Gao Wu: From a poor man in the outer city to a martial saint of the ten directions

The domed martial arts hall, the first floor is the training ground.

Just like yesterday morning, more than twenty people had already gathered at the venue shortly after 6:30 a.m.

Some people are doing squats, some are sparring, and some are sweating profusely in the weight room.

There were even a few who looked like they hadn't left since last night; their eyes were red and they smelled strongly of sweat, but they were still pounding the sandbags over and over again.

When Wei Xiu changed into his white sparring uniform and walked into the arena, all eyes immediately turned to him.

"They're here! They're here!"

"Wei Xiu, my sparring partner! Give me the first match today! I didn't sleep well last night, I've been waiting for this!"

"You get in line! You snatched my spot from 3 PM yesterday, so it's my turn to be first today!"

Seven or eight teenagers swarmed around them, chattering and vying to make reservations.

Wei Xiu was surrounded in the middle, the corners of his mouth slightly turned up, but his face still maintained that calm and composed demeanor.

"Everyone, please be patient. I'll be here all day. We'll take it one at a time."

He raised his hand and pressed it down, signaling everyone to be quiet.

"But I have something to take care of first, I need to see Sister Xiaoling. We can arrange the order when I get back, okay?"

"Okay, okay! Then hurry back!"

"Don't keep us waiting too long!"

Wei Xiu nodded, squeezed out of the crowd, and walked towards the academic affairs office at the end of the first-floor corridor.

I really need to see Xiaoling today.

The tax rate on my salary yesterday was 7%.

But I remember very clearly that, according to the tax law of the Dome Federation, underage students can have their personal income tax reduced to one percent during their part-time work-study period.

This is not a small number.

At my current rate of income, I could easily lose several hundred dollars a month just on taxes.

That's enough for my mother to buy medicine for half a month.

As Wei Xiu walked, he pondered how to start the conversation. When he passed the innermost equipment area of ​​the training ground, he suddenly paused.

There were several pillar-shaped instruments placed side by side there.

It is about two meters tall, silver-gray in color, with fine metallic patterns on the surface, and thick cables connecting the base and the ceiling.

Each instrument has an embedded hatch on the front, with a semi-transparent screen displaying a blue halo indicating standby mode.

It looks very high-tech.

When Wei Xiu came yesterday, he noticed these things, but he didn't have time to ask about them in detail.

Just as he turned his gaze away and prepared to continue walking forward.

laugh--!

The hatch of the outermost instrument suddenly opened.

A plume of white steam billowed out from the cracks, swirling and billowing under the morning lights of the drill ground.

A lean and capable-looking figure emerged from inside, wiping the sweat from his forehead and neck with a towel as he let out a long sigh.

"Phew...that was awesome! That was fucking awesome!"

Huo Quan.

He was wearing a tight-fitting training suit soaked with sweat, his hair was wet and stuck to his scalp, and his face was flushed from exercise, but his eyes were full of pride and excitement.

"Young Master Huo is out? How did it go?"

"Judging from that expression, he must have done well!"

Several students who seemed to be his underlings immediately crowded around him, offering him water and towels with beaming smiles.

Huo Quan took the water bottle, took a big gulp, wiped his mouth, and grinned from ear to ear.

"It's alright, nothing special."

He said it was alright, but his expression clearly showed he was waiting for praise.

Wei Xiu stood a dozen meters away, his gaze sweeping between the columnar instruments and Huo Quan, a hint of doubt in his heart.

What is this thing?

Just then, the broadcast system above the training ground suddenly emitted a clear notification sound.

drop!

Then came a mechanically synthesized female voice that echoed throughout the entire hall.

"Report. Student Huo Quan has cleared the second level of the Heavenly Martial Simulation Battle, scoring 75 points!"

Grade: Good. This is to inform you!

The broadcast was repeated twice, echoing through the empty training ground.

The apprentices, who were busy with their own things just a second ago, suddenly seemed to be paused, raising their heads in unison and bursting into a deafening exclamation!

"Holy crap! The second floor? Seventy-five points?!"

"Huo Quan cleared the second level? Wasn't he only at 450 Yuan Power?"

"Is this even a human being capable of? Last time I couldn't even get past the first level; the gatekeeper knocked me down with a single punch!"

"The general guarding the second level must be at least a martial artist, right? How did Huo Quan get through? Did he cheat some kind of magic?!"

The sound of discussion, exclamations of surprise and disbelief rose and fell in the training ground like a pot boiling over!

Wei Xiu stood there, his brows slightly furrowed.

Tianwu Simulation Battle?

What is that?

Turning to look at the shocked expressions on the faces of the apprentices around him, Wei Xiu's doubts deepened.

Just then, a hand reached out from the side and patted him hard on the shoulder.

"Stop looking, you can't play with that thing for now."

Wei Xiu turned around and saw Lin Qi.

The rich young master had changed into a brand new blue apprentice uniform and was looking at Huo Quan with his hands in his pockets, his expression complex and hard to describe.

"Tianwu Simulation Battle, the core training system of the Dome Martial Arts Academy," Lin Qi explained in a low voice, pursing his lips.

"See those pillars? Those things can project your consciousness onto a virtual battlefield and simulate combat against system-generated opponents."

"The opponents inside are all the most outstanding students ever produced by the martial arts school!"

"The key is that the feel of that thing is almost exactly the same as real combat. Getting hit hurts, getting slashed makes you bleed, and getting killed just ejects you!"

"Furthermore, the system will automatically provide scores and feedback based on your performance!"

"While it doesn't actually improve physical strength or boost energy levels like real combat, the improvement in combat experience and willpower is undeniable!"

Wei Xiu narrowed his eyes slightly after hearing this.

Virtual battlefield?

Realistic body sensation?

There's also a system rating?

Are there really such high-tech things?

"What is the concept of the second layer?" Wei Xiu asked.

Lin Qi scratched his head, organizing his thoughts.

"This thing is divided into nine layers, and the strength of the simulated objects will increase in each layer."

"The general guarding the first level is a near-martial artist level opponent with about 800 Yuan Power."

"Of the apprentices with a strength of over 400, less than 30% can pass the first level."

He paused, his tone becoming more serious.

"The gatekeeper of the second level is a martial artist. He has over a thousand units of Yuan energy, his meridians are open, and he even possesses a Yellow-level martial art!"

"Those who can get past the second floor can be counted on one hand in the entire first-floor apprentice class."

Martial artist level!

Wei Xiu's gaze returned to Huo Quan.

This spoiled young master with only 450 Yuan Power was actually able to defeat a martial artist-level opponent.

Although it was just a simulated battle, it was still a real battle against opponents of a higher level!

"Is this guy really that strong?" Wei Xiu muttered to himself.

Upon hearing this, Lin Qi's expression became even more subtle.

He stared at Huo Quan's smug face for several seconds, then let out a heavy snort, lowering his voice to a level that only Wei Xiu could hear.

"Strong my ass!"

He leaned close to Wei Xiu's ear and spoke almost through gritted teeth.

"That thing is powerful, but it's not without its weaknesses!"