Unlocking Legends: The Immersive Path

Amidst the scent of blooming flowers, the willows of Hefeng swayed, announcing the arrival of spring in southern China. Fuzhou's Fuximen Street stretched out, with the Qingshi boardwalk leading straight to Ximen, evoking a sense of grandeur.

As Yuan Shi delved into the pages of "The Divine Swordsmen of Legends" the words within transformed into ethereal dots of light, dancing in the void. Like a captivating movie, vivid images unraveled before his eyes, completely immersing him within the realm of the story.

Time flowed ceaselessly, yet Yuan Shi remained unaware of its passage. It was only when he stirred from his literary trance that he realized night had already descended upon him.

Drawing a deep breath, Yuan Shi's brows furrowed as he massaged the fatigue from his temples, feeling a slight disorientation.

"Little did I expect that reading 'The Divine Swordsmen of Legends' would consume such immense energy. Exhausting both mind and body, I haven't even reached the end. Thankfully, the '267' system notifications alerted me in time. Otherwise, I might have been ensnared, unable to free myself," he mused.

Struggling to rise, a momentary dizziness overwhelmed Yuan Shi, a consequence of his mental energy being drained to its limits.

Gazing down at the book, a surge of information washed over him.

[Title: "The Divine Swordsmen of Legends"

Genre: Martial Arts

Level: Level 2

Sense of Substitution: 35%]

"I never imagined that only reaching 35% completion would leave me mentally exhausted. It seems I'll require at least two more sessions to achieve full immersion," Yuan Shi murmured.

Simultaneously, a sigh escaped his lips, recognizing the true magnitude of a second-level book. It proved impossible to devour it in one sitting, as with the first-level counterparts. It demanded a higher level of mental fortitude to fully grasp its intricacies.

Feeling the residual ache in his head, Yuan Shi now understood why the system imposed restrictions. The higher-level books necessitated corresponding mental strength. Rashly engaging with advanced texts without adequate mental capacity would either result in complete enthrallment or utter mental depletion, rendering one an unconscious husk.

Seating himself on the ground, Yuan Shi took a moment to recuperate, sensing a restoration of physical vitality. Just as he stood up, the system's prompt resonated, [Congratulations, host, on increasing the sense of substitution in 'Swordsman' to 35%. Attributes has been increased, Strength increased by 5, speed by 4, spirit by 6. You now possess the abilities of the previous 35% of protagonists and some supporting characters.]

[The system is selecting, clearing the host's mind,] echoed the voice, startling Yuan Shi momentarily before a pleasant surprise graced his face.

He had not anticipated the acquisition of abilities from the book without reading it in its entirety, let alone gaining select powers from the characters he encountered. This unforeseen turn delighted Yuan Shi.

Having relished the unexpected twist, the system's selection completed, and a timely prompt resounded, [Congratulations, host, on obtaining the 'Divine Sword Skills' 'Celestial Windstrike' and 'Whispering Willow Technique' owned by the protagonist.]

A joyous expression radiated across Yuan Shi's face as the weight of his discoveries sank in. The path he had embarked upon was one of unlocking legends, where newfound powers awaited, waiting to be harnessed on his heroic journey.

[This 'Divine Sword Skills' serves as the foundation of the Sects School's sword art, while 'Divided Three Green Peaks' traces its origins to Xun Lao and his teachings to Grand Master Chong. Lastly, the 'Whispering Willow Technique' represents the advanced level of internal strength use of light walking within the School, standing alongside the esteemed 'Divine Art' as one of its first inner strength techniques.]

As the system's voice resonated, a flood of memories surged into Yuan Shi's mind, encompassing sword skills and meditation techniques. Simultaneously, a warm current coursed through his dantian, gradually growing in strength as it traversed his body in accordance with the "Whispering Willow Technique." Eventually, it returned to his dantian, settling down.

"This must be my inner strength," Yuan Shi pondered, sensing the warmth within his body.

According to the principles of "Divine Martial Arts," the true energy circulating within Yuan Shi's body would typically require a decade of arduous cultivation to attain. Yet, in this short span of time, he had acquired ten years' worth of internal strength. The speed of his cultivation was simply astonishing.

If word of this reached the ears of an outsider, it would undoubtedly provoke outrage. However, for Yuan Shi, blessed with the Urban Leveling Up Reading System, it was a boon greater than mere luck.

Eager to assess his current capabilities, Yuan Shi accessed his personal information after feeling the true energy settle within his body.

[Name: Yuan Shi

Realm: Acquired Peak

Internal Strength: Ten Years (Rank 2 Martial Artist)

Power: 72

Speed: 60

Spirit: 107

Skills: Mastery of Piano Skills, Mastery of Calligraphy, Mastery of Chess, Mastery of Painting, Strength of Martial Skills, Great Harmony of Heaven and Earth, Guidance of Go, Unity of Heaven and Man

Martial Arts: Whispering Willow Technique, Divine Swordsmanship, Celestial Windstrike]

In addition to the increase in data, Yuan Shi observed the appearance of two new categories on his personal attribute interface—internal strength and martial arts.

Curious about his internal strength level, Yuan Shi couldn't help but question, "How are systems, realms, and internal forces classified?"

[The realm corresponds to your perception, while internal strength represents your strength. In terms of cultivation, it can be likened to the immortal path, where the realm signifies your level of Taoism, and internal strength reflects the extent of your Qi.]

[For instance, although your realm has reached the golden core stage at 2.3, your mana is still at the Qi refining stage. This is because your strength hasn't caught up with your realm. Simply put, you need to diligently strive toward the Acquired Peak as soon as possible. Once you achieve it, your strength will seamlessly align, unhampered by any restrictions,] the system replied matter-of-factly.

Upon hearing the system's explanation, Yuan Shi's understanding deepened, shedding light on the intricate interplay between realms and internal strength. The path of mastery awaited, urging him to traverse the boundaries of his potential with unwavering determination.