I Cultivated Too Long and Got Isekai’d Into a Game

The two fighters had only exchanged two blows, but the entire battle already seemed to be over.

Achilles's attacks barely had any effect, while Xu Tao's casual counters could incapacitate him if they landed in the wrong spot!

Looking at the current situation, it seemed less like a duel and more like a master sparring with one of his disciples. Even with all his handicaps, Xu Tao still had the upper hand!

Of course, if Achilles gave up that easily, he wouldn't be called a demigod.

"If power can't do it, then what about volume...!"

He gripped his spear with both hands, standing at a distance where Xu Tao's sword couldn't reach him, but his own attacks still could. From there, he twisted his spear, thrusting in a controlled manner, prioritizing speed over power.

"Oh...!"

Xu Tao gasped in appreciation as the spear's tip appeared to multiply—an illusion caused by its extreme speed!

Still, he didn't panic. With a calm swing, he parried the "real" spear easily, letting it slide to the side without effort. The next came, then the next—until the two were exchanging dozens of blows every second.

"RAAAAGH!"

Achilles let out a warcry as he continued his offensive.

However, Xu Tao's confident smile never faded. Not a single spear thrust touched his clothes, much less his body. It seemed impossible to push him back!

CLANG!

"...!"

But suddenly, the spear's trajectory shifted, nearly catching Xu Tao's robe.

He frowned, wondering if it was a lucky strike or a calculated one... but when it happened a second and third time, he realized the truth.

"It looks like your spear technique is improving by the second," Xu Tao praised, smiling appreciatively. "Congratulations, Achilles."

"Shut your mouth, you bastard! Who are you to praise me like your student?!"

Despite the harsh reply, Xu Tao's words weren't lies. Achilles's spear handling was truly evolving with each strike. Even though Xu Tao caught every thrust with his sword, phantom spears would graze him now and then, threatening to push him back.

As time passed, the frequency and danger of those phantoms increased, making it harder for Xu Tao to keep his relaxed stance.

SLASH!

At last, a random thrust landed—causing a shallow cut across Xu Tao's cheek.

It was skin-deep and barely bled, but still an injury.

"Heh! You're all talk in the end!" Achilles taunted, finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. "I'll break that long nose of yours!"

Forty seconds had passed. Achilles still had plenty of time to finish off his enemy. He was convinced that before the one-minute mark, Xu Tao would either be forced to step back or be covered in wounds!

"Watch my sword, or you'll get hurt badly."

But with that single sentence from Xu Tao, the entire atmosphere changed.

His warning didn't sound like a bluff. Achilles grew cautious, watching the sword in Xu Tao's hand. It slowly raised—and at the same time—fell.

"...Huh?"

He didn't understand what he saw. It was as if two swords moved at once—one going up, the other down. And in the next second, he found himself lying on the ground, facing the ceiling with a blank expression.

Up above, stuck like a concrete nail, was his spear. Embedded halfway into the ceiling.

'What happened?' he wondered. 'I saw the blade... and then... My body moved instinctively, blocking...'

Thanks to his demigod constitution, Achilles never feared taking hits. He would rather endure the blow and counterattack than waste time dodging.

But this time, his instincts moved faster than his brain could follow. They forced him to block Xu Tao's strike—which resulted in his spear flying into the ceiling, and his right arm going numb.

No... it wasn't just that.

Drip...

A long, bloody cut now ran across his right arm.

Unlike Xu Tao's cheek wound, this was not skin-deep. The injury was severe—so deep that bone could nearly be seen. Blood dripped like a broken faucet, pooling beside him.

"I... was injured?"

He couldn't believe what he was saying. It didn't feel real. His body was supposed to be invulnerable—and now his dominant arm was nearly ruined. For a warrior, it was almost a death sentence.

"That's one minute. It's my win."

A voice reached his ears, snapping him back to reality. His eyes moved and found a blade tip pointed directly at his face.

Achilles… lost.

And not just lost—he was thoroughly defeated. It was like a small child going against his father. He had been utterly powerless against Xu Tao. There was no denying it. Twenty-three other people had witnessed the duel, after all.

His expression turned calm for the first time.

His pride—the backbone of his arrogance—crumbled like a sandcastle under a tsunami. He had thought he was the best... thought he was unbeatable. But Xu Tao had proved him wrong in the best—or worst—way possible.

"Are you alright? Let me heal your wounds real quick."

Seeing that he wasn't responding, Xu Tao quickly used a healing technique on Achilles's arm. It wasn't as potent as Zetian's healing arts, but it still worked. At the same time, he also pulled the short spear down with telekinesis, reuniting it with its wielder.

Slowly, sensation returned to Achilles's fingers.

He gripped his spear tightly, stabbing it into the ground and using it like a walking stick to help himself up.

His arms were shaky and numb. His legs felt like jelly. His mind was in shambles. Still, he understood the outcome of the duel. He wasn't going to deny it.

"I lost..." he whispered, his voice low. "As promised, I, Achilles, son of Peleus, will follow you from now on as my leader."

"..."

Xu Tao felt that the change was too abrupt, but knew there was nothing he could do. After all, it was he who broke Achilles's confidence—by injuring his supposedly invulnerable body.

'I can't tell him I used my Sword Dao to break his invulnerability either...'

Such concepts were elusive to non-cultivators. Even if he explained how he bypassed Achilles's divine defense, the man would just assume it was a powerful technique rather than pure sword mastery.

It wasn't cheating, though. Xu Tao had promised not to use Qi techniques—but Sword Dao wasn't a technique. It was his comprehension of the sword itself.

'...He'd have to carry that scar to his pride a while. Better a bruised ego than a shattered team.'

Xu Tao shrugged, turning toward the stairs—the five stairs that spread before them. Each one had the number 5 written on the first step… meaning, their team would have to split once again.

He didn't hesitate with the groupings.

He, Jehanne, Zetian, Achilles, and Yifa each split off, leading four others apiece.

This method of dividing their forces was the most efficient—prioritizing group balance over individual strength.

"Now that that's out of the way, let's proceed!"