Chapter 9: You Also Want Bullroot?

Chapter 9: You Also Want Bullroot?

After two hours of gameplay, Yang Shan finally reached his destination.

Before him stretched an endless plain where herds of herbivorous magical beasts grazed peacefully under the sun. A stream meandered from north to south, slicing through the grasslands like a silver thread. A gentle breeze carried the crisp scent of wild herbs, making Yang Shan inhale deeply.

Refreshing!

Sky Brilliance Co.'s immersive technology truly deserved its global reputation—the virtual world felt indistinguishable from reality. In the real world, one would have to travel to Inner Mongolia to witness such vastness.

But this serenity shattered instantly with Chao Bafang's desperate screams.

"God damn it! I was just trying to harvest your Bullroot, and you blow up my ass?! That's so unethical!"

Yang Shan raised an eyebrow at the sight of Chao being chased in circles by the Feral Bull, his movements growing increasingly clumsy.

"Well well, what a coincidence."

The Feral Bull's speed was no joke. Despite Chao's frantic dodging, the beast slammed its horns into his rear again.

"Ahh!"

Yang Shan instinctively shut his eyes at the horrifying sight.

The Feral Bull's attack power was terrifying. That single strike shattered Chao's defense, instantly draining 300 HP.

Normally, the Bull's damage shouldn't be this high, but...

Backside weak point strike!

Triple or quintuple damage—completely justified.

Collapsing near Yang Shan, Chao clutched his rear and cried, "Pro, save me! I'll reward you big time!"

"Got it!"

Even without Chao's plea, Yang Shan would've intervened. In their previous lives, they'd shared mutual respect as lone wolves in the game. Yang Shan still remembered how Chao once sacrificed his own progress—dropping from two-star Emperor of Fighters back to nine-star—by repeatedly grinding a boss for a guild leader's favor. A man of loyalty and righteousness.

Making Chao owe him a favor was pure profit.

Drawing his Refined Frostblade, Yang Shan dashed toward the Feral Bull like the wind.

The Frostblade's edge was razor-sharp. Enhanced by Thunderclap Cultivation Art and two Meridian upgrades from Global Announcements, Yang Shan's Douqi Potency reached 28. Activating Douqi boosted his attack power to 116.

The Feral Bull's defense was only 26—lower than the first-stage beast king Azure Bamboo Python.

Slicing through muscle with a sickening "zzzt!" sound, Yang Shan carved a three-foot gash across the Bull's waist.

-110 HP!

Battle Through the Heavens' damage system was complex—it subtracted defense values but also accounted for combat realism. Yang Shan's strike pierced flesh, adding 20 extra damage from critical tissue injury.

"Damn... so freaking cool!" Chao muttered, awed.

Immersive games thrived on epic moments. Who wouldn't want to feel like a hero?

Enraged, the Bull abandoned Chao and lunged to skewer Yang Shan with its horns. But Yang Shan side-stepped effortlessly, reversed his grip, and stabbed backward without turning—landing the blade perfectly in the wound he'd just carved.

Embedding half the blade, he pierced the Bull's kidney.

Weak point strike!

The Bull's total HP barely exceeded 2000. This strike drained 506 HP directly.

Before the Bull could retaliate, Yang Shan poured 10 Douqi points into his attack. Lightning-like energy surged through the blade, ravaging the wound.

-102!

-117!

-115!

-101!

Yang Shan's tactics were masterful. Lower-tier beasts relied on crude defenses—once their flesh was pierced, wounds became exploitable. The Bull's HP plummeted.

But the Bull wasn't just horns. Its hooves and tail lashed violently.

Yang Shan was only a four-star Douluo—clashing strength would be suicide. The Bull twisted mid-air, trying to throw him. But Yang Shan predicted this, releasing the blade just in time.

Chao frowned. "Thought he was a legend, but he dropped the sword already? How can he keep fighting like this?"

As Chao opened his mouth to suggest fleeing, Yang Shan performed a backflip dodge, then leapt high—a full 360-degree spinning kick aimed precisely at the Frostblade's hilt still embedded in the Bull's waist.

The blade sank completely.

Not stopping there, Yang Shan's speed—enhanced by his build's focus on agility—allowed immediate follow-up. Channeling Douqi into his legs, he delivered another crushing kick to the hilt.

With a spray of blood, the Frostblade's razor edge split the Bull's abdomen open.

-782!

The Bull's remaining HP dipped below 300. Its gaping wound bled continuously. Before its next attack could materialize, the Bull collapsed with a thunderous crash.

"Holy crap! What game is this?! Since when did Battle Through the Heavens become an action movie?!"

Chao stood frozen. A veteran since middle school, he'd played over twenty immersive Mmorpgs. But all followed the same pattern—stationary attacks, skill-spamming, shield potions.

Never had he seen anything like this. Sliding strikes, precision kicks—like a martial arts blockbuster!

As real as reality?

While Chao gawked, Yang Shan sheathed his blade with a grin. "Hey buddy, feeling better back there?"

Chao: "..."

After a long silence, he muttered, "Just an accident. Pure accident."

Yang Shan smirked. "You promised a reward earlier..."

Chao opened his mouth to offer a digital thank-you payment, but his eyes locked onto the Feral Bull's corpse. Lying beside it was the legendary "Black Yet Solid" Bullroot.

"Woah! Bullroot! Such a huge one!"

He turned desperate. "Pro, sell it to me! Five hundred... no, eight hundred credits!"

Yang Shan blinked. "You also want Bullroot?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end