Guo Xiong squinted at Wu Ji Tian. Then at the capsule. Then back at him. “…Are you messing with me?”

  Wu Ji Tian smirked. “Not at all.”

  Guo Xiong crossed his arms. “You expect me to believe that this… this thing,”—he gestured at the VR capsule—“can somehow help with cultivation? I’ve seen all kinds of strange devices in the city, but nothing like this.”

  Wu Ji Tian chuckled. “That’s because there’s nothing else like it. Virtual Haven is the only pce where you can train in a fully immersive world. Every fight, every movement, every sensation—it all feels real. It’ll sharpen your instincts, refine your battle awareness, and push you beyond your limits.”

  Guo Xiong eyed him suspiciously. “Sounds like some fancy merchant sales pitch.”

  Wu Ji Tian shrugged. “Then why not try it yourself?”

  Guo Xiong hesitated, his gaze flickering between Wu Ji Tian and the capsule. Curiosity was written all over his face, but so was doubt. “Alright, fine. But if this turns out to be some eborate prank, I swear I’m making you pay for my next ten meals.”

  Wu Ji Tian snorted. “Like I’d ever let you scam me out of food.”

  He moved toward the counter and gestured at the bckboard now hanging beside it. “Before you start, you need to read the store rules.”

  Guo Xiong followed his gaze, scanning the board, his skepticism growing with each rule:

  Virtual Haven Open: 9 AM - 9 PM

  Rules:

  Maximum Pytime – Customers can py for a maximum of 5 hours per day to prevent over-reliance on virtual training.

  No Fighting – Fights inside the shop are strictly prohibited. Offenders will be forcefully thrown out.

  Damage Compensation – Any damage caused to the shop must be compensated 10 times its value.

  Pay First – No Credit/Tab. If you don’t have the money, you don’t py.

  Entry Permission – Only those permitted by the shop owner (Wu Ji Tian) can enter. Trespassers will be dealt with… permanently.

  Price:

  VR Headset: 5 Spirit Stones per hour

  Full-Immersion Capsule: 12 Spirit Stones per hour

  With each rule he read, Guo Xiong’s expression twisted further in disbelief.

  “Maximum pytime? Why would anyone need a limit? What, is this thing so good that people forget to eat?”

  Wu Ji Tian smirked. “You’d be surprised. Some might not even realize they’re hungry until they colpse.”

  Guo Xiong snorted but kept reading. “No fighting inside the shop…” He gnced around. “Who the hell would start a fight in a pce meant for training?”

  Wu Ji Tian raised an eyebrow. “Have you met cultivators? They’d start a fight over tea leaves.”

  Guo Xiong considered that for a moment before nodding. “Fair point.”

  Then his gaze nded on the next line.

  “Damage Compensation—Ten times the value?! Are you insane? What if I trip and break something? I’ll be in debt for life!”

  Wu Ji Tian folded his arms. “Then don’t trip.”

  Guo Xiong muttered something about robbery before continuing. “No credit... No entry without permission…”

  He paused, then narrowed his eyes at Wu Ji Tian. “...And what’s this about trespassers being dealt with permanently?”

  Wu Ji Tian’s grin widened. “Let’s just say Virtual Haven isn’t the kind of pce you can sneak into and walk away unscathed.”

  Guo Xiong shivered slightly. “Damn. You set up shop for two days and you’re already running it like some hidden sect.”

  Then he got to the price.

  His jaw dropped. “FIVE SPIRIT STONES PER HOUR?! TWELVE FOR THE CAPSULE? ARE YOU ROBBING PEOPLE?!”

  Wu Ji Tian leaned against the counter, completely unfazed. “Quality training comes at a price.”

  Guo Xiong gawked at him. “A price? This is daylight robbery! I could buy an entire meal at the Fragrant Jade Pavilion for that much—a full feast!”

  Wu Ji Tian smirked. “And would that meal improve your battle awareness?”

  Guo Xiong opened his mouth, then closed it. He pointed a finger at Wu Ji Tian, narrowed his eyes, then finally grumbled, “Still, this isn’t cheap...”

  Wu Ji Tian shrugged. “If it was cheap, it wouldn’t be valuable.”

  Guo Xiong sighed dramatically, patting his coin pouch like he was parting with a lifelong companion. “Fine! But if this thing doesn’t live up to its reputation, I’m taking home enough food from your kitchen to make up for it.”

  Wu Ji Tian chuckled. “Like I’d ever let you raid my kitchen.”

  Guo Xiong huffed, still grumbling about the price as he pulled out a small pouch of spirit stones. “This better be worth it.”

  Wu Ji Tian smirked as he accepted the payment. “You’ll see soon enough.”

  With the transaction complete, he gestured toward the VR helmets. “The capsule isn’t avaible for now, so you’ll be using the VR headset.”

  Guo Xiong raised an eyebrow. “And why’s that?”

  Wu Ji Tian scratched his chin. “Let’s just say… the capsule world is still a work in progress. Right now, there’s nothing in there but empty space.”

  Guo Xiong’s lips twitched. “So, you’re charging twelve spirit stones per hour for a void?”

  Wu Ji Tian coughed. “I’ll get to fixing that ter.”

  Shaking his head, Guo Xiong walked up to one of the sleek, bck VR headsets dispyed on the counter. He picked it up, turning it over in his hands. “How does this thing even work?”

  “First, you need to register. Just put it on and the system will scan you.”

  Guo Xiong hesitated, then shrugged. “Alright, here goes nothing.”

  He slid the VR headset over his head. The moment it settled, a pulse of light ran across the device, scanning his facial features and spiritual signature. Then, a deep voice echoed in his mind.

  [Welcome to Virtual Haven. Scanning… Registration in progress.]

  Guo Xiong flinched. “What the—?”

  Wu Ji Tian smirked. “Rex, it’s just verifying your identity.”

  A few moments ter, the system continued.

  [Scan complete. Please enter a username.]

  Guo Xiong blinked. “A what now?”

  “A name you’ll use in the game,” Wu Ji Tian expined. “Something others will recognize you by.”

  Guo Xiong rubbed his chin. “A name, huh? Alright, let’s go with… Unmatched Tyrant!”

  Wu Ji Tian stared at him. “...Really?”

  “What? It’s a good name!” Guo Xiong puffed out his chest. “Strong, imposing, memorable—”

  [Username ‘Unmatched Tyrant’ does not meet system requirements. Please choose another.]

  Guo Xiong choked. “Huh? What kind of nonsense is this?”

  Wu Ji Tian smirked. “Looks like the system doesn’t allow usernames that are too ridiculous.”

  Guo Xiong grumbled, then tried again. “Fine. How about… Iron Belly?”

  Wu Ji Tian nearly coughed up a lung. “You’re naming yourself after your stomach?”

  “I eat well, I fight well—it fits.” Guo Xiong grinned.

  [Username ‘Iron Belly’ has been registered. Welcome.]

  With that, Guo Xiong felt a strange sensation—his consciousness shifting, like he was being pulled somewhere else. A moment ter, his vision went dark.

  Then, he opened his eyes to a new world.

  He stood in a vast courtyard, surrounded by elegant pagodas and towering stone pilrs. The sky above was clear, the air crisp with the scent of pine and incense. In the distance, he could see mist-covered mountains, giving the area an ethereal quality.

  Guo Xiong took a slow step forward, his feet touching the cool stone beneath him. His eyes widened.

  “This… this feels real!”

  Before he could fully take in his surroundings, a translucent interface appeared before him.

  [Wu Ji Tian has added you as a friend. Accept?]

  Guo Xiong blinked. “Huh?”

  Then, he noticed a floating [Yes] button on the screen. He hesitated for a moment before tapping it.

  The moment he did, Wu Ji Tian’s voice came through.

  “Finally, took you long enough.”

  Guo Xiong turned and saw Wu Ji Tian standing nearby, arms crossed with an amused expression.

  Guo Xiong pointed at him. “Oi! How are you already here?”

  Wu Ji Tian shrugged. “I logged in before you.”

  Guo Xiong huffed. “Alright, so what now?”

  Wu Ji Tian smirked. “Now, we drop into the battlefield.”

  Guo Xiong gnced around, still trying to take in the absurdity of the virtual world. He curled his fingers instinctively, testing the sensation, the weight of his body, the texture of the stone courtyard beneath his feet—it was all real. Or at least, it felt that way.

  Guo Xiong’s gaze wandered for a moment before a faint, glowing interface appeared in front of him. The translucent menu hovered in midair, dispying three options: Select a Game, Store, and Friends.

  Curiosity took over, and he instinctively reached out, pressing the Store option.

  As soon as he selected the Store option, the world around him shifted. The serene courtyard faded, repced by an opulent, brightly lit hall with walls lined with floating dispys. Each dispy showcased a different outfit—robes of varying designs, from elegant and noble to downright ridiculous.

  Guo Xiong’s eyes widened in wonder. “Whoa…” He stepped forward, examining the styles.

  One outfit screamed "Arrogant Young Master"—a vish golden robe embroidered with dragon motifs, paired with an over-the-top jade hairpin.

  Another set was the exact opposite—tattered rags with dirt stains, beled "Peak Cultivation Beggar" for reasons Guo Xiong couldn’t even begin to understand.

  Then there was one that looked like…a panda? "Heavenly Bamboo Guardian"

  Wu Ji Tian, standing off to the side, couldn’t help but chuckle at Guo Xiong’s increasingly puzzled expressions.

  “You pnning to cultivate in style or rob a street performer?” Wu Ji Tian teased.

  Guo Xiong ignored him, rubbing his chin as he debated between looking like a respected noble or a walking joke. Eventually, he selected the "Arrogant Young Master" robes, nodding in satisfaction.

  Just as he was about to confirm his choice, a message popped up in front of him:

  [Insufficient Bance. Purchase cannot be completed.]

  “Hah?” Guo Xiong blinked in disbelief. He pressed the button again. Same result.

  Wu Ji Tian smirked. “Yeah, right now, you can only browse. The purchase system isn’t active yet.”

  Guo Xiong groaned. “So you let me get my hopes up for nothing?”

  Wu Ji Tian shrugged. “You had fun looking, didn’t you?”

  “…That’s beside the point.”

  After Guo Xiong browsed the outfits and sighed about not being able to buy them, his gaze wandered across the store interface. That’s when he noticed another section—Elemental Effects.

  "Huh? What’s this?" He tapped on it.

  Immediately, a new set of options appeared, dispying different elements—Fme Aura, Frost Shroud, Thunder Surge, and more. Each one came with a brief description and a glowing visual effect hovering above the selection panel.

  Guo Xiong's eyes sparkled. "Wait, wait, wait—so I can make myself look like a fiery war god? Or a thunder-wielding cultivator?"

  Wu Ji Tian smirked. "It’s just visual effects. No actual power boost."

  Guo Xiong scrolled through the options, watching as the previews flickered around his body. He selected Fme Aura, and suddenly, wisps of fire coiled around his arms, making him look as if he had just walked out of an inferno.

  "Holy—this looks amazing!" He switched to Frost Shroud, and an icy mist clung to his robes, giving him the chilling presence of a winter immortal.

  Wu Ji Tian crossed his arms. "Too bad you it's not avaible yet."

  Guo Xiong defted. "Damn it… Why does everything cool require spirit stones?"

  Wu Ji Tian chuckled. "That’s how shops work."

  With a deep sigh, Guo Xiong backed out of the selection. "Alright, fine, fine. Let’s start before I start budgeting my meals to save up for this."

  Wu Ji Tian smirked. "That’s the spirit."

  With that, he selected Start Match.

  [Match Found.]

  The world around them began to shift once more.