Reincarnation Of The Strongest Sword God - Chapter 467

Chapter 467: Sweeping God’s Domain

“Aside from establishing a Guild Residence, Overwhelming Smile has also recruited a team of experts. These experts have been ambushing our teams and killing many of our members.

“Some of our Tier 1 members have encountered them before, and although they were no match for our members in a one-on-one battle, those experts are well-trained and coordinate with each other flawlessly. With three people working together, they can finish off one of our Tier 1 members quickly. We estimate that Overwhelming Smile has over a hundred of these experts and has scattered them across various leveling areas. They randomly appear and kill our members who are questing or leveling, causing us tremendous losses. Although we have invested a lot of time and manpower into hunting these experts down, we have come up with nothing…”

Aqua Rose ground her teeth with frustration as she spoke about Overwhelming Smile’s mysterious experts, and she wanted to hunt them down and end them personally.

Thanks to these experts, Zero Wing had lost an additional 2,000 or so members in just one day.

Ever since Zero Wing had declared war on Overwhelming Smile, the Guild had only suffered around 6,000 deaths. This little group of experts had caused over 2,000 of those deaths. Moreover, they had caused so much damage in one day. Aside from the lost equipment and levels, the compensation costs wounded the Guild’s finances. If this situation repeated itself everyday, the several hundred Gold the Guild had accumulated through Guild Quests would only last a few more days before it dwindled to nothing.

“This means that Overwhelming Smile is finally getting serious.” Frowning, Shi Feng said, “Since they wish to send experts to ambush us, we have no need to hold back. Have Fire Dance and the others eliminate them. However, scatter the group to separate locations. We’ll hold off on the Team Dungeon for now. As for our regular Guild members, have them form teams to grind in the fields from now on.”

“Okay, I’ll notify Fire Dance and the others immediately,” saying so, Aqua Rose disconnected the call. She then contacted Fire Dance and Zero Wing’s other top combatants.

Meanwhile, Shi Feng halted his work in the forge. After tidying up, he left the forging room and hurried to the Bank.

Shi Feng had never expected Overwhelming Smile to possess such a card. This situation certainly surpassed Shi Feng’s initial estimation of his enemy.

Fortunately, Zero Wing had far more experts than Overwhelming Smile. In particular, Zero Wing possessed an absolute advantage when it came to Tier 1 players, as Overwhelming Smile still did not have a single Tier 1 player. All this time, Zero Wing’s experts had split into two batches and took turns slaughtering Overwhelming Smile’s members. This way, not only could they make Overwhelming Smile suffer, but they also wouldn’t significantly hinder their own development.

Now that over a hundred experts had suddenly appeared in Overwhelming Smile, Shi Feng would not let them run free.

Moreover, the fact that Overwhelming Smile now possessed their own Guild Residence was bad news for Zero Wing. Originally, Zero Wing had only attracted so many new players to the Guild due to their Guild Residence. The benefits a Guild Residence offered persuaded the Guild members to ignore Overwhelming Smile’s high offers and continue their development with Zero Wing. Now, however, Zero Wing’s members would be tempted to join Overwhelming Smile as the benefits they could obtain there were not inferior in the slightest.

However, Gold Coins were still what was most important!

Originally, Overwhelming Smile was only wealthy in terms of Credits. To Shi Feng, the Guild was no threat at all. After all, many of the items in God’s Domain could only be purchased with Coins. Even if one had an endless supply of Credits, the number of Coins they could buy was limited. Furthermore, Overwhelming Smile was not the only Guild in God’s Domain purchasing Coins in bulk, further limiting what was available.

In an all-out war between Guilds, Coins were the most consumed resource. There was the cost of purchasing and repairing equipment to consider, in addition to compensating Guild members. Battles between players placed a massive burden on equipment Durability. Take Shi Feng’s battles for example: a single strike from his sword could scrap Bronze Equipment. Only Mysterious-Iron Equipment could withstand his attack, and even then, it would only last a few extra hits. Even if the equipment was not destroyed, even elite players would cough blood with shock at the repair fee to recover the item.

Although equipment could be purchased from the virtual trade center and compensation could be paid out using Credits, the system controlled equipment repair fees, and it did not acknowledge Credits.

A single player’s repair fee was not much, costing around 2 Silver Coins. The repair fee for 10,000 players, however, would be at least 200 Gold Coins, a very frightening amount. Not to mention, the higher quality equipment a player wore, the higher their repair fee would be.

Although the repair fees were not the Guild’s responsibility, but the players,, how many times could a player afford to repair their equipment in a long war?

Once players ran out of money, how could they continue to involve themselves in the war if their equipment was close to breaking? Unless they decided to risk themselves without weapons and armor…

In the early stages of the war, the Guild members would accept Credits as compensation and reward. However, after some time, they would need to purchase Coins with the Credits they received.

Hence, Coins were the true foundation of wars in God’s Domain.

Meanwhile, a Guild Residence was a Guild’s main source of income for Coins during the early stages of God’s Domain. If Overwhelming Smile included Coins in their frightening financial power it would create a terrifying combination.

Shi Feng could not afford to continue focusing on plots to earn money. He needed to take action.

After returning the Philosopher’s Stone to his Warehouse, Shi Feng used the Seven Luminaries Gemstone and teleported to Blackwing City, taking the Dragonscale Sets with him.

At present, Blackwing City had become a gathering place for players from kingdoms and empires all over God’s Domain. Compared to Shi Feng’s previous visits to the city, the player population had grown significantly. Moreover, there was an important difference between the players in Blackwing City and the players in other cities.

Wealth!

The players in Blackwing City were extremely wealthy. Moreover, the money these players possessed did not only involve Credits, but also included Gold Coins.

A majority of the players in Blackwing City were the upper-management personnel of various large Guilds, and they had come to Blackwing City specifically to do business. Hence, the amount of Credits and Coins they had on hand far surpassed anything that an ordinary player possessed. Blackwing City was truly the gathering place for tycoons.

This was also why Shi Feng had come to this place today.

Shi Feng had no intentions of selling the Dragonscale Set Equipment for Credits. His goal was to earn Gold Coins. If he sold the Dragonscale Set Equipment in Star-Moon Kingdom’s Auction Houses or at the Starstreak Trading Firm, he would not get a good price. In addition, unlike the players in Blackwing City who would spend several Gold Coins without even blinking, players who could afford such large expenditures were few and far between in Star-Moon Kingdom.

After arriving at Blackwing City, Shi Feng searched for a secluded location. He then used the Demon Mask to don a false identity.

Unlike his previous visit when he tried to keep a low-profile, Shi Feng changed his appearance to that of a very handsome youth. He had even slightly altered the appearance of the Dragonclaw Set Equipment he wore, making it look more imposing. He also chose not to hide the special glowing effect of the Dragonclaw Set Equipment, revealing the telltale light of Dark-Gold Equipment.

When he reached the streets, the Dark-Gold rank glowing effect that enveloped his body nearly blinded other players.

“Damn! My eyes aren’t playing tricks on me, right? That’s a Dark-Gold Set Equipment!”

“Impossible!”

“It looks awesome!”

“Our Guild doesn’t even possess a set of Fine-Gold Set Equipment! Just who is he?”

Shi Feng dominated the attention of the players wandering the streets, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets as they stared at him in a daze.

They were all upper-managers of various large Guilds, so their knowledge of the game was extensive. Even if they saw a player wearing Fine-Gold Set Equipment, they would not reveal such exaggerated reactions. At most, they would briefly admire that player’s equipment. A Dark-Gold Set Equipment, however, shattered their understanding of the game.

Chapter 468: Ninth Heaven Pavilion

In just a short moment, news about Shi Feng’s sudden appearance had spread throughout Blackwing City.

“Have you heard? There’s a player wearing a full Dark-Gold Set Equipment.”

“Heard about it? I saw that player with my own eyes! You don’t know just how imposing he looked! He was like a ferocious tiger! He had only glanced at me, and my entire body trembled!”

“Ah, a Dark-Gold Set Equipment. It would be awesome to wear one.”

“Don’t even think about it. The various Guilds throughout God’s Domain can’t even obtain a Fine-Gold Set Equipment, let alone Dark-Gold. With a Dark-Gold Set Equipment, PvP and Dungeon raiding would be child’s play. If an expert wears the set, they will become practically invincible.”

“Do you think that person will sell his Dark-Gold Set Equipment?”

“Sell? Are you insane? Do you even know the significance of a Dark-Gold Set Equipment? A Dark-Gold Set Equipment is the best equipment currently available in God’s Domain by far. This set could even become the symbol of a Guild, attracting countless players to join. On top of that, the rise in combat power the set provides would make grinding and Dungeon raiding far easier. It would play a huge role in one’s future development. If it were up to me, I would rather sell my house than sell my Dark-Gold Set Equipment.”

“I guess you’re right. If purchased with Credits, a Dark-Gold Set Equipment should be worth at least two million. Including its ability to increase a Guild’s influence, it is worth more than a single house located in the city center.”

The players occupying the streets and alleys of Blackwing City discussed Shi Feng. They envied and admired his Dark-Gold Set Equipment. Before, many of them had dreamed of equipping a Fine-Gold Set Equipment themselves. Yet, now, someone actually wore a Dark-Gold Set Equipment. No, to be precise, someone ran around Blackwing City while wearing a house…

While players talked about Shi Feng, the various Guild representatives in Blackwing City overworked themselves as they followed Shi Feng while reporting back to their respective Guilds. Currently, they no longer had the serenity befitting an upper-manager of a Guild as their anxiety was on full display.

This has worked out quite well. Shi Feng revealed a faint smile as he glanced at the various Guild representatives behind him.

Although he was in Blackwing City, it would not be so easy to sell out of the Dragonscale Set Equipment quickly.

Soon, Shi Feng found a high-class restaurant and rested for a moment.

Before Shi Feng could get comfortable, a few players abruptly sat across from him. These players were all Level 25 and above, and their equipment was at least Secret-Silver rank. One could easily tell that these were not ordinary players. They would be the center of attention on the streets of any other city. However, they could not compete with Shi Feng. Shi Feng’s Dark-Gold Set Equipment was as dazzling as the sun, and one would find it difficult not to notice.

“What business do you have with me?” Shi Feng spoke softly as glanced up at these players.

These players felt their chests tighten under Shi Feng’s pinning gaze, and their opinions of the player before them rose.

“Friend, please don’t misunderstand us. This humble one is called Swallow Nine. We noticed your extraordinary bearing, and that you wear a full Dark-Gold Set Equipment, so there is certainly no need to discuss your strength. We have also noticed that you are an independent player. We few are the representatives of major Guilds, and we want to extend invitations to our Guilds.”

The one who spoke was an elegant middle-aged man with a thin figure. On his chest, the man wore the Guild Emblem of a Super Guild, the Ninth Heaven Pavilion. Compared to the other representatives before Shi Feng, it was obvious that the power supporting Swallow Nine was far more extensive.

If first-rate Guilds were the princes and princesses of the virtual gaming world, then Super Guilds were emperors and empresses. Whether regarding financial powers, influence, or history of Super Guilds, first-rate Guilds could not compare to any of them.

In God’s Domain, a first-rate Guild was capable of controlling the majority of a kingdom’s territory. A Super Guild, however, possessed the capacity to control one or two empire’s territories. One could just imagine how massive the gap was between the two.

Meanwhile, Ninth Heaven Pavilion was a rather ancient Super Guild. Before the appearance of God’s Domain, they had been the overlords of several dozen large-scale virtual reality games. They had long since created a gigantic virtual empire for themselves. However, due to the appearance of God’s Domain, many virtual reality games had lost their markets. Thus, the Ninth Heaven Pavilion focused their investments on God’s Domain.

Meanwhile, the fact that the middle-aged man before Shi Feng was the Guild representative of the Ninth Heaven Pavilion spoke volumes of his abilities.

“I’m waiting for someone. I also have no interest in joining any Guild, so please leave!” Shi Feng expressed his impatience, going so far as to reveal a trace of killing intent.

Shi Feng’s strength allowed him to face a Lord as an equal. After going berserk, he could even overwhelm a Lord ranked monster.

After living in God’s Domain for a time, players’ intuitions had improved somewhat. Even ordinary players could vaguely sense things such as killing intent, let alone elites and expert players. If Shi Feng casually released a little killing intent, he could inflict a suffocating fear onto an ordinary player; the feeling was more intense for elites and experts who could sense killing intent with more clarity.

So strong! Swallow Nine was inwardly shocked.

Although Shi Feng had not taken any action, he could feel how powerful Shi Feng was. The Swordsman before him was definitely not an ordinary expert, and he was someone who could rival even the top powerhouses in the Ninth Heaven Pavilion. If factoring in his equipment, the top powerhouses of the Ninth Heaven Pavilion might not even be a match for Shi Feng in a one-on-one fight.

However, this revelation had only served to excite Swallow Nine further.

“Friend, if you are not willing to join, why don’t we become friends?” Swallow Nine did not mind Shi Feng’s killing intent at all. Smiling, he said, “With such strength, I believe that you must have a lot of weapons and equipment that you do not need. I am willing to purchase your items 20% higher than market value. How about it?”

The other representatives had nodded in agreement, though they were not as calm and carefree as Swallow Nine.

They had never thought, even for a second, that Shi Feng would join their Guilds. Experts of this level normally had quirky personalities and would never submit. Meanwhile, joining a Guild meant accepting someone else’s control. Shi Feng would not agree to such an invitation. However, seeing that Shi Feng was an expert capable of possessing a Dark-Gold Set Equipment, he should have many other top-tier weapons and equipment. Even if Shi Feng did not possess an extra Dark-Gold Set Equipment, at the very least, he should have a stock of Dark-Gold or Fine-Gold ranked items.

Such items were extremely difficult to purchase.

It was common knowledge that top-tier equipment could not be bought from the market. Even top-tier Workshops would keep such equipment for themselves; they definitely would not sell it. If one wished to obtain such equipment, they could only rely on themselves. However, it was easier said than done.

Now that they had encountered such a rare opportunity, naturally, they could not let it get away.

“You wish to buy my items?” Shi Feng laughed. With disdain, he then said, “Do you think you can afford them?”

“If you have something to sell, regardless of how many items there are, I, Swallow Nine, guarantee that I will purchase all of them at 20% above market value. If you have top-tier equipment, I will purchase it at 50% above market value,” Swallow Nine confidently declared.

“Right! Our Guilds have no issues doing the same,” the other representatives promptly voiced their agreement. Although their Guilds could not compare to the Ninth Heaven Pavilion, they were still major Guilds. They had more than enough money to purchase a single expert’s extra equipment.

“Hahaha! Interesting! Interesting!” Shi Feng suddenly laughed.

However, Shi Feng’s actions only made Swallow Nine and the others turn to look at each other.

“One thousand Gold. If you have 1,000 Gold on your persons right now, I will consider letting you look at the equipment I no longer need. Otherwise, scram! Find someone else to disturb!”

Chapter 469: Gathering of the Powerful

Shi Feng was very loud, and every player on the second floor of the restaurant had heard his words loud and clear.

“One thousand Gold!”

Many of the Guild representatives in the restaurant with similar ideas as Swallow Nine immediately sucked in a cold breath.

To any Guild in God’s Domain, 1,000 Gold was not a small sum. Super Guilds were no exception.

Guilds supported a majority of the layers in Blackwing City. Although they were all very rich, their maximum trade volumes would not exceed 100 Gold. Meanwhile, Shi Feng casually demanded a price of 1,000 Gold. Moreover, this was only the bottom line. If they did not have 1,000 Gold in their bags, he wouldn’t even consider a trade.

How arrogant!

He was simply too arrogant!

However, despite Shi Feng’s arrogance, not a single person present had chosen to turn around and leave. On the contrary, they promptly contacted their respective Guilds, ordering the preparation of 1,000 Gold.

“One thousand Gold?”

“You’re insane! Do you know the significance of 1,000 Gold at this stage of the game?”

“What? That expert in the Dark-Gold Set Equipment stated that he would only consider a trade with someone possessing 1,000 Gold?”

The various Guilds were shocked upon receiving this news. However, that shock soon turned into rage, as these Guilds felt that Shi Feng was only toying with them.

One thousand Gold!

Currently, Gold Coins were still scarce. Although the prices of Coins had decreased significantly, even 10 million Credits was not enough to purchase 1,000 Gold. Moreover, not even a Dark-Gold Set Equipment was worth 1,000 Gold.

“What? Don’t have it?” Shi Feng smirked at Swallow Nine and the others. Impatiently, he said, “Since you don’t have it, please leave. Stop disturbing my peace.”

“No, please wait a moment. It is true that I do not have that much money on me right now. However, someone will send the money over quickly,” Swallow Nine said as he calmed his pounding heart. He had to admit that Shi Feng had given him a fright. However, the more arrogantly Shi Feng behaved, the more Swallow Nine believed that Shi Feng had something valuable to offer.

Experts of this level had very high self-esteem, and an arrogant attitude was normal. However, one thing was certain: such experts would not fabricate false rumors.

If Shi Feng dared to make such ridiculous statements, then he definitely had the capital to do so.

Although Swallow Nine did not know what that capital was, he knew that it would not be insignificant.

“Tch, truly annoying.”

Shi Feng frowned at Swallow Nine’s words. Paying no more attention to the middle-aged man, Shi Feng called up the official forums and began to browse.

Everything was going according to plan.

Moreover, shortly after he had stated his price of 1,000 Gold, a post about him had set the official forums of God’s Domain on fire.

There was even a post mentioning the 1,000 Gold trade qualification he had demanded. Many people had begun to discuss the situation. They all felt that Shi Feng was a lunatic and was too arrogant. Some had even begun to doubt his equipment. Quickly, this news had attracted the attention of even more Guilds.

After a dozen minutes or so, the restaurant Shi Feng occupied exploded with activity. Players filled the restaurant, and every one of them represented a Guild. The majority of the Guilds present were first-rate Guilds, with the lowest being second-rate Guilds. Two additional Super Guilds had even arrived.

One of the new Super Guilds to arrive was Sanctuary, while the other was King’s Return. These two Super Guilds were powerhouses similar to the Ninth Heaven Pavilion.

Currently, the representatives of so many famous Guilds, including three Super Guilds, had gathered in this one high-class restaurant. This was something that had never happened in the past.

And all of this was due to the sudden appearance of a mysterious expert…

Of the three Super Guild representatives, two were men, and the last was a woman. Among them, Swallow Nine represented the Ninth Heaven Pavilion, a polished woman named Flourishing Colors represented Sanctuary, and King’s Return was represented by a crude and brawny-looking man named Thunder Tiger. Flourishing Colors was a Level 26 Summoner, whereas Thunder Tiger was a Level 26 Berserker.

It was clear that the three Super Guild representatives knew each other, as the moment the three met, they began to chat as if they were old friends.

Shi Feng glanced at the second floor, discovering that the high-class restaurant seemed to represent God’s Domain’s current power.

As Swallow Nine, Flourishing Colors, and Thunder Tiger were representatives of Super Guilds, the three sat opposite of Shi Feng. As for the representatives of first-rate Guilds, they hovered nearby. As for the few second-rate Guilds, they sat near the staircase. The hierarchy had been clearly established.

The three belonging to Super Guilds paid no attention to those belonging to first-rate Guilds, and those belonging to first-rate Guilds paid no attention to the second-rate Guilds. The representatives present only spoke to those on the same level as themselves. If Zero Wing attended this gathering, its representative would most likely have to stand at the restaurant’s entrance.

After half an hour, Swallow Nine finally spoke.

“I’ve put together my 1,000 Gold. Please take a look,” Swallow Nine said as he smiled at Shi Feng. He then placed his coin pouch on the table.

Although the coin pouch was only the size of a fist, this was only an illusion. Regardless of how much money it contained, the coin pouch would retain the same size. Moreover, a player’s coin pouch was bound to them, and nobody could steal it. However, others could still check the amount inside with the owner’s permission.

“Brother Expert said that one would qualify to trade with you so long as they have 1,000 Gold. I happen to have 1,000 Gold with me. Please check it for yourself, Brother Expert.” Thunder Tiger similarly placed a coin pouch on the table.

“I have the same.” Flourishing Colors smiled faintly as she, too, revealed her coin pouch.

For a time, the various Guild representatives on the second floor promptly presented their coin pouches to Shi Feng, allowing him to inspect them.

As the crowd waited for Shi Feng’s inspection, instead of actually doing so, Shi Feng smiled and said, “That won’t be necessary. I believe that the Guilds present should not be so poor as to not even possess 1,000 Gold. Since all of you have 1,000 Gold on your persons now, you all qualify to trade with me.

“However, the items I wish to sell are limited. Since there are so many people here, I’m sure none of you will oppose an auction, right?”

Suddenly, the crowd understood Shi Feng’s intentions. This was a public auction. If so, the items would definitely be sold far above market value. Realizing the truth of the matter, everyone’s expressions darkened.

“Of course, you can also choose not to buy my items. I won’t force those who are unwilling.” Shi Feng yawned. Slowly, he said, “If anyone is not interested, you are welcome to leave.”

Yet, even after Shi Feng’s declaration, not a single representative turned to leave. They all wanted to see the reason behind Shi Feng’s confidence.

“Since everyone agrees, I’ll begin with the first item, then,” Shi Feng said as he swept a glance over the crowd in the hall, nodding with satisfaction. Everything was going according to plan. What happened next would depend on how these people would compete.

Hearing Shi Feng begin the auction, the crowd grew tense.

Even Swallow Nine, Thunder Tiger, and Flourishing Colors, the representatives of three Super Guilds, focused on Shi Feng’s every move.

In the next moment, Shi Feng took out a piece of equipment from his bag. Looking at the glow of the equipment, it seemed to be Fine-Gold rank, not Dark-Gold rank as everyone had expected.

Even so, Fine-Gold Equipment was quite valuable. Currently, Fine-Gold Equipment was very rare. Although some were available on the virtual trade center, most of those items had inferior Attributes.

Initially, everyone had thought Shi Feng would state the starting bid for the equipment, signaling the representatives to begin. However, Shi Feng proceeded by revealing another piece of equipment. Moreover, this item was also Fine-Gold ranked.

One piece… Two pieces… Three pieces…

Shi Feng displayed a total of six pieces of equipment. Moreover, although these six pieces were all different, they possessed a single style.

“That… is… a Fine-Gold Set Equipment!”

The crowd was stupefied when they saw the Dragonscale Set Equipment on the table. They even wondered if their eyes played tricks on them.

Though large Guilds had several pieces of Dark-Gold Equipment, not even the Super Guilds possessed a Fine-Gold Set Equipment. Yet, an unknown expert like Shi Feng had one…

Chapter 470: Strong Appearance

Both the appearance and Attributes of the Dragonscale Set Equipment were far more powerful than ordinary Fine-Gold Equipment. Furthermore, one had to consider the set effects.

When Shi Feng placed the Dragonscale Set Equipment on the table, he did not hide the set’s Attributes, allowing everyone to examine the set.

“These are the set effects of a Fine-Gold Set Equipment?”

“The effects of this Dragonscale Set are insane! It could rival the effects of that rumored Warfire Set!”

“I’ve seen the effects of the Warfire Set before. Warfire is more suited for PvP, while this Dragonscale is suited for Dungeon raiding. It is what Guilds need most right now.”

The crowd was dumbfounded after reading the Dragonscale Set Equipment’s information.

Aside from how important the Ignore Levels effect was to players right now, the Fury effect alone could raise their damage to a whole new level. There were also the Strength and Agility Attribute increases, both of which were the most important Attributes to any physical class.

Overall, every set effect of the Dragonscale Set was very useful to a physical class. If equipped, a player’s combat power would instantly rise by two or three levels. It was frightening…

“You’ve seen the equipment for yourselves. The bidding will start at 100 Gold, with a minimum bid increment of 1 Gold.” Shi Feng chuckled. He then announced, “You may begin!”

Before the crowd could recover from their shock, Shi Feng’s opening price stunned them once more.

The market offer for the Warfire Set Equipment was also 100 Gold, and the set could be upgraded to Fine-Gold rank. Moreover, the set’s level would increase with the player’s, and it could become a Level 30 Fine-Gold Set Equipment.

The Dragonscale Set Equipment was only a Level 20 Fine-Gold Set Equipment. The opening bid was simply too expensive.

If the set were a Level 25 Fine-Gold Set Equipment, it might be worth 100 Gold.

“What? Nobody’s bidding?” Shi Feng watched the silent crowd. Leisurely, he said, “Since nobody wants to buy it, then our trade comes to an end. We don’t have anything to talk about, so let’s dismiss this issue.”

Even after Shi Feng said this, the various Guild representatives stood as still as stone, showing no intentions of leaving. Right now, they were like a pack of hungry wolves that had meat placed before them. How could they leave without a bite?

“Brother Expert, your price is somewhat high. If it were the set you wear right now, I would pay double.”

“That’s right! I’m willing to buy the Dragonscale Set Equipment at 60 Gold!”

The Guild representatives voiced their opinions, expressing their refusal of the high price of the Dragonscale Set Equipment and imploring Shi Feng to lower the price. After all, Gold Coins were not easy to come by. Now that every Guild purchased Coins in bulk, it had resulted in an abnormal shortage of Coins. Currently, most of the Guilds in God’s Domain relied on their money-farming teams to supply them with Coins.

“Don’t buy it if you think it is too expensive. I don’t need to sell my equipment to you specifically,” Shi Feng said disdainfully.

Shi Feng knew exactly what these representatives were trying to do.

At this moment, however, a crisp voice echoed throughout the restaurant’s second floor.

“One hundred Gold. I want it.”

Immediately, everyone’s attention shifted towards the person who placed the bid, discovering a bright and attractive beauty. Moreover, the majority of the equipment this beauty wore was Fine-Gold rank, and the staff strapped to her back even emitted the glow unique to Dark-Gold items.

“Isn’t she Aqua Rose of Twilight Echo?”

“I seem to recall Aqua Rose having left Twilight Echo. I believe she joined a small unknown Guild. Her actions had caused quite the commotion.”

“That’s right; I remember it as well. Many Guilds had tried to recruit her. Unfortunately, she rejected all of the offers, insisting on joining a small Guild instead. At that time, many had sighed at her choice. How could she possibly achieve anything in a small Guild? Twilight Echo even expressed that, as long as Aqua Rose acknowledged her mistakes, they would gladly welcome her back. Unfortunately, she refused. After not hearing anything about her for so long, I thought she had quit God’s Domain.”

“It is somewhat unfortunate. However, based on her current appearance, it seems that she is getting by quite well. She even wields a Dark-Gold Weapon.”

“No matter what was said or done, Aqua Rose is very talented and powerful. With the nurturing of a small Guild and some luck, it isn’t exactly impossible to obtain Level 20 Fine-Gold and Dark-Gold Equipment. However, she probably won’t grow beyond that. After all, a small Guild is still a small Guild.”

The crowd instantly fell into a discussion about Aqua Rose. She was quite famous in the virtual gaming world, and like the Snow Goddess, she had been nicknamed the Rose Goddess. Naturally, the Guild representatives recognized her.

The crowd’s attention turned from Aqua Rose, shifting towards Twilight Echo’s representative.

Twilight Echo’s representative, Brilliant Wargod, had also noticed Aqua Rose’s appearance. He was visibly delighted. It was especially true when he heard everyone’s evaluation of the woman.

Ever since he had suffered defeat at Shi Feng’s hands, due to the punishment from the system, his leveling speed had slowed to a crawl. Even when he accompanied others, he could not level any faster. Having no other choice, he chose to act as the Guild’s representative and mingled in Blackwing City. He hated Shi Feng fiercely for placing him in his current situation.

Previously, he had allowed Aqua Rose to leave Twilight Echo with ulterior motives. He wanted to teach Aqua Rose that she was nothing without Twilight Echo, and in the end, she would beg to return to the Guild.

However, upon seeing Aqua Rose’s equipment and level, Brilliant Wargod’s expression sank, disappointed.

Keep up your pretenses! I want to see just how long you can keep up the act! Brilliant Wargod had paid close attention to Zero Wing, so he knew that Zero Wing was currently engaged in an all-out war against Overwhelming Smile. Others might not know Overwhelming Smile’s backer, but he did. A tiny Guild like Zero Wing would only last a few more days.

“Alright, 100 Gold going once!”

“100 Gold going twice!”

…

Shi Feng did not care whether the crowd paid attention to Twilight Echo’s representative or not. He just smiled faintly as he confirmed the bid. Immediately, his words shook everyone back to their senses, and the representatives promptly started shouting their own bids.

“101 Gold!”

“103 Gold!”

“108 Gold!”

…

The Dragonscale Set Equipment that nobody wanted had suddenly risen to a price of 132 Gold. What had happened to “100 Gold is too expensive?” Their complaints had been nothing more than nonsense. After all, this was a Level 20 Fine-Gold Set Equipment that none of the Guilds in God’s Domain possessed. Although the set was not particularly suitable for MTs, it still had better effects than the individual equipment pieces that their MTs currently wore. How could they possibly give up on it?

When Thunder Tiger placed a bid of 132 Gold, the crowd began to hesitate.

“150 Gold!” Aqua Rose calmly rose the bid.

The crowd turned to look at each other, shocked.

Even to a large Guild, 150 Gold was not cheap. To a small Guild, that should practically be all they had. Yet, Aqua Rose seemed not to care about the price at all. The representatives began to wonder what kind of Guild supported Aqua Rose.

“155 Gold!” Swallow Nine stated.

“158 Gold!” Flourishing Colors began to bid as well.

One hundred and fifty Gold was almost the limit a first-rate Guild would willingly bid; any more would be too expensive. However, the three Super Guilds did not care about this price.

Just as the three Super Guilds began to compete with each other…

“200 Gold!”

Although Aqua Rose’s voice was not particularly loud, her bid swept through the crowd like a chilling wave…

Chapter 471: It is Difficult to Breed True Dragons in Shallow Waters

Two hundred Gold Coins!

The crowd immediately fell silent. Everyone turned to Aqua Rose, the Rose Goddess who had left the first-rate Guild Twilight Echo.

“She’s insane!”

“Spending 200 Gold Coins just to garner some fame is foolish!”

“Does the Guild behind her really possess so much money that they can disregard 200 Gold?”

Every representative had their own speculation. Some believed that Aqua Rose was trying to use the money to buy fame, while some believed that the Guild supporting her possessed an extraordinary background. However, regardless of the reasons behind her actions, everyone’s admiration for Aqua Rose grew.

Every Guild here could afford to spend 200 Gold. After all, before Shi Feng had started his auction, he had required that anyone who wanted to trade with him must first carry 1,000 Gold on them. If not for the 1,000 Gold in their bags, they would not be so shameless as to participate in the auction. Every Guild in this restaurant was a reputable major power. If others discovered that they did not have 1,000 Gold in their bags, it would tarnish their Guild’s reputation.

However, although they had the money, they would not spend it on useless items. They would only buy that which had value to their Guilds. After all, their members had struggled to earn every Gold Coin. Nobody wanted to be played for a fool.

The three Super Guild representatives were also silent. They looked at Aqua Rose with curiosity, confused as to what the Rose Goddess was attempting to do.

“Two hundred Gold going once!” Shi Feng watched the calm and composed Aqua Rose, silently praising her performance.

He had to admit that Aqua Rose’s confident smile even led him to believe that 200 Gold was no different from spare change to her.

“Two hundred Gold going twice!”

Just as Shi Feng shouted the second time, Brilliant Wargod suddenly shouted, “201 Gold. This young master wants it.”

“Two hundred ten Gold,” Aqua Rose said as she glared at Brilliant Wargod, disgust and hatred filling her eyes.

“Two hundred eleven Gold,” Brilliant Wargod sneered.

Although he was not particularly interested in the Dragonscale Set Equipment, he could not stomach letting Aqua Rose garner fame in front of this crowd. If that happened, it would wound his reputation. Hence, he could not allow Aqua Rose to have the Dragonscale Set Equipment, allowing her to enjoy the limelight.

“Three hundred Gold.”

Done wasting time, Aqua Rose significantly raised the bid. The other Guild representatives were stunned. The three Super Guild representatives shook their heads helplessly.

The price was simply too high.

Previously, everyone had believed that Aqua Rose would never rise without the help of Twilight Echo. Yet, Aqua Rose’s current performance was more domineering than during her time in Twilight Echo. She was no less imposing than Ouroboros’s Guild Leader, the Snow Goddess Gentle Snow.

They could not understand why Twilight Echo had discarded Aqua Rose.

Brilliant Wargod’s heart trembled upon hearing this bid. Gritting his teeth, he shouted, “301 Gold.”

It had not been easy for the Guild to raise the 1,000 Gold he had on him right now, and part of the money had been taken from the funds set aside for Twilight Echo’s Guild Residence. If he spent 300 Gold here, it would undoubtedly delay the purchase of the Guild Residence by one or two days.

“Four hundred Gold!” Aqua Rose shouted without flinching. She then shot Brilliant Wargod a disdainful look.

None of these representatives were fools. They could tell that, rather than purchasing an item, Brilliant Wargod and Aqua Rose currently competed via wealth. However, when they saw Aqua Rose’s resolve as she called out a bid of 400 Gold, they could not help but admire the Rose Goddess.

Just what kind of financial power did she possess to ignore 400 Gold?

“You!” Seeing Aqua Rose’s contemptuous glance, Brilliant Wargod had never felt such humiliation. Suddenly, he gritted his teeth and shouted, “Aqua Rose! Don’t even think of taking what’s mine! So what if you’ve bid 400 Gold? I bid 500 Gold!”

“Five hundred Gold going once!”

“Five hundred Gold going twice!”

…

As Shi Feng announced the price, Brilliant Wargod’s anxiety grew. He was deeply afraid that Aqua Rose would place an even higher bid. At that time, he would have to raise his bid even further.

Only when Shi Feng shouted the third time did Brilliant Wargod reveal a victorious smile. He then shifted his gaze towards Aqua Rose, smirking at the woman with pride.

“Five hundred Gold,” Shi Feng said as he walked up to Brilliant Wargod, placing the Dragonscale Set Equipment in front of the man. He did not care about whatever thoughts occupied Brilliant Wargod’s mind.

When the crowd watched Brilliant Wargod hand over 500 Gold in exchange for the Dragonscale Set Equipment, envy, admiration, and disdain filled their hearts. However, they admitted that the Dragonscale Set Equipment was currently the only Level 20 Fine-Gold Set Equipment available in God’s Domain. Although it was somewhat foolish to spend 500 Gold, once they had the Dragonscale Set Equipment, the profits they could reap with it might exceed 500 Gold.

Thinking up to this point, the various Guild representatives felt somewhat regretful. Why had they not competed over the set? What if they could gain far more than 500 Gold with the use of this set?

After obtaining the Dragonscale Set Equipment, a sense of indescribable joy filled Brilliant Wargod’s heart as he watched the silent Aqua Rose. However, before he could ridicule the woman, Shi Feng suddenly spoke again.

“Let’s begin the auction for the second item, then. The auctioned item is another Dragonscale Set Equipment. Like before, the starting bid is 100 Gold with minimum increments of 1 Gold.” Saying so, Shi Feng placed another Dragonscale Set Equipment on the table.

“You… How… Why do you have a second!?” Brilliant Wargod felt his heart shatter when he saw an exact copy of the Dragonscale Set Equipment he had just purchased.

“Who said I only had one set?” Shi Feng rolled his eyes at Brilliant Wargod before proceeding with the auction.

Brilliant Wargod’s elation deflated. When he saw Aqua Rose’s laughing expression, he even had the thought of killing himself[1]…

When the crowd saw the second Dragonscale Set Equipment on the table, they all glanced at their fellow representatives. Nobody had expected Shi Feng to have a second set. The regret that they had felt immediately vanished.

They had somewhat admired Brilliant Wargod for spending 500 Gold to purchase the first Level 20 Fine-Gold Set Equipment in God’s Domain. Now, however, that admiration turned into ridicule.

“150 Gold!”

“I bid 155 Gold!”

Previously, everyone had felt that 100 Gold was too expensive. Now, however, multiple Guilds simultaneously began the bid with 150 Gold.

However, just like before, Aqua Rose immediately dashed everyone’s hopes by bidding 200 Gold. This time, the three Super Guild representatives did not hesitate as they shouted higher bids.

Items of rarity were expensive. It was especially true during the early stages of God’s Domain. Just a single piece of equipment could significantly affect the future development of a Guild, not to mention a Fine-Gold Set Equipment.

In the end, Aqua Rose purchased the second Dragonscale Set Equipment at 280 Gold. The many Guild representatives envied and admired her. Simultaneously, they also could not help but acknowledge that Aqua Rose was really amazing. Even after leaving Twilight Echo, she was still so well-off. One could just imagine how capable she was. On the other hand, Twilight Echo had been so blind as to chase Aqua Rose out of the Guild.

As everyone admired Aqua Rose, interest in her Guild also began to grow.

It was difficult to breed a true dragon in shallow waters. Aqua Rose was undoubtedly a true dragon. No ordinary Guild would be good enough to catch her eye.

Soon, Shi Feng took out the third Dragonscale Set Equipment, rendering the crowd utterly speechless. They had even started to suspect that the Dragonscale Set Equipment was some kind of common good that could be purchased anywhere.

However, nobody complained. On the contrary, they all were elated because they had another chance to compete. Shi Feng had never mentioned how many sets he had on hand. What if this one was the last?

Hence, everyone gritted their teeth and placed their bids. In the end, Swallow Nine won the third set for 291 Gold.

Following which, Shi Feng revealed the fourth set, which Sanctuary’s Flourishing Colors won for 303 Gold. Thunder Tiger of King’s Return won the fifth set for 322 Gold, whereas a first-rate Guild purchased the sixth set for 337 Gold. Initially, everyone had believed that Shi Feng would reveal the seventh set. In the end, however, Shi Feng announced that the sixth was the last he had on him. This revelation had caused the crowd to regret not bidding higher.

None of the Guilds had cared much for obtaining a Fine-Gold Set Equipment when no one else had owned one. However, now that some Guilds had obtained one, things had changed. It was highly possible that due to the Dragonscale Set Equipment, these Guilds would take the lead in conquering Level 20 large-scale Team Dungeons. At that time, these Guilds would gain a massive advantage over the others.

TL Notes:

[1] Note that we, in no way, are supporting/encouraging suicide nor are we taking such a sensitive topic lightly.

Chapter 472: Massive Profits

Rare items were expensive.

Although Shi Feng had over a hundred copies of the Dragonscale Set Equipment, if he wished to sell them at a good price, he could not sell too many at once; he needed to regulate the number of sets he sold.

Currently, the six sets he had actioned would not sate these Guilds’ thirst. Even if he tripled or quadrupled that number, the price they were willing to pay would not decrease.

However, Shi Feng would not do so. Six sets were the limit. If he sold any more, it would lead to everyone to believe that the Dragonscale Set Equipment was easily obtainable. If he tried to sell it later, it would become impossible to get a good price.

Although Shi Feng had produced over a hundred sets of Dragonscale Set Equipment, they were not cheap to forge.

Aside from the basic materials, each set piece required 10 Starfire Essences. One Dragonscale Set Equipment cost more than 10 Gold to produce. After factoring in the forging success rate, a single Dragonscale Set Equipment cost 30 Gold. If anyone else forged the set, it would cost them over 100 Gold. Naturally, Shi Feng could not sell the Dragonscale Set Equipment for a low price.

Despite Shi Feng stating that he did not have another Dragonscale Set Equipment on him, none of the various Guild representatives believed him.

Shi Feng had been able to reveal six sets in a row. No matter how one looked at it, Shi Feng must have found a special channel to obtain the Dragonscale Set Equipment. Unfortunately, only he knew his source.

However, they could do nothing if Shi Feng insisted that he had run out of stock. Many of the representatives who had failed to purchase a set for themselves struggled with their reluctance to accept the situation.

On the other hand, Aqua Rose’s appearance had incited a heated discussion. The crowd was quite curious about the Guild behind Aqua Rose. Even first-rate Guilds like theirs had to hesitate before finally deciding to bid for the Dragonscale Set Equipment, their hearts aching at the expense. The Guild behind Aqua Rose, on the other hand, was actually willing to spend so much Gold just to purchase a Dragonscale Set Equipment. It was really surprising.

After the auction concluded, Shi Feng did not linger in the restaurant. Instead, he left and searched for a hotel to rest and change his appearance using the Demon Mask once again.

Sure enough, there are quite a number of people following me. Shi Feng glanced at the players inside the hotel’s lobby. The moment he came downstairs, these players had promptly turned to look at him.

No matter what was said or done, the Dragonscale Set Equipment was a Level 20 Fine-Gold Set Equipment. The various Guilds’ desire for the Dragonscale Set Equipment was self-evident.

Even if he did not sell the set in bulk, it difficult to avoid attracting attention.

These Guilds would naturally try to discover the origin of the Dragonscale Set Equipment. If these Guilds learned that the Dragonscale Set Equipment originated from Zero Wing, Zero Wing would become a target. It was already troublesome enough dealing with one Overwhelming Smile. If other first-rate Guilds and Super Guilds joined the fray, Zero Wing would be cut off from its path of survival.

Currently, unlike other Guilds that branched out to various cities and kingdoms, Zero Wing developed itself solely in White River City. In general, the Guild was only famous in Star-Moon Kingdom. Outside of Star-Moon Kingdom, it was simply another unknown Guild.

To these first-rate Guilds and Super Guilds in Blackwing City, Zero Wing was not even a speck of dust; it was not worthy of their attention in the least. No lion recognized the ants beneath its feet.

Shi Feng could cope in White River City while facing one Overwhelming Smile. However, Zero Wing would end up in an extremely precarious situation should the many large Guilds present move against it.

This was also why Shi Feng had called Aqua Rose.

The first reason was to hike up the price of the Dragonscale Set Equipment. The second was to avoid attracting these large Guilds’ suspicion when the set appeared in Zero Wing.

You guys have fun waiting here, then.

Shi Feng smiled faintly as he left the hotel. From the moment he entered the lobby to the moment he left, none of the trackers paid him any mind.

After leaving the hotel, Shi Feng immediately hailed a horse carriage and rode it to the Blackwing Auction House.

Other than holding the weekly large-scale auctions, the Blackwing Auction House was also a hub for players to sell their items. However, the items sold here were only available through the Blackwing Auction House; these items would not be available elsewhere.

Although the sales scope was very narrow, Blackwing City’s main role was to act as a trade hub. Guilds and players from various kingdoms and empires preferred to sell their items in the Blackwing Auction House, as it was far more lucrative to sell them here than it was to use their respective Auction Houses.

Upon his arrival at the Blackwing Auction House, Shi Feng placed 80 sets of the Dragonscale Set Equipment up for sale without hesitation. He sold the sets in batches, selling only two or three sets at a time at intervals of around one hour. Meanwhile, the starting bid he set was 200 Gold.

After Shi Feng finished his tasks, he left Blackwing City.

However, shortly after Shi Feng’s departure…

The Blackwing Auction House exploded.

“It’s actually the Dragonscale Set Equipment!”

“It can’t be, right? Someone is actually selling the Dragonscale Set Equipment on the Auction House!”

“The price is high! That person set the starting price at 200 Gold!”

Players who frequented the Blackwing Auction House drooled when they saw the Dragonscale Set Equipment. Who knew how many items they had to sell to afford the price-tag of this set equipment.

News of the situation swiftly spread throughout Blackwing City.

Previously, due to Shi Feng auctioning the Dragonscale Set Equipment, information regarding the set had long since flowed between the various large Guilds. Moreover, the fact that the three Super Guilds had each purchased a Dragonscale Set Equipment had placed a significant amount of pressure on the first-rate Guilds, increasing their desire to own one for themselves. However, since Shi Feng no longer sold the sets, they could only dream of owning one. Now that they had received news of more sets being available, they had to compete for them.

For a time, the Dragonscale Set Equipment’s price increased rapidly.

In a short moment, the bids had risen from 200 Gold to 280 Gold.

In the end, the first three sets of Dragonscale Set Equipment in the Blackwing Auction House had sold for 316 Gold, 324 Gold, and 328 Gold. In an instant, Shi Feng had made a massive profit.

However, Shi Feng knew that this was only the beginning. The competition between the various large Guilds was intense. It was of utmost importance to have a strong MT. Although the Dragonscale Set Equipment was not particularly suitable for MTs, the set effects could increase an MT’s strength significantly. This alone was enough to drive the large Guilds crazy over the set. Hence, the price of the Dragonscale Set Equipment would only increase from this point forward.

Meanwhile, all of these Gold Coins secretly flowed into Shi Feng’s pockets with none the wiser.

The speed at which he currently earned money far surpassed the Starstreak Trading Firm. However, this could not be helped. The Starstreak Trading Firm’s scope of operations was limited to White River City and the few surrounding cities. Meanwhile, Blackwing City catered to players across all of God’s Domain. Even a dozen Starstreak Trading Firms could not compare to the Blackwing Auction House.

—

During Shi Feng’s visit to Blackwing City, Overwhelming Smile had not sat idle. The slightly over 100 mysterious experts had suddenly increased to more than 200. Although these mysterious experts had slaughtered Zero Wing’s members, Zero Wing was no pushover, either. The Guild’s 50-plus Tier 1 experts had similarly caused a significant amount of trouble for Overwhelming Smile. The experts of both sides had suffered some losses. However, as Zero Wing had fewer members on their side, it began to fall behind.

For a time, the Level 20 maps around White River City had become the battlefield for the two Guilds. This had frightened other players, and nobody dared go anywhere near these battlefields.

In just a few hours, both sides had suffered over a thousand deaths. The Gold Coins each Guild had to spend was also shocking.

Each Guild would, most likely, have to spend over 500 Gold a day.

“Is Overwhelming Smile aiming for a swift conclusion?” Shi Feng was confused, and he frowned deeply when he saw the death count of both Guilds.

Chapter 473: Black Dragon Phantom

Shi Feng could not help but admire Overwhelming Smile’s decisiveness. They had actually increased the number of well-trained open-warfare experts they had to over 200.

Even first-rate Guilds would not dare station over 200 experts in a single city. Not even Star-Moon City would receive such treatment. After all, there were over a hundred cities in the entire Star-Moon Kingdom.

It was not wise to put all of one’s eggs in one basket.

“Guild Leader, should I have our members go to areas with fewer resources to level? If we continue this exchange with Overwhelming Smile, it will severely affect our Guild’s development rate,” Aqua Rose inquired, worried.

Originally, Aqua Rose had been very confident of defeating Overwhelming Smile. After all, Shi Feng had earned quite a lot of money through the sales of the Dragonscale Set Equipment. He had earned over 1,700 Gold just from the auction in the restaurant. With so much Gold on hand and the follow-up income, they could easily drown Overwhelming Smile in Gold Coins if they wanted to.

However, Overwhelming Smile’s current performance was too effective. How, exactly, had Overwhelming Smile managed to recruit so many experts? Overwhelming Smile gave them no room to breathe as its attacks became stronger with each consecutive wave. Although the experts on their side were more powerful, their opponents would flee whenever they encountered Zero Wing’s Tier 1 players. Moreover, Overwhelming Smile had more experts on their side than Zero Wing. When comparing the number of players each side could kill, Zero Wing was outmatched.

“Sure enough, these mysterious experts are a big problem,” Shi Feng scowled. If he did not deal with this matter properly, Zero Wing would fall. At that point, money would be useless.

However, experts that used hit-and-run tactics were also the most difficult opponents to face.

This was why so many powerful solo players and independent teams had caused the various large Guilds massive headaches in the past, to the point where the latter did not dare provoke the former. After all, when these powerful independent players were forced into a corner, they could simply turn to guerrilla warfare and ambush the Guild’s members. By the time the Guild’s experts arrived, these independent players would be long gone.

Unless the Guild’s experts arrived at the scene as soon as the independent players took action, catching them in the fields was only a dream.

Currently, although both Zero Wing and Overwhelming Smile employed these hit-and-run tactics, Overwhelming Smile’s experts outnumbered Zero Wing’s by four-to-one. In the long term, Zero Wing would definitely burn out first.

“Appear immediately? That’s right! Appear immediately!” Shi Feng suddenly received a flash of inspiration. Smiling faintly, he said, “Aqua, notify the members out in the field to report their coordinates through the Guild channel should they meet Overwhelming Smile’s experts.”

“I’ve already tried that; it’s useless. Our men cannot arrive in time. Moreover, those experts are very sly. Even if we encounter them, they run the moment they see our reinforcements,” Aqua Rose said, shaking her head.

“Give the order and leave the rest to me,” Shi Feng chuckled.

Anyone else might be helpless in this situation. At most, he could join the hunting parties and slaughter Overwhelming Smile’s members. How could he possibly be more efficient alone than Overwhelming Smile’s large number of experts?

However, he had the Seven Luminaries Ring. As long as his target was within 40,000 yards, he could easily arrive at the first sign of trouble.

“I understand.” Although Aqua Rose was confused about Shi Feng’s intentions, since he had given the order, he must have his own countermeasures.

Before, when she had worried over the lack of Guild Funds, Shi Feng had suddenly revealed so many sets of Dragonscale Set Equipment. He had even converted them into a large amount of Gold, utterly surprising her.

Moreover, after her act of purchasing the Dragonscale Set Equipment and the display of her frightening wealth, several representatives of first-rate Guilds had sought her out for cooperation and resource trading. Unknowingly, Zero Wing had obtained another channel for earning Gold Coins.

Shi Feng’s single move had taken care of her worries in one fell swoop. He was godlike.

Aqua Rose struggled to believe that someone like Shi Feng had actually remained unknown all this time.

“It’s about time I make Overwhelming Smile pay back some of its debt.”

Following which, Shi Feng placed the remaining sets of the Dragonscale Set Equipment in the Guild’s Warehouse. Of them, two were available for Guild members. He then took out one Level 25 Fine-Gold Weapon and ten Level 25 Secret-Silver Weapons.

Although his current combat power was already quite high, like a lion pouncing on a hare, it was necessary to go all out even when fighting a small enemy or tackling a minor problem.

Hence, Shi Feng intended to upgrade the Abyssal Blade’s level.

He was currently Level 26; he could upgrade the Abyssal Blade to Level 25.

However, every time he upgraded the Abyssal Blade, the weapon would create quite a commotion. Hence, Shi Feng left White River City, teleporting to the Watch Cemetery.

Due to war, the Watch Cemetery had become a land of death. Even the sky here remained dusky, and tombs crowded the cemetery. The majority of the monsters that appeared here were Undead-type, and although there were a lot of them, their HPs were relatively low. As it was a Level 22 to Level 28 map with an extremely abundant amount of resources, over a quarter of White River City’s Level 20-plus players had come here to level up.

The Watch Cemetery contained many treasure chests and Hidden Quests. However, the Cemetery was most famous for its treasure chests. In the past, countless lucky independent players had encountered Mysterious-Iron and even Secret-Silver Treasure Chests here, obtaining plenty of top-tier equipment and items.

Because of this, battles between players had frequently happened in the Watch Cemetery. Similarly, over half of the battles between Zero Wing and Overwhelming Smile occurred here.

“There sure are a lot of players who have died here…”

The moment Shi Feng teleported to the Watch Cemetery, he was greeted by the sight of corpses littering the ground.

The tragic scene could easily match the one in White Fog Canyon; this scene may have even been more tragic. After all, usually only elite players visited the White Fog Canyon, whereas ordinary players had come to the Watch Cemetery. One could just imagine how intense the battle here had been.

“Nobody should be able to discover me here.”

Shi Feng found a hidden underground tomb. After investigating his surroundings and failing to discover any nearby players, he unsheathed the Abyssal Blade.

“Devour!” Shi Feng lightly tapped the Abyssal Blade’s “Level Up” button.

After Shi Feng selected a Level 25 Fine-Gold Weapon and ten Level 25 Secret-Silver Weapons, the silvery-gray Abyssal Blade suddenly released a black fog. Compared to the previous level-ups, the black fog was denser this time.

The eleven sacrificial weapons instantly transformed into ash when they came into contact with this black fog. In the next moment, the power within these weapons flowed into the Abyssal Blade.

Immediately, Shi Feng felt the Abyssal Blade release a massive pulse.

Rather than a pulse, it was more like a heartbeat.

Thump… Thump…

Each consecutive heartbeat grew clearer and more intense.

In the next moment, the Abyssal Blade struggled free from Shi Feng’s hands, sending Shi Feng flying into one of the walls of the tomb.

“What’s happening?”

Shi Feng watched the hovering Abyssal Blade, surprised. This was the first time he had encountered such a rejection.

As the pulses grew more intense, the tomb began to tremble. Suddenly, a large boom resounded as the entire underground tomb collapsed and vanished, revealing the dark gray sky above.

Soon after, the Abyssal Blade fragmented and transformed into a massive pitch-black heart. Along with the heartbeat, the phantom of a massive black dragon emerged. The black dragon was over a dozen meters tall, and its bone-chilling eyes focused on Shi Feng. Suddenly, it spread its maw and released a thundering roar!

Chapter 474: Abyssal Upgrade

The black dragon’s roar shook the sky, loud enough that anyone nearby would notice it.

“What a powerful roar; a high-level monster must’ve spawned somewhere nearby.”

“We’ll be rich if it’s a Chieftain!”

“Let’s go and take a look! We can’t let others snatch it from us!”

When a team of over 20 players a short distance from the tomb noticed the black dragon’s roar, they finished off the monsters they currently faced and rushed over to the tomb.

The Watch Cemetery was a land of treasures, and one could even discover a treasure chest by accidentally falling into a hole. However, powerful monsters were rare in the Watch Cemetery, and normally, these monsters lingered near treasures. This had already become a publicly acknowledged trend.

This monster’s roar alone was already so powerful. No one who heard it would risk missing this opportunity.

At the same time, many other teams who had heard this frightening roar also ran towards the tomb and Shi Feng.

At the epicenter of the roar, however, one man and one dragon stared each other down. The dragon released a frightening aura, and the surrounding air had started begun to stagnate.

“Is this the Backlash?”

At this moment, Shi Feng had heightened his five senses to their very limits, wearing a grim expression. All of his concentration was on the black dragon phantom before him. Although the black dragon was not the real thing, only a phantom, Shi Feng proceeded with caution.

Moreover, Shi Feng had not reacted in such a way intentionally. His response had been an unconscious decision.

The chilling killing intent in the phantom’s gaze was so intense that Shi Feng was breathless. He had never felt anything like this before, even against a Great Lord.

Shi Feng had never encountered the Backlash of a Magic Weapon before. He had also never heard about what exactly occurred during a Backlash.

However, seeing that so many top-tier experts had fallen to it in the past, a Magic Weapon’s Backlash was no trivial matter. A single mistake and Shi Feng might end up with a crippled character. This was also why every player had to consider their options carefully when they obtained a Magic Weapon.

While Shi Feng prepared to face a powerful enemy, the black dragon’s phantom only pinned Shi Feng with its crimson eyes. It had not attacked.

“You’re not going to strike?” Shi Feng was slightly surprised.

Although Shi Feng had not taken any measures to deal with the Abyssal Blade’s Backlash, his brain activity’s improvement had allowed him to reach the Refinement Realm. With the techniques he had learned, he was already more powerful than he had been in the past, so he was confident that he could deal with the Backlash.

The black dragon’s phantom suddenly revealed a human-like sneer, deep disdain filling its eyes as it glared at Shi Feng. Following which, the phantom vanished, leaving behind only a pile of ruins and the Abyssal Blade, which buried its blade in the ground.

At this moment, the Abyssal Blade had recovered its original black color and was now thoroughly pitch-black. There was a faint layer of black smoke surrounding it, and no one could see the weapon during the dead of night.

“Is this not the Backlash?” Shi Feng examined the Abyssal Blade, disbelief coloring his expression. “Sure enough, the more I level up the Abyssal Blade, the more powerful the black dragon becomes, and the weaker the suppression becomes.”

Shi Feng walked over and pulled the Abyssal Blade from the ground. He then checked the Attributes of the Magic Weapon.

[Abyssal Blade] (One-handed Sword, Magic Weapon)

Attack Power +423

All Attributes +36

Attack Speed +12

Ignore Levels +12

Attacks have:

45% chance to cause 200% damage.

20% chance to cause 300% damage.

20% chance to induce Doom Curse, reducing all Attributes by 40% for 35 seconds.

If wielder belongs to any Swordsman-related class, all Skill Levels +3.

Increase Free Ability Points received for every increase in Level by 2 points.

Equipment Level 25. Can be upgraded. (Devour ten Level 30 Fine-Gold Weapons and one Level 30 Dark-Gold Weapon to upgrade to Level 30).

Can be evolved (Unknown).

Additional Skill 1: Phantom Kill. Instantly creates a doppelganger. You can control this doppelganger. Doppelganger will have 70% of original body’s Attributes and all Skills. At the same time, doppelganger and the original body can be swapped.

Duration: 45 seconds

Cooldown: 5 minutes

Additional Skill 2: Abyssal Bind. Binds enemies and prevents movement, reducing Defense by 100%.

Duration: 4 seconds

Cooldown: 1 minute

Additional Skill 3: Nine Dragons Slash. Instantly creates twelve phantoms of the Abyssal Blade for the wielder to use; each phantom sword is capable of dealing up to 45% damage.

Duration: 30 seconds

Cooldown: 5 minutes

Additional Skill 4: Dark Violent Dance. 50% of the total damage dealt to the target spreads in a cone-shaped area towards targets within a distance of 12 yards.

Duration: 30 seconds

Cooldown: 1 minute

Additional Profound Inheritance: Black Emperor. When activated, every critical hit will accumulate one stack of Death Aura. Each stack of death aura can be used to increase all Attributes of wielder by 2% and Attack Speed and Movement Speed by 1% for 10 seconds, or be used to reduce the Cooldown of a skill by 3 seconds. Maximum of 30 stacks of Death Aura.

Duration: 10 minutes

Cooldown: 16 hours

The Abyssal Blade was personally created by master smith Olysses using the Black Dragon King’s fangs as material. It is one of thirty-six famed swords, and it is ranked 31st. However, this sword has been cursed by the Black Dragon King. Aside from providing the wielder with immense strength, there will be a Backlash every period of time. However, after being remodeled by Jack using a Star Crystal, the strength of the Backlash has been greatly reduced. If the wielder is unable to suppress the Backlash, the wielder will receive the curse of the Black Dragon King, permanently reducing all Attributes by 50%.

Unable to be dropped.

Unable to be traded.

The Basic Attributes and the skills of the Abyssal Blade had not undergone any significant changes. However, the Magic Weapon’s Attack Power had massively improved. Previously, its Attack Power was only slightly over 300. After this evolution, its Attack Power had soared past 400. It was nearly 50 points higher than Fire Dance’s Level 25 Dark-Gold ranked Truefire Blade.

After retrieving the Abyssal Blade, Shi Feng swung it a few times. He swung the weapon at a damaged stone pillar nearby.

Ceng!

Shi Feng had not encountered any resistance as he cut into the stone. The sturdy pillar felt like air as the Abyssal Blade sliced through it, splitting it in two as it fell to the ground.

“So sharp!”

Shi Feng stared at the remains of the stone pillar with shock. He then glanced back at the Magic Weapon in his hand. The Abyssal Blade was practically a weapon of gods. With such sharpness, not even Secret-Silver Equipment could defend against it.

Just as Shi Feng was about to leave the tomb, over a hundred players suddenly emerged from the dark forest. With a quick glance, it was obvious that these players were not all members of the same team. These new arrivals were also independent players.

“This… What happened here?”

These players were stupefied upon arriving at the thoroughly ruined underground tomb. Currently, the underground tomb looked more like a crater.

“Someone’s there!” A Ranger with sharp eyesight pointed at Shi Feng who was preparing to leave the area.

Suddenly, everyone shifted their gaze towards Shi Feng.

At this moment, Shi Feng wore a black cloak that obscured his appearance. He had also hidden the glow effects of his equipment. However, judging by the fine workmanship of his equipment, it should be of high quality. At the very least, his equipment should be Mysterious-Iron rank or above. Shi Feng was also Level 26, so one could easily tell that he was not someone to provoke.

Just as these independent teams hesitated over whether to take action against Shi Feng or not, another party emerged from the forest. Every member of this party was Level 25 and above, and all of them were as robust as a bear. The other payers avoided eye contact with these newcomers, intimidated by their cold gazes. Most importantly, all of their names were crimson.

“Brother Deep, we seem to have good luck today. With such a large commotion, a treasure must have spawned here. That brat definitely has the treasure.”

“Yeah. His level is quite high as well. If we kill him, we will not have wasted a trip even if there is no treasure.”

This six-man party paid no attention to the hundred-plus independent players standing in the distance. Instead, their eyes were glued onto Shi Feng, looking at him as if he belonged only to them.

“Just who are these people? They actually dare act so arrogantly!” a male player from one of the independent teams grumbled.

The leader of said party glanced the party of six Red Names. Immediately, cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he hurriedly said, “Enough, we’re leaving.”

“But what about the treasure? Why should we let a single party have it? We outnumber them,” the male player asked, confused.

“Enough! You stop talking! If you want to die, go ahead, but don’t drag everyone else down with you! You’ve just arrived at Watch Cemetery, so you don’t know about the unspoken rules here; there are two types of people you can never provoke! The first are the Tier 1 experts of Zero Wing; they are the second—Overwhelming Smile’s parties! If we anger them, not a single one of us will get out of here alive!” the team leader scolded as he glared at the male player.

Upon hearing his team leader’s words, the male player immediately shut his mouth. Before he had arrived at Watch Cemetery, he had heard of the two types of people his leader referred to. Nothing much would happen if one encountered the experts of Zero Wing. However, if one encountered the killing gods from Overwhelming Smile, they better pray that the other side was in a good mood. Otherwise…

Following which, the other independent teams promptly departed from the area; not a single one of them dared to stay for the show.