CHAPTER 11: CHAPTER 8: SYSTEM UPDATE

"Great, after digging for a whole day and creating so many passages, we’ve finally found this unpolluted area. As long as we can develop this area ahead, we’ll definitely make a fortune!"

In the barely one-person-wide passage, Twilight of the Gods excitedly caressed this completely unpolluted soil, as if he were touching gold, wishing he could rub his whole body against it.

"According to previous surveys, this unpolluted area is quite large, able to develop at least five hundred square meters of energy land. One point per square meter, and five hundred points can be exchanged for a hundred Blood Essence Rice seeds."

"These Blood Essence Rice seeds, mature in ten days, can yield two pounds of Blood Essence Rice, earning 2000 points. Deducting the ten-day lease fee for 400 square meters of land and providing your own water source, you can earn 1600 points."

"With these 1600 points, you can exchange for 320 seeds. As long as enough energy land is developed within the first ten days of the Blood Essence Rice, next time we can earn 5120 points. This way, in just a month’s time, we can exchange for the middle volume of the Shocking God Breathing Technique."

"A month, huh?" Wushang looked at Twilight of the Gods, who lay in the passage analyzing, and couldn’t help but frown slightly, "Isn’t that too slow?"

After experiencing Descent of High Martial for a day, she personally placed high hopes on it.

You could say Descent of High Martial’s virtual reality blows ’Pilgrimage’ out of the water, and ’Pilgrimage’ has been running for seven years. Even if ’Pilgrimage’ is booming, with only 70% virtual reality, it will eventually be replaced by other new games.

Celestial Might, being one of the five major guilds in ’Pilgrimage,’ would also crumble if ’Pilgrimage’ goes down. So, Celestial Might has always been looking for the next replacement for ’Pilgrimage.’

Descent of High Martial seems to be the most suitable at present. Although it has a tech style, like ’Pilgrimage,’ it also centers around martial arts, making it a fitting replacement.

Whenever a large-scale virtual game launches, those who are quick to start have an overwhelming advantage. Catching up later often requires several or even dozens of times the effort.

As one of the first pioneers in Celestial Might, she naturally had to find ways to lay the groundwork for Celestial Might’s future. After all, Celestial Might isn’t the only giant guild in ’Pilgrimage;’ others will notice Descent of High Martial sooner or later. She has to gain as much advantage as possible in Descent of High Martial.

"Sister Wu, this isn’t slow at all." Twilight of the Gods adjusted non-existent glasses and said, "According to my estimates, Descent of High Martial is still in its initial testing phase. By the next time they increase the number of slots, it should also be in more than a month. Then, we will have the middle volume of the Shocking God Breathing Technique, which gives us a significant leading edge over latecomers."

"Alright, bring Fang Zhen along to develop this area, and I’ll look for new unpolluted areas." Wushang nodded, realizing such matters are indeed hard to speed up.

The Blood Essence Rice has a ten-day maturation period, and developing land requires a lot of manpower to dig. It’s not something that can be done in a week or two. To speed up, one can only seek more unpolluted land underground.

Afterward, Wushang closed her eyes and used her body to feel the pollution radiation, searching for areas where it weakened.

"Hmm?"

Wushang was interrupted by the system prompt sound in her mind after taking a few steps.

System: Descent of High Martial system updated, players can open their personal interface to view their data.

System: Due to the overwhelming number of pre-registered players and limited test slots, balancing professional game testing, all pre-purchase players can participate in the Descent of High Martial assessment test. Players passing the assessment will have a greater chance of entering the game.

"Damn! How did this game update so quickly?" Twilight of the Gods couldn’t help but curse at the system prompt.

He had just mentioned the next increase of game slots would be in over a month, but now the system update made it clear that the next increase might be much sooner.

"Players who pass the assessment test have a greater chance of entering the game?" Wushang’s tight frown slightly relaxed, forming a plan in her mind, "The professional assessment is a good opportunity. I’ll have those idle guild members try this test when I get back. If we enter the game through this, it’ll be profitable."

In a martial arts-centered game, emphasizing professional tests would inevitably require combat experts. For Celestial Might, which respects martial prowess, it’s a great opportunity for many members to enter Descent of High Martial.

"So you can increase your attributes just by digging?"

Fang Zhen, who just entered the cave, looked at his attribute panel in surprise, suddenly gaining motivation for daily tasks.

Player: Fang Zhen.

Martial Arts Level: Pre-Apprentice

Strength: 77.4 kg (+1.4)

Speed: 7.4 meters per second (+0.1)

Training Technique: Shocking God Breathing Technique (Not Learned)

Previously, Fang Zhen had reservations about Descent of High Martial’s attribute system. It felt unsuitable for him as a professional player. He spent a lot of time online just earning points, and learning training techniques required immense study.

With limited daily online hours, he would inevitably fall behind those who played constantly, and this gap would only widen.

However, he’s no longer worried. Even without learning the training technique, he can still increase attributes. This is great news for someone with little time to study training techniques.

Long-term underground exploration risk like poisoning and death is a financial issue. Considering the potential as a top professional player, it becomes a manageable concern.

The revival costs can be seen as early business investments, and continual land development also earns a lot of Martial Arts Hall Points.

It’s practically killing two birds with one stone!

Fang Zhen’s live stream audience was abuzz.

"What’s going on? I just took a nap and the game updated? What have I missed?"

"Looks like this game is really going to take off. So many people have registered."

"Damn, what a scheme! I paid, and now I have to pass a test? What’s the point of paying? A paid qualification test?"

"This game really is arrogant. Before it was ’pay 4999 to play,’ now it’s ’pay 4999 for a test to play.’ Listen to me, hurry and refund while you can."

"Leave me out. I’m not falling for this refund scam. Developers, I’ll pay extra, just let me in. I’m a skilled digger; if you let me in, I’ll carve out an ancient Babylon for you."

Everyone watching the Descent of High Martial announcement was talking over each other, but no one chose to quit. The number of paid reservations kept rising. Watching Fang Zhen dig made it clear the virtual reality was amazingly high. The vivid details of shoveling dirt, sweat streaming down, and the crisp sound of shovels hitting stones were astonishing. The realism, even just seen on screen, signaled this was a masterpiece, a new future for gaming.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

While Fang Zhen was vigorously digging in the cave, a thunderous drumming sound erupted outside, startling Lin Qi in the training hall.

"What’s happening?"

It was Lin Qi’s first time experiencing such a roar.

Outside Black Obsidian Martial Arts Hall, the rundown street was increasingly crowded with people. Judging by their standard attire, they were unofficial vagabonds, each looking tense, carrying various weapons, and rushing toward a certain place with an unspeakable heaviness in the air.

"Little brother from the Martial Arts Hall, aren’t you going to head over?" An eyepatch-wearing middle-aged man passing by Black Obsidian Martial Arts Hall was surprised to see Lin Qi standing inside. "It’ll be too late if you don’t go now!"

"Too late? What’s happening over there, brother?" Lin Qi asked out of curiosity.

"Little brother, are you new to this area?" The one-eyed middle-aged man scrutinized Lin Qi.

"Yes, I’ve only been here for over ten days," Lin Qi nodded, without hiding. There was no way to conceal it since he didn’t know what that noise meant.

"I see." The one-eyed middle-aged man wasn’t surprised and explained, "Then grab any weapon you can and come with me. It’ll be too late if you delay. Now, vagabonds from other tribes are trying to take over our territory. If we can’t stop them, we’ll all have to relocate."