Virtual Reality Cultivator-Chapter 35: The Trial at the Brink

Morning arrived faster than Ethan expected. As he opened his eyes, his body still felt stiff from yesterday's training. However, the pain didn't bother him—in fact, he felt more alive than ever.

He had learned Combat Will, a skill that allowed him to sense his opponent's intent even before they moved. It was a major step toward a higher level.

But he knew this was just the beginning.

As he stepped out of the rest room, Lazarus was already waiting for him in the training room, arms folded across his chest.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

Ethan nodded, stretching his body. "I'm still a little tired, but I'm ready for today's training."

Lazarus gave a faint smile. "Good. Because today's training will be tougher than ever."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "How tough?"

Lazarus didn't answer. Instead, he pressed a button on the wall.

BZZT!

The floor beneath Ethan suddenly trembled, and within seconds, the walls around the room began to move—revealing a hidden training facility beneath their base.

The room was much larger than the previous one, with steel pillars, slippery floors, and various automated training devices.

Adrian, who had just entered with a cup of coffee, whistled. "Whoa, this is the first time I've seen this room in use. So, you're really going to test this kid, huh?"

Lazarus nodded. "This isn't just training. It's a real test to see if Ethan is truly ready to face Zenith."

Ethan looked at Lazarus with determination. "I'm ready."

Lazarus gave a faint smile. "Alright, then let's begin."

Survival Training System

Lazarus pressed another button on the control panel.

BZZT!

Suddenly, from the walls of the room, several training drones emerged—each shaped like a metal ball with shock weapons capable of delivering electric strikes.

Ethan immediately tensed. "So, I'm fighting these?"

Lazarus nodded. "But there's a big difference this time."

He pressed one last button.

Swoosh!

The lights in the room suddenly went out.

Now, only complete darkness enveloped the space.

Ethan furrowed his brow. "So I'm not just fighting... but also without sight?"

"Exactly."

And without warning—

BZZT!

A shock attack shot towards Ethan from one of the drones!

He immediately rolled to the side, but—

BAM!

Another attack came from the opposite direction!

Ethan felt the electric jolt hit his shoulder, causing his body to jerk.

Lazarus called out from afar. "Use what you've learned, Ethan. Don't just rely on your survival instincts. Feel the battlefield and predict the attacks before they come!"

Ethan clenched his fists.

"I can't just avoid. I have to fight!"

He took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and tried to use the Qi Awareness he had trained.

Now, even though his eyes couldn't see, he started to feel the presence of the drones around him.

He could sense the pressure changes in the air, the soft hum of machines moving, and the flow of electrical energy before shots were fired.

Swoosh!

Another shot came—but this time, Ethan was ready.

With one quick move, he spun to the side, dodging the attack, then surged forward with a Rapid Slash infused with Qi!

BAM!

Ethan's punch hit one of the drones, destroying it with a single strike!

Adrian, watching from a distance, chuckled. "Whoa, look at that! This kid is really progressing fast."

However, the fight wasn't over.

The remaining three drones began to move more aggressively.

Ethan took a defensive stance, feeling their movements' rhythm.

And this time, he didn't wait for them to strike first.

Swoosh!

He jumped into the air, using Shadow Wind Step to accelerate in the tight space.

With one swift motion, he launched a series of rapid strikes—

BOOM! BOOM!

Two drones were destroyed nearly simultaneously.

Now only one remained.

Ethan took a deep breath, then channeled Qi into his hands.

"It's time to finish this."

He waited...

Sensing the vibrations in the air...

Then—

Swoosh!

The last drone fired its attack, but Ethan dodged flawlessly, appearing behind it, and delivered a full Qi-infused punch straight to its core!

BAM!

The drone exploded, sending electric sparks into the air.

Silence.

Lazarus finally spoke. "Good. You've passed this test."

Stepping Further

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

Ethan stood in the middle of the room, panting but with a small smile on his face.

He knew... he had just passed another barrier that had been holding him back.

Adrian patted his shoulder. "You're starting to look like a real fighter now."

Claire, who had just entered the room, crossed her arms. "That means we can move to the next stage."

Ethan turned to her. "What do you mean?"

Claire tossed a tablet toward Ethan. "We've finally tracked down one of Zenith's main facilities—the place where they develop their synthetic Qi technology."

Ethan looked at the data that appeared on the screen. It was a hidden laboratory on a remote island off the coast.

"So... we're going to attack them?"

Claire nodded. "Exactly. This is our best chance to destroy them before they can launch their project globally."

Ethan clenched his fist.

"Then I'll join. I won't let them continue their mad experiments."

Lazarus smiled. "Good. But before that... we need to prepare the team and come up with a solid plan."

Adrian laughed. "There will be plenty of gunfights and intense battles. I love this!"

Ethan took a deep breath.

His journey had only grown deeper.

Now, he was no longer just a player or a fugitive.

He was a true cultivator, ready to face Zenith.

And the greater war... had just begun.