Reincarnation of The Strongest Sword God

401-420

Chapter 401 - Omnivision

What happened?

Gentle Snow, who watched the fight from the spectator stands, focused on Cao Chenghua, her mind replaying Cao Chenghua's last attack.

No matter how she looked at it, Zhao Yueru had blocked the attack. Yet, somehow, Cao Chenghua's sword had appeared somewhere completely different.

It was like a magical sword.

Zhao Yueru was just as confused. She could not understand what had happened. However, she no longer had the time to think on it.

Cao Chenghua's attack dealt -1,241 damage, reducing Zhao Yueru's originally low HP to 470 points. If she suffered another attack, she would die.

Mages were especially weak in terms of Defense, Strength, and Agility. If a melee class like the Berserker close in on a mage, only tragedy awaited them.

Zhao Yueru instinctively used Flame Circle, a type of instantaneous activation spell. Immediately, a ring of flame expanded outwards, forcing her enemies to retreat.

Cao Chenghua remained unfazed by the incoming flames as he swung his greatsword down at them.

"Boom!"

Cao Chenghua's greatsword sliced apart the ring of flame. However, he was still forced to take a step back due to the resulting impact, abruptly stopping his attack momentum.

Taking this chance, Zhao Yueru retreated while pelting Cao Chenghua with Frost Arrows.

"Don't even think of escaping!" Cao Chenghua roared. Enduring the attacks from the Frost Arrows, he sent a Horizontal Sweep at Zhao Yueru.

Zhao Yueru used her staff to defend once more.

This time, Zhao Yueru focused on the greatsword, devoting her full attention to determining the weapon's trajectory.

Just as Iron Cutter was about to land, Zhao Yueru quickly shifted her staff to block the attack.

Cao Chenghua, however, simply revealed a mocking smile as he focused all his power into his slash.

Once again, something strange occurred...

Cao Chenghua's Iron Cutter suddenly disappeared before reappearing and striking Zhao Yueru's blindspot.

Before Zhao Yueru realized what had happened, her body was on the ground, her vision darkening.

"Zhao Yueru, do you understand now? Only by following me will you have a bright future ahead of you," Cao Chenghua said as he looked down at Zhao Yueru's fallen body.

Zhao Yueru wanted to rise and retaliate. Unfortunately, her HP had already fallen to zero...

Victor in the first match: Cao Chenghua!

Meanwhile, not only had Zhao Yueru lost a level after dying, but she had also dropped a piece of her equipment and lost a significant amount of Skill Proficiency.

After resurrecting, Zhao Yueru walked up to Gentle Snow, her disappointment written all over her face. Feeling deeply ashamed, she said, "Snow, I'm sorry..."

Her loss had undoubtedly increased the burden on the later fights. After all, out of the next four matches, they needed to win three to win this competition.

"It's not your fault. Cao Chenghua hid his strength too well. Not only did he learn a control removal skill, but he also learned a new, mysterious skill. There is nothing wrong with losing to him," Gentle Snow comforted. "Leave the rest to me."

"Mhm." Zhao Yueru silently nodded, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

Although Gentle Snow had consoled her, she could not forgive herself. What frustrated her the most was the fact that she didn't even know how she had lost.

Shi Feng, who had observed the fight from a distance, was similarly surprised.

Since when had Cao Chenghua become so strong?

Thinking back to Cao Chenghua and his team's expressions, Shi Feng finally understood why they had been so confident in Cao Chenghua's victory.

"Big Brother Ye Feng, do you know what sort of skill this Cao Chenghua used? Even after watching the match, I still failed to discern the attack pattern of that strike of his. Cao Chenghua's attack clearly wasn't that fast, yet, his blade had suddenly vanished and reappeared somewhere else. How can anybody block such an attack?" Violet Cloud was curious about Cao Chenghua's previous attacks.

If Cao Chenghua possessed such a strange skill, then one could only kite him and kill him from a distance.

"Did you think that was a skill?" Shi Feng chuckled.

"Was it not a Berserker's skill?" Violet Cloud asked, surprise filling her face.

Shi Feng shook his head, explaining, "That isn't an in-game skill. Rather, it is a martial arts technique."

"A martial arts technique?" Violet Cloud gaped. If anyone else had said these words, she would suspect that they were boasting. However, if they came from Shi Feng, they must be true.

"Cao Chenghua used a technique similar to rock-paper-scissors, using 'scissors' before he took action. Zhao Yueru, upon noticing Cao Chenghua was about to use 'scissors,' naturally chose 'rock.' However, before the two clashed, Cao Chenghua suddenly changed to 'paper.'. So, Cao Chenghua won, while Zhao Yueru could not figure out how Cao Chenghua had used 'paper.'

"That's the general idea of this technique. Although it sounds easy theoretically, it is actually quite difficult to pull off.

"One needs to have learned Omnivision and carefully observe their opponent. However, I'm not referring the ordinary observations we make. One needs to see the whole picture, looking at everything objectively without bias to gain insight into the enemy's actions. When Cao Chenghua had attacked earlier, he had analyzed Zhao Yueru's actions, her body's movements, defensive positions, everything. Hence, when Zhao Yueru was about to defend herself, Cao Chenghua changed the trajectory of his attack, striking Zhao Yueru's blindspot. By the time Zhao Yueru reacted, she had already taken damage.

"Of course, when Cao Chenghua swung his greatsword, he had also used a technique called Second Acceleration. When he swung his greatsword, he had not attacked with his full power, using only around 40%. Only when he changed his attack's trajectory did he use his full power. Such a sudden acceleration leaves an after-image, causing one to think that the greatsword still followed its original trajectory. So, when you saw Cao Chenghua's sword suddenly vanish, what you actually saw was a false image produced by your mind.

"Zhao Yueru does not possess such combat experience, and she has no martial arts training. It is only natural that she lost."

A realization struck Violet Cloud as she listened to Shi Feng's explanation.

After hearing Shi Feng, Violet Cloud felt as if a door had opened within her, and she had discovered a whole new world beyond that threshold.

So, players could use such techniques in battle...

As Violet Cloud recovered from her shock, a new thought suddenly popped into her mind.

"Since Big Brother Ye Feng can explain it in such detail, does that mean that Big Brother Ye Feng knows how to do it as well?"

The thought excited the young Cleric.

As Shi Feng and Violet Cloud discussed the fight among themselves, the system revealed the next pair of combatants.

Shi Feng then shifted his gaze to the electronic display above the arena.

Second match: Gentle Snow vs. Blackhearted Arrow.

Gentle Snow was a Berserker, while Blackhearted Arrow was a Ranger. Comparing classes, Berserkers were the more dominant of the two classes. Although Rangers had some close combat capabilities, their advantage lay in their ultra-long-range attacks. They were more suited for fighting in jungles or forests. In this arena with limited space and no obstacles to use as a cover, Rangers were at a disadvantage. Furthermore, Gentle Snow's techniques were stronger than Blackhearted Arrow's.

Despite being in such a disadvantageous position, however, Blackhearted Arrow was still very calm. There was even a hint of scorn in his eyes, his gaze void of the respect he had shown Gentle Snow in the past.

When both fighters entered the arena, the countdown for the battle began.

5...

4...

3...

2...

1...

Start!

Blackhearted Arrow immediately spun around and activated Wind Chaser, intending to increase the distance between him and his opponent.

However, Gentle Snow's first attack stunned everyone present.

Chapter 402 - the terrifying war goddess 

"What is Gentle Snow trying to do?"

Everyone in the spectator stands was baffled.

Even Zhao Yueru, who was very familiar with Gentle Snow, was dumbfounded by her friend's actions.

Gentle Snow had thrown her blue greatsword the moment the battle started.

Any player who lost their main weapons was tantamount to a beast without its claws and fangs. Yet, Gentle Snow took the initiative to discard her main weapon in order to attack her enemy...?

Berserkers were not ranged fighters. Although the greatsword she threw possessed some power, its attack pattern was very straightforward. The greatsword was not very fast, so players could easily dodge it.

Meanwhile, if Gentle Snow lost her main weapon, she could not attack or defend. If she relied solely on a Berserker's mobility and dodging capabilities, an expert Ranger like Blackhearted Arrow could defeat her effortlessly.

Zhao Yueru's loss had already forced Gentle Snow to the edge of the cliff, and she could not afford carelessness in the second match. If Gentle Snow lost her match as well, their hopes of victory would be dashed.

"It seems that Zhao Yueru's loss was quite a blow to Gentle Snow."

"Why is she acting so impulsively?"

Many of the Elders who silently supported Gentle Snow lamented at this sight.

Before this battle had even begun, the victor of both this match and this competition had been determined. If even Gentle Snow lost, the other members of her team didn't have a prayer. The only person who had a chance at victory was Fierce Snake. However, Cao Chenghua still had Nimble Snake and Soaring Snake fighting for him. As for War Wolf, even Cao Chenghua treated the Shield Warrior respectfully. The man must be astonishingly powerful.

In the arena, Blackhearted Arrow discovered the blue greatsword soaring towards him. He grinned.

"Gentle Snow, you're seeking death; don't blame me for being merciless."

Blackhearted Arrow immediately adjusted his footwork. Side-stepping, he twisted slightly. His movements were incredibly subtle, and his dodging techniques were reminiscent of a martial arts master. In the next moment, Gentle Snow's Blue Sky flew past Blackhearted Arrow, missing his side by a few centimeters.

At this moment, Blackhearted Arrow revealed a savage expression. Whenever he had fought Gentle Snow in the past, the latter would always beat him into a pulp. Even today, he was not absolutely confident that he could triumph over the Snow Goddess. However, she had foolishly thrown her greatsword, assuming that he couldn't dodge it. Now that she no longer had her main weapon, she could not deflect his rain of arrows.

Blackhearted Arrow retrieved the deep-blue longbow from his back and retrieved the precious Wind Breaking Arrows from his bag. He then nocked the arrows, aimed at Gentle Snow, and drew his bow into a full moon.

Wind Breaking Arrows. There was also an additional Knockback effect when the arrow hit its target. Furthermore, the bow Blackhearted Arrow used, Blue Wings, had an effect that increased an arrow's speed by an additional 15%. Compiling both of these effects, even an agility-focused Assassin would struggle to dodge his attacks. At most, they could use their weapons to deflect the arrows.

Previously, Blackhearted Arrow had tested the Wind Breaking Arrows with Nimble Snake. Within 20 yards, even with Nimble Snake's skills and extremely fast reaction speed, he could only use his daggers to defend himself against the arrows. Hence, there was no way a low-Agility and unarmed Berserker could protect herself from them.

This was one of the reasons why Blackhearted Arrow was confident that he would defeat Gentle Snow.

Just as Blackhearted Arrow was about to fire three Wind Breaking Arrows at Gentle Snow, the Snow Goddess suddenly revealed a faint smile.

"Watch how I'll get rid of...

"Ah!"

Blackhearted Arrow suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back, and he plunged, face-first into the ground. A damage of -1,342 appeared above his head, his HP decreasing by almost half.

Blackhearted Arrow's mind was blank as his body fell to the ground.

What happened?

Hadn't he been the one attacking? How had he fallen?

There was even an additional Heavily Injured debuff on him now; his Movement Speed and Attack Speed had decreased by 20% for six seconds.

Moreover, by the time he looked up, the blue greatsword Gentle Snow had thrown had somehow returned to her, and the Berserker was charging at him.

"Wasn't that Death Throw? When did Gentle Snow learn it? Moreover, the skill's level has actually reached Tier 1. Is it an innate skill of her weapon?" With his wealth of experience, Shi Feng had immediately discerned the skill Gentle Snow had used.

Death Throw was not a skill unique to Berserkers. Rather, it was a Special Skill with a two-staged attack.

Those unaware of this skill would simply think that Gentle Snow had thrown her weapon. However, Death Throw basically made her weapon boomerang. Normally, after players dodged the first attack, they would launch a counterattack, failing to notice the second attack from behind. Moreover, Death Throw's second attack contained far more speed and destructive power than the first. At Tier 0, Death Throw would inflict a Heavily Injured debuff upon hitting the target. It was even more powerful at Tier 1. This two-staged attack fooled many players, and as a result, they would lose their lives.

Blackhearted Arrow knew that he was in danger at the moment. However, Gentle Snow was still more than 10 yards from him. Hurriedly, he climbed up from the ground, intending to escape while firing the Wind Breaking Arrows at Gentle Snow, knocking her back.

However, the moment Blackhearted Arrow stood, he suddenly discovered Gentle Snow slashing down her blue greatsword despite the distance between them. In the next moment, over a dozen blue wind blades flew towards him.

With both his Movement Speed and Attack Speed reduced, Blackhearted Arrow would have a difficult time blocking or dodging. The Ranger immediately released an angry bellow, intending to activate a lifesaving skill, Backward Jump. However...

"Why can't I use any of my skills?!" Blackhearted Arrow discovered that he could not use Backward Jump. He then looked at the blue wind blades that were suddenly before him, crying out in confusion.

"Shua... Shua... Shua..."

The dozen or so wind blades shredded Blackhearted Arrow's body and damages over -300 appeared above his head, one after another. In the end, his HP fell to zero. As the Ranger's body transformed into particles of light, a deep-blue longbow had been left behind in his place.

Victor of the second match: Gentle Snow!

Cao Chenghua, his teammates, as well as the Elders of Ouroboros standing at the spectator stands, were dumbfounded.

Gentle Snow had only used two moves to defeat Blackhearted Arrow, Ouroboros's Third Branch Leader. It was simply unbelievable.

"Is this her true strength?" Cao Chenghua watched Gentle Snow's figure as she departed from the arena with a grim expression.

Fortunately, Gentle Snow's opponent had been Blackhearted Arrow, the weakest of the five on Cao Chenghua's team. If she had fought anyone else this round, Gentle Snow might have had a chance of becoming the victor of this competition and the Guild Leader of Ouroboros.

"Big Brother Ye Feng, Big Sis Snow is so amazing! She took out an expert with just two moves!" Violet Cloud exclaimed with awe.

"Indeed." Shi Feng nodded, smiling faintly.

Blackhearted Arrow did not know that, if struck by the Tier 1 Death Throw, players would also suffer a Silence effect, which prevented them from using any skills for a short time. This was why the skill was known as the Death Throw.

Gentle Snow's brilliant victory had undeniably increased the morale of her team. They now only needed to win two of the three remaining matches. Moreover, Gentle Snow's intense domination had given the opposition some pause.

Just as Zhao Yueru and Fierce Snake celebrated Gentle Snow's victory...

The next combatants were announced.

Chapter 403 - boiling fury

Cao Chenghua's team, who had fallen silent due to Gentle Snow's display, suddenly smiled upon seeing the names for the third match.

Third match: Fierce Snake vs. War Wolf!

Fierce Snake was a Berserker, while War Wolf was a Shield Warrior. Regarding combat power, Berserkers held the advantage over Shield Warriors. However, Shield Warriors possessed high HP and Defense, as well as plenty of lifesaving skills, making them far more difficult to deal with than other classes.

In general, neither class had an edge over the other. Hence, the players' techniques would determine the outcome of this third match.

Gentle Snow looked at the Shield Warrior who had remained silent and calm throughout the competition. Despite doing nothing, War Wolf exuded a faint pressure that made one unconsciously distance themselves from him.

No matter how Gentle Snow examined War Wolf, she could never mistake him for an ordinary expert. Even her core team's MT, Ghost Chop, had admitted that he had only started playing a Shield Warrior because of this man. Furthermore, Cao Chenghua and the rest of his team treated War Wolf with great respect. This showed that War Wolf's standards were top-tier, and he should not be any weaker than Nimble Snake.

Of the Twelve Apostles, Soaring Snake ranked first, Nimble Snake ranked third, and Fierce Snake ranked ninth. If Fierce Snake fought Nimble Snake, his chances of victory only hovered between 30% and 40%.

If War Wolf was stronger than Nimble Snake and was about equal to Soaring Snake, then Fierce Snake's chances of victory were only around 20% to 30%.

However, War Wolf did not play a damage-dealing class; his attacks would not be very powerful. On the other hand, a Berserker also wore plate armor. Unlike leather and cloth armor classes, Berserkers would not die so easily. Knowing this, War Wolf was prepared to fight a battle of attrition and slowly exhaust Fierce Snake to death. After all, that was the Shield Warriors' specialty.

"Fierce Snake, your opponent is not simple. Make sure you don't cross swords with him for too long and give him any openings," Gentle Snow whispered a reminder to Fierce Snake. She then took a gold-rimmed skill book from her bag, carefully handing it to Fierce Snake, saying, "Learn this skill. If you use it at a crucial moment, you might defeat him."

Fierce Snake's heart pounded the moment he read the introduction of this skill book.

This skill book was an extremely rare burst skill for Berserkers, Boiling Fury. For a short time, the skill increased the player's damage by 40%, Strength by 15%, and Attack Speed by 30%. Moreover, the less HP the player had, the faster their Attack Speed would become. To a Berserker, this skill book's value far surpassed that of one or two Dark Gold Weapons.

"Big Sis Snow, Boiling Fury is too valuable. I can't learn it," Fierce Snake said, shaking his head.

"War Wolf will not be easy to deal with, and you know this. You don't want me to lose, right?" Worried that a powerful enemy would appear, Gentle Snow had prepared for this competition. As the Underground Arena prohibited players from using any tools, the only way to raise a player's combat power was to learn new and powerful skills. Boiling Fury was one such skill Gentle Snow had prepared. She also had another Advanced Skill for Nimble Snake. Unfortunately, that skill book would not come into play during these matches.

Sitting a short distance away, Shi Feng was slightly surprised upon seeing the skill book Gentle Snow passed to Fierce Snake.

Gentle Snow had actually obtained such a super-rare skill book.

Boiling Fury would only drop from High Lords ranked Field Bosses, and its drop-rate was 2%. One needed immense luck in order to obtain it.

"I understand.

"I will not lose."

Fierce Snake nodded and chose to learn Boiling Fury. He then watched the thin War Wolf walk into the arena, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

Originally, he only had a 30% chance of defeating the Shield Warrior. Now that he had obtained Boiling Fury, he had a 70% certainty of coming out victorious.

Following which, Fierce Snake also entered the arena.

"Snow, you're simply too amazing! I can't believe you had something so powerful hidden! Fierce Snake will win for sure!" Zhao Yueru hugged Gentle Snow excitedly, her previous depressed mood scattering to the winds.

In response, Gentle Snow lightly tapped Zhao Yueru's forehead and revealed a faint smile.

Meanwhile, inside the arena, the battle between Fierce Snake and War Wolf had begun.

"I'm interested to see just how powerful you are."

The moment the battle started, Fierce Snake lifted his silvery-gray battle axe and charged at War Wolf. When his axe descended, even the air roared. However, without even retrieving the shield and saber from his back, War Wolf simply took a step back and allowed the battle axe to brush past his body, slamming into the ground.

War Wolf immediately stomped down on the battle axe, the weapon becoming completely embedded into the ground. He then unsheathed the saber covered in golden magic runes from his back and slashed at the Berserker's neck, the weapon creating a beautiful arc.

The entire process flowed like water, and everyone who witnessed it was amazed.

Before Fierce Snake could respond, a damage of -536 points appeared above his head.

Although War Wolf's attack had not dealt a significant amount of damage to Fierce Snake, who had over 3,200 HP, this strike had dealt a heavy blow to the Berserker's mentality.

Before he could even react, War Wolf's attack struck him. In Fierce Snake's memories, this had never happened in any of the PvP battles he had participated in before.

Seeing War Wolf's saber slashing at him again, Fierce Snake hurriedly used Whirlwind Slash. At this moment, War Wolf lifted his shield, blocking Fierce Snake's skill and taking a single step back.

Fierce Snake took advantage of his small victory to follow up with a series of attacks, using skill after skill to force War Wolf into a continuous retreat. Yet, to everyone's surprise, Fierce Snake's HP continued to decrease despite being on the offensive.

Every time Fierce Snake attacked, War Wolf would effortlessly block it with his shield and counterattack with his saber.

Fierce Snake had no idea what was happening. Although he had tried to dodge and block War Wolf's counterattacks, the Shield Warrior's saber would always somehow land a hit.

Even when War Wolf took the initiative to launch an attack, he couldn't dodge or defend himself.

War Wolf's saber would always disappear in mid-swing before suddenly appearing elsewhere. By the time War Wolf's saber reappeared, it was too late for him to react. He could only watch as his HP fell, powerless to do anything about it.

"Damn."

Seeing that he had less than 1,000 HP remaining, Fierce Snake gritted his teeth and activated Boiling Fury.

At this point, if he hesitated to activate Boiling Fury, he would die in a few moments.

However, even after activating Boiling Fury, Fierce Snake was no different than a baby swinging a large axe to War Wolf. This time, the Shield Warrior did not even bother to use his shield and relied on his reflexes to dodge every one of Fierce Snake's attacks. It looked as if Fierce Snake's axe actively avoided War Wolf as the weapon brushed past him, never hitting his body.

Fierce Snake nearly crumbled.

This scene dumbfounded both Gentle Snow and Zhao Yueru.

They were familiar with Fierce Snake's strength. Yet, War Wolf could toy with him so effortlessly. Even Gentle Snow admitted that she was not capable of such a feat.

"Just who is he?" Gentle Snow could not believe her eyes. Cao Chenghua had actually found someone so impressive. Most likely, only Zero Wing's Guild Leader, One-hit Asura Black Flame, could contend with such a powerful expert.

Inside the arena, War Wolf walked up to Fierce Snake, utterly relaxed. After swinging his saber twice, Fierce Snake's body fell to the ground, reluctance and frustration filling his face.

Their strengths were on different levels entirely.

"Gentle Snow has definitely lost. The difference between our external player and hers is like heaven and earth."

"However, this is fate. Not everyone has the chance to connect with such an expert."

"If Cao Chenghua becomes the Guild Leader, he might be able to invite more experts into our Guild. This would benefit the Guild's future development."

The Elders seated in the spectator stands expressed their admiration of War Wolf's performance. They began to anticipate the future of the Guild. As for Gentle Snow, they no longer expected anything of her.

Chapter 404 - the difference between outsiders

"Gentle Snow, you should now see the difference between us, right?" Cao Chenghua said, laughing as he grinned at Gentle Snow. "From the very beginning, you never had any chance of winning this competition.

"There is only one ending for you all today–defeat!"

Gentle Snow, stoic and beautiful, refused to respond to Cao Chenghua's taunts.

It was true that she had never expected Cao Chenghua to invite such an expert.

Suddenly, this competition was no longer within her control.

Originally, she had hoped for Fierce Snake's victory. Then, as long as Ye Feng secured another win, she would dominate this competition.

Yet...

Now, there were still two matches left. Even if Ye Feng won his match, they would end with a tie. However, they didn't have any experts for the final match.

"Big Brother Ye Feng, what is going on?" Violet Cloud's eyes widened in shock when she witnessed War Wolf's demonic attacks. "Why does he know it, too?"

"Seeing as War Wolf can use Omnivision and Second Acceleration to such a refined standard, Cao Chenghua must have learned those techniques from him," Shi Feng calmly explained.

Realization immediately dawned on Violet Cloud.

However, Shi Feng's words had undeniably given Gentle Snow and the others a shock, each one of them falling silent.

If Nimble Snake and Soaring Snake had also learned such mystifying techniques...

"Hahaha! That's right! Both Nimble Snake and Soaring Snake have also learned those techniques! Moreover, they are more proficient than I am!" Cao Chenghua could not help but laugh when he saw Gentle Snow and the others' expressions. "Gentle Snow, you understand now, right? You have no chance of winning this competition! On top of that, the two outsiders you've brought are merely two Level 22 players! How could they possibly compete with the empowered Nimble Snake and Soaring Snake? Gentle Snow, just admit your loss right now. If you do, you won't have to suffer a humiliating defeat!"

At this time, both Nimble Snake and Soaring Snake shifted their gaze to Shi Feng and Violet Cloud, disdain filling their eyes.

"How boring. They are the last opponents. With this, I can't test out my new techniques," Soaring Snake sighed with disappointment. "If I fought Gentle Snow, I might have been able to display some of my strength."

"I heard that Ye Feng is quite strong. He was previously the first player to enter White River City and had even defeated hundreds of players by himself during the initial stages of God's Domain. He should provide some challenge and serve as a warm-up for the both of you," Cao Chenghua casually explained as he smirked at Shi Feng.

At this moment, War Wolf opened his mouth and said, "That's right. You should not underestimate Ye Feng. I have seen his battle videos. Even though everyone's Levels were very low at the time, based on the way Ye Feng moved and took action, I guarantee that he possesses a significant foundation in martial arts. Although he has yet to grasp Omnivision, you two should still be careful when fighting him."

After War Wolf had agreed to aid Cao Chenghua, other than speaking while he trained them, he was usually silent. War Wolf's sudden and casual comment drew everyone's attention.

"Him?" Nimble Snake looked at Shi Feng, unable to feel any power or pressure from the ordinary-looking man. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly as he laughed and said, "Big Brother War Wolf, you worry too much. You taught both of us personally. Against such an amateur martial artist, I can easily take care of him alone."

Before Nimble Snake had joined Cao Chenghua, he had never known that he could apply so many martial arts techniques to playing a game like God's Domain.

When Cao Chenghua had first approached him, Nimble Snake did not even humor the thought of defecting. At that time, he felt that Gentle Snow's combat techniques were the epitome of what it meant to be an expert. However, after dueling War Wolf and suffering an overwhelming defeat, Nimble Snake realized that he had merely been a frog in the bottom of the well.

It was like meeting Superman.

Superman was the creation of man's imagination, a fictional character that could never exist.

Yet, reality suddenly revealed that such fictional characters actually existed. This revelation had shaken Nimble Snake's beliefs.

Hence, Nimble Snake had joined Cao Chenghua's side without hesitation and received special training from War Wolf. After spending a lot of time and effort, he finally grasped the technique called Omnivision.

After grasping Omnivision, Nimble Snake finally realized how huge of a gap there was between him and War Wolf.

If Gentle Snow was the peak of mortals, then after grasping Omnivision, Nimble Snake had exceeded mortal standards. The two were on entirely different levels.

Top-tier experts?

Great experts?

They were just jokes in Nimble Snake's eyes.

"Nimble Snake, stop speaking nonsense. Brother War Wolf definitely has his reasons for what he said. No matter who faces Ye Feng, you must go all-out against him, understand?" Cao Chenghua reproached Nimble Snake, glaring at the Assassin.

"Yes, I understand," Nimble Snake hurriedly lowered his head.

At this moment, the fourth combatants had been revealed.

Fourth match: Ye Feng vs. Soaring Snake.

"Hahaha! Perfect! Since Big Brother War Wolf said to be careful of Ye Feng, then I'll use him to test my new skills and see just how much I have improved!" Soaring Snake walked into the arena excitedly.

Soaring Snake was not a brawny man. On the contrary, he was very lean. However, although he was thin, his muscles were packed with explosive power like a cheetah's. Out of everyone in Cao Chenghua's team, War Wolf was the most optimistic about Soaring Snake. Not only did he possess the highest talent for combat, but the speed at which he learned also left everyone speechless. He had only taken half the time to learn Omnivision. Moreover, he was a natural-born fighting maniac.

Under War Wolf's tutelage, Soaring Snake had developed with unimaginable speeds, and right now, he was definitely the number one powerhouse in all of Ouroboros.

If not for Cao Chenghua's wish to hide Soaring Snake's strength, the latter would have long since made it on the God's Domain Experts List.

"Ye Feng, how confident are you?" Gentle Snow suddenly asked as Shi Feng was about to enter the arena. "If you don't feel confident, just admit defeat. You are Zero Wing's backbone. It would not be beneficial for you to lose a level here.

"This competition was a miscalculation on my part. I never expected that Cao Chenghua had such a monster on his team. Not only is he a powerful fighter himself, but he has also enhanced Soaring Snake and Nimble Snake's strength.

"As for the losses you have suffered by joining me, I will pay five million Credits."

In Gentle Snow's opinion, Ye Feng was undoubtedly stronger than Soaring Snake. However, after finding out that Soaring Snake had completely changed, even Gentle Snow didn't think that she had much of a chance against him. Meanwhile, how much stronger could Ye Feng possibly be?

"A promise is a promise. Since Miss Snow has already invited me here, and I have agreed to help, how could I possibly flee without a fight?" Shi Feng revealed a faint smile as he entered the arena.

"Ye Feng is such a fool!" Zhao Yueru huffed angrily. "Didn't he see how powerful War Wolf was?

"Since War Wolf guided and taught Soaring Snake, even if he is not on par with War Wolf, he is probably not too far behind! Ye Feng is just trying to die!"

"Alright, Yueru, everyone has their own bottom lines and styles of conduct. It is my fault for telling Ye Feng to give up without a fight," Gentle Snow placated Zhao Yueru. She then shifted her gaze to Shi Feng inside the arena, a mix of feelings filling her heart.

However, while Gentle Snow and Zhao Yueru both worried, Violet Cloud suddenly giggled and said, "Since Big Brother Ye Feng has given his promise, he will fulfill it. You can rest assured about this."

Both Gentle Snow and Zhao Yueru turned their heads to look at the little girl named Violet Cloud, confused. Just why was Violet Cloud so confident in Ye Feng?

Violet Cloud simply smiled and remained silent.

Only she realized that their opponents should be the ones worrying; Soaring Snake was about to fight none other than Star-Moon Kingdom's number one powerhouse, One-hit Asura.

Chapter 405 - techniques are useless

Seeing Violet Cloud's confident yet silent smile, Zhao Yueru grew anxious. However, she also could not do anything about this situation, so she could only return her focus to the arena.

Gentle Snow, on the other hand, was very calm, observing Violet Cloud.

Previously, due to her anger over Nimble Snake's treachery, she had only glanced at the Cleric, not paying her any mind.

Now that Gentle Snow paid closer attention, she discovered that, although this little girl named Violet Cloud seemed like any ordinary spirited and harmless girl, she could feel a faint indescribable pressure from the girl. It felt completely different from the pressure War Wolf gave off.

War Wolf felt more like a slumbering, feral wolf: cruel, domineering, and vicious.

As for Violet Cloud, she didn't know how to describe the girl. This was the first time she had encountered such a feeling.

Violet Cloud felt like the starry sky at night: silent, awe-inspiring, and profound.

_Just who is this little girl that Ye Feng brought with him?_ Gentle Snow was quite confident in the accuracy of her sixth sense. After she started playing God's Domain, that sixth sense had only grown keener.

Naturally, Violet Cloud noticed Gentle Snow staring at her. In response, she only nodded her head lightly and beamed a playful smile at the Snow Goddess.

Inside the arena, Shi Feng and Soaring Snake faced each other, both observing their respective opponent.

Both were Swordsmen, and the only difference between them was their level. Shi Feng was only Level 22 while Soaring Snake was Level 24. With a difference of two levels and Soaring Snake's grasp of the combat technique Omnivision that granted him insight far beyond the average person, the battle was definitely tilted in Soaring Snake's favor.

Yet, even though the starting signal for the battle had already occurred, Soaring Snake remained motionless. He stood there calmly, without any apparent intentions to rush at Shi Feng.

"Soaring Snake, what are you doing?"

"Why aren't you moving?"

Soaring Snake's hesitation puzzled his teammates. Usually, Soaring Snake was a battle maniac that would go into a frenzy the moment the battle began. He would never behave as calmly as he was now.

"Soaring Snake is certainly quite talented." War Wolf revealed a faint smile as he watched the motionless Soaring Snake.

"Big Brother War Wolf, what do you mean?" Nimble Snake asked, confused.

"When in battle, one does not rely only on their physical prowess, but their mental strength as well. One must remain calm to obtain victory. Soaring Snake is currently adjusting his mentality," War Wolf explained.

Indeed, just as War Wolf had said, Soaring Snake was not as excitable as he had once been. Instead, there was a hint of clarity in his eyes.

Suddenly, Soaring Snake unsheathed his swords and, with a powerful stomp, dashed towards Shi Feng.

As the First Apostle of Ouroboros, Soaring Snake's weapons and equipment spoke for themselves. Of the two swords he wielded, one was Dark-Gold ranked, while the other was Fine-Gold ranked. Meanwhile, a large majority of his equipment was Fine-Gold ranked. His gear was among the best currently available in God's Domain.

Soaring Snake crossed more than 20 yards and arrived before Shi Feng in an instant. Immediately, he launched a rapid attack at Shi Feng.

Soaring Snake had no intention of fooling around with Shi Feng.

However, faced with Soaring Snake's bombardment, Shi Feng leisurely unsheathed the Abyssal Blade and the Purgatory's Shadow. Leaning forward, he lightly swung his two swords and readied his battle stance.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the arena changed. Everyone shivered, goosebumps covering their whole bodies.

"This... What is going on?"

Gentle Snow could sense something from Shi Feng inside the arena.

"Who is this Ye Feng?!"  Cao Chenghua watched Shi Feng with shock.

Just by adjusting his stance, Shi Feng had managed to deter every one of his opponents, causing their hearts to beat madly. Suddenly, silence overtook the arena.

Facing Shi Feng, Soaring Snake stumbled like a frightened bird, abruptly halting his steps.

Not even Soaring Snake understood why he had suddenly stopped.

After regaining his composure, he resumed his charge at Shi Feng.

"Your courage is commendable." Shi Feng smiled faintly and nodded.

Although Shi Feng's voice was soft, Soaring Snake, with his acute five senses, could hear Shi Feng's words clearly. Rage instantly burned in his heart. Activating Wind Blade, his speed increased once more as he slashed at Shi Feng.

However, the moment Soaring Snake was within range, Shi Feng struck his adversary with even greater speed.

Shi Feng's sword was as fast as lightning, reaching Soaring Snake in no time at all.

Just as the Abyssal Blade was about to slice open Soaring Snake's neck, something strange occurred. The sword, which should have originally cut Soaring Snake, struck only air. Meanwhile, Soaring Snake's upper body completely vanished from Shi Feng's sight.

Taking a closer look, Soaring Snake had actually reclined his body to evade Shi Feng's fatal strike.

"A pity." Soaring Snake revealed a malevolent smile.

Before Soaring Snake had even finished speaking, his two swords flew towards Shi Feng's sides. His angle of attack was extremely complex and prevented Shi Feng from dodging.

With no better choice, Shi Feng activated Defensive Blade to block the two attacks. He then took the chance to distance himself from Soaring Snake.

"What is going on here? Soaring Snake can dodge such a fast attack?" Zhao Yueru considered herself an expert, and her dynamic vision was excellent. In her view, Shi Feng's previous strike had been perfect. His strike was so fast that the attack should have been impossible to avoid. Yet, that perfect strike had missed Soaring Snake. Instead, Shi Feng was the one who had been struck twice. It was simply too strange.

Inside the arena, Shi Feng examined himself for wounds. He frowned at the amused smile plastered on Soaring Snake's face. Leisurely, he said, "I never expected that you would have hidden your strength so well. Your reaction speed is impressive."

"I am both a Swordsman and the strongest member of the Twelve Apostles. How could I possibly be slow?" Soaring Snake laughed. "You, on the other hand, have truly surprised me. You were able to use Defensive Blade the moment I countered your attack. Your reactions are not slow, either."

"No. I'm not talking about that," Shi Feng shook his head. "To be precise, you dodged my sword because your neural reaction is fast, no?"

"Oh? You've discovered that?" Soaring Snake asked, feeling slightly surprised. In the next moment, he smiled and said unconcernedly, "So what? Do you think you can win despite it?"

"Snow, what are they talking about?" Zhao Yueru asked curiously.

Many in the spectator stands had overheard the conversation in the arena. Zhao Yueru was thoroughly confused.

"You saw Ye Feng's attack for yourself. It was a perfect strike. Yet, Soaring Snake still dodged it. Do you know how?" Gentle Snow inquired, wearing a grim expression.

"Isn't it because Soaring Snake detected Shi Feng's attack, so he managed to evade it?" Zhao Yueru did not understand what Gentle Snow was trying to say.

"You could put it that way.

"However, detecting an attack is one thing; dodging it is an entirely different matter. With the speed of Shi Feng's strike, not even a top-tier Assassin could dodge the attack from so close. Yet, Soaring Snake had done just that.

"The reason lies in Soaring Snake's neural response rate. When ordinary people act, their brains go through three processes: cognition, understanding, and correspondence. Time is required to go through all three. Statistically, the average person's reaction time is 0.3 seconds. Top sprinters who have undergone arduous training can shorten it to around 0.15 seconds.

"However, no matter how hard a person trains, they can never lower the transmission speed of their neural signals below 0.1 seconds. Of course, this is only common knowledge. Based on Soaring Snake's reaction time, his was 0.07 seconds, possibly around 0.06 seconds. His reaction was a lot faster than the average person. In other words, where an ordinary person can carry out three to four actions in one second, Soaring Snake can act over a dozen times.

"Because of this, not only could Soaring Snake dodge Shi Feng's sword, but he also managed to stab at Shi Feng twice simultaneously.

"This is no longer a situation of technique or hard work, but talent...

"One could say that Soaring Snake is a true combat genius!"

Chapter 406 - rapid showdown

Zhao Yueru was speechless upon hearing Gentle Snow's explanation; she was dazed as she stared at Soaring Snake.

Soaring Snake had never been so powerful in the past.

They never knew he possessed such talent. He had actually hidden his true strength so well. With this, who else could be his match in close combat?

While ordinary people could launch three to four attacks, Soaring Snake could launch fourteen or fifteen attacks. He was invincible.

Chances were that the only way to defeat Soaring Snake was to pull away and attack from a distance. Melee classes had no chance of winning.

"Hahaha! Ye Feng is indeed commendable for discerning Soaring Snake's ability. However, there is no way Soaring Snake will lose this match!" A huge smile appeared on Cao Chenghua's dignified face.

As long as Soaring Snake won this match, this competition would come to an end. Meanwhile, he would officially take hold of the position of Guild Leader.

Everything was going exactly as he had expected.

...

"I was just warming up. If I take this fight seriously, I will only become faster. You are pretty amazing for blocking my last two attacks. Let's see how many attacks you can block."

Although Soaring Snake was slightly surprised by how quickly Shi Feng had discerned his talent, his opponent could never overcome it. There was not a single Swordsman who could beat him.

Swordsmen mainly relied on their normal attacks in battle. It was a class that wore down their enemies by attrition. If faced with a ranged class, Soaring Snake might have had some difficulties. However, against another Swordsman, he was practically invincible with his reaction speed.

Moreover, he had also grasped Omnivision. He could easily perceive his enemy's every movement and strike their weak points. Combining this martial arts technique with his inhuman reaction speed, in a melee battle, he was invulnerable.

As he said so, Soaring Snake abruptly stomped on the ground, and like a fierce gale, his body shot towards Shi Feng.

Straight-line attacks could usually be easily seen and dealt with. Despite knowing this, however, Soaring Snake still chose to face Shi Feng head-on, as if saying, "Come at me if you can."

"You want to compete with speed?" Shi Feng's frown deepened.

Facing Soaring Snake, someone with such a unique talent, would be disadvantageous for Shi Feng. Although Soaring Snake's assault had many flaws, the Swordsman was not afraid of exploitation. Even if Shi Feng attacked Soaring Snake, the latter could easily perceive the attack with his Omnivision. With Soaring Snake's reaction speed, before Shi Feng's sword could reach him, he would have already evaded it.

Following which, Shi Feng activated the Aura of Wind of the Seven Luminaries Ring, increasing his Movement Speed by 40%, Attack Speed by 40%, and Agility by 30%. He then dashed forward to meet Soaring Snake in battle.

With breakneck speed, Soaring Snake had sent out sixteen sword images, forcing Shi Feng to deal with sixteen attacks simultaneously.

However, after activating the Aura of Wind, Shi Feng's speed allowed him to deflect all sixteen attacks easily.

For the time being, both sides were equally matched.

Despite Shi Feng having a huge advantage in terms of speed, Soaring Snake's reaction speed was unmatched. Even if Shi Feng's attacks were faster, Soaring Snake could respond instantaneously.

The clash of metal resounded relentlessly throughout the arena, the noise reaching deafening levels. Every time Shi Feng's and Soaring Snake's swords met, dazzling sparks would scatter around them.

The spectating crowd's hearts pounded as they watched the two Swordsmen confront each other. Each attack was simply too fast. The threat of death dominated each second. The slightest mistake would determine victory or defeat.

"Ye Feng is this strong? No wonder he was so confident," Zhao Yueru said with shock, her eyes focused on Shi Feng inside the arena, who had yet to lose any HP.

Fierce Snake, who had been resurrected not long ago, nodded in agreement. In such a furious showdown, he might not last even two seconds before suffering defeat.

"Of course! Big Brother Ye Feng is very strong!" Violet Cloud giggled.

What a joke. How could the publicly acknowledged number one expert of Star-Moon Kingdom, One-hit Asura, lose just because the opponent possesses a special physique?

"Fine, fine, fine! Your Big Brother Ye Feng is the most amazing!" Zhao Yueru was also relieved upon seeing Shi Feng's performance. If Shi Feng lost this match, today's competition would end.

Meanwhile, Cao Chenghua's team was also greatly shocked by the battle happening before them.

Soaring Snake was Ouroboros's undisputed number one expert, yet, an unknown player like Ye Feng could match him evenly.

"That Ye Feng is amazing. He is actually able to cope with Soaring Snake's violent offensive. Even I can't last as long." Nimble Snake felt slightly surprised as he looked at the relaxed expression on Ye Feng's face.

"However, the result of this match will soon be determined," War Wolf suddenly said, smiling faintly.

"Big Brother War Wolf, what do you mean?" Nimble Snake asked curiously.

"Soaring Snake still hasn't used everything he has. He is simply probing Ye Feng at the moment. Didn't you see that Soaring Snake hasn't used Second Acceleration yet?" War Wolf had the keenest eyesight among everyone present, and with just a glance, he could tell that Soaring Snake conserved a considerable amount of his strength.

"No wonder Ye Feng is still standing!" Nimble Snake laughed.

As War Wolf and the others discussed the fight, inside the arena, Soaring Snake suddenly retreated a few steps, pulling a small distance away from Shi Feng. Meanwhile, Shi Feng did not give chase. Instead, he silently observed the Swordsman facing him.

"You have really surprised me. Ever since I learned Omnivision, you have been the first person who has lasted this long against me. How about it? If you join us, Big Brother War Wolf can help you become even stronger than you are now. As for the remuneration Gentle Snow has offered, I believe that Brother Cao will not hesitate to double that amount now that he has seen what you are capable of," Soaring Snake said, smiling at Shi Feng confidently.

Even with his inhuman reaction speed, Soaring Snake found it extremely difficult to counter Shi Feng's attacks. Shi Feng's strikes were simply too fast, so much so that, if he had not perceived the attacks' trajectory beforehand, it would be impossible to dodge or block them.

If the Assassin Nimble Snake stood in his place, the battle would have ended long ago. Only a talented person like himself could possibly avoid Shi Feng's attacks.

"Cao Chenghua cannot afford to give me what I want. So, just forget about it," Shi Feng said, shaking his head.

"What a pity. Die, then!" Soaring Snake's smile instantly twisted into something sinister. In the blink of an eye, he launched eighteen sword images, blocking all of Shi Feng's paths of retreat.

Although the eighteen sword images did not appear to be fast, Shi Feng knew that Soaring Snake was no longer holding back. Of these eighteen sword strikes, Soaring Snake had applied Second Acceleration to every one.

When the eighteen sword images were about to reach their mark...

Shi Feng simultaneously activated Purgatory Power, Windwalk, Wind Blade, and Wind Rider, and rather than retreating, he dashed forward to meet the incoming attacks.

Shi Feng was like a phantom. In the blink of an eye, he had weaved through the gaps between Soaring Snake's sword images.

When Shi Feng and Soaring Snake collided, a silvery-gray flash appeared on the latter's body.

The time it took the two to cross swords was only an instant.

For some reason, however, an impressive gout of blood sprayed from Soaring Snake's body, splashing across the floor. Following which, Soaring Snake released an agonized scream as he tumbled to the ground.

"What?!"

"What happened?!"

The crowd fell silent at this sudden development; only the sound of Soaring Snake's scream echoed throughout the arena.

Chapter 407 - final battle

"This... What... What just happened?!"

"Why did Soaring Snake fall even after using Second Acceleration?!"

"When was Soaring Snake attacked?"

Cao Chenghua bellowed.

Cao Chenghua simply could not believe what he had just seen. From his position, he could see the entire battle, yet, he was completely clueless as to what had just happened between the two Swordsmen. It was simply ridiculous.

In fact, Cao Chenghua wasn't the only one confused. None of the spectators understood what had just happened.

The crowd saw Shi Feng dive headfirst into the Soaring Snake's sword images before he suddenly vanished. Before they realized it, Shi Feng had already walked past Soaring Snake's body. Meanwhile, multiple sword wounds had appeared on Soaring Snake, blood gushing from those wounds...

In this match, no matter how one looked at it, Soaring Snake had already obtained his victory, yet, the true outcome of the battle was completely unexpected. For a moment, nobody could accept this reality.

As Soaring Snake's instructor, War Wolf was most familiar with Soaring Snake's strength. War Wolf was also an expert with frightening combat power in his own right. However, after witnessing this scene, he, too, found it unbelievable, so much so that he was more shocked than everyone else present.

The higher you were, the better view you would have. Others might not have realized what had happened, but War Wolf had seen some clues.

However, his confusion was precisely because of what he had seen.

Although Shi Feng's speed was indeed frightening, it was not at the level of becoming invisible. Yet, the instant Shi Feng closed in on Soaring Snake, he suddenly vanished. By the time War Wolf noticed Shi Feng again, the latter had arrived by Soaring Snake's side, their shoulders brushing past each other.

In other words, when Shi Feng had charged at Soaring Snake, he had disappeared from view not because of speed, but because War Wolf's mind had failed to perceive Shi Feng. Even Soaring Snake, who used Omnivision and his inhuman reaction speed, had failed to perceive Shi Feng.

This was what thoroughly confused War Wolf. How had Shi Feng achieved such a feat?

Second Acceleration was a technique used to confuse the eye, utilizing acceleration to catch an enemy off-guard and attack their blindspot. With this technique, enemies would still have a small window to react. However, Shi Feng's technique did not allow his enemies even that brief time before his sword landed...

After Soaring Snake died, he dropped a Level 20 Fine-Gold ranked pauldron, which Shi Feng casually pocketed. Shi Feng also secretly collected an Immortal Soul.

Now, he only needed 9,999 more.

After Soaring Snake lost his Immortal Soul, not only did he lose a level, but he was also barred from logging into God's Domain for a time. As for exactly how long he was barred from the game, even Shi Feng did not know. If it were short, it might only be one or two days. If it were a long wait, Soaring Snake might not be able to log in for three or four days. In short, Soaring Snake would have to stay put for some time.

"Ye Feng, how did you manage to defeat Soaring Snake?" Zhao Yueru, unable to contain her curiosity, immediately went up to him and asked when she saw Shi Feng exit the arena.

She had too many questions about the battle.

Because of this match, Zhao Yueru suddenly felt like a noob that had only started playing games, completely clueless.

Despite having witnessed everything with her own eyes, she had no idea of what had actually happened.

"Do you want to know?" Shi Feng was slightly surprised as he looked at the excited woman rushing up to him. He never expected Zhao Yueru to be the first person to ask him.

"Mhm," Zhao Yueru nodded, her eyes revealing a hint of anticipation.

Zhao Yueru was very curious about how Shi Feng had managed to not only dodge the eighteen sword images, but also neutralize Soaring Snake's inhuman reaction speed, killing him instantly.

After thinking for a moment, Shi Feng said seriously, "I just went up to him and slashed him three times; that's all."

Everyone present was immediately rendered speechless. Zhao Yueru had been about to tackle Shi Feng and take a few bites out of him if it not for Gentle Snow holding her back.

"Alright, Yueru; everyone has their own secrets. You can't force him to tell you.

"Now that we have won the fourth match, each side has two wins and two losses. This result is all thanks to Ye Feng.

"The following match will determine the result of this competition."

At this moment, Gentle Snow felt very fortunate that she had thought of inviting Ye Feng when she had prepared for this competition. Although she had felt that Ye Feng had a good chance of securing a victory for her, she had never expected him to surprise her like this.

Despite facing the greatly enhanced First Apostle, Soaring Snake, Ye Feng had defeated him with overwhelming might. She could never have expected this result.

Gentle Snow found it very hard to believe that such an expert had remained unknown all this time.

Was it because they were too weak to encounter such experts? Or was it because these experts loved to play the role of a weakling? Even Gentle Snow was unsure.

However, the few fights today had certainly widened her horizons.

She really could not figure out what kind of Guild Zero Wing was. First, there was Black Flame. Now, the combat power Ye Feng displayed was not the slightest bit inferior, and might even be superior, to Black Flame's. Of course, Black Flame had never displayed his true strength to the public, so Gentle Snow could not be certain of who was stronger. Regardless, though, the two of them were true monsters.

"Big Brother Ye Feng, what's wrong?"

Violet Cloud could feel that something was amiss. The moment Shi Feng left the arena, he immediately sat down in the first row of seats. Now, his forehead was covered with sweat. Shi Feng was obviously dispirited, and he seemed exhausted.

"It's nothing. The high-intensity battle simply exhausted my mental power. I'll be fine after a short rest. You should get ready for the next match," Shi Feng replied softly, not trying to hide his current weakness. Although he was exhausted right now, he brimmed with joy.

Everyone had thought that he had defeated Soaring Snake effortlessly. In reality, however, it had not been easy to dodge the eighteen sword images while dealing a fatal blow.

If he had not been promoted to a Tier 1 Blade Saint with his Attributes enhanced greatly and his physical strength increased substantially, he might not have been able to use Void Steps in the exchange.

Although Shi Feng had other methods to deal with Soaring Snake, he had chosen to take the risk because he wanted to break through his personal barrier and improve himself further. Fortunately, his gamble succeeded.

Under the immense pressure Soaring Snake had placed on him, Shi Feng had finally reached a breakthrough and used footwork that he had never been able to use in the past.

Void Steps!

Void Steps was advanced footwork that allowed one to remove their presence from the opponent's mind.

In the past, very few top-tier experts had successfully grasped such advanced footwork. As for Shi Feng, who had merely been a first-rate expert back then, he had only ever succeeded in his dreams.

In order to learn this advanced footwork, Shi Feng had done countless research and trials. Yet, he had never succeeded. This footwork possessed an extremely high requirement of a person's movement and breathing. It was not a technique that ordinary people could easily learn.

However, Shi Feng's physique had massively improved after he had undergone his Class Change. His control over his body had also improved. In addition, he was currently playing the game through a virtual gaming cabin. Hence, Shi Feng had always thought of giving the footwork a try. Only, he had never found the chance. Fortunately, Soaring Snake had created the perfect opportunity for him.

With the threat of death looming, the pressure allowed Shi Feng to finally break through that unreachable barrier.

Meanwhile, as Shi Feng was still feeling joyous over his own breakthrough, the fifth match of the competition had begun.

Fifth match: Violet Cloud vs. Nimble Snake!

Chapter 408 - level vs tier

Shi Feng's overwhelming victory during the fourth match had undoubtedly formed dark clouds in Cao Chenghua's heart. As if something was stuck in his throat, Cao Chenghua felt extremely uncomfortable.

"Why hasn't Soaring Snake resurrected?" Cao Chenghua was in a sour mood.

If Shi Feng was so powerful, then the Cleric girl that came with him must be extraordinary as well. She might also know the same technique as his. Even now, Cao Chenghua had no clue as to what Shi Feng had done. Without that knowledge, he had no response to it. Most likely, only Soaring Snake might know what sort of technique it was. Since Soaring Snake was still absent, Cao's anxiety began to take hold.

Currently, the competition was tied, and Nimble Snake and Violet Cloud would face off in the final match.

Nimble Snake was an Assassin. Although he had an absolute advantage against a Cleric and had learned Omnivision and Second Acceleration, they would be useless against Shi Feng's technique.

"Brother Cao, for some reason, Soaring Snake has logged off and is still offline. I can't contact him at all," Nimble Snake reported.

At this moment, Nimble Snake was also panicking; afraid that his opponent would know the same technique that won the previous match. If he lost...

Cao Chenghua would be finished. His life wouldn't exactly be easy either.

Cao Chenghua paled as he looked at Soaring Snake's status window. He wished he could log off and strangle Soaring Snake.

Playing hooky at such a crucial moment, was he trying to toy with him?!

"Guild Leader Cao, you don't have to be so worried. Although Ye Feng is very powerful, that female Cleric is different from those like Ye Feng and me," War Wolf suddenly spoke.

"Brother War Wolf, are you sure?" Cao hesitated.

If Violet Cloud were not a martial artist like Ye Feng and War Wolf, then even if she had powerful techniques, Cao Chenghua would have nothing to worry about. A Cleric was still a Cleric after all.

"Yes. She does not have the unique aura that people like us possess. I guarantee it," War Wolf affirmed, nodding.

"Excellent!" Cao Chenghua's face lit up with a relieved smile. He then shifted his gaze to the other team, muttering in a cold tone, "Gentle Snow, oh, Gentle Snow. Although you invited an expert of such caliber, in the end, you are still a step behind.

"Nimble Snake, do not disappoint me."

"Brother Cao, rest assured. She is only a Level 22 Cleric. I could have defeated her effortlessly even before I underwent the special training." Nimble Snake revealed a sinister grin as he glanced at Violet Cloud who had already entered the arena. He was currently Level 24. To an expert, an advantage of two levels made quite a difference.

Following which, Nimble Snake entered the arena as well.

Meanwhile, seated in the spectator stands, War Wolf still appeared indifferent. There was not the slightest hint of a smile on his face.

In truth, he had only finished half of his statement.

Violet Cloud indeed did not possess the unique aura of a martial artist. However, with his acute senses, War Wolf could feel a faint sense of danger from her. This danger was slightly different from that of a ferocious beast. It felt almost like a divine pressure.

"Just what secret is this female Cleric hiding?"

Although War Wolf was not trying to boast, in God's Domain, he did not fear many people. Even if he encountered someone who could intimidate him, it definitely would not be the young little girl standing inside the arena.

Yet, there was something about her that gave him pause.

Meanwhile, the tension was similarly high on Gentle Snow's side.

"Ye Feng, will Violet really be alright?" Zhao Yueru asked as she took a seat beside Shi Feng. She wanted a straight answer from him.

Although she did not know why, Zhao Yueru felt that Shi Feng knew something she did not.

"It should be alright," Shi Feng said, uncertain.

"Should? What do you mean 'should?' If Violet loses, Snow will have to leave God's Domain forever! Are you really willing to lose her?" Zhao Yueru huffed.

Listening to Zhao Yueru's words, Shi Feng was suddenly speechless.

"Yueru!" Gentle Snow glared. To think that her friend could still joke at a time like this.

Gentle Snow was somewhat familiar with Shi Feng's personality.

Shi Feng would never speak without certainty. If he said it, then it was true. Otherwise, he would remain quiet.

"But..." Zhao Yueru knew that her questioning would not change anything. She only wanted Shi Feng's confirmation so that she could feel more at ease.

"I really do not know. Nimble Snake's current strength, especially after grasping combat techniques such as Omnivision and Second Acceleration, is a complete mystery to me. As for Violet's current progress, I don't know that either. However, she should be quite powerful. At least, without Omnivision and Second Acceleration, Nimble Snake wouldn't even be a challenge for her. Now, however, I do not know. We can only wait and see," Shi Feng explained as he understood Zhao Yueru's anxiety.

Before War Wolf's appearance, Shi Feng had been certain of Violet Cloud's victory regardless of who she fought. Now, however, Nimble Snake had learned combat techniques that very few experts knew.

Of course, although Nimble Snake had the advantages of levels and techniques, Violet Cloud possessed the advantage of tiers.

Simply put, the results of this match were unknown.

After listening to Shi Feng's explanation, Zhao Yueru grew even more nervous. Wasn't that the same as saying nothing at all?!

Gentle Snow, on the other hand, was greatly surprised.

From Shi Feng's words, Violet Cloud was actually superior to Nimble Snake. Nimble Snake had originally been one of the top combatants of Ouroboros, and even Gentle Snow could not obtain an easy victory if they fought. However, Shi Feng was confident when he spoke. Thus, Gentle Snow believed him.

Violet Cloud was only a young girl around sixteen or seventeen years old. How could she possibly be so strong?

If Shi Feng's statement was true, then there might still be hope. Moreover, Violet Cloud was a ranged class. She would have an easier time dealing with techniques such as Omnivision and Second Acceleration.

Suddenly, the countdown timer above the arena had ended.

Immediately, Nimble Snake activated Stealth and vanished.

One had to admit that Nimble Snake was indeed one of the top combatants of Ouroboros. After entering Stealth, all of his movements were silent. He was even stealthier than Absolute Heaven, and not even Shi Feng, who watched from the spectator stands, could tell Nimble Snake's exact location.

Time passed little by little. Other than Violet Cloud, there was nobody else visible inside the arena.

However, Nimble Snake revealed no intentions of making a move. As a result, the atmosphere inside the arena grew tenser as more time went by.

This was one of the methods often used by Assassins. By doing so, they could instill paranoia in their target, exhausting their target's mental fortitude. As soon as their target relaxed, they would launch a fatal assault. Hence, many players despised dealing with Assassins. After all, it was tiresome to remain on high alert for long periods of time.

Hence, Assassins had a natural advantage when fighting against all classes.

"Heh, that's quite some patience you have there, little girl. We'll see how long you last. The moment you relax will be the moment you die." At this moment, Nimble Snake stood only ten yards away from Violet Cloud. To an Agility-focused Assassin, an instant was all that was necessary to cross that distance.

Chapter 409 - the difference of tiers

The seconds ticked past.

The crowd seated in the spectator stands were on the edge of their seats. Although they were not the ones fighting, they were just as focused on the battle as the combatants in the arena.

This was the final match.

The result of this match would determine the fates of both sides. The winner would become the Guild Leader of Ouroboros, and their team members would obtain success and prestige. The loser, however, would have to leave God's Domain forever and those who followed them would struggle in the future.

As a result, the tension was practically tangible in the stands.

Even the Elders observing the fight from the side felt heavy.

"Nimble Snake, show yourself if you dare! It has already been more than twenty minutes, yet, you still act like a coward! Even with the advantage of your class, you play such a dirty trick! Aren't you ashamed of yourself?!" Zhao Yueru shouted, her crescent brows tightened as she frowned at the quiet arena. From the beginning, Nimble Snake had shown no sign of attacking. Zhao Yueru was greatly tempted to charge into the arena and fight the Assassin with Violet Cloud.

Nimble Snake was cunning. In order to gain victory, he would willingly act unscrupulously.

To guard against her opponent, Violet Cloud had to stay on high alert, focusing her senses to detect any movements.

At best, an ordinary person could only maintain their concentration for half an hour or so. If pushed any longer, not only would they greatly exhaust their mental fortitude, but they would also become susceptible to distractions. Soon, they would unconsciously reveal flaws in their defense.

However, this was a type of defense mechanism, so it was unavoidable.

Meanwhile, the match had stretched on for almost half an hour now.

Even Zhao Yueru felt her concentration begin to reach its limit. If this stalemate dragged on any longer, she would definitely falter.

When experts fought each other, even the slightest distraction could mean death...

"Hahaha! We never set a time limit for the matches, so it is up to them to choose how they fight. If you must blame someone, blame yourselves for not thinking of this beforehand. Don't you think it's a little too late to regret it now?" Blackhearted Arrow laughed triumphantly.

Zhao Yueru was suddenly speechless.

The statement was not false. It was true that they had not set a time limit for this competition. However, nobody ever expected Nimble Snake to do something so underhanded. Originally, Zhao Yueru had thought that she knew how low Nimble Snake would go.

However, it would seem that she still underestimated the treacherous bastard. It turned out that he did not have even the basic self-respect of an expert. He actually planned on dragging the match on for over half an hour.

"It was my mistake. I had forgotten to set a time limit despite knowing that we would face an Assassin," Gentle Snow said remorsefully as she watched Violet Cloud, who already began to show signs of mental exhaustion.

She had blundered during such a crucial competition...

Without a doubt, her mistake had significantly decreased Violet Cloud's chances of victory.

"Don't be too nervous. Just watch. I believe that Violet Cloud knows what to expect," Shi Feng advised, his gaze fixed on his guildmate as well.

"But..."

"Relax."

Shi Feng was not the slightest bit worried at this moment.

Although Nimble Snake was indeed skilled, he still had a long way to go if he wanted to defeat Violet Cloud.

Finally, half an hour had passed since the match had begun.

"It seems that this little girl is close to reaching her limit."

All this time, Nimble Snake had carefully observed Violet Cloud from a distance. In reality, he had plenty of chances to make his move during this half an hour. However, he resisted. To be 100% certain that he would kill the Cleric, he chose to wait until this very moment.

Sweat had already appeared on Violet Cloud's forehead. It was obvious that her concentration had reached its limit. Nimble Snake even slipped up deliberately and made a little noise when he was about ten yards from her. An expert with acute senses would detect the sound. However, Violet Cloud failed to sense it at all.

"Sure enough, she has grown tired."

Nimble Snake was overjoyed. He then circled to Violet Cloud's back, silently drawing closer.

Ten yards... Five yards... Three yards...

Soon, Nimble Snake arrived behind Violet Cloud and unsheathed his gleaming dagger, before stabbing it between the girl's shoulders.

Ambush!

Ambush placed the target in a Fainted state for four seconds. During the early stages of God's Domain, control removal skills were extremely rare. As long as his attack landed, Nimble Snake could kill her quickly with a chain of skills.

To ensure his victory, Nimble Snake had even used Second Acceleration. Even if Violet Cloud discovered his attack, it would still be impossible for her to block it.

The moment before Nimble Snake's dagger sank into the Cleric, Violet Cloud released a mighty roar.

Terrorizing Roar!

Terrorizing Roar Feared all enemies within a radius of 8 yards. Feared players would lose all control over their bodies.

Suddenly, Ambush struck Violet Cloud, and she entered a Fainted state, while Nimble Snake had been Feared by Terrorizing Rawr.

"Violet is amazing. She actually managed to use Terrorizing Roar at the very last second. Now, neither side can attack each other. Moreover, now that Nimble Snake has been exposed, he has also lost the initiative of this fight. Next, once Violet distances herself from Nimble Snake, she can wear him down and finish him," Zhao Yueru exclaimed after seeing Violet Cloud's performance.

However, Gentle Snow said, "No."

"Snow, is there a problem?" Zhao Yueru asked curiously.

"Nimble Snake is Level 24, but Violet is only Level 22. Though both of their control skills have a duration of 4 seconds, as Nimble Snake is two levels higher, the effect of Violet's Terrorizing Roar will definitely be slightly weaker. It is highly possible that the skill's effect will only last 3.5 seconds. However, Violet will remain incapacitated for a full 4 seconds. Nimble Snake can do a lot of things during that 0.5-second gap," Gentle Snow said with a grim expression. Although Violet Cloud's counterattack was marvelous, there was a small level-gap between them.

"Does that mean... we've lost?" Zhao Yueru's expression suddenly became melancholic.

Cao Chenghua had also revealed a victorious smile.

As soon as the control effect on Nimble Snake ended, the result of this match would be set in stone.

However, Shi Feng suddenly smiled and said, "No, we've won."

"Won?" Zhao Yueru turned to look at Shi Feng. Whispering, she said, "But Violet's Fainted duration is longer than Nimble Snake's. How is she going to win?"

"You'll find out," Shi Feng laughed.

"What?"

Shi Feng confused every spectator. However, since an expert like Shi Feng had said such a thing, he had his own reasons.

"What nonsense," Blackhearted Arrow scoffed as he glanced at the distant Shi Feng. Ridiculing, he said, "It is common sense that the level suppression in God's Domain is severe. One will only suffer if there is a difference of three levels. Although Nimble Snake is only two levels higher, it is enough to weaken a skill's effect significantly. What an ignorant fool–"

However, before Blackhearted Arrow could finish...

Inside the arena, Violet Cloud suddenly recovered ahead of Nimble Snake.

"No... How is this possible! It hasn't even been three seconds!" Blackhearted Arrow's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

Shi Feng was the only player who was not surprised.

None of them could understand how Violet Cloud recovered first.

"What a pity. You might be two levels above me, but I am one tier above you."

Violet Cloud looked at Nimble Snake, who currently shivered uncontrollably on the spot, smiling faintly as she waved her staff. A black magic array then formed beneath Nimble Snake's feet.

"Good. I still have a chance." Nimble Snake, who had originally begun to despair, suddenly saw hope. Violet Cloud had foolishly chosen a spell with a long casting time.

Although Nimble Snake still had no control over his body, he could see and hear without any issues.

The magic array forming beneath him needed one second to complete. Meanwhile, he was less than one second from reaching the 3.5-second duration of his Feared state. At that time, he could simply use Vanish to avoid Violet Cloud's spell.

However, as if ignorant of this fact, Violet Cloud continued chanting her incantation.

Just as the 3.5 seconds were almost up, and Nimble Snake was about to use Vanish...

"What's going on?" Nimble Snake suddenly noticed that he still had no control over his own body.

Meanwhile, the magic array Violet Cloud summoned began to activate.

Tier 1 Advanced Spell: Black Coffin!

Chapter 410 - unpredictable Astromancer

"What's going on with Nimble Snake?" Cao Chenghua asked, having paid attention to the system clock all this time. "Isn't he two levels higher than that Cleric girl?"

Nimble Snake had clearly been incapacitated for over 3.5 seconds now, yet, he was still Feared. Meanwhile, Violet Cloud had long since regained her freedom.

This series of events had shattered Cao Chenghua's understanding of God's Domain completely.

Even Zhao Yueru, who had thought that they had lost, was dumbfounded by what she saw.

Gentle Snow's gaze also held doubt as she watched the battle inside the arena.

The scene happening before her made no sense.

Among the crowd, only Shi Feng knew that Nimble Snake had fallen into a trap.

Compared to level suppression, tier suppression was far more powerful. It was like comparing the fist of an infant and a fist of an adult. The combatants were on completely different levels.

As a Tier 1 player, even if Violet Cloud fought a Tier 0 player who was ten levels above her, her control skills would be 100% effective or more. On the other hand, when a Tier 0 player used a control skill against a Tier 1 player ten levels below them, the effect of their control skills would weaken by at least 30%.

This was the harsh reality of gap in tiers.

This was why high-tiered players were so valuable and so overwhelmingly strong.

Before anyone in the spectator stands could properly analyze the situation, Violet Cloud sealed her opponent inside a dark and silent barrier. Nimble Snake felt as if he were locked inside a huge coffin.

This barrier stunned the watching crowd. Except for Shi Feng, of course.

Nobody knew how powerful this Black Coffin was, and they did not know what was special about it. However, every player present was an expert, and when the crowd looked at the pitch-black barrier, they felt their souls tremble with fear. The Black Coffin was like a giant beast, and only death awaited those who were devoured.

After trapping Nimble Snake inside the Black Coffin, Violet Cloud immediately distanced herself from it.

The Black Coffin would gradually dissipate after three seconds. By the time it vanished, Violet Cloud was already more than 20 yards away from Nimble Snake. Even if Nimble Snake wanted to launch a counterattack, he would find it extremely difficult to do so from such a distance.

"Eh? What's going on? Why didn't I receive any damage?" Nimble Snake had originally thought he was dead for sure. After all, an advanced spell that took an entire second to cast must be frighteningly powerful. However, he was actually unharmed. "Is it because of my level that the spell's damage was nullified? Or maybe this is only a control spell?"

Nimble Snake relaxed. He then focused his gaze on the distant Violet Cloud.

Although this distance was slightly disadvantageous to him, he had many ways to resolve this minor problem.

Suddenly, Violet Cloud waved her staff, and Sacred Sanctions descended from the sky, falling towards the Assassin.

In response, Nimble Snake sneered as he started moving. With little effort, he dodged the attack and charged at Violet Cloud.

However, Nimble Snake quickly discovered that something was amiss. Somehow, his HP suddenly fell by 500 points, and a moment later, it had fallen by another 500 points. Nimble Snake only had slightly more than 3,100 HP. Now that he had suddenly lost 1,000 HP, he only had around 2,100 HP left.

"But nothing hit me!" Nimble Snake was 100% certain that he had dodged the several Sacred Sanctions.

Before Nimble Snake could figure out what had happened, Violet Cloud sent another barrage of Sacred Sanctions towards him.

Nimble Snake advanced once more to dodge the attacks. However, he lost another 500 HP the moment he moved.

Violet Cloud sent an attack once more. Knowing that he could no longer afford to lose HP, Nimble Snake started using his daggers to fend off the Sacred Sanctions. This time, he did not receive any damage.

"I was found out?" Violet Cloud giggled.

Astromancers possessed very few spells that dealt high damages. A majority of their attacks were strange and unpredictable. This was what Violet Cloud had discovered after researching her new class. Even until now, Violet Cloud had yet to grasp the true essence of an Astromancer completely.

Black Coffin was one such skill. Any players caught by the spell would lose HP when they moved. Meanwhile, the amount of HP they lost depended on the spell caster's Intelligence. In addition, Black Coffin also had a Silence effect. This spell worked wonders on a melee classes.

By now, Nimble Snake had grasped the general gist of the situation. However, when he thought about how he could neither move nor use any skills, only enduring a beating, he suddenly grew sullen.

The crowd was also amazed upon seeing the effects of Violet Cloud's skill.

"This skill is so powerful! So that's why Little Sister Violet used it! Nimble Snake is dead for sure. By the time he reaches Little Sister Violet, his HP will have fallen to nothing," Zhao Yueru exclaimed.

"Although it is powerful, this move has a glaring flaw," Shi Feng said, smiling.

"Flaw?" Zhao Yueru wondered but quickly understood. In just a moment, her excited heart froze.

Since Nimble Snake lost HP whenever he moved, he would be fine if he stood still. With Nimble Snake's capabilities, he could easily block the Cleric's attacks. Unless Violet Cloud could suddenly become an Elementalist...

Moreover, since it was a spell's effect, it had a duration. When the spell's duration ended, Nimble Snake could move freely once again.

Since Zhao Yueru could figure out this simple solution, Nimble Snake could certainly figure it out as well. Indeed, Nimble Snake had simply chosen to remain where he was for now as he waited for time to pass.

Surprisingly, upon seeing Nimble Snake's actions, Shi Feng smiled.

To do nothing and give a casting class so much time...?

Was that really a good idea?

"Delaying for time?" Violet Cloud smiled faintly. She then increased the distance between them to almost 30 yards before she began chanting an incantation and waving her staff.

Compared to when she had cast Black Coffin, the channeling time for her current spell was much shorter. It was clear that she was not using an advanced spell as she had before.

Although Nimble Snake had revealed a throwing weapon, Violet Cloud had long since prepared for it as she cast a Sacred Shield on herself, the spell capable of absorbing a significant amount of damage. In addition, Violet Cloud could physically dodge the attacks sent at her. After all, an Assassin was not a specialized ranged class, so Violet Cloud effortlessly defended against all attacks thrown at her.

As a result, Nimble Snake could only stare at Violet Cloud helplessly.

When the Cleric finished channeling her spell, she pointed her jade-like finger at Nimble Snake, who stood 30 yards away from her.

Suddenly, her opponent felt a powerful suction, pulling him towards Violet Cloud. Although he tried to resist, his efforts were futile as he moved closer to Violet Cloud. Moreover, the speed at which he approached her on increased as he grew nearer.

The moment Nimble Snake arrived before Violet Cloud, multiple damages of -500 appeared above his head, and his HP decreased rapidly.

Nimble Snake knew that he was finished. A distance of 30 yards was sufficient to deplete his remaining 2,100 HP.

"To hell with it!"

A hint of madness surfaced in Nimble Snake's eyes. Now that the two were in such proximity, his daggers could reach Violet Cloud easily.

In a flash, Nimble Snake tightened his grip on his daggers and sent over half a dozen blades of silver light flying towards Violet Cloud.

In response, Violet Cloud simply flicked her finger.

All of a sudden, an incomparably strong pressure slammed down on Nimble Snake, holding him in place. Even the two daggers he brandished froze centimeters away from Violet Cloud.

In the next moment, the Assassin abruptly shot backward. Flying over 20 yards away, his body smashed into the wall of the arena.

Victor of the fifth match: Violet Cloud!

Chapter 411 - victory and defeat

Violet Cloud's easy victory had rendered everyone speechless.

Nimble Snake, one of the Twelve Apostles of Ouroboros, had been effortlessly manipulated, so much so that he failed to inflict even a single point of damage to a Cleric. If this matter reached the public, nobody would believe it.

"We won?"

Although Zhao Yueru had prayed that Violet Cloud could win, she had not expected that the girl could so easily.

However, Violet Cloud's skills were peculiar.

It was especially true for her final skill. It had complemented Black Coffin perfectly, allowing the skill to display its full potential.

Violet Cloud's and Ye Feng's combat styles were clearly different.

Violet Cloud had not used any stunning attacks like Shi Feng. Instead, she utilized her skills to their very limits. From beginning to end, Nimble Snake had no chance to employ his advantage of techniques. Violet Cloud practically had him in the palm of her hand this entire match.

Regarding combat techniques, Zhao Yueru did not think that Violet Cloud was much stronger herself. Unlike Ye Feng and War Wolf, Violet Cloud's techniques were not at an unreachable level. Only, the skills Violet Cloud possessed were simply too powerful. Despite Nimble Snake's techniques being far superior, he still lost in the end.

"Ye Feng, is she really a Cleric?" Although Gentle Snow rejoiced, she was also incredibly curious. She refused to believe that a Cleric could possess such powerful skills. Moreover, from the looks of it, Violet Cloud's Basic Attributes were significantly higher than Zhao Yueru's.

"Yes and no," Shi Feng said, smiling. He could guess what was going through Gentle Snow's mind right now.

"What do you mean?" Zhao Yueru piped in.

"Violet has already class-changed from a Tier 0 Cleric to the Tier 1 hidden class, Astromancer. Not only does she possess the inherent skills of a Cleric, but she also possesses the skills of an Astromancer," Shi Feng explained slowly. "Meanwhile, she defeated Nimble Snake just now using the Tier 1 Legacy Skills of an Astromancer. As for the might of those skills, you've seen them for yourselves."

"Tier 1 class? You're saying that Violet has already obtained her Tier 1 class?" Zhao Yueru's little mouth gaped, her eyes filled with disbelief as she looked at the girl smiling happily beside Shi Feng.

Tier 1 class!

This was a completely unknown concept to God's Domain's current players. Though, as an expert, she knew that a Tier 1 class was stronger than a Tier 0 class. However, the Class Change Quest was cumbersome. Not only would it be time-consuming, but the quest also quite difficult. As a result, she had chosen to focus on her level first.

However, she never imagined that there would be such a huge gap between a Tier 0 and a Tier 1 class.

"So this is the gap between a Tier 0 player and a Tier 1 player?" When Zhao Yueru thought back to how effortlessly Violet Cloud had defeated Nimble Snake, her heart was suddenly eager to challenge her Class Change Quest.

Meanwhile, after listening to Shi Feng's explanation, Gentle Snow had also come to a realization.

It was no wonder the two of them were only Level 22. It turned out that they had taken the time to complete their Class Change Quest.

"Zero Wing is indeed filled with crouching tigers and hidden dragons." Gentle Snow inwardly sighed as she looked at Violet Cloud. "It seems that Ouroboros needs to challenge the Class Change Quests as well."

A Tier 1 class was actually so powerful. If Zero Wing had a large number of Tier 1 players ...

Could Zero Wing even find a Dungeon they could not raid?

With such strength, leveling up would also be much easier.

In comparison, they had only been wasting their time and efforts by leveling up and raiding Dungeons.

At this time, the five matches of the competition had come to a close. Naturally, Gentle Snow was the overall winner. As for Cao Chenghua, the loser, at this moment, his eyes were bloodshot. He glared at Nimble Snake as thoughts of strangling the assassin filtered through his mind.

Despite all of his calculations and machinations, he had never expected that the two outsiders Gentle Snow had invited would be so powerful.

However, his thoughts were meaningless now because the Main God System had already begun enforcing the conditions of the contract. Cao Chenghua's body began to slowly fade out of existence as the Main God System expelled him from God's Domain permanently.

Just like that, the Acting Guild Leader of Ouroboros, a relatively influential character in the virtual gaming world, could not log into God's Domain ever again.

Without Cao Chenghua supporting them, Blackhearted Arrow and the recently resurrected Nimble Snake were at a loss.

From now on, Gentle Snow would be the Guild Leader of Ouroboros. It would be a piece of cake for her to deal with them.

Regret turned Nimble Snake's stomach.

Originally, he thought his future would be set if he followed Cao Chenghua. Yet, now...

Just as Nimble Snake and Blackhearted Arrow began to panic, War Wolf, the outsider invited by Cao Chenghua, stood and walked up to Gentle Snow.

"Miss Snow, we meet again," War Wolf greeted, a faint smile on his face.

"Do you have any business with me?" Gentle Snow asked, somewhat surprised.

In the past, War Wolf had felt only disdain towards Guild players like her, refusing to even speak with her. Now, however, he had actually initiated a conversation. It was beyond unusual.

Even Shi Feng was curious as to what War Wolf had to say.

"I only wish to congratulate Miss Snow for becoming the Guild Leader of Ouroboros," War Wolf spoke softly.

"Thank you," Gentle Snow answered politely.

In regards to the man named War Wolf, Gentle Snow could not see through him in the least. Moreover, the Shield Warrior gave her a sense of extreme danger, and she was quite uncomfortable.

Following which, War Wolf shifted his gaze to Shi Feng, saying, "I truly did not expect to meet a fellow martial arts practitioner here. Although I wish to exchange a few moves with you, unfortunately, I am only a Tier 0 class right now. I can only seek you out once I receive my Tier 1 promotion.

"However, before I leave, I have something I need to say to Brother Ye Feng. It is best if you leave Zero Wing quickly and look for a better Guild to develop yourself."

"Brother War Wolf, what are you trying to say?"

Shi Feng did not think that War Wolf was someone who would speak nonsense.

"This... It could be dangerous for me to go into detail, but recently, Zero Wing has attracted too much attention in God's Domain. Some people can no longer sit by and have begun to take action."

"Are you referring to Underworld?"

"No. Even I get a headache just thinking about dealing with those people. If you can hide from them, then hide. In the off chance that Zero Wing provokes them, the consequences would be unimaginable."

War Wolf simply smiled and shook his head before departing from the room.

Watching War Wolf's departing figure, Shi Feng grew confused. He could not figure out who else had targeted Zero Wing. Even an expert like War Wolf feared of them.

"Forget it. There is no point overthinking things. Let's just take things as they come."

Since he could not figure it out, Shi Feng no longer bothered thinking about it.

Why worry about trouble that might not even come?

After War Wolf's departure, Gentle Snow had immediately expelled Nimble Snake and Blackhearted Arrow from Ouroboros.

Although the two of them were experts, who knew what sort of schemes they would concoct in the future? It was especially true for a sly and treacherous bastard like Nimble Snake.

Afterward, Gentle Snow gave both Shi Feng and Violet Cloud 30 million Credits each as remuneration for their help.

Violet Cloud was stupefied upon seeing the numbers in her virtual bank account.

This was her first time seeing such an astronomical sum of money.

Shi Feng, on the other hand, was rather pleased after receiving the money. With this, he would not have to worry about the Guild's development funds for some time.

As Gentle Snow had just become Ouroboros's Guild Leader, she still had a ton of things she needed to handle. Shi Feng and Violet Cloud did not linger either, and they left the Underground Arena.

Just as Shi Feng and Violet Cloud were about to return to White River City, the sound of his communicator ringing suddenly reached his ears.

"Brother Feng, I have bad news! Something big has happened!" Blackie announced.

Chapter 412 - great lord 

"Relax; slow down," Shi Feng said.

Blackie wanted to calm down, but he couldn't contain his panic after surviving something so intense.

"Brother Feng, listen to me! A meteorite shower rained down on the White River City Region!" Black said excitedly. "Originally, everyone thought nothing of it. However, a system notification suddenly appeared in White River City, stating that the meteorite shower had destroyed the entire White Fog Canyon, a Level 20 to Level 30 grinding area!

"All the monsters within White Fog Canyon have gone berserk, and based on the information our Guild uncovered, these monsters have a surprisingly high drop-rates, and the EXP they give is also significant. On top of that, a Ruined Shrine has appeared inside the White Fog Canyon. We received information of powerful monsters guarding something inside the shrine. A few powerful Assassins even snuck in to have a look. They discovered that there was actually a Level 25 Great Lord ranked monster deep inside the Ruined Shrine. Currently, the various Guilds are organizing their personnel and preparing to raid the Level 25 Great Lord."

A Great Lord was an existence that surpassed a High Lord. Such monsters did not even exist in Level 50 large-scale Hell Mode Team Dungeons. At most, the Final Boss of said Dungeon might be a High Lord.

Yet, now, a Great Lord had actually appeared. Without a doubt, its appearance would draw Guilds to it.

The ironclad rule of God's Domain was that the stronger a monster was, the better its drops would be.

For Great Lord ranked monsters, at the very least, they would drop Dark-Gold items. There might even be a chance for Epic items to drop.

"Brother Feng, how many people do you think we should send?" Blackie asked.

"You're saying a meteorite shower has destroyed the entire White Fog Canyon?" Shi Feng's eyes suddenly shone. "Excellent! Blackie, notify Aqua and have her organize some personnel. We don't need for too many; around 500 people will do. However, they must all be strong. We'll meet up in White Fog Canyon later."

The matter regarding White River City's meteorite shower incident in the past was still deeply engraved in Shi Feng's mind.

Because of this incident, players engaged each other in a long-standing war. Whether it was the independent players or the various Guilds, if one set foot into White Fog Canyon, they would become entangled in this war.

However, what player could resist the temptation of the items inside White Fog Canyon?

In the past, even Shi Feng died no less than a dozen times for that particular treasure.

That's right; he died half a dozen times. That was equivalent to losing half a dozen levels.

Yet, Shi Feng had still thrown himself into the fray.

Everything he had done was for equipment and money.

"Okay! I'll contact Sister Aqua immediately!" Blackie disconnected the call and did as he promised.

"Sure enough, history has changed significantly. The meteorite shower has happened so early. I must take full advantage of it this time." When Shi Feng thought about how he could enter the White Fog Canyon so soon after the meteorite shower's appearance in this life, excitement filled his heart.

Shi Feng sorely lacked money right now. Currently, the Starstreak Trading Firm granted him a daily income of over 1,000 Gold. In addition, he received a dozen or so Gold when Guild members completed quests from the Guild Residence. Overall, it was a hefty income.

However, the Starstreak Trading Firm did not belong to Shi Feng. Moreover, his quest still demanded 30,000 Gold. Right now, he had not even accumulated half that amount of money.

On another note, there was not much time left before the Great Demon's Curse that afflicted Shi Feng would take effect. If he failed to gather the 30,000 Gold and obtain the Tier 4 Position Teleportation Scroll, he could not locate the Bible of Darkness and remove the curse. If he failed, Shi Feng would only have one end waiting for him.

Death!

Originally, Shi Feng had planned to exploit the market and increase his income through the Strengthened Armor Kits Melancholic Smile and the others produced. Now, however, there was no need.

His problems would be solved as long as he had the White Fog Canyon.

Although the meteorite shower had caused the appearance of the Ruined Shrine and had driven the monsters in White Fog Canyon berserk, greatly increasing their drop-rate and EXP, neither aspect was really important.

What mattered the most was the Starfire Ore!

After White Fog Canyon was destroyed, Starfire Ore had been found all over the area.

Starfire Ore was incredibly rare, and it could only be found around the crash sites of meteorites. Starfire Essence could be extracted from refined Starfire Ore and could increase the success rate of forging. The more Starfire Essence one used, the higher their success rate would be. Although Starfire Essence was ineffective when forging Dark-Gold ranked items and above, it could still allow forgers to produce various Secret-Silver and Fine-Gold Equipment. Hence, Starfire Essence was very valuable.

In the past, a piece of Starfire Ore could sell for 1 Silver Coin, whereas a piece of Starfire Essence could sell for 4 Silver Coins.

Even the independent players of White River City had hungered for Starfire Ore.

In this life, Shi Feng would not let this opportunity pass him by.

For the moment, everyone was still focused on the Great Lord of the Ruined Shrine. Nobody had discovered Starfire Ore or realized that it littered the demolished White Fog Canyon, let alone its value. Hence, this was the perfect chance for Shi Feng.

\---

Half an hour later, Shi Feng and Violet Cloud arrived in White Fog Canyon.

The layer that previously hid the canyon had dissipated. Instead, craters and flames filled the area. A dilapidated shrine loomed in White Fog Canyon's center. Plenty of monsters also patrolled the surroundings of said shrine.

After Shi Feng arrived, he discovered that players crowded around the entrance to White Fog Canyon. There were tens of thousands of players. However, although all of the Guilds of White River City had come, the majority consisted of independent players.

"Guild Leader, from our investigations, we discovered that Overwhelming Smile has dispatched over 6,000 members to White Fog Canyon, Emperor's Light has sent over 2,000, Assassin's Alliance has sent over 2,000 players, and Ouroboros has also sent over 3,000 players. All of these players are elites who are Level 21 and above. Yet, we've only brought 500 members with us. Do we really have enough players?" Aqua Rose asked worriedly.

"It's enough. Having too many people isn't necessarily a good thing. Moreover, our goal is different," Shi Feng stated.

Before his arrival, Shi Feng had done his own calculations. White Fog Canyon was not particularly large. The crash sites were also limited in number. Five hundred people were just about right for the task he had in mind. Sending any more would just be a waste of manpower.

"Are we not going to the Ruined Shrine?" Aqua Rose was greatly surprised.

Had they not gathered the top combatants of the Guild to raid the Great Lord inside the Ruined Shrine?

It would not benefit Zero Wing if Overwhelming Smile managed to raid the Great Lord successfully first.

Currently, their Guild also had quite a number of Tier 1 players.

Compared to Overwhelming Smile, they would have a much easier time raiding the Great Lord. Yet, that wasn't their goal?

"How could a Great Lord be defeated that easily? We are here simply to level up. Even if we want to defeat a Level 25 Great Lord, at the very least, everyone must be at 25 or above. Since they wish to raid it, just let them raid it," Shi Feng laughed.

What was a Great Lord?

A Great Lord was a monster would only appear as the Final Boss of a 100-man Hell Mode Team Dungeon. With only a group of Tier 0 players, what could they possibly hope to achieve?

Even if they drowned the Great Lord with corpses, the price they would pay would be unimaginable.

In the past, many Guilds had attempted to raid the Level 25 Great Lord inside the Ruined Shrine. However, after the death of several thousand players, they submitted and gave up the hope of defeating the monster.

Moreover, the various Guilds back then even had Tier 1 players in their midst. But what about now?

The meteorite shower had appeared a lot earlier in this life. Currently, aside from Zero Wing, none of the Guilds had even a single Tier 1 player. How were they supposed to defeat the Great Lord?

Chapter 413 - white fog canyon

As Shi Feng marked locations on the system map, more players continued to arrive at White Fog Canyon.

When Shi Feng had arrived, he had changed his appearance to Black Flame. As a result, he received an extraordinary amount of attention.

"Wow! Isn't that Guild Leader Black Flame?"

"He's so powerful! Just looking at him makes my heart pound! It would be great if I could become friends with him!"

"Why don't you look in the mirror first? Guild Leader Black Flame is the number one expert in Star-Moon Kingdom. Meeting him alone is a rare chance, much less becoming friends with him."

"Sure enough, One-hit Asura is here as well. Things in the White Fog Canyon will be more interesting now."

"No duh. Overwhelming Smile's influence in White River City continues to grow. If Zero Wing fails to achieve anything in the competition over White Fog Canyon, it will become the laughingstock of White River City."

"However, Overwhelming Smile has dispatched an impressive army of players. Look; even Overwhelming Smile's Branch Leader, Lone Tyrant, has shown up. A huge war is going to break out over the canyon. I hurried here specifically to watch this war unfold."

Upon seeing Shi Feng, many players began to discuss Zero Wing and Overwhelming Smile.

Currently, the atmosphere surrounding White River City grew increasingly tense with each passing day. Despite Overwhelming Smile's clear attempts to suppress Zero Wing, it had not acted directly. Thus far, it had only employed various plots to poach the members of Zero Wing. It was as if Overwhelming Smile was dead set on stealing every single member from Zero Wing. Meanwhile, Shi Feng's Guild showed no signs of taking action. The Guild had only declared that all members who withdrew from Zero Wing were permanently barred from joining the Guild again in the future. At the same time, Zero Wing also lowered their recruitment criteria.

Both sides appeared strangely calm as they maintained a delicate balance. No one knew what these Guilds were thinking.

There was a faint feeling of a storm brewing behind the scenes.

Now that these Guilds had gathered in the White Fog Canyon, they were both on high-alert for each other.

When Lone Tyrant saw Shi Feng, his eyes turned bloodshot as killing intent radiated from his body. He glared at Shi Feng as if the man was his greatest enemy.

Any expert could feel Lone Tyrant's killing intent. Naturally, Shi Feng was no exception.

"Guild Leader, it seems that Lone Tyrant's hatred for you is quite intense. Despite the fact that you've killed him several times, he refuses to learn his lesson," Aqua Rose giggled.

"He can only act this rampant because he has Overwhelming Smile backing him. Why don't we head over and kill him again? We can use this chance to massacre Overwhelming Smile and relieve some stress," Blackie snarled.

Fire Dance stepped forward and said, "I alone will be enough to kill him."

Shi Feng, who had busied himself with the system map all this time, simply smiled and said, "Ignore him. We have more important matters to tend to. Fire Dance, you, especially, have much to do."

Shi Feng thought little of Lone Tyrant. The one Shi Feng was truly worried about was the Overwhelming Smile branch based in Maple City and the several surrounding cities controlled by Underworld.

At this moment, a graceful and quiet woman standing beside Lone Tyrant softly reminded him, "Brother Tyrant, we have not come here to wage war with Zero Wing. Don't forget our goal."

Listening to this woman's words, Lone Tyrant shot Shi Feng a glare before turning to enter the White Fog Canyon.

The graceful woman then looked at Shi Feng and the others, sending them a faint smile before she followed after Lone Tyrant and led the army of over 6,000 players into the White Fog Canyon.

"I remember seeing that woman the last time I killed South Wolf. I think she was called Youlan? For Lone Tyrant act so subserviently, it seems that her status is quite high." Naturally, Shi Feng noticed the woman who had smiled at them, uncertainty filling his gaze.

Shi Feng had only paid attention to Youlan because of his intuition. He could feel an indescribable sense of danger from the woman.

Yet, after using Omniscient Eyes to inspect Youlan, Shi Feng discovered that the woman was merely a Level 24 Tier 0 Summoner. There was nothing special about her at all. Shi Feng began to doubt his intuition.

After Overwhelming Smile entered the canyon, the other Guilds promptly followed. Only Shi Feng and the others lingered at the entrance.

"Guild Leader, Overwhelming Smile, Emperor's Light, and Assassin's Alliance have already entered. Are we not going in yet?" Aqua Rose asked as she watched Guild after Guild enter the White Fog Canyon.

"In a moment. I'll be done soon," Shi Feng leisurely responded.

White Fog Canyon was a Level 20 to Level 30 grinding area. Or rather, it had been originally. However, after the meteorite shower, the monsters inside had gone Berserk and had become far more difficult to deal with. At the very least, the White Fog Canyon was no longer suitable for ordinary players around Level 20.

When in a Berserk state, monsters' damage and Attack Speed would increase by a minimum of 30%. With this increase, a Common monster would possess the combat power of an Elite monster and so on.

However, this was only the beginning.

As time passed, the monsters within White Fog Canyon would also grow stronger and more numerous. Soon, even the weakest monsters inside the canyon would become Elites, while a majority of the monsters would be Special Elites. There would also be quite a number of Chieftains and Lords.

Moreover, all these monsters would have also entered a Berserk state...

Just thinking about this gave one goosebumps.

Based on how long it had been since the meteorite shower, Shi Feng could say with certainty that there were no longer any Common monsters inside White Fog Canyon. At the very minimum, the monsters inside the canyon would be Elites. Moreover, the monsters would move in groups and respawn very quickly. There would also be many danger spots inside the canyon.

Meanwhile, the core area of the White Fog Canyon spoke for itself. The results of rushing in unprepared were obvious.

Currently, the baseline for entering White Fog Canyon was Level 20 Tier 1 or around Level 30 Tier 0.

Although players could improve their chances by going in with larger numbers, this canyon was still significantly dangerous.

Therefore, Shi Feng had sketched out a new map of the White Fog Canyon based on his memories of the past. On the new map, he had made sure to indicate locations that they needed to avoid. He had also marked a few mining spots and danger spots.

Although it was a time-consuming task, this new map would undeniably reduce the losses his Guild members suffered.

The minutes crawled by.

While Shi Feng was busy trying to recall the White Fog Canyon, over a dozen minutes had passed since the crowd of independent players and Guilds had entered White Fog Canyon.

Suddenly, the members of Zero Wing, who had waited silently at the canyon's entrance, noticed many players exiting the canyon. These players looked pitiful. They left in parties of twos and threes; not a single complete party passed the watching Zero Wing players.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Blackie walked over and asked, "What happened to you guys? It's only been around 10 minutes since you went in. How did you guys end up in such sorry states so quickly?"

These players had relatively powerful equipment. They were fully geared in Bronze Equipment at the very minimum. Logically, a party of such caliber should not have any issues dealing with a Level 22 or 23 Special Elite. Yet, all of these parties had lost at least half of their members...

"What do you know? The monsters inside White Fog Canyon are all Berserk Elites. Even our Level 21 Shield Warrior could only take a dozen hits at most. Facing one was hard enough. Yet, for some reason, the monsters in there move in groups of three at least. They also have a massive aggro range, so they are easy to pull. Many had party-wiped, and we only managed to escape after much difficulty. We've decided to level elsewhere until we hit Level 25 at least.," a Level 21 veteran player replied, sighing. At this moment, his heart still trembled when he thought back to those groups of Elite monsters.

Chapter 414 - beast war

Every Zero Wing member laughed when they heard these independent players.

In the end, independent players only amounted to so much. Even with a party of six, two or three Elites had been too much for them. They were truly weak.

"Guild Leader is being too cautious. How could an independent party's strength compare to ours? Now that Overwhelming Smile has taken the lead, won't those bastards claim the Great Lord kill?"

"It shouldn't be possible. It's a Great Lord."

"Overwhelming Smile has dispatched over 6,000 members for this, and all of them are elites. Killing a Great Lord should be child's play to them."

"Indeed. Even though a Great Lord is very powerful, with 6,000 players, they could simply exhaust it to death."

"I really don't understand what the Guild Leader is thinking. Everyone has already arrived, yet, we're just standing here. By the time we enter, who knows how many Elite monsters the other Guilds will have killed already. Why are we here anyway?"

While the members of Zero Wing grumbled about Shi Feng's approach, a team of several hundred players left the White Fog Canyon.

These players' equipment looked uniform, and they all wore the same Guild Emblem on their chests. They were clearly a Guild Team.

"What's up with these people?"

The crowd from Zero Wing grew curious as they watched the members of this Guild Team, disgrace haunting these players' expressions.

Following which, another large wave of players came out of White Fog Canyon, these players also belonging to a Guild. However, the second Guild Team had far more members than the first. Moreover, instead of slowly walking out of the canyon, these players ran in a panic.

This scene thoroughly confused the Zero Wing members waiting by the canyon's entrance.

Had these people gone insane?

"Wait! There's something behind them!" one of Zero Wing's Level 22 Rangers with the Eagle Eyes skill said.

Everyone from Zero Wing then shifted their gazes and were immediately dumbfounded by what they saw.

Previously, they had not been able to get a clear view due to being too far away. Now that it had come to them, they could finally see it.

Behind the frantically running players, thousands of Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys stormed after them. These bloodthirsty Monkeys released frenzied roars as they charged at the escaping players like a tsunami, devouring everything in their path.

[Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys] (Elite Rank)

Level 22

HP 16,000/16,000

Although these Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys did not have a lot of HP, compared to players, their bodies were half a size larger. Not only were they nimble and powerful, but they also possessed naturally long arms. In addition, they wielded weapons and were also capable of using these weapons as proficient as players. Defeating this monsters would not be easy.

Meanwhile, among these thousands of Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys, there were also a few larger Armored Battle Monkeys squeezed in. These Armored Battle Monkeys were covered in scars, a testament to the many battles they had fought. Compared to the Elite ranked Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys, the Armored Battle Monkeys were much stronger. It was not just because of their ranks as Special Elites, but more so because of their combat techniques, which were far superior than ordinary players'.

[Armored Battle Monkeys] (Special Elite)

Level 24

HP 54,000/54,000

Moreover, whenever the tide of Battle Monkeys caught up to some of the escaping players, they would only tackle and hack said players to death in groups of three to five; not every Battle Monkey would stop to attack. Although frenzied, these Battle Monkeys fought with intelligence and organization.

More players continued to die.

"Save me! Save me, please!"

"I don't want to die!"

Many players screamed as the Battle Monkeys caught up to them. As for resisting....

Most of them had forgotten how to do that. The players of God's Domain had never experienced such horrific slaughter before, and their legs had long since gone limp with fear. At this moment, only those who possessed a strong heart managed to keep running, whereas the weaker-willed players had died under the monster tsunami.

Although some of the escaping players were also attacking as they ran, there were simply too many Battle Monkeys. Retaliation was no different than pouring a cup of water into a raging inferno.

After a short moment, over a hundred players had died.

In the end, the players who escaped the White Fog Canyon numbered less than 500. These players had even implicated the Guild Team that had escaped before them, causing the latter to suffer another loss of over a hundred players.

After watching the massacre, the idle members of Zero Wing were stupefied.

These Battle Monkeys were terrifying!

"Are these really monsters?"

This question lingered in everyone's hearts. The Battle Monkeys had behaved completely different from the monsters they had seen and fought before. Fighting these monsters was no longer "grinding." Rather, it looked more like a full-blown war.

At this moment, the Zero Wing members who had previously complained about Shi Feng's decision fell silent. Now, they only admired Shi Feng's forethought. If they had not witnessed this scene and had foolishly charged into White Fog Canyon, it was highly possible that they would have suffered a similar fate to those players.

As for the other Guild members, they looked at Shi Feng with even greater reverence now.

While the crowd from Zero Wing continued to linger around the entrance, one Guild Team after another fled the canyon. As for the independent parties, very few had managed to escape as practically all of them had died inside the canyon.

Instead of calling the White Fog Canyon a precious grinding spot, it was more like a gigantic meat grinder.

"Alright, let's join the party," Shi Feng said after he finished organizing his map. He then said in the team chat, "You've seen for yourselves the various Guild Teams that have escaped. Most of those Guild Teams have more members than we do. However, as you can see, only half of them made it out alive. You can imagine for yourselves just how dangerous White Fog Canyon is, so I hope that everyone will obey the commands given to you. Do not take any arbitrary actions. If anyone violates their orders, I will deal with you personally!"

The crowd involuntarily trembled upon hearing Shi Feng's words, tensing unconsciously.

"Since no one has any issues, stand by the groups and formations previously arranged." Shi Feng nodded and said, "Let's head in, then."

After the meteorite shower, White Fog Canyon had ceased to be a grinding area. It was more like a super-large-scale Dungeon. Obtaining the Starfire Ore would not be an easy task. Instead of grinding monsters, they were about to wage war inside the canyon. Danger lurked around every corner of the map. Inside the canyon, they did not need to look for the Battle Monkeys, as the Battle Monkeys had long since been ready to ambush them. Hence, they needed to stay vigilant inside the canyon.

The formation Shi Feng had organized scattered the MTs around the team, whereas healers and ranged classes were safer in the center of the group. As for the Assassins, they were sent to scout ahead, reporting back any activities they discovered so as to avoid an ambush.

Under Shi Feng's lead, the Zero Wing team quickly arrived at the inner region of the White Fog Canyon.

During this period, everyone had experienced several battles, and the Battle Monkeys they killed numbered over a thousand. Everyone's experience bars rose significantly as a result. They had also obtained plenty of Level 20 and above Bronze Equipment and materials. Most importantly, the team had suffered zero casualties throughout the journey.

This situation caused everyone's reverence towards Shi Feng to soar once more.

Previously, everyone had simply thought of Shi Feng as someone with impressive strength. They had never expected him to be a superior leader as well.

Suddenly, Fire Dance, who was in Stealth in a nearby tree, reported in the team chat, "Guild Leader, a group of nearly 300 Battle Monkeys currently approaches from the left side of the team. Contact in roughly 30 seconds."

"Guild Leader, a group of close to 400 Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys approaches from the rear. There are also a dozen or so Armored Battle Monkeys with them. They will reach the team's current location in roughly one minute," Flying Shadow, one of the Five Demon Generals, reported.

Everyone's hearts trembled upon receiving these two reports.

The previous ambushes they had encountered had only come from a single direction. Now, these Battle Monkeys were initiating a pincer attack. Moreover, their numbers were far greater than before. The previous ambushes had only consisted of a hundred or so Battle Monkeys. Now, they had to face a total of nearly 700. They were outnumbered...

Chapter 415 - sword practice

"Sure enough, what will come, has come."

Shi Feng silently examined the system map of the White Fog Canyon. He was not the slightest bit surprised by the Battle Monkeys' pincer attack, smiling brightly.

The White Fog Canyon was like a Dungeon. There was a proper strategy to raid it.

Shi Feng had been able to lead his party around the canyon freely with what knowledge he had in his previous life. With the experience he had accumulated, leading his current party would be a breeze.

Compared to the past, the current White Fog Canyon was practically child's play.

Back then, not only had Shi Feng's party been required to deal with the Battle Monkeys, but they also had to deal with the sneak attacks and plundering of other players. This was especially the case when they faced the high-handed interception of the major Guilds. These opponents were far more difficult to deal with than the Battle Monkeys.

Currently, other than Shi Feng, nobody else in White River City knew that the Starfire Ore was the most valuable item in White Fog Canyon. Hence, this was the perfect chance for Shi Feng to make a fortune. Nobody would bother mining the Starfire Ore, so his chances of encounter competition were nil. All of the Starfire Ore throughout the White Fog Canyon was free for Shi Feng's taking.

If this were in the past, he would only have encountered such an opportunity in his dreams.

"Everyone, run towards the narrow gorge ahead," Shi Feng commanded through the team chat. "Cola, your MT group will be responsible for blocking the entrance of the gorge. The other MTs, get ready to replace them at any given moment."

Shi Feng had already considered every situation they could possibly encounter on their way here.

Shi Feng also knew the topography of the White Fog Canyon like the back of his hand.

A moment later, Zero Wing's team of 500 entered the gorge. Meanwhile, the Guardian Knight Cola, along with fourteen other MTs, walled off the entrance into White Fog Canyon's inner region. Anyone or anything that wanted through would have to break through these fifteen MTs first.

At first, the Zero Wing members still worried about the army of Battle Monkeys. However, after seeing Shi Feng maneuver his troops, they sighed with relief. They had never expected that this canyon would contain such strategic terrain.

In such a narrow area, the Battle Monkeys could not take advantage of their numbers. Moreover, with this setup, they did not have to worry about a pincer attack; they only needed to focus on a single location.

Shortly after everyone prepared their defenses, the first wave of close to 300 Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys slammed into their MT wall. Like the cavalry charge on ancient battlefields, the enemy stampede shook even the land. The sound of the Monkeys' bloodthirsty roars that echoed throughout the gorge sent tremors through everyone's hearts.

Despite having already experienced over a dozen battles, Zero Wing's elites still panicked.

Compared to the previous battles, this was on an entirely different level. The Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys appeared to be more organized than the foes they had faced before. These Battle Monkeys also seemed much fiercer, resembling the Battle Monkeys they had seen back at the entrance of the White Fog Canyon.

"Guild Leader, these Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys look strange. I feel that not only have they become more organized, but they are also stronger than before." Aqua Rose frowned slightly. Inwardly, she worried that Cola and the others might not be able to hold off this wave of monsters.

"Of course. The Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys we fought before were merely washouts. Meanwhile, the ones we are about to face right now are the victors, so, naturally, they are much stronger," Shi Feng explained as he nodded. "Moreover, these Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys have a warchief at their backs. Look over there."

As he said so, Shi Feng pointed towards a large tree outside of the gorge. Standing in the large tree was a slightly smaller Battle Monkey covered in fine black leather armor.

[Battle Monkey Warchief] (Chieftain Rank)

Level 25

HP 140,000/140,000

The Battle Monkey Warchief possessed the Warchief's Aura, increasing the Attributes of the surrounding Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys by 10%. An ordinary MT simply could not withstand the attacks from these Elite ranked Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys. It was simply impossible for a Tier 0 MT around Level 21 to survive. Hence, the various Guilds had been massacred upon meeting such monster armies.

Watching the Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys charge towards them, Shi Feng hurriedly said, "All Clerics, cast Sacred Shields on the MTs! Oracles, use Prayer Barrier! Cola, activate Guardian Aura!"

Immediately, the Guardian Knights and Shield Warriors on the frontline each received a Sacred Shield from the Clerics, the shield being capable of absorbing a large amount of damage. In addition, there were also Prayer Barriers cast in front of them. These barriers could similarly absorb a certain amount of damage from the front. Finally, Cola's Guardian Aura increased everyone's Defense. Faced with the physical attacks of the Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys, the Guardian Aura would be particularly beneficial.

Zero Wing's member's levels were, on average, higher than those in other Guilds. For this operation, the Guardian Knights and Shield Warriors dispatched were all Level 22 and above, and each one had at least 4,300 HP. Among them, Cola, who was a Level 23 Tier 1 Guardian Knight, possessed over 5,300 HP. There was also Ye Wumian, a Level 22 Tier 1 Shield Warrior with over 4,900 HP.

Just as the wave of Battle Monkeys arrived before Cola and the others, Cola suddenly shouted, "Aegis Protection!"

In the blink of an eye, a faint golden glow covered every MT.

[Aegis Protection]

Tier 1

Reduces damage taken for all allies within a 30-yard radius by 30% for 12 seconds.

Cooldown: 1 minute 30 seconds

Simultaneously, everyone readied their shields to defend against the Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys' attacks.

"Bang... Bang... Bang..."

The instant both sides collided, the Prayer Barrier shattered. Only the Sacred Shields still barely supported the MTs.

However, the Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys' charge was overwhelming. Cola and the others were forced to retreat several steps before they could stabilize themselves.

In the next moment, the Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys, which had stopped their charge, brandished their swords and sabers at the MTs. Their Attack Speeds were incredible, preventing the players from catching their breaths. Some of the MTs had been too late in defending against the oncoming attacks, their Sacred Shields shattering and receiving -200 damage.

Without the protection of the Sacred Shields, the MTs received around -800 damage every time the Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys struck them, and this was after the 30% damage reduction of Aegis Protection. Only Cola and Ye Wumian received damage below -500 points. If the MTs did not block the majority of the attacks with their shields, the healers would struggle to keep up with the incoming damage.

"I'll leave this to you all. Fire Dance and Flying Shadow, you two cover my six while I deal with that Warchief," after issuing the command, Shi Feng activated the Aura of Wind of the Seven Luminaries Ring. He then activated Wind Rider and flew towards the Battle Monkey Warchief.

When one met a Battle Monkey army in the White Fog Canyon, they first needed to exterminate the Battle Monkey Warchief. Not only could the Warchief increase his subordinates' Attributes and raise their attack efficiency, but it could also call for infinite reinforcements. Hence, players needed to kill the Warchief as soon as possible.

Players would simply be asking for trouble if they dragged the fight on for too long without killing the Warchief.

However, taking it out would not be easy.

This did not mean that the Battle Monkey Warchief was overly powerful. Rather, compared to the other Battle Monkeys, the Warchief was far more sensitive to danger. When its own life was at risk, it would flee. Moreover, the Warchief was also more agile than the other Battle Monkeys, as could be seen from its thin and lean body. Hence, players would find it difficult to kill.

When the Battle Monkey Warchief saw Shi Feng flying towards it, it immediately fled in the opposite direction.

Unfortunately, although the Battle Monkey Warchief was quick on its feet, it was far slower than Shi Feng when he had Wind Rider Active.

"Let's use you as practice for my newly-learned Void Steps," Shi Feng smiled faintly. Unsheathing the Abyssal Blade and Purgatory's Shadow, he shot forward, hurtling towards the Battle Monkey Warchief.

Chapter 416 - dance of blade

While Shi Feng hunted the Battle Monkey Warchief, the ranged classes of Zero Wing within the gorge began to take action.

Cola and the other MTs had successfully held off the first charge. The healers in the back had also stabilized the fifteen MTs' HP. The only thing left to do was to clean up the assaulting Battle Monkeys.

Standing in the rear, Blackie had begun to chant an incantation, waving his staff.

After becoming a Tier 1 Cursemancer, Blackie's damage had increased significantly. At the same time, he had also learned a new Tier 1 skill, Magic Synergy.

[Magic Synergy]

Tier 1

Increases the efficiency of the caster's spells, improving spell effects by 30% and reducing cast time by 30% for 15 seconds.

The density of elemental mana surrounding Blackie skyrocketed. Blackie then cast Stars of Light.

Due to Magic Synergy's enhancement, both the effective range and power of Stars of Light had increased by 30%.

In the next moment, a dazzling ball of light descended from the sky. Noticing this, the Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys responded quickly and tried to evade the incoming attack. However, while inside the gorge, other than advancing, their only escape was to retreat backward. Natural rock walls surrounded the Battle Monkeys on both sides, and it was impossible for them to scale these walls. With Cola and the other MTs of Zero Wing creating a shield wall ahead, and their companions blocking their rear, these Battle Monkeys could only watch helplessly as the Stars of Light descended.

They also had no way to block this incoming bombardment. AOE destruction spells attacked from all angles. Unless one had magic immunity, invincibility, or countered with an AOE destruction spell of their own, there was no other way to defend against the attack.

"Boom!"

The instant the Stars of Light descended, a damage of over -5,000 points appeared above the heads of every Battle Monkey the spell struck. As for the monsters further away from the site of impact, they, too, received damages of over -3,000 points. Despite having increased Attributes due to the Warchief's Aura, these Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys still lost close to a third of their HP.

However, this was only the beginning. Stars of Light had a duration of 15 seconds, and with each passing second, the spell's damage would scale up by 10%. After only five seconds, all of the Battle Monkeys within range had turned to ash, leaving behind a plethora of loot.

A large section of the gorge was suddenly empty. Making a rough estimate, over a hundred Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys had died.

"AOE destruction spells are awesome! Though it would be great if their Cooldown times were shorter."

Although Cola had seen Blackie cast the spell many times, his heart still trembled with excitement whenever he witnessed this overwhelming destruction.

The scattered loot on the ground and his soaring EXP bar also exhilarated him.

The EXP from Level 22 Elites was originally quite significant. Meanwhile, after the meteorite shower, the EXP from the monsters inside the White Fog Canyon had increased by three to four times. In other words, killing a single monster here was the equivalent of killing three or four monsters of the same level and rank outside of White Fog Canyon.

After Blackie's Stars of Light ended, Ye Wumian rose from Level 22 to Level 23, his HP breaking past the 5,000 threshold. Everyone else also watched their experience bars increase by a huge chunk. Originally, it would have taken them several hours to gain so much EXP. Now, however, they had only taken around a dozen seconds or so.

Stars of Light truly shone when used in a war. Not only was it massively destructive, but it could also shock enemies.

Take the Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys caught outside the range of Stars of Light for example. Despite having received no damage, they did not barrel forward after Stars of Light ended. They stood there with stunned expressions; their previous fierce momentum had completely vanished.

Unfortunately, AOE destruction spells like Blackie's Stars of Light were rare. Moreover, these spells possessed long Cooldowns, needing a full half an hour. In a battle, such spells could be used once at most.

"Stop daydreaming! All ranged classes, attack those dazed Battle Monkeys!" Aqua Rose commanded.

Suddenly, spells and arrows bombarded the dazed monsters.

Momentarily, the Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys were at a loss of what to do. They had even forgotten to dodge or use their weapons to fend off the incoming attacks. In the blink of an eye, over a dozen more Battle Monkeys died.

However, one would be sorely mistaken if they thought they could get rid of these Crimson-eyed Battle Monkeys so easily. As soon as these monsters regained themselves, they charged at Cola and the other MTs with even greater madness.

Suddenly, the second battle of attrition had begun.

Although the battle was vicious, compared to Shi Feng's battle, it paled in comparison.

Shi Feng's current opponent was the Battle Monkey Warchief, a Level 25 Chieftain that had gone berserk. Inside a Dungeon, the Warchief was definitely worthy of the role of a Boss. Only, its HP was slightly lower than a typical Dungeon Boss.

Shi Feng moved in front of the Battle Monkey Warchief with a flash, blocking its path. He then activated Chop and sent three silvery-gray blades of light slashing at the Warchief's thin frame, completely sealing off its exit.

"Zhi! Zhi! Zhi!"

The Monkey Warchief suddenly squinted its blood-red eyes as it screeched, releasing an intimidating power. It then took a step back, its right fist punching towards the convergence point of the three blades of light.

"Peng!"

The three blades of light shattered. The Monkey Warchief then took a step forward and swung its left fist, flames covering the fist as it flew towards Shi Feng's head.

The whole process had happened in the blink of an eye, and the Battle Monkey Warchief had launched its attack was a lot more accurately and faster than many expert players.

However, the instant the Monkey Warchief's fist struck Shi Feng's head, it felt as if it had struck air. Taking a closer look, the Monkey Warchief discovered that had only hit Shi Feng's afterimage.

Meanwhile, Shi Feng had used Silent Steps and arrived behind the Battle Monkey Warchief. He then used Thunder Flame Explosion.

The Tier 1 Thunder Flame Explosion possessed a brief area suppression effect when cast, slowing all enemies' movements within a 10*10 yard area.

Moreover, Shi Feng was now a Tier 1 player. Despite being only Level 22, the effect of the attack-type skills he used would not have weakened in the slightest even against the Level 25 Battle Monkey Warchief. Furthermore, Shi Feng also possessed the Golden Stigmata, which allowed him to ignore up to 20 levels of suppression.

Suddenly, the Battle Monkey Warchief's speed had fallen, having only one-sixth of its original speed. It was no longer capable of blocking or dodging incoming attacks in time.

"Boom!"

The power of lightning and fire assaulted the Monkey Warchief. However, it had a surprisingly high Defense for such a thin frame. Despite being a Tier 1 Blade Saint, Shi Feng only managed to deal over -3,600 damage to the Monkey Warchief.

Fortunately, Thunder Flame Explosion forced the Monkey Warchief into a Fainted state for six seconds.

Originally, Shi Feng had intended to follow up his victory with hot pursuit, taking the opportunity to damage the Monkey Warchief heavily while it was incapacitated for six seconds. In the end, however, the Battle Monkey Warchief activated Berserker Rage, becoming immune to all control effects and increasing its Strength and speed. It then unsheathed the war saber hanging on its back and brandished it at its adversary. Suddenly, nine blades of light wrapped around Shi Feng.

This was one of the Battle Monkey Warchief's skills, Dance of Blades.

If struck, even an MT like Cola would die without question. However, Cola possessed a large shield that he could use to defend himself; he would have no problems blocking the majority of the blades of light. Shi Feng, however, did not possess a shield. He only had his two swords.

"Good timing!"

At this moment, Shi Feng could feel impending doom approaching. Yet, he neither defended with his swords, nor did he activate Defensive Blade to save his life. Instead, he activated Purgatory Power and charged at the Monkey Warchief's Dance of Blades.

Void Steps!

Previously, Shi Feng would have never thought of confronting a berserk Level 25 Battle Monkey Warchief head-on. After all, the Monkey Warchief was terrifying after going berserk. Not only did its speed surpass Tier 1 players, but Tier 1 players also could not block its incredible attacks.

After his match with Soaring Snake, Shi Feng had finally succeeded in learning the advanced footwork Void Steps. However, he had not found a chance to test his footwork again since that match. Meanwhile, the agile Battle Monkey Warchief was the perfect opponent for Shi Feng to practice Void Steps on.

The usefulness of Void Steps wasn't limited to PvP. It was also effective against monsters.

After the Battle Monkey Warchief swung its saber, it suddenly discovered that Shi Feng had disappeared.

By the time the Monkey Warchief discovered his opponent again, the latter had already appeared beside it, casually walking past. Meanwhile, several bloody gashes appeared on its body.

Chapter 417 - blade liberation

In a withered forest located at the outer area of White Fog Canyon.

Fire Dance and Flying Shadow, who had been standing watch around the team all this time, were currently dashing towards the gorge.

"Sister Fire Dance, Guild Leader is too amazing! He can actually fight the Battle Monkey Warchief, a berserk Level 25 Chieftain, all by himself!" With eyes filled with anticipation, Flying Shadow added, "I hope that Monkey Warchief can last until we get there."

"Flying Shadow, you're still in a mood to joke around? Although Guild Leader is amazing, a Chieftain that has gone berserk is no laughing matter. In a moment, we'll need to be careful when we go in and support Guild Leader. We will lose our lives if we're hit by the Monkey Warchief," Fire Dance reminded him.

Fire Dance felt that it was too risky for Shi Feng to fight a berserk Level 25 Chieftain all by himself. Such a battle did not permit even the slightest mistake.

After Fire Dance succeeded in her Class Change Quest and became a Tier 1 Assassin, she had wanted to test her own standards. Hence, she had sent the members of the Guild out looking for monsters for her to test herself against.

At the very beginning, she had required little effort to defeat a Level 15 Special Elite.

She then challenged herself with a Level 16 Chieftain. However, twenty seconds into the battle, she was already in a miserable state. In the end, she had to use Vanish and flee.

Hence, Fire Dance knew clearly just how powerful a Chieftain ranked monster was, let alone a Level 25 Chieftain that was constantly in a berserk state.

"Sister Fire Dance, I can hear sounds of battle coming from the front. They should be fighting over there," Flying Shadow said excitedly.

Many people wished they could watch the battles of the One-hit Asura. Some players were even offering to purchase unpublished battle videos of the One-hit Asura at high prices, hoping to learn a thing or two from watching these videos.

Flying Shadow himself had also watched Shi Feng's battle videos over a hundred times and received great benefits from doing so.

However, at the end of the day, a video was still a video. It simply could not compare to seeing a battle live.

However, Shi Feng's battles were simply too fast-paced. Even though Flying Shadow could witness them, there was a limit to how much his mind could absorb. Hence, Flying Shadow also wanted a recording of the battle to study it in detail after returning.

To this end, Flying Shadow had specially asked Fire Dance to activate Holographic Simulation Mode to record Shi Feng's battle.

Before Flying Shadow had experienced a virtual gaming cabin, he had only been dismissive of the machine.

Wasn't it just a 97% sync-rate? The virtual gaming helmet also possessed a 90% sync-rate. How huge of a difference could there be?

The makers of the virtual gaming cabin were simply trying to swindle people's money.

However, after Flying Shadow tried the cabin for himself, he instantly fell in love with it.

Not only could the virtual gaming cabin allow him to display more of his actual combat power, but it was also of great help in regard to learning how to fight in God's Domain. The holographic videos in particular were far superior to flat-screen videos.

Unfortunately, there were only five virtual gaming cabins in Zero Wing's Workshop, three of which were dedicated to the Guild Leader, Fire Dance, and Blackie.

The remaining two had to be shared with other core members in rotation.

Currently, Flying Shadow was not using the virtual gaming cabin, so he could not utilize the holographic recording. He could only request one from Fire Dance. That way, he could properly watch the video the next time it was his turn to use a virtual gaming cabin.

In regard to Flying Shadow's request, Fire Dance was not opposed to it. She, too, wished to learn from Shi Feng's battle. Then, she simply needed to give Flying Shadow a copy.

When the two arrived at the scene of the battle, they suddenly saw Shi Feng disappear, before shortly reappearing beside the Battle Monkey Warchief and slowly walking by it. Meanwhile, a few additional gashes manifested on the Monkey Warchief's body, fresh blood spurting out all over the place...

"What's going on?"

The sight suddenly set off an endless ripple in Fire Dance's and Flying Shadow's hearts.

Each of Shi Feng's strikes only managed to deal around -900 damage; the three slashes amounted to just slightly over -2,700 damage. To the Battle Monkey Warchief, which had 140,000 HP, they were merely scratches. However, the Monkey Warchief appeared even more furious after it was struck.

Suddenly, the Battle Monkey Warchief sent a barrage of attacks raining down on Shi Feng.

The Monkey Warchief started using Dance of Blades with greater frequency, sealing Shi Feng's path of retreat every time it did so. However, Shi Feng also dashed directly at the Dance of Blades every time, disappearing before reappearing. Shi Feng was like the moon's reflection in the water; although the Monkey Warchief could see him, it always failed to hit Shi Feng's physical body. Meanwhile, the Monkey Warchief's HP also continuously decreased.

For a moment, Shi Feng had completely suppressed the Battle Monkey Warchief...

"Has the Guild Leader learned a new technique?" Flying Shadow muttered with uncertainty.

Though he wanted to call it a skill, that would be incorrect. Normally, powerful skills possessed very long Cooldowns. How could a skill that allowed one to disappear and reappear shortly after be frequently usable?

"It shouldn't be a skill." Fire Dance had been paying rapt attention to Shi Feng's battle, and with surprise filling her eyes, she said, "If it were a skill similar to Instantaneous Movement, then the moment he disappears, he should simultaneously reappear at another location. However, after Guild Leader disappears, it takes a short moment for him to reappear in our sight. Moreover, there is always an awkward pause whenever we activate a skill. Yet, there is no pause when Guild Leader uses that move."

Fire Dance's observations were indeed on point. However, they only gave Flying Shadow an even greater shock.

_Players can actually carry out such powerful moves without using a skill?_ This revelation completely shattered Flying Shadow's understanding of virtual reality games.

"Guild Leader seems greatly exhausted. It seems that this move places an enormous burden on one's mental strength." Fire Dance's observations were quite thorough, and very quickly, she noticed that Shi Feng's complexion seemed somewhat pale. His eyes seemed slightly dimmer as well. "Prepare to take action!"

In fact, it was exactly as Fire Dance had said.

Void Steps was advanced footwork, a technique that removed one's own presence from the other person's brain. In other words, despite others clearly being able to see and sense Shi Feng's presence, their brains would actively shunt this information to the subconscious mind and focus on other less-relevant information—which would result in failing to see or sense Shi Feng.

However, such advanced footwork posed extremely high demands on its user, whether in terms of movement, breathing, and so on. Although Shi Feng had already succeeded in executing Void Steps, and his proficiency improved with each subsequent use, the technique still placed a significant burden on his mental strength.

Flying Shadow silently nodded. At this moment, he had already focused all his concentration on Shi Feng, hero worship filling his eyes.

Even though such a powerful move greatly exhausted one's mental strength, it was still very impressive.

When the Battle Monkey Warchief had only half its HP remaining, Shi Feng was already beyond exhaustion.

"I guess using Void Steps to deal with a berserk Chieftain is really pushing things too far." Shi Feng smiled bitterly in his heart as he looked at the Battle Monkey Warchief that grew increasingly fearless the more it fought.

If he were up against a player, he could definitely finish them off after using Void Steps twice. The battle would not drag on for such a long time.

However, this battle against the Monkey Warchief was greatly beneficial to Shi Feng, as he honed his mastery of Void Steps with each subsequent use of the footwork.

Meanwhile, when the Battle Monkey Warchief noticed that its opponent looked no different from a tired dog, it squinted its eyes as it revealed a cold smile. It then brandished its saber, using Dance of Blades once more.

At this moment, Shi Feng was quickly reaching his limit. If he used Void Steps one more time, it was highly possible that he would faint on the spot.

Faced with the nine saber images that completely sealed his movements, Shi Feng suddenly erupted with power.

Blade Liberation!

This was the Tier 1 super-berserk skill Shi Feng had spent 20 Legacy Skill Points to learn. The skill's duration was only 20 seconds, and after that period, he would enter a weakened state, with all his Attributes decreased by 80% for three minutes.

If he could not finish off his enemy in 20 seconds, then only death awaited him!

Meanwhile, the weapon Shi Feng used Blade Liberation on was the Level 20 Dark-Gold ranked Purgatory's Shadow. Suddenly, the power of the Purgatory's Shadow flowed into Shi Feng; his body started glowing a faint red.

Shi Feng then tightened his grip around the Abyssal Blade and slashed at the incoming blades of light.

Chapter 418 - clean break

Faint red glowing dots began circulating around the blade of the silvery-gray sword, the dots closely resembling the twinkling stars in the night sky.

Upon colliding with the sword images, a bang resounded. Strong winds then blew outwards into the surroundings, sweeping the leaves scattered across the ground into the air.

The Battle Monkey Warchief's Dance of Blades suddenly vanished.

The Monkey Warchief was forced back by four steps, and a hint of fear suddenly appeared on its sneering face.

The man who was at the brink of collapse a second before suddenly possessed Strength that could make others tremble in the next second. Even Fire Dance and Flying Shadow, who were observing the fight from a short distance away, were stupefied.

"Guild Leader's Strength is amazing!" Flying Shadow exclaimed.

Shi Feng had actually managed to force a berserk Level 25 Chieftain to retreat. Even Berserkers, who were known for their Strength, were far from capable of such a feat. If this Strength were used against players, even if Shi Feng did not use any skills, he could still finish them off with a single attack.

"It isn't just his Strength, even his speed has received a huge increase. Before, I could still manage to see the afterimages of his attacks. Now, I can't even see his sword images. I can only barely see his hand swinging his sword," Fire Dance said, shocked.

An ordinary burst skill would increase its user's Strength and speed by 50% at most.

On the other hand, the burst skill Shi Feng used was simply too frightening.

According to Fire Dance's initial judgment, Shi Feng's Basic Attributes had, at the very least, doubled. Such an increase would improve his combat power severalfold.

Looking at the Battle Monkey Warchief, Shi Feng slowly raised the corners of his lips as he said softly, "Let's start the second round, then."

The buff Shi Feng received after activating Blade Liberation had far exceeded his expectations.

Not only had his Strength increased by 100%, but his Agility had also increased by 150%.

Shi Feng could overwhelm the Battle Monkey Warchief even in a direct confrontation now.

"Zhi! Zhi!"

The Monkey Warchief screeched and bared its fangs at Shi Feng. Instead of acting wildly like before, it calmed down and carefully observed Shi Feng's every action. It even tightly gripped its war saber and took a fighting stance.

"It seems that you're finally getting serious."

Shi Feng smiled faintly as he, too, shifted to a fighting stance, prepared to receive the Monkey Warchief's next move.

The Monkey Warchief possessed very high intelligence, and it was no worse than ordinary NPCs. Hence, it was capable of using skills based on the situation.

Currently, Shi Feng possessed Strength that surpassed the Battle Monkey Warchief's. Naturally, the Monkey Warchief knew not to try to suppress Shi Feng using its Strength.

In God's Domain, Chieftain ranked monsters were not only stronger than other monsters in terms of Attributes and techniques, but they also possessed unique traits.

It was precisely these unique traits that made it very difficult for players to solo Chieftains.

There was a large variety of these unique traits. Some monsters possessed extraordinary destruction skills, some possessed skills that enhanced their own bodies, some possessed very-long-range attack-type skills, and so on.

As far as Shi Feng could recall, the Battle Monkey Warchief possessed an ultimate move called Clean Break.

Clean Break was a skill with godlike speed. When activated, the Monkey Warchief would swing its saber with a speed that could not be tracked by the naked eye, instantly killing its opponent.

In the past, many Tier 1 experts had died from this single move. Even a Level 30 Tier 1 Shield Warrior expert could not withstand it. As for Tier 1 Assassins—a class known for its speed—they would be killed before they could even use Block with their weapons.

Even now when Shi Feng possessed speed superior to the Monkey Warchief's, he still dared not take the risk and had directly activated Defensive Blade.

"Why did Guild Leader go on the defensive? He clearly possesses Strength and speed superior to the Monkey Warchief's. He should be able to kill it with ease!" Flying Shadow said, surprised.

Standing beside him, Fire Dance was silent.

She had challenged a Chieftain before, so she knew how powerful a monster of that rank was. She, too, could sense that the Battle Monkey Warchief was about to display its true power, which was why she silently focused her attention on Shi Feng. She wanted to see just how Shi Feng was going to deal with this situation.

However, something surprising happened.

Although Shi Feng had readied his stance and taken defensive measures, he did not wait for the Monkey Warchief's attack to look for an opening to exploit. Instead, he took the initiative to attack first.

Earth Splitter!

A blade of light emerged from the fractured earth, slashing at the Battle Monkey Warchief.

Just as the mighty blade of light was about to hit the Monkey Warchief, the blade of light suddenly shattered, as if something struck it.

Meanwhile, by the time everyone noticed, the Monkey Warchief's posture had changed. Its body had also moved two steps backward.

It was obvious that the Monkey Warchief was the one that shattered the blade of light. However, Shi Feng's Strength was simply too overwhelming. As a result, the recoil had forced the Monkey Warchief to retreat by two steps.

"So fast!" Flying Shadow said in disbelief, his eyes wide open.

Flying Shadow had not even seen the Monkey Warchief draw its saber. This showed that the Monkey Warchief was even faster than Shi Feng.

"Six yards?" Shi Feng roughly gauged the Battle Monkey Warchief's attack range from its previous attack.

Clean Break did not affect the Monkey Warchief's Movement Speed. It only gave the monster a frightening drawing speed. However, its saber was only so long, so its attack range was very limited.

Based on Shi Feng's estimates, the Monkey Warchief's attack range should be six yards. The area within these six yards was the Monkey Warchief's absolute domain.

After identifying its attack range, as long as Shi Feng avoided moving too close, he would be absolutely safe.

Shi Feng then brandished his sword dozens of times in quick succession. As Defensive Blade increased his attack range, Shi Feng could always maintain a distance of around ten yards every time he attacked.

Meanwhile, the Battle Monkey Warchief also rushed at Shi Feng while defending against his attacks, trying to get within six yards of him.

Unfortunately, the Monkey Warchief's Strength was inferior to Shi Feng's. Every time it defended against Shi Feng's attack, it would be forced to take a few steps back. Moreover, Shi Feng's speed was originally faster than the Monkey Warchief's, making it even more impossible for the Monkey Warchief to close the distance.

However, Shi Feng's attacks were also unable to cause any damage to the Monkey Warchief; they were all blocked by Clean Break. Furthermore, the Battle Monkey Warchief's HP was continuously increasing due to its battle recovery.

"Sure enough, Clean Break is indeed powerful. However, what do you think about this move?"

Smiling faintly, Shi Feng activated Nine Dragons Slash.

Suddenly, 12 phantoms of the Abyssal Blade appeared around Shi Feng. Simultaneously, all twelve phantoms stabbed at the Monkey Warchief.

The moment the 12 phantoms entered the Monkey Warchief's attack range, it was as if they had stabbed into a protective barrier. The phantoms were instantly sent flying backward, unable to hit the Monkey Warchief at all.

However, Shi Feng was far from done with his assault. In the next moment, scorching hot flames emerged around the Abyssal Blade and the Purgatory's Shadow. This was the effect of Shi Feng's sure-kill skill, the Level 9 Flame Burst. It concentrated the power of flames to a single point for 12 attacks.

Suddenly, Shi Feng charged at the Battle Monkey Warchief once more.

Just as Shi Feng was about to enter the attack range of Clean Break, he suddenly vanished. Although the Monkey Warchief was on high alert, it still could not detect Shi Feng's existence at all. Moreover, it also needed to face the simultaneous attacks of the 12 phantoms; it had no energy to spare for locating Shi Feng.

When Shi Feng appeared again, he was already standing directly in front of the Battle Monkey Warchief. The Abyssal Blade was also only a short distance away from hitting the Monkey Warchief. Yet, the Monkey Warchief still managed to block the Magic Weapon with its godlike skill, Clean Break.

"What kind of Attack Speed is that?!" Fire Dance had been wholeheartedly focused on the battle.

Now, however, she, too, was stupefied.

In her view, Shi Feng's sword simply could not be blocked at such a short distance. Yet, the Monkey Warchief had managed to do exactly that...

How was Shi Feng supposed to kill it?

However, despite having succeeded in blocking Shi Feng's attack, the Battle Monkey Warchief had an extraordinarily grim expression on its face.

In the next moment, the Abyssal Blade cleaved the war saber in its path, like a hot knife through butter. Immediately after, the Purgatory's Shadow slashed the Monkey Warchief's body with zero resistance.

Following which, sword after sword landed on the Battle Monkey Warchief's body.

A series of eleven attacks struck the Monkey Warchief. Each attack dealt close to -10,000 damage. Some even achieved a critical hit, dealing close to -20,000 damage. The total damage caused by the eleven slashes completely surpassed the Battle Monkey Warchief's 140,000 HP.

The Battle Monkey Warchief was as dead as a doornail.

"It's my win."

Shi Feng looked at the dead Battle Monkey Warchief, smiling faintly.

At this moment, he was mentally exhausted. He sat down involuntarily, his body unable to even stand properly.

Following which, the sound of an emergency notification from the system rang out by his ears.

Chapter 419 - mysterious guest

"Guild Leader?"

Fire Dance activated Wind Steps and rushed over to the fallen Shi Feng.

Flying Shadow, on the other hand, was completely stunned by what he had seen.

He was still in a complete daze.

"Guild Leader, what's wrong?" Fire Dance asked, panicking as she looked at Shi Feng's pale complexion.

Ultimately, God's Domain was only a game. Even if a player entered a weakened state, only their Attributes would decrease. The debuff definitely would not weaken a player's mental state.

"It's nothing. I'm just tired; that's all," Shi Feng muttered a reply. "I'm going to enter System Sleep Mode to rest for now. You two take care of the loot and meet back up with Aqua. Remember, continue to grind in the gorge and do not go anywhere else."

The Battle Monkey Commander was not an ordinary Chieftain. It was a Chieftain found inside the White Fog Canyon, far different than other Chieftains. Without Void Steps, even if Fire Dance and the others joined hands to fight it, they would inevitably have to flee.

If Shi Feng had not used Void Steps during his battle, defeat would have been his only outcome.

Shi Feng's mental capacity had long since reached its limit. Now that he had used Void Steps again, he had exceeded that limit.

Nothing good would come from a player exceeding their own mental limit. Hence, the Main God System would automatically send an official warning, suggesting the player to enter Sleep Mode.

Players could recover their mental capacity while in Sleep Mode. In reality, it was exactly the same as sleeping. Only, while resting in Sleep Mode, players could recover more thoroughly.

After instructing Fire Dance, Shi Feng entered Sleep Mode and logged out of the game to rest.

"Sister Fire Dance, what happened?" Flying Shadow asked curiously when he saw Shi Feng log off as soon as he arrived.

"Guild Leader is exhausted and has logged off to rest. Let's tidy up the drops here and return to the gorge," Fire Dance said, sighing relief.

"Logged off to rest?" Flying Shadow was surprised, his mind riddled with questions.

This was the first time he had heard of a player needing to log off to rest due to a battle.

Flying Shadow had once tried to grind continuously for over ten hours. Although he was tired after his endeavor, he was fine after he ate some food and went to the hotel to rest. Now, Shi Feng actually needed to log off and rest.

However, after giving it some thought, Flying Shadow found nothing strange about this situation.

After all, despite the Battle Monkey Warchief being such a powerful monster, Shi Feng had soloed it with that mystifying move. It was unbelievable. Hence, it was not at all strange that it would take such a toll on his Guild Leader. On the contrary, it was perfectly reasonable.

"It would be awesome if I could learn that move!" Flying Shadow was still fascinated when he thought back to Shi Feng's battle. "But I think it will be very difficult to convince Guild Leader to teach me such a powerful move..."

"No! I cannot give up! As long as I contribute more to Zero Wing, Guild Leader might agree to teach me if I ask!"

Flying Shadow's loyalty towards Zero Wing soared once more. He inwardly vowed to contribute his all to Zero Wing.

After swiftly collecting the loot of the Battle Monkey Warchief, Fire Dance noticed Flying Shadow's dazed expression. At this sight, she could not help but chuckle, saying, "Flying Shadow, stop daydreaming. We're going back to the gorge."

Fire Dance could, more or less, understand Flying Shadow's thoughts.

A player soloing a berserk Level 25 Chieftain in God's Domain was undeniably a miracle. Furthermore, the mysterious technique Shi Feng had used shattered the common ideas everyone had of battles in God's Domain. Hence, how could she blame him for being mystified?

Compared to Flying Shadow, Fire Dance had a far more profound experience of the battle.

She was connecting to the game using a virtual gaming cabin, so she could see and feel the formidableness of Void Steps clearly.

The benefits she obtained from watching this battle had exceeded what she had gained from watching over a hundred battles of other experts.

"Oh." Flying Shadow followed hurriedly after he recovered his wits.

After Shi Feng logged off, the members of Zero Wing took up residence in the gorge. They did not go anywhere else, luring and killing monsters in the gorge.

The monsters in White Fog Canyon were numerous. Moreover, their loot was similarly bountiful. With a strategic location like the gorge, Zero Wing's players had nothing to worry about, even if they faced an army of Battle Monkeys.

Their leveling speed here was several times faster than grinding elsewhere. Moreover, they also obtained plenty of equipment and various materials.

However, while Zero Wing peacefully leveled, White River City had exploded with commotion.

\---

After the discovery of a Great Lord in the White Fog Canyon, everyone eagerly awaited news of the various Guilds raiding it successfully.

However, the results were completely unexpected.

Despite having sent so many Level 20 and above elite players, before the various Guilds found the Great Lord, they had lost over half of their players. Suddenly, everyone's view of the White Fog Canyon had changed.

Many players who had originally intended to rush towards the canyon to grind and level up dismissed their plans at this revelation.

However, although many had given up on the White Fog Canyon, it did not prevent them from discussing it.

Although most of the Guilds in White River City had given up on the White Fog Canyon, Overwhelming Smile, Emperor's Light, Assassin's Alliance, Ouroboros, and Zero Wing, the top five Guilds of White River City, still pushed forward in the White Fog Canyon even now.

Everyone had their guesses on which of these five Guilds would be the first to kill the Great Lord.

At this moment, the teleportation array inside White River City's Teleportation Hall started to flash, and six figures suddenly appeared. The instant these six appeared, they immediately attracted the attention of the players in White River City.

These six people possessed stunning levels. Each one of them was at least Level 25. Among them, one had even reached Level 26; this player had actually surpassed White River City's highest leveled player, Blackie.

However, this was not the most shocking aspect. The equipment they wore was what truly left others in a daze.

The equipment these players wore gave off the glow effect that only a Fine-Gold Equipment possessed. They also had a few pieces of Dark-Gold Equipment in the mix. The Level 26 Guardian Knight leading this party wore five pieces of Dark-Gold Equipment. Meanwhile, the quality of the Bone Shield on his back was indiscernible. Shockingly, this Guardian Knight possessed over 5,600 HP, an amount that not even the Chief MTs of first-rate Guilds had reached.

Yet, none of these players wore a Guild Emblem on their chests. Clearly, they were independent players.

It was astonishing that independent players had acquired such equipment.

"Boss, the people here are weird. Why are they all staring at us? It's giving me goosebumps."

"The country bumpkins here are just envious after seeing our equipment."

"This place isn't that bad after all. The average players here are around Level 18 or 19. It's just slightly lower than ours."

"Alright, enough. We're here on official business. First, ask around for information on that One-hit Asura."

Having their objective, the party of six exited the Teleportation Hall.

On the street, any players who encountered this party of six would unconsciously move aside and look away in fear.

\---

Unexpectedly, Shi Feng had slept for more than a day inside the virtual gaming cabin.

"What's going on?

"Why did I sleep for so long?"

Shi Feng was stunned when he exited the gaming cabin and saw the time.

Shi Feng had several years of experience using the virtual gaming cabin, and this was not his first time exceeding his limit. In the past, he had only slept around half a dozen hours or so. Now, he had actually slept over 30 hours...

This was the first time Shi Feng had encountered such a situation.

"What? Even the Nutrient Solution that's supposed to last me half a month has bottomed out already?" Before Shi Feng could make sense of the situation, he suddenly heard the virtual gaming cabin launch a warning, notifying him that the cabin's supply of Nutrient Solution was quickly running out.

Chapter 420 - conditions for cooperation

Although Shi Feng wasn't sure what had happened, he felt better than ever after leaving the virtual gaming cabin. Even his body felt relaxed.

Shi Feng exercised lightly, throwing a few dozen punches at the empty air in front of him. Every time he punched, he could faintly feel his fists piercing the air.

"My body has become a lot more flexible. Even the speed of my punches has improved significantly. It seems that the best way to train is with moderation." Shi Feng could immediately tell his body's current condition after his workout.

Previously, Shi Feng had trained relentlessly, constantly maintaining physical tension. Over time, he would become exhausted. Even when he drank Nutrient Fluids, the effect was limited and would never fully relieve his exhaustion.

After over thirty hours of rest, he was completely relaxed. As a result, he could now display his true power.

Although his physique had not improved, he was now more flexible than before. This was something that Shi Feng had always wanted.

_After sleeping for so long, I wonder if anything has happened in the White Fog Canyon. Hopefully, Aqua doesn't risk the team and delve further into the canyon._ After Shi Feng's brief moment of joy, his mind suddenly drifted to the dangers in the White Fog Canyon, and he began to worry.

The White Fog Canyon consisted of two regions: the outer and inner region. The Battle Monkeys in the outer region were tolerable, and there were only a few traps and forbidden areas. However, after entering the inner region, not only were all the monsters there Level 25 and above, but the majority of the monsters were also Special Elites. The danger in the inner region was many times higher than the canyon's edges.

With only Zero Wing's 500 members, even if they had a few dozen Tier 1 players in their midst, they would suffer terrible losses should they venture into the inner canyon.

Most of Zero Wing's experts were on the team of 500. If they died, Zero Wing would suffer for it.

Worrying about the possibilities, Shi Feng hurriedly ordered takeout. At the same time, he also contacted the game store and purchased a large batch of Nutrient Solutions. He had nearly depleted the Nutrient Solution in his cabin, and although he could use the gaming cabin without it, the Nutrient Solution was meant to counter certain situations.

If he did not replenish the Solution, should he exceed his mental limit again, his body would not recover to its peak condition like it had this time.

...

After a short rest, Shi Feng was ready to enter God's Domain once more. Suddenly, however, his quantum watch rang.

Looking at the caller ID, Shi Feng discovered that it was Manager Xiao of Big Dipper Training Center.

"Why is he contacting me all of a sudden?"

Shi Feng recalled that, regarding the matter of cooperation with Big Dipper, Manager Xiao said he needed to discuss things further with his superiors before making a decision.

In the end, four days had passed since they spoke, Manager Xiao had not contacted him. Assuming that negotiations had failed, Shi Feng gave up on the notion of cooperating with Big Dipper. Beyond that, Shi Feng had been busy with his Legacy Trial, so he had forgotten about the matter entirely.

Only after seeing the caller ID did Shi Feng recall it.

Originally, Shi Feng had already prepared to start his own training center. In any case, he had thirty million Credits from Gentle Snow, so he had the funds to start one on his own.

After a moment, he answered the call. However, upon seeing Manager Xiao's appearance, he had to ask, "Manager Xiao, what's wrong with you?"

In the image displayed by his quantum watch, Manager Xiao looked exhausted. It looked as if the man had not slept for days. There were even dark circles beneath his eyes.

Manager Xiao was a martial artist, so his physique was far from that of an ordinary person's. He also had the benefit of the Nutrient Fluids. Even if Manager Xiao had stayed up for a few nights, he shouldn't look this miserable.

"Hahaha! It's nothing! It's nothing!" Manager Xiao laughed. "Master Shi Feng, regarding our previous discussion, I've reported the situation to my elder brother. My elder brother held a Director's Meeting specifically for this purpose. In short, we agree to your conditions. However, we have a condition of our own."

"A condition?" Shi Feng chuckled before continuing, "What condition?"

Although Shi Feng was physically only 22 years old, he was mentally over 30. He had experienced many negotiations before, so he could instantly tell that Manager Xiao was hiding something.

Currently, God's Domain's popularity had exploded. An increasing number of people had become addicted to the battles in God's Domain, and many had lost interest in the fights in real life. Naturally, this would affect locations such as training centers and dojos.

Based on Manager Xiao's appearance, Shi Feng was sure of it.

Big Dipper Training Center's business was declining rapidly, so much so that it had caused even those in power in Big Dipper to tremble. Hence, they needed someone that could revitalize Big Dipper.

Although fighting competitions were becoming less popular, there was still a market for them. Only, other than possessing first-class facilities, Big Dipper had nothing else to offer. Compared to the dojo commanded by Jin Hai City's champion fighter, Chen Wu, Big Dipper Training Center was significantly inferior.

If they had a martial arts master to lead the training center, helping them forge a name for themselves and acting as a combat instructor, they could save themselves from their current decline. After all, the combat techniques displayed in God's Domain were mostly evolutions of the combat techniques found in real life.

"We require Master Shi Feng to compete against a well-known fighter. As long as Master Shi Feng wins, we have no issues agreeing with all of the conditions you have previously stated," Manager Xiao explained. "May I know your thoughts on this?"

Even a fool could tell that the big shots of Big Dipper wished to test Shi Feng's strength and at the same time, increase Big Dipper's reputation. Meanwhile, to garner fame for the training center, Shi Feng's intended opponent would certainly be powerful.

"Fine, but I have another condition," Shi Feng answered.

"Master Shi Feng, please don't hold back," Manager Xiao said excitedly upon hearing Shi Feng's reply.

"If I win, I want five virtual gaming cabins and fifteen S-rank Nutrient Fluids."

Shi Feng coveted the S-rank Nutrient Fluids. It was something that he could not buy even if he had the money. The virtual gaming cabins were similarly in high demand. Currently, Zero Wing's Workshop was still in its development phase. If he wanted to improve the Workshop quickly, he needed a large number of experts. However, ordinary experts of God's Domain would not do. He needed top-tier experts.

With the virtual gaming helmet's 90% sync-rate, it was simply impossible to nurture a top-tier expert.

However, until this day, Zero Wing only had a measly five virtual gaming cabins. Ignoring the ones dedicated to himself, Fire Dance, and Blackie, there were only two cabins available for the other core members of the Workshop.

If he could obtain another five virtual gaming cabins, although not every core member could have their personal cabin, rotating use should suffice.

"This..." Manager Xiao felt cornered upon hearing Shi Feng's request.

Fifteen bottles of S-rank Nutrient Fluids. With Big Dipper's connections, they could barely obtain so many. As for the five virtual gaming cabins, there were no problems on that end, either. However, these items together were worth around thirty million Credits. Even to a successful corporation like Big Dipper, this was not a small sum of money.

Normally, they could have afforded to agree to Shi Feng's request. Now, however, Big Dipper's business was not doing too well...

"No good?" Shi Feng frowned slightly as he said, "If you can't do it, I can only look elsewhere."

His demands were not particularly extravagant. After all, as long as he won the match, Big Dipper would double their profits. Moreover, thirty million Credits was spare change to Big Dipper. If they were unwilling to pay such a small price, Shi Feng might as well start his own training center.