[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-high-martial-world-getting-strong-by-grinding-er":3,"chapter-high-martial-world-getting-strong-by-grinding-er-high-martial-world-getting-strong-by-grinding-er-chapter-28":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","High Martial World: Getting Strong by Grinding Er Lang Shen's Talent",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2330395,4558,"Chapter 28: The Terrifying Newcomer (Please Follow)","high-martial-world-getting-strong-by-grinding-er-chapter-28",28,"\u003Cp>Chiqiong Martial Arts Gym, Virtual Room\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it, all the opponents matched against me at my level are strong—I lost again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Heng exited the virtual pod less than an hour later, frowning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since there was still time before the hour ended, Lin Qi and Jiang Tao did not emerge, so he decided to wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wandered around the virtual room, where there was a convenience store selling drinks and snacks, along with seating—he planned to find someone he knew to chat with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Tianhai City, only the three top martial arts gyms possessed enough virtual pods; frequent visitors to the virtual room often ran into acquaintances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, he spotted a group chatting, among whom was someone he knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just carelessly lost to a newbie—his spear technique is clearly inferior to mine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m a seasoned practitioner; in a little while, I’ll be ready to compete for Star Rank.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wanted revenge, but I can’t get matched with him again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One curly-haired man passionately recounted his experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s strange—how could someone like Lu Xiang, with your strength, lose to a newbie? You’re in the top 30 of our first-year class.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This newbie must be no ordinary person—maybe a master who just registered for ‘Chijie.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone mused seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His name is Yang Jian—I don’t know if it’s real—remember it, and help me get revenge next time I meet him,” Lu Xiang growled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think you just got careless, letting him seize the opening.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A beautiful girl, tall and slender, dressed in an expensive martial arts uniform, sneered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yang Jian? A newbie?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you talking about?” Guo Heng squeezed in and asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Guo’s here?” Everyone greeted him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re talking about how Lu Xiang got beaten by a newbie.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? Tell me more.” Guo Heng’s eyes lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Tao’s vision was flooded with light—the blinding illumination made him uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn, that opponent was incredibly strong—I couldn’t win at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Tao sat up, feeling exhausted, his spirit drained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The virtual pod beside him also opened; Lin Qi sat up, pale as if hollowed out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi felt his mind was a blur of mush, as weary as if he’d stayed awake for three days and nights in his past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Big Brother Qi, I’m so tired!” Jiang Tao shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Me too—I’m completely mentally drained.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi also clutched his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Feeling tired is normal—the longer you stay in the virtual world, the greater the mental strain, especially after being killed; intense pain severely damages the spirit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So it’s not recommended to stay in Chijie too long.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Heng walked over smiling and handed them two boxes containing blue liquid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These are stimulant potions—they restore mental energy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stimulant potions?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I remember each vial costs a thousand Xiaoguo yuan,” Jiang Tao exclaimed, eyes wide, hesitant to take them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi also looked curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry—I’m treating you; it won’t cut into your pay,” Guo Heng added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then we won’t be polite,” Jiang Tao chuckled, taking his without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi did the same, opening his stimulant potion and draining it in one gulp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blue liquid entered his mouth, releasing a minty freshness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chilling sensation rapidly spread through his brain, instantly relieving his mental fatigue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His complexion regained its color visibly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Truly amazing—such a powerful effect; no wonder it costs a thousand per bottle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Tao sighed, then asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, Big Brother Qi, how many points do you have now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Twelve points!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That much? I only have six!” Jiang Tao was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Getting twelve points on your first try is very impressive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Heng was also surprised—this meant at least four wins; winning four matches in your first entry into the arena was rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, Ah Heng, I unlocked the ranking system—I’m ranked 458th. Where can I see the overall leaderboard?” Jiang Tao asked curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Heng pointed to a massive LED screen mounted high on the far wall:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right in front of you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Tao and Lin Qi turned to look at the screen; data appeared before them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the leaderboard compiled from Chijie Arena match records, abbreviated as the ‘Chi List.’ Currently, it only covers our Chiqiong Martial Arts Gym Tianhai Branch—anyone logging in with a Tianhai Chiqiong IP is included.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Heng explained, pointing at the screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi and Jiang Tao were already studying the leaderboard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【#1: Battleaxe Bear, Rank: Star】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【#2: Heng Dao Li Ma Guo General, Rank: Star】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【#3: Ten Thousand Swords, Rank: Star】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【……】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Number one is Battleaxe Bear—is that Li Zhou from our class?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It must be him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah Heng, is number two you? Star Rank? Impressive!” Jiang Tao exclaimed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Heng tilted his head, smiling modestly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is only temporary—over time, other masters will enter Chijie, and rankings will shift.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know several top players from our first high school who are ranked above me—they have full-holographic virtual pods at home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If they log in at Chiqiong Martial Arts Gym, they could instantly climb to number one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Chi List is also called the Teenage Genius Ranking—it only includes martial artists eighteen and under.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“College students are excluded; after the Gaokao, rankings are usually reset.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The ranking scope expands periodically—right now, you can only see the Tianhai Chiqiong Martial Arts Gym rankings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next, it will expand to all of Tianhai, then all of Cang Province, even nationwide.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t be fooled by my current second place—once the scope expands, my rank will drop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My goal is to hold onto my current position.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listening to Guo Heng’s explanation, Lin Qi and Jiang Tao gained much insight—this wasn’t secret knowledge, but learning it themselves would’ve taken time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Guo Heng answering, they saved considerable time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, what’s this rank system about?” Jiang Tao pointed to the Star Rank on the screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Heng explained:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rank reflects your strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After passing the AI test in the arena, you’re a novice; after ten matches, you become an elite.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In matches, each win gives you three points, a draw gives one point, and a loss gives nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When your points exceed 150, you advance to Star Rank.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chijie Arena divides ranks into four tiers: Star, Bright Moon, Radiant Sun, and the highest, Divine Rank.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m currently at Star Rank!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi and Jiang Tao exchanged glances, astonished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“150 points to reach Star Rank? That means at least fifty wins?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The opponents I just faced were already strong—geniuses. Fifty wins? That’s incredibly hard,” Jiang Tao marveled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi felt a chill—he’d only fought five matches and already sensed how strong the opponents were; everyone in Chijie was a genius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These geniuses grew stronger with each match; winning fifty was extremely difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That Guo Heng had won fifty matches showed just how powerful he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, I forgot to tell you—the Chijie official team has launched an event.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyone who reaches Star Rank before October 10th—before the Tianhai monthly exam—will receive a reward of five hundred thousand Xiaoguo yuan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Heng suddenly remembered and added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Five hundred thousand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi’s eyes lit up—reaching Star Rank could earn him five hundred thousand Xiaoguo yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Remember, even a second-tier Genius Loan was only five hundred thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi silently calculated—if he could get both the event reward and the second-tier Genius Loan, he’d earn one million Xiaoguo yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He and Jiang Tao exchanged a glance and reached an unspoken understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They absolutely had to get that 500,000 yuan—they were both desperately short on cash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just heard some kids from our elite class chatting—my classmate, ranked in the top thirty of the grade, got beaten by a new student named Yang Jian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This new student isn’t ordinary. You two are new too—you might get matched against him. Be careful,” Guo Heng said with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yang Jian? Daring to take the name of Erlang Shen—he must be confident in his strength,” Jiang Tao scoffed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi froze, surprised to find himself the subject of the gossip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry, we’ll be careful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke up, a hint of guilt in his voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1349,"2026-06-20T20:27:41.493Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","6af7fa9d58f26d5dd4e02747a79c3a35e7d17528c2038d2abb590105d0fd4227","high-martial-world-getting-strong-by-grinding-er-chapter-29","high-martial-world-getting-strong-by-grinding-er-chapter-27",992,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhigh-martial-world-getting-strong-by-grinding-er-cover.jpg"]