Last March, Qiu Chengwei, an online game player of the Legend of Mir 3 was convicted of murdering Zhu Caoyuan after discovering the Caoyuan had sold his virtual weapon for actual money.

As virtual property isn't considered real, Chengwei was laughed out of the police station, and took his anger out on Caoyuan, stabbing him in the chest after losing patience to Zhu promising to give the money. Chengwei gave himself up to police and pleaded guilty to intentional injury.

The reduced sentence has Caoyuan's family in an uproar, and they plan to appeal the decision.

"My son was only 26 when he died," said Zhu Huimin, the dead man's father. "He was sleeping when Qiu broke into his home. He was barely able to put on his pants before Qiu stabbed him. We want Qiu to die, and immediately."