Reincarnation Of The Strongest Sword God - Chapter 583

Chapter 583: Suppressing a Great Lord

To current players, a Level 40 Demonic Great Lord was a nightmare.

Noya was also a Gargoyle.

Among Demonic Creatures, Gargoyles ranked at the top in terms of Magic Resistance and Defense. Worse, Gargoyles possessed a massive pair of wings that enabled them to soar through the sky. If players encountered one, they would not even have the chance to escape.

Gargoyles could also attack from the sky, leaving melee players at a great disadvantage. Only ranged classes posed any threat to Gargoyles.

A black slate tablet was embedded into the towering gate that Great Lord Noya protected. A faint gray barrier also prevented anyone from reaching the gate. Meanwhile, Demonic Power filled that black slate tablet; it was none other than the Chapter of Darkness that Shi Feng was trying to obtain. It was also the core energy source for the barrier protecting the stone gate.

If one wanted to obtain the Chapter of Darkness, not only were they required to defend themselves against the Gargoyle’s attacks, but they also had to break the barrier.

It was practically impossible for anyone to obtain the Chapter of Darkness without killing the Great Lord Noya. Only after defeating the Gargoyle could one attempt to break the gray barrier.

As Shi Feng approached the gate stealthily, he could faintly hear noise from nearby, and he turned to look for the source.

“Why are players here at such a time?” Shi Feng was surprised.

A short distance from the massive stone gate, a team of a hundred players with levels ranging from 28 to 29 slowly approached, seemingly intending to raid the Great Lord.

The sky grew darker by the minute, and it wouldn’t be long before night arrived. To players, this was an extremely unfavorable situation. Ordinary players would normally hurry back to their respective Shelters at this time of day.

“Are they planning to raid Noya now?” Shi Feng could not help his shock.

At this moment, this team of 100 players had already spread out and moved into formation. It was obvious that they intended to raid Noya. Only, a Level 40 Field Great Lord was not an easy opponent. Even a 500-strong team would face one ending—death.

Otherwise, District Five would not have joined hands with several other Districts in an attempt to raid Noya.

Meanwhile, the crusading army, which several Shelters had organized, consisted of 1,000 players.

Of course, this did not mean that all 1,000 players would enter the battle simultaneously. Instead, they planned to use a rotational tactic, taking turns to wear out the Great Lord.

Field Bosses would grow stronger depending on the number of players within their area of influence. For a Great Lord like Noya, when that number exceeded 100, its HP, Defense, and Attack Power would increase significantly. Hence, when fighting a Field Great Lord, it was ideal to send a team of 100 players or have several teams of 100 players rotate in and out of battle. This was also the method that Guilds favored when dealing with Field Bosses.

Watching the 100 players stand before Noya, one could easily tell that they were not ordinary players based on their levels.

In District Five, Level 28 or 29 players stood at the peak of the Shelter, yet, there were actually 100 such players here right now.

However, against a Level 40 Great Lord, this team was still far from enough.

“Go!”

As the leading Elementalist shouted, the twelve Elementalists that had surrounded the Gargoyle promptly unfurled the magic scrolls in their hands and began chanting.

These twelve magic scrolls seemed to be of one body as they formed a complex 12-star magic array. In the blink of an eye, this 12-star magic array enveloped the Great Lord Noya. Powerful elemental Mana continuously suppressed the Field Boss, who stood in this array’s center, causing the Great Lord to release an angry bellow.

“Humans! It’s you damned humans again! I’ll sacrifice you all to Lord Carlo!” Despite the 12-star magic array, Noya still revealed a sinister smile.

“You can smile even in the face of death?” the leading Elementalist sneered. “Everyone, attack! With the Demon Suppressing Barrier in effect, it won’t be able to display even one-tenth of its strength! The Chapter of Darkness is fated to belong to District One this time!”

Everyone nodded in agreement as they charged towards the Great Lord.

“The people from District One are insane.” Shi Feng silently clicked his tongue.

Although he had heard that District One was the most powerful Shelter in the Dark Den, trying to raid a Great Lord using such a brute-force method was clearly not a wise move.

Just like the leading Elementalist had said, a Demon Suppressing Array formed by the power of twelve Elementalists was indeed powerful. Even a peerless Great Lord could only display about one-tenth of its strength while contained in this barrier. With this, their MTs could definitely tank a Level 40 Great Lord.

However, the Demon Suppressing Array required twelve Elementalists to maintain it. Moreover, the barrier took an immense toll on the Elementalists’ Mana. If even one Elementalist ran out of Mana, the barrier would immediately crumble.

Normally, only teams that were extremely confident in their DPS would attempt this method. After all, after one took into account the slots for MTs and healers, there were only 70 or so slots for DPS classes on a 100-player team. Losing another 12 core damage dealers would greatly affect the team’s overall damage.

Particularly, the abilities of the team’s DPS were further put to the test when one considered the problem of the barrier’s duration.

Following which, the six MTs of District One took turns receiving the Noya’s attacks. With the rear line healers healing them, the MTs managed to stop the Gargoyle’s fierce attacks easily. At the same time, the other DPS of the team also began to attack the Great Lord madly.

Fireballs, Frost Arrows, arrows… All sorts of magical and physical attacks bombarded Noya.

Although the Great Lord’s strength had been suppressed, greatly weakening its Attack Power and Defense, the players of District One could not inflict enough damage. The highest damage they dealt did not even exceed -1,000.

“Damn! Why does this monster have so much Defense?!” the leading Elementalist frowned. Gritting his teeth, he shouted, “Move on to Plan B!”

Immediately, a Cursemancer began chanting an incantation.

The spell this Cursemancer used was one that Shi Feng was very familiar with. It was none other than the Tier 1 Curse that Ironwrist’s party had used, Dark Storm. Not only could it inflict large amounts of damage, but it could also heavily injure its target, greatly reducing the target’s Defense.

When Dark Storm struck Noya, damages of over -3,000 points appeared above its head, one after another…

The Tier 1 Curse only dealt a total damage of around -10,000 points to the Great Lord. To Noya, who possessed 10,000,000 HP, this was not even a scratch.

Following which, everyone’s damage abruptly soared, and many dealt over -1,000 with their attacks.

Unfortunately, the duration of Dark Storm’s effect was limited. A short moment later, everyone’s damage fell.

“Next!” the leading Elementalist shouted.

Another Cursemancer began chanting, similarly casting the Tier 1 Curse, Dark Storm.

In such a way, the team repeatedly cast Tier 1 Curses at Noya. Eventually, the Gargoyle’s HP fell to 60%.

“What an amazing team. Not even Zero Wing’s core team is capable of wearing out a Level 40 Great Lord to such a degree.” Shi Feng was quite surprised as he watched this scene. However, he was also pleased.

Initially, he had struggled to think of a way to break the gray barrier. However, now that someone pinned down the Great Lord for him, he could head over to the barrier and take his time researching it.

Chapter 584: What Can You Do to Me?

While Shi Feng slowly circled to the other side of the battlefield, Great Lord Noya’s HP suddenly decreased rapidly.

This decrease could clearly be seen with the naked eye. At this moment, Noya was losing 1% of its HP every second. This sudden decrease was even greater than the damage that the District One team managed to cause.

“Is it nighttime already?” the leading Elementalist lifted his head to look up at the gloomy sky.

The moon had already emerged.

As moonlight touched on the Great Lord, Noya began to change.

Its originally massive three-story-tall body began to shrink rapidly, and its maximum HP fell from its original 10,000,000 to 6,000,000. However, as the Gargoyle’s body shrunk, its Strength continuously rose, the Great Lord’s damage increasing as well.

Initially, Noya had only dealt around -2,000 to -3,000 to District One’s MTs. Now, however, every attack dealt over -4,000 damage.

The MTs receiving the Great Lord’s attacks had more than 8,000 HP. Before, even if they were unlucky enough to receive a critical hit from the Great Lord, they would still live. Now, however, a critical hit would definitely kill an MT.

“Take turns activating your Lifesaving Skills to tank the Boss! Healers, concentrate on the lead MT!” the leading Elementalist commanded. He had long since prepared for this.

Following which, one of the Shield Warriors activated a Tier 1 Shield Wall, reducing the damage he received by half for 20 seconds.

The damage Noya dealt instantly fell from nearly -5,000 points to just over -2,000 points.

Meanwhile, the healers at the rear began dumping heals on the Shield Warrior, easily replenishing the 2,000-plus HP the Shield Warrior lost.

However, after five seconds or so, the Shield Warrior suddenly struggled to cope with the Great Lord’s attacks.

The damage Noya’s attacks dealt suddenly increased from over -2,000 points to almost -4,000. If not for Shield Wall, the Shield Warrior might have lost his life instantly.

“Leader, Noya is more powerful than we thought! If its damage continues rising, our MTs won’t last!” a female Cleric said hurriedly.

Since the battle had begun, the healers had not struggled to keep the team’s MTs alive.

They had also specifically chosen this time to challenge Noya. Based on their previous observations, Noya’s HP during daytime was simply too high. When the sun set, however, the Gargoyle’s HP fell from 10,000,000 to 6,000,000, though its damage would soar in return. With their team’s damage output, if Noya had 10,000,000 HP, they would not be able to defeat the Great Lord within the duration of the Demon Suppressing Barrier. So, they could only give the 6,000,000 HP Noya a try.

Also, the longer Noya fought at night, the higher its damage became.

Hence, they had chosen to challenge Noya near twilight. Only, the Great Lord’s damage scaling exceeded their initial estimations.

“Damn! Its damage is increasing far too quickly!” The leading Elementalist glanced at his own remaining Mana. At most, the Demon Suppressing Barrier would last a few more minutes. Currently, however, Noya still had more than 3,000,000 HP. It was impossible for their team to deal that much damage in such a short time. Gritting his teeth, he yelled, “Retreat!”

Soon, everyone began to back away from the Gargoyle in an organized retreat. The lead MT also began retreating from the barrier one step at a time.

Not only could the Demon Suppressing Barrier suppress Demonic Creatures, but it also limited a Demon’s range of activity. Only, while no one repelled Noya, the Gargoyle was able to attack the barrier freely. The damage the barrier received rapidly depleted the twelve Elementalists’ Mana.

By the time everyone left the barrier, Noya’s eyes narrowed as it revealed a cold smile. The Gargoyle then roared.

Suddenly, Noya’s body cracked, some fragments falling from its body. These fragments then transformed into more than a dozen Miniature Noyas that were as tall as a normal person.

However, these Miniature Noyas were no trivial monsters. Although each only had 200,000 HP, they were all Level 40 Chieftain ranked monsters. Immediately, these monsters bombarded the Demon Suppressing Barrier with attacks, and in just five seconds, the twelve Elementalists lost their remaining Mana. As a result, the Demon Suppressing Barrier crumbled.

These Chieftain ranked Noyas then spread their wings, soaring into the air as they chased after the withdrawing players.

For monsters capable of flight, it was child’s play to chase players who fled on foot. After a short moment, the Gargoyles caught up to the escaping players of District One, engaging in a skirmish.

With one attack, these Miniature Noyas dealt over -3,000 damage to the team’s MTs. As for those who weren’t plate-armor classes, most were instantly killed. These Miniature Noyas’ damage practically rivaled Lord ranked monsters.

“Damn! They’re just Chieftains! Why are their attacks so powerful?!” a Guardian Knight shouted, complaining as he was beaten to death by three Miniature Noyas. Not even the team’s healers could keep him alive.

In just a moment, the team of 100 lost seven of its members.

Meanwhile, the Great Lord Noya simply remained in front of the massive stone gate, protecting the Chapter of Darkness while watching the members of District One die one by one.

If a team of 100 had to face over a dozen Chieftains, each with an Attack Power that could rival a Lord ranked monster, the team had no chance of survival.

“This Great Lord is really powerful. It also knows the Split Skill. With this Skill, there is no point in fighting a rotational battle.” Shi Feng, who had been watching the battle from a short distance away, silently clicked his tongue.

Split was a Skill that allowed a monster to split into many weaker versions of itself. If players did not kill these doppelgangers in time, these doppelgangers would become nutrients for the main body, recovering large amounts of HP. It was one of the most annoying Skills a Boss could possess.

If a Great Lord like Noya possessed this Skill, a rotational battle would be useless. It was simply impossible for a team of 100 players to defeat so many Chieftains in time. No matter how many players a team swapped, the result would not change.

However, Split was not without a weakness.

After using Split, Noya’s main form would not be able to attack, making it a perfect chance to damage the Great Lord. However, the raid team needed to be able to annihilate all the doppelgangers in time. Otherwise, there was no point in attacking the main body as Noya could recover the lost HP by absorbing its doppelgangers.

Now that Noya’s doppelgangers were chasing District One’s players, Shi Feng dashed towards the gray barrier.

“Despicable human! You dare think of stealing the Chapter of Darkness!” Noya bellowed as it discovered Shi Feng standing before the gray barrier.

Shi Feng responded to the Great Lord with a sideways glance that said, “What can you do to me?”

Following which, Shi Feng ignored Noya as he began attacking the gray barrier.

At this moment, Noya could only watch helplessly.

As long as its doppelgangers were still alive, Noya’s main body was unable to move or attack. This was the rule of the Split Skill, and not even a Great Lord could break this rule.

As Shi Feng swung the Abyssal Blade, multiple silver blades of light that could cut even space itself bombarded the gray barrier.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

After over a dozen consecutive hits, cracks began to appear on the gray barrier. Unfortunately, these cracks began healing at a rate visible to the naked eye, taking only moments to disappear.

“Interesting.” Shi Feng’s eyes glowed.

Immediately, Shi Feng launched a fierce assault on the barrier, his attack rate continuously increasing.

There were two methods to break a barrier. One was through deciphering, while the other was through brute-force. However, the latter method required a very high Strength. Without having a certain amount of Strength, all attacks against the barrier would be useless. It was simply impossible for players at Shi Feng’s level to force their way through this gray barrier. They could only think of a way to decipher it.

However, Shi Feng was different. Currently, the Abyssal Blade was as strong as an Epic Weapon. Shi Feng also possessed the Fragmented Legendary ranked Heavenly Dragon’s Breath and the Epic ranked Seven Luminaries Ring. Furthermore, he wore the Tier 1 Set Equipment for Swordsmen. His Attributes far surpassed ordinary players of the same level.

“Despicable!

“Lowly ant, cease your actions!”

Noya’s eyes turned crimson as it began to panic. However, as its doppelgangers were still around, it was unable to take action against Shi Feng. It could only watch as Shi Feng damaged the gray barrier. Despite the Chapter of Darkness supplying an endless stream of power, the barrier’s self-repair speed could not keep up with Shi Feng’s damage. As a result, more and more cracks started appearing on the gray barrier.

As the cracks expanded and were about to cover the entire barrier…

“Human, you have truly angered me now!” Noya released a frightening roar.

In the next moment, the doppelgangers that had chased the members of District One collapsed, one after another.

That’s right, collapsed, not absorbed.

Noya canceled Split midway through the Skill’s duration. Leaping into the air, the Gargoyle flew towards Shi Feng.

At this moment, a pitch-black scythe suddenly appeared in Noya’s hand. Countless wraiths emitted ear-piercing screeches that echoed throughout the valley as they writhed on the snow-white blade of this scythe.

Arriving before Shi Feng, Noya swung its scythe towards the despicable little ant.

The scythe transformed into a black fissure that was as fine as a hair. This fissure was a phenomenon caused due to the scythe’s blade slicing apart space. It was as if space had been cut into two. This black fissure extended towards Shi Feng.

Chapter 585: Perfect Skill

Although Shi Feng had bombarded the gray barrier all this time, his attention never once left the Great Lord Noya.

High-ranking Bosses in God’s Domain possessed very high intelligence. In a desperate situation, they were capable of carrying out actions that surpassed one’s imaginations.

Forcefully canceling Split caused a massive backlash.

Initially, Noya still had over three million HP. Now, however, it only had over two million HP. Moreover, it was obvious that, overall, the Gargoyle had weakened significantly.

This Great Lord is simply insane!

Cold sweat slid down Shi Feng’s back as he looked at the black fissure extending towards him.

This move was the Tier 3 Taboo Skill, Dark Annihilation, and it was a Skill known for having the highest single target Attack Power among all Tier 3 Skills. Its might could rival even the Tier 4 Skill, Dimensional Slash. It was a frightening Skill that could only be dodged, not blocked. However, as Dark Annihilation was a very powerful Skill, its user would also receive a strong backlash that would place them in a Weakened state for a long time.

Shi Feng had not expected the Great Lord to be so decisive.

First, it forcefully canceled Split. Now, it even used a Tier 3 Taboo Skill.

Without hesitation, Shi Feng immediately switched to the Aura of Earth and activated Absolute Defense, becoming invincible for five seconds.

Immediately, a golden barrier appeared around Shi Feng’s body. The instant the black fissure collided with this barrier, the impact sent Shi Feng flying. He felt as if he had just been struck by a truck. Shi Feng flew over twenty yards through the air, his body slamming into a cliff.

However, Noya was far from done with its attack.

The Gargoyle continued to brandish its scythe, sending a stream of black fissures striking at Shi Feng, who was embedded inside the cliff.

Dark Annihilation was not a one-off Skill. Rather, the Skill functioned to enhance its user’s attacks for a certain amount of time.

After suffering over a dozen attacks, the cliff collapsed, transforming into neatly cut gravel that exploded in all directions. This sensational scene stupefied the players of District One, who currently watched from afar.

Compared to their prior battle with Noya, Shi Feng’s battle with the Great Lord was on an entirely different level. If Noya had used this move against them, it would have wiped them out instantly. They would not have had a chance.

“Damn! That Gargoyle had actually been toying with us!” The leading Elementalist tightly gripped his staff, feeling humiliated.

“Leader, this is weird. Why is Noya attacking a cliff instead of us? What’s going on here?” a Level 29 Shield Warrior asked curiously. “Has Noya gone insane?”

“That’s not it. I’ve already used Eagle Eyes to take a look. Noya is currently attacking a Swordsman player,” a Ranger explained.

“This Swordsman sure is dumb. He actually tried to steal the Chapter of Darkness while we fought Noya. Does he really think the Gargoyle will let him steal the Chapter so easily? If it were that simple, we would have done it long ago.”

Many players on the team began ridiculing Shi Feng’s foolish actions.

“Alright, that’s enough. Let’s hurry and retreat. If Noya comes after us again, we will truly be finished,” the leading Elementalist said.

Everyone nodded silently before escaping the valley.

Despite their ridicule, they still felt very grateful towards Shi Feng. Just the brief battle against Noya’s doppelgangers had reduced their numbers to less than 60. If things had dragged on, none of them would have walked out of here alive.

As everyone turned to leave, the Ranger who had previously used Eagle Eyes suddenly exclaimed, “Team Leader Blue Frost, that Swordsman is still alive!”

“Alive? How can this be? Not even a Shield Warrior with Protection Blessing and Shield Wall can survive. How could a Swordsman possibly live after that attack?” the leading Elementalist named Blue Frost could not bring himself to believe the Ranger’s words.

“It’s true! If you don’t believe me, you can ask the other Rangers as well!” the Ranger replied, his shock clearly written all over his face.

Curious, the other Rangers also activated Eagle Eyes and looked towards the cliff. Immediately, they all found themselves tongue-tied.

When Blue Frost saw the shocked expressions on the other Rangers’ faces, he had no choice but to believe it to be true.

“Who is that?” Blue Frost could not help but ask.

Against such an attack, their team of one hundred could only embrace their deaths; it was simply impossible for them to block it. Yet, this mysterious Swordsman had survived against that frightening power. In Blue Frost’s memory, a person with such capabilities did not exist. Even those Mavericks he knew of were incapable of doing so.

At this moment, Shi Feng slowly stepped away from the broken cliff, his HP holding steady at 100%.

“Such frightening power.” Shi Feng stretched, the bones all over his body cracking and popping.

After receiving over a dozen Dark Annihilation attacks, he felt as if his entire body was about to fall apart.

If not for the Invincible effect of Absolute Defense, he would be a dead man by now. In God’s Domain, attack and defense Skills were not absolute. In front of absolute power, even invulnerability was useless.

Fortunately, Absolute Defense was not a Skill that current Bosses could overcome. If he had chosen to use Parry or Defensive Blade, he would most likely be dead.

Seeing Shi Feng still alive, Noya’s anger burned even brighter. Ignoring its weakened body, the Great Lord swung its scythe towards Shi Feng, adamant in reaping the Swordsman’s life.

“You’re still not giving up? Do you really think that I won’t fight you?” Shi Feng frowned. Immediately, he activated Heavenly Dragon’s Power and Blade Liberation, jumping up to meet the Gargoyle in battle.

Even if the Great Lord were in peak condition, Shi Feng would still be confident of putting up a good fight.

Heavenly Dragon’s Power increased Shi Feng’s Strength Attribute by 100%, and Defense and HP by 300%. Immediately, Shi Feng’s HP broke past 30,000; his Defense climbed to more than double that of an MT of the same level.

As for Blade Liberation, when the Skill was used on the Level 30 Abyssal Blade, Shi Feng’s Strength increased by 90%. His Agility also increased by 90%.

Although Shi Feng’s body had not changed, the power within him right now resembled that of an ancient beast.

The Abyssal Blade transformed into a streak of light as it struck the black scythe in Noya’s hands.

Boom!

An explosion shook the air.

Shi Feng’s attack grounded the Level 40 Great Lord, forcing the Gargoyle to retreat by two steps as it landed on the ground. The ground shattered with each step. In contrast, Shi Feng managed to land effortlessly. Turning his feet slightly, he dashed towards the Great Lord.

After activating Heavenly Dragon’s Power and Blade Liberation, Shi Feng’s mind experienced serenity and clarity like never before. As he arrived before Noya, he activated Purgatory’s Power, increasing both his Attack Speed and damage once more. His arm that held onto the Abyssal Blade then reflexively used Chop.

Three full silver moons struck Noya’s body from three different directions.

The Abyssal Blade instantly pierced Noya’s skin, which was harder than steel. The Great Lord released an anguished cry as the force of the attack threw it backward, frightening damages appearing above his head, one after another.

-5,540, -8,346, -16,650.

The final strike of Chop was even a critical hit. In total, Chop devoured more than 30,000 HP from Noya.

System: Chop Completion Rate 98%, resulting in 160% of Skill’s effect. Skill Proficiency +4.

Shi Feng broke his previous record.

Noya raged. It tried to counterattack, but unfortunately for the Great Lord, Shi Feng had long since sensed its intentions. Shifting his body slightly, he easily dodged the Gargoyle’s claw. He then leaped into the air, tightening his grip on the Abyssal Blade. In the next moment, countless arcs of lightning and scorching flames emerged from the Abyssal Blade, which then transformed into a meteor that plummeted towards the Great Lord’s head. Every movement had been fluid and natural.

Shi Feng felt as if he had gathered all his Strength to a single point, the tip of his sword. The instant he swung the Abyssal Blade, he felt incomparable satisfaction.

Although Noya tried to defend with its scythe, the spatial suppression of Thunder Flame Explosion caused the Great Lord’s movements to turn sluggish. Noya could not keep up with the Abyssal Blade’s descending speed at all.

Boom!

Fire and lightning consumed Noya.

-36,154.

System: Thunder Flame Explosion Completion Rate 100%, resulting in 220% of Skill’s effect. Skill Proficiency +4.

“Is he human?”

The District One players who watched from afar were stupefied, shock filling their hearts.

A player was actually capable of overwhelming a Level 40 Great Lord all by himself. If others heard of this, nobody would believe such a tale. Yet, that was exactly the situation they had just witnessed…

Chapter 586: Creating a Legend

“Leader, who is that?” the vice-leader of the team, a beautiful Level 29 female Cleric named Evening Lotus, could not help but ask as she looked to Blue Frost.

Blue Frost was the number one player in District One. Not only were his combat techniques excellent, but he also possessed plenty of contacts. He knew a lot of experts and even a few rarely-seen Mavericks. Moreover, he had been a Beta Tester of God’s Domain before the game had launched.

Out of all of the players of the available Shelters, nobody was more familiar with God’s Domain than Blue Frost.

“I wish to know that as well,” Blue Frost replied, smiling bitterly as he shook his head. “None of the experts I know of are capable of reaching such a standard.”

Just a single attack from Shi Feng had managed to cause over -30,000 damage to Noya.

Shi Feng’s damage could already rival the damage of their entire 100-man team. The difference between them was inconceivable.

Blue Frost recognized himself as one of the players standing at the top of God’s Domain.

However, after experiencing Shi Feng’s power, he finally realized that there would always be a sky above the clouds.

“It would be great if we can befriend him. Such an expert will definitely be one of God’s Domain’s leading figures in the future. If we can become friends with him, it could massively help our District One’s Shelter,” Evening Lotus stated.

“Indeed. If we can recruit such an expert into our Shelter, we will become one of the strongest Shelters out there.” Blue Frost nodded in agreement.

Their District One was only considered the top Shelter in this region. However, that was not the case when they included other regions. Currently, players could only travel to their desired destinations using their own two feet. Their range of activities could not extend past a single region. Hence, for now, exchanges between different regions were very inconvenient. However, that story would change once other forms of transportation appeared. When movement between regions became more convenient, more competition would certainly greet them. Naturally, their District One would no longer be the strongest Shelter.

If they had an expert like Shi Feng supporting them when such a time arrived, the position of their Shelter could rise significantly.

“Leader, what are we going to do now? Leave? Or…” Evening Lotus asked.

Currently, Shi Feng still fought an intense battle against Noya. If they joined the battlefield now, it would look like they were trying to take advantage of the situation. If that happened, rather than finding friendship with Shi Feng, they would become enemies instead.

“Isn’t it obvious? We wait,” Blue Frost said very definitively. “Wouldn’t it be a pity if we lost the chance to befriend such an impressive expert? We have the perfect opportunity to do so right now. Although he is very powerful, he must’ve used some sort of Berserk Skill to achieve such strength. Such Skills won’t have a long duration. Sooner or later, he will have to escape. At that time, if we lend him a helping hand, won’t it be easy to get acquainted with him?”

Evening Lotus nodded in agreement after hearing these words.

Mavericks were very arrogant. Normally, they did not bother with people like them. Hence, it was not easy to befriend a Maverick. However, if they sacrificed themselves to save Shi Feng, even a powerful Maverick like him would be willing to get to know them.

Hearing Blue Frost’s words, the other members of the team also expressed their agreement.

It was not easy to earn the favor of a Maverick. It was especially true for a Maverick like Shi Feng. If they could get such an expert to owe them a favor, they would not mind suffering some deaths or injuries.

Hence, everyone quickly started to prepare. As soon as Shi Feng turned to flee, they would move in to hinder the Great Lord.

—

Currently, Shi Feng had no idea what was going on around him. He was already intoxicated with the feeling from his previous attack.

Is this what a 100% Completion Rate feels like? Shi Feng looked at the Abyssal Blade in his hand in disbelief, his mind recalling the previous attack.

Since he had begun playing God’s Domain, this was the first time he had achieved a 100% Skill Completion Rate. The sensation was simply wondrous.

As a result of Thunder Flame Explosion achieving a 100% Completion Rate, the Skill displayed 220% of its effect.

Although the Skill’s Fainted effect was ineffective against the Great Lord, the Gargoyle had received the Movement Speed Reduction debuff in full. Moreover, due to Shi Feng achieving a 100% Skill Completion Rate, Noya’s speed, which originally would have reduced to one-sixth of its normal speed, had now reduced to one-thirteenth of its original. The debuff’s duration also lasted over a dozen seconds.

Even if the Great Lord were at its peak, having its speed reduced to only one-thirteenth of its original would slow it to a turtle’s pace, not to mention the current Noya, who had suffered two debuffs already. Noya’s current Attack and Movement Speeds were as effective as if it were in a Fainted state. At this moment, even a Level 1 could go up and give Noya a kick without dying.

Shi Feng also knew that this was a great opportunity that would not be available a second time.

Currently, Noya only had two million HP remaining. Not only was it suffering from two weakening debuffs, but it had also received a Thunder Flame Explosion at 100% Completion Rate. Most importantly, Shi Feng was at his peak.

Finish it!

This thought suddenly emerged in Shi Feng’s mind.

Originally, Shi Feng had intended to drive off Noya temporarily before shifting his focus to breaking the gray barrier. However, the rare opportunity before him was simply too tempting.

That was a Field Great Lord!

Even the loot of an ordinary Field Lord was astounding, with Fine-Gold Equipment being the most common among the drops. If one were lucky, they could even obtain Dark-Gold Equipment. Meanwhile, High Lords had a very high possibility of dropping Dark-Gold Equipment. As for Great Lords, they would drop Dark-Gold Equipment with 100% certainty, and there was even a good chance of Epic items dropping. Even if no Epic items dropped, there would still be forging designs, recipes, and materials of equal value.

In the past, even after sacrificing thousands of lives to kill a Great Lord of the same level, a Guild would still profit. One could just imagine how frightening a Great Lord’s value was.

Currently, a greatly weakened Level 40 Great Lord stood before him. How could he let such a golden opportunity go?

Without hesitation, Shi Feng activated Nine Dragons Slash and Phantom Kill. He even activated Black Emperor, the trump card he had saved all this time.

Blade Liberation’s effect only lasted 20 seconds. After these 20 seconds, if he were still unable to kill Noya, he would have no choice but to give up and run. Hence, Shi Feng decided to use all of his available Skills.

Immediately, Shi Feng, his doppelganger, and the twelve Abyssal Blade phantoms attacked Noya.

With its speed reduced, Noya was incapable of resisting the attacks.

However, Shi Feng was still not satisfied. Pointing the Abyssal Blade towards the sky, he activated the Magic Weapon’s newest Skill, Abyssal Curse. Clouds of black mist suddenly covered the sky. These clouds then submerged themselves into Noya’s body.

Immediately, the Gargoyle howled with anguish.

Although a Great Lord possessed very high resistances, Abyssal Curse still managed to reduce 10% of Noya’s Attributes. As a result, not only did Noya’s HP fall to 1,800,000, its Defense also significantly decreased.

At the same time, the twelve Abyssal Blade phantoms assaulted the Great Lord with a constant stream of attacks. Each phantom dealt over -1,500 damage, -3,000 damage if it were a critical hit. Fortunately, the Abyssal Blade had a critical chance of 50%. In total, the twelve Abyssal Blades were capable of dealing up to -30,000 damage every second.

There was even less need to mention Shi Feng’s doppelganger, who had activated Blade Liberation.

Every casual attack from the doppelganger dealt over -3,000 damage, or over -6,000 damage if it was a critical hit. Including the damage from by various Skills, the doppelganger’s damage output was simply mind-blowing.

The numerous critical hits allowed Shi Feng to accumulate 30 stacks of Death Auras quickly. He also continuously utilized the Death Auras to reduce his Skills’ Cooldowns.

Although the Death Auras could only be used to reduce the Cooldown of Skills he had learned, it was still a very powerful effect.

Take the Tier 1 Chop for example. Shi Feng could instantly remove the Skill’s Cooldown by using a stack of Death Auras. As for Skills such as Thunder Flame Explosion and Thundering Flash, Shi Feng could use them every three to four seconds.

Every one of these Skills could destroy more than 20,000 or 30,000 of Noya’s HP.

Moreover, Shi Feng continued to hack at the Great Lord with the Abyssal Blade, devouring HP as the Magic Weapon’s Passive Attribute quickly accumulated a bonus of 20% damage.

As the recipient of these attacks, Noya’s remaining 1,800,000 HP decreased at a rate visible to the naked eye. In total, the Great Lord lost around 90,000 HP every second.

In ten short seconds, Noya’s HP fell below 1,000,000.

However, Blade Liberation’s duration was reaching its end. During Shi Feng’s initial collision with Noya, he had wasted nearly one second. Taking everything into account, he now had less than nine seconds to finish Noya off.

Blade Liberation had a very powerful backlash. Once the Skill’s duration ended, Shi Feng’s Attributes would instantly reduce by 80%. At that time, even if Noya only had several tens of thousands of HP remaining, the Great Lord could easily kill him.

“Bring it on!” Shi Feng gritted his teeth. Right now, he was in a race against time.

Suddenly, Shi Feng sucked in a mouthful of air as he activated Dragon Breath.

A white beam lanced through the Great Lord Noya, causing critical damage of over -50,000 points.

Shi Feng immediately followed up with a Firestorm.

With both Heavenly Dragon’s Power and Blade Liberation activated, Firestorm’s power became even more frightening. Dragons of fire descended from the sky, one after another, completely devouring the Level 40 Gargoyle and turning the Great Lord’s surroundings into a sea of flames. Meanwhile, damages of over -30,000, and even -60,000, points appeared on Noya’s head. Firestorm lasted a full five seconds. During this time, Shi Feng continued his relentless assault on the Great Lord.

When only four seconds were left on Blade Liberation, Noya still had 500,000 HP.

“The final strike, Flame Burst!” Shi Feng shouted, the Abyssal Blade instantly transforming into a miniature sun.

At this time, Shi Feng’s doppelganger had similarly activated Flame Burst.

Shi Feng then activated Divine Providence, a faint golden glow suddenly enveloping his body.

Knowing that death was already on its doorstep, Noya’s eyes suddenly glowed a bloody red. It had actually managed to break free from the Movement Speed Reduction debuff and brandished its scythe at Shi Feng.

Every strike from the scythe seemed capable of cutting apart space itself.

This was also the last Skill in Noya’s arsenal, the Tier 2 Taboo Skill, Death’s Tribute. This move was a Domain Skill, and it was capable of causing horrific amounts of damage to enemies within a certain range.

Upon Death’s Tribute’s activation, the area 50 yards around Noya turned deathly silent. Wraiths and evil spirits began to emerge from the ground. There were also dark blades moving through the area, and anything that came into contact with these blades immediately turned into sand and dirt.

“What kind of battle is this?” Evening Lotus was shocked as she watched the battle from afar.

On one side, there was the sun. On the other, the end of the world had arrived.

If players like them participated in this battle, they would die instantly, without even ash remaining of their bodies.

“Die!” At this moment, Shi Feng couldn’t care less what the Great Lord was trying to do. Without hesitation, he dove straight into Death Tribute’s domain.

If he did not fight now, once Blade Liberation’s time was up, he would not be a match for the Great Lord.

Twenty-four consecutive strikes!

One after another, miniature suns melded into the darkness of Death’s Tribute.

In the next moment, Shi Feng and his doppelganger struck the Great Lord Noya a total of twenty-four times, each strike accurately hitting Noya’s weak points. Every one of Shi Feng’s attacks dealt over -20,000 damage and -40,000 with a critical hit. As for the doppelganger, every one of its attacks dealt over -10,000 damage and -20,000 if it were a critical hit.

In the blink of an eye, twenty-four dazzling blades of light illuminated the Gloomy Valley.

Noya’s remaining 500,000 HP plunged to zero, frustration filling the Gargoyle’s eyes as its body fell to the ground.

At this moment, Shi Feng also knelt; his complexion was deathly pale. Fresh blood covered his entire body as if he had just taken a dip in a gory pool. As for his remaining HP, he had less than 500.

Chapter 587: Frightening Harvest of a Great Lord

“He won…?”

Blue Frost and the others, who had waited patiently for the time to save Shi Feng, were dumbfounded. They could not bring themselves to believe what their eyes had just witnessed.

A single player had actually defeated a Level 40 Great Lord.

Although they had seen other Mavericks defeat the monsters serving as gatekeepers to new maps, that was in the past. The monsters those Mavericks had gone up against had merely been Lords. A Great Lord, on the other hand, was on a completely different level.

This fact had been reinforced after they witnessed Noya’s ultimate move, Death’s Tribute.

Everything within 50 yards of the Great Lord had turned into sand and dirt. No living creature could survive in that domain.

“Isn’t that person way too powerful? He actually survived the Great Lord’s ultimate move. Just how high are his HP and Defense?!” a Level 29 Shield Warrior exclaimed.

Back when the Shield Warrior had received Noya’s normal attack, despite having activated Shield Wall, he had still received over -4,000 damage. If he had not possessed Shield Wall’s 50% Damage Reduction effect, he would have died on the spot.

Shield Warriors and Guardian Knights wielded shields. Not only could one’s shield increase a player’s Defense, but they also possessed a Block Rate. It was why these two classes could serve as a team’s MTs.

However, Noya’s Death’s Tribute was not a normal attack. It was a powerful AOE Skill.

Yet, Shi Feng had still managed to survive after receiving it…

His Defense and HP were inconceivable.

In reality, Shi Feng was also rejoicing.

He truly had not expected to survive Noya’s last attack.

The power of the Tier 2 Taboo Skill, Death’s Tribute, was no joke. Even against a player of the same Level, their chances of survival were practically nil. It was the same even if said player was an MT who had activated a Lifesaving Skill.

Although Heavenly Dragon’s Power increased both his Defense and HP by 300%, the might of a Tier 2 Taboo Skill rivaled that of a Tier 3 Skill. Defeating a mere Tier 1 player like himself would be child’s play for Noya. Even a Tier 2 player would be badly crippled if they managed to survive.

With the remaining 30,000 HP he had at the time, he should have had no chance of surviving the ordeal.

Shi Feng could only think of one reason for his miraculous survival.

Magic Resistance!

Death’s Tribute was an attack that combined both physical and magical damage, with magical damage as the main component. Meanwhile, his high Magic Resistance had negated a large amount of the Taboo Skill’s magical damage, and as a result, allowed him to survive.

“Leader, are we still going over to meet him?” Evening Lotus asked after recovering from her stupor.

“Yes! Of course, we’re going! He has just achieved such a feat, and we are the witnesses of this legend. How can we not go and congratulate him?” At this moment, Blue Frost’s eyes were filled with reverence as he looked at Shi Feng.

To them, a Great Lord was an immovable mountain. Blue Frost even had yet to hear of anyone throughout God’s Domain overcoming this mountain. Yet, the man before them had easily scaled it, achieving a miracle that nobody had managed until now.

On the other side, Shi Feng did not remain idle. After killing Noya, Shi Feng’s Level instantly rose by one, pushing him to Level 33 and allowing him to recover significantly. Immediately after, Shi Feng sent a few slashes at the gray barrier.

Blade Liberation was still in effect, so it was the best chance for him to shatter the barrier around the gate.

Previously, before Shi Feng had used any of his Berserk Skills, the gray barrier barely defended against Shi Feng’s attacks. Now, however, it had only taken a few swings to shatter the gray barrier. Like a balloon being poked with a needle, the barrier released a “pop” as it shattered completely.

Shi Feng then jumped up and retrieved the black slate tablet from the stone gate.

“I’ve finally got it.” Shi Feng grinned at the Chapter of Darkness that was shrouded in a faint layer of demonic aura.

[Chapter of Darkness] (Dark-Gold Rank Item)

The Chapter of Darkness brims with Soul Energy. You may pass it to a Shelter’s Caretaker to enhance the Shelter’s power and activate a portion of the Chapter of Darkness’s ability.

Shi Feng then stored the Chapter of Darkness away with satisfaction.

Now that he had obtained the Chapter of Darkness, his task here was finally complete. What’s left for him now was to collect the loot from Great Lord Noya.

The moment Shi Feng arrived before Noya’s body, Blade Liberation’s effect ended. Suddenly, his whole body lost strength, and his feet caught air. His Attributes sharply reduced by 80% as well. At this moment, he was not even as powerful as an ordinary player.

“The aftereffects of using twofold berserk sure is severe. Even my mental power has nearly depleted.” Shi Feng suddenly felt a powerful migraine assaulting his head, and all he wanted was to lie down and sleep. If not for the Great Lord’s enticing loot, he would have logged out to rest that instant.

Noya was as tall as a three-story building. Despite Shi Feng having activated Divine Providence before killing the Gargoyle, a jackpot had not occurred. Loot had not covered the ground around Noya’s body at all. On the contrary, Shi Feng only saw six items beside Noya’s body.

“Are the monsters in the Dark Den all so stingy?” Shi Feng frowned.

If he had killed a Great Lord outside the Dark Den, the monster would have dropped a minimum of ten items.

Although Shi Feng had not hoped that Divine Providence would grant him a jackpot from a Great Lord, was there a need to be this shabby? After all the trouble he went through, he had only obtained six items…

Shi Feng then picked up one item after another.

With each subsequent item Shi Feng picked up, his heart grew increasingly colder.

He had only managed to encounter such a heaven-sent opportunity after much difficulty, yet, in the end, this was all he got in return?

Out of the three items he had already picked up, all three were pieces of Level 40 Dark-Gold Equipment. None of these pieces were even set equipment, not to mention weapons..

When Shi Feng collected the fifth item, however, he was suddenly dumbfounded.

“Teleportation Magic Array Design!” When Shi Feng saw this item, he began to have visions of mountains of gold.

Players residing in the Dark Den might be unfamiliar with teleportation arrays as their only form of travel was by foot, but to players outside the Dark Den, they were quite familiar with the concept.

After all, when players outside the Dark Den traveled to faraway maps to grind monsters, they normally used teleportation arrays to save on travel time.

However, teleportation arrays could not teleport a player to every corner of God’s Domain, as a majority of the locations in God’s Domain did not possess a teleportation array. For such locations, players could only teleport to the nearest map and run the rest of the way. Even then, they would still have to waste a large amount of time.

Meanwhile, the Teleportation Magic Array Design could easily solve this problem.

As long as one paid a certain price and constructed a Teleportation Magic Array at a grinding spot, players could easily teleport to that location.

Of course, unlike the teleportation arrays one would normally find in the Teleportation Halls, which allowed teleportation between various large cities, the teleportation arrays one could construct with this forging design were the simplest version—a one-to-one teleportation array. These teleportation arrays only allowed teleportation between two locations. Even so, it was something many Guilds dreamed of obtaining.

Only, Teleportation Magic Array Designs were not that easily obtainable.

Normally, Great Lords or above dropped them. Moreover, their drop-rate was horrifically low. There was no guarantee one would obtain a design even after killing a hundred Great Lords.

On the market, a single Teleportation Magic Array Design was worth more than ten Epic items. Its value was only less than Fragmented Legendary items. However, nobody would be so foolish as to sell the Teleportation Magic Array Designs they obtained. For such a strategic-level item, not a single player would willingly trade it even if they were offered 20 or 30 Epic items.

Depending on the Level of an Epic item, there would come a time when it would lose its value. However, Teleportation Magic Array Designs would never have such a problem. In the past, even after God’s Domain had been in operation for over a decade, these Forging Designs were still incomparably valuable. These were better at maintaining their value than any other item in the game.

Chapter 588: System Upgrade

“My efforts weren’t in vain.”

Shi Feng sighed as he stored the Teleportation Magic Array Design.

This single Forging Design made all of his efforts worth it. His trip to the Dark Den had not been wasted at all.

While a piece of Epic Equipment might improve the combat power of a single player, a single Teleportation Magic Array Design could improve a Guild as a whole.

As players reached higher levels, the maps they would journey to would be much farther away from cities.

Currently, players visiting leveling maps around Level 30 could still reduce their travel time significantly by utilizing the teleportation arrays in cities. However, maps after Level 35 practically had no available arrays. Players were required to run across at least one entire map to get to their desired destinations.

Even if players did not rest and did not encounter any monsters on their journey, with players’ current levels, they would require at least three hours to cross a map. Moreover, the higher level the map was, the larger it would be, which would result in longer travel times.

Hence, after players reached Level 35, it was very normal to return to cities only once every two or three days. They would return only after they had exhausted their Consumable items or when their equipment was in dire need of repair.

With a teleportation array, Zero Wing’s members could return to the city or go out to the fields any time they wished, saving plenty of time. They also wouldn’t need to stay on guard throughout the night; they could easily return to the Guild Residence. With this, Zero Wing’s members could grind more efficiently, widening the gap between them and other Guilds.

Shi Feng picked up the last item that Noya had dropped.

The last item was a dark-gold whistle decorated with many complex runes carved into its metal.

“A mount!” Shi Feng was shocked once more when he saw this whistle.

Mounts were one of the means of transport in God’s Domain. After all, God’s Domain was massive. Not only was it laborious to travel from place to place constantly, but it would also take a huge toll on a player’s body. This was where Mounts came into play.

Shi Feng was no stranger to Mounts. In the past, as the Guild Leader of a second-rate Guild, he had plenty of Mounts to choose from.

However, the Mount he just obtained was different from those in the past. This was a Dark-Gold Mount.

In God’s Domain, like equipment, Mounts were categorized into different ranks. There were Common, Bronze, Mysterious-Iron, Secret-Silver, Fine-Gold, Dark-Gold, Epic, and even Legendary rank.

Mounts of different quality possessed varying abilities. Common Mounts could only be used for transportation, and they provided an additional Movement Speed bonus of 100%. In other words, a journey that one would normally take two hours to complete would only take an hour, saving players plenty of time. As long as players reached a certain Level, they could go to cities and purchase the most common Mounts.

Bronze Mounts were slightly rarer, and not only could they be used as a means of transport, but they also possessed some offensive capabilities. They provided an additional Movement Speed bonus of 120%. Bronze Mounts could not be purchased in cities and were only available through some high-level Rare Quests, large-scale Team Dungeons, or when a player’s Reputation with certain powers reached a specific level. It was extremely difficult for ordinary players to obtain Bronze Mounts.

As for Mysterious-Iron Mounts, other than having significant improvements to their offensive capabilities, they could also carry items for players, having the same capacity as a player’s mobile bag. The Mounts also increased a player’s Movement Speed by 150%. Such mounts could only be obtained through Super Rare Quests or large-scale Team Dungeons with a low drop-rate.

Secret-Silver Mounts were extremely rare. Not only did they possess strong offensive capabilities, but they also possessed some special Skills that could be used to assist players. They could also carry more items than Mysterious-Iron Mounts, and the Movement Speed bonus they provided was 180%. They were even rarer than multiple pieces of Dark-Gold Equipment.

Fine-Gold Mounts were as rare as a phoenix feather. Not even the Guild Leader of a large Guild would have one. A Fine-Gold Mount’s strength was the equivalent of a Special Elite’s of the same Level, and it provided 220% Movement Speed bonus. A Fine-Gold Mount was no less rare than two or three Epic items.

Dark-Gold Mounts were even more impressive. The Mount itself was already the equivalent of a Chieftain of the same Level. In addition, it also had special Skills that made it even stronger than an ordinary Chieftain. As for the Movement Speed bonus, a Dark-Gold Mount provided 280%.

In the past, the best Mount Shi Feng had obtained was Fine-Gold rank.

He never expected that he would actually obtain a Dark-Gold Mount from killing a single Great Lord. His luck was inconceivable.

Even Grand Lords have an extremely low chance of dropping Dark-Gold Mounts. The drop-rate from Great Lords should be practically zero. This could be a system reward item for killing this Great Lord gatekeeper. Shi Feng rejoiced as he examined the dark-gold whistle in his hand.

In God’s Domain, players could purchase Mounts in cities once they reached Level 40. Shi Feng had originally planned to complete some Rare Quests to obtain a Mysterious-Iron Mount once he reached Level 40. However, that was no longer necessary.

With a Dark-Gold Mount, he could move even faster than when he activated Wind Rider. Moreover, Wind Rider had a limited duration, whereas a Dark-Gold Mount had no such limitation. In addition, a Dark-Gold Mount possessed significant combat power and special Skills. Overall, while out in the fields, a Dark-Gold Mount was far more useful than an Epic item.

Unfortunately, it will still be some time before I reach Level 40. When Shi Feng thought about how powerful a Dark-Gold Mount was, he looked forward to the day he could equip this Mount of his.

Mounts in God’s Domain were not static. They could become stronger if nurtured properly. In the beginning, Bronze and Mysterious-Iron Mounts only possessed combat power equivalent to that of a Common Monster of the same Level. However, through careful nurturing, it was not impossible to raise their combat power to the standard of an Elite or Special Elite. Naturally, Dark-Gold Mounts had far greater potential. From the moment they were born, they were already as strong as a Chieftain of the same Level. After nurturing, they could easily become Lords or even High Lords.

In the past, Shi Feng had seen many wealthy players and upper echelons of first-rate Guilds parade their Lord-ranked Mounts on the streets, attracting shock and awe of many players. Compared to luxury cars in the real world, these Mounts were several times more impressive.

Lord ranked monsters were Bosses in 20-man Team Dungeons. If one could ride such a monster, one could just imagine what kind of deterrent it would be.

If Shi Feng could nurture his Dark-Gold Mount to become a High Lord quickly, it would significantly improve his combat power.

Just as Shi Feng stored away the dark-gold whistle and was about to turn around and leave, the sound of a system notification suddenly rang out by his ear.

System Announcement: God’s Domain will be undergoing a system upgrade. The system upgrade will require 10 real-time hours. All players must log out of the game within 10 minutes.

“Why has the third evolution started so soon?” Shi Feng was momentarily speechless. “Shouldn’t it initiate only after players have conquered the first 100-man Team Dungeon? Did a team already manage to raid one?”

In the past, God’s Domain’s third evolution was one that affected the game the most.

There were two reasons why Shi Feng had not hurried to raid a 100-man Team Dungeon all this time.

Firstly, he still lacked sufficient strength.

Secondly, the impact of the third evolution was simply too massive. It was still not something that he could take advantage of at the moment.

That’s not right. It still shouldn’t be possible for anyone to raid a 100-man Team Dungeon yet. The precondition for doing so is to have all players reach Level 30, attain their Tier 1 classes, and achieve peak combat power of a Tier 1 class. However, even with these conditions fulfilled, the success rate of clearing a 100-man Team Dungeon is no more than 20%. At the very least, a team needed to be fully geared with the set equipment from the 50-man Team Dungeons to have even a 30% to 40% success rate.

Shi Feng shook his head, immediately denying this possibility.

Currently, all of the various large Guilds were still trying to conquer 50-man Team Dungeons. How could they possibly have raided a 100-man Team Dungeon successfully?

Shi Feng had to admit that the system evolution this time would greatly impact his plans.

Chapter 589: Era of God’s Domain

“I wonder how Melancholic has been? Hopefully, she has collected a sufficient stock of Mana Crystals,” Shi Feng muttered somewhat regrettably as he rubbed his forehead.

While the third evolution of the Main God System meant that the world of God’s Domain was going to become even more fleshed out and realistic, it also indicated the opening of a new door.

This third evolution would send God’s Domain to a whole new peak.

Not only would demand of Mana Crystals suddenly rise, but the real world would also undergo some changes.

Initially, Shi Feng had not expected this change for at least another dozen days or so.

The largest impact would be the focus shifting from an era of physical fitness to an era of God’s Domain.

After the second evolution, everyone had a vague method of testing a player’s skills through their Skill Completion Rates. Players who could achieve a Skill Completion Rate of 69% or below were basic players, whereas those above 70% were considered experts. As to what standard of an expert, nobody could accurately tell. However, after the third evolution of God’s Domain, this indicator would become very clear.

After the third evolution of God’s Domain, the importance of Skill Completion Rate would grow, especially in battles between players. Meanwhile, the style of combat available would also become more varied. There would be field battles, survival battles, and more. Those who pursued excitement and limits would not miss this opportunity, and these future battles would allow everyone to witness a realistic world that was completely different from the one everyone was familiar with. These battles were far more exciting than the actual fighting competitions in the real world.

They were just like the real survival battle that caused a sensation to sweep across the world dozens of years ago.

In order to satisfy some of the world’s top figures, some of the major powers in the real world had secretly procured death-row inmates, having them engage in battle in specified locations. The winner of such battles would not only obtain their freedom, but they would also receive a large sum of Credits. In the end, this situation had resulted in many major powers nurturing their own experts in secret and forcing them into such survival battles.

Despite major governments banning these battles on the surface, many were still conducted secretly throughout the world.

Meanwhile, after God’s Domain underwent its third evolution and activated similar competitive battles, the game had immediately attracted a large number of players. In addition, due to God’s Domain’s combat system reaching the peak of perfection, the game had managed to replace many of the popular fighting competitions in the real world. After all, not only were fights in God’s Domain without danger, but the fighters in these competitions could also improve their strength through these battles.

In addition, many of those who were disabled in the real world could obtain a complete body in God’s Domain. Whether they were blind, deaf, or missing limbs, as long as one did not suffer from any brain damage or mental disabilities, they could enjoy life as experts in God’s Domain.

Due to these changes, the entire world entered the era of God’s Domain.

As for how one could become an expert? The Main God’s System had provided a concrete answer—Skill Completion Rate.

How could one go about increasing their Skill Completion Rates?

If one relied solely on hard work and constant training, they would not experience any significant improvements. The simplest method of increasing one’s Skill Completion Rate was to improve their control over their own body. Take a person’s physical strength for example. In a test, an ordinary person might land a 50kg hit on the first punch and 70kg on the second punch; this was a very wide margin. Meanwhile, this margin would only grow wider in a fight against another person. However, if a person underwent training and often participated in matches against other people, the fluctuations in their strength would become practically negligible and stable. With a stable output of physical strength, one’s body would not break form due to using too much or too little, thereby reducing the chances of creating weak points for one’s opponent to exploit.

Many experts were even capable of achieving a level of control with which they could exert as much strength and accuracy as they wanted. For example, if they wanted to send out a punch with 90kg of force, they could do so. One could say that their physical control had already reached perfection.

The usage of Skills in God’s Domain had a very high requirement of the body’s movements. Hence, such training was a must.

As a result, many people began to study martial arts, learning how to control their bodies more efficiently. Due to this, places such as training centers and dojos became instantly popular again after the third evolution of God’s Domain in the past.

Originally, Shi Feng had intended to optimize his training grounds further and secretly nurture plenty of God’s Domain experts. However, now that the third evolution of God’s Domain was being initiated, the other Guilds and powers would definitely notice of the changes and immediately shift the core of their development towards martial arts dojos and training centers.

Although these first-rate Guilds and major powers had access to fully equipped training facilities of their own, these machines were all suited for daily exercises and maintaining physical fitness. The various powers had not particularly focused on training their members in martial arts. If they shifted their focus now, due to the inherent advantages these major powers possessed, one could just imagine how quickly they could nurture experts.

“Luckily, I secured the Big Dipper Training Center, obtaining a suitable training ground. I need Big Dipper to order some more of the latest equipment,” Shi Feng muttered silently.

Following which, Shi Feng searched for a safe location and prepared to log out of the game.

At this moment, the players of District One hurriedly ran over to him.

“Expert, please wait!” Blue Frost hurriedly said as he dashed up to Shi Feng.

Shi Feng glanced at Blue Frost and the others. This group had helped him significantly, forcing Noya to use Split and creating a golden opportunity for him to kill the Great Lord. Otherwise, he would have only been able to steal the Chapter of Darkness and would not have obtained a Teleportation Magic Array

Design and a Dark-Gold Mount.

“Do you need something?” Shi Feng asked calmly.

“Brother Expert, please don’t misunderstand. I am Blue Frost, the leader of District One’s First Party. I have come here to congratulate you on your victory. Just now, I personally witnessed the moment you killed the Great Lord by yourself. You have truly earned my admiration,” Blue Frost hurriedly explained, afraid that Shi Feng would misunderstand his intentions.

In truth, he, too, knew that abruptly showing himself could cause a misunderstanding. However, if Shi Feng logged off, he would most likely lose the opportunity to befriend Shi Feng in the future.

“You’re called Blue Frost?” Shi Feng could not help but ask curiously as he looked at the Elementalist before him.

Blue Frost…Shi Feng had heard this name in the past.

To be precise, Shi Feng had heard plenty about this person before.

In the past, Fantasy Extinguisher had a powerful general named Blue Frost. Back then, Blue Frost was a well-known Tier 5 Grand Wizard, and his strength was not one bit inferior to Fantasy Extinguisher himself.

Particularly, Blue Frost had learned plenty of Tier 4 Curses and large-scale destruction spells. He was the nightmare for many Guilds.

However, the current Blue Frost was somewhat different from the one Shi Feng had encountered in the past. The Blue Frost he encountered back then always wore a cold expression as if he donned a mask constantly that hid his true self.

On the other hand, the Blue Frost before him looked to be a bright and cheery person. His current personality was completely different from before.

“Yes, I am indeed Blue Frost. Has Brother Expert heard my name before? I’m really honored!” Seeing that Shi Feng seemed to have heard about him before, Blue Frost felt hope. “May I know how I should address Brother Expert?”

Although their team had long since discovered Shi Feng’s name through Identification Skills, as a form of courtesy, it was proper to ask.

“Ye Feng,” Shi Feng replied straightforwardly. “The fact that I was able to kill the Great Lord Noya is largely due to Brother Blue Frost’s team forcing Noya to use Split. Otherwise, if Noya had not weakened itself by canceling the Skill, I would have had no chance of defeating it.”

“No, no. It is because Brother Ye Feng is awesome. If not for Brother Ye Feng, our entire team would have been wiped out. If you don’t mind, why don’t we go get a drink? My treat. Our District One’s Hundred Berry Wine is unmatched.”

Shi Feng involuntarily swallowed a mouthful of saliva when he heard Blue Frost mention the Hundred Berry Wine.

This beverage was one of God’s Domain’s extremely famous wines. However, it was rare, and its source was unknown to everyone but its supplier. Even Shi Feng had only tasted the wine twice in the past. He never expected that the Hundred Berry Wine actually came from the Dark Den.

Chapter 590: Improvement of Control

Shi Feng promptly accepted Blue Frost’s warm invitation.

However, as the system was going to update soon, they could only reconvene after the upgrade completed.

Shi Feng and Blue Frost then added each other as friends. That way, they could contact each other at any time so long as both parties were online.

Inside the Dark Den, players could still communicate with other players. However, it was limited to players who also resided in the Dark Den. Communication with players outside of this area was still unavailable.

After logging off, Shi Feng did not remain idle.

He called Liang Jing over and had her purchase the latest training equipment available.

Nowadays, with the current technology, some of the latest training facilities could even speed up the improvement of one’s physical control. Only, these machines were useless to people who only sought to improve their strength and fitness. Moreover, they were extremely expensive. Each unit cost millions of Credits. Hence, the various training centers had not bothered to buy them.

Even martial arts dojos would only use some of the older models.

Currently, the various powers that had invested in God’s Domain had not taken note of this. If Shi Feng did not purchase these facilities now, it would not be as easy to do so in the future. It was the same case with the virtual gaming cabins.

“Master Shi Feng, the volume you wish to purchase is simply too large. The funds required to do so exceed your allocated budget. I will have to report this to the Board of Directors and ask them to approve your request.” Liang Jing contained her shock when she heard that Shi Feng wanted to buy over a dozen of the latest training machines.

These training machines were meant to correct the way a person used and exerted their power with the help of AI. They also had various other functions available. Meanwhile, each unit cost two million Credits. They were extremely expensive, and practically nobody would willingly buy them. Yet, Shi Feng actually wanted her to purchase over a dozen units. This was simply a huge waste of money.

“There is no need to report to the Board of Directors. I’m buying these machines with my own money. You just need to find a fair seller and negotiate a price for me,” Shi Feng laughed.

When Liang Jing heard that Shi Feng intended to buy so many training machines with his own funds, her little mouth involuntarily parted as she became dazed for quite some time.

She knew Shi Feng’s background. He was only a student who was about to graduate from university, and he was definitely not some young master from a wealthy family. If not for his identity as a martial arts master and his limitless potential, he would not have his current position.

Hence, now that Shi Feng had suddenly revealed several tens of millions of Credits in order to purchase training machines, how could she not be shocked?

“Alright, stop daydreaming. This matter needs to be completed immediately. You only need to focus on negotiating a price for me. If the price is low, I want to buy a few more units,” Shi Feng instructed.

Hearing Shi Feng saying so, Liang Jing was thoroughly stunned. She could not figure out just where Shi Feng had managed to obtain so much money. She even started to wonder if Shi Feng’s identity and information were fake.

He was actually treating a two million Credit machine as some sort of cabbage that one could easily buy from the market.

However, as Shi Feng was spending his own money, Liang Jing could carry out his orders. She then left the training room and began to see to the necessary arrangements.

Naturally, Shi Feng recognized Liang Jing’s shock. However, he would not explain his actions.

These training machines might seem expensive right now, but once the various powers shifted their attention to a player’s physical control, it would be impossible to purchase these top-of-the-line training machines.

In the past, if the major powers wanted to nurture experts, these training machines were a must-haves. Although these machines were not as effective as the tutelage of a martial arts master, the latter could not possibly spend their every waking moment guiding others. With these training machines, players could receive guidance and corrections any time. If they also factored in the tutelage of a martial arts master, they could very quickly nurture a group of experts.

Hence, the training machines, which had not been particularly popular, instantly skyrocketed in price and demand. Moreover, these training machines were quite demanding of AI, resulting in a slow production speed. Only a limited number of units were produced each year. In the end, from its original price of two million, the price of each unit rose to three or four million Credits. Even then, it was extremely difficult to obtain one.

If Shi Feng did not purchase his own now, he would not have the opportunity to do so in the future.

During this period, due to Phoenix Rain secretly helping him, providing various contacts to sell the Candlelight Trading Firm’s equipment to, he had earned a lot of money. Moreover, the majority of his customers purchased the equipment with Credits. After all, everybody was tight on Coins at the moment. Hence, Shi Feng now had plenty of Credits on hand. After deducting the necessary expenditures, he still had a little over 50 million Credits.

In the past, this would have been a massive sum of money to Shi Feng. To the current Shi Feng, however, this was nothing. Even Melancholic Smile was treating such a large sum as if it were nothing. After all, as the Candlelight Trading Firm continued to develop, it would be very easy for them to earn several, or even dozens, of times more.

After his morning training, Shi Feng went on to guide Fire Dance and the others.

In reality, he was simply teaching them how to use Void Steps.

Void Steps was an advanced style of footwork in God’s Domain. Unlike other advanced styles, however, Void Steps placed a heavy burden on its user’s mental power. Even in his current state, Shi Feng did not dare use Void Steps in battle too often.

On the bright side, although Void Steps mentally exhausted its user, this exhaustion gave one the opportunity to break past their mental limits and increase their brain’s activity. This was also Shi Feng’s greatest discovery regarding Void Steps. Only, the precondition for this was to possess S-rank Nutrient Fluids.

However, it was not easy to learn Void Steps. Even Shi Feng had only managed to grasp the technique recently. Whether Fire Dance and the others could successfully learn the footwork would depend on their efforts and natural talent.

In the past, countless people would watch videos of experts’ battles to explore and learn various bodily movements, styles of footwork, and attack techniques. However, the number of people who actually achieved success from doing so was very low. As for those who managed to learn advanced techniques, they were as rare as a phoenix’s feathers. Meanwhile, Void Steps was a special technique that combined breathing, footwork, bodily movements, and various other subtle techniques. It was more difficult than ordinary advanced techniques, so it was typical for players to struggle or fail to learn it.

Through Shi Feng’s teachings, only Fire Dance and Violet Cloud had managed to obtain some clues. The others were still at a loss.

Regarding his companions’ situation, Shi Feng was helpless as well. There would be no helping it if they were unable to learn Void Steps. Fortunately, it did not matter much if they could not learn it. Everyone had their own strengths and weaknesses. Also, Void Steps was a combination of a wide array of techniques. Even if Cola and the others failed to grasp Void Steps, the knowledge and experience they gained would still be very helpful when they went on to learn other techniques. Void Steps was especially useful in helping a player improve on their physical control.

For example, despite Fire Dance and Violet Cloud only gaining some clues to performing the advanced style of footwork, their control over their bodies had improved significantly. They were now only a thread away from reaching half a step into the Refinement Realm.

Their Skill Completion Rates also rose from 80% to around 83%. If they took half a step into the Refinement Realm, their Skill Completion Rates would reach 85%, allowing them to display 100% of their Skills’ effects. With the top-tier equipment they wore, they would instantly become great experts that stood at Star-Moon Kingdom’s peak.

As night arrived, God’s Domain finally finished updating. Drinking a bottle of S-rank Nutrient Fluid, Shi Feng immediately lay within the virtual gaming cabin and began a new day in God’s Domain.