For a seasoned gamer, the swiftest path to power has always been leveling up.
And in the world of Martial Gods, there was no better way to level than by hunting beasts.
Thus, at dawn the following day, Wei Yi departed the academy and ventured into the forests beyond the city walls, embarking on his hunt.
As for academy classes—he'd long stopped attending. No one tracked his comings and goings; he was, in truth, all but forgotten.
This world was vastly different from Earth.
Beyond the fortified cities and villages where humans dwelled, the wilderness was the undisputed domain of wild beasts and demonic creatures. Ordinary folk dared not step foot into such forests.
Wei Yi, however, had no fear of a shortage of prey. In fact, the moment he entered the mountains, wave after wave of feral beasts sought him out—as if he were the quarry.
Wei Yi welcomed them with open arms.
A blood-eyed mountain goat charged toward him, savage and relentless. Wei Yi tightened his grip on his iron sword. As the beast lunged, he kicked off the ground, veering sharply to the left and evading the deadly rush with elegant precision.
Then—Stormwind Sword Technique unleashed.
The iron blade flashed like lightning, cleaving through the air. The blood-eyed goat, mid-leap and unable to react, let out a shrill cry before its head soared skyward, severed clean.
One stroke, one kill. A Tier One beast, felled in an instant.
It was a testament not only to the devastating force of the Stormwind Sword Technique, but to Wei Yi's growing mastery of battle.
Ding. Player Wei Yi has slain one Tier One beast: Blood-Eyed Mountain Goat. Cultivation EXP +80. Stormwind Sword Technique EXP +75.
The system notification rang out as a smile crept across Wei Yi's face.
At this pace, it wouldn't take long before he ascended another rank.
"A shame to waste this beast's corpse," he muttered thoughtfully.
Ding. Player Wei Yi has unlocked the Marketplace System. Purchasing and selling features now enabled.
Ding. Player Wei Yi's current rank is Tier Two Martial Disciple. Only items of corresponding level may be purchased.
As always, the system delivered just what he needed.
Delighted, Wei Yi opened the marketplace interface and quickly located the selling option, selecting the blood-eyed goat as the item to be sold.
Ding. Player Wei Yi has sold one Tier One beast: Blood-Eyed Mountain Goat. Earned: 20 taels of silver.
Pleased, he browsed the weapon listings next.
With a single flick, an endless array of dazzling blades and divine arms filled the screen, each more exquisite than the last.
Unfortunately, due to his current level restrictions and a modest balance of 2,000 silver taels, most items were greyed out and inaccessible.
He filtered by sword category.
Xuanyuan Sword, Chixiao Sword, Tai'e Sword, Longquan Sword, Yuchang Sword, Chengying Sword, Zhanlu Sword, Chun Jun Sword, Juque Sword… all far beyond his means.
Zhu Xian Sword, Golden Serpent Blade, Black Iron Heavy Sword, Heaven-Relying Sword, Peerless Blade, Fire Qilin Sword, Hero's Blade, Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi… he could only admire them from afar.
After some filtering, only a scant few swords remained within his reach.
He eventually selected the Qinggang Sword—a legendary blade once wielded by Cao Cao in the Three Kingdoms era. Though not enchanted, it was sharp enough to slice iron like silk.
Swapping out his crude iron weapon for the Qinggang Sword, his combat power soared.
Ding. Player Wei Yi has slain one Tier One beast: Black-Haired Ox. Cultivation EXP +82. Stormwind Sword Technique EXP +76.
Ding. Player Wei Yi has slain one Tier One beast: Four-Eyed Venom Toad. Cultivation EXP +75. Stormwind Sword Technique EXP +68.
Ding. Player Wei Yi has slain one wild beast: Mountain Boar. Cultivation EXP +30. Stormwind Sword Technique EXP +22.
Ding. Player Wei Yi's Tier Two Martial Disciple experience is full. Auto-advancing to Tier Three Martial Disciple.
…
With every kill, the system echoed in his mind.
Wei Yi's experience surged steadily.
By the end of the first day, he had hunted dozens of demonic beasts, and well over a hundred ordinary ones.
His cultivation had soared to the peak of Tier Six Martial Disciple, and his Stormwind Sword Technique had reached level four. Unlike the Iron Ape Fist, this was a top-tier common technique. Its power was formidable, but so too was the experience required to level it.
Selling the spoils to the marketplace netted him over a thousand silver taels—on the first day alone.
Determined to level up through the hunt, Wei Yi didn't pause. For several days straight, he followed the same rhythm:
At first light, he'd set out alone beyond the city. Only when darkness fell did he return to the academy.
Few paid him any mind. Though his earlier confrontation with Lu Dawu and Sun Wenyuan had stirred some whispers, they remained confined to a limited circle. True Martial Academy spanned multiple campuses with thousands of students—most of whom paid no attention to a so-called "cripple."
This was no era of information networks; news spread slowly and selectively. And so, in the eyes of most, Wei Yi remained what he had always been—a talentless, cultivation-less waste. Even the academy hadn't noticed the change.
And Wei Yi had no intention of altering that perception just yet.
He was biding his time, sharpening his edge.
"Heading out again, Wei Yi?"
His roommate, Lu Xing, had just woken up and rubbed his eyes to see Wei Yi already fully dressed and ready to leave.
"Yeah. Why?"
Wei Yi turned to him.
Lu Xing was simple, honest—one of the few genuine friends Wei Yi had in True Martial Academy.
"The final exams are coming up," Lu Xing said, yawning. "So is your last evaluation. You didn't forget, right?"
Wei Yi chuckled, smacking his forehead. "I nearly did, to be honest."
"There's something else…" Lu Xing hesitated. "Not sure if I should tell you…"
"Come on, spit it out. Why the mystery?"
Seeing his expression, Wei Yi couldn't help but grin.
"Well… yesterday I was looking for Instructor Qian about something. I saw Sun Wenzong and his brother Sun Wenyuan coming out of his office. Instructor Qian walked them out himself. They were all smiles—and I think I heard your name come up."
"I don't know exactly what they discussed, but… you should be careful. Instructor Qian is our Class Eight's chief instructor. He has a lot of sway."
Lu Xing grit his teeth and said it all in one breath.
"I see."
Wei Yi gave a small nod.
The smile on his face didn't change—but a glint of coldness flickered in his eyes.
"Don't worry. I'll be fine."
"Just wait. Sooner or later, I'll take you soaring with me. Watch and see."
With that, Wei Yi turned and left the dormitory.
On the way, he opened his game system panel.
Cultivation Level: Tier Nine Martial Disciple
EXP: 95%
Just a little more, and he would ascend to Tier Ten.
His Stormwind Sword Technique had likewise reached Level 9.
With such strength—not yet enough to slay gods and buddhas, perhaps—but certainly enough to crush a few jumping clowns beneath his feet.