Online Game: Me, with Unparalleled Comprehension

The courtyard returned to tranquility. Only the gentle breeze rustled through the pines and the delicate aroma of tea wafted through the air.

Zhang Sanfeng sat alone, took another sip of tea, his gaze still fixed on the swirling clouds, but a faint hint of doubt flickered deep in his eyes.

"This kid... just learned the fist technique and internal energy cultivation. Given his past obsessive dedication to training, shouldn't he immediately bury himself in intensive practice? Why did he turn around and go down the mountain..."

He muttered to himself, his voice barely audible.

Based on his observation of Wu Feng, he believed that this young man was resilient and could endure loneliness, and was by no means the kind of impetuous person who would only dabble in things and crave excitement.

For nearly a month on the mountain, all he did was practice his martial arts; his diligence was astonishing.

Why would someone suddenly choose to leave the most suitable environment for cultivation after acquiring a new unique skill?

"Could it be... that something important happened down the mountain? Or that he heard some special news?" Zhang Sanfeng unconsciously tapped the stone tabletop with his fingers.

But then I thought, since Wu Feng went up the mountain, he has been almost completely cut off from the outside world. How could he possibly get any news from him?

After thinking for a while, Zhang Sanfeng shook his head, finished the remaining tea in his cup, and his face once again showed that calm smile that seemed to have seen through the ways of the world.

"So be it. This disciple... is different from ordinary disciples. Let him walk his own path. Whether he is a dragon or a worm, whether it is a calamity or a blessing, he must experience it for himself."

"Let it be."

He stopped thinking, closed his eyes, felt the mountain breeze on his face and the sound of the pines in his ears, and his mind gradually sank into that mysterious realm of no thought and no worries, of being in harmony with the Tao.

The bluestone steps of Wudang Mountain recede beneath your feet as the morning mist gradually dissipates, revealing the outline of the plain below.

Wu Feng stopped at the edge of a secluded grove of trees more than a mile from the town at the foot of the mountain.

He untied the belt of his blue Taoist robe, took off the faded robe, which was stained with bits of grass and dust from his practice, and carefully folded it.

The Taoist robe felt rough to the touch, yet it carried the crisp scent of morning dew from the mountains.

He put the Taoist robe into his bag. The backpack space in the game was quite large. Although the robe was not valuable, it was a testament to a period of time, and keeping it would be a keepsake.

He changed into the same coarse cloth outfit he had worn in the starting village; it was drab and inconspicuous.

He then took out the Iron-Cutting Sword from his bag, wrapped the scabbard with a strip of cloth, and carried it on his back.

Now he looks like an ordinary江湖客 (jianghu kè kè, a wandering swordsman).

He patted the wrinkles on his clothes, composed himself, and strode toward the town not far away.

The town was more lively than I had imagined.

The cobblestone streets were not wide, lined with all sorts of shops: the blacksmith's shop jingled, the pharmacy exuded a bitter fragrance, the cloth shop hung colorful fabrics, and the teahouse echoed with the sound of a storyteller's gavel and faint cheers.

The crowds moved about, and in addition to NPCs dressed in ancient costumes, there were also a large number of players mixed in.

Some of them walked hurriedly, as if rushing to do a task;

Some gathered in groups of three or five, standing by the roadside, gesturing and discussing martial arts moves;

Some squatted on street corners with small stalls, selling furs, ores dropped by monsters, or a few yellowed martial arts manuals.

The shouts, the haggling, the calls to friends and family... all intertwined to create a vibrant, bustling scene of everyday life.

Wu Feng felt slightly out of place walking among the crowd.

For nearly a month on Wudang Mountain, I was surrounded by either quiet forests or solemn martial arts training grounds, with the sounds of fellow practitioners shouting and the mountain winds and pine trees filling my ears.

Suddenly thrust into this bustling world, the cacophony of voices assaulted his senses, giving him a feeling of alienation, as if he were in another world.

His gaze swept over the players.

Many people wore expressions of novelty and excitement as they entered the world of martial arts, while others looked tired and anxious.

Judging from the direction they were gathering and the occasional whispers that drifted over, most of them seemed to be gazing longingly toward Wudang Mountain.

"Is the Wudang Mountain gate still closed? I've been waiting here for three days!"

"I heard you need a recommendation letter to get in. Damn it, I've completely forgotten what the newbie quests were like..."

"Waiting here idly isn't going to solve anything. There's a martial arts school at the east end of town that teaches third-rate swordsmanship for ten taels of silver. Why don't we go and learn from them?"

"Ten taels? You're robbing me! I spent all day hunting stray dogs and only saved up a little over one tael..."

Wu Feng listened and understood.

Most of these people had heard of the Wudang School's reputation and wanted to become its disciples.

Unfortunately, the entry conditions were not triggered, so I could only linger at the foot of the mountain.

Wudang Mountain is quiet, but as a result, more and more players who can't find their way in are gathering at the foot of the mountain, making this town more lively than a typical newbie village.

For them, waiting here for a slim chance while learning some rudimentary skills at a martial arts school or teaming up to hunt monsters nearby is better than wandering around aimlessly.

"It's none of my business anymore." Wu Feng shook his head and looked away.

He walked through the bustling main street, heading straight towards the horse market he remembered.

Horse Market is located at the western end of the town, in an open area enclosed by a wooden fence.

Dozens of horses were tied to stakes, their coats of different colors. Some were thin, old horses chewing dry grass with their heads down, while others were strong, spirited horses standing tall with their heads held high and white breath coming out of their nostrils.

Several horse traders stood to one side with their hands behind their backs, their shrewd eyes scanning the passersby.

Wu Feng walked up to a horse dealer who looked honest and pointed to a strong, chestnut-colored horse.

The horse was tall and strong, with long and powerful limbs, and its eyes were gentle yet alert; it was a fine horse.

"How much is this one?"

The horse trader sized up Wu Feng, noticing his ordinary clothes but the sword strapped to his back and his composed demeanor, which suggested he wasn't a poor fellow. He then put on a smile: "Sir, you have a good eye! This is a top-quality Hequ horse, its stamina and endurance are unparalleled! One price, twelve taels of silver!"

Wu Feng glanced at the several obviously thinner horses next to him, all priced between five and eight taels.

This chestnut horse is indeed better, but twelve ounces is a bit of an overestimation.

He now has plenty of money in his backpack, but money doesn't come from thin air, so he still needs to be frugal.

"Ten taels," Wu Feng said calmly, "along with a regular saddle and five days' worth of fodder."

The horse dealer frowned: "Sir, this price is too steep! This horse is truly worth twelve taels of silver. Look at its teeth, its build..."

Wu Feng said no more and turned to leave.

"Hey! Wait a minute, sir!" the horse trader called out hastily. "Alright! Seeing that you're a straightforward person, ten taels it is! I'll provide you with saddle, bridle, and fodder!"

Wu Feng paid the money.

The horse trader deftly saddled the horse and handed over several large bundles of dry hay wrapped in oilcloth.

Wu Feng casually put the hay into his back; according to the game's mechanics, these kinds of supplies don't take up too much weight.

He held the reins, and the chestnut horse followed him obediently, snorting.

Without lingering in the town, Wu Feng led his horse directly out of town.

At the entrance to the town stood a simple archway, where several players were gazing in the direction of Wudang Mountain, muttering things like, "Will the mountain gate be open today?"

Wu Feng brushed past them and mounted his horse.

The horse's back is wide, and it's very stable to sit on.

He gently spurred the horse's flanks, and the chestnut horse began to trot, slowly making its way south along the earthen road.

Fields and scattered villages lined both sides of the official road, with distant green mountains like dark eyebrows.

The wind on my face carried the scent of earth and grass, different from the crispness of the mountains.

With one hand holding the reins, Wu Feng took out a slightly rough sheepskin map from his pocket with the other.

His finger traced across the map.

Wudang Mountain is located in northwestern Hubei, while Dali is in the remote southwestern border region, separated by Hubei, Hunan, and Guizhou, a distance of thousands of miles.

Even on horseback, traveling day and night, it would probably take ten days to half a month to complete the journey.

"It really is far away," Wu Feng muttered to himself.

However, distance is not a problem.

He didn't have a specific destination in the first place; he came down the mountain to gain experience, so it didn't matter where he went.

The news about the Four Evils was just the beginning.

He didn't care whether the plot started or not.

What he cared about were the four bosses themselves—what would they drop if he killed them?

Equipment? Silver? Or... a martial arts manual?

Duan Yanqing's One-Finger Divine Skill, the Crocodile God's Crocodile Mouth Scissors Technique, and Yun Zhonghe's Lightness Skill—even just one of them would be absolutely worth the price of this long journey.

"What a hot commodity!" Wu Feng licked his lips, a hunter's glint in his eyes.

It's fine if it's far away, anyway, nothing serious is happening right now.

Let's go over there and take a look at the situation.

Having made up his mind, he no longer hesitated, flicked the reins, and gave a low shout: "Giddy up!"

The chestnut horse neighed and galloped off along the official road.

The wind whistled past my ears, and the trees on both sides of the road rushed past me.

The long-lost feeling of speed and freedom is exhilarating.