Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Spirit Realm Combat
’Level 2...’
’I wonder how much my strength has increased.’
Chen Yu looked out the window.
A physical Evolution wasn’t the same as a cultivation breakthrough. He wasn’t sure how much stronger he had become; he’d have to test it to find out.
The improvement was definitely significant.
It was just a question of by how much.
DING~
Just then, the doorbell suddenly rang. Chen Yu snapped out of it, went to the door, and opened it.
"Brother Yu!"
Outside were none other than Ma Xiang and Xu Xiao. Ma Xiang beamed at the sight of Chen Yu.
"You’re here. Come in, have a seat." A smile appeared on Chen Yu’s face as well.
So far in this world, Ma Xiang was the only person he felt close to.
After all, if it weren’t for him, his transmigration might have failed.
The two entered the house, and Ma Xiang looked around.
"Three bedrooms and a living room, not bad! Brother Yu, is the Mercenary Team still recruiting? I want to join too."
"You brat, why are you always thinking about joining a Mercenary Team? You have to go to Jingzhou tomorrow. Are my words just going in one ear and out the other?" At his side, Xu Xiao pinched Ma Xiang’s ear with a resentful look.
"Ouch! Ouch! It hurts, Auntie! I was just kidding! Stop pulling." Ma Xiang immediately begged for mercy pitifully.
Hearing this, Chen Yu was startled.
"You’re going to school in Jingzhou so soon?"
"Yes, we’ve already made the arrangements. He’s leaving tomorrow. Chen Yu, do you want to reconsider? I can contact Jingzhou University. Adding one more person isn’t a big deal."
Xu Xiao said, looking at Chen Yu.
Chen Yu shook his head. "Aunt Xu, school isn’t for me. I’d rather be a Mercenary."
"Sigh... alright then." Xu Xiao sighed and didn’t say anything more.
"Brother Yu, let’s go get dinner later, as a farewell. If you ever come to Jingzhou in the future, you have to come see me," Ma Xiang said, looking at Chen Yu.
"Sure, no problem." Chen Yu nodded.
"Have a seat first. I just got here myself, I haven’t even looked around yet," Chen Yu said.
Xu Xiao and Ma Xiang looked around the apartment, chatted for a while, and at seven in the evening, the three of them had a meal at a hot pot restaurant outside the residential complex.
Around nine o’clock, Chen Yu returned home.
’Jingzhou...’
Chen Yu stood by the window, gazing at the moonlight.
It was a base city.
It was quite far from Qing City.
Ma Xiang going to university in Jingzhou was a good choice.
His safety would be more or less guaranteed.
At university, he would improve very quickly.
If he did well enough, he could even immigrate to other worlds in the future.
Chen Yu was happy for him, for his bright future.
As for himself, going to university was impossible.
The Mercenary Team was a better fit for him!
After standing by the window for a while to let the breeze sober him up a bit, Chen Yu turned and sat on the sofa.
Opening his Life Watch, Chen Yu directly entered the Spirit Realm.
In the Spirit Realm White Palace, Chen Yu looked at the three options before him.
’First, I’ll test my strength. I’ll try the combat mode.’
Looking at the three options, Chen Yu selected Combat Mode.
[Combat Mode requires payment to enter. Do you wish to enter?]
A prompt popped up, and Chen Yu froze.
’Combat Mode costs money?’
’I thought it was free...’
"Spirit Realm Assistant?"
Chen Yu called out. As soon as he spoke, there was a flash of light, and the Spirit Realm Assistant quickly appeared before him.
"Hello, how may I help you?"
Chen Yu looked at the Spirit Realm Assistant. "What are the rates for Combat Mode? Can you give me the details?"
The Spirit Realm Assistant nodded, then with a wave of its small hand, a virtual screen appeared in front of him.
"Hello. Combat Mode has six pricing tiers. Simulating a First-level Martial Artist opponent is one hundred yuan per session! A Level 2 Martial Artist is five hundred yuan!"
"A Third-level Martial Artist is two thousand yuan! A Fourth-level Martial Artist is five thousand yuan! A Fifth-level Martial Artist is ten thousand yuan! A Sixth-level Martial Artist is one hundred thousand yuan! Right now, the highest opponent we can simulate is a Sixth-level Martial Artist!"
Chen Yu’s face darkened.
’These prices... what a total rip-off!’
’Damn capitalists...’
Chen Yu cursed inwardly.
’A single session is so expensive.’
’How much does a normal person even make in a month?’
’Simulating a High-level Martial Artist just once... a month’s salary wouldn’t be enough to cover it.’
’No wonder the Spirit Realm Group is so rich...’
"Can you make it any cheaper?" Chen Yu asked.
The Spirit Realm Assistant nodded. "We have discount packages. Would you be interested?"
’Packages?’
Chen Yu was taken aback.
The Spirit Realm Assistant waved its little hand, and the virtual screen changed.
"Currently, there are three packages. The first is the Basic Membership, for only 2,888 yuan a month, you can enjoy a 10% discount on all fees. The annual plan is even cheaper, at just thirty thousand yuan."
"The second is the Super Membership, for only 8,888 yuan a month, you get a 30% discount on fees! The annual plan is only ninety-five thousand yuan!"
"The third is the Supreme Membership, for just 28,888 yuan a month, you enjoy a 50% discount on all fees! The annual plan is only three hundred thirty thousand yuan!"
"..."
’Why does this whole routine feel so familiar?’
Spirit Realm Assistant: "Would you like to purchase a membership?"
Chen Yu: "..."
’Like hell I will!’
Looking at the Spirit Realm Assistant, Chen Yu’s eyelid twitched.
"I don’t need a membership. Just give me one Level 2 Martial Artist combat simulation."
"Right away!"
The Spirit Realm Assistant nodded, and with another wave of its little hand, a light bloomed.
The light shone on Chen Yu’s face.
A virtual keyboard appeared in front of Chen Yu.
"Biometric identification successful. Please enter your password!"
Chen Yu took a deep breath and quickly entered his password.
"Payment successful. Amount deducted: five hundred yuan. Have a pleasant day!"
’Pleasant...’
’Pleasant my ass...’
He grumbled inwardly. In the next instant, his surroundings changed abruptly, and Chen Yu’s figure appeared on a huge arena stage.
The arena was massive, several times larger than a normal one.
Not far away, a muscular man appeared, so lifelike he seemed real!
The Spirit Realm Assistant appeared beside Chen Yu. "The rule of Combat Mode is simple: defeat your opponent to win."
"And if I fail?" Chen Yu asked.
"If you fail, you can always purchase a second attempt," the Spirit Realm Assistant said with a smile.
Chen Yu: "..."
’Slick.’
Chen Yu was speechless.
’This has to be the easiest way to make money ever!’
"Shall we begin?" the Spirit Realm Assistant inquired.
Chen Yu took a deep breath. "Let’s begin."
VMMMM—!
As soon as he finished speaking, the muscular man opposite him instantly erupted with a powerful Qi.
WHOOSH—!
In a single dash, he threw a punch.
He was incredibly fast!
But in Chen Yu’s eyes, it was completely different.
He could clearly track the attack’s trajectory, as if everything had slowed down.
BANG!
Unleashing his Qi, Chen Yu met the attack with a punch of his own.
His body was knocked back three steps, but the muscular man was pushed back a full five steps.
"Gale Slash!"
The muscular man roared. A battle knife appeared in his hand. He leaped into the air, and a three-meter-long blade of Qi slashed directly at Chen Yu.
SWOOSH—!
His powerful reflexes allowed him to easily dodge the slash.
The arena trembled as if it were about to collapse.
"Sky Splitting Slash!" Immediately after, the muscular man’s second slash came right for him.
The blade Qi swirled like a vortex!
’I wonder if my Skill will work here.’
A glint flashed in Chen Yu’s eyes. He took a deep breath and exhaled.
FWOOSH—!
A terrifyingly cold current erupted instantly. The current swept over the muscular man, freezing his body in an instant.
The blade’s edge was only three inches from his head!
CRASH!
His body hit the ground, the layer of ice on him shattering. The muscular man seemed to have lost his ability to move, but he did not dissipate.
Chen Yu raised a hand, and a battle knife materialized out of thin air.
SCHLICK!!
The blade’s light flashed. He executed a move from the Gale Knife Skill, directly slicing the muscular man’s body in two.
The body dissolved into motes of spiritual light, the surroundings changed, and his figure reappeared in the Spirit Realm White Palace.
