"I can't even find the background!" She shouted angrily, gritting her teeth. "Who the hell is this guy?"

Her breathing was rapid, her chest rising and falling slightly, anger and frustration intertwined in her heart. She hadn't felt such emotions in many years.

An elder in the hall smiled upon seeing this, then slowly stepped forward, his tone tinged with both teasing and comfort, "Ruoxi, it's just a virtual battle, why take it so seriously? Perhaps they were just lucky and happened to find a flaw in your mecha's design. Or perhaps…" He paused, his smile widening, "This is just some sort of experiment by the tech community, testing a new algorithm on a virtual battlefield."

"Algorithm?" Ling Ruoxi sneered, her voice low but sharp, "How can a loser at the fourth level of Qi training have such real-time judgment and operational accuracy? Even the most advanced algorithm in the technology field can't achieve this level." She stood up straight, crossed her arms, and swept her eyes across the picture on the screen, revealing a hint of complex emotions.

"It's not the algorithm... it's him." She spoke slowly, a hint of persistence in her tone. "His operation is too precise. This is not the mecha's fault, but his own ability."

Her gaze returned to the screen. The shabby, basic mecha's subtle adjustments as it retreated, every angle of its rotation, revealed an impeccable rigor and ruthlessness. This was a style she had never seen before. It wasn't the flamboyant swordplay of immortal cultivators, nor the high-speed calculations of technological mecha pilots. Instead, it was a unique, unclassifiable combat mindset.

"Zero..." Ling Ruoxi whispered the code name softly, her tone low, as if deliberately suppressing emotions. Her gaze was as sharp as an unsheathed sword, emitting a cold gleam. "I will definitely find you."

A wave of energy rippled through the aura screen. A maid approached, carrying a freshly brewed cup of premium spiritual tea. Her steps were light, her head slightly bowed. She placed the teacup before Ling Ruoxi, her movements respectful yet cautious. However, Ling Ruoxi didn't even raise her eyes. She simply picked up the cup and drank it all in one gulp. The fragrant aura tea couldn't calm her anger.

She abruptly turned and headed for the family's core data room on the side of the main hall. Her footsteps were resounding, carrying an air of pressure. Passing attendants ducked their heads and retreated until she gave a cold command: "Contact the person in charge of the virtual combat system. I need to retrieve all of Zero's data."

The attendant hesitated for a moment and whispered back, "Miss, the combat system's identity data is subject to the highest level of encryption. Only the head of the family can access it..."

"Master?" Ling Ruoxi stopped and sneered. She glanced back at the servant, her eyes full of sarcasm. "What do you think my father would think if he knew that I could lose to a loser at the fourth level of Qi training?"

The attendant quickly lowered his head, a thin layer of sweat oozing from his forehead, not daring to say another word. The hall was as quiet as usual, but every step Ling Ruoxi took seemed to carry an invisible pressure, resounding loudly.

Every detail of this hall, from the shimmering jade murals to the hanging supreme flying swords, underscored the Ling family's powerful position among the immortal cultivation families. And Ling Ruoxi, the heir to this glory, had never imagined she would be defeated—let alone by a basic mecha, a nobody.

"No matter who you are, no matter where you hide, I will find you." Her voice was low, but revealed unquestionable determination.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, in a humble, dilapidated hut, a dim spirit stone lamp flickered with a faint glow. Xiang Fan sat cross-legged on the ground, concentrating on guiding Qi into his body.

The distance between these two worlds is like the chasm between the lofty palaces of aristocratic cultivators and the shabby, humble abodes of the lower classes. One is a genius, the other unknown; one spends lavishly, the other frets over a piece of low-grade spiritual ore. However, after that blow on the virtual battlefield, their fates have quietly intertwined.