C29 Wuxia World

Shortly after arriving back at the campus dormitory, Fei Liang climbed into bed and was soon fast asleep—or rather, his consciousness had plunged into the Spirit Bead Space.

Lee Shanfeng and the rest harbored no suspicions. Considering the immense effort required to slay an expert a whole level above oneself, it was understandable that Fei Liang would be drained. A single night's rest might not suffice for a full recovery.

Within the Spirit Bead Space, Fei Liang reviewed his stats:

Spiritual Strength: 689; Physical Strength: 692; Reflexes: 688; Attack Power: 693; Defense Strength: 685; Combat Power: 1378; Burst Power: 114; Cultivation: Profound Level Middle Period. He nodded contentedly; yesterday's battle had indeed solidified his cultivation. He was confident that in a rematch with an adversary at the Profound Level Late Period, he could prevail with a 60% certainty, even without his defensive shield.

"Mr. Fei, with the power you wield now, I suggest you train in the Wuxia world to enhance your abilities more swiftly," Meier proposed, materializing beside him.

Given that they were in the Spirit Bead Space, Meier's sudden appearance was nothing out of the ordinary.

"The Wuxia world?" Fei Liang pondered aloud. "Meier, what's it like? Does it resemble 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes,' 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils,' 'Swordsman,' 'The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber,' or other Wuxia tales? Are characters like Yang Guo, Zhang Wuji, and Dugu Qiubai real there? And how exactly do martial arts and internal energy work in the Wuxia world?" His rapid-fire questions visibly overwhelmed Meier.

"Hold on, Mr. Fei, you're asking too much at once. Let's tackle them one by one," Meier interjected, cutting off his stream of inquiries with a resigned chuckle. "To begin, the Wuxia world is predominantly inhabited by martial artists. It's akin to the settings depicted in classic Wuxia TV series and films, minus any continuity errors or flashy special effects."

"Secondly, the civilizations you mentioned are indeed present in the Wuxia world; they're all integral parts of the broader Wuxia civilization. In fact, there's even more to Wuxia civilization than what you've seen.

Thirdly, the Wuxia characters from the novels, such as Yang Guo and Zhang Wuji, exist within this realm. It's just that Yang Guo has never snapped a corncob, and Zhang Wuji has never tasted an apple.

Fourthly, the martial arts and internal strength in the Wuxia world are quite similar to those on Earth, but they're categorized differently. From the lowest to the highest, the levels in the Wuxia world are Sharp Sword, Soft Sword, Heavy Sword, Wood Sword, and No Sword, corresponding to Earth's Yellow Level, Profound Level, Earth Level, Heaven Level, and Heaven Level Great Perfection, respectively.

A Sharp Sword Level practitioner has five to ten years of internal energy, Soft Sword Level has twenty to thirty years, Heavy Sword Level has forty to sixty years, Wood Sword Level has seventy to a hundred years, and the highest, No Sword Level, starts at a hundred years with no upper limit. To my knowledge, the current record is one hundred ninety-six years of internal energy. In terms of sheer power, a No Sword Level expert in the Wuxia world far surpasses a Heaven Level Great Perfection expert and may even be on par with the Golden Core Stage."

"So, Wu Ya Zi from 'The Heavenly Dragon Eight Group' has seventy years of internal energy, making him a Wood Sword Level expert?" Fei Liang interjected with a sudden thought.

"Exactly, Mr. Fei. However, years are merely a unit of measurement for internal energy, reflecting the outcome of a martial artist's rigorous training, not their actual age. Take Xiao Feng, for instance. He's a supreme master at only thirty years old, yet his prowess is certainly no less than Wu Ya Zi's. And while Wu Ya Zi boasts seventy years of internal energy, he's no weaker than his senior sister, the Heavenly Mountain Tonglao, who has ninety years of cultivation," Meier clarified.

"Supreme master?" Fei Liang asked, seeking clarification.

"Yes, that's another term used in the Wuxia world," Meier continued after a brief pause. "Generally, a Soft Sword Level is considered a second or third-rate master, a Heavy Sword Level is a first or second-rate master, and a Wood Sword Level is known as a top-tier or supreme master. As for the No Sword Level, they are regarded as unparalleled masters."

"A peerless master?" Fei Liang murmured to himself, his thoughts drifting to the legendary figures of martial arts lore: the Sweeper Monk from "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," the unbeatable Dugu Qiubai from "The Return of the Condor Heroes," and Wang Chongyang from "The Legend of the Condor Heroes."

"So, you're saying that in this world, there won't be any masters beyond the Golden Core Stage?" The realization sparked a gleam of excitement in Fei Liang's eyes.

"Exactly. The pinnacle in the martial arts world is the Swordless Level. Surpassing that is akin to reaching the super god-level in a fantasy realm, and one would be drawn into the world of cultivation. But Mr. Fei, don't celebrate too soon. Given your current state, you'd struggle against a Heavy Sword Level expert, and facing someone at the Wood Sword Level could be life-threatening. While the martial arts world may have a scarcity of supreme masters, there's no shortage of top-tier ones."

"That makes sense," Fei Liang acknowledged with a nod.

"Few supreme masters mean even fewer peerless ones in the martial arts world, right?" Fei Liang keenly picked up on the implication in Meier's words.

"Correct," Meier confirmed with a nod. "The martial arts realm has its limits at the Swordless Level. Earth may be weaker, but we still have experts at the Nascent Soul Stage, making comparisons futile. Cultivators enjoy longer lifespans than warriors, which is another significant factor."

"Cultivators live longer than warriors?" Fei Liang was perplexed, having never heard such a claim before.

"That's right," Meier affirmed. "Cultivators seek harmony with nature, whereas warriors often resort to brute force, compromising their vital essence. As a result, cultivators generally outlive warriors. For instance, a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage can live up to 120 years, while a warrior at the Heaven Level Great Perfection might reach just 120 to 130 years. A cultivator practicing Breatharianism can live to 200 years. But once reaching the Golden Core Stage, the lifespans even out."

"Is there no advantage at all for warriors?" Fei Liang couldn't hide his discontent.

"Absolutely not. Within the same tier, warriors possess greater strength than cultivators, particularly in physical prowess. Additionally, when cultivators advance to the Golden Core Stage, they typically only achieve the Golden Core Early Period. In contrast, warriors who make the breakthrough often reach the Golden Core Middle Period, and those with exceptional talent may even attain the Golden Core Late Period."

"Got it. Then there's nothing for me to worry about," Fei Liang acknowledged with a nod.

With a few more questions answered, Fei Liang felt he had a basic grasp of the martial world's dynamics, leaving the finer details for him to uncover in time.

"Meier, transport me to the Wuxia world!" Fei Liang commanded resolutely.

"Right away, Mr. Fei," Meier responded.

As Meier's voice trailed off, a flash of white light enveloped the space, and Fei Liang vanished from the Spirit Bead Space.