All around him stretched an endless expanse of wilderness.
The grass, wild and untamed, grew taller than a man's waist, swaying gently as the breeze swept across the plains.
The scent of earth and fresh greenery mingled in the air, the morning dew clinging to the blades of grass, catching the sunlight like scattered stars.
For a moment, Zhang Yu felt a flicker of doubt.
Was this truly a virtual world?
Everything felt too real — the warmth of the sun, the soft rustling of the grass, the crispness of the wind against his skin.
He almost believed he had been transported to a remote wilderness at dawn.
So absorbed was he in the scenery, he didn't notice—
His cultivation base was gone.
He was no longer a warrior at the pinnacle of Fatebound Ascension.
Here—
He was nothing but an ordinary man.
---
A sudden stench pierced through the fresh morning air.
Sharp. Rotten.
It was the smell of a beast.
Zhang Yu's instincts flared.
As a mercenary, he knew this scent far too well.
Something was coming.
Something fast.
His heart pounded violently in his chest, an ancient, primal fear surging through his veins.
The grass rippled—
And then—
A massive gray wolf leapt from the underbrush.
---
Its fur bristled like steel needles.
Its yellowed fangs gleamed, long as daggers.
Cold, merciless eyes locked onto Zhang Yu — a predator sizing up its prey.
At that moment, time seemed to slow down.
His mind sharpened, his senses heightened—
The kind of clarity that only comes when standing at the edge of life and death.
Fight or die.
---
"Die!" Zhang Yu roared, his fist hurtling toward the wolf.
He wasn't worried.
After all, this was just an ordinary beast — no aura of cultivation, no hint of spiritual energy.
With his usual strength, a single punch would have been more than enough to obliterate it.
But—
The moment his fist struck the wolf—
Something was wrong.
Terribly wrong.
---
Where was his spiritual power?
Why couldn't he feel the familiar surge of strength flowing through his body?
His punch connected—
But the wolf barely flinched.
The blow was weak.
Feeble.
As if it had come from a mere mortal.
In Zhang Yu's stunned confusion, the wolf, now enraged by the pain, lunged forward.
There was a flash of fangs—
A searing pain—
Then—
Darkness.
---
Zhang Yu was dead.
---
Meanwhile, in the arena mode of the virtual world, Zhou Hu and his team were locked in fierce combat.
Blades clashed, fists flew, and every attack was aimed at the deadliest spots.
After all—
There was no need to hold back.
Here, in this world, pain was just an illusion.
The only thing that mattered was victory.
---
Amidst the flurry of strikes, Zhou Hu grinned.
"How many times do you think Zhang Yu has died to that gray wolf by now?"
One of his teammates chuckled, narrowly dodging an incoming attack.
"At least a dozen times."
Another burst into laughter.
"Boss, your idea was genius!"
"It's exactly the kind of thing the Boss would come up with…"
Zhou Hu, effortlessly blocking two strikes at once, smirked.
"Hey, we all struggled when we first tried the Tower of Trial. He's just going through the same... initiation."
---
"Initiation?"
"Yeah. Custom transmission," Zhou Hu said smugly.
"…Custom transmission?"
"Boss, you sure know how to make it sound fancy."
"Of course! I'm a man of culture."
"Hah! If by 'culture,' you mean reading a few more books than the rest of us—"
"Shut up and fight!"
The banter didn't stop their battle — if anything, it fueled it.
The clash of weapons and the echo of laughter filled the virtual arena.
---
Back in Challenge Mode, Zhang Yu stood at the respawn point, his expression dark.
He had died again.
And again.
And again.
At least a dozen times now.
He was starting to question his entire existence.
But this time, something caught his eye.
In the upper right corner of his vision —
A small icon.
[Mall]
"…Was this always here?"
He had assumed it was just for decoration.
But now, in his frustration, he finally decided to click it.
The next moment—
A new screen opened, flooding his senses with an overwhelming amount of information.
---
Weapons.
Cultivation techniques.
Spiritual energy enhancements.
It was like opening the door to an entirely new world.
His jaw dropped.
Not only could he restore his cultivation base, but he could buy weapons, upgrade his spiritual aura, and even enhance his physical abilities.
Zhang Yu's head spun as he scrolled through the options.
So many choices.
So many powerful items.
But then—
His gaze fell on the prices.
And his heart sank.
---
Ten times the usual cost.
Everything was ridiculously expensive.
The cheapest spirit weapon?
A yellow-grade battle axe — still costing more than he cared to admit.
In the end—
Faced with no other choice—
He gritted his teeth and selected the battle axe.
As the weapon materialized in his hand, a new wave of determination surged through him.
He wasn't going to be some wolf's chew toy again.