moment he saw the stats, Wang Xian froze.
Then he smirked.
"What kind of matchmaking is this?"
He shook his head, instantly recognizing that this opponent was clearly not meant for this rank.
These are the players who drop into low-tier matches to dominate after the seasonal rank reset.
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
