From Under One Person: Sincere Journey Through the Heavens

"What nonsense about superhuman strength! Do you think I don't understand science? With his physique, he'd probably be out of breath after running a hundred meters."

The red-haired man sneered, then looked at Jiang Liu, and glanced at the others present. He said to Jiang Liu, "I saw what happened earlier. You're really good at games. How about we play a round? If you win, I won't bother your friend. What do you say?"

"Big brother."

Zhang Chulan skillfully offered her a cigarette, trying to get closer to her.

But the red-haired man slapped him away, saying, "I don't smoke."

"We, the Red-Haired King of Fighters team, are all outstanding young people, and we absolutely do not smoke!" the young man shouted loudly, glaring at Zhang Chulan.

Zhang Chulan: "..."

Depend on!

You don't smoke?

What kind of gang do you think you are?!

However, upon closer inspection, Zhang Chulan now noticed that the red-haired man was dressed like Iori Yagami, the young man was dressed as Kyo Kusanagi, and the remaining person resembled Heidern.

You three are neglecting your duties!

"You might have misunderstood. I've only known him for two days, we're not that close." Jiang Liu immediately distanced himself from Ma Xianhong, leaving everyone present stunned.

The onlookers were particularly confused. Jiang Liu had been so earnestly teaching Ma Xianhong how to play the game, so why did he suddenly say that Ma Xianhong wasn't familiar with it?

Just as Ma Xianhong was about to speak, intending to resolve the issue with money, Jiang Liu continued, "Besides, since your underlings have a conflict with Ma Xianhong, they should have come to the right person. Why did they come to me? You two should have a duel!"

"he?"

The red-haired man sneered, "I've heard about it. This kid played all night and lost over three hundred games in a row, and that was on easy mode. He's just a noob."

Ma Xianhong's eyelids twitched, but he couldn't refute it. When it came to playing games, he really was a complete noob!

But this involves a man's dignity—

and so!

“Don’t underestimate me! I just didn’t perform well!” Ma Xianhong argued, trying to prove himself.

"You've got guts."

The red-haired man gave a thumbs-up, but his eyes were filled with mockery. "Shall we have a fight now, or another time later?"

"I···"

"the day after tomorrow."

Before Ma Xianhong could even agree, Jiang Liu told him, "The day after tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon, right here, he will be completely transformed."

"Yo ho!"

The red-haired man became interested and carefully examined Jiang Liu, saying, "Are you going to use me as a stepping stone for this kid's training?"

it is good!

I agree!

"I'd like to see how you plan to turn this game newbie into a pro in just over a day!"

After the trio of "Iori Yagami," "Kyo Kusanagi," and "Heidern" left, Ma Xianhong's mouth twitched, and he asked, "Mr. Jiang, even I don't have confidence—"

He was about to agree to fight the red-haired man, pay him some money, and that would be the end of it.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Liu agreed on his behalf.

"You're not an old man, show some more energy."

Jiang Liu offered a word of advice, then added, "Have some confidence in yourself. Think about your dream: education for all and universal harmony."

"Let's not talk about that grand future, let's focus on the present—"

Jiang Liu pointed at the game console and lowered his voice, "You're a weapon refiner, and this is a 'scientific artifact' that ordinary people 'refine' using scientific theories. You want to give up just because you don't understand it?"

Immediately, Ma Xianhong perked up, knelt down in front of everyone in the arcade, ignoring their astonished looks, and bowed, saying, "Please teach me how to play King of Fighters!"

Jiang Liu smiled and helped Ma Xianhong up, saying, "Get up! Come with me! A string will break if it's stretched too tight, and the same goes for emotions."

Watching the two leave the arcade, Zhang Chulan seriously suspected that Jiang Liu was trying to trick Ma Xianhong from a promising young man with dreams and ambition into becoming an "internet addict."

After leaving the arcade, Jiang Liu, just as he had said, took Ma Xianhong to drink milk tea, eat hamburgers, and go to a dance hall in the city. Afterwards, they went to the nearby countryside, found an old farmer, and discussed with him the idea of ​​letting Ma Xianhong personally experience the work of tilling the fields and planting rice seedlings.

"Brother Jiang, are you really not messing with Ma Xianhong?"

Watching Ma Xianhong get covered in mud in the field, being helped by the old farmer, yet still stubbornly bending over to plant rice seedlings, Zhang Chulan began to question the meaning of life.

"I don't have that much free time."

It must be said that Ma Xianhong has great talent and comprehension in the art of weapon crafting. In just one day, he understood Jiang Liu's intention and already showed a tendency to develop the Divine Hundred Refinements method into an internal refinement method.

The scene of working in the fields subconsciously touched Ma Xianhong, and his body and mind were completely relaxed. He was no longer as anxious as usual. The Qi in his body was operating in a peculiar way, using the human body as a magic weapon and the mind as a spirit. If it is refined a hundred times, it will become a divine mechanism!

Just as the Qi Source Flow has two directions in Jiang Liu's vision, the Heavenly Immortal Wukong and the Earthly Immortal Zhenyuan, the Divine Mechanism Hundred Refinements also has different directions of development.

Self-cultivation is one of the directions of the Divine Strategist's Hundred Refinements.

Whether Ma Ben's cultivation path after comprehending this method is consistent with Ma Xianhong's current path is unknown to Jiang Liu. However, under his guidance, Ma Xianhong is unconsciously refining the memory core and network that were added later, and gradually transforming it into a special energy-type magic weapon that he can use.

At this moment, Ma Xianhong saw himself as a combination of a game console and a game character; his consciousness seemed to be sinking into an inner world, yet also felt as if he were still in reality...

However, this alone is not enough to achieve complete success, since the core and network involve the brain, and Ma Xianhong needs to truly accept and acknowledge the false memories.

Even though his memories were false, he lived for so many years driven by those false memories, which shaped the real him he is today.

Just like Zhao Yingkong.

Falsehood is not meaningless; if one can face and accept falsehood, and move forward, one's will will be unwavering.

However, Ma Xianhong still has one hurdle to overcome...

As for advising Ma Xianhong—

Jiang Liu wasn't playing house.

That's how it is.

Sunset and moonrise, moonset and sunrise, two days passed quietly.

It was the fifth day since Jiang Liu and his group arrived in Biyou Village. Chen Duo was also scheduled to emerge from the cultivation furnace on this day, but according to the time set by Ma Xianhong, it would be at six o'clock in the evening.

Therefore.

Ma Xianhong wasn't worried about the rest of the Na Du Tong causing trouble, and he also understood Na Du Tong's style—there were so many ordinary people in the village, they wouldn't dare to act rashly.

Besides!

These days, he's been treating the temporary workers to good food and drink; it would be incredibly unethical for them to lay a hand on the villagers.

But there was also something that gave Ma Xianhong a headache—

Feng Baobao castrated her pig, saying it wouldn't taste good if it wasn't castrated...

Damn it!

Those are his breeding pigs!

However, adhering to the principle of treating guests as guests, Ma Xianhong didn't say anything.

"Go, village chief! You'll definitely be able to redeem yourself!"

"Our leader will definitely defeat that gaming expert today!"

"May the leader achieve great success!"

"..."

The twelve top-ranking disciples of Biyou Village, along with the villagers, offered their blessings to Ma Xianhong, as if he were about to embark on a campaign.

"you--"

Ma Xianhong froze on the spot, then asked with a gloomy expression, "Everyone knows I'm worse at video games than a kid, right?"

"do not know!"

"I absolutely don't know!"

Ma Xianhong was furious at everyone's reaction, but there was nothing he could do. He could only instruct the Twelve Superior Talents to keep an eye on the village, while he, Jiang Liu, and Zhang Chulan went to the arcade in the town to prepare for a showdown with the red-haired man.

Since the duel was scheduled for 3 p.m., Ma Xianhong had ample time to test the results of his two days of training.

"K·O!"

Seeing the two English letters appear on the screen, Ma Xianhong was overjoyed and kept challenging himself with different levels of difficulty, from easy to hard and expert, passing them one by one.

Unlike before, Ma Xianhong now regards the game console as an extension of his body. In the past, he only used Qi to control objects, but now he has a completely new experience - his own hands and the game console controller have become the medium for his soul to connect with the game character!

At this moment, I am the game character!

This is also the way of weapon crafting!

After fully understanding this point, Ma Xianhong suddenly realized that even without taking the medicine for the past two days, he no longer experienced that indescribable pain in his brain, and he began to have complete respect for Jiang Liu.

Next, Ma Xianhong tried other games in the arcade, such as basketball, Mario, motorcycle racing, and rhythm game.

When he completely relaxes and cultivates his mind with divine power, he has an innate talent for controlling tools without relying on manipulating or transforming objects.

Going from a novice to an expert doesn't actually require much practice; all you need is a little understanding and relaxation.

As Ma Xianhong became more and more adept at the game, he challenged Zhang Chulan.

then.

The two sat in front of the King of Fighters game console and began a duel.

Although Zhang Chulan doesn't usually spend time specifically playing games, for a cultivator with a normally developed brain and whose memories haven't been altered by anyone, becoming a gaming expert isn't difficult.

Zhang Chulan dislikes being watched. He is patient, resolute, and even has a fierce side, but living like this is exhausting.

One should not cultivate one's mind and character in this way.

Therefore, whenever he has the opportunity to relax, he subconsciously thinks about relaxing.

In the arcade of a shopping mall in a town in Liupanshui, the players here will admire his skill in the game, but they will not pry into his background or deliberately cause him trouble. Everyone is a stranger who has just met. At most, they will stop and watch for a while and ask him for some tips.

The few days Zhang Chulan spent in the arcade were actually the most relaxing time for him, more comfortable than when he was alone in the past.

But now.