Virtual Reality Cultivator-Chapter 39: The Most Wanted

That night, Ethan sat on the deck of their stealth ship, gazing at the ocean, which had returned to its calm after the fierce battle. The light from the burning enemy ship slowly faded in the distance, leaving only the smell of burnt metal and black smoke spreading into the sky.

Although they had destroyed the Zenith ship, Ethan knew this was not over.

Zenith was not an organization that could be destroyed with a single strike. They had unlimited resources, advanced technology, and most importantly—vendetta now focused on him.

Claire came and stood beside him. "How are you feeling?"

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Ethan sighed deeply. "I know we won today. But somehow, I feel like this is just the beginning of something worse."

Claire nodded. "You're right. Vincent just infiltrated their network... and there's some bad news for you."

Ethan turned with furrowed brows. "What are they doing now?"

Claire handed him a small tablet. On the screen was his name—'Ethan Liu,' labeled 'S-Class Fugitive.'

His eyes narrowed as he read the details.

Zenith's Priority Target: Ethan LiuStatus: Extremely DangerousOrder: Capture Alive or DeadBounty: 10 Million Credits

Adrian, who had just arrived, whistled. "Wow, now there's a price on your head. And not a small one."

Ethan clenched his fist. "They really want to silence me as soon as possible."

Lazarus, who had overheard, just smiled faintly. "That means they're scared of you."

Claire added, "It's not just Zenith that will be hunting you now. With a bounty this big, we have to expect bounty hunters, criminal groups, and even people just looking for a quick payday."

Ethan stared at the screen with a calm expression. "Then let them come."

Adrian laughed. "You're starting to sound like a hero from a cultivation novel."

Ethan smiled faintly. "I'm no hero. I'm just someone who refuses to be controlled."

The Last Hideout

With their new status as Zenith's top enemies, returning to their old base was no longer an option.

Claire decided to take them to a secret hideout—a small island undetectable by radar, once used by a long-gone resistance group.

As their ship arrived at the rocky shore, Ethan saw an underground complex hidden behind the cliffs, accessible only via a specific path inside a cave.

Vincent spoke over the radio. "The security systems here are still functioning. I'll unlock it for you."

BEEP!

The large steel door hidden inside the cave slowly opened, revealing an underground base that had been long abandoned but still in good condition.

Adrian entered first and whistled in admiration. "Not bad. I like this place."

Ethan walked in, looking at the various rooms filled with old equipment, dusty computer screens, and a training area that seemed to have been unused for years.

Claire swept the room with a sharp gaze. "This will be our hideout for now. But don't get too comfortable. Zenith will keep searching for us."

Ethan nodded. "Then we need to prepare before they find us."

Lazarus turned to Ethan. "Your training isn't over. If you want to survive bounty hunters and Zenith's elite forces, you have to go beyond your limits once again."

Ethan clenched his fist. "Then let's start now."

Secret Technique: True Qi Mastery

Lazarus led Ethan to the hidden training room inside the underground base.

The room had an ancient meditation circle etched into the floor, surrounded by several small crystals that faintly glowed.

Ethan stared at the circle in curiosity. "What is this?"

Lazarus smiled faintly. "This is a place used by ancient cultivators to train their Qi to a higher level."

Ethan frowned. "Wait... You mean this place was actually used for cultivation training in the real world?"

Lazarus nodded. "This world has more secrets than you realize. Zenith may be trying to create artificial Qi, but they aren't the first to understand this power."

He gestured for Ethan to sit in the center of the circle.

"Today, you'll learn something that even Zenith cannot replicate—True Qi Mastery."

Ethan sat cross-legged and closed his eyes, following Lazarus's instructions.

"What should I do?"

Lazarus walked around him, arms crossed. "Up until now, you've been using Qi like a fighter. You channel it to enhance speed and strength. But that's just the surface of what a true cultivator can do."

Ethan listened attentively.

"A true cultivator doesn't just use Qi... they merge with it."

Lazarus pressed his palms to the floor, and suddenly—

BOOM!

The meditation circle began to glow, and Ethan felt an invisible force pulling his consciousness out of his body!

In an instant, he felt like he was floating in empty space, surrounded by pure energy flowing around him like an endless river.

"What is this...?"

Lazarus spoke from a distance. "This is Qi in its purest form. If you can control it... you will no longer be bound by the limitations of a normal human body."

Ethan felt his body drifting in the flow of energy, but he tried to stay focused.

"I have to understand this... I have to master it!"

Inside the energy space, Ethan began to feel his consciousness expand.

He could not only feel the Qi... he could see its flow, study its patterns, even touch it with his mind.

And then, he realized something.

"If I can control Qi to this level... I can even alter the energy flow of my enemies before they strike!"

His eyes widened, and suddenly—

BOOM!

An explosion of Qi energy erupted from his body, making the entire room tremble!

Adrian and Claire, who were outside the room, were shocked.

"What happened in there?!"

Lazarus smiled in satisfaction. "He's finally starting to understand True Qi Mastery."

Ethan stood up, his body feeling lighter than before.

He looked at his hands and could see the Qi flowing more clearly than ever before.

"I... I can see it now. Qi isn't just something I use. Qi is a part of me."

Lazarus patted his shoulder. "Congratulations, Ethan. You've just stepped into a higher level."

However, before they could celebrate further—

BZZT!

Vincent spoke urgently over the radio. "We've got a huge problem! I just intercepted a signal of a large force heading our way!"

Claire tensed. "Has Zenith found us?"

Ethan clenched his fists.

"Then let them come. This time, I'll be the one hunting them."

The real war... has begun.