《Rebirth of the Thief Who Roamed the World》 Chapter 835 - Village Slaughter Nie Yan and the shadow clone killed their way into the village. Apart from Wilful and the Silver Wings, the rest were nothing but small fry. Footage of the battle was live-streamed on the forums, causing the players of the Evil Faction to blush with shame. They feared there was no one among them that could rival Nie Yan. Even your average player would become unstoppable on the battlefield after donning the Tyrant Abak Set, let alone a top expert like the Mad Rogue! When ordinary players attacked Nie Yan, they could barely hit him in the double digits. Some of the weaker ones couldn¡¯t even break through his defense. With the gap between the two sides being so large, what was there they could do? In the blink of an eye, Nie Yan had wiped out 80% of Winterless Night¡¯s 100-man force. The Mad Rogue! The Slaughter God! Everywhere he passed, a bloodbath would follow! Winterless Night was scared out of his wits. He hurriedly shouted, ¡°R-retreat! Everyone, retreat!¡± Hearing Winterless Night¡¯s orders, the Silver Wings breathed a sigh of relief and withdrew. Nie Yan looked up ahead, only to see Wilful fleeing as though the devil was on his tail. You want to leave just like that!? Not without losing a few limbs you won¡¯t! Gale Step! Nie Yan blurred into motion and rapidly closed in on Wilful. Wilful grew anxious. He pulled out an Unknown Transfer Scroll and prepared to teleport away, when Nie Yan targeted him with a Shackles of Strife Scroll. ¡°Shit!¡± Wilful cursed. With a wave of his staff, he blinked six meters away. However, Nie Yan was simply too fast, pushing the limits of speed. Just as Wilful¡¯s feet touched the ground after teleporting, Nie Yan had already arrived behind him. The Bloody Dagger drew a dazzling streak through the air as it stabbed toward the back of his head. Wilful waved his staff, erecting a bone shield between him and Nie Yan. BANG! The shield violently trembled but didn¡¯t shatter. The Undead Empire had very few Soulweavers. Even up until now, there were only 30 or so. Those who successfully class advanced had overcome perilous trials. So, they all had some actual skills and talent. Wilful¡¯s grasp on timing and combat awareness was especially good. In the entire Evil Faction, those who could survive several moves from Nie Yan didn¡¯t exceed 20. Wilful leaped back and targeted Nie Yan with several curses, only to discover they had no effect. His magic resistance was too high! BANG! The bone shield shattered into pieces. Wilful¡¯s heart tightened. Blink! He teleported another six meters away. Dashing Strike! Nie Yan shot forward, instantly closing the distance, and stabbed toward Wilful¡¯s spine. Wilful waved his staff. A dense smoke screen suddenly emerged around him. Nie Yan lost his target which caused his attack to miss. He could barely see anything in the smoke screen. Eye of Truth! Nie Yan¡¯s eyes blossomed out with a profound light. He instantly pierced through the smoke screen and locked onto Wilful. Wilful was frantically setting up traps around him. He was trying to take advantage of the smoke screen to surprise Nie Yan. Suddenly, he felt a pair of demonic red eyes pierce through the dense smoke and lock onto him. His heart trembled violently. Shit! He found me! Wilful hurriedly summoned a dozen skeletons with a wave of his staff. He ordered them to stop Nie Yan while he retreated back. Howl of Terror! Wilful opened his mouth and let out a soul-shaking howl which contained the malice of a thousand evil spirits. Mind Immune! As the sound wave swept over Nie Yan, a miss floated up above his head. Necromancers specialized in summoning magic. They could raise entire armies and even boss level undead. However, these skills weren¡¯t practical in PvP. All of Wilful¡¯s spells were useless in front of Nie Yan. His old bread and butter tricks and tactics also failed to have any effect. Nie Yan appeared behind Wilful with shadow steps. Lockdown! Wilful tried to flee with Blink, only to find his body frozen in place. He felt a sharp blade pressed to his throat. PSFHT! A streak of blood splattered out into the air. His eyes went dim as he slumped to the ground. Instant kill! Nie Yan gazed in the distance. Everyone had fled away while he killed Wilful. He shifted his attention back to Wilful¡¯s corpse. He had dropped a Level 130 Legendary Necklace that increased the effectiveness of summoning magic by 50%. Nie Yan estimated he could sell it for a good price to Fallen Angel. After putting the necklace away in his bag, Nie Yan stood back up. The battle over at the village entrance had just concluded. The several NPCs were turned to ashes by Lil¡¯ Gold¡¯s flames. Meanwhile, Paladin Lafus had taken care of the last few stragglers. An eerie silence fell over this village, not a soul was in sight, only the corpses of players and NPCs. The rundown village, with only a few thatched huts, looked particularly bleak. Bennett¡¯s Soul fluttered in front of Nie Yan before drifting towards one of the thatched huts. Nie Yan entered inside and discovered it was a shop. He spotted a row of shabby shelves filled with various items, such as monster hides, bones, gems, and various other goods. Tucked away in the corner was a large pile of scrolls. There had to be at least a hundred of them! These were all high level scrolls. There was quite a wide variety, more than 20 different kinds. Running some calculations in his head, Nie Yan estimated their value was in excess of 60,000 gold. The gems on the shelves were also worth at least 100,000 gold. Nie Yan swept everything in the shop into his bag. Nie Yan finally understood why players from both factions chose to attack the villages and small towns of the opposing faction. These places were treasure troves! He could collect his spoils of war without having to worry about his Influence falling. In fact, he¡¯d be rewarded with Glory for razing an enemy settlement! Bennett¡¯s Soul hovered over a thumb-sized stone. It was polished smooth and looked like an oddly shaped oval. Empress Finas¡¯ Stone: Special Item Effect: Unknown Nie Yan picked up the stone to examine its properties, when he received a notification. Bring Empress Finas¡¯ Stone to Old Goblin Monat. He will provide you with clues. This was the first part of a quest! The quest information didn¡¯t give him the location of Old Goblin Monat. Nie Yan glanced at Bennett¡¯s Soul fluttering around him. It seemed to know! After not finding anything else, Nie Yan walked out of the shop. News of Nie Yan attacking a village and slaughtering over 400 players spread like wildfire, creating a huge uproar. A single person had taken on over 600 players and several dozen Level 180 Elite NPCs all by himself! This was simply inconceivable. Those who died at Nie Yan¡¯s hands also included a Soulweaver and three Silver Wings! Perhaps Nie Yan was the only one who could pull of such a crazy stunt! After this incident, many players no longer dared to trouble Nie Yan. Those flocking over in the hopes of obtaining the Death God¡¯s Edge and Paternoster¡¯s Warhammer felt a bucket of cold water poured over their heads. They once more realized who they were dealing with. This wasn¡¯t taking candy from a baby but rather a gold coin from the mouth of a dragon! Walking over to the center of the village, Nie Yan was just about to leave, when a powerful gust of scorching hot air blasted past him, threatening to upturn the surrounding buildings. A tall silhouette appeared in Nie Yan¡¯s eyes. The appearance of this newcomer was extremely strange. He looked both human and demonic, with a single horn on his head and a long scaly tail, but no wings. The figure walked toward him step by step. Space itself seemed to stagnate. His eyes glowed with an ominous red light, almost as if he could seize your soul with a single glance. A powerful boss level NPC! As Nie Yan¡¯s eyes fell on the monster, his body turned stiff. Every movement became cumbersome. Glancing at his status bar, he was under the effect of fear! Not just Nie Yan, Lil¡¯ Gold, Paladin Lafus, and the shadow clone were also frozen stiff. Transcendent Insight! Half-Demon Angud (Demonified Lord): Level 180 Titles: Legendary Demon Half-Demon Angud was just like Phantom Princess Ina, a Level 180 Demonified Lord! Half-Demon Angud walked over toward Nie Yan. As he passed by Paladin Lafus, he casually swung his fist. THWACK! Paladin Lafus¡¯ body was sent flying like a ragdoll. Instant kill! What the fuck!? Just where did this guy come from! Nie Yan didn¡¯t expect razing a small village would draw the attention of such a powerful boss! This wasn¡¯t good. In fact, meeting this kind of powerful Demonified Lord was a complete disaster! This was some abysmal luck! Fallen Angel had razed more than a dozen villages in the Satreen Empire, but they were never chased down by a monster like this! Yet he took down one smaller than small village, and a Level 180 Demonified Lord showed up! The last time Nie Yan faced a monster of this level was Phantom Princess Ina. It took hundreds of thousands of players, thousands of arrow towers, over 300 cannon towers, and 50 catapults just to take her down. Even then, she had torn through almost half of Okoron! Now, he had to face a similarly frightening existence all by himself! Needless to stay, he didn''t stand a ghost of a chance! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 836 - Forbidden Zone Nie Yan struggled to turn his head. Half-Demon Angud was only 100 meters away from him. A premonition of death welled up from the bottom of Nie Yan¡¯s heart. He glanced at his skill bar. He had no other choice. He had to face the enemy. His eyes fell on the only skill that could be of some use, Frozen Fortress. At the very least, it would buy him some precious time which he could use to find an opportunity to escape. The Tyrant Abak Set had the Instant Transmission Skill. However, bosses like Angud all had skills that could interrupt teleportation. He needed at least 10 seconds of time to escape with Instant Transmission or an Unknown Transfer Scroll. Angud approached closer and closer. Nie Yan clenched Paternoster¡¯s Warhammer in his hand, preparing to activate Frozen Fortress at a moment¡¯s notice. At this moment, Battle Angel Kalenna awoke from her slumber and waved her staff. A white radiance descended from the sky and fell over Nie Yan. The fear status effect was dispelled. Nie Yan could move again! Gale Step! Nie Yan bolted for his life. ¡°Curses! A Battle Angel! Wretched being of light!¡± Angud chased after Nie Yan. Nie Yan felt a corrosive miasma forming into a powerful whirlwind beside him, threatening to swallow him up. Battle Angel Kalenna waved her staff, shielding Nie Yan with a formidable shield of holy light. Angud spat out several deep syllables. A shower of black meteors started raining down from the sky, destroying everything in a 600-meter wide area. Nie Yan believed he was dead. With so many meteors, there was no way he could dodge. Glancing down at his hotbar, he discovered Instant Transmission and the Unknown Transfer Scrolls were grayed out. Just as Nie Yan was about to be annihilated by the black meteors, an enormous pillar of light shot up into the sky. It dissipated the meteors into ash and then disappeared. Nie Yan¡¯s jaw dropped as he stared at the scene with widened eyes. He didn¡¯t expect Battle Angel Kalenna to take action, let alone go toe to toe with a Level 180 Demonified Lord! Nie Yan realized what was going on. Angels and demons were sworn enemies, like fire and water. That was why Kalenna was helping him. Angud unleashed various spells and curses. However, they were all neutralized by Battle Angel Kalenna. If it were just Nie Yan, just one or two of these spells or curses would¡¯ve been enough to kill him. Nie Yan turned tail and ran as fast as his two legs would carry him. He tried anything to shake off Angud. But no matter what he did, even after 20 minutes, he couldn¡¯t get away. Battle Angel Kalenna¡¯s mana was starting to run low. ¡°This lousy incarnation! Running out of mana so quickly! If I were in my real body, this would already long be over! I need time to recover my mana,¡± Kalenna grumbled in an annoyed tone. Her white gown was as thin as a wisp of smoke, wrapping around her curvaceous figure. Her cute and immature face made it difficult to stay angry at her. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t give her commands. Sometimes she would buff him with one or two blessings or give him a shield. Other times she would ignore his existence, occasionally even disappearing without a trace or hole away in his breast pocket and sleep. She gave him endless headaches. How was he supposed to deal with her!? But at this crucial moment, against all his expectations, she stood up to save the day. Angud soared several dozen meters into the air, then came diving down. Seeing Angud getting closer and closer, Nie Yan shot a web line at a nearby tree and swung to safety. He opened up a distance of more than a dozen meters. BOOOM! Angud¡¯s struck the ground like a meteor, sending rocks and rubble flying everywhere. Vorpal Sprint! Nie Yan activated the skill from Abak¡¯s Vorpal Striders. His body immediately transformed into a seven-coloured streak as he left Angud in the dust. With his base stats, Nie Yan was already starting to push the limits of speed. After activating Vorpal Sprint, he reached an astonishing height. Angud ran at his fastest speed, but Nie Yan was getting further and further away. Nie Yan glanced over his shoulder and saw that he had already pulled open a distance of 100 meters between him and Angud. He continued running for his life, not daring to linger for the shortest moment. He was terrified of Angud striking him down with some random spell. Battle Angel Kalenna kept waving her staff, neutralizing Angud¡¯s attack. About six minutes later, Nie Yan had widened the distance to over 300 meters. Vorpal Sprint only lasted for 10 minutes. In other words, he could only pull open the distance between him and Angud to 600 meters at most. This was still far from enough. Angud would eventually catch up to him. Glancing at his hotbar, Nie Yan had no idea what sort of skill Angud had used on him. The Unknown Transfer Scroll was still grayed out. After running for a bit more, Nie Yan spotted a rocky barren up ahead. This rough terrain would make escaping even more difficult. As he climbed past several rocks, he found a deep, pitch black pithole. Looking behind him, Nie Yan saw Angud¡¯s silhouette still chasing after him. Screw it! Not like I have any better options! He lunged forward and leaped into the pithole. After falling for about half-a-minute, the echoes coming from below him told him he was close to reaching the bottom. He activated the Crawler ability and dug his hands in the wall to slow his fall. THUD! He landed on the ground. Nie Yan had no idea where he was. He could still clearly see around him with his high Night Vision. He didn¡¯t linger for long and headed deeper inside. Above ground, Angud was standing in front of the pithole. He paced back and forth around the entrance, hesitating to go inside. News of Angud chasing after Nie Yan quickly reached the ears of the players from the Evil Faction. Some Thieves had even followed from a distance and witnessed Nie Yan leaping into the pithole. Angud was extremely frightening, striking dread into the hearts of all those who saw him. Yet Nie Yan had successfully escaped such an existence. This was an inconceivable matter! Battle Angel Kalenna also started gaining players¡¯ attention. Since she hadn¡¯t done much before, some players even believed she was purely decorative. But today, people finally got to see how powerful she was. Just what was she, that she could go toe to toe with Angud? Discussion about Angud and Battle Angel Kalenna flooded the forums. However, many players were wondering about something else. What was Nie Yan up to right now!? One had to know, the pithole he entered was a famous forbidden zone. No one that entered there had ever returned alive. Nie Yan trekked through the underground passage for roughly three minutes, when Bennett¡¯s Soul floated out from his bag and came to a halt in mid-air. Nie Yan took a few more steps forward, but Bennett¡¯s Soul wouldn¡¯t follow after him. So, he could only turn around and walk back. What the hell was going on? ¡°I hate it here!¡± Kalenna grumbled. Nie Yan could sense the wariness in Kalenna¡¯s heart. Just what could make even her afraid? Looking in the depths of the passage, all Nie Yan saw was a pitch-black darkness. He had no idea where he was going. I better get out of this place fast, Nie Yan thought. This place left him feeling all sorts of uneasy. Conviction had many forbidden zones where players shouldn¡¯t enter, especially maps where Level 200 Demonified Lords made their territory. Any intruders would be killed beyond a shadow of a doubt. If you accidently stumbled into such a place, it was best you turn around and leave quickly. Kalenna wasn¡¯t even afraid when fighting Angud, but whatever was inside the depths of this pithole left her trembling in fear. Nie Yan determined the thing lurking inside here was even more powerful than Angud. Going amy deeper was simply seeking death. Nie Yan glanced at his hot bar. He still needed to wait five minutes to activate his Unknown Transfer Scroll. ¡°Guess I have no choice but to wait. I hope nothing happens,¡± Nie Yan muttered, sitting down on the ground. He glanced back behind him. ¡°Looks like Angud didn¡¯t chase after me.¡± Time slowly ticked away. There were still two minutes left. Nie Yan gazed around at his surroundings out of boredom. With his powerful Night Vision, he could see everything clearly within a 10-meter radius. Nie Yan suddenly discovered a chest tucked behind some rocks. He didn¡¯t know what rarity it was. It was nine meters away. He only needed to go just a bit further to open it! Nie Yan hesitated for a moment. It was right in front of him! He looked at the chest. No, he had to open it! It¡¯d be too much of a waste to leave it sitting here. Glancing at Bennett¡¯s Soul and Kalenna, Nie Yan took a deep breath and walked forward. A sinister chill blew out from the depths of the passage, causing Nie Yan to shiver uncontrollably. Nie Yan knew attempting to open that chest was an extremely dangerous and risky action. The cold wind howled, and eerie screams and cries came echoing out from the depths of the passage, causing his hair to stand on end. From this distance, Nie Yan could see that the chest was dark gold in colour and made out of some unknown metal. It was covered in black gems that resembled the night sky. A Legendary chest! Nie Yan could vaguely make out some different shapes next to the chest. Taking another step forward, his eyes widened in shock. They were skeletons! The bones were scattered over the rocks. Who knew how long they had been there. They had been badly eroded by the elements, brittled to the point that they could collapse into dust at any moment. Nie Yan felt a chill in his heart. He wondered if there were any traps in this place. Nie Yan thought for a moment. Let¡¯s give it a shot! He recalled all the gadgets and bobbles in his bag. After rummaging through them, he pulled out two small capsules. These were specially made by Violet Mist. Her Tinkering had already reached the astonishing rank of Grandmaster, meaning she could make all sorts of high level items. On this trip to the underworld, he had brought 30 different kinds with him and 70 in total. They were quite good, coming in handy in many situations. Nie Yan tossed the two capsules on the ground. BOMF! BOMF! Two basketball sized spiders ermerged. They looked just like real spiders, but they were actually automatons. They had zero attack power. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 837 - End of the Road The two spider automata familiarized themselves with the surroundings. After spinning in circles several times, they started moving forward under Nie Yan¡¯s command, their eight legs moving in a rhythmic fashion. One spider moved faster than the other. A gap of two meters opened up between them. The faster spider soon approached the chest, only a meter to go. It investigated the surroundings, searching for signs of traps. While Nie Yan was patiently waiting, Lil¡¯ Gold and later also the shadow clone arrived back by his side. They¡¯d fallen behind earlier. Luckily, Angud only cared for Nie Yan and the Death God¡¯s Edge in his possession. Other than Paladin Lafus who¡¯d unfortunately been in his way, Angud didn¡¯t bother with the other two. They were ant-like existences to him, not worth his time. Angud was still standing outside the pithole, seemingly unable to come to a decision. Nie Yan unsummoned Lil¡¯ Gold. His large frame made it impossible to go unnoticed, not to mention the cave would only get narrower from here. There was no way a large dragon like him could squeeze through. As for the shadow clone, Nie Yan decided to keep it around for a while longer. He shifted his focus back onto the chest. About a minute later. BANG! The faster spider was blasted into smithereens. The sound of the explosion wasn¡¯t all that loud, but the power was something else. An explosive trap! After a while, the smoke and dust settled, revealing metallic parts scattered over the ground. A whooshing sound rang out from the depths of the cave. Nie Yan entered stealth and hid behind some larger rocks, just in time to see several wraiths floating over. He couldn¡¯t make out their appearances. Only their glowing red eyes which shone through the darkness. After hovering around the chest for a while and failing to find anything amiss, they returned back whence they came. A group of Level 200 wraiths! Seven in total and one was an Elite! This was a Level 200 map! Normally, if Nie Yan were to accidentally stumble into such a place, he would quickly turn around and leave. Similar to Level 50 and Level 100, Level 200 was a watershed in combat power for monsters. These wraiths had no consciousness, filled only with the singular instinct of killing the living. Appearing and disappearing unpredictably, they were difficult to pin down. Such frightening monsters definitely couldn¡¯t be provoked! Even so, Nie Yan still felt reluctant to leave the chest be. Thinking for a bit, he had the other spider go forward. After inspecting the area around the chest without triggering any more traps, it seemed safe to open it. The Unknown Transfer Scrolls in his hotbar were no longer grayed out. Nie Yan could leave at any time! ¡°Tch¡­ I already cleared all the traps. Leaving a Legendary chest would be such a waste¡­¡± The greed in Nie Yan¡¯s heart was fighting the rational in his brain. After thinking for a bit, Nie Yan put down a marker. Like this, he could come back here at any time. ¡°Let¡¯s try opening that chest,¡± Nie Yan muttered. He slowly approached the chest. At three meters away, he came to a halt and warily looked around. Calming his breathing, he continued on forward and arrived in front of the chest. The chest wasn¡¯t large, but the craftsmanship was superb. Even the simple grooves on the sides were carved with meticulous care. Its ancient appearance was hidden underneath a thick layer of dust. After wiping it clean, it looked brand new. The chest was sealed by a lock that looked quite intricate despite only being the size of a thumb. Picking it would take quite some time. Nie Yan looked pensively at the chest. He didn¡¯t know when or if the wraiths would come back. If they caught him opening the chest, that¡¯d be it for him most likely. ¡°Screw it! I¡¯ve already come this far, no point in turning back now!¡± He crouched down and started picking the lock. Opening chest¡­ Progress: 1%... 2%... 3%... Time passed by extremely slowly. This lock was a relic left behind from the Era of Darkness. It was extremely complex. If not for his Lockpicking Specialist skill, Nie Yan would have no way of opening it. After a minute, the progress was only at 55%. Opening this chest was taking way too long! Suddenly, several shrieks echoed out from the depths of the cave, piercing Nie Yan¡¯s eardrums. ¡°Shit! They¡¯re back!¡± Nie Yan spotted the wraiths coming over in the far distance. They immediately went into a frenzy upon discovering his presence. They were like bloodsucking evil spirits, devouring any life they came across. Seeing seven pairs of red glowing eyes getting closer and closer, Nie Yan had the shadow clone go up and try to stall them. The shadow clone quickly arrived in front of the wraiths. Annihilation Slash! 10 flaming swords emerged in the air and cleaved down on them. BANG! BANG! BANG! The massive attack filled the chamber with smoke and dust. To Nie Yan¡¯s dismay, none of the wraiths died. Even the lowest health one among them still had over 60,000,000 health. These were only ordinary monsters! He couldn¡¯t even see the health of the Elite-class wraith. The wraiths lunged forward and slashed down with their claws! PSFHT! PSFHT! PSFHT! Their attacks sliced right through the shadow clone. Your shadow clone has been killed! Nie Yan glanced at the chest¡ª89%. So close! He just needed a bit more time! However, the wraiths had already closed in on him. They were only three meters away. ¡°FUCK!¡± Nie Yan cursed. He had no choice but to give up on opening the chest. Nie Yan tried to leap away, only to find a wraith right in front of him. Brandishing his blade, he stabbed forth with the Bloody Dagger. Nie Yan¡¯s attack was just about to pierce the wraith, when it suddenly vanished into thin air. PSFHT! A claw slashed into Nie Yan¡¯s back. A damage value of 17,000 floated up above his head. ¡°Shit! I need to escape!¡± Nie Yan flicked his wrist, an Unknown Transfer Scroll appeared in his hand. Just as he was about to crush it, his eyes widened as a silhouette appeared before him. She wore white robes and looked just like a goddess, with a pure and holy aura that rejected all that was profane around her. A faint but alluring smile hung over her lips. ¡°Xie Yao, what are you doing here?¡± Nie Yan asked. The instant he gave voice to his confusion, he realized something was wrong. An illusion! Phantom Apparition! How did he forget about this skill!? Some wraiths had a special skill that caused a target to hallucinate. The illusions of ordinary wraiths were easy to see through. However, the illusions from these wraiths had completely sucked Nie Yan in. This was definitely a first! Nie Yan tried to focus his mind and break out of the illusion, only to jolt in pain as two more wraiths dug their claws into his back. He let out a groan and collapsed on the ground. These wraiths were too strong! Their every attack sliced almost a third off of Nie Yan¡¯s health bar. When the fourth claw dug deep into his back, his health bottomed out. Seeing Nie Yan¡¯s corpse on the ground, the wraiths searched around the chamber. Failing to find any other intruders, they returned to a passive state and headed back into the depths of the cave. After some time, Nie Yan¡¯s finger twitched. A bit of colour returned to his pale and icy face as he slowly regained consciousness. His eyes jolted open, and he hurriedly crawled back to his feet in preparation to evade an attack, only to discover the wraiths were nowhere to be found. Nie Yan breathed out the turbid air in his lungs. Looking around, he saw the Death God¡¯s Edge, Paternoster¡¯s Warhammer, and the chapters from the Book of Order scattered all over the ground. He hurriedly picked them up. Seeing that his current health was only at one point, he scurried over to a corner of the cave, sat down behind some boulders, and started recuperating. After class advancing to a Luminous Dancer, Nie Yan had acquired a skill called Death and Rebirth. It allowed him to revive upon death, and had a cooldown of two days. Nie Yan never procced this skill before because he had never died up until now. Today, however, he had lost his life at the hands of these wraiths. Thankfully, they were beings without consciousness and so wouldn¡¯t rob player drops. Looking at his experience bar, Nie Yan found he¡¯d only lost about 10%. This death penalty wasn¡¯t all that bad, pretty much the best outcome of a bad situation. Before long, Nie Yan was back to full health. Nie Yan stood up and glanced over at the chest. He needed to think of some special way to open it! The allure of a Legendary chest in a Level 200 map was immense! Nie Yan assessed the situation. He needed at least 90 seconds to open the chest, while the wraiths would notice any movements within the chamber in 60 seconds. So, it was impossible to open the chest undetected. The passageway up ahead was too narrow. Lil¡¯ Gold¡¯s frame was too large to fit in. The shadow clone could go in, but it couldn¡¯t last against the wraiths for more than 15 seconds. The illusions of these wraiths were simply too powerful! Opening this Legendary chest was as difficult as scaling the heavens for Nie Yan. He just needed 15 more seconds to open it, but figuring out a way to buy that time was giving him a terrible headache. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t think of anything no matter how much he racked his brains. It seemed like he could only give up for the time being. The chances of another player snatching the chest before him were pretty much nill, and he had already placed a marker here anyway. ¡°Guess this will have to wait for some other time,¡± Nie Yan muttered. After using several Unknown Transfer Scrolls in quick succession, Nie Yan found himself in the middle of a barren plain. He had no clue where he was. Angud wouldn¡¯t give up so easily in all likelihood. What should he do? Even if he couldn¡¯t deal with Angud, he would have to at least think of a way to hide from him. No one would feel at ease being chased down by a Level 180 Demonified Lord. Nie Yan rubbed his chin. When his eyes fell on the Instant Transmission skill, an idea flashed through his mind. There was a way! ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡± Nie Yan summoned the Darkwing Dragon and jumped on its back before flying off towards the southeast. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 838 - Silvermoon Gorge Nie Yan placed down markers in the southern, eastern, and western part of the Demon Tribe and even some in the Undead Empire. 16 in total. They were at least three hours apart, with the largest distance between two markers being 12 hours away. Meanwhile, Instant Transmission only had a cooldown of 30 minutes. Like this, Angud would have no hope of catching him. Nie Yan never stayed in the same place for more than an hour, and he continued placing more and more markers. Back in the Klarence Stronghold, Godking was swamped with work. Angud kept asking him for Nie Yan¡¯s whereabouts. Pantheon¡¯s intelligence network would quickly track down his coordinates and report them to Angud. However, every time he rushed over, Nie Yan would be nowhere to be found. When they checked again, he would be more than a thousand miles away. After this happened several times in a row, Angud began to suspect Pantheon was purposely giving him bad intelligence. He erupted into a violent fit of rage and stormed over to Godking. ¡°Give me an explanation! You know the consequences for deceiving me!¡± Angud said coldly. Godking shivered as he sensed icy killing intent emanating from Angud. If his reply was unsatisfactory in any way, not only him, but all of Pantheon would suffer a calamity. He carefully said, ¡°L-lord Angud, I wouldn¡¯t dare to deceive you. I believe Nirvana Flame has a skill which allows him to teleport freely to any location. That¡¯s why he¡¯s gone by the time you arrive.¡± Angud closely observed Godking¡¯s expression, judging whether he was telling the truth or lying. Godking trembled in fear and trepidation. He bowed deeply in front of Angud, looking like a lamb ready for the slaughter. Angud¡¯s expression relaxed a little. He said indifferently, ¡°Pay close attention to his whereabouts. If there are any updates, report to me immediately.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Godking answered solemnly, feeling as though he¡¯d just escape a calamity of epic proportions. Nie Yan scoured through most of the Demon Tribe and the Undead Empire on his Darkwing Dragon, obtaining clues on Lich King Insar¡¯s Treasure and the Occult Talisman of Empress Finas. However, he didn¡¯t dare to get too invested into any single questline, lest he lost track of time and Angud caught him. Nie Yan got in touch with the people of Fallen Angel. He planned to sell some of his spoils to them. The meeting point was a place in the southern part of the Undead Empire called Valley of Echoes. Nie Yan arrived at the designated meeting spot. He examined the surroundings while in stealth. It was a 10-meter wide clearing in the middle of a vibrant forest. The trees growing here were up to a dozen meters tall. Nie Yan climbed up to the top of one and gazed down below. The representative of Fallen Angel wouldn¡¯t be late. Likely, they had learned from their previous lesson and dispatched a more reliable fellow this time. About five minutes before the appointed time, a silhouette appeared in the middle of the clearing. It was Proud Warlance! The two of them had interacted with each other a couple of times before. So, they could be considered acquaintances. Nie Yan didn¡¯t immediately go down. After confirming there was no one else in the vicinity, he used the Pearl of Disguise to become an Evil Faction player and leaped down from the tree. ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± Warlance greeted with a smile. Nie Yan nodded. The two of them knew what the other wanted. Both Asskickers United and Fallen Angels enjoyed great profits from their partnership. He hoped things would continue on like this. ¡°Do you have anything good for me?¡± Warlance asked. Their time was short. So, he got straight to the point. Nie Yan sent Warlance a trade request and placed all the Evil Faction exclusive items he had obtained into the window. There were several particularly excellent items among them. ¡°These are the spoils of war our players collected from the Satreen Empire,¡± Warlance said, as he put a great many items into the trade window. Nie Yan confirmed the trade. He obtained seven pieces of Sub Legendary- and three pieces of Legendary-grade equipment. They were all in the Level 130¨C140 range, perfectly suited for the elites of the guild. After completing the trade, Nie Yan and Warlance shortly chatted about the future partnership between their two guilds. ¡°It¡¯s about time I get going.¡± Nie Yan turned around. Angud would soon be arriving most likely. Besides, he had things to do, like continuing on with his quests. ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Warlance called out. Nie Yan halted his steps. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Warlanced hesitated for a moment before finally asking, ¡°Do you have the Death God¡¯s Edge on you?¡± Nie Yan¡¯s eyes flickered with a sharp light. He locked eyes with Warlance, trying to find a clue for his interest. Information about the Death God¡¯s Edge being in his possession was already public knowledge by now. How could Warlance not know? Nie Yan slowly nodded. ¡°Plenty wants to buy it from you. Just state a price. So long as it¡¯s within what we can bear, everything is negotiable,¡± Warlance said. Nie Yan¡¯s sharp gaze caused his heart to tremble. The Death God¡¯s Edge had caused huge waves in the underworld. Even though Nie Yan couldn¡¯t use this Sacred Object for the time being, he could confirm that it had something to do with the main quest in Conviction. Guo Huai was already investigating the secrets behind it and why the players and most importantly the NPCs of the Evil Faction coveted it so much. Since Warlance had asked, this meant Fallen Angel was also after this Sacred Object! The Death God¡¯s Edge was part of Nie Yan¡¯s quest. He still needed to bring it to Archangel Tallod. He didn¡¯t know what the consequences of losing it would be. ¡°Tell Plenty that I need the Death God¡¯s Edge for a quest. So, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t sell it to him.¡± Nie Yan turned around and left. Seeing Nie Yan disappear into the forest, Warlance rang up Plenty. ¡¸How¡¯d it go?¡¹Plenty asked. ¡¸He said the Death God¡¯s Edge isn¡¯t for sale, that he needs it for a quest. This might just be an excuse. Boss, what do you think?¡¹ ¡¸I doubt he¡¯d lie about it. The Death God¡¯s Edge is indeed a quest item. As for whether he can sell it or not, I¡¯m not sure. Let¡¯s leave it be for now. Before we wipe out Angel Corps, we need to maintain our relationship with Asskickers United,¡¹Plenty said. He needed Nie Yan¡¯s strength to deal with Soaring Angel. Though the Death God¡¯s Edge was important, he couldn¡¯t get his priorities mixed up. ¡¸Are we just going to give up on the Death God¡¯s Edge? What about that quest? Should we keep in contact with him? Maybe we can get him to change his mind.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about it. Just do as I say.¡¹ ¡¸Alright.¡¹Warlance didn¡¯t ask any further questions and hung up the call. He glanced back at where Nie Yan disappeared before leaving himself. Nie Yan teleported to a prairie in the eastern part of the Demon Tribe. He glanced at the Death God¡¯s Edge in his bag. Carrying this item really was a calamity. The entire Evil Faction was after it, and they definitely wouldn¡¯t give up easily. As for Fallen Angel, their interests were tied too deeply to those of Asskickers United, and there were still many more opportunities to work together in the future. They wouldn¡¯t abandon this alliance just yet. Nie Yan¡¯s interest in the Death God¡¯s Edge was piqued even more. Just what made this item so attractive? Angud hadn¡¯t shown his face for quite some time already. Nie Yan could only guess he¡¯d given up for the time being. Nie Yan finally received a solid clue for one of his quests. His quest objective was located in Silvermoon Gorge in the southeastern part of the Demon Tribe. Following this clue meant that Nie Yan could possibly be held up in a single location for more than an hour. He decided to take some precautions first. He teleported to a location far in the northwestern part of the Demon Tribe, then attacked a nearby village, killing over 1,000 players before leaving. Before long, Nie Yan received a report from Guo Huai that Angud was heading toward the northwest. He smirked. This was exactly what he wanted. Nie Yan teleported to Silvermoon Gorge with Instant Transmission. After which he infiltrated the inner region of the map while in stealth, making sure no one saw him. The outer region of Silvermoon Gorge was inhabited by Level 120¨C130 monsters. So, players often partied up and came here to level. However, once you reached the inner region of the map, Level 170¨C180 monsters would start appearing, and the number of players decreased drastically. After passing through a dense forest, a large clearing entered Nie Yan¡¯s vision. Up ahead was a small village. The scattered buildings were made out of straw and mud. You have discovered Naga Village. Looking into the village, Nie Yan spotted some Nagas moving around. These monsters had the lower body of a snake and upper body of a human. They had six arms with each hand wielding a halberd-like weapon. They were Level 180 Elites! Nie Yan was just about to go forward and clear out the village, when he noticed a commotion among the Nagas. It appeared something had agitated them. Looking over in the direction they were gathered, he could see a battle going on. People? Could a team be levelling here? Nie Yan inched closer until he finally got a good look. It wasn¡¯t a team fighting the Nagas but rather a single person. Judging from his appearance, it was a Spectral Thief. The Spectral Thief raised his short bow. Whoosh whoosh whoosh! He shot out several arrows in quick succession, hitting the Nagas. They were enraged. Flicking their red tongues, they moved in to surround him. The Spectral Thief immediately retreated back while crushing several scrolls. Flame Walls rose up between him and the Nagas. When the Nagas passed through the fire, a string of damage values floated up above their heads. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 839 - Dragon Emperor ?29,444 ?27,551 ?26,397 ... Looking at the damage the Nagas took from the Flame Walls, it appeared this Spectral Thief was using some pretty high rank scrolls. Someone helping him clear out these Nagas would save him a lot of trouble. Nie Yan gazed toward the plaza in the center of the village, where he saw a larger Naga roaming around. That was Nie Yan¡¯s target, the Level 180 Variant Lord, Naga King! Nie Yan would hesitate to face a Demonified Lord. However, he was confident in soloing a Variant Lord. The Spectral Thief was fully focused on dealing with the Elite Nagas. He was pretty fast, everytime opening a small distance with the chasing Nagas and then activating a Flame Wall scroll, but he still couldn¡¯t hold a candle to Nie Yan. Even so, his speed was still more than enough to deal with these Elite Nagas. Extreme Vanish! Nie Yan quickly closed in on the Spectral Thief and inspected him with Transcendent Insight. Seeing the Spectral Thief¡¯s name, his eyes widened in surprise. This Spectral Thief was called World Dragon Emperor. He was Level 147. This name rang a bell. In the previous timeline, World Dragon was a fierce character. He was a lone wolf who until the very end never joined any team or guild. Apart from his battle prowess, he was also one of the few Grandmaster Tinkerers in the Evil Faction. However, the reason his fame reached all the way to the surface wasn¡¯t his battle prowess nor his Tinkering skills, but rather his unrivalled flying mount. It was a Sanguine Dragon, which just happened to match his name and also made him an apex existence. Nie Yan recalled that the Sanguine Dragon had risen all the way up to Rank 9. In the previous timeline, where flying mounts were still scarce, this was a mindblowing achievement. It would already be impressive to have a Rank 5 or 6 flying mount. Back then, Fallen Angel had hired Dragon Emperor to fight against Angel Corps in several battles. His Sanguine Dragon had dealt heavy losses to the forces of Angel Corps. Even while surrounded by several dozen flying mounts, it had slaughtered six and escaped unscathed. After that incident, players engraved the image of Dragon Emperor and his Sanguine Dragon deep into their hearts. Nie Yan estimated that the Sanguine Dragon and Darkwing Dragon were the same level of existence. At present, his Darkwing Dragon was Rank 7 and only a step away from reaching Rank 8. One could only imagine how powerful the Rank 9 Sanguine Dragon was back then! Dragon Emperor was running around hunting the Nagas non-stop. If I used Extreme Vanish to kill him, he probably won¡¯t even know who hit him. But do I really want to make an enemy of someone with a potential Rank 9 Sanguine Dragon? Nie Yan hesitated. After weighing his options, Nie Yan decided it was best not to pointlessly make more enemies. However, the Naga King was right in front of him. If Dragon Emperor didn''t leave, Nie Yan wouldn¡¯t feel at ease facing the boss. Nie Yan crept over toward Dragon Emperor and dispelled his stealth when he was only five meters away. Dragon Emperor pulled out a scroll and was just about to activate it, when he saw a person appear beside him from the corner of his eye. He nearly had a heart attack. Activating Gale Step, he retreated more than 10 meters away. A Naga came slithering over. Losing sight of Dragon Emperor, it shifted its attention to Nie Yan. It immediately brandished its weapons and pounced toward him. Nie Yan took several steps back. With a Phantom Assassination, his body blurred into multiple after images. PSFHT! He pierced the Naga in the throat, then sent it flying with an elbow strike. ¡°Nirvana Flame!¡± Dragon Emperor cried out in shock. He came to an abrupt halt. What was Nirvana Flama up to? Dragon Emperor sunk into silence. When Nie Yan had sneaked up on him, he hadn¡¯t the slightest clue. If Nie Yan wanted to kill him, he would already be a corpse on the ground. His life was clearly spared! Dragon Emperor came out of stealth. The two met eyes. ¡°Hey, mind if I take the Naga King?¡± Nie Yan asked. There were already three Naga corpses around his feet. Dragon Emperor was bewildered. If it was simply laying claim to the Naga King, wouldn¡¯t it be simpler to kill him? After all, the two of them belonged to different factions. He couldn¡¯t for the life of him understand what Nie Yan was thinking. Perhaps the Mad Rogue was just eccentric like this. ¡°Go ahead. I can¡¯t defeat it anyway,¡± Dragon Emperor said. He was still taken aback. However, even though Nie Yan spared his life, he wasn¡¯t willing to show weakness. ¡°Thanks.¡± Nie Yan dashed off in the direction of the Naga King. ¡°Is this guy really planning to face the Naga King¡­?¡± Dragon Emperor muttered. After grinding here for the better part of the last six days, he knew just what kind of existence the Naga King was. Perhaps Nie Yan really did have the ability to face the Naga King. But wasn''t Nie Yan worried he would try to ambush him, or wasn¡¯t he a threat in the eyes of the Mad Rogue? Dragon Emperor let out a sigh as he watched Nie Yan dashing off toward the Naga King. ¡°Fine, you win this time.¡± Nie Yan had spared his life just now. He wouldn¡¯t have the face to ambush Nie Yan while he was dealing with the Naga King. ¡°I want to see how you¡¯re going to do it,¡± Dragon Emperor muttered. As he continued hunting the Nagas in the vicinity, he occasionally glanced over in Nie Yan¡¯s direction. It wasn¡¯t that Nie Yan didn¡¯t feel any sense of wariness, but rather he could tell at a glance that Dragon Emperor was an extremely prideful individual. Why else wouldn¡¯t he join any teams or guilds? People like him hated resorting to underhanded methods. So, Nie Yan was gambling that Dragon Emperor wouldn¡¯t try to bother him. The Naga King was five meters tall with stone gray scales. It looked like an enormous statue, wielding six different weapons, a blade, sword, halberd, trident, spiked mace, and pole. The Naga King slithered around the plaza, oblivious to the impending doom. Since the shadow clone was still on cooldown, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t use it in this fight. He summoned Lil¡¯ Gold and Paladin Lafus, then approached within 100 meters of the Naga King. The Naga King noticed Nie Yan¡¯s gaze and locked its eyes onto him. The two sides entered a stand off. ¡°Is he planning to face the Naga King head-on?¡± Dragon Emperor couldn¡¯t help but mutter. That was practically seeking death! However, wasn¡¯t this exactly how Nie Yan acquired the name of Mad Rogue? He became even more curious. Just how was Nie Yan going to take down the Naga King? ¡°HISSS!¡± The Naga King charged toward Nie Yan, causing the ground to rumble. Dragon Emperor glanced over in Nie Yan¡¯s direction. What he saw left him completely dumbstruck. A blur was dancing around the Naga King leaving behind a series of afterimages. Nie Yan launched a furious assault, pushing it back with every attack. It eventually lost its balance and fell down. When it finally struggled back upright, it swung its weapons in a frenzy, but none of its attacks could touch a hair on Nie Yan¡¯s body. He¡¯s pushing the limits of speed! Dragon Emperor thought. He believed this kind of speed to only be a legend. He never expected someone to actually achieve it. Just how high were Nirvana Flame¡¯s stats!? He immediately recalled the Tyrant Abak Set and Zennarde¡¯s Sword in Nie Yan¡¯s possession and broke out into a bitter smile. With such amazing equipment, it was only normal to have insane stats. Nie Yan easily evaded the Naga King¡¯s attacks. Even when its attacks rained down like a fierce gail, he was still finding openings with seeming ease and retaliate with a string of attacks. Seeing Nie Yan repeatedly knocked the Naga King to the ground, Dragon Emperor sucked in a breath of cold air. Was this guy still human!? The Naga King which was viewed as invincible in the eyes of ordinary players was being played around with like a small rodent. This completely overturned Dragon Emperor¡¯s common sense. The Mad Rogue really did live up to his name! Lil¡¯ Gold and Paladin Lafus provided support fire from the back. In the rare occasion that Nie Yan did get hit by the Naga King, Paladin Lafus would instantly heal him back up. About half-an-hour later, the Naga King¡¯s health fell to 10%. The Naga King went berserk. Its entire body burned hot red as its attacks came at a much faster rate. Under the dense torrent of attacks, Nie Yan was gradually being overwhelmed. PSFHT! PSFHT! Two damage values of over 10,000 floated up above Nie Yan¡¯s head. If it weren¡¯t for Paladin Lafus¡¯ Rank 16 Holy Barrier taking the brunt of the damage, he would already be dead. A gentle light fell over Nie Yan, restoring his health back to full. Nie Yan quickly retreated back, then switched over to Zennarde¡¯s Sword. ¡°HISS! HISS!¡± The Naga King flickered its red tongue and went in pursuit. Nie Yan took two steps back, drawing the Naga King in between two buildings. Annihilation Slash! 10 flaming swords emerged in the air above Nie Yan. They merged into one as they came cleaving down on the Naga King. BAANG! It was sent staggering several meters back. Nie Yan leaped into the air and switched back to the Bloody Dagger and Slaughter Edge. He then started dishing out a string of attacks from kicks and elbow strikes to slashes and stabs, knocking the Naga King on to the ground. As he came falling down from the air, he ruthlessly stabbed his blade into its throat, causing blood to fly everywhere. The Naga King¡¯s health bar finally bottomed out as its body stopped struggling. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 840 - Occult Talisman of Arachne Empress Finas Among the many bosses Nie Yan had faced, the Naga King was fairly easy to deal with because of his weak physical defense, which made it susceptible to knockbacks. Nie Yan rummaged under the Naga King¡¯s corpse. Apart from a Level 180 Sub Legendary-grade Warrior bracer and bronze key, nothing else dropped. The bronze key was about the size of a thumb and covered in all sorts of intricate engravings. Likely, it was to open a treasure chest. Nie Yan was thinking about where to find the chest, when Bennett¡¯s Soul hovered in front of his face before heading off into the distance. It seemed to know the way! Nie Yan turned his head and glanced back at Dragon Emperor one last time before running after Bennett¡¯s Soul. Dragon Emperor watched Nie Yan disappear at the end of the street. He turned to look at the corpse of the Naga King on the ground. No words could describe what he was feeling right now. This encounter with Nie Yan had left a deep impression on him. He glanced at the Sanguine Dragon in his pet space and wondered if he would ever be on equal footing with Nie Yan. Nie Yan was strong enough to challenge some of the most powerful bosses, even legendary existences, and in the process obtained all sorts of amazing equipment. From the moment he first pulled ahead, his rewards only helped him widen the gap further and further. At this point, simply catching back up to him would require an inconceivable amount of effort. ¡°Just you wait, I¡¯ll definitely challenge you one day!¡± Dragon Emperor declared. He then turned his focus back to hunting Elite Nagas. After leaving the village, Nie Yan followed Bennett¡¯s Soul for half-an-hour before arriving outside the entrance of a cave. Entering the cave, Nie Yan found himself in a large room. Level 180 Elite Nagas were roaming around here, hundreds of thousands of them. It looked like a snake nest. Ordinary teams would have no way of clearing this place. Nie Yan bypassed the Nagas using his stealth and the Web-Crawler Ring. About an hour later, he arrived in an even larger chamber. Strangely enough, there were no monsters roaming here. Since the chamber was too large, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t see the far side even with his high Night Vision. He summoned Paladin Lafus and had him toss a ball of light in the air, illuminating the surroundings. What he saw caused him to be dumbstruck. The corpse of a gigantic 10-meter tall spider appeared in his vision. Bits of its carapace had broken off and lay scattered on the ground. The rest of the corpse had fossilized. It was impossible to tell its age. Approaching the abdomen, Nie Yan had Lafus toss up another light orb in the air. This spider corpse was likely Arachne Empress Finas! Exploring around, Nie Yan discovered something resembling a formation drawn into the ground. It was in the shape of a hexagram. Though incredibly old, it was still visible. As he drew closer, only then did he realize the formation was carved into the rock and so couldn¡¯t be erased. Bennett¡¯s Soul continued floating forward until it arrived in the center of the formation. Suddenly, the formation lit up and illuminated the entire chamber. Nie Yan watched everything unfold in amazement. Bennett¡¯s Soul emitted a dazzling radiance like the sun and started rapidly dividing, from one to three, then three to nine, and so on. Before long, there were too many to count. It was as though the air were filled with fireflies. It was a mesmerizing sight. They gradually floated up and entered Empress Finas¡¯ corpse before disappearing. You have completed the quest ¡®Bennett¡¯s Guidance¡¯. Nie Yan lit up twice in a row with a dazzling radiance. He had levelled up to Level 155! At his current level, each level up required a ridiculous amount of experience. Yet after completing this quest, he had levelled up twice! This was quite a pleasant surprise. ¡°This was it? The quest is complete? Where¡¯s the Occult Talisman then?¡± Nie Yan searched around before his eyes landed on a corpse resting against a nearby wall. It had already rotted into nothing but bones. In its embrace was a peculiar looking box. It was about the size of a palm and made out of an unknown silver-white metal. Just below the lid was a keyhole. Nie Yan immediately took out the bronze key he obtained from the Naga King¡¯s corpse. Inserting the key and turning it to the left, the lid popped open with a click. Inside was a talisman. It was made out of scaly yellow leather with indecipherable characters drawn on it. Empress Finas¡¯ Occult Talisman! After seeing the talisman, Nie Yan¡¯s eyes lit up with joy. He still recalled what an impact Bennett¡¯s Occult Talisman had had when he used it in the final showdown against Bloodlust Blades. Arachne Empress Finas could only be stronger than Crypt Lord Bennett, not weaker! Nie Yan examined the Occult Talisman¡¯s properties. Occult Talisman (Legendary): Special Item Description: Summon the fleshly vessel of Arachne Empress Finas, a Level 200 Lord with 500,000,000 health, for three hours. Cooldown: 60 days. Requirements: 5 Magisters, 20 Great Mages, 3 Occult Items, and 1 Magic Formation Nie Yan sucked in a cold breath of air. What a powerful summon! The Occult Talisman of Empress Finas was definitely a priceless treasure! Bennet¡¯s Occult Talisman was a waste of inventory space at this point. It required a specially tailored magic formation and a large number of Great Mages only to summon a Level 100 Lord. This was too much of a hassle. Especially considering the elites of the major guilds were all well over Level 130. On the other hand, a Level 200 Lord was an unrivalled existence. For a long time to come, no player not even Nie Yan should even dream about reaching Level 200. So, Empress Finas would be extremely useful. Nie Yan could already imagine the reactions of the players from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group after seeing the Occult Titan of Empress Finas. This was quite the harvest! He put away the talisman in his bag. Immediately after, the cave started violently trembling as rocks started falling down. The entire place was coming down! Nie Yan hurriedly escaped with Gale Step. BANG! BANG! BANG! The ceiling came crashing down behind Nie Yan. The Nagas in the cave went into an uproar, hissing loudly as they restlessly flicked their red tongues. Unknown Transfer Scrolls couldn¡¯t be used in this cave. Nie Yan dashed past the Nagas, going as fast as his legs would carry him before practically flying out of the exit. Looking back, the cave had already collapsed in on itself. After two long years, Nie Yan had finally completed this quest and obtained the long sought Occult Talisman of Empress Finas! He couldn¡¯t help but be in high spirits. Nie Yan summoned his Darkwing Dragon and jumped on its back. With a flap of its wings, the two took to the skies. The next goal was Lich King Insar¡¯s Secret Treasure. Nie Yan had collected quite a few clues related to this quest, especially lately. He already knew its rough location. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s wounds from last battle had healed, and it was only a small step away from reaching Rank 8. Nie Yan ran his hand along the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s scales, feeling a cold aura going up his palm. Over this past year, flying mounts were becoming more and more widespread. Since he hadn¡¯t been paying too much attention to the Darkwing Dragon lately and hadn¡¯t used it much, it had fallen from the top of the flying mount leaderboards. In the Righteous Faction, there were five flying mounts that could rival or even surpassed it, including Xie Yao¡¯s Rank 8 Immortal Phoenix and Mistaken Smile¡¯s Rank 7 Spectral Dragon. As for the other three, one belonged to Battle Crazed Alliance and the other two belonged to random solo players. The Darkwing Dragon was starting to fall behind in rank. However, Nie Yan still had some Darkness Life Cores and other dragon related items in his bag. The Darkwing Dragon was fully recovered. This was the time to start feeding it again. If Nie Yan fed the Darkwing Dragon all these items, it would at least reach Rank 8. Nie Yan took out several Darkness Life Cores and tossed it to the Darkwing Dragon. It opened its mouth wide open and caught them. CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! It chomped them down. After eating these Life Cores, the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s aura started rapidly climbing. The initial break through to Rank 8! Nie Yan hoped the Darkwing Dragon would reach Rank 8 before they arrived at their destination. The Darkwing Dragon could fly astonishingly fast at maximum speed. However, though higher altitudes supported a faster flying speed, Nie Yan could only stay relatively low. This was because at a certain height, a miasma of black covered the sky which obstructed all vision. For the sake of evading Half-Demon Angud, it was absolutely necessary for Nie Yan to threaten the east and strike from the west. He would attract Angud¡¯s attention in one place, then sneakily retrieve Lich King Insar¡¯s Secret Treasure. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 841 - Enemies on All Sides Somewhere in a marsh in the central region of the Demon Tribe, a group of 20 players from Pantheon were grinding on monsters. Two orc Warriors taunted a parade of Spectres, then drew them to an open space, where the Mages bombarded them with magic. They were well-coordinated with superb teamwork. It would probably take them no more than five minutes to wipe out all these Spectres. While they were engrossed in levelling, a dark speck appeared in the distant sky. It came closer at a frightening speed, casting a massive shadow on the ground. What in the world was that!? As the team members saw the shadow, fear gripped at their heads. Disorder struck. They forgot momentarily they were part of a team. The Priests didn¡¯t cast their heals in time, causing the two orc Warriors to succumb to the Spectres. They collapsed to the ground. The Spectres took this opportunity to launch a counterattack. The team members made a mad scramble for safety. Anywhere but here! But the flying creature didn¡¯t swoop down at them, instead flying roughly 20 meters over their heads. A powerful whirlwind struck the ground wherever it passed by, causing both players and monsters alike to be nearly blown off their feet. Fortunately, this flying creature didn¡¯t target them. It quickly flew passed them and disappeared behind the veil of darkness off in the distance. ¡¸W-what was that?¡¹a Mage asked with a trembling voice. ¡¸The Darkwing Dragon! It¡¯s the Mad Rogue¡¯s Darkwing Dragon!¡¹a Slayer enthusiastically exclaimed. ¡¸The Mad Rogue? Are you sure?¡¹ ¡¸Yes! I¡¯m telling you, that was Nirvana Flame!¡¹ ¡¸Report it to the boss, now!¡¹ The Slayer quickly reported the sighting of Nie Yan to Godking. ... ¡°Nirvana Flame is in the Swamp of the Damned? What¡¯s he doing there?¡± Godking contemplated. ¡°Since he¡¯s still in the Demon Tribe, he must be doing a quest!¡± Flowing Maple guessed. ¡°That makes sense.¡± ¡°Boss, should we tell Angud and let him deal with Nirvana Flame?¡± Godking shook his head. In all honesty, he was terrified of Angud. ¡°No, if we tell Angud, it¡¯ll be the same as last time, and the time before. Nirvana Flame will be gone by the time he arrives, and he¡¯ll definitely be pissed off at us again. We¡¯ll have to think of something ourselves.¡± ¡°But we¡¯re not strong enough,¡± Flowing Maple argued. ¡°Even Angud couldn¡¯t catch him! How are we supposed to?¡± ¡°He¡¯s flying on his Darkwing Dragon, right?¡± Godking asked, a plan forming in his mind. ¡°That¡¯s what the report says, yes.¡± ¡°What rank is it right now?¡± ¡°Rank 7.¡± Godking nodded. Though a Rank 7 flying mount was strong, it wasn¡¯t invincible. Pantheon had a total of 3,000 flying mounts in their ranks, among which 130 were Rank 6. They only needed 10 of their strongest flying mounts to take down a Rank 7. Since they couldn¡¯t fight Nie Yan on the ground, they¡¯d take the battle to the air! They didn¡¯t have to worry about Asskickers United either. Asskickers United might have far more flying mounts in their ranks, but they were thousands of miles away, too far to send back up. ¡°Pay close attention to Nirvana Flame¡¯s movements. Have Purple Blaze and his team hide their guild emblems. Our goal today is to kill Nirvana Flame. If that proves impossible, at least kill his Darkwing Dragon. Remember, this operation is absolutely confidential.¡± Godking looked over the core guild members he¡¯d gathered together. Nirvana Flame would become their enemy sooner or later. So, it was in their best interest to bring him down a notch right now to simplify matters later on. ¡°Yes, Boss!¡± ... Nie Yan flew over the Swamp of the Damned on his Darkwing Dragon. He had no idea what was up ahead. According to his map, at the edge of this marsh was a stronghold. He wondered which guild was occupying it. Nie Yan was planning to take a detour around the stronghold, when two flying mounts approached him. After they spotted Nie Yan, they didn¡¯t alter their course. Rather, they flew straight at him. Based on their attitude, they were clearly hostile. Fools! Nie Yan held on tight as he had the Darkwing Dragon accelerate and charge toward the two flying mounts. Two Rank 6 Nether Hawks! Nether Hawks were widely known for their speed, and were extremely aggressive monsters. Their claws were so sharp they could even break through the scales of dragons. Not to mention the corrosive effect of their attacks. The Darkwing Dragon dove down toward the Nether Hawks with its claws outstretched. The Nether Hawks gracefully dodged to the side, then flew back in and pincered the Darkwing Dragon. Nie Yan spotted two players riding the Nether Hawks. However, it was too dark to clearly make out their appearances. Since these two attacked Nie Yan on sight, they clearly came prepared. Likely, they were after the Death God¡¯s Edge! Nie Yan had the Darkwing Dragon make an abrupt ascent and perform a barrel roll to evade the pincer of the Nether Hawks. The three flying mounts fought back and forth. Seeing one Nether Hawk fly straight at him, Nie Yan felt his heart sink. He didn¡¯t try to evade. Rather, he had the Darkwing Dragon make a sharp turn and shoot forward with its claws outstretched. PSFHT! It caught the leg of the Nether Hawk and tore it clean off. ¡°KYEEEEH!¡± the Nether Hawk cried out in pain. Flapping its wings, it turned around and fled away. Nie Yan chased after the injured Nether Hawk on his Darkwing Dragon. Two minutes, that was all he needed to kill this wounded flying mount and take its Darkness Life Core! 10 meters, 8 meters, 5 meters¡­ Nie Yan was only a few seconds from taking the Nether Hawk down. Suddenly, from all around flying mounts appeared and closed in on him. There were at least 30, and all of them were Rank 6! Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. He was surrounded! There wasn¡¯t enough light here, so his field of vision was limited. By the time he spotted the danger, it was already far too late. The enemy was within 100 meters of him, it was impossible to escape. Nie Yan remained cool-headed. He continued chasing after the injured Nether Hawk. The Darkwing Dragon was nearly on top of the Nether Hawk, when Nie Yan leaped off from its back and shot out a web line. It stuck to the Nether Hawk, after which he pulled it taut. The player riding the injured Nether Hawk instantly stood up when he saw Nie Yan leaping over. However, he was still a beat too late. A cold light flashed as Nie Yan¡¯s blade slashed his throat. His eyes were wide open even in death, an incredulous look on his face. He fell off the Nether Hawk¡¯s back and plummeted to the ground below. Nie Yan plunged the Bloody Dagger into the back of the Nether Hawk¡¯s skull. PSFHT! Blood sprayed out into the air. A dark Life Core flickered with a captivating lustre inside the brain matter. The Nether Hawk cried miserably as Nie Yan stuck his hands in and extracted the Darkness Life Core. He then leaped off the dying flying mount. The Darkwing Dragon came swooping over and caught Nie Yan on its back before making a break for it. The Nether Hawk¡¯s corpse plunged toward the ground. The players surrounding Nie Yan were both shock and enraged. He¡¯d killed one of their own right in front of their eyes! ¡°Don¡¯t let him get away!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± The numerous flying mounts chased after Nie Yan. Nie Yan checked his hotbar, only to find all teleportation items and skills grayed out. A Dark Zealot had targeted him with Shackles of Strife! He was caught surrounded by all these Rank 6 flying mounts without a way out! Damn it! Nie Yan¡¯s heart dropped to his stomach. He¡¯d still underestimated the persistence of the Evil Faction players to obtain the Death God¡¯s Edge. After slaughtering his way into a village not too long ago, he figured he¡¯d done enough to scare off anyone with thoughts of stealing it from him. But not only were these people unafraid to come after him, they¡¯d also managed to track him down, assemble a team, and surround him, all within half-an-hour. They were definitely an elite team! In the entire Evil Faction, the only ones capable of this were the likes of Pantheon and Fallen Angel! The biggest suspect was Pantheon because they ruled over the Demon Tribe. However, even if Nie Yan knew, he was helpless to do anything about it. Asskickers United wasn¡¯t strong enough to deal with so many powerful enemies at the same time. Nie Yan looked at the enemy. With the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s strength, dealing with so many Rank 6 flying mounts would prove incredibly difficult. Three Silverring Blightflies spewed out a green fog. This was a paralyzing poison that could incapacitate the enemy. The players from Pantheon had antidotes, so they didn¡¯t fear it. However, this couldn¡¯t be said for Nie Yan. Even though he had high poison resistance and drank a Specialist Antidote, he still felt a slight numb feeling all over his body. As for the Darkwing Dragon, he could tell that it had slowed down quite a bit. ¡°Shit!¡± Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but curse. He had the Darkwing Dragon rapidly ascend and ram into a Nether Hawk, sending it flying. In this desperate situation, the Darkwing Dragon erupted with frightening might. After the Nether Hawk, it took out another five flying mounts in quick succession. Nie Yan tried to escape at every step, but these opponents were like debt collectors, pursuing him relentlessly. Several of them swooped down and attacked the Darkwing Dragon all at once. PSFHT! PSFHT! PSFHT! The Darkwing Dragon could only evade so much. Several attacks struck its body and carved open large wounds as chunks of its flesh dangled in the air. The wounds were coated in a jet black liquid. The Nether Hawk¡¯s corrosive effect! The corrosive liquid slowly sapped away at the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s strength. A Silverring Blightfly came flying over. Its abdomen was raised, revealing a sharp stringer like that of a bee. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. He definitely couldn''t allow this attack to hit the Darkwing Dragon. He leaped toward the Silverring Blightfly. The rider on top of the Silverring Blightfly was a Thief. Seeing Nie Yan pouncing over, he hurriedly had his flying mount retreat back. However, he was a step too late. Nie Yan landed on the Silverring Blightfly and plunged the Bloody Dagger into its abdomen. He then drove the dagger further in, causing green blood to spray out. As the Silverring Blightfly writhed in pain, the Darkwing Dragon came swooping over and grabbed onto its head and abdomen. PSFHT! Its body was torn into two. 1. This is the Spectral Thief introduced in . Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 842 - Final Showdown The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s brutality caused everyone to suck in a breath of cold air. They couldn¡¯t help but see the similarities between it and its master, both of them brimming with killing intent. Even though the Darkwing Dragon was greatly outnumbered, it didn¡¯t falter in the slightest, retaliating with fierce attacks. ¡°The Mad Rogue really does live up to his name. Anyone else would¡¯ve fallen long ago.¡± ¡°What brutal and ferocious attacks!¡± The players from Pantheon felt admiration for Nie Yan. But orders were orders. They wouldn¡¯t let him go or hold back against him. Two Nether Hawks bit the Darkwing Dragon and ripped out chunks of its flesh with their claws. ¡°GRWAOAH!¡± It struck out with its claws and sent one of them flying. Nie Yan leaped onto the other Nether Hawk. With a swift kick, he sent its rider flying off its back. He then ruthlessly slashed its throat with the Bloody Dagger. Blood sprayed out into the air. ¡°KYEEEH!¡± The Nether Hawk let out a mournful cry before plunging down from the sky. Nie Yan leaped back onto the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s back. The Darkwing Dragon engaged in a fierce dogfight with these Rank 6 flying mounts. Small and large wounds covered its body. Glancing at the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s status window, it had suffered heavy injuries and was in critical condition. There were still more than 20 flying mounts in the vicinity. They¡¯d tightly locked them down. There was no way to charge out. The Darkwing Dragon was like a caged beast backed into a corner. This was the end of the road. The Darkwing Dragon was in its death throes. Nie Yan¡¯s heart sunk to the pit of his stomach. It looked like the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s death was unavoidable. He looked around his surroundings, at the items in his bag, and at the skills on his hotbar, but all to no avail. It seemed there was no saving his Darkwing Dragon. He loathed to give up on it, but he saw no other option. Nie Yan was confident in escaping by himself, even if he was bound by Shackles of Strife. However, if he wanted to take the Darkwing Dragon with him, that would be impossible. The incantation to recall it took too much time. The enemies would interrupt him before he could even start. Sensing its master¡¯s helplessness, the Darkwing Dragon let out a sad cry. It suddenly accelerated and dove down toward a Greenfinch Wyvern flying below. The Greenfinch Wyvern tried to flee in a panic, but it was simply too slow. The Darkwing Dragon grabbed onto the Greenfinch Wyvern¡¯s wings, then chomped down on its neck. ¡°GREEEGH!¡± the Greenfinch Wyvern wailed out in agony. It ruthlessly whipped its tail into the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s body. But no matter how much it struggled, it couldn¡¯t break free. Not another breath escaped the Greenfinch Wyvern¡¯s mouth. The Darkwing Dragon let go of the Greenfinch Wyvern, letting it fall from the sky. Nie Yan saw an opening. He immediately seized the opportunity and passed down an order to the Darkwing Dragon. The Darkwing Dragon accelerated and made a break for it. ¡°Stop him! Don¡¯t let him escape!¡± ¡°If he gets away, we¡¯ll be screwed!¡± Three Nether Hawks moved to intercept the Darkwing Dragon and swooped down with their claws outstretched. The Darkwing Dragon was already in critical condition. If it took the attacks of these Nether Hawks, it would definitely die! Nie Yan had the Darkwing Dragon evade by making a sharp turn. Glancing back, the opportunity was already gone, the opening sealed. The enemy was fairly skilled with excellent teamwork. They were definitely the experts of some guild. In the entire Evil Faction, there were only a handful of guilds that could mobilize so many Rank 6 flying mounts at once. Nie Yan could still escape if he abandoned the Darkwing Dragon right now. However, even these chances grew slimmer as the battle raged on. Normally, Nie Yan would act with rational in situations like these, choosing the path with the fewest losses. However, he was hesitating right now. Given his current strength, Nie Yan could easily find another flying mount at the same level as the Darkwing Dragon. However, even though he hadn¡¯t spent much time with the Darkwing Dragon lately, when it came time to abandon it, a strong unwillingness welled up from the bottom of his heart. They¡¯d gone through so many battles together. It would be a lie to say he didn¡¯t feel a sense of attachment. In this virtual world, from the moment the Darkwing Dragon hatched, it had formed a connection with Nie Yan. As time passed, their bond only grew deeper, and it also gradually developed some intelligence. No matter what happened, it would always unconditionally trust its master. Even if Nie Yan decided to abandon it, it would still fight for him until the bitter end. The Darkwing Dragon turned its head and looked back at Nie Yan. Meeting the gaze of the Darkwing Dragon, this was the first time Nie Yan noticed the flicker of intelligence in its eyes. The deep sadness, yearning, he could sense all the complicated emotions stirring in its heart. ¡°You realize it too, huh?¡± Nie Yan felt sorrow gripping at his chest. Rank 7 flying mounts already possessed some intelligence. However, only Rank 8 flying mounts could express such human emotions. A feeling of grief surged up from Nie Yan¡¯s heart. The Darkwing Dragon was already so close to reaching Rank 8. Was it really going to die here just like that? ¡°GROAAAR!¡± the Darkwing Dragon let out a final cry, giving voice to the rage and defiance in its heart. The Rank 6 flying mounts in the surroundings trembled. They had an innate fear of dragons. Though already a spent arrow, the Darkwing Dragon would struggle fiercely until the last flames of its life died out. Nie Yan¡¯s heart was deeply shaken. It was almost as if he was going to lose a child. This was the first time he ever felt this way toward a pet in a game. Three Nether Hawks pounced forward once more. Flying mounts were large creatures. With five pouncing forward at the same time, it was enough to completely fill up the surrounding air space, leaving no room to maneuver at all. So, three was the most optimal number. Since the Nether Hawks were famed for their close combat ability, they became the vanguard. The Darkwing Dragon and the three Nether Hawks wrestled in the air. Several more wounds opened up on its body. Nie Yan could sense the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s life force rapidly slipping away. The Darkwing Dragon glanced back at Nie Yan one last time. He could see the light in its eyes growing fainter by the second. This was the final parting. Nie Yan clenched his fist as a feeling of anguish tore at his heart. He was puzzled. How could he feel such pain for a virtual pet? Humans were sentimental creatures. Even though the Darkwing Dragon was only a virtual pet, Nie Yan had raised it from the moment it hatched to now. For the sake of making it grow stronger, he searched all over for things like Darkness Life Cores and Dragon Cores. After investing so much love and energy into it, he would naturally feel attached to it. If the Darkwing Dragon died, he would certainly feel heartache. Nie Yan glanced at his bag. It was filled with a large pile of Darkness Life Cores and four Dragon Cores. He didn¡¯t have an opportunity to feed them to the Darkwing Dragon. He originally wanted to give them to it bit by bit, having it progress slowly, so it would have a higher chance of breaking through to Rank 9. However, right now, it seemed like all that was going to waste. ¡°The Darkwing Dragon is almost dead! We can do it!¡± ¡°When the Darkwing Dragon dies, don¡¯t let Nirvana Flame escape!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay 500,000 gold to buy the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s Life Core. I call dibs on it!¡± The players from Pantheon all grew excited, to the extent that they were bickering about who would get the spoils. Even if they couldn¡¯t kill Nie Yan, the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s Life Core would be a huge harvest. Everyone felt the Darkwing Dragon was on its last breath. ¡°Screw it! What¡¯s there to lose!?¡± Nie Yan said, his eyes still on the Darkness Life Cores in his bag. He had no idea if they would help the Darkwing Dragon. Every single one of them was extremely valuable. If they failed, they would all go to waste. But that was a gamble he was willing to take! Nie Yan grabbed a handful of Darkness Life Cores out of his bag. He then gave the Darkwing Dragon one last command. Turn your head and open your mouth wide! The Darkwing Dragon was barely conscious. However, it immediately stirred awake and turned its head around. Nie Yan stuffed the Life Cores into the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s mouth. Gulp! The Darkwing Dragon swallowed them all into its stomach. The Darkwing Dragon didn¡¯t show any change, except for its aura that grew somewhat stronger. No turning back now! Nie Yan shoved another handful of Life Cores into the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s mouth. Still not enough! He shoved yet another handful. Nie Yan fed the Darkwing Dragon six handfuls of Life Cores for a total of 30. He had obtained all of them during his Luminous Dancer class advancement quest. So, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to find more. However, he no longer cared about this. Feeding a flying mount so many Life Cores at once, it wasn¡¯t like no one had done this before. In fact, a player had stuffed his Rank 7 flying mount full of Life Cores in the previous timeline. The result was it swelling in size before exploding from all the energy and dying. Nie Yan was doing the exact same thing! Nie Yan previously didn¡¯t dare to feed the Darkwing Dragon too many Life Cores at once precisely because he recalled this incident. However, desperate times called for desperate measures! After swallowing over 30 Darkness Life Cores, the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s aura rapidly climbed. The powerful draconic aura caused the surrounding Rank 6 flying mounts to back away in fear. The riders stared at the Darkwing Dragon in bewilderment. No matter how much they commanded, their flying mounts refused to move. ¡°God dammit! Move, you stupid bird!¡± a Warrior gave his Nether Hawk a hard kick. It flapped its wings and flailed about wildly, nearly throwing him off. He barely hung on. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 843 - Rank 8 Darkwing Dragon ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The hell?¡± ¡°Look, what¡¯s he doing?¡± ¡­ The players from Pantheon watched Nie Yan stuffing Darkness Life Cores into the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s mouth. ¡°The hell is he thinking!? He¡¯s gone crazy! Is he not afraid of his Darkwing Dragon exploding!?¡± a Warrior exclaimed. ¡°My budha in Heaven. Where did he get so many Life Cores!?¡± ¡°Shit! Is he not afraid of all those Life Cores going to waste?¡± ¡°The Darkwing Dragon is pretty much dead! He might as well just give them to us! Fuck! I really have to bow my head to this prodigal son! My heart hurts just looking at all these Life Cores going down the drain!¡± The value of these Life Cores probably exceeded that of the Darkwing Dragon! However, from Nie Yan¡¯s perspective, these Life Cores were only material, while the Darkwing Dragon was his baby. He¡¯d raised it and fought with it, sharing together both the good and the bad times. Nie Yan grabbed the seventh handful of Life Cores, when he sensed a powerful energy surging through the Darkwing Dragon, threatening to tear it apart from within. His heart sunk. This was the outcome he feared the most! After being consumed, the hard shell of a Life Core would crumble, releasing the energy held within which the flying mount would feast on. The Darkwing Dragon was right now eating its belly full, and then some. But if it couldn¡¯t digest all this energy, the only place it could go was out! Was the Darkwing Dragon going to die here? Nie Yan¡¯s heart grew anxious. There was nothing he could do to help the Darkwing Dragon, but to support it with affection. ¡°GROOOAAAGHH¡­!¡± the Darkwing Dragon wailed out in agony. Nie Yan could sense how much pain it was going through. Nie Yan had no idea what kind of transformation the Darkwing Dragon would undergo after consuming so many Darkness Life Cores while on the verge of death. Live! Please, live! Nie Yan prayed. However, the situation was far more severe than Nie Yan could imagine. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s scales released a dazzling black radiance as its flesh was splitting apart. The veins under its scales swelled to the extreme, looking as if they would burst at any moment because of the rampaging energy coursing through its body. These were the warning signs before an imminent explosion. Alas, the Darkwing Dragon couldn¡¯t withstand the energy contained inside all these Darkness Life Core after all. Shit! Nie Yan despaired. Whatever he did was useless right now. He tossed the Darkness Life Cores in his hands back into his bag. The Darkwing Dragon was struggling to contain the energy going wild inside it. If he fed it anymore, he would be cutting off the last strand of hope. The fearful image of the Darkwing Dragon exploding into a million pieces flashed before his eyes. Nie Yan shuddered in fear. ¡°Dammit! If the Darkwing Dragon explodes, we won¡¯t get anything! All those Life Cores, wasted!¡± ¡°Blast it with magic! Kill it!¡± The Mages waved their staffs and sent a shower of spells flying towards the Darkwing Dragon. However, when the spells came within 10 meters of it, they detonated in mid-air. Before these spells could reach the Darkwing Dragon, they were destroyed by the berserk aura flowing out of it. The fluctuations around the Darkwing Dragon grew increasingly intense. Nie Yan nearly lost his balance and had to activate the Rank 16 Darkbright Barrier to prevent himself from getting torn to shreds by the rampaging energy. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s body started to expand. It had reached its limit! Glancing at the Dragon Cores in his bag, Nie Yan had a crazy idea. Dragon Cores were undoubtedly first rate Life Cores. The energy contained inside them were several dozens to hundreds of times greater than that of other cores. He¡¯d hesitated using them before, always waiting for the right moment. But at this rate, that day would never come! If not today, Nie Yan would never get another opportunity! Faced with guaranteed death and the miniscule possibility of survival, Nie Yan no longer hesitated. Even until the end, he wasn¡¯t willing to give up on the Darkwing Dragon. He shoved a Dragon Core into the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s mouth. Nie Yan¡¯s eyes were fixated on the Darkwing Dragon, while in his mind a mental finger hovered above the button to activate Adjudicator of God. ¡°Holy shit! He really is mad! He actually fed it a Dragon Core!¡± Everyone sensed the Darkwing Dragon was about to explode. Given how powerful it was, the force of its explosion wouldn¡¯t be something they could survive. ¡°Everyone, back away! Don¡¯t get caught in the explosion!¡± The players from Pantheon retreated over 60 meters away. They watched from afar, waiting for the Darkwing Dragon to explode. ¡°Pay attention to Nirvana Flame. Don¡¯t let him escape!¡± Even though they had Nie Yan completely surrounded, they didn¡¯t dare to lower their vigilance. Thieves were as slippery as an eel. The Darkwing Dragon swallowed the Dragon Core. Nie Yan¡¯s actions were those of a madman. It was already at its limit from all those Darkness Life Cores, but now he had fed it something as powerful as a Dragon Core! Its aura started rapidly climbing again. Is this the end¡­? Nie Yan gulped, his face ashen. Six seconds later, the Darkwing Dragon still hadn¡¯t exploded. It thrashed about wildly in the air, nearly throwing Nie Yan off several times. He tenaciously clung onto its back, even activating the Crawler Ring. Nie Yan suddenly discovered a peculiar change. Black, poisoned blood was being expelled out of the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s wounds as they started closing up at a speed visible to the naked eye. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. It worked! Over the next 10 seconds, the countless wounds covering the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s body healed completely. The Darkwing Dragon writhed in pain. After consuming the Dragon Core, the darkness energy inside its body went even more berserk, almost as if it were going to consume it. At the same time, its flesh grew stronger, its skin grew harder, and its scales grew thicker. Whether this was a good or bad thing remained to be seen. The Darkwing Dragon was barely conscious and on the verge of being swallowed up by the rampaging energy. The pain it was going through was unimaginable. After flailing wildly in the air for six minutes, its aura suddenly grew faint to the point of being unnoticeable. It stopped moving and entered freefall. Had the Darkwing Dragon died? Nie Yan despaired. He could no longer feel the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s heartbeat. Seeing the Darkwing Dragon falling from the sky, the players from Pantheon became excited. ¡°The Darkwing Dragon is dead!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let Nirvana Flame escape!¡± They urged their flying mounts to swoop down. The Darkwing Dragon barrelled toward the ground, 1,000 meters, 500 meters, 100 meters¡­ Nie Yan felt deep heartache. After trying so hard, he still failed to save the Darkwing Dragon. This sort of dismay and dejection was something he hadn¡¯t yet experienced since reincarnating back to the past. Nie Yan was just about to jump off, when the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s aura suddenly blazed back to life, skyrocketing even higher than before. A dragon¡¯s might swept out and enveloped the sky. What was going on? Nie Yan suddenly felt the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s heartbeat. THUMP-THUMP! THUMP-THUMP! It was brimming with life force! The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s eyes snapped open, revealing two beams of crimson light which pierced through the darkness of the sky before fading away. With a powerful flap of its wings, the Darkwing Dragon kicked up a whirlwind on the ground and shot back up to the sky. As the connection between the two was reestablished, Nie Yan¡¯s eyes lit up with joy. He thought he¡¯d lost the Darkwing Dragon for good. Nie Yan could tell the Darkwing Dragon was far stronger than before. The rampaging energy from the Darkness Life Cores and Dragon Core was all digested. Nie Yan excitedly examined the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s status window. He discovered it had broken through from Rank 7 to Rank 8. All its stats were substantially higher than before. After all this time, the Darkwing Dragon finally ranked up! Nie Yan raised his head and saw over a dozen Rank 6 flying mounts swooping down towards him. His eyes flashed with a cold light. It¡¯s time for payback! I¡¯ll let you experience the might of a Rank 8 flying mount! Seeing the Darkwing Dragon crashing towards the ground, the players from Pantheon thought it was dead for sure. They were about to finish off Nie Yan and collect their spoils of war, only to see the Darkwing Dragon turn around and shoot back up to the sky. The powerful draconic might caused their Rank 6 flying mounts to freeze up with fear. ¡°W-what!?¡± ¡°T-the Darkwing Dragon came back to life!¡± The players from Pantheon hurriedly reigned back their flying mounts, as the Darkwing Dragon shot upward like a black streak of lightning. ¡°It¡¯s coming!¡± ¡°Shit! It broke through to Rank 8!¡± The Darkwing Dragon was already a nightmare to deal with when it was Rank 7. Now that it was rank 8, the players from Panteon had no idea what to do. This moment of hesitation proved fatal. ¡°Stop it!¡± ¡°Fuck! Don¡¯t panic! What are you running for!?¡± Caught off-guard by the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s revival, the players from Pantheon lost their cool and broke formation. However, they were still experts and quickly regained their composure. Three Nether Hawks swooped down toward the Darkwing Dragon. ¡°GROAR!¡± The Darkwing Dragon opened its maw and blasted one of the Nether Hawks with a black jet of scorching hot Dragon Breath. BOOOM! Flames flew everywhere. The Nether Hawk¡¯s health instantly hit zero as it spiralled down toward the ground. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s breath attack! Flying mounts capable of attacking from afar were already few and far between. However, less than a handful had ranged attacks this powerful! Nie Yan was surprised by the power of the Dragon Breath. Seeing the blackened body of the Nether Hawk giving off smoke, he couldn¡¯t help but gasp. What frightening firepower! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 844 - Carnage The Darkwing Dragon pounced on the next Nether Hawk. PSSFHT! Its powerful claws latched onto the bird¡¯s body and tore the poor creature in two, blood and guts raining down from the sky. ¡°Shit! Stop him!¡± ¡°That toothless lizard is even scarier than before!¡± "H-how did it end up like this!?¡± The players from Pantheon lost their heads in fear. But there was no evading this calamity. They had to meet it head-on. The last of the three Nether Hawks swooped in from the flank and dive-bombed the Darkwing Dragon with outstretched claws. KLANG! The attack bounced off as if it had struck a steel plate. Not only did it fail to deal any damage to the Darkwing Dragon, but it also almost broke its claws! The rider of the Nether Hawk was dumbstruck. He didn¡¯t expect the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s scales to be so hard. Fuck! What kind of defense is this!? Before the rider could recover from his shock, the Darkwing Dragon charged over and rammed into the Nether Hawk. BAM! It was sent flying. The sheer size difference between the Darkwing Dragon and Nether Hawk was impossible to overcome. The Nether Hawk instantly died from the blow. This was the disparity between a Rank 6 and Rank 8 flying mount! After taking out this Nether Hawk, the Darkwing Dragon pounced toward a nearby Black Demon Vulture. The rider of the Black Demon Vulture paled in horror. He hurriedly had his flying mount turn and flee, but he was still a beat too late. The Darkwing Dragon chomped down on the Black Demon Vulture¡¯s back. ¡°SQUAAWK!¡± The pitiful bird let out a blood-curdling cry as one of its wings was torn right off. These Rank 6 flying mounts were like ants in front of the Darkwing Dragon! When the players from Pantheon gazed at the Darkwing Dragon, they noticed its appearance had completely changed. It was more than one and a half times larger than before and brimmed with strength. The black scales covering its body looked like glistening gems while a dark aura circulated around its body. The Darkwing Dragon was like a murderous asura covered in blood. A powerful draconic might swept out from the Darkwing Dragon, causing the Rank 6 flying mounts to tremble in fear. None of them dared to move. Nie Yan stood on top of the Darkwing Dragon, looking like a lofty god high above the clouds. With this turn of events, the players from Pantheon lost all will to fight. ¡°We can¡¯t win! Retreat!¡± ¡°Run!¡± ¡°M-my flying mount won¡¯t listen to me!¡± ¡°S-same with mine!¡± The players from Pantheon frantically urged their flying mounts to flee. But, alas, none heeded their call, frozen stiff by fear. The sole exception was a flying mount lucky enough to be a little further away than the rest. The draconic might didn¡¯t effect it as much. It turned and fled, afraid to look back. Nie Yan¡¯s gaze locked onto a Silverring Blightfly below him. The Darkwing Dragon suddenly swooped down. ¡°He¡¯s coming!¡± ¡°Get out of the way!¡± The Warrior riding the Silverring Blightfly looked up, only to see the massive frame of the Darkwing Dragon blot out his vision. An immense pressure threatened to overwhelm him. ¡°GEEEGH!¡± the Silverring Blightfly let out a sharp cry. The Warrior had no idea where he got the strength from, but he managed to stiffly steer his Silverring Blightfly around. With a frantic beat of its wings, it shot away. Want to run? Not so easy! Nie Yan coldly snorted. The Silverring Blightfly was simply too slow. The Darkwing Dragon swooped down and clutched onto its abdomen. PSSFHT! A gooey green liquid sprayed out into the air. ¡°GEEGH! GEEGH!¡± the Silverring Blightfly cried out. It frantically beat its wings and broke free from the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s grasp, only for another claw to reach for its head. POP! Brain matter, green blood, and bits of exoskeleton fell down from the sky. Even without a head, the Silverring Blightfly continued flying for some distance before plummeting towards the ground. ¡°GROOAAR!¡± The Darkwing Dragon opened its maw and blasted a nearby Phantasia Butterfly with jet black flames. The Phantasia Butterfly trashed about in the flames before crashing down towards the ground. The Darkwing Dragon carried out an absolute massacre. The Rank 6 flying mounts, which ordinary players viewed as powerful beyond compare, couldn¡¯t put up the slightest resistance. After breaking through to Rank 8, the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s strength skyrocketed. The players from Pantheon had lost the will to fight. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s brutality caused them to tremble in fright. They wanted to flee, but their flying mounts refused to listen to their orders. They could only watch on helplessly as they were picked off one by one. They stared at Nie Yan riding atop the Darkwing Dragon. His gaze was ice-cold without the slightest trace of sympathy. He was ruthless. The thick stench of blood permeated the skies, not dissipating for a long time. Today, another attempt to end Nie Yan¡¯s undefeated legacy failed. It was unlikely anyone could put a stop to him for a long time to come. ... Back in the Pantheon guild headquarters, Godking was discussing the benefits of going to war against Fallen Angel with the other core members, when he received a report. His expression darkened. ¡°Boss, what happened?¡± ¡°Boss?¡± ¡­ Everyone noticed the change in Godking¡¯s expression. Godking shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You guys continue.¡± The people in the conference hall looked unconvinced. However, since Godking didn¡¯t wish to speak, they could only drop the subject. Godking had just received word that the aerial force he sent to ambush Nirvana Flame was almost completely wiped out, with only a few riders escaping because they were allowed to. He couldn¡¯t pass down this information, since it was of the highest confidentiality. The loss of about 30 flying mounts caused his heart to bleed. Pantheon had suffered massively in this battle. The Death God¡¯s Edge¡­ Godking clenched his fist. He originally didn¡¯t want to provoke Nirvana Flame, but in the end he couldn''t resist the temptation of this Sacred Object. Never in his wildest dreams could he have predicted that the Darkwing Dragon, while on the verge of death, would suddenly break through to Rank 8 and slaughter so many of his guild¡¯s Rank 6 flying mounts. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Just how powerful of an existence was a Rank 8 flying mount? At this stage of the game, it was doubtful if any flying mount could rival the Darkwing Dragon. Godking ordered the people under him to continue closely observing Nie Yan, but he no longer dared to take action by himself again. He could only put all his hope in Half-Demon Angud. ¡­ Nie Yan gazed far off into the horizon. Several flying mounts had fled away. The amount of effort it would take to chase them down wasn¡¯t worth the payoff. The Darkwing Dragon wobbled unstably in the air, likely because of exhaustion. Nie Yan chanted an incantation and recalled the Darkwing Dragon, then dropped down from the sky. Right before hitting the ground, Nie Yan activated Featherfall. Nie Yan¡¯s feet gently touched the ground. Looking around, the scene before his eyes would cause most people to gasp in shock. All around him were the mangled corpses of flying mounts, with wings, heads, claws, and other body parts strewn everywhere. Few were intact. Most were still dripping with blood, which had yet to dry. This had been a brutal slaughter. Nie Yan wasn¡¯t the slightest bit perturbed by this carnage, having witnessed far gorier scenes in his past life. He walked to the corpse of a Rank 6 flying mount and split its skull open with his dagger, revealing a glistening black gem. He dug it out and raised it up to the sky. Another Rank 6 Darkness Life Core! Most of the flying mounts in the underworld were of the darkness attribute. So, there was no lack of Darkness Life Cores, which Nie Yan just happened to need! After digging out the first Darkness Life Core, Nie Yan started scavenging the other corpse, lest someone else snatched away his spoils. About 20 minutes later, Nie Yan collected 26 Life Cores, among which 21 were of the darkness attribute. They were neatly stacked up in his bag. A light bulb lit up in Nie Yan¡¯s head. The Righteous Faction frequently carried out large-scale hunts on low rank flying mounts. Most likely, there were players in the underworld who did the same. And since most flying mounts here were of the dark attribute, these players would just happen to sit on stacks of Life Cores Nie Yan desperately wanted. Nie Yan glanced at the sparkling Life Cores in his bag, then back at his Darkwing Dragon in his pet space. The Darkwing Dragon appeared completely burnt out. Nie Yan picked out a Darkness Life Core and tossed it into his pet space. CRUNCH! CRUNCH! The Darkwing Dragon caught the Life Core in its mouth and ground it into pieces. After swallowing the Life Core, it closed its eyes and went to sleep. Before long, the energy contained inside the Life Core was absorbed by the Darkwing Dragon. Its scales flashed with a dazzling brilliance and appeared even stronger than before. The Darkwing Dragon had already overcome the previously rampaging energy while breaking through. Now, its body was even more resilient and could contain over a hundred times more energy than before. There was no need to worry about overfeeding it. Nie Yan had no idea when the Darkwing Dragon would wake up. At that time, he could continue feeding it Darkness Life Cores. The Rank 8 Darkwing Dragon was an amazing bonus for Nie Yan. Rank 9 was incredibly difficult to reach. That meant that the Rank 8 Darkwing Dragon could rule the skies for a long time to come. Since this aerial battle took place in a remote corner of the Demon Tribe, few players were aware of it. Nie Yan sent over footage of the battle to Guo Huai.¡¸Help me find out who these people are.¡¹ Guo Huai immediately carried out an investigation. Before long, he reported back to Nie Yan.¡¸We already found some clues when we were investigating Half-Demon Angud. All signs point toward Pantheon.¡¹ ¡¸Pantheon, huh? Just like I thought,¡¹Nie Yan faintly smirked. With the Death God¡¯s Edge in his hand, Pantheon wasn¡¯t likely to sit still. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 845 - City of Sin The Evil Faction greatly coveted the Death God¡¯s Edge, though Nie Yan still didn¡¯t know why. Even so, he wasn¡¯t the slightest bit concerned. He would greet any enemy head-on. Nie Yan took out the Death God¡¯s Edge from his bag and raised it to the sky. A bloody light flickered along its blade. Nie Yan felt an icy aura flow through his palm and up into his arm while hoarse, gloomy voices whispered into his ears, sounding like the wailing of the damned. He could feel the powerful spiritual energy contained within the Death God¡¯s Edge. This was a priceless artifact that many drooled over. Nie Yan estimated that if the Death God¡¯s Edge had fallen into anyone else¡¯s hands, they would¡¯ve suffered a calamity. With an entire world chasing after them, they¡¯d be killed for sure, only for the new bearer to be next in line. Only because the Death God¡¯s Edge was in Nie Yan¡¯s hands was the Evil Faction so peaceful. The reputation of the Mad Rogue was enough to deter the vast majority of players. After finding Lich King Insar¡¯s Secret Treasure, Nie Yan would have to quickly find Tallod. It wasn¡¯t a wise choice to keep testing his luck. Nie Yan received word from Guo Huai that Half-Demon Angud was on the move again. After giving him 20 minutes to catch up, he teleported to another location with Instant Transmission. Instant Transmission gave Nie Yan the ability to keep even the god-like existences, like Angud, chasing after him without ever catching up. Time was of the essence. Nie Yan appeared in a wasteland. He took Lich King Insar¡¯s Secret Treasure Map out of his bag and followed the trail. His objective was in the southeast. Nie Yan found a slightly higher hill and looked far off into the distance. At the edge of his vision, he saw the outline of a grand city. That was Medmunt, the second largest city in the Demon Tribe. Even though it was still far away, Nie Yan could faintly make out the buildings. At the center of the city was a towering black spire with numerous magic lights on each floor, which resembled the stars in the night sky. The white radiance illuminated the land. Thanks to these magic lighthouses, players could locate cities from far away. A beacon of life in this world of darkness. Checking back with the map, it seemed like Lich King Insar¡¯s Secret Treasure was inside this city! Nie Yan furrowed his brows. What was he supposed to do if the treasure chest was in the city? Entering the city in and of itself was extremely risky, to say nothing of the fact he would also be searching for a treasure. Lich King Insar¡¯s Secret Treasure was extremely tempting to Nie Yan. After all, it was something left behind by a Legendary NPC. That old fox was smart. Hiding the treasure in a city was far safer than in the wilderness. As Nie Yan was wondering how to enter the city, he casually looked over the map and noticed something strange. There were mountains, rivers, and lava drawn on the map. Right over Medmunt was the symbol of a golden treasure chest. However, on another part of the map was the border of a mountain range with the symbol of a gravestone. It was normal for a map to illustrate the surrounding terrain, but a grave? That was strange. Perhaps it was a clue! Nie Yan rolled the treasure map back up, then darted off with Gale Step. His destination was the grave shown on the map. Nie Yan sped past various biomes with his lightning fast speed. ... While Nie Yan was busy questing in the underworld, Bladelight and the expedition team had made great progress in World¡¯s Edge. They had already killed over 50 bosses and obtained quite a bit of excellent loot. As they advanced deeper into the dungeon, the bosses they encountered grew more powerful. After suffering their first wipe, they entered a public area in World¡¯s Edge. It was called the City of Sin, originally a place the angels used to lock up their prisoners. There were buildings everywhere. Players could trade, sell, and replenish their consumables here. However, unlike the order in most cities, the rule of law didn¡¯t apply here. PKing was as common as wiping to the next boss. Fights both small and large broke out multiple times a day, and the NPCs which were pretty grim themselves would only watch it happen. Bladelight and the rest of the expedition team entered the City of Sin. After finding an empty house, they set up guard and took the necessary precautions to avoid being ambushed. ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look around. You guys stay here and wait for our word,¡± Bladelight said, turning to face Paladin of the Elegy. They had obtained quite a lot of strange items in World¡¯s Edge, particularly gold coins with the engraving of an archangel on them. Most of the bosses they¡¯d killed dropped them. They had obtained about 160 of them so far, and they could be used to trade with NPCS for Level 150¨C160 items. ¡°Bladelight, how many people are you planning to bring?¡± ¡°A party of seven is fine. We¡¯ll sneak in, exchange a few things, and get out,¡± Bladelight said. He really wanted to explore the City of Sin. However, this place was different from others. It was riddled with dangers, so they had to be extra cautious. A while later, Bladelight, Sun, Xie Yao, Painted Muslin, and three others headed toward the center of the City of Sin. ... Elsewhere in the City of Sin, five robed players were walking down the main street. ¡°Boss, we just received a report that Asskickers United¡¯s people are coming here. There are seven of them,¡± a Thief whispered into Soaring Angel¡¯s ear. They were five elites of Angel Corps, including Soaring Angel himself. With the coins they¡¯d amassed, they just bought some equipment. ¡°Is the Mad Rogue with them?¡± Soaring Angel asked. Even if he wasn¡¯t willing to admit it, he was fearful of Nie Yan. ¡°No, Nirvana Flame isn¡¯t with them.¡± ¡°Then who is?¡± ¡°Bladelight, Smoke Stub, Young Sparrow Hawk, Sun, Yao Yao, Painted Muslin, and Mistaken Smile.¡± Soaring Angel nodded. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache coming on. This group was not easy to deal with. ¡°Boss, are we going to do anything to them?¡± ¡°Listen to my orders. No one do anything without my command!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± In this lawless city, anything could happen. Perhaps the only noteworthy events were when nothing happened at all. The NPCs wore shabby, worn out clothes, looking no different from homeless beggars, yet sold some of the most powerful equipment. They weren¡¯t to be trifled with. But even they didn¡¯t instill a sense of peace, as the players walked around on edge, a hand always on their blade or staff and ready for the next fight. ... Nie Yan dashed at full speed for 30 minutes before finally arriving at the base of a mountain. Up ahead was a tall peak. This was where the grave should be. Nie Yan started searching around. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 846 - Game of Courage Nie Yan searched this side of the mountain for more than half-an-hour. The map wasn¡¯t detailed enough, and the symbol too large. He could only discern the grave¡¯s general location. How hard could it be to find? Harder than he expected, upturning even the pebbles in a desperate attempt to find it. Looking over at the hillside to his left, Nie Yan noticed a green light flickering within the darkness. Is it over there¡­? Nie Yan had already searched that area before, but had only found a few mounds of dirt. Let¡¯s look again, Nie Yan thought before heading towards the green flames. Several minutes later, Nie Yan arrived back at the mounds of dirt. A burial ground! He wondered how he could¡¯ve missed this, though perhaps due to the lack of grave houses. The earth was muddy, with the stench of rotting corpses afoul in the air and crooked, broken gravestones scattered here and there. Specks of green flames floated up into the dark sky from a patch of weeds. It was as if Nie Yan had been plopped into the set of a horror movie. Is this it? The Lich King¡¯s Tomb wouldn¡¯t be this obvious, right? Even though Nie Yan was doubtful, he still entered the burial ground. The moment he did, a powerful dark energy pervaded the area. Rotting hands erupted out from the earth as corpses crawled out of their graves and started stumbling towards him. As a corpse stumbled within three meters of Nie Yan, he raised his leg and threw out a lightning fast fick. POP! Its head exploded. It was only an ordinary Level 160 monster. Losing its head, the corpse slumped back to the ground. Nie Yan directly entered the heart of the burial ground and discovered a single intact gravestone. It was badly eroded by the wind and rain. Several words were written on it in Ancient Undead, a language he couldn¡¯t read. On the corner of the stone face was the drawing of a blood red skeleton along with a thumb sized recess. A secret mechanism? Nie Yan dealt with the corpses crawling towards him while searching online for information related to Lich King Insar¡¯s treasure. Failing to find anything new, he couldn¡¯t help but get annoyed. Looking back at the recess, Nie Yan suddenly recalled something. He still had Lich King Insar¡¯s Finger Bone in his bag! A light bulb lit up in Nie Yan¡¯s head. He took out Insar¡¯s Finger Bone from his back. Looking back at the recess, the two were a perfect fit! Nie Yan inserted the finger bone into the recess. After which the gravestone lit up with a dazzling radiance. A series of characters flashed in Nie Yan¡¯s mind. ¡¸You have opened Lich King Insar¡¯s Tomb. Before the powerful Necromancer died, he placed down a terrible Nightmare Curse. Anyone that disturbs the sanctity of his final resting place would have their stats reduced by 80% for a month. He then cut off his 10 fingers, sending each to faraway places all over the world. Any single one of them can open the tomb. Brave, or perhaps foolish grave robber, do you dare to continue forward even after losing your great strength?¡¹ A harsh cackle lingered in Nie Yan¡¯s ears for a long time, ridiculing him. Nie Yan could sense a gloomy energy invading his body and sapping away his strength. His body felt much weaker all of a sudden, almost foreign. Looking at his status, he had received the Nightmare Curse. All his stats were reduced by 80%, something no player could bear. ¡°Shit!¡± Nie Yan¡¯s face was covered in dark clouds. This curse lasted for a month, and there was no way to remove it, meaning there was nothing he could do during this time. If he were to encounter players from the Evil Faction, he would be in even more trouble. With his current stats, even ordinary players could beat him. As Nie Yan was mulling over what to do, the ground in front of him suddenly collapsed, revealing a flight of stairs leading down to an underground cave. Nie Yan nearly lost his balance because of the violent shaking. After stabilizing himself, he looked down at the dark cave. He hesitated. Should he continue forward? With his stats reduced by 80%, even against a Level 100 Elite, he might lose. While Nie Yan was pacing back and forth outside the entrance, a zombie slowly closed in on him. The zombies were still ordinary Level 160 monsters, the same as before. But now, Nie Yan had no choice but to raise his vigilance. What little flesh still covered this zombie¡¯s bones was rotting and gave off a foul stench. It was missing an eye and its face didn¡¯t look quite alright. Nie Yan brandished the Bloody Dagger and stabbed forward. PSHFT! He stabbed the zombie in the forehead, shaving away about 6,000 health from its pool of 160,000 health. Nie Yan could normally down these zombies in one hit. Now, however, it would be a long and hard battle. ¡°GRAAGH!¡± The zombie swung down its arm. Nie Yan leaped back. However, he was still a beat too slow. The arm struck him in the shoulder. THWACK! Nie Yan stumbled backwards. ?3,356 A little dizzy, Nie Yan saw the zombie coming at him again. He sidestepped and plunged his dagger into its back with a Reverse Grip Backstab. Brushing the attack off, the zombie¡¯s arm came swinging over. THWACK! ?2,991 Nie Yan couldn¡¯t dodge in time. With his movement speed greatly reduced, his body was having a hard time syncing up with his mind. God dammit! Nie Yan inwardly cursed. How was he supposed to fight like this!? He couldn¡¯t even match up to a trash zombie mob! After exchanging several blows with the zombie, Nie Yan finally got used to his restricted speed. It felt like a jump back in time when he was merely Level 90. A few minutes later, Nie Yan finally downed the zombie. More and more zombies came stumbling over from all around. Nie Yan hurriedly retreated. Bringing out his cavalry crossbow, he fired at them while kiting back. With his stats suppressed by 80%, Nie Yan was questioning if he should enter Lich King Insar¡¯s Tomb. After deliberating for a long time, Nie Yan decided to enter anyway. Since he had come all the way here and even fell victim to a curse for no reason, if he were to turn back now, he would be losing too much. Nie Yan descended the stairs. Looking up, the zombies were huddled together outside the entrance, seemingly afraid to come down after him. Taking a deep breath, Nie Yan calmed his mind. His gaze fell on the cave which was faintly illuminated by torchfire. The cold and gloomy air coming out of it caused his body to lightly tremble. The stairs led down to an underground passageway three meters high and two meters wide. He saw skeletons of the fallen leaning against the walls. Covered in broken armour, they were likely adventurers in life. ¡°Welcome to Lich King Insar¡¯s Tomb. Are you ready to take on his game of courage?¡± a disembodied voice cackled in Nie Yan¡¯s ear. It was brimming with undisguised ridicule and mockery. A game of courage, huh? Nie Yan¡¯s heart turned cold, glancing at the corpses on the floor. You think this is enough to scare me off!? Nie Yan was on full alert, ready for anything. As he took a step forward, he heard a rumbling noise. Looking up, he saw several dozen round wooden pillars. Nie Yan quickly lunged six meters forward. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Glancing over his shoulder, the ground was smashed into rubble. Close call! There was no time. As his feet touched the ground, several hundred arrows came flying towards him. Nie Yan stared at a solid wall of arrows roughly 10 meters thick. There was only a single crack, too big to fit a human. Pygmy Transformation! After shrinking down to a third of his size, Nie Yan activated Animorph and shrunk down even further into a small lynx, increasing his movement speed by 300%. Put put put! Put put put! Arrows struck the ground behind Nie Yan as he nimbly found his way through the crack. If Nie Yan hadn¡¯t acted so quickly, he¡¯d be swiss cheese by now! After running for 60 meters, Nie Yan suddenly felt a quaking beneath his feet. Following the origin to a slope up ahead, he saw a giant boulder rolling towards him. It was quickly picking up speed and practically covered the entire passage. No wonder this place was filled with so many slopes! Seeing this boulder coming at him like a malevolent beast, Nie Yan turned tail and fled as fast as his legs would carry him. However, it wasn¡¯t fast enough. In the next moment, he was going to be squashed into a meat patty. Nie Yan leaped over to the corner of the wall and curled himself up as much as possible. The boulder was round while the passageway was square. So, he should be safe here. The sound of the boulder whizzing past caused Nie Yan to break out in a cold sweat. Shrinking down in size had saved his life yet again. No human could pass through this space. The traps here were some of the most dangerous ones Nie Yan had encountered in his life! After traveling through the passageway for 30 minutes, Nie Yan finally experienced what was called a true trap. He feared even nine lives wouldn¡¯t be enough to get out of this place alive. Nie Yan finally reached the end of the passageway. A game of courage it truly was. He estimated the traps here were powerful enough to kill 99.99% of the experts that reached this tomb. Likely, only those who were fated could get through. This was only the beginning! Pygmy Transformation and Animorph wore off, and Nie Yan returned to his original size. Even after ranking up, the cooldowns of these two skills were still six hours long. Not knowing what lay ahead, he hesitated for a moment. He decided to sit down and wait for all his skills to come off cooldown first before proceeding. 1. Nie Yan obtains the finger bone from the secret shop in Okoron in . Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 847 - Lich King’s Tomb Pantheon¡¯s guild headquarters. Godking was trembling in fear, not daring to raise his head. Angud was fuming with rage after making a trip to the far northwest of the Demon Tribe and failing to catch even a glimpse of Nie Yan¡¯s shadow. ¡°Find me his exact location by tomorrow, or... You know the consequences.¡± Angud glared at Godking. Godking felt bitterness in his heart. His intelligence network hadn¡¯t found a trace of Nirvana Flame for a long time already. Given how big the Demon Tribe was, it was like trying to find a needle in a mountain of hay! Even if they found him, he could teleport away like before. But Godking had no way of going against Angud¡¯s orders. If they failed to locate Nirvana Flame, a true calamity would befall him. Once Angud was angered, all of Pantheon would be done for. ¡°L-lord Angud, Nirvana Flame is as slippery as a louch. I-I really have no way of finding him¡­¡± Just as these words left Godking¡¯s mouth, he felt a powerful force wrap around his neck and lift him off the ground. He was completely helpless before this power. On the verge of suffocating, he hurriedly screamed out, ¡°B-but I have a way of making him come to you!¡± Godking felt the grip on his neck released. He collapsed on the ground and gasped for air. Angud shot Godking a glance. ¡°You better pray your plan will satisfy me.¡± Godking explained with a haggard face, ¡°It¡¯s impossible for us to locate a single Thief in a place as vast as the Demon Tribe. Not to mention Nirvana Flame belongs to the Righteous Faction and can return to the surface at any time. Even if we find him, you know how hard it is to catch him. We can only make him come to us. He¡¯s the leader of a large guild in the Viridian Empire with hundreds of thousands of subordinates below him. If you start slaughtering his followers en masse, he¡¯ll have no choice but to reveal himself before you. He¡¯ll serve you the Death God¡¯s Edge on a silver platter.¡± Angud sunk into silence for a minute before staring at Godking. ¡°If I discover you¡¯re lying to me¡­¡± ¡°I-I wouldn¡¯t dare, Lord Angud! Here¡¯s all the data I¡¯ve collected on that guild. One more thing, I¡¯d like to advise you not to attack their strongholds. They¡¯re in possession of extremely advanced artillery.¡± Angud accepted the documents Godking provided. Even though Angud and Phantom Princess Ina were both Level 180 Demonified Lords, they were nothing alike. While Ina was an incarnation of destruction with only a singular goal in mind, Angud had his own intelligence. He wouldn¡¯t mindlessly slaughter his way forward and end up foolishly killed. He was a much greater adversary than Phantom Princess Ina. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll be making a trip to the surface. I wonder how much has changed since I was last there,¡± Angud muttered before departing. Watching Angud disappear, Godking¡¯s flattering smile was replaced by a cold and gloomy sneer. ¡°Merely an NPC. You¡¯ve still become my tool in the end.¡± He predicted Angud would give Asskickers United quite the headache .... Time ticked away. Nie Yan familiarized himself with his weakened state. After six hours, all his skills were back off cooldown. Looking in the distance, the dark passageway looked like the maw of an enormous beast. Nie Yan steeled his resolve and entered deeper into the tomb. After walking in the darkness for who knew how long, Nie Yan entered a chamber with a pond in the center. Intuition told him something was hidden at the bottom of the pond. Nie Yan walked to the edge of the pond and looked down. All he saw was an endless abyss. Nie Yan wondered what dangers lurked inside. Thinking his options over, Nie Yan summoned the shadow clone. Better be safe than sorry. SPLASH! The shadow clone leaped into the pond, water splashing into the air. Nie Yan watched the shadow clone disappear into the dark depths. Suddenly, his connection with it was lost. He couldn¡¯t sense its location at all. The pond was still as tranquil as ever, not the slightest disturbance in sight. Nie Yan had no idea where the shadow clone went. However, he could confirm it was still alive. If it died, a system message would notify him. The pound was full of mystery as well as danger. Hesitating, Nie Yan decided to dive in and look himself. No risk, no reward! Since he had come all the way here, why would he turn back now? SPLASH! Nie Yan dove into the water, activating an underwater breathing skill. Nie Yan shivered. The icy cold water of the pond was making his body feel somewhat rigid and numb. Even his resistances were affected by the Nightmare Curse. This bit of cold was already too much. He hurriedly drank an Ice Resistance Potion and felt somewhat better. The pond seemed like a bottomless abyss. The deeper he dove, the lower the temperature fell. After several minutes, Nie Yan had no idea how deep he was, but the water pressure felt suffocating. Nie Yan happened to spot something glowing at the bottom of the pond. He started swimming towards it. This has to be at least 60 meters below the surface, right? Nie Yan muttered in his mind. He suddenly sensed something off, like something was approaching him. He was being watched! A notification popped up. Your shadow clone has died. Shit! A feeling of crisis welled up from the bottom of his heart. Nie Yan tried swimming back to the surface, only to feel something clutch onto his leg and drag him deeper down. Just as he was about to kick it away, he discovered his other leg was grabbed too. No matter how much Nie Yan struggled, he couldn¡¯t break free. The bottom of the pond was coming closer and closer. An incorporeal force grabbed his throat, leaving Nie Yan unable to breathe. He felt the strength draining from his body. Nie Yan had no idea who his opponent even was. He lost complete control of his body as he was slowly pulled toward the pond-bed. His underwater breathing was dispelled. In a few seconds, he would undoubtedly die! Nie Yan felt the light at the bottom of the pond getting closer and closer. Sensing his consciousness slipping away, Nie Yan struggled to swim toward the light. In the midst of his struggle, Nie Yan felt his hand come into contact with something. He immediately tightened his grip. However, it was already too late. His vision went black. Dammit. I guess this it, Nie Yan thought before passing out. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 848 - Erased History After an indeterminate amount of time, Nie Yan gradually regained consciousness. The cold wind blew in his face, causing his cheeks to sting. Where is this place? Am I not dead¡­? Nie Yan looked around. The sight that greeted him shook his heart¡ªa vast open plain stretching out as far as the eye could see. Armoured corpses lay scattered on the ground, rusted weapons in their hands. Broken war chariots and various other siege engines lay in ruins. This place was likely an ancient battlefield. A notification popped up. You have discovered the Plains of Death, an ancient battlefield. Plains of Death? Nie Yan searched for information related to this ancient battlefield online. A flood of information appeared before his eyes. During the reign of Tyrant Abak, Lich King Insar had launched six military campaigns to take over the world, not once successful. For the sake of revenge, he started an era-ending war which lasted for over two months. More than 60 of humanity¡¯s legendary figures fell in this war before his undead army was finally defeated. Lich King Insar had cast a Forbidden Magic with his dying breath, submerging the ancient battlefield into the underworld. As for details of that military campaign, there were only brief descriptions. Not much was left of that era. Following the defeat of Tyrant Abak, his achievements were wiped from history before ultimately being forgotten. Humanity was a race that followed blindly he who screamed loudest. They would latch onto that person and shout with him, drowning out any opposing voices with their ignorance. Nie Yan spotted enormous, hideous Corpse Eaters roaming around the battlefield. They were six meters tall with crooked bodies and sharp spikes growing along their spines. There were also large vultures flying in the sky overhead. It looked like this was already another world. Withdrawing his gaze, Nie Yan discovered he had died and revived here with Death and Rebirth. His heart trembled. Where was the Death God¡¯s Edge? Nie Yan looked down. The Death God¡¯s Edge, Paternoster¡¯s Warhammer, and the chapters from the Book of Order were all scattered on the ground. Nie Yan hurriedly picked them back up. Thankfully, he only lost a bit of experience. After recuperating his health and mana, Nie Yan got back on his feet. He discovered five vultures sitting on a branch of a dead tree about 10 meters from him. They were watching him, their eyes following him wherever he went. Damn! They see me as prey! Nie Yan inspected one of the vultures with Transcendent Insight. They were ordinary Level 180 monsters. Normally, Nie Yan could easily take down these vultures. But after being inflicted with the Nightmare Curse, it would be very difficult with his current stats. Nie Yan pounced toward the vultures. Just as he was about to reach them, they took to the air and left him in the dust. They had no intention of fighting Nie Yan. Nie Yan took out the Cavalry Crossbow and fired at the vultures. After taking several hits, they quickly flew to a height where his bolts couldn¡¯t reach them. However, they still circled in the air above him. Nie Yan dashed off with Gale Step and ran across the battlefield for over 1,000 meters. Looking back up, the vultures were still following him closely. These vultures could see through stealth! If Nie Yan couldn¡¯t shake off these vultures, things would be troublesome! A short while later, two more vultures appeared in the sky. Now there were seven circling above him! Nie Yan thought over his options. Lil¡¯ Gold¡¯s loyalty was already too low. He would need to slowly feed him over a period of time to get it back up. The only summon he had available right now was Paladin Lafus. However, Lafus¡¯ stats were based on his. With his current stats, Lafus wouldn¡¯t be of much help. Bringing him out would be useless. The shadow clone was still on cooldown, and his Darkwing Dragon was fast asleep. This was the first time Nie Yan felt so helpless. He had nothing available to him. ¡°CAWWW! CAWWW!¡± The vultures cried out in the air, as if they were sending a message. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. Looking in the distance, some Corpse Eaters were moving to surround him. Here was trouble! Nie Yan quickly dashed off and escaped from the Corpse Eaters. Although they were only ordinary Level 180 mobs, he was no match for them in his current state. With the vultures tailing him, the Corpse Eaters continued chasing after Nie Yan. The number of Corpse Eaters pursuing Nie Yan was rapidly increasing. The vultures were their eyes in the sky, guiding them and calling out for more Corpse Eaters to join in. Seeing the horde of Corpse Eaters growing larger behind him, Nie Yan suddenly had an idea. Right! How could I forget about that skill! Nie Yan glanced at Undead Rite in his skill bar. It had been a long time since he last used it. These Corpse Eaters were dark attribute creatures. They could be controlled by Undead Rite! Nie Yan continued fleeing while slightly adjusting his position. Slowly but surely, the 20 or so Corpse Eaters were herded together. ¡°Perfect!¡± Nie Yan¡¯s eyes lit up. He took out a scroll from his bag and crushed it. POOF! The scroll disappeared into the air. As the magic inside the scroll was released, the surrounding temperature plummeted. Ice spikes erupted from the ground in a 30-meter long line behind him. Exploding on contact, they instantly covered the Corpse Eaters in a thick layer of ice, leaving them unable to move. It was a high rank freeze spell, Cryo Bind! The Corpse Eaters were frozen stiff, unable to budge. Nie Yan targeted the Corpse Eater at the front with Undead Rite. Undead Rite has failed! Nie Yan tried Undead Rite several more times. Since obtaining this skill, he¡¯d used it a great many times, gradually increasing its rank until it maxed out. By now, its success rate was quite high and he could control up to 10 monsters at once, instead of the original three. The Nightmare Curse might¡¯ve reduced his stats by 80%, but his skills were left untouched! Undead Rite has failed! Undead Rite has failed! Undead Rite has succeeded! Yes! Nie Yan finally had the first undead minion under his control. Nie Yan ordered the Corpse Eater to retreat, then focused on the other frozen stiff Corpse Eaters. Time to get a second one! About 20 seconds later, the ice locking the Corpse Eaters down started to crack before breaking apart. The Corpse Eaters hadn¡¯t yet had the time to move, when Nie Yan took out another scroll. Quagmire! The ground beneath their feet turned soft and boggy. Their movements were impaired again! Nie Yan continued using Undead Rite. 10 seconds later, he took control of a second Corpse Eater. Nie Yan¡¯s bags were filled to the brim with all kinds of scrolls. He could keep these Corpse Eaters locked down in place indefinitely. Over the next some minutes, Nie Yan took control of another seven Corpse Eaters for a total of nine. After falling to Nie Yan¡¯s Undead Rite, these Corpse Eaters not only fell under his control, but their strength also increased by roughly 60%. Not to mention they now had a leader who could make them work together as a team, only further enhancing their strength. They started massacring their own. While having his Corpse Eaters slaughter their own, Nie Yan gazed up at the sky. The vultures still hadn¡¯t dispersed. A light bulb flashed in his mind. Nie Yan instructed the nine Corpse Eaters to move in on him. With their menacing faces, they clawed at him, until he collapsed to the ground. After which they dispersed. At least, that¡¯s what the vultures saw. Nie Yan lay motionless on the ground. The vultures circled above Nie Yan, puzzled. But the temptation of food was too great. They put their suspicions aside and alighted. The vultures slowly waddled toward Nie Yan. After finding he wasn¡¯t breathing, they pounced on him. As he felt the vultures pounce on him, Nie Yan activated the scroll in his hand. Black vines sprouted from the earth, catching the Vultures mid-pounce and tying them down. Nie Yan used Undead Rite on one Vulture, while he had his Corpse Eaters attack the others. Undead Rite has succeeded! Before long, the other vultures were quickly wiped out. Perfect! Nie Yan swept his eyes over the surroundings. He was quite satisfied with himself. The corpses of the Corpse Eaters and vultures melted away. Hundreds of rays of light illuminated the sky. Every ray of light represented a soul. These Corpse Eaters and vultures had consumed not only the corpses of their victims, but also their souls. By killing them, Nie Yan had set all these souls free. Unexpectedly, Nie Yan found his Holy Spirit Heart was that much closer to completion. He grew incredibly excited. Just a little more, and it would beat in him! It¡¯d been so close to completion for so long, with the last stretch taking forever. He hadn¡¯t even seen the progress bar move at all as of late. But now, no matter how miniscule the increase was, it was there! His heart started beating faster. Would he finally get it!? Nie Yan sat down and recuperated. He sent the vulture to explore around for more Corpse Eaters. As Nie Yan was killing another group of Corpse Eaters, he received two messages. Angel Corps¡¯ elite team had been causing trouble for Asskickers United in the City of Sin, seeking out skirmishes. Fortunately, Asskickers United hadn¡¯t suffered any losses. With Bladelight there, he had nothing to worry about. The second piece of news was more worrying. Angud had been spotted in the underground passage by a 1,000-man team from Asskickers United. They¡¯d been wiped out completely, with only a dozen or so players managing to escape with their lives. What was Angud doing in the underground passage!? Nie Yan had an ominous premonition. Could it be that Angud was going to the surface? If he was, Asskickers United would be in big trouble! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 849 - Lich King’s Inheritance Nie Yan had Guo Huai dispatch some Thieves to track down Half-Demon Angud. Hopefully, he was only wandering the underground passage and not thinking of traveling to the surface. But if he did, Nie Yan had to know. Asskickers United would be in grave danger at that time, even hiding behind their stronghold walls wouldn¡¯t save them. Even Nie Yan was completely helpless against Angud, to say nothing of the other members. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but become anxious. An uneasy premonition welled up in his heart. No matter what, he had to get out of here quickly! Nie Yan suddenly thought of the Holy Spirit Heart. He would have to hurry and complete it first! The vulture under Nie Yan¡¯s control searched around. After finding a target, the nine Corpse Eaters would move toward them. This ancient battlefield was extremely vast. Though there were a lot of monsters, they were spread out. This caused Nie Yan a lot of headache. He would have to walk a long distance for every Corpse Eater he killed. Nie Yan slaughtered everything in his path. With nine Corpse Eaters at the vanguard, his hunting efficiency increased dramatically. Time slowly ticked away. The progress bar for the Holy Spirit Heart continued filling up at that same dreadfully slow pace. Even so, Nie Yan was still filled with anticipation. After grinding for seven days straight, the Holy Spirit Heart was almost complete. Receiving updates from Guo Huai every day, Nie Yan grew increasingly anxious. The situation had devolved rapidly after Angud arrived on the surface. He first acted with some restraint, only killing players in the wilderness. That all changed when his kill count hit 5,000. He summoned a horde of ogres and launched an assault on two of the guild¡¯s smaller strongholds, razing them to the ground. Casualties quickly broke through 6,000 and were still climbing higher and higher. Asskickers United hadn¡¯t sat idly by, even trying to kill him once, but Angud was simply too powerful. Nie Yan had Guo Huai order all guild members to avoid engaging with Angud. But the situation wouldn¡¯t be resolved that easily. Even if they didn¡¯t look for Angud, he would come looking for them. Angel Corps naturally didn¡¯t let this opportunity slip by. They launched several large-scale battles, hundreds of thousands of players fighting each other. In a short time, the entire surface was engulfed with the flames of war. Fallen Angel¡¯s 300,000 players and Angel Corps¡¯ 6000,000 troops directly clashed in Flame Canyon. Fallen Angel lost more than two thirds of their forces and helplessly retreated back to the underworld. Meanwhile, Angel Corps made full use of their home ground advantage and only lost 200,000 players. Elsewhere, Asskickers United clashed with the 20-guild coalition force under the Century Financial Group. Asskickers United suffered 300,000 casualties while the Century Financial Group suffered over 500,000. This war took a heavy toll on everyone involved. Combined with Angud¡¯s constant harassment, Guo Huai and the other higher ups of Asskickers United were at their wits¡¯ end. Seeing Asskickers United in such a sorry state, Angel Corps became even more brazen, dispatching 600,000 troops into the Abernathy Great Grasslands. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Okoron was heavily fortified and had a powerful NPC army to protect it from invaders, they would¡¯ve already launched an all-out attack. While all this was happening on the surface, Nie Yan was stuck in a battlefield of his own. Not to mention his personal battle with the Nightmare Curse. Thankfully, Asskickers United¡¯s foundation was fairly stable. If all their strength in the Viridian Empire were mobilized, they would have at least 2,000,000 troops. There was no need to fear battle. What worried Nie Yan the most was Angud. If Angud were to interrupt in a crucial moment during a large-scale battle between Asskickers United and Angel Corps, the results would be disastrous. Asskickers United couldn¡¯t lose, nor could they afford to lose! If they did, all of Nie Yan¡¯s hard work would go up in smoke! Nie Yan wouldn¡¯t allow such a thing to happen! Misfortune came in threes. When Asskickers United¡¯s elite expedition team was making a stop in the City of Sin, they suffered an ambush from Angel Corps. Even though they killed over 30 enemies, they also lost five of their own. This was definitely intolerable! Reading the reports that kept flooding in, Nie Yan¡¯s face turned gloomy. He had already confirmed that Angud was directed to the surface by Pantheon. On that subject, he also found out that Godking had business ties with Cao Xu in real life. He was the head of a financial group that held a monopoly on the mineral market in Australia. They weren¡¯t the slightest bit inferior to the Century Financial Group. Nie Yan guessed this matter was probably also related to Cao Xu. Asskickers United didn¡¯t have much enmity with Pantheon. However, Pantheon and Fallen Angel were sworn enemies. Judging from current alliances, they¡¯d face each other in battle sooner or later. Come one! Fill up faster! Nie Yan gazed at the progress bar for the Holy Spirit Heart. He was so close, yet at the same time still seemed so far away. Time was of the essence! Through the eyes of the vulture, Nie Yan was shocked by the scene he saw up ahead. Standing atop a mountain was the statue of a giant. It was over 60 meters tall and poked up into the clouds. It wore black robes over a skeletal body and wielded a ceremonial staff. Lich King Insar! That was likely his tomb! Looking at the Holy Spirit Heart, the progress bar was at 99%. This final 1% felt like the gap between heaven and earth. Nie Yan longed to obtain the Holy Spirit Heart. Like this, he would obtain the aid of a Legendary character. Not to mention removing the final seal of Zennarde¡¯s Sword. He¡¯d finally be the proud owner of a true godly weapon! However, the more he yearned for it, the farther away it seemed, like a beautiful temptress dancing before your eyes. You could see, but you couldn¡¯t touch. After thinking for a bit, Nie Yan resolved to make his way toward the statue. Maybe he would find something nice there. After walking for 15 or so minutes, Nie Yan arrived at the base of the statue. Lich King Insar¡¯s face was hidden behind a cloak, like a solemn sage. Black robes covered the rest of his body, except for his arm, fleshless, which reached out. This was precisely the legendary figure who could cause all of humanity to tremble in fear! The 60-meter tall statue statue was truly grand. The Staff of Judgement in Lich King Insar¡¯s hand reached all the way to the ground. The tip of the staff was made out of an unknown material. It resembled a dark gem and glistened with a peculiar radiance under the curtain of darkness, illuminating the surface and making the air around the statue appear all the more mysterious. A flight of stone stairs wound around the staff, leading all the way to the top of the statue. Welcome to the land of death. The brave adventurers who arrive here can obtain the will of Lich King Insar. Are you willing to receive Lich King Insar¡¯s inheritance? If you accept, your soul will become like Lich King Insar¡¯s, overlooking all life and becoming the most powerful leader of darkness! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 850 - Lich King Insar’s Ring After seeing the notification, Nie Yan didn¡¯t show the least bit of excitement. Rather, he felt puzzled and doubtful. The title of Sovereign of Darkness might be attractive to the players of the Evil Faction, but not to someone from the Righteous Faction who followed the light. If he accepted Lich King Insar¡¯s inheritance, he would be marked as a traitor and become mortal enemies with the Viridian Empire and Satreen Empire! Defect to the Evil Faction? What a joke! He wasn¡¯t going to abandon everything he¡¯d built up on the surface just for some lousy title! Accepting the inheritance was most likely a part of the quest, though. Nie Yan wondered what would happen if he refused. No matter what kind of penalty he received, anything would be better than accepting this inheritance! Are you willing to accept Lich King Insar¡¯s Inheritance? The notification popped up again. Nie Yan was taking too long to decide. No! Nie Yan decided firmly. ¡°Wretched mortal! How dare you refuse this most supreme glory! So be it, what awaits you is only death! Suffer in eternal anguish, a fate worse than death!¡± A sinister cackle rang out through the sky. Nie Yan checked his status. Right next to the Nightmare Curse was now a Damned curse. Damned: Die once every 10 days. All Stats -1% upon rebirth. (Removable) ¡°Shit! This Damned curse is even more vicious than the Nightmare Curse!¡± Nie Yan felt quite dejected. If he knew this would happen, he would¡¯ve never tried to search for Lich King Insar¡¯s Secret Treasure! At this moment, another notification popped up. ¡°Oh Great Prophet, under the threat of darkness, you held onto your faith in the light. The God of Light has granted you Spirituality.¡± You have received Spirituality. The final character property! Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. He hurriedly looked at his character window. The eight character properties had already merged into one which was releasing a dazzling radiance. He felt a gentle yet boundless energy welling up from within him. His entire body exuded a powerful light energy. You possess the virtues of a saint. All evil fears you. You are immune to all curses and negative status effect magic. You have received an additional 50 Divine Power. Nie Yan sensed the dark energy from Lich King Insar¡¯s curse rapidly retreating from his body before disappearing. The Damned curse was the first to disappear, while the Nightmare Curse was greatly weakened. His stats returned to 60% of their original values. Looking at the explanation, Nie Yan realized the Nightmare Curse had already rooted itself deep into his body. In three weeks¡¯ time, it would automatically wear off. As for Damned, the removable property was why it reacted differently. From now on, a similar curse or any other curses for that matter would have absolutely no effect on him. As someone who frequently adventured in the wilderness, Nie Yan understood the value of this. Take today for example, if he had been immune to curses from the start, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have been forced into such a miserable state. Apart from the immunity to curses, the additional 50 Divine Power also filled Nie Yan with hope. Perhaps he would really reach 300 Divine Power one day! The thought alone of equipping the Death God¡¯s Edge brought a smile to his face. Nie Yan also saw great progress to his Legendary class quest. Of the four requirements, he¡¯d completed two already¡ªpossessing a Sacred Object and Virtues of a Saint¡ªand was infinitesimal close to completing the Holy Spirit Heart. All he needed was three more Shattered Divinities. Few people would ever obtain even one of these requirements. If Nie Yan successfully advanced to Legendary, he would become the sole Legendary-class player! What a pleasant surprise. Nie Yan¡¯s previous gloominess was completely washed away. Fortune and disaster came in pairs. Even when you hit rock bottom and all seemed lost, something wonderful would arrive on your doorstep. Fate was mysterious like that. Nie Yan recuperated for a while before ascending the stairs up the statue with his Corpse Eaters. As he walked up step by step, the scale and craftsmanship of this statue became all the more apparent. As Nie Yan walked up the stairs that wound the staff, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder where the Staff of Judgement was. It was likely also a Sacred Object. Nie Yan had the vulture approach the head of the statue. When it approached within 30 meters, a black lightning bolt struck it down. It let out a miserable cry as it plummeted from the sky, smoke coming from its body. Instant kill! No wonder the vultures in this place didn¡¯t dare to approach the statue! Nie Yan eventually reached the top of the staff and arrived in a round hall. The ceiling and walls were made out of some unknown material and glistened a crystalline like radiance. This hall was over 100 square meters in size. Spatial magic was probably used to create it. Looking at the center of the hall, Nie Yan spotted a table with several items resting on it. Apart from this, there was nothing else. Nie Yan was about six meters from the center of the hall. He didn¡¯t dare to approach recklessly. He had one of his Corpse Eaters step forward first. The Corpse Eater slowly approached the table. After two steps, it seemed as though he¡¯d met eyes with Medusa. First, its feet turned to stone, after which his entire body became a statue before eroding into dust and disappearing. Nie Yan observed closely. When the Corpse Eater approached the table, it was immediately hit by over 20 curses. The most severe was the combination of the petrification and erosion curse. It was far more terrifying than any killing technique. ¡°Just a few curses?¡± Nie Yan faintly smiled. If it were before, he might be afraid of these curses, but now, he possessed the Virtues of a Saint! Taking extra precaution, Nie Yan took out a scroll and summoned a spider automaton. Machines were also immune to curses! As the spider crawled forward, it didn¡¯t trigger any traps. It seemed like the only thing to fear here was the curses! After confirming it was safe, Nie Yan walked over to the table. As he stepped forward, different curses tried to invade Nie Yan¡¯s body, only to be repelled by the holy aura around him. These powerful and frightening curses were useless against him. Nie Yan arrived in front of the table. Looking down, he saw a ring and scroll. Besides these, there was nothing else. Nie Yan glanced at his bag. He discovered Lich King Insar¡¯s Secret Treasure Map had already disappeared. It seemed like these two items were the treasure! Nie Yan picked up the scroll and examined it. It contained a powerful spell called Call of the End. It revived all corpses within a 3,000-meter radius and gave full control over them. The reanimated dead would have 120% of their original stats. The cast time was 60 seconds. This scroll was a one-time-consumable. This spell was practically a Forbidden Undead Magic. In fact, it might even be more powerful! The reanimated undead from an ordinary Forbidden Magic would at most have 50% of their original stats. If this scroll were used during a war, it would definitely be a calamity for the enemy. After putting away the scroll in his bag, Nie Yan picked up the ring. An ominous energy immediately assailed him. Thankfully, his Virtues of the Saint protected him. Nie Yan had no idea what this ring was crafted out of. It was the colour of ash, looking just like bone. On the face of the ring was a small skull with a sinister smile. Nie Yan examined the ring. Lich King Insar¡¯s Ring (Divine): Sacred Object Description: A ring worn by Lich King Insar. It possesses extremely powerful evil energy. If the wearer fails to control it, it will turn them into a lich. Properties: When attacking an enemy, reduce their defense by 30% and attack by 20%; if the wearer is a Necromancer, All Stats +300%; Summoning Magic Effect +300%; all summoning spells raised to max rank. Beckon Doom: Summon three Junior Doom Sentinels. Can be ranked up. Soul Bind: Transform every enemy you kill in your servant of darkness. This was Lich King Insar¡¯s Ring! Another Sacred Object! If this were to fall in the hands of a Necromancer, Nie Yan could only imagine how powerful they would become. Even though he wasn¡¯t a Necromancer, its other properties were still very useful. Both Beckon Doom and Soul Bind were extremely powerful skills. Looking at the stats of the Doom Sentinels, they were about as strong as Lil¡¯ Gold with over 200,000 health. Even though they didn¡¯t have as many skills as Lil¡¯ Gold, they were much more resilient. It was a pity Paladin Lafus couldn¡¯t heal them. On the plus side, this skill could be raised to Intermediate, Advanced, and so on. These properties were definitely worthy of a Sacred Object! Nie Yan took off one of his rings and equipped Lich King Insar¡¯s Ring. His other rings could all be switched out at any time. However, Lich King Insar¡¯s Ring was definitely something that should be worn at all times. Apart from the two powerful skills, its other properties were pretty impressive too. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 851 - Holy Spirit Heart! Even though Nie Yan had encountered some mishaps, finding the treasure went smoother than expected. Divine Power and another Sacred Object, what more could he ask for? Nie Yan was just about to leave, when the whole statue started shaking violently. Something was wrong! Chunks of rock plummeted to the ground as a loud groaning sound reverberated around the room. The statue was collapsing! Cracks spread across the crystalline walls and the floor split apart. Unknown Transfer Scrolls and other teleportation items couldn¡¯t be used here! Nie Yan sprinted forward and leaped out of the staff from a hole in the crystalline wall. The sight that entered his eyes left him gaping in shock. The corpses of the fallen soldiers in the Plains of Death had been reanimated. They were crawling up from the ground. The Ancient Battlefield Portal has opened. Coordinates: 375.285.293823. The portal closes in 20 days. Nie Yan glanced at the coordinates. The portal was at least a day¡¯s travel away at normal speed. However, that was assuming there were no undead blocking his path! Slaughtering his way through them would be incredibly difficult! Glancing at his skill bar, Nie Yan found that all his summoning skills had been sealed, except for the two skills from Lich King Insar¡¯s Ring. The ring was the heart of this world. So, it couldn¡¯t be restricted! Beckon Doom and Soul Bind would have to do! Just as Nie Yan was about to plunge into the sea of corpses, he activated a Glacial Freeze Scroll. A thick layer of frost swept out, turning every corpse in a 10-meter radius into an ice sculpture. Featherfall! Nie Yan landed gently on the ground. Beckon Doom! A powerful dark energy surged out of Lich King Insar¡¯s Ring as three enormous Doom Sentinels appeared before Nie Yan. They were six-meter-tall giant skeletons clad in spiked black armour, with bone wings growing from their back. Their enormous greatswords overflowed with frightening power in spite of their corroded appearance. The three Doom Sentinels brandished their greatswords and charged into the sea of corpses. Even though they were completely surrounded, they were like iron towers, firmly holding their ground. Nie Yan gazed around. He saw corpses as far as his eye could see, stretching far off into the horizon. Their eyes were lifeless, and many had bodies that were badly mangled. However, none of this stopped them. They were mindless puppets. This was a truly frightening number of skeletons! The Doom Sentinels cleaved through the sea of corpses, as Nie Yan expected. It was what happened afterwards that left him gawking in shock. The fallen corpses melted into wisps of black smoke and became his dark servants. The effects of Soul Bind! His 4-man army soon doubled to eight, 16, 32¡­ With a skill like this, there was nothing to worry about. Nie Yan could definitely reach the portal within 20 days! The Doom Sentinels stormed forward, slaughtering hundreds of corpses. 200, 500, 1,000¡­ Nie Yan¡¯s army kept growing in size. Soon, there were more undead than he could handle. He took charge over a small portion of these dark servants, while giving a general command to the rest. Kill the enemy! This ancient battlefield turned chaotic once more. Nie Yan took out a fire magic scroll. A shower of fireballs rained down from the sky and killed over 200 corpses. After which they were transformed into his dark servants. This world felt like a sandbox. Nie Yan started truly understanding how powerful Lich King Insar had once been. As the scope of the battle expanded, Nie Yan¡¯s experience bar started slowly filling up. Given the vast amount of experience he needed to level up, this was a welcome surprise. Not only his experience bar, but the progress bar for the Holy Spirit Heart was also starting to fill up, albeit still a slow crawl. Seeing the Holy Spirit Heart filling up, Nie Yan picked up the pace and started slaughtering more and more corpses. On the first day, Nie Yan¡¯s army counted 2,000 undead. On the second day, it grew to over 8,000. On the third day, it broke past 30,000. Their area of operation covered a 10-kilometer radius. It started to remind him somewhat of Qin Han¡¯s skeleton army. On the fifth day, as Nie Yan continued pressing forward toward the portal, a notification popped up. You have obtained a Holy Spirit Heart. Nie Yan struggled to control his excitement. For the sake of obtaining the Holy Spirit Heart, he had spent almost two years killing who knew how many creatures of darkness. All combined, the kill count was definitely over 3,000,000! And now, a new heart beat in his chest. He¡¯d finally reached his goal! How could he not be moved!? After obtaining the Holy Spirit Heart, Nie Yan immediately thought of Zennarde¡¯s Sword. The last seal was finally broken! Nie Yan flicked his hand, swapping out the Bloody Dagger for Zennarde¡¯s Sword. A dazzling light immediately enveloped the surroundings before slowly fading. Zennarde¡¯s Sword burned fiercely. The flames gradually changed colour from black to a deep azure, the heat nearly scorching Nie Yan¡¯s hand. The corpses around Nie Yan retreated in fear, staring at the sword in his hand. The last seal was removed from this godly weapon. Its true strength was finally revealed! Nie Yan¡¯s heart raced in his chest. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what Zennarde¡¯s Sword was like now. He impatiently examined it. Zennarde¡¯s Sword (Divine) Nightmare Curse of the Dead: Reduces the player¡¯s stats by 10% (Effect halved by Barbarian Kelowitz¡¯s Blessing). Description: A godly weapon created by Kallander and imbued with the dark magic power of Dragon King Zennarde. Failing to subdue the evil energy within Zennarde¡¯s Sword will result in a fatal backlash. Properties: Attack 7,560¨C9,827, Critical +750, 35% chance to deal 1,500% Critical Damage, Ignore Level +95, Ignore Armour Hell Execution (Rank 18): Chance to instantly execute an enemy when their health falls below 30%. Success rate is determined by level difference and enemy defense. Energy Cost: 20. Cooldown: 2 seconds. Advanced Apocalyptic Extinction: Inflict the enemy with five types of Curses: Rank 18 Exhaustion, Rank 18 Cripple, Rank 18 Disease, Rank 18 Fear, and Rank 18 Corrode. Duration: 15 minutes. Cooldown: 1 hour. Annihilation Slash (Rank 18): Channel your energy into an enormous sword of dark fire and annihilate all enemies in your path. Deals 5,000% damage to all enemies in a five by 50 meter area in front of you. Cooldown: 1 day. Dragon King¡¯s Divine Might: You can own up to three dragon pets and two dragon flying mounts. All dragon pets and flying mounts will receive +30% to all stats and have their loyalty permanently maxed out. By comprehending the strength of Zennarde, you have obtained Divine Power. It will guide you to the secret treasure of the dragon race. Restrictions: None -Creator: Kallander All the skills had seen an upgrade, and the almost 10,000 attack power had Nie Yan going crazy with excitement. The new Dragon King¡¯s Divine Might property was also extremely shocking. He could have up to three dragon pets and two dragon flying mounts. Not to mention, they would all have permanently maxed out loyalty and receive a 30% bonus to all their stats. He couldn¡¯t wait to try the new and improved Zennarde¡¯s Sword out in combat. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 852 - Patience Nie Yan glanced at his character window and was happy to find the several more slots for pets and flying mounts. Apart from this, the Dragon King¡¯s Divine Might skill appeared to be related to some kind of special quest. Even though the description for the skill was only a few short lines, he could glean several clues. A follow-up quest related to Zennarde¡¯s Sword. Nie Yan¡¯s interest was piqued. Zennarde¡¯s Sword was already a godly weapon through and through with its power out on full display. Even Nie Yan was shaken by its worldshaking properties. Nie Yan lightly brandished Zennarde¡¯s Sword. A powerful, flaming sword beam shot out of the blade. BOOM! It carved a six-meter long scar into the ground. Nie Yan felt as though he could engulf the world in flames with this sword. The Doom Sentinels advanced dauntlessly. Nie Yan followed from behind. Even after killing so many corpses, there were still ever more. ¡°Annihilation Slash!¡± Nie Yan took several steps forward and slashed out with Zennarde¡¯s Sword. 10 flaming azure swords appeared in the air, merging into a single enormous sword before cleaving down on the ground. BOOOOM! Corpses were sent flying everywhere while those caught in the direct line of fire were instantly disintegrated into ash. Everything in a five by 50-meter area in front of Nie Yan was swept clean, leaving an enormous scar on the ground. What destructive power! Nie Yan sucked in a cold breath of air. Annihilation Slash¡¯s damage was even more frightening than before! Nie Yan put Zennarde¡¯s Sword away. Unless he had no other choice, he would no longer use it in front of people. This was now his ultimate trump card! Looking at the coordinates, at his current speed, it would take him too long to reach the portal. He needed to pick up the pace! While Nie Yan was making his way through an ocean of corpses, Angel Corps intensified their offensive on Asskickers United. They¡¯d started with probing attacks. When Nie Yan didn¡¯t appear, they were convinced he was stuck in some sort of quest. Fearlessly, they became even more unbridled. Asskickers United had successfully repelled all of Angel Corps¡¯ attacks so far. Even though they lost a few strongholds, they launched their own counterattacks and razed a few of Angel Corps¡¯ strongholds to the ground as well. So, the two sides were pretty much even. What gave Asskickers United the greatest headache was still Half-Demon Angud. He had slaughtered over 20,000 guild members and destroyed six strongholds. The financial losses that came with this were immense. Worst of all, even Asskickers United¡¯s most powerful force wasn¡¯t a match for Angud. They could only patiently endure and try their best to minimize losses. ¡¸Boss, Angud just wiped out one of our expedition teams in Kranmor Marsh. More than 3,000 guild members were killed. What are we going to do? We can¡¯t just keep sitting back,¡¹Undying Scoundrel anxiously asked. He had requested to take action several times already, only to be refused by Nie Yan. ¡¸I know how you¡¯re feeling right now, but please wait for me to get back,¡¹Nie Yan said. Asskickers United¡¯s elite team was no match for a Level 180 Demonified Lord like Angud. ¡¸Boss, if we don¡¯t do anything soon, the people below us will start complaining. So many of our own have been wiped out. It¡¯s not going to look good if the elite team keeps sitting still,¡¹Bladelight said. He was fairly level-headed. ¡¸How many Masters do we have now?¡¹ ¡¸Around 60,¡¹Paladin of the Elegy replied. This was a splendid achievement. Guilds like Angel Corps didn¡¯t even have half as many Masters. Nie Yan rubbed his chin.¡¸If we mobilize all our elites, perhaps we¡¯d stand half a chance. But we¡¯d suffer disastrous losses, to say nothing of Angel Corps eyeing us from the sidelines like prey. The risk of them interfering is simply too great. I¡¯ve clashed with Angud before. I know how strong he is. Trust me when I say we¡¯re not his match.¡¹ ¡¸Then what are we supposed to do?¡¹ ¡¸I have a feeling that Angud has someone supplying him information. He always knows where to be to deal the most damage.¡¹ ¡¸I think so too. It¡¯s way too coincidental.¡¹ Nie Yan immediately thought of Pantheon. Up until now, they never faced off against Asskickers United directly, but many incidents had traces of their handiwork behind them. ¡¸I¡¯ll think of a way. Just wait for my return, and absolutely do not engage Angud!¡¹Nie Yan said. He had an idea. As for whether or not it would work, he wouldn¡¯t know until he tried. But first, he had to get out of this ancient battlefield. ¡¸Alright.¡¹ Nie Yan hung up the call, then sent Plenty a message. He wanted Fallen Angel to keep a close eye on Pantheon and stop them from pulling anything funny. Nie Yan glanced at Zennarde¡¯s Sword in his bag. When he got out of this place, it was high time he paid back Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group for all their troubles! Nie Yan plowed through the sea of corpses like an icebreaker. Another day passed. He stepped out of the game capsule. It was a brand new day. Since the villa was located fairly remote, the air here was quite clean. A cool breeze blew in through the open window. The climate in this region of China was great all year around. Xie Yao came walking out of the kitchen, looking lovely as ever. Wearing only an apron, she radiated all sorts of sex appeal. Nie Yan felt a gentle warmth in his heart. He preferred this kind of peaceful and happy life. What a relaxing and beautiful morning! ¡°Breakfast is ready.¡± Xie Yao smiled, revealing her cute dimples. Nie Yan was instantly enamored. After spending all his time in the game advancing through an endless horde of corpses, her angelic-like smile was like medicine for his heart. ¡°Thanks.¡± Nie Yan nodded, snapping out of his daze. Finding Nie Yan appear absent-minded, Xie Yao walked up to him and placed her hand over his forehead. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°Seeing you, I feel great.¡± Nie Yan chuckled. ¡°That quest in the game really has me losing my mind, though.¡± Xie Yao giggled. Nie Yan started to recount all his experiences in the Plain of Death. When he reached the part about Zennarde¡¯s Sword, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Wait! You¡¯ve fully unsealed Zennarde¡¯s Sword!?¡± Even in its sealed state, Zennarde¡¯s Sword was far better than any other weapon in the game. She couldn¡¯t begin to imagine what it looked like now. Nie Yan shared Zennarde¡¯s Sword¡¯s new properties with her, including the Dragon King¡¯s Divine Might skill. He chuckled. ¡°I should snag a few dragon pets, or else the skill will go to waste.¡± ¡°Dragon pets are pretty hard to find. So far, our guild only has nine dragons, seven of which were quest pets that automatically bound to the player,¡± Xie Yao said. With Zennarde¡¯s Sword¡¯s final seal removed, Nie Yan would only be more powerful, more invincible. He had probably reached the highest peak inside the game. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can take my time,¡± Nie Yan said. He had already reached his goal. He wouldn¡¯t worry about finding any dragon pets for now. ¡°How about you? How many pieces are you away from completing your set?¡± Xie Yao was one of Asskickers United¡¯s powerhouses. Needless to say, she had an enormous impact in wars. If she could complete the Legendary-grade Saintess Christina Set, it would be much easier dealing with Angel Corps. ¡°I¡¯m only a single piece away,¡± Xie Yao replied. ¡°But getting it has been a huge pain in the neck. I¡¯ve already died three times trying to get it.¡± A slight annoyance sounded through in her voice. Even Mages had their limits in certain situations. Lacking the survivability of a Thief, it was fairly easy for them to die. ¡°When we finish dealing with Angud, I¡¯ll help you get the last piece,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Sounds good to me. But are you confident in dealing with Angud? He¡¯s a Level 180 Demonified Lord after all.¡± Xie Yao gazed into Nie Yan¡¯s eyes. Even though few things could trouble Nie Yan, Angud was simply too strong. ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m 100% confident, but I¡¯m pretty sure my plan will work,¡± Nie Yan said. He could only rely on his luck. Nie Yan was never one to run head first into perilous situations; he would only move if he had some level of confidence. Even though Xie Yao was curious as to what he would do to resolve this situation, she didn¡¯t continue asking. After finishing breakfast, Xie Yao changed into a fleece sweater and went on a morning walk with Nie Yan. The skin tight sweater accentuated her flawless curves. As for her pants, she chose to wear jeans. Even though she was dressed pretty casually, she was still extremely charming. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t pull his eyes away from her. While they were walking around the neighbourhood, passersby couldn¡¯t help but glance over. In the middle of the walk, Nie Yan¡¯s phone rang. The caller was Bayonet. After the whole situation with Liu Tianshi, Nie Yan had given him some time off to relax. He had no idea where that guy went off on holiday to. Liu Tianshi¡¯s death had caused the Liu Family and the Monet Financial Group to have a complete falling out, with several large clashes breaking out and both sides suffering losses. Both were powerful hegemons. They wouldn¡¯t budge for the other, not even a little. ¡¸How are you enjoying your time off?¡¹Nie Yan chuckled. ¡¸I just started to enjoy myself, but it looks like I¡¯ll have to come back soon,¡¹Bayonet replied. Nie Yan didn¡¯t miss the hidden meaning in Bayonet¡¯s words.¡¸What happened?¡¹ ¡¸After the Liu Family and Monet Financial Group had several clashes, they suddenly calmed down. The situation has become more complicated. They likely sensed something off and are investigating the real cause of Liu Tianshi and Qin Han¡¯s deaths.¡¹ ¡¸Are you saying they¡¯ll track it back to us?¡¹Nie Yan¡¯s heart turned cold. Be it the Liu Family or the Monet Financial Group, both were opponents that couldn¡¯t be looked down on. ¡¸I can¡¯t say for sure. Liu Tianshi and Qin Han have many enemies. They won¡¯t necessarily trace it back to us. But we¡¯ll still have to take some precautions,¡¹Bayonet said. Nie Yan realized the gravity of the situation. Thankfully, they had done everything in secret. As long as Wang Duo and the others didn¡¯t leak anything out, the Liu Family and Monet Financial Group wouldn¡¯t uncover the truth. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 853 - Title Advancemen Nie Yan carefully recalled the incident in detail. Him and Bayonet entering the VIP room, still in disguise. No one had seen them. No one could find out it was them. The bodyguards were all taken care of. Qin Han was killed. Liu Tianshi, he was the only loose end. Though the blackmail should¡¯ve kept him quiet. He died before he could reveal the truth. Of course, there were more factors at play. There were bound to be some clues. Nie Yan¡¯s greatest concern was Tang Yao. Did anyone else know about him being taken away by Qin Han and Liu Tianshi? Wang Duo and his men could also lead back to him. Even if they themselves kept quiet, their group storming through the bar most likely had drawn an eye or two. Thankfully, Bayonet was a professional. He¡¯d made sure the cameras were all disabled. Tang Yao was recuperating somewhere safe. During the night, he would log into Conviction as usual. It would be incredibly difficult for the Monet Financial Group and Liu Family to find him. As for Wang Duo and the others, they were part of the 12th Mech Armoured Corps. Trying to investigate them would prove to be even more of an impossibility. Even though everything seemed okay, it was hard to say nothing was overlooked. Nie Yan¡¯s heart turned cold. It appeared he¡¯d have to prepare for a clash with the Liu Family and Monet Financial Group. With World Bloc¡¯s current strength alone, he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. World Bloc had risen to become one of China¡¯s top 10 financial groups, standing shoulder to shoulder with the likes of the Glory Financial Group and Dragonsoar Financial Group. Their connections in the military and political circle were also expanding. Even though their foundation was still shallow, they weren¡¯t to be trifled with. If an outsider were to try and touch World Bloc, they would disturb the interests of many different powers. Nie Yan thought for a moment. His main priority right now was still the Century Financial Group. The feud between World Bloc and the Century Financial Group had already come out in the open, with them clashing in many different spheres. Cao Xu was even dipping his fingers into the metal industry¡ªWorld Bloc¡¯s root. Father Nie definitely wouldn¡¯t sit still. If World Bloc could defeat the Century Financial Group, their strength would skyrocket. As for the Liu Family and the Monet Financial Group, for now keeping a close eye on them would have to do. ¡¸Bayonet, I want to recruit some people. Do you have any recommendations?¡¹Nie Yan asked. The situation was slipping from his grasp. He urgently needed capable people he could mobilize. Bayonet was a man of great skill, but at the end of the day he was just one man. Far from enough to face behemoths like the Liu Family, Monet Financial Group, and Century Financial Group. ¡¸What kind of people are you looking for?¡¹ ¡¸Bodyguards. The kind who won¡¯t hesitate to pull the trigger when it¡¯s needed,¡¹Nie Yan said. He was already past the point of no return. He could only steel his nerves and press forward. If the enemy got too close, he wouldn¡¯t resign himself to death. ¡¸That¡¯s simple. As long as you have the money, we can recruit anyone you want,¡¹Bayonet said. ¡¸I don¡¯t want trash. Can we recruit experts?¡¹ ¡¸Of course, but experts are expensive.¡¹ ¡¸Money isn¡¯t an issue, so long as they''re worth the coin!¡¹Nie Yan said. ¡¸I have a few people in mind. I¡¯ll get in touch with them. If they¡¯re interested, I¡¯ll bring them to meet you. Honestly, if you¡¯re looking for experts, there¡¯s no need to look for outsiders. Our guild has a couple,¡¹Bayonet said. ¡¸Our guild? You mean Asskickers United?¡¹Nie Yan asked in a daze. Even up until now, he had always treated Asskickers United as an ordinary guild in a game. The thought that there were more real life experts like Bayonet among their ranks never crossed his mind. ¡¸Of course. Don¡¯t look down on your own guild. We have hundreds of thousands of players, all of whom are hand-picked elites. If we¡¯re talking about experts, Shadow Killer is one. He is just as strong as I am. There are also a few others who are fairly low-key, but they definitely can¡¯t escape my eyes!¡¹Bladelight said. His vision was extremely sharp. He could easily tell a person¡¯s profession from a single glance. ¡¸Shadow Killer? You¡¯re really sure he is as strong as you?¡¹Nie Yan asked in disbelief. He understood how difficult it was to find another expert on the level of Bayonet! ¡¸I¡¯m 100% certain,¡¹Bayonet said seriously. ¡¸I recall your relationship with him is pretty decent,¡¹Nie Yan remarked. Inside the game, Bayonet and Shadow Killer got along pretty well, probably because the two were in the same profession, so it was easier for them to connect. Bayonet chuckled, not denying Nie Yan¡¯s words. ¡¸Would he be interested?¡¹ ¡¸I think I can convince him.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s great! I¡¯ll be counting on you,¡¹Nie Yan excitedly said. If Shadow Killer really was as strong as Bayonet described, he would have another top expert by his side.¡¸If you do convince him, don¡¯t let anyone find out he¡¯s working for me.¡¹ ¡¸Of course.¡¹Bayonet instantly understood what Nie Yan was getting at. Apart from Shadow Killer, Asskickers United still had several other experts. Bayonet planned to recruit them all. Nie Yan was filled with anticipation. If they could bring together a group like this, he would have a few more trump cards. They could mean the difference in a crucial moment. Hearing the birds chirping and feeling the cool breeze on his face, Nie Yan immersed himself in the moment. He understood that in the future he wouldn¡¯t have many opportunities to enjoy tranquility like this again. Seeing Nie Yan¡¯s absent-minded state after finishing up the phone call, Xie Yao couldn¡¯t help but sigh. She knew Nie Yan was carrying a lot of things on his shoulders. She really wanted to share his burden, but she didn¡¯t know how. All she could do was grab his hand and be there for him. The warm touch to his hand caused Nie Yan to snap back to his senses. Turning his head, he was greeted by Xie Yao¡¯s beautiful smile. At this moment, the feelings of two lifetimes seemed to come together. No matter what, Nie Yan resolved to protect those around him. Xie Yao and his parents were definitely his reverse scales that couldn¡¯t be touched! ¡°Let¡¯s head back,¡± Nie Yan said in a quiet voice. ¡°Mhm.¡± Xie Yao nodded. She stared at him with her bright eyes. The air around him had changed, from anxious and disarrayed to a firm resolve. Nie Yan an Xie Yao went to school, spending most of the day in class. A peaceful day. Before long, evening arrived. Nie Yan logged back into Conviction and resumed clearing away the corpses. This kind of work was tedious and monotonous. Ordinary players definitely wouldn¡¯t have the patience for it. On the seventh day, Nie Yan¡¯s Adjudicator of Light title ranked up from Junior to Intermediate. Just what sort of use does this title have? Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but wonder. The difficulty of obtaining this title was just as great as obtaining the Great Prophet title. However, its use was still shrouded in mystery. It just gave some basic stat bonuses, along with a few skills like Extreme Deterrence. After killing a certain number of evil creatures, every player would obtain the Demon Hunter title. If they continued raising it, it would turn into the Devil Slayer title. Above Devil Slayer was the Adjudicator of Light title. As for exactly how many evil creatures you needed to kill, Nie Yan had lost count. For now, Nie Yan was perhaps the only player with the Adjudicator of Light title. As Nie Yan¡¯s Adjudicator of Light title ranked up from Junior to Intermediate, the wings on Kalenna¡¯s back gew a bit larger and became more dazzling. Pulling open Kalenna¡¯s character page, Nie Yan noticed two skills he could make use of in her skill window. One was Angel¡¯s Touch, a powerful healing skill. Even at the lowest level it could instantly bring someone like Bladelight back from critical health to full. The other skill was Seraph¡¯s Cloak. It could completely erase his presence. Two skills, it might not seem like much, but Nie Yan was extremely excited. This was a start. Did this mean that if he continued raising his Adjudicator of Light title, he could eventually completely control Kalenna? ¡°Oh Adjudicator of Light, congratulations on obtaining a Templar title.¡± Kalenna gave a cute bow. ¡°Templar title?¡± Nie Yan asked in confusion. He wanted to learn more information from Kalenna, but she didn¡¯t bother explaining any further. He searched online for the term, but all he could find was a brief description. It was apparently a category of high rank titles exclusive to the Temple of Light. Nie Yan guessed Templar was a step above regular Holy titles. Likely it was related to the angels. Why was it that the Adjudicator of Light title didn¡¯t count as one at Junior rank but did at Intermediate? This was something he''d look into at a later time. Making wild guesses was useless. All Nie Yan could do was to put it aside for now. Once he found some clues, the answers would naturally come. Nie Yan happened to glance at his own character page at this moment and discovered a new window. It contained the coordinates of all the Chapters from the Book of Order. Chapter of Radiance (Orc King City: 23852.28358.289) Chapter of Silvermoon (Moran Marsh: 238582.282.283382) ¡­ Nie Yan¡¯s eyes trembled in shock. The exact coordinates of every chapter from the Book of Order! One of them was constantly changing. Likely it was in the hands of someone. Nie Yan didn¡¯t expect a Templar title would have this kind of effect. Seeing these coordinates, a crazy idea welled up in Nie Yan¡¯s heart. If he could complete the Book of Order, he would become the Supreme Pontiff of the Temple of Light! This was definitely extremely alluring. After becoming the Supreme Pontiff, he would be completely unrivalled! Even the likes of Angel Corps would have to obediently submit to him. After seeing the coordinates of all the chapters, Nie Yan calmed down. The ones that were in the hands of players were fairly easy to obtain. As for those located in the wilderness, several were in forbidden zones. The bosses there were all extremely powerful. Even existences like Half-Demon Angud were nothing but ants before them. It seemed like completing the Book of Order wasn¡¯t going to be easy. Even though it was difficult, it wasn¡¯t impossible. Just the coordinates was enough. Now he at least knew where to search for the other chapters. The Book of Order had six volumes divided into 36 chapters. If Nie Yan gathered all of them, he would become the leader of the Temple of Light. His position would be on the same level as Jebiah the Great and the Orc King! This was his goal, an absolute pinnacle no one else could reach! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 854 - Return Since so many of the chapters from the Book of Order had appeared, Nie Yan started to wonder who had collected the most chapters from the Book of Chaos. With his curiosity piqued, Nie Yan didn¡¯t hesitate to sate it.¡¸Guo Huai, help me find out who¡¯s in possession of chapters from the Book of Chaos!¡¹ ¡¸Why...? Don¡¯t they belong to the Evil Faction? Even if we find them, we can¡¯t use them. I heard a rumour. If a player from the Righteous Faction gets their hands on a Chapter of Chaos, they¡¯re presented with two options. One is to defect to the Evil Faction, and the other is to self-combust,¡¹Guo Huai said. Conviction had very strict rules about the Chapters of Order and Chapters of Chaos. ¡¸Just do it. I only want to know which individuals possess chapters from the Book of Chaos,¡¹Nie Yan said. Whoever was in possession of the most chapters would undoubtedly become a formidable enemy. If someone completed the Book of Chaos one day, would they obtain a position of great power in the Evil Faction? ¡¸I see,¡¹Guo Huai nodded. He passed down the order to his subordinates and had them start collecting information. ¡¸How¡¯s the guild doing right now?¡¹ ¡¸Not great. That Half-Demon Angud is too unbridled,¡¹Guo Huai said, his head hurting at the thought. ¡¸Since we¡¯re contending for the top, we have to be always ready to deal with these kind of impossible obstacles our enemies will throw at us,¡¹Nie Yan said. This was simply how Conviction worked. Since Asskickers United could recruit NPCs to defend Okoron, why couldn¡¯t others recruit NPCs to deal with them? This was only fair. ¡¸I understand, but we can¡¯t do anything to Angud at all! All our strongholds are on high alert. That bastard appears and disappears like the wind. He¡¯s already razed nine of our strongholds to the ground! We¡¯ve suffered huge losses,¡¹Guo Huai said helplessly. He wanted nothing more than to resolve this situation, but he had no idea how to. ¡¸Keep stalling him and minimize our losses as much as possible. When I return, we¡¯ll have a way!¡¹Nie Yan said. He also felt helpless being trapped in this damned place. All he could do was pick up the pace and try to reach the portal as soon as possible. ¡¸I guess that¡¯s all we can do,¡¹Guo Huai bitterly smiled. He hoped Nie Yan could stop Angud, and soon. Guo Huai contacted Nie Yan a while later with information on the Chapters of Chaos. ¡¸How many chapters have you found out about?¡¹Nie Yan asked. ¡¸We know about 10 Chapters of Chaos so far. Seven are with Fallen Angel, Pantheon also has a few. However, a mysterious group seems to be collecting the Chapters of Chaos. Both Pantheon and Fallen Angel¡¯s sides have been ambushed. As for how many chapters they have right now, we have no idea,¡¹Guo Huai said. Generally, those in possession of Chapters of Chaos wouldn¡¯t reveal it to outsiders. Only previous holders who had their chapters stolen by others would reveal this information, sometimes. At least 10 Chapters of Chaos had appeared. Nie Yan wondered if someone had collected a complete volume yet. Nie Yan and Guo Huai chatted for a while. After hanging up the call, he continued full speed ahead toward the portal. ¡°What can I do to pick up the pace?¡± Nie Yan muttered anxiously. Looking at the vast sea of corpses ahead of him, he couldn''t help but think how convenient it would be to have a pair of wings right now. Glancing at his skill window, Nie Yan¡¯s eyes fell on Extreme Deterrence. Extreme Deterrence was a skill that would deter any monster up to 30 levels above him. However, its effects didn¡¯t always work. If a monster¡¯s aggro toward him reached a certain point, they could ignore the skill! All the corpses here were aggroed onto him. Having them part ways for him like the Red Sea for Moses was pretty much impossible! This plan was only feasible if he could first come up with a method to get rid of all aggro. Nie Yan suddenly recalled another skill, Disguise! He could disguise himself as a corpse and escape their aggro! Thinking to this point, Nie Yan immediately put his plan into action. As he activated Disguise, he slowly transformed into a corpse, wearing ragged clothes with his flesh rotting off from his bones. Barely alive, the wind blowing through his ribcage. He didn¡¯t dare to look in the mirror right now. Disguise only worked for humanoid creatures. His new appearance was pretty convincing. It would be difficult to tell him apart from the other corpses. Immediately, Nie Yan sensed the surrounding corpses lose aggro on him. They still stared at him, but the hostility had taken place for confusion. Extreme Deterrence! Nie Yan started walking forward, as an invisible force pushed the corpses aside, a path opening in front of him. The plan worked! Nie Yan¡¯s eyes lit up in elation. Since there were so many corpses crowded together, having them get out of the way quickly was unrealistic. Even though he wasn¡¯t making super fast progress, it was still better than before! As Nie Yan walked through the sea of corpses, he suddenly had an idea. Why don¡¯t I just do this!? Leap! Nie Yan broke out into a sprint and soared into the air dozens of meters. Just as he was about to fall, he shot out a web-line at a distant boulder and swung back into the air, flying for a dozen more meters before landing on the boulder. He leaped off and activated Featherfall. His body came to a slow descent. As Nie Yan slowly floated down to the ground, the corpses below him quickly parted ways. Nie Yan made a gentle landing. Glancing back, the three Doom Sentinels were already quite a distance away from him. I¡¯ll let them continue grinding experience for me, he thought before breaking out in a sprint towards the portal. Nie Yan cycled through all his skills that could get him to the portal just a little bit faster. It worked. His speed increased substantially. A crisp jingle rang out as he lit up with a dazzling radiance. Without him knowing it, he reached Level 156. The Doom Sentinels he left behind were still giving him quite a bit of experience! The 20-day journey only took Nie Yan 10 days. Arriving at his destination, he saw a large white portal. The exit! ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy, but I¡¯m finally here!¡± Nie Yan exclaimed. Nie Yan stepped into the portal as everything before him turned into a void of white. After a while, he opened his eyes and found himself in a forest. He had no idea where this was, but he was likely still in the territory of the Demon Tribe. ¡°I¡¯m out! Finally, I¡¯m out!¡± Nie Yan used Instant Transmission to teleport to Okoron. He appeared outside the entrance of the guild headquarters. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re back!¡± two players who were standing guard outside the entrance cried out in excitement. Nie Yan nodded, then walked into the guild headquarters. Before long, news of Nie Yan¡¯s return spread throughout the entire guild. All of Asskickers United erupted in exictement. ¡¸Boss, it¡¯s great to see you back!¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯ve all been waiting, we''re ready! Boss, so long as you give the word, we¡¯ll storm right into Angel Corps¡¯ guild headquarters!¡¹ ¡­ The guild chat was flooded with activity. Even though Asskickers United had grown to a size where they no longer needed Nie Yan to step forward personally, he was still the guild¡¯s spiritual pillar. This was partially why the members of the guild were able to endure despite Angud¡¯s constant harassment. As long as Nie Yan was here, no mountain would be too high! This was an unwavering belief, which could give birth to unprecedented unity and fighting strength! After learning that Nie Yan had returned, the elites of the guild all rushed back. It was time to take action against Angud! Okoron¡¯s central transfer area lit up with dazzling flashes of light. One player after another came rushing out towards the guild headquarters. News of Nie Yan¡¯s return quickly reached Soaring Angel, Cao Xu, and Godking¡¯s ears. Each of them started responding. ... In Pantheon¡¯s guild headquarters, Godking anxiously paced back and forth. He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt like something bad was going to happen. Logically speaking, he was in an invincible position. No one could defeat Angud. However, Godking couldn¡¯t help himself from becoming jittery. Nirvana Flame had appeared. Angud finally had his target. Once Nie Yan was killed, he would have the Death God¡¯s Edge. This was good news! Godking suddenly slumped back into his throne and sent a message to Flowing Maple.¡¸Send out a Thief to tell Angud to come back quickly!¡¹ ¡¸Why?¡¹Flowing Maple asked in confusion. Angud was untouchable on the surface, and Nie Yan had once more appeared with the Death God¡¯s Edge. This was something to be excited about. Why would Godking suddenly want Angud to come back? ¡¸Just follow my orders,¡¹Godking said in a grave tone, not bothering to answer Flowing Maple. Flowing Maple didn¡¯t dare to hesitate. He hurriedly passed down Godking¡¯s words to the Thieves below him. About 20 minutes later, Flowing Maple came rushing into the guild hall. He had a pale look on his face as he met Godking¡¯s gaze. ¡°What happened?¡± Godking asked. ¡°All the Thieves we sent to report to Angud were killed by him,¡± Flowing Maple explained. Angud refused to take orders from Godking! ¡°Dammit! Fine, if he wants to get himself killed, let him!¡± Godking cursed. He had a feeling Nie Yan had a method to deal with Angud. This was why he wanted to call Angud back to the underworld. However, Angud wasn¡¯t someone he could control. Angud¡¯s only goal was the Death God¡¯s Edge. Anyone that got in the way of that would be killed without mercy. Godking felt regretful. He shouldn¡¯t have directed Angud to the surface. About 20 minutes later, more than 3,000 of Asskickers United¡¯s top elites had assembled in the guild headquarters. Bladelight and the rest of the expedition team were also making their way back. Everyone was waiting for Nie Yan¡¯s command. They could sense a huge storm was brewing. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 855 - Ample Financial Resources Nie Yan hadn¡¯t given out the order to mobilize. Rather, all these elites had proactively gathered before him. During Nie Yan¡¯s absence, Asskickers United was in a state of chaos mostly due to Angud¡¯s constant harassment. It wasn¡¯t enough to shake their foundation. Even so, everyone still looked to Nie Yan. If he were to submit to this humiliation and not launch an all-out counterattack, it would be difficult for the guild members not to become disillusioned. Nie Yan carried the hopes of Asskickers United on his shoulders. The guild members only saw what they could see. Their guild was winning wars, and more gold was flowing in than they could ever dream of spending, all of this gave them a false sense of stability. However, Nie Yan understood the current situation better than anyone else. Asskickers United might be the overlord of the Viridian Empire, but they still needed time to consolidate their territories and strengthen their foundation. This was not the time to start a war against Angel Corps and the Century Financial group, enemies far different from the ones they¡¯d faced before. It would be a long and bitter war against their several million members and hundreds of strongholds. Swallowing them up would be unimaginably difficult! However, with the bow string already drawn, Nie Yan had no choice but to fire! Angel Corps¡¯ forces had already entered the Abernathy Great Grasslands. This was his fiefdom and Asskickers United¡¯s main base. This blatant encroachment could not be tolerated! Bladelight and the others also arrived, as did the various guild leaders in the alliance¡ªKill Love, Nightbreak Trickster, Fa Lan, and Sleepy Fox. ¡°Long time no see!¡± Sleepy Fox greeted with a bright smile, patting Nie Yan on the shoulder. ¡°It really has been.¡± Nie Yan chuckled. He glanced at Sleepy Fox¡¯s equipment. ¡°You¡¯ve got yourself some pretty decent gear, my friend!¡± ¡°Three Legendary pieces and six Sub Legendary. It took me quite a bit of effort to get these items,¡± Sleepy Fox said proudly. ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t compare to you.¡± All the big shots were present. Holy Empire, Sapphire Shrine, Battle Crazed Alliance, the War God Tribe, and Radiant Sacred Flame had all been busy these last six months. They¡¯d expanded their territories, each occupying a city and controlling dozens of strongholds. Nie Yan glanced over the data Guo Huai provided him: Member Count: Radiant Sacred Flame: 220,000 Holy Empire: 270,000 Sapphire Shrine: 310,000 War God Tribe: 360,000 Battle Crazed Alliance: 600,000 All together, they were looking at around 1,760,000 members in total. Even though these players were on average a notch weaker than those in Asskickers United, they still weren¡¯t a force to be looked down on. Not to mention these were only their main guild members. When war broke out, they could mobilize even more members from their multiple branch guilds. As for Asskickers United, they counted over 500,000 members in the main guild, with an additional 1,000,000 members spread out over their five branch guilds. Nie Yan felt even more appreciation for Guo Huai. He could hardly imagine how difficult it was to keep such a large machine running smoothly during times of peace, to say nothing of when they were in the middle of a conflict. A guild couldn¡¯t be compared to a military. In general, players were nowhere near as easy to manage as soldiers, nor were they as obedient. When their membership grew to this size, even basic communication became extremely convoluted. However, Nie Yan only had to say the word and millions of players would sweep through everything in his path like a swarm of locusts. Nie Yan understood moral was crucial in the good but especially in the bad times. Even a force composed of millions of players could collapse in on itself if morale hit rock bottom. ¡°So long as you give the word, we will all help you sweep through the entire Satreen Empire!¡± Sleepy Fox declared with much gusto. Nie Yan patted Sleepy Fox on the shoulder with a smile. ¡°When we go to war, you guys will be the first ones I call up!¡± ¡°Good. Just what I¡¯d like to hear.¡± Sleepy Fox laughed heartily. Nie Yan turned to Guo Huai. ¡°Explain our current situation to everyone.¡± He could tell everyone in the alliance from top to bottom was itching for war. Since that¡¯s what they desired, he would give it to them. However, they would first have to make careful preparations. Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group weren¡¯t easy prey. Guo Huai pulled open a map of the Atlanta continent on the screen behind him. It was quite detailed, showing all the different environments and terrains of the various regions. ¡°According to our intelligence, Angel Corps has over 1,700,000 players in their main guild and an additional 1,200,000 players spread between their branch guilds. That said, only about a million from those forces can contend with us. ¡°Another factor is the coalition of the twenty guilds under the Century Financial Group, which has a combined strength of approximately 1,900,000 players. ¡°We should also keep in mind that it¡¯s virtually guaranteed that both the Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group have hidden forces that we are not aware of. ¡°Both major powers have rooted themselves deeply into the Satreen Empire. In terms of territory, they control a total of 236 strongholds, all of which are linked through transfer points. ¡°We¡¯ll be entering a long and bitter struggle once the horns of war sound. Don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be a one and done thing. Let¡¯s make sure we come out of this victorious,¡± Guo Huai said. Everyone sucked in a cold breath of air. The scope of this war was beyond their comprehension. ¡°Why not go straight for their main stronghold? Kill Love asked. ¡°The Clemenci Stronghold is too heavily fortified. Its defenses can only be described as a porcupine, covered in sharp quills. Not to mention it¡¯s located in a narrow valley on top of a high slope. We¡¯ll be at a severe disadvantage. Directly attacking the Clemenci Stronghold will only lead to heavy losses. As for the Century Financial Group, with over 20 guilds under them, there is not one main stronghold. Even if we take down the main strongholds of a few of their guilds, it wouldn¡¯t make any difference,¡± Guo Huai replied. One had to know, they were facing the overlord of the Satreen Empire. Plus, this was a long distance war spanning the entire continent! Only now did everyone begin to realize that a war with Angel Corps wouldn¡¯t be as simple as they initially thought. ¡°We can only take things one step at a time and slowly chip away at Angel Corps¡¯ strength. How long do you think it¡¯ll take for the war to end?¡± Nie Yan asked. He was particularly concerned about this matter. ¡°Best case scenario, three months, and that¡¯s only if everything works in our favour. Otherwise, it¡¯s hard to say how long this war will drag on. Truthfully speaking, that¡¯s the easy part. Even if we kill every last member of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group, Soaring Angel and Cao Xu will never accept defeat. The population of the Satreen Empire might not either. We¡¯re the invaders, the bad guys, to them, after all. They¡¯ll resist our attempt at unifying the continent. It¡¯ll take us at least a year to slowly clear away the dregs of the Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group¡¯s influence,¡± Guo Huai said. Guo Huai¡¯s considerations were fairly thorough. All of Asskickers United¡¯s prior wars had been fought in the Viridian Empire against other human powers. So, the race issue was irrelevant. This time, that¡¯d be different. Since Angel Corps¡¯ presence was everywhere in the Satreen Empire, it was impossible for Asskickers United to assimilate players from the Satreen Empire on a large scale. Not to mention the players of the Satreen Empire wouldn¡¯t necessarily be happy about having people from a foreign nation rule over their heads. It was like an empire attempting to colonize another nation. Keeping colonized people obedient was no easy task. ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± Nie Yan swept his eyes over Sleepy Fox and the others. Sleepy Fox, Kill Love, and the others all glanced at each other. ¡°That¡¯s your choice to make. We¡¯ll support you the best we can,¡± Sleepy Fox said, throwing all the responsibility back to Nie Yan. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me. We will go to war with them. The question is when,¡± Nie Yan said. No matter how difficult it was, war was inevitable. ¡°If we do go to war, we have advantages on three fronts. The first is in terms of potion consumption. Needless to say, there¡¯s no way Angel Corps or the Century Financial Group can compare with us in this respect. The second is in terms of unity and morale. After all, none of us are strangers to long and drawn-out conflicts,¡± Guo Huai said. ¡°Of course. What¡¯s the third?¡± Kill Love asked. ¡°The third is capital!¡± Guo Huai said. After seeing Nie Yan give a nod of approval, he continued, ¡°in terms of capital, we have the overwhelming advantage. Angel Corps probably only has 8,000,000 gold in circulation at most, and that¡¯s a generous number. Even if they start selling off their assets, they would still only be able to scrounge together a few million more. On the other hand, we¡­¡± Guo Huai paused. Sleepy Fox, Kill Love, and the others all stared at Guo Huai in confusion, wondering why he suddenly stopped. It seemed like he was struggling with something. ¡°We what?¡± ¡°We have more than 300,000,000 gold accumulated so far, and that number is still increasing every day. It should definitely be enough to sustain our war efforts!¡± Several loud coughs sounded out in the room, people who had choked on their water in shock. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve always known Asskickers United was loaded. But I never imagined it was to this magnitude!¡± Everyone couldn¡¯t help but feel their heart race. 300,000,000 gold! Just how did Nie Yan get this much!? This was simply unimaginable! ¡°My fucking god. With 300,000,000 gold, why bother with a war? Just buy out Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group!¡± Sleepy Fox, Kill Love, and the others couldn¡¯t contain the shock in their hearts. With player salaries to be paid out and strongholds to maintain, Asskickers United¡¯s daily expenditures had to be immense. Only breaking even would already be impressive for them. Yet they had actually accumulated so much gold! ¡°Is all this gold a result of monopolizing the potion market?¡± ¡°The revenue from the strongholds should probably be enough to meet the guild¡¯s daily expenditures, right?¡± ¡°The Starry Night Potion Shop plays a huge part, but there are also some auction houses and a few other business,¡± Nie Yan explained. The only reason he allowed Guo Huai to reveal their financial situation was to bolster confidence. That way, they could go into this war with one less worry. ¡°If they want a war of attrition, they can get one! If we somehow mess this up, we might as well ram our heads into a wall!¡± The overwhelming capital would be their warchest! Nie Yan could sense that everyone felt much more confident than before. 1. Mad Snail is convinced these numbers add up to nearly 1,200,000 Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 856 - Rescuing War God Kelo ¡°Nie Yan, what do we do about Half-Demon Angud? He isn¡¯t just going to sit still because we¡¯re fighting Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group,¡± Bladelight asked, concerned that Nie Yan had forgotten something that definitely could not be ignored. ¡°Why haven¡¯t the Righteous Faction NPCs taken any action yet? Logically speaking, they should be infuriated with an existence like Angud rampaging around on the surface,¡± Smoke Stub remarked. ¡°As long as he¡¯s only targeting our players and not attacking any NPC settlements, the Righteous Faction won¡¯t come out,¡± Nie Yan explained. These were the system¡¯s rules. ¡°Then what do we do?¡± ¡°Easy. We kill Angud first before declaring war on Angel Corps!¡± Nie Yan replied, his eyes flashing with an icy cold killing intent. ¡°How though? Tell us.¡± ¡°Boss, we¡¯ll listen to you!¡± ¡°I want all of you guys to mobilize half your forces. I¡¯ll give each of you a mission. Sleepy Fox, your goal is the City of Fog. I won¡¯t be able to lend any reinforcements to support you. So, be careful,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Understood! Leave it to me. We¡¯ll take the City of Fog down!¡± Sleepy Fox said in high spirits. Nie Yan continued on with this plan for the guilds in the alliance, ¡°Nightbreak, you and your Radiant Sacred Flame will hit the City of Black Magic in the territory of the taurens. ¡°Battle Crazed Alliance, you¡¯ll be supporting Radiant Sacred Flame. ¡°War God Tribe and Sapphire Shrine, your goal is going to be the Forest City in the elven territory. ¡°Remember this, all of you, if you encounter Angel Corps¡¯ forces, do not engage under any circumstances and withdraw immediately. I¡¯ll have Guo Huai support you with the latest intel.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Kill Love, Fa Lan, and the others nodded. ¡°Now for the branch guilds: Mages United, Priests United, Warriors United, Paladins United, and Thieves United. The five of you will be in charge of attacking the six cities under the Century Financial Group¡¯s control. ¡°All of Asskickers United¡¯s troops will remain on standby and await my commands. Our target is Angel Corps¡¯ territory. ¡°The other half of our forces will be in charge of defending Okoron against any countertacks by the enemy!¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°You¡¯re only bringing our core force? Will they be enough?¡± Guo Huai asked worriedly. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s enough,¡± Nie Yan said confidently. For the sake of consolidating their rule in the Viridian Empire, Asskickers United had no choice but to rapidly expand, causing their membership to grow to over 500,000. Naturally, there were both good and bad people mixed in. Nie Yan¡¯s true force numbered around only 100,000. They were Asskickers United¡¯s core, having followed him through thick and thin. More importantly, their gear was a cut above the rest. Most of them were wearing twinked gear. Their average level was also around Level 130. They were true elites, any one of them could take on multiple players from other guilds. His core of 100,000 players was enough. Increased numbers didn¡¯t always translate to increased strength, considering the difficulty in coordinating them and issuing battle commands. ¡°Charging into Angel Corps¡¯ territory with only a hundred thousand. Damn, as expected of the Mad Rogue.¡± Sleepy Fox clicked his tongue in admiration. ¡°Don¡¯t look down on these 100,000 players. Through the course of this year, Nirvana Flame has probably invested at least a billion gold into them, and that¡¯s not even counting all the potions, scrolls, and other consumables we provide them,¡± Guo Huai chimed in. Nie Yan had put in a lot of blood and sweat into nurturing these players. ¡°My god! A hundred thousand players and a billion gold?¡± Everyone was dumbstruck. In other words, that meant Nie Yan had spent at least 10,000 gold on every player. Normally, 10,000 gold was more than enough to purchase a decent piece of Sub Legendary-grade equipment or a high quality set of Dark Gold-grade equipment! If Guo Huai¡¯s words were to believed, the battle prowess of the hundred thousand could not be underestimated! Apart from his core force, Nie Yan still had many tricks up his sleeve. If Soaring Angel would vomit blood if he knew what was coming for him. Everyone erupted with excitement. It was the dawn of war against Angel Corps! The decisive battle to determine the ruler of the Righteous Faction! The guild chat flooded with messages discussing the eve of war. The alliance was mobilizing! They could sense the storm brewing in the air. ¡­ Angel Corps guild headquarters, Soaring Angel received a report from a subordinate. ¡°Boss, we just received word that Asskickers United is preparing to declare war!¡± ¡°Pay close attention to their movements. If there¡¯s any information, report it immediately!¡± Soaring Angel roared out. ¡°Yes sir!¡± The subordinate retreated. Soaring Angel slumped back into his throne with a brooding expression on his face. Even though he knew this day would arrive eventually, now that it had, he couldn¡¯t describe his current emotions, be it anxiousness and fear or excitement and desire to do battle. This was the life-or-death battle for Angel Corps! If they were defeated, then all his effort up until now would go up in smoke! War was unavoidable! Soaring Angel clenched his fists so hard the veins on his arms bulged out. He coldly chuckled, a sinister expression on his face. ¡°Nirvana Flame, if you¡¯ve got the guts, come. You¡¯ve kept me waiting long enough!¡± He felt confident. The final showdown was finally here, and he¡¯d come prepared. Glancing at his messages, it appeared the Century Financial Group was also mobilizing. ¡°A fight to death it is, Nirvana Flame,¡± Soaring Angel muttered, unable to calm down the emotions stirring in his heart. Asskickers United and Angel Corps started mobilizing their troops on a large scale. The players of the Righteous Faction were shaken. Two empires were about to go to war. This news was like a bomb going off in their hearts. The flames of this war would sweep through every corner of the Atlanta continent! The forums exploded with activity, with players from both sides flaming each other, hurling insults and memes. Asskickers United was the crowd favourite. They had the Mad Rogue! But everyone also knew that Angel Corps was no easy prey. It was impossible to guess what cards they were hiding and how many tricks they had up their sleeve. The question at the heart of it all was which side would remain standing at the end. In various maps across both empires, the frequency of PKing skyrocketed severalfold. The entire Righteous Faction was in chaos. Back in Okoron, Nie Yan and the other leaders gradually dispersed and busied themselves with their respective tasks. ¡°What are you planning to do now?¡± Bladelight asked. The entire elite team was gathered here. They all wanted to know the answer to this question. ¡°I¡¯m going to do a quest.¡± Everyone was dumbstruck at Nie Yan¡¯s response, and then started to wonder if this was really the right time for leisurely questing. ¡°Boss, come on. No more quests!¡± ¡°Yeah, every time you go off on a quest, you end up disappearing for months! We¡¯re about to go to war with Angel Corps. We need you here!!¡± ¡­ Undying Scoundrel, Summer Bug, and the others were all trying to dissuade Nie Yan. No one wanted him pulling his usual disappearing act on them right now. ¡°Relax. I¡¯m only going to turn in a quest. I¡¯ll be back in a couple of hours.¡± Nie Yan chuckled. Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie. You really had us there in the first half...¡± ¡°Then what are we supposed to do?¡± Undying Scoundrel asked. ¡°Locate Angud for me. When you find him, do your best to lure him to Okoron and warn me. Don¡¯t engage him, tag and run,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Understood!¡± Nie Yan turned to Xie Yao. She wore angelic white robes and emanated a pure and holy aura. Xie Yao met Nie Yan¡¯s gaze, her eyes carrying indescribable love and warmth. Nie Yan had no time for his girlfriend. He turned back to Bladelight and said, ¡°Angud has a lockdown skill. Try not to let him get too close!¡± Bladelight and the expedition team set out. Nie Yan prepared some essentials. His destination was Sinful Gorge, where he found Zennarde Sword over two years ago. After obtaining the Holy Spirit Heart, he could finally rescue War God Kelo. Among all NPCs, he was definitely one of the most powerful Nie Yan had ever encountered, a Level 360 Lord. In comparison, Angud was nothing more than an ant. Nie Yan had no idea if he could convince War God Kelo to help him deal with Angud. Best case scenario, Kelo would agree, and Angud would no longer be an issue. However, Nie Yan wasn¡¯t banking on it. He only held a faint thread of hope. Donning a cloak, Nie Yan strolled through the streets of Okoron. He saw guild members passing by him. The city was bustling as usual, but tension was thick in the air. Once word of the imminent war between Asskickers United and Angel Corps broke out, the market price of medicinal plants spiked by 30%. The cost of various gems, high level equipment, and other items also soared. Where there is war, there is also profit to be made, and the military-industrial complex roared to life. This conflict was no longer a simple feud between two guilds. It concerned the future of all the players in the Righteous Faction. After exiting the city gates, Nie Yan summoned the Darkwing Dragon. Hopping on its back, he took off in the air and soared toward Sinful Gorge. Sinful Gorge hadn¡¯t changed much. Ever more new players were entering the game. For them, this place was a prime grinding spot. They were scattered all over the map. However, all of them could see the Darkwing Dragon flying through the sky when they turned their heads up. To them, flying mounts were things they could only dream of. After passing through a narrow ravine, Nie Yan entered Zennarde¡¯s Cenotaph and headed toward War God Kelo¡¯s prison. The monsters that spawned here no longer posed any threat to Nie Yan. He slaughtered the Skeleton Dragon Priests and made his way back to the lava region. Looking up ahead, he saw War God Kelo still chained to the stele. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 857 - New Race, New Class After the sighting of the Darkwing Dragon in Sinful Gorge spread, many players flocked to the map. They varied in strength, but they all shared a common goal¡ªNirvana Flame! Most of these players were Thieves. Some came to ambush Nie Yan. Others only wanted to know what he was up to. Nie Yan was completely ignorant of the commotion outside. He calmly walked over to War God Kelo. War God Kelo woke up as he sensed someone approaching. Seeing it was Nie Yan, his eyes flickered with a listless light, but they were still as sharp as ever. ¡°Youngster, you¡¯re back.¡± War God Kelo chuckled. ¡°I can sense it. You¡¯ve removed all the seals on Zennarde¡¯s Sword.¡± ¡°Correct, sir Kelo. I¡¯m here to free you of your millenium long imprisonment,¡± Nie Yan said. With a flick of his wrist, he equipped Zennarde¡¯s Sword. Deep azure flames blazed to life with an unworldly heat, eclipsing the glow of the surrounding lava. ¡°What a pure flame!¡± War God Kelo gasped in admiration. ¡°Isn¡¯t it the evil sword of Dragon King Zennarde?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°A weapon is blameless. It¡¯s a tool, no more. In the hands of a saint, this divine sword will bring salvation to the world. In the hands of a tyrant, the fiendish blade will reap the lives of the innocent,¡± War God Kelo replied. Nie Yan could tell War God Kelo was wise. After being bound here for so long, he was like a sheathed divine weapon. Even if it gathered rust over the years, as soon as its blade came out, it would cut with unrivalled sharpness. Nie Yan approached War God Kelo and slashed down at the chains binding him. KLANK! KLANK! KLANK! The chains fell on the ground. ¡°ARRGH!¡± War God Kelo roared, his muscles bulging with unrivalled power as he sent the remaining chains flying out. His body dropped down from the crucifix. Freedom at last! Eyes shining with excitement, he raised his head to the sky and laughed heartily. The lava chamber shook violently as if it were about to come caving in. War God Kelo¡¯s voice brimmed with explosive strength. However, Nie Yan, who was standing right next to him, wasn¡¯t hurt one bit. It was clear that Kelo had restrained his voice; else Nie Yan would be bleeding from his internal organs right now. Several hundred Thieves had followed Nie Yan into Zennarde¡¯s Cenotaph. As they searched for him, they felt the ground beneath them shaking. Their eyes widened in alarm. What was going on? Suddenly, a powerful sound wave swept over them and sent them flying, causing them to cough out blood. It felt as if they had been struck in the chest with a hammer. Damage values of over 6,000 floated up above their heads. The weaker ones even found themselves at the graveyard! Whose voice was that? Too frightening! War God Kelo finally settled down. ¡°Please forgive me. I¡¯ve been imprisoned here for far, far too long,¡± War God Kelo said apologetically. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Anyone would behave the same in your shoes.¡± Nie Yan nodded. He read the complicated emotions on Kelo¡¯s face with some surprise. This was the most expressive NPC he had ever encountered. Most NPCs were fairly rigid and stiff. However, Kelo seemed almost human. It appeared that NPCs were the same as monsters in this regard; the higher level and more powerful they were, the closer they came to being truly alive Now how can I convince him to help me defeat Angud¡­? Nie Yan wondered. Given he had just freed War God Kelo from a millennium of imprisonment, it was only natural that he received some kind of reward. He felt that putting forward such a request wasn¡¯t unreasonable. War God Kelo took out two stones. ¡°These are Kelo Runestones. As thanks for rescuing me, you can call for my help twice. You can instantly summon me by crushing these runestones. However, as a god, I won¡¯t participate in the conflict of men. Nor will I needlessly take lives, unless yours is in direct danger. Secondly, I won¡¯t help you complete any quests. A true adventurer must brave risks and tackle any challenges head-on. There are no easy shortcuts.¡± ¡°I understand, and thank you.¡± Nie Yan accepted the two runestones and stored them away in his bag. With them, he could take down Angud! He couldn¡¯t help but become excited. As Nie Yan wondered how he could create an opportunity for War God Kelo to take action, a notification popped up. War God Kelo has regained his freedom. The light of the god of war shines over this world once more. The War God Baptism quest has been released. The barbarian race and Raider class is now available. Nie Yan was dumbstruck. A new race and class¡ªbarbarian Raider? In the rich history of Conviction, barbarians were known for their strength. Many powerful heroes came from their tribe. In terms of racial bonuses, every barbarian was a natural born warrior. The release of this new race and class would bring about huge changes, which all players would welcome. Nie Yan immediately searched up information related to barbarian Raiders online. All Righteous Faction Warriors could become barbarian Raiders. All they had to do was head to the barbarian tribe and complete a quest given by the tribe elders. However, there was one big caveat, if they accepted the class swap, they would be returned to Level 0 and have to restart from scratch. This was simply too heavy of a price for most players. It was a tough decision to make. The might of barbarian Raiders was unquestioned. With every level up, they¡¯d receive a little more attack power, health, and defense than other similar classes. This would only become more apparent later on. News of the release of the barbarian race and Raider class shook the hearts of the entire Righteous Faction. Many Warriors were brimming with excitement. Be it the the War God Baptism quest or the Raider class, both were extremely alluring to them. Before long, numerous Warriors flocked to the Abernathy Great Grasslands where the barbarian tribe resided. Nie Yan didn¡¯t expect rescuing War God Kelo would lead to the release of an entire new race and class. Whether this development was good or bad remained to be seen. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 858 - Insignia of the God of War Class swapping to a Raider was an incredibly difficult choice. After all, many Warriors were already over Level 130. Starting over from scratch meant throwing away the time and effort they spent levelling up. However, according to the information found online, a barbarian Raider was more powerful than a Warrior by roughly 30%. The structure of levelling up supported the low level players to catch up to the rest. As such, the choice was obvious for some, and they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to class swap to a barbarian Raider. A Level 100 barbarian Raider was as strong as a Level 130 human or orc Warrior. When adding their class exclusive skills to the equation, the difference in strength only became bigger. Reaching Level 100 from scratch would take no more than five or six months. With the help of a high level Mage, that could be shortened to half that time. ¡°Here, take these War God Insignias. When a Warrior changes to a barbarian Raider, they can show the insignia to the tribe elders to preserve their current level.¡± War God Kelo passed on six War God Insignias to Nie Yan. ¡°Thank you, sir Kelo.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave. If you need my help, crush one of the Kelo Runestones,¡± War God Kelo said. His face was somewhat pale. The thousand years of imprisonment had probably taken a heavy toll on him. After bidding farewell, War God Kelo disappeared. Nie Yan received a notification. You have completed the quest ¡®War God Kelo¡¯s Request¡¯. You have received one level and +300 Influence in the barbarian tribe. Nie Yan¡¯s eyes lit up with joy. The quest reward was quite generous, especially the level up. As for the influence bonus, he would have to test out the effects himself the next time he encountered a barbarian. With his business here concluded, Nie Yan teleported away with Instant Transmission. About 15 minutes later, several Thieves arrived in front of the crucifix. Scattered on the ground were broken chains. Nie Yan was the first, but not the only one to find the imprisoned War God Kelo. Over the last year, many players had found him chained up to the crucifix. All of them had approached him and attempted to obtain a quest, only to be met with failure. As a Level 360 Lord, War God Kelo was the highest level NPC players had discovered so far. So, he was quite famous. Like an attraction, people would go on an excursion to see him in the flesh. However, War God Kelo was gone! It seemed Nie Yan had freed him. This was a bombshell piece of news! Recalling how Nie Yan was here just moments ago, the Thieves immediately connected the dots. It appeared the Mad Rogue had completed another legendary quest! ... Back in the Angel Corps guild headquarters, Soaring Angel was anxiously tapping the armrest of his throne. The release of a new race and class didn¡¯t make him feel the least bit excited. Rather, he felt a trace of worry in his heart. ¡¸Did anyone discover what Nirvana Flame was doing in Sinful Gorge?¡¹Soaring Angel asked irritably in guild chat. ¡¸H-he freed War God Kelo!¡¹ ¡¸W-WHAT!?¡¹Soaring Angel shot up from his seat. War God Kelo was a Level 360 Lord. If such an existence would help Nirvana Flame, they might as well throw down their weapons and raise the white flag. He restlessly paced back and forth before eventually calming down. Logically speaking, NPCs like Kelo wouldn¡¯t interfere in the conflicts between players, unless it was related to a special quest-related event. For example, the only reason Half-Demon Angud was attacking Asskickers United was to obtain the Death God¡¯s Edge. If Nie Yan handed it over, he would immediately leave. Nie Yan¡¯s rescue of War God Kelo was probably only a quest. No wonder he had disappeared for such a long time. While Asskickers United was being attacked by Angud, he was busy doing this quest. That had to be it! Soaring Angel suddenly recalled something. He turned to Stone Splitter and anxiously said, ¡°Quickly send word to Pantheon and have Angud return to the underworld. Nirvana Flame is about to make his move!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Stone Splitter replied. He immediately went to carry out Soaring Angel¡¯s orders. Soaring Angel¡¯s expression darkened. He glanced at his inventory. Will these be enough? His opponent was Nirvana Flame. No matter how much he prepared, it was never enough. Soaring Angel rang up Cao Xu. That wily old fox was suspiciously calm. His 20-guild coalition didn¡¯t appear to be making any large moves on the surface, business as usual. But apparently, the Century Financial Group was madly recruiting experts, resorting to any means fair or foul, including blackmail, imprisonment, and of course bribery. All the expert solo players had been recruited by them, and they had surpassed Angel Corps already in the number of Masters. Soaring Angel had no choice but to admit that he was still inexperienced compared to Cao Xu. He didn¡¯t have the courage to be as unscrupulous and underhanded! ¡­ The north of the Satreen Empire. In the eastern district of a small town stood a grand castle. Most recently, it had been bought by the Century Financial Group and became Cao Xu¡¯s private residence. Cao Xu was sitting in a recliner leisurely reading a book titled, ¡°Legends of the Atlanta Continent¡±. Be it Conviction¡¯s history, geography, culture, or anything else, no one was more knowledgeable than Cao Xu. Though he might not enjoy the thrill of battle, his understanding of every class, skill, synergy, and PvP technique that had ever appeared had reached the acme. Even Nie Yan¡¯s techniques were thoroughly analyzed and passed on to the Thieves under him. He spoke over 200 languages in the game and frequently interacted with NPC scholars, obtaining clues about various quests. More than half of all the experts in the Century Financial Group had received pointers from him. The Century Financial Group¡¯s venture into the Viridian Empire ended in failure. So, Cao Xu focused his attention elsewhere. It didn¡¯t take long for him to secure a foothold in the Satreen Empire, to the extent that he could go toe-to-toe with Angel Corps. At the same time, he also controlled a significant stake in Angel Corps. To have accomplished this much in such a short span of time was simply astonishing. Cao Xu had 200 players standing behind him in rank and file. They were all recent recruits of the Century Financial Group. Even though the Century Financial Group acquired a majority stake in over 20 guilds, they never established one themselves. The 100,000 players directly under Cao Xu weren¡¯t allowed to join any guild either. Like this, they appeared like random solo players to the public. ¡°You¡¯ve all arrived,¡± Cao Xu insipidly said, flipping over to the next page of his book. Among these 200 people, many were glaring daggers at Cao Xu. ¡°I know many of you here wish nothing more than to rip me to shreds. You¡¯re free to do as you please. However, I hope you think about the loved ones at home. Surely, they desire to see you again. So, make sure you complete your missions. I won¡¯t tolerate any mistakes,¡± Cao Xu said in a calm, leisurely tone. Many of those present trembled at Cao Xu¡¯s words. They all understood what he meant. If they dared to pull anything funny, one could imagine what sort of fate awaited them. They were already in the palms of his hand. Some were here under duress. Others were lured in by fat stacks of cash. However, they all understood one thing. They could not disobey Cao Xu. ¡°Did you collect the items I asked for?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve gathered most of them. However, the Occult Talismans, Book of Resurrection, and Chapters of Order are fairly difficult to obtain. We¡¯ve only obtained two low-rank Occult Talismans and six chapters, but they¡¯re not part of the same volume.¡± ¡°Useless idiots! Did I not give you all the quest clues for the Occult Talismans and the Book of Resurrection? As for the chapters, I¡¯ll give you three more days to complete a volume!¡± Cao Xu said in a grave tone. ¡°T-that¡¯s impossible¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no way we can do that!¡± ... Cao Xu¡¯s orders were immediately met with opposition. ¡°Obtaining the high rank Occult Talisman is a legendary quest. We¡¯ve already wiped more than 10 times! ¡°The Book of Resurrection is maybe even harder! We need to kill the Level 180 Variant Lord General of Darkness to reach that chest. We need at least a 5,000-man expedition team,¡± a Champion stepped forward and said. His words immediately received the agreement of several dozen others. An elven Magister also stepped forward. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for us to complete a volume in three days. We pretty much have to kill Nirvana Flame to finish any volume. We¡¯re not his match!¡± After hearing their words, Cao Xu furrowed his brows. It appeared obtaining these last few items simply wasn¡¯t possible right now. As Cao Xu was pondering, two Shadow Dancers stepped forward. ¡°Boss, leave the Occult Talisman and Book of Resurrection to us.¡± Cao Xu shot a glance at the two Shadow Dancers and waved his hand. ¡°Fine, don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± The two Shadow Dancers bowed before withdrawing. ¡°Forget about the Chapters of Order. I¡¯ll give you a new mission,¡± Cao Xu said. After learning the other chapters were in the hands of Nie Yan, he had no choice but to give up. The meeting continued for another 20 minutes before everyone scattered. Cao Xu reclined back into his seat and looked out the window. In the distance was an endless barren, and on the horizon was the blood red setting sun. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 859 - Barbarian Raider Nie Yan returned to Okoron and immediately began preparations to deal with Half-Demon Angud. Before long, a 1,000-man team assembled in the square in front of the guild headquarters. Clad in brilliant armour, they stood at attention, brimming with icy killing intent. Each of these players were one out of 10,000 hand-picked elites! A large crowd of curious passersby gathered too. ¡°What are they up to?¡± ¡°Surely, they aren¡¯t going to attack Angel Corps with such a small force?¡± ¡°One of my friends in Asskickers United told me they¡¯re preparing to face Angud.¡± ¡°Really? With only these guys?¡± ¡°You''re joking, right? Angud is a Level 180 Demonified Lord!¡± ¡°Yeah! Super bosses like that can even wipe out entire guilds!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know guys, that¡¯s what I heard.¡± The crowd was awestruck by the domineering line-up. Sure enough, Asskickers United¡¯s elites were on a completely different plane. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate those guys. I heard that on average their Warriors have over 13,000 defense, and their Mages over 17,000 magic power.¡± ¡°My god! How? That¡¯s insane!¡± For most Warriors it was impressive to reach about 8,000 defense by the time they hit Level 140. The same could be said for Mages with 10,000 magic power. Yet the average player in this 1,000-man expedition team almost doubled those stats. An insurmountable gap separated these top players from the rest. The 1,000-man expedition team was split into different ranks. Nie Yan and Guo Huai stood outside the entrance of the guild headquarters. ¡¸So, how¡¯s it going? Did you locate Angud yet?¡¹Nie Yan asked. He had sent out Smoke Stub, Bladelight, and several others to track down Angud. ¡¸Not yet. It¡¯s like he vanished into thin air.¡¹ ¡¸Be patient. He¡¯ll show himself,¡¹Nie Yan said. Worst comes to worst, he would step forth personally to act as bait. ¡¸I don¡¯t think our 1,000-man expedition team is strong enough to face him.¡¹ ¡¸I have a plan.¡¹Nie Yan explained the use of the Kelo Runestones.¡¸Just follow my commands. When the time comes, I¡¯ll summon War God Kelo.¡¹He¡¯d mobilized the 1,000-man expedition simply to reduce the workload on himself. ¡¸War God Kelo? You mean the Level 360 Lord you rescued from Sinful Gorge?¡¹ ¡¸Correct.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s great news!¡¹ Learning there was a way to deal with Angud, everyone became excited. Angud had harassed them for long enough. It was about time they got their revenge! ¡¸Smoke Stub, Bladelight, Monochrome, Edgeless, Lofty Shadow, Lei Su, you six come back first,¡¹Nie Yan said. ¡¸Why? Is something up?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯ll find out when you get here,¡¹Nie Yan replied. Smoke Stub, Bladelight, and the other four teleported back to Okoron with Return Scrolls. A few minutes later, they arrived at the guild headquarters. ¡°Take this.¡± Nie Yan tossed a War God Insignia to Smoke Stub. ¡°What is this?¡± Smoke Stub asked skeptically. The War God Insignia looked like an ordinary medal with no real use. ¡°If you have this War God Insignia with you when you class swap to a Raider, you won¡¯t need to restart from Level 0,¡± Nie Yan replied before distributing the remaining five War God Insignias. Smoke Stub couldn¡¯t help but become excited and asked, ¡°War God Kelo gave these to you?¡± ¡°Yep. It was one of my quest rewards.¡± Nie Yan chuckled. These six Warriors had been faced with a difficult choice. Stick to their current class and eventually be outclassed by other players. Or class swap to a barbarian Raider and start back at Level 0, becoming utterly useless to the guild for the foreseeable future. They¡¯d be leaning towards sticking to their current class, simply because they couldn¡¯t let their guildmates fight Angud, or Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group without them. Thankfully, the War God Insignia had resolved this issue. Bladelight and the other five couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much a War God Insignia would sell for in the marketplace. Its value was certainly immeasurable! War God Kelo only gave Nie Yan six War God Insignias, which he was offering to them! They couldn¡¯t feel prouder. Clearly, their boss viewed them as the pillars of Asskickers United! ¡°Hurry up and go class change. I¡¯ve already done some research. The quest is pretty easy. You guys should be able to finish it in half-an-hour tops. You¡¯ll be the six strongest barbarian Raiders!¡± Nie Yan said. He heard barbarian Raiders had many powerful skills. His eyes shone with anticipation. ¡°Alright, wait for the good news.¡± Smoke Stub patted Nie Yan on the shoulder. Smoke Stub, Bladelight, and the other four left. Half-an-hour wasn¡¯t long. The fight with Angud wouldn¡¯t even have started by then. About 15 minutes later, there was finally information on Angud. ¡¸Boss, several of our people reported seeing Angud flying over Sky Lake! He¡¯s probably heading straight for Okoron!¡¹Undying Scoundrel reported. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. Is he planning to assault the city? He couldn¡¯t help but recall the battle with Phantom Princess Ina. If Angud decided to attack Okoron, the city might be razed to the ground for real this time! ¡¸Where are you guys right now?¡¹Nie Yan asked. ¡¸We¡¯re rushing back to Okoron,¡¹Undying Scoundrel replied. Nie Yan guessed Angud was coming for him. That son of a bitch knew he was in Okoron! ¡¸He¡¯s after me. I¡¯ll draw him away from the city,¡¹Nie Yan declared. Asskickers United was on the verge of an all-out war with Angel Corps. If Okoron were destroyed, Soaring Angel wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kick him while he was down. Guo Huai looked at a recent report. His face paled. ¡°Nie Yan, An Angel Corps force of nearly 600,000 players is making their way to Okoron!¡± Nie Yan¡¯s eyes flashed with a cold light. It appeared Angel Corps wanted to take advantage of the opportunity and attack Okoron while they were busy dealing with Angud. ¡°How large is our NPC army now?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°About 30,000 strong, all Level 160 Elites. I¡¯ve assigned all the weaker NPCs to other work,¡± Guo Huai replied. Asskickers United had put in an enormous amount of effort into nurturing these NPCs, outfitting them with the highest quality equipment, all for the sake of building a powerful army. When Phantom Princess Ina attacked Okoron, Nie Yan had the NPC army sit out of the battle. After all, having them face off against a Level 180 Demonified Lord was a simple method of killing off his entire army. Now, all his efforts paid off, and they would finally show their use in dealing with the forces of Angel Corps! Okoron¡¯s players also started to mobilize, organizing into ranks in preparation for the city¡¯s defense. ¡°How many catapults did they bring with them?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°Over 200.¡± ¡°Mhmm, we should be good.¡° Nie Yan nodded. Okoron had 100 catapults and 300 Goblin Magic Cannons stationed on the walls. Okoron had entered battle mode. Angel Corps¡¯ army slowly approached Okoron. They were taking their time, seemingly waiting for something. The 600,000 troops stretched out across the plain. The players guarding the walls couldn¡¯t help but shudder at the sight. ¡°Looks like we have a big battle on our hands.¡± Guo Huai chuckled. After serving as Asskickers United¡¯s executive guild leader for so long, he had the air of a leader. ¡°Are we still planning to fight Angud outside the city?¡± ¡°Yeah. Nothing¡¯s changed.¡± Nie Yan nodded. ¡°Then we better watch out for Angel Corps ambushing us!¡± ¡°Mhmm. Don¡¯t worry. I will,¡± Nie Yan turned to the 1,000-man expedition team. ¡°The enemy¡¯s 600,000 troops are right outside our walls. Tell me! Are you afraid!?¡± ¡°NO!¡± the 1,000 players cried out in unison, shaking the entire square. ¡°Good! Follow me!¡± Nie Yan said. According to War God Kelo¡¯s conditions, Angud had to be a direct threat to his life for the Kelo Runestone to work. At the same time, it would also take some time to channel. That¡¯s where the 1,000-man expedition team came in. Following Nie Yan¡¯s lead, the 1,000-man expedition exited the city gates. Soaring Angel and Cao Xu were closely monitoring Asskickers United¡¯s every movement. So, they immediately knew when Nie Yan and the 1,000 players set out. After another 20 minutes, Nie Yan heard back from Smoke Stub and the other five. They were hurrying back to Okoron. The class change quest was fairly simple. All they had to do was talk to a few NPCs and pass a short trial. The only real hurdle was restarting from Level 0. However, the War God Insignia allowed them to completely bypass this. ¡¸So, how¡¯s it being a barbarian Raider?¡¹Nie Yan asked. ¡¸Pretty damn awesome!¡¹Smoke Stub exclaimed, his voice cracking with excitement. After hearing Smoke Stub¡¯s words, Nie Yan knew the rewards for becoming a barbarian Raider were better than he expected. ¡¸Thanks to the War God Insignia, we also obtained two additional skills.¡¹ ¡¸I got Auto Counter and Mad Howl.¡¹ ¡¸I got Frenzied Charge and Thunder Rend!¡¹ ¡­ Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 860 - Meeting Angud Again As for how strong barbarian Raiders were, only battle could tell. All everyone knew for now was that they were stronger than human or orc Warriors. Asskickers United was the first to have a high level barbarian Raider, let alone six, causing others to gaze at them in envy. When the barbarian race and Raider class were first announced, it was rumoured that tens of thousands of players flocked to the barbarian tribe to class change. Many of them were low-level players who didn¡¯t have much to lose. Most of the high level players were still hesitating. Shortly after exiting Okoron, Nie Yan received word that Half-Demon Angud had reached the outskirts to the south of the city. Roughly 200 guild members were unlucky enough to be in his path and were slaughtered. ¡¸Tell me his exact coordinates!¡¹ ¡¸237.285.238!¡¹ King of the World, Sun, and the other Thieves were scouting the surroundings. Suddenly, an anxious voice rang out in the voice chat.¡¸Watch out! Angud is approaching fast!¡¹ Nie Yan searched for Angud. He was standing in the middle of an open field about 50 meters by 50 meters in size. Other than a few small bushes, there was nothing here that could obstruct his view. ¡¸Get in position. Angud is approaching from the south.¡¹ ¡¸Boss, we see him!¡¹a Thief called out. ¡¸Are the traps set?¡¹Nie Yan asked anxiously. ¡¸Yep! We used our most powerful traps!¡¹ Nie Yan looked toward the south. Something was fast approaching. The silhouette turned from a black blur into a terrifying half-demon. Angud! ¡¸Don¡¯t get too close. He¡¯ll come to u¡ª¡¹ BOOOM! Angud landed on the ground at high velocity, dirt flying everywhere. Flutter has been killed! A string of notifications popped up. Three Thieves in the vicinity of Angud¡¯s landing zone failed to escape in time and were instantly killed. Angud¡¯s demonic eyes pierced through the cloud of dust and locked onto Nie Yan. He broke into a sprint and leaped into the air before crashing back down to the ground like a streaking meteor! Taking a few steps, he launched himself into the air again. Each landing felt like the world was collapsing as the earth quaked violently. ¡°Boss, he¡¯s here!¡± Nie Yan watched Angud charging over with narrowed eyes. We finally meet again! Seeing Angud quickly closing in, the expedition team tensed up. ¡°Summon your pets and block him. Don¡¯t let him close in on Nie Yan!" Bladelight shouted. ¡°We¡¯re on it!¡± From Smoke Stub to any random member of the expedition team, all of them summoned their respective pets. From giant tundra bears to sharp tusked mammoths, they charged forward to intercept Angud. Seeing the pets rushing to his aid, Nie Yan retreterated behind them. The tundra bear arrived in front of Angud and swiped down with its paw. ¡°Nice timing!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As the attack was about to land, Angud slid forward and slammed his tail into the tundra bears neck. BAM! It was knocked off its feet, airborne for a good two seconds. ¡°Fuck! He¡¯s too strong!¡± ¡°Everyone, get away!¡± Below the still airborne tundra bear was a group Mages. They quickly blinked away. BANG! It crashed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Instant kill! One by one, the other pets were knocked off their feet by Angud. Nothing could stop his advance. However, they achieved their goal. Angud¡¯s charging speed had been greatly reduced. Angud chanted an incantation and raised several dozen skeletons from the ground. Their bones sparkled with a golden sheen. With shields raised and swords held high, they charged toward the nearby players. A shower of spells rained down from the sky and bombarded the golden skeletons. ¡°Level 180 Elites!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t panic!¡± ¡°Warriors, pull their aggro!¡± None of the expedition team members panicked at the appearance of the skeletons. They stuck to their role and adapted accordingly. ¡°We¡¯ll be drinking bone soup tonight!¡± ¡°Haha! If we can take them down, sure!¡± The melee players surrounded the golden skeletons and locked them down, while the Mages never stopped firing their spells. Angud raised his arm into the sky and spread out his palm, conjuring a massive, crimson ball of flames. His entire body ignited with an ominous, black aura. According to legend, demons came from the very depths of the earth. Surviving an eternity within the harsh, lava-filled environment, they mastered control of fire. The flames in their body could engulf everything. ¡°Wretched mortals, you¡¯ve annoyed me for the last time! I can detect the presence of the Death God¡¯s Edge. Hand it over to me, or else I¡¯ll annihilate you all in both body and soul!¡± Angud¡¯s voice thundered across the battlefield. With a wave of his hand, the crimson ball of flame descended on Nie Yan. A dark, gloomy energy swept over Nie Yan, causing his body to go rigid. It was the fear effect! This time, Nie Yan dealt much better with it than before. He could still move his body, albeit with difficulty. Nie Yan had learned from their last encounter that the fear effect would be manyfold stronger if he looked Angud directly in the eyes. Nie Yan gauged the trajectory of the crimson ball of flame. Activating Gale Step, he fled for safety. BOOOM! The ball crashed into the ground and exploded like a bomb, sending out a powerful fiery blast which instantly engulfed several nearby Warriors. Nie Yan retreated a hundred meters back while ordering in voice chat,¡¸Cover me! I¡¯m going to summon War God Kelo! I¡¯ll need at least 15 seconds!¡¹ ¡¸Leave it to us. Even if every last one of us has to die, we¡¯ll hold him back!¡¹Bladelight replied, then charged toward Angud with several other Warriors in tow. Nie Yan looked at Angud. The space between them was covered in a dense bed of traps. Should be good enough to buy me a few more seconds, he thought. Nie Yan was about to crush a Kelo Runestone, when several anxious voices cried out in chat. ¡¸Boss! Angel Corps¡¯ forces are here!¡¹ ¡¸Enemy Thieves!¡¹ ¡¸Boss, several thousand Angel Corps troops are making their way over here!¡¹ ¡­ Nie Yan knitted his brows. Like he predicted, Angel Corps would pounce on this opportunity. Suddenly, Nie Yan sensed an unfamiliar presence. His lips curved into a sneer. You managed to approach within 30 meters of me. Not bad... Eyes of Truth! Nie Yan¡¯s eyes blossomed with a profound light. Looking around, he locked onto three Thieves in an instant. Just as he was about to take action, Nie Yan noticed several silhouettes closing in on the Thieves at lightning speed. PSFHT! PSFHT! PSFHT! Several streaks of light flashed out in the air. The three Thieves dropped dead at practically the same time. Sun, King of the World, and Mistaken Smile materialized as their blades dealt killing blows. King of the World chuckled. ¡°Focus on summoning War God Kelo. Leave this trash to us!¡± Many more Thieves attempted to ambush Nie Yan, only to be dealt with by King of the World, Sun, and Mistaken Smile before they could get anywhere near him. Quite a few corpses littered the ground. Because of the interruption, Nie Yan had already missed the most opportune time to crush the Kelo Runestone. Angud had broken free from the Warriors locking him down, sending six of them flying, and charged toward him again. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Angud detonated the Thunderstorm Totems on the ground as lightning engulfed the surroundings. However, it didn¡¯t deal the slightest damage to him. ¡°Bladelight, let¡¯s stop him together!¡± Smoke Stub charged toward Angud from the flank. ¡°Sure!¡± Bulwark of the War God! Bladelight¡¯s muscles bulged out and brimmed with extraordinary power. He looked like a fortress of flesh. After becoming a barbarian Raider, the Bulwark of the War God skill grew even more powerful. ¡°Come at me, you half-baked demon!¡± Bladelight rammed his shield into Angud. ¡°Begone! Angud swung his palm down at Bladelight, who quickly raised his shield to block. KLANG! He was sent skidding several meters back. A damage value of 137,000 floated up above his head. He only had 12,000 health remaining. Nie Yan hurriedly had Kalenna cast Heal on Bladelight. Young Seven also followed up with his own Heal. Bladelight¡¯s health was restored to full. ¡°Hah, that tickled! I expected more of a Demonified Lord!¡± Bladelight snorted and charged back up to Angud. Nie Yan crushed the Kelo Runestone as it turned into fine powder. He felt an energy locking onto him. Likely, War God Kelo was confirming his position. Please arrive quickly! He couldn¡¯t help but pray. ¡°Y-you!¡± Angud became enraged. His arm ignited with flames as he sent a fist flying towards Bladelight. Bladelight accidentally looked into Angud¡¯s eyes. His black pupils were like a bottomless abyss, threatening to swallow him whole. Shit, I can¡¯t move! Bladelight¡¯s heart turned cold. He was immobilized! He gritted his teeth as he attempted to raise his shield, but it felt as heavy as a mountain. It was already too late! BAM! Angud punched Bladelight in the chest, knocking him down. Bladelight has died! ¡°Dammit!¡± Smoke Stub had tried to save Bladelight, but he was a step too late. He slashed down on Angud with his sword, when a powerful force gripped onto his neck. His attack came to a halt mid-swing, while his body was raised into the air. KRAAACK! Blood dripped down and soaked into the earth. Smoke Stub has died! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 861 - Purifying Angud Half-Demon Angud locked his gaze onto Nie Yan and pushed off the ground. 50 meters, 40 meters, 30 meters... The Warriors in the expedition team threw themselves into the path of Angud, only to be knocked away. No matter how much of them went up, they couldn¡¯t even slow Angud down, let alone block him. When Angud was 29 meters away, Nie Yan¡¯s pupils shrunk. The ground within a 20-meter radius around Angud transformed into a whirlpool of quicksand. Angud got stuck, unable to lift his feet. No matter how much he struggled or tried to leap away, he only sank further in. This was Violet Mist¡¯s most powerful Quicksand Trap, super effective against bosses! Nie Yan didn¡¯t have high hopes of this trap locking Angud down for long. Just a few seconds, and he¡¯d be happy. ¡°Nirvana Flame can¡¯t move! This is our chance! Kill him!¡± Over 60 Thieves from Angel Corps came rushing out from their hiding spots. They only had a singular goal, to kill Nie Yan! ¡°Scoundrel, Yao Yao, Sparrow Hawk, come and help! We can¡¯t deal with all of them in time!¡± King of the World, Mistaken Smile, and Sun couldn¡¯t block all these 60 Thieves from reaching Nie Yan. The rest of the expedition team members were busy dealing with the golden skeletons, so they couldn¡¯t lend any help right now either. Nor could the other players who were stationed only a small distance away. They had their hands full with a 3,000-man team from Angel Corps rushing over. Several Thieves were about to close in on Nie Yan, when Xie Yao arrived in front of them with just a few Blinks. ¡°Watch out for that Mage!¡± ¡°Kill her!¡± Xie Yao waved her staff, casting a Rank 13 Holy Judgement. A massive pillar of light descended, only gaining in size. ¡°Carefu¡ª!¡± BANG! BANG! Two Thieves failed to evade in time and were sent flying. One Thief escaped with Gale Step and tried to close in on Nie Yan. Xie Yao instantly blinked in front of them. With a wave of her staff, she fired a Holy Bolt. Only a distance of two meters separated the two. The Thief had no time to react at all. BANG! His body flew through the air lifelessly. Several of the Thieves further back broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°Shit, that Mage is too scary!¡± ¡°Ignore her! Deal with Nirvana Flame first!¡± Two more Thieves were charging towards Nie Yan, when they suddenly both came to a screeching halt. Someone stood in front of them. ¡°It¡¯s Sparrow Hawk! Run!¡± ¡°Get away!¡± These were the last words the Thieves said. Tang Yao¡¯s notoriety in Asskickers United was only second to Nie Yan¡¯s. To the outside, he was an untouchable existence. Tang Yao took quick care of these two Thieves with only a few spells. Still struggling in the quicksand, Angud raised his hand and conjured an enormous fireball. He aimed it toward the ground below his feet. BOOOM! The intense heat transformed the sand into glass, which shattered as Angud freed himself. Angud leaped forward and landed 10 meters away from Nie Yan. He raised his fist, his face looking particularly sinister within the dark aura he was giving off. Tang Yao waved his staff, summoning an Arcane Ice Shield in front of Nie Yan. BOOOM! Angud punched the black shield and shattered it in one blow, practically disintegrating it as specks of ice crystals fluttered in the air. ¡°Shit! There¡¯s no stopping him!¡± Tang Yao despaired. Seeing Angud closing in fast, Nie Yan¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile. ¡°Boss, run!¡± Undying Scoundrel cried out anxiously. Nie Yan showed no signs of fleeing. Instead, he shouted, ¡°Kelo, appear!¡± WHOOOOSH! An unrivalled aura swept away all the players within a 60-meter radius. A giant tornado descended from the sky. Angud was sent flying away and crashed into the ground. He struggled to resist the fierce gale. The powerful new presence caused him to tremble in fear. A large, burly figure appeared within the tornado. ¡°The boss did it!¡± The surrounding Asskickers United players broke out in cheers. War God Kelo had come to their rescue! The tornado gradually dissipated, revealing War God Kelo. ¡°You¡¯ve used a Kelo Runestone. As promised, I¡¯ll help you with one thing, granted it doesn¡¯t violate my two conditions,¡± War God Kelo said. Nie Yan glanced over at Angud. He was trembling uncontrollably, like a mouse who encountered a cat. He didn¡¯t even have the willpower to flee. ¡°Sir Kelo, that demon over there came all the way over from the underworld to kill me and steal my treasures. I¡¯m powerless to stop him. Please get rid of him for me,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Treasures? Are you talking about the Death God¡¯s Edge?¡± War God Kelo asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. War God Kelo wouldn¡¯t be after the Death God¡¯s Edge too, right? If that were the case, he was powerless to stop him. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder evil creatures have their eyes on you.¡± War God Kelo chuckled. ¡°Sure, I will carry out your request.¡± Nie Yan breathed a sigh of relief. With Angud taken care of, that was one less thing to worry about. War God Kelo walked over to Angud. He placed his hand over Angud¡¯s head and muttered, ¡°You pitiful abomination. May your suffering end here.¡± Angud didn¡¯t even dare to raise his head. A pillar of holy light descended from the sky and enveloped Angud. Angud¡¯s body slowly melted away, not struggling in the slightest, before disappearing completely as if he were never there in the first place. ¡°Youngster, I¡¯ve completed your request. I¡¯ll be going now,¡± War God Kelo said before disappearing. Since Angud was killed by War God Kelo, he didn¡¯t drop any loot. The Thieves from Angel Corps made a retreat. The 3,000 players a little further away followed suit. With Angud¡¯s death, their opportunity was gone. The brief moment where Nie Yan was human came to an end, his status as invincible reinstated. There was no reason for them to stay here any longer. Nie Yan had finally gotten rid of a sharp thorn in his side. Now the only ones left to deal with were Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. After that, Asskickers United''s path to the summit would be unimpeded! Corpses littered the ground. Nie Yan turned to Young Seven. ¡°Revive Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the rest of the fallen.¡± Young Seven, Painted Muslin, Black Heaven, and the other Priests walked over to the corpses and started reviving them. After Angud¡¯s death, the golden skeletons also collapsed into a pile of dust. The battlefield calmed down. The team members sat down to recover their health and mana. ... Before long, Angel Corps, the Century Financial Group, and Pantheon received reports of Angud¡¯s death. Soaring Angel watched the video with a pensive look on his face. He sent a whisper to Cao Xu. ¡¸What are your thoughts, Brother Cao?¡¹Soaring Angel asked. ¡¸Nirvana Flame is pretty lucky to get the help of War God Kelo. It¡¯s a pity Angud died so soon. We could¡¯ve used him to our advantage. Oh well.¡¹ ¡¸Godking, that fool,¡¹Soaring Angel cursed. ¡¸You can¡¯t blame Godking on this one. There¡¯s no way he could control a Level 180 Demonified Lord. Angud didn¡¯t listen to anyone. Right now, we can only rely on ourselves to deal with Asskickers United.¡¹ Soaring Angel enlarged the video and locked onto the stone Nie Yan had crushed. ¡¸That stone is probably what Nirvana Flame used to summon War God Kelo. I wonder if he has any more.¡¹ ¡¸It doesn¡¯t matter if he has more or not. The crucial point is that there is a limited amount of them. Also, didn¡¯t you hear the exchange between War God Kelo and Nirvana Flame? War God Kelo has certain conditions on lending his help. Logically speaking, if War God Kelo could be freely called at any time, Nirvana Flame would¡¯ve used him to deal with Angud right at the start. Would there be a need to go through all that trouble? Likely, the requirements for summoning War God Kelo are quite strict. Not to mention existences on the level of Kelo can¡¯t participate in the affairs between players. This is something set by the system,¡¹Cao Xu gave his analysis. Soaring Angel sank into silence. Cao Xu¡¯s words made sense. ¡¸In any case, we¡¯re already riding on the tiger¡¯s back. We can only fight with Asskickers United until the bitter end. There¡¯s no need to worry about these things. We can only deal with whatever comes our way. Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.¡¹Cao Xu chuckled. ¡¸Thank you for your guidance, Brother Cao,¡¹Soaring Angel said. At times like these, he could not allow fear and anxiousness to warp his judgement. Soaring Angel and Cao Xu took Angud¡¯s death fairly calmly. On the other hand, Godking went into a flying rage. Angud was crucial to several of his important quests. Now, all of them had come to a premature end. Not to mention that Angud¡¯s existence was one of Pantheon¡¯s greatest trump cards. They were left with nothing. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 862 - Encounter in the Skies When news of Angud¡¯s death reached the ears of the alliance, several million players broke out in cheers. Nothing could block Asskickers United¡¯s path to the top! The Atlanta continent would be theirs! Like a stone dropped into still water, the entire Righteous Faction was stirring. All members of the alliances dispatched their troops as previously agreed upon. Holy Empire, Sapphire Shrine, the War God Tribe, Battle Crazed Alliance, and Radiant Sacred Flame divided 700,000 of their players into three different armies, all of them marching towards the Satreen Empire like a raging tide. The five branch guilds sent a force 1,000,000 strong. Asskickers United also dispatched 100,000 players, keeping the remaining 400,000 behind to defend Okoron and the other strongholds and keep the 600,000 Angel Corps players in the Abernathy Great Grasslands in check. Nie Yan summoned his Darkwing Dragon and hopped on its back. It flapped its wings and took off in the air. So far, everything was going according to plan. The different armies would soon reach the Satreen Empire. Nie Yan had various videos coming in, all of which were captured from an aerial view. In valleys and plains, player forces marched forward like a flowing river while catapults slowly advanced among their ranks, stretching out off into the horizon as far as the eye could see. Up in the sky were numerous black dots. They were all flying mounts. The alliance had over 12,000 flying mounts combined, 90% of which was made out of low rank ones while the rest were Rank 5 or higher. This was already an extremely powerful aerial force, enough to completely cover the skies. Bladelight and the other Masters also summoned their own flying mounts and took to the sky. ¡°We¡¯re finally going to war.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day for a long time.¡± ¡°With a single command, you made millions of people move. That must feel pretty amazing, huh?¡± Bladelight asked Nie Yan with a smile. A myriad of emotions stirred in Nie Yan¡¯s heart. He never once thought he¡¯d be in such a position one day. In his past life, he was a target of scorn, forced into a path of no retreat by the Century Financial Group. But in this life, he had obtained the power to stand on equal footing with the likes of Soaring Angel and Cao Xu. After reaching this point, the knowledge from his past life was already no longer relevant, only coming in handy on special occasions. Now, Nie Yan could only rely on his own ability to solve things step by step, such as the Tyrant Abak Set and Zennarde¡¯s Sword. Nie Yan was without a doubt already at the top, looking down on everyone from high above like the sun in the sky. The various emotions welling up in his heart wasn¡¯t something people could understand. This was his secret, one he would take to the grave. Looking in the distance, Nie Yan took in the grand landscape. Breathing in deeply, a sense of heroism bubbled forth from his heart. ¡°If we liken the entire Atlanta continent to a Chinese chess board, we¡¯ve only crossed the river. The game is only beginning!¡± The group of Masters couldn¡¯t help but think back to the start of the game. Nie Yan had recruited them one by one, a nobody contacting them to join a guild without backing. That was how it all started. They never imagined themselves being in this kind of place today. ¡°Sometimes, I feel like you¡¯re some kind of time traveller. Ever since I first met you, it was like you knew everything in advance.¡± Bladelight glanced at Nie Yan with a smile. Nie Yan lightly jolted, his heart skipping a beat as he felt like his secret had been exposed. Bladelight chuckled. ¡°Of course, time travel doesn¡¯t exist. Nor can we predict the future. I don¡¯t know why, but I feel like I¡ªno, all of us have absolute faith that you¡¯ll lead us in the right direction. Perhaps that¡¯s the main source of our strength.¡± Nie Yan chuckled. ¡°Well, I can tell you I¡¯m not 100% confident we¡¯ll win against Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group in this war.¡± ¡°Even if we lose, so what!? We¡¯ve already left our mark in the game!¡± Undying Scoundrel was rather positive. For all of them, their experiences in Conviction were filled with glory, enough to be remembered for a lifetime. Even in 20 years from now, people in the game would still talk about them enthusiastically. ¡°Let¡¯s not get so emotional. We haven¡¯t even started fighting yet. This war won¡¯t be won with a single battle. We¡¯ll be fighting them for months, maybe even years. But I¡¯m confident the boss will lead us to victory and unify the entire Righteous Faction!¡± Nie Yan glanced at Xie Yao riding atop her white phoenix¡¯ back about 20 meters away. Her beautiful appearance under the glow of the white flames evoked countless memories in his mind. Time seemed to come to a halt. No matter what, this war had to be won. The outcome was related to their fate. Even though Asskickers United wasn¡¯t any weaker than Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group combined, defeating these two great powers would prove quite difficult. And that was without considering the aces hidden up their sleeve! ¡°I heard both Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group are frantically recruiting more manpower.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how many more people they pull in. They¡¯ll just be increasing the burden on their payroll. The crucial part is the strength of their core members.¡± Listening to his teammates¡¯ conversation, Nie Yan checked on the overall situation. Guo Huai had 200 administrative players forming a brain for the guild. They would be responsible for receiving all the reports coming in from the various fronts as well as passing on information, giving out commands, and so on. Before long, Nie Yan received word that Holy Empire¡¯s forces had suffered an attack from three of the guilds under the Century Financial Group. They fiercely fought back, with both sides losing over 10,000 players. This was merely the beginning! Battles broke out all across the Satreen Empire, but the main battlefield was in the Abernathy Great Grasslands. As they arrived in Okoron, Nie Yan allowed the troops under him to recuperate. Gazing into the distance atop the walls, he saw Angel Corps¡¯ catapults slowly advancing forward. The 600,000-man army had the city completely surrounded. In a battle of this scale, no matter how strong he was as an individual, there was no way he could go against the heavens. At best, he could turn things around in a small local area. Pets couldn¡¯t make much of an impact either, their prowess greatly reduced by siege weapons like catapults. Countless players from Asskickers United stood atop Okoron¡¯s walls. All the defensive structures were also active. A group of 100 flying mounts flew close by. They were all Angel Corps forces! ¡°It¡¯s time for battle!¡± Nie Yan turned to the players behind him. Nie Yan had over 20 flying mounts, one rank 8 Darkwing Dragon and three Rank 7 flying mounts, which comprised the Immortal Phoenix, Azure Dragon, and Crystal Winged Dragon, while all the rest were Rank 6. The Darkwing Dragon took the vanguard and charged toward the enemy flying mounts. ... Skyscraper was a wing captain in Angel Corps¡¯ aerial force. He had over 100 flying mounts under him, of which there were three Rank 6 flying mounts while the rest were all Rank 5. He was in charge of reconnaissance. He led his members into circling the skies over Okoron. They were divided into six squads. ¡¸Squad One reporting, everything here is clear. We haven¡¯t discovered Asskickers United¡¯s flying mounts,¡¹Skyscraper said. As he made a turn, the flying mounts behind him followed suit, forming an arrow in the sky. ¡¸Captain, why do you think Asskickers United¡¯s aerial forces hasn¡¯t appeared yet?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t know. Be careful. Asskickers United is different from any enemy we¡¯ve faced before!¡¹ ¡¸Captain, we¡¯ve spotted an enemy flying mount!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s the Darkwing Dragon!¡¹ Skyscraper¡¯s heart trembled. He anxiously shouted,¡¸Everyone, retreat!¡¹ Skyscraper looked around, only to discover that they were already surrounded! ¡¸Captain, what do we do!?¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s fight them! They only have 20 flying mounts, we have a hundred!¡¹ ¡¸Did you get dropped on the head? Those guys are Nirvana Flame¡¯s elite forces! Even if we had twice as many troops, we¡¯d still be no match for them! Just listen to my orders, retreat!¡¹Skyscraper shouted. He took the lead in trying to charge out of the encirclement. Suddenly, an enormous phoenix cut him off. Standing atop its back, Xie Yao looked like a goddess, so beautiful it was stifling. The phoenix breathed out a mouthful of flames, the fire shooting forward like a streaking meteor. Skyscraper suddenly pulled on his Thunder Hawk, causing it to make a rapid descent and evading the flames by just a hair¡¯s breadth. BOOM! The flames struck a Rank 5 flying mount behind him. It let out a shrill cry and plummeted from the sky, still covered in raging flames. A scorched flesh smell spread out through the air. Skyscraper¡¯s face paled. That was the phoenix¡¯s True Fire skill! If he had been hit by it, he could only imagine the consequences. He couldn¡¯t help but break out in a cold sweat. ¡¸Captain! Nirvana Flame is closing in on us from behind!¡¹ Skyscraper glanced back and discovered the Darkwing Dragon swooping down on them. Its enormous frame covered the entire sky. Its two claws grabbed onto a flying mount and tore it into shreds. In the blink of an eye, another flying mount fell down from the sky. Several nearby flying mounts attacked the Darkwing Dragon, but it was like they were hitting a steel plate. They couldn¡¯t even leave a mark on its scales. ¡¸Captain, it¡¯s too strong! We can¡¯t get through its defense!¡¹ ¡¸Captain, what do we do?¡¹ ¡­ Their voices were shaking with fear. This was the first time they¡¯d encountered this kind of situation. ¡¸You idiots, why aren¡¯t you running!?¡¹Skyscraper cursed. 1. In Chapter 840 Mad Snail said the phoenix was Rank 8, now it¡¯s back to Rank 7¡­ Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 863 - Beginning Ac The players from Angel Corps latched onto the faintest hope, their number advantage, only to be met with cruel reality. Blood curdling cries rang out as a one-sided massacre took place in the air. ¡¸What¡¯s going on? Do you need backup?¡¹ ¡¸We encountered Nirvana Flame! Stay far away! Don¡¯t come!¡¹Skyscraper shouted anxiously. ¡¸What¡¯s your situation?¡¹ ¡¸Quickly, reply!¡¹ A Seawind Mistbird spewed out a black fog, which quickly spread out into the surroundings, creating a smoke screen that greatly reduced visibility. ¡¸Boss, I can¡¯t see anything!¡¹Undying Scoundrel cried out. ¡¸Be careful guys. Don¡¯t accidentally hurt our own!¡¹ Eyes of Truth! Nie Yan locked onto several fleeing flying mounts and pounced after them. The battle in the sky lasted for 10 minutes before the smokescreen finally dissipated. Only the players from Asskickers United remained. ¡°What¡¯s the battle report?¡± Nie Yan asked, his eyes on a distant place. Several black dots were flying farther and farther away. ¡°We killed 36 enemy flying mounts. The rest ran away. Zero casualties on our side.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that smoke screen, none of them would¡¯ve escaped!¡± ¡°What a shame!¡± Undying Scoundrel, Lustboy, and several others were annoyed. Given their strength, they could easily wipe out the enemy. ¡°Anyone recognize that flying mount with the fog skill? That smoke screen covered a pretty large area,¡± Smoke Stub asked. ¡°It¡¯s a Seawind Mistbird. Our guild has them too. They¡¯re not much in direct combat, but with their supportive abilities they can be quite effective in the right team. The smokescreen, for example, can cover up to a 300-meter wide area,¡± Undying Scoundrel replied. ¡°Let¡¯s watch out the next time we meet one,¡± Nie Yan replied. Most flying mounts had their own unique skills. It was best to be wary of them. ¡°Let¡¯s go down and collect the Life Cores. Don¡¯t let others snatch it away from us!¡± The team members descended to the ground to collect the spoils of battle. Nie Yan tossed a Darkness Life Core from his bag to the Darkwing Dragon. CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! It happily swallowed the Life Core. Looking at the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s status page, it had only just reached Rank 8, still a far cry from Rank 9. These Darkness Life Cores were like green peas, far from satisfying. Experience told Nie Yan that feeding Dragon Cores to his Darkwing Dragon right now wouldn¡¯t have any effect. He would keep feeding it Darkness Life Cores until it reached the peak of Rank 8, then he would feed it Dragon Cores! Nie Yan tossed another Darkness Life Core to the Darkwing Dragon. ¡°Are all the Life Cores collected?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± ¡°If there are any surplus Darkness Life Cores, give them to me,¡± Nie Yan said. The Darkwing Dragon practically had a bottomless stomach. Where most flying mounts required up to two weeks to digest a couple of Life Cores, it could eat them to no end. ¡°Boss, what are we going to do next?¡± ¡°We split up and clear the air space around Okoron of any enemy flying mounts!¡± Nie Yan declared. Since battle could break out at any moment, it was important to take control of the skies. ¡°Understood! Let¡¯s get to work!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll split into pairs. Yao Yao, you come with me,¡± Nie Yan said. All of the guild¡¯s other flying mounts were fighting on the frontline. So, it was up to them to secure Okoron¡¯s air space. After splitting up into pairs, Nie Yan glanced over at an anxious looking Bladelight. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Something wrong?¡± ¡°None of our forces have discovered Angel Corps¡¯ main aerial force yet, and we only encountered these small fry near Okoron. Don¡¯t you find it strange?¡± Bladelight asked. Nie Yan chuckled. ¡°I can understand why you¡¯re worried, but this is Okoron, our home territory. If anything happens, we¡¯ll just retreat within the range of the city¡¯s anti-air defenses.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just afraid we¡¯ll meet some problems since our forces are spread so thin,¡± Bladelight said. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking things. It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re in Okoron. Come one, ten, or a hundred, we¡¯ll slaughter them all!¡± Undying Scoundrel said confidently. Everyone was in high spirits. Bladelight didn¡¯t want to ruin the mood. He sent a whisper to Nie Yan,¡¸I¡¯m just warning you. Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group have invested far more into flying mounts than we have. Not to mention you haven¡¯t summoned the Darkwing Dragon in a long time. Their aerial forces probably aren¡¯t any weaker than ours.¡¹ Nie Yan nodded.¡¸I understand. But since some of their aerial forces have already arrived in Okoron, we should at least give them a welcome!¡¹ Guo Huai¡¯s brain unit sent over a report. There were seven Angel Corps wings in the vicinity of Okoron, totalling over 700 flying mounts. Their ranks weren¡¯t that high. So, clearing them would be easy and also greatly reduce the pressure on the troops on the ground. After Magic Bombs became prevalent, air bombings from the sky became a prime tactic for sieging strongholds. As a result, control over the skies became more and more important. In order to prevent Angel Corps¡¯ forces from launching a surprise bombing, they had to be cleared away first. Nie Yan gazed down from atop his Darkwing Dragon. Below was an ocean of players from Angel Corps. Suddenly, a red flare shot up into the sky, reaching a height of 100 meters before exploding. This was a signal for the start of a battle! ¡°Boss, they¡¯re about to take action!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. Let''s go!¡± Nie Yan said. Nie Yan and the others split up to search for Angel Corps¡¯ wings. Before long, fighting broke out in the skies again, with flying mounts plummeting to the ground from time to time. On the ground, high rank trebuchets started bombarding Okoron¡¯s walls, with the cannons on the walls returning fire. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Shells exploded left and right. Players on both sides were dying in droves. The siege weapons would be exchanging fire for a good hour before the ground troops actually clashed. On the side of Angel Corps, Shamans and Paladins started chanting and setting up anti-magic domains. This would protect their Warriors. While they were within the influence of the anti-magic domains, they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about enemy magic attacks. However, their range was pretty small, each one only covering a three-meter diameter. Not to mention they could only shield against magic attacks and not physical projectiles. Nie Yan could see the entire battlefield clearly. The trebuchets and cannons were in an intense firefight. Anywhere the shells landed, a fiery explosion would rock the ground. ¡¸Guo Huai, what¡¯s the latest battle report?¡¹Nie Yan asked. ¡¸We¡¯ve lost just over 50 magic cannons and 10 catapults, and we¡¯ve destroyed about 20 enemy trebuchets!¡¹ In terms of production costs, magic cannons couldn¡¯t be compared to trebuchets. The latter was one of the most expensive siege weapons to build. When comparing in production costs, the losses on both sides were roughly even. In the middle of the intense shelling, under the protection of the Shamans and Paladins, tens of thousands of Warriors charged toward the walls of Okoron like a surging tide. They were pushing and towing mobile siege towers. ¡¸All Mages, cast your AoE Magic! Everyone else, use the siege crossbows to aim for the Paladins and Shamans!¡¹Nie Yan ordered. Countless bolts rained down on the players charging towards the walls. Those hit were instantly skewered. Even if they weren¡¯t dead, they were still at the bolt¡¯s mercy. Even someone like Nie Yan was wary of the might of these siege crossbows, to say nothing of these mostly ordinary players. The bolts were aimed at the Shamans and Paladins. Following their deaths, the anti-magic domains came undone, and the Warriors became susceptible to magic again. A shower of spells rained down the walls, blasting them into oblivion. Less than a tenth of the Warriors actually reached the walls. As the siege towers rammed into the walls, Warriors started ascending them. ¡¸Mages, use your fire AoE magic! Release the hot oil and burning logs!¡¹Nie Yan commanded. Flames rained down from the sky. Within the raging inferno, the siege towers collapsed one after another. Giant flaming logs came falling down from atop the walls, crushing the players in their path. Angel Corps¡¯ first wave of attacks was repelled. The fighting stopped for the time being. Likely, the second wave would start soon. Forbidden Magic had yet to be cast. They were still on the beginning act. The real battle would happen later. Angel Corps appeared to be waiting for something. Since they dared to attack Okoron, they definitely had something up their sleeve. Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others had already engaged in battle. In terms of flying mounts, they had the absolute advantage. Combined with their exceptional teamwork, they had the enemy riders fleeing for their lives. Everything was proceeding smoothly. ¡°Nie Yan, over there!¡± Xie Yao anxiously cried out. Nie Yan looked over and spotted a wing of over 100 flying mounts. They were people from Angel Corps! ¡°Follow me, we¡¯ll kill them together!¡± Nie Yan said. With the Rank 8 Darkwing Dragon¡¯s strength, it could completely ignore ordinary Rank 5 and Rank 6 flying mounts. They would all be cannon fodder, let alone when he had the help of Xie Yao¡¯s phoenix. ¡°Mhm!¡± Xie Yao nodded. Likely because they had noticed Nie Yan and Xie Yao, this wing started fleeing toward the north. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s giant frame was too noticeable. As soon as they saw it, they lost all will to fight. Nie Yan urged the Darkwing Dragon forward as it shot toward those enemy flying mounts. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 864 - Scarlet Flame Dragon Angel Corps guild headquarters. Soaring Angel was watching a live feed of the battlefield from the comfort of his throne. ¡¸Boss, Nirvana Flame is chasing us!¡¹ ¡¸Boss, do we fight?¡¹ ... This wing of 100 flying mounts was directly under Soaring Angel¡¯s command. Mostly composed of Rank 5 and Rank 6 flying mounts, they looked no different from other wings of Angel Corps¡¯ air force. They had only one target, Nirvana Flame! ¡¸Keep waiting. Stay calm. Draw him toward the east,¡¹Soaring Angel ordered. Two other wings were moving to intercept Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the rest. ¡¸Air Assassins Squad #2, ready on standby!¡¹ ¡¸Air Assassins Squad #3, ready on standby!¡¹ ¡¸Boss! Asskickers United have breached the walls of the Aaroth Stronghold! Their aerial forces are too strong! We can¡¯t stop them!¡¹ ¡¸Boss, what do we do?¡¹ ¡¸It doesn¡¯t matter. Have our troops withdraw from the Aaroth Stronghold!¡¹Soaring Angel dismissed. His attention was focused solely on the feed from Okoron. Seeing the Darkwing Dragon and the Immortal Phoenix, his heart raced. BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! Nirvana Flame, I¡¯ve been waiting for this day for a long time! His faced warped into a sneer. He had invested a dozenfold more resources into flying mounts compared to Asskickers United, all for the sake of gaining an advantage in the skies today! ¡¸Air Assassins Squad #1, ready on standby!¡¹ ¡¸Alright, go! Bring me Nirvana Flame¡¯s head!¡¹Soaring Angel coldly ordered. He had named this wing Air Assassins for a reason. A hundred flying mounts soared through the sky. Their riders were all handpicked by Soaring Angel. Though they weren¡¯t necessarily high level, or even all that talented at the game, they shared one common characteristic¡ªthey all came from aviation backgrounds and felt only at home high up in the skies. They could maintain a calm mind even at high speeds in the air and were extraordinarily proficient in air combat. Nie Yan stood atop the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s head. He was quickly closing in on those flying mounts from Angel Corps. Xie Yao was right behind him. He didn¡¯t know why, but an uneasy feeling sprouted from his heart. By all rights, there should be nothing to be afraid of. His Darkwing Dragon was the sole Rank 8 flying mount in the entire Righteous Faction. No matter the danger, nothing could stop him! Still, this uneasy feeling tugged at his heartstrings, playing a dangerous tune. He didn¡¯t know where it came from. The flying mounts from Angel Corps evenly split into two groups and flew in parallel. Nie Yan finally understood that uneasy feeling. This group of flying mount riders seemed a little too experienced, almost as if they had trained in aerial combat before. They were completely different from the aerial forces he¡¯d encountered before. ¡¸Xie Yao, be careful. They probably came prepared. If something happens, we retreat immediately!¡¹Nie Yan warned. ¡¸Alright!¡¹Xie Yao nodded. When only 50 meters separated the two sides, the two groups of flying mounts up ahead suddenly rolled in the air, performing an astonishing turning maneuver, and pounced toward Nie Yan and Xie Yao. After playing meek for so long, these guys finally bared their fangs! ¡°Come at me!¡± Nie Yan wasn¡¯t intimidated in the slightest. He urged the Darkwing Dragon forward. At a glance, the flying mounts heading towards him were only Rank 5 and 6. Only Rank 7 flying mounts could deal serious damage to his Darkwing Dragon! The Darkwing Dragon let out a roar and charged into the enemy ranks, as did Xie Yao¡¯s phoenix. One flying mount after another dropped from the sky. Some were torn to shreds while others were set ablaze. The Darkwing Dragon and Immortal Phoenix were unstoppable! Seeing the Darkwing Dragon and Immortal Phoenix flaunting off their power, Soaring Angel couldn¡¯t help but feel envious. How did Asskickers United get their hands on such rare, high rank pets? Angel Corps also had a few Rank 7 pets, but their growth rates paled in comparison to the likes of the Darkwing Dragon, Immortal Phoenix, Azure Dragon, and Crystalline Winged Dragon. The only comparable pet they had was the Scarlet Flame Dragon. Angel Corps quickly lost six flying mounts to the Darkwing Dragon and Immortal Phoenix. Nie Yan knitted his brows. Something was off. Normally, the enemy would have already started fleeing after suffering such a fierce assault. However, these players from Angel Corps still calmly remained in formation. ¡¸Boss, we¡¯ve got Nirvana Flame where we want him. Should we start the plan?¡¹ ¡¸Boss, let¡¯s go, or else we¡¯ll have even more losses!¡¹ ¡¸No. Keep waiting. Don¡¯t panic. Stay calm.¡¹Soaring Angel stared at the livestream while giving out orders. He understood Nirvana Flame wouldn¡¯t easily retreat when the situation seemed to be in his favour. A little longer, and he would be trapped without a way out. As the battle progressed, Nie Yan felt more and more uneasy. At this moment, Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others sent word that they had been blocked by the players from Angel Corps. A premonition of danger immediately welled up from his heart. He shouted,¡¸Xie Yao, let¡¯s get out of here, now!¡¹ Nie Yan had his Darkwing Dragon turn around and withdraw. Xie Yao had her Immortal Phoenix dive down, evading the encirclement of several flying mounts. Seeing Nie Yan trying to flee, the players from Angel Corps immediately moved to surround him. ¡¸Boss, Nirvana Flame wants to escape!¡¹ ¡¸Go with our original plan! Lock him down!¡¹Soaring Angel said in a cold voice. At this moment, the flying mounts from Angel Corps split away as five enormous, blood red birds came swooping forward. They looked similar to Thunder Hawks, but they were much larger. Their feathers blazed like raging flames, and on their heads were glowing red crowns, dazzling. Five Rank 7 flying mounts! Nie Yan had never seen them before, nor had he received any reports about them. In fact, he¡¯d never seen this specific kind of flying mount in his past life or this! Angel Corps had hidden them well! Transcendent Insight! These flying mounts were called Vermillion Garudas. Despite tangling with this wing from Angel Corps for so long, Nie Yan and Xie Yao hadn¡¯t noticed the Vermillion Garudas hiding among them at all. One could imagine how much effort Soaring Angel had put into ambushing them. Just this? Here I thought you had some sort of killer move saved up for me! Nie Yan smirked. He had the Darkwing Dragon charge toward the Vermillion Garudas, knocking three Rank 6 flying mounts aside. ¡°Don¡¯t let him escape!¡± ¡°Stop him!¡± ¡°Nirvana Flame, have a taste of my Flame Net!¡± A Warrior had his Vermillion Garuda swoop over and fire out a net of flames which covered a 10-meter diameter. Nie Yan coldly snorted. He had his Darkwing Dragon fly to the side to dodge, only for another Vermillion Garuda to swoop in and also spit out a Flame Net. The other three Vermillion Garudas were keeping watch nearby, ready to stop the Darkwing Dragon from escaping. ¡°You think just this will stop me!?¡± Nie Yan had the Darkwing Dragon swipe out with its claws, only to discover these flame nets were more resilient than he thought. It would take at least half-a-minute to tear them apart! The Darkwing Dragon was caught in the flame net. As it struggled to flap its wings, the net only became tighter. ¡°GROOAAGH!¡± The Darkwing Dragon trashed about violently, opening up a small tear in the flame net. Nie Yan slashed at the tear with Zennarde¡¯s Sword, only to see his blade pass right through the flames as if they were ethereal objects. Another flame net fell over Nie Yan and the Darkwing Dragon. For the sake of preventing the Darkwing Dragon from escaping, Angel Corps had prepared five flame nets. Truthfully, three would do. But Nie Yan had defied logic and common sense too many times already, so they chose for the save route and prepared an extra two. Nie Yan discovered that as long as his Darkwing Dragon was bound by the flame net, the Vermillion Garudas were bound too. It seemed there was a connection of sorts. Seeing Nie Yan in trouble, Xie Yao immediately urged her Immortal Phoenix to his aid. ¡¸Xie Yao, don¡¯t worry about me. Run!¡¹Nie Yan anxiously cried out. Even though he had no idea what Angel Corps was going to use to deal with her phoenix, he knew they would not let it go without a fight. ¡¸B-but!¡¹Xie Yao hesitated. How could she not be worried seeing Nie Yan bound like that? As the phoenix made a rapid ascent, 40 Rank 5 and 6 flying mounts swooped down from above, casting a large shadow over Xie Yao. It completely blocked her vision. Something red flashed before her eyes. Xie Yao immediately sensed something wrong. However, there was no way her phoenix could escape the encirclement of so many flying mounts. BAM! A large red silhouette rammed into her phoenix and bit down into its neck. ¡°SKREEH!¡± The phoenix cried out in pain. It shook off its attacker and retreated to the side. Xie Yao finally got a good look at that flash of red. It was a large dragon covered in dark red scales, which burned with hot flames. Her heart trembled. The dragon before her was the mortal enemy of phoenixes, a Scarlet Flame Dragon! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 865 - Rise From the Ashes Phoenix Den, a remote zone within Flame Canyon, was known for spawning many different kinds of high rank flying mounts. However, obtaining one of them came at a great price. Asskickers United never dispatched troops there, nor did most other guilds, simply because it was too dangerous. Angel Corps were the only ones who dared to explore that place. According to rumours, they suffered heavy losses with very little to show for their efforts. Now it appeared those reports were a bit off. The Vermillion Garudas were likely all captured in the Phoenix Den. As for the Scarlet Flame Dragon, it¡¯d been spotted there many times stealing phoenix eggs. These several flying mounts caught Nie Yan and Xie Yao completely off guard. ¡°GRAAOH!¡± The Darkwing Dragon thrashed about violently, but it couldn¡¯t break free. In fact, the more it struggled, the tighter the flame nets became. It became hard to breathe under the pressure. Meanwhile, the Scarlet Flame Dragon and Immortal Phoenix were in a fierce struggle. The Immortal Phoenix was dealt a mortal blow during the initial ambust, leaving it at a disadvantage. It was caught again by the Scarlet Flame Dragon¡¯s claws. The rider of Scarlet Flame Dragon was a Warrior. His appearance was very familiar, someone Nie Yan had encountered several times before¡ªStone Splitter! ¡°So this is all a phoenix amounts to? Pathetic!¡± Stone Splitter sneered. If it weren¡¯t for your ambush, my Immortal Phoenix would not be in such a sorry state! A large number of Rank 5 and 6 flying mounts were assisting the Scarlet Flame Dragon. Every time it attacked, they would get in the phoenix¡¯s way, leaving it unable to dodge the Scarlet Flame Dragon¡¯s attacks. Before long, it suffered serious injuries. ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about me! Just run!¡¹Nie Yan anxiously cried out. He knew the situation was extremely grave. The Darkwing Dragon couldn¡¯t escape. He couldn¡¯t allow Xie Yao¡¯s phoenix to be dragged in as well! Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others weren¡¯t off any better. They were fighting their way out of a fierce battle, their losses quickly racking up, and in no shape to come help them. Xie Yao steeled her heart and commanded her phoenix to escape. ¡°Think you can get away so easily? Dream on!¡± Stone Splitter snorted. The Scarlet Flame Dragon swooped down and grabbed onto the phoenix¡¯s neck. Xie Yao had her phoenix fire a jet of flames at the Scarlet Flame Dragon, only for a Rank 6 Thunder Hawk to swoop in from the side. BANG! The flames burned both flying mount and rider, its force sending them flying. An instant kill! However, the phoenix¡¯s only chance to escape was gone! Xie Yao despaired. She waved her staff, casting Ethereal as her body vanished out of sight. ¡°SCREEEEH!¡± the phoenix let out a mournful cry before erupting into flames and disappearing into nothing. Stone Splitter checked his notification. You have killed the Immortal Phoenix. Stone Splitter coldly chuckled. ¡°Immortal my ass.¡± Stone Splitter had his Scarlet Flame Dragon turn around and pounce toward the Darkwing Dragon. The flame nets were too tight. Nie Yan glanced at his hotbar. The icon to recall his flying mount was grayed out. The situation felt eerily similar to the one in the underworld not so long ago. He didn¡¯t like it one bit. Several Rank 6 flying mounts swooped down from above in an attempt to kill Nie Yan. He leaped into the air and landed on the back of a Thunder Hawk. With a flash of his blade, the rider was instantly killed. Nie Yan switched his weapon to Zennarde¡¯s Sword. Annihilation Slash! An enormous flaming azure sword cleaved through the air, instantly engulfing five Rank 6 flying mounts. BOOOM! The tip of the attack struck one of the Vermillion Garudas, knocking it off course as it suffered heavy injuries. One of the flame nets binding the Darkwing Dragon dissipated. Sadly, Nie Yan only had a single Annihilation Slash. Ordinary skills wouldn¡¯t work on Rank 7 flying mounts. ¡°Dammit!¡± Nie Yan cursed. He had underestimated Angel Corps¡¯ strength, and because of that had fallen into their ambush. To make matters worse, he¡¯d never seen the Vermillion Garuda before, in this life or the past one. He didn¡¯t know its skills, or how to deal with it. Alas, it was already too late for regrets. After killing the Immortal Phoenix, the Scarlet Flame Dragon¡¯s next target was the Darkwing Dragon. With Annihilation Slash on cooldown, Nie Yan was out of skills that could deal with high rank flying mounts. The Scarlet Flame Dragon opened its maw and fired out a flame blast. Adjudicator of God! BOOOM! The Darkwing Dragon writhed in pain from the attack. Nie Yan was more fortunate, a golden membrane protecting him from the scorching hot flames. It was already too late to save the Darkwing Dragon. Sensing the pain and suffering it was in, Nie Yan¡¯s eyes went bloodshot. Clenching the handle of his dagger until the veins on his arm bulged out, he locked eyes with Stone Splitter. ¡°Nirvana Flame, glare at me all you want! If you have the guts, I¡¯m standing right here! Let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll kill me!¡± Stone Splitter taunted. He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt his legs go somewhat weak seeing Nie Yan standing within the flames like a god. He didn¡¯t dare to let his Scarlet Flame Dragon approach too close. The Scarlet Dragon¡¯s flame blast had a cooldown! Nie Yan swapped out Zennarde¡¯s Sword back for the Bloody Dagger. He thought of a plan as he gradually realized one thing. The Darkwing Dragon couldn¡¯t be saved this time! He glanced at the Resurrection Crystal in his bag. His heart turned cold. He had no choice. This was the only way! ¡¸Stone Splitter, you idiot! What are you doing!? Quickly kill him. Don¡¯t give Nirvana Flame the chance to escape!¡¹Soaring Angel cursed. ¡°The boss gave a command! Don¡¯t let Nirvana Flame get away!¡± Stone Splitter immediately had the Scarlet Flame Dragon pounce forward. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t face the Scarlet Flame Dragon head-on. He extended his hand and shot a webline at its back. However, as soon as the webbing came in contact with the flames on the Scarlet Flame Dragon¡¯s scales, it went up in smoke. The webline didn¡¯t play well with fire! Seeing the Scarlet Flame Dragon charging forward, Nie Yan leaped aside, dodging its claws, then came back in with a kick to its head. Nie Yan¡¯s attack dealt no damage. The Scarlet Flame Dragon ignored him completely, instead clawing down on the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s neck. ¡°GRAAoooh¡­¡± the Darkwing Dragon let out a mournful cry. Your Darkwing Dragon has died. After being continuously burned by the flame nets for so long, the Darkwing Dragon was already greatly weakened. With this fatal blow from the Scarlet Flame Dragon, it finally succumbed to death. Nie Yan chanted an incantation. With a flash of light, the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s corpse disappeared. The players from Angel Corps were caught off guard. They looked at the spot where only a moment ago the massive corpse of the Darkwing Dragon was. In this brief moment of distraction, Nie Yan leaped toward a nearby Wind Serpent. Cut Throat! He instantly took out its rider. ¡°Stone Splitter, he¡¯s over there!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let him run!¡± Stone Splitter roared. Nie Yan started chanting on the Wind Serpent¡¯s back. Flying mounts came swooping down towards him from every direction. ¡°Stone Splitter, t-the phoenix is reviving!¡± ¡°What!?¡± Stone Splitter turned around and looked into the distance. Where the phoenix died, a small ember blazed. Slowly, the silhouette of an enormous bird emerged. Xie Yao, who had vanished earlier, appeared on its back. Phoenix Rebirth! After the phoenix revived, it flapped its wings and fled away. ¡°Stone Splitter, she¡¯s running!¡± ¡°Shit! So fast!¡± The revived phoenix disappeared behind the horizon in the blink of an eye. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! Take out Nirvana Flame!¡± A murder of flying mounts swooped down on Nie Yan. Seeing these flying mounts fast approaching, Nie Yan coldly smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll remember this debt today. Count my words, I¡¯ll come back to settle this score!¡± He silently counted down in his mind. Five, four, three, two, one. With a flash of light, he disappeared. The players from Angel Corps were all dumbstruck. ¡°Fatty, use your spatial magic to pull him back!¡± ¡°Quickly, we only have five seconds!¡± A chubby Magister hurriedly waved his staff. A powerful magic ripple spread out. After several seconds, he grimaced. ¡°What Nirvana Flame used wasn¡¯t an Unknown Transfer Scroll, but some kind of fixed point teleportation magic. My spatial magic isn¡¯t of high enough rank to pull him back.¡± ¡°Fuck! You useless sack of shit! Why can¡¯t that fat of yours go to your brain instead!¡± Stone Splitter cursed. ¡°Fuck, we let him escape again!¡± The Magisters¡¯ face turned red like a tomato. He angrily shouted, ¡°I need at least Rank 13 spatial magic to pull him back. Do you think anyone has that at this stage of the game!? I¡¯ve never seen anyone with higher than Rank 8! So, fuck off!¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Stone splitter snorted. It appeared Nie Yan had already planned his escape. Stone Splitter turned back and gazed into the distance. Xie Yao¡¯s phoenix was already long gone. Watching everything from the live feed, Soaring Angel slammed his armrest. ¡°Those useless idiots! They can¡¯t get anything done right!¡± Nie Yan had slipped right out of their grasp, again! And the phoenix they worked so hard to kill suddenly revived and fled away. Their only achievement was killing the Darkwing Dragon. However, more than its confirmed death they didn¡¯t get. Its corpse had disappeared, and with it the Life Core within its head. The threat of revival was real. Though for most players an impossibility, Nie Yan was one of the few exceptions. Other than an intact corpse, he would need an incredibly rare Resurrection Crystal to bring it back to life. Soaring Angel could only pray Asskickers United didn¡¯t have one. Soaring Angel tapped his armest in agitation and shot up from his seat. Did this count as a victory or a loss? Even though they hadn¡¯t obtained a single Life Core, they had succeeded in the ambush. He had his army outside Okoron launch a second wave of attacks. Nie Yan returned to the guild headquarters in Okoron and entered the main hall. He worried for Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others. They too were in a fierce battle last he heard. He hurriedly ordered them to withdraw. After a while, Xie Yao walked into the main hall. Thankfully, her phoenix had the Rebirth skill, giving it an extra life. With its revival, it had undergone a huge transformation. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 866 - Rank 8 Phoenix! The Immortal Phoenix was already at the peak of Rank 7 for over a month. In the hopes of helping it advance, Nie Yan had Guo Huai acquire all the Fire Life Cores he could. But despite it gobbling up the Life Cores like beans, it showed no signs of breaking through. Nie Yan had learned from his own Darkwing Dragon that Life Cores alone weren¡¯t enough for a Rank 7 flying mount to break through to Rank 8. Luck and the right opportunity mattered too. It would be a great boon to the guild if Xie Yao¡¯s phoenix became Rank 8. But with his efforts not giving the desired outcome, Nie Yan could only leave it up to fate. Perhaps luck and opportunity had already come alongside each other, hidden behind an ambush and death. The phoenix had undergone a complete transformation after rebirthing from its ashes. It was far bigger than before, putting it in the same size category as the Darkwing Dragon. Its feathers were more vivid coloured too, and the white flames surrounding its body blazed with an even more dazzling radiance. ¡°SCREEH! SCREEH!¡± The phoenix flapped its wings and puffed up its chest. A truly majestic bird! ¡°Did your phoenix break through?¡± Nie Yan asked in surprise. ¡°Mhm! It advanced to Rank 8. But after going through rebirth, it still only has the strength of a Rank 7 right now. It will take about a month for it to mature to its full strength,¡± Xie Yao said. In only a short month, Asskickers United would have another Rank 8 flying mount! This was news worth celebrating. Nie Yan glanced at his pet space. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s corpse was resting inside there. Angel Corps believed it was dead, but he had a Resurrection Crystal that could bring it back to life. Even though the revived Darkwing Dragon would be greatly weakened and unable to participate in battle until it recovered, when it did regain its full strength, it would retake the skies! ¡°What¡¯s the cooldown on that Rebirth skill?¡± Nie Yan asked. This skill pretty much served as a second life for the phoenix. Phoenixes were generally considered to be weaker than dragons, but it was this skill that levelled the playing field. ¡°It¡¯s 60 days,¡± Xie Yao replied. ¡°That¡¯s not too bad,¡± Nie Yan said, mentally prepared. It would be strange for such a powerful skill not to have a long cooldown. ¡°Nie Yan, your Darkwing Dragon¡­¡± Xie Yao said with a sad look. Nie Yan chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. The Darkwing Dragon isn¡¯t gone.¡± ¡°Not gone? How do you mean. I saw...¡± Xie Yao said doubtfully. ¡°I have a Resurrection Crystal,¡± Nie Yan explained. ¡°No wonder you retrieved its corpse!¡± Xie Yao blurted in realization. Her mood immediately cleared up. Nie Yan had taken a great risk to retrieve the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s corpse. After all, in a perilous situation, even a second could mean the difference between life and death. The process of reviving the Darkwing Dragon wasn¡¯t as easy as shoving the Resurrection Crystal down its throat. Nie Yan would have to travel to Calore to consult a Beastmaster. With the battle going on in Okoron, there was no time to do that now. So, he could only push it aside for another time. Angel Corps intensified their siege on Okoron. They used some sort of spell to summon more than 60 hulking giants onto the battlefield. They were five meters tall and covered in bulging muscles. Shielding the players from Angel Corps below, they assaulted the city¡¯s walls. ¡¸They¡¯re climbing up the walls again!¡¹ ¡¸Ready the catapults!¡¹ ¡¸Ready the siege crossbows!¡¹ Even though the situation on the wall appeared hectic, everyone was carrying out their respective roles in an orderly fashion. Shells whizzed through the sky. Some crashed into the walls, sending players flying down the side. ¡¸We have six corpses here. Have someone carry them down!¡¹ Before long, the corpses on the walls were cleared away. Everything continued on as normal. ¡¸The boss is here!¡¹ Seeing Nie Yan and Xie Yao arrive, the players on the walls immediately erupted into cheering and shouting. Nie Yan¡¯s presence alone was a huge boost to morale. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The ground violently shook. Nie Yan gazed down at the plains below and saw the giants charging towards the walls. They were carrying small trees in their hands, serving as battering rams. A volley of shells rained down on these giants. They tried to dodge, but some were still hit and knocked back by the blasts. Tens of thousands of players surged toward the walls like a raging tide. Before long, the two sides clashed on the edge of the walls. Spells exploded in the sky like dazzling fireworks. A frightening number of players died every second, but neither side was willing to give an inch. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The giants began ramming their battering rams into the city gates as it trembled and groaned. ¡¸Boss! Angel Corps opened up a hole in our south wall!¡¹ ¡¸Send our Warriors to plug it up! Don¡¯t let the enemy inside the city!¡¹Nie Yan shouted. Looking back, Xie Yao was chanting Forbidden Magic as the holy light around her grew brighter and brighter until she was as dazzling as the sun itself. Even though the enemy had anti-magic domains, with the supporting fire from the siege crossbows, the Forbidden Magic of Xie Yao would wipe out at least 10,000 players from Angel Corps. At this moment, Nie Yan noticed something off. Eye of Truth! Sweeping his gaze over the surroundings, Nie Yan spotted two silhouettes dashing towards Xie Yao. Nie Yan coldly snorted. ¡°Fools! You¡¯re overestimating yourselves!¡± Two enemy Shadow Dancers! Their target was Xie Yao. Demon Flame and Ink Sun were their names. Both were professional players, but they had been recruited by Cao Xu. They had mixed themselves in among the ordinary players in Okoron, waiting for the perfect moment to take action. ¡¸Nirvana Flame is over there!¡¹Demon Flame cried out as he found two piercing red eyes glaring at him. His heart trembled.¡¸We¡¯ve been made!¡¹ ¡¸Cover me! I¡¯ll take out Yao Yao. Prepare to withdraw!¡¹Ink Sun ordered. He activated Gale Step as he pounced toward Xie Yao. ¡¸Got it!¡¹Demon Flame said. Standing between Nie Yan and Xie Yao, he couldn¡¯t help but lick his parched lips. So, he was to fight the Nirvana Flame. He would be lying if said he didn¡¯t feel the pressure. Ink Sun was only six meters from Xie Yao, about to reach her in the next moment. A blur flashed by as Demon Flame lost track of Nie Yan. He activated his own ocular skill and looked around, but failed to find any trace of Nie Yan. It was as if he had vanished into thin air. ¡¸Watch out! He¡¯s probably coming for you!¡¹Demon Flame warned. Ink Sun had already raised his dagger, when he felt a chill at the back of his neck. He pushed his front foot into the ground, then forcefully moved his body around and put his weight behind the blade. KLANG! Sparks flew as the two blades clashed. Nie Yan raised an eyebrow. This guy had blocked his attack! He had some skill! ¡¸Run! Get out of here! There¡¯s no time!¡¹Ink Sun shouted. He flicked his wrist and pulled out an Unknown Transfer Scroll. Just as he was about to crush it, a jolt ran through his body as he coughed out a mouthful of blood. Nie Yan had stabbed him through the heart. Ink Sun slumped to the ground, dead. Watching his brother in arms die, Demon Flame didn¡¯t dare to linger. He immediately escaped with an Unknown Transfer Scroll. Nie Yan was surprised Ink Sun was able to block his first attack. He thought that fellow might actually have some ability, but it turned out to be just a fluke. After Master classes became more accessible, the number of players carrying the Shadow Dancer title ballooned. Only a fraction of them had some skill. As for those at the level of Sun, King of the World, Mistaken Smile, and One Strike Vow, who could exchange several moves with him, there were even fewer. Despite both being Shadow Dancers, players like Ink Sun and Demon Flame could only be considered ordinary players. Or in the eyes of Nie Yan, trash. After only a brief exchange, one Shadow Dancer was killed and the other fled for his life. There were several more Thieves in the vicinity looking ambush Xie Yao. But after witnessing this scene, they were scared witless and quietly retreated. With Nie Yan guarding her, they couldn¡¯t stop Xie Yao from casting her Forbidden Magic anyway. They wouldn¡¯t pointlessly throw their lives away. Xie Yao finally chanted the last syllable of her Forbidden Magic. An enormous pillar of light descended from the sky, transforming the plains outside of Okoron into a world of white. Over 50 giants let out miserably cries as they were turned into ash. Xie Yao lowered her staff and drank a potion to recover her mana. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Nie Yan said. The two rushed over to the southern wall. ¡¸Bladelight, Smoke Stub, what¡¯s the situation over on your side?¡¹Nie Yan asked. ¡¸We¡¯re still flying back. Making a descent right now. We lost six Rank 6 flying mounts, but we also killed over 30 enemy flying mounts, a dozen of which were Rank 6. So, all in all, we came out ahead.¡¹ Nie Yan breathed a sigh of relief. As long as they returned safely, it was fine.¡¸Watch out for their Vermillion Garudas. They have powerful flame nets. Don¡¯t get trapped.¡¹ ¡¸Understood!¡¹ Nie Yan didn¡¯t know a flying mount like the Vermillion Garuda existed until recently, which was why he fell for Angel Corps¡¯ ambush. Now that he did know, he could take countermeasures against them. There was nothing to be worried about anymore. Not to mention their flame net skill probably had quite a long cooldown time, or else it would be too overpowered. Nie Yan reached the breach in the wall. Several hundred Warriors from Asskickers United were preventing the players from Angel Corps from storming in. Even when the occasional shell landed blasted the defending Warriors away, more would replace them. With neither side willing to give in, the fight was extremely intense. Gale Step! Nie Yan disappeared into stealth. He leaped into the air, soaring over the heads of the Warriors from Asskickers United, and landed in enemy ranks. With a flash of his balde, he instantly killed a player from Angel Corps. No one could see Nie Yan. All they saw was a blur. PSHFT! PSHFT! PSHFT! Blood sprayed into the air as over a dozen Angel Corps players collapsed to the ground. After these players died, they transformed into shadows and crawled back up to the ground. These servants of darkness charged forward, turning their blades against their former comrades. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 867 - Stalemate ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°W-what the hell is happening?¡± Suddenly attacked by the shadows of their fallen comrades, panic spread through the ranks of Angel Corps. They beat a hasty retreat. The shadow army grew rapidly in size. Nie Yan summoned his shadow clone, even further increasing his killing speed. Hundreds of shadows joined Nie Yan¡¯s army. Those they killed would be instantly brought back and assimilated into their ranks. ¡°It¡¯s the boss!¡± a player from Asskickers United cried out in elation. ¡°What kind of skill is that? It¡¯s so badass!¡± ¡°The boss knows necromancy? Isn¡¯t that a skill from the Evil Faction?¡± ¡°It looks way stronger than any Necromancer skill I know of!¡± The players from Asskickers United discussed excitedly. Their morale skyrocketed the instant Nie Yan had appeared. They rushed forward like a surging tide and beat the forces from Angel Corps back. Asskickers United succesfully repelled this wave of attacks. The players erupted into cheers. Bladelight and the other Masters also returned at this moment. With their help, Okoron¡¯s defenses were immediately bolstered. ¡°Boss, an enemy Mage is casting Forbidden Magic!¡± ¡°Activate the city¡¯s anti-magic domain! Blast him to oblivion with the magic cannons!¡± Nie Yan ordered. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! A volley of cannon shells streaked through the sky. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed as ominous, black clouds gathered in the sky. Just as the Forbidden Magic was about to descend, an enormous membrane of light enveloped all of Okoron. This was an advantage of being on the defending side of a siege, a large-scale anti-magic domain. It could withstand the bombardment of at least six Forbidden Magic without any issue. Suddenly, the thunder and lightning in the sky disappeared. ¡°Haha! The guy casting the Forbidden Magic got offed by one of the cannons!¡± ¡°Dang! That¡¯s some crazy aim!¡± ¡°Oh my god! Haha. Who did it? Let me buy them a drink!¡± ¡°Reward whoever hit that Magister with 50,000 merit points. Triple the merit points for all other cannon operators!¡± Nie Yan ordered. One of the cannon operators was dumbstruck. 50,000 merit point just for hitting someone with my cannon? Sweet! Hearing they could earn merit points simply by doing their job, the players manning the cannons got pumped up. Explosions sounded everywhere, no one was safe. The players from Angel Corps didn¡¯t know what happened, but the cannon fire suddenly seemed fiercer than before. The bombardment left them frantically scrambling for cover. ¡°W-what the fuck! Did someone put them on steroids!?¡± ¡°S-shit! Retreat!¡± ¡­ The frontline of Angel Corps had no choice but to pull back out of the range of the cannons, leaving behind piles of corpses. Another wave of attacks met with failure. They set up camp more than a thousand meters away. They wouldn¡¯t give up so quickly! ¡¸Any new movements from Angel Corps?¡¹Nie Yan asked Guo Huai. ¡¸According to our latest reports, they¡¯re bringing in 200 more catapults and trebuchets,¡¹Guo Huai replied. Angel Corps had lost many of their siege weapons in the first wave of attacks on Okoron. ¡¸They¡¯ve prepared well it seems.¡¹ ¡¸Honestly, we shouldn¡¯t be losing out to them in number of siege weapons. But we lost so many in the previous war against the Monet Financial Group and the fight with Phantom Princess Ina,¡¹Guo Huai grumbled. Angel Corps hadn¡¯t had to face countless trials and tribulations like Asskickers United. Yet they had only amassed this little strength. He didn¡¯t think much of them. ¡¸Apart from the catapults, is there anything else?¡¹ ¡¸We got some reports on a secret weapon. Apparently it¡¯s an enormous war machine. Luckily, they can only produce a single one every two months. We¡¯ll only have to face three of them.¡¹ Nie Yan furrowed his brows. What could this war machine be? As he searched his memories, his face paled. Could it be the Megacannon? If that were the case, they were in for a world of pain. His knowledge of the Megacannon was limited. It had only once appeared in a war between Angel Corps, who were invading the Viridian Empire, and Victorious Return. The Megacannon single handedly destroyed 20 strongholds! Only after steeling their hearts and sending over 300,000 players to their deaths, did Victorious Return finally take it down. That war had dealt a heavy blow to Victorious Return. Fortunately, they also had their own trump card and beat Angel Corps back to the Satreen Empire. After that war, the two great powers never fought again. Fate worked in mysterious ways. There were also two great powers fighting for supremacy in this timeline, though Victorious Return and Asskickers United were not to be compared. Nie Yan wasn¡¯t willing to let things fizzle out. Fighting to a draw was nothing to be happy about. ¡¸Send Sun and King of the World over to investigate what that secret weapon actually is. Also, have Bladelight lead a 1,000-man force and see if they can destroy the enemy¡¯s catapults and trebuchets enroute. Be careful. If it looks impossible, have them retreat immediately,¡¹Nie Yan said. If something happened, he and Xie Yao could rush over to help within minutes. The battle in Okoron entered a stalemate. Angel Corps was waiting for reinforcements, and Asskickers United was more than happy to wait behind the safety of their walls. Over in the Satreen Empire, as the army of the Asskickers United alliance marched forward, smoke was rising everywhere. Angel Corps had already lost six strongholds. They¡¯d tried to surround Asskickers United¡¯s forces, only to be intercepted by Fallen Angel. Fallen Angel fought with Pantheon in the underworld, yet still had the spare manpower to send 600,000 troops to the surface to hinder Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. Asskickers United didn¡¯t rush their advance, taking it one step at a time. Every time they sieged down a stronghold, they¡¯d stop to consolidate their new territory and even recruit local players to form a new army. The new players and territory were all handed to Heaven Song. Defeating Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group by razing a few strongholds was impossible. So, Asskickers United approached this as a war of attrition. Angel Corps had no idea how to respond. Most of their army was concentrated in the Abernathy Great Grasslands. The ones left behind in the Satreen Empire couldn¡¯t put up much of a fight. Over the next few days, Angel Corps¡¯ army didn¡¯t move from their spot outside of Okoron. All of their movements were within the grasp of Asskickers United¡¯s intelligence. Nie Yan felt his worries dwindle. Guo Huai started paying out compensation to the players who died in battle. Those who distinguished themselves were also properly rewarded. Like this, over 3,000,000 gold was paid out. The guild members could use this money to replace their lost equipment and prepare themselves for the next battle. The daily cost of the war was astonishing. Thankfully, Asskickers United had the support of the Starry Night Potion Shop. During these past few days, news of the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s death at the hands of Angel Corps quickly spread. Footage of the Darkwing Dragon being trapped by the five Vermillion Garudas filled the forums. After going through intense scrutiny, it was confirmed to be authentic. The Darkwing Dragon was the sole Rank 8 flying mount in the game. It fully deserved to be called the ruler of the skies. However, an existence like that still died. Those who staunchly believed in Nie Yan¡¯s undefeated streak felt their hearts waver. After all, Nie Yan was only one person. Even though he was viewed as a god by man, in this kind of large scale war, a single person wouldn¡¯t change the outcome. Just like the Darkwing Dragon, in a one-on-one, it was no doubt unrivalled, but it was still rendered helpless by those five Vermillion Garudas. Those who hadn¡¯t taken this war too seriously, started to pay attention. It appeared Angel Corps had a plan to deal with Asskickers United. After news of the death of the Darkwing Dragon spread, Angel Corps¡¯ fame and reputation skyrocketed. The forums were filled with discussion related to this matter. Everyone was waiting for Nie Yan to give his comments. However, it appeared he didn¡¯t care about it at all, neither giving an explanation nor confirming the authenticity of the news. With the Darkwing Dragon gone from the flying mount leaderboards, there was a vacancy at the top. This was quickly filled by another flying mount from Asskickers United. Yao Yao¡¯s Immortal Phoenix! People were shocked to find it had already broken through to Rank 8. Asskickers United had another Rank 8 flying mount. Everyone wondered how strong the Rank 8 Immortal Phoenix was. The discussion in the forums gradually shifted to flying mounts. Many players didn¡¯t have much confidence in Xie Yao¡¯s phoenix. If even the Darkwing Dragon could fall, the Immortal Phoenix wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference. Angel Corps had the absolute advantage in the skies. After several encounters, they had killed over 200 of Asskickers United¡¯s flying mounts. Whenever Asskickers United¡¯s high rank flying mounts discovered the Vermillion Garudas, they would have no choice but to retreat. They had no way of dealing with the flame net skill. So, in order to avoid being killed by the enemy, they could only temporarily concede. Nie Yan and Xie Yao teleported to Calore and headed for the pet shop. ¡°Nie Yan, the forums are filled with talk about the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s death. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to say anything?¡± Xie Yao asked. As long as Nie Yan explained the Darkwing Dragon could still be revived, the comments doubting him would instantly disappear. However, Nie Yan remained radio silent. ¡°Explaining anything won¡¯t help. It¡¯s better to speak with actions. Let¡¯s revive the Darkwing Dragon first. Everything will be fine,¡± Nie Yan said. He was the type who didn¡¯t particularly like talking much in the first place. ¡°Alright.¡± Xie Yao nodded. After passing through several streets, they were almost at the pet shop. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Nie Yan glanced at the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s corpse in his pet space. ¡°It won¡¯t be long now. We¡¯ll be flying through the sky together again.¡± Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 868 - New Flying Mount! Spectre Dragon! Nie Yan and Xie Yao walked into the pet shop. There were only a few customers browsing around. 10 Beast Tamers were in the middle of feeding the pets. Nie Yan approached the one at the front. It was Collinson, the same NPC who had helped him hatch the Darkwing Dragon. ¡°Hello, Beast Tamer Collinson,¡± Nie Yan greeted. Collinson turned around in surprise. ¡°Oh Great Prophet, how can I help you?¡± Nie Yan noticed that Collinson¡¯s attitude was much more respectful than last time they met. ¡°It¡¯s like this. My Darkwing Dragon died in battle. I¡¯m wondering if you can help me revive it?¡± Nie Yan asked. With his Great Prophet title, he no longer needed to humble himself in front of NPCs. They would help him either way. ¡°Did you bring its corpse?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nie Yan nodded. ¡°Apart from its corpse, I also require a Wish Crystal, Resurrection Crystal, or a similar catalyst to help you revive the Darkwing Dragon,¡± Collinson replied. ¡°I have a Resurrection Crystal,¡± Nie Yan replied. He took out the Resurrection Crystal from his bag. The black crystal sparkled with a dazzling splendor. Collinson¡¯s eyes were immediately glued to the Resurrection Crystal. He muttered in astonishment, ¡°T-that¡¯s a black Resurrection Crystal!¡± ¡°They come in different colours?¡± Xie Yao couldn¡¯t help but interject. ¡°Of course. Yes. All crystals are divided into separate colours. Every colour has a special characteristic. You don¡¯t see many black ones, though. They usually only appear in the underworld. A powerful darkness energy is contained within them. If it¡¯s used to revive a pet or flying mount of the darkness attribute, it will have some additional effects. It might even raise their growth rate,¡± Collinson explained. Nie Yan raised an eyebrow. He¡¯d bought this Resurrection Crystal from an NPC called Cranston, along with an Arcane Gem and Mysterious Black Egg for 900,000 gold in total. It¡¯d been so long ago, he¡¯d nearly forgotten all about it. Same for the egg. Only the Arcane Gem he¡¯d given to Tang Yao. ¡°Beast Tamer Collinson, please help me revive the Darkwing Dragon.¡± ¡°Reviving the Darkwing Dragon will cost 600,000 gold. As a Great Prophet, you receive a 70% discount. So, 180,000 gold for you,¡± Collinson said. Pet Shops had strict price tables. A creature like the Darkwing Dragon was of the highest rank. So, the fee would be high. 180,000 gold might be a heavy burden for ordinary players, but it was a drop in the bucket for Nie Yan. He happily paid the fee. ¡°Please follow me,¡± Collinson said. He turned around and headed to the back of the shop. Nie Yan and Xie Yao followed behind Collinson. After passing through a narrow corridor and walking down a flight of stairs, they entered a large room about 20 by 20 meters in size. Nie Yan didn¡¯t expect there to be such a place in the back of the shop. The room was empty, save for a large magic formation, which radiated magical energy, in the middle. ¡°Please place your Darkwing Dragon in the center of the formation,¡± Collinson instructed. Nie Yan chanted an incantation to summon the Darkwing Dragon. With a flash of light, its corpse appeared in the center of the magic formation. It lay there motionless, lacking the slightest trace of life. Collinson walked forward and stopped at the edge of the magic formation. Raising the Resurrection Crystal in the air, he started chanting. A stream of darkness energy flowed out of the crystal and entered the Darkwing Dragon. The magic formation erupted with a dazzling black radiance. Nie Yan and Xie Yao shielded their eyes from the blinding light. They could only vaguely detect Collinson and the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s position. After a while, the light gradually faded. Life had returned to the Darkwing Dragon as it slowly crawled back to its feet. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s wounds were fully healed as the spark of life returned to its eyes. Nie Yan could also sense something different about it, but he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s scales looked like they were made out of a special, impregnable metal, glistening with a glossy lustre. The Darkwing Dragon was still Rank 8, but incomparable to before. It¡¯d completely transformed because of the effects of the darkness attribute Resurrection Crystal. ¡°I suggest you closely examine the changes in your Darkwing Dragon. You¡¯ll gradually discover the 180,000 gold was well-spent,¡± Collinson said with a mysterious smile. Nie Yan and Xie Yao couldn¡¯t help but be attracted to the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s glistening scales. Even though it was still a Rank 8 flying mount, they could tell it was far stronger than the Immortal Phoenix. The auras the two gave off were completely different. Logically speaking, the Darkwing Dragon and Immortal Phoenix should be roughly equal in strength since they were both Rank 8 flying mounts. But even within a Rank there were differences. The internal changes inside the Darkwing Dragon had put it on the path to Rank 9, even if it was still far away in terms of strength, whereas the Immortal Phoenix was consolidating its break through to Rank 8. ¡°Thank you,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°It was my pleasure, Great Prophet.¡± Nie Yan unsummoned his Darkwing Dragon. Rummaging through his bag, he took out the Mysterious Black Egg. ¡°Can you help me appraise this egg as well? I want to know what kind of creature is inside it.¡± As soon as Collinson¡¯s eyes fell on the egg, he couldn¡¯t look away anymore, an expression of pure shock on his face. Nie Yan could guess from Collinson¡¯s reaction that the creature inside the black egg was extraordinary. Still, he had no idea what it was. Given its size, the likelihood it was a dragon egg was high. But he couldn¡¯t be sure. Perhaps it was the egg of some other large creature. If it really were a dragon though, he would earn big. As long as he held Zennarde¡¯s Sword, he could have three dragon pets and two dragon flying mounts out at the same time. Collinson gently caressed the egg with his hand. Watching Collinson, Nie Yan¡¯s heart raced. Please! Let it be a dragon! ¡°Great Prophet, it¡¯s a Spectre Dragon, an extremely powerful dragon flying mount that specializes in spirit-based attacks...¡± Collinson explained, his voice tinged with a hint of fear as an icy coldness transmitted from the egg into his palm. Collinson¡¯s words were like music to Nie Yan¡¯s years. A dragon flying mount! How could he not be excited? ¡°Please hatch it for me,¡± Nie Yan impatiently said. Collinson placed his hand over the egg. Shortly after, the shell cracked open and a small, pale-white dragon popped out. It plopped to the ground with a thud. After which it shook its head, then looked up at Nie Yan. As the two met eyes, a connection formed. Nie Yan noticed a second flying mount slot appearing next to the Darkwing Dragon. Like the Darkwing Dragon, it was also Rank 6 at birth. The Spectre Dragon was also a dark attribute flying mount. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache coming on. The Darkwing Dragon already had a bottomless stomach, now he had another dragon to feed! Nie Yan gave the Spectre Dragon its first order. It quickly grew larger until it was about the same size as the Darkwing Dragon at Rank 6. Unlike the Darkwing Dragon, though, it wasn¡¯t covered in scales. Rather, its body was pale and semi-translucent like that of a ghost. The Spectre Dragon didn¡¯t have high defense. Its physical attacks were also weak. However, its magic power more than made up for that. It already had two spirit-based attack skills at Rank 6. Spirit Howl: Inflict fear on all surrounding enemies. Spirit Possession: Take over the body of the target flying mount for up to three minutes. The skill ends if the host dies. Cooldown: one hour. Flying mounts with skills were rare, making up 10% of all flying mounts. For example, the Darkwing Dragon only obtained its first skill after reaching Rank 8. Most Flying mounts relied on their powerful bodies. Not the Spectre Dragon. Like the Vermillion Garuda, it relied on its skills. Be it the Spectre Dragon or the Vermillion Garuda, both had never appeared in the previous timeline. There was also no information on them online. These types of flying mounts made for good trump cards. The first time they appeared, they would definitely catch the enemy completely off guard. Recalling Angel Corps¡¯ Vermillion Garudas, Nie Yan¡¯s expression darkened. Sooner or later, he planned to give them a taste of their medicine with his new Spectre Dragon. Asskickers United¡¯s aerial force lagged behind Angel Corps¡¯. Nie Yan was well aware of this. That was why he¡¯d led the charge into taking down enemy flying mounts. Flying mounts like his Rank 8 Darkwing Dragon and Yao Yao¡¯s Immortal Phoenix could take down enemy flying mounts and alleviate some of the pressure his fellow guildmates were under. He¡¯d known the risks of putting a target on his back, but what else could he do? However, after falling for that ambush, he wouldn¡¯t act as carelessly as before. He had to be a little more vigilant. Nie Yan took out a Darkness Life Core and tossed it to the Spectre Dragon. After just hatching, the Spectre Dragon was a bit distant toward Nie Yan. Its loyalty wasn¡¯t very high. However, seeing the Darkness Life Core, its eyes lit up. It immediately opened its mouth and chomped down on the snack. The Spectre Dragon appeared to be more intelligent than the Darkwing Dragon. Nie Yan thought of how Mage NPCs were usually smarter than Warrior NPCs. It appeared this same rule applied to flying mounts. A magic-based flying mount like the Spectre Dragon had more intelligence than a bruiser like the Darkwing Dragon. The higher the intelligence, the harder it was to raise its loyalty. Nie Yan could only take his time building a bond with the Spectre Dragon. Previous Chapter Next Chapte Chapter 869 - Shadow Vultures Nie Yan recalled the Spectre Dragon into his pet space. He now had two dragon flying mounts! Dragon flying mounts were incredibly difficult to obtain. Even up until now, Asskickers United only had a few. Dragon pets, on the other hand, were a bit more simple, with more than a few high level quests giving them as a reward. Nie Yan recalled a certain quest he failed to complete in his past life halfway through. He¡¯d been too weak. Now, he could finish it with ease. Failing this quest was one of Nie Yan¡¯s lifelong regrets. Especially after learning of another Thief who did complete it, and received a dragon egg as the final reward. However, that time wasn¡¯t all darkness. Those few rays of light were impossible to forget. Nie Yan felt a sense of warmth in his heart. If it weren¡¯t for the things that came to light in this life, he would¡¯ve never known how much Xie Yao had done for him in his past life. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Nie Yan turned to Xie Yao. ¡°Okay.¡± Xie Yao nodded. After bidding Collinson farewell, the two left the pet shop. They headed through Calore¡¯s transfer gate and teleported back to Okoron. After the revival of the Darkwing Dragon, the voices doubting Nie Yan on the forums were silenced. They were shocked to find the Darkwing Dragon back at the top of the flying mount rankings. Now, Asskickers United had two Rank 8 flying mounts. The discussion shifted to items like Wish Crystals and Resurrection Crystals, items that could revive a dead flying mount. As the guild leader of Asskickers United, Nie Yan would have a relatively easy time obtaining one of them compared to others. A little farther down the list of flying mounts was another new arrival. A Spectre Dragon. Though not Rank 8, at Rank 6 it was still better than most. No one knew who this flying mount belonged to. Their collective curiosity was piqued. The Darkwing Dragon and Spectre Dragon were the hot topic of conversation. The war in the sky was just as important as the war on the ground. Many people originally believed Angel Corps had the superior aerial force after the first exchange. But perhaps they were wrong. Not only had they failed to kill the Darkwing Dragon, the very reason people considered them to be superior in the skies, they¡¯d also aided the enemy by being the catalyst for the Immortal Phoenix to break through to Rank 8. Soaring Angel received word about the revival of the Darkwing Dragon. He slammed his fist on his armrest and shot up to his feet. Fumes seemed to be coming from his ears, a dark expression on his face. They had given the bride away on top of losing the army. Not even mentioning the fact that they had sacrificed so many flying mounts without killing the Darkwing Dragon, they had also helped Asskickers United obtain another Rank 8 flying mount! This really was like pouring salt on an open wound. Angel Corps had dispatched most of their aerial forces to Okoron. Though they enjoyed the numerical advantage, they still took loss after loss, failing to get any real victory. Especially their low rank flying mounts took a heavy hit. Soaring Angel feld endlessly vexed. The battle in Okoron temporarily settled down. Even though Angel Corps¡¯ army didn¡¯t withdraw, they wouldn¡¯t attack any time soon either. As for the Satreen Empire, Asskickers United had occupied nine strongholds. They used them as a foothold, from which they built up their line of defense. It took time to set this up, so the situation entered a brief lull as both sides took the time to rest and reorganize. The war wouldn¡¯t end anytime soon. So, neither side was anxious about losing a city or territory. Rather, they focused on the long term, slowly raising up their strength. While the Darkwing Dragon still had to recover, the Immortal Phoenix needed to mature to full strength of a Rank 8 flying mount. In other words, neither would be seen fighting anytime soon. Nothing big would happen in Okoron for the time being. Even if something did happen, with Guo Huai and the 200 other members of the brain unit providing assistance, as well as the fact that Nie Yan could be reached at any time, there would be no issue. Nie Yan decided this was a good opportunity to help Xie Yao get the last piece of her Legendary set. The importance of a Holy Magister to the guild didn¡¯t need to be mentioned. If she also wore a powerful Legendary set, it would definitely be Angel Corps¡¯ worst nightmare! ¡°Xie Yao, tell me about your quest. We¡¯ll go get that last piece together,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ve already completed most of the quest. It¡¯s only the final part that I¡¯m stuck on. It¡¯s way too hard! About an hour is all I need to get all the beforehand parts of the quest done. But when I get to the last part, I can¡¯t figure out how to progress,¡± Xie Yao said. Hearing Nie Yan was going to help her with the quest, she became excited. It had been far, far too long since they last quested together. However, she also understood that Nie Yan¡¯s class was more suited for going solo. She and him questing together all the time would only drag him down. So, she usually tried not to bother him. ¡°Just let me handle the last part of the quest,¡± Nie Yan said. After completing so many high difficulty quests, he was fairly confident in himself. The two exited Okoron and entered the wilderness. After finding a secluded spot, they summoned their flying mounts and flew off toward the northern mountain range of the Abernathy Great Grasslands. Many different quests led players to the Abernathy Great Grasslands. This was one of the reasons why Okoron was so bustling. Still, Nie Yan had never ventured this far north, mainly because the northern mountain range was a famous danger zone. To most it was just a scary story, but the few who had visited could attest to how frightening it really was. The Spectre Dragon and Immortal Phoenix flew through the sky. They were as fast as lightning as the wind howled past them. Nie Yan sat down on the Spectre Dragon¡¯s back. He looked down at the vast mountain range covered in mist. The landscape looked quite enigmatic. At this moment, Nie Yan spotted black dots blotting out the sky off in the distance, quickly increasing in size. They were heading straight for them! There were tens of thousands! Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. No matter what kind of creature was flying over, with so many, they would definitely be swarmed to death! As the black dots drew closer and closer, Nie Yan could make out their appearances. They were giant birds. ¡°Shadow Vultures! Nie Yan, order your Spectre Dragon not to attack and release its dragon might. No matter how close they get to you, do not attack!¡± Xie Yao said. This wasn¡¯t her first time encountering these Shadow Vultures. Once, she had made the mistake of attacking them and nearly died as thousands swarmed her. She quickly learned her lesson, never again daring to act so recklessly. Nie Yan had the Spectre Dragon release its dragon aura. Tens of thousands of Shadow Vultures came flying past as the sky darkened. They were all Rank 6! One Shadow Vulture after another flew past the Spectre Dragon. Some lingered around and stared at Nie Yan, looking like they were about to attack. Under normal circumstances, being surrounded by so many Shadow Vultures, Nie Yan would definitely try to attack first rather than be forced into the passive. However, after hearing Xie Yao¡¯s warning, he controlled himself. The Spectre Dragon let out aggressive roars, but it didn¡¯t attack. After a while, the Shadow Vultures realized the Spectre Dragon wasn¡¯t to be trifled with and backed away. Nie Yan glanced over at Xie Yao. She and her Rank 8 Immortal Phoenix had also scared off the Shadow Vultures. A fierce battle didn¡¯t break out like he expected. Xie Yao explained, ¡°These Shadow Vultures are scavengers. They generally won¡¯t attack any creatures capable of fighting back, but they also have a flock mentality. If you attack one of them, they¡¯ll all swarm on you.¡± This sort of information couldn¡¯t be found online. It had to be learned through multiple life-and-death and experiences. One could imagine how much danger Xie Yao faced trying to do this quest. The Spectre Dragon followed behind the Immortal Phoenix, out of the flock of Shadow Vultures. Looking back, they were like a black cloud going farther and farther away. Nie Yan breathed a sigh of relief. If he had taken action against them, the consequences would¡¯ve been disastrous. Xie Yao stared at the mountains below. After spotting something sometime later, she turned to Nie Yan. ¡°We¡¯re here. Let¡¯s go down.¡± The Immortal Phoenix and Spectre Dragon gradually made a descend, diving into the sea of clouds, before landing in an open area. The two jumped down and recalled their flying mounts before entering a forest. The trees had many branches at eye length, and the ground was covered in brambles. For the sake of moving around easier, Xie Yao took off her cloak as her hair trailed down her shoulders. The white robes she wore gave off a holy aura, enhancing her already divine figure. Seeing Xie Yao¡¯s fair face and alluring lips, Nie Yan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Even after all this time, it was still the same as when he first saw her. His feelings hadn¡¯t waned in the slightest. Rather, they only grew stronger every day. Xie Yao felt like the happiest girl in the world with Nie Yan accompanying her on a quest. She chatted with him about the things she experienced while doing it. The dangers in the game could allow a person¡¯s heart to become more steady. Even if they encountered danger, they could still maintain a calm mind. Nie Yan could distinctly tell that Xie Yao had changed since their time in high school, but he couldn¡¯t quite put it into words. After a patch of forest, they encountered several tribal villages. There were many human silhouettes moving around. ¡°Watch your step, the area around here is filled with traps,¡± Xie Yao said. She still had lingering fears from her previous experiences. Only the path she was taking Nie Yan through was safe. Everywhere else was filled with danger. ¡°When we came here just now, I noticed at least 10 high level traps. How did you find this path?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°I observed from far away for a long time. I noticed the paths the people in the village would take when they go out to hunt., That¡¯s how I found it,¡± Xie Yao explained with a smile. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 870 - Unique Skill Nie Yan chuckled. It appeared Xie Yao had come up with quite a few clever tricks to progress with this quest. ¡°These tribal villages only have NPCs roaming around them. Their levels vary, but the ones in full armour are all really powerful. Last time I came here, I killed one of them, and my crime instantly rose by 300. We can¡¯t fight them and they won¡¯t let us waltz in either; they¡¯ll ring the alarm if we do and surround us,¡± Xie Yao explained, thinking back to her many, painful attempts. ¡°You found a way to sneak into the center of the village?¡± Nie Yan asked. Since Xie Yao had made it to the final part of the quest, that meant she had gotten through all these obstacles before. ¡°Yeah.¡± Xie Yao nodded. ¡°You take the lead, I¡¯ll follow behind you,¡± Nie Yan said. If a Mage could sneak in, it would be even easier for him as a Thief. Xie Yao¡¯s face froze awkwardly. ¡°Huh, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°Uh, I got in by using Blink¡­¡± Xie Yao replied. ¡°Oh! I see.¡± Nie Yan chuckled. ¡°In that case, you sneak in first. I¡¯ll catch up with you.¡± The street leading into the village was filled with guards. Even Nie Yan would have a hard time sneaking through there unnoticed, to say nothing of Xie Yao. ¡°Alright.¡± Xie Yao nodded. She was confident Nie Yan could sneak into the village with ease. ¡°Show me how you get in,¡± Nie Yan said. He wanted to see how Xie Yao blinked her way in. Xie Yao looked at her surroundings, altering her position little by little until she was happy. She watched the movements of the NPCs, waiting for them to reach a specific position. Exactly five seconds later, she moved forward. She was showing herself! Another second and the guards would surely spot her! Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but break out in a cold sweat on Xie Yao¡¯s behalf. At this moment, the guards crossed paths, and Xie Yao just happened to be in their blindspot. Xie Yao mentally kept track of the time. Three seconds later, she blinked twice and arrived beside a wall seven meters away. When the guards turned their gazes back to the village, they overlooked that specific corner of the wall. Two guards blocked the path up ahead. For a moment, they turned their gazes away, and Xie Yao blinked behind them. Another two seconds, the patrolling guards in the distance looked over. Too late. She¡¯d positioned herself perfectly behind the burly guards. The two guards suddenly sensed something off and turned around to look behind them. Again, too late. Xie Yao was already long gone. Seeing nothing suspicious, they turned their heads back. They would¡¯ve never expected someone was behind them only a moment ago. 290.280 220.208 ¡­ Xie Yao¡¯s coordinates changed every few seconds. Her mentally mapped out path gradually revealed itself. Nie Yan observed Xie Yao from afar. It didn¡¯t take her long at all to reach fairly deep into the village. Her speed was impressive. From his vantage point, he could see every step of the process. She found every blindspot there was, never once letting a guard see her. This was a special trick Xie Yao had picked up. To the untrained eye, it might look easy. But the slightest mistake could lead to disaster. It required excellent spatial awareness and observation ability. What made it even more challenging was that the paths the guards took weren¡¯t completely fixed. So, she needed to be ready to adapt on the fly. After 10 minutes, Nie Yan lost sight of Xie Yao as she¡¯d safely found her way deep into the village. Nie Yan entered stealth and made his way toward the village. Advancing 10 meters, he slowly approached the highest level guard in the vicinity. When he was roughly four meters away, the guard sensed something and looked around. Nie Yan slowly pulled his foot back. After failing to find anything, the guard returned to a passive state. 3.7 meters! Nie Yan noted. So long as he kept at least this much distance from the guards, he¡¯d be absolutely safe. Nie Yan picked up the pace. As he quickly made his way forward, he maintained a safe distance of 3.7 meters from the guards at all times. Taking twists and turns, he flitted by. He didn¡¯t make the slightest error. Three minutes later, Nie Yan spotted Xie Yao. She was standing outside the entrance of a cave beside a cliff edge. This village was actually built on top of a cliff. Nie Yan wondered where this cave led. Nie Yan arrived beside Xie Yao. Here already...!? Xie Yao was surprised. She¡¯d kept an eye on him. He didn¡¯t start moving until she was already past the halfway point, yet he arrived only a few minutes after her. However, on second thought, nothing with him should come as a surprise anymore. ¡°Are we there yet?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°No. We¡¯re still a long way off. We have to clear out all the mobs and get through this cave, which will lead us to a lake. There, we¡¯ll have to take a small boat to the other side. The graveyard there is our final destination,¡± Xie Yao said. ¡°What¡¯s waiting for us there?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°An enormous spider. It built its nest on top of the graveyard and feeds off the corpses. The people of the tribe view it as a god. So, they regularly deliver their dead there to feed it. It¡¯s a Level 180 Demonified Lord,¡± Xie Yao said. The last piece of her Legendary set was located in the graveyard. If she wanted to acquire it, she would have no choice but to face that spider. However, she was no match for it. ¡°This sounds like a job for a Thief.¡± Nie Yan chuckled. Snatching away items without being noticed was his specialty. Xie Yao¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Be careful. It¡¯s going to be really difficult. I¡¯ve already died three times and made zero progress.¡± Nie Yan sank into silence. With Xie Yao¡¯s equipment and skills, something that could even make her feel helpless definitely wasn¡¯t simple. He decided to go in there and take a look first, lest he make a fool of himself by trying to show off. As usual, Xie Yao led the way. She had a method to get through the cave. Nie Yan followed behind her. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 871 - Water Demons The ominous cave was filled with danger. Dark attribute demonic beasts could leap at you from nowhere. As Xie Yao set foot in the cave, three shadows rushed toward her. Xie Yao waved her staff. A ball of light formed in her palm and erupted with a dazzling brilliance. The three shadows were blinded. Moments later, they regained their vision, but Xie Yao was already nowhere to be found. Nie Yan looked after Xie Yao into the cave, watching her go. He saw the three shadows, the bright light, and then nothing. There was no more trace of Xie Yao. After waiting for about 10 minutes, Nie Yan entered stealth. The shadows in the cave were Shadow Demons, extremely fast monsters with powerful physical attacks. Most were around Level 160¨C170. Some were Level 180¨C190. They were ordinary monsters for the most part, with only a few Elite class ones here and there. Nie Yan watched his steps as he carefully snuck past them. Even though there were so many monsters, getting through here wouldn¡¯t be difficult since he was a Thief. For a Holy Mage, on the other hand, it would be incredibly difficult to get through here without a scratch. Their safest bet was to clear away all the mobs before advancing. Going forward, Nie Yan didn¡¯t notice any corpses on the ground. He had no idea how Xie Yao was avoiding the Shadow Demons. Xie Yao was intelligent to begin with. Playing a Holy Mage for so long, running dungeons with the other experts of the guild, along with Nie Yan¡¯s guidance, she had honed her skills to an extremely high level. In fact, she occupied the spot of number one Holy Mage in Asskickers United. Nie Yan faintly smiled as he thought of this. After passing through many narrow, winding tunnels, the path up ahead opened up. It looked like a whole ¡®nother world. This place was filled with darkness energy. Walking through a patch of grass, Nie Yan arrived at the edge of a large lake. The water was pitch black, and the surface deathly still. After reaching the lakeside, Nie Yan finally met back up with Xie Yao. ¡°Are we swimming?¡± Nie Yan asked. Looking into the distance, the lake surface was covered with fog. There was no way to see the other side. Xie Yao shook her head. ¡°There are monsters in there. Plus, the water is poisonous. We¡¯ll be taking continuous damage if we step in it. There¡¯s no way to safely swim across.¡± ¡°Then what do we do?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a small boat that goes back and forth across the lake. It¡¯ll come in a bit.¡± Nie Yan and Xie Yao sat down in front of the shore. They chatted to pass the time. ¡°It seems like Tang Yao is in love. He is sending a new bouquet of flowers to Purple Pearl every day. She¡¯s probably annoyed to death by now,¡± Xie Yao said. This was the hottest gossip going around in the guild the last few days. A face surfaced in Nie Yan¡¯s mind. Purple Pearl was an Alchemist in Asskickers United. One of their better ones, in fact; a Grandmaster. Tang Yao had learned the gathering skill. Every time he set out for the wilderness, he would pick some high level medicinal plants and hand it over to the Alchemists in the guild. That was probably how the two met. ¡°You think Tang Yao has a chance?¡± Nie Yan asked. He was quite concerned about this brother of his. He hoped Tang Yao could break away from the curse of his past life and find true love. It was that same painful memory that had haunted him so many times. Tang Yao falling in love with an escort in a bar he frequented, well aware how fickle she was. This woman was to be blamed for his death just as much as Liu Tianshi! Luckily, Liu Tianshi was dead already. The same fate couldn¡¯t befall his friend in this life anymore. It was better to let the mirage of that other world disappear altogether. ¡°Pigs will fly in the sky before he gets her. She¡¯s way out of his league.¡± Xie Yao giggled. ¡°Ah, not again.¡± Nie Yan facepalmed. Ever since they were young, Tang Yao always sought out the most mesmerizing beauties, only to be rejected time and time again. It seemed like this time wouldn¡¯t be any different. ¡°Why do you have so little faith in Tang Yao?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t have any confidence in him, but the punk tries really hard to take away what little confidence I do have in him. Whenever he sees a beauty, his first head clocks out and the second one takes control. Have you heard his pickup lines? It makes me want to bash my head against a wall.¡± ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re the expert. Are you really that good at picking up beauties?¡± Xie Yao asked, a dubious look on her face as she put her hands to her waist. ¡°E-eh, how did the conversation shift to me?¡± Nie Yan awkwardly coughed, and said with a smile, ¡°Hehe. Just pretend I didn¡¯t say anything?¡± The two continued bantering with each other. Eventually, the silhouette of a boat appeared within the fog and slowly approached the shore. ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± Xie Yao said. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. Looking up ahead, he saw the empty boat slowly floating over, like an apparition in the fog. This was sort of creepy. The boat was steering itself! If it weren¡¯t for Xie Yao leading the way, he would¡¯ve probably wasted quite a bit of effort trying to get to the other shore. The boat got closer and closer before stopping at the water¡¯s edge. A faint, almost transparent figure stood at the bow. The captain! His appearance was impossible to make out. The only features slightly distinct were his hands holding the oars. This spirit looked like it could disappear at any moment. Nie Yan clutched his dagger, wondering if he should take out this ghost. But Xie Yao grabbed his hand and shook her head. ¡°We need him to get to the other side.¡± Xie Yao led Nie Yan to the boat. The two carefully stepped on and sat down in the middle. The ghost raised his head and looked at the two with a clouded expression. Then, he lowered his head back down and started rowing. Nie Yan inspected the ghost with Transcendent Insight. Lost Soul: Level 0 Health: 100/1000 The ghost had zero attack power. Even the weakest player could kill him, but that would likely spell the end of this quest. The boat slowly moved across the lake¡¯s surface, breaking into the fog. They travelled across the lake for 20 minutes, the thick fog barring their sight. Sure enough, if Nie Yan had killed this ghost, they would be completely lost. Looking down at the water, he realized he could see the lake bed, where aquatic plants grew. This lake wasn¡¯t deep at all! There was a golden light flickering up ahead. It seemed to be coming from the bottom of the lake. ¡°What¡¯s over there?¡± Nie Yan asked. He couldn¡¯t help but think of treasure. ¡°A treasure chest. In about three minutes, we¡¯ll be able to see it. I haven¡¯t tried to open it because of the Water Demons lurking in the lake. Plus, the boat won¡¯t wait for us. And with how thick the fog is here, we¡¯ll lose vision of the boat pretty quickly. We can¡¯t use our teleportation items either. So, we¡¯d have to open it within a minute or two, or lose sight of the boat and die,¡± Xie Yao explained. Nie Yan glanced at his pet slots. ¡°You can¡¯t summon flying mounts here?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Xie Yao nodded. ¡°Do you know what grade that treasure chest is?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t get a good look. There was too much vegetation blocking my view.¡± Xie Yao shook her head. Nie Yan started comparing the boat¡¯s speed with his own swimming speed. ¡°You¡¯re planning to open it?¡± Xie Yao asked. ¡°Yeah. I want to give it a try.¡± Nie Yan nodded. ¡°It¡¯s really dangerous,¡± Xie Yao said in a concerned tone. ¡°Since the system placed a treasure chest there, that naturally means people can open it. So, it shouldn¡¯t be impossible, right?¡± Nie Yan chuckled. Risk and danger came hand-in-hand. Too many people in Conviction had a risk averse mindset. If they never stepped out of their comfort zone, they would forever languish in mediocrity. He didn¡¯t wish to become someone like that. The greater the danger, the greater the reward. Xie Yao knew that once Nie Yan had set his sight on something, there was no way of stopping him. ¡°Alright, just be careful,¡± Xie Yao said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Just wait for the good news,¡± Nie Yan said with a confident smile. He looked up ahead and gauged his distance from the chest. Then, he used the Leaper skill and soared 30 meters across the lake before plunging into the water. As soon as Nie Yan entered the water, he activated an underwater breathing skill. As he swam down toward the chest. It rested on the lakebed, sparkling with a golden light. Since the underwater vegetation was too dense, he could barely make it out. Time was short. Nie Yan dove deeper. Back when Nie Yan was still a kid, he used to swim all the time. He had the technique, and now that he was more physically fit, also the power to swim fast. Plus, with the underwater breathing skill, he was like a fish in the water. About 30 seconds later, Nie Yan finally reached the chest. Standing on the lakebed, he pushed away the water plants, revealing a sparkling golden chest. It was half buried in the silt. Its appearance was quite unique, covered in serpentine-like designs with a trident symbol engraved on the lock. It was a Sub Legendary-grade chest. Nie Yan wasn¡¯t disappointed. Though he of course had hoped for a Legendary chest, this was also good. Nie Yan gazed at his surroundings. The water was extremely calm. He didn¡¯t discover any of the Water Demons Xie Yao was talking about. If Nie Yan lingered here for too long, they¡¯d probably detect his presence. Let¡¯s quickly get this chest opened! Nie Yan crouched down and started picking the lock. Opening chest¡­ Progress: 3%... 7%... 36%... Time slowly ticked away. Nie Yan was a bit anxious. He hoped no monster would interrupt him. Please, just let me open this chest in peace! Nie Yan raised his head. Suddenly, he spotted several silhouettes quickly swimming over from 10 meters away. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 872 - Snatching Food from the Tiger’s Den The Water Demons! They were here! Nie Yan impatiently stared at the progress bar. It was already at 78%. If he were interrupted here, all that work would be for naught! After discovering Nie Yan, the Water Demons let out shrill screams which sounded like grass scraping. This was apparently how they alerted the others. Water Demons swam in from all around, soon more than a dozen moving to surround Nie Yan. Nie Yan was only eight seconds from opening the chest! This was the critical juncture. The Waters Demons were like flies who caught a whiff of rotting meat. They made a beeline for Nie Yan. Shit! Nie Yan was about to give up on the chest and return to the surface, when he heard a loud explosion. The boat happened to be crossing directly over Nie Yan. Noticing he was in danger, Xie Yao shot a ball of light into the water. The ball of light was dazzling beyond compare, illuminating the entire lakebed. Bathed in the holy light, the Water Demons let out mournful screams and retreated back. Nie Yan breathed a sigh of relief. He seized the opportunity to continue opening the chest. BANG! The ball of light exploded, transforming the surroundings into a world of white. This was the Radiance Explosion spell of a Holy Mage! The dazzling brilliance completely disoriented the Water Demons. Nie Yan was also blinded. But he didn¡¯t need his eyes to pick the lock, only to hold it in his hands and keep the skill activated. CLICK! The lid of the chest popped open. Nie Yan¡¯s face lit up with joy. He stuck his hand in and grabbed onto a round object and something that felt like a necklace. In a hurry, he tossed them into his bag, whatever they were. Nie Yan quickly swam back up to the surface. The light from Xie Yao¡¯s spell gradually faded away. He could sense the demons rapidly closing in on him as he felt the cold water rushing past his face. It looked like avoiding a fight with these Water Demons was impossible now. Come! Nie Yan clenched the Bloody Dagger, ready to meet the enemy head-on. The ghost captain still calmly rowed the boat, oblivious to the things happening underwater. He had zero consciousness. He was nothing more than a mindless spirit damned to row this boat across the lake for eternity. Xie Yao attempted to stop him, but nothing worked. Even the slightest nudge could cause his health to fall to zero and make him disappear, which would cause her to get stuck on her quest. The boat was quickly leaving Nie Yan behind, Xie Yao anxiously looking back at him. ¡°Nie Yan, quickly, or else it will be too late!¡± Xie Yao cried out. The fog was starting to obscure her vision of him. Any longer, and Nie Yan would have no way of finding the boat, even from above the water¡¯s surface. Worst comes to worst. She would have to kill the ghost, then turn the boat back to rescue him. As for what would happen after, she had no idea. Come on! Come on! Xie Yao prayed. Nie Yan felt his situation quickly turning south. Sensing a Water Demon closing in, he swung around and ruthlessly slashed its neck as they crossed each other in the water. A blood-curdling shriek rang out, causing his ears to ring in pain. His vision became hazy. A mind attack! Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. He quickly used Mind Immune as his head instantly cleared up. Extreme Deterrence! A wave of energy swept out, causing the Water Demons to retreat back. Nie Yan turned back around and swam to the surface. He had to hurry, or the boat would leave him behind! The Water Demons didn¡¯t back down after the Extreme Deterrence. They followed closely behind Nie Yan, looking like they would pounce on him at any moment now. Almost there! Nie Yan tried to swim even faster. SPLASH! He broke out of the water¡¯s surface. The boat! Where was the boat!? Where was it¡­? ¡°T-the boat¡¯s gone,¡± Nie Yan sputtered. He knew the risk, and he knew the danger of missing the boat; death. Nie Yan didn¡¯t realize underwater, but he finally noticed the water had a paralyzing effect. His four limbs were starting to feel numb. The water wasn¡¯t fatal poison. Rather, it slowly made the player lose sense of their body! Nie Yan hurriedly drank a high rank Antidote. He immediately had some feelings return to his limbs. But this wouldn¡¯t last for long. The only way out of this was to get back on the boat! The boat was his only hope for survival. ¡¸Nie Yan, are you alright!?¡¹Xie Yao whispered.¡¸Do you want me to kill the ghost and steer the boat back?¡¹ ¡¸No, don¡¯t. Cast Illuminate!¡¹Nie Yan said. Even in this perilous situation, he still maintained a calm mind. Xie Yao waved her staff and sent a ball of light into the air. BANG! It exploded with a dazzling radiance. Nie Yan searched around before spotting a few rays of light piercing through the fog. Even though it was quite faint due to the distance, he still spotted it. As fast as he could, he swam in that direction. Some seconds later, Nie Yan shouted in voice chat,¡¸Cast another!¡¹ Another ball of light flew up into the sky. Nie Yan was happy to find the light was much brighter than before. This was proof he was getting closer to the boat! Nie Yan picked up the pace and swam with all his might. More and more Water Demons gathered behind him, none of them willing to give up their pursuit. They were faster than Nie Yan, only by a little. If it weren¡¯t for Extreme Deterrence, they would¡¯ve long since pounced on him. Two minutes later, Nie Yan finally saw the outline of the boat. Salvation! He quickly swam toward it. Xie Yao¡¯s eyes scanned around the lake. When she heard the splashing and found Nie Yan swimming, it felt like her heart was going to erupt from her chest. She waved her arms and shouted, ¡°Over here! Over here!¡± Using every last ounce of strength in him, Nie Yan swam even faster. Xie Yao waved her staff, sending a volley of light orbs in Nie Yan¡¯s direction. They plunged into the water and exploded one after the other. Her gauge of distance was extremely precise. They all missed him, but the Water Demons underwater were blasted away. Xie Yao knew the Water Demons wouldn¡¯t stop chasing Nie Yan. So, she used Radiance Explosion to help him disperse them. Since the spells exploded behind Nie Yan, the waves generated by their explosions propelled him forward even faster. After several more minutes, he finally reached the boat and climbed back up. Xie Yao had gone through a rollercoaster of emotions these last 10 minutes. Seeing Nie Yan safely back on the boat, she tightly hugged him. Nie Yan was stunned. Looking back at the water, he finally realized that the danger he exposed himself to might be normal to him, but frightening beyond compare to others. With the quest on the verge of failing and him lost in the middle of some lake, completely at its mercy, how could Xie Yao not be moved after seeing him return safe and sound. Nie Yan was shivering from the cold water. Feeling the warmth of Xie Yao¡¯s body, his mind flashed with a mischievous thought. He rubbed his hands against her butt as a soft and supple feeling was transmitted through his palms. He chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Since when can trouble hold me back? I¡¯m here, safe and sound, aren¡¯t I?¡± After feeling her butt groped, Xie Yao squealed and shoved him back. She didn¡¯t expect Nie Yan to behave so pervertedly in this situation. There was even a ghost beside them! Even though it was just a mindless monster, she still felt extremely bashful as her cheeks flushed rosy red. Nie Yan nearly lost his balance, trying his best to not fall back into the water. He bitterly smiled. ¡°What? It was only a small feel. What would you do if I drowned?¡± ¡°It would serve you right!¡± Xie Yao shot him a glare. The ghost raised its head to stare at Nie Yan, then at Xie Yao. It still had a vacant look in its eyes, unable to understand the actions of these two before it. It lowered its head back down and continued rowing. Xie Yao reaffirmed the fact that the ghost had no consciousness. Only then did she slightly relax. Nie Yan could sense that Xie Yao was still quite reserved. Only when the two of them were alone would she lower her guard. If another person were present, she would close up like a clam. Seeing her red all over, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°We¡¯re still a long way off.¡± Xie Yao shifted the topic to hide her embarrassment. ¡°Aren¡¯t we already at the other shore,¡± Nie Yan asked in doubt. The boat slowly approached the shore. ¡°This isn¡¯t our stop.¡± Xie Yao shook her head. ¡°We have to stay on the boat longer.¡± After reaching the shore, the ghost looked around, almost as if he were waiting for passengers to get on board. Six minutes later on the second, he set off again and slowly sailed back into the fog. ¡°How do you know this isn¡¯t the right place?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°From a quest clue. It¡¯s a riddle, but I managed to figure it out. We disembark the third time the ghost reaches the shore,¡± Xie Yao explained. That riddle was extremely complicated, but she managed to slowly unravel it and figure out its secret. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Nie Yan nodded. ¡°What did you get from the chest?¡± Xie Yao asked. Nie Yan had nearly forgotten about the two items he retrieved from the treasure chest. Back when he pulled them out of the chest, he didn¡¯t have any time to look at them. He took them out. One was a black gem, and the other a silver necklace adorned with a ruby. The necklace gave of a sparkling glint, the kind that captured your attention as soon as you laid eyes on it. As for the gem, its colour was pretty dull, but it barely fit in his palm. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 873 - Demon Realm Stone Nie Yan inspected the necklace. Memphis¡¯ Illusory Necklace: Special Item Properties: Mind Magic Resistance +220 Clear Mind: Grants immunity to Mind Magic for five minutes. Cooldown: 1 day. Nie Yan thought of his own mind immune skill. Even though its duration paled in comparison to the five minutes from Clear Mind, it was more than plenty for his style of play. The crucial difference was the cooldown time. Compared to the 30 seconds from Mind Immune, one day was simply too long. Xie Yao gasped in surprise as she read the necklace¡¯s properties. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Nie Yan asked, confused. ¡°I think I know how to complete the last stage of the quest!¡± ¡°With this necklace?¡± Nie Yan asked. He realized it probably played a crucial role in this quest. ¡°Mhm!¡± Xie Yao nodded. ¡°With this Clear Mind skill, that fatass of a spider can¡¯t target me with its mind attacks.¡± ¡°Fatass of a spider...?¡± Nie Yan broke into a smile. The treasure chest, within view but so far away. They were often placed like this when they were connected to a quest, seemingly just out of reach, yet containing vital items to progress. In many cases, he guessed here too, it meant the difference between success and failure. Since Xie Yao had a plan to tackle the last stage of the quest, Nie Yan had one less worry on his mind. He felt somewhat hesitant to get involved in quests related to high level equipment sets. If luck were on his side, he could help Xie Yao get the final piece. Otherwise, he might lead to the quest failing permanently. Worst comes to worst, he would have no choice but to intervene and test his luck. But since she had come up with a solution, it was best if she completed it herself. Nie Yan handed over the necklace to Xie Yao. ¡°Are you confident in completing it yourself?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Xie Yao nodded vigorously. She had already failed three times. The two most recent attempts, she failed with the finish line in sight. That last stumble keeping her from success, this necklace could help her step over it! ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Nie Yan smiled. The second item was a gem. Nie Yan inspected it. Demon Realm Stone: Special Item Description: A stone from the remote demon realm, from where all darkness energy originates. It contains powerful darkness energy. In times long past, the demons had stolen three Demon Realm Stones from the demon realm. They didn¡¯t get far, as the Demon Realm Sentinels hunted them down and killed them. But the Demon Realm Stones were never retrieved, lost somewhere within the human world. Possible Effect: If directly consumed by a creature with the darkness attribute, it can raise their strength, completely transforming them or allowing them to directly break through. It can also lead to several unexpected side effects. Nie Yan furrowed his brows. He¡¯d never seen an item like this before. It had no set effect, instead tempting with good ones while warning for the opposite. The first line piqued his interest. He just happened to have two darkness-attribute creatures in his pet space. The prospect of increasing their strength, having them undergo a complete transformation or directly breaking through was quite tempting. However, the last line made him wary. If some kind of malicious side effect popped up, he might lose a flying mount. After giving it some consideration, Nie Yan decided to put the Demon Realm Stone away in his bag. 10 minutes later, Nie Yan and Xie Yao arrived at the shore for the third time. The two hopped off the boat. The lost soul did the same as before, waiting at the shore for a while before pushing off with oars and slowly sailing back into the fog. Nie Yan gazed up ahead at the graveyard, a large open plane filled with tombstones. Most had snapped in half or collapsed. Thick webs ran across the place, connecting to the gravestones and a lone tree. ¡°Defeating that spider will take at least three hours. Nie Yan, you can go back first. You can use teleportation items here again,¡± Xie Yao said. ¡°You sure? How confident are you?¡± He Yan asked. He didn¡¯t feel at ease leaving Xie Yao by herself. ¡°I¡¯m 100% confident. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Xie Yao nodded. Nie Yan thought for a moment. He realized he had full faith in Xie Yao. If she was confident in defeating the spider and obtaining the last piece of her Legendary Set, there was no need for him to stay here. He¡¯d only be wasting his time. Even if she did fail, he could always accompany her on the next try. ¡°I¡¯ll leave in a bit. You go do your quest,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Alright.¡± Xie Yao headed toward the graveyard. After making her preparations, she engaged in a tense battle with the fatass of a spider. Xie Yao blinked everywhere as her white robes flickered across the battlefield. She let loose with a flurry of spells. The spider immediately aggroed onto her and began retaliating. The two engaged in an intense firefight. Despite facing such a fierce assault, she appeared completely in her element. She seems fine, Nie Yan thought. He activated a Return Scroll. After a flash of light, he disappeared. Nie Yan returned to Okoron and replenished his consumables, reading the latest battle report. Bladelight and his team had ambushed Angel Corps¡¯ catapult corps as it was enroute from the Satreen Empire to Okoron. They had destroyed 30 catapults and trebuchets. With no reinforcements arriving, Angel Corps¡¯ next wave of attacks was delayed. Nie Yan faintly smiled. Bladelight and his team had done a great job. Since the start of the war, Angel Corps hadn¡¯t been able to get the slightest advantage. Asskickers United was no longer the easily bullied, fledgling guild of the past. They could go toe to toe with giants like Angel Corps now! As for the Century Financial Group, they were being held back by Holy Empire and the other allied guilds. With Falling Angel glaring from the side too, there was nothing they could do to break free. Asskickers United¡¯s aerial scouts had already discovered Angel Corps¡¯ troops and reported their location back to Nie Yan immediately. Knowing Nie Yan was probably eyeing the Vermillion Garudas, Soaring Angel didn¡¯t dare to deploy them easily. He had no idea if Nie Yan had a method prepared to deal with them. However, after being enemies for so long, he knew a thing or two about Nie Yan¡¯s personality. Nie Yan would not let the Vermillion Garudas off easily. The Darkwing Dragon wasn¡¯t dead, and Asskickers United had also a Rank 8 Immortal Phoenix. If the two teamed up together to launch an ambush, the Vermillion Garudas probably wouldn¡¯t survive. Even though the Vermillion Garudas didn¡¯t take action again, the skirmishes in the air never stopped, with both sides taking losses. Soaring Angel dispatched more forces into the Phoenix Den in order to obtain more powerful flying mounts to fend off against Asskickers United¡¯s aerial forces. At the same time, he also sped up their exploration into World¡¯s Edge. He was doing all he could to prepare his side for a long and bitter war. With the Vermillion Garudas seemingly having disappeared, Nie Yan relaxed. He sent teams to continue exploring the Phoenix Den and World¡¯s Edge on a large scale. When it came to progressing through high level maps, they would not lose out to Angel Corps! Nie Yan¡¯s equipment had reached the pinnacle. No other players could hope to match him for the foreseeable future. His next goal was powering up his pets, including obtaining two more pets to fill his three pet slots. Nie Yan hadn¡¯t raised Lil¡¯ Gold¡¯s level in quite some time, so he had somewhat fallen behind. Nevertheless, his battle prowess was still extremely shocking, especially in group battles. If Lil¡¯ Gold was used well, he would have a huge impact on the battlefield. If Nie Yan could obtain two more dragon pets and get their levels up, he could summon three pets at the same time. It would be a truly amazing sight. What would Soaring Angel¡¯s reaction be when Nie Yan suddenly summoned three powerful dragons in the middle of a fierce battle? One dragon egg was in the Fate River in Calore. Nie Yan knew the rough location, but the exact location he would have to find himself. However, as the guildleader of Asskickers United, Nie Yan didn¡¯t have to do many things himself. At this moment, the more than 100 Thieves levelling in the Abernathy Great Grasslands, Calore, and Nisode all received a command. To search the Fate River in Calore! Each of them took out a Return Scroll and teleported to Calore, where they replenished their consumables and set out for the Fate River. Nie Yan gave a rough location to search. Their objective was a dragon¡¯s den on a cliff. As long as they found the dragon''s den, he could simply take over from there and obtain the egg himself. Though the Thieves were all elites in their own rights, they couldn¡¯t be considered more than ordinary players to someone like Nie Yan. And since several dragons would pursue after whoever stole their egg, odds were better for an actual expert. After receiving Nie Yan¡¯s order, how could they dare to dally? The Thieves immediately started looking under every rock, nook, and cranny in the Fate River. Nie Yan expected to receive word from them soon. He decided to find a place to level in the meantime. About three hours later, Xie Yao sent Nie Yan a message. She had obtained the last piece of her Legendary set. Even though the Saintess Christina Set was far inferior to the Tyrant Abak Set, it was still a Legendary-set at the end of the day. In the entire server, the number of people with equipment rivaling hers could be counted on his fingers. The bonuses from the set greatly increased Xie Yao¡¯s stats. The set also gave her two powerful holy skills, one of which was Forbidden Magic. After spending so much effort, Xie Yao had finally completed the set. She was jumping with joy! NIe Yan gazed at the properties Xie Yao shared with him. The long list of bonuses was dazzling to the eyes. Many were Holy Mage exclusive properties, such as bonuses to Holy Power. Only the most experienced Holy Mages could understand the complicated information. His attention focused on the Forbidden Magic, Radiant Dominion. It bombarded everything within a several thousand-meter radius with countless Radiance Explosions. He already witnessed the might of that spell himself. If tens of thousands of them were to explode all at once, one could imagine what kind of scene that would be. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 874 - Commerce Empire With Xie Yao completing the set, Nie Yan had one less worry on his mind. She was like him now; standing high atop a peak far out of reach of any of her rivals. Including Nie Yan, there were at most 10 who could match her in the entire Righteous Faction. Angels Corps and Asskickers United had both accumulated continuous losses over the last couple of days. Most players were on the battlefield. Only a few had the time to get some levelling done. As a result, there was practically no change in the strength of both armies. This was the reality of war, where both sides simply threw bodies at each other. Under Nie Yan¡¯s command, Asskickers United was also fighting on the economic front against Angel Corps, leveraging their enormous capital to buy up all the medicinal plants and many other raw materials required for war, including those required for making siege machines. The prices were driven up higher and higher. For the sake of replenishing their resources, Angel Corps had no choice but to pay up to five times more than before. This simply wasn¡¯t sustainable. Both Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group would have no choice but to invest even more real-world capital into the game in order to buy enough gold to sustain their heavy war spendings. This was precisely what Nie Yan was aiming for. By doing this, he would at least put some sort of pressure on the Century Financial Group¡¯s financial state. With them suffering defeats on all sides, their pockets would eventually become strapped. The Thieves Nie Yan dispatched to the Fate River reported back. They had discovered the location of the dragon¡¯s den. However, after spotting eight adult dragons closely guarding the place, they didn¡¯t dare to get a closer look. Knowing the exact location of the dragon¡¯s den was good enough. The rest Nie Yan could do himself. Though eight dragons protecting the place far exceeded his expectations. It seemed this easy task wasn¡¯t as easy as he¡¯d hoped. Looking at his experience bar, Nie Yan was disappointed to find it had only risen by 5% over the past several days. This levelling speed was truly too slow. Nie Yan headed toward the Starry Night Potion Shop. He rarely had the spare time to visit, so he hadn¡¯t been here for quite some time already. After walking for 10 minutes, a large 16-storey building appeared in his view. The Starry Night Potion Shop had undergone a complete renovation. It looked nothing like the building in his memory. The white walls were solemn and stately. It was the tallest building in all of Calore. Many players visiting the city for the first time would make a point to stop by here and take a few pictures. It had become a local landmark. In front of the Starry Night Potion Shop was a large, 30 by 30-meter square with a fountain in the middle. The statue of a Thief in black cloak stood in the center of the fountain. His features were hidden by the cloak, no matter from which direction you looked at it. Waist bent, he held a dagger in each hand, looking like a cheetah ready to pounce on its prey¡ªthe typical form of a Thief. The only things that stood out were the two daggers; the Bloody Dagger and Slaughter Edge. Their ominously curved blades gave off a dense killing intent. Everyone who played the game could tell who this was a statue of. Orc King City had 10 statues of Soaring Angel. Meanwhile, Calore only had one statue of Nie Yan. Still, it had 10 times the fame any one of Soaring Angel¡¯s statues had. Because it was placed in front of the Starry Night Potion Shop, it was more than just a statue of a legendary existence. It was the statue of their founder! Nie Yan had built up Asskickers United from nothing to the leviathan of the Viridian Empire it was today. In terms of businesses, he had the Starry Night Potion Shop which enjoyed a monopoly on the potion market. Beyond the position he had in his guild, or the many businesses he owned, most people knew him for his personal strength. The man who has never suffered defeat! Nie Yan¡¯s name represented an undying legend. Many people chatted about his exploits enthusiastically every opportunity they got. Seeing the statue, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but wryly smile. At the time when Guo Huai and the others suggested they build him a statue, he initially refused; only caving to their collective insistence later on. They had their own reasons. Angel Corps had statues of Soaring Angel all over Orc King City. How could Asskickers United lose out? Building this kind of statue held great meaning. The number of people who were qualified to have their own statues in a city was only a handful. This was a special type of honour. What was unexpected to Nie Yan was that this statue had increased the traffic of people coming to the Starry Night Potion Shop. He was pleasantly surprised by this. Walking past his statue, Nie Yan entered the Starry Night Potion Shop. The interior could only be described as magnificent. The floor was paved with a special type of white stone. If you were to look down at it, you could even see your own reflection. Looking further in, there were rows upon rows of counters and numerous shelves in the back. The shelves were neatly stocked with all sorts of different goods. It was a feast for the eyes. There were 60 sales clerks manning the counters. Most were players while a dozen or so were NPCs. They wore tidy work uniforms and were attending a line of customers. Spread throughout the main hall were six rest areas with about a thousand seats, most of them completely filled. At the edge of the hall were two flights of stairs leading up. An endless stream of players was going up and down. There was a staff exclusive passage at the back of the hall. Nie Yan could go through there. However, a sudden urge compelled him to take the public stairs. Even though it was spacious, wide enough to fit a dozen people side by side, there was simply too much traffic. Another flight of stairs wouldn¡¯t hurt. The first floor was the shopping area which exclusively sold potions. The second floor was for trading raw materials. Like a market, all sorts of players came here to sell their medicinal plants, haggling over prices. It created a messy atmosphere. 600 staff members were appraising medicinal plants. After purchasing the medicinal plants, they would be sent up two levels for sorting, from where they were sent to one of the many warehouses for storage. More than 60% of the medicinal plants acquired by the Starry Night Potion Shop came from the main branch in Calore. It was always bustling with activity here. Going up another level to the third floor, it was much less crowded. There were only a few dozen or so people. The environment was fairly calm. This floor was a lot more luxurious than previous ones. Some staff members were quietly talking to customers. These people were the big clients of the Starry Night Potion Shop. Many represented large guilds. They tended to buy in large batches, something they wished to keep from hostile powers, so the Starry Night Potion Shop offered a place for this. The identities of these big clients were verified by staff in order to prevent goods from falling into the hands of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. Since they bought in bulk, they were usually given a good deal. Most transactions ranged anywhere from hundreds to thousands of gold. Occasionally, they even made million gold deals. Every transaction brought in a ton of profit. The fourth floors and up were off-limits for customers. Rather, they were work spaces for Asskickers United¡¯s Alchemists. The main branch had over 800 workshops with several thousand alchemists working for Nie Yan around the clock. The amount of potions they produced every single day was nothing short of astonishing. Of course, if you included the other branches, the number of Alchemists would rise to 60,000 plus. However, only the best of them were invited to work in the main branch. If they were to join another guild, any one of them would be treated as a precious treasure. They earned more than generous rewards, so much so that most people would go green with envy, but they were worth it. Nie Yan strolled from floor to floor. On the higher floors, he sometimes walked down the corridors, looking at the workshops on both sides. Some of them were left open, letting him get a glimpse of Alchemists hard at work. The Starry Night Potion Shop paid wages based on performance. The more potions that were made, the higher the pay. This encouraged the Alchemists to work as hard as possible. Many were professional players. The wages they earned here were more than enough to support a comfortable life for themselves and their families in the real world. Many even had salaries equivalent to high level executives. Conviction and the real world melded quite well together. The production ability of the real world was already highly developed. There was already no longer a need for many manual labour workers. However, how were so many people supposed to make a living? Without set work, they would become leeches on society. Conviction had created a whole new sector of jobs, and that was professional players. Income earned from the game provided for tens of millions of players and helped the federation resolve the unemployment crisis. It was no wonder they invested so heavily in the game. With the support of the federation, Conviction also provided banking services. So, the gold trade was fairly lively. If players had a large amount of gold, they could easily exchange it for real world credits. Conviction became inextricably linked with the real world. It was precisely because of the emergence of this new profession that so many people entered Conviction. Of course, the number who could earn the big bucks made up a small minority. Most could only make enough to barely sustain themselves. Just like in the real world, it took skill and hard work to make a killing. Many ordinary players would have no choice but to invest money into the game if they wanted to improve their situation. According to the data released by the federation, Conviction accounted for roughly 20% of the country¡¯s GDP. This was an extremely shocking number. It was no wonder all the large financial groups were entering Convictions, wanting to get a share of the pie. Many invested shocking amounts of money into the game, such as the Century Financial Group. Roughly 25% of all their investments were in the game. With recent events, that number had even increased to 40%. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 875 - Psychedelic Lust Potion The entire Righteous Faction had over 3,000 Starry Night Potion Shop branches. It didn¡¯t matter if they had tangible assets or intangible assets. They had all reached astonishing heights. The golden letters at the entrance spelling ¡®Starry Night Potion Shop¡¯ were a reminder for all. Through these doors, gold would never stop flowing. Nie Yan stepped into an elevator. It was simple and crude, operating on several magic crystals. The speed was nothing to write home about, incomparable to the ones in reality. However, it was the best you could find in the entire Viridian Empire. Nie Yan took to the 16th floor. It had an open floor plan, with many work tables set up with all sorts of alchemy wares. There were 33 people busy at work. These 33 players were the core of the Starry Night Potion Shop. 13 were Sage Alchemists while the remaining 20 were Grandmaster Alchemists! There were only 33 Alchemists in the Righteous Faction who had reached Grandmaster or higher, and they were all employed by the Starry Night Potion Shop. This was also one of the reasons other potion shops couldn¡¯t compete with them and were eventually swallowed up. These top rank Alchemists were the greatest asset of the Starry Night Potion Shop. Even though there were only 33 of them, they were good for 30% of the business¡¯ profits! All 33 were hard at work. None of them noticed Nie Yan. Nie Yan walked past them. Seeing them so deeply engrossed in their work, he faintly smiled. Many people felt the work of an Alchemist was all the same. Anybody could do it and reach a high rank. It was simply a matter of luck, both with success rate and finding good recipes. If those detractors were to see this scene, they would realize there was a lot more to Alchemy than luck. After Bird finished concocting a potion, he happened to raise his head and notice Nie Yan. The dazed expression on his face quickly turned to elation. He opened his mouth to greet him, but was hushed by Nie Yan who raised a finger over his mouth. Bird chuckled, then spoke in a normal tone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss. Before they finish their work, even if lightning struck them, they wouldn¡¯t notice it. So, what are you here for?¡± ¡°I came to take a look at the upgraded shop and also restock on potions. Do you guys have anything special for me?¡± Nie Yan said. He had long since heard that Bird and the other 32 Alchemists were working on all kinds of new potions. ¡°You¡¯ve come at the right time! We¡¯ve recently made quite a few new products.¡± Bird smiled. He had already been wanting to show off these new creations to Nie Yan for quite a while. A new option opened for Alchemists who reached the Sage-rank; they could research their own potions and create recipes. So far, more than 60% of the products sold in the Starry Night Potion Shop had been replaced with improved versions made by them. 60 more different kinds of potions were made into recipes and being mass produced. One could imagine how much of an impact a Sage Alchemist would have on a potion shop! While Bird was chatting with Nie Yan, the other Alchemists one by one finished their work. Noticing Nie Yan, they all came to greet him. ¡°Boss!¡± ¡°Hello, Boss!¡± ... The Starry Night Potion Shop was a trade organization. And their boss called Nie Yan boss. So, they followed by example. Plus, they also felt this form of address was more natural. Nie Yan nodded in acknowledgement. He looked around at the Alchemists. ¡°You¡¯ve all worked hard. Without you guys, the Starry Night Potion Shop wouldn¡¯t be what it is today. Recently, with the guild going to war with Angel Corps, the burden on you all has increased. I¡¯d like to express my gratitude again.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Boss? We¡¯re only doing our job! Don¡¯t be sorry!¡± ¡°Right, you¡¯re treating us like outsiders here!¡± ¡°Without the Starry Night Potion Shop, we wouldn¡¯t be here today. So what if we have to work a little bit harder?¡± ... Seeing their passionate expressions, Nie Yan felt proud. It seemed that the effort he had put into them hadn¡¯t been wasted. If the Starry Night Potion Shop wanted to recruit new Alchemists, offering a high salary alone wasn¡¯t enough. He also had to build a sense of loyalty and attachment. Nie Yan chatted with the Alchemists for a while. He asked them about their work and showed genuine interest. They all felt motivated that he was interested in what they were doing. The big boss himself took the time to talk with them; this was a huge honour! Conviction had hundreds of millions of players, but there was only one Nirvana Flame. He held a high position in their hearts. ¡°Guys, show the boss your latest creations. If he likes it, you will receive a bonus, up to 50,000 gold for each new potion!¡± Bird said. Though none of them were short on cash, quite the opposite really, 50,000 gold was still a large sum to them. ¡°Awesome! Trust me, manager, we will have the boss¡¯ eyes sparkling!¡± Quiet Nannan said proudly. He was the Starry Night Potion Shop¡¯s number one Alchemist. In terms of concocting potions, no one was his equal, not even Bird. ¡°Alright, those are your words. If the boss isn¡¯t satisfied, I¡¯ll be docking your pay!¡± Bird chuckled. Quiet Nannan chuckled evilly. It appeared he already had something up his sleeve. In terms of developing new potions, if he said he was number two, no one would dare to claim number one. Two Alchemists hurried to the back, from where they brought over an empty table. Nie Yan was full of anticipation. He wondered what these geniuses who had altered the landscape of Conviction¡¯s potion market would show him. No doubt these Alchemists had come up with quite a few concoctions. Nie Yan felt his anticipation build up. ¡°Who wants to go first?¡± Bird asked. Everyone stared at each other, but no one showed any signs of coming forward. The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. ¡°Seriously? You guys are making me look bad here! No one wants to go up first!?¡± Bird rolled his eyes. ¡°The first to go up is only there to build up tension! My inventions are too good for that!¡± ¡°Yeah! My concoction is too good to go first!¡± No one wanted to come first. Nie Yan bitterly smiled. Just what were these weirdos thinking? ¡°Don¡¯t dally. The boss¡¯ time is precious. Fine, I¡¯ll pick someone. You, go up and bring out your potions. You won¡¯t get another chance,¡± Bird said, pointing at a random Alchemist; a 20-something man. His appearance was quite neat with a pale complexion. At a glance you could tell he was a shut-in. The Alchemist nodded reluctantly but walked up. He rummaged through his bag and brought out two potions. One was blue, the other green. He placed them on the table. ¡°The blue one is an invisibility potion.¡± ¡°What makes it different from other invisibility potions?¡± ¡°Yeah! Tell us!¡± ... The other Alchemists started grilling him. The Alchemist¡¯s face turned red. He shouted, ¡°Let me finish speaking!¡± Everyone shut up. ¡°Invisibility potions only work on land, not underwater. The boss likely knows this too,¡± the Alchemist said. Nie Yan nodded. ¡°Well, this potion works the other way around. After drinking it, you¡¯ll become completely transparent in water. Other than that, it¡¯s quite similar to normal invisibility potions, also lasting about three minutes. Oh! It does have a few more advantages! It has no effect on movement speed or any other side effects. You¡¯ll be able to swim like you normally would,¡± the Alchemist said proudly. Bird turned to Nie Yan, who gave a nod. ¡°Water Invisibility Potion, accepted! Your reward is 10,000 gold!¡± Bird said. Money was secondary. Receiving Nie Yan¡¯s approval made the Alchemist¡¯s heart race with excitement. He then went on to introduce the green potion, ¡°This is a transformation potion, but what it transforms you into is what makes it special. After drinking it, you¡¯ll become a seal and have your swimming speed increased by 300%. You can¡¯t attack, and the effects will be cancelled if you¡¯re damaged. The duration is 20 minutes, and it has a cooldown of five hours.¡± Nie Yan¡¯s eyes lit up. This was exactly the kind of potion he was lacking! Now, if he ever encountered some sort of situation underwater, he could easily deal with it. It seemed like this Alchemist specialized in underwater potions. ¡°I¡¯ll also accept the Seal Transformation Potion. Your reward is 20,000 gold,¡± Nie Yan said. He was in high spirits after receiving these two new potions. Seeing their friend being reward 30,000 gold for his two potions, the other Alchemists also became excited. They all took out their various creations, all of which Nie Yan had never heard of or seen before. ¡°Psychedelic Lust Potion. Be it a person or monster, even a drop will cause the target to be trapped in a hallucination, incapacitated and unable to defend themselves! Please have a sample. It¡¯s an essential item when going out into the wilderness,¡± an old man said. His hair was grey, as was his mustache that dropped down his face. This 70-something year old grandpa, an excited expression on his face as he held the gaudy red potion in his hand, looked quite questionable. Several female Alchemists grimaced as their faces turned red. ¡°You old pervert!¡± ¡°Hot damn! I¡¯m blown away. You can even make something like that in the game!?¡± ¡°What a world-shaking creation!¡± ¡°But how are you supposed to use this kind of potion? It¡¯s not like the enemy will just drink it!¡± ¡°You can spike it in their drink!¡± ¡°What a good potion!¡± Everyone exchanged banter. Of course, they were only joking. If you were to really use this kind of potion, before you could even do anything, you¡¯d probably be struck to death by lightning. Everyone gazed at Nie Yan. Such a strange potion, it was likely he wouldn¡¯t accept it, would he? Looking at this potion, Nie Yan sunk into deep thought. This Psychedelic Lust Potion had very few applications, but it might just come in handy in some very special situations. ¡°Psychedelic Lust Potion accepted. Your reward is 10,000 gold.¡± Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 876 - Legendary Dragonbane Nie Yan kept numerous items most players would consider useless. However, under the right circumstances, they could have a crucial impact. The Crawler Ring and Silk Spinner Ring were two such examples. Only after players saw Nie Yan use them, did their popularity spike. Since these rings were quite rare, there was nowhere near enough of them to meet demand. Whenever one came up for auction, a bidding frenzy would erupt, with the final price often breaching 10,000 gold. None of the people in the room understood why Nie Yan would want such a strange potion. Even the creator himself, the old pervert, was taken aback. However, Nie Yan already had a clear plan in mind for this potion. Alchemy had many different branches. Only by comprehending one of them could an Alchemist advance to a Sage and create their own brand new potions. In other words, each of these Sages was a specialist in their own field, their potions a representation of that. The Alchemists showed off their creations, one by one. There were many different kinds with their own unique uses. Nie Yan accepted a total of 10 potions. Most of the Alchemists had already shown off their potions. The only one left was Quiet Nannan. Everyone looked at him expectantly. ¡°I guess we did save the best for last,¡± someone teased. Quiet Nannan chuckled evilly. He took out five potions from his bag and displayed them on the table. ¡°Damn. Five new potions in such a short time! You really are a freak!¡± ¡°What kind of potions are these?¡± ¡°Stop acting so mysterious. Tell us already!¡± ¡°Even if the boss wastes a little time here, I guarantee it¡¯ll be worth it. I¡¯ll give everyone a nice surprise.¡± Quiet Nannan picked one bottle up. ¡°This is a new creation of mine. After drinking it, your attack power will increase by 20% and your aggro generation by 30%. It¡¯s ideal for Fighters, but it can also be used by Thieves.¡± Nie Yan nodded. This potion really was great for Warriors pulling aggro. The 20% increase in attack power was pretty decent too, only further enhancing their aggro generation ability. Nie Yan accepted this potion and rewarded Quiet Nannan with 5,000 gold. Quiet Nannan showed off the next three potions. The first was a potent poison, the second a night vision potion, and the third a holy blessing potion. They pretty much did as their names suggested. There was only one potion left. Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on the bottle, expectations running high. This potion was as black as the night. Yet the liquid sparkled and radiated an enchanting radiance. ¡°What kind of potion is this?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t named it yet,¡± Quiet Nannan replied, his expression turning serious. ¡°Why not?¡± Quiet Nannan shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Because I haven¡¯t thought of a suitable name yet.¡± ¡°It sure looks pretty unique. What does it do?¡± The enchanting glow the potion gave off drew everyone¡¯s full attention. One Alchemist walked over and tried to pick up the potion, only to have his hand slapped away by Quiet Nannan. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it!¡± ¡°Huh, why?¡± the Alchemist asked. He only wanted to take a closer look and see what it was made of. ¡°Because I concocted it by mixing Noxious Mandara, Corpsemaker, Mordor Nightshade Extract, Blight Dragon¡¯s Saliva, and 10 other highly potent poisons together. And th¡ª¡± ¡°What!? Impossible!¡± ¡°That can not be possible!¡± The Sage Alchemists called Quiet Nannan¡¯s claims into question. ¡°Every poison has unique properties. If you were to mix them together, rather than increasing the toxicity, they¡¯ll clash with each other. At best, it¡¯ll create a poison with a weaker potency. At worst, you¡¯d blow up this entire building,¡± Bird said. He¡¯d done his research. Quiet Nannan shook his head with a mysterious smile. ¡°You¡¯re all wrong. While I was studying poisons, I made a discovery. The Noxious Mandara and Corpsemaker are compatible. They can eliminate the volatile effects of the Blight Dragon¡¯s Saliva. It¡¯s similar with the other poisons. This gave me a new understanding. Poisons also have their own set of rules, just that we don¡¯t know them yet. It¡¯s like how there are different elemental energies. Some oppose each other while others engender each other. Under certain circumstances, they can counteract each other, and given the right conditions, they can come together in perfect harmony.¡± The Sage Alchemists sank into deep thought. This was a new revelation. It was like a window had been opened in their hearts. Their previous understandings of poisons had been flipped upside down. ¡°Get to the point. Just how strong is this poison?¡± Nie Yan asked. He wasn¡¯t too interested in the theoretics of Alchemy. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure. I¡¯d say it¡¯s at least fives times more potent than the next strongest poison. Its corrosiveness can easily melt any armour. It can instantly kill an enemy if their poison resistance isn¡¯t high enough. Furthermore, it can cause blindness, full body paralysis, internal bleeding, and several more negative side effects. After I first created this poison, the system determined it was of Legendary-grade. Sadly, the difficulty of concocting it is pretty high, and the materials are all rare, so I was only able to make two bottles,¡± Quiet Nannan said. This creation was the culmination of all his hard work and research into poisons. It was his greatest achievement. No other poison could compare with it. Everyone sucked in a cold breath of air. As fellow Alchemists, they understood just how difficult it was to make a poison of this level. This was definitely an epoch-marking concoction, worthy of being recorded down in the annals of alchemy. Nie Yan shot a glance at this black poison. He couldn¡¯t help but be flabbergasted. For this poison to have such heinous effects, it was truly shocking. ¡°You said you haven¡¯t named it yet, right?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°Mhm.¡± Quiet Nannan nodded. ¡°How about we call it Dragonbane?¡± Nie Yan suggested. He was being a bit playful. The only reason he suggested that name was because he was about to go to the Dragon¡¯s Den to steal a dragon egg. ¡°Dragonbane?¡± ¡°I mean, it is capable of killing dragons, right?¡± ¡°Dragonbane it is,¡± Quiet Nannan said. The names he came up with before didn¡¯t really fit, and they weren¡¯t too easy to remember either. Nie Yan¡¯s suggestion did fit, so he agreed. Quiet Nannan took a small sticker and put it on the bottle, then grabbed a pen from a workbench and wrote: ¡®Dragonbane¡¯. ¡°There¡¯s only two bottles?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°Yeah. Just for these two, I burned through the guild¡¯s entire stock of three different, rare medicinal plants,¡± Quiet Nannan said, scratching his head in embarrassment. ¡°As long as the result is this good, I¡¯ll provide you with as many medicinal plants as you need.¡± Nie Yan chuckled. Even though there were only two bottles, it would do for now. Poisons were different from regular potions. Most potions were one time use consumables, but poisons could be used one drip at a time. A single bottle of Dragonbane could be used up to five times. All he had to do was coat a bit of it onto his dagger. These two bottles would last him a long time. Quiet Nannan¡¯s successful creation of the Dragonbane poison allowed the other Alchemists to view Alchemy from a different point of view. With their new insights, they were itching to get back to work. ¡°Today¡¯s results exceeded my expectations. Apart from the 20,000 gold reward, I¡¯ve decided to give Quiet Nannan another 30,000 gold for the Dragonbane. Any objections?¡± Nie Yan asked. Everyone shook their head. They smiled and congratulated Quiet Nannan. He had undoubtedly earned Nie Yan¡¯s recognition, as had the others to a lesser degree. Working under such a boss was truly great. Nie Yan chatted with everyone for a bit, including a quick chat with Bird about the financial affairs. It would be pretty difficult for the Starry Night Potion Shop to grow any larger. Their daily profits had stabilized. On good days, they would pull in 9,000,000 gold. On bad days, it wouldn¡¯t dip below 7,000,000. The amount of income the Starry Night Potion Shop made every day was hard to imagine. However, all of it was quickly used. Apart from supporting Asskickers United¡¯s daily expenses, Nie Yan reinvested a large portion into the market to swallow up items that had high appreciation potential. Bird had opened up two warehouses just for these items, both of them filled to the brim with everything you could imagine. The items stored in there were bought at a low price, and would be sold when their value reached its peak. They would make a killing on them, somewhere in the several hundred million gold. Asskickers United storing items worth such a large amount of gold was no big deal. Nie Yan still had 50,000,000 gold sitting in his personal account. He would take out a portion and exchange them for real world credits, then transfer it over to his father¡¯s account. World Bloc was rapidly expanding. So, they needed the capital. Nie Yan eventually left the Starry Night Potion Shop after a quick goodbye, stuffing the new potions in his bag. He traveled to the outskirts of Calore and summoned his Darkwing Dragon. It was about time he paid a visit to the Dragon¡¯s Den in the Fate River. Nie Yan took out a Darkness Life Core from his bag and tossed it to the Darkwing Dragon. It ate the Life Core like it was eating beans. Nie Yan had already lost count of how many Darkness Life Cores the Darkwing Dragon had eaten. To ordinary players, these Life Core were each worth a small fortune, but the Darkwing Dragon was munching on them like every day snacks. Even though it showed no signs of breaking through to Rank 9, he could tell it was growing stronger bit by bit. Nie Yan took out a Dragon Core from his bag. It had already been a long time since the Darkwing Dragon had eaten one. It was about time to feed it a second one. Even though a Dragon Core wasn¡¯t enough to allow the Darkwing Dragon to break through to Rank 9, it was enough to give it a significant boost in strength. After Nie Yan took out the Dragon Core, the Darkwing Dragon repeatedly glanced back at him and let out begging cries. It was drooling from its mouth. Nie Yan chuckled and tossed the Dragon Core to the Darkwing Dragon. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 877 - Path of the Thief As the Darkwing Dragon swallowed the Dragon Core, the aura around its body shrunk, becoming far more dense and giving off a heavy feeling. Since Nie Yan and the Darkwing Dragon had a spiritual connection, he could sense it was slowly digesting the Dragon Core. The energy permeated into its body a little at a time. The Darkwing Dragon would need multiple days to digest this Dragon Core. Fate River, a surging river cut through a mountain range and flowed into a deep basin at the foot of a mountain. This was one of Calore¡¯s most treacherous areas. All sorts of different monsters prowled about. Elite creatures were everywhere. Even the much rarer golden monsters that dropped good equipment were rather common here. Not to mention the Fate River was rich with natural resources, home to many different kinds of medicinal plants and rare ores. Teams of players frequently entered this place, not to level but to adventure! A lucky few would return from the Fate River richer than in their wildest dreams. Just a few rare scores could allow you to live several months in luxury. If you were unlucky, however, and encountered some high level elites, you were most likely screwed. Even if you ran at the first possible moment, wiping was the most likely outcome. All this was assuming you didn¡¯t encounter a powerful dragon, for if you did, you would be dead before even knowing what attacked you. Nie Yan had the Darkwing Dragon circled in the sky before finally finding a suitable spot to descend. The Darkwing Dragon landed on the ground. Nie Yan hopped off its back. Before long, several Thieves arrived in front of Nie Yan. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re here!¡± Nie Yan glanced at these people. They were part of the Thief corps. Some of them looked more familiar than others. However, without inspecting them, he had no way of calling out their names. There were simply too many Thieves for him to remember all their names. The Thieves all grew extremely excited when they saw Nie Yan. ¡°Show me where the Dragon¡¯s Den is,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Alright. Follow us, Boss!¡± a Thief called Wind Blade said. Nie Yan followed behind them as they dashed in a certain direction. The several mountains in the vicinity were poking into the clouds with high, precipitous cliffs. Occasionally, a few large creatures flew overhead. The Thieves leading the way moved with extreme care. This place had dangers lurking everywhere. One slip up, and they could fall into a precarious state. They wouldn¡¯t be the first, nor the last to die here. ¡°Boss, some large flying creatures frequently appear here,¡± a Thief said. However, seeing Nie Yan giving him a warm smile, completely unperturbed, he realized his reminder was unnecessary. ... In a forest below a cliff, a dozen Thieves were eyeing the Dragon¡¯s Den. They spotted two large dragons flying away to go hunt. Two of the Thieves hid under some trees. They had a clear view of the cliff from behind the foliage. ¡°Chief, that should be the eighth one, right?¡± a 20 years old Thief with a somewhat immature appearance asked. His name was Su Yue. Beside him was a 30 years old Thief with a long mustache and dark skin. He showed a calm appearance. His name was Silvery Night, a junior captain in the Thief corps. ¡°No, still seven. We¡¯ve counted that one before.¡± Silvery Night shook his head. Su Yue asked in bewilderment, ¡°Chief, how can you tell? All these dragons look exactly the same to me!¡± Silvery Night chuckled. ¡°Not at all. If you look carefully, you can easily spot their unique traits.¡± Su Yue remained unconvinced. He stared at the dragons. They all looked the same to him. What unique traits were there to spot? He was amazed that Silvery Night could tell the differences between them. Ever since he joined the Thief corps, he¡¯d always worked under Silvery Night, quickly gaining respect for his chief who always seemed to know everything. ¡°I heard the boss is coming,¡± Su Yu remarked. He had only heard this from a teammate. At present, everyone was still guessing. For the sake of preventing any information from leaking out, only a handful of them knew it was Nie Yan who ordered them to come to the Fate River. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Silvery Night said, feigning ignorance. ¡°What kind of person is the boss?¡± Su Yue asked with curiosity. ¡°What kind of person is the boss? Hehe¡­ I don¡¯t really know either.¡± Many memories surfaced in Silvery Night¡¯s mind. He was a long-time member of Asskickers United, having joined when the guild was only 20,000 members in size. At that time, he and the others had joined for fun. Who could¡¯ve expected the guild would rise to such heights in two short years, experiencing victory after victory against some of the most powerful foes? Now they ruled over the Viridian Empire. Naturally, the status of people like him had risen as well. In the past, he wore trash equipment and was looked down on by almost everyone. Now, whenever he walked the streets of Calore, bystanders would gaze at him in envy and show respect. All of this was because of one person¡ªNirvana Flame! Thinking back to these past two years in Asskickers United, all of the guild¡¯s ups and downs, honours and disgraces deeply affected his heart. As for Nie Yan, he was undoubtedly an unrivalled existence to him, not someone he actually knew. ¡°Chief, have you ever met the boss?¡± Su Yue asked. ¡°A few times.¡± Silvery Night chuckled. ¡°Wow! Tell me, what is he like? I¡¯ve seen his videos, but I mean those are just videos! You can¡¯t even get a close look at him in them!¡± Su Yue said. A big reason he joined Assskickers United was his admiration for Nie Yan. The man who had single handedly built up a hegemony from scratch! The man who undoubtedly was an extremely amazing character! ¡°From what I remember, he looks pretty average. But that only makes it easier to get along with him. He isn¡¯t arrogant, he isn¡¯t stuck-up. He¡¯s a stand-up guy. I bet you¡¯ll be greatly disappointed. He definitely isn¡¯t like what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Silvery Night faintly smiled. ¡°You¡¯re lying, right?¡± ¡°Appearances are superficial, right? My most vivid memory of him was when me and two of my friends ran into 60 people from Victorious Return. We thought we were dead for sure. Only later on did we discover that those people were all chasing the boss. They didn¡¯t even pay us any attention at all.¡± ¡°What happened after?¡± Su Yue asked, interested. ¡°Back then, we were all pretty low level. The boss¡¯ equipment wasn¡¯t like the Legendary set he has today. But it was still better than anyone else¡¯s. He slaughtered half of them, the other half running for their lives. It was amazing,¡± Silvery Night recounted. ¡°He showed me what a true Thief can do.¡± A single person killing 30 enemies. Su Yue dropped his jaw in shock. This sort of thing was fairly normal for Nie Yan these days. However, when his equipment was only above average, that was a far greater achievement. Silvery Night chuckled. ¡°Anyway, after that event, I started improving by leaps and bounds. This was all thanks to seeing the boss in action that one time. Kid, do you know what¡¯s called a true Thief?¡± ¡°What?¡± Su Yue asked. Wasn¡¯t it just a class? Was there a need to be so mysterious? ¡°A Thief is a path, one of a king. If I explain it like that, you probably won¡¯t understand. Do you know why the Thief is called the king of the wilderness? It¡¯s not because our direct combat strength is particularly strong. We have two unparalleled abilities. The first is the ability to retreat and hide at any time. A highly skilled Thief can escape from any danger. The second is the ability to launch ambushes. Under the cover of the shadows, we¡¯re invisible killers. This is just my understanding. If I wanted to kill you, you would die without even knowing what happened. Everyone can only tremble before my dagger. Their fear will sap away at their strength. They are my prey. When you truly understand the path of the thief, you¡¯ll give off a certain aura. You¡¯ll become invincible,¡± Silvery Night said. ¡°Path of the Thief?¡± Su Yue muttered. This topic went over his head. ¡°Try your best to understand, kid.¡± Silvery Night patted Sue Yue¡¯s shoulder. Glancing at his chat, his face lit up with excitement. ¡°The boss is here!¡± They looked into the distance and saw several Thieves dashing over. One of them was wearing a cloak which hid his appearance. Even so, the gazes of all 12 of them instantly fell on him as their breath stagnated. They all knew who he was. The man, the myth, the legend, Nirvana Flame! Nie Yan walked over. Under the shade of the trees, he took off his hood. His eyes scanned over everyone¡¯s faces before finally falling on Silvery Night¡¯s. ¡°Silvery Night, have you investigated the surrounding terrain?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°Yes, Boss! You actually remember me?¡± Silvery Night asked, surprised. He didn¡¯t expect the boss to remember a nobody like him. The surrounding people all gazed at Silvery Night enviously. For the boss to remember him, this was a glorious thing. Nie Yan chuckled. ¡°How could I not? My impression of you is pretty deep. You have good eyes. The executive guild leader mentions you quite often.¡° After seeing Nie Yan in person, only then did Su Yue discover that they were around the same age. Even though Nie Yan was young, he gave off a mature impression. He appeared dignified and approachable. It made people feel as if his actual age were different from how he appeared. He was that kind of mysterious person! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 878 - Violet Eye Dragon Nie Yan gazed up at the cliff. About halfway up he spotted a cave entrance, several dragons circling above it in the skies. Their scales sparkled like crystals and reflected a dark violet colour under the sunlight. ¡°Did you find out how many of them there are?¡± Nie Yan asked. Judging by their appearances, these dragons looked like Violet Dragons. The defense and physical attacks of Violet Dragons were mediocre at best, but they had extremely powerful magic attacks. From his memory, there was a nest of Violet Eye Dragons in this vicinity. Perhaps this was it. ¡°We¡¯ve discovered seven Violet Eye Dragons so far. There might be more,¡± Silvery Night replied. ¡°How do you know they are Violet Eye Dragons?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°When some of them went out to hunt and drink water, we followed them and were able to confirm it.¡± Nie Yan nodded in approval. Silvery Night had performed well. Nie Yan decided to climb up the cliff and take a look inside the cave. His target was the dragon egg in the den. Nie Yan knew of the Violet Eye Dragon from a story of the previous timeline. Back then, the players from several guilds had cornered a wounded Violet Eye Dragon. At the crucial time, a random Warrior had swooped in to steal the dragon¡¯s egg, which he shortly after hatched. He instantly rose to the ranks of an expert, both in skill and level. The several guilds who had the egg snatched away from them sent people to kill him several times, only to have their forces slaughtered time and time again. Eventually, the Violet Eye Dragon became one of the top three pets. Even though flying mounts did exist in the previous timeline, there weren¡¯t all that many. The levelling speed of players also was substantially slower. As such, pets were of much greater importance. A high level one could instantly help a player become powerful. Later on, stories spread of players discovering the den of another Violet Eye Dragon. Several large guilds dispatched expedition teams to kill the dragons and snatch their eggs. However, they were wiped out. Eventually, someone supposedly snuck into the nest and stole an egg, a Violet Eye Dragon hatching from it. However, these were all stories Nie Yan had heard in passing or read on the forums; it was hard to tell truth from fantasy. What these events of the past did prove, was the strength of the Violet Eye Dragon. They were comparable to Lil¡¯ Gold. Even though they paled in close combat ability, they more than made up for it with their powerful magic ability. In the previous timeline, Golden Dragons only ranked in the top 10, while that one Violet Eye Dragon was always in the top three, never knocked off from its position. It was no wonder Nie Yan was moved. In the previous timeline, players had resorted to all means fair or foul to obtain a Violet Eye Dragon. Yet they still met with failure. In this life, if Nie Yan wanted to obtain a Violet Eye Dragon egg, it wouldn¡¯t be easy. The Violet Eye Dragon might be a dragon that could fly, but it wasn¡¯t a flying mount. It could only sustain flight for about six minutes tops. And when flying, they couldn¡¯t attack. Flying was an extremely strenuous activity for them. Nie Yan and Silvery Night observed the dragon¡¯s den for a while. Every now and then, one or two Violet Eye Dragons would come flying out. However, no matter what, the den was always guarded by at least three Violet Eye Dragons. These Violet Eye Dragons were all Level 200 Variant Lords. They were extremely powerful. Any single one of them could wipe out Nie Yan and the other Thieves. One could imagine how difficult it would be to snatch an egg from this place. Nie Yan had no idea how the people of the previous timeline did it. Even though he was about to do something so dangerous, Nie Yan was fairly calm. Ever since the game was released, he had risked his life countless times. This was part of the game for him. When Silvery Night, Su Yue, and the others heard Nie Yan wanted to snatch away the dragon egg, they all looked at him with baffled expressions, believing they misheard. However, seeing the confident smile on his face, they knew he wasn¡¯t joking. To snatch away an egg from right under the noses of seven Level 200 dragons, perhaps he was the only one who dared to do such a thing! As Nie Yan was about to draw up a plan, a Thief let out a cry. ¡°Boss, watch out!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a Rank 7 Dark Mega Sandscorpion!¡± ¡°Shit, it¡¯s coming straight for us!¡± Nie Yan raised his head. An enormous, black winged scorpion was swooping down towards them from the sky. Its wings were kicking up a black sandstorm. ¡°Boss, run!¡± Silvery Night, Su Yue, and the others all scattered. ¡°A darkness-attribute flying creature, here?¡± Nie Yan narrowed his eyes. His lips curved into a smile. Why would he run? In the face of the scorpion swooping down towards him, Nie Yan showed no signs of moving. Silvery Night, Su Yue, and the others wanted to call out to Nie Yan, only to hear a large explosion. A black sandstorm completely enveloped Nie Yan and swept out into the surroundings. They raised their daggers to block, yet were still pushed back several steps. They paled in fright. Trapped within this powerful sandstorm, Nie Yan was doomed for sure! How could a player go toe-to-toe with a Rank 7 flying creature!? Nie Yan had to admit that the sandstorm was pretty powerful. Just as the Dark Mega Sandscorpion came swooping down, he activated Gale Step and combined it with his Shadow Steps footwork to evade the attack. The scorpion landed heavily on the ground. Its multiple eyes scanned the surroundings for traces of Nie Yan. Its stinger was raised high in the air, ready to strike. At this moment, a silhouette landed on its back. Feeling something move on his back, the scorpion thrashed about and kicked up a powerful sandstorm. PSFHT! Nie Yan plunged the Bloody Dagger into the back of the Scorpion¡¯s head. It let out a painful screech and jabbed its stinger at him. Nie Yan sidestepped and evaded the attack. With a grunt, he drove the Bloody Dagger across the scorpion¡¯s head. PSFHT! A black liquid sprayed out and splashed his body. A string of 10,000s floated up above Nie Yan¡¯s head. He quickly took a high rank Antidote from his bag and drank it, removing the poison effect. No matter how much the scorpion struggled, it couldn¡¯t throw Nie Yan off its back. After a while, the scorpion¡¯s movements gradually came to a stop. Nie Yan stuck his hand into its head and fished out a Darkness Life Core. Silvery Night, Su Yue, and the others were anxiously waiting a little distance away. The sandstorm was too powerful. They had no way of approaching. However, they could sense that the scorpion was thrashing about violently from within due to the ground shaking under their feet. They were all puzzled. Just what was going on? About two minutes later, the sandstorm gradually dispersed. ¡°The sandstorm ended!¡± ¡°Quickly, find the boss!¡± If something were to happen to Nie Yan while with them, they definitely could not bear this responsibility! Silvery Night raised his head. The sight before him had him gaping in shock. The scorpion lay collapsed on the ground in a pile of sand with black blood leaking from its head. It was dead! After the dust settled, Nie Yan leisurely walked over toward them. His body was only covered with a bit of sand and the scorpion¡¯s blood. Silvery Night, Su Yue, and the others stared at Nie Yan, then back at the corpse of the scorpion. Their breaths stagnated, unable to describe the shock in their hearts. That was a Rank 7 flying creature! Yet it was dealt with by Nie Yan so easily! Seeing Nie Yan walking over, Su Yue finally understood Silvery Night¡¯s words from earlier. This was the path of a Thief. Under my dagger, if I want you to die, you won¡¯t even know what killed you. This applied to both humans and monsters! Nie Yan tossed the scorpion¡¯s Darkness Life Core to the Spectre Dragon in his pet space. ¡°Boss, Dark Mega Sandscorpions are creatures that move in swarms. There are probably more of them,¡± Silvery Night warned. Nie Yan nodded with a chuckle. ¡°That¡¯d be great. The more, the better.¡± His stockpile of Darkness Life Cores was starting to run low. The Darkwing Dragon and Spectre Dragon were both gluttons. He needed to restock on them, and Rank 7 Life Cores were fairly decent. Silvery Night thought for a moment. It appeared he was overthinking things. Nie Yan didn¡¯t seem to care about these Dark Mega Scandscorpions at all! He had always deeply admired Nie Yan, but today he was shocked once more. Nie Yan started investigating the Violet Eye Dragon¡¯s den. He used the Web-Crawler Ring to scale up the cliff, observing the inside of the cave as he hid behind the protruding rocks. He watched the Violet Eye Dragons moving inside. They were quite close together. The cave was dark, only lit up by a faint red glow. Violet Eye Dragons liked to make their dens near volcanic regions, since that was the best place to raise their young. Entering this place would be difficult. While Nie Yan was thinking of a plan, more Dark Mega Sandscorpions did come flying over, allowing him to replenish his stock of Darkness Life Cores. After eating several Rank 7 Life Cores, the Spectre Dragon rapidly grew in size. Likely because it was a spirit, its absorption ability of the Darkness Life Cores was much better than that of the Darkwing Dragon. Plus, since it was only Rank 6, Rank 7 Life Cores were extremely effective for its growth. Nie Yan could sense the Spectre Dragon¡¯s aura had already reached the peak of Rank 6. It was on the verge of breaking through to Rank 7. Once that happened, he would no longer have to fear the Vermillion Garudas. The Spectre Dragon and Darkwing Dragon were different. The Darkwing Dragon was a close-combat flying mount. After ranking up, its defense and attack power would greatly increase. It rarely learned new skills. On the other hand, the Spectre Dragon would learn two new skills once it broke through to Rank 7! Nie Yan was filled with expectation. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 879 - New Plan Spirit Howl and Spirit Possession, the two skills of his Spectre Dragon, were extremely useful. Nie Yan wondered what new skills it would learn next. He had no doubt they would be just as good, if not better. Even though its defense and attack power were fairly weak, those two skills made it far more valuable than the Darkwing Dragon at the same rank. Nie Yan carefully observed the surroundings, constantly keeping one eye on the Violet Eye Dragons. He did this for three days straight, after which he had a fairly good understanding of their daily routines. Though briefly, he had come in direct contact with one. These dragons were ridiculously powerful. They were proficient in lightning, earth, and spirit magic. Their battle prowess was astonishing. If Nie Yan wanted to sneak into the den, he would have to risk life and limb. He had no idea how that mystery person in his past life did it. Silvery Night, Su Yue, and the others served supporting roles to Nie Yan. They would level in the vicinity, never straying too far, ready to see to his every need. Level 200 Variant Lords! Nie Yan knitted his brows. Just one of these existences was far beyond him, to say nothing of seven! After Su Yue helped Silvery Night and the other take down a Level 160 Elite-class War Wolf, he gazed into the distance. Nie Yan stood below a tree pondering something. Only his back was visible. ¡°Chief, it¡¯s been three days. Do you think the boss will come up with a plan? He will find a way, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it¡¯s not like we haven¡¯t gotten anything out of these three days,¡± Silvery Night said. He wondered how Nie Yan was planning to enter the den. After all, those were Level 200 Variant Lords, and there were seven in total! Did Nie Yan have some kind of trick up his sleeve, simply waiting for the right moment to act, or was he coming up empty? They couldn¡¯t stay here forever! Silvery Night and his team, every individual member, racked their brains. They were eager to show their worth to Nie Yan by helping him find a way inside the den. A large Violet Eye Dragon exited the den and flapped its wings, flying off towards the east of the Fate River. ¡¸Su Yue, tail that dragon!¡¹Nie Yan ordered. No matter which Violet Eye Dragon left the den, he would have a Thief follow it and record its whereabouts, time spent away, and so on. Over these three days, Nie Yan discovered there was a two-hour window when most of the Violet Eye Dragos would be away from the den, with only three remaining to stand guard. Though still an incredibly steep task, this was the best opportunity to act he¡¯d found. Worst comes to worst, Nie Yan could only try his luck. Nie Yan was lost in thought, when he received a report back from Su Yue. The Violet Eye Dragon had flown to a spring in the east of the Fate River. After it finished drinking, it would fly back. ¡°Silvery Night, how many times a day do they go to the spring to drink on average?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°Reporting to the boss, at least once a day for around 20 minutes. Though, according to my analysis, over these past few days, it¡¯s been the same Violet Eye Dragon every time,¡± Silvery Night replied. ¡°The same one?¡± Nie Yan knitted his brows. He suddenly thought of something. ¡°Do all the Violet Eye Dragons go to the same spring to drink?¡± ¡°To our knowledge, yes they do.¡± Silvery Night nodded. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Nie Yan was planning to ambush and kill one of the Violet Eye Dragons at the spring. However, he immediately discarded the thought. These Violet Eye Dragons were Level 200 Variant Lords! Even the guild¡¯s elite team wasn¡¯t a match for one! ¡°Bring me over there!¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°I¡¯ll bring the boss over to the spring, you guys stay here,¡± Silvery Night instructed his team. ¡°Understood!¡± Two silhouettes flitted through the forest. Nie Yan and Silvery Night headed toward the east of the Fate River. About 10 minutes later, after passing through a dense patch of forest, Nie Yan and Silvery Night entered a wide open plain. Continuing forward, in the middle of a prairie was a small spring roughly five meters in diameter. Fresh water bubbled up from the underground source as hot steam rose up in the air, and the distinct smell of sulfur permeated the air. The water continuously seeped into the parched earth in the surroundings. ¡°This is it?¡± Nie Yan asked, his eyes scanning the surroundings. ¡°Yeah.¡± Silvery Night nodded. ¡°Anywhere else they go to drink?¡± ¡°Not that we know of. At least, they haven¡¯t for the past week since we¡¯ve started monitoring their movements,¡± Silvery Night said. Before Nie Yan had arrived, they¡¯d already been observing these Violet Eye Dragons for quite a few days. Seeing this small pond, an idea popped up in Nie Yan¡¯s head. He discarded his previous thought of trying to sneak into the den. He had a new plan! Nie Yan quickly called up Bird. ¡¸Boss, need something?¡¹Bird asked. ¡¸Help me ask Old Liu if his Psychedelic Lust Potion will have any effect on a Level 200 Variant Lord,¡¹Nie Yan said. If he could incapacitate these Violet Eye Dragons, they would be much easier to deal with. ¡¸A Level 200 Variant Lord!?¡¹Bird blurted out in shock.¡¸No matter how great the potion, I¡¯m afraid none are yet strong enough to have an effect on a Level 200 Variant Lord.¡¹ After hearing Bird¡¯s words, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. It looked like his plan wouldn¡¯t come to fruition. Bird sunk into deep thought for a moment before continuing,¡¸But it¡¯s not like it¡¯s impossible. Our guild has so many Sage Alchemists. Especially Quiet Nannan, that guy¡¯s alchemy skills can no longer be judged with common sense. Maybe we can come up with something.¡¹ ¡¸I need a powerful potion that can disorientate, knock out, or incapacitate a Level 200 Variant Lord. Doesn¡¯t matter how,¡¹Nie Yan said. No matter what kind of effect the potion had, as long as it made the Violet Eye Dragon vulnerable, that was good enough. ¡¸Boss, hold on a moment. I¡¯ll go talk with the others and see if this kind of potion is feasible. I¡¯ll have an answer in five minutes,¡¹Bird said. ¡¸No hurry.¡¹The Starry Night Potion had the best Alchemists in the entire game. Perhaps they could really produce a potion even more potent than the Psychedelic Lust Potion. After hanging up, Nie Yan patiently waited, praying Bird and the others would come up with a way. If it really proved impossible, he could only go back to square one. ... The Starry Night Potion Shop main branch. Up on the 16th floor, the Sage Alchemists dropped what they were doing and gathered together for a meeting. ¡°Old Liu, would your Psychedelic Lust Potion have any effect on Level 200 Variant Lords?¡± Bird asked. He stared at the Alchemist across from him, the old pervert who¡¯d created the Psychedelic Lust Potion. Old Liu shook his head with a bitter smile. ¡°How could that be possible? That¡¯s a Level 200 Variant Lord you¡¯re asking about!¡± ¡°Does anyone have any ideas? Anything that will be effective on a Level 200 Variant Lord? Doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s hallucogenic, paralyzing, or whatever.¡± The Sage Alchemists knitted their eyebrows. They had yet to produce a potion at that level. Level 200 Variant Lords bordered on legendary existences. None of them had come in contact with that realm. Old Liu thought for a moment, then said, ¡°When I was developing the Psychedelic Lust Potion, the first prototype I created had an extremely weak effect and a short duration. However, since the manufacturing cost was so low, I created over 100 bottles and boiled them down to their essence to create the Psychedelic Lust Potion. If we increase that concentration by 50 times, I think it might be enough to disorientate a Level 200 Variant Lord for 20 seconds.¡± ¡°One without resistances maybe. A purely hypothetical situation. We first need to know the stats of this Variant Lord. If it has a strong resistance against hallucinogenic effects, then even if we increased the concentration by 50 times, it still won¡¯t have any effect,¡± Quiet Nannan interjected. ¡°Hallucinogens have relatively weak effects. Among all the poisons, ones that can directly knock out the target are the strongest. If we use the concentration method, do you think we can make an effective potion?¡± Bird asked. He turned to Quiet Nannan, looking for his opinion. ¡°Theoretically speaking, it¡¯s possible. However, we have to consider what kind of resistances that monster has and how resistant it is against knock-out poisons,¡± Quiet Nannan said, rubbing his chin. ¡°It¡¯s best if we combine that with the poison synergies hypothesis I came up with before. If we use different kinds of knock-out poisons that are compatible with each other, concentrate them together, we might just produce another Legendary poison.¡± Quiet Nannan thought for a moment, then continued. ¡°It¡¯s best if we can get a sample of that Variant Lord¡¯s blood, even if only a little bit. That way we can discover what kind of resistances and weaknesses it has and make an appropriate poison.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him right now,¡± Bird said. ... Nie Yan received Bird¡¯s request. Even though it was a bit troublesome, he was glad there was a chance his new plane might work. Compared to killing the Violet Eye Dragon, it was far easier to get a sample of its blood. It wouldn¡¯t take him much time at all. ¡¸How long will it take to create this potion?¡¹Nie Yan asked. ¡¸If it were just one person working on it alone, it would take at least two months. However, with all our Sage Alchemists working together, we¡¯ll get it done in a week at most. But you have to get us the blood sample first before we can even get started,¡¹Bird said. This was much faster than Nie Yan expected! ¡¸I¡¯ll get you that blood sample right away. I¡¯ll have someone deliver it in half-an-hour,¡¹Nie Yan said. He just received word that a Violet Eye Dragon was flying towards the south of the Fate River! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 880 - Insane Plan It took Nie Yan 10 minutes to locate the Violet Eye Dragon roaming through the forest. It was hunting for food, several lion-like creatures its prey. They were spooked by the sudden appearance of the predator and fled in panic. Nie Yan carefully observed the scene, counting seven lions in total. Despite being near the top of the food chain, they were no different from meek rabbits in front of the Violet Eye Dragon. The Violet Eye Dragon quickly locked onto the lions. It opened its maw and chanted an incantation in dragon tongue, summoning earth spikes which directly skewered two of the lions. Immediately after, bolts of lightning came crashing down from the sky and struck three more lions. They were all burnt to a crisp. Holding a lion¡¯s corpse in place with its talons, the Violet Eye Dragon tore off a chunk of meat. It was the ruler of this area. No other creature could challenge it. Sensing something, the Violet Eye Dragon looked at a patch of distant trees. Failing to spot anything, it continued devouring its meal. Nie Yan breathed a sigh of relief, his body hidden behind a tree. The violet eyes of the Violet Eye Dragon were as pure as crystal and could pierce through most objects. After double-checking to make sure the Violet Eye Dragon was preoccupied with the lion, Nie Yan entered stealth and cautiously approached it from behind. Slowly but surely, the gap between them shortened until only 10 meters separated them. Nie Yan held his breath, his eyes locked on the giant monster¡¯s back. The Violet Eye Dragon appeared to notice him and snorted out a hot breath of air, annoyed by the disruption. Just as the Violet Eye Dragon turned around, Nie Yan launched himself forward. His body blurred as he summoned his shadow clone and split into two. ¡°GROAAH!¡± The Violet Eye Dragon opened its mouth and blasted scorching hot flames in Nie Yan¡¯s direction. Nie Yan and the shadow clone both activated Gale Step at the same time. The Violet Eye Dragon searched for Nie Yan. Seeing a silhouette flash in front of it, it immediately cast a spell. The ground beneath the silhouette split apart as a giant rock pillar dropped down from the sky. BOOOM! The silhouette disappeared, as if it were never there in the first place. The Violet Eye Dragon¡¯s expression flashed with confusion. With its low intelligence it couldn¡¯t possibly comprehend what happened. It looked around vigilantly, concluding that perhaps the enemy was gone. The shadow clone had attacked from one side, now dead to the Violet Eye Dragon, while Nie Yan came at it from the other side, plunging Zennarde¡¯s Sword deep into its back. Only Zennarde¡¯s Sword could pierce through the Violet Eye Dragon¡¯s scales! PSSFHT! Blood splattered everywhere. Nie Yan pulled out Zennarde¡¯s Sword as blood gushed out from the wound like a fountain. He hurriedly fetched an empty vial to collect it. ¡°GRAAAOGH!¡± the Violet Eye Dragon roared out in pain, shaking the entire forest. When it turned around to pounce on the enemy, they were already gone. It stomped around in pain, searching for Nie Yan who had already left with an Unknown Transfer Scroll. The Violet Eye Dragon didn¡¯t know spatial magic. So, it could only search around, confused for the second time by a sudden disappearance. Somewhere 1,000 meters away from the Violet Eye Dragon, Nie Yan reappeared. His head was spinning, his body moving uncontrollably. More than once he felt the sharp pain of running head first into a tree. About 20 seconds later, he gradually regained control of himself. When Nie Yan had crushed the Unknown Transfer Scroll, he had been hit by the Violet Eye Dragon¡¯s mind magic. He had had no time to activate Mind Immune. The cast speed of a Level 200 Variant Lord was truly terrifying. Three hulking savages in the vicinity were eyeing Nie Yan. They were ordinary Level 180 monsters. Nie Yan hurriedly activated Extreme Deterrence. The savages stared at him with vigilance, though eventually backed away. Nie Yan looked at the vial in his hand, filled to the brim with Violet Eye Dragon blood. Nie Yan contacted Silvery Night and informed him of his coordinates, ordering him to hurry over. Silvery Night didn¡¯t need to be told twice. He arrived no five minutes later. ¡°I¡¯ve got the dragon blood. Have someone deliver it to the main branch of the Starry Night Potion Shop.¡± Nie Yan handed over the vial to Silvery Night. Now all he had to do was wait for Bird and the others to report back with the results. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll get to it immediately!¡± Silvery Night said. He had a Thief teleport back to Calore with the dragon blood using a Return Scroll. The Sage Alchemists would at least require a week to create the new potion. Until then, Nie Yan planned to do some levelling, or perhaps do another quest. ¡°Boss, even if it works, the potion will at most knock out the Violet Eye Dragon for a few short minutes, maybe only 90 seconds if we¡¯re unlucky. There¡¯s no way we can kill it in that short amount of time. When it comes to, we will all be dead,¡± Silvery Night voiced his doubts. Even if there was a potion that could affect a Level 200 Variant Lord, they still would lack the damage to kill it. So, why go through all this unnecessary trouble? ¡°Who said we¡¯re going to kill the Violet Eye Dragon?¡± Nie Yan chuckled. ¡°Huh, then what are we going to do?¡± Silvery Night asked. The dots connected in his head. ¡°W-wait, Boss, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re planning to capture it!?¡± ¡°Good plan, right?¡± Nie Yan laughed. Silvery Night dropped his jaw in shock. Nie Yan was planning to make a Violet Eye Dragon his pet? That was a Level 200 Variant Lord! Silvery Night felt his head spin. This was absolutely ridiculous! ¡°Boss, do you really believe it¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°Why not? As long as they¡¯re not too intelligent, most monsters can become pets through beast taming.¡± ¡°Yes, but the level gap is way too big. There¡¯s no way it¡¯ll succeed!¡± ¡°So we keep them locked away and slowly work on taming them. When our levels are a bit higher, they¡¯ll make for great pets,¡± Nie Yan said. This seemed possible. Even though Silvery Night still had his doubts, he quickly dispelled them. All he needed to do was listen to the boss¡¯ orders. In terms of experience, he couldn¡¯t compare to Nie Yan. He thought for a bit. It wasn¡¯t like there weren¡¯t others in Conviction who were more skilled than Nie Yan. However, no one had yet managed to beat him. The reason was multi-faceted. One aspect was that none of them were as crazy as he was. Where he would fearlessly take on the most dangerous task, coming up with the craziest ideas to overcome the biggest hurdles, others would often instead take a step back. In Conviction which was filled with unlimited possibilities, this was also a sort of unrivalled talent. In the past, Nie Yan could only use the Crawler Ring, Leaper Ring, Silk Spinner Ring, and other Special Items to pull some clever tricks. These items had helped him defeat one powerful boss after another, overcoming one tall obstacle after another, and contributing to his never ending legend. However, he was no longer limited to these few items. He now had an army of Alchemists, Tinkerers, Enchanters, Engineers, and other artisans as well as the manpower of Asskickers United at his beck and call. He could do even crazier things than before! Nie Yan contacted Guo Huai via voice chat.¡¸Help me get in touch with all our guild¡¯s Sage Tinkerers, Enchanters, and Engineers.¡¹ ¡¸Sure, how urgent is it?¡¹Guo Huai asked. He had no idea what Nie Yan wanted to do that would require so much manpower. ¡¸The faster, the better.¡¹ ¡¸Alright, I¡¯ll get to it right away.¡¹ If Nie Yan could turn these Level 200 Variant Lord-class Violet Eye Dragons into his pets, they would be a strategic power in their war with Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. Wars in Conviction were just like reality. Apart from the standard ground forces, powerful super weapons were also required. Only by combining these two could you achieve victory! Why else would he go out of his way to collect something like Empress Finas¡¯ Occult Talisman? Nie Yan had no idea if his plan would succeed. However, he was already imagining what the faces of his enemies would look like if Asskickers United summoned several powerful pets like the Violet Eye Dragon. At this stage of the game, Level 200 Variant Lords were terrifying existences not to be trifled with. Before long, Asskickers United¡¯s artistans started stirring. Many Sage-rank artisans hurriedly assembled in Asskickers United¡¯s headquarters in Okoron. They patiently waited in the conference hall. Even though they had no idea what Guo Huai gathered them together for, they could sense it was something special. There were 23 people present in the conference hall, all Sage-rank artisans: 13 Tinkerers, three Enchanters, and eight Engineers. Tinkerer and Engineer were relatively easy professions to progress in. So, there were more Sages among them. Sage-rank Enchanters were rarer in comparison. ¡°I wonder what the executive guild leader called us for.¡± ¡°Violet Mist, do you know?¡± Violet Mist shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± ... Everyone was chatting with each other. All Guo Huai had told them was to drop whatever they were doing and hurry over to the guild headquarters in Okoron. Nie Yan left Silvery Night and his team in charge of monitoring the Violet Eye Dragons. He teleported back to Okoron with Instant Transmission, his silhouette appearing out of nowhere in the guild headquarters. He headed toward the special conference hall. Nie Yan appeared at the entrance of the conference hall. The Sage artisans¡¯ faces went blank. ¡°It¡¯s the boss!¡± ¡°The boss is here!¡± Nie Yan¡¯s appearance left them shocked. They all stopped their idle chatter and instead faced him with serious expressions. They felt a slight pressure weighing on their hearts. After all, this was the big boss. So Nie Yan had called for them. They couldn¡¯t help but wonder what he wanted them for. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 881 - Preparations Complete Nie Yan looked around. Asskickers United¡¯s best Blacksmiths, Engineers, Tinkerers, and Enchanters were gathered here in the guild headquarters. They all held sublime authority in their respective fields. ¡°Today I gathered you all together for a special assignment,¡± Nie Yan said, sweeping his eyes over the crowd. ¡°What do you need us to do? We¡¯ll do our best to accomplish it!¡± ¡°I need a pen of sorts that can hold a Level 200 Variant Lord,¡± Nie Yan said. These proud men immediately fell silent. ¡°That¡¯s going to be incredibly difficult if not impossible, Boss. A Level 200 Variant Lord isn¡¯t just going to willingly let itself be captured.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s knocked unconscious, would that help?¡± Nie Yan asked. In the previous timeline, someone had pulled a similar thing off. Logically speaking, with so many Sage artisans around, containing a Violet Eye Dragon wasn¡¯t entirely out of the realm of possibility. He briefly explained the situation, also making sure to inform them of the size of the Violet Eye Dragons, what magic they specialized in, and their other characteristics. ¡°That should be possible. As long as we can get it into the cage, it won¡¯t get back out.¡± ¡°It has to be a pretty damn strong cage. We need to use the highest rank metal we have, and each individual bar has to be thick and solid. There can¡¯t be any weak points in the design either. If the Enchanters know of a suitable magic formation to reinforce it further, that¡¯d be of great help.¡± ¡°We have plenty of manpower. In terms of resources, Krutinium should work. There is no better alloy out there right now. Plus, producing it is pretty cheap. If we make the bars as thick as an arm, they should be enough to contain the dragon.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have the Engineers draw up a design. It would be best if we can prevent the Violet Eye Dragon from moving at all.¡± The different Sages chimed in with their ideas. ¡°Mix in some Anti-Magic Silversand into the alloy. That¡¯ll give the bars some additional magic resistance.¡± ¡°Anti-Magic Silversand is pretty expensive though¡­¡± Everyone turned to Nie Yan. ¡°How much do you need?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°If we want the desired magic resistance, about 10 lbs. per cage. If we¡¯re skimping, we can probably get by with five or six.¡± ¡°We only have 30 lbs. in the warehouse.¡± ¡°Are there any for sale in the marketplace?¡± Nie Yan asked. If the guild¡¯s stock wasn¡¯t enough, they could only turn to the marketplace. ¡°There is, but it goes for 60,000 gold per lb. Anti-Magic Silversand is too rare. It¡¯s the most important material we use for adding magic resistance properties to our creations. Normally, it can be used sparingly. There¡¯s only about 100 lbs. circulating in the market every day,¡± a Blacksmith said. He was fairly knowledgeable about the market. Nie Yan rubbed his chin for a moment before turning to Guo Huai. ¡°Help me buy up all the Anti-Magic Silversand on the market.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Guo Huai nodded. He immediately passed down the order to his subordinates stationed in the auction houses across the Viridian Empire and Satreen Empire. The Sages glanced at each other in shock. The Blacksmith in particular was completely dumbstruck. He¡¯d only described the rough situation, which was enough for Nie Yan to quickly decide to buy up all the Anti-Magic Silversand on the market! That was 6,000,000 gold! Yet Nie Yan was acting like he was buying cabbages at the grocery store. Even the executive guild leader didn¡¯t bat an eyelid. It almost seemed like this was a normal day¡¯s business for these two! About three minutes later, all the Anti-Magic Silversand on the market had been bought up. Not even a single spec was left. Blacksmiths searched on the Super Trade Channel, but no one was selling. They could only turn to the forums and offload their frustration on the artisan boards.¡¸Fuck! What is this bullshit!? Which goatfucker bought up all the Anti-Magic Silversand!?¡¹ A single word from Nie Yan could influence the entire marketplace. Perhaps he was the only one with this much power. Another five minutes later, the Anti-Magic Silversand was brought over from all across the surface world to the conference hall in Okoron. All 100 lbs. of it was dumped on the table. ¡°If you need anything else, let me know. As long as money can buy it, I¡¯ll help you get it. Don¡¯t worry about being frugal. This task is of the utmost importance. I need the cages as quickly as possible. The first one has to be finished by next week,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss! Leave it to us!¡± After explaining the finer details, Nie Yan left. The Blacksmiths and Tinkerers quickly went about producing the Krutinium. The Engineers started drafting up the design. As for the Enchanters, they would only come into play a little later. They went to prepare for then, researching a magic formation that would be most suitable for reinforcing the cage. Over the next week, Nie Yan paid several trips to the battlefield. Whenever he appeared, the players from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group lost their wits in fear. The number of people who had died at his hands these few days quickly exceeded 10,000. Soaring Angel dispatched Masters to assassinate him, but none of them came even close to succeeding. Nie Yan was a huge thorn in the sides of the Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. He was simply invincible. His strength, equipment, skill, it all was far beyond that of most everyone else. If he continued to rampage around so unabashedly, this could have a major influence on the war. They focused even more of their efforts into killing him. On the seventh day, Nie Yan finally received good news. Bird and the other Alchemists had finished creating the knockout potion. For the sake of developing this potion, they had worked tirelessly without rest. 13 Sage Alchemists had combined their knowledge into making this potion which was Legendary-grade. It had to be administered through the mouth. Apart from knocking the target out, it also had a weakness and paralysis effect. With a recipe and Nie Yan providing the materials, they could produce three potions every day. Each one cost around 300,000 gold. This could be considered the most expensive potion on the market. Nie Yan was itching to see its effects. Apart from this ¡°Dragon KO Potion¡±, the artisans had almost completed the cage. The Enchanters were working on the last few parts of the magic formation. Every part of the cage had to be reinforced with a runic seal. This was extremely delicate and tedious work. It required three Sage Enchanters working in tandem to complete. Suffice to say, it took quite some time. Though the artisans didn¡¯t manage to finish it within the seven-day time limit he had set, Nie Yan didn¡¯t mind too much. Nie Yan already had a complete plan in his mind. He contacted Undying Scoundrel, Summer Bug, and eight other Mages and told them to come over. After a while, the 10 of them arrived in front of Nie Yan. They were all Mages proficient with spatial magic. ¡°What do you need, Boss?¡± Undying Scoundrel asked. ¡°I have a special task for you guys.¡± Nie Yan explained his plan. After hearing Nie Yan wanted to capture a Level 200 Variant Lord, the Mages were dumbstruck. This was simply mad! It required a special kind of crazy for someone to come up with a plan like this. They doubted there was anyone else than Nie Yan who fit this description. ¡°Boss, are you sure this will work?¡± Summer Bug couldn¡¯t help but ask, a worried expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯m at least 80% confident it will work,¡± Nie Yan replied. All preparations were complete. Turning back midway was not an option, or else all the time, manpower, and resources he invested would go to waste. ¡°Even if there was only a 10% chance, I¡¯d still say we go for it, to say nothing of 80%!¡± Undying Scoundrel exclaimed. After all, they were about to attempt something no one in history had done before. After a while, Bird and the others sent over the potion. Nie Yan turned to Summer Bug. ¡°How strong is that Summon Arcane Giant spell of yours now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already reached Advanced. I can summon three at once.¡± ¡°So they have the Inexhaustible Strength skill now, right?¡± Nie Yan asked. The number of Magisters that had the Summon Arcane Giant spell could be counted on one hand. As for those who had raised it to Advanced, perhaps Summer Bug was the only one. This spell was his trump card. He didn¡¯t reveal it easily. Only Nie Yan and a few others knew he had it. The official website had no information about it either. The Inexhaustible Strength skill was only obtained after the spell reached Advanced, something he¡¯d only managed a few days ago. Even he himself didn¡¯t know how useful it would be. How in the world did Nie Yan? Even though Summer Bug was baffled, he still nodded. ¡°Yeah, they do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Nie Yan smiled in satisfaction. Everything was falling into place. When the Enchanters finished with the cage, they could get started. Nie Yan and the others headed to the Fate River. A half hour later, Nie Yan¡¯s group arrived at the spring. ¡°This is the place?¡± Undying Scoundrel asked after looking around. After Nie Yan nodded in confirmation, Summer Bug said, ¡°This place is pretty wide and spacious. That¡¯ll make it easier for us to move around.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get started,¡± Nie Yan said. The Mages spread out in a circle around the spring about 30 meters away. They took out special items, runic stones, and other materials and started laying down a teleportation gate. It took them over three hours to get it ready. This transfer gate was up to six times larger than an ordinary one. After a while, Silvery Night came rushing over. He looked at the Mages busy at work. He wondered what Nie Yan would do to capture the Violet Eye Dragon. He couldn¡¯t help but be filled with anticipation. If Nie Yan were successful, this would be a history-making achievement and would have far-reaching effects. More importantly, he would be a part of it! This was an extremely great honour. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 882 - Trapping the Violet Eye Dragon ¡°How¡¯s it been this past week? Anything new to report?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°Nothing unusual happened. However, I did discover that a different Violet Eye Dragon went to drink in the spring the last few days. I¡¯m guessing they take turns, probably rotating every seven to 13 days. I haven¡¯t had a chance to confirm yet,¡± Silvery Night said. They would need more information to prove or disprove this theory. Nie Yan nodded. This was a new discovery. All preparations were complete. They only needed the cage now. To pass the time, those near the spring did some levelling. About two hours later, Nie Yan received word that the cage was ready for use. Nie Yan teleported back to the guild headquarters in Okoron with Instant Transmission. He entered the conference hall and was greeted by the sight of a large cage. It was five meters high with metal bars as thick as his arms. Each bar was densely carved with delicate runes, especially near the cage door. Its design was that of a simple cage, yet there were many complex mechanisms incorporated. ¡°Boss, this cage should be able to hold the Violet Eye Dragon. It¡¯s made out of 1,200 lbs of Krutinium, 17 lbs of Anti-Magic Silversand, 32 lbs of Lodium, and 36 other different types of rare metals. It can withstand approximately 600,000 lbs of force, and no magic can damage it. Even if you dropped it from an altitude of 6,000 meters, it still will not break. The cage door is fixed with two complex mechanisms. After they¡¯re activated, any creature locked inside will be forced to lay down,¡± an Engineer explained. Seeing this cage, Nie Yan smiled in satisfaction. It looked almost exactly like he¡¯d imagined it would. If even this couldn¡¯t hold the Violet Eye Dragon, nothing would. ¡°In addition, we did some research and discovered the weak points of dragons are their bellies, their necks, and their collarbones. If the situation looks dicey, you can pull this red gear to target those weak spots.¡± Nie Yan nodded. He already had a good understanding of how to use the cage. Their first attempt of catching a Violet Eye Dragon would be a test run for the cage. If it really could lock one down, Nie Yan would have his artisans make a second one. Before long, Undying Scoundrel, Summer Bug, and the eight other Mages entered the conference hall. Just like before, they set up a transfer gate, which took them several hours to complete. Nie Yan called up several strong Warriors. They lifted the cage with all their power, then carried it over into the center of the transfer gate. Everything was ready to trap the Violet Eye Dragon. Tomorrow, at 8 o¡¯clock sharp in the morning¡ªwhen the Violet Eye Dragon would make its next trip to the spring¡ªtheir plan would be executed. But for now, with the servers soon going offline, Nie Yan and the others logged off. They had no school, so Nie Yan took Xie Yao on a road trip, visiting several of the neighbouring cities. Time flew by. When the servers came back online, Nie Yan and the others hurried over to the Fate River. They hid in the vicinity of the spring, waiting for the Violet Eye Dragon to appear. No large animals prowled this open plain, only the occasional small bird or animal showing themselves. Since the Violet Eye Dragon frequented this spring fairly often, they were all scared off. Time slowly ticked away. Nie Yan¡¯s voice chat rang. It was Silvery Night. ¡¸Boss, a Violet Eye Dragon just came out of the den. Its heading in your direction,¡¹Silvery Night said. ¡¸Kept me waiting long enough!¡¹Nie Yan faintly smiled. He turned to Undying Scoundrel and the others. ¡°It¡¯s coming. Get ready!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± the Mages answered. Many of them retreated 500 meters away. They needed to maintain at least this much distance to ensure their safety. Undying Scoundrel walked over to Nie Yan. He chanted an incantation as he conjured a waterball in his palm. It slowly rotated in the air. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± he said. Nie Yan held the two bottles of ¡°Dragon KO Potion¡± in his hands. Going back and forth in his mind, he eventually opted to use both. Better to be safe than sorry, he figured. He emptied the two bottles into the waterball, watching as the black liquid diffused into the water and slowly turned the whole thing ink black. ¡°Are you confident? This is going to be pretty difficult!¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss. When have I ever let you down?¡± Undying Scoundrel laughed. The two potions cost 600,000 gold in total. If this failed, all that gold would go down the drain. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but be prudent. However, he had faith in Undying Scoundrel. If he couldn¡¯t do it, perhaps it really was an impossible endeavour. Undying Scoundrel walked over to the spring with the waterball. He slowly placed it in the water and allowed it to sink just below the surface. The waterball didn¡¯t burst. Its contents were safely inside. Undying Scoundrel carefully controlled its movements underwater. ¡°Alright, what¡¯s the farthest distance you can control the waterball from?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°200 meters. If I drink a powerful enough magic enhancing potion, 350 meters should also be possible,¡± Undying Scoundrel replied. ¡°That¡¯s good enough.¡± Nie Yan nodded ¡°Remember to use the invisibility cloak in a bit.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± An anxious voice cried out in voice chat,¡¸Boss, the Violet Eye Dragon is here!¡¹ Nie Yan looked up at the sky. In the distance, a Violet Eye Dragon was flying over. Nie Yan and Undying Scoundrel hurriedly retreated and found a place to hide. Waist-high grass grew everywhere on this plain, making for good cover. Before long, the Violet Eye Dragon arrived at the spring. Nie Yan entered stealth while everyone else put on their invisibility cloaks. They carefully erased their presence and eyed the giant beast. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 883 - Spiked Drink The Violet Eye Dragon approached the spring. It appeared particularly irritable today, snorting out hot breaths of air as it looked around. ¡¸Everyone, be careful. It might¡¯ve already discovered us!¡¹Nie Yan warned. The Violet Eye Dragon¡¯s behaviour seemed off. Everyone calmed their hearts, not daring to breathe too loudly. If they were discovered by the Violet Eye Dragon, it would be an absolute disaster. Failure of the operation would be the least of their worries. The Violet Eye Dragon sniffed around the spring. It detected an unfamiliar presence. But failing to discover anything of substance, it slowly lowered its head and prepared to drink. ¡¸It¡¯s going to drink!¡¹Undying Scoundrel felt his heart race. As soon as the Violet Eye Dragon started drinking, he could get to work. The Violet Eye Dragon drank several mouthfuls of water. ¡¸Be patient! Keep waiting!¡¹Nie Yan eyed Undying Scoundrel. The Violet Eye Dragon still had its guard up, if only a little. If they acted rashly, they would alert it! Sure enough, the Violet Eye Dragon only took a few swigs of water before raising its head and looking around restlessly. It seemed to have found something, as it started walking towards the transfer gate Undying Scoundrel and the other Mages set up. ¡¸Boss, it¡¯s walking over to the transfer gate!¡¹ ¡¸What do we do?¡¹ ¡¸Retreat another 100 meters. Let¡¯s see what it¡¯s planning to do!¡¹Nie Yan said. Sure enough, a Level 200 Variant Lord wasn¡¯t easy to deal with. The players hiding near the transfer gate quickly retreated. From 300 meters, which was already an extremely safe distance, they fell back to over 500 meters away from the Violet Eye Dragon. However, Nie Yan still didn¡¯t feel at ease and had them retreat even further back. ¡¸Boss, the Violet Eye Dragon discovered the Transfer Gate!¡¹ Nie Yan went over to investigate and discovered the Violet Eye Dragon standing right next to the transfer gate. His heart sunk. ¡¸Stay put!¡¹Nie Yan said after thinking for a bit. They had already dug out all the runestones and magic crystals from the transfer gate. Right now, it was only a frame radiating no magical energy. The Violet Eye Dragon sensed the human presence around the transfer gate. It opened its mouth and blasted the ground with dragon breath. ¡¸Boss, the transfer gate is destroyed!¡¹ Nie Yan knitted his brows. Undying Scoundrel and the others had spent several hours working tirelessly on it. Their plan went up in smoke in an instant. Would they have to give up? He felt truly reluctant. If they went back empty-handed, without even making a true attempt, all their preparations would''ve been for naught. 600,000 gold worth of potions, wasted. Even if you had the money, you couldn¡¯t throw it away like this! The Violet Eye Dragon seemed irked by the transfer gate. It snorted, turned around, and headed back to the spring. ¡¸Boss, what should we do? Do we continue?¡¹Undying Scoundrel asked. They had spent three hours working on this transfer gate. Rebuilding it was not an option, the Violet Eye Dragon wouldn¡¯t stick around that long. ¡¸What¡¯s the state of the transfer gate? Can it be repaired?¡¹Nie Yan asked. If the transfer gate was beyond repair and they could only rebuilt it from scratch, they could only give up on this attempt. The two potions would also go to waste. ¡¸I don¡¯t know. We¡¯re too far away. I can¡¯t see it clearly.¡¹ Nie Yan thought for a moment.¡¸Wait for a bit. I¡¯ll go over and check it out myself.¡¹ ¡¸Boss, you¡¯ll be discovered!¡¹ The transfer gate was only 30 meters away from the spring. However, with the Awareness of a Level 200 Variant Lord, Nie Yan would be discovered before even getting anywhere near it. His stats might be overpowered, standing far above all other players, but this was no player, this was a monster so strong it could perhaps wipe out an entire city! ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. I got this.¡¹Nie Yan chuckled. Slowly approaching the transfer gate, he took out Eye of Kirge and placed it on the ground. This item looked like a giant eyeball with pupils, blood vessels, and all. Its appearance was a bit frightening. He chanted an incantation and put his focus on the eye. Its pupils gradually expanded. When he finished chanting, the eye lit up with a profound light as if it had come alive. Everything the eye saw Nie Yan saw too. The Eye of Kirge slowly floated over to the transfer gate. Two minutes later, Nie Yan got a close look at the transfer gate. The Eye Of Kirge was hidden in the grass and stared at the burnt ground. The Violet Eye Dragon, drinking from the spring, suddenly sensed something and raised its head vigilantly. It looked around but failed to find anything amiss, lowering its head back down again and taking a big swig. ¡¸Boss, it¡¯s drinking. Do I go now?¡¹Undying Scoundrel anxiously asked. ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, it usually spends at least 20 minutes drinking, sometimes up to 40. We still got time,¡¹Nie Yan calmly said. Looking through the Eye of Kirge, he reported back the damage.¡¸There¡¯s a hole in the center taking up about a tenth of the formation. How long do you think it''ll take to repair it?¡¹ ¡¸If we all work together, two minutes should be enough.¡¹ ¡¸Do you have the materials?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, we do.¡¹ ¡¸I have an Auto-Repair Scroll. If the damage to the transfer gate is serious, as long as I place the scroll on the formation, it should repair it,¡¹Summer Bug said. He¡¯d almost forgotten about this item stuffed in a corner of his bag. It was a reward from a quest, one that had seemed mostly useless until now. Who would¡¯ve thought it would come in handy today. ¡¸If we have the Auto-Repair Scroll, how long will it take to repair?¡¹Nie Yan asked. ¡¸20 seconds at most!¡¹ ¡¸Undying Scoundrel, get to it!¡¹Nie Yan said. Since there was still hope, they naturally had to give it a try! ¡¸Got it!¡¹Undying Scoundrel said, his voice somewhat trembling as he fought back the nerves. He took a deep breath and calmed his heart. The Violet Eye Dragon finally relaxed its guard, confident the surroundings were safe, and started freely drinking from the spring. Undying Scoundrel wore an invisibility cloak, which basically put him in stealth. He lightly moved his hand, controlling his movements extremely carefully to prevent the Violet Eye Dragon from detecting the subtle magic fluctuations. All-Seeing Eye! Undying Scoundrel¡¯s eyes went red and radiated a profound light. A little more. Closer, closer¡­ Undying Scoundrel slowly guided the ball of water containing the black liquid toward the Violet Eye Dragon. When the Violet Eye Dragon was drinking, the water in the spring moved around forcefully, being sucked into its belly. Undying Scoundrel started losing control of the ball of water when it reached within two meters of the Violet Eye Dragon. Undying Scoundrel broke out in a cold sweat. The waterball was twisting around violently under the powerful sucking force. If it burst, the potion would dilute into the rest of the spring. Keep going. Only a little bit more! Undying Scoundrel encouraged himself. Only a meter from the water¡¯s surface, ever so close to the mouth of the Violet Eye Dragon, Undying Scoundrel could no longer maintain the ball of water as it burst apart. Undying Scoundrel¡¯s hand trembled. He had lost all control. ¡¸Boss, the water ball burst.¡¹ ¡¸Where did it burst?¡¹Nie Yan asked. ¡¸About a meter from the surface. The Violet Eye Dragon should have sucked it all up, but I can¡¯t confirm for sure,¡¹Undying Scoundrel said in a worried tone. ¡¸That¡¯s fine. Goodjob. We can only wait. Everyone, start approaching the transfer gate and get ready to repair it!¡¹ The Mages started moving towards the transfer gate. Before the Violet Eye Dragon would lose consciousness, their movements had to be extremely careful, lest they wished to end up burnt to a crisp. The Violet Eye Dragon drank quite a bit of water. About 20 minutes later, it finally stopped and lay down near the edge of the spring to rest. Nie Yan and the others waited and waited, but the Violet Eye Dragon didn¡¯t lose consciousness. They couldn¡¯t help but get worried. Perhaps it didn¡¯t drink the potion or its resistances were too high for the potion to have any effect. The Mages were hidden about 150 meters away from the Violet Eye Dragon, not daring to approach any closer. ¡¸Boss, why hasn¡¯t the Violet Eye Dragon passed out yet?¡¹ ¡¸Do you think the potion maybe didn¡¯t work?¡¹ After suffering so many setbacks, the group members became extremely anxious. Even Nie Yan felt a bit restless. However, everyone was filled with expectation. Failure was not an option. He could only do his best to reassure them, as they continued to observe. The Violet Eye Dragon took a few steps, rocking back and forth. It flapped its wings and prepared to leave. Seeing the Violet Eye Dragon¡¯s unsteady posture, Nie Yan¡¯s eyes lit up.¡¸Everyone, hurry and repair the transfer gate, now!¡¹ ¡¸But the Violet Eye Dragon hasn¡¯t passed out yet!¡¹ ¡¸Go! Every second counts!¡¹Nie Yan said in a deep tone. The Mages finally blinked over to the transfer gate, braving the risk of being attacked by the Violet Eye Dragon. The potion in the Violet Eye Dragon¡¯s belly was starting to take effect. It had only flown about six meters before falling from the sky and crashing to the ground. ¡¸We don¡¯t know how long the potion will last. Work quickly, guys! Grab every second you can!¡¹Nie Yan shouted. When the Violet Eye Dragon discovered the Mages, it let out a deep roar. It started unsteadily walking towards them, only for the potion to cause it to lose its balance and fall down. Nie Yan chanted an incarnation and summoned Lil¡¯ Gold. If the Violet Eye Dragon attacked Undying Scoundrel and the others, he could only have Lil¡¯ Gold take the blow. One second, two seconds¡­ nine seconds. THUD! The Violet Eye Dragon collapsed on the ground. ¡¸It¡¯s passed out!¡¹ Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 884 - To Catch a Violet Eye Dragon The Violet Eye Dragon¡¯s enormous frame crashed to the ground, kicking up a large cloud of dust. ¡¸Hurry, hurry! The potion doesn¡¯t last long. If we¡¯re not done when it wakes up, we¡¯re done for!¡¹Nie Yan said urgently.¡¸Summer Bug, hand over the Auto-Repair Scroll to Scoundrel. You help move the Violet Eye Dragon. Everyone else, help repair the Transfer Gate!¡¹ ¡¸Got it!¡¹ Summer Bug handed over the Auto Repair Scroll to Undying Scoundrel, after which he blinked toward the Violet Eye Dragon. Undying Scoundrel rused after the other Mages to repair the transfer gate. The Mages, both Great Mages and Magisters, quickly worked to repair the transfer gate. They went over the parts of the formation that were easy to fix. As for the most badly damaged area in the center, Undying Scoundrel placed the Auto-Repair Scroll there. All that was left to do was to lay down the magic crystals and runestones to activate the transfer gate. The transfer gate was quickly repaired. The 10 Mages took up their respective positions around the formation and started chanting. Back in Okoron, a similar group of Mages started chanting too. To open this transfer gate, it required both sides to be opened simultaneously. The leylines on the ground lit up, forming a double hexagram on the ground. This was the crystallization of their knowledge, allowing them to create a masterpiece that broke through the limits of space. Nie Yan didn¡¯t know exactly how long it would take for the transfer gate to activate. He felt his heart racing out of his chest, as did the others most likely. Luckily, he¡¯d picked members in the guild he was fully confident in. Even though he was nervous, everything was going smoothly. There had yet to be any mistakes. Summer Bug arrived in front of the knocked-out Violet Eye Dragon. He chanted an incantation and waved his staff. Three giants appeared before him. They were five meters tall with dark skin and hulking bodies. Glowing, runic tattoos covered their bare upper torsos, the only piece of clothing on them grey leather loincloths. Every step they took violently shook the ground. Just their presence alone gave off an overbearing pressure. Arcane Giants! Undying Scoundrel and the other Mages were still working on activating the transfer gate. Nie Yan pressed Undying Scoundrel and the others to hurry up, while he ran over to Summer Bug. Summer Bug waved his staff. The eyes of the three Arcane Giants snapped open, flashing with a black light. They bent down, and picked up the Violet Eye Dragon¡¯s body. Their expressions were hollow, as though nothing of this fazed them. This was the effect of Inexhaustible Strength! Nie Yan guessed the Violet Eye Dragon weighed at least five tonnes. This kind of weight wasn¡¯t something ordinary players could handle. Only these Arcane Giants could move its body. The three Arcane Giants carried the Violet Eye Dragon over toward the transfer gate, with slow and careful steps. Nie Yan stared at the unconscious Violet Eye Dragon, his heart filled with anxiousness. He hoped it would stay asleep a little longer. Looking back to Undying Scoundrel and the others, they seemed to be nearing the end of their chant. ¡¸Boss, it¡¯s about to wake up!¡¹Summer Bug cried out anxiously. The Violet Eye Dragon made slight movements, as though it could sense it was being carried toward captivity by three Arcane Giants. A sign it was going to wake up! When the potion was in full effect, the Violet Eye Dragon couldn¡¯t move one bit. This was evidence its effects were wearing off! Nie Yan checked the time. Not even 30 seconds had passed! Though an incredibly achievement, this was a Level 200 Variant Lord after all, it was nowhere near the suggested amount of time. Nie Yan felt like his heart was about to burst. What could he do to make the Violet Eye Dragon sleep just a little longer? Nie Yan was coming up blank. The transfer gate suddenly lit up brilliantly, as if someone had thrown out a flash grenade. Everyone went blind. After the light settled down, a giant cage stood in the middle of the transfer gate. It sparkled with a golden lustre. Nie Yan felt like he was looking at the most beautiful thing in the world. ¡¸Open it, quick!¡¹Nie Yan anxiously cried out. He could already sense the Violet Eye Dragon¡¯s breathing becoming stronger. It would wake up any second now! The Mages rushed up to the cage and pushed open the door. Summer Bug didn¡¯t need Nie Yan to tell him what to do. He had his three Arcane Giants carry the Violet Eye Dragon over to the cage as fast as they could. As they reached the cage door, the Violet Eye Dragon¡¯s eyes snapped open. It let out a deep roar and attempted to struggle free, only to find that the Arcane Giants were pretty strong. Plus, it was still half unconscious, the paralysis effect yet to completely wear off. The three Arcane Giants pushed together and shoved the Violet Eye Dragon into the cage. ¡°Close the door!¡± ¡°Hurry!¡± The Mages tried to close the cage door, but their strength was limited. Straining themselves to their limits, it slowly started moving. One of the Arcane Giants grabbed the door at this moment and exerted its full strength. BAM! The door slammed shut. The Violet Eye Dragon furiously roared and rammed into the cage door. ¡°Lock the door!¡± The three Arcane Giants carried a large metal rod. It was about as thick as their torso. They slid it through the door. ¡°The lock!¡± CLANK! CLANK! CLANK! Several dozen mechanisms activated, locks upon locks. The Violet Eye Dragon finally shook off the remaining effects of the potion. Finding itself locked in a cage, it started thrashing about violently. GROAAG!¡± The Mages suddenly lost control of their bodies and fled in all directions. Nie Yan, Undying Scoundrel, and Summer Bug reacted fairly quickly, realizing that roar was a mind attack. They activated their mind immune skills. The Violet Eye Dragon opened its mouth and breathed a jet of violet flames. BOOM! The flames struck the bars and disintegrated. The cage wasn¡¯t damaged in the slightest. Since the target was a dragon, for the sake of ensuring the cage¡¯s magical resistance was high enough, the Blacksmiths had infused 17 lbs of Anti-Magic Silversand instead of the normal 10. As a result, the Violet Eye Dragon¡¯s flames posed no threat. ¡°Heh, this damn overgrown lizard is trapped!¡± Undying Scoundrel chuckled. With such a strong cage, no matter how the Violet Eye Dragon fought, it couldn¡¯t break free. Just when Nie Yan and the others thought everything was set, their faces to pale in shock. Under the Violet Eye Dragon¡¯s violent struggling, the bars were starting to bend. If this continued, the entire cage would break! ¡°Boss, the cage isn¡¯t strong enough! What do we do!?¡± Nie Yan suddenly recalled something. He rushed up to the cage and pulled down a red lever next to the door. The cage suddenly shrunk. Several rods shot out and struck the Violet Eye Dragon¡¯s belly, immobilizing it. Several more rods pressed down on its neck and collar bone. The Violet Eye Dragon could no longer struggle. The originally square cage became conical and the size of the Violet Eye Dragon. The transformation was fascinating to watch. ¡°I always thought you didn¡¯t need a lot of skill to become an artisan. But this cage, this is something else. I suppose I¡¯ve thought a little too simple of them.¡± Summer Bug sighed in admiration. The Violet Eye Dragon opened its mouth. However, its neck was being pressed down on by the rods. It couldn¡¯t breathe anything out. ¡°Finally, we¡¯re done. Let¡¯s bring it home.¡± Nie Yan smiled. As the tension left his body, exhaustion took its place. After the fear effect wore off, the Mages walked back over. They stood around the transfer gate and started chanting. They were going to use the same method as before to teleport the Violet Eye Dragon to the Asskickers United guild headquarters in Okoron. ¡°I trust everyone knows none of this happened. Am I understood?¡± Nie Yan said severely. If they could successfully tame the Violet Eye Dragon, it would become Asskickers United¡¯s ultimate trump card. Until it stepped onto the battlefield, this would be the guild¡¯s number one secret; under no circumstances was it to leak out! ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°We actually managed to capture a Level 200 Variant Lord. I still can¡¯t believe it¡­¡± Undying Scoundrel muttered. However, reality was right before his eyes. Seeing the pitiful state of the Violet Eye Dragon, his eyes flickered with a brilliant light. Once more, Nie Yan had created an unprecedented miracle. ¡°Taming it is another matter altogether. I remember it took Nest Melon and the others two months to tame a Level 160 Demon Bat,¡± Summer Bug said with furrowed brows. ¡°That¡¯s a worry for later. Let¡¯s get the Violet Eye Dragon back to the guild headquarters first,¡± Nie Yan said. Even though taming it was going to be a bit difficult, what they didn¡¯t lack was time. Today¡¯s harvest was enormous. However, this was only the beginning. The Dragon Den still had six more Violet Eye Dragons! Seven Level 200 Variant Lords! Thinking to this point, he couldn¡¯t help but feel his heart racing with excitement. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 885 - Mysterious Beast Tamer The conference hall in Asskickers United¡¯s guild headquarters. 10 Mages stood around the transfer gate, patiently waiting for word from Nie Yan. Guo Huai restlessly paced back and forth. Ever since Nie Yan came up with that crazy idea of his over a week ago, he was filled with stress. Simply catching a Level 200 Variant Lord, he¡¯d said it so casually. But how could it be easy to capture!? Under the combined efforts of the Engineers, Blacksmiths, Enchanters, and Tinkerers, they had finally created a cage. It had given Guo Huai some semblance of confidence. However, after Nie Yan started enacting the plan, he couldn¡¯t help but let doubt get the better of him. Would this really work? He didn¡¯t want to get his hopes up. Everyone in the conference hall were loyal members of Asskickers United. They could be fully trusted. Everyone stared at the transfer gate. ¡°Do you think the boss will succeed?¡± ¡°Who knows? That¡¯s a Level 200 Variant Lord.¡± Most of the people remained skeptical. After all, Nie Yan¡¯s objective was simply too ambitious. Finally, the transfer gate lit up with a dazzling light. Everyone shielded their eyes. ¡°The boss did it! He captured the Violet Eye Dragon!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t dally! Complete the transfer!¡± The Mages quickly started chanting. A moment later, a different-looking cage appeared before their eyes. Within was a massive dragon. They couldn¡¯t help but back away in fear. Even though the Violet Eye Dragon was locked down by the cage, it was still radiating its draconic aura which beared down on them intensely. For many this was the first time seeing such a high level Variant Lord. The Violet Eye Dragon fiercely gazed at everyone in the hall. But it couldn¡¯t move. And with its throat locked down, it couldn¡¯t cast any magic either. All it needed was an extra inch of space, and it could easily wipe out all these ants in here. Unlike the Mages, Guo Huai and the other Level 0 players were far worse off. They all retreated a great distance back. Only then did they feel the pressure lessen. They were gasping heavily. Raising their heads to stare at the Violet Eye Dragon, their hearts were filled with an indescribable emotion. ¡°How did the boss manage to catch this thing?¡± ¡°I heard he used some kind of knockout potion.¡± ¡°For real? I didn¡¯t know we even had such powerful potions. It can actually knock out a Level 200 Variant Lord.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either.¡± None of them knew exactly how Nie Yan had done it. All they knew for certain was that he had done it, the living proof right in front of their eyes. ¡°I wonder how long it¡¯ll take to tame this Violet Eye Dragon.¡± ¡°If we invite the Viridian Empire''s best Beast Tamers, I¡¯m guessing it will take at least half a year.¡± The Mages were in excited discussion. Even though taming the Violet Eye Dragon was extremely difficult, most of them ignored this matter. Their focus was on what would happen afterwards. If a Level 200 Variant Lord were to step onto the battlefield, it would absolutely become the enemy¡¯s worst nightmare! Guo Huai was the first to calm down. It appeared there really was nothing Nie Yan couldn¡¯t do. He could even capture a Level 200 Variant Lord! Guo Huai was truly impressed. After confirming the Violet Eye Dragon had been successfully teleported back to the guild headquarters, Nie Yan returned to Okoron with Instant Transmission. Undying Scoundrel, Summer Bug, and the others also hurried back. Guo Huai waited for Nie Yan in the conference hall. ¡°Where are we going to place this guy?¡± Nie Yan turned to Guo Huai. ¡°We can¡¯t let anyone find out.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Guo Huai rubbed his chin. ¡°Let¡¯s just keep it in here.¡± Nie Yan looked around and frowned. ¡°This place is too small.¡± ¡°Too small?¡± Guo Huai was stunned. This conference hall was already so large. How could it be too small? ¡°It works for one Violet Eye Dragon, two or three too I suppose. But it¡¯s too small to hold all seven. We need a bigger space,¡± Nie Yan explained. ¡°W-wait, you¡¯re planning to capture seven?¡± Guo Huai blurted out in shock. ¡°Uh¡­ Hmm¡­ give me a moment. I¡¯ll find a more suitable place.¡± Since the caged Violet Eye Dragon was a top secret, they had to take extra precautions to make sure nothing leaked out. ¡°Have the artisans build more cages,¡± Nie Yan said. He wouldn¡¯t give the other six Violet Eye Dragons the chance to get away! ¡°I already passed down the order, but what about finding a Beast Tamer? Since we caught the Violet Eye Dragon, it would be a waste if we didn¡¯t tame it,¡± Guo Huai said. Taming it was a whole ¡®nother matter, perhaps even more headache inducing than capturing it. Nie Yan stared at the Violet Eye Dragon. He had already thought about taming it, which would be no simple task. ¡°I¡¯ll get Beast Tamer Collinson to come over.¡± ¡°Collinson? You mean the high rank Beast Tamer in the pet shop?¡± Guo Huai asked. ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± Nie Yan nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a high rank NPC. Can you really call him over?¡± Guo Huai asked. NPCs weren''t so easily ordered around. Nie Yan chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t forget I¡¯m a Great Prophet, and my status in the Temple of Light is equivalent to that of a Cardinal. I can call upon the army of Calore. Summoning one NPC is nothing in comparison.¡± Guo Huai nodded in realization. Nie Yan¡¯s titles were something else. With his status, calling over Beast Tamer Collinson really wouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡°Find a place to store it and get preparations underway for the next six. I''m making a run to Calore,¡± Nie Yan said. He turned around to leave. ¡°Wait a second,¡± Guo Huai called out. ¡°What?¡± Nie Yan turned around. ¡°I received an interesting piece of information, but I haven''t had a chance to confirm it yet. Apparently, there¡¯s a secret NPC at the back of the pet shop, sometimes; he rarely appears. His Beast Tamer rank is higher than Collinson. He¡¯s a Grandmaster. If Collinson takes half a year or even longer to tame the Violet Eye Dragon, it might be better to call over that NPC instead,¡± Guo Huai said. One of his subordinates had told him about this NPC not too long ago. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll go over and take a look,¡± Nie Yan said. If that NPC really did exist, he would call them over. Nie Yan teleported to Calore, Instant Transmission proving once again to be an incredibly valuable skill, and headed for the pet shop. As Nie Yan walked, he examined the progress of the war. Angel Corps had launched several more attacks on Okoron, only to be repelled every time. However, they had succeeded in razing down 10 of the surrounding strongholds in the Abernathy Great Grasslands. Asskickers United¡¯s players tenaciously fought back, and had pushed back Angel Corps¡¯ main force to the edge of the territory. In the Satreen Empire, the fighting was still as chaotic as ever. With the aid of Fallen Angel, Asskickers United held a slight advantage. Though, the advantage of fighting on their home turf gave Angel Corps a large edge. Asskickers United could only eke out small gains. What worried Nie Yan the most was that Asskickers United¡¯s aerial troops had suffered heavy losses in two large-scale battles. All the resources Angel Corps had invested into their flying mounts was finally showing results. So far, Asskickers United had lost a fair bit more than 8,000 flying mounts while Angel Corps lost only 7,000. Unfortunately, Angel Corps had far more flying mounts than Asskickers United. It was an uphill battle they were losing for now. It was a pity that the Darkwing Dragon was still recovering. Xie Yao¡¯s Immortal Phoenix had yet to fully mature to the full strength of a Rank 8 flying mount as well. Plus, its Rebirth skill was still on cooldown. They couldn¡¯t afford to take any risks right now. Looking at the Spectre Dragon¡¯s current state, Nie Yan was extremely satisfied with its growth. It could break through to Rank 7 at any moment. Asskickers United required more Rank 7 and Rank 8 flying mounts. In the face of a high rank flying mount, all Angel Corps¡¯ low level flying mounts were nothing more than cannon fodder. Nie Yan had Bladelight and the others focus on capturing stronger flying mounts. If they needed help, he could rush to their side. He looked back over the stats of the Spectre Dragon, the pet shop only a few streets away. ... Angel Corps guild headquarters. Soaring Angel had just returned from the Phoenix Den. Looking at one of the reports, he knitted his brows. What was Nirvana Flame doing in the Fate River? So many people in such an insignificant map, they were most likely planning something big. The Thieves he had dispatched to monitor any movements in Calore had discovered Nie Yan and Silvery Night¡¯s movements. However, they had no idea Nie Yan had just captured a Violet Eye Dragon. If Soaring Angel knew, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to sit still. Soaring Angel rubbed his chin and passed down an order. ¡°Have the Thieves dispatch a squad to the Fate River and investigate. If they encounter players from Asskickers Untied, tell them to back away and immediately report to me.¡± Soaring Angel caressed the longbow in his hand. During this time, he had been thinking of ways of dealing with Nie Yan. Right now, he had a completely new understanding of the Demon Hunter class. If he could confirm Nie Yan¡¯s position, he¡¯d like to test himself against Nie Yan again. It had been a long time since their last clash. He wondered if the Mad Rogue¡¯s reputation still held. Before long, a team of 20 Thieves from Angel Corps set out. Nie Yan had no idea Angel Corps had already noticed his movements in the Fate River. The artisans were hard at work building another cage for the sake of capturing the next Violet Eye Dragon. After passing through the bustling streets, Nie Yan entered the pet shop. ¡°Great Prophet, how may I help you today?¡± Beast Tamer Collinson asked, giving a deep bow. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 886 - Beast Tamer Hall The pet shop looked the same as always. Nie Yan found his way toward Collinson past rows of cages inhabited by all kinds of pets. ¡°Beast Tamer Collinson, I have a request for you,¡± Nie Yan said. He had no idea how to get to the backroom Guo Huai had mentioned. As he looked around, he spotted a small door hidden by a few cages. It bore a sign that read ¡°personnel only¡±. He couldn¡¯t simply walk in all willy nilly. He would ask Collinson for permission first. ¡°I¡¯m willing to serve,¡± Collinson said respectfully. ¡°It¡¯s like this. I¡¯ve recently captured a Violet Eye Dragon. I need your help to tame it,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Great Prophet, bring the Violet Eye Dragon to me, and I¡¯ll help you tame it.¡± Nie Yan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that due to some special circumstances. Please, could you come to Okoron with me? I promise to reward you generously.¡± Collinson made an awkward expression. He pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°What level is this Violet Eye Dragon you caught?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a full grown adult, a Level 200 Variant Lord.¡± Collinson sucked in a cold breath of air, an incredulous expression on his face. ¡°My apologies, Great Prophet, but that¡¯s really hard to believe. Are you sure it¡¯s a Level 200 Variant Lord? In the entire Righteous Faction, only a few people, like Jebiah the Great, have such high level pets. If I may ask, how did you capture it?¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s a secret,¡± Nie Yan replied. He wouldn¡¯t easily reveal how he caught the Violet Eye Dragon, even if the other side was an NPC. Seeing Nie Yan¡¯s displeased expression, Collinson trembled in fear. He quickly apologized, "I didn¡¯t mean to offend! Please forgive me for overstepping my boundaries! Great Prophet, with my Beast Tamer rank, it will take me at least three years to tame a Level 200 Variant Lord.¡± Nie Yan knitted his brows. The estimated time was far longer than he expected. Even though a Level 200 Variant Lord would still be extremely powerful in three years, he had no intention of waiting that long, to say nothing of how long it would take to tame all seven. By then, the dishes would already be cold. ¡°That¡¯s too long. Is there any other way?¡± Nie Yan asked, hopeful. Thanks to his own status, Collinson wouldn¡¯t dare to hide anything from him. ¡°Great Prophet, if you would like to speed up the taming process, you¡¯ll need to find a higher rank Beast Tamer. I can recommend you someone. My master Hall, he can do it. He¡¯s a Grandmaster Beast Tamer. With his help, it should take only six months to tame the Violet Eye Dragon,¡± Collinson said. ¡°Where could I find your master?¡± Nie Yan asked. This master was likely the mysterious NPC Guo Huai mentioned. ¡°Please follow me,¡± Collinson said. Nie Yan followed behind Collinson. They entered the small door Nie Yan had spotted before. Behind it was a long, winding corridor that led to a back room. The back room was quite small, with only a few tables and chairs. In the corner sat an NPC in ashen robes. He looked around 60 years old with a slim build. Even though he had a full head of white hair, he still appeared hail and hearty. Nie Yan¡¯s eyes fell on the silvery-white insignia on the NPC¡¯s shoulder. This was the mark of a high rank Beast Tamer. Since the profession was fairly hard to train in, Grandmaster Beast Tamers were extremely rare existences. Nie Yan could sense magic fluctuations coming from the old man. It was of the fire element and that of a Magister. A Grandmaster Beast Tamer and a Magister, Hall¡¯s status intrigued Nie Yan. Nie Yan inspected Hall. Hall: Grandmaster Beast Tamer When Hall noticed Collinson and Nie Yan, his face darkened. ¡°I told you. Without my explicit permission, no outsiders are welcome here,¡± Hall said. He was displeased with Collinson bringing strangers to the back room. ¡°Master, this is the Great Prophet Nirvana Flame. He predicted the demonic beast invasion of the Hilton Stronghold and saved countless lives. He came here today to ask for your help,¡± Collinson said, choosing his words carefully. These words got a reaction. Hall appeared to be moved. ¡°Great Prophet, please excuse my rude behaviour just now.¡± Nie Yan smiled. ¡°No offense taken Sir Hall. It¡¯s my fault for turning up without notice and disturbing you.¡± He was a bit skeptical. Hall¡¯s reaction was a bit excessive. ¡°No, no.¡± Hall shook his head, his voice trembling. ¡°Please listen to me, Great Prophet. I hail from the Hilton Stronghold. When the invasion happened, I was in Calore for important business. Both my wife and children were back at home. When word of the invasion reached my ears, it was already too late to rush back. I hated myself that I couldn¡¯t be there, to protect them. So when I learned you prophesied the attack, giving the stronghold enough time to prepare... I can¡¯t begin to express how grateful I am. You saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of residents, my wife and children included. From the bottom of my heart, permit me to express my deepest gratitude.¡± Nie Yan finally understood. No wonder Hall was so moved after meeting him. It turned out this NPC was from the Hilton Stronghold. His high Influence there took effect. With this relationship, asking Hall to help him tame the Violet Eye Dragon wouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡°Sir Hall, as a Great Prophet, predicting disasters and ensuring the safety of the inhabitants of this land is my duty,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°You truly are deserving of your reputation, Great Prophet. Collinson mentioned you needed my help. Please do tell. Even if you need me to sacrifice my life, I won¡¯t refuse,¡± Hall said, excitement thick in his voice. ¡°Sir Hall, please don¡¯t joke like that. Your life is too heavy of a burden for me to carry.¡± Nie Yan chuckled. Hall laughed in embarrassment. ¡°It¡¯s like this. I¡¯ve caught a Violet Eye Dragon. I¡¯d like you to come with me to Okoron in the Abernathy Great Grasslands and help me tame it,¡± Nie Yan explained. ¡°A Violet Eye Dragon? Is it still an adolescent?¡± Hall asked in surprise. ¡°No. I caught a full grown adult, a Level 200 Variant Lord.¡± Hall gasped. ¡°Great Prophet, you truly are amazing. Few have ever managed to capture such a high level monster. In fact, to my knowledge, only Jebiah the Great and two elders have pets of this level. Taming a Violet Eye Dragon will take at least six months, maybe even longer. If you¡¯re willing to wait that long, I¡¯ll pack my bags right away and travel with you to Okoron.¡± ¡°That would be great. Thank you, Sir Hall. You¡¯ve helped me a great deal,¡± Nie Yan happily accepted. The taming time had been reduced from three years to six months. This was a huge difference. At the very least, they could make use of the first Violet Eye Dragon in the war against Angel Corps. ¡°I¡¯m willing to serve you, Great Prophet. No need to address me so politely either, or else my wife will scold me. Just Hall is fine.¡± An expression of fear flashed across Hall¡¯s face. Nie Yan chuckled. Since Hall insisted, he wouldn¡¯t bother arguing. ¡°Please give me a moment. I¡¯ll be handing over a few tasks to my foolish disciple,¡± Hall said. He turned to Collinson. Nie Yan patiently waited. This was was a pleasant surprise for sure. He had secured himself a Grandmaster Beast Tamer without any problem, not to mention Hall was also a Magister. With a person like this residing in Okoron, the city had another powerful protector. Hall instructed Collinson how to run the pet shop while he was gone. It turned out he was the owner. ¡°Master, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll carry out everything to the best of my ability,¡± Collinson assured. ¡°I issued three quests in the mercenary association. About 3,000 people accepted them. If they come by, tell them to come find me in Okoron.¡± Nie Yan raised an eyebrow in surprise. 3,000 people had accepted his quests. They would all have to come to Okoron to turn them in. ¡°Hall, would you be interested in setting up a pet shop in Okoron? The city is just as bustling as Calore, with millions of players passing through every day as well as many large shops and an enormous auction house. The only thing we¡¯re lacking is a pet shop.¡± Nie Yan attempted to persuade Hall. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to set up a pet shop in Okoron, I can provide you with a suitably large building, rent free.¡± Hall rubbed his chin for a moment. ¡°Let me go over there to take a look first. If the city is to my liking, sure I¡¯ll open up another pet shop there.¡± Nie Yan smiled. When Hall finished handing everything over to Collinson, the two headed to the transfer point and teleported to Okoron. Nie Yan led Hall to the conference hall in the Asskickers United, where they kept the Violet Eye Dragon. When Hall saw the monster firmly bound in the cage, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh in admiration. ¡°Truly a work of art. The artisans who¡¯ve made this have my praise.¡± Employing this kind of method to capture a Violet Eye Dragon was truly unprecedented. ¡°I¡¯ll leave this Violet Eye Dragon to you,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Great Prophet. I¡¯ll help you tame it as quickly as possible.¡± After leaving this matter to Hall, Nie Yan breathed a sigh of relief, another worry off his shoulders. Now all he had to do was wait. In another week, he could capture the second Violet Eye Dragon. Nie Yan planned to do a quest in the meantime, when he received word that there was movement from Angel Corps. Guo Huai wanted him to hurry to the meeting room. Nie Yan knitted his brows. Just what happened for Guo Huai to be so anxious? Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 889 - Ambush? No content Chapter 890 - Wings of Sorens Nie Yan leaped forward and plunged his dagger into Soaring Angel¡¯s chest. Shocked reactions sounded out all around. Practically everyone was caught off-guard by Nie Yan¡¯s appearance. Finding out Nie Yan had snuck through them completely unnoticed, these 60 players from Angel Corps felt their scalps go numb. A Thief this skilled was far more terrifying than even the strongest warrior; they could end your life, and you wouldn¡¯t even know what killed you! They felt a sense of helplessness, fear rising up from the bottom of their hearts. If Nie Yan so wished to, he could simply kill them and snatch away their hard-earned equipment. And there would be nothing they could do about it! The moment his dagger pierced through Soaring Angel¡¯s chest, Nie Yan sensed something off. Though he couldn¡¯t tell what, something felt inherently wrong. Perhaps his ploy played out too smoothly. In the next instant, Soaring Angel¡¯s body shattered like a glass statue and crumbled to the ground. A dark energy locked onto Nie Yan. He glanced over at his status bar. It was Shackles of Darkness! Shackles of Darkness was different from Shackles of Strife. Apart from preventing the target from teleporting away, it also stopped them from using any escape skills. This was the most vexing aspect! Shit! A trap! Nie Yan thought. ¡°Don¡¯t let him run!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± The dozen or so players in the immediate vicinity roared orders as they raised their weapons. They reacted pretty quickly. ¡°Die!¡± Stone Splitter brandished his sword and unleashed a crescent-shaped slash. BOOOM! The ground split apart as a shockwave swept out toward Nie Yan. Nie Yan moved to dodge, several vines wrapping towards him from the ground underneath. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Three arrows, camouflaged by the vines, flew straight toward Nie Yan. Nie Yan spotted Soaring Angel about 60 meters away from the corner of his eye. The arrows came from his bow! Soaring Angel was truly wily. As the guild leader of Angel Corps and a legend in the previous timeline, he wasn¡¯t an opponent to be taken lightly. The start of a true battle! With countless attacks about to hit him, Nie Yan leaped high into the air with the Leaper skill. Three arrows whistled past his cheeks. ¡°The boss locked him down with Shackles of Darkness! Don¡¯t let him escape!¡± Stone Splitter shouted. Turning back towards Nie Yan, locking onto the opponent soon to fall under his blade¡­ A silhouette appeared behind him. A dark shadow perfectly resembling Nie Yan. Stone Splitter sensed the danger, but it was already too late. A sharp dagger stabbed into the back of his head, stunning him. After incapacitating Stone Splitter, the shadow clone followed up with Cut Throat. PSFHT! Blood sprayed into the air. Stone Splitter¡¯s eyes rolled to the back of his head as he collapsed to the ground. He¡¯d completely forgotten about Nie Yan¡¯s terrifying shadow clone skill. The shadow clone had only stepped out of stealth for a brief moment before disappearing again. The surrounding players looked at Stone Splitter¡¯s corpse in shock. Soaring Angel used Sorens¡¯ Revealer to lock onto the second Nie Yan, but the shadow clone was already out of range. Its movements were too quick. There was nothing he could do. ¡¸Boss, which one is real!?¡¹a player asked. If the one they¡¯d been targeting all this time was the shadow clone, they would have wasted their resources and cooldowns. Especially against an opponent like Nie Yan, even the slightest mistake could lead to their whole team wiping. Two Thieves. One was out in the open. The other was hidden in the shadows. No one knew which was real or which was fake. Soaring Angel was also at a loss. He believed he¡¯d baited Nie Yan out, but he had no idea if that was just the clone. Given how crafty Nie Yan was, that was entirely possible! Nie Yan used this moment of hesitation to switch out the Bloody Dagger for Zennarde¡¯s Sword. All who saw its raging flames gawked in awe. Nie Yan cleaved down with his blade. Annihilation Slash! 10 enormous swords cleaved down from the sky, merging into one. BOOOOM! The 20 or so players in the path of the skill were sent flying. Only the Masters managed to dodge in time and avoided taking any damage, though they still broke out in a cold sweat. What a frightening skill! They retreated in alarm, scrambling to prepare for the second round of attacks, only to hear a blood-curdling scream behind them. A Magister was killed by the shadow clone. It almost felt to them like they were surrounded, by one player. A cold sweat drip ran down their necks. Nevertheless, they braced themselves and continued fighting! The battle scene turned chaotic. Angel Corps¡¯ players had Nie Yan completely surrounded. However, he was as slippery as a loach, and they still didn¡¯t know if they were even fighting the real one! Nie Yan¡¯s lips curved into a cold smile. He still had many killing moves left to play, including summoning the Doom Sentinels. He could hold his own against these players. While Nie Yan was tangling with the players from Angel Corps, the shadow clone snuck up behind Soaring Angel. With the help of Sorens¡¯ Revealer, Soaring Angel could clearly sense the shadow clone¡¯s approach. 15 meters, 13 meters, 10 meters¡­ He suddenly drew his bow and shot three arrows at it. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. Soaring Angel could somehow detect players through stealth! No wonder his initial ambush failed! Just as Soaring Angel¡¯s arrows were about to hit, Nie Yan had the shadow clone dodge out of the way. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The arrows suddenly detonated with loud explosions. There was no time to react. It was sent flying away. The shadow clone was in a sorry state. Several nearby Magisters targeted it with a barrage of magic. It scrambled to its feet and activated Gale Step to escape. Nie Yan leaped up into the air, soaring more than 10 meters before landing on the side of a building like a spider. He¡¯d jumped this far with only a single move. Nie Yan and the shadow clone split up and ran in two different directions. Soaring Angel hesitated for a moment before locking onto the one on the side of the building. ¡°I¡¯ll catch that one. You guys go after the other!¡± It was time to show off his true ability. Soaring Angel let out a low grunt, chanting an incantation. A pair of black wings sprouted from his back. They were three meters long. With a flap of his wings, he shot forward like a cannonball. Nie Yan bolted away, only to hear a gust of wind coming from behind him. He turned his head around and discovered Soaring Angel fast approaching him. Seeing the wings protruding from Soaring Angel¡¯s back, Nie Yan¡¯s heart sank. Shit! He actually obtained the Wings of Sorens! In Conviction¡¯s history, Sorens was a member of the winged tribe, who was born with black wings. He was a conqueror who led his people to glory before ultimately founding his own nation. After his death, the nation went into decline before eventually vanishing into the river of time. There were still many traces of them left throughout the continent, ranging from dungeons to quests and equipment. These wings were perhaps the most famous of what remained, since they were a direct link to Sorens. They dropped from the Black Hellion King of the Forest of Darkness. In the entire game, there were only six types of wings. It was rumoured the drop rate of the Wings of Sorens was 1 in 500,000, but Soaring Angel had actually obtained it! Wings were different from flying mounts. They provided much more freedom in aerial combat and were more suited for ranged classes¡ªthe treasures of Demon Hunters. A pair of wings could increase the battle prowess of a Demon Hunter by severalfold! Nie Yan had originally discarded the Wings of Sorens as a rumour. After all, who¡¯d ever heard of a drop rate as ridiculous as 1 in 500,000? However, he was proven wrong. He was curious who got it. It was likely that Soaring Angel had simply bought it. As the guild leader of Angel Corps, he definitely had this kind of power! Nie Yan thought of the wings he was looking for. They would definitely be better than the Wings of Sorens. However, he had no time to do that quest right now. Either way, since Soaring Angel had wings now, it¡¯d be far more difficult to deal with him. A flying archer! ¡°You can¡¯t teleport away or use any escape skills! Let¡¯s see how you get out of this one!¡± Soaring Angel sneered. He was 80% confident the one he was chasing was the real Nie Yan. Soaring Angel fired three more arrows toward Nie Yan. Whoosh whoosh whoosh! They went streaking forward like bolts of lightning. Nie Yan sensed the arrows whizzing towards him. Based on the sound coming from them, he could roughly guess their direction and speed. Their heads were covered in crackling lightning. He had no idea what kind of arrows these were, but recalling the loss his shadow clone had eaten just before, he didn¡¯t dare to be careless. He shot out a web line and swung away. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Three explosions rocked the ground behind him, sending rubble flying everywhere. Some pieces struck Nie Yan at an extremely high velocity. Nie Yan avoided the brunt of the attack. He turned around and dove into a small alley. Soaring Angel wasn¡¯t about to let Nie Yan escape so easily. He followed closely behind, skillfully flying between the two buildings. He pulled out another three arrows and drew his bowstring. Nie Yan kept fleeing, occasionally glancing back to confirm Soaring Angel¡¯s position. If it were anyone else, once they encountered a Demon Hunter with the Wings of Sorens, they only had two paths before them. One was to run, and the other was death. However, at this moment, he was extremely calm. It was simply a pair of wings. He wasn¡¯t the least bit afraid! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 891 - Pursuit Battle Nie Yan and Soaring Angel moved between the densely packed buildings of the City of Sin at high speed. Soaring Angel fired volley after volley of arrows. Nie Yan nimbly dodged as explosions went off behind him. Soaring Angel was hot on Nie Yan¡¯s heels. After equipping the Wings of Sorens, his movement speed increased by 300%. This was barely enough to keep up with Nie Yan, which incredibly frustrated him. Just how overpowered were Nie Yan¡¯s stats? Not one arrow found its target. Soaring Angel felt his heart bleeding. These were explosion magic enchanted arrows he had specially crafted. Each one cost him 600 gold, and he only had 200 in total. It felt like Nie Yan had eyes at the back of his head, as he somehow kept dodging the arrows as they were about to hit him. Nie Yan was also constantly ducking into different alleys, which greatly slowed down Soaring Angel. As the chase continued, Soaring Angel saw the path up ahead was filled with stalls and people passing through. His lips curved into a fierce smile. Let¡¯s see where you run off to this time! He let out a low grunt and activated Rapid Fire. He took out three arrows from his quiver, notched them, and pulled back his bowstring. Whoosh whoosh whoosh! The arrows came whizzing out. He repeated this two more times in quick succession. Nine arrows went flying straight towards Nie Yan. Nie Yan raised his head to find a large crowd blocking his path, with NPC vendors on both sides of the street too. There wasn¡¯t a single opening. He was blocked! His heart sank. This was going to be troublesome. Nine arrows came streaking behind him. Based only on their sound, Nie Yan determined their speed and exact position. Since his path forward was blocked, Nie Yan was left with only one option. Steeling himself, he turned around and dashed in the direction of Soaring Angel. The first three arrows. Nie Yan leaped out of the way as they flew by his chest. Three down, six to go. Nie Yan¡¯s figure blurred into countless afterimages as he employed the Illusion Steps. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The three arrows flew into the crowd behind and exploded, killing over 20 players and two NPCs. The crowd went into an uproar as curses rained out. ¡°Fuck! Who did that!?¡± ¡°I was almost killed! Whoever did that is going to pay!¡± ... They suddenly went quiet, their eyes on the two fighting. One was Nirvana Flame, and the other was Soaring Angel. No one here dared to look for these two for trouble. After all, they were the Righteous Faction¡¯s two most powerful players! There were several more arrows flying towards them. Their faces paled as they immediately fled for their lives. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t turn around to see the devastation the explosions caused, but he could very well imagine. Soaring Angel was shocked. He didn''t expect Nie Yan to dodge his attacks like this! Just as Soaring Angel reached for more arrows, Nie Yan leaped into the air like a cannonball and landed on the side of a building. He kicked off the wall and flew toward Soaring Angel. Seeing Nie Yan shooting towards him at astonishing speed, Soaring Angel¡¯s heart trembled. His first instinct was to dodge! He flapped his wings and kited back, shooting another volley of arrows. A few explosions later, more than 80% of the crowd was wiped out. The alley was a mess with craters scattered all over the ground and debris strewn everywhere. The survivors were deeply shaken. What kind of arrows were these? Their attack power was too frightening! They raised their heads to look at the two figures clashing in the air. Soaring Angel flapped his wings and moved around like the wind, occasionally shooting volleys of arrows. Wherever these arrows struck, they would create terrifying explosions. As for Nie Yan, he used a combination of leaping, crawling, and web-swinging skills to get around. His silhouette darted left and right between buildings. Even though he didn¡¯t have any wings, he seemed even more nimble than a person with. Most shocking was that he could even dodge Soaring Angel¡¯s arrows in mid-air. These two overpowered freaks! The bystanders were witnessing a battle of the highest level! This was a height they could only dream of! While Nie Yan was pursuing Soaring Angel, a notification popped up. Your shadow clone has been killed. Glancing at his notifications, the shadow clone had killed 13 players before finally being killed. Definitely worth it! After spending so much effort and losing 13 comrades only to find out the enemy they killed was a clone, Nie Yan could already imagine their reactions. News of the shadow clone¡¯s death also quickly reached Soaring Angel. He confirmed the opponent in front of him was the genuine Nirvana Flame! The battle became even more intense. The surrounding buildings were being destroyed by Soaring Angel¡¯s explosive arrows. Even though Nie Yan was extremely quick, he couldn¡¯t move as freely in the air as Soaring Angel. So, he was having trouble catching Soaring Angel. Elsewhere in the city, an orc Warrior clad in gold armour was running through an alleyway. He stopped in front of a group of 20 Angel Corps players. ¡°Where¡¯s the boss?¡± the orc Warrior asked. ¡°Evil Monarch, the boss is chasing Nirvana Flame somewhere in the city. Just follow the explosions. We don¡¯t know more than you do,¡± a Magister said. The other players from Angel Corps couldn¡¯t help but glance over at Evil Monarch. This man was a mystery to them, rarely ever revealing himself. Many had heard of him, but very few had actually seen him. They had no idea what he was about. Evil Monarch knitted his brows. ¡°Everyone, summon your flying mounts. Follow me!¡± He was worried something would happen to Soaring Angel. After all, the Mad Rogue couldn¡¯t be judged with common sense. ¡°Understood!¡± Evil Monarch¡¯s status in Angel Corps was extremely high. Even Soaring Angel was respectful toward him, let alone these random elites. Everyone summoned their flying mounts. The 20-plus players took off in the air and headed toward the battle between Nie Yan and Soaring Angel. Nie Yan gradually closed in on Soaring Angel¡ªonly five meters of distance between them. He stuck to the wall and pounced toward Soaring Angel from behind. Nie Yan stabbed his dagger toward the back of Soaring Angel¡¯s head. Die! His dagger was as fast as lightning. In this life or death moment, Soaring Angel suddenly swung around, a short sword appearing in his hand. He raised it to parry. KLANG! The Bloody Dagger and the short sword clashed. Soaring Angel was sent reeling by the force of the impact. Gravity took hold of Nie Yan again, dragging him back to the ground. Soaring Angel was quite crafty. He¡¯d actually pulled out a short sword to parry the attack! After Soaring Angel regained his balance, he looked over. The two locked eyes as their gazes flashed with killing intent. Both knew that if they lost their cool, they would lose. Soaring Angel flapped his wings and shot out another volley of arrows. As Nie Yan fell from the air, he grabbed onto a nearby roof and flipped himself onto it, evading the three arrows. He once more pounced toward Soaring Angel. Soaring Angel beat his wings back in retreat again. Nie Yan glanced up, his legs still moving fast as lightning. There were 20 flying mounts circling in the air above him. They blotted out the sky. Thankfully, he and Soaring Angel were fighting in a confined alleyway. There was no way they could descend! Nie Yan didn¡¯t spare the flying mounts a second glance and continued pursuing Soaring Angel. Evil Monarch was riding on top of a large, blue bat. Looking down and seeing Soaring Angel being pressured by Nie Yan, he ordered, ¡°All Magisters and Dark Demon Hunters, go down and help the boss!¡± Three Magisters and one Dark Demon Hunter jumped down from their flying mounts. ¡°Be careful. Remember the enemy is Nirvana Flame!¡± Evil Monarch said. ¡°Understood!¡± As their feet touched the ground, the three Magisters waved their staff, rapidly conjuring their magic, while the Dark Demon Hunter drew his longbow and locked onto Nie Yan, firing three arrows. Nie Yan spotted the four silhouettes landing on the roofs of several nearby buildings. His heart trembled. Soaring Angel alone was already hard enough to deal with. Now he had to face three Magisters and a Dark Demon Hunter on top of that. The small advantage he¡¯d gained was gone in a second. Nie Yan was outnumbered, and Soaring Angel had also improved by a significant margin. He decided to retreat. Nie Yan leaped back down to the ground and broke away from Soaring Angel. Seeing Nie Yan trying to run, Soaring Angel immediately went into pursuit. A shower of magic and spells rained down toward Nie Yan. Nie Yan activated Holy Descent from the Medal of the Ten Holy Paladins, taking 15 spells and six arrows head-on. A string of 5,000s rose up above his head. This was the damage from Soaring Angel and the Dark Demon Hunter¡¯s arrows. He was immune to all Magic for the three-second duration of Holy Descent. Even the explosive magic on Soaring Angel¡¯s arrows were rendered useless. Their jaws dropped in shock. ¡°Shit, what kind of defense does he have!? My attack only dealt 5,000 damage!¡± ¡°He has over 50,000 health!¡± ¡°My magic didn¡¯t work. He activated a magic immunity skill!¡± Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 892 - Devouring Plasma Storm Countless attacks ruthlessly struck Nie Yan, but they only managed to deal a little more than 20,000 damage. Within the span of a few short seconds, he pulled far away from the players of Angel Corps. ¡°Shit! Catch him! Don¡¯t let him get away!¡± The players from Angel Corps went into pursuit leaping from roof to roof. Soaring Angel also sped after Nie Yan. ¡¸All Angel Corps players in or near the City of Sin, listen to my commands! Nirvana Flame is at 285.2830. None of you are to dally. Seize him immediately!¡¹Soaring Angel ordered in voice chat. ¡¸Yes, sir!¡¹the players from Angel Corps replied in thunderous unison. Roughly 3,000 Angel Corps players were currently in the City of Sin. They all moved to surround Nie Yan. It wouldn¡¯t be long now before he was trapped. These players were perfect for the job. They knew the City of Sin like the back of their hand, and were high level experts wearing some of the best equipment; not to mention they all had special items that could save their lives or trick the enemy. Even Nirvana Flame would still have to hand over his life the moment he was trapped. The commotion in the City of Sin had reached Guo Huai. He anxiously contacted Bladelight in voice chat,¡¸Where are you guys right now!?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry! We¡¯re on our way!¡¹Bladelight said. Bladelight and 1,000 elites from Asskickers United, who¡¯d been tackling a dungeon in World¡¯s Edge, were rushing over to the City of Sin. ¡¸I heard the Century Financial Group also mobilized 2,000 troops over. You guys be careful,¡¹Guo Huai said, not in the least feeling reassured. ¡¸The Century Financial Group came too, huh? Looks like we have a real party on our hands.¡¹Bladelight knitted his brows. ¡¸I¡¯ll have Sleepy Fox, Fa Lan, and the others send some people over as well,¡¹Guo Huai said. A fight was inevitable. Both sides would suffer heavy casualties. Reinforcements from Holy Empire, Sapphire Shrine, and the other allied guilds were already rushing over. The City of Sin had become a giant maelstrom, pulling in all the top experts from both sides. Over 80% of the Masters in the Righteous Faction were about to face off against each other. Nie Yan was fleeing through a narrow alley. Looking up in the sky, he spotted over 20 flying mounts closely tailing him. Angel Corps players were also flooding in from everywhere. Nie Yan created some distance and chanted an incantation. With a flash of light, Lil¡¯ Gold appeared and blocked the alleyway with his enormous frame. Next, he pulled open Divine Recruitment and summoned Paladin Lafus. Paladin Lafus appeared next to Lil¡¯ Gold, ready to heal him at any moment. ¡°It¡¯s Nirvana Flame¡¯s Golden Dragon!¡± ¡°Everyone, be careful!¡± ... ¡°GROOAH!¡± Lil¡¯ Gold blasted the Angel Corp players with Dragon Breath. BOOM! Over 10 players were burnt to cinders. A shower of magic rained down on Lil¡¯ Gold. However, he barely flinched. ¡°GROOAH!¡± With a sweep of his head, he sent the Warriors charging towards him flying. Lil¡¯ Gold covered Nie Yan¡¯s rear. However, there was nothing stopping the hundred Angel Corps players charging at him from the front. Countless spells whizzed toward him, blotting out the sky. Beckon Doom! Three enormous Doom Sentinels clad in spiky black armour appeared in front of Nie Yan. They brandished their flaming black swords and cut down a dozen Warriors. Nie Yan hunkered himself down in the middle of the alleyway, having his pets and summons protecting his back and front. The Angel Corps players were helpless against this tactic. They charged at Nie Yan in waves, but were beaten back by Lil¡¯ Gold and the Doom Sentinels before even getting close. ¡¸Dammit! That Golden Dragon and those Doom Sentinels are too strong! We can¡¯t get close to Nirvana Flame!¡¹ When the players from Angel Corps didn¡¯t know what to do anymore, Soaring Angel finally arrived. Soaring Angel knitted his brows. He already had a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of Nirvana Flame¡¯s Golden Dragon. However, he had no idea about these Doom Sentinels, to say nothing of the fact that there were three of them. Seeing their large frames and the bone wings on their backs, their sinister black armour and large flaming swords, his heart sank. Lil¡¯ Gold went berserk, beating back the forces from Angel Corps with his full might. Dozens of enemies fell to his powerful attacks. These players were all elites of Angel Corps. Seeing them dying like this, Soaring Angel felt his heart bleed. He pulled out three arrows from his quiver and fired them. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The arrows struck Lil¡¯ Gold, the impact from their explosions causing him to stagger back. ?28,997 ?31,128 ?30,001 What frightening damage! Nie Yan hurriedly had Paladin Lafus heal Lil¡¯ Gold. Three Magisters stood on the rooftops above Nie Yan, forming a triangle. They started chanting an incantation, likely preparing to cast a large-scale magic. Sensing the intense magic fluctuations above him, Nie Yan knitted his brows. Are they planning to cast Forbidden Magic!? If they were to cast Forbidden Magic, not only him, but the several thousand Angel Corps players in the vicinity would also be done for! Then again, it didn¡¯t surprise Nie Yan that Soaring Angel was willing to sacrifice his own players to kill him. Nie Yan felt the pressure weigh down on him. He had to get out of here, quickly! If those three Magisters were allowed to cast their Forbidden Magic, he would be in a world of trouble. Unfortunately, he was blocked in from all sides by Angel Corps players. There was simply no end to them. There was no path of retreat! ¡°Whoever kills Nirvana Flame will be rewarded a full set of Sub Legendary-grade equipment and an additional 500,000 gold!¡± Soaring Angel roared, gritting his teeth. The Angel Corps players immediately became fired up. A full set of Sub Legendary-grade equipment and 500,000 gold was an enormous temptation! Under Soaring Angel¡¯s rain of arrows, Lil¡¯ Gold was forced back, unable to retaliate. Several golden armoured Warriors took the opportunity to charge toward him. ¡°Knock that overgrown lizard aside!¡± Shield Bash! Shield Bash! ¡­ The greatshields struck Lil¡¯ Gold, the sounds of metal hitting metal ringing through the air. ¡°Demon Hunters, focus down Nirvana Flame!¡± Countless arrows rained down from the sky. Nie Yan employed the shadow steps to evade most of the arrows, but he was still struck by seven. Fortunately, they couldn¡¯t deal much damage to him, about 10,000 health which he quickly healed back up with a potion. Lil¡¯ Gold couldn¡¯t do much of anything, abused by Soaring Angel like a practice dummy. If it wasn¡¯t for Paladin Lafus continuously healing him, he would¡¯ve long since died. As for the Doom Sentinels, facing so many players among whom there was no small number of Masters, they were starting to falter. Still, what worried Nie Yan the most were the three Magisters chanting over his head. He was ready to activate Adjudicator of God at any time. If it were an offensive type Forbidden Magic, he would have no other choice. Ominous, swirling black clouds gathered in the sky, accompanied by the crackle of thunder and lightning. The black storm clouds slowly descended. A suffocating pressure permeated the air. A membrane of light spread in the surroundings, covering everything in a 300-meter radius like an impenetrable cage. Nothing could get in or out. Seeing this development, Nie Yan¡¯s face paled. It was Devouring Plasma Storm! Nie Yan¡¯s knowledge of this spell was limited to only a single, terrifying video in his past life. Devouring Plasma Storm locked down everything in a certain area before completely inundating it with lightning. As long as the three Magisters powering it didn¡¯t die and the magic formation wasn¡¯t broken, the spell could theoretically go on forever! It appeared Angel Corps had spared no effort to deal with him, even getting their hands on something like Devouring Plasma Storm. Nie Yan realized Adjudicator of God wouldn¡¯t last long enough to weather the storm. I need to get out of here quick! At this moment, a lightning bolt cut through the air and came crashing down. This place was filled with Angel Corps players. Soaring Angel was truly something. For the sake of killing Nie Yan, he was willing to sacrifice all these people! BOOOM! The lightning bolt struck one of the Doom Sentinels. Sparks flew everywhere as it was disintegrated into ash. The six players around the Doom Sentinel didn¡¯t fare any better. The players from Angel Corps went into an uproar. ¡¸All of you who die here will receive three times normal compensation! Focus on killing Nirvana Flame!¡¹Soaring Angel said in a heavy voice. This promise appeased his men as they steeled their hearts. Even if they died here, they wouldn¡¯t lose out. They braved through the lightning and charged forward with reckless abandon. As the first lightning bolt fell, two more came crashing down. Thankfully, these lightning bolts fell over the players from Angel Corps. Nie Yan was yet to be hit. These lightning bolts came down indiscriminately! After the two lightning bolts, another four came crashing down, killing Paladin Lafus and the two remaining Doom Sentinels. Nie Yan recalled the video he watched in his past life. When Devouring Plasma Storm was cast, at first only one bolt of lightning came down, then two, then four, eight, 16, and so on. Before long, everything would be annihilated. 16 lightning bolts came crashing down. One came directly for Nie Yan. Adjudicator of God! BOOOM! The lightning struck Nie Yan as sparks flew everywhere. Fortunately, he was temporarily immune to all magic! Nie Yan¡¯s time was limited. He looked up at the rooftops. I have to kill those three Magisters first. That¡¯s the only way to stop this spell! He suddenly spotted several silhouettes appearing behind the Magisters. His heart trembled. It¡¯s them! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 893 - Reinforcements to the Rescue At the last second, the Magisters sensed something off. They tried to react, but it was too late. Cold flashes of steel streaked across their throats. PSFHT! PSFHT! PSFHT! Blood sprayed into the air. The three Magisters were instantly killed, their corpses dropping down from the rooftops. The Devouring Plasma Storm, not even 20 lightning strikes strong, slowly dissipated from the sky. Sun, Mistaken Smile, and King of the World emerged on the rooftops at the same time. ¡°Enemy reinforcements!¡± Discovering Asskickers United players flooding in from everywhere, Soaring Angel¡¯s heart trembled. There chance of killing Nie Yan was gone! ¡¸Kill as many as you can!¡¹Soaring Angel drew his longbow and rained down arrows on the players from Asskickers United. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Dozens of players found themselves at the mercy of the explosions. Lei Su, Bladelight, and Smoke Stub walked up to the edge of a rooftop, then leaped down into the middle of Angel Corps¡¯ ranks. A dense hail of magic and arrows rained down on Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and Lei Su, only dealing several hundred damage each. Their stats were so ridiculously high, this little was negligible; the squishiest among them, Lei Su, had well over 100,000 health. It was one of the advantages of their new class. From Level 140 onwards, they¡¯d receive an astonishing amount of health with every level up, turning them into walking fortresses no one could hope to bring down. ¡°Their defense is too high. We can¡¯t get through their armour!¡± ¡°Shit! What kind of defense is this!?¡± Normally, their attacks would deal at least 6,000 damage, but against walking fortresses like these three, they were doing only a few hundred damage. Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and Lei Su were like foxes in a henhouse. Each slashing motion of their blades unleashed powerful sword beams. They cut down dozens of players in the blink of an eye. Angel Corps¡¯ forces despaired into chaos. For fear of hitting their own, the Mages didn¡¯t dare to use AoE Magic. They could only use their single target spells. Soaring Angel looked down. Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and Lei Su swept through everything in their paths. No one could stop their advance. Angel Corps¡¯ battle formation was broken, while Asskickers United¡¯s forces were slowly pushing forward. Soaring Angel couldn¡¯t help but inwardly curse. Damn you Nirvana Flame! Though at the same time, he also envied Nie Yan. Whenever Bladelight and the others appeared, they would display astonishing battle prowess and overturn the tide of battle. Just how did Nie Yan gather all these experts? The number of players in Angel Corps that could rival Bladelight, he could count on one hand. Meanwhile, Asskickers United had over 30 players on that level. Seeing Bladelight cutting through his forces like cabbages, Soaring Angel couldn¡¯t hold back his anger anymore. He pulled out some arrows and drew his longbow. TWANG! With the release of his drawstring, three arrows sought their target. Soaring Angel repeated this two more times. Nine arrows flew toward Bladelight. ¡°Bladelight, watch out!¡± Nie Yan warned, having noticed the attack in advance. Bladelight had just cut down three players. Hearing the shout, he looked up. He forcefully threw himself to the side in an attempt to dodge the nine arrows. Shield Bash! Shield Bash! Two Angel Corps players happened to rush forward at this time and locked Bladelight down. Bulwark of the War God! Letting out a deep roar, Bladelight¡¯s body lit up with a dazzling radiance, resembling an awe-inspiring war god. With a Seismic Slam, he sent the two Warriors flying back. He then raised his greatshield to block the nine arrows. BOOOM! The first arrow struck Bladelight¡¯s shield and exploded, causing six Angel Corps players close to Bladelight to be blown away. Bladelight was forced several steps back by the explosion. ?32,494 BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Eight more arrows struck Bladelight. As the explosions went off, gentle rays of light fell over Bladelight, bringing his health back to full whenever it was about to bottom out. However, within all the chaos, very few people noticed it. Nine arrows exploded in quick succession, each possessing frightening killing power. It was terrifying!. A dozen Angel Corps players and eight Asskickers United players were caught up in the explosions and died. Only Bladelight stood. One could imagine how much pressure he was under! After being pushed back nearly six meters, Bladelight missed a step and stumbled to the ground. This was it. Bladelight was dead for sure this time! The Asskickers United players looked on with worry, those from Angel Corps with glee, their eyes filled with elation. However, when the dust settled, everyone¡¯s jaws dropped as they watched Bladelight stagger back to his feet. How was Bladelight still alive!? They clearly saw each one dealing 30,000-40,000 damage. Could it be that he had 400,000 health? Only a few Masters had noticed the heals in between the hits. Their eyes fell on Painted Muslin and Young Seven off to the side. Two of Asskickers United¡¯s Archbishops were here. No wonder Bladelight didn¡¯t die. Soaring Angel had seen everything from his bird¡¯s-eye view in the sky. In between his every arrow, one of Painted Muslin and Young Seven cast a heal. Their teamwork was flawless. If any of them were a beat too slow, Bladelight would¡¯ve died. Soaring Angel¡¯s nine arrows had hit in quick succession, only a fraction of a second apart. However, Young Seven and Painted Muslin still managed to sneak in their heals. This was an incredible feat. Soaring Angel wanted to ram his head into a wall. He couldn¡¯t even kill Bladelight like this! Bladelight stabilized himself. Seeing his health was already back to full, he knew Painted Muslin and Young Seven had saved him! With two Archbishops at his back, there was nothing to worry about! Bladelight and Soaring Angel locked gazes. With a smile on his face, Bladelight flipped him off. Off in the distance, Undying Scoundrel, Summer Bug, and the others couldn¡¯t help but laugh. It turned out even Bladelight had some vulgarity in him. Soaring Angel¡¯s face turned red. He was about to blow his top. This was a bare naked provocation! He angrily pulled out several arrows, wanting to teach Bladelight a lesson, but quickly stopped himself. The enemy was baiting him, a little too obvious. If he focused all his attention on Bladelight, he¡¯d be wasting his time; he couldn¡¯t deal more damage than those two Archbishops could heal. Then all the other Asskickers United players would be free to do whatever they wanted. Soaring Angel suppressed the fury in his heart. He pointed his longbow elsewhere. As he tried to snipe the Magisters from Asskickers United, he was dejected to discover his explosive arrows had no effect on them since they could blink to safety. Bladelight shrugged his shoulder, it seemed Soaring Angel didn¡¯t wish to take the bet, and charged toward the other players from Angel Corps. Meanwhile, Nie Yan had already killed 30 players. With the assistance of his guildmates, he could kill to his heart''s content. Asskickers United¡¯s Masters were too strong. Angel Corps¡¯ forces felt like they couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°Let¡¯s show these trash who¡¯s boss!¡± Undying Scoundrel shouted. The morale of the Asskickers United players soared as they pressed forward with even more zeal. Angel Corps¡¯ forces were already falling under the pressure. This emboldened assault from Asskickers United was the final straw that broke the camel¡¯s back. Angel Corps¡¯ ranks were in disarray. Seeing the situation taking a turn for the worse, Soaring Angel shouted,¡¸Everyone. retreat!¡¹ The players from Angel Corps lost all will to continue fighting. They beat a quick retreat. The Mages blinked away while the Thieves disappeared into stealth. Those who couldn¡¯t run crushed their Unknown Transfer Scrolls. Asskickers United¡¯s forces seized this opportunity to kill several hundred more players from Angel Corps. Before long, there wasn¡¯t a single Angel Corps player left on the ground. Nie Yan looked toward the sky. Soaring Angel still hadn''t left. He used his explosive arrows to kill a dozen more Asskickers United players. ¡°Shoot him down!¡± Nie Yan shouted. An archer with wings was extremely difficult to deal with, especially in an environment like the City of Sin where flying mounts couldn¡¯t move around freely. Even Nie Yan didn¡¯t have a good way of dealing with him. Undying Scoundrel and five other Magisters used their blinks and short distance flight skills to reach the rooftops of several buildings. Raising their staffs, they were preparing to shoot Soaring Angel down. Soaring Angel didn¡¯t give them the opportunity. He flapped his wings and retreated, disappearing behind some buildings. They had no hope of catching Soaring Angel. They could only watch as he escaped. ¡°Boss, he¡¯s gone.¡± Nie Yan knitted his brows. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Report the battle results.¡± ¡°We lost 835 members. Most of their dropped equipment has been recovered. We managed to kill 1,300 Angel Corps players, 5 of whom were Masters. We obtained 11 pieces of Sub Legendary-grade equipment and 1,731 pieces of ordinary equipment.¡± It was a clear victory for Asskickers United. Nie Yan¡¯s only regret was that they had failed to kill Soaring Angel. ¡°Boss, Soaring Angel¡¯s aerial forces are gathering in the northern part of the city.¡± ¡°It looks like they aren¡¯t willing to take this loss sitting down. What do we do?¡± Bladelight asked. ¡°If they want to go for round two, let¡¯s entertain them!¡± Nie Yan glanced at the two flying mounts in his pet space. A large aerial battle between their two guilds was bound to happen sooner or later! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 894 - Dragon King Frui Asskickers United had less flying mounts than Angel Corps from the start, but the distance between them only got bigger. Nevertheless, they still held the advantage when it came to high rank flying mounts. According to the reports sent by Guo Huai, Angel Corps had mobilized over 1,000 flying mounts. They were preparing to have a final showdown with Asskickers United. Online on the public forums, they had already issued a declaration of challenge. Asskickers United had no way of backing down. The entire server was waiting to see how they would respond. Nie Yan glanced at his pet window. The Darkwing Dragon had yet to fully recover, but it was back at at least 70% of its full strength. Meanwhile, the Spectre Dragon had already reached the peak of Rank 6 and was only a step away from breaking through to Rank 7. As for Xie Yao¡¯s Immortal Phoenix, he wasn¡¯t sure how much it had matured. Asskickers United was definitely capable of going toe-to-toe with the enemy. However, since Angel Corps dared to issue a challenge, that meant they naturally came prepared. He wasn¡¯t willing to gamble away the lives of his main force, especially when they didn¡¯t need to. Nie Yan pondered for a moment before whispering Guo Huai,¡¸Help me get in touch with Plenty.¡¹ ¡¸You want to ask for Fallen Angel¡¯s help to deal with Angel Corps?¡¹Guo Huai asked. ¡¸Yes. Fallen Angel and Angel Corps are sworn enemies. Fallen Angel wants to get rid of them even more than we do. They¡¯d be more than willing to lend us a helping hand in wiping out Angel Corps¡¯ aerial force,¡¹Nie Yan said with a faint smile. It didn¡¯t take long for Nie Yan to get in touch with Plenty and explain his plan. Sure enough, Fallen Angel immediately agreed to help and dispatched their most elite aerial force to help Asskickers United in this battle. Nie Yan felt all the more confident. With the help of Fallen Angel, the situation had become a lot less troublesome. Now all he had to do was wait for help to arrive. The more effort Fallen Angel put in, the less casualties Asskickers United would suffer. ¡¸Remember you had me investigate the connection between Fallen Angel and Angel Corps? Well, I found something interesting. Want to guess what it is?¡¹Guo Huai asked. ¡¸Stop with the suspense. Just tell me.¡¹ ¡¸Have you heard of the Brutus Capital Group?¡¹ ¡¸I have. What about it?¡¹ ¡¸The members of the Brutus Capital Group come from all over the world, but their main operations are focused in Europe. At their peak, they were rumoured to have controlled over 50% of all global economic activity. Though they¡¯re not what they were a few decades ago, a starved camel is still larger than a horse. They are a true unshakeable leviathan. In the present day, the leaders of six European nations are from the Brutus Capital Group. ¡¸It was founded by a few men. Initially, no one else was accepted in. Only later did they expand to a little over 200 members, until finally 200 years ago, they started accepting descendants of their members. Each new generation, they select the most talented youth to become the successor. This era just happens to have two extremely talented descendants. So, the leader will be selected from the two of them.¡¹ ¡¸So you¡¯re saying these two descendants are Soaring Angel and Plenty?¡¹ ¡¸Correct. Furthermore, as per tradition, the companies under the Brutus Capital Group never go public on the market. So, it¡¯s difficult to find out the true depths of their assets. All we know is that their resources are pretty much endless. Their wealth far exceeds that of the six richest people in the world combined, and they¡¯re capable of influencing the political sphere of several dozen nations. ¡¸One final thing of note. It¡¯s rumoured that when the federation was developing Conviction, they received an enormous amount of financial support from the Brutus Capital Group.¡¹ This revelation left Nie Yan completely speechless. He wanted to know what Soaring Angel and Plenty¡¯s backgrounds were since he first ran into them. He knew they were influential heirs from Europe, but he didn¡¯t expect that their influence reached so deep. No wonder Fallen Angel was sparing no effort to wipe out Angel Corps! ¡¸The higher-ups of the Brutus Capital Group gather once every five years. Their next meeting is in two years, and that¡¯s when their new leader will be selected. Until then, the power Soaring Angel and Plenty can utilize is limited. However, suffice to say, we have to make sure Soaring Angel doesn¡¯t become the leader. It¡¯d be really bad for us,¡¹Guo Huai said. Nie Yan roughly understood the situation. Soaring Angel and Plenty were currently only members of the Brutus Capital Group. Fallen Angel¡¯s victory might not necessarily be a good thing for Asskickers United. But if Angel Corps won, the Brutus Capital Group would undoubtedly become an existence that could threaten World Bloc! Between these two options, picking Fallen Angel was the lesser of two evils! Nie Yan started mobilizing Asskickers United¡¯s forces. They gathered in the central square in the City of Sin and summoned their various flying mounts. In the middle of this, Bladelight, Undying Scoundrel, and several others came walking over, fuming with anger. ¡°That bastard Soaring Angel killed 16 of our members in an ambush! We almost got him, but those damn wings! That rat really can run fast!¡± Undying Scoundrel cursed. Asskickers United had no method to deal with Soaring Angel for the moment. Those wings gave him a massive advantage. He could easily utilize them to fish up some easy benefits. Both sides only had a few thousand true elites. Killing 20 of them was an amazing result. ¡°Have you thought of a way to deal with him?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°Not really. We can only try and have the Magisters lock him down, but that bastard is really cautious. He ran the moment he saw our Masters coming. He won¡¯t fight us dammit!¡± Nie Yan recalled the Demon Feather in his bag. If he could find the other materials, he could craft Demon Wings. Then he¡¯d have a way of dealing with Soaring Angel. It was a pity he had no time to do this quest. ¡°Let¡¯s think of a way to deal with Angel Corps¡¯ aerial force first,¡± Nie Yan said. He¡¯d received word that the reinforcements from Fallen Angel were already on their way here. However, the next report said they were intercepted by Pantheon. ¡°How many flying mounts do we have?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°900 in the City of Sin. We have a few more rushing over right now,¡± Paladin of the Elegy said. ¡°Nie Yan, there is a boss that drops the Dragon King Fruit. If we can get it, it might help your Darkwing Dragon break through,¡± Bladelight suddenly recalled. ¡°Where is that boss located?¡± Nie Yan asked skeptically. Their battle with Angel Corps was about to begin. Why would Bladelight suddenly mention a boss? ¡°Bladelight, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit too late to go hunting a boss?¡± Smoke Stub asked with knitted brows. ¡°It¡¯s not too late. It¡¯s right in the middle of World¡¯s Edge. We can get it easily done in half-an-hour. I don¡¯t believe for a second we¡¯ll start fighting before then. Let¡¯s take advantage of this time. If we can get the Dragon King Fruit, we¡¯ll earn big. Think about it, the Darkwing Dragon is already a Rank 8 flying mount. If it eats the Dragon King Fruit and breaks through to Rank 9, everything will change,¡± Bladelight said with a smile. Everyone became silent. Flying mounts were different from other creatures. A difference of two or three ranks was enormous. For example, Rank 6 flying mounts could only deal very little damage to Rank 8 flying mounts, and Rank 5 flying mounts pretty much could do nothing at all. If Asskickers United had a Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon, they could completely decimate Angel Corps¡¯ aerial force. At that time, only the few Rank 7 flying mounts from Angel Corps could deal any damage to the Darkwing Dragon. Bladelight¡¯s words reminded everyone of how frightening a Rank 9 flying mount would be. ¡°So, are you up for it?¡± Bladelight asked Nie Yan. Now, everyone was waiting for his decision. ¡°Tell me about the boss,¡± Nie Yan said. A boss that dropped a super rare item like the Dragon King Fruit definitely wouldn¡¯t be simple. ¡°Fallen Angel Brufut, a Level 180 golden monster. He is in a special underground dungeon. Once we open it, no one else can enter. It has a maximum size of 30 people,¡± Bladelight said. ¡°What are our chances of killing that boss?¡± Everyone was curious for Bladelight¡¯s assessment. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Both Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group have sent teams into that dungeon, but they wiped every time. I¡¯ve collected some data. Take a look,¡± Bladelight said. What Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group couldn¡¯t accomplish wasn¡¯t something they necessarily couldn¡¯t. After all, they had the best tanks, healers, and damage dealers in all of the game. ¡°Looking at the data, I say we have at least a 60% chance,¡± Smoke Stub concluded. They had fought at least several hundred if not a thousand bosses in World¡¯s Edge. On some days, they would beat a dozen. He had ample experience. So, his judgement could be considered fairly accurate. ¡°If our chances are that good, let¡¯s give it a try!¡± Undying Scoundrel said. Dungeons were different from other places. With no chances of anyone disturbing them, even if they wiped, they could simply run back to their corpses to revive. Even if they dropped their equipment, they could simply pick it back up. The experience they lost was reduced too. If they could kill the boss within three wipes, they would come out ahead. Only if a team consistently wiped to a boss, without any hope of beating it, would it be disadvantageous to enter a dungeon. Everyone gazed at Nie Yan. So long as he gave the word, they would immediately set out. ¡°Bladelight, you gather the members. Have everyone else remain on standby in the World¡¯s End Bar,¡± Nie Yan said. The City of Sin had one fairly safe location, and that was the World¡¯s End Bar. The owner was a Legendary Mage. So, no one dared to cause trouble there. It was a place of refuge. Three minutes later, Nie Yan and the others broke away from public view and secretly set out. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 895 - Fallen Angel Brufu The northern district of the City of Sin, The 1,000-strong aerial force of Angel Corps had gathered here. All kinds of large flying mounts could be seen circling in the sky. The declaration of challenge Soaring Angel issued created a huge uproar on the forums. The relationship between the two guilds was already like fire and ice. Their fierce conflicts affected every player across the continent. With millions of troops on both sides, one could imagine the scope of this war. Both sides were preparing for the next big skirmish, to be fought in the skies above the City of Sin. Once fighting broke out, the entire map would be swept over with the flames of war! Many unaffiliated players were setting out for the City of Sin. They wanted to witness the battle in person. ¡°Has there been any movements on the side of Asskickers United?¡± Soaring Angel asked. ¡°We just received word that Nirvana Flame, Bladelight, and their other Masters suddenly disappeared. We have no idea where they went,¡± a Mage replied. Soaring Angel¡¯s heart sank. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what Nie Yan¡¯s group was planning.¡¸All members, stay vigilant. If anything happens, report it immediately!¡¹He rubbed his chin for a moment. ¡°Apart from those you mentioned, where is the rest of Asskickers United¡¯s troops?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve holed up in the World¡¯s End Bar.¡± ¡°World¡¯s End Bar!? Tsk, those damn cowards!¡± Soaring Angel cursed. No matter how arrogant he was, he didn¡¯t dare to stir up trouble there. Even though Asskickers United had accepted the declaration of challenge, the time limit was in another three hours. If they didn¡¯t show up before then, it would count as them conceding. He could only wait for the time being. ¡°Boss, I¡¯m certain they are up to something,¡± Evil Monarch said. He had an uneasy feeling. ¡°I think so too. Hm, do you think they¡¯re trying to challenge Fallen Angel Brufut and obtain the Dragon King Fruit?¡± Stone Splitter asked. ¡°Not likely. And even if they are, Brufut is no pushover. If they try, even with their top elites, they¡¯ll be in for a rude awakening!¡± Soaring Angel said. He¡¯d experienced the might of Fallen Angel Brufut himself, and it left a deep impression in his heart. ¡°We should investigate anyway,¡± Evil Monarch suggested. If Asskickers United really was attempting that dungeon, they¡¯d have to prepare for the worst. Soaring Angel thought for a moment before nodding. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll send someone to investigate right now.¡± A Thief from Angel Corps set out for the special dungeon. After a while, he reported back to Soaring Angel that no one had entered. ¡°Just where did they go off to...?¡± Soaring Angel muttered. What Soaring Angel didn¡¯t know was that Nie Yan and the others were still making their preparations to tackle Fallen Angel Brufut. Nie Yan had the Starry Night Potion Shop deliver 13 different kinds of potions¡ª390 altogether¡ªand distributed them. Apart from this, he also had a large amount of Tinkerer items sent over. A sharpened blade was much better for carrying out a task. These preparations were absolutely necessary and could save the team from a wipe. About 10 minutes after Soaring Angel¡¯s scout left, Nie Yan and the others snuck into the dungeon. They ascended a tall flight of stairs and passed through a long, winding corridor before at an enormous shrine hovering in the air. The shrine was over 100 meters high with towering pillars that pierced into the sky. ¡°This is the place,¡± Bladelight said. ¡°Damn, that shrine is huge!¡± Undying Scoundrel gasped in amazement. He had to tilt his head all the way back to see the top of it. Nie Yan approached the shrine and looked inside. The interior was spacious, as the outside suggested, and the floor was crafted out of some unknown stone which glistened like the stars in the night sky. A thin membrane of light surrounded the entrance of the shrine, separating it from the outside world. ¡°Fallen Angel Brufut is inside. Before he comes out himself, he¡¯ll first send out 10 waves of monsters. They¡¯re also pretty difficult to deal with. So, stay vigilant,¡± Bladelight reminded. He turned to Nie Yan. ¡°We¡¯re ready whenever you are.¡± Nie Yan walked up to the pedestal in front of the shrine entrance. Sitting on top of it was a crystal orb about the size of a basketball. He placed his palm on it and started chanting while slowly rotating it clockwise. Click, click, click! Some sort of mechanism activated in the pedestal. Nie Yan glanced over his shoulder and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Everyone entered the shrine. At the center of the shrine was a wide open space about 400 meters in diameter. When they entered, a giant silhouette floated down from the ceiling. It was a five-meter tall angel clad in silver armour. From his appearance alone, one might mistake him for a human, if not for the two pairs of black wings growing from his back. He looked like a man in his fifties. ¡°That¡¯s him! Fallen Angel Brufut!¡± This four winged angel was their target! At this moment, Battle Angel Kalenna awoke from her nap and glared at Brufut with scorn burning in her eyes. ¡°Brufut! You wretched traitor! If it weren¡¯t for you, Heaven¡¯s army would not have fallen against the dragon race!¡± Battle Angel Kalenna brandished her staff. Seeing Battle Angel Kalenna¡¯s reaction, Nie Yan became excited. With her help, their chances of succeeding would improve substantially. Fallen Angel Brufut swept his eyes over Nie Yan¡¯s group. ¡°Another group of humans have come to throw their lives away. You trifling ants. When will you learn? Oh...? What is this I see? Kalenna, so you¡¯re still alive. Truly a pity. You¡¯ve become so small and weak. Hahaha!¡± ¡°Brufut, you disgrace! I¡¯ll kill you if it¡¯s the last thing I do and offer up your ashes to those who have fallen!¡± Kalenna¡¯s petite figure trembled in pure rage. ¡°Come, Kalenna! I¡¯d like to see you try! Just you and these puny humans? Hahaha!¡± Brufut¡¯s laugh reverberated through the hall. Are you willing to accept Kalenna¡¯s quest, ¡°Slay Fallen Angel Brufut¡±? Bladelight and the others shifted their attention to Kalenna. They all saw the notification Nie Yan just received. Who would¡¯ve thought she would trigger a brand new quest like this. Their goal was to kill Fallen Angel Brufut anyway. They couldn¡¯t help but wonder what sort of additional rewards they would receive. Nie Yan accepted the quest, and as he did Kalenna entered battle mode. ¡°Seems like our chances of winning will be much higher than 60% now,¡± Smoke Stub remarked with a smile. He¡¯d witnessed the might of Battle Angel Kalenna before. Brufut brandished his greatsword and shouted, ¡°HAH!¡± A wave of 30 enormous black bears emerged out of thin air. They looked like tanks as they charged toward Nie Yan¡¯s group. ¡°Shit! 30 bears in the first wave? Nie Yan, something¡¯s off!¡± Bladelight cried out. According to the intel he gathered, Brufut would only summon these bears on the sixth wave, and there would be six not 30! Battle Angel Kalenna¡¯s addition had upped the difficulty by manyfold! Their heart sank. Did that mean all their intel was meaningless now? What would come next, some monster they¡¯d never seen before? ¡°Bulwark of the War God!¡± Bladelight roared. His body lit up with a golden radiance as he charged to intercept the bears. Taunt! A dozen bears immediately aggroed onto Bladelight. Smoke Stub, Lofty Shadow, Monochrome, Edgeless, and Lei Su also went up. The defense of these bears was incredibly high, their skin near impenetrable. Not to mention their astonishing attack power. Angel Corps, the Century Financial Group, and everyone else who¡¯d attempted this dungeon had had their hands full dealing with only six of these bears, but they had to deal with 30! Young Seven, Painted Muslin, Black Heaven, and the other healers in the backline cast heals on repeat, trying their best to keep the Warriors alive. Their foreheads were drenched with sweat. They had to maintain strict focus, for the slightest mistake might cost the Warriors their lives. The bears did over 9,000 damage a hit to Bladelight and over 13,000 to the others. A shower of magic rained down on the bears. A blanket of 3,000s floated up into the air. That said, these bears had 6,000,000 health. ¡°Shit! There¡¯s too many of them!¡± Undying Scoundrel shouted. Nie Yan snuck behind a bear and stunned it with a Smothering Strike, then followed up with a Reverse Grip Backstab. ?7,329 ?12,855 Even Nie Yan only dealt so little damage! The defense of these bears was simply too high! He knitted his brows. When he glanced at Kalenna, she finally took action. With a wave of her staff, she cast a shield on Bladelight. A faint membrane of light enveloped Bladelight. It looked no different from a normal Radiant Shield. BANG! BANG! Two claws landed on Bladelight. ?621 ?625 Bladelight widened his eyes in shock. What a powerful shield! Battle Angel Kalenna didn¡¯t stop there, casting shields consecutively on all the other Warriors. The damage they took was instantly reduced by 90%. Next, she buffed everyone¡¯s magic power, increasing their damage by eightfold. Undying Scoundrel glanced at his status bar. He sucked in a cold breath of air. He counted more than 11 different blessings, increasing his magic power, cast speed, mana recovery speed, and so on. The effects of the blessings were mindblowing! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 896 - Rank 7 Spectre Dragon BANG! BANG! BANG! A whirlwind of flames rose up into the air. ?33,234 ?35,251 ?30,799 ... A short time later, the first bear let out a mournful cry and collapsed on the ground. Thanks to Kalenna¡¯s blessings, Undying Scoundrel and the damage output of the other Magisters had skyrocketed. As for the Warriors in the frontline, they didn¡¯t even need shields to defend against these bears! They gathered the bears all into one place. The Magisters started chanting small-scale AoE magic and called down a shower of fire, lightning, and ice. The Warriors smoothly retreated out of the range of the magic. Their teamwork was flawless. Within two minutes, bear corpses littered the ground. ¡°Hot damn! Why couldn¡¯t I get a battle angel during my class advancement quest!?¡± Tang Yao complained, envy thick in his voice. ¡°What are you complaining? You got a Rank 7 Arcane Fairy. You should be satisfied with what you have.¡± Nie Yan smirked. A Rank 7 Arcane Fairy was already ludicrously powerful. Tang Yao scratched his head with a wry chuckle. ¡°Pfft¡­ how could my fairy compare to that overpowered angel of yours?¡± Nie Yan glanced at Xie Yao¡¯s Holy Fairy. It had already reached Rank 5. Even though fairies weren¡¯t as rare as before¡ªthe entire Righteous Faction having around 30 altogether¡ªmaybe only three or four were Rank 5 or higher. That said, they couldn¡¯t be compared with a Guardian Angel. A fairy was an existence that was more than several tiers lower on the totem pole. King of the Word, Sun, and the other Shadow Dancers collected the drops from the bears. ¡°Find anything good?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°Yeah! A Darkness Divine Stone!¡± King of the World exclaimed. Darkness Divine Stone!? Nie Yan¡¯s heart thumped. Darkness Divine Stones were incredibly rare drops from demonic monsters. It was the ultimate catalyst, the crucial material in a great many recipes. If you also found a Transmuter or Pandora¡¯s Box, the possible recipes to choose from were endless. Apart from the Darkness Divine Stone, a decent Priest necklace also dropped. It was given to Painted Muslin. Fallen Angel Brufut looked down at them disdainfully. He floated in mid-air, a barrier protecting him. So, Nie Yan¡¯s group couldn¡¯t attack him. They could only wait for his next move. ¡°How long do we have until the next wave? Do you know what he is going to summon next?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°Next wave is in about three minutes, I think. I¡¯m not too sure. This first wave was already different from our intel,¡± Bladelight replied. The dungeon¡¯s difficulty had ramped up a lot after Nie Yan accepted Kalenna¡¯s quest. ¡°I see. Let¡¯s recover as much as we can,¡± Nie Yan said. Everyone sat down to recuperate. I wonder what sort of things can be crafted out of this Darkness Divine Stone¡­ Nie Yan was just about to search online, when Xie Yao sent him a link. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°It¡¯s a crafting recipe for the Darkness Divine Stone. I figured it¡¯s something you¡¯d be interested in,¡± Xie Yao said with an adorable smile. Nie Yan felt a warmth in his heart. It¡¯d already been three years since they first started dating. Their relationship had grown to the point where they could tell what the other wanted without needing to say anything. Nie Yan skimmed through the recipes. There were around 60 altogether, but most of them didn¡¯t really interest him. He was just about to close the page, when his eyes fell on the last recipe on the list¡ªDemon Wings! Demon Wings Recipe Required Crafting Materials: Demon¡¯s Feather x1, Darkness Divine Stone x1, Jadeite Gems x5, Dark Grimoire x1, Dark Runic Cloths x12 Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but get excited. These Demon Wings was precisely the item he was longing for! He already had a Demon¡¯s Feather. Combined with the Divine Darkness Stone, he had two of the required crafting materials in his possession. He didn¡¯t know how difficult Jadeite Gems, a Dark Grimoire, and Dark Runic Cloths were to find. He could only hope it wouldn¡¯t be too hard. The sooner he got these wings, the sooner he had something to deal with Soaring Angel! Nie Yan immediately contacted Guo Huai.¡¸Help me find five Jadeite Gems, a Dark Grimoire, and 12 Runic Cloths. I need them as soon as possible.¡¹ ¡¸What do you need these items for?¡¹Guo Huai asked. Even though Jadeite Gems were rare, he knew about them. As for a Dark Grimoire and Dark Runic Cloths, he¡¯d never even heard of them before. ¡¸They¡¯re crafting materials for wings,¡¹Nie Yan explained. Guo Huai immediately understood the importance of these items. He of course knew of the fight in the City of Sin, of Soaring Angel besting them with his wings. Both he and his team were trying to think of methods to deal with Soaring Angel, but wings were simply too difficult to find. After all, even the Wings of Sorens had a drop rate of only 1 in 50,000. So, when Nie Yan told him why he needed those items, he quickly replied,¡¸I¡¯ll get on it immediately!¡¹ Nie Yan could only pray that Guo Huai found the materials fast. It would be massive if he had the wings for the upcoming battle. Nie Yan hung up the call. About three minutes later, Fallen Angel Brufut brandished his greatsword and summoned 20 Savage Bone Giants. ¡°GRAAAOGH!¡± They paced back and forth restlessly around the center of the shrine. ¡°I¡¯ll take five of them!¡± Bladelight rushed forward. ¡°I¡¯ll take three!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take two!¡± ... The Warriors quickly drew the aggro of the Savage Bone Giants. They had perfect synergy, and their movements were well-practiced and smooth. Like against the bears, these Savage Bone Giants weren¡¯t too big of a challenge thanks to Battle Angel Kalenna, who had buffed everyone with blessings and shields at the start of the fight. Within a few minutes, the Savage Bone Giants started dropping left and right. Several Energy Crystals dropped from the Savage Bone Giants. They could be fed directly to pets and flying mounts. Nie Yan obtained two darkness attribute Energy Crystals. He was the only one in this team with a darkness attribute flying mount. Thinking for a bit, Nie Yan summoned his Spectre Dragon and let it move around a bit before feeding it the two darkness Energy Crystals. The Spectre Dragon was already on the verge of breaking through to Rank 7. These two Darkness Energy Crystals were perhaps all it needed! When everyone saw the Spectre Dragon, they were completely dumbfounded. Nie Yan hadn¡¯t told anyone about obtaining it, nor was he the type who liked to show off. So, this was their first time seeing it. Even though it didn¡¯t look as formidable as the Darkwing Dragon, it was still extremely shocking. ¡°Boss, d-did you switch flying mounts?¡± Paladin of the Elegy asked. It was common knowledge that every player could only have one flying mount. ¡°Remember that Dragon King¡¯s Divine Might ability from Zennarde¡¯s Sword? It allows him to have two dragon flying mounts,¡± Smoke Stub said. Only a few people in Asskickers United knew Nie Yan had obtained the Spectre Dragon. This was the type of matter where the fewer people who knew, the better. The people in this team were all trustworthy. So, Nie Yan had no misgivings about summoning the Spectre Dragon in front of them. ¡°This Spectre Dragon is Rank 6 right now, but it looks like it¡¯s starting to break through,¡± Summer Bug remarked. ¡°Yeah. I hope it¡¯ll break through before the upcoming battle,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Then, our side will have another Rank 7 flying mount.¡± In this downtime between waves, they started chatting about the Spectre Dragon, wondering how effective it would be in combat. ¡°Boss, is the Spectre Dragon a close-combat type or magic-type?¡± Undying Scoundrel asked. ¡°It¡¯s a magic-type,¡± Nie Yan replied. Everyone¡¯s eyes lit up. Most flying mounts were close-combat types. Magic-types were much rarer, especially among existences like dragons. A high rank magic-type flying mount was a priceless treasure. ¡°What are its skills?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know in a few hours.¡± Nie Yan chuckled. ¡°Ah, stop being such a tease, Boss!¡± Seeing Nie Yan¡¯s mysterious smile, everyone¡¯s curiosity was piqued even more. After eating the two Darkness Energy Crystals, the Spectre Dragon let out a low roar, as though it was in pain. Nie Yan knew this was a good sign. He recalled the Spectre Dragon back to his pet space and paid close attention to its movements. Before long, Nie Yan felt a powerful ripple of energy sweep across his pet space. His heart trembled. The Spectre Dragon underwent a world-shaking transformation. It grew much larger, and its skin turned as black as the void. Sharp spikes grew around its wings. They were incomparably sharp and radiated a freezing aura. The Spectre Dragon broke through to Rank 7! Even though it appeared feeble and weak right now, Nie Yan confirmed it was already Rank 7. Likely, breaking through had taken too much of its strength. Nie Yan fed it a couple of Darkness Life Cores to help it recover. By the time the showdown with Angel Corps started, it would be at peak strength! The Spectre Dragon¡¯s break through put Nie Yan in high spirits. He impatiently checked its status page. Just like he predicted, it had obtained two new skills. The first new skill was called Phantom. The Spectre Dragon could turn incorporeal to evade an enemy attack. The second new skill was called Spontaneous Combustion. When possessing a target, it could use its soul fire to continuously burn away at the host¡¯s health. An extremely ruthless skill! Spirit Possession and Spontaneous Combustion synergized perfectly and would make for an unrivalled killing move. As long as the target wasn¡¯t two ranks higher, there was no way they could escape death! Nie Yan was extremely happy with the Spectre Dragon¡¯s two new skills. Previous Chapter Next Chapte Chapter 897 - Money is not a Problem With Battle Angel Kalenna¡¯s support, Nie Yan¡¯s team breezed through the first eight waves. On the ninth wave, Fallen Angel Brufut summoned three Behemoths. Each had 30,000,000 health. This was the first fierce and bitter battle. These five-meter tall beasts steamrolled through everything in their path. It was extremely difficult to secure their aggro as they chased after the Mages, who could only rely on blinks to avoid their attacks. Nie Yan summoned Lil¡¯ Gold and Paladin Lafus, adding whatever he could to the team¡¯s combat strength. ¡°Shit! Their physical defense is too high! We can¡¯t secure their aggro!¡± Bladelight anxiously cried out. He could only deal 1,000 or so damage to the Behemoths while the Mages were regularly critting for 8,000 to upwards of 10,000. KWAANG! A Behemoth knocked Bladelight aside and charged toward Tang Yao. Tang Yao executed several consecutive blinks and dodged the charge. He chanted an incantation and let loose with a barrage of fireballs. With the Warriors out of play, the Mages could only rely on themselves to stay safe. Nie Yan entered stealth and dashed toward one of the Behemoths. This same Behemoth closed in on Summer Bug and swiped down on him with its massive claws. Summer Bug was just about to blink away, when he noticed a silhouette dashing by. His heart thumped. Buffing himself with Windwalker, he dodged to the side. The Behemoth turned around and wanted to pursue Summer Bug, when Nie Yan appeared behind it and struck out with a Backbreaker. BANG! It was immobilized. In the blink of an eye, a deluge of spells rained down on the Behemoth. ... Elsewhere in Conviction, many large guilds were stirring restlessly. Everyone could sense the tension in the air. Fallen Angel¡¯s forces had already arrived at the underworld passage. It was reported they¡¯d fought off a team from Pantheon that had intercepted them. Though they suffered some losses, their main force was still intact. Angel Corps¡¯ aerial force patiently waited in the northern district of the City of Sin. Even though they had dispatched a large number of Thieves to search for Nie Yan¡¯s whereabouts, they failed to find anything. It was almost as if he¡¯d vanished into thin air. ... The Clemenci Stronghold. The higher-ups from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group were holding an emergency meeting. There were 30 people present in the conference hall. Soaring Angel glanced at Cao Xu beside him. ¡°What are we going to do next? I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Cao Xu nodded before turning to face the rest of the people in the room. ¡°Soaring Angel and I have come to an agreement. In two hours, we will declare an all-out war against Asskickers United. No more holding back. We¡¯re going to put everything on the line and defeat the enemy! I hope everyone here will spare no effort.¡± Cao Xu¡¯s words went off like a bomb. Though the fighting with Asskickers United had never stopped, the clashes so far were restricted to local areas. Both sides were still holding back in order to avoid taking too many casualties. As long as they could keep the other in check, it was fine. However, once an all-out war broke out, casualties would soar until only one side was left standing. ¡°Boss Cao, what are our chances?¡± ¡°50%, maybe a bit higher.¡± ¡°Only 50%? Why are we taking such a huge risk? At least right now, we¡¯re able to maintain a stalemate, and we can keep our strongholds in operation. However, once we enter an all-out war, it¡¯ll be impossible to maintain any semblance of stability, to say nothing of Fallen Angel glaring at us like a tiger from the sidelines. This is a terrible idea!¡± ¡°Putting off the inevitable will only cost us more. Plus, we have a good opportunity right now. Fallen Angel¡¯s main forces have already arrived on the surface. Their headquarters are defenseless. Pantheon will support our efforts by declaring an all-out war against Fallen Angel in two hours. Asskickers United and Fallen Angel are colluding together. If we wait for them to deal with Pantheon first, then when they turn their sights on us, we¡¯ll have already lost the initiative,¡± Cao Xu explained. Those in the room exchanged glances. So it turned out Pantheon was planning to declare an all-out war against Fallen Angel. Just like with Asskickers United and Angel Corps in the Righteous Faction, between Fallen Angel and Pantheon, only one could rule over the Evil Faction. ¡°Sine it¡¯s like this, we have no objections. Though may I remind the boss that our expenses will soar once the war begins.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your boss and I will take care of this. Within three days, we¡¯ll have 10,000,000 gold ready and another 30,000,000 in the near future,¡± Cao Xu said. As the CEO of the Century Financial Group, he had ample resources. Soaring Angel didn¡¯t lose out either as a potential successor to the Brutus Capital Group. The two of them had swept the real-world trading platform clean of all gold. Even the high level equipment up for auction wasn¡¯t spared. Of course, their actions had caused a huge upheaval in the market with the price of gold skyrocketing by 300%, as did the price of high level equipment. One could only imagine how much money Cao Xu and Soaring Angel had poured into the game. When Cao Xu and Soaring Angel were spending money like madmen on the real world trade platform, Nie Yan was raking in the cash; the gold and equipment for sale was his. After converting it into real world credits, he would transfer the funds over to World Bloc¡¯s bank account. He had no way of stopping Cao Xu and Soaring Angel from acquiring gold enmasse. The exchange rates they offered were well above the market¡¯s. So, he was better off simply making money off of them. ¡°40,000,000 is a lot of gold, but it still isn¡¯t enough to go toe-to-toe with Asskickers United. According to my intel, they have several hundred million gold in reserves as well as an endless supply of potions. Once the war begins, we¡¯ll be burning through our supply of potions. Before long, we won¡¯t have a choice but to secretly buy more from the Starry Night Potion Shop. If nothing changes, our expenditure on potions alone will be in excess of 60,000,000 gold within half a month! What if we haven¡¯t won the war by then?¡± ¡°Boss Angel, Boss Cao, if you think we have sufficient funds, we won¡¯t hesitate to go to war with Asskickers United!¡± ¡°We do. Go and prepare. In two hours, we¡¯re declaring an all-out war against Asskickers United!¡± Cao Xu said. Going as far back as two years ago, Cao Xu and Soaring Angel had already fallen into the plan Nie Yan delicately laid out. The Starry Night Potion Shop was a giant net, covering the entire potion market of the Righteous Faction. In the face of his high potion prices, even two leviathans like Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group had no choice but to bow their heads. Every month, they barely broke even with their expenses. Once the war started, these two guilds would become money burning machines, to the extent that Cao Xu and Soaring Angel would have no choice but to pour in frightening sums of money from the real world to sustain their war efforts. Nie Yan was selling gold while Cao Xu and Soaring Angel were buying gold, which in turn would be used to purchase potions and equipment. In the end, most of the gold would fall right back into Nie Yan¡¯s pockets. It was basically the same as them throwing their money at him in a never-ending cycle. In all likelihood, Cao Xu and Soaring Angel had already noticed this trap. However, they were helpless to do anything about it. After all, they couldn¡¯t just abandon their investments in the Satreen Empire. Regardless of the costs, they would make it worth it! ... Nie Yan and his team were still fighting the Behemoths. Two of the three were almost dead. ¡¸Nie Yan, are you guys done yet?¡¹Guo Huai anxiously asked. ¡¸No, not yet. Why?¡¹ ¡¸I just received a report that three armies composed of 1,800,000 troops from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group are marching towards the Abernathy Great Grasslands amd Viridian Empire from three different directions. It seems like they¡¯re planning to go all out,¡¹Guo Huai said.¡¸All the gold you put up on the real world transaction platform has been sold. What do we do?¡¹ Nie Yan¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. He didn¡¯t expect them to act so fast.¡¸Immediately assemble our troops! Deal with the ones coming towards the Abernathy Great Grasslands directly. As for those going to the Viridian Empire, make use of our strongholds to hold them off and chip away at their strength. Can you also list up another 50,000,000 gold for sale on the real world transaction platform?¡¹ Guo Huai was shocked. He could understand the first two orders, but wasn¡¯t the third simply giving away resources to the enemy?¡¸50,000,000 gold? Won¡¯t that be a problem?¡¹ ¡¸Here¡¯s what you¡¯re going to do after putting the gold up for sale. Triple the prices of all goods sold in the Starry Night Potion Shop. Nothing comes for free,¡¹Nie Yan said with a smile. He¡¯d thought long and hard on this plan. After he thought on it a little, it seemed all so obvious to Guo Huai.¡¸You first had them rely completely on the Starry Night Potion Shop, to the extent they had no alternative left. Then, all you had to do was to wait for a war to break out. They need potions, and can only get them from us. This places a heavy burden on their finances. They need to fork up at least another 50-60 million gold. No matter what we do with the price, they can only accept it. Best of all, even when we raise the prices so high, it won¡¯t affect the business of the Starry Night Potion Shop.¡¹Especially this last point was an important factor to Guo Huai. After all, the Starry Night Potion Shop was the main financial pillar of Asskickers United. Without it, they would be broke before the day¡¯s end. ¡¸Trust me. I had a scholar research it. In the event of a war, the demand for potions will double, while the supply of raw materials will drop by approxamitely 30%. Supply won¡¯t meet demand. We¡¯ll blame the shortage of raw materials for the price hike. Sales to ordinary players might drop. However, to stay relevant in this war, Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group will be forced to keep buying our goods. It might not increase our profits, but they won¡¯t fall either, while our enemy will see their expenditures shoot through the roof.¡¹ It seemed like Nie Yan had it all planned out. Guo Huai felt relieved. ¡¸Have we started manufacturing siege weapons in Okoron yet?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. We have 50 factories up and running. On a daily base, they can make 120 catapults and trebuchets. There are enough raw materials to last us another 15 days. However, it has cost us 120 million gold,¡¹Guo Huai said. He¡¯d started working on this half a year ago and was finally starting to see the fruits of his labour. ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. Money is not a problem,¡¹Nie Yan said straightforwardly. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 898 - Something to Die For ¡°Money is not a problem.¡± Only Nie Yan would dare to utter these words. If anyone else were presented a 120,000,000 gold bill, they would probably pass out from shock. In about two hours¡¯ time, the entire Righteous Faction would descend into an all-out civil war, and the City of Sin would become the first battleground. If Nie Yan and the other elites of Asskickers United could defeat Angel Corps here, it would be a huge boost to the guild¡¯s overall morale. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s pick up the pace. It looks like the end is near. Angel Corps is already planning to declare an all-out war. We have to clear this dungeon before then, no matter what!¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Boss, is Angel Corps really planning to declare an all-out war?¡± ¡°I''m afraid so, yeah. They¡¯ve already dispatched 1,800,000 troops toward Calore and the Abernathy Great Grasslands. It will start with the aerial battle above the City of Sin. If we win there, at least in terms of aerial strength, we won¡¯t have to fear Angel Corps any longer. If we lose, well, you can probably imagine the consequences,¡± Nie Yan said. If they lost the aerial battle, it would spell disaster for Asskickers United¡¯s aerial force. ¡°GROAAH!¡± a Behemoth let out a mournful cry and collapsed to the ground. With the first Behemoth death, the team instantly found room to breathe. The rest of the fight became much easier. No five minutes later, the third and final Behemoth fell. ¡°Revive the fallen,¡± Nie Yan said. They had lost five teammates in this battle. Painted Muslin, Young Seven, and the other Priests started reviving those who died. After which everyone sat down to recuperate. ¡°Did those Behemoths drop anything good?¡± ¡°Yeah, an Eternal Gem dropped!¡± Nie Yan looked over at Mistaken Smile who was holding an egg-sized gem in his hand. It was oval-shaped and completely translucent, sparkling with a seven-coloured radiance. Eternal Gems were extremely famous because they had more than 600 different kinds of uses, including repairing equipment and reviving pets. They were almost never for sale in the marketplace. This was definitely a priceless treasure. The official website had a detailed explanation on the uses of the Eternal Gem. Every monster in Conviction had a chance of dropping an Eternal Gem; the higher the level, the more likely. That said, this was the first time Nie Yan found one, a testament to how ridiculously low its drop rate was. Of the countless monsters killed every day, week, month, or year, maybe one or two would drop every once in a blue moon. Nie Yan put away the Eternal Gem in his bag. Apart from this, the Behemoths also dropped a Warrior skill book called Wrathful Sundering. This was an incredibly high level and quality skill; it could even send a boss flying. After some discussion, it was decided the skill book would go to Smoke Stub. While most were still recuperating, Fallen Angel Brufut descended to the ground. His maniacal and enraged laughter shook the entire shrine. Bladelight¡¯s face paled. ¡°Nie Yan, something is wrong. Normally, he summons one more wave before descending to the ground.¡± Fallen Angel Brufut was about to engage them. Nie Yan had no time to think. ¡°We were going to fight him anyway. Doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s now or later! Get into battle formation!¡± Everyone quickly stood up. Bladelight, Smoke Stub, Lei Su, and the other Warriors took their position in front of the Mages like a human wall. The Thieves disappeared into stealth and lurked within the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Fallen Angel Brufut swept his gaze over Nie Yan¡¯s group and coldly chuckled. ¡°Kalenna, you and your rats have truly enraged me. I shall personally send you to the afterlife!¡± As these words left his mouth, Fallen Angel Brufut waved his sword. A massive thunderbolt crashed into the ground as a giant dragon appeared before him. It was about the same size as an adult Violet Eye Dragon, and was also a Level 200 Variant Lord! Thunder Dragon (Variant Lord): Level 200 Health: ???/??? Everyone gulped. Fallen Angel Brufut was already a hard enough opponent. Now they also had to fight a Thunder Dragon! It quickly went from hard to impossible! ¡°Nie Yan, I don¡¯t think we can win this one. Let¡¯s quit,¡± Bladelight said. This wasn¡¯t him cowering, but rather the difference in strength was simply too great. Sometimes retreat was the better option. Nie Yan knitted his brows before gritting his teeth. ¡°Let¡¯s retreat!¡± The Thunder Dragon and Fallen Angel Brufut closed in on the team in a pincer. Everyone had lost all will to fight back and quickly pulled back. ¡°It looks like we won¡¯t escape this unscathed. Those of you who can escape, escape,¡± Nie Yan said. When everyone despaired, Kalenna chanted an incantation. Her entire body lit up with a dazzling radiance. A powerful aura swept out, catching everyone off guard. ¡°... Oh, mighty God of Light, purify all evil, wipe out the unjust ¡­ May the light melt away the darkness wherever it passes ¡­¡± Kalenna hovered in the air. Even though her stature was tiny, she gave off an unapproachable feeling. Even though Nie Yan had no idea what kind of spell Kalenna was casting, he could tell it was at least at the level of Forbidden Magic. ¡°Stop! Let¡¯s hold off on the retreat for now. Bladelight, you go hold back the Thunder Dragon. Lofty Shadow, you take on Fallen Angel Brufut! Don¡¯t let them approach Kalenna, no matter what!¡± Nie Yan ordered. Kalenna was completely defenseless mid-chant. If the Thunder Dragon or Brufut were allowed to interrupt her, any chance of victory would go down the drain. They could all feel the powerful magic fluctuations in the air. It reignited the hope in their hearts. Kalenna only chanted for a brief few seconds, when a powerful holy aura fell over the entire team. They received 12 blessings, increasing their stats by 300%, giving them shields, and more. ¡°Damn! I feel like I¡¯m overflowing with power!¡± ¡°This is amazing!¡± ¡­ The team¡¯s confidence rose to all new heights. Perhaps they really could defeat the Thunder Dragon and Fallen Angel Brufut! ¡°You puny mortals! Even Morphest¡¯s Divine Blessings won¡¯t save you. Weaklings like you aren¡¯t worthy of receiving this power!¡± Fallen Angel Brufut cursed. As he stepped forward, the shrine trembled violently almost as if the whole place was coming down. The Thunder Dragon¡¯s body crackled with electricity as it bared its fangs and claws. Bulwark of the War God! Bladelight transformed into the embodiment of a war god and charged forward. Lofty Shadow did the same, though his target was Fallen Angel Brufut. ¡°Separate them! Bladelight, lure the dragon to the left!¡± Nie Yan anxiously commanded. If the Thunder Dragon and Fallen Angel Brufut were allowed to work together, the situation would be much harder to control. Bladelight slowly led the Thunder Dragon away. ¡°Have Bladelight keep the Thunder Dragon busy. We¡¯ll focus down Fallen Angel Brufut first!¡± Nie Yan ordered. ¡°Luminous Dancer, kill the Thunder Dragon first! Or else Brufut will sacrifice it to obtain eternal life!¡± Kalenna warned. Nie Yan was stunned. He quickly corrected his order, ¡°Do as she says, focus down the Thunder Dragon first. Leave Brufut to me, Lofty Shadow, and Young Seven!¡± Fallen Angel Brufut was dealing over 70,000 damage to Lofty Shadow with every swing of his blade. Thankfully, Morphest¡¯s Divine Blessings gave Lofty Shadow the ability to tank such hits. If it weren¡¯t for his new stats, like his 270,000 health, he would¡¯ve been instantly killed. On the other side, Bladelight and the others had the Thunder Dragon locked down. The Mages were bombarding it with a shower of spells. ... After Soaring Angel returned to the City of Sin, he felt a sense of uneasiness. There was only about an hour left until the deadline for the challenge he issued, yet Nie Yan and the other Masters still hadn¡¯t appeared. It was almost as if they¡¯d vanished off the face of the earth. Meanwhile, Fallen Angel¡¯s troops had arrived on the surface and were quickly making their way over. ¡°We still haven¡¯t located Nirvana Flame?¡± Soaring Angel frowned. ¡°No, but we did discover that someone is in the middle of running the Fallen Angel Brufut dungeon,¡± Stone Splitter replied. When their people went to investigate the dungeon again, they discovered someone had entered inside. Soaring Angel¡¯s heart trembled. Did Nie Yan¡¯s group really enter that dungeon? He didn¡¯t believe Asskickers United could defeat Fallen Angel Brufut. That boss was far stronger than anyone could imagine, especially when his health fell below 30%. His skills would become ridiculously overpowered. ¡°How long has it been since they entered the dungeon?¡± ¡°About half an hour.¡± ¡°So it shouldn¡¯t be long before they get sent out. Pay close attention to the situation over there. Report back immediately if you find out who is running it. Also, have a Shadow Priest monitor the graveyard with Spirit Vision!¡± Soaring Angel said. Only one team could attempt this dungeon at a time. However, if they used Spirit Vision to observe the graveyard, they could tell how many people died and from that deduce their progress in the dungeon. ¡°Boss, what do we do if they obtain the Dragon King Fruit?¡± Stone Splitter asked. Thinking about how they might be facing a Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon, he felt his scalp tingling. Soaring Angel¡¯s heart sunk. Even though he hated to admit it, there was a real possibility that Fallen Angel Brufut would be defeated. After all, the Mad Rogue proved time and time again he could make the impossible possible. The Shadow Priests from Angel Corps immediately set out for the graveyard. Still, Soaring Angel felt uneasy. The Dragon King Fruit was something to die for! Only after confirming that Nirvana Flame failed to get it would he feel relieved! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 899 - Berserk Thunder Dragon After 30 minutes of fierce fighting, the Thunder Dragon¡¯s health fell to 35% while Fallen Angel Brufut still had 85% health remaining. Everything was going smoothly. Thanks to Morphest¡¯s Divine Blessings, Bladelight could comfortably tank the Thunder Dragon. Meanwhile, Fallen Angel Brufut was being kept busy by Lofty Shadow, Nie Yan, and Young Seven. With no mishaps occurring so far, their confidence was growing. Perhaps they really could kill Fallen Angel Brufut and the Thunder Dragon! ¡°We¡¯re at the last stretch! The Thunder Dragon is almost dead!¡± Nie Yan anxiously shouted. The Mages unloaded their highest damage magic. BANG! BANG! BANG! Countless spells ruthlessly bombarded the Thunder Dragon. Only a little more and the Thunder Dragon would be dead! The situation suddenly took an abrupt turn. Fallen Angel Brufut let out a heavy roar, looking like he was about to break away. He transmitted an order to the Thunder Dragon. ¡°GRAAOGH!¡± the Thunder Dragon let out a powerful roar. After chanting an incantation in dragon tongue, a giant thunder bolt came crashing down towards the Mages. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Tang Yao shouted. Blink! Flash! The Mages used whatever means they had at their disposal to dodge the giant thunder bolt. BOOOM! The thunderbolt slammed into the ground, carving out a large hole and causing cracks to spread across the floor. So far, the Thunder Dragon had only used normal attacks. Now, it started using magic! ¡°Watch out for its magic!¡± Bladelight shouted anxiously. He could only protect the others from physical attacks. There was nothing he could about the Thunder Dragon¡¯s magic. ¡°GROAAOR!¡± The Thunder Dragon grew even more enraged. Blue electricity started crackling around its body. Bladelight¡¯s forehead dripped with sweat as he started having trouble keeping the Thunder Dragon¡¯s aggro. If it were to break free, the consequences would be unimaginable. He quickly swept over his skill bar, his gaze landing on an extremely powerful aggro generating skill. ¡°Black Dragon Ender!¡± Bladelight roared as he chopped down with his longsword. Shrouded in a black aura, his blade erupted with the roar of a dragon. BANG! The powerful slash chopped down on the Thunder Dragon. BAM! A powerful recoil force surged from the longsword and sent Bladelight tumbling back. Not just Bladelight, all melee players who attacked the Thunder Dragon were knocked off their feet. Bladelight staggered back to his feet. A gentle radiance fell over him, bringing his health which had fallen to less than a third back to full. The others weren¡¯t as fortunate as Bladelight. Even the other Warriors, though more offensively specialized, were instantly killed. ¡°It¡¯s a physical damage reflection skill! Stop your physical attacks!¡± Bladelight shouted. However, his words came too late. Smoke Stub, Lei Su, Sun, King of the World, and Shadow Killer had already died. The Thunder Dragon¡¯s damage reflection skill dealt eight times the damage it received back to the opponent. Bladelight managed to survive because he focused primarily on his defensive stats; his offensive stats were relatively low. It was very much the opposite for Smoke Stub and Lei Su, not to mention the three Thieves. The Warriors couldn¡¯t keep the Thunder Dragon locked down anymore. It became a loose stallion, slaughtering the Magisters left and right. The situation was reaching a tipping point. If they lost several more Magisters, the team¡¯s damage output would plummet, and with that their hope of killing the Thunder Dragon. Seeing things getting out of control, Xie Yao waved her staff. She slowly floated up in the air, her robes fluttering wildly. Radiance Edict! This was a buff-type Forbidden Magic. With another wave of her staff, Xie Yao shot five holy lances toward the Thunder Dragon. BANG! BANG! BANG! The five lances struck the Thunder Dragon in quick succession, each dealing over 60,000 damage. With every impact of a lance, the Thunder Dragon was forced back. ¡°GRAAOR!¡± The Thunder Dragon immediately locked onto Xie Yao and charged toward her. ¡°Let¡¯s go all out!¡± Tang Yao shouted. Before, they¡¯d given Bladelight room to secure the aggro. That was no longer a concern. There was no point in holding back anymore! The Magisters let loose, using their highest damage skills. Tang Yao in particular resembled a gatling gun as he fired out an endless barrage of spells. Each of his attacks easily dealt 20,000 damage. At this moment, Sunny South quietly retreated to a corner. He waved his staff, one cryptic syllables after another leaving his mouth, as magical energy spiralled around him. The single target Forbidden Magic, Radiant Singularity! The intense magical fluctuations in the air caused the Thunder Dragon to look up at Sunny South in hesitation. BANG! BANG! BANG! The Magisters wouldn¡¯t let such an opportunity slip by. They bombarded the Thunder Dragon with more powerful spells while it was distracted. ¡°GROAAR!¡± The Thunder Dragon turned its attention back to Xie Yao. It charged at her, but she blinked away. BOOOM! The Thunder Dragon missed its attack and struck the wall behind. Tang Yao¡¯s spells ruthlessly pelted the Thunder Dragon. Its aggro shifted to him. Among all the Magisters, the two with the greatest damage output were undoubtedly Tang Yao and Xie Yao. In fact, they easily dealt 30% more damage than anyone else. This also meant it was extremely easy for them to attract the Thunder Dragon¡¯s aggro. They worked together to keep its attention while nimbly dodging with blinks, leaving it completely helpless. ¡°It only has 10% health left!¡± ¡°Keep going! It¡¯s almost dead!¡± After attacking non-stop for so long, the Magisters were starting to run low on mana. They downed Specialist Mana Potions to recover their mana back to full. After its health fell below 10%, the Thunder Dragon became increasingly enraged. Its scales started glowing blood red as a powerful aura swept out. Sensing this change, everyone¡¯s face paled. ¡°It¡¯s going berserk!¡± At this moment, an enormous glowing sphere of light flew toward the Thunder Dragon. BAAANG! It compressed into a singular point, then exploded with immeasurable force as soon as it came into contact with the Thunder Dragon¡¯s scales. This was Sunny South¡¯s Forbidden Magic! ¡°Good work Sunny South!¡± ¡°Nice!¡± Sunny South¡¯s single target Forbidden Magic saved everyone a lot of trouble. The Mages quickly regained their wits and continued firing their magic. The Thunder Dragon crashed into the ground before staggering back to its feet. ?4,755,954 Its health instantly dropped by 2%. ¡°Anyone else have Forbidden Magic?¡± ¡°Mine is on cooldown.¡± ¡°Same here.¡± Single target Forbidden Magic had massive cooldowns of two to three months on average. For Sunny South to have his off cooldown was already very lucky. It would be unrealistic to expect others to have theirs ready too. ¡°Dammit! If I knew we were going to end up in a fight like this, I would¡¯ve saved my Forbidden Magic!¡± Undying Scoundrel cursed. Sadly, there was no medicine for regret. The 5,000,000 damage spell had thoroughly enraged the Thunder Dragon. Its body swelled several times in size. Every step it took sent lightning crackling out across the floor. The Thunder Dragon locked onto Sunny South. Its eyes flashed with a ray of bright crimson. Crap! Sunny South¡¯s heart sank. He turned to flee, only to find his feet wouldn¡¯t move; almost as if they were made out of lead. It was paralysis! ¡°I can¡¯t move!¡± Sunny South cried out. The Thunder Dragon closed in on Sunny South and slashed down on him with its claws. An instant kill! ¡°Shit!¡± Everyone trembled in fear. There was nothing they could do. They had lost all control. After killing Sunny South, the Thunder Dragon charged toward Xie Yao who had the second highest aggro. It was three times faster than before. Xie Yao wanted to run, but her body wasn¡¯t reacting like normal. It was turning stiff quickly! The closer the Thunder Dragon got, the more dangerous it was! Bladelight suddenly charged in from the side and stood in front of Xie Yao with his shield raised. The Thunder Dragon slammed down on Bladelight with its claws. BANG! He was sent flying like a rag doll! Instant kill! Painted Muslin and Black Heaven¡¯s Heals landed on Bladelight¡¯s body, but it was already too late. There was nothing to heal if the target was 100 to 0¡¯d in one attack! ¡°It only has 6% health left! Even if we wipe, we have to kill it!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look into its eyes!¡± Xie Yao cried out. Everyone quickly shifted their gaze away, heading Xie Yao¡¯s warning. Not looking at its eyes was fairly simply. They could just look at its massive body to determine its position. The Thunder Dragon opened its maw and spewed out scorching hot flames, setting the floor on fire. Under the Thunder Dragon¡¯s fierce assault, the Magisters were forced into a sorry state. Seeing the flames coming towards him, Undying Scoundrel quickly blinked away. Just as his feet touched the ground, he saw a lightning bolt crashing down towards him. ¡°Oh shit!¡± Undying Scoundrel wanted to blink away, only to discover he couldn¡¯t cast any magic. His only path of escape was taken from him. BANG! The lightning came down on Undying Scoundrel and turned him into a ray of light. Another teammate died. Shortly after, Summer Bug, Street Vulture, and many more died one after the other. At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t be long before everyone was dead. By now, the Thunder Dragon¡¯s health had fallen to 5%. However, the only people still dealing damage to it were Xie Yao, Tang Yao, and a few others. The ground was littered with corpses. ¡°Nie Yan, we¡¯ve failed. We can¡¯t defeat the Thunder Dragon!¡± Tang Yao cried out. A wipe seemed inevitable. The Thunder Dragon was furiously chasing Xie Yao. She quickly took out the Earth Orb and waved her staff. A dozen thick earth walls appeared in front of her. However, they were not enough to hold back the Thunder Dragon for long. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 900 - Resurrection The number of casualties quickly rose until there were only 11 people left alive: Nie Yan, Xie Yao, Tang Yao, Lofty Shadow, Young Seven, Painted Muslin, Black Heaven, Black Hell, Lustboy, Hapless Frog, and Happy Hermit. None of the physical damage dealers dared to clash with the berserk Thunder Dragon, so only Xie Yao, Tang Yao, Lustboy, and Black Hell fought it. They were still slowly chipping away at its health. With only four casters who could effectively attack the Thunder Dragon, the team¡¯s damage output was severely restricted. All the while they had to avoid the Thunder Dragon¡¯s pursuit. Not to mention keep Fallen Angel Brufut busy. The Thunder Dragon only had 5% health remaining, but that was still over 12,000,000 health! Killing it wouldn¡¯t be simple. The situation was desperate. Nie Yan ordered in a grave tone, ¡°Muslin, get out of here first. The farther, the better! Escape the battle!¡± Painted Muslin immediately understood Nie Yan¡¯s plan. Without any hesitation, she bolted toward the door of the shrine. Fallen Angel Brufut sneered, unimpressed. ¡°Lowly ant! Think you can run? Not so easy!¡± He raised his greatsword and called down a blazing meteor from the air. Just as the meteor was about to crash into Painted Muslin, she vanished with Space Jump and reappeared 60 meters away. She fled the shrine without looking back. BANG! The meteor struck the ground and erupted into a plume of scorching hot flames. However, it already had nothing to do with Painted Muslin. Painted Muslin has left the battle. Nie Yan smiled. Everything was going according to plan. He shifted his sight toward the rampaging Thunder Dragon. Now, he could focus on killing it! After, he would proceed to the next step of his plan. ¡°GROAAHH!¡± The Thunder Dragon closed in on Black Hell. It struck down with its claws, about to rip him to shreds, when Black Hell let out a loud roar. He erupted with magical energy, which became increasingly volatile until he finally exploded. A self-destruct skill! The force of the explosion sent the Thunder Dragon flying before crashing against a wall. ?6,835,676 This skill was also a Forbidden Magic, though it was stronger than normal ones since it required the caster to sacrifice their life. The Thunder Dragon only had around 2% health remaining. ¡°Only 2% more! Come on, guys! We can do this!¡± Tang Yao exclaimed. He waved his staff and unleashed a fierce barrage of spells. The Thunder Dragon pounced toward Tang Yao. As the powerful dragon aura swept over him, Tang Yao felt his body go rigid. This aura was even stronger than before! It felt as if he were being bound by a rope. ¡°Cover Sparrow Hawk!¡± Hapless Frog and Happy Hermit attempted to intercept the Thunder Dragon. BANG! BANG! The two were sent flying away. There was no way a couple of Thieves could stop a dragon. The Thunder Dragon blasted Tang Yao with Dragon Breath, completing enveloping him in scorching hot flames. The two Thieves and Tang Yao all died. ¡°Boss, me and Yao Yao aren¡¯t enough. We¡¯re barely dealing enough damage to overcome its health regeneration! We¡¯d need hours to kill it like this!¡± Lustboy cried out. ¡°Young Seven, Lofty Shadow, you two keep Brufut busy. Buy me as much time as you can!¡± Nie Yan said before turning towards the Thunder Dragon. ¡°Got it!¡± Lofty Shadow said. ¡°Leave it to us!¡± Young Seven nodded. Without Nie Yan¡¯s help, the two of them wouldn¡¯t last long against Fallen Angel Brufut. All they could do was give it their best! Shadow Waltz! Nie Yan disappeared into stealth as he dashed toward the Thunder Dragon. Bladelight and the other melee classes, each barely dealing 2,000 damage a hit, had shown just how high the Thunder Dragon¡¯s physical defense was. Its thick black scales with a deep gold lustre were near impenetrable with the sword. Nie Yan could only hope his damage would be higher. Nie Yan looked like a steak of lightning as he pounced toward the Thunder Dragon¡¯s back. The Thunder Dragon¡¯s damage reflection skill had worn off. Backbreaker! BANG! The sharp blade of the Bloody Dagger plunged into the Thunder Dragon¡¯s spine. Given how large and unwieldy the Thunder Dragon was, it couldn¡¯t possibly avoid Nie Yan¡¯s attack. The Bloody Dagger¡¯s piercing effect procc¡¯d, allowing the attack to break through the Thunder Dragon¡¯s scales. This was a Level 180 Legendary weapon. Such power was to be expected of it. ?205,981 The Thunder Dragon was immobilized. The Thunder Dragon still had around 5,000,000 health left. As long as Nie Yan could keep it CC¡¯d, he had a chance of killing it. Nie Yan leaned to the side and executed a Reverse Grip Backstab. Assassinate! Backstab! Nie Yan let loose with a flurry of attacks. 1-hit, 2-hit, 3-hit... His damage doubled with each successive hit as the combo count increased. Xie Yao and Lustboy waved their staffs, bombarding the Thunder Dragon with several spells and shaving away some of its health. Two notifications suddenly popped up. Lofty Shadow has died. Young Seven has died. Nie Yan¡¯s heart sank. Lofty Shadow and Young Seven had managed to hold out for about 15 seconds. Now, without a tank to lock Fallen Angel Brufut down, he could do as he pleased. ¡°Lustboy, Yao Yao, be careful!¡± Nie Yan anxiously cried out. Fallen Angel Brufut closed in on the two in a flash. The ground erupted with black tendrils which immobilized them. He slashed down on them with his sword and turned them into rays of light. ¡°Shit!¡± Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but curse. He glanced at the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s health. It still had over 2,000,000 left. If he didn¡¯t kill it now, it would kill him! The Thunder Dragon recovered from the cripple effect. It raised its claws and slashed down on Nie Yan, who quickly evaded to the side. His combo was broken. Even though the combo was broken now, which was a pity, Nie Yan was still determined to finish off the Thunder Dragon, no matter what! Nie Yan staked it all to kill the THunder Dragon, when Battle Angel Kalenna waved her staff and protected him with a shield. His eyes lit up in joy. Looking at his status bar, the shield was called Kalenna¡¯s Guardian Barrier. She had finally used this ultimate skill! Kalenna¡¯s Guardian Barrier: Reduces damage by 99%. Armour Type: Divine Durability: 132,000/132,000 Nie Yan thought back to when he¡¯d relied on this shield to avoid the bone dragon¡¯s pursuit. With Kalenna¡¯s Guardian Barrier, Nie Yan no longer had to fear the Thunder Dragon as he started face-tanking it. BANG! The Thunder Dragon¡¯s attacks only caused the barrier to slightly flicker. Its durability fell by about 10,000 points. The Thunder Dragon only had 300,000 health left. Sacrificial Gambit! BANG! Nie Yan sacrificed 30% of his health to deal a powerful blow. ?303,319 The Thunder Dragon dropped three items. Nie Yan quickly scooped them into his bag. ¡°How dare you!? You lowly human!¡± Fallen Angel Brufut roared after witnessing the Thunder Dragon¡¯s death. He slashed out with his greatsword, unleashing a 10-meter long sword beam. There was no dodging it. BAM! Kalenna¡¯s Guardian Barrier shuddered violently as it lost another 30,000 durability. Even with this powerful shield, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t solo Fallen Angel Brufut. He had to regroup with the team first. Fortunately, the Thunder Dragon was permanently dead. Fallen Angel Brufut couldn¡¯t summon it again, which made it far easier to deal with him. Gale Step! Nie Yan turned around and fled. Fallen Angel Brufut went into pursuit. However, he couldn¡¯t keep up with Nie Yan, falling further and further behind. Before long, Nie Yan disappeared behind the shrine entrance. Fallen Angel gloomily turned back. Stepping on the corpses for good measure, he walked back up to his throne. Black Hell revived in the graveyard. After self-destructing, his corpse was completely destroyed. So, he couldn¡¯t run back to it or be revived by a Priest. His only option was to return to the graveyard and suffer the one-level drop penalty. Only three players in the team were alive right now: Nie Yan, Painted Muslin, and Black Hell. ¡°Nie Yan, what are we going to do?¡± Black Hell asked. ¡°We¡¯re going to see if we can revive the entire team,¡± Nie Yan said. The three had met back up in one corner of the dungeon. Black Hell and Painted Muslin were both Priests, so they had the Revive spell; though as a Shadow Priest Black Hell¡¯s was on a longer cooldown. ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look first. You guys wait here.¡± Before long, Nie Yan snuck his way back into the shrine. The corpses of the team members still lay scattered over the floor. Only a few were near the entrance. The throne where Fallen Angel Burfut sat in was on the far end. They could revive some of the members without attracting his attention. However, the others would have no choice but to run to their corpses to revive. ¡¸Mistaken Smile, Undying Scoundrel¡­ you guys will have to run to your corpses to revive. The rest of you, wait for Painted Muslin and Black Hell to bring you back!¡¹Nie Yan said in voice chat. Soon, Painted Muslin and Black Hell snuck back into the shrine. They revived Young Seven and Black Heaven first. Afterwards, the four of them began reviving the other team members. Those who died too close to the throne could only run back to their corpses to revive and try their best to avoid being noticed by Brufut. The souls of Mistaken Smile, Undying Scoundrel, and eight others appeared in the graveyard. They immediately started running back to the shrine. A Shadow Priest from Angel Corps was hiding in the vicinity of the graveyard with an invisibility cloak. He knitted his brows. Why were there only 11 souls? Soaring Angel clearly said 30 entered the dungeon. Seeing them rushing back towards the shrine, he quickly made a report. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 901 - Rage Bai Nie Yan¡¯s group had already been in the dungeon for over an hour. Soaring Angel was starting to become nervous. Did they really have a way to kill Fallen Angel Brufut? If Asskickers United obtained the Dragon King Fruit, the consequences would be unimaginable. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to interfere. The shrine was a special dungeon. Once a team entered, no one else was allowed in. Cao Xu also didn¡¯t think Asskickers United had a chance of obtaining the Dragon King Fruit. However, as time passed, he became increasingly uneasy. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Black Hawk reported back with any information yet?¡± Soaring Angel asked in an irritated tone. ¡°It¡¯s already been an hour. Regardless of whether Asskickers United succeeded or not, we should¡¯ve already heard something back by now,¡± Stone Splitter agreed. He could sense a change in Soaring Angel¡¯s mood. Soaring Angel¡¯s team members were all chattering. ¡°Boss, Black Hawk has an update.¡± ¡°Tell him to contact me through voice chat!¡± Soaring Angel said. ¡°Yes!¡± Before long, Black Hawk contacted Soaring Angel. ¡¸What¡¯s the situation over there? Did Nirvana Flame¡¯s team defeat Fallen Angel Brufut?¡¹Soaring Angel asked, anxious. ¡¸Not yet, but I just saw some people coming out of the graveyard,¡¹Black Hawk replied. ¡¸There were only 11 spirits though, and one of them directly revived before running back to the dungeon.¡¹ Soaring Angel knitted his brows.¡¸Strange, only 11 returned to the graveyard? Whatever, this is good news. It seems their progress in the dungeon isn¡¯t going great, and they¡¯ve already wiped at least once.¡¹ Soaring Angel hoped Nie Yan¡¯s group would wipe a few more times. The more experience and levels they lost, the better. Soaring Angel turned to Stone Splitter and Evil Monarch. ¡°How about we make a trip to the World¡¯s End Bar?¡± Stone Splitter and the others trembled. They understood the meaning behind Soaring Angel¡¯s words. With 900 Asskickers United players holed up in that bar, one could imagine their reactions if Soaring Angel walked in there. Fighting might be forbidden in the bar, but that didn¡¯t mean their hands were completely tied. Stone Splitter coldly chuckled. Soaring Angel, Stone Splitter, and Evil Monarch headed toward the World¡¯s End Bar. City of Sin, World¡¯s End Bar. Kelson was once a famous legendary Mage. However, he quickly lost all his fame when he released several demons in the middle of a war. The elder council caught him, and if it weren¡¯t for Jebiah the Great¡¯s intervention, he would¡¯ve been executed for his crimes. Still, he was banished from the Viridian Empire. Years later, he ended up in World¡¯s Edge and opened a bar. Kelson strictly forbade fighting in the bar. One player had started a fight once. It didn¡¯t last more than a few seconds before Kelson stepped in. As punishment, the player had to give all his equipment to Kelson and do hard labour in the bar to earn it back. That was the first and only time a player dared to challenge Kelson¡¯s authority. Among the densely clustered buildings, a large open space about several hundred meters wide was sectioned off. An ancient castle stood in the middle. The stone walls were severely damaged while some sections had completely collapsed. No one knew quite how old this structure was. The inside of the World¡¯s End Bar looked nothing like the weathered outside. It looked extremely luxurious and was brightly lit. Three silhouette appeared outside the World¡¯s End Bar. CREAK! CREAK! They pushed open the wooden door and walked inside. The bar was packed. There were at least 1,000 people, most of whom belonged to Asskickers United. They sat around tables in groups of 20s and chatted. ¡°I wonder how the boss is doing right now.¡± Natural Fiend held up his beer and took a swig. He was starting to get restless. It had already been an hour, but they hadn¡¯t heard anything yet! He didn¡¯t dare to send a message, for fear of disturbing Nie Yan during a critical moment. Tyrannical faintly smiled. ¡°Lustboy just gave me an update. Everything is progressing smoothly. They wiped just now, but that was according to plan. They successfully killed the dragon Fallen Angel Brufut summoned. Now all that¡¯s left is to kill Brufut.¡± Natural Fiend felt a bit more reassured. With Nie Yan leading the team, there probably wouldn¡¯t be a problem. After all, countless powerful bosses had already fallen at his hands. Fallen Angel Brufut would be no different! As they were happily chatting, several players walked up to them and whispered something in their ears. Natural Fiend and Tyrannical¡¯s faces dropped, then they exchanged a quick glance. Turning their gazes toward the bar entrance, they saw three people walking in. Soaring Angel and Stone Splitter¡¯s faces were instantly recognizable even in the middle of a crowd. As for Evil Monarch, they had heard of him. The Asskickers United players in the World¡¯s End Bar all focused their attention on Soaring Angel, Stone Splitter, and Evil Monarch. In an instant, the atmosphere became tense. Some gritted their teeth, their eyes filled with hatred. Many among them had died at the hands of Soaring Angel and Stone Splitter before. Soaring Angel actually dared to come here! Right in the lion¡¯s den! Everyone drew their weapons, ready to jump into battle at the drop of a hat. ¡°Everyone, stay your hand! This is the World¡¯s End Bar!¡± Natural Fiend shouted. His voice immediately shook some sense into the players from Asskickers United. Only then did they recall where they were. If they dared to start a fight here, the consequences would be grave. Soaring Angel knew this, that was why he walked in so calmly! Natural Fiend and Tyrannical walked over to the front of the bar. The other Asskickers United players parted ways for them. Nie Yan, Bladelight, and the others were busy in the Fallen Angel Brufut special dungeon. The people with the highest position here were Natural Fiend and Tyrannical. Soaring Angel swept his eyes over the Asskickers United players and chuckled coldly. ¡°A bunch of trash.¡± Soaring Angel¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud or quiet, just enough for everyone in the room to hear him. His provocation ignited their anger. ¡°Damn! Did this guy come here just to run his mouth? He really is asking for a beating! Let¡¯s send him to the grave!¡± ¡°Some people are beyond saving. How many more times does the boss have to kick his ass for him to learn his lesson!?¡± There were 900 Asskickers United elites in the bar. If they all rushed him at once, Soaring Angel would definitely be killed! Natural Fiend and Tyrannical stopped in front of Soaring Angel, Stone Splitter, and Evil Monarch. ¡¸Natural Fiend, Tyrannical, let¡¯s teach him and his smug face a lesson!¡¹ ¡¸Yeah!¡¹ ¡­ Everyone was expressing their anger in voice chat. Natural Fiend raised his hand, signaling everyone to calm down. All 900 players went silent. Soaring Angel raised an eyebrow in surprise. Sure enough, Asskickers United had some ability, at least when it came to disciplining their members. However, now wasn¡¯t the time to admire the opponent. ¡°Boss, should we take care of these bugs? It¡¯s been a while since my blade tasted blood,¡± Evil Monarch asked, licking his lips. Stone Splitter chuckled, revealing his white teeth. ¡°I bet none of these little turtles have the guts to fight us. Hey, you trash, does any of you dare to come outside and go a round with me?¡± He stared at the players from Asskickers United with a look of disdain. ¡°Y-you! Don¡¯t think we¡¯re afraid of you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re all bark and no bite!¡± Stone Splitter¡¯s taunts immediately caused a furious reaction from the Asskickers United players. Many were ready to rush outside. ¡°Hold it right there! Before the boss comes back, none of you are to leave this bar!¡± Natural Fiend shouted. He was fairly quiet normally and rarely ever intervened in guild affairs. But once he stepped forward, no one would dare to oppose him. ¡°Natural Fiend, do you mean to say we¡¯re just going to let them insult us like this!?¡± ¡°What did the boss say before he left?¡± Natural Fiend said in a stern tone, sweeping his eyes over everyone. Everyone reluctantly sat back down. Nie Yan had instructed them not to set a single foot outside of the bar before he returned. They could disobey anyone. Many elites even dared to disobey the executive guild leader and other higher-ups, but none of them dared to disobey Nie Yan. He was their god. Natural Fiend nodded in approval. This was proof of Nie Yan¡¯s prestige in Asskickers United. No matter what kind of provocations Soaring Angel threw at them, none of them would leave this bar. Soaring Angel, Stone Splitter, and Evil Monarch glanced at each other with faint smiles. Time for round two! Natural Fiend stared at the three and sneered. ¡°No need to waste your breath. As the guild leader of Angel Corps, aren¡¯t you ashamed of provoking nobodies like us? If you were a real man, you would¡¯ve challenged our boss.¡± ¡°Nirvana Flame is nothing. I¡¯ll take him on any time!¡± Soaring Angel coldly chuckled. ¡°Then there¡¯s no need for you to rush to your death. The boss will come to collect your dog life. Don¡¯t think we can¡¯t do anything to you just because you have the Wings of Sorens. You¡¯re nothing but a monkey with wings!¡± The Asskickers United players broke out in laughter. Soaring Angel¡¯s face paled with anger. However, no matter what he said right now, it would be drowned out by the laughter. ¡°Boss, no need to stoop down to their level!¡± Stone Splitter turned to Natural Fiend and said coldly, ¡°Tell Nirvana Flame, in an hour from now, our aerial battle in the City of Sin will start. Only one side will come out of this alive! We¡¯ll be waiting, spineless turtles.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be there, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll have you eat your words then,¡± Natural Fiend fired back. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 902 - Wrath of the Water God The smell of gunpowder was thick in the World¡¯s End Bar. Soaring Angel had riled up the players from Asskickers United with his provocations. However, none of them acted on it. Natural Fiend and Tyrannical reported the situation to Nie Yan, who reminded them not to lay a hand on Soaring Angel. The consequences were severe for anyone who started a fight in the World¡¯s End Bar. Soaring Angel had come here only to exploit this rule, trying to bait the players from Asskickers United into attacking him. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t just walk right into his trap. These players were all elites of Asskickers United. They naturally knew how to restrain themselves. Soaring Angel continued spewing out insults. Even though the players from Asskickers United were enraged, they feigned ignorance to his presence and chatted amongst themselves. ¡¸These guys have patience. I¡¯ll give them that. What do we do, Boss? Continue with the plan?¡¹Evil Monarch asked. Soaring Angel pondered for a moment before shaking his head.¡¸Forget it, let¡¯s leave.¡¹ ¡¸Just like that?¡¹Evil Monarch sounded somewhat reluctant. Before coming to the World¡¯s End Bar, Soaring Angel and the other two had agreed on a plan of action. In case their provocations wouldn¡¯t do the trick, there was still a spy they planted among the 900 elites of Asskickers United. The plan was to have them rush out and attack Soaring Angel first, implicating the 19 other players in their team. That would allow Soaring Angel and the others to retaliate freely, triggering an all-out battle in the World¡¯s End Bar. One could imagine the consequences. However, when it was time to carry out the plan, Soaring Angel hesitated. He had spent quite a lot of effort into helping this spy climb up the ranks of Asskickers United. He wasn¡¯t sure if exposing them was worth it for a bar fight. This was his sole spy among Asskickers United¡¯s elite expedition team! He couldn¡¯t just lose them like that! Soaring Angel weighed his options. Perhaps it would be a waste to use the spy. After all, if Natural Fiend and the others didn¡¯t fall for the bait, it would be the same as him wasting a chicken to obtain a grain of rice. After considering the matter deeply, Soaring Angel decided to abandon the plan. ¡¸We¡¯re leaving!¡¹Soaring Angel said. Evil Monarch and Stone Splitter couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed. They had already thrown out the line, only to reel it back in prematurely. However, they quietly accepted it. ¡°Hey, you bunch of trash. Pass on this message to your boss for me. If he dares to show himself in an hour from now, he should forget about leaving alive!¡± Stone Splitter said in an overbearing tone. Natural Fiend and Tyrannical coldly chuckled. ¡°Big talk from someone who got one-shotted by our boss!¡± Natural Fiend said. Soaring Angel left the bar with the other two. He threw one more hesitant glance at the shabby entrance of the World¡¯s End Bar. ¡°Boss, let¡¯s go back,¡± Evil Monarch said. ¡°Station some Thieves around here. If some idiot with a death wish steps out of there alone, kill them. If they come out together, leave them be,¡± Soaring Angel said. ¡°Yes sir!¡± Stone Splitter nodded. A group of 20 Thieves quickly arrived at the World¡¯s End Bar. They lured outside, ready to pounce at any time. With the enemy gone for now, the World¡¯s End Bar finally settled down. The infuriated players from Asskickers United were like dormant volcanoes. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the boss come back yet!?¡± ¡°Damn! The forums are filled with taunts from Angel Corps. I really want to teach them a lesson. Show them who the real trash is!¡± a player gritted his teeth after browsing the web. Even though they wished for nothing more than to go at it with the players from Angel Corps, they obediently stayed inside the World¡¯s End Bar, not going anywhere. ... Back in the shrine, Nie Yan¡¯s group of 30 gradually chipped away at Fallen Angel Brufut¡¯s health. About 20 minutes later, his health finally fell below 30%. He went berserk. Brufut¡¯s roars shook the entire shrine as web-like cracks spread across the floor. ¡°Kalenna, you deluded follower of the light! I, Brufut, curse you to eternal damnation! May the Demon God shroud you in eternal darkness!¡± Brufut shouted. An ominous, dark energy fell over Kalenna. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Small patches of darkness appeared on Kalenna¡¯s snow-white wings and started slowly spreading. Nie Yan glanced at Kalenna¡¯s status window. His face paled. He quickly turned to the others and said, ¡°We have to hurry up and kill Brufut quickly, or else we¡¯ll lose this chance. Kalenna was hit with a Dark Ruin curse. If we don¡¯t kill Brufut within 15 minutes, she¡¯ll die.¡± Everyone¡¯s heart trembled. Kalenna was the only reason they could endure Brufut¡¯s berserk attacks for so long. If she were to die, a wipe would be inevitable, let alone the fact that her death was permanent. Without her, who knew how long it would take until they were strong enough to face Brufut again? Defeat was not an option. ¡°This is it, guys. Even if we have to fight until the last man standing, we will kill Brufut, no matter what!¡± The team burned with fighting spirit. They were ready to stake it all! ¡°Puny ants!¡± Brufut roared. He slashed out with a fierce sword beam. ¡°Dodge!¡± Several Warriors jumped out of the way. ¡°Divine Bastion Shield!¡± Bladelight hollered. A golden armoured war god wielding a giant shield appeared in the air above. BOOOOOM! Brufut¡¯s sword and the war god collided. Before Brufut went berserk, they were already hard pressed to defend against his attacks. Now, his attack power had increased by 60%! Bladelight was blown away by the shock wave. After skidding across the ground for half-a-dozen meters, he finally regained his balance. He immediately rushed back into the fray. If it were any other Fighter, they would¡¯ve succumbed to Brufut¡¯s ferocious attacks. Only Bladelight could remain standing and become their greatest defensive line. ¡°Thunder Dragon Shield!¡± Bladelight hollered. A dragon roar rang out as blue electricity crackled around his body and transformed into a powerful barrier. When they killed the Thunder Dragon earlier, it dropped quite a few good items. One was the Level 150 Legendary-grade Thunder Dragon Chestplate, which Bladelight now wore. The other two items were Level 150 Legendary-grade equipment as well, the Thunder Dragon staff and Thunder Dragon Leg Guards. Besides Bladelight taking the chestplate, Undying Scoundrel got the Thunder Dragon Staff and Smoke Stub the Thunder Dragon Leg Guards. These three items had increased the team¡¯s overall strength considerably. The Thunder Dragon Chestplate in particular greatly boosted Bladelight¡¯s defense. It also came with the supplementary Thunder Dragon Shield skill. If not for this skill, he would¡¯ve probably fallen under Brufut¡¯s berserk attacks by now. Nie Yan circled behind Brufut and let loose with a tempest of attacks. Tang Yao and the others also ruthlessly bombarded Brufut with magic. Even though Nie Yan and the others let loose without reserve, Bladelight had managed to use some sort of special skill to hold Brufut¡¯s aggro. They had the fight under control for the time being! When Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group entered the dungeon, they were slaughtered by Brufut¡¯s berserk state again and again and again. Brufut was completely unpredictable in his berserk state. Nie Yan and the others could only try their best to adapt accordingly. Brufut¡¯s body suddenly ignited with scorching hot flames, which surged out toward the surroundings. ¡°Crap! It¡¯s the Infernal Sea skill!¡± Bladelight immediately buffed himself with five fire-resistance boosting skills. As the scorching hot flames assailed him, a damage value of 20,000 floated up above his head. His heart trembled. He hurriedly downed a Specialist Fire Resistance Potion. Not only Bladelight, the other team members also drank their Fire Resistance Potions after meeting with the flames. ¡°Should I use my Divine Avatar skill?¡± Bladelight asked. Divine Avatar was his only magic immunity skill. It lasted for 80 seconds and had a cooldown of two days. ¡°Not yet!¡± Nie Yan knitted his brows. Brufut still had quite a bit of health left. It was best to save this skill until absolutely necessary, lest they be caught helpless during a critical moment. Brufut became a flaming giant. Wherever he passed, black flames would rage and continue raging. The Mages hurriedly retreated far away. The Warriors had enough health to tank the burn damage, but the Mages wouldn¡¯t last more than a few seconds. ¡°Turn to ashes!¡± Brufut roared. He shot out a giant rays of flames from his mouth, incinerating anything in his direct line of sight. Painted Muslin, Young Seven, and the others had to cast their Heals non-stop to prevent Bladelight and the others from dying. ¡°Nie Yan, we can¡¯t keep up with the healing! Brufut¡¯s damage is too high!¡± If the healing failed to keep up, the frontline would collapse and soon after the casters in the back! The situation was getting desperate. ¡°Lustboy, Street Vulture, let¡¯s cast Wrath of the Water God!¡± Undying Scoundrel anxiously shouted. Lustboy and Street Vulture¡¯s eyes lit up. The three of them found an empty space and formed a triangle. With their staffs raised high, they chanted cryptic syllable after syllable. The magic energy in the atmosphere fluctuated violently as a giant whirlpool formed outside the shrine. All the water elemental energy within a several dozens kilometer radius was converging at one point. A Forbidden Magic that required three Magisters to cast together¡ªWrath of the Water God! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 903 - Doom Cyclone A vast swirling mass of water elemental energy surged toward Fallen Angel Brufut. Brufut had just forced Bladelight and the other fronlinters back, when he sensed it. Turning his head in a daze, he was greeted by the sight of a vortex of water slamming into him. FFSSHHTTT! The water transformed into steam as it made contact with the black flames on Fallen Angel Brufut¡¯s body, gradually extinguishing them. Brufut was stuck within the center of the spell, struggling to move an inch. It was almost as if he were plunged into the middle of a maelstrom. The casters seized this opportunity to unload as many spells as they could on Fallen Angel Brufut. Brufut wanted to slash down on Bladelight, but even moving his sword was difficult within the surging water. It looked like he was moving in slow motion as he strained to move his greatsword. Bladelight easily dodged Brufut¡¯s attack and retaliated by slashing down on his leg. Wrath of the Water God took three Elemental Magisters to cast. They could freely control the water elemental energy in the vortex, using it to inhibit the enemy while aiding their allies. ¡°Not bad, not bad at all,¡± Bladelight remarked with a smirk as he watched Brufut struggle. ¡°You insolent mortals!¡± Brufut roared. No matter how much he tried, he couldn¡¯t escape the bindings of Wrath of the Water God, so he could only scream to let out his fury. A whole three minutes later, the vortex finally showed signs of waning. Brufut had lost 10% of his health in these few minutes. ¡°Wrath of the Water God is about to end!¡± Undying Scoundrel anxiously cried out. Once Brufut broke free, he would become an invincible existence once more. ¡°Holy Mages, cast Sword of Judgement with me!¡± Xie Yao shouted. There were two other Holy Magisters in this group. They grouped up together with Xie Yao. With her as the core of the formation, the trio started chanting. A solemn, holy aura permeated the surroundings. The chant didn¡¯t take long. 10 seconds, 9 seconds, 8 seconds... Wrath of the Water God gradually dissipated. Just as Fallen Angel Brufut was about to break free, a gargantuan sword of light took shape in front of Xie Yao. One of the most powerful Forbidden Spells of a Holy Magister¡ªSword of Judgement. It was super effective against creatures of darkness! The sword of light was several times larger than Nie Yan¡¯s Annihilation Slash. BOOOM! The blade cleaved down on Fallen Angel Brufut and sent him crashing into a nearby pillar. ?33,275,119 A combination single-target Forbidden Magic cast by three Holy Magisters wasn¡¯t to be looked down on. When they were facing the Thunder Dragon, they didn¡¯t dare to use these spells. After all, they refused to waste their most powerful trump cards on the side boss. Right now, however, they weren¡¯t facing some insignificant creature, they were fighting the final boss of a special dungeon! They were free to use whatever skill or ability they had to deal with it. Brufut had just escaped Wrath of the Water God, only to be hit by another powerful combination spell. Climbing out of the rubble, he staggered back to his feet. His health had dropped to only 12%. He looked a bit dazed. Sword of Judgement had an additional stun effect. The seconds ticked away. Brufut was about to recover from the stun. ¡°Any more crowd control skills, guys?¡± ¡°I¡¯m out.¡± ¡°Mine are all on cooldown.¡± ... Spells like Wrath of the War God and Sword of Judgement didn¡¯t just grow on trees. Undying Scoundrel, Xie Yao, and the other Magisters learned them from the Mage Tower in the Crips Stronghold. The requirements for learning them were extremely stringent. They¡¯d only managed to learn two such spells. The team looked at Brufut, more specifically at his health bar. Still 12% to go. They couldn¡¯t help but wonder how they were going to shave it away. Fallen Angel Brufut finally recovered from the stun. The beating he took this whole time left him thoroughly enraged. His deep, bartone laugh shook the entire shrine as he flapped his wings and floated up toward the ceiling. A berserk energy overflowed into the surroundings. Brufut resembled an enraged demon god. Suddenly, the ceiling of the shrine turned into a black void. Everyone felt like they¡¯d been transported to a different dimension. The vast void was like an enormous basin of darkness. Rather than feeling like an empty space, it exerted an immense pressure on them. Fallen Angel Brufut floated ominously within this endless darkness. Eventually, there was nothing left of the shrine as they found themselves in a pitch-black forest. An enormous blood moon hung over the dark sky. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Everyone sucked in a cold breath of air. This was their first time experiencing such an event. It was as if they had arrived in an entirely different world. Even though they were a bit alarmed, the Mages managed to maintain their maximum damage output. ¡°You trifling insects! Welcome to my world of darkness! In here, life and death are all under my control! Before I send you off to the after life, I¡¯ll have you experience the true strength of a demon god!¡± Brufut cackled maniacally. As he started chanting an incantation, a cyclone of dark energy came slamming down towards Nie Yan¡¯s group. The powerful darkness threatened to swallow all life. Alarm turned into outright fear, their faces paling. What kind of magic was this!? The darkness came surging forward. Great Purify! Great Purify! ... Young Seven, Painted Muslin, Black Heaven, and the others quickly reacted and used their magic to purify the darkness. As the two opposing elements clashed, much of the darkness was dispersed. However, even more darkness energy flooded in from the surroundings like an endless tide. Everyone despaired. This was it. It looked like a wipe was unavoidable now. Heaven Bastion! Dark Requiem chanted an incantation. A white membrane of light rapidly expanded outward and enveloped everyone inside. Dark Requiem was a Guardian. Most of his spells were of the defensive kind, like this holy barrier. The darkness slammed into the barrier like a massive tsunami. The barrier blocked the darkness from coming inside. However, under the relentless assault, it was flickering sporadically, like a dying flame. Dark Requiem felt his mana draining away. Half of his 20,000 mana pool was gone already. ¡°I¡¯m running low on mana!¡± Dark Requiem anxiously cried out. He hurriedly downed a Specialist Mana Potion. Heaven Bastion was a fairly unique defensive magic. If the caster had boundless mana, it would last forever. No matter how much damage the barrier took, the caster¡¯s mana would repair it in an instant. However, when the caster ran out of mana, the barrier would automatically disappear. ¡°This is Heaven Bastion?¡± Young Seven asked in surprise. Seeing the barrier teetering on the verge of collapse under the assault of the darkness, he said in a low tone, ¡°I¡¯ll lend you a hand!¡± Young Seven raised his staff and started transferring his mana into the barrier. Holy Magisters, Archbishops, and Guardians could transfer their mana into the barrier. ¡°I¡¯ll help you too!¡± ¡°Count me in as well!¡± ... Painted Muslin, Black Heaven, Blue Yarn Thread, and the others started supporting the barrier with their mana. The darkness was like a surging tide, ramming into the barrier and causing it to tremble violently. Thankfully, with eight teammates supplying it with mana, it was holding just barely. However, even though everything was good for now, the cost of mana was extreme. This wasn¡¯t something a Specialist Mana Potion could fix. They would run out of mana sooner rather than later. ¡°Crap! We don¡¯t have enough mana! One more minute, that¡¯s the most we can do. Boss, what do we do!? We need to act fast!¡± Dark Requiem anxiously cried out. Everyone¡¯s nerves were stretched taut. Nie Yan glanced at Kalenna floating over his shoulder. She seemed to understand what he wanted. Raising her small staff to the sky, boundless holy energy flooded out. The barrier which was originally on the verge of collapsing lit up with a dazzling radiance and became manyfold stronger. The maelstrom of darkness couldn¡¯t do anything to it anymore. Everyone breathed in relief. With Kalenna¡¯s help, the barrier wouldn¡¯t break any time soon. Even though they had no idea how large her mana pool exactly was, given her previous feats, it was far larger than any of theirs. The darkness surged forward from all directions like a raging tide. Maintaining a magic of this scale required an astonishing amount of mana. Fallen Angel Brufut believed he could kill Nie Yan¡¯s group in a matter of seconds within this world of darkness. However, several minutes passed yet the barrier was still standing. His mana started running low! After realizing Kalenna was supporting the barrier, Fallen Angel Brufut finally gave up. With a deep breath, he sucked up all the darkness in the surroundings back into his stomach. The cyclone of darkness finally dissipated. ¡°Requiem, cancel the barrier!¡± Nie Yan said. Heaven Bastion also stopped their attacks from going out. With Fallen Angel Brufut interrupting his magic mid-cast, he likely wouldn¡¯t cast it again anytime soon. Doom Cyclone likely also had a cooldown. Otherwise, they would have no hope of winning. They had to kill Fallen Angel Brufut fast. There were only 10 minutes left before Kalenna was swallowed up by the curse! ¡°Got it!¡± Dark Requiem nodded, dispelling his Heaven Bastion. Everyone looked up toward the sky and saw Fallen Angel Brufut gasping for breath. Likely, casting this magic had taken a toll on him. ¡°Let¡¯s do this! We can''t fail now! Kill Brufut!¡± Nie Yan shouted. Eyes locked on Fallen Angel Brufut, he leaped into the air and slashed out with his dagger. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 904 - Dragon King Fruit Acquired! With a flap of his wings, Fallen Angel Brufut avoided Nie Yan¡¯s attack. He then slashed out with his sword, sending a peerless sword beam flying towards the casters on the ground. BOOOM! The earth was rent apart. However, it failed to hit anyone. The casters had already blinked away. Another miss. Brufut wasn¡¯t slow. His attacks were super quick, in fact. If it were any other Mages, they would¡¯ve definitely been cut down in an instant. However, these were some of the most skilled Magisters. Their reflexes were extremely sharp. Under normal circumstances, they were impossible to hit, unless you used a large-scale AoE attack like Doom Cyclone. Fallen Angel Brufut never expected Nie Yan¡¯s group to live through the doom cycle. It required a lot of mana to cast, and he had no mana potion to quickly replenish it. The Magisters ruthlessly bombarded Brufut with spells as various magical explosions lit up the world of darkness. After gracefully landing on the ground, Nie Yan pounced back into the air and stabbed Brufut in the back with a Backbreaker. He felt an odd sensation when his attack landed. It didn¡¯t cripple? Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. ¡°Insolent ant!¡± Brufut laughed in rage. He slapped out with his palm toward Nie Yan like he was swatting a bug. Caught mid-jump, Nie Yan had no way of dodging. He quickly protected himself with a Rank 18 Darkbright Barrier. BANG! He was sent flying several dozens of meters before crashing into the ground. What frightening strength! Nie Yan glanced at his health. He had taken over 30,000 damage even through the shield! Fallen Angel Brufut was just about to chase down after Nie Yan, when three balls of light whizzed toward him. When they were only a meter or so from Brufut, Tang Yao shouted. ¡°Explosion! Explosion! Explosion!¡± BOOOM! Three enormous explosions engulfed Brufut. Cracks spread across Brufut¡¯s armour. ¡°Trifling bugs!¡± He was like an enraged beast, wishing nothing more than to rip Nie Yan and company to shreds and feast on their remains. Three minutes later, Brufut¡¯s health was chipped down to 3%. Almost there! Everyone felt hope ignite in their hearts as an indescribable excitement bubbled within them. The Magisters activated skills like Arcane Reset, Elemental Reset, and Holy Reset. Their cast speed tripled while cooldowns basically became nonexistent. Mana drained from their bodies as they let loose with a ferocious barrage of magic. Fallen Angel Brufut roared furiously. He raised his greatsword to the sky as syllables flowed out of his mouth in an ancient language. The magic energy in the atmosphere started trembling violently. Nie Yan and company felt their faces pale. Another magic! The last one, Doom Cycle, had nearly wiped them out. What kind of spell would it be this time? ¡°Finish him off! Quickly finish him with Execute!¡± Tang Yao anxiously cried out. If Fallen Angel Brufut were allowed to unleash this magic on them, they would die for sure. Then, all their efforts would go down the drain. The spell Brufut was casting seemed even more powerful than Doom Cyclone. ¡°Kill him! Someone, kill him!¡± Bladelight, Lei Su, and the other Warriors all leaped into the air and tried to finish Brufut off with an Execute. This was their last opportunity! Execute! Execute! One sword after another came down on Brufut. However, they all resulted in failures. The magical fluctuations became increasingly violent. The spell was nearing completion. They had to stop it now if they hoped to beat Brufut. Nie Yan let out a deep grunted and leaped into the air. Swapping out the Bloody Dagger for Zennarde¡¯s Sword, his blade blazed deep crimson as he slashed down on Brufut with Hell Execution. Hell Execution¡¯s success rate was far higher than that of an ordinary Execute. PSFHT! Zennarde¡¯s Sword cleaved into Fallen Angel Brufut¡¯s back as blood sprayed out into the air. ?12,555,555 Success? Nie Yan¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°GHHK!¡± Fallen Angel Brufut¡¯s chant came to an abrupt halt. The various team members, suddenly seeing Brufut falling from the sky, widened their eyes in shock. ¡°W-we did it!¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t believe it! You¡¯re awesome, Boss!¡± ... Everyone broke out into cheers. The surrounding darkness gradually dissipated as the shrine took shape around them again. ¡°Yes!¡± Nie Yan¡¯s heart raced with excitement. With Fallen Angel Brufut¡¯s defeat, the Dragon King Fruit was his! His Darkwing Dragon would soon break through to Rank 9! Nie Yan suddenly sensed a frightening berserk energy permeating into the surroundings. He glanced over at Brufut¡¯s corpse, which was swelling with a volatile red aura. ¡°Shit! Everyone, get out of the shrine! Hurry!¡± Nie Yan shouted. ¡°Boss, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Why did the boss cut their celebrations short? It was already too late. BOOOOOOOM! A blood coloured light enveloped everyone as a giant plume rose up into the sky. The entire shrine shook violently, teetering on the verge of collapse. Even those back in the City of Sin felt the shockwave. ... At a bar in the northern district of the City of Sin, Soaring Angel was fidgeting restlessly. It had already been an hour, but Nie Yan¡¯s group still showed no signs of giving up on the special dungeon. Could it be that they were close to obtaining the Dragon King Fruit? Everyone in World¡¯s Edge had felt the previous two magic fluctuations in the air. Based on the intensity, they could tell they were of two powerful Forbidden Spells. The battle was most likely reaching a climax. This was exactly why Soaring Angel felt so anxious. If Nie Yan defeated Fallen Angel Brufut, that would be detrimental to Angel Corps. BOOOOOOM! A giant explosion shook World¡¯s Edge. ¡°W-what was that?¡± Soaring Angel asked in surprise. ¡°Boss, it came from the direction of the shrine! The might of that explosion was even more powerful than a Forbidden Magic!¡± Soaring Angel¡¯s heart sunk. Was this a trump card Nie Yan had been saving? A feeling of dread welled up in Soaring Angel¡¯s heart. Why did it seem like the heavens were always against him? ¡°Boss, Black Hawk sent back a report. Asskickers United wiped! A lot of souls appeared in the graveyard next to the shrine. We don¡¯t know for sure if Nirvana Flame was among them.¡± Even though Shadow Priests could detect spirits, they had no way of telling their appearance. Soaring Angel burst out into laughter. ¡°So, those guys still wiped in the end. I¡¯ll give them credit. They lasted longer than we did, but that¡¯s still not enough! Serves them right!¡± He felt a huge weight lifted off of his shoulders. He turned toward others and said, ¡°The battle is about to begin. Asskickers United won¡¯t have a second chance! Get ready! Today, we will crush Asskickers United and let them now that we are the true rulers of the Righteous Faction!¡± Soaring Angel was filled with ambition. He¡¯d been waiting for this day for a long time! ... There wasn¡¯t much left of the shrine. Parts of it were collapsed, with a massive crater in the center. Fallen Angel Brufut¡¯s self-detonation was too frightening. Fallen Angel Brufut¡¯s corpse had disappeared without a trace. In the middle of the shrine lay 30 corpses. They were Nie Yan and company, all of them. The blast came too fast. They had no time to react. About half a minute later, Nie Yan¡¯s finger twitched as he gradually regained consciousness. He sat back up and looked around at the destruction. The power of that explosion was too shocking! Thankfully, he had a revive ability that allowed him to come back to life within a certain time frame. Nie Yan staggered back to his feet and noticed all his items on the ground, including the Death God¡¯s Edge, Paternoster¡¯s Warhammer, and the chapters from the Book of Order. He hurriedly picked them back up. Nie Yan suddenly thought of something. Fallen Angel Brufut had self-destructed. Then what about the Dragon King Fruit? If the fruit were destroyed in the explosion, all their effort would¡¯ve been for naught! Nie Yan scoured around the blast site. Within a pile of rubble, he spotted a red fruit about the size of a head. It was bright scarlet like a ball of flame, emanating a blazing energy which spread out to the surroundings. The Dragon King Fruit! Nie Yan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He could feel the most pure energy coming from the Dragon King Fruit. This was definitely an extraordinary item! All dragons yearned for this Dragon King Fruit. If one below Rank 9 ate it, they would instantly break through to the next rank. Within Nie Yan¡¯s pet space, the Darkwing Dragon and Spectre Dragon seemed to have caught a sniff of the Dragon King Fruit. They started moving around restlessly. Nie Yan walked toward the Dragon King Fruit to pick it up. At this moment, the other 29 team members found their way back to the shrine in spirit form. Do you wish to revive? Yes! Do you wish to revive? Yes! Rays of light flashed out as everyone revived. After coming back to life, they were in a weakened state. They sat back up and recovered their health and mana. Sensing the pure energy in the air, they all looked over at Nie Yan. Their eyes instantly focused on the fruit in his hand. ¡°Is that the Dragon King Fruit? Such pure energy!¡± Bladelight gasped in admiration. This was the famed item that could allow a flying mount to directly break through? ¡°We got it! We finally got it! Ha! I can already imagine Soaring Angel¡¯s face when he sees the Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon.¡± Smoke Stub chuckled. Everyone was elated. Even though they had wiped twice, they had succeeded in obtaining the Dragon King Fruit. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 905 - Breathtaking Aerial Battle! Apart from the Dragon King Fruit, Nie Yan also discovered a dragon egg among the rubble. It was oval shaped and about the size of a washbowl. Black spirals ran across the white shell, creating strange markings. Nie Yan had seen his fair share of dragon eggs by now, but this was his first time seeing one with such a unique appearance. ¡°Hmm¡­ A flying mount or a regular pet?¡± Nie Yan knitted his brows. He collected the dragon egg and put it away in his bag. He would have it appraised first before making any decisions. With no more loot to pick up, Nie Yan summoned the Darkwing Dragon. The Darkwing Dragon immediately stared at the Dragon King Fruit in Nie Yan¡¯s palm, impatience in its bearing. Everyone looked full of expectancy. The time had come. What kind of change would occur in the Darkwing Dragon? Nie Yan tossed the Dragon King Fruit in the air. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s eyes lit up in joy. It jumped up and gobbled it down. The fruit melted into a stream of energy, which flowed down into its stomach. A dark radiance started circling around the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s body as a powerful aura overflowed from it. The overwhelming pressure threatened to crush those in the shrine to a pulp. They quickly retreated far back, from where they observed the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s transformation. ¡°What powerful dragon might!¡± The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s scales started falling off, only to be replaced by brand new ones which gave off a faint violet sheen. Their colour gradually deepenened, changing from a simple black to a rich obsidian. These new, sparkling scales looked completely indestructible. The changes didn¡¯t stop here. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s aura kept climbing as it grew in size. Nie Yan could sense the barrier impeding its advance crumbing away in the face of the Dragon King Fruit¡¯s limitless energy. BOOOOM! The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s body ignited with raging black flames, which wrapped around its body like a phoenix experiencing rebirth. A roiling darkness overflowed into the surroundings. Nie Yan opened the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s status page. It finally broke through to Rank 9! Bladelight and the others looked at the Darkwing Dragon from afar. It had grown to over nine meters tall with a wingspan of more than a dozen meters, while its scales burned with an inextinguishable black flame. It exuded a domineering pressure nothing the like they¡¯d experienced before. This was an existence that stood at the very apex! ¡°So this is a Rank 9 flying mount? Amazing!¡± ¡°The strongest flying mounts Angel Corps have are only Rank 7, and there are only about 20 of them at most. You won¡¯t even have to care about their other flying mounts, they can¡¯t leave a scratch on the Darkwing Dragon now. It¡¯s pretty much invincible!¡± Bladelight, Undying Scoundrel, and the others couldn¡¯t help but sigh in admiration. A Rank 9 flying mount under Nie Yan¡¯s control would certainly display mindblowing battle prowess. Thinking about the upcoming aerial battle with Angel Corps, they couldn¡¯t help but feel their blood boiling. This would definitely be a turning point in the war! With a wave of his hand, Nie Yan recalled the Darkwing Dragon back into his pet space. ¡°If we all leave, Angel Corps will only have to see if the dungeon is closed to tell that we¡¯ve obtained the Dragon King Fruit. We can¡¯t let them start preparing countermeasures. Who here is willing to stay behind? As long as one of us stays here, the dungeon won¡¯t close, and Soaring Angel will think we¡¯re stuck inside,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Undying Scoundrel said. Nie Yan nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fine. You stay here on standby. Pay close attention to the battle. The moment I appear with my Darkwing Dragon, you can leave.¡± ¡°Got it, Boss!¡± Undying Scoundrel said. This was necessary to fool Angel Corps. ¡°Let¡¯s go, guys. Put on your cloaks and follow me. Make sure no one notices us leaving!¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Yes!¡± Everyone save for Undying Scoundrel departed. They secretly snuck out through a side entrance. 29 people left the shrine, but since one player was still inside, the dungeon didn¡¯t close. The scouts in the vicinity would think Nie Yan and the others were still inside. By the time they realized their mistake, it would already be too late! Subterfuge at its finest! ... The deadline of the battle was fast approaching. The Asskickers United players in the World¡¯s End Bar were starting to get extremely anxious. ¡°Why isn¡¯t the boss back yet?¡± ¡°We only have 10 minutes left! If he doesn¡¯t return soon and we don¡¯t show up, we¡¯ll be seen as cowards!¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, Boss! Be back in time!¡± Natural Fiend and Tyrannical smiled bitterly. They tried their best to reassure their fellow guild members, but there was only so much they could do. If Nie Yan and the others didn¡¯t return soon, it would be a huge blow to morale. Natural Fiend was about to send a whisper to Nie Yan asking what was going on, when he received a message. His eyes flashed with an imperceptible light. Without batting an eyelid, he turned to the Asskickers United players in the bar and calmly announced, ¡°I just got an update from the boss. Something came up in the dungeon. So, they¡¯ll be stuck there for a while longer. He trusts we will win this battle for him.¡± All around the bar the anxiousness started to show as faces paled. ¡°H-how are we supposed to fight without the boss?¡± ¡°Right! It¡¯s impossible! Without the boss and the others, we only have three Rank 7 flying mounts on our side!¡± ¡°What!? I didn¡¯t know you were all a bunch of useless tools! Get yourselves together! The boss and the others hit a temporary snag. They will come to help us when they can. But even if it takes him a little longer, we still need to show Angel Corps that we are not so easy to provoke! We will teach them a lesson they will never forget!¡± Tyrannical said. Though this speech helped to calm everyone down and stop them from panicking, their hearts were still filled with doubts. Did they really stand a chance when their strongest members were all away in a dungeon? ¡°Remember! In this battle, don¡¯t engage directly with the enemy! Fight only if you can win. If you can¡¯t, retreat and kite back. Stall for as much time as possible until Fallen Angel¡¯s reinforcements arrive. They¡¯re almost here!¡± Natural Fiend said. Everyone gathered into their ranks under Natural Fiend and Tyrannical¡¯s orders. After stepping out of the World¡¯s End Bar, they all summoned their flying mounts. Nearly a thousand players took off into the sky. Fighting was also prohibited in the several hundred meters wide garden surrounding the World¡¯s End Bar. So, they didn¡¯t have to worry about being ambushed. Natural Fiend and Tyrannical looked over toward the northern district of the City of Sin. Angel Corps¡¯ aerial force was already fully assembled. They looked like a dark cloud blotting out the sky. Guilds and teams from all over had come flocking over to the City of Sin. Many were here to watch the battle as well as to scramble over any Life Cores that dropped. Rank 5 or higher Life Cores were extremely valuable. Selling one could allow an ordinary player to transform into an expert like a carp jumping over the dragon gate. Many second-rate players from Asskickers United and Angel Corps were also on the ground. They naturally couldn¡¯t allow their fertile waters to flow into another¡¯s fields. These bystanders started stirring when Asskickers United¡¯s aerial force showed up. Nearly 80% of Asskickers United and Angel Corps¡¯ aerial strength was concentrated here. This was the precursor to a spectacular battle! ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I¡¯d probably hedge my bets on Angel Corps. They¡¯ve got the number advantage over Asskickers United at 1,500 to 1,000. Plus, Asskickers United hasn¡¯t nearly put in as much effort into raising their aerial strength. Everyone knows that.¡± ¡°Sure, that might be true. But let me ask you this, have you ever seen Angel Corps claim a clear victory over Asskickers United? The battles between both sides so far have been fairly even. This can clearly be attributed to one man, Nirvana Flame!¡± ¡°Yeah, but do you see him? I don¡¯t. I heard he and Asskickers United¡¯s other top elites are stuck in a dungeon.¡± ¡°What the hell? Why are they running a dungeon at such an important time?¡± ¡°I have a feeling he¡¯ll show up.¡± ¡°Angel Corps has always held the advantage in the skies, but the final outcome today is hard to predict. It¡¯s not like Asskickers United is a stranger to being the underdog. If Nirvana Flame dared to accept Soaring Angel¡¯s challenge, that means he has to have something up his sleeve.¡± The bystanders discussed with each other fervently as they looked up in the air, where countless flying mounts blotted out the sky as they flew past. This would definitely be the most breathtaking aerial battle to take place since the release of the game! ¡°Everyone, listen to my commands! Split into two groups. Remember, divide and conquer! Don¡¯t tangle with the enemy for too long!¡± Natural Fiend said. Glancing at the earlier message, he understood Nie Yan wanted to lure out the Vermillion Garudas. Their flame nets truly posed a great threat. Only after they were dealt with would he feel at ease. Natural Fiend guessed Nie Yan and the others were already hiding in a corner, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike! The two aerial forces came face to face. Everyone could feel the tension in the air. Natural Fiend looked over at the enemy¡¯s ranks and spotted Soaring Angel standing on top of a silver dragon. His pupils shrunk. Soaring Angel had managed to acquire a dragon flying mount as well! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 906 - Sovereign Overlooking the World As the clock hit the appointed time, flying mounts flew forward like a swarm of locusts. The two forces clashed violently as the sky transformed into a chaotic battlefield. The cries of countless flying mounts rang out across the City of Sin. Soaring Angel¡¯s silver dragon was like a sharp sword as it pierced through Asskickers United¡¯s ranks. Where Angel Corps had 27 Rank 7 flying mounts, Asskickers United only showed three. This advantage quickly became apparent. Flying mounts dropped from the sky and crashed into the buildings and players in the City of Sin below. ¡°Brothers, kill! Show those ants from Asskickers United our strength! Kill them all!¡± Stone Splitter shouted at the top of his lungs, losing himself in a killing frenzy as his griffon swept through everything in its path. ¡°Kill!¡± The battles cries of the players from Angel Corps shook the air. Half of their Rank 7 flying mounts pounced toward Asskickers United¡¯s forces. ¡°Natural Fiend, we can¡¯t hold on! They¡¯re too strong!¡± a Mage cried out. ¡°What do we do!?¡± ¡°Tyrannical, Miracle Dancer, follow me!¡± Natural Fiend shouted. The three players urged their Rank 7 flying mounts to swoop down. A Rank 6 Wind Serpent happened to cross their path. Tyrannical had his Gold Crown Griffon latch onto the Wind Serpent¡¯s back with its sharp claws. Natural Fiend¡¯s Galewing Storm Hawk and Miracle Dancer¡¯s Dark Albatross were only a second behind. PSFHT! PSFHT! Blood sprayed out into the air as the Wind Serpent was ripped to pieces. Leaping down onto its corpse, Tyrannical cracked open its head with his dagger and dug out its Life Core before jumping back onto his griffon. From start to end, no more than a few seconds passed. ¡°I¡¯ll be keeping this Life Core,¡± Tyrannical said with a smirk. ¡°Sure, you can have it, you little punk. Seems like the boss¡¯ teachings weren¡¯t all in vain,¡± Natural Fiend chuckled. ¡°I still have much to learn. If he were here, he could single handedly take down a Rank 7 flying mount.¡± Tyrannical shook his head with a wry smile. He couldn¡¯t help but picture Nie Yan¡¯s awe-inspiring style in battle. The Angel Corps players in the vicinity trembled in fear. Even though Rank 6 flying mounts couldn¡¯t compare to Rank 7 flying mounts, it wasn¡¯t to the extent where they would be one shotted. That Wind Serpent didn¡¯t even have a chance to escape. Not to mention the enemy appeared to be quite relaxed, even exchanging light-hearted banter. Natural Fiend, Miracle Dancer, and Tyrannical killed a Thunder Hawk next in the same fashion. Their teamwork was unsurpassed. ¡°A flight of Rank 7 flying mounts are coming over in our direction, three Vermillion Garudas among them! Let¡¯s go with the original plan!¡± Natural Fiend shouted. The trio had their flying mounts dive down into the labyrinth of buildings below. The battle was in full swing. Its outcome would dictate the course of the entire war. So, neither side held anything back. Soaring Angel¡¯s Silverwing Dragon slaughtered three enemy flying mounts in quick succession. Its scales were dyed crimson with the blood of its victims and glistened under the sunlight. Soaring Angel aimed his bow at a griffon swooping down towards him and fired three arrows. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The three arrows detonated on impact and sent the griffon reeling back. Soaring Angel¡¯s lips curved in a cold smile. He had his Silverwing Dragon charge forward, its claws tinged in a light green liquid. PFSHT! They ruthlessly dug into the griffon¡¯s wings as blood flew everywhere. ¡°SCREEEEH!¡± the griffon cried out in agony as the poison quickly spread. Its wings died off as they turned black. The rider urged his griffon to escape, only to discover it was paralyzed. His eyes widened in alarm. What kind of poison was this, to actually be effective against a griffon!? One had to know, griffons were famous for their high poison resistance. Ordinary poisons were useless on them! The Silverwing Dragon opened its mouth and blasted the griffon¡¯s head with scorching hot flames. BOOM! The griffon writhed in agony within the flames before finally going limp. The Silverwing Dragon released its claws, letting the corpse drop down from the sky. How ruthless! Just like that, Soaring Angel had taken another Rank 6 flying mount out. The griffon¡¯s cries alerted the Asskickers United players in the vicinity. ¡°That¡¯s Soaring Angel!¡± ¡°Surround him! Let¡¯s kill him and get revenge for our fallen brothers!¡± A squad of 20 Rank 6 flying mounts pounced toward Soaring Angel. ¡°You fools have a death wish!¡± Soaring Angel coldly snorted. ¡°Men, get rid of these pests!¡± At his command, two Rank 7 and over 30 Rank 6 flying mounts rushed forward to greet the enemy. ¡°Boss, Evil Monarch is leading a flight to hunt down Asskickers United¡¯s three Rank 7 flying mounts. With those three out of the picture, this battle is ours!¡± ¡°B-boss, the flying mount leaderboards!¡± a Warrior anxiously shouted. ¡°What?¡± Soaring Angel knitted his brows. What could be so urgent that it couldn¡¯t wait until the end of this most important battle? ¡°N-nirvana Flame, h-his Darkwing Dragon,¡± the Warrior tried to explain, fear gripping at him. Soaring Angel swept his eyes over the flying mount leaderboards. The Darkwing Dragon still held the first position, but its rank had changed from eight to nine! He felt a bomb go off in his head. How was this possible? Why was the Darkwing Dragon Rank 9? The Dragon King Fruit? Was it really possible? This was too inconceivable! A thought struck him, his face paling. ¡°Tell Evil Monarch to get out of there right now!¡± Too late. An incomparably powerful dragon cry rang out across the firmament, drowning out the sounds of all the other flying mounts in the battlefield. Looking toward the west, an enormous jet black dragon soared through the sky. It looked like a small mountain with a wingspan of over a dozen meters. Its scales glistened like jewels under the sunlight. A turbulent draconic might swept out into the surroundings, causing all other flying mounts to tremble in fear. This most frightening ancient aura looked down on all existences. The Rank 7 flying mounts were somewhat better off, but the Rank 6 flying mounts were losing their heads in fear while the Rank 5 and lower flying mounts were practically dropping from the sky. The Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon¡¯s might was on full display! The players from Asskickers United erupted into cheers! ¡°It¡¯s the boss!¡± ¡°The boss is back!¡± ¡°My god, his Darkwing Dragon is Rank 9 already!¡± ¡­ Morale soared. The players from Asskickers United felt endless confidence as they charged toward the enemies like a surging tide. The players on the ground couldn¡¯t believe their eyes, rubbing them violently after the initial shock wore off. ¡°Jesus, the Darkwing Dragon broke through! How did Nirvana Flame do it!? I checked the leaderboards just 15 minutes ago, and it was still Rank 8!¡± ¡°The leaderboards refresh every 10 minutes. I¡¯m guessing it only broke through just now. But man, its aura is capable of suppressing all the other flying mounts on the battlefield!¡± ¡°It must be that Dragon King Fruit from the special dungeon. Asskickers United managed to defeat Fallen Angel Brufut!¡± ¡°Fallen Angel Brufut? Wasn¡¯t Angel Corps trying over and over to kill that guy? Seems like their chance is gone now!¡± The spectators looked at the Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon. It was undoubtedly the ruler of the skies. Its appearance instantly shifted the tide of the battle! Closer to the ground, Natural Fiend, Tyrannical, and Miracle Dancer were still running from Evil Monarch¡¯s flight by weaving through the gaps between the buildings. However, they weren¡¯t fast enough. Just as they were about to be surrounded and locked down by the Vermillion Garudas, the Darkwing Dragon came swooping down from the sky like a flash of lightning. One could imagine the shock of Evil Monarch¡¯s flight upon seeing this behemoth of a dragon blotting out the sun above them. ¡°Shit! It¡¯s Rank 9! Retreat, retreat!¡± Evil Monarch shouted anxiously. Only then did he realize they¡¯d fallen for the enemy¡¯s ambush. Evil Monarch¡¯s flight consisted of Rank 7 flying mounts. How could they possibly compete with a Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon in terms of speed? ¡°Want to run now? Too late! Wash your necks, and prepare to hand over your dog lives!¡± Smoke Stub shouted. From behind the Darkwing Dragon, 28 flying mounts appeared out of nowhere and moved to surround Evil Monarch¡¯s flight. Evil Monarch looked around. All escape routes were completely sealed off. Flying mounts like the Vermillion Garudas were only useful when they had the numbers advantage. Otherwise, they were pretty ineffective. Nie Yan stood proudly on the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s head. Based on its size, flying speed, and the aura, he could tell it was far stronger than before. Each beat of its mighty wings generated enormous thrust. Riding on the head of this unrivalled existence, Nie Yan felt like a sovereign overlooking the world. After defeating Angel Corps, any place within the reach of the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s wings would become his land! One of the Vermillion Garudas lost its head in fear. Not even bothering to use its flame net, it threw caution to the wind and tried to flee, only for the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s claws to grab onto it with lightning speed. ¡°SCREEEH!¡± the Vermillion Garuda cried out in pain. Evil Monarch and the others watched in horror as the Rank 7 flying mount was torn to shreds in the blink of an eye. Blood and entrails rained down from the sky. A brutal display of strength! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 907 - Cherubim Grace! After tossing aside the Vermillion Garuda¡¯s corpse, the Darkwing Dragon pounced over and chomped down on the neck of a nearby Hearthfire Manticore. The Hearthfire Manticore was covered in thick black scales. Among Rank 7 flying mounts, it was considered an extremely powerful existence. However, in the face of the Darkwing Dragon, it was nothing more than a trifling bug. ¡°GRAOOOW!¡± the Hearthfire Manticore wailed in pain. It jabbed the Darkwing Dragon with its stinger in a last ditch effort. KLANG! A light scratch appeared on the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s scales. The Hearthfire Manticore¡¯s attack couldn¡¯t even pierce Darkwing Dragon¡¯s scales. The difference between Rank 7 and Rank 9 was too great. Only if several dozen Rank 7 flying mounts worked together in perfect harmony, would they stand a chance against the Darkwing Dragon. Anything less simply wasn¡¯t enough to pose a threat to it. The Darkwing Dragon dug its claws deep into the Hearthfire Manticore¡¯s body. As the two tangled in the air, it bit down harder and crushed the manticore¡¯s neck before severing it from the rest of the body. Blood sprayed out into the air. The Darkwing Dragon tossed the Heartfire Manticore¡¯s head into the air before swallowing it in one gulp. Evil Monarch and the other players from Angel Corps felt their scalps go numb. The five remaining Rank 7 flying mounts tried to flee, but Xie Yao and a few others intercepted them. Evil Monarch¡¯s flight was surrounded by 18 Rank 6 flying mounts, nine Rank 7 flying mounts, a Rank 8 Immortal Phoenix, and a Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon. Escape was impossible. ¡°SCREEEH!¡± ¡°CROOAH!¡± Under Xie Yao¡¯s lead, two more Rank 7 flying mounts were slaughtered. ¡°Grab the Life Cores! Don¡¯t leave a single one!¡± Bladelight ordered. Rank 7 Life Cores were extremely precious. Naturally, they couldn¡¯t be allowed to fall in the hands of others! The Life Core within the Hearthfire Manticore¡¯s head was directly swallowed by the Darkwing Dragon. As for the Life Cores of the other three Rank 7 flying mounts, Sun and two others moved lightning quick to retrieve them. Riding on top of a Vermillion Garuda, Evil Monarch¡¯s face flashed between alarm and anger. It looked like death was inevitable today. The Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon was an invincible existence to them. They¡¯d lost all initiative. There was absolutely nothing they could do to keep it in check! ¡¸Boss, we¡¯ve been surrounded. The Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon is too strong. We are powerless!¡¹Evil Monarch said. When Evil Monarch was on the verge of despair, a group of 600 flying mounts came charging over. They blotted out the sky with sheer numbers. At the very front was a silver dragon. It was Soaring Angel! Finding four Rank 7 flying mounts missing and Evil Monarch and the remaining three Rank 7 flying mount in imminent danger, Soaring Angel became enraged. ¡°Nirvana Flame, don¡¯t celebrate too early!¡± Soaring Angel shouted. ¡°Kill!¡± ¡°Kill!¡± ¡°It¡¯s 600 vs 30! Wipe out Nirvana Flame!¡± ¡­ The battle cries of the 600 players from Angel Corps shook the sky. ¡°Big Bro, what do we do? They¡¯re with too many. Should we call for reinforcements?¡± Sun anxiously asked. ¡°Boss, the Kamikaze Drakes are on their way here. Should we retreat and drag it out until they arrive?¡± Paladin of the Elegy asked. He had witnessed their destructive power firsthand. The guild had poured in an enormous amount of resources to manufacture them. Angel Corps had manpower to spare, but Asskickers United didn¡¯t. Their main force was busy tangling with the enemy in front of them and couldn¡¯t break away. Repelling 600 flying mounts with only 30 was impossible. Even though the Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon was powerful, how many could it possibly kill by itself? If every one of them were to be wiped out but the Darkwing Dragon, that really wouldn¡¯t count as much of a victory. ¡°No need!¡± Nie Yan faintly smiled. His eyes flashed with a cold light. ¡°Today, we will show the enemy our might! Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± Seeing Nie Yan brimming with confidence, Bladelight and the others were dumbstruck. Could it be that Nie Yan had yet another trick up his sleeve beside the Kamikaze Drakes? Everyone but Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but feel their faces pale as they stared at the 600 flying mounts quickly drawing closer. If they didn¡¯t leave now, they would be completely surrounded. Who could possibly remain calm in a situation like this? At this moment, Battle Angel Kalenna appeared next to Nie Yan¡¯s shoulder. She waved her staff and started chanting. A holy aura swept out around her. Kalenna was casting a spell? Everyone looked toward her and noticed she had undergone a complete transformation. She now had two sets of wings on her back, and her pure, white dress was replaced with shining, silver-white battle armour. She looked dignified and imposing. A four-winged cherub! After Kalenna finished chanting two sets of syllables, an enormous pillar of light descended from the sky and fell over them. Forbidden Holy Magic¡ªCherubim Grace! A powerful energy flowed into the bodies of the 29 Asskickers United flying mounts. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°M-my Azure Dragon is absorbing the energy!¡± Nie Yan glanced at the Darkwing Dragon. It was also crazily drawing in the energy as its body rapidly grew in size. Even though this energy belonged to the holy attribute, it was a neutral type that could be absorbed by any living being, including the Darkwing Dragon. It was filled with boundless vitality. ¡°GRAAAWWR!¡± the Darkwing Dragon cried out. It nearly tripled in size as its draconic aura surged outwards. Soaring Angel trembled in alarm. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! What a powerful blessing!¡± ¡°Sweet mother of god! Look at the Darkwing Dragon! It¡¯s friggin¡¯ kaiju-sized!¡± ¡­ The players from Angel Corps sucked in a breath of cold air. After receiving the Cherubim Grace, the Darkwing Dragon had grown to over 30 meters in size with a wing span of more than 50 meters. It was larger than any boss they¡¯d encountered to date. As for the other flying mounts, they also tripled in size to anywhere between 10¨C20 meters. Facing these enormous flying mounts, the players from Angel Corps gulped. This blessing was so powerful that a Rank 6 flying mount seemed like a Rank 9! They lost all will to fight. If it weren¡¯t for the discipline drilled into them, they would have long since run away. Evil Monarch and the other two Rank 7 flying mounts in his flight didn¡¯t even have a chance to retreat before they were instantly slaughtered by Nie Yan¡¯s group. Soaring Angel¡¯s eyes turned red with rage! ¡°All guild members, heed my orders! Today, I, Soaring Angel, declare that I won¡¯t rest until Asskickers United is annihlated! If any of you dare to run, don¡¯t blame me for showing no mercy! Our airships are about to arrive. So, fight until the bitter end! Victory or death! Kill!¡± Under Soaring Angel¡¯s threat, the players from Angel Corps didn¡¯t dare to retreat. They charged forward like a surging tide. ¡°My stats quadrupled! What a powerful blessing!¡± Bladelight exclaimed. Be it mount or rider, all of their stats had increased by 400%. ¡°Is this the reward you got from that quest for killing Fallen Angel Brufut?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Nie Yan nodded. ¡°I can order Kalenna to cast three spells now, Sword of Judgement, Cherubim Grace, and Sanctuary of Life. However, the cooldowns are relatively long. Sword of Judgement has a cooldown of five days, two days for Cherubim Blessing, and five hours for Sanctuary of Life.¡± ¡°Sword of Judgement? You mean that same Forbidden Magic it took Yao Yao and two other Holy Magisters to cast?¡± Bladelight blurted out in disbelief. Nie Yan nodded. ¡°Yep, seems like it. I haven¡¯t tried it yet. So, I¡¯m not a hundred percent sure if it¡¯s the same one.¡± ¡°If it is, that would be amazing!¡± Bladelight exclaimed. ¡°I have a feeling it is! Too bad it has a cooldown of five days, or else we could let Angel Corps have a taste of it right now,¡± Smoke Stub said. He had no idea how strong the spell would be exactly, but no Forbidden Magic was ever weak. All of Kalenna¡¯s spells had the power to turn the tide of battle. So, they couldn¡¯t be used recklessly. After all, five days was a fairly long time. The 600 flying mounts from Angel Corps were almost on top of them. ¡°Suicidal idiots. Guys, it¡¯s about time we took out the trash!¡± Nie Yan chuckled. The powerful Darkwing Dragon gave him absolute confidence. ¡°Hehe. This is going to be fun!¡± Tang Yao grinned. ¡­ Their morale was sky-high. With the Darkwing Dragon taking the vanguard, they charged into Angel Corps¡¯ forces. BOOOM! The Darkwing Dragon collided into six Rank 6 flying mounts at high speed. The sound of miserable cries and bones breaking rang in the air. Its body was harder than any diamond and stronger than any metal. What was left of their bodies dropped down from the skies. What domineering might! Soaring Angel felt his scalp tingle. After obtaining the Rank 7 Silverwing Dragon and many other Rank 7 flying mounts, he believed Angel Corps¡¯ aerial force to be invincible. Even in his wildest dreams, he hadn¡¯t entertained the possibility of a Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon ruining his plans. The Darkwing Dragon tore through the enemy ranks, slaughtering a dozen Rank 6 flying mounts in quick succession. Seeing Nie Yan and company sweeping through the enemy, morale on the side of Asskickers United soared to new heights. With the Darkwing Dragon, they were unstoppable! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 908 - Kamikaze Drakes Nie Yan and company were like a giant meat grinder. Wherever they passed, blood and flesh rained down from the sky. Angel Corps and Asskickers United fell into a killing frenzy. Neither side was willing to tolerate the existence of the other. The spectators on the ground were now scrambling for Life Cores. Bodies rained down from the sky. Every corpse of a flying mount contained a precious Life Core. It would be strange if it didn¡¯t attract any attention. The entire Righteous Faction had their focus on this single battle. ¡°Boss, our main force has suffered over 300 casualties already!¡± Paladin of the Elegy reported. They only had 1,000 flying mounts to begin with. Losing nearly a third of their force was a massive blow. ¡°Angel Corps isn¡¯t faring much better. We¡¯ve killed 500 of theirs!¡± Bladelight chimed in. Angel Corps¡¯ losses were even worse than Asskickers United¡¯s. However, they still held the advantage in numbers. It was hard to say who would win this battle. The battle intensified. Nie Yan and company were tearing through Angel Corps¡¯ ranks, when someone shouted in voice chat,¡¸Look east! It¡¯s the reinforcements from Fallen Angel! They¡¯re here!¡¹ Nie Yan shot a glance toward the east and saw a large group of flying mounts heading in this direction. He faintly smiled. It was Fallen Angel. They were finally here! Looking at their numbers, he estimated there were at least 4,000 flying mounts! Bones as white as shale. Those were all undead flying mounts! The leader of the group was riding a Rank 8 Bone Dragon. It was none other than Proud Lance who Nie Yan had met several times in the past. Plenty didn¡¯t come personally. He had to preside over the guild matters in the underworld. Fallen Angel was the absolute ruler of the Undead Empire. After carrying out their operations there for so long, they had created a rock solid foundation. Their strength was not to be looked down on. Fallen Angel¡¯s appearance immediately caused an uproar among the players in the City of Sin. ¡°It¡¯s the Undead Empire!¡± ¡°That must be Fallen Angel! What¡¯s going on? Is the Undead Empire attacking the Righteous Faction?¡± Many players unaware of the situation thought Fallen Angel was coming to take advantage of the situation. Only a few who were in the knowhow understood Fallen Angel were actually Asskickers United¡¯s reinforcements! A total of 4,000 flying mounts, half of which were Rank 6. This was a force capable of turning the tide of battle! Mass hysteria began to spread across the ranks of Angel Corps. They all knew Fallen Angel was their sworn enemy. Once Fallen Angel and Asskickers United joined forces, all that awaited them was complete annihilation! ¡¸Boss, enemy reinforcements are arriving!¡¹ ¡¸There are too many of them!¡¹ ¡¸Boss, the Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon is too strong! We can¡¯t stop it!¡¹ ... Soaring Angel¡¯s heart sunk. He said in a low growl,¡¸Everyone, retreat 2,000 meters, and adjust your ranks while we prepare for round two! Reinforcements from the Century Financial Group and Pantheon are almost here. Asskickers United isn¡¯t the only one with allies!¡¹ The forces of Angel Corps beat a quick retreat. The main group and off-shoot group looked like two oriental dragons flying through the sky. After retreating far enough, they merged back into one. Even though they were retreating, they still defended their backs, preventing Asskickers United from running all over them. The only exception was the Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon, who they could do nothing about. It tore a large whole out of their ranks, with more than 15 flying mounts dying unders its claws. Nie Yan shot out web-lines to catch the heads of the flying mounts the Darkwing Dragon ripped off. After extracting their Life Cores, he would throw them away. Like this, he obtained dozens of Life Cores. The darkness attribute ones he fed to the Darkwing Dragon. The blood-soaked Darkwing Dragon was like a demon god. Wherever it went, blood and entrails rained down from the sky. The enemy flying mounts fled in fear. Soaring Angel ordered his guild members to stay as far away from the Darkwing Dragon as possible and focus on killing the rest of the flying mounts from Asskickers United. Only like this could they give themselves the time to think of a method of dealing with the Darkwing Dragon without having to worry about anyone interfering. ¡¸Boss, a large group of flying mounts has been spotted to the north! There are 20,000 of them. They¡¯re heading right for Fallen Angel¡¯s forces!¡¹Paladin of the Elegy cried out out after looking at the incoming reports. Nie Yan knitted his brows. How did Angel Corps get so many flying mounts? Do they have some kind of hidden force we don¡¯t know about? Hmm, no, impossible. Guo Huai would¡¯ve detected it. ¡¸Go investigate where they came from!¡¹Nie Yan ordered. It didn¡¯t take Paladin of the Elegy long to find out.¡¸Watchful Snail got back to us with new information. They¡¯re a joint force between the Century Financial Group and Pantheon. They might seem large, but they¡¯re padding their numbers with all kinds of low Rank flying mounts. Only around 2,000 of them are Rank 6 or higher.¡¹ Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. No wonder there were so many of them. It turned out the enemy was padding their numbers! If all 20,000 flying mounts were Rank 5 or higher, Asskickers United and Fallen Angel would be in deep trouble. That kind of force was capable of sweeping through the entire continent! ¡¸It looks like they mobilized every single flying mount under them. They¡¯re really staking it all!¡¹ Nie Yan brooded for a moment before saying,¡¸Have every guild and branch guild in the alliance send over all their flying mounts! Since Angel Corps is going all out, we will do the same! Let¡¯s have a competition of numbers!¡¹ Everyone¡¯s blood started boiling. Since Nie Yan had made his resolve, they would put everything on the line to defeat Angel Corps! ¡¸Brothers! To the bitter end! Don¡¯t leave a single one alive!¡¹ ¡¸We won¡¯t leave a single one alive!¡¹ ¡¸Kill!¡¹ ... The battles cries from Asskickers United rang out like thunder. Nie Yan¡¯s rallying call was passed down. In several dozen cities and 350+ strongholds across the Viridian Empire as well as Okoron and the 30+ strongholds in the Abernathy Great Grasslands, countless flying mounts took to the sky and set out for the City of Sin. It was like the great Yangtze river, all converging on one spot. Asskickers United and their five branch guilds only had 16,000 flying mounts altogether. This was because they placed their focus elsewhere. However, Holy Empire, the War God Tribe, and the other allied guilds had placed more focus on acquiring flying mounts. Altogether, they had a force of 30,000 flying mounts. All of them were now flying towards the City of Sin. This development shook the entire server. The scope of this battle had grown far larger than anyone could have possibly imagined! At the same time Asskickers United took action, Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group started mobilizing as well. Cao Xu didn¡¯t hesitate to spend an enormous sum of money to hire 60 large gaming organisations to fight on his behalf. That was another 30,000 flying mounts. Combined with the 20,000 already in the City of Sin, that made for over 50,000 in total! Until now, Asskickers United and Angel Corps had clashed several times, even at the walls of Okoron. None of that was more than feeling out the enemy, though. Today was to be the same. A test of the enemy¡¯s aerial force. However, when things got heated and neither side was willing to back down, it escaped to this degree. Nie Yan knew this had become a deciding battle in this war. Asskickers United could not afford to lose. He continued slaughtering the Angel Corps flying mounts he encountered while directing the battle on different fronts. ¡¸Nie Yan, the enemy is coming out in full force. I didn¡¯t expect the 30 guilds under the Century Financial Group to have so many flying mounts. Be careful,¡¹Guo Huai warned. ¡¸Thanks. What about the Kamikaze Drakes? How many do we have ready?¡¹Nie Yan asked. The Kamikaze Darkes were creations of Violet Mist, a secret operation overseen directly by Guo Huai. He estimated they¡¯d spent over 20,000,000 gold on them. They were also one of his aces. Kamikaze Darkes weren¡¯t actual flying mounts but rather man-made machines. They were one of the Legendary-grade items that could be crafted from Dela¡¯s Magical Device Book. Violet Mist had made great strides in her Tinkering, and could now craft high rank Tinkerer items like this Kamikaze Drakes! Kamikaze Drakes were about the size of a Rank 5 flying mount. A large amount of Magic Redwood, Arcane Silver, Black Gold, and many other different kinds of rare gems were required to produce them. They were extremely fast, far faster than Rank 6 flying mounts, and required a Level 120 or higher fire Elementalist to operate. While in the air, they could carry up to five kilograms of gunpowder. They could lock onto a target and ram into them at high speed, taking out the enemy kamikaze style. The explosive force from five kilograms of gunpowder was astonishing, enough to mortally wound even Rank 7 flying mounts. ¡¸We have 300 on the way to the City of Sin, with 20 more in the final stages of production. I also told Violet Mist to speed up her production output.¡¹ 1. Nie Yan obtained Dela¡¯s Magical Device Book way back in Chapter 330 when he stole it from Phantom Princess Ina along with Abak¡¯s Gloves of Sealing. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 909 - Apocalypse Storm All the players in the server watched as the battle in the City of Sin unfolded on livestream. Tens of thousands of flying mounts from both great powers were converging here. Though for the most part they watched in awe, there was also a trace of concern as to which side would come out on top. Every single one of them, even the solo players, would be impacted to some extent by the outcome of this war. In the sky above the City of Sin, Asskickers United was fighting bravely against the forces of Angel Corps. The tide of battle was slowing going in their favour, as they had fewer casualties, a powerful Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon¡ªwho had already killed over 60 enemy flying mounts¡ªleading the vanguard, and the Spectre Dragon lending its support from the sidelines. Before Fallen Angel could team up with Asskickers United, they were intercepted by the joint forces of the Century Financial Group and Pantheon. Even though the enemy possessed superior numbers, most of those were low rank flying mounts. With different guilds fighting in different locations, each battle evolving in a different direction, it became impossible for the spectators on the ground to tell who was who. That said, the spectacular aerial battles left their hearts racing with excitement. A giant ball of flames ignited in the sky, dyeing the horizon crimson. Several nearby flying mounts were instantly burned to death, mournful cries ringing out as they plummeted to the ground. What astonishing flames! Within these blinding flames flew an enormous phoenix. ¡°That¡¯s Yao Yao¡¯s Immortal Phoenix!¡± Feeling the blistering heat sweeping over them, everyone paled. ¡°This fire energy is so pure¡­ What a powerful phoenix!¡± ¡°Of course! That¡¯s a Rank 8 Immortal Phoenix!¡± Nie Yan was the sole owner of a Rank 9 flying mount. There were four Rank 8 flying mounts a step below. Two of them belonged to the righteous faction, one of which was Xie Yao¡¯s. The Evil Faction had the other two, belonging to Fallen Angel and Pantheon. The battle prowess of a Rank 8 flying mount was astonishing. Within the ball of flames, the Immortal Phoenix charged forward like a streaking meteor. Any flying mounts that came into contact with it were instantly transformed into ashes. All that remained of the burned Angel Corps flying mounts was their Life Core. Riding atop the head of his Silverwing Dragon, Soaring Angel had an unsightly expression on his face. Asskickers United¡¯s peak fighting force was simply too strong. There was very little he could do against them. ¡¸Have the airships arrived yet?¡¹Soaring Angel coldly asked. ¡¸Reporting in Boss, they have already arrived. Five in total. They¡¯re being shielded from view by our flying mounts.¡¹ ¡¸Pass on the message to the Century Financial Group. Tell them to get started. Let Asskickers United and Fallen Angel have a taste of our newly created weapon!¡¹Soaring Angel coldly smiled. ... Over on the side of Fallen Angel. Warlance led the vanguard as his troops dove right into the ranks of the Century Financial Group and Pantheon. They succeeded in disrupting the enemy¡¯s formation and scattering their forces, but they also suffered some damage in the process. ¡¸Vice-lead! Our right flank is under attack. We can¡¯t hold on any longer!¡¹ ¡¸Vice-lead! Our second wing is almost annihilated with only two survivors! We¡¯ve been surrounded!¡¹ Warlance bravely charged forward, working together with his subordinates to kill dozens of enemy flying mounts. Their killcount quickly reached 1,300. This result was simply astonishing, especially considering many of their kills were high rank flying mounts. However, the Century Financial Group and Pantheon had too many flying mounts, more than 20,000 in total. Even though most were low rank, they served perfectly as cannon fodder to absorb attacks. Pantheon and the Century Financial Group outnumbered Fallen Angel¡¯s forces six to one. They had Warlance and his men completely surrounded. ¡¸Brothers, let¡¯s show these trash our power! We are not so easily provoked!¡¹Warlanced shouted. He was soaked in blood from head to toe, looking like an enraged asura. His killing intent soared to the heavens.¡¸Go, Apocalypse Storm!¡¹ The battle cries of the players from Fallen Angel rang out like thunder. From among their ranks, 300 Thunderwing Bone Hawks gathered together and used Apocalypse Storm. Lightning crackled from their bodies and converged into a sphere in the center of their formation. It continuously grew in size until it was over 200 meters in diameter, shooting out streaks of lightning into the surroundings like a giant tesla coil. After the sphere fully took shape, Warlance shouted,¡¸Kill!¡¹ The enormous ball of lightning started moving towards the forces of the Century Financial Group and Pantheon. ¡¸W-what the hell is that!?¡¹ ¡¸I-I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t want to be anywhere near it!¡¹ The flying mounts from the Century Financial Group and Pantheon quickly split apart in a mad attempt to get away from the sphere of lightning. However, the Apocalypse Storm was too fast and quickly closed in on them. CRACKLE! ZAP! CRACKLE! ZAP! Streaks of lightning drilled into the ranks of the Century Financial Group and Pantheon. BANG! BANG! BANG! All flying mounts the lightning came into contact with were instantly roasted to death, their bodies giving off smoke as they dropped from the sky. Nothing survived near the Apocalypse Storm. Soon, more than 400 enemy flying mounts were killed. ¡¸Kill!¡¹ ¡¸Kill!¡¹ The Apocalypse Storm picked up its speed and dove deeper and deeper into the enemy ranks. The flying mounts from the Century Financial Group and Pantheon fled away in a panic. ¡¸Don¡¯t go near that lightning ball!¡¹ ¡¸Get out of the way!¡¹ ¡°Weaklings from the Century Financial Group and Pantheon, I¡¯ll let you thoroughly experience the might of our Apocalypse Storm! Brothers, kill!¡± Warlanced bellowed out with a hearty laugh. Several hundred more Thunderwing Bone Hawks joined the formation, powering the sphere to almost double its current size. Its surface transformed from white to blue, making it resemble a giant blazing star. Nie Yan and his team of 30 noticed the forces of the Century Financial Group and Pantheon being routed. ¡¸What¡¯s going on over there?¡¹Bladelight asked. ¡¸Damn, those guys from Fallen Angel really are something! Look at that ball of lightning!¡¹Undying Scoundrel exclaimed in admiration. He had joined back up with everyone shortly after Nie Yan revealed his Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon. They glanced at each other. If they were to meet with such an attack, they would probably also suffer a heavy loss. In the blink of an eye, the Apocalypse Storm killed 1,000 enemy flying mounts. ¡°That¡¯s Apocalypse Storm. To get one to that size, I estimate you will need at least 600 Rank 6 lightning attribute flying mounts.¡± Nie Yan faintly smiled. As ruler of the Undead Empire, there was no way Fallen Angel wouldn¡¯t have some aces up their sleeves. This Apocalypse Storm was probably one of them. The might of the attack was truly astonishing. He was glad Asskickers United wasn¡¯t on the receiving side of it. ¡¸We can¡¯t let Fallen Angel show us up! Time to kill!!¡¹Smoke Stub shouted! ¡¸Kill!¡¹ ¡¸Kill!¡¹ Asskickers United¡¯s aerial forces launched another fierce assault. Nie Yan had received word that the 300 Kamikaze Drakes had arrived in the City of Sin. They were hidden from view, ready to move out at his command. He narrowed his eyes. After shaving away a bit more of the enemy¡¯s strength, he would deal them a fatal blow. ¡¸Nie Yan, how are you planning to use the Kamikaze Drakes?¡¹Smoke Stub asked. He was one of the scarce few who were privy to their existence. ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group have at least 30,000 flying mounts on the way here. I¡¯m just waiting for them, so we can wipe them all out together!¡¹Nie Yan said. Like this, the enemy would be like birds with their wings clipped. ¡¸We have 45,000 flying mounts rushing over. Combined with what we have here already, that also makes 50,000. Even if we don¡¯t use the Kamikaze Drakes, I¡¯m sure we can sweep through them!¡¹Natural Fiend said. ¡¸You¡¯re probably right. We won¡¯t lose if we go toe-toe with them, but we¡¯ll also suffer heavy losses. It¡¯s better to use the Kamikaze Drakes, then clean up the survivors!¡¹ Nie Yan chuckled.¡¸Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group probably have some hidden aces as well. We won¡¯t use the Kamikaze Drakes for now. Let¡¯s focus on the battle!¡¹ While Nie Yan and the others were chatting, the reinforcements from both sides started entering the City of Sin. The scope of the battle ballooned as two armies nearly 50,000 strong clashed in the air. ¡¸Look! More troops are arriving!¡¹ ¡¸Damn, I¡¯ve never seen so many flying mounts!¡¹ The players on the ground gawked at the sight of nearly 100,000 flying mounts, their hearts palpitating with a mixture of fear and excitement. This many flying mounts was enough to completely blot out the sky over the City of Sin. So this was the rallying power of two superpowers! So breathtaking! Most ordinary guilds would be proud to have 100 flying mounts, but these two clashing powers had rallied 1,000 times that number! A lightless sky over a dark landscape, what a truly apt description! Nie Yan had the Darkwing Dragon fly toward the 40,000 flying mounts that came as reinforcements. One man and his dragon instantly attracted everyone''s attention. ¡¸Boss!¡¹ ¡¸The boss is here!¡¹ The reinforcements broke out into cheers. Seeing these troops stretching out as far as the eye could see, Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the rest, even Nie Yan himself, felt their hearts stirring with emotion. With this kind of army, they could conquer everything and anything in their way! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 910 - Awe-inspiring At the command of Bladelight and the other group leaders, Asskickers United¡¯s aerial troops split up into several groups, resembling an asian dragons flying through the sky. Each group consisted of several thousand flying mount riders. Spectators looking up at this spectacle gasped in awe at the astonishing show of power. The air force of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group was also rapidly convening together. They were organizing their ranks for the next phase of this battle. Every Asskickers United player felt their heart pumping with anticipation. Having clashed many times in the past, Angel Corps was already an old rival. Now, both sides were duking it out one last time to decide who would become the ruler of the Righteous Faction! All eyes were on Nie Yan, who stood atop the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s head. Those too far away to see clearly perked up their ears to listen to him in voice chat. Everyone held their breath. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s enormous size left even them stunned. The Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon was already massive to begin with. But after receiving the Cherubim¡¯s Grace blessing, it had grown to nearly 40 meters tall. The aura emanating from its body resembled that of a primordial dragon. Nie Yan swept his eyes over his men. He noticed the gazes staring at him were filled with feverish reverence, as if he were a god. It was clear as day what kind of position he had in the hearts of these players. An odd feeling pervaded Nie Yan¡¯s heart. In his past life, he was a no-name character. Never did he imagine that he would one day be overlooking the world. Asskickers United had grown from a small, obscure guild to the leviathan it was today. The journey had been fraught with obstacles. They¡¯d teetered on the brink of collapse on more than one occasion, but somehow they always made it through in the end. Though the contributions of the numerous guild members couldn¡¯t be discounted, it was Nie Yan who single handedly propped up the entire guild on his back. Angel Corps, Holy Empire, the War God Tribe, the 30 guilds under the Century Financial Group¡­ Which wasn¡¯t erected by a large financial group or gaming organisation? Which didn¡¯t have a solid foundation before entering Conviction? None of them had to build up from scratch, only Asskickers United did! They had truly come from nothing. At the time of their founding, there were only Nie Yan, Tang Yao, Guo Huai, and a handful of others! Nie Yan had taken advantage of his past life¡¯s knowledge to seize opportunities everywhere, allowing Asskickers United to slowly rise up until they eventually became a whirlwind that swept through the entire Viridian Empire. If not for him, Asskickers United wouldn¡¯t exist. If not for him opening the Starry Night Potion Shop, if not for him recruiting experts from all over to his side, if not for his brilliant strategies, the guild would¡¯ve long since collapsed! Even now, after Asskickers United grew strong enough to compete for control of the entire Atlanta continent, he was still the de facto spiritual leader of the guild. No matter how large the guild grew, that would never change. Nie Yan had used his brilliance and charisma to thoroughly win over everyone¡¯s recognition, and with his unrivalled strength, he had them awed and subdued. Nie Yan¡¯s wisdom was like the hand of god, guiding Asskickers United straight towards glory. It wasn¡¯t strange everyone in the guild revered him like so. Nie Yan¡¯s cape fluttered in the wind; his mind stirred with a myriad of emotions. With a flick of his wrist, he swapped to Zennarde¡¯s Sword. The flames burning fiercely around the blade perfectly mirrored the desire to do battle raging within his heart. As he looked down over the crowd, he resembled an awe-inspiring war god, causing everyone to hold their breath. Nie Yan¡¯s voice rang out with surging emotions,¡¸Ever since Conviction first opened its server, I¡¯ve fought tens of thousands of battles and experienced no less than a dozen wars. Wherever I go, my enemies flee in terror. Those I¡¯ve crossed blades with include Masters from every class, expedition teams composed of thousands of players, and even the most powerful NPCs. But have I ever suffered defeat? No! I have single handedly crashed my way through Angel Corps¡¯ Clemenci Stronghold and left without so much as a scratch. With Bladelight and several others, I¡¯ve swept through Divine Guardian¡¯s main stronghold, slaughtering thousands of their players before finally razing it to the ground. Gossipers on the forums have given me a nickname, they call me the Mad Rogue. When I first heard this name, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Honestly, I didn¡¯t think it would stick.¡¹ The crowd stirred with indescribable emotion. Not once suffering defeat, sweeping through all enemies in his path¡­ Apart from Nie Yan, would anyone dare to boast such arrogant words? However, his achievements spoke for themselves, many of which could easily be found online in video format. ¡¸Since the release of Conviction, I have founded Asskickers United and the Starry Night Potion Shop; I have defeated Victorious Return and numerous other guilds to unify the Viridian Empire; and I have gained my own dukedom in the Abernathy Great Grasslands and erected the capital of Okoron!¡¹Nie Yan narrated his various achievements. ¡¸We are at a critical juncture whereby the results of this war will decide who will rule over the Righteous Faction. Angel Corps was once an insurmountable foe, leaving us quaking in fear. Now, we stand on equal footing with them. This is our moment of glory, to crush all obstacles beneath our feet and unify the Atlanta continent! This glory does not belong solely to me, but also to each and every single one of you standing here before me!¡¹Nie Yan stared into the eyes of the players in the crowd. ¡¸Recall Conviction¡¯s poem that I recited that day. Amid the mist before the dawn. By the last glow of the bonfire. Let God be my witness! As the first light shines and the moon and stars fall. As the embers fade and the darkness dissipates! The world shall transform in our wake! From this day forth, we stand as one! Bound are our paths! So to our souls! ¡®Till our presence spans heaven and earth! For glory is our fate! I have no idea whether this world really has a god, but I know it¡¯s a real as the one in reality. By your sides are brothers who have shared life and death with you, who have fought shoulder-to-shoulder with you in battle! This world might be virtual, but that doesn¡¯t make it any less real! Maybe one day, you¡¯ll tell your friends out there in the real world about how you accompanied Nirvana Flame in his campaign through the Viridian Empire and Satreen Empire; how you bravely fought with your fellow guild members in blood-soaked battlefields! Engrave this moment into your memories! Today, we will create yet another legend! For glory is our fate!¡¹Nie Yan¡¯s voice endowed to a hoarse cry, battering at the heartstrings of everyone here. ¡°FOR GLORY TO THE GUILD!¡± ¡°GLORY TO ASSKICKERS UNITED!!!¡± ... The crowd of 50,000 bellowed out with deafening battle cries. The sound swept across the City of Sin, threatening to bring the whole place down. The world-shaking sound startled the forces of Angel Corps. Many of the low rank flying mounts were even scared. Their ranks descended into chaos. Soaring Angel had an unsightly expression on his face. Just what did Nie Yan say to cause such an impassioned reaction? Before every battle, he would also say a word or two to rouse his subordinates¡¯ hearts. It usually evoked good responses, but never to that kind of effect. Soaring Angel gradually realized the reason didn¡¯t lay in his players, but rather himself as a leader. He could only bitterly accept the fact he couldn¡¯t compare to Nirvana Flame. His face darkened. So what if you can say a few inspirational words? At the end of the day, strength rules over all! I¡¯ve already prepared my trump card. So, you better wash your neck! Fallen Angel already seized the initiative. Let¡¯s not let it go to waste! Kill!¡¹Bladelight said. ¡¸Boss, let¡¯s go win this war!¡¹Summer Bug added. Nie Yan glanced over at Fallen Angel¡¯s side. Their troops were still operating the enormous Apocalypse Storm, using it to sweep through the forces of the Century Financial Group and Pantheon and forcing them to retreat. The kill count had broke through 4,000. Bladelight was right. It was time to take action. ¡°BROTHERS! TODAY, WE KILL!¡± Nie Yan¡¯s words immediately spread out to every corner of the army. All the guild members stirred in excitement. They¡¯d been eagerly waiting for this order. Like an erupting volcano, they rushed forth. ¡°KILL!¡± ¡°KILL!!!¡± Their killing intent soared to the sky. 25 groups of several thousand flying mounts each charged toward the forces of Angel Corps like a soaring tide. The sky darkened. Leading the charge were the high rank flying mounts of Nie Yan and Xie Yao. The army of flying mounts looked like it would engulf everything in its path. The spectators on the ground held their breath in awe. Angel Corps descended into panic. They still hadn¡¯t finished organizing their forces. Many group leaders were busy passing orders down the chain of command. Directing so many players truly wasn¡¯t a simple matter. Asskickers United¡¯s chain of command was relatively easy and clear cut. Every group, be it comprised of Asskickers United players or of allies like Holy Empire or Radiant Sacred Flame, was commanded by a pillar of Asskickers United, like Bladelight or Smoke Stub. They had full authority. By comparison, Angel Corps¡¯ chain of command was extremely complex. Apart from their main force, there were 30 auxiliary guilds both large and small, each with their own set of rules. When adding the 30 guilds under the Century Financial Group, it became even more complicated. That wasn¡¯t the end, however, as there were still the 60 gaming organisations Cao Xu had recruited for this battle. Simply put, it was a mess. Getting everyone in order in a short time was impossible. Asskickers United¡¯s army was already closing in. It was too late to take up any sort of battle formation. Soaring Angel gritted his teeth.¡¸Like I said before, today we¡¯re going to wipe out every last enemy! All of you will be rewarded handsomely for every flying mount you kill, the higher the rank, the higher the reward. I, Soaring Angel, am a man of my word. Brothers, charge!¡¹ After receiving Soaring Angel¡¯s orders, Angel Corps¡¯ 50,000 flying mounts charged forward to greet the forces of Asskickers United. In an instant, the world was engulfed in the flames of battle. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 911 - Goblin Airship The two great armies collided, 50,000 versus 50,000. Both sides fought with no regard for their lives as casualties rapidly clambered up. Nie Yan, Bladelight, and the rest led their respective forces into battle. Before long, their battle formations started helping them gain an advantage. Angel Corps¡¯ forces were completely reliant on Soaring Angel¡¯s command. However, before information reached him, it was already too late to react. In contrast, even though Asskickers United¡¯s 25 groups acted independently of one another, they still managed to fight as a cohesive unit. They carried out a slaughter in the skies, displaying their astonishing might. The enemy¡¯s flying mounts were quickly cut up into chunks. When the casualties of Asskickers United finally broke through 1,000, Angel Corps had already lost in excess of 3,000 flying mounts. Soaring Angel charged forward with a great number of flying mounts, forcing six of Asskickers United¡¯s groups to scatter. However, before he could take advantage of the opening, the scattered riders quickly reformed into their groups. Those who couldn¡¯t find their original group simply joined another one. This was a tactic Soaring Angel wasn¡¯t familiar with and as such didn¡¯t know how to respond to. Soaring Angel became increasingly anxious. He shouted in voice chat,¡¸Wing #1, Wing #2, Wing #3, follow me! Slaughter a way out!¡¹ The Silverwing Dragon took the lead and charged out of the encirclement. Soaring Angel passed down the order to gather, with troops finding their place around him some time later. Nie Yan looked over the battlefield from atop his Darkwing Dragon. Angel Corps¡¯ army had been divided into 10 sections. Bladelight led Asskickers United¡¯s elite aerial unit forward, employing a tactic to devour the enemy one bite at a time. ¡¸Boss, we can¡¯t hold on any longer!¡¹Natural Fiend shouted anxiously. The group he was leading was clashing with Soaring Angel who led a group of the most elite force of Angel Corps. There wasn¡¯t much he could do as their losses were climbing rapidly to critical levels. Nie Yan had his Darkwing Dragon rapidly ascend. Looking down, he quickly locked onto a certain section of the battlefield. There he saw 5,000 flying mounts from Angel Corps rushing forward like a surging tide, threatening to swallow up three smaller groups from Asskickers United. At their head, Soaring Angel led his Silverwing Dragon in killing three Asskickers United flying mounts in a row. ¡¸Bladelight, Smoke Stub, listen up. Bring your forces with you. We¡¯re going to pay Soaring Angel a visit!¡¹Nie Yan said as he had his Darkwing Dragon swoop down. Bladelight and Smoke Stub immediately led their forces toward the location Nie Yan gave them. The ground was just as hectic and chaotic as the battle up in the air, with scores of players scrambling for Life Cores. ¡°Look at the sky!¡± someone shouted. Many players raised their heads to see what the commotion was about. Up there, 25 processions of flying mounts were charging forward. They split up Angel Corps¡¯ army into smaller sections, gnawing at them bit by bit. Angel Corps was forced into the passive. ¡°It looks like Angel Corps really can¡¯t compare to Asskickers United!¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that so soon. Even if their forces are split up, it still won¡¯t be easy for Asskickers United to eat them up!¡± ¡°Look over there! Soaring Angel¡¯s Silverwing Dragon!¡± The spectators looked toward the east, where a silver white dragon with several thousand other flying mounts in tow were slaughtering their way out of Asskickers United¡¯s encirclement. The Silverwing Dragon tore several enemy flying mounts into shreds as his troops gradually managed to reconvene. ¡°Sure enough, Soaring Angel lives up to his reputation. I heard his Silverwing Dragon¡¯s growth rate is the same as the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s. If only their difference in rank wasn¡¯t so great.¡± Soaring Angel was about to break out of the encirclement, when two more groups of enemy flying mounts came flying over. ¡°It¡¯s the Darkwing Dragon!¡± ¡°My god! It¡¯s huge!¡± From high within the clouds, an enormous black dragon came swooping down. It was more than eight times larger than the Silverwing Dragon. These two dragons might have the same growth rate, but they were nothing alike. One looked like a grown up, the other like a child. At a glance, anyone could tell these two weren¡¯t on the same level. Everyone held their breath. Was the Silverwing Dragon going to die here? ¡°Brothers, kill!¡± Soaring Angel cried out hoarsely, oblivious to the fact a frightening flying mount had already locked onto him from above. He led his troops charging out of the encirclement, killing hundreds of enemy flying mounts, and madly attempted to gather his scattered forces back together. His eyes were completely bloodshot. Only a little further, and it would be their turn to be on the offensive! ¡°Boss, watch out!¡± Soaring Angel¡¯s heart trembled. He barely had to raise his head to see the enormous shadow blotting out his vision. It was fast as lightning. Nirvana Flame! Soaring Angel lost all will to fight in the face of the Darkwing Dragon. It was more than eight times larger than his Silverwing Dragon. Its enormous claws could easily crush both him and his mount to death. This speed! The Silverwing Dragon had no way of dodging in time! Soaring Angel despaired. ¡°Boss, escape!¡± Stone Splitter shouted anxiously. There was no time to hesitate. He let out a roar and had his Vermillion Garuda ram the Silverwing Dragon out of the way! BANG! The Silverwing Dragon was knocked back. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s vice-like claws gripped down on the Vermillion Garuda. ¡°SQUAAAK!¡± The Vermillion Garuda screamed in agony as it struggled to escape. PSFHT! PSFHT! PSFHT! Blood and guts rained down from the sky. The Darkwing Dragon tore the Vermillion Garuda apart. Letting its mangled corpse drop from the sky, it turned around and pounced toward the Silverwing Dragon. ¡°No! Stone Splitter! Damn you, Nirvana Flame! You¡¯ll pay for this!¡± Soaring Angel¡¯s eyes burned with hatred. However, there was no time to hesitate. He had Silverwing Dragon drop into freefall to avoid the attack. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s claws came slashing down, ripping open a deep wound across the Silverwing Dragon¡¯s back. PSFHT! The Silverwing Dragon¡¯s blood splashed on the Darkwing Dragon. The Darkwing Dragon moved in for the killing blow. The Angel Corps players in the surroundings, none of whom had a flying mount above Rank 6, reacted instantly. They posed zero threat to the Darkwing Dragon, but they didn¡¯t need to. Their only goal was to slow it down enough to let Soaring Angel escape with his Silverwing Dragon still alive. Like a cardboard wall, they were torn through by the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s claws. However, they successfully gave Soaring Angel the precious few seconds he so desperately needed. Nie Yan quickly switched to his backup plan. He ordered his Spectre Dragon to finish off the Silverwing Dragon, but several Rank 7 flying mounts came flying over from the side and intercepted it. Angel Corps¡¯ troops were just about to turn the tables on Asskickers United, when they suddenly suffered an attack from the Darkwing Dragon. The Silverwing Dragon fled with serious injuries while they lost a Vermillion Garuda and several Rank 6 flying mounts. What little morale they¡¯d built up was instantly destroyed. Even the Silverwing Dragon couldn¡¯t stand up to a single attack from the Darkwing Dragon. If Stone Splitter hadn¡¯t sacrificed his Vermillion Garuda, it would¡¯ve already been dead. Just who could stop the Darkwing Dragon? At this moment, Bladelight and Smoke Stub¡¯s forces arrived. Several Rank 7 flying mounts led the charge as they slaughtered their way into Angel Corps¡¯ ranks. The enemy was quickly routed. After taking care of the dozen Rank 6 flying mounts blocking his way, Nie Yan searched around. The Silverwing Dragon was nowhere to be seen. Soaring Angel had fled pretty quickly! When the casualties of Asskickers United finally broke through 2,000, Angel Corps had already lost in excess of 8,000 flying mounts. Even though the Silverwing Dragon had escaped with its life, it had suffered heavy injuries. If Soaring Angel wanted to gather his troops back together, it wouldn¡¯t be easy. Plus, he would constantly have to watch out for Nie Yan¡¯s ambush. If he were the slightest bit careless, he could very well die at the hands of the Darkwing Dragon. ... Back in the Clemenci Stronghold, Cao Xu was monitoring the progress of the battle through live video feeds. He¡¯d just seen the brief encounter between Nie Yan and Soaring Angel that left the latter with a heavily injured Silverwing Dragon. Cao Xu couldn¡¯t help but wring his wrist. Thinking back to everything that happened over these past few years, it was like Nirvana Flame was his destined enemy. With his first appearance, Nirvana Flame had wrecked his plans in the Viridian Empire by crushing Victorious Return and the several other guilds under his control. This had forced him to pull out his assets in the Viridian Empire and shift his focus to the Satreen Empire. However, it seemed like that bastard still wasn¡¯t satisfied and wanted to completely force him into a dead end! The Century Financial Group¡¯s main business was in virtual reality. Nirvana Flame single handedly caused their market share to shrink by close to 60% and made them miss out on the best opportunity to expand. Cao Xu had invested an enormous amount of money into Conviction, but was yet to see any return. If he pulled out of the game now, the consequences would be extremely dire. If this information were to leak out, it would be a fatal blow to the company. As a publicly traded company, their market value would evaporate into nothing. Under this kind of situation, Cao Xu could only steel his nerves and press forward. Staring at Nie Yan¡¯s figure through the video, he coldly chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t get so full of yourself! Even if we lose, we¡¯ll take you down with us! Have a taste of our newest aerial weapon!¡± He passed down the order in the voice chat,¡¸Use the airships! Blast them to oblivion!¡¹ Nie Yan stood on the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s head. He disposed of the Angel Corps flying mounts in the vicinity while looking for traces of Soaring Angel. Only after killing Soaring Angel would he feel reassured. The enemy had to be eliminated at the roots. He would not allow Soaring Angel the opportunity to mount a comeback! The Darkwing Dragon crushed two more Rank 6 flying mounts to death. Nie Yan¡¯s kill count reached 76, six of which were Rank 7 while the rest were Rank 6. Angel Corps¡¯ defeat was already set in stone. Nie Yan was just about to have his troops sweep through the remainder of the enemy¡¯s forces, when several loud explosions rang out. Looking towards the source of the sound, he spotted several plumes of black smoke rising up in the air from Fallen Angel¡¯s side. His face paled. What was that!? Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 912 - Illusion Revealed Warlance and his forces held the upper hand on their side of the battlefield. Fallen Angel¡¯s Apocalypse Storm had already killed 5,000 flying mounts from the Century Financial Group and Pantheon. Wherever it went, the enemy would flee in a panic. ¡¸Brothers, wipe out every last one of them!¡¹Warlance shouted as he proudly stood atop his Bone Dragon. The Apocalypse Storm annihilated everything in its path. At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t be long before it wiped out the Century Financial Group and Pantheon! As Warlance and his forces were about to go in for the kill, the Century Financial Group and Pantheon¡¯s troops suddenly split apart, revealing five enormous airships. The airships were 60 meters long, carried up in the air by enormous balloons made out of some unknown material. The gondolas had dozens of cannon holes with muzzles sticking out. These were the latest Goblin Megacannons! One could imagine their destructive might! Warlance wasn¡¯t sure what these airships were powered by, but they were extremely fast, moving through the air nimbly and freely. ¡°W-what are those?¡± Warlance blurted out in shock. He wouldn¡¯t have to wait long. What happened next would be deeply engraved in his mind. The cannons on the five airships all took aim and fired. BOOM! BOOM!BOOM! The shells released frightening explosions as they struck the ranks of Fallen Angel, forcing them into immediate retreat. Countless flying mounts let out miserable cries as they were shot out of the sky by the cannons. With half the Thunderwing Bone Hawks dead and the others scattering for safety, the Apocalypse Storm exploded with a deafening boom! The firepower of the latest magic cannons was at least a dozen times greater than their regular counterpart. The Century Financial Group had spent a mind-boggling amount of resources and manpower to produce just 50 of these cannons and install them into the airships. The cannons fired again as explosions rocked the entire sky. Three shells exploded in range of Warlance. The shock waves swept over him and his Bone Dragon, with his mount taking the brunt of the damage. Scorch marks covered its scales. Warlance looked behind him. His forces were in utter chaos. Only five rounds of attacks, and Fallen Angel had lost close to 70% percent of their forces while the survivors were all badly wounded. Shit! Where the hell did Angel Corps get these airships!? Warlance¡¯s heart trembled. ¡¸Kill them all! They¡¯re already too weak to fight back!¡¹ ¡¸Don''t let them escape!¡¹ The forces from the Century Financial Group and Pantheon hurriedly moved to surround Warlance and the surviving troops of Fallen Angel. All paths of escape were blocked off. ¡¸Boss, I¡¯m sorry. We tried our best,¡¹Warlance sent to Plenty. He then straightened his back and turned around to face what was left of his army. He shouted at the top of his lungs, ¡°BROTHERS! THIS IS OUR LAST STAND! FIGHT WITH ALL YOU HAVE! DON¡¯T LET THESE BASTARDS THINK WE¡¯RE EASY PICKINGS!¡± Warlance led his remaining forces forward fearlessly in one final charge. They would make the enemy pay a heavy price for their lives! They fought bravely, but eventually succumbed to the overwhelming power of the Century Financial Group and Pantheon. The ear-splitting explosions continued long after the final member of Fallen Angel died before eventually settling down. ¡¸Have someone find out what¡¯s going on!¡¹Nie Yan said in voice chat. ¡¸Boss, Fallen Angel¡¯s forces are completely wiped out! The Century Financial Group somehow managed to get their hands on five Goblin Airships. They mounted Goblin Megacannons on them. It was a massacre! Those airships are heading for us right now!¡¹Paladin of the Elegy said. If those airships were allowed near them, he didn¡¯t dare to imagine the consequences. ¡¸Goblin Airships?¡¹Nie Yan knitted his brows. He knew that the Century Financial Group''s factories were producing something, but until now he never found out what.¡¸Have the Kamikaze Drakes set out! This is the decisive moment!¡¹ ¡¸Understood!¡¹Paladin of the Elegy said. He immediately passed down the order. The Century Financial Group and Pantheon had lost more than 8,000 flying mounts to Fallen Angel. Those still alive recovered their health and mana before moving towards Asskickers United. ¡¸All members, listen to my commands! Focus on quick kills and be ready to retreat at a moment¡¯s notice!¡¹Nie Yan didn¡¯t dare to be careless. He had no idea exactly how strong the airships were. Before he understood what they were capable of, he didn¡¯t dare to let his troops face them head-on. Asskickers United¡¯s troops intensified their assault, cleaning up Angel Corps¡¯ remnant forces. When the casualties of Asskickers United finally broke through 10,000, Angel Corps had already lost in excess of 18,000 flying mounts. It was clear which side had the advantage. The 13,000 flying mounts from the Century Financial Group and Pantheon were fast approaching. ¡¸Retreat!¡¹Nie Yan ordered. The forces of Asskickers United beat a quick retreat. The surviving players from Angel Corps breathed a sigh of relief. They merged together with the forces of the Century Financial Group and Pantheon. Soaring Angel finally showed his face again. He had his troops rest up and reorganize while his focus shifted from Nie Yan to the five Goblin Airships. They looked like flying fortresses as they gave off a suffocating pressure. The 50 Megacannons looked especially astonishing. With these superweapons, they could absolutely crush Asskickers United! Soaring Angel¡¯s face warped with a sinister expression. Ever since he was little, he was a heaven-proud son. Everything had always gone his way, no one dared to even touch a hair on his head. Only when he entered Conviction, did he experience how it felt to have someone stand up to you. Nie Yan wasn¡¯t afraid of him. He sought him out in battle, and beat him again and again. By now, his hatred for Nie Yan already ran bone deep, wishing for nothing more than to tear him to pieces. These airships gave him some much needed confidence. So what if the other side had a Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon? If it took a shelling from these cannons, it would still be blasted to smithereens! Some distance away, Nie Yan finished reorganizing his troops. Standing atop the head of the Darkwing Dragon, he looked over toward the forces of Angel Corps, the Century Financial Group, and Pantheon. Among the tens of thousands of flying mounts were five enormous airships. They were as large if not larger than the Darkwing Dragon, and all of them were fitted with a dozen Goblin Megacannons. Angel Corps was anxious to continue the battle, afraid Nie Yan would escape. The five Goblin Airships led the charge. They weren¡¯t any slower than regular flying mounts. Their cannons were pointed forward, ready to fire. They were protected by a larger number of high rank flying mounts. ¡¸Boss, here is the footage of the airships attacking Fallen Angel¡¯s troops!¡¹Paladin of the Elegy said. Nie Yan skimmed through the video. He made a quick assessment. These airships fitted with Goblin Megacannons were ridiculously powerful. Even he wasn¡¯t sure he could defend against their astonishing firepower. It looked like he could only rely on the Kamikaze Drakes, his final trump card. ¡¸Maintain your distance. Be prepared to flank the enemy at my command!¡¹Nie Yan said in voice chat. At this time, the forces from Angel Corps split apart, revealing another 20 airships. The 25 airships split into groups of five as they moved forward in a crescent formation. ¡¸What the hell!? When did they multiply!?¡¹ ¡¸There are so many of them!¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s going on!?¡¹ Asskickers United¡¯s players instantly fell into a panic. They thought there were only five airships. Now there were 25! They felt an immense pressure weighing down on their hearts. ¡¸Boss, how did this happen!?¡¹ Nie Yan knitted his brows. It couldn¡¯t be so easy to make these airships. How on earth did they find the time and resources to produce so many of them? A thought popped up in his mind. An illusion! Eye of Truth! Nie Yan¡¯s eyes blossomed out with a profound light. As he scanned the airships, he instantly saw through the illusion. Only five of the 25 airships were real! Angel Corps had tried to use these illusions to attract enemy attacks, allowing the real airships to close in unharmed and deal a fatal blow to Asskickers United¡¯s troops. However, Nie Yan had seen through it. ¡¸Group #1, Group #3, Group #6, Group #7, Group #12, flank the enemy from the right and attack!¡¹ Nie Yan ordered. ¡¸B-b-but Boss, there are seven airships coming straight for us!¡¹Summer Bug cried out. They had all witnessed the might of the airships. ¡¸Don¡¯t worry! They¡¯re just illusions. Ignore them and attack!¡¹Nie Yan said. They would attack the enemy from the flank, then look for an opportunity to deal a serious blow. Blindly evading would only lead to more losses. ¡¸Illusions? They¡¯re fake?¡¹ ¡¸Only five are real. Just listen to my commands. Don¡¯t worry about anything else,¡¹Nie Yan said. ¡¸No wonder! So they are just illusions! We were nearly fooled by them!¡¹ Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. If it weren¡¯t for Nie Yan seeing through the illusion, the consequences would have been grave. Even though these illusions would¡¯ve only attracted their firepower for a brief moment, it was enough to dictate the tide of battle. Once they were forced into the passive, it would be difficult to seize back the initiative. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 913 - Detonate! Wipe the Enemy out! Under the cover of the Goblin Airships, the forces from Angel Corps charged toward Asskickers United. They had no idea that the illusions they created had already been seen through. That the enemy was about to attack them from the flank. The five airships rapidly closed in on Asskickers United¡¯s main force. However, as they were about to enter firing range, the enemy suddenly beat a quick retreat. Soaring Angel closely observed Asskickers United¡¯s movements. Anxious the enemy would escape, he shouted,¡¸Hurry up! Don¡¯t let them escape!¡¹ The airships went into full throttle as they chased after the retreating force. Nie Yan had the Darkwing Dragon ascend several hundred meters in the air. He looked down and surveyed the entire battlefield from a bird¡¯s eye view. Angel Corps¡¯ flank suffered an attack, forcing them to divert some of their forces to deal with it. Another force of Asskickers United had snuck up behind Angel Corps and were ready to deal them a heavy blow. Nie Yan swept his eyes over the battlefield and locked onto several Kamikaze Darkes. They had a wooden frame which was protected by a layer of black metal. To make them resemble ordinary flying mounts, a layer of gray feathers covered the black metal. They were indistinguishable among the other flying mounts. He only spotted them because he knew what to look for. ¡¸Boss, the Kamikaze Drakes are in position. All you need to do is give the order!¡¹Paladin of the Elegy said. ¡¸Good!¡¹Nie Yan looked down. Angel Corps¡¯ troops had taken the shape of an enormous sphere. With so many flying mounts in close proximity, able to lend a hand at a moment¡¯s notice, their defenses increased severalfold. This put a quick stop to Asskickers United¡¯s attempts to attack, because each time they would also suffer heavy losses.¡¸The enemy is digging their own grave. With their forces clustered so close together, the Kamikaze Drakes will be even more effective.¡¹ ¡¸What do we do about those five airships?¡¹Bladelight asked. ¡¸Keep your distance from them for now. Their firepower poses too much of a threat. The Kamikaze Drakes probably won¡¯t get to them either, with all those flying mounts protecting them. Let¡¯s just focus on Angel Corps¡¯ main force first. We¡¯ll take care of the airships after!¡¹Nie Yan said. ¡¸Sounds good to me!¡¹Bladelight replied. Nie Yan ordered in voice chat,¡¸Kamikaze Drakes #1¨C10, go! Those nearby, cover them!¡¹ Spread out and under the cover of other flying mounts, 10 Kamikaze Drakes were quickly nearing Angel Corps¡¯ main force. At the last second, the Kamikaze Drakes broke off from the group and charged straight into the enemy¡¯s ranks. ¡°Brothers! For the glory of Asskickers United! KILL!¡± an Elementalist riding a Kamikaze Drake shouted at the top of his lungs. The 10 Kamikaze Drake riders all had that steely resolve borne from embracing death with open arms. They were loyal members of Asskickers United, trusted subordinates of Nie Yan and Guo Huai. When they were asked to man the Kamikaze Drakes, they agreed without hesitation despite knowing this was a one-way trip. This was their opportunity to provide a great contribution to the guild and go out in a blaze of glory! ¡­ Some Angel Corps players located in the outer ring of the sphere were chatting. ¡¸Hey, what do you think? Will we win this war?¡¹ ¡¸Hard to say. One thing is for sure though, they don¡¯t have anything as powerful as our five Goblin Airships! The firepower on those things is ridiculous!¡¹a Mage said, his voice trembling with excitement as he recalled the previous scene of the airships annihilating the forces of Fallen Angel. If he were in their crosshairs, he would probably be blasted to smithereens! ¡¸Look over there!¡¹a Warrior cried out in alarm. ¡¸What?¡¹Several pairs of eyes flicked over to the direction the Warrior pointed toward, widening as they took in the few relatively small flying mounts charging straight at them. Their riders manning them seemed to be shouting unintelligible ravings at the top of their lungs. Some of the Angel Corps players couldn¡¯t help but chuckle in amusement. ¡¸The hell is that? Flying mounts? Rank 5 or 4?¡¹ ¡¸They must have lost their minds! What can several low rank flying mounts possibly do? They¡¯re pretty much throwing their lives away!¡¹ Several Rank 6 flying mounts moved to intercept the wannabe rambos. Unconcerned, they approached the Kamikaze Drakes, who executed rolls mid-air and flew right past them. ¡¸What!? So fast!¡¹The Angel Corps players widened their eyes in alarm. They were all confused. What was Nirvana Flame planning? These low rank flying mounts posed zero threat. Behind them, an earth-shattering explosion rang out. They hurriedly turned around to witness a terrifying scene. A Kamikaze Drake rammed straight into Angel Corps¡¯ ranks and exploded, scorching hot flames erupting out. Hundreds of flying mounts were turned to ash as Life Cores started raining down. Many more received serious injuries, barely clinging onto their life. The explosive power of five kilograms of gunpowder was extremely frightening. Add in the fact that Angel Corps¡¯ troops were so concentrated together, and it was a recipe for disaster. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! ¡¸Stop them! Don¡¯t let them get close!¡¹ ¡¸Quickly stop them!¡¹ The players from Angel Corps shouted in a panic, but their voices were drowned out by the sound of explosions. The 10 Kamikaze Darkes took down with them 1,500 flying mounts, while another 2,500 were basically out of commission. This was a devastating blow! These Kamikaze Drakes weren¡¯t any less frightening than their Goblin Airships! ... The players from Asskickers United were similarly shocked. What frightening explosions! Before long, they erupted into thunderous cheers. ¡¸M-my god! W-what was that!?¡¹ ¡¸The boss has done it again! Who would¡¯ve thought he still had something like this up his sleeve! Amazing!¡¹ ¡¸I wonder how many more we have! Angel Corps are really in for it this time!¡¹ ¡¸Damn! What an explosion!¡¹Undying Scoundrel gasped in admiration. ¡¸Of course, they¡¯re packing five kilograms of gunpowder each!¡¹Smoke Stub smiled. ¡¸Damn. We should¡¯ve spent more time building those things. We wouldn¡¯t even have to fight ourselves then, just let them bomb everything to smithereens.¡¹ ¡¸How could it be that easy? Do you know how much resources and manpower went into making these 300 Kamikaze Drakes!? Plus, the range of the explosions is limited. So, they¡¯re only effective in situations where the enemy is crowded together. If the target scatters, they lose all effectiveness,¡¹Nie Yan said. ¡¸The boss really did plan far ahead for this battle with Angel Corps. He was leading them right into a trap from the start! All we have to do is surround them now. If they try to break out, we¡¯ll just kill them. If they stay inside, they¡¯ll be blasted to death by our Kamikaze Drakes. None of them will escape alive!¡¹Tyrannical chuckled. Everyone suddenly realized Nie Yan¡¯s plan. So, it turned out Nie Yan wouldn¡¯t settle for a win, but desired the complete annihilation of Angel Corps¡¯ forces! No wonder he had waited until now to take action! ¡¸Second wave, Kamikaze Drakes #11¨C30, kill!¡¹Nie Yan shouted. Another 20 Kamikaze Drakes charged toward Angel Corps¡¯ forces. ¡¸What¡¯s going on?¡¹Soaring Angel shouted, alarmed. The Kamikaze Drakes had attacked them from behind. As he was at the front of the formation, all he heard were the loud explosions. ¡¸Boss! We¡¯re under attack! We¡¯ve lost over 1,000 troops already!¡¹ ¡¸They¡¯re suicide bombers! Their flying mounts are exploding!¡¹ ¡¸My god! There are more!¡¹ Soaring Angel felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. This was clearly a long worked on plan! They had simply been waiting for this exact moment to strike! ¡¸Boss, what do we do?¡¹ ¡¸Break out of the encirclement! Have the Goblin Airships lead the vanguard!¡¹Soaring Angel gritted his teeth. They were surrounded. If Asskickers United continued sending Kamikaze Drakes at them, they would eventually be annihilated! Another frightening explosion rang out from the rear, threatening to rupture Soaring Angel¡¯s eardrums. ¡¸Protect the Goblin Airships! Don¡¯t let those flying mounts get close to the airships! All airships maintain one third of your firepower. If you see any of those exploding flying mounts, blast them!¡¹Soaring Angel ordered. If the Goblin Airships were taken down by the Kamikaze Drakes, their last ray of hope would be gone. Summon Hell Fiend Dragons! Three dragons even larger than the Darkwing Dragon appeared within Angel Corps¡¯ ranks and came charging out towards Asskickers United¡¯s forces. Nie Yan narrowed his eyes. So, Angel Corps still had this kind of trump card. These three Hell Fiend Dragons weren¡¯t flying mounts, but rather summons. They looked quite strong. If Asskickers United didn¡¯t have the Kamikaze Dragons, they would¡¯ve suffered greatly under these dragons. ¡¸Blast them!¡¹Nie Yan ordered. Three Kamikaze Drakes headed straight toward the Hell Fiend Dragons. BOOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The three Hell Fiend Dragons were instantly reduced to ash. With 20 Kamikaze Dragons diving into Angel Corps¡¯ ranks, another frightening chain of explosions rang out. Without even bothering to look at the results, Nie Yan passed down the next order.¡¸Third wave! Kamikaze Dragons #30¨C60! Go!¡¹ Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 914 - Splendid Victory Another 30 Kamikaze Dragons sped toward Angel Corps¡¯ main force. Explosions rang out endlessly. The players from Angel Corps tried to flee in fear. However, most never got the chance as they were engulfed in flames. The few players who did escape from the Kamikaze Drakes flew straight into the flying mounts from Asskickers United waiting for them. The assault of the Kamikaze Drakes didn¡¯t look like it would stop any time soon. Panic spread like wildfire through the ranks of Angel Corps. Even though they were all loyal members of the guild and their flying mounts were mostly provided to them by the guild, in this kind of situation, it was still every man for themselves. They fell into an awkward position. If they gathered together, they would die to the Kamikaze Drakes. If they scattered, they would be picked off by the troops of Asskickers United. They were dead either way. Not a single one of them managed to escape the encirclement. It was just as Nie Yan said. Leave none alive! Even Rank 7 flying mounts were instantly killed by the Kamikaze Drakes! After five waves of attacks and 200 Kamikaze Drakes exploding, Angel Corps¡¯ forces were decimated. The survivors were badly wounded and cleaned up by the flying mounts of Asskickers United. Only a smaller force of about 3,000 that was protecting the airships were still alive. Angel Corps was standing on its last leg. Once those five airships were destroyed, they would be defeated. Asskickers United had them completely surrounded with 20,000 flying mounts. Because of the five airships, none of them dared to go up. A portion of their forces tried to close in. However, under the fierce firepower of the airships, they suffered 3,000 casualties and immediately retreated. 50 Rank 6 flying mounts protected the airships from Kamikaze Drakes. Five Kamikaze Drakes flew toward the airship. However, when they reached within 300 meters, they were quickly discovered. They airships concentrated firepower toward them. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Over 20 Goblin Megacannons fired at once, engulfing the Kamikaze Drakes in explosions and causing the gunpowder they carried to explode as well. All five Kamikaze Drakes were destroyed. ¡¸Boss, they are too strong! We have no way of approaching them!¡¹Paladin of the Elegy cried out. ¡¸Have 10 more Kamikaze Drakes go forward! Continue bombarding their troops! Wipe out their remaining 3,000 flying mounts!¡¹ Another 10 Kamikaze Drakes circled round to the rear and charged toward the troops of Angel Corps. It was impossible for the five airships to protect all 3,000 flying mounts. There would always be an opportunity for the Kamikaze Drakes. ... The players from Angel Corps had learned through pain. Spotting the Kamikaze Dragons charging over, they immediately scattered though not so far as to run into Asskickers United¡¯s encirclement. Like this, they could minimize casualties. ¡¸What in the world are those things? Their firepower is ridiculous!¡¹an Angel Corps player cursed. ¡¸A friend told me. They¡¯re called Kamikaze Drakes. Each one carries five kilograms of gunpowder.¡¹ Five kilograms of gunpowder? Everyone sucked in a breath of cold air. Gunpowder was extremely rare, selling for up to 30,000 gold per kilogram. Only the rich, like large guilds, could afford it. Five kilograms was equivalent to up to 150,000 gold, and at least 200 Kamikaze Drakes had exploded so far. That was 30,000,000 gold! Plus the other production costs! This was no longer fighting a war but rather burning money! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Another 10 explosions rang out. ¡¸Damn! How many Kamikaze Drakes do they have!?¡¹someone cursed. They were being driven mad by these Kamikaze Drakes. As soon as they saw the silhouette of one, their hearts would tremble in fear. These machines were too frightening! ¡¸There shouldn¡¯t be many more. That last wave wasn¡¯t as fierce as before. They¡¯re probably running out.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t underestimate Nirvana Flame. We have five Goblin Airships on our side. Apart from the Kamikaze Drakes, they have nothing that can stop those airships. Do you really think he will waste their greatest weapon unnecessarily? They have definitely saved some to deal with our airships. And without airships, we are screwed!¡¹a Mage said. Everyone paled in fear upon hearing these words. If Asskickers United still had a hundred more Kamikaze Drakes, they were doomed. This round, 1,000 flying mounts fell to the 10 Kamikaze Drakes. Soaring Angel felt his heart bleeding. For the sake of these flying mounts, he had poured in blood, sweat, and tears. He had regularly dispatched 100,000-man expedition teams to the Griffon Woodlands to build up this powerful air force. All his hard work, it was being destroyed before his eyes. Of the original 50,000 flying mounts, only 1,500 remained. Their last line of defense were the five Goblin Airships. However, without flying mounts to protect them, these airships would be exposed. An overwhelming sense of despair welled up in his heart. Back in the Clemenci Stronghold, Cao Xu saw everything in real time through the livestream. He helplessly slumped back into his seat, a look of disbelief on his face. All his hopes were shattered by the explosions of the Kamikaze Drakes. ... ¡¸Boss, only the five airships are left now. How should we proceed?¡¹Paladin of the Elegy asked. Angel Corps didn¡¯t have many flying mounts left. However, even without the protection of the flying mounts, the airships carried enough firepower to take out thousands of Asskickers United¡¯s flying mounts before they could get close. Though victory was right within grasp, how to go about achieving it was the real problem. ¡¸Send out all the remaining Kamikaze Drakes. Have 5,000 low rank flying mounts cover them!¡¹Nie Yan said. Even if they had to cut off one of their limbs, the airships had to be destroyed! With Nie Yan¡¯s command, Asskickers United blew the final horn of battle. 5,000 low rank flying mounts shielded the remaining 90 Kamikaze Drakes as they charged forward from all directions. The airships launched a fierce resistance the moment the enemy got in range. The sound of cannon fire drowned out the shouts of the charging Asskickers United players. Soaring Angel¡¯s face turned pale. The sound of cannonfire and Kamikaze Drakes exploding mixed together before disappearing in the skies above the City of Sin. After sacrificing 3,000 flying mounts and 61 Kamikaze Drakes, Asskickers United finally wiped out the last remaining forces of Angel Corps. About 21,000 flying mounts from Asskickers United lived, 10,000 of which were wounded. Even though the losses were severe, compared to complete annihilation, it didn¡¯t count for much. Nie Yan had Paladin of the Elegy tabulate the results of the battle. ¡¸Boss, the reports are in. We¡¯ve collected a total of 26,000 Life Cores and 32,000 pieces of equipment!¡¹Paladin of the Elegy exclaimed. Even though a large portion of the Life Cores had been snatched up by other guilds, their harvest was still quite good. ¡¸Boss, we have wiped out Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group¡¯s 52,000 flying mounts and Pantheon¡¯s 5,200 flying mounts!¡¹Tyrannical said, his voice trembling with excitement. He hadn¡¯t expected they would achieve such amazing results. ¡¸What are our casualties?¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯ve lost 12,000 flying mounts, and Fallen Angel lost 3,000,¡¹Paladin of the Elegy replied. A splendid victory for Asskickers United! They were the new rulers of the skies! Asskickers United¡¯s air force gathered back together. For the first time since the start of the battle, the skies above the City of Sin turned tranquil again. Seeing Nie Yan standing atop the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s head like a war god, the players in the vicinity were racing with excitement, unable to calm down. Nie Yan swept his eyes over the crowd, 25,000 players and flying mounts in total. From now on, there was no other force that could contend with them in the skies of the Righteous Faction! ¡°Brothers, victory is ours! Today is only the first step! Not long from now, we will crush Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group beneath our feet! Not long from now, we will rule over the entire Atlanta Continent and unify the Righteous Faction! Not long from now, the world we look down at from our flying mounts will be ours! We will have control of over 70 cities and 1,000 strongholds! We will bring about the start of a brand new age!¡± Nie Yan declared. Rule over the entire Atlanta Continent and unify the Righteous Faction, this was an extremely grand goal! However, it didn¡¯t seem all that far away. ¡°Two hours from now, gather in Okoron to receive your rewards!¡± Nie Yan chuckled. After achieving victory, naturally those who fought hard would be rewarded. ¡°Long live the boss!¡± ¡°Long live Nirvana Flame!¡± ¡­ The crowd broke out in deafening cheers. This was undoubtedly a moment worth celebrating. Back on the ground, the hundreds of thousands of players in the City of Sin also heard Nie Yan¡¯s declaration. Unifying the entire Atlanta continent, just how glorious of an achievement would this be? However, none of them doubted Nie Yan¡¯s words. Angel Corps¡¯ air force had suffered a crushing defeat. With no aerial force to support them, their ground troops would be forced into the passive. In the entire Righteous Faction, there was no one else that could block Asskickers United¡¯s advance. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 915 - Supreme Pontiff! The players in the City of Sin chatted about the battle and Nie Yan¡¯s declaration of unification. ¡°I¡¯m afraid Angel Corps can¡¯t stop Asskickers United¡¯s advance anymore. After this battle, Asskickers United¡¯s morale must be at an all time high.¡± ¡°It looks like Asskickers United really is going to unify the Righteous Faction. If I knew this would happen, I would¡¯ve joined them when I had the chance,¡± a Warrior said enviously as he gazed at the Asskickers United players in the sky. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who always looks down on Asskickers United?¡± ¡°That was long ago! And this now! Asskickers United will rule the entire Righteous Faction. I¡¯d be a stubborn idiot to refuse to acknowledge that.¡± Those who still doubted Asskickers United¡¯s chances of victory quickly changed their tunes. Many opportunity seekers would naturally latch onto the success of the guild. However, it was already too late for them to join. Even if they did, they would be nobodies. This battle placed Asskickers United at the peak of glory. News of the victory in the City of Sin quickly reached the ears of the other players from Asskickers United. Millions of guild members erupted into cheers as their morale soared. They rode the momentum from this victory to intensify their assault. Within the span of half an hour, they captured five enemy strongholds. ¡¸Let¡¯s head back,¡¹Nie Yan said. The 25,000 flying mounts set off back toward Okoron. Guo Huai messaged Nie Yan, chuckling.¡¸Nie Yan, Fallen Angel just sent word congratulating us on defeating Angel Corps.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m sure they¡¯re just as happy about Angel Corps¡¯ defeat as we are,¡¹Nie Yan said. Angel Corps was Fallen Angel¡¯s sworn enemy. With Soaring Angel suffering a crushing defeat, the person celebrating the most was Plenty. ¡¸I¡¯m afraid they won¡¯t have much time to celebrate. Apparently, Fallen Angel and Pantheon have also entered an all-out war. Fallen Angel somehow got their hands on some brand new war machines. Last I heard, they already steamrolled through 21 of Pantheon''s strongholds.¡¹ ¡¸Oh? Really?¡¹Nie Yan remarked in surprise. ¡¸With those two fighting it out, we at least won¡¯t have to worry about Pantheon trying to find trouble with us,¡¹Guo Huai said. After this last battle, he had designated Pantheon as enemies. ¡¸Fallen Angel have their own plans. If we unify the Righteous Faction, even though they won¡¯t have to worry about Angel Corps anymore, they¡¯ll have no choice but to respond to the pressure coming from us. Taking advantage of our conflict with Angel Corps to swallow up Pantheon is probably the wisest choice,¡¹Nie Yan said. Guo Huai pondered for a moment,¡¸So, Fallen Angel is next?¡¹ ¡¸Most likely, but I can¡¯t say for sure. Even if we do find each other on opposing sides, neither one of us can threaten the other¡¯s main base. If it does come to that, it won¡¯t be a war between guilds, but a war between factions. So, we should prepare, but there¡¯s no need to be too worried,¡¹Nie Yan analyzed. ¡¸I see.¡¹Guo Huai nodded. ¡¸Gather up the top Thieves in the guild, and tell them to assemble in the special conference hall in Okoron. I need about 300.¡¹ ¡¸What are you planning?¡¹Guo Huai asked in surprise. If Nie Yan was gathering the top 300 Thieves in the guild, it couldn¡¯t be something simple.¡¸Want me to call Sun, King of the World, Mistaken Smile, and the others as well?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, have them come too. I want our most elite members. I have an important mission for them.¡¹ Guo Huai didn¡¯t dare to dally. He immediately passed down the order to the top 300 Thieves in the guild to assemble in the conference hall in Okoron. About half an hour later, Nie Yan arrived in the conference hall. The 300 Thieves were already waiting inside. ¡°Boss!¡± ¡°Boss!¡± They greeted him enthusiastically, their faces filled with joy and excitement. They were still celebrating their victory over Angel Corps. ¡°Big Bro, what do you need us for?¡± Sun asked. They stared at Nie Yan. He had to have gathered them for something special. After all, with 19 Shadow Dancers, most of which advanced after the Age of God¡¯s expansion, and many other extremely talented Thieves, this was a force to be reckoned with. ¡°I called you over here because I have an important mission for you,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Just leave it to us, Boss! We¡¯ll handle whatever mission you throw at us!¡± a player shouted. The others echoed his sentiments. They were all excited. Nie Yan had gathered them back together so soon after defeating Angel Corps. He definitely had some kind of world-shaking mission for them. ¡°This mission will probably be a bit troublesome. I need you to help me collect some items,¡± Nie Yan said. He knew the locations of all the remaining chapters from the Book of Order, but it would take forever if he went after them himself He originally planned to push this to the backburner, but an orc Warrior called Hell Moon had already collected five chapters. If he completed a volume, that would make it incredibly difficult for Nie Yan to finish the Book of Order. So, he gathered all these Thieves here to help him collect the remaining chapters. ¡°Help you collect what?¡± ¡°Boss, what do you need us to help you collect?¡± ¡°The chapters from the Book of Order!¡± Nie Yan replied. Everyone¡¯s hearts trembled. They had all heard about the chapters from the Book of Order before. In the eyes of the players, the chapters were extremely mysterious items. Each one would greatly boost your stats. Some even had powerful supplementary skills. More importantly, they took effect while in your bag. It was rumored there were 36 chapters altogether, with every six chapters making a volume. A volume was like an equipment set, giving all kinds of amazing stat bonuses. It was already no longer a secret that Nie Yan had the Glimpse of Darkness. Legend also told that anyone who collected all six volumes and completed the Book of Order would become the Supreme Pontiff of the Temple of Light. This was undoubtedly a paramount existence. ¡°Boss, we don¡¯t know where those chapters are. How are we supposed to find them?¡± ¡°Yeah, Big Bro. We have no idea where they are,¡± Sun chimed in. Many people wanted to find the chapters from the Book of Order. However, this wasn¡¯t something that could be looked for but had to be chanced upon through luck. There were only a few special situations under which you could find out the location of a chapter. For example, if you possessed one chapter, you could see what players held the other chapters from that volume and where they were. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know the locations of all the chapters. All you guys have to do is go where I tell you to go,¡± Nie Yan explained. After obtaining the Intermediate Adjudicator of Light title, he learned the locations of all the chapters of the Book of Order. All he had to do was collect them. With so many highly skilled Thieves helping him, it wouldn¡¯t be long before they were all in his hands. ¡°R-really?¡± The Thieves stared at him in disbelief. If Nie Yan really knew the locations of all the chapters, then with all of them helping out, it wouldn¡¯t take more than a few days for them to collect all the chapters. In other words, Nie Yan would become the Supreme Pontiff of the Temple of Light in a few days! This title was like a huge clap of thunder in their hearts. The Supreme Pontiff was an existence that stood on equal footing with Jebiah the Great and the Orc King. They could mobilize the entire military force of the Temple of the Light and grant titles to Priests and Paladins, allowing them to obtain more benefits while levelling. Not to mention the many other privileges, far too many to count. If Nie Yan truly became the Supreme Prontif, all Priests and Paladins had better start worshipping the air he breathed. Pretty much all of them had to interact with the Temple of Light on a regular basis. Thinking to this point, their hearts shuddered. If Nie Yan became the Supreme Pontiff, he would truly rise to the peak. With a single wave of his hand, he could call down the clouds and rain! This was no small matter! ¡°Boss, how are we going to do it? We¡¯ll do as you say!¡± ¡°Yeah, just tell us!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give everyone 200,000 merit points first. You can head to the treasury and pick up some good equipment. Afterwards, split up into groups of five and I¡¯ll tell you the location of a chapter. If you run into trouble, immediately report to me, and I''ll tell you how to proceed. Some of the chapters are in the hands of players. Others are with bosses or possibly hidden in certain secret instances within a map. If you can¡¯t beat a boss, let me know and I¡¯ll send an expedition team over. If it¡¯s a player, be careful. Anyone capable of obtaining a chapter is a skilled expert. Lastly, Angel Corps has a bunch of chapters in their possession. I¡¯m not sure exactly how many,¡± Nie Yan said. The Thieves all became excited. 200,000 merit points could get them many different things. Asskickers United¡¯s treasury contained over 30,000,000 pieces of equipment, various gems, crystals, and other rare items. There was no lack of good items. With this allowance, they could increase their strength by quite a bit. Nie Yan glanced at Sun, King of the World, Mistaken Smile, Shadow Killer, and the other members of the elite team. Merit points were basically useless to them because their equipment was already far better than anything you could find in the treasury. ¡°Just tell us the coordinates. If it¡¯s a player, we¡¯ll kill them. Even if they hide inside the strongholds of Angel Corps or the Century Financial Group, we¡¯ll still collect the chapters from their corpses,¡± King of the World said, brimming with confidence. As Asskickers United¡¯s top Thieves, these players were definitely worthy of the title of strongest. If they wanted to snatch something, there was no one that could escape their ambush, unless they never set foot out of the city again. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 916 - Eight Chapters from the Book of Order The Forkingham Stronghold of the Century Financial Group. This was their most flourishing stronghold. The main road was bustling with people and rows of shops stretched down both sides. Along the sides of the walls players had set up stalls and booths, where they sold their loot from the wilderness. However, this lively metropolis concealed many hidden dangers. Ever since Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group suffered defeat at the hands of Asskickers United above the City of Sin, the goods for sale here had their prices increased by double. If the Century Financial Group kept this tactic up after every defeat, even the thriving commerce of the Forkingham Stronghold would go up in smoke. A group of 13 players were walking down the street. They belonged to Mad Devil, a subordinate guild under the Century Financial Group. They were in charge of overseeing this stronghold. They used to walk around like they owned the place. Now, however, their pride appeared to have taken a huge blow. When the Century Financial Group had put Mad Devil in charge of the Forkingham Stronghold, they¡¯d given them free reign. So, the merchants seeking to do business here would fawn over the players from Mad Devil, for fear of offending them. Now, however, the Century Financial group started meddling in how to run this stronghold. Mad Devil were to do their best to appease the merchants. If they failed to do so and the entire market in the stronghold were to crash, the guild would suffer extremely severe losses. Unfortunately, appeasing alone wasn¡¯t enough to keep the merchants around any longer. Many of them closed down their shops and left the Forkingham Stronghold. Their destination was the Abernathy Great Grasslands. Asskickers United had drawn up many attractive policies to help businesses flourish. Not to mention its great location between the two great empires. Competitors of every market were selling their goods and services here. Security wasn¡¯t a concern for the merchants either. Since Asskickers United had won the last several battles, with most competition taken out, they felt that the Abernathy Great Grasslands was absolutely a safe place to set up a business. Mad Devil¡¯s income plummeted as a small exodus took place in the Forkingham Stronghold. With trade dying in their stronghold, they could only rely on the welfare provided by the Century Financial Group. ¡°God dammit! Another six shops announced they¡¯re closing down and selling their property. Their listed price is even 30% less than what they originally paid for it! To think these penny-pinching money-grubbers are actually willing to take a loss!¡± a Warrior from Mad Devil grumbled. ¡°Nothing we can do about it. It¡¯s not like we can stop them from selling their shops. It would only cause more businesses to start fleeing the city,¡± an elven Mage in azure robes said. He was the leader of this group. ¡°Gale, is there nothing we can do?¡± The elven Mage called Gale shook his head with a bitter smile. ¡°What could we possibly do? We can only hope that Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group win some of their next battles. That might pacify some of these businesses. We will probably lose everything otherwise. They¡¯re all aware that if Asskickers United¡¯s troops arrive at the gates of this stronghold, their shops will be worth even less money.¡± Previously, whenever they strolled through the streets, many people would approach them to try and curry favour. Now, whenever people saw the Mad Devil guild emblem on their chests, they would duck their heads and quickly walk past. Gale was Mad Devil¡¯s number one expert and also one of Cao Xu¡¯s direct subordinates. Even he didn¡¯t have much faith in the Century Financial Group and Angel Corps turning this around. Glancing at the Chapter of Silvermoon in his bag, he started dreaming of completing the volume. It would give him the strength to stand on his own two feet, instead of leaning on the Century Financial Group for support. Even a direct subordinate of Cao Xu¡¯s like Gale was filled with disloyal thoughts, to say nothing of lower rung members. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the auction house and see if they have anything good for sale,¡± Gale said. He took a step, when his body suddenly turned rigid. His skills were all grayed out too! What was going on? A single thought flashed through his mind. An enemy attack! If it were the wilderness, Gale definitely wouldn¡¯t so carelessly walk into an ambush. However, this was the Forkingham Stronghold, his territory! Here, he had completely lowered his guard. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect to meet with an enemy attack here of all places! The sharp blade of a dagger flashed before Gale¡¯s eyes. His pupils constricted. PSFHT! PSFHT! Before he could even react, two daggers stabbed into his body. So quick! Definitely Shadow Dancers! This was his last thought before his vision went black. At the same time Gale was killed, the 12 other players from Mad Devil also dropped dead on the ground. The Chapter of Silvermoon that dropped from his bag was picked up before it even fell on the ground. These Thieves were gone before the bodies even hit the ground. It was almost as if they were never here in the first place. The hundreds of players in the surroundings all witnessed this scene. They were slack-jawed. Within the short span of a few seconds, those Thieves had cleanly dealt with Gale¡¯s group! What ruthless efficiency! ¡°Who were those Thieves?¡± ¡°No idea, but you can only find Thieves like that in Asskickers United!¡± ¡°Look, that¡¯s Gale, the number one expert in Mad Devil! He¡¯s a Magister. Yet even he didn¡¯t stand a chance. Those Thieves are terrifying!¡± The passerby felt their scalps turn numb. Asskickers United was too overbearing, actually daring to kill someone in their own territory. The people who witnessed this scene felt an even deeper reverence for Asskickers United. The merchants felt their trust for Mad Devil sink even lower, many of them opting to put up their shops for sale. ... Cao Xu was taking a tour of the munitions factory in the Croft Stronghold. Relying on the people below him to help him win the war simply wasn¡¯t realistic. He could only rely on his research of advanced arms. With all sorts of methods and the money to support it all, he¡¯d acquired many advanced weapons blueprints, all in preparation for the final showdown. The sound of a voice message interrupted him. ¡¸What¡¯s going on?¡¹Cao Xu asked, his deep voice carrying an unquestionable authority. ¡¸Boss, it¡¯s bad! Gale, Bright Night, Amber, and all of them were ambushed!¡¹ Cao Xu¡¯s heart sank. He recalled a certain matter. Previously, for the sake of maximizing the benefits of the chapters from the Book of Order, he¡¯d distributed several to these subordinates. Even though he wanted to complete a volume, he didn¡¯t have the opportunity. He instantly sensed something was wrong.¡¸How are they?¡¹ ¡¸They all died. The enemy was too quick. They were completely caught off guard. Asskickers United dispatched pretty much all their Shadow Dancers.¡¹ ¡¸What about the chapters?¡¹ ¡¸They¡¯re all gone.¡¹ ¡¸WHAT!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN, THEY¡¯RE ALL GONE!?¡¹Cao Xu¡¯s voice rang out like thunder as he smashed his fist down on a table. The chapters he had worked so hard to get were all stolen. He was enraged! However, Gale and the others couldn¡¯t be blamed. With Asskuckers United mobilizing all their Shadow Dancers, there was no way to guard against their ambushes. Cao Xu knitted his brows. For Asskickers United to dispatch so many Shadow Dancers to snatch the chapters, there had to be more to it. Likely, they weren¡¯t after just these few chapters. Could it be that they already had a method to gather a volume, or maybe the entire book¡­? If it were the complete Book of Order, Cao Xu didn¡¯t dare to imagine the consequences. If Nirvana Flame were to become the Supreme Pontiff, the Century Financial Group and Angel Corps were done for. According to the intel he gathered, several chapters were in the hands of Level 200 Demonified Lords. If Asskickers United wanted to complete the Book of Order, it wouldn¡¯t be that simple. At best, they could maybe complete two or three volumes. However, Cao Xu still couldn¡¯t relax. Nirvana Flame wasn¡¯t someone who could be judged with common sense. Cao Xu knew he was already at the end of his road. He could only do his best to accumulate strength for the final battle with Asskickers United. The longer he delayed, the more grim his chances. ¡¸Boss, we¡¯re out of gold. What do we do?¡¹ ¡¸The funds I transferred over from our gold farmers are already all spent?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s all spent, and we still need more. These past few days, our munitions factories have been burning through money like crazy. We¡¯re spending upwards of 5,000,000 gold a day.¡¹ Cao Xu pondered for a moment before gritting his teeth.¡¸Go back to the real-world trading platform and buy more gold!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, sir!¡¹Cao Xu¡¯s subordinate immediately got to work. He didn¡¯t know who, but someone had listed up another 30,000,000 gold on the real-world trading platform. This would help sustain them a little bit longer. Given Cao Xu¡¯s personality, he wouldn¡¯t so easily give up the business empire he¡¯d worked so hard to build up and withdraw from Conviction. No matter how much money he would have to pour in, he would fight until the bitter end. His businesses in the game were being squeezed tight by Asskickers United. So, he could only rely on his funds from the outside. ... Asskickers United was also heavily investing in the development of their war arms. ¡¸Nie Yan, I just received an update. The Century Financial Group bought another 30,000,000 gold from the real-world trading platform. Should we continue listing up more gold? How about we stop for a bit?¡¹Guo Huai said. He really felt apprehensive about this matter. After all, every piece of gold they listed would help their enemy grow stronger. This was playing with fire. ¡¸It¡¯s fine. Put up another 30,000,000 gold for sale. What¡¯s the progress on acquiring the materials to build the Kamikaze Drakes?¡¹Nie Yan asked. Apart from the siege weapons, he was also investing heavily into building more Kamikaze Drakes. The firepower of a single one was six times greater than that of six catapults. ¡¸We got enough resources to build 100 more. However, the manufacturing process is still expensive,¡¹Guo Huai said. The might of the Kamikaze Drakes was astonishing. They were also very effective against ground troops. ¡¸Have Violet Mist pick up the pace,¡¹Nie Yan said. The final battle could break out at any time. They had to gather as much strength as possible before then. ¡¸Also, Sun sent back word. They¡¯ve already collected eight chapters. All the chapters from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group are in our hands.¡¹ ¡¸Great work!¡¹Nie Yan exclaimed. He knew he could count on Sun and the others. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 917 - Radiance Edge Several chapters from the Book of Order were located in secret instances or in the hands of high level bosses. Collecting them all in a short time span was nigh impossible. Nie Yan could only take things one step at a time. Asskickers United was researching new war machines. They would produce new results soon. Apart from the war machines, the taming of the Violet Eye Dragon was still actively underway. The millions of players in Okoron stopped what they were doing to look up at the sky. What they saw left them short of breath. The survivors from the battle above the City of Sin, approximately 25,000 flying mounts, had gathered in the skies above Okoron. Massive flying mounts circled in the air everywhere. It was an especially magnificent sight. ¡°Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group lost pretty badly. Honestly, even if those two couldn¡¯t win, I never expected it to be such a landslide victory. Asskickers United only lost half their force! What an overwhelming victory!¡± ¡°Yeah, it would take something very special, like Asskickers United¡¯s Kamikaze Drakes, for Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group to do anything to stop Asskickers United¡¯s 25,000 flying mounts.¡± The players chatted enthusiastically. At this moment, an enormous black dragon broke through the clouds. ¡°Look, that¡¯s the Darkwing Dragon, the only Rank 9 flying mount in the entire server!¡± ¡°Man, I wish I had a flying mount like that! I¡¯d be invincible! No one could stop me!¡± ¡°Stop dreaming! Invincible? No one can stop you? Who do you think you are, Nirvana Flame?¡± Even Masters generally wouldn¡¯t dare to claim to be the very best in the world. Every class had its special skills and own strengths and weaknesses. Against a class that countered your own, even a powerful expert would have a very difficult time. For example, in the previous timeline, there was the number one Warrior, number one Thief, number one Mage, and so on. None of them ever dared to claim themselves as the number one player. However, in this timeline, practically everyone tacitly agreed that Nie Yan was the number one player in the game. This was a special kind of glory. The 25,000 flying mounts gathered in formation. Nie Yan had his Darkwing Dragon fly to the front. Nie Yan faintly smirked, looking over these troops whose morale was still high after experiencing a bloody battle. With Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group defeated, there was no no else who could challenge them in the skies! ¡°Long live the boss!¡± ¡°All hail the boss!¡± The players from Asskickers United broke out in cheers. Nie Yan raised his hand, signalling everyone to calm down. He chuckled, ¡°Brothers, I won¡¯t bore you with any more grandiose speeches. Now is the time to collect your spoils!¡± Their cheers grew even more boisterous. ¡°When your name is called, come forth!¡± Paladin of the Elegy shouted. ¡°Starting from the top 10. Lunar Breeze, 33 confirmed kills! 1 Rank 7 flying mount, 3 Rank 6 flying mounts, 5 Rank 5 flying mounts, 12 Rank 4 flying mounts, and 12 Rank 3 flying mounts. Your reward is one piece of Legendary-grade equipment, three pieces of Sub Legendary-grade equipment, and five high rank gems! Excellent work!¡± Paladin of the Elegy spoke so loudly that even the players in Okoron could hear him. They gasped in astonishment. ¡°Damn! Lunar Breeze only has a Rank 6 flying mount! That¡¯s freaking amazing!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, his Rank 6 flying mount is a Nightmare Wyvern. Its killing power is on the same level as a Rank 7 flying mount!¡± ¡°Still, I find it weird that Lunar Breeze took the top spot. You¡¯d think Bladelight, Undying Scoundrel, and them would¡¯ve done better.¡± ¡°Of course they did better. However, with their gear, why would there care for these kinds of rewards?¡± ¡°Ah! That makes sense!¡± ¡°The boss is really generous. One Legendary-grade piece of equipment, three Sub Legendary-grade pieces of equipment, and five high rank gems. That must be worth at least 100,000 gold!¡± ¡°Since when has the boss ever been stingy?¡± ¡°Haha, I guess you¡¯re right!¡± Lunar Breeze came forward on his Nightmare Wyvern. His face was brimming with joy and uncontrollable excitement. His equipment was average among elites, with only two pieces of Sub Legendary-grade equipment to his name. With this reward, his gear quality would soar by leaps and bounds. His heart welled up with pride and gratitude. If it weren¡¯t for Asskickers United, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have this day in the sun. The crowd all clapped and congratulated Lunar Breeze. ¡°Number two. Pink Ant, 29 confirmed kills¡­¡± One by one, Paladin of the Elegy called up the players who¡¯d contributed in the aerial win over Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group and handed them their rewards. The crowd that had gathered to watch the spectacle in Okoron would stir whenever the rewards were announced. Nie Yan¡¯s generosity couldn¡¯t be overstated. Everyone who was called out received a huge boost in strength, especially those placed at the very top. Of course, the other rewards weren¡¯t lacking either. Even those who barely did anything still got items worth a combined total of at least 1,000 gold. As for those who had lost their flying mounts during the battle, they got an additional 3,000 gold in compensation and were placed at the top of the priority list for newly captured flying mounts. The millions of players in Okoron were full of envy, wishing they could become a member of Asskickers United¡¯s air force as well. Not even counting the average salary and other benefits, the extra rewards alone were enough to make them go mad with greed. Those who had had the opportunity to join Asskickers United but hesitated felt their intestines cramp with regret. It could¡¯ve been them up there! Even if they were just ordinary members, they would still be swimming in glory and riches. Nie Yan overlooked Okoron. He knew this public display would have a great effect. Everyone would realize what kind of person he was, someone who never mistreated those under him. This simple yet effective action would attract even more experts to Asskickers United. It took two full hours to hand out the rewards, but it left a lasting impression on all the players who witnessed it. Many players started to reconsider their original choice of guild and were now eager to join Asskickers United. However, it was a bit too late for that now. Asskickers United had basically stopped recruiting new members. Of course, Masters and highly skilled experts were still welcome, under the condition that they underwent a thorough background check. While those players were sulking in regret, Asskickers United made a shocking announcement. Nirvana Flame was establishing a brand new guild! It differed from their other branch guilds in the sense that anyone was welcome to join, and that no one was obligated to do anything. This new guild would share a treasury with Asskickers United and its branch guilds. Its members could get whatever they wanted from the treasury or the Starry Night Potion Shop, so long as they had the merit points to pay for it. These merit points could be earned by completing the missions Nie Yan handed out. For example, to kill a certain number of players from Angel Corps or the Century Financial Group. There was one more announcement. Those who performed especially well had a chance of moving up to Asskickers United! This announcement caused an uproar among the playerbase. Even if you couldn¡¯t join Asskickers United, joining this guild would be the next best thing! At the very least, you could take advantage of their massive treasury. According to rumours, it had no less than 30,000,000 pieces of equipment, various gems, and countless other special items! Anything the market had, Asskickers United had too. Anything the market didn¡¯t have, Asskickers United did have! Apart from the equipment, being able to exchange merit points for the potions in the Starry Night Potion Shop was a huge bonus too. The Starry Night Potion Shop sold a great variety of potions, many of which couldn¡¯t be found anywhere else. In fact, there were even potions only for sale to members of Asskickers United in exchange for merit points. These included potions concocted by Sage Alchemists! Even the solo players were tempted since they wouldn¡¯t be bound by any of the normal restrictions of a guild. Those who were interested in joining Asskickers United felt this path was a decent option. Nie Yan called the new guild Radiance Edge, the blade that would cut down Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. A hundred thousand players joined Radiance Edge on the same day it was established. This broke the record for fastest growing guild. Reaching 1,000,000 members was only a matter of time. Even though the guild was filled with all sorts of people both good and bad, at the very least Nie Yan wouldn¡¯t take any losses. All he had to do was issue out some missions every now and then. After Radiance Edge expanded to a certain size, Nie Yan would start making a profit. This was directly tied to the guild treasury. Generally, if a player wanted to exchange an item from the treasury, a Beryl for example, it would cost 3,000 merit points. Players had to either do missions to earn these merit points, or donate items to the treasury. This second method was faster and more efficient. After donating 3,000 merit points worth of equipment, they could then exchange for the Beryl. When they no longer needed the Beryl and wanted to exchange it for something better, it would only have a trade-in value of 2,400 merit points. To most players, a loss of 600 merit points wasn¡¯t a big price to pay to enjoy the benefits of the Beryl. Plus, they could earn it back in various other ways. Like this, opening up the treasury to more players wouldn¡¯t cause it to deplete by one bit. On the contrary, it would only expand even more. Nie Yan would never do something that didn¡¯t benefit him. Shortly after, Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group also set up similar guilds. However, the early bird always catches the worm. They would have no way of rivalling Radiance Edge. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 918 - Divine Eclipse Dragon The astonishing expansion of Radiance Edge was simply unprecedented, sending waves of shock throughout the playerbase. On the first day, 100,000 players joined. On the second day, 170,000 players joined. Only 50,000 players joined on the third day. However, by the seventh day, the number of members broke through 1,000,000 and it was still growing crazily. Radiance Edge might be a guild in name, but it was really just a subsidiary organization under Asskickers United. Moreover, the guild headquarters was placed in Okoron, which Nie Yan was the lord of. This meant that the membership size of Radiance Edge was unrestricted. Nie Yan had created another legend. 1,000,000 members in only seven days! Even though Radiance Edge was filled with a mish-mash of people both good and bad, this number was still astonishing. Not to mention that there were no signs of it slowing down anytime soon. Nie Yan issued various quests in Radiance Edge. For every player from Angel Corps or the Century Financial Group you killed, you would earn merit points. Apart from this, there were also gathering missions for certain materials, which were also rewarded with merit points. If Asskickers United was short on any materials, all he had to do was issue a mission in Radiance Edge, and the players there would immediately get to work for him. Radiance Edge¡¯s establishment solved Asskickers United¡¯s lack of manpower. Plus, Nie Yan didn¡¯t have to give any of these people salaries. This was a win-win situation! Even though Radiance Edge didn¡¯t have many elite players, when a guild with over 1,000,000 players suddenly popped out of nowhere, it would be a lie to say Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group weren¡¯t apprehensive. The war between Asskickers United and Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group was already in full swing. On the endless battle lines, millions of players were clashing across the entire continent. Truly a breathtaking sight. There was no clear victor yet. However, Asskickers United occupied a noticeable advantage. The players from Radiance Edge also quickly jumped into the fray. To them, this war was a chance to earn some easy merit points. Nie Yan carried out his large-scale war strategy. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t singlehandedly win this war. He could only do his best to arrive at losing battlefields and try to turn things around. While closely monitoring the progress of the war, Nie Yan went to capture the remaining Violet Eye Dragons. Even though taming all of them would take years, there was no harm in bringing them back first. Glancing at his character page, Nie Yan was surprised to see a new Wolf King skill had appeared in his Great Prophet title. For now, it was still locked. Nie Yan would have to earn 1,000 Influence in either the Viridian Empire or Satreen Empire to unlock it. Nie Yan looked at his Influence. He had already accumulated more than 700 Influence in the Viridian Empire. To get this far, he¡¯d completed multiple grand-scale quests over these past three years. This number was pretty much out of reach for normal players. However, he was still a good ways off from 1,000. If Nie Yan wanted to reach 1,000 Influence in the Viridian Empire anytime soon, he would have to do a few more high difficult, grand-scale quests. However, he didn¡¯t have the time to spend another year working on the last 300 Influence. This was a bit troublesome. ¡¸Guo Huai, ask if anyone in the guild has a way to quickly raise their Influence in the Viridian Empire,¡¹Nie Yan said. ¡¸Huh, quickly raising your Influence in the Viridian Empire? How much are we talking here?¡¹Guo Huai asked. It looked like Nie Yan was busy with another quest. ¡¸About 300,¡¹Nie Yan replied. ¡¸300!?¡¹Guo Huai sucked in a breath of cold air.¡¸That¡¯s going to be difficult.¡¹Many skilled experts like Undying Scoundrel, Summer Bug, and Lustboy had only accumulated 300 Influence in the Viridian Empire. Generally, by that point they¡¯d already completed the quests that rewarded high Influence. It would be incredibly difficult for Nie Yan to raise his Influence by that much in a short amount of time! ¡¸I¡¯ll go ask,¡¹Guo Huai said. With so many members in the guild, perhaps someone did know of a way. ¡¸Thanks. I¡¯ll make a trip to the frontlines. Get back to me if you find a method,¡¹Nie Yan said. If Guo Huai found a good way to raise his Influence, there would be no harm in trying it. In the worst case scenario, he would have to slowly raise his Influence to 1,000 over the next year or two before he could summon his Great Prophet Wolf King. ¡¸Will do.¡¹Guo Huai nodded. Nie Yan thought for a moment. If he didn¡¯t enter some special instance or kill a super high level boss, given his current level, it would be extremely difficult to raise his level quickly. Even after killing thousands or tens of thousands of monsters, his experience bar would only fill up by a small chunk. At that point, he was better off paying a trip to the frontlines and killing more players from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. Even though it would have very little effect on the overall war, it would still help to raise morale. Going over his options, Nie Yan recalled a dragon egg tucked away in his bag. It was one of the rewards for killing Fallen Angel Brufut. He hadn¡¯t had a chance to hatch it yet. Whether it was a pet egg or flying mount egg was still a mystery. It would probably be best to have Beast Teamer Hall take a look at it. Guo Huai had made a section of the guild headquarters in Okoron off-limits to almost everyone. It was made specifically for Beast Tamer Hall to tame the Violet Eye Dragons. Only a select few had permission to enter. Nie Yan headed toward the secret location, which was hidden deep within the guild headquarters. High level NPC guards were stationed along the way. When they saw him, they would bow their heads and respectfully greet him. Nie Yan arrived in a large chamber. It was extremely spacious, about 500 meters in diameter. There were many cages here, three of which contained Violet Eye Dragons. Asskickers United had already caught three Violet Eye Dragons. There were still four more in the dragon¡¯s den. Beast Tamer Hall was fully concentrated on taming one of the Violet Eye Dragons. Countless runic markings entered its body and calmed its explosive temper. Beast Tamer Hall had to perform this ritual regularly. About half an hour later, Beast Tamer Hall finally completed this exhausting work. Panting heavily, he sat down to rest. Only then did he notice Nie Yan from the corner of his eye. He immediately shot up to his feet. ¡°Great Prophet, my apologies, it will still take a while for me to tame this Violet Eye Dragon,¡± Beast Tamer Hall said apologetically. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Hall. I didn¡¯t come to rush you. I recently obtained a dragon egg, and I¡¯d like you to help me appraise it,¡± Nie Yan said as he took out the dragon egg from his bag. Beast Tamer Hall¡¯s eyes were instantly glued onto the egg. He gasped, ¡°T-this, are my eyes deceiving me?¡± Nie Yan raised an eyebrow in surprise. A Grandmaster Beast Tamer like Hall had pretty much seen everything. There were very few eggs in existence that could make him react like this. ¡°Do you know what kind of egg this is?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°Please, let me take a closer look,¡± Hall said. ¡°Sure.¡± Nie Yan handed over the dragon egg to Hall. A milky white light rose up from Hall¡¯s palm and entered the egg. He clicked his tongue and let out a gasp in admiration, ¡°This fella is brimming with life energy. It can hatch any time.¡± Nie Yan¡¯s interest was piqued even more. ¡°No doubt, this is the egg of a Divine Eclipse Dragon! I read from ancient historical records that it was completely extinct. Who would¡¯ve thought it would appear in his world again!¡± Hall exclaimed. ¡°Divine Eclipse Dragon? Is it a flying mount?¡± Nie Yan asked. He¡¯d never heard this name before. ¡°No, it¡¯s a dragon pet, but it¡¯s a bit different from others. It can cast both light and dark attribute magic. According to legend, it is the ruler of all land-bound dragons, a genuine dragon king!¡± Hall explained. From Hall¡¯s words, the Divine Eclipse Dragon sounded pretty powerful, probably even stronger than Lil¡¯ Gold. Nie Yan¡¯s interest grew deeper. Even though he wasn¡¯t too interested in dragon pets, he still had two empty pet slots. He might as well hatch this egg. ¡°Can you help me hatch this egg?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°Great Prophet, a person can only have one pet. To my knowledge, you already have a Golden Dragon. Are you sure you want to abandon it?¡± Hall asked. ¡°No worries. I have the Dragon King¡¯s Divine Might skill. It allows me to have three dragon pets.¡± Nie Yan smiled. Hall¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. He didn¡¯t expect Nie Yan to have the fabled Dragon King¡¯s Divine Might skill. However, after thinking for a bit, it wasn¡¯t all that strange. Nie Yan was already a legend in the Viridian Empire, and only a step away from the Legendary realm. It wasn¡¯t strange that he possessed such a powerful skill. Hall started hatching the dragon egg. Thin strands of milky white energy rose up from his hand and slowly entered the egg. POP! Small hairline cracks started spreading across the shell before a cute little baby dragon popped out of the egg. You have hatched a Divine Eclipse Dragon! This Divine Eclipse Dragon was a bit smaller than Lil¡¯ Gold when he first hatched. Its body was covered in glittering scales which fluctuated between light and dark. It radiated an aura composed of the two diametrically opposing forces, giving off an energy that could annihilate all of existence. It slowly opened its eyes and curiously looked around at this new world it was born into, just like a baby duck. It slowly waddled its way toward Nie Yan. The Divine Eclipse Dragon was successfully hatched! Nie Yan glanced at the status page of the Divine Eclipse Dragon. The potential of a pet was directly related to its Growth Rate. His heart trembled. It had a Growth Rate of 25! One had to know, when Lil¡¯ Gold first hatched, he only had a Growth Rate of 15. Later on, after he ate the Evolution Crystal, it increased to 20! One could imagine how frightening of an existence the Divine Eclipse Dragon would grow up to be! At the very least, it would be far stronger than Lil¡¯ Gold. A pet like the Divine Eclipse Dragon naturally also had to be fed an Evolution Crystal. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 919 - Strange Ques At this point in the game, Evolution Crystals were nothing too out of reach for Nie Yan. There were three sitting in the guild treasury, obtained by Bladelight and the others while they were running dungeons. Since they were still extremely rare, members needed to pay a ludicrously high amount of merit points to obtain one. As a result, no one even attempted. However, Nie Yan was the bank. He could take from the treasury as he pleased. Nie Yan had a subordinate deliver him one of the Evolution Crystals, which he fed to the Divine Eclipse Dragon. Evolution Crystals increased Growth Rate by a flat five points. So, the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s Growth Rate increased from 25 to 30. The Divine Eclipse Dragon was the king of all land-bound dragons. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but wonder how powerful it would grow in the future. Higher level maps had a better chance of dropping Evolution Crystals. With an increasing number of players becoming strong enough to explore Level 170¨C180 maps, they were starting to appear more often in the marketplace. As a result, a rumour or two would occasionally go around of someone obtaining a super powerful pet. Even though Lil¡¯ Gold was still unrivalled in the eyes of most players, he was no longer the awe-inspiring creature he once was. Especially since siege weapons became commonplace on the battlefield. These days, Lil¡¯ Gold was simply too weak and often ended up serving as a meat shield or cannon fodder. On the other hand, the Divine Eclipse Dragon had the potential to become a truly powerful existence. With a Growth Rate of 30, it would surpass Lil¡¯ Gold in strength by Level 100. Not to mention it would learn skills¡ªboth of the light and dark attribute¡ªbefitting of a dragon king, including powerful Forbidden Magic at the higher levels! As a Thief, Nie Yan had no way of casting Forbidden Magic like Mages, Priests, and Paladins. So, having a pet that could cast Forbidden Magic was the next best thing! However, bringing up the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s level was going to be a problem. Nie Yan decided to push this worry off for later. When he obtained his third dragon pet, he could simply power level both of them together. That way, he could save some time. With the Divine Eclipse Dragon in his pet space, Nie Yan was ready to continue with his plan of capturing the remaining Violet Eye Dragons. However, just as he was about to set out, Guo Huai messaged him. ¡¸Nie Yan, I found a good way to quickly raise your Influence in the Viridian Empire!¡¹Guo Huai exclaimed. ¡¸How?¡¹Nie Yan asked. After all, 300 Influence was no small number. ¡¸This method requires a lot of gold. I don¡¯t know how much we¡¯ll have to spend for 300 Influence.¡¹ ¡¸Gold is a trivial matter. How do we do it? Just tell me,¡¹Nie Yan said. Asskickers United had more than enough money in their reserves. For the sake of 300 Influence, he could easily spend several million gold without batting an eye. The Wolf King skill was extremely powerful. It allowed him to turn any wild wolf-type monster into his permanent mount. Apart from functioning as a mount, it could also fight in battle like pets. The skills of the Great Prophet title naturally couldn¡¯t be looked down on. ¡¸Not so fast. Let me finish speaking, and you¡¯ll know it¡¯s not that simple.¡¹Guo Huai shook his head.¡¸What do you know about Elder Katherine of the Elder Council?¡¹ ¡¸A little bit. She¡¯s in charge of the empire¡¯s charitable works, right? She hands out food, clothing, and other essentials to the poor. Her prestige is extremely high among NPCs. If I recall correctly, she gives out a repeatable quest that asks you to collect various goods, and the reward is Infl-¡¹Nie Yan¡¯s eyes lit up. How could he forget a quest like this? Influence was exactly what he needed! ¡¸Someone did the calculations. 300 Influence will costs somewhere between 6,000,000 and 10,000,000 gold. That¡¯s because the quest rewards are random. Sometimes you¡¯ll receive gold, but most of the time you¡¯ll only receive a bit of experience. Every 30th time, you¡¯ll receive a random item, but at best it can only recoup some of your losses. I heard one guy refused to believe there were no better rewards, So, he turned in the quest 300 times. He got some experience, a bit of Influence, and a few pieces of equipment, nothing of note. Afterwards, most everyone lost interest in this quest.¡¹ However, Nie Yan wasn¡¯t looking for some grand reward. All he wanted was Influence. Even if he had to spend several million gold, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. So, this quest was perfect for him. ¡¸I¡¯ll make a trip to Calore to take a look. Send me a few helpers,¡¹Nie Yan said. For things like collection quests, he naturally wouldn¡¯t do any of the work himself. What was the point of being a guild leader if he did? Of course, he rewarded these helpers for their time. Nie Yan teleported to Calore, planning to make his way to the Elder Council. However, as he stepped out of the transfer point, he sensed something off. The sky was dark and gloomy and an inexplicable, stifling pressure weighed down on him. In the northeast, he saw pitch-black, ominous clouds forming on the horizon, with the occasional rumbling of thunder reaching his ears. This didn¡¯t look anything like an ordinary storm. Calore was located in the skies above a high plateau, making it sunny pretty much all year around. The city rarely got any rain, let alone thunderstorms. Nie Yan had a foreboding premonition. When he obtained the title of Great Prophet, his senses became much sharper. It was starting to make him a bit paranoid. Any time he encountered a strange phenomenon, he would think it was the precursor to a disaster. He would have to remind himself time and time again that he couldn¡¯t actually predict the future like NPC Great Prophets. Apart from the weather being a bit unusual, Calore was the same as always, with large bustling crowds walking up and down the streets. No longer lingering on this thought, Nie Yan headed toward the Elder Council and entered a side hall. ¡°Greetings, Great Prophet. Do you have business with me today?¡± a young woman in her 30s welcomed him. She carried herself with elegance and grace, wearing a long dress which reached down to the floor. This was Elder Katherine of the Elder Council. ¡°Hello, Elder Katherine. I¡¯d like to do my part in helping the less fortunate of the Viridian Empire,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! You really are a benevolent person! The citizens of the Viridian Empire will forever remember your kindness,¡± Katherine said with a delighted smile. ¡°Due to the unusual torrential downpour in Blaze City, many of the houses there have collapsed into ruin. Many residents have suffered severe injuries. We require a large amount of Dragon Blood Grass. Could you help me collect 10 stalks of grass?¡± Quest 1: Are you willing to accept Elder Katherine¡¯s request to find Dragon Blood Grass? Yes! Nie Yan accepted the quest. ¡¸Help me get 10 stalks of Dragon Blood Grass,¡¹Nie Yan said in voice chat. Not even half-a-minute later, the Dragon Blood Grass was delivered to his hands. He handed it over to Katherine. ¡°Thank you for your generosity,¡± Katherine said as she gave Nie Yan his reward for completing the quest. 5,000 experience points. This amount wasn¡¯t even enough to fill 0.01% of his experience bar! ¡°The regions to the north have suffered 30 days of extreme cold, Great Prophet, could you help me find 40 Durable Sackcloths?¡± Nie Yan accepted the second quest. Less than 30 seconds later, 30 Durable Sackcloths were delivered to him. After turning in the quest, he obtained 1 Influence. Nie Yan continued to accept and turn in quests. Anything he needed to find would be immediately delivered to him by his helpers. Given Asskickers United¡¯s vast amount of resources, he faced zero obstacles. After receiving multiple quests from Katherine, Nie Yan gradually became aware of the misfortunes popping up all over the Viridian Empire. Help was needed everywhere. He didn¡¯t know how many items and materials he needed to deliver to earn 300 Influence. After turning in the quest 30 times, Nie Yan only obtained 5 Influence. ¡°Great Prophet, thank you for all your help. May the Light be forever with you. This is something I obtained in my travels in the Kruin Plains. Please accept it as a token of my gratitude.¡± Katherine took out a red gem. Nie Yan glanced at the gem. It was a Rugosa Gem, worth about 2,000 gold at most. A drop in the ocean compared to the hundreds of thousands of gold¡¯s worth of items he¡¯d turned in! Sure enough, doing this quest really was the same as flushing money down the toilet. To think someone actually persevered and turned in this quest 300 times. They must have really been rich. Even for a tycoon like Nie Yan, if it weren¡¯t for him needing 300 Influence, he definitely wouldn¡¯t do this quest. However, he needed 300 Influence. So, he could only continue doing this quest. If it were a normal player, just gathering all these items would drive them mad. Repeating this monotonous task over and over again, it would probably drive them to the brink of despair! Nie Yan was much better off. All he had to do was stand here and exchange a few words, his subordinates doing most of the work. After four hours, Nie Yan had turned in the quest about 200 times. He was quickly catching up to that person in the rumours. He had spent about 1,000,000 gold to obtain 35 Influence. He also gained quite a bit of experience, but it was only enough to fill up his experience bar by 2%. As for the random item rewards he received, the only one worth mentioning was an Azure Fantasy Sapphire. If he could even recoup 10% of his losses, it would already be amazing. As Nie Yan continued the monotonous task of turning in this quest again and again, his mind started to wander. He gradually realized something. For the system to create this kind of quest, the reason definitely couldn¡¯t be as simple as a money sink. There might really be a big reward at the end, or perhaps a clue to a major questline. Many people before had come to the same conclusion as Nie Yan. That was why someone had completed it 300 times. However, everyone gave up in the end because this quest really was a bottomless money sink. No matter how much money they put in, it was like throwing a grain of salt into the ocean. Nie Yan was probably the richest person so far to tackle this quest. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 920 - Venerable Title! Time slowly passed as Nie Yan repeatedly turned in the quest. His Influence was gradually rising. After turning in the quest 300 times, the items Katherine requested became more and more expensive, including materials like Dark Runic Cloth and Blackwater Crystal. The value of these items were over several thousand gold, and she would ask for multiple at a time. Yet there was no indication that the rewards would increase. It was no wonder that the person in the rumours had given up after turning in the quest 300 times. Even Nie Yan started to feel his wallet hurt. Nie Yan wondered if he should give up. If he continued on with this quest, the amount of gold he would have to spend for a point of Influence simply wasn¡¯t worth it. Weighing his options, Nie Yan decided to go up to 390 times. If nothing happened by then, he would give up. So far, Nie Yan had gained 132 Influence. This was roughly equal to completing three S-rank quests. After handing over five Blackwater Crystals, a crisp notification jingle rang out. You have received 3 Influence. This was the 306th time. There finally seemed to be a slight increase in rewards, a small consolation for the ever increasing costs of completing the quest. When Nie Yan turned in the quest for the 330th time, he received a Resurrection Crystal worth about 60,000 gold. One had to know, he¡¯d spent at least 1,000,000 over the last 30 quest turn ins. A Resurrection Crystal did very little to soothe his bleeding heart. The experience rewards were fairly decent though, filling up his experience bar by 7%. He¡¯d also gained 52 Influence. Nie Yan estimated even big shots like Cao Xu, Plenty, and Soaring Angel would be hard pressed to continue. Nevertheless, he continued turning in the quest. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much more he would have to do to reach the end. ¡°Oh, Great Prophet. The Hilton Stronghold is being sieged by demonic beasts once more. The soldiers there are fighting bravely to protect our homeland, but they¡¯re running low on equipment and supplies. Please help me find 1,000 pieces of Level 130 Gold-grade equipment,¡± Katherine said. Katherine started to ask for equipment. Thankfully, 1,000 pieces of Level 130 Gold-grade equipment wasn¡¯t worth that much. It was much cheaper than the items Nie Yan had to collect before. Nie Yan had his helpers deliver a thousand pieces of Gold-grade equipment with fairly mediocre stats. They weren¡¯t worth much. Fortunately, Katherine had only specified that the equipment had to be Gold-grade, not whether their quality was good or not. Nie Yan handed over the equipment to Katherine. ¡°Great Prophet, thank you for your generosity. I thank you on behalf of the soldiers from the Hilton Stronghold.¡± Katherine performed a deep bow. You have received 9 Influence. That was 161 Influence gained so far. 300 Influence didn¡¯t seem all that far away anymore. The subsequent quests all asked Nie Yan to collect equipment, 500 pieces of Level 130 Dark Gold-grade equipment, 800 pieces of Level 135 Silver-grade equipment, 700 pieces of Level 135 Gold-grade equipment¡­ If not for him being the guild leader of a large guild, gathering this much equipment would¡¯ve probably driven him mad. Even though he could always go to the auction house, the equipment listed there were all high quality with expensive price tags. Anything mediocre or bad would generally be scrapped. However, turning in anything better than mediocre equipment for this quest would be pointlessly wasting gold. From the 331st repeat and onwards, it was all equipment collection, which wasn¡¯t too difficult for Nie Yan. After all, the guild treasury was filled with low-level equipment no one needed anymore, at least several million in fact. Even though the treasury would regularly undergo a spring cleaning, Level 130 equipment was still relatively recent. After the Resurrection Crystal, the rewards only got better and better, leaving Nie Yan bursting with joy. He quickly accumulated 230 Influence, and his experience bar was also rapidly filling up. Ding dong! A crisp notification jingle rang out. A level up! Nie Yan quickly opened his status bar. Sure enough, he had risen to Level 157! At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he gained 300 Influence. This progress was far faster than he expected, and the experience rewards were nice too! Nie Yan was nearing the 360th quest turn in. He wondered if there would be a special reward. On the 359th repeat, Nie Yan was asked to look for 30 pieces of Level 120 Sub Legendary-grade equipment. This was Sub Legendary equipment! In the past, he had Guo Huai do some inventory. All of Asskickers United only had 1,200 pieces of Sub Legendary-grade equipment, and only 600 of those were over Level 120. Yet Katherine wanted to take away 30! This was only the 359th repeat. Who knew how much more ridiculous the subsequent quests would be? Nie Yan started hesitating. 30 pieces of Level 120 Sub Legendary-grade equipment, this was no small number! ¡¸Guo Huai, do we have 30 pieces of Level 120+ Sub Legendary-grade equipment to spare?¡¹Nie Yan asked. ¡¸W-what!? D-don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s for that quest?¡¹Guo Huai asked in shock. ¡¸Yeah, it is.¡¹Nie Yan bitterly chuckled.¡¸Should we continue?¡¹ ¡¸How much more Influence do you need?¡¹Guo Huai asked. If he was still far away, it wouldn¡¯t be worth it to continue. Even though Wolf King was an extremely powerful skill, one that could absolutely serve as a deterrent, they had already spent too much to obtain the 300 Influence Nie Yan needed. Katherine was now even asking for Sub Legendary-grade equipment! ¡¸Only 52 points away,¡¹Nie Yan replied. Guo Huai knitted his brows. Based on Nie Yan¡¯s current progress, 52 Influence really wasn¡¯t that much. Perhaps they really should continue. ¡¸I think the 360th repeat will be an important milestone, but the things we¡¯re being asked for is way too much. I think we should just give up. I¡¯ll get the remaining 52 Influence by doing a couple of major quests. Besides, worst case scenario, we can always continue this later,¡¹Nie Yan said. ¡¸You know, major quests don¡¯t just grow on trees, and it¡¯s not like you¡¯re guaranteed to be rewarded Influence either,¡¹Guo Huai argued. Nie Yan was Asskickers United¡¯s untoppable pillar. Having him further raise his strength and hold onto his position as the strongest player was crucial to keeping up the morale of the guild members. He was worth every coin. Plus, true morale wasn¡¯t something that could necessarily be bought with money. Guo Huai gritted his teeth.¡¸No, continue with the quest. 30 pieces of Sub Legendary-grade equipment isn¡¯t a big deal. I¡¯ll have someone send them over in a bit.¡¹The guild had some unwanted Sub Legendary-grade equipment lying around. Even though they were Sub Legendary-grade, their properties were terrible. There were 16 pieces in total. All he had to do was find another 14. Nie Yan felt his heart ache as he handed over the equipment to Katherine. You have received 25 Influence. ¡°Oh Great Prophet, as a token of my gratitude, this is something I found while braving through the Abyss Marsh. I hope it will be helpful to you. Your potential is limitless, and you have a high chance of breaking through to the Legendary realm.¡± Katherine took out a translucent blue crystal. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. He couldn¡¯t be any more familiar with this item. It was a Shattered Divinity, one of the four things he needed to enter the Legendary realm. He already possessed three of the four: Virtues of a Saint, a Sacred Object, and a Holy Spirit Heart. As for the Shattered Divinities, including this one from Katherine he now had four in total. He was only a step away from becoming a Legend, the next realm after a Shadow Dancer. In the previous timeline, no one had ever reached this height! Nie Yan didn¡¯t expect to receive such a great reward! ¡°Oh Great Prophet, I¡¯ve bothered you with many troublesome requests. Please accept my sincerest apologies. However, there is one more thing I need. This is my final request. Will you be willing to help me find five pieces of Level 120 Legendary-grade equipment?¡± Katherine asked. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. This was the final request! At the same time, it was almost the most frightening request of all. Five pieces of Legendary-grade equipment. Oh Lord Budha up in the heavens! Even in Asskickers United, Legendary equipment over Level 120 was as scarce as could be. The top players in the guild, including himself, only had 60 pieces between them. Yet Katherine wanted to take away five! This was practically asking him to donate his lifeblood! However, considering the Shattered Divinity he received for the 359th turn-in, he couldn¡¯t help but think the next reward would be even more amazing! Nie Yan recalled there were seven pieces of Legendary-grade equipment sitting in the guild treasury without anyone touching it. This wasn¡¯t because he restricted them or anything, but rather their requirements were too high to the point of being impractical. Normal players had no way of equipping them. Since they were just sitting there rotting away, it would be better to make use of them. Maybe the reward for the 360th repeat would be enough to overshadow the loss of these pieces of Legendary-grade equipment. Nie Yan had someone retrieve the Legendary equipment. Even though he felt extremely reluctant, he had already reached this point. It would be a waste to turn back now! When Nie Yan handed over the equipment, a pure and holy light fell over him, causing a warmth to seep through him. You have completed all of Katherine¡¯s requests and obtained the Venerable title. The white light woke up Kalenna from her slumber. She flapped her wings and flew up above his shoulder. As she bathed in the white light, another pair of white wings slowly grew out from her back. She had become a Seraph, a six-winged angel! Even though her size didn¡¯t change, the holy aura around her became even stronger. Nie Yan glanced at Kalenna¡¯s information. Nearly half of the skills in her skill window had become available. He could now command her to use 16 skills! What an amazing harvest! Even though the most powerful skills were still grayed out, like Kalenna¡¯s Guardian Barrier, the 16 unlocked skills already had Nie Yan jumping with joy. Ever since he became a Shadow Dancer, Nie Yan had experienced first-hand on multiple times just how powerful this little angel was. She was definitely better than any pet! Nie Yan had no idea what sort of bonuses this Venerable title gave. He opened up his character page. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 921 - Void Necklace Venerable: Influence in the Viridian Empire +150. Immunity to all dark-attribute crowd control magic Rank 16 and below. Reduces the effects of all dark-attribute crowd control magic above Rank 16 by 50%. Chaos Damage Taken -30%. Venerable¡¯s Authority: Direct a powerful shout at a void creature. 50% chance to stun for 5 seconds, 30% chance to stun for 10 seconds, and 10% chance to stun for 15 seconds. Cooldown: 60 minutes. The stat bonuses from Venerable were amazing. It was certainly an extraordinary title. With the additional 150 Influence, Nie Yan¡¯s total Influence in the Viridian Empire broke through the 1,100 mark. He could finally use the Wolf King skill! ¡°Oh Great Prophet, thank you for helping me complete my mission. To express my sincerest gratitude, please accept this present. It is not something of this world, but from the distant void, passed down to me by my father. Over this past year, I¡¯ve seen it begin to stir. When darkness befalls us, a true hero will emerge and lead us back into the light,¡± Katherine said. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. Katherine¡¯s words were likely an omen that something big was about to happen. He considered using his Great Prophecy skill right then and there. However, he eventually opted to wait until later. Katherine took out a small necklace. It was made out of an unknown metal, gloomy-white in colour. The necklace didn¡¯t reflect any light. Attached to it was a pendant, shaped like a gemstone but lacking the sparkle. The pendant appeared to contain a mysterious energy which could suck everything into it. With a single glance, Nie Yan could tell this necklace wasn¡¯t of the Atlanta Continent. Nie Yan respectfully accepted the necklace, and examined its properties. Void Necklace of Clara Description: A part of the Void Armour set. Properties: Defense +2,300, Attack +1,200, +300% damage to void creatures, immunity to Void Gaze. Restrictions: Master Nie Yan sucked in a cold breath of air. This simple-looking necklace gave so much defense and attack power! The two other properties were for dealing specifically with void creatures. Comparing it with his current necklace, Nie Yan quickly concluded that the attack and defense bonuses of this necklace were too good to pass up on, even if the other properties weren¡¯t really useful right now. He unequipped Langdon¡¯s Necklace of Fake Death and swapped it out for the the Void Necklace of Clara. The reward for this quest chain was extremely generous. If Nie Yan were to reveal the things he received from it, that person who had turned in the quest 300 times before him would probably be stewing in regret. Who could¡¯ve imagined the quest chain would end at 360? Nie Yan chatted with Katherine for a bit, but he didn¡¯t get any more information out of her. So, he left the Elder Council. Nie Yan still hadn¡¯t followed up on his quest related to the betrayal of Elder Redwin, nor did he have any clue on where to get started. Since there were no developments, he could only leave it on the sidelines for now. As Nie Yan left the Elder Council, preparing to return to Okoron, he raised his head to the sky. It was still dark and gloomy, as though a downpour was about to come soon. The atmosphere was filled with a stifling pressure. ¡°Could this be a sign of something?¡± Nie Yan muttered. ¡°Is a disaster going to befall Calore? Should I use Great Prophecy here?¡± Nie Yan changed direction and headed to the Asskickers United guild office in Calore. The players in the guild office were busy with work. After seeing Nie Yan enter, the entire place went into a stir. Many of them had worked here for a long time, but the opportunities to meet him were still extremely rare. It was no wonder they were all so excited. Of the many players in Asskickers United, only a small portion could claim they¡¯d personally met him. Everyone came up to greet Nie Yan. He simply nodded and smiled back. After reaching the courtyard in the center of the office, he raised his head to the sky and closed his eyes. The players were confused. What was Nie Yan planning to do? Before their eyes, a large pillar of light fell down from the sky, piercing through the gloomy clouds above. Holy Proclamation: God¡¯s light descends to the human world, blessing all pious believers. The dark, ominous clouds shrouding Calore¡¯s sky gradually scattered. It seemed this Holy Proclamation was a good omen. At least in the immediate future, no great disaster would befall Calore. Nie Yan could put his mind at ease. Whatever came in the future, he would deal with it then. Clear and sunny weather returned to Calore. Nie Yan left shortly after using Great Prophecy. Those who had personally witnessed him using the skill were all chatting excitedly. They were wondering what skill he used to change the weather. When the pillar of light fell over him, he looked like a god, brimming with dignity. That scene would forever be imprinted in their minds, something they would bring up in conversations for a long time to come. Nie Yan returned to Okoron. Even though he hadn¡¯t predicted a disaster, Elder Katherine¡¯s words had attracted his attention. The information she revealed was probably related to an extremely large expansion. Regardless of what happened in the future, it was better to plan ahead. Since he now had more than 1,000 Influence, he could finally use the Wolf King skill. In other words, he finally had a new mount! It was about time. Even though his Falkner Warhorse was still great, it had fallen behind. Players like Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others had already gotten themselves powerful Kodos. Other strong mounts also appeared everywhere. He naturally had to get himself something even better than all of them. Knowing Nie Yan was planning to make use of the Wolf King skill, Guo Huai had already dispatched people to search various maps and help Nie Yan find a suitable target. This wolf mount had to be amazing. It couldn¡¯t disgrace Nie Yan¡¯s name! Plus, if the wolf mount they captured was extremely powerful, it would also be a great asset on the battlefield! Given how big this matter was, Guo Huai treated it with the utmost care. For the sake of helping Nie Yan find a suitable wolf mount, Asskickers United¡¯s entire Thief corps was dispatched. Nie Yan waited to hear back from them so he could set out. ¡°Angel Corps and the Century Financial Groups have been making a lot of big movements. They must be planning for the final battle,¡± Guo Huai said as he chatted with Nie Yan in the master lounge. ¡°They¡¯re that anxious?¡± Nie Yan asked in surprise. Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group were at a disadvantage right now. If they tried to force an early final showdown, they might as well give up. ¡°How could they not be anxious?¡± Guo Huai chuckled. ¡°Over in the underworld, Pantheon are on their last leg. We really have been underestimating Fallen Angel. They¡¯re progressing much faster than we are. When they strike, they strike with ruthless ferocity. Pantheon has lost more than half their strongholds already. When Fallen Angel finishes them off, there¡¯ll be no one left them to keep them in check. This is also a great defeat for Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. So, at this moment, even if they only have a 30% chance at victory, they¡¯ll still stake it all.¡± ¡°Is that so? Seems like Fallen Angel has disrupted my plans. I wanted to make money off the Century Financial Group and Angel Corps for a bit longer. Ah well, so be it,¡± Nie Yan said. If his enemies wanted to force the final battle early, he would thoroughly crush them until they had no chance of ever rising back up. Apart from his movements in Conviction, Nie Yan already had his father mobilize nearly £¤20 billion in capital. Add in the support of the Dragonsoar, Glory, and other financial groups, and the amount of cash they had on hand reached an astonishing £¤50 billion. Furthermore, he had secured some scandalous information on the Century Financial Group. With them investing so much into Conviction yet making nothing back in return, their business performance would definitely suffer. If they were to withdraw from Conviction, their market share in the virtual reality industry would go up in smoke. If he released this information at the right time, causing their stocks to plummet, then seized the opportunity to make a forceful takeover, he might have a real chance of taking out this leviathan-like existence that threatened World Bloc. If he succeeded, it would undoubtedly be a magnificent feat, and World Bloc would rise to even greater heights. Nie Yan had only shared this plan with his father. Over these past few years, World Bloc¡¯s quarterly reports had been remarkable. With someone keeping an eye on everything from above, their various ventures into different markets were a huge success. Every day, their profits reached an astronomical figure. The amount of cash they had on hand also totalled over £¤30 billion. As a privately held company, this was an achievement worth noting. Even though World Bloc ranked among the very bottom spots of the top 10 large financial groups, their strength couldn¡¯t be looked down on. With the Glory and Dragonsoar Financial Groups being tightly linked to them, if they joined forces, there was no one that could stop them. All preparations were complete. Nie Yan no longer needed to stall for time. Since Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group wanted a fight, he would give it to them. ¡°Nie Yan, someone found a Frost Dire Wolf. It¡¯s a Level 160 Variant Lord. What do you think?¡± Guo Huai asked. A Level 160 Variant Lord was definitely a frightening existence on the battlefield. Nie Yan thought for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°It isn¡¯t strong enough. It¡¯s best if we find a Demonified Lord. The difference between a Variant Lord and a Demonified Lord is too great.¡± Since he was going to get a new mount, he might as well get the best. ¡°I¡¯m afraid if the monster is too strong, it will be too hard to tame,¡± Guo Huai said worriedly. ¡°If we can¡¯t do it, I guess we can only settle for the next best thing. But how will we know if we don¡¯t try?¡± Nie Yan asked. This kind of opportunity definitely couldn¡¯t be wasted on a low level monster. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 922 - Shadow Demon Wolf Finding a wolf-type Variant Lord was already quite difficult. However, Nie Yan was adamant on getting a Demonified Lord mount. It would take the entire Thief corps most likely several days, if not more, to find one. Nie Yan went to catch the remaining Violet Eye Dragons. It was better to get this out of the way first while he had the free time. In the middle of catching a Violet Eye Dragon, Guo Huai sent Nie Yan a message. ¡¸Nie Yan, good news!¡¹Guo Huai exclaimed. ¡¸What is it? Did you find a Demonified Lord wolf?¡¹Nie Yan asked skeptically. ¡¸No.¡¹Guo Huai shook his head.¡¸You¡¯ll never guess it. Hall ranked up!¡¹ ¡¸W-what? Really? You mean Hall the Beast Tamer, right?¡¹Nie Yan asked in surprise. ¡¸Yeah, him!¡¹Guo Huai said with a face full of smiles. Nie Yan knew the significance of Hall advancing from a Grandmaster to Sage Beast Tamer. The time it required to tame the Violet Eye Dragons would be substantially reduced. If a Violet Eye Dragon could be tamed before the final battle with Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group, it would become a great trump card! ¡¸How¡­ How did he do it?¡¹Nie Yan asked. It was incredibly difficult to rank up as a Beast Tamer. Hall¡¯s sudden advancement left him baffled. ¡¸That¡¯s all thanks to you.¡¹ ¡¸Me?¡¹Nie Yan asked in surprise. ¡¸Yes, you! Didn¡¯t you have him hatch a Divine Eclipse Dragon?¡¹ Nie Yan was dumbstruck. Did hatching the Divine Eclipse Dragon really lead to Hall¡¯s break through? This was certainly a possibility. After all, the Divine Eclipse Dragon was a dragon king. Hatching a mythical beast like this was definitely a once in a lifetime chance. After being stuck at Grandmaster for a long time, this just happened to be the last little push he needed! Nie Yan didn¡¯t know when the first Violet Eye Dragon would be successfully tamed, but it wouldn¡¯t be far off. This piece of news left Nie Yan ecstatic. With a Sage Beast Tamer taming the Violet Eye Dragon, it would become far more obedient! ... Over the next 10 days, Soaring Angel and Cao Xu felt like the world was collapsing around them. While they were preparing for the final battle against Asskickers United, bad news continuously came flowing in from the side of Pantheon. Fallen Angel¡¯s offensive was too fierce. Pantheon was pretty much losing on every front. Only in a small few battles did they achieve victory. Soaring Angel and Cao Xu were forced to give up a portion of their strongholds to concentrate their forces. For the sake of the final battle against Asskickers United, they mobilized everyone under them and recruited several dozen more large guilds and gaming organisations into their campaign. Their army size reached an astonishing 3,500,000 and countless war engines of every kind. Their troops were stationed in the Wild Plains of the Satreen Empire, which directly neighboured the Abernathy Great Grasslands. ... Under Guo Huai¡¯s command, Asskickers United assembled around 2,500,000 troops. Though they couldn¡¯t compare to the Century Financial Group and Angel Corps in terms of raw numbers, their average level, equipment quality, and so on were far higher. There was also Radiance Edge. They weren¡¯t a proper army, but many would be taking to the battlefield and try to complete a few of the missions issued by Nie Yan. The army formations of both sides gradually took shape. Nie Yan rode on the Darkwing Dragon and surveyed the world below him. Before his eyes were millions of players stretching as far as the eye could see. At the forefront were 3,500 catapults split into five columns arranged in a rectangle. Further back were 1,200 trebuchets arranged in a crescent shape. Asskickers United had utilized all their resources to produce this many siege engines. Apart from the catapults and trebuchets, there were also 600 tanks placed on the flanks. They resembled giant steel dragons covered in sharp spikes. These tanks were powerful killing weapons, fitted with magic cannons which gave them long-range firepower. They were also incredibly fast. Anyone unlucky enough to be caught under them would be crushed to death. Even the powerful war machines would crumble beneath them. Behind the war machines was an endless ocean of players, supported by 20,000 flying mounts circling in the sky above. Asskickers United¡¯s big advantage was their aerial strength. Ever since the battle in the City of Sin, Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group¡¯s air force had been completely wiped out. Even if they worked around the clock capturing new flying mounts, they¡¯d be lucky to have even a few hundred, which was pretty much negligible in a battle of this scale. Additionally, Asskickers United had produced another 50 Kamikaze Drakes. It might not be much, but it was more than enough to deal Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group a heavy blow. Controlling an army of this size was extremely difficult. They could only give general orders on how to move. Ultimately, it would be up to the individual captains and leaders to command their squads. It would be a chaotic battle, no doubt. Once the battle was underway, one of Asskickers United¡¯s advantages was that their individual troops were far stronger than Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group¡¯s. Of course, no matter how strong their individual troops were, if they were ganged up on all sides, they would still die. Even Masters couldn¡¯t fend off a horde of ordinary players that had them completely surrounded. ¡¸The battle will likely take place on the border between the Wild Plains and the Abernathy Great Grasslands. We also have to be careful of any movements from Judgement Valley. A large number of players from the Evil Faction are flocking up to the surface. My best guess is that they¡¯re going to try and fish up some easy benefits. It¡¯s better if we take precautions,¡¹Guo Huai said. He and his subordinates were overwhelmed with work. Their team of only 300 was directing an army of 2,500,000. One could imagine their stress. ¡¸Any idea which guild they¡¯re from?¡¹ ¡¸Some are solo players. The others are from a few dozen different guilds. The Evil Faction is having its own civil war right now between Fallen Angel and Pantheon. These players are probably afraid of those two guilds, so they came here to get some easy benefits since we¡¯re part of an enemy faction anyway,¡¹Guo Huai said. The appearance of these players was an additional variable. ¡¸Do you know how many of them there are?¡¹ ¡¸About 400,000. When the battle actually starts, probably more.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s fine. We can make use of them. They''ll prey after whichever side looks like it¡¯s losing and stay far away from whichever side is winning.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m just worried Cao Xu has a hand in this. That guy will employ any method.¡¹ Nie Yan knitted his brows. This was a problem. If Cao Xu bribed these Evil Faction players to attack Asskickers United, it would become troublesome. ¡¸It¡¯s fine, just pay close attention to their movements when the time comes. This battle isn¡¯t just about numbers anyway. Absolute strength is all that matters. Siege engines, Forbidden Magic, summons¡­ who knows what sort of aces they have up their sleeves. Just don¡¯t let yourself fall into their trap,¡¹Nie Yan said. Asskickers United had many trump cards ready, including the Kamikaze Drakes, Magic Tanks, Arachne Empress Finas. He hoped the taming of the first Violet Eye Dragon would be finished in time as well. Furthermore, he also planned to catch a powerful wolf mount before the start of the battle. If he couldn¡¯t find anything better, he would have to settle for the Level 160 Frost Dire Wolf. ¡¸Our scouts have just reported back. Angel Corps has 2,700 catapults and 1,100 trebuchets. Seems like their production ability still can¡¯t compare to ours.¡¹Guo Huai chuckled. ¡¸They have many more arms factories than us. It¡¯s not that their production ability isn¡¯t good enough, but rather they lack the materials. With their resources, it¡¯s impressive enough that they were able to produce so many catapults and trebuchets. Who knows how much money they had to spend and how many favours they had to call in,¡¹Nie Yan said. His heart was filled with pride. The Century Financial Group was buying gold from the real-world trading platform non-stop and spending even more to maintain their gold farmers. However, all of that still wasn¡¯t enough to compete with Asskickers United. This was definitely something for him to be proud of. ¡¸Even though Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group seem weaker than us on the surface, who knows what sort of trump cards they have. I¡¯ve received reports that Angel Corps have secretly assembled an army of giants. Cao Xu is a crafty old fox. I haven¡¯t been able to get any information out of that side. It''s just like with the airships. We haven¡¯t unearthed a shred of information,¡¹Guo Huai said. He had managed to insert spies into the guilds under the control of the Century Financial Group, but he had no way of penetrating their upper ranks. The Century Financial Group wasn¡¯t established only a few days ago. They had long since built a solid system. It would be incredibly difficult for him to infiltrate them. ¡¸We¡¯ll just have to be ready for whatever comes our way. No matter what move they make, we¡¯ll deal with it when it comes. No point in worrying over it,¡¹Nie Yan said. ¡¸I guess so.¡¹Guo Huai agreed. While chatting with Nie Yan, he never stopped working on the war preparations. ¡¸How much gold do we have?¡¹Nie Yan asked. ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about that. We still have 600,000,000 gold, and that number is rapidly growing every day. We¡¯ve pretty much bought all the equipment and materials from the marketplace that we needed. It¡¯s getting to the point where I have no idea what we can spend it on. We just sold another 30,000,000 gold on the credit exchange,¡¹Guo Huai said. The Starry Night Potion Shop was an unrivalled money machine. Especially in chaotic times like this which caused the prices of potions to skyrocket, their revenue would soar even higher. ¡¸Get in contact with the various large guilds and gaming organisations across the Viridian Empire. As long as it¡¯s something we need, buy it for a premium!¡¹Nie Yan said. No matter how much they spent, the gold would all come flowing back to them anyway. So, there was no harm in buying more useful items. Generally, the truly good items wouldn¡¯t circulate in the marketplace. Rather, they would be in the hands of these large guilds and gaming organisations. Even though buying them would be extremely costly, in this situation, there was no need to worry about money. ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m on it. Oh! I just got word back on your mount,¡¹Guo Huai glanced at his messages. Tyrannical had sent back word that they¡¯d found a suitable wolf boss. It was a Shadow Demon Wolf, a Level 180 Demonified Lord. It would definitely fit Nie Yan¡¯s requirements! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 923 - Conscripting the Shadow Demon Wolf After learning of the Shadow Demon Wolf, Nie Yan became excited. A Level 180 Demonified Lord was just about right for what he wanted. In fact, any Level 180+ Demonified Lord was more than powerful enough. He didn¡¯t dare to claim he could tame one, but facing one was absolutely no problem. With the help of all of Kalenna¡¯s blessings, like against the Level 180 monsters he¡¯d faced so far, he would definitely succeed! Taming the Shadow Demon Wolf with Wolf King was a step easier than killing it. Not to mention the effects of the Great Prophet title, which could subdue it to a certain extent. All he had to do was make it slowly acknowledge him. ¡¸Have Tyrannical send me its location,¡¹Nie Yan said. Fortunately, he had plenty of time for hunting the Shadow Demon Wolf. The final battle against Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group was still a far ways away, since organizing several million troops spanning two continents took a lot of time. This war was nothing the likes they had ever seen before. It proved incredibly difficult, impossible even, to control such a large number of troops. They needed time to get used to this. The Darkwing Dragon took to the air and flew off toward the southwest of the Abernethy Great Grasslands. ... Dark Eldar Forest, this place was filled with towering trees. They were pitch black, almost as if they had been scorched by hellfire. Pockets of swamp dotted the forest floor. They contained the corpses of different creatures. No one could tell how long they¡¯d been there, but they were thoroughly rotted. Anyone that came here would smell the thick stench of blood. Few players dared to enter this forest because it was the territory of Shadow Wolves. Shadow Wolves were Level 180 monsters. They moved in packs and were extremely territorial. Anyone that intruded on their territory would be surrounded and attacked. Tyrannical and his team had searched around this area for quite some time before discovering the Shadow Demon Wolf. A Level 180 Demonified Lord! After they found it, it also found them. Of the six of them, only Tyrannical escaped with his life, after which he immediately contacted Guo Huai. The fallen Thieves revived at the graveyard and met back up with Tyrannical. Fear still gripped at their bodies and pulled them away from the forest. The Shadow Demon Wolf was simply too fast. They were dead before they could even react. ¡°The boss really wants to turn that thing into his mount? Is it really possible?¡± a Thief in ash gray leather armour asked. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t doubt the boss. There¡¯s nothing he can¡¯t do!¡± Still, that was a Level 180 Shadow Demon Wolf! It was truly difficult to imagine it being turned into a mount. Just its movement speed alone was beyond terrifying! ¡°The boss is coming in a bit. Stop dallying around. Help me clear the Shadow Wolves around here!¡± Tyrannical said. The six Thieves hurriedly got to work. They were elite Thieves in Asskickers United. Any one of them could deal with a Shadow Wolf or two easily. However, if they were faced with an entire pack, they could only turn their backs and run. Busy killing Shadow Wolves, a powerful gust of wind nearly sent them flying. A giant black dragon descended outside the forest. It was the Darkwing Dragon! Nie Yan hopped down from its back. The Thieves went up to greet him. ¡°I¡¯ve troubled you guys. Thank you. Now, where is the Shadow Demon Wolf?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°It¡¯s deep inside the forest, behind all those Shadow Wolves. We¡¯ll have to clear them out first, or else it¡¯ll be a pain when we try to fight the Shadow Demon Wolf,¡± Tyrannical said, explaining the general situation. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s clear them out.¡± Nie Yan nodded. At his command, Battle Angel Kalenna cast several blessings on the Thieves with a wave of her hand. Tyrannical and the others were dumbstruck after seeing the change in their stats. Before, they could take on two Shadow Wolves at most. However, thanks to these blessings, they could easily deal with five at once! Simply amazing! Tyrannical¡¯s group stared at Kalenna floating over Nie Yan¡¯s shoulder. They were quite familiar with her, especially after the more recent battles. They couldn''t help but think that she was even stronger than Tang Yao¡¯s Arcane Fairy. They didn¡¯t waste time and hurriedly went about clearing the Shadow Wolves. Nie Yan brought out Lil¡¯ Gold and Paladin Lafus to help. They started covering more and ground. Before long, the forest floor was littered with the corpses of Shadow Wolves. After methodically taking down a pack of Shadow Wolves, Tyrannical¡¯s group turned to see where Nie Yan had gone. Their mouths dropped open in shock. Nie Yan had already entered the depths of the forest. In his wake was a large trail of corpses. They glanced at each other and hurriedly chased after him. After entering the heart of the forest, they arrived at a large clearing, where grass freely grew to waist height. In the middle of the clearing stood a three meters tall wolf, even larger than Bladelight¡¯s Kodo. Its entire body was covered in a luxurious coat of black fur without the slightest discolouration. A pair of icy blue eyes shone through the darkness of the forest. It bared its sharp fangs and let out a deep howl as it locked its gaze onto Nie Yan. The Shadow Demon Wolf! It felt a sense of danger from Nie Yan. This wasn¡¯t prey! Nie Yan slowly walked toward the Shadow Demon Wolf. ¡°Pay close attention to the surroundings. If any Shadow Wolves wander over, kill them. Don¡¯t let any of them approach the boss!¡± Tyrannical said. ¡°Understood!¡± The six Thieves formed a perimeter around the clearing. Nie Yan carefully moved toward the Shadow Demon Wolf. It started growing increasingly enraged. Its eyes flickered with a red light, ready to pounce at Nie Yan. If he enraged the Shadow Demon Wolf, a battle was inevitable. Nie Yan didn''t want to kill it. He just wanted to tame it. Kalenna floated up over Nie Yan¡¯s shoulder. She waved her staff, causing a gentle energy to wrap around the Shadow Demon Wolf. This magic wasn¡¯t a holy-type offensive magic, but rather a simple natural calming spell. The red glow in the Shadow Demon Wolf¡¯s eyes gradually dissipated. It revealed a confused expression. Nie Yan took the opportunity to take a few more steps toward the Shadow Demon Wolf. The Shadow Demon Wolf finally reacted. Its eyes turned a piercing red, and it let out a deep growl, as if to convey that if he took another step closer, it would pounce. Off on the sidelines, Tyrannical¡¯s group felt like their hearts were going to leap out of their chests. Nie Yan and the Shadow Demon Wolf were practically within touching distance of each other. If it suddenly attacked, Nie Yan would be dead for sure! Their heartstrings were stretched taut, but they didn¡¯t dare to utter a word, for fear of alerting the Shadow Demon Wolf. Battle Angel Kalenna continued casting calming magic. However, it didn¡¯t seem to have any effect anymore. Its gaze was locked dead on Nie Yan. Nie Yan took another step forward. The Shadow Demon Wolf had had enough. It let out a deep snalr and slammed down at Nie Yan with its paw. ¡°No!¡± Several of the Thieves watched on in horror as the Shadow Demon Wolf¡¯s claws came down on Nie Yan. The boss would be turned into mincemeat like they had! Out of all of them, only Tyrannical kept his calm. He faintly smiled. These guys hadn¡¯t seen Nie Yan¡¯s true strength. How could he possibly die to this Shadow Demon Wolf!? As the claw came down, Nie Yan¡¯s silhouette blurred. He evaded the attack and planted an elbow into the Shadow Demon Wolf¡¯s abdomen. After which he followed up with a Reverse Grip Backstab, roundhouse kick, and Backbreaker. BANG! The Shadow Demon Wolf was briefly immobilized. Nie Yan continued adding more attacks to the chain, with each consecutive attack doubling his damage. One damage value after another floated up above the Shadow Demon Wolf¡¯s head. The Shadow Demon Wolf was crowd controlled for a total of 15 seconds before losing its balance and crashing to the ground. Afterwards, it staggered back to its feet, gazing at Nie Yan arrogantly standing before it. It let out a low whimper. This reversal left all the Thieves but Tyrannical dumbstruck. This was a Level 180 Demonified Lord! Yet it was being toyed around with like a child by Nie Yan. They couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. Were they dreaming? Nie Yan stood still and let the Shadow Demon Wolf get back up. He had Kalenna cast several more calming spells on it, causing it to slowly calm down. He tried to approach it again. Nie Yan was like an emperor overlooking the world, giving off a domineering aura. His eyes flickered with a profound light, brimming with the power of a Venerable. Sensing the frightening aura coming off of Nie Yan, the Shadow Demon Wolf couldn¡¯t help but back away a few steps. All its senses were screaming at it to submit to this person. However, it was still a Level 180 Demonified Lord. it wouldn¡¯t be bound that easily. It continued to fiercely resist. Seeing the stubborness in the Shadow Demon Wolf¡¯s eyes, Nie Yan understood it wouldn¡¯t yield so easily. He had plenty of time to play around with it. Under the pressure of the Great Prophet title, it could only display 30% of its usual combat strength. With Nie Yan¡¯s strength, he could easily deal with it. The Shadow Demon Wolf retreated several more meters in fear. Seeing Nie Yan continuing to approach, it became enraged again. Letting out a furious snarl, it pounced on him. Nie Yan¡¯s silhouette disappeared. The Shadow Demon Wolf only saw a blur before losing sight of him. An instant later, a sharp pain came from its abdomen. Another 5-hit combo. The Shadow Demon Wolf was sent flying back and crashed into the ground. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 924 - Prelude to the Final Battle The Shadow Demon Wolf gazed at Nie Yan with a fearful expression. It couldn¡¯t display anywhere close to its full strength due to this suffocating pressure coming from that hateful human. It felt another heavy blow landing in its side, its paws losing touch with the ground. It wasn¡¯t that the Shadow Demon Wolf was weak, but rather that the suppressive aura coming from Nie Yan was closely tied to God, whose authority couldn¡¯t be blasphemed. Not just the five Thieves, Tyrannical too was in shock as he looked on in bewilderment. Even though Nie Yan was strong, absurdly so, he certainly wasn¡¯t on the level to manhandle a Level 180 Demonified Lord. Tyrannical pondered for a moment before realizing what was going on. This was likely the effect of the Wolf King skill, allowing the Great Prophet to obtain a mount they were more satisfied with. If he claimed he wasn¡¯t envious, that would be a lie. Tyrannical couldn''t help but think how wonderful it would be if he could gain the Great Prophet title as well. However, this was only a wishful dream. In the entire Righteous Faction, only Nie Yan had this title. One could imagine how hard it was to get. The Shadow Demon Wolf stubbornly resisted the pressure, only to be continuously beaten down by Nie Yan. No matter how it tried, it failed to touch a single hair on Nie Yan¡¯s body, let alone land an attack. The Shadow Demon Wolf whimpered pitifully, and tried to hide from Nie Yan. However, its legs were paralyzed from fear. Tyrannical¡¯s group deeply engraved this scene into their hearts. The Shadow Demon Wolf finally lied down belly flat against the ground, lowering its head as if begging for mercy. Nie Yan calmly walked over and placed his hand over its head. A white radiance emerged from his palm and slowly entered its body. Roughly 10 seconds later, a notification rang out. You have turned the Shadow Demon Wolf into your mount. Nie Yan glanced at the Shadow Demon Wolf¡¯s status page. A Level 180 Demonified Lord¡¯s stats were truly frightening! Moreover, the effects of his Wolf King skill boosted its stats by 30%. Nie Yan was quite satisfied. Though he couldn¡¯t have the Shadow Demon Wolf help him hunt monsters since anything it killed wouldn¡¯t give him any experience or loot, it would still be a great asset against players in the upcoming battle. It would almost certainly be a killing machine on the battlefield. The Shadow Demon Wolf stood back up. Its black fur gave off a bright lustre. Paired with its large size, it appeared especially domineering once again. Nie Yan turned to Tyrannical¡¯s group. ¡°You guys can go back now.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Tyrannical nodded. ¡°The boss actually turned that Shadow Demon Wolf into his mount! Amazing!¡± The Thieves gawked at the giant wolf, their hearts racing with excitement. ¡°What we saw today has to be kept absolutely confidential! Got it?¡± Tyrannical said, sweeping his eyes over the group. ¡°Understood!¡± the five Thieves cried out in unison. They naturally understood the sensitivity of the matter and that leaking this information out was equivalent to betraying the guild. They didn¡¯t dare to wade into this minefield. Nie Yan recalled the Shadow Demon Wolf into his pet space. With this super powerful mount, his Falkner Warhorse was now basically obsolete. After which he summoned his Darkwing Dragon and took off. ¡°Let¡¯s head back as well,¡± Tyrannical said to his team. They took out their Return Scrolls. Apart from these six Thieves and Nie Yan, no one knew what happened here today. ... While Nie Yan was capturing the Shadow Demon Wolf, Asskickers United clashed with Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group¡¯s forces several times. They were small skirmishes between smaller forces, with both sides getting a few wins. Before their armies fully assembled, an all-out battle was unlikely to break out. Even though both sides were on a tense stand-off, no major battles broke out over these past few days. Nie Yan divided Asskickers United¡¯s army into 10 legions, one of which was their main force composed of 100,000 players. He also had the surrounding mountains, rivers, forests, and other terrains completely mapped out. As for the side of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group, apart from setting up tight defenses, they also dug out deep trenches in the plain. All preparations pointed to a long and drawn out war. ... Back in the Clemenci Stronghold, Cao Xu, Soaring Angel, and the other highers ups of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group were holding a meeting. The atmosphere in the conference room was heavy. A large screen was affixed to the wall. It played a video showing surveillance footage of Asskickers United¡¯s army, which one of their scouts had brought back. ¡°Fan, my boy. I¡¯ll be troubling you this time around. You¡¯ll be commanding the troops from the front lines,¡± Cao Xu said. Though they were once fierce rivals, they had found a common threat in Nie Yan. Only by fighting against him as a united front did they stand a chance. ¡°What is there to trouble me about? It¡¯s only natural that go. I¡¯ll be relying on you to oversee the overall situation from here, Brother Cao. If anything unexpected happens, please guide us.¡± Soaring Angel had to admit that Cao Xu was a far superior commander. His knowledge on everything Conviction-related was impeccable. His ability to direct an army was not the slightest bit inferior to Asskickers United¡¯s. The only area he was lacking was that he never actually played the game. Even up until now, he was still only Level 0. He had no way of garnering the respect of countless players with his astonishing strength, like Nie Yan. Cao Xu offered his hand. ¡°This concerns both our futures. Let us gentlemen work together to defeat Asskickers United and bring about our glory!¡± Soaring Angel accepted Cao Xu¡¯s handshake. He knew they were tied to the same ship. If they still had reservations with each other, what awaited them was only death. Soaring Angel led the top experts of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group toward the frontlines. As for Cao Xu, he stayed behind in the Clemenci Stronghold with 500 members of the command group to direct the army. Cao Xu wore his usual ash gray robes. He stood with his back straight as he stared at the screen. His gaze looked distant as he thought back to the past. He never expected that a brat who had gotten some fame early on in the game would force him to this kind of state. At first, Asskickers United was only a small guild of a few hundred players, not worthy of his attention. Though their guild leader Sparrow Hawk was far ahead of the pack on the level leaderboards, it wasn¡¯t enough to threaten him. At that time, the Century Financial Group was a major financial powerhouse, with several dozen guilds scrambling over each other to be acquired by him. Hegemony was only a matter of time. However, now it seemed that he might be defeated at the hands of a single player. Thinking about Nie Yan¡¯s rise to power, Cao Xu felt a chill run down his spine. It wasn¡¯t because of Nie Yan¡¯s astonishing strength. No matter how strong a player was, it wouldn¡¯t cause him to feel any sense of danger. An individual¡¯s strength was limited. No, it was something else. Ever since he started looking deeper into Nie Yan¡¯s actions, he discovered that since the start of the game, Nie Yan had the uncanny ability to buy all the right properties, invest in the right items, and rally countless powerful experts to his side. This all culminated into him growing powerful enough to unite the entire Viridian Empire. Every business venture Nie Yan went into netted a profit. Every shop and property he bought became prime real estate sooner or later. Even the people he recruited, like Bladelight, Smoke Stub, Sun, and the others were genuine peak experts that couldn¡¯t be bought with money alone. It was almost as if he could predict the future. Cao Xu¡¯s intuition told him that Nie Yan had been gunning for him from the start, as if the two were fated to become sworn enemies. Every action Nie Yan took had thoroughly foiled his plans, causing him to suffer repeated setbacks. He¡¯d contemplated sending people to take out Nie Yan several times, but he never dared to in the end. One reason was Heavenly Kings. If he assassinated Nie Yan, he would also have to do something about them. World Bloc had the Dragonsoar and Glory Financial Groups as backers as well. Another reason was that even if he sent assassins after Nie Yan, they wouldn¡¯t necessarily succeed. Leaving aside that the person in question was already pretty strong themselves, Nie Yan also had a top expert in Bayonet by his side. And Shadow Killer too since recently. Even though he¡¯d never appeared, Cao Xu knew Shadow Killer was guarding Nie Yan. This phantom-like hitman caused him to feel a deep sense of fear. If either one of these two world-class assassins were to come after his life, they would probably succeed. If the two worked together, his fate would be sealed. If he failed at assassinating Nie Yan, the consequences would be unimaginable. With so many variables to consider, even though Nie Yan had been a constant thorn at his side, Cao Xu never dared to take action. From what he knew, Soaring Angel had once tried sending people to assassinate Nie Yan. However, they were taken out by Bayonet and Shadow Killer, including the number two ranked assassin in the world Blood Moon. It appeared everyone had underestimated Bayonet¡¯s strength. Since even Blood Moon failed, there was no point in sending anyone else. As for World Bloc, back when it was just a small upstart, Cao Xu could¡¯ve nipped them in the bud. However, they¡¯d already grown too powerful. They weren¡¯t a publicly listed company either, with the Nie Family controlling 100% of the equity. Unless some problems arose in their businesses, it would be extremely difficult to find an opportunity to take action against them. They were closely tied to the Dragonsoar and Glory Financial Groups, and at the same time, they¡¯d partnered with several dozen other companies. Because of their connection with Mo Yuntian, many long-established names didn¡¯t dare to slight them. Plus, with how rapidly they were growing in the virtual reality industry, it was impossible for any problems to occur! The amount of capital they controlled was astronomical! Cao Xu had recently discovered something that caused his heart to shiver. World Bloc had already acquired 7% of the Century Financial Group¡¯s shares. This piece of information was far more frightening than anything else. He hadn¡¯t had a good night¡¯s rest since he learned of it. Just what were they planning to do? Cao Xu felt a profound sense of helplessness against Nie Yan and World Bloc. The more he realized they were his destined enemies, the more he wanted to spare no costs to thoroughly defeat them so that they could never rise back up again. However, reality was often disappointing. Any advantage or influence the Century Financial Group had in the past was already neutralized by Nie Yan. He genuinely felt like he was slowly sliding deeper and deeper into an abyss. As a result, he became more and more desperate with his actions. As for the war at hand, thanks to his meticulous preparations, he felt confident they at least had a 50% chance of victory. He wanted to see who would win in the end. Throwing one last glance at the footage of Asskickers United¡¯s two-million strong army, he turned around. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 925 - Unrivalled on the Battlefield These past few days, all players were focusing their attention on the border between the Abernathy Great Grassland and Wild Plains. The two great armies, both several millions strong, left their hearts trembling. This was undoubtedly the showdown for the top. A war for the throne. Whatever the outcome, the entire Righteous Faction would be led into a new era. As for the losing side, they would be annihilated, returning to specks of sand in the ever-flowing river of time. The spectators didn¡¯t have to wait for long. Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group¡¯s army started stirring before surging forward like an unstoppable tide. Standing atop the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s head, Nie Yan looked down at the world. He saw several million players moving forward. The heavy rumbling of their footsteps and their battle cries rang out across the air. Several thousand catapults were slowly moving forward over the plain. ¡°It¡¯s starting!¡± Nie Yan gazed into the distance as he reminisced on the past. In the previous timeline, he was only an ant in front of Cao Xu, easily crushed to death. He had to endure in silence as he suffered countless humiliations. It wasn¡¯t until the very end that he got the opportunity to take revenge, though at the cost of his own life. However, in this timeline, he had finally reached the same heights as Cao Xu. Now, he was commanding millions of troops to determine the winner. This was probably the most glorious moment in his life. His eyes flashed with a peculiar light. ¡°Cao Xu, you better prepare yourself. Today, I¡¯ll crush you beneath my feet, and never let you get back up again!¡± The Darkwing Dragon flew through the sky with Nie Yan standing loftily atop its head. The millions of players below all raised their heads to stare at Nie Yan. In their hearts, he was a god. They excitedly awaited his commands. ¡¸This battle today will mark the moment of our glory. We will wipe the floor with Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group! I want everyone to give me your 110%! Kill the enemy until they have nothing left and let them experience the full might of our Asskickers United! To the unification of the Righteous Faction! Everything our eyes can see across the Atlanta Continent will be ours!¡¹Nie Yan declared. The upcoming battle meant life or death. So, they could only stake it all and fight until their very last breath.¡¸Glory to Asskickers United! Charge!¡¹ Nie Yan¡¯s voice rang out like thunder, causing the hearts of all the Asskickers United players to blaze with passion. Unifying the continent and conquering everything under the heavens, a bad joke in reality. However, those who entered Conviction and truly immersed themselves in the game would no longer feel like these words were the ramblings of a fool. This virtual world was as real as the one outside. The people here were very much alive, had their own thoughts, and struggled to make a better life for themselves. It was almost as if you were transported into a medieval world of fantasy and magic. Here, the joy, anger, and various other emotions you felt were no different than those in reality. Which man didn¡¯t dream of glory and honour? However, reality was governed by strict rules, and the expectations of society weighed down on everyone. There was no room for hopes and dreams. Inside the game though, they were unbound, free to be their true selves and pursue their own passions. Sweeping through all obstacles and conquering them. Just how glorious of a feat would this be? The Asskickers United players felt their blood boiling with exictement. They let out battle cries which rang out across the air like thunder. ¡¸Vanquish the enemy and unify the continent! Glory to Asskickers United! Charge!¡¹It was as if everyone suddenly became medieval warriors, rushing into battle for honour and glory. The surrounding landscape, the equipment of the people around them, trebuchets and catapults, and the towering walls behind them only served to strengthen this impression. Asskickers United felt their morale soar. All two million of them charged toward the enemy army, loudly cheering. ¡¸Catapults are within firing range!¡¹ ¡¸Load the brackets. Fire!¡¹ ¡¸Warriors, charge!¡¹ ¡¸Mages, provide cover fire!¡¹ The two armies clashed. A hail of shells blotted out the sky, raining down on the enemy forces. Explosions and miserable cries rang out in the air. Guo Huai could hardly breathe. He and the 300 other members of the command team continuously gave out commands. In a battle of this scale, it took something special for a single player to make any waves. The only thing you could rely on was a fierce offensive and safety in numbers. Countless pets were summoned onto the battlefield, bears, lions, imps, demon guards, flame fiends, and many more. Casualties on both sides were rapidly climbing. Even so, one could hardly see a dent in the vast ocean of troops. The backlines weren¡¯t even in range yet to fire. The two great armies didn¡¯t go all out right away. It would take at least a week of continuous fighting to decide the outcome of this battle. ¡¸Nie Yan, you stay here and command the troops. We¡¯ll head down and join the battle!¡¹Bladelight laughed. Seeing the chaotic melee going on down below, he was itching to join in on the fun. ¡¸You guys be careful.¡¹Nie Yan nodded. The entirety of Asskickers United revovled around him. He couldn''t participate in the battle just yet, or else he would¡¯ve already done so. However, there was no harm in letting Bladelight and the others go down. This could allow them to gain a slight advantage. Plus, with their skills, even if they encountered danger, they could easily escape. ¡¸Let¡¯s go down. We¡¯ll wipe the floor with them!¡¹Lei Su said excitedly. More than a dozen flying mounts descended to the ground. Bladelight, Smoke Stub, Lei Su, and the other Warriors jumped down toward the ground. As soon as they joined the fray, the battle became more lively. These members had all class advanced long ago. How could the ordinary players of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group ever hope to compete with them? ¡¸Bladelight, Smoke Stub, you guys go that way. I¡¯ll go over there!¡¹Tang Yao said. With a wave of his staff, an enormous black meteor fell from the sky. BOOOM! Swaths of Angel Corps players were engulfed in scorching hot flames and burnt to a crisp. In this kind of large-scale battle, a squishy Mage like Tang Yao didn¡¯t dare to charge headfirst into the enemy ranks. Even so, he posed an extreme threat by simply firing his magic from a distance. His magic was like a tornado, sweeping through several hundred players. Tang Yao¡¯s killing power was too frightening. It didn¡¯t take long for him to attract the ire of the enemy. A sharp whistling sound rang out through the sky. His heart trembled. Raising his head to the sky, he just about froze in fear. A hail of shells was flying straight towards him. ¡¸Sweet buddha!¡¹Tang Yao cried out. After several consecutive blinks, he escaped just far enough away. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Several dozen shells bombarded the ground behind him. The catapults stayed far back, firing at the opposing troops. Several thousand catapults fired a continuous barrage of shells. Each one had an astonishing range. Their killing power was frightening. The trebuchets had a far greater range. They aimed for the enemy catapults. Unfortunately, their reload speed was significantly slower and they could only fire one projectile at a time. It involved a combination of luck and skill to hit a catapult, not to mention destroy it. In general, it took dozens of trebuchets working closely together to take out a single catapult. The battle had only just started, but the graveyard was probably already packed with players waiting to revive. The Magisters on both sides could only hide behind the Warriors and cast long range magic to attack. Even the strongest Magisters would only become cannon fodder if they rushed into enemy lines. Warriors like Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and Lei Su could completely ignore the enemy thanks to their frightening defense. ¡¸Bladelight, how about a little competition? Let''s see who can kill the most players!¡¹Smoke Stub said, cutting down an enemy in front of him. ¡¸You¡¯re spec¡¯d offensively. I¡¯ll be at a disadvantage,¡¹Bladelight said, brushing off the attacks coming at him. ¡¸I¡¯ll give you a 100-kill head start,¡¹Smoke Stub said. He really did have the advantage when it came to killing power. Berserkers had far higher attack power and AoE attacks. ¡¸What do we bet for?¡¹Bladelight asked. ¡¸The loser owes the winner a beer.¡¹ ¡¸Sounds good. Let¡¯s start counting,¡¹Bladelight laughed. ¡¸That¡¯s +10. You guys can count me in too!¡¹Lei Su said after mowing down a dozen enemy players. ¡¸Now!¡¹Smoke Stub grinned. Smoke Stub had hardly finished speaking as the three of them stepped up the offensive, splitting through Angel Corps¡¯ ranks like a sharp dagger. Lei Su brandished his massive greatsword, which was almost as long as he was tall. As he cleaved down with his sword, a 10-meter long beam extended out from the tip of his blade. BOOM! Several dozen Angel Corps players were sent flying by his powerful slash. Lei Su put away the greatsword with a slight smile.¡¸Plus 56!¡¹ ¡¸Good job, seems like someone came prepared! We better up our game or we¡¯re paying, Bladelight,¡¹Smoke Stub laughed. He charged into the fray with a battlecry, spinning around his axis with his blade outstretched. Sword beams shot out continuously and beheaded more than 30 enemy players. Bulwark of the War God! A massive golden armoured god of war took shape behind Bladelight. It smashed down its hand into the ground. BOOM! Several enemy players wearing high quality equipment were instantly killed. No one was their match. They spread out across the battlefield, wreaking havoc over their sections of the battlefield. Even if Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group sent their Masters, they still couldn¡¯t stop them. ... Cao Xu looked at the livestream of the battle with a gloomy expression. Watching Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and Lei Su made him all the more upset. He couldn¡¯t understand for the life of him how Nie Yan managed to recruit so many top talents. No matter what guild they would join, they¡¯d be their number one expert, even in Angel Corps or one of his own guilds. He¡¯d offered them more money than they could ever dream of spending. However, they¡¯d rather be second best in Asskickers United. It were these players that led Asskickers United to continuous victories and glory. He tried to understand, but it simply didn¡¯t make any sense. Why did they all choose for Asskickers United? Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 926 - Killing Blow Cao Xu couldn¡¯t help but envy Nie Yan for recruiting such skilled experts. Bladelight, Smoke Stub, Lei Su, all of them left him feeling a profound sense of helplessness.¡¸Aim the catapults! Blast them to smithereens!¡¹ The Wild Plains and the Abernathy Great Grasslands quaked. Magic and shells whizzed through the air. Blood and death was everywhere, painting the sight of a bleak and brutal battle. After a whole day of intense fighting, both sides retreated to their respective encampments in preparation for the server going offline. Asskickers United suffered a total of 30,000 casualties while Angel Corps suffered 50,000. On the second day, the war continued. The fighting was even more intense than on the first day. Since this was a guild war, those who died couldn¡¯t revive. So, they were stuck waiting in the graveyard. The number of players on both sides would only keep decreasing. ¡¸Nie Yan, we¡¯re being ambushed by Evil Faction players coming from Judgement Valley!¡¹Guo Huai anxiously cried out. ¡¸How many are there?¡¹Nie Yan frowned. ¡¸We count roughly 300,000. But there might be more coming!¡¹ ¡¸Have our flying troops deal with them!¡¹Nie Yan said. The Evil Faction players that came to the surface wouldn¡¯t bring siege weapons with them. Nor could Angel Corps or the Century Financial Group supply them with any. So, they were left completely exposed to attacks from the air. They were a distraction, nothing more. Nie Yan looked over the battlefield, his gaze landing on the enemy siege weapons. If it weren¡¯t for those, their aerial troops could support the ground troops. ¡¸Guo Huai, have our catapults advance!¡¹Nie Yan ordered. ¡¸Alright!¡¹Guo Huai passed down the order. Asskickers United¡¯s catapult corps advanced forward, gradually entering the range of the enemy catapults. Both sides started exchanging fire as shells whizzed through the sky. One armoured catapult after another was destroyed. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The intensity of the battle left the spectators breathless. More than 90% of Asskickers United¡¯s catapults were upgraded Armoured Ice Catapults. The enemy couldn¡¯t compare both in quality and number of catapults. They were gradually overwhelmed. A few more hours and their catapults would be completely wiped out. ¡¸Looks like we have the better firepower!¡¹Guo Huai exclaimed. ¡¸Have our tanks charge forward and attract some of the enemy fire. I want a full frontal assault on their catapult corps!¡¹Nie Yan said, not letting the thrill of battle take over his rationale. The situation on the battlefield was liable to change at the drop of a hat. Before the war was actually won, it was better to stay calm and not let the small victories cloud your judgement. ¡¸Got it!¡¹Guo Huai nodded. At this moment, a dark cloud spread over the horizon. It was a large group of flying mounts. They were escorting something. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. Enemy airships! Last time, Asskickers United had destroyed all five of the Century Financial Group¡¯s airships. Nie Yan wondered how many they would have this time. One airship after another appeared within his vision until he eventually counted over 50 in total. How was this possible? How could the Century Financial Group produce so many airships in such a short amount of time? Nie Yan recalled the previous battle. If it were another illusion, that would go a long way to explaining it. The Darkwing Dragon, at Nie Yan¡¯s command, flew toward the airships with a powerful beat of its wings. Eye of Truth! Nie Yan¡¯s eyes flashed with a profound light. Sure enough, there were only five real airships. However, with so many fake ones among them, it would be hard to guide the ground forces manning the catapults to target the real ones. The formation of the airships continuously changed. With the five real airships mixed among the illusions, it was hard to tell real from fake. The 50 airships all started firing at once as countless shells blotted out the sky. The megacannons mounted on the airships were already much more powerful than regular cannons. Now, with the added range advantage from their high altitude, their destructive power was even greater. Even though the cannonfire from only five of the airships was real, with a single round of bombardments, more than a dozen catapults were blasted into smithereens. Some of the catapults adjusted aim to return fire. However, most of their shells went straight through the illusions. Very few actually hit real airships. The advantage Asskickers United worked so hard to gain was instantly neutralized. Now they were on the backfoot. ¡¸Boss, the firepower from their airships is too powerful. There¡¯s nothing we can do!¡¹a commander directing the catapult corps cried out. The sound of continuous explosions rang out in the background, almost completely drowning out his voice. ¡¸Have your catapults focus on the ground troops! Let our aerial troops handle the airships!¡¹Nie Yan ordered. Several thousand flying mounts escorted 50 Kamikaze Drakes toward the airships. Both the sky and land were engulfed in the flames of war. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! A sea of explosions swept through the enemy airships. However, Asskickers United also took heavy losses. All 2,000+ flying mounts and 50 Kamikaze Drakes were gone. Those watching the battle unfold through a livestream were dumbstruck. What a war! This was their first time seeing a battle of this scale. They wondered what other moves both sides would pull out and who would come out on top in the end. With the curtains falling on the second day, Asskickers United¡¯s casualties totalled 600,000 troops and 1,200 catapults. Meanwhile, Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group lost 900,000 troops and 1,600 catapults. Neither side showed signs of slowing down. It seemed this war would only conclude when one side was completely annihilated. ¡¸Fallen Angel is making faster progress than we are. They¡¯ve captured 100 of Pantheon¡¯s 130 strongholds. Pantheon are on their death throes. All they can do is turtle behind their remaining defenses,¡¹Guo Huai messaged Nie Yan. Nie Yan didn¡¯t expect Fallen Angel¡¯s offensive to be so fierce. This likely put enormous pressure on Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. If Pantheon fell, there was nothing left that could stop Fallen Angel from interfering in their war against Asskickers United. The players from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group were starting to feel demoralized. The results from the past two days weren¡¯t looking good for them, with Asskickers United always coming out on top. When they were mentioned on the forums, it was mostly in a pessimistic light. Meanwhile, Asskickers United¡¯s morale was sky high. If this trend continued, victory was theirs! Cao Xu didn¡¯t hesitate to make all sorts of promises to build back the morale of the troops. Nothing was decided until the fat lady sang. Who knew, maybe a sudden reverse would happen at the very last moment. Soaring Angel who had been fighting on the frontlines since the start of this battle was both physically and mentally exhausted. Appeasing so many men was no easy thing. However, if he didn''t do anything about the atmosphere, the entire army might collapse. Meanwhile, Asskickers United¡¯s morale didn¡¯t seem the least bit affected. In fact, they fought with more confidence than ever before. Both sides unofficially agreed to an armistice on the third day, only occasionally sending out small units to harass the enemy. From day four to day eight, both sides fought with all they had. That evening, both sides retreated back to their encampments and erected tight defenses. After some rest, it would be the final showdown! Asskickers United still had 650,000 troops left, 70,000 of which were their main elite force. In addition to that, 10,000 flying mounts, 500 catapults, and 120 trebuchets had also survived until now. Meanwhile, Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group were in much worse shape. Of their 3,500,000 strong army, only 520,000 players were left. Their catapults and trebuchets were reduced to 300 and 80 respectively. Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group were at the end of their ropes. They could only pull out all their cards for one last fight. Their strength was simply too lacking compared to Asskickers United¡¯s. It was time to deal the finishing blow to Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. Asskickers United would reveal their true strength and completely crush the enemy. Over these past several days, the Sage-rank Beast Tamer Hall had lived up to all expectations. He had finished taming a Violet Eye Dragon, which was given to Smoke Stub. When the final battle began, Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group would be in for a nasty surprise. Nie Yan hopped off the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s head and landed on the ground. Summoning his Shadow Demon Wolf, he walked to the front of Asskickers United¡¯s army. The Shadow Demon Wolf obediently followed by his side. Wherever he walked, the surrounding players immediately parted ways to let him through. ¡°The boss is finally going to jump into the battle!¡± The players stared at the Shadow Demon Wolf. It gave off a stifling pressure, making it hard for them to breathe. Their hearts were filled with shock. Their boss was walking around with a Level 180 Demonified Lord! When the Asskickers United players saw this scene, they couldn¡¯t help but become even more excited. A Level 180 Demonified Lord was a ludicrously powerful existence. Who knew how much manpower Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group would have to spend just to take it out, to say nothing of the fact they were already at an absolute disadvantage. Smoke Stub stood to the side. He didn¡¯t summon his Violet Eye Dragon. The Shadow Demon Wolf was already enough to boost confidence. He would wait until the battle started before summoning his pet. Nie Yan looked past the players and found Xie Yao smiling at him. Her gentle gaze was brimming with reverence. For him to have gained the undying allegiance of so many people, she couldn¡¯t help but be filled with pride. Recalling she still had work to do, she turned around and disappeared behind the crowd. The other Magisters followed closely behind her. Only Nie Yan knew what they were up to. In Xie Yao¡¯s hands was the item he¡¯d braved countless dangers in the underworld to obtain, the Occult Talisman of Arachne Empress Finas. This was his most powerful killing move! What felt like a long time ago already, during the battle at the Cripss Stronghold, he had forced Angel Corps to flee in retreat just by summoning Crypt Lord Bennett. One could imagine what would happen if he summoned Arachne Empress Finas, who was far more powerful. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 927 - Exploding Stone Giants The morale of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group hit at an all time low. After fighting for over a week, their army of 3,500,000 troops was reduced to only 520,000. Be it in terms of troops, war machines, or flying mounts, Asskickers United now had more of everything. They were doomed. A hopeless atmosphere spread among their ranks. They were on the verge of giving up, when Soaring Angel spoke up in voice chat.¡¸We haven¡¯t lost yet, guys! Asskickers United only has a little more troops than we do. Come on, raise your spirits!¡¹ Soaring Angel¡¯s words didn¡¯t affect the mood at all. He would have to do much more to lift their hopes. Aware speaking any further would be meaningless, Soaring Angel opened a private voice chat and said in a grim tone,¡¸Monarch, Stone Splitter, send out our troops for the final battle.¡¹ ¡¸Understood!¡¹Evil Monarch and Stone Splitter replied in unison. When the armies were several millions in size, some things wouldn¡¯t be of great use. However, now that both sides had been shaved down to only half-a-million or so troops, they could make full use of all their cards. The several hundred Shamans in Angel Corps¡¯ camp were subdivided into groups of eight. Each group gathered together in a small open space and started chanting long incantations. The magic energy in the atmosphere fractionated intensely. What were they doing? The surrounding players all backed away, bewildered. The way these Shamans were positioned looked like magic formations. There stood a Druid in the middle of most formations. They wore the most ordinary civilian clothing, raising their heads to the sky as if praying to something. Rays of light pierced through the clouds and fell over these Druids. BADUM! BADUM! BADUM! One muffled explosion rang out after another. The Druids let out ferocious roars. Their bodies rapidly grew in size until they transformed into large apes with ash white hair. They stood over six meters tall. There were more than 30 apes, each of them looking extremely powerful. The players in the vicinity all retreated, frightened by these enormous beasts. What a frightening transformation skill! They knew Druids had transformation magic, but only for turning into normal animals like wolves, bears, and so on. This was their first time seeing them transform into Kong-sized apes. Everyone started imagining just how powerful these enormous apes would be in battle! They could probably even take a direct hit from a catapult and walk it off! Even more Shamans were chanting incantations. In their hands were scrolls filled with mysterious runes. As they finished their chants, a thousand stone giants appeared within the crowd. They were smaller than the apes, with many things hanging from their bodies. Taking a closer look, everyone sucked in a cold breath of air. They were pouches of black gunpowder! Only now did the players from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group realize that the scrolls the Shamans were holding were Monster Sealing Scrolls. They allowed players to seal monsters they encountered in the wilderness to summon them at a later date. These stone giants were equipped with a large amount of black gunpowder, which could be detonated from a distance. They were basically suicide bombers, much like the Kamikaze Drakes. Every stone giant carried two kilograms of black gunpowder. Even though their destructive power couldn¡¯t be compared to the Kamikaze Drakes, there were a large number of them, and producing more was easy and simple. Angel Corps had about 2,000 of them in total. Those summoned were only a portion of them. The players from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group realized Soaring Angel still had this trick up his sleeve. Perhaps they stood a chance at victory after all! Their morale quickly recovered. ... Nie Yan hopped onto the back of his Shadow Demon Wolf and gazed toward the army of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. He quickly spotted the giant apes and stone giants being summoned. His lips curved into a faint smile. This is the final showdown. I¡¯d like to see what you guys have in store for me! ¡¸Catapults advance! Ground troops, surround the enemy!¡¹Nie Yan ordered. Asskickers United¡¯s catapults started rolling forward, intermittently stopping to fire. A dense hail of shells rained down from the skies. ... ¡¸Kill! Have the stone giants tear through their ranks!¡¹Soaring Angel roared after seeing Asskickers United¡¯s army start advancing forward. A thousand stone giants charged up to greet them. The stone giants were spread out pretty far apart from each other. As the catapult shells rained down, several were struck. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! As the gunpowder they carried detonated, the fallen stone giants transformed into giant plumes of flames. However, only a small fraction of the stone giants was taken out. ¡¸Everyone, be careful! Those stone giants are walking bombs!¡¹ It seemed like there was nothing Asskickers United could do to stop the stone giants from charging over. Nie Yan knitted his brows. Soaring Angel were pretty clever, fighting fire with fire. ¡¸Tang Yao, blast those stone giants! Bladelight, Lei Su, Smoke Stub, let¡¯s go up and also take some out!¡¹Nie Yan shouted. He urged his Shadow Demon Wolf forward. ¡¸Nie Yan, should I summon the Violet Eye Dragon?¡¹Smoke Stub asked. ¡¸Summon it. No point in hiding it any longer!¡¹Nie Yan said. The Shadow Demon Wolf leaped into the air and chomped down on the neck of one of the stone giants. Instant kill! Before it had a chance to explode, the Shadow Demon Wolf was already moving towards its next target. BOOOM! A giant explosion rang out behind Nie Yan. The Shadow Demon Wolf endured the shockwave created by the detonation. The Shadow Demon Wolf lost its balance for half a second before pouncing on another stone giant. Fortunately, the explosion didn¡¯t deal any real damage it. ¡¸Good! I¡¯ve been itching to show it off!¡¹Smoke Stub struck an avant-garde pose and shouted, ¡°Come forth, my Violet Eye Dragon!¡± BOOOM! An enormous dragon appeared on the battlefield, the ground violently shaking as its claws dug into the ground. The towering Violet Eye Dragon immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention. What a frightening dragon! In front of this creature, even Lil¡¯ Gold seemed like a pup! ¡°GROOAAR!¡± The Violet Eye Dragon charged forward and sent a stone giant flying with a swipe of its claws. BOOM! The stone giant released a frightening explosion mid-air. However, the resulting shockwave only caused the Violet Eye Dragon to slightly flinch. The Shadow Demon Wolf and Violet Eye Dragon swept through the stone giants at an astonishing speed. Even though the stone giants had a lot of health, only about 30% made it past the volley of magic and shells and the Masters. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! One heaven-shaking explosion after another rang out, engulfing the players and catapults in the vicinity. Nie Yan glanced back. Less than 300 stone giants managed to get through, but they still dealt significant damage. His face darkened.¡¸Smoke Stub, come with me!¡¹ ¡¸Got it!¡¹Smoke Stub said. The Shadow Demon Wolf and Violet Eye Dragon both plowed into the enemy¡¯s ranks. ¡¸All flying troops, attack!¡¹Nie Yan ordered. The 10,000 flying mounts in the sky all swooped down. Soaring Angel had to focus all his attention on directing his troops. When he saw the Shadow Demon Wolf and Violet Eye Dragon charging over, he shouted,¡¸All catapults, focus your firepower on those two! Blast them until there''s nothing left of them!¡¹Raising his head to the sky, he saw thousands of flying mounts swooping down. What he feared the most was finally happening. After losing the protection of their catapults¡ªonly a fraction of them still in working order¡ªthere was nothing keeping the enemy aerial troops from attacking them. There was no way to stop all of them. ¡¸Activate the barrier!¡¹ ¡¸Quickly, activate it!¡¹ An enormous umbrella of light surrounded the army of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group, supported by over a hundred Mages. This barrier could temporarily block the enemy flying troops, but it wouldn¡¯t last for long. A shower of shells rained down on Nie Yan, the enemy catapults trying to obliterate him and his wolf mount. Nie Yan raised his head. Several dozen black shells were whistling right towards him. The catapults were meant for sieging city walls. So, their firepower was extremely high. If he were hit by even a couple of them, even if he survived, he would be hanging onto life by a thread. Nie Yan passed down a command to the Shadow Demon Wolf. It immediately leaped forward through the air. He could feel several shells brushing past him. However, with his reaction speed, he dodged all of them. Before the rest of his army could advance, Nie Yan was already several hundred meters ahead of them. Seeing him dodging the enemy fire by a hair¡¯s breadth, their anxiety level spiked up, worried something might happen to him. Nie Yan was fearless in the face of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group¡¯s army. Cao Xu, Soaring Angel, let me give you a show! The Shadow Demon Wolf leaped over 30 meters into the air and pounced down into a crowd of enemy players. Seeing the Shadow Demon Wolf coming right down at them, the players from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group lost their heads in a panic and tried to scatter in all directions. However, how could they compare with the speed of a Level 180 Demonified Lord? BOOOM! The Shadow Demon Wolf landed on the ground, over 20 players knocked off their feet by the shockwave. The Shadow Demon Wolf ferociously swiped down with its claws. Wherever it went, bodies dropped. Nothing could stop its rampage across Angel Corps¡¯ ranks. Without the support of a Priest, even Bladelight would fall to the Shadow Demon Wolf, let alone these ordinary players from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 928 - One Strike Kill The barrier could only stop the attacks from the air. It could do nothing to stop the ground troops. Soaring Angel gazed at Nie Yan who was wreaking havoc across his ranks like some valiant general from the distant past. ¡°Bastard! Nirvana Flame! Just how arrogant can you get? Charging right into our lines all by yourself, what do you take my Angel Corps for?¡± Soaring Angel gnashed his teeth, anger overboiling from his heart. He¡¯d been pushed around by Nie Yan for far too long, and suffered way too much at his hand. He finally couldn¡¯t hold back any longer.¡¸All Silverback Kongs, charge!¡¹ The 30 Silverback Kongs charged toward Nie Yan and his Shadow Demon Wolf. These enormous apes were like tanks as they barrelled forward. Soaring Angel drew his bow and let loose five golden arrows. Five golden streaks whizzed through the air, traversing over 500 meters. Nie Yan coldly chuckled. You think just that is enough to deal with me? Aren¡¯t you underestimating me a bit too much? The Shadow Demon Wolf leaped into the air, pouncing down on a Silverback Kong that had come charging over. PSSSHFT! Its sharp claws dug deep into the ape¡¯s flesh. The ape wailed out with a blood-curdling cry. Nie Yan glanced at the the five arrows streaking towards him. Homing arrows again, huh? Those might be effective on others, but they¡¯re useless against me! Homing arrows were incredibly difficult to dodge because had the ability to home in on targets! Nie Yan gave a command to Kalenna. She waved her staff and protected him with a shield. PUT! PUT! PUT! Five arrows struck Nie Yan in quick succession. A string of 100s floated up above his head. These arrows didn¡¯t even pierce his skin. Though the Shadow Demon Wolf was extremely powerful, it lacked AoE killing attacks. Nie Yan waved his hand, summoning Lil¡¯ Gold, Paladin Lafus, and the three Doom Sentinels. Kalenna waved her staff yet again. A gentle ray of light fell over them, causing their stats to increase by severalfold. They immediately started sweeping through everything in their path. Lil¡¯ Gold charged into the crowd of enemy players, spewing out flames. After chanting an incantation, he called down a meteor from the sky. BOOOM! Scorching hot flames engulfed the surroundings. Paladin Lafus activated Indomitable Will. Charging forward, he left a trail of corpses in his wake. Swaths of enemy players were cut down, like fields of wheat before a scythe. And as their bodies hit the floor, they climbed back up to their feet as shadow servants. Soaring Angel¡¯s face paled. First his arrows failed to do any real damage, then Nie Yan brought out another five summons, and finally his troops started turning into undead. He had to do something!¡¸Use AoE magic!¡¹ A shower of spells rained down on Nie Yan. The recently arisen shadow servants were immediately engulfed in flames. Even Nie Yan¡¯s numerous pets and summons couldn¡¯t withstand the assault of so many enemy forces. These players weren¡¯t low-level fodder that could be easily slaughtered. Most were over Level 120. Their battle prowess were astonishing. After sacrificing 600 of their own, Angel Corps finally took down the Doom Sentinels, Lil¡¯ Gold, and Paladin Lafus. However, the Shadow Demon Wolf left them feeling helpless. Its health was simply too high, and it was extremely agile. Every time it swiped down with its claws, several players would die. They also had a difficult time dealing consistent damage to it. The Silverback Kongs came charging over one after another, but they were too slow and clumsy to lock it down. Nie Yan who was originally riding atop the Shadow Demon Wolf had disappeared without a trace. Every time he revealed himself, several heads would fly. If Soaring Angel hadn¡¯t retreated further back behind the protectors of his most elite ranks, he too would be a corpse on the ground right now. Ever since he¡¯d regressed 10 years into the past, Nie Yan had continuously searched for powerful equipment to raise his strength. With his current gear, he could look down on the entire world, let alone Soaring Angel. In the previous timeline, figures like Soaring Angel, Evil Monarch, and Stone Splitter were all valiant heroes. In the eyes of players, they were apex experts through and through. However, compared to Nie Yan, they were like a glow of candlelight compared to the moon, failing to even reach his feet! If they fought, they wouldn¡¯t last a single move. This was an absolute gap in strength! As Nie Yan rapidly built up his battle achievements, Smoke Stub finally caught up with his Violet Eye Dragon. The players from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group finally got to experience the frightening strength of a Level 200 Variant Lord. All of their attacks were brushed off. With a blast of its dragon breath, it directly destroyed several enemy catapults as wood and metal debris flew everywhere. What few catapults were left started collapsing. Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group tried to lock down the Violet Eye Dragon. However, they quickly realized how laughable that thought was. Their attacks didn¡¯t even leave a scratch on its scales. As for the Warriors that tried to intercept it, they were all sent flying without exception. Asskickers United troops finally caught up to Nie Yan and Smoke Stub. Even though many of them had been killed by the exploding stone giants, their fighting spirits weren¡¯t the least bit affected. The forces of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group were in complete chaos, unable to put up any meaningful resistance. Slowly but surely, they were being routed, even more so after all their catapults were destroyed. Soaring Angel didn¡¯t expect his ranks to collapse so quickly. The culprits behind this were undoubtedly the Shadow Demon Wolf and the Violet Eye Dragon. These two super powerful boss monsters wrecked their battle formation. Though he still had a thousand stone giants on standby, if they weren¡¯t used properly, he could end up killing his own troops. After all, unlike the Kamikaze Drakes who could enjoy the freedom of flight, the stone giants had to find a path on the ground, which required careful control. This was one of the reasons why he had them charge out at the beginning. Once the two armies were entangled with each other, it would be hard to make use of them. Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group could do nothing to resist Asskickers United¡¯s offensive. Something had to change, and fast, or they would be routed within the next several minutes. In the blink of an eye, the 500,000 strong army was reduced to only 80,000. Soaring Angel¡¯s heart sunk. He could only play their ultimate trump card. ¡¸Stone Splitter, have them summon the Occult Behemoth!¡¹Soaring Angel growled. This was his final stand! If things continued on like this, Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group¡¯s most elite force would be wiped out! ¡¸Understood!¡¹Stone Splitter nodded. He immediately passed down the order. After seeing the enemy¡¯s resistance wasn¡¯t as fierce as they thought it would be, Asskickers United¡¯s forces upped their offensive. They advanced with even greater bravado, leaving a trail of corpses in their wake. With victory right before his eyes, Nie Yan went in for the kill. He wouldn¡¯t rest until every last enemy was wiped out! ¡¸Brothers! Victory is in our grasp! Kill!¡¹Nie Yan shouted. Angel Corps¡¯ anti-air barrier finally collapsed. An enormous black shadow came swooping down from the sky. It was the Darkwing Dragon, and following close behind it was the Spectre Dragon. The two dragons slaughtered their way through the enemy forces as miserable shrieks rang out. ¡¸Bladelight, Lei Su, cover me!¡¹Nie Yan said in voice chat. He looked around at all the corpses around the battlefield. This was the perfect opportunity to use his Call of the End scroll. It reanimated all corpses within a 3,000-meter radius with 120% of their original stats and gave him full control over them. The cast time was 60 seconds. No matter how strong Nie Yan was individually, his killing power was limited. However, if he could summon a massive army of the undead, things would be different. Nie Yan took out the Call of the End scroll. A biting cold aura of death immediately suffused out into the surroundings, causing everyone to feel shivers running down their spine. Let¡¯s do this! Call of the End! Nie Yan started chanting. The Shadow Demon Wolf vigilantly patrolled the surroundings. Any player that got too close was immediately killed. Bladelight, Lei Su, Lofty Shadow, and two others formed a human wall around him. The enemy had no way of getting near him. Off in the distance, surrounded by his strongest elites, Soaring Angel watched Nie Yan pull out a scroll with his hawk-like vision. Spotting Bladelight and the rest rushing over to cover Nie Yan, he instantly sensed something off. He wanted to stop whatever Nie Yan was doing, but it was impossible for his troops to get past these five hulking Warriors. ¡¸Cast small-scale Forbidden Magic! Quickly! If none are off cooldown, use large-scale Forbidden Magic!¡¹Soaring Angel commanded. He was long past maintaining his calm. Generally, small-scale Forbidden Magic would only take 15 or so seconds to cast. That would likely be fast enough to interrupt whatever spell Nie Yan was activating. And if it wasn¡¯t, he would at least take the enemy down with him as he fell. ¡¸Boss, our own people are there too!¡¹a Mage said. ¡¸Tough luck for them. Cast the Forbidden Magic!¡¹Soaring Angel ordered. Five Magisters gritted their teeth. However, an order was an order. They scattered and hid among the troops, where they started chanting. No matter what Soaring Angel asked of them, they would do it; even if it ended in mutual destruction! PSFHT! PSFHT! PSFHT! The five Magisters had barely started casting their Forbidden Magic, when blood splattered everywhere. An inconceivable looked flashed through their eyes. How? They really couldn¡¯t understand it. Before their eyes flashed a figure. One saw Sun, another Shadow Killer. The other three saw King of the World, Mistaken Smile, and One Strike Vow. They were killed by the top Thieves of Asskickers United! Sun and the others had been stalking these Magisters from within the shadows for quite some time. No one had noticed them until it was already far too late. Even those responsible for protecting the Magisters didn¡¯t know what had happened until they were long dead. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 929 - Dark Behemoth King All the Shadow Dancers of Asskickers United carried a trace of Nie Yan¡¯s style. They attacked with ruthless precision, leaving the enemy with no opportunity to react. They were the most skilled experts of the guild as well as its pillars. Naturally, Nie Yan wouldn¡¯t hide anything from them. Everything he knew was passed on to them. Their skill was roughly equal to his, the only difference being the equipment quality; Nie Yan had some of the best equipment in the entire game. Being ambushed by such an unrivalled group of Thieves, one could easily imagine the outcome. Add on the fact that these Magisters were focused on casting their Forbidden Magic, their fates were sealed from the start. Within Asskickers United¡¯s ranks, Sunny South cast his Forbidden Magic. An enormous sphere of light crashed down on the ground and exploded, engulfing a section of Angel Corps¡¯ forces in a dazzling radiance. After the light dissipated, all that remained were corpses. This Forbidden Magic wiped out 30,000 enemy players. Sunny South¡¯s control was impeccable. Only 200 allied players took damage, none of it lethal. The last shred of morale on the side of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group was destroyed. By now, they had suffered another 200,000 casualties, reducing the size of their army to only 300,000. Even though the ones still alive were all elites, the enemy outnumbered them by almost two to one and were superior in individual strength. A complete wipeout seemed inevitable. The likely fallout of this scenario would be a mass exodus. Whether they could come back from that was up in the air. The scroll in Nie Yan¡¯s hand lit up with a dazzling brilliance before disappearing. A powerful ripple of death energy swept out for 3,000 meters across the battlefield. Immediately, skeletons started climbing up from the corpses on the ground. Their bones were pure-white while their sockets blazed with an eerie green soulfire. A total of 100,000 skeletons. They all had powerful stats. Some were clad like Warriors. Others donned Mage robes and could cast magic. Seeing so many skeletons rising up beside them, the players from Asskickers United were taken aback. They thought for a second that these skeletons were raised by the enemy. However, to their shock, the skeletons didn¡¯t attack them, but rather charged straight for the forces of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. ¡°It¡¯s the boss¡¯ spell!¡± ¡°Brothers, kill!¡± The confidence of Asskickers United¡¯s troops was bolstered even more. They charged forward like a surging tide. With the 100,000 skeletons leading the vanguard, it was the equivalent of having another 100,000 allies. They already held the advantage. Now with powerful reinforcements like these, if they still failed to wipe out the enemy, they might as well ram their heads into a wall. Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group¡¯s morale was already at rock bottom. The Forbidden Magic followed by Nie Yan¡¯s scroll became the final straw that broke the camel¡¯s back. Before the frontline was even defeated, the rear was already on the verge of fleeing in a panic. Soaring Angel stared blankly at his army being wiped out before his eyes. There were less than 200,000 troops remaining. He cursed in voice chat,¡¸Stone Splitter, where the hell are our Occult Behemoths!? What¡¯s taking you so long?¡¹ ¡¸They have a 10-minute cast time. W-we¡¯re almost finished!¡¹Stone Splitter explained. He knew they were in a dire situation. If they waited any longer, the entire army would collapse. Then, even the Occult Behemoths couldn¡¯t turn the tide anymore. ¡°GROAWR! ¡°GROAAWR!¡± Two heaven-shaking roars rang out across the firmament, shaking heaven and earth. The troops of Asskickers United froze up in fear. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?¡± Whereas a disturbance broke out in Asskickers United¡¯s ranks, the troops from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group remained relatively calm. Soaring Angel had notified them in advance, so they knew what was happening. Two enormous beasts emerged at the rear of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group¡¯s forces. Their appearances resembled bears with pitch black fur and a pair of sharp, bull-like horns. Standing over 30 meters tall, they were practically mobile fortresses. They were Occult Behemoths from another world¡ªLevel 250 Dark Behemoth Kings! The two Dark Behemoth Kings dwarfed the Shadow Demon Wolf and Violet Eye Dragon in size. In the face of these enormous titans, the wolf and dragon were nothing more than ants! However, Occult Behemoths had a limited summon duration of half-an-hour. After which they were forced to return to their own world. However, this was enough time to reverse the tide of war! Soaring Angel leaped onto the back of one of the Dark Behemoths. He coldly shouted,¡¸Kill!¡¹ The Dark Behemoth King leaped into the sky, soaring over 100 meters in height, before crashing down back to the earth like a meteor. BOOOOOM! 300 skeletons were turned to dust as the impact carved a giant crater out of the ground. The Dark Behemoth King charged forward. With a swing of its massive paw, it took out 200 players. The other Dark Behemoth King didn¡¯t stay idle either. Under the command of Stone Splitter, it wreaked havoc on Asskickers United¡¯s troops, killing a thousand players in the blink of an eye. In the face of these frightening beasts, all other life forms were insignificant, like specks of dust. A dense barrage of magic rained down on the Dark Behemoth Kings, but they took no damage at all. They were practically unrivalled overlords. They single handedly flipped the entire situation on the battlefield. Countless flying mounts swooped down from the sky in an attempt to kill one of the Dark Behemoth Kings. The behemoth raised its paw and snatched one of the flying mounts out of the air. KRRAAACK! It crushed the flying mount to death, then chucked the lifeless corpse back into the air, taking out another six flying mounts. The two Dark Behemoth Kings helped Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group create an astonishing reversal. No matter how fiercely the players from Asskickers United resisted, they were trampled on by these two beasts. ¡¸Where¡¯s our Occult Behemoth!?¡¹Nie Yan anxiously asked. Logically speaking, Arachne Empress Finas should¡¯ve already appeared by now. Once she entered the battlefield, these Dark Behemoth Kings would meet their match. ¡¸Our Magisters got ambushed by enemy Shadow Dancers! We¡¯ve taken care of the situation without suffering any losses, but it¡¯ll take another four minutes to summon Arachne Empress Finas,¡¹Bladelight replied. ¡¸What!?¡¹Nie Yan¡¯s eyes darkened. After all his precautions, it seemed like it still wasn¡¯t enough. To make matters worse, it happened at a crucial moment like this! Though they couldn¡¯t be compared to the likes of Sun, King of the World, and Mistaken Smile, Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group had a couple of highly skilled Shadow Dancers on their payroll. Likely, they¡¯d been stalking Xie Yao and the others for days now. The only positive note right now was that Xie Yao and the others hadn¡¯t suffered any damages, or else the consequences would be unimaginable. ¡¸What do we do now?¡¹ ¡¸We buy as much time as we can! Have all our flying troops focus on those two Dark Behemoth Kings. Our ground force has no way of stopping them!¡¹Nie Yan anxiously shouted. Against titans like these Dark Behemoth Kings, the players on the ground were nothing more than bugs to be squashed, not even amounting to cannon fodder. The flying mounts could at least put up a tiny bit of a fight. After the order was passed down, countless flying mounts launched a fierce assault on the Dark Behemoth Kings. Soaring Angel raised his head to the sky and let out a cold chuckle. ¡°Send out as many flying mounts as you want, they¡¯ll all end up as cannon fodder!¡± The Dark Behemoth King opened its maw, creating a giant, dark sphere of energy in its mouth. FWOOOM! It shot out the energy ball into the air, which then detonated into a huge explosion. BOOOOM! Over 100 flying mounts instantly dropped dead from the sky. Elsewhere on the battlefield, Stone Splitted enjoyed the same situation as Soaring Angel. Asskickers United¡¯s flying mounts were no match for these land-bound kings. The players from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group had originally given up all hope. However, after seeing these two Dark Behemoth Kings sweeping through the ranks of Asskickers United, turning the tide of the battle around, their fighting spirits reignited. They all madly rushed forward, launching a fierce counterassault. If Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group fell, who knew what hardships awaited them in the future. Seeing a sliver of hope, they immediately snatched onto it. This was their one and only chance to mount a comeback! In the blink of an eye, Asskickers United lost 200,000 troops, half of which were the skeletons. Soaring Angel stood atop the Dark Behemoth King¡¯s head. Looking down at the players below fleeing like ants, his heart was filled with satisfaction. The forces of Asskickers United were helpless to stop him. He let out a sinister smile, ¡°Go to hell, Nirvana Flame! I¡¯ll send you and all your little troops to the grave! The final victor will be me, Soaring Angel!¡± Nie Yan quickly flitted across the battlefield, but he couldn¡¯t keep up with the enormous strides of the Dark Behemoth Kings, let alone stop them. The Shadow Demon Wolf wasn¡¯t of any help either, it couldn¡¯t survive a single hit. So, they could only watch helplessly as the Dark Behemoth Kings went on a slaughterfest. Nie Yan gritted his teeth. Were they really going to lose at the hands of these Occult Behemoths? Nie Yan¡¯s heart surged with rage. He raised Zennarde¡¯s Sword and cleaved down, unleashing an Annihilation Slash. BOOOM! Over a hundred enemy players were killed. Unfortunately, Nie Yan¡¯s killing speed was nothing compared to that of the two Dark Behemoth Kings. In front of these Occult Behemoths, he too was as insignificant as an ant! Numerous flying mounts came swooping down from the sky in an attempt to stop the Dark Behemoth Kings. However, they were all swatted to death. ¡¸What the hell is going on!? Why hasn¡¯t Arachne Empress Finas been summoned yet!?¡¹Nie Yan roared. If she wasn¡¯t summoned soon, it would be too late! ... Back in the Clemenci Stronghold, Cao Xu was watching the Dark Behemoth Kings decimating Asskickers United¡¯s troops through the livestream. However, his expression was tense as ever, a deep frown on his forehead. Even though it appeared like a comeback was inevitable, he still felt a sense of unease, as if some frightening existence was about to appear to cut off their last strand of hope and plunge them back into the abyss of despair. Cao Xu prayed this feeling was wrong, but it was soon proven right as a frightening earthquake¡ªfar worse than when the Dark Behemoth Kings were summoned¡ªshook the entire battlefield, threatening to upheave the heavens and earth. His face paled. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 930 - Arachne Empress Finas! An unbelievably powerful, primordial aura pierced through time and space and entered the Atlanta Continent. Off in the distant plains, an enormous dark portal formed out of thin air, and out came an equally large figure. It was an arachnid-like monster standing over 60 meters tall, with the lower half of a spider and the upper half of a beautiful woman with skin as white as jade. Her eyes were closed as her long locks of black hair draped down her shoulders. An ancient aura pervaded the surroundings. Everyone was frozen stiff by this frightening presence. Even the two Dark Behemoth Kings were trembling in fear. Arachne Empress Finas! She finally appeared! A Level 300 Lord was practically an unrivalled existence. The players from Asskickers United erupted into cheers. ¡°It¡¯s the boss¡¯ Occult Behemoth, Arachne Empress Finas!¡± ¡°Dang! She¡¯s awesome! In front of Finas, those Dark Behemoth Kings are nothing!¡± Reality proved cruel for Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. Their hopes were snuffed out as soon as they were reignited. The two Dark Behemoth Kings didn¡¯t stand a chance against Arachne Empress Finas. Back in the Clemenci Stronghold, Cao Xu stared fixedly at the screen. Though when he got a good shot of Arachne Empress Finas, he closed his eyes in resignation. In the end, they still suffered defeat. Among the ranks of Angel Corps, Soaring Angel¡¯s previously gloating expression was frozen on his face. He originally believed victory was virtually guaranteed with the two Dark Behemoth King¡¯s on his side. Of course, he¡¯d accounted for the possibility that Asskickers United would have Occult Behemoths of their own. After all, they¡¯d summoned the Crypt Lord before. Nevertheless, he still carried a sliver of hope that they would win by some stroke of luck. That last hint of hope was now thoroughly crushed. Soaring Angel refused to believe this was the end, that several years of effort would all go down the drain, that he would lose to Plenty for leadership over the Brutus Capital Group! An intense feeling of unwillingness welled up from his heart. No! Not like this! ¡¸Stone Splitter! Come with me! We¡¯re going to kill that damned spider!¡¹Soaring Angel practically went mad. He had his Dark Behemoth King charge toward Arachne Empress Finas. ¡¸Understood!¡¹Stone Splitter followed up with the other Dark Behemoth King. The two Dark Behemoth Kings rapidly closed in on Arachne Empress Finas, whose eyes were still closed as if she were fast asleep. Seeing this scene, the players from Asskickers United felt their hearts sink. If Empress Finas didn¡¯t wake up, they would still be wiped out by these two Dark Behemoth Kings in the end! Nie Yan¡¯s figure flitted across the battlefield. The Darkwing Dragon came swooping down beside him. He leaped up onto its back. After which it shot forward toward Arachne Empress Finas at an astonishing speed. As it flew past overhead, he leaped down. The two Dark Behemoth Kings were getting closer and closer to Empress Finas. 500 meters, 300 meters, 100 meters... They were about to reach her in the next moment. Nie Yan landed on Empress Finas¡¯ back. As he placed his palm on her, a mental link was established. ¡°Stay like that forever! Never wake up! Die!¡± Soaring Angel shouted madly. He had his Dark Behemoth King pounce toward Empress Finas. Nie Yan¡¯s eyes flashed with a cold light. ¡°Awaken, Arachne Empress Finas!¡± A strong gust of wind blew aside Empress Finas¡¯ hair, revealing a stunningly beautiful face that deeply entranced anyone that gazed upon it. It was almost enough to make you forget about her grotesque lower half. Empress Finas¡¯ eyes snapped open. It was as if time came to a stop. Her pitch-black pupils as deep as the starry night sky scanned the surroundings. Everyone on the battlefield felt as if they had been transported to another dimension, shrouded by a vast and infinite dark void. Her stare alone was already this terrifying! Empress Finas¡¯ eyes fell on the two Dark Behemoth Kings. They instantly froze up, as if they were petrified. Only now did Soaring Angel realize how laughable it was to think the two Dark Behemoth Kings could kill Empress Finas. A single glance from her could already rob them of all their fighting strength! Empress Finas flicked her finger and bound the Dark Behemoth King of Soaring Angel in a thick cocoon of webs. It lost its balance and collapsed to the ground, unable to budge an inch. She then turned her attention to the other Dark Behemoth King. With another flick of her finger, an enormous black spur erupted from the ground and impaled its abdomen. ¡°GROooaoar¡­!¡± It let out a mournful cry as it hung in the air. Stone Splitter was also skewered. A double instant kill! As for Soaring Angel, his blood-curdling cries rang out in the air as the corrosive webbing dissolved his flesh and bone before finally going silent. Empress Finas moved her eight legs and charged toward the forces of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. Everywhere she looked, enemies were petrified into white stone statues. A slight tap was all that was needed to cause them to crumble into a pile of rubble. Before long, a hundred thousand stone statues dotted the battlefield. The last remaining forces of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group were finally cleaned up. A 3,500,000 strong army was completely annihilated! Asskickers United didn''t come out of this final battle unscathed either. They only had 350,000 ground troops and 2,000 flying mounts left. All their siege weapons were destroyed. Standing atop Empress Fnas¡¯ head, Nie Yan gazed across the battlefield. Countless corpses filled his vision, stretching far out into the horizon. A desolate scene. Victory was paved with the bones of countless dead. The old adage still held true today. The glory from today¡¯s battle didn¡¯t belong to Nie Yan alone, but rather to all the players of Asskickers United¡¯s alliance! News of the battle spread like wildfire all through the forums, creating an enormous uproar. The only thing left for Asskickers United to unify the Righteous Faction was to collect their spoils of war by capturing all of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group¡¯s remaining strongholds. Apart from this, the war in the underworld also concluded. After learning the results of the battle on the surface, Pantheon raised the white flag and swore allegiance to Fallen Angel, handing over full control of their guild. On the first two days, 2,000,000 players withdrew from Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. At this point, their fates were already sealed. On the third day, Asskickers United started carrying out a blitzkrieg through the territory of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group, capturing 36 strongholds before the servers shut down. On the fifth day, another 39 strongholds were captured. On the eighth day, 21 more strongholds were captured, and 16 of the 30 guilds under the Century Financial Group surrendered while the rest disbanded. On the 15th day, the Clemenci Stronghold fell along with 34 other strongholds. Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group still had around 200,000 players left. Scattered all across the Satreen Empire, they pccasionally clashed with the forces of Asskickers United. However, they were no longer a threat. More and more of the surface came under the rule of Asskickers United. Everything under the sky became their domain. Only the underworld wasn¡¯t theirs. ... Valley of Glory. An open space was cleared out in a forest deep in the map. Here, a stone table and two chairs were set up. Nie Yan and Plenty sat across from each other. Neither of them was wearing a disguise. Given their current positions, even if they directly met out in the open, no NPC guard would come to arrest them. This was the benefit of position and authority. ¡°You sure work fast, taking over all of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group¡¯s stronghold in such a short time. We¡¯d been hoping to get a slice of the pie.¡± Plenty calmly laughed, sizing up Nie Yan. This was his first time talking to Nie Yan face-to-face like this. Even though they collaborated for so long, they¡¯d never had a casual conversation. Plenty wasn¡¯t arrogant and flashy like Soaring Angel. He wore ash-coloured robes, giving off a sense of wisdom and calmness beyond his years despite only being 28. After Pantheon raised the white flag, Fallen Angel annexed control of all their strongholds to prevent them from ever rebelling in the future. Despite the peaceful transition of power, the entire process still took 16 days. Yet Asskickers United only required 15 days to seize Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group¡¯s territory by force. ¡°Naturally, I can''t have you taking land from the Righteous Faction, now can I?¡± Nie Yan chuckled, expressing his stance. The surface belonged to him and him alone. Right now, the only power that could pose a threat to Asskickers United was Fallen Angel. Plenty straightforwardly smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As long as you remain in Asskickers United, our forces will never try to invade the surface. However, if you ever withdraw from Asskickers United or perhaps Conviction one day, that would be a different story.¡± He knew if he were to compare himself with Nie Yan, he was at least a peg lower. Moreover, given the strength of Asskickers United, starting a war with them was simply not worth it. Nie Yan inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Plenty was a hard person to get a read on, but Nie Yan knew he was a man of his word. Plenty continued, ¡°Honestly speaking, I should be thanking you. You helped me obtain what I wanted by defeating Soaring Angel.¡± Nie Yan knew Plenty was referring to the leadership of the Brutus Capital Group. ¡°I hope we won¡¯t become enemies in the future.¡± ¡°Likewise,¡± Plenty replied. He certainly didn¡¯t want to provoke an enemy like Nie Yan. He flashed a mysterious smile. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re planning to take action against the Century Financial Group next?¡± Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 931 - Hunting Operation As the successor of the Brutus Capital Group, Plenty¡¯s information channels were deep. He was aware of many currents, including the World Bloc¡¯s recent movements. Considering the enormous amount of capital they were amassing, the Century Financial Group wasn¡¯t in for a good time. ¡°You inherited the Brutus Capital Group. I¡¯m carrying out a forceful takeover of the Century Financial Group. We each came out of this getting what we wanted.¡± Nie Yan didn¡¯t deny Plenty¡¯s claim. Plenty didn¡¯t expect Nie Yan to admit so openly to everything. Information was vital in this kind of capital market struggle. If a third party were to find out one¡¯s plans beforehand, they might intervene and reap all the benefits instead. ¡°If you¡¯re interested, I wouldn¡¯t mind letting you have a slice of the pie,¡± Nie Yan said. ¡°Give me some time to think about it,¡± Plenty replied. He still needed to deliver the final blow to Soaring Angel. However, he was unsure whether he could secure enough funds to do so. Since Nie Yan offered to cooperate, he wouldn¡¯t feel good pulling any dirty tricks. Nie Yan chuckled. He naturally had his own plans. If Plenty were to interfere when World Bloc took action against the Century Financial Group, it would likely ruin the hope of reaping the full potential of profits for both of them. However, if he offered to cooperate and Plenty joined his alliance, then the Century Financial Group would be even worse off while Nie Yan and Plenty would enjoy greater benefits. ¡°I can join in for about £¤10 billion,¡± Plenty said. This kind of venture had potential for massive profits. He naturally wouldn¡¯t pass up on it. ¡°Let¡¯s get in touch when the time comes,¡± Nie Yan said. The Century Financial Group had just suffered a massive defeat in Conviction. Now was the best opportunity to strike in real life. They could not let this opportunity slip by. Nie Yan and Plenty chatted for a while longer before bidding each other farewell. The goal for this meeting was accomplished. For a long time to come, the Righteous Faction and Evil Faction would live together in peace. Plenty stared at Nie Yan¡¯s receding back and sunk into silence. If a war were to break out in the future, Nie Yan would undoubtedly be a difficult opponent. However, the likelihood of that happening was quite low. He would not declare war on Nie Yan for no good reason, and Nie Yan likely thought the same. Both sides feared the other''s power. Nie Yan returned to the guild headquarters in Okoron. All of Asskickers United was in a celebratory mood. Within the span of several days, Asskickers United established 20 more branches. After an intense recruitment campaign and hundreds of millions of applicants, they selected 3,000,000 new members. These auxiliary guilds were tasked with managing the various strongholds. The total number of strongholds under Asskickers United¡¯s control already reached 500, most of which were being operated by World Bloc. The potential profits from these strongholds was beyond anything ordinary people could imagine. Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others could all breathe a sigh of relief. All of them received ample rewards. With their new salaries, they would never have to worry about money again. Even those less skilled who had followed Nie Yan in his countless campaigns repeated major profits. Nie Yan distributed nearly £¤300,000,000 worth of assets and a 30% stake of all strongholds to them. With this income, they could live a pretty luxurious life in reality. This resolved one of Nie Yan¡¯s biggest worries. With no more threats on the horizon, they could finally enjoy the fruits of their labour. After confirming all the strongholds were up to standards, Nie Yan told Guo Huai to pay close attention to the remnant forces of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. With everything ingame taking care of, Nie Yan messaged Xie Yao.¡¸Let¡¯s exit out of the game.¡¹ ¡¸Sure.¡¹Xie Yao nodded. Nie Yan had already spoken with her about this before. Nie Yan stepped out of his game capsule and glanced at Xie Yao as she stepped out of hers. She wasn¡¯t wearing any clothing, not even lingerie. Her jade-like skin and curvaceous figure were especially moving. ¡°Are we heading there right away?¡± Xie Yao asked. Sensing Nie Yan¡¯s lustful gaze, her cheeks blushed red. She felt embarrassed for a moment, then pushed it aside. After all, they¡¯d already shared the most intimate moments together. She puffed out her chest, displaying her beautiful figure in front of Nie Yan. ¡°Yeah. Wash up and get dressed. We¡¯re leaving immediately!¡± Nie Yan nodded, withdrawing his gaze. 20 minutes later, Nie Yan got into the driver''s seat of his Thrawn, and Xie Yao sat down next to him in the passenger seat. The two sped off toward Huahai. The Thrawn zoomed through the curtain of the night, its lights drawing a red blur on the road. Two hours later, the Thrawn arrived in Huahai. Nie Yan parked outside the Rekod Grand Tower. The place was brilliantly lit with lavish decorations. It was an establishment under the Glory Financial Group. Only a select few knew a world-shaking matter was about to take place here. Nie Yan and Xie Yao walked inside and toward the elevator going to the top floor, when a woman¡¯s shrill cry came from the elevator door. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten really full of yourself. Liu Dongming! You better let me in. Don¡¯t forget that I''m still a sub board member of the Glory Financial Group. If I¡¯m not happy, I can have a puny head of security like you kicked out!¡± Nie Yan and Xie Yao glanced at each other. They instantly recognized who the shrill voice belonged to. It was Xie Yi, Xie Yao¡¯s aunt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. The chairman instructed no one but core members are allowed on the top floor,¡± a voice calmly replied. ¡°Are you implying I¡¯m not a core member of the Glory Financial Group?¡± Xie Yi¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°I never said such a thing. But the chairman said you¡¯re on probation for 10 days. You¡¯re not allowed to participate in any affairs of the company or enter the top floor of the building. If you have any complaints, you can direct them at him,¡± a middle-aged man dressed in a security guard uniform politely explained. He didn¡¯t dare to be rude. After all, Xie Yi was a member of the Xie Family. ¡°Y-you¡­!¡± Xie Yi pointed her finger threateningly at Liu Dongming. A fallen phoenix was no better than a country hen. She never thought there¡¯d be a day when even a lowly security guard would disregard her. Nie Yan and Xie Yao walked over. ¡°Auntie, stop giving Old Liu a hard time. You know he¡¯s just doing his job,¡± Xie Yao said. Liu Dongming gratefully said, ¡°Thank you, Young Lady.¡± After which he stepped aside, letting her and Nie Yan past. Over the past year or so, the Glory Financial Group had had a huge shake-up. Xie Jun had nominally became the chairman. Meanwhile, Xie Yi was ousted from the board and in the middle of handing over her responsibilities. When Xie Yi saw Nie Yan, her face paled. She knew everything that was happening to her today was all because of him. Back then, she had really made an error in judgement. The former World Bloc was only a small, nameless company. Now, it was an enormous financial group capable of contending on the world stage. Their rise was astonishing. This really was a case of the younger generation surpassing the old. They were already well on their way to overtaking both the Glory and Dragonsoar Financial Groups. The brat she had mocked in the past had grown to become a dragon. He was no longer someone she could afford to provoke. Be it Mo Yuntian standing behind him or World Bloc itself, even the chairman of both the Glory and Dragonsoar Financial Groups would have no choice but to give him face. Add on the fact that him and Xie Yao had recently announced their engagement to the world¡ªan expensive ring on the third finger of Xie Yao¡¯s left hand¡ªif she had a falling out with him, even her own family would take his side. Xie Yi coldly snorted. Nie Yan didn¡¯t want to see this loathful woman anymore. He whispered in Xie Yao¡¯s ears, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Xie Yao nodded. ¡°Old Liu, the meeting today is extremely important. Clear the building of anyone not taking part. No need to be courteous,¡± Nie Yan said, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority. ¡°Understood, Young Master!¡± Liu Dongming replied. He knew Nie Yan would be one of the people leading the entire Xie Family in the future. He didn¡¯t dare to ignore such a person. ¡°You¡¯re an outsider. What gives you the right to boss around people in someone else¡¯s house!?¡± Xie Yi naturally understood Nie Yan¡¯s meaning. Her face was red with anger. Nie Yan coldly chuckled. ¡°What gives me the right? Could it be that you don¡¯t know yet?¡± He then entered the elevator with Xie Yao, not giving Xie Yi a second glance. Liu Dongming turned to Xie Yi. ¡°Please leave, miss. If you don¡¯t cooperate, we¡¯ll have to resort to using force.¡± Xie Yi glanced at the three other burly body guards that were standing at the ready a little distance away. She was only a weak, petite woman. If she made a scene, the only one suffering would be her. She coldly snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll forget this matter. One day, you will have hell to pay!¡± Xie Yi stomped away, her high heels clacking loudly on the floor. Liu Dongming snickered. He and many others never liked Xie Yi in the first place. Today, they finally got to vent out their frustrations, if only a little bit! Liu Dongming glanced back at the closed elevator door. Nie Yan and Xie Yao had arrived. Many other big characters had come as well. Even a sub board member like Xie Yi was barred from this meeting. It seemed like something big was going to happen today. Nie Yan and Xie Yao took the elevator straight to the top floor and entered the corridor. It was packed with bodyguards, all of whom were armed to the teeth. They entered the central hall. More than 100 people were already present here, including Nie Yan¡¯s parents, the higher-ups of the Glory and Dragonsoar Financial Groups, and the bosses of several dozen large companies. All of them were busily moving back and forth. The atmosphere was tense. There were 60 computers set up in a semi circle in the middle of the room. The screens displayed different charts and diagrams. Nie Yan only understood a few of them. ¡°Nie Yan, Xie Yao, you¡¯re here,¡± Xie Jun greeted. He glanced at Nie Yan. Nie Yan was dressed in a western suit and looked quite dashing, brimming with youth. The more he looked, the more gratified he felt. His daughter had quite a good eye. After all, she¡¯d latched onto the man who was writing history! ¡°Hello, Uncle,¡± Nie Yan greeted. ¡°Daddy!¡± Xie Yao smiled and jumped into Xie Jun¡¯s embrace. ¡°Today will be a special day. Let¡¯s chat later. Everyone has already prepared. Come take a look with me,¡± Xie Jun said. He led Nie Yan and Xie Yao toward the computers. ¡°Uncle, I managed to secure another £¤10 billion in funds.¡± ¡°Oh? Who is it?¡± Xie Jun asked in surprise. ¡°A friend. When we begin, I¡¯ll get in touch with him,¡± Nie Yan said. He felt it was better to give Xie Jun a heads-up. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 932 - Cao Xu Missing! Everyone in the room was busy at work, carrying out the prep work for the early stages of the hostile takeover of the Century Financial Group. They would be holed up here for the next 5 to 10 days, with at least 20 people watching the computer screens at all times. There was even a special catering service hired. Everyone was both nervous and excited. Each action they took caused major ripples in the outside world. Nie Yan and his parents sat down on chairs off in a corner. There were representatives of several dozens of companies, with three in particular attracting the most attention: the Glory Financial Group¡¯s Xie Family, the Dragonsoar Financial Group¡¯s Liu Family, and World Bloc¡¯s Nie Family. The first two were long-established names while World Bloc was undoubtedly a powerful up-and-coming player in the industry. The heir was the guild leader of Asskickers United in Conviction, an inner member of Heavenly Kings, and someone Mo Yuntian paid close attention to. All these identities created a dazzling halo around him. There was one other matter that left everyone especially shocked, the engagement between Nie Yan and Xie Yao. The Nie Family only had one son. All the family¡¯s assets would go to him. Once Nie Yan married Xie Yao, he would control 100% of World Bloc, 12% of the Dragonsoar Financial Group, and 28% of the Glory Financial Group. That was, assuming the current situation wouldn¡¯t change. When the current higher-ups of the Glory and Dragonsoar Financial Groups handed over their power to Xie Yao, Nie Yan¡¯s power would be even greater. If this attempt at a forceful takeover of the Century Financial Group succeeded, one could hardly imagine what the future would look like for him. They felt like they were witnessing the rise of a major global superpower under the leadership of Nie Yan. The representatives approached the Nie Family, wanting to strike up a good relationship with Nie Yan. He in turn stood up and politely greeted them. It was better to make a friend than an enemy. He naturally wouldn¡¯t push them away. Xie Jun was the head of this operation. He put on a solemn expression and supervised the work. His usually calm and amiable demeanor was nowhere to be found. Right now, he gave off the air of a leader. It was about time to get this operation underway. The room gradually settled down. Everyone became deathly quiet, especially the people in front of the computers. All of them were staring fixedly at the many screens. After going through five capital market reforms over several hundred years, in the process becoming one of the most important capital markets in the world, China¡¯s stock market introduced a short selling mechanism. ¡°How are the preparations going?¡± Xie Jun asked. ¡°Everything is ready.¡± Xie Jun turned to the higher ups of the Glory and Dragonsoar Financial Groups and asked, ¡°Are the three large shareholders willing to take action?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t give us a straight answer. They are opportunists. Once the situation looks bad for the Century Financial Group, they¡¯ll pounce on them like a pack of starved wolves. However, if Cao Xu manages to survive this, convincing them to help us will be a little harder,¡± an old man in casual clothing replied. Even though he was a bit thin and short, he still appeared hale and hearty. Everyone here knew him. He was the legendary Liu Hongze, the leader of the Dragonsoar Financial Group and Xie Yao¡¯s maternal grandfather. ¡°Start the operation. Release the information online! Start short selling the shares in 10 minutes!¡± Xie Jun said heavily. He passed down the order. Even though he only spoke a few simple lines, everyone in the room held their breaths. It was finally starting! A huge stir was about to overtake the world! The various large economic news sites started reporting on the Century Financial Group¡¯s financial scandal, how the higher-ups were corrupt and reporting false quarterly figures. If these claims were false, it would be considered slander, and Xie Jun and the others would be liable for defamation. However, if it were true, the consequences would be unimaginable! The government watchdog agency announced almost immediately that they had started carrying out an investigation on the Century Financial Group. Naturally, this was orchestrated by the Glory Financial Group, Dragonsoar Financial Group, and World Bloc, or else they wouldn¡¯t be so quick to act. Apart from the investigation, various other information that painted the Century Financial Group in a negative light was also leaked out, such as how they were predicted to suffer an 80% decline in sales in the fourth quarter with a deficit of £¤1.7 billion. The Century Financial Group had completely withdrawn from the virtual reality industry, which accounted for nearly 35% of their total revenue. All of it was gone. The investment couldn¡¯t be recouped. All this news triggered a mass panic in the market. Plus, with the Century Financial Group¡¯s shares being intentionally short sold, their stock price was plummeting. The Century Financial Group¡¯s shares dropped by 12% within minutes. As they tried to invest money back to prevent the drop, it would be immediately swallowed up. After all, with several large financial groups working together, as soon as they took action, any sort of resistance would be futile. Cao Xu originally had an enormous amount of cash on hand. However, after failing to recoup his investment in Conviction, he was running short. To make matters worse, over the past year to keep investing in Conviction, in hopes of winning the war against Asskickers United, he¡¯d even resorted to selling some of his shares. The controlling stake he had in the Century Financial Group had dropped to 30% by now, reaching a dangerous level. The Century Financial Group¡¯s net worth was over £¤500 billion, a drop of 12% in share prices meant a loss of £¤60 billion. This was a frightening disaster! And it was only beginning! ... The Century Tower. Tonight it was brightly lit. This 600-meter tall building, built several decades ago, towered over the eastern part of Huadong. The once unimaginably grand building appeared a bit aged and worn. At the top floor, there were people rushing everywhere, similar to the situation at the Rekod Grand Tower. Cao Xu sat in his office chair with his eyes closed. His former vigorous self now appeared desolate. ¡°Chairman, are you feeling alright? Here¡¯s the medicine you asked for,¡± a 24-year-old secretary said. Cao Xu¡¯s heart condition had flared up 15 minutes earlier, giving everyone a huge scare. ¡°Place it over there.¡± Cao Xu powerelessly waved his hand, not bothering to glance at his peerlessly beautiful secretary. Cao Xu knew this hostile attack on his company was only the beginning. In the next few days, the other side would launch an even fiercer assault. He¡¯d called up several old friends. However, they were all scared of the enemy, and so refused to help him. This was the hypocrisy of the world. He knew these friends only associated with him for the benefits, so it didn¡¯t come as much of a surprise. The fact they didn¡¯t go after him while he was down was already quite polite. On the second day, the collapse only accelerated. As investors from around the world woke up and found the huge dip in the Century Financial Group¡¯s share prices, they panicked and started selling their shares like crazy. The once guaranteed golden goose suddenly became a terrifying monster in their eyes. Only after throwing it away would they feel safe. The Century Financial Group¡¯s stock price dropped by 32%, at which point it stabilised. Some people who saw the share prices falling so dramatically had an inclination to buy. After all, the Century Financial Group was still a financial giant. Even though they had withdrawn from the virtual reality industry, the profits from their other sectors couldn¡¯t be looked down on. A large part in why they weren¡¯t performing well right now was the failed investment in Conviction. On the third day, the Century Financial Group¡¯s stock price fell by another 11%, and the trend seemed to be continuing. The clash was incredibly fierce. Every little fluctuation tested the judgement of both sides. After three consecutive days of the stock price of the Century Financial Group dropping, the vast majority of people who held their shares lost all confidence. The Glory Financial Group, Dragonsoar Financial Group, and World Bloc naturally wouldn¡¯t let this opportunity slip by and intensified their assault. On the fourth day, the stock price fell even further. Four consecutive days. One could imagine what sort of blow this was to the shareholders. Those who still held shares started cutting their losses and selling at a low price to recoup as much as they could. On the fifth day, the Century Financial Group¡¯s stock price was only a quarter of what it once was. ... Xie Jun and the others were already on several days without a good sleep. Eating or napping was done in the control room. The rest of the time, they would be staring fixedly at the computer screens. Under their attack, the Century Financial Group lost £¤375 billion. Naturally, they didn¡¯t let up. ¡°Do you evaluate the current situation positively?¡± Xie Jun glanced at Liu Hongzhe and the others. Liu Hongzhe nodded. The others also didn¡¯t express any complaints. Xie Jun finally started buying up the Century Financial Group¡¯s shares. Their movements were discrete so as not to alert others. Apart from this, they also convinced several large shareholders of the Century Financial Group to sell their shares for 50% above market price. All of them felt their guts cramp up with regret. They didn¡¯t expect the assault of the Dragonsoar Financial Group, Glory Financial Group, and World Bloc to be so fierce. Likely, the Century Financial Group wouldn¡¯t recover from this for a long time to come, if ever. If they knew this earlier, they would¡¯ve sold when the prices were still high. By selling their shares off now, it could only be considered making the best out of a bad situation. After all, they were getting a fairly attractive offer considering the circumstances. And who knew what other tricks those three powers still had left up their sleeves! Within the span of 10 days, the Glory Financial Group, Dragonsoar Financial Group, and World Bloc swallowed up close to 22% of the Century Financial Group¡¯s shares. Apart from this, they also bought another 25% from several large shareholders. It appeared the Century Financial Group was going to have a change of leadership. After signing the contract with those several large shareholders, the entire room erupted into cheers. When selling off shares, Cao Xu had priority to buy them back. However, the amount of funds he could maneuver was limited. So, he could only watch on helplessly as the 25% fell in the hands of the enemy. From this moment forward, the Glory Financial Group, Dragonsoar Financial Group, and World Bloc could start requesting that Cao Xu resign from his position and taking over their businesses. The Century Financial Group¡¯s assets were extremely valuable to them. If they merged, they would definitely profit immensely. Nie Yan also became excited. In this moment, the threat of the Century Financial Group that weighed heavily on his shoulders was finally crushed into pieces. ¡°Reporting to the chairman! We just received news that Cao Xu sold the remaining 30% of his shares to the Radiance Financial Group and disappeared!¡± a staff member in a black suit came running and exclaimed. ¡°He disappeared?¡± Everyone was shocked. Nie Yan felt an uneasy feeling creeping up his heart. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 933 - News on Cao Xu! The Radiance Financial Group was rather small, to the extent it didn¡¯t even rank within the top 10 domestically. They had bought Cao Xu¡¯s remaining 30% stake in the Century Financial Group for 10% less than market price, totalling around £¤30 billion. It was no exaggeration to say they¡¯d gotten an amazing deal. After selling the last of his shares, Cao Xu completely vanished without a trace. Nie Yan was well aware of Cao Xu¡¯s personality. He certainly wouldn¡¯t let this matter sit. Armed with £¤30 billion and the countless connections and resources at his disposal, Cao Xu posed a great threat. In the previous timeline, Nie Yan only got the opportunity to take revenge because Cao Xu ignored him. Nie Yan wasn¡¯t about to make the same mistake. Cao Xu¡¯s disappearance was a dangerous sign. Nie Yan made a phone call, a sense of unease in his heart. ¡¸Bayonet, do everything you can to find Cao Xu! I you can, find an opportunity to dispose of him!¡¹Nie Yan said. He had to be ruthless. The slightest hesitation would only bring harm to himself. ¡¸Understood,¡¹Bayonet replied. He understood the severity of the situation. Bayonet and Shadow Killer organized a small team composed of 25 people. All of them were famous experts working for World Bloc. Nie Yan had spent quite some money over the last few years hiring these people. Now, they would finally show their use. After finding out Cao Xu disappeared, the Xie Family and Liu Family also became nervous. They started making movements in the background as well, dispatching people to search for the whereabouts of Cao Xu and upping their security, especially around Xie Jun, Nie Yan, Xie Yao, Liu Hongzhe, and a select few others. ¡°Dad, Mom, Cao Xu never lets a matter drop. Please, be careful. It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t reveal yourselves in public,¡± Nie Yan said. For the time being, he wouldn¡¯t enter Conviction. All the guild affairs were already taken care of. He would focus completely on eliminating Cao Xu. Every day that Cao Xu was still alive and well was one where they couldn¡¯t rest easy. The smoke in the stock market gradually scattered. It was time for stage two of their plan. The people on the top floor of the Rekod Grand Tower gradually dispersed. Next up was to dispatch people to take over the Century Financial Group and make contact with the Radiance Financial Group. If they were willing to sell their shares, that would be for the best. If they weren¡¯t, they would be forced to rely on some other methods. With the Century Financial Group being swallowed whole, it would take a while to digest. News of the Dragonsoar Financial Group, Glory Financial Group, and World Bloc seizing the Century Financial Group in a forceful takeover spread across the world, shocking everyone. Not too long ago they hadn¡¯t even heard of World Bloc, yet now they controlled 33% of the Century Financial Group! World Bloc had replaced the Century Financial Group as the largest financial group in Asia. This was a shocking piece of news. Everyone needed some time to digest it. It appeared the world was about to change. Father Nie, Xie Jun, Liu Hongzhe, and the others got to work. After taking over the Century Financial Group, they still had a lot of work to do, including making arrangements for staff and so on. However, with the support of several large financial groups, the Century Financial Group would quickly rebound and likely rise higher than ever before. Nie Yan and Xie Yao helped their families out with the work around the clock. Guo Huai had proven his worth in Conviction, and Nie Yan felt more than confident leaving everything on that side to him. Everything was developing smoothly. However, Nie Yan¡¯s worries grew by the day. After Cao Xu disappeared, even Bayonet and Shadow Killer¡¯s team couldn¡¯t find any traces of him. The deeper he hid himself, the more of a threat he was. With nothing left to lose, he would probably start sending assassins after those behind the hostile takeover of his company. Nie Yan needed to make preparations for this. Nie Yan and Xie Yao sat in the dining hall at the very top floor of the Moro River Banquet Hall, a building of the Dragonsoar Financial Group, and looked down on the city. They could see the most beautiful scenery of Huahai here. Nie Yan gazed at Xie Yao. He felt like he was in a dream, only to realize it was reality and sigh with emotion. Thinking back to his past life, then the present day, he felt life was full of coincidences! Over the last four years since he regressed to the past, he had changed history and achieved a long-cherished dream. He had obtained everything he wanted. ¡°Nie Yan, what are you thinking about?¡± Xie Yao asked, seeing him lost in thought. If Nie Yan were to reveal his secret to Xie Yao, how would she react? It would probably come as a great shock. ¡°Nothing. I was just admiring how beautiful you are.¡± On the topic of the past, he wondered how Liu Rui was doing right now. He¡¯d heard Liu Rui¡¯s father was ousted from the Dragonsoar Financial Group. Given their ability, they wouldn¡¯t have any problem finding work at another company. However, it was unlikely they¡¯d ever climb back to the top. Xie Yao pouted, dissatisfied. Of course, she wasn¡¯t really angry. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but smile, pulling Xie Yao closer to him. ¡°When all this is over, let¡¯s go on a well-deserved holiday. We¡¯ll tour the world.¡± Exhaustion exploded within Nie Yan. Over the past four years, he¡¯d been carrying this heavy burden in his heart. Every day that the Century Financial Group stood was one he couldn¡¯t live in peace, fearing the tragedy of his past life would repeat itself. His enmity from back then was resolved with a bullet, shortly after which he passed through time and space to wake up 10 years in the past. Treasuring those close to him in the past life, Cao Xu became his biggest threat to a happy life once again. His only choice was to get strong enough to resolve this nightmare that constantly haunted him. Only with Cao Xu¡¯s death would he feel thoroughly at peace. It really hadn¡¯t been easy for Nie Yan over these past four years. Now, he was only a step away. ¡°Mhm!¡± Xie Yao cutely snuggled herself up into Nie Yan¡¯s embrace. She knew he was worried about Cao Xu. Nie Yan nestled his head on Xie Yao¡¯s shoulder. Her sweet fragrance calmed his heart. Thinking about it, he had Bayonet and Shadow Killer by his side. Not to mention ever since regressing to the past, he¡¯d never stopped training his body, and with Bayonets guidance, his technique was top-notch too. Even if he encountered a hitmen Cao Xu sent after him, he wouldn¡¯t be completely helpless. Right now, the Glory Financial Group, Dragonsoar Financial Group, and World Bloc were all searching for Cao Xu. Someone would find a trace soon enough. After putting the food on the table, the staff discreetly left. The only people on the top floor were Nie Yan and Xie Yao. This was a special private room. No one would come over to disturb them. Safety wasn¡¯t a concern either. Only a few of their most trusted people knew they were here. They were responsible for Nie Yan and Xie Yao¡¯s safety, and weren¡¯t allowed any outside communication. They were isolated from what was happening in the outside world. No matter how capable Cao Xu was, he would have no way of knowing they were here. Xie Yao was wearing white sportswear which clung snugly around her curves. Her splendid figure gave off a unique charm. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but feel that Xie Yao was becoming more and more beautiful. What he didn¡¯t know was that Xie Yao was secretly practicing her dancing. This caused her body to become more flexible and toned. Add on the fact that her physique was already quite good, and she really did become more beautiful. Nie Yan mischievously gave Xie Yao¡¯s butt a squeeze. ¡°Yeek!¡± She jumped up in surprise. ¡°Nie Yan! This is a public area!¡± Her face was bright red. She instantly knew what was floating in his perverted mind. ¡°Our subordinates already left. They know better than to come barging in here.¡± Nie Yan smiled. He felt Xie Yao was incredibly cute right now. ¡°Still! H-how about we wait until we get home?¡± Xie Yao became flustered she noticed Nie Yan¡¯s heated gaze. Nie Yan pulled Xie Yao over and planted his lips onto hers. Xie Yao struggled in vain, closing her eyes as she melted in his embrace. Inside the private room, a scene of springtime was taking place. About an hour later, Xie Yao straightened out her clothes and messy hair. She shot Nie Yan a reproachful glare, looking as cute as ever. ¡°Let¡¯s leave,¡± Xie Yao said, her face still flushed red. ¡°Mhmm. It¡¯s getting late. We should call it a night,¡± Nie Yan replied in high spirits. The two were about to leave the room, when Nie Yan¡¯s phone buzzed. It was a text from Bayonet. After reading it, his face changed. ¡°What happened?¡± Xie Yao asked in a concerned voice. ¡°We have news on Cao Xu!¡± Nie Yan said. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 934 - Pulling a Snake From Its Hole ¡°Give me a minute. I¡¯m going to give Bayonet a call,¡± Nie Yan said to Xie Yao. Xie Yao stood off to the side with a nervous expression as Nie Yan rang up Bayonet. ¡¸So, where is Cao Xu hiding?¡¹ ¡¸We still have no intel on his location, but word down the grapevine is that he¡¯s recruiting world-class contract killers, likely to deal with you,¡¹Bayonet said. Calling Cao Xu covert was an understatement. Just finding this little bit of information had been incredibly difficult. ¡¸Is there any way we can find him?¡¹Nie Yan asked. This was a dangerous sign. The only reason Cao Xu would be recruiting contract killers at a time like this was to deal with him and his family. ¡¸No, not for now at least. However, I have an old friend making contact with Cao Xu¡¯s recruitment agents. If everything goes smoothly, we might be able to pinpoint his location. However, we should be careful. The man has gone mad. He¡¯s offering up £¤10 billion in total. £¤5 billion for your head; £¤1 billion for your parents and Xie Yao; and £¤20 million each for the other members of the Xie Family and Liu Family. This sum is unprecedented, even in the underworld. If a few certain people are tempted, even I can¡¯t guarantee your safety,¡¹Bayonet said. The world of contract killers and mercenaries was filled with hidden experts. Cao Xu offered what basically amounted to the highest paying assassination contract in the history of the profession. ¡¸Is there really nothing we can do? We can¡¯t just sit here and wait for death,¡¹Nie Yan said. Cao Xu was ruthless. He¡¯d forced them on a road to death. ¡¸Sorry. I¡¯m drawing up a blank too.¡¹Bayonet bitterly smiled. ¡¸Help me release this information. I¡¯ll reward £¤5 billion and a 5% share in the Century Financial Group to anyone who kills Cao Xu!¡¹Nie Yan gritted his teeth, then cursed under his breath, ¡°Let¡¯s see who¡¯s more ruthless, you son of a bitch! I dare you to put up that remaining £¤20 billion as well!¡± ¡¸Not a bad idea. That¡¯ll help alleviate a lot of pressure on us,¡¹Bayonet said. Like this, the hitmen wouldn¡¯t just be after Nie Yan but Cao Xu as well. Those who took the contract to kill Nie Yan also couldn¡¯t move easily. If they were discovered, it would pretty much be the end of the road for them; the other assassins wouldn¡¯t let their contractor get killed before they received their money. ¡¸I¡¯m planning to go back to school,¡¹Nie Yan said in a heavy tone. ¡¸You¡¯re going back to school? With Xie Yao? That¡¯s too dangerous. You¡¯ll be targeted before you even get on the academy grounds,¡¹Bayonet dissuaded. ¡¸No, not with Xie Yao. Just me alone. This is called pulling a snake out of its hole,¡¹Nie Yan said. If he holed himself up somewhere, those killers would shift their target to others, including his parents, friends, and other members of the Xie Family and Liu Family. With so many people, there was no way to protect them all. Sooner or later, someone was bound to get killed. However, as long as he showed himself in public, all attention would be focused on him. This was the only way. He didn¡¯t want to endanger those he cared about. Bayonet went silent. He understood Nie Yan¡¯s plan. He was cold-blooded on the job, but that didn¡¯t mean he was completely unfeeling. After being with Nie Yan for so long, apart from their employer-employee relationship, the two also formed a deep bond. He didn¡¯t want to see Nie Yan place himself at risk. However, since Nie Yan had already decided, he could only try his best to protect him. ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. I have full faith in you guys. Let them come. The bigger Cao Xu¡¯s movements get, the more likely he¡¯ll expose himself,¡¹Nie Yan said. ¡°I don¡¯t agree to this!¡± Xie Yao suddenly interjected. ¡°Please, Xie Yao. Stay here and let me go. I have my reasons.¡± Nie Yan carressed Xie Yao¡¯s face. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to put himself in danger, but rather he was compelled to. In his past life, he¡¯d failed all those who were close to him. In order to ensure their safety, Xie Yao¡¯s safety, this was something he had to do. Only when Cao Xu was dead would he feel at ease. ¡°No! You can¡¯t go! I won¡¯t let you! If you¡¯re going, I¡¯m coming with you!¡± Xie Yao was on the verge of breaking out in tears. She knew Nie Yan better than anyone. Once he made up his mind, it was impossible to change it. Even so, she still tried to stop him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be fine. I still have Bayonet and Shadow Killer protecting me, right? But if you come, they will have to protect both of us and I will be fraught with worry. It¡¯d only be more dangerous,¡± Nie Yan replied. Bayonet finally broke his silence.¡¸Miss Xie, please, don¡¯t worry. Even if something happens to me, I won¡¯t let anything happen to Nie Yan.¡¹ Bayonet¡¯s words didn¡¯t reassure Xie Yao at all. However, she knew she couldn¡¯t stop Nie Yan. She hated the path he was taking, the fact that he chose to carry all the burdens by himself. And she hated it even more that there was nothing she could do about it. ¡°Give me five days. I promise I¡¯ll take care of Cao Xu and come back to you!¡± Nie Yan said. Nie Yan had Xie Yao retreat to an absolutely secure place and had people from the Xie Family protect her. Only then did he feel comfortable enough to go to school. ¡¸Are you sure you want to go through with this? It¡¯s not too late to go back,¡¹Bayonet said. ¡¸If you were in my shoes and the lives of your friends and family were in danger, wouldn¡¯t you do the same?¡¹Nie Yan faintly smiled. Human nature was weird like that. Sometimes, for the sake of their loved ones, people were willing to brave any danger or even offer up their own life. Bayonet helplessly smiled.¡¸Fine, I can¡¯t win against you. Shadow Killer and I will do our best to protect you.¡¹ ¡¸They likely won¡¯t dare to make a move in the Top Military Academy. I¡¯ll reveal myself on school grounds, then leave the campus out in the open. That¡¯ll make it easier for them to take action,¡¹Nie Yan said. He didn¡¯t know how many hitmen Cao Xu sent after him, and whether it¡¯d be possible to wipe them all out in one fell swoop. ¡¸If that¡¯s your plan, Shadow Killer and I won¡¯t be enough. I¡¯ll call over Wang Duo and the others as well,¡¹Bayonet said. Apart from Wang Duo and the others, he still had a few people under him. All of them were top experts they previously recruited. Afraid a battle would unfold, he had all of them come. ... A small, unnamed bar in a corner of Huahai, a middle-aged man in a black windbreaker was downing a beer. His hair was messy, and his face haggard. Even if someone who was familiar with him walked over, they would have no idea the person right here was once the world-shaking boss of the Century Financial Group, Cao Xu! Cao Xu gazed down at the new message he received on his burner phone. World Bloc had also thrown caution to the wind, offering up £¤5 billion and a 5% share of the Century Financial Group. He coldly snorted before gritting his teeth. Cao Xu¡¯s hatred for Nie Yan was bone deep. Nie Yan had foiled his plans time and time again before finally forcing him to this cliff edge. He wanted nothing more than to tear out Nie Yan¡¯s bones and flesh. Only then would the hatred in his heart be sated. His former subordinates left him one after another as he found himself utterly deserted, and the perpetrator behind all this was Nie Yan! After selling off his shares, Cao Xu had nothing left to lose. He¡¯d instantly started recruiting contract-killers from all over. His target was Nie Yan! If he couldn¡¯t kill Nie Yan, killing his loved ones and making him live with the guilt for the rest of his life was the next best thing! Cao Xu checked his phone. A new message appeared. His lips curved into a cruel smile. He didn¡¯t expect Nie Yan to show himself. Since Nie Yan had a death wish, he would gladly oblige. He relayed an order through his phone.¡¸Eliminate him!¡¹ ... News of Nie Yan¡¯s return to school shook the entire Top Military Academy. Practically everyone recognized him. Over the past few weeks, there were two shocking pieces of news. One was that Asskickers United had defeated Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group and united the Righteous Faction. The other was that the Dragonsoar Financial Group, Glory Financial Group, and World Bloc succeeded in a forceful takeover of the Century Financial Group. The orchestrator of both these events was Nie Yan! Nie Yan walked along the campus pathway. The students in the vicinity all pointed and stared. From a nobody to the most famous person in school, he¡¯d stolen the spotlight away from everyone else. ¡°Look, that¡¯s Nie Yan! He¡¯s Nirvana Flame in Conviction and the heir to World Bloc! I bet his net worth is at least £¤80 billion!¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably more. If it isn¡¯t, it will be very soon. With World Bloc swallowing up the Century Financial Group, they¡¯re bound to rapidly expand in strength. Who knows how big they¡¯ll get?¡± ¡°If you could hook a husband like that, you can live your life in riches.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. His fianc¨¦e is the young miss of the Dragonsoar Financial Group and Glory Financial Group. Her family is also worth a few billion. She¡¯s really beautiful to boot. Everyone calls her the goddess of the governing faculty. Do you think you can compete?¡± Hearing the discussion around him, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but smile. He continued walking forward calmly as usual. He knew there were many experts eyeing him from the shadows. They likely wouldn¡¯t take action on school grounds, but he couldn¡¯t say for sure. So, he had to stay vigilant. Nie Yan carried a pocket watch in his chest pocket. It was an extremely advanced piece of technology, capable of detecting an approaching bullet and generating an electromagnetic field that would cause its trajectory to diverge. This little toy would help him guard against ambushes to a certain degree. It was something Bayonet had gotten him. Apparently, it was the latest military technology. Only a few top brass in the country could get their hands on it. It wouldn¡¯t be for sale in the market anytime soon. Bayonet and Shadow Killer were following Nie Yan from the shadows. With their well-trained vision, they could easily tell killers from ordinary civilians. If Nie Yan was being followed, they would find out. After receiving Bayonet¡¯s message, Wang Duo and the others came rushing over to the Top Military Academy. Mo Yuntian was also aware of the situation and dispatched some people of his own. Even though they weren¡¯t on the same level as Shadow Killer and Bayonet, they were still elite special forces, far stronger than an ordinary hitman. Right now, they were holding back, waiting for Cao Xu¡¯s people to take action. Nie Yan¡¯s phone buzzed. Bayonet had sent a message. All the targets had been identified. They were going to take action. Putting away his phone, Nie Yan started making a full circle around the campus forest. Finally, he reached the school entrance. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 935 - Encounter in the Woods For the sake of cover, Nie Yan pretended to go back to class to get something. Then making his way through the tree-shaded walkway, he arrived at the school entrance. He hopped in his thrawn and drove off toward the middle of nowhere. The Thrawn sped along the road. Nie Yan took a few things out of the glove box, including an earpiece which he put into his ear. ¡¸Nie Yan, you have at least five cars following you. You¡¯re also being tracked by satellite. Be careful! I left some weapons under your front passenger seat,¡¹Bayonet said. Nie Yan glanced to his right. Sure enough, there was a black duffel bag under the passenger seat. He grabbed it and placed it on the seat. While paying attention to the road, he unzipped the bag. Inside was a gun, a KJ-382 Burstfire with a sniper scope attachment. It had a firing range of 1,200 meters and a firing rate of three rounds per second. The bullets were needle-thin. Once they entered the target, they would explode. There were six clips in the duffel bag, containing 3,000 rounds each. This was a terrifying weapon. Even kevlar was useless against it. Only something like the heavy duty plating of a mech suit could defend against it. ¡°Nice.¡± Nie Yan remarked in pleasant surprise. Bayonet was actually able to get his hands on something like this. Besides the gun, there was also a military-style combat knife inside the duffel bag. It was wrapped in black strips of leather. ¡°A dagger!¡± Nie Yan¡¯s heart welled up with a sense of familiarity. His weapon of choice inside the game was precisely the dagger. Conviction¡¯s simulation was extremely close to reality, to the extent there was practically no difference. So, he was just as adept with the dagger in the real world. Even though he couldn¡¯t enter stealth, many of his techniques were still usable. His lips curved in a cold smile. He was well aware this was reality, but the enemy before him wanted his life. He naturally wouldn¡¯t hold back. The Thrawn gradually left the city behind. Nie Yan was still focused on driving, when three cars appeared out of nowhere and tried to ram him off the road. Nie Yan was a moment away from being struck. Even a sturdily built car like the Thrawn would take heavy damage if hit. He jerked his steering wheel to the side. BOOM! His car swerved into the woods beside the road. He drove for several more minutes through the woods until it grew too thick for him to continue. Strapping the dagger to his waist, he opened the car door and jumped out with the gun in hand. Throwing a quick glance behind him, he bolted deeper into the woods. Several vans came to a stop behind the Thrawn and almost 60 people jumped out. These were all hitmen hired by Cao Xu. They normally operated solo, and were even now unwilling to share the bounty on Nie Yan¡¯s head with the others. However, Cao Xu had instructed these lone wolves to work together as equals. Most of them felt sending so many after a single kid was excessive. If it weren¡¯t for the £¤5 billion, they wouldn¡¯t be here. They fired their submachine guns at the Thrawn. Bullets struck the metal frame of the car and bounced off everywhere. Afterwards, the hitmen went around the Thrawn and scanned the surroundings. However, there was no sign of Nie Yan. ¡¸What¡¯s the situation?¡¹Nie Yan asked through the intercom while dashing through the woods using the cover of the trees. ¡¸At least 300 people came, with 60 chasing behind you right now. About half of them are world famous hitmen. Our people are here too. This will be a bloodbath. You be careful. I managed to hack into their satellite and intercept their communications. We found Cao Xu. Shadow Killer is going after him right now. The rest of us will deal with the situation here,¡¹Bayonet said, sounding even more serious than usual. The people that came today weren¡¯t easy opponents. ¡¸You¡¯ve found Cao Xu already? Good, quickly eliminate him. Then we can finally put an end to this saga. As for the hitmen coming after me, we will kill them all!¡¹Nie Yan said, his eyes flashing with a cold light. With Mo Yuntian¡¯s people and his own, they had over 600 experts in total, most of whom were special forces. If they couldn¡¯t deal with this ragtag bunch of hitmen, they might as well commit suicide by headbutting a wall. ... After discovering Nie Yan wasn¡¯t in the Thrawn, the hitmen immediately carried out a search. As they expanded their search area, more and more hitmen entered the woods. Originally, they had the help of a satellite that was constantly tracking Nie Yan¡¯s position. However, just a moment ago, the signal went dead. No matter what they did, they couldn¡¯t get it working again. They cursed the piece of technology Cao Xu had given them. In the end, they could only rely on themselves. For Cao Xu to lose his satellite so quickly was a big loss. Unfortunately, with his contacts, he only managed to get his hands on a private, civilian-made satellite. It didn¡¯t take long for a hacking specialist like Bayonet to disable it. PSFHT! PSFHT! Suddenly, two of the hitmen that went into the woods to search for Nie Yan were lit up with bullets and collapsed to the ground. ¡°Enemy ambush! Take cover!¡± ¡°Shit! It¡¯s special forces soldiers!¡± These hitmen instantly went into a panic. Many of them could take on special forces soldiers one-on-one, but they were now facing a proper force. If a large unit came, they would be in serious trouble. An intense firefight unfolded. The hitmen refused to go down with a fight and started retaliating fiercely. ... Nie Yan hid within the woods. Thanks to Bayonet taking out Cao Xu¡¯s satellite, the hitmen had lost track of him. Meanwhile, his satellites were still fully operational. They could pinpoint the locations of their own people as well as those of the enemy. They had the clear advantage. Nie Yan¡¯s body was hidden within the tall grass, resembling a cheetah waiting to pounce. He scanned his eyes over the trees and spotted a hitman in black clothes walking in his direction. He pulled out his KJ-382. After lining the sights, he pulled the trigger. A muffled bang rang out. When the bullet pierced the hitman¡¯s throat, it exploded, causing blood to spray out in the air. A life-ending shot! Not bad! Nie Yan was satisfied with his own gun skills. This wasn¡¯t too surprising. After all, he had spent so much time training with Bayonet. Nie Yan stealthily walked out of the grass and spotted two camouflaged special forces soldiers. They were Mo Yuntian¡¯s men. Both sides spotted each other almost at the same time. A wave and a nod later, they went off in different directions. With the help of satellites, they could effectively avoid friendly fire because they knew exactly who was who. ¡°Over there!¡± ¡°Kill those two bastards!¡± Three hitmen came rushing over. They had likely noticed the two special forces soldiers from before. Nie Yan hid within the tall grass and approached one of the hitmen. The hitman suddenly heard a rustle. He looked behind him, but didn¡¯t discover anything. As he turned back, a shadow dashed from the grass. A cold glint was the last thing he saw. PSHFT! Nie Yan pierced the hitman¡¯s throat with his dagger. The hitman tried to open his mouth, but no sound came out. The two hitmen at the front sensed something wrong. Looking back, all they saw was the corpse of their comrade lying on the ground, blood still dripping from his throat. Their faces paled with horror. What frightening speed! Somebody had actually ambushed them from behind and killed one of their comrades without them noticing! One of the hitmen took out his SMG and pulled the trigger, sweeping a patch of woods with a hail of bullets. After he emptied his clip, he heard a muffled choke behind him. Turning around, his companion weakly collapsed to the ground, a gaping wound on his throat and eyes wide open. His heart trembled. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a dagger stuck to a tree, the blade still vibrating. The hidden expert had killed his companion by throwing their dagger. Before he had any time to react,a bullet pierced his forehead, and his vision went black. Nie Yan walked out from behind a tree, and pulled his dagger from the tree trunk. Sometimes, daggers were more useful than guns. After killing the three hitmen, Nie Yan ran off in another direction, looking for new targets. Checking his phone screen, the black dots that represented the enemy were disappearing one after the other. Before long, they would be completely wiped out. Bayonet was astonishing. He had killed over a dozen people by himself, and the targets he selected were all famous experts. The hitmen Cao Xu sent over were quickly getting killed off. That wasn¡¯t to say Nie Yan¡¯s side hadn¡¯t suffered any losses. 50 were dead and another 30 were seriously injured. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty. These men died for him. When this was all over, he would properly take care of the people they left behind and provide ample financial support. Death followed him through both lifetimes. Nie Yan didn¡¯t know whether what he was doing was right or wrong. However, sometimes, people had to do things they didn¡¯t want to. Before long, all the hitmen were taken care of. Bayonet used the satellite to scan the area. After confirming there was no one left, only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. He reported through the intercom,¡¸That was the last of them.¡¹ With all the hitmen dealt with, Nie Yan wondered if Cao Xu was still alive. Everything seemed to be going too smoothly, giving Nie Yan a sense of uneasiness. However, he quickly dispelled this from his mind. All the hitmen Cao Xu had mobilized were neutralized. The person himself had also been located. In this situation, what other moves could he possibly pull? If there were any other plans, Bayonet would¡¯ve already found out about it. Right now, Nie Yan just had to wait to hear back from Shadow Killer. If Shadow Killer could kill Cao Xu, everything would be settled. Bayonet had locked onto Cao Xu¡¯s location. He had no way of escaping! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 936 - Number One Assassin In the old, run-down bar, Cao Xu sat in a corner sipping his drink. Truthfully, ever since he went into hiding and started planning out Nie Yan¡¯s assassination, he already knew his fate. Because as long as he was alive, World Bloc, the Dragonsoar Financial Group, and Glory Financial Group wouldn¡¯t be able to rest easy. However, even if all that awaited him was death, he refused to die a lowly death. He was still Cao Xu! So, Cao Xu spent the entire £¤30 billion he made from selling his shares in the Century Financial Group on assassinating Nie Yan. He didn¡¯t leave a cent behind for himself. £¤10 billion was revealed out in the open while the remaining £¤20 billion was in a notary office. So long as Nie Yan died, all of it would be transferred to the bank account of whoever killed him. Cao Xu quietly drank his beer, a trace of spiciness flowing down his throat. He had to admit. Even if he killed Nie Yan, he had still lost. That little bit of dissatisfaction would never leave his heart. The bustling of the bar seemed to have nothing to do with him. Cao Xu knew the time he had left in this world was short. He took another sip of his drink. ¡°Server, another bottle!¡± Cao Xu shouted. A moment later, a server came over with a bottle of baijiu. ¡°Sir, your drink,¡± the server said, placing the bottle on the table. Cao Xu glanced at the server with slightly glazed over eyes. He gave a stupid grin, then muttered in a drunk stupor, ¡°You know, you¡¯re shit compared to Demon Fox. His disguises are far superior to yours.¡± The server¡¯s face turned cold. He subtly placed his hand into his inner breast pocket. Cao Xu picked up the bottle of alcohol and filled up his glass. Then he downed it in one gulp. The server was caught by surprise. If Cao Xu already recognized him, why did he drink and not run? Perhaps, he already knew his fate. ¡°How do you think Demon Fox became the number one hitman? It¡¯s not because his skills in combat are superior to other world-class hitmen, but rather that his disguises are flawless. Your pathetic attempt at a disguise is garbage in comparison. None of the other servers here have a gaze as sharp as yours. Besides, you¡¯re the only male server who isn¡¯t checking out the pretty patrons. Your eyes have been on me for some time now, like a predator stalking its prey. It¡¯s clear I¡¯m your target. One more thing. This isn¡¯t some high end establishment. You look completely out of place with your prim and proper look.¡± Cao Xu poured himself another glass. No one could tell whether he was drunk or sober. Even though Cao Xu knew he was in a perilous situation, his movements were still calm and collected. He gave off an air that one couldn¡¯t quite put into words. ¡°Report back to your master, and tell him this is my final gift to him. I, Cao Xu, started my career at 20 years of age by entering the Century Financial Group. At 31 years old, I climbed my way up to the ranks of general manager. At age 35, I sent my wife and children away. I brought down the chairman of the Century Financial Group and seized the position for myself. I¡¯ve since done more despicable things than I can count, or remember. Karma finally caught up to me. My wife and children were murdered. At age 56, I only had one son and one daughter left. What lies at the end for those who pursue only fame and fortune? The same as for everyone else; the earth and dust, leaving behind only myriad emotions. Such is the meaningless of life!¡± Cao Xu let out a bitter laugh, looking desolate. Looking at Cao Xu teetering on mad, the server sighed before before turning around and walking away. Elsewhere in the bar, Shadow Killer also let out a sigh. Cao Xu collapsed on the floor. The people in the bar were in chaos. Before long, the police would come. Those hidden in the darkness gradually withdrew. ... Nie Yan watched the livestream from his phone, sighing at how a ruthless and ambitious character like Cao Xu met such a pitiful end. He thought deeply on Cao Xu¡¯s final words. In his past life, Cao Xu had committed a multitude of evils, but no one could stop him until it was already far too late. Could it be that his rebirth in this life was also Cao Xu¡¯s retribution? Even Nie Yan couldn¡¯t explain how destiny tied everything together. With Cao Xu¡¯s death, Nie Yan finally felt the last weight in his heart disappear. This saga was finally over. ¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± Nie Yan said. His smile carried an indescribable feeling of relief. ¡°Nie Yan, watch out!¡± Bayonet¡¯s voice came shouting from behind. BANG! Nie Yan¡¯s smile froze on his face. He gazed down at his chest with a look of disbelief. A sickly sweet, iron taste rose up his throat. Raising his hand to his face, it was covered in his blood. This wet, sticky feeling felt so familiar. Nie Yan felt his eyelids slowly close, as if he were about to sink into an endless darkness. One silhouette after another flashed through his mind: his father, his mother, Xie Yao, Tang Yao, Guo Huai, Bayonet, and many, many others. All those who¡¯d left a lasting impression in his life. However, at this moment, they seemed to drift farther and farther away. He reached out to grab them, but all he saw was an infinite void of black. ¡°Am I really going to die like this? ¡°The past four years seem like a dream now. Or was this perhaps reality, continuing from that one moment? ¡°Maybe it was fate all along. Fate gave me the opportunity to make up for my past regrets. And now that I have, it¡¯s taking me back. Such a mysterious thing. ¡°But I don¡¯t want it to end like this. Please, dear God, give me some more time. Let me see my father and mother live out their golden years in peace, and let me see her beautiful face again! ¡°Am I too late? Was this wish never meant to be fulfilled? ¡°I finished what I came back for. My loved ones are safe, and Cao Xu is dead. ¡°Xie Yao, my love. There are many great guys in this world, maybe you will find one of them and fall in love all over again. I just hope you can be happy. I still remember many years ago, when the warm sunlight shone down on your fair cheeks; your beautiful sweet smile as you gazed at me. ¡°Farewell, my love.¡± Nie Yan felt his consciousness slip, the panicked shouts by his earside growing distant until everything faded away into a deathly silence. ¡°Hurry! Get him hemostatics! ¡°Put pressure on the wound! Quickly! ¡°Doctor! Get a doctor already!¡± Bayonet madly shouted, his voice growing hoarse. His tiger-like eyes were filled with fury. Two doctors soon rushed over and nervously started treating Nie Yan¡¯s wound. About 1,600 meters away, a person hidden in camouflage was peering through a scope with a cruel grin on his face. He was certain the bullet had struck the heart. A follow-up was unnecessary. Too many were crowding around Nie Yan anyway. There was no second chance even if he wanted to. He dropped his sniper rifle and dashed away. Bayonet looked toward the east. That was the direction the bullet came from! He immediately spotted a green silhouette flash between the trees. The slightest of movements, but it didn¡¯t escape his vision. He dashed off after it. Right now, his mind was filled with only a singular thought! The satellite had shown that all the hitmen were killed, but someone had still slipped through the net. The enemy had disguised themselves and infiltrated their works! It was also possible something had occurred during the battle, or perhaps they were compromised long before. This kind of style, Bayonet could only think of one person¡ªthe number one assassin, Demon Fox! Demon Fox was one of the most mysterious assassins in the world. He rarely accepted new contracts, but when he did, it would always be for ludicrous sums. Though having never failed, he was worth the price. It didn¡¯t matter if the target was an important government figure or large tycoon. All of them had died at his hands. Not to mention he was like a ghost. No one had ever met the person. This was Cao Xu¡¯s trump card. All other hitmen were merely a smokescreen! Sadly, Bayonet only realized this now. Bayonet felt like a piece of his heart had been carved out with a steak knife. Working so closely together with Nie Yan, their relationship was no longer as simply as employer and employee. He viewed Nie Yan as a little brother! Demon Fox flitted across the woods, running for a thousand meters. Glancing back, he confirmed no one chased after him. He threw off his special forces uniform into the nearby brush, then changed into ordinary civilian clothing. He looked just like a graceful young master. It was as if everything that happened in the woods had nothing to do with him. When he¡¯d taken action, he¡¯d interfered with the satellite so that it wouldn¡¯t mark him as a target. He chuckled. The mission was complete. He only had to confirm Nie Yan¡¯s death, and the £¤20 billion could be transferred to his account. The profession of an assassin was truly lucrative. He walked over to the side of the road where a car was waiting for him. Demon Fox reached out to open the door, when he heard a muffled bang. He felt an intense pain in his chest. He gazed down in disbelief. A large hole, with blood flowing from it. His eyes glazed over as he slumped to the ground. A silhouette came walking out of the woods about 1,000 meters away. It was Bayonet. He arrived at the corpse with an ice-calm expression on his face. When he fired the shot a moment ago, he missed the heart on purpose. Demon Fox had suffered a serious injury, but it would take him several minutes to bleed out and die. Demon Fox¡¯s body was twitching in pain. He wanted to climb up. Bayonet walked over and planted his foot on Demon Fox¡¯s back. Demon Fox trembled intensely. ¡°W-who are you?¡± Demon Fox asked, gritting his teeth. He didn¡¯t even have the strength to raise his head. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the courtesy of knowing who killed you. I¡¯m Bayonet,¡± Bayonet said coldly. He took out his pistol and aimed it at Demon Fox¡¯s head. ¡°S-so it was you¡­ hah¡­ to die at your hands, I really can¡¯t believe it,¡± Demon Fox grinned. He originally wanted to chuckle, but it came out uglier than a crying face. Bayonet pulled the trigger. BANG! Demon Fox¡¯s brains splattered over the ground. Demon Fox spasmed one last time before going dead still. Looking at Demon Fox¡¯s corpse, Bayonet¡¯s fury was sated, only a sense of sorrow left in his heart. That brat Nie Yan, was he really dead? He refused to believe this was reality, but he had no other choice. He raised his head to the sky and let out a thundering cry as tears dripped down his face. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 937 - Mystery of Life or Death In a villa on the outskirts of Huahai. Xie Yao walked around restlessly, a constant worry for Nie Yan gripping at her heart. She couldn¡¯t help but worry something bad was going to happen. Cao Xu had hired nearly 300 hitmen to kill Nie Yan. Though he also had a small army of himself protecting him, it was still impossible for her to relax. Cao Xu was a wily old fox. Who knew if he had some sort of last ace up his sleeve. Xie Yao prayed nothing would happen to Nie Yan. She didn¡¯t know what she would do if something did happen to him. Xie Yao sat on a sofa by the window. The sun shone through the window and on her face. She wore a long white dress, beautiful like a dream, indescribable. Anyone would think she was a peerless beauty. However, this peerless beauty was sick with worry. A 25 years old woman in an office dress rushed into the room. ¡°Miss, something bad has happened!¡± she said with a panicked voice. Xie Yao¡¯s heart sank. ¡°What happened!?¡± ¡°Nie Yan was shot in the heart. He¡¯s in surgery right now. Maybe-¡± She was about to say something, but thought better of it. ¡°The chairman says you should go to the hospital.¡± Xie Yao looked deathly pale as though she was struck by lightning. How was this possible... No! He will be fine! Xie Yao stood up and grabbed her jacket. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Xie Yao and the lady ran out of the villa and stepped into the car waiting for them outside. The car immediately sped away. ... Every news agency jumped on the news of Cao Xu¡¯s death. This story quickly grew wings as it crossed the world. Having lived in the spotlight for so many years, the entire world knew Cao Xu. So, his death would naturally garner a lot of attention. Police quickly arrived at the scene of the crime and conducted a thorough investigation. They found that Cao Xu had died from poisoning. According to eyewitness records, the deceased showed signs of suicidal tendencies; both in the amount of liquor he drank and the words he spoke. However, due to a satellite malfunction these reports couldn¡¯t be confirmed, and it would be hard to convince the public of them. Nevertheless, a lot of people were happy to hear of Cao Xu¡¯s death. In other news, it was reported that Nie Yan, the young master of World Bloc and future son-in-law of the Glory and Dragonsoar Financial Groups, was shot in the heart and currently fighting for his life. If it were only for these titles, not many people would care. They had other things to worry about than some big shot from a large financial group. However, Nie Yan was better known under another name¨CNirvana Flame! If Nirvana Flame died, who knew what great waves would wash over Conviction? A rumour started spreading that Cao Xu had sent hitmen to take Nie Yan out. Afraid and desperate that he would be found out, he took his own life. It was unclear whether there was any truth to this rumour. It was said that one of Cao Xu¡¯s former confidantes had requested the police to release the satellite footage. The police complied, but the videos were all noise and static. This only served to fan the conspiracy theories further. Another rumour started spreading that some of Cao Xu¡¯s men had attempted to enter Huahai First Hospital to confirm Nie Yan¡¯s death. But they couldn¡¯t find out anything. Apparently, Cao Xu had left £¤20 billion with an underworld notary. If Demon Fox successfully killed Nie Yan, the money would be his. If he failed, whoever did kill Nie Yan would receive the money. However, it seemed like Demon Fox went missing as well, never showing up to turn in the mission. The Huahai First Hospital didn¡¯t give any updates on Nie Yan¡¯s condition to the public. His life and death became an unsolvable mystery. Over the next two months, countless people eagerly followed the news, expecting an update on Nie Yan¡¯s condition. However, none came; not from the hospital nor from World Bloc. In fact, all mentions of Nie Yan on the intensive care ward were removed as though he¡¯d never been there in the first place. This made everyone feel silly. All the major news outlets started writing pieces guessing as to whether Nie Yan was still alive or dead. Some people asked the doctors who were supposedly in charge of Nie Yan, but even they didn¡¯t know. Nie Yan had indeed arrived at the Huahai First Hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest. However, early the next morning he was secretly moved to an undisclosed location. The hospital and World Bloc only kept the ruse up for the patient¡¯s safety. Something that was proven a wise choice, as five terrorist attacks hit the hospital within these two months. Naturally, World Bloc rewarded the hospital generously for all their troubles. Some employees could even retire because of it and live a life of comfort. Learning Nie Yan was moved to an undisclosed location within 24 hours after being shot only added to the suspense. If Nie Yan died, World Bloc shouldn¡¯t be holding up the news but rather announcing when the funeral would be. However, if he survived, then why did they move him the next day after surgery? Everyone knew this was the most crucial moment in a recovery. Were they not worried that transport would irritate the wound and cause internal bleeding? With an injury to the heart, internal bleeding could be deathly! He¡¯d be done for! However, if Nie Yan was already dead, there was of course nothing to worry about. The mystery of the life or death of Nie Yan was impossible to unravel. Many people checked Conviction every day to see if Nirvana Flame had logged on yet. However, they were left disappointed. Ever since Nie Yan, or Nirvana Flame, was shot, he hadn¡¯t logged back online. The Mad Rogue already started becoming a distant memory in the hearts of the players. Some people said Nie Yan was dead. Others claimed to have spotted him with Xie Yao at some famous tourist attraction. Either way, Nirvana Flame didn¡¯t show himself again. Perhaps he was alive and simply felt he had reached the peak in the game, deciding to leave on a high. There were many more guesses floating around online. Who knew, perhaps one of them was real. Time slowly passed and the game changed with it. Players still spoke of the legend of the Mad Rogue. However, many more had forgotten about him. As the third anniversary of Nirvana Flame¡¯s departure from Conviction came and went, the playerbase finally accepted the legendary Thief was gone for good. Over the last three years, World Bloc worked together with the Glory and Dragonsoar Financial Groups to take care of the last people still loyal to Cao Xu. As for the £¤20 billion left with an underworld notary, a certain hacker had made it disappear from their account. This caused them to fall into disrepute. The Century Financial Group, now in the hands of World Bloc, took over many businesses. They became more profitable than ever before, leaving former shareholders filled with regret. World Bloc became one of the biggest holding companies in the world. After the Century Financial Group, they also bought shares from the Glory and Dragonsoar Financial Groups and took over hundreds of listed companies. They became an incredibly powerful business empire. In the entire world, only the Brutus Capital Group could rival them. However, unlike the Brutus Capital Group, World Bloc was completely family-owned. As for Conviction, Asskickers United still controlled the entire Righteous Faction. Even without Nie Yan, they still had players like Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and Sun to keep the other powers in check. If anyone tried anything funny, they would simply squash them beneath their feet. The only threat came from the underworld. Fallen Angel still ruled over the underworld and was growing stronger by the day. ... On a small island in the western Pacific Ocean, where it always felt like spring. The sun shined brightly, reflecting on the golden sands and blue ocean. It was a beautiful scene. This island was originally a famous tourist center belonging to the United States of America. A year ago, however, World Bloc bought it and turned it into private property. In the middle of the island, they built a castle, which looked magnificent under the sun. A golden beach wrapped around the island. There was only a single place in the shade, the sun blocked by a large parasol. Lounging in one of two deck chairs beneath the parasol was a fit, young man wearing only red swim shorts. He had a healthy bronze skin. His stomach was slowly moving up and down and his eyes were closed shut. A husky jumped up from underneath his deck chair, but the young man didn¡¯t seem to notice. It seemed he was adamant on continuing his sleep. From the middle of the isle a girl in bikini came walking over, happily greeting the husky running at her. She was 1.65 meters tall with skin as white as curd. The water on her body quickly evaporated as she let the sun overhead shine in her face. She wore only a bikini, her face beautiful and her body curved to perfection. Anyone that saw her would be instantly enamored. This was because there was a certain elegance to her. With each step, her buttocks slightly jumbled with grace. Even though the young girl knew that aside from the young men in red swim shorts and a few maids there was no one else on the entire island, she still blushed. The bashfulness only added to her her charm. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 938 - Recollection of the Mad Rogue The young woman walked up to the empty deck chair and sat down beside the man. She gazed at his still fast asleep face, a faint warmth in her heart. It was really hard to look back on that nightmare three years ago. Fortunately, that was all behind them now. As long as she could be with him, even if it was just quietly staying by his side, she felt truly blessed. The young woman fell asleep. As she opened her eyes, she found herself walking down the aisle, her father by her side. At the altar stood the young man wearing a suit, a kind smile on his face. This beautiful dream was of her happiest moment alive. A year ago, she¡¯d married the man of her dreams in a small private setting. After which they took their time traveling the world. Still half asleep, she slowly woke up to a tickling sensation on her chest. Opening her drowsy eyes, she found the young man had woken up. His hands were on her breasts, softly kneading them. ¡°Nie Yan! You ass!¡± Xie Yao pouted. ¡°You look so sexy. How could I not?¡± Nie Yan whispered in Xie Yao¡¯s ear with a teasing smile. This was the very Nie Yan who got shot in the heart three years ago. Against all expectations, he¡¯d pulled through. If the world were to find out, who knew what kind of large waves that would set off. Back then, Nie Yan was only an inch from death. Even with the ability of his pocket watch to alter the direction of the bullet as well as Bayonet¡¯s warning shout, he still hadn¡¯t had enough time to dodge. He only moved a little to the side before the bullet pierced his heart. Nie Yan had a massive haemorrhage of the heart. Fortunately, two special forces military doctors performed an on sight procedure to seal the wounds with a special coagulant. This simple treatment preserved his life until he arrived at the hospital. Nie Yan was fortunate to have such a strong body. If it were an ordinary person, they¡¯d have died without a shadow of a doubt. Huahai First Hospital unfortunately couldn¡¯t do much for Nie Yan. His heart was too badly damaged. Even if they did all they could to patch him back up, he wouldn¡¯t make a full recovery. There would be a loss to the function of his heart. His only hope was to find a match for a heart transplant. However, though the technology for it had advanced tremendously, hearts were in short supply. Especially since it was forbidden by law for a healthy person to offer up their heart. So, Huahai First Hospital had done what they could, then frozen Nie Yan in. The next morning, he was transported away. Two maids walked over toward the beach before promptly turning around and bolting away, their cheeks a deep red. Xie Yao finally found some strength and shot Nie Yan a reproachful look. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, I¡¯m innocent. You asked for it,¡± Nie Yan looked at Xie Yao with a smile on his face. ¡°Stop it.¡± Xie Yao slapped Nie Yan¡¯s chest, her cheeks a gorgeous pink. Xie Yao draped a jacket over her shoulders, secretly glancing at Nie Yan. Maybe this time she would get pregnant. The reason she¡¯d seduced Nie Yan with her outfit today was because she¡¯d just ovulated. After being married for a year, their feelings for each other had grown all the more profound. She really wanted to give Nie Yan a baby. Thinking back to what just happened, she couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed. Not to mention they¡¯d even been spotted. Fortunately, apart from Nie Yan, there were only women on the island. Though even with them, she wasn¡¯t sure if she could ever look them in the eyes again. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± Looking at Xie Yao¡¯s embarrassed look, Nie Yan laughed. One man, one woman. They walked along a trail to the middle of the island, where a castle towered over the trees. It was an auspicious and peaceful scene, as though the outside world couldn¡¯t disturb their tranquil life. ... Inside Conviction. Even after Nie Yan¡¯s disappearance, Asskickers United still remained the ruler of the Righteous Faction. No one had managed to shake their rule. Okoron had become the heart of the Righteous Faction, its prosperity unimaginable. The streets were bustling, with players going everywhere. They could hardly breathe, it was that busy. Although Okoron was already larger than Calore after several more expansions over the last three years, there still wasn¡¯t enough room for the players to move around freely. Players from both the Viridian Empire and Satreen Empire visited Okoron. This meant a wide variety of races, like humans, elves, and orcs, all congregated here. The atmosphere was bustling. The shop owners on the sides of the streets were naturally delighted with the business. All of them were raking in the profits. Apart from the shops, the players who set up their wares on the street were also making good money, hawking at the passing crowd. ¡°Selling Level 170 Dark Gold Warboots! It increases movement speed and resistances. If you want to look, whisper me!¡± ¡°Selling Level 190 Gold-grade Thief chest armour. It increases skill ranks. Quickly get it before it''s sold!¡± The vendors on both sides of the streets were selling all sorts of skill books, equipment, and other items. Anyone that came here would gawk at the sight. A player clad in black armour walked down the street. He was wearing the Morans Magic Armour Set and carried two Blackfiend greatswords on his back. He was heading in the direction of the Starry Night Potion Shop. The players in the surroundings noticed the unrivalled aura coming off of him. They all paled in fright and parted ways to let him through. That person continued walking normally, not paying the slightest attention to those around him. ¡°Whos it that guy?¡± a player couldn¡¯t help but ask, looking at this person¡¯s massive back. ¡°How do you not know him? He¡¯s Asskickers United¡¯s Smoke Stub! A Level 197 Sword Saint! He has the most potential to advance to a Legend. Apparently, he¡¯s already in the middle of the advancement quest. One of my friends in Asskickers United told me Smoke Stub was tasked with soloing the Level 200 Demonified Lord Abyssal Blight Dragon in World¡¯s Edge. He almost killed it!¡± ¡°No wonder! I only saw his back, so I didn¡¯t recognize him. I was about to say, who could possibly be that fierce, wearing the Morans Magic Armour Set and the dual Legendary Blackfiend Greatswords. Damn, challenging a Level 200 Demonfied Lord. He¡¯s really amazing!¡± a player exclaimed. ¡°Of course. Smoke Stub is one of the bigshots of Asskickers United. Most frightening is that there are people who are even stronger. Their number one expert Sparrow Hawk is Level 203. He can already solo Level 200 Demonified Lords!¡± ¡°Apparently, when Nirvana Flame was only Level 150, he could already solo Level 180 Demonified Lords with his Tyrant Abak set. If he were still here today, that number one position would definitely belong to him.¡± ¡°What a shame. He¡¯s already been gone for three years. He¡¯s still around Level 150. I¡¯m guessing Sparrow Hawk and the rest have gone far ahead of him.¡± They quietly chatted with each other, sighing deeply in their hearts. The Mad Rogue would never appear again, only leaving behind an unforgettable memory. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 939 - Chairman of the Dark Council Over these past three years, Conviction released two new dungeons, Chaos Temple and Sword of the War God. Both accelerated the levelling speed of players. More and more people completed their second class advancements, with Masters becoming commonplace. All sorts of powerful equipment dropped from the two new dungeons. Asskickers United¡¯s strength had grown by an astonishing degree. The main guild had over 1,000,000 members, and the 30 or so branch guilds combined together had another 9,000,000 members. Among all these guilds, the now had 10,000 Masters. After Nie Yan¡¯s departure, many outstanding talents rose up from the Righteous Faction. Some could even rival Bladelight, Sun, and the rest. Not to mention the even greater number of players who entered the ranks of experts after coming across a lucky encounter. As for the Evil Faction, Fallen Angel also underwent tremendous growth, their strength rivalling Asskickers United¡¯s. Even though the two great powers butted heads occasionally, there was no sign of a big conflict. If a war did occur, neither side would win. Smoke Stub arrived outside the Starry Night Potion Shop. The branch in Okoron was a Tier 16 building. The size of a large mall, its architectural design was distinctly from the Abernathy Great Grasslands, giving off an ancient tribal feeling. The shop was bustling. Players browsed the hundreds of thousands of different potions on display. The number of transactions processed by the Starry Night Potion Shop every day was extremely frightening. In this establishment alone, there were 60 counters and hundreds of sales clerks processing purchases. Smoke Stub walked to the very back of the shop and entered a side room only members of Asskickers United were allowed to enter. A dozen people were already there waiting for him. ¡°Smoke Stub, you¡¯re late,¡± an Arcane Mage in silver ashen robes said with a faint smile. It was Tang Yao. He was wearing the Drankto Obscurus Robes, a Level 200 Legendary-grade item. In his hand was the Dark Inheritance Staff. Attached to the tip was a black crystal orb with a nebula of arcane energy circulating inside. Floating above his shoulder was a dark fairy about the size of a small child. The translucent black wings growing from its back fluttered up and down. With every beat, a whirlpool of magic energy would pulse out. ¡°Sorry, I got held back on the way here,¡± Smoke Stub said with an apologetic smile. Smoke Stub glanced over the group of people. They were all familiar faces. Since everyone was usually off levelling on their own, they rarely ever got a chance to meet like this. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can make it up by treating us all to a few rounds of beer in our next get-together!¡± a tall Warrior laughed. The person speaking was Bladelight. He was taller than the people around him by a head. The Arlan Warsuit he was clad in looked just like a mech suit from the real world, protecting his whole body without a single gap. He got this set from the Chaos Temple. The powerful void metal was impervious to attacks. In his hand was the azure coloured Kelan Divine Shield. It was about half his height, and if he hunkered down, it could protect his entire body. A blue aura constantly thrummed around the shield, making it seem like it had a life of its own. The queer runic engravings were only barely visible under the blue glow. ¡°Damn, you switched out that dragon shield?¡± Smoke Stub asked in surprise. ¡°Its defense was too low for me. I passed it down to Lofty Shadow.¡± Bladelight laughed. The defense was too low!? Smoke Stub rolled his eyes. If anyone else dared to say that the dragon shield¡¯s defense was too low, he¡¯d slap them to tomorrow. ¡°Alright, enough chatting. Bird prepared the 600 Sage-grade potions we requested. Let¡¯s set out,¡± Bladelight said. He was the captain of the team while Young Seven was the vice-captain. There were 36 people in total. They were Asskickers United¡¯s top elites. ¡°Mhm.¡± Smoke Stub nodded. After the potions were divided up, they teleported to the city outskirts and summoned their flying mounts. Of the 36 flying mounts, there were 19 Rank 9 flying mounts while the rest were Rank 8. Two of them were on the verge of breaking through to the Legendary realm. This kind of lineup was one of a kind. The 36 flying mounts flapped their wings and took to the skies. They flew in the direction of the Chaos Temple. After passing through the dimensional portal of the temple, you could reach the Sword of the War God. It was an enormous sword floating in the middle of the void. No one knew how long it had been there, but it was petrified. On top of it was a desolate barren. This was one of two great dungeons that came out recently. ... While in the Righteous Faction everything was peaceful and quiet, something huge happened in the Evil Faction. Necropolis, the capital of the underworld, was carrying out a grand ceremony. The appearance of this city was extremely unique. The ground was dotted with an endless sea of gravestones. Walking to the center of the graveyard, one would find an enormous portal gate. Floating just above the gate was a giant eye gazing around at the surroundings. The magic eye emitted a gloomy cold light. Anyone that saw it would feel like it was alive. After entering the gate, players would be teleported to an underground grave. All around was green corpse water, flowing and crisscrossing every which way like a giant underworld river. Players who were unfamiliar with this place would easily get lost. After travelling through the river landscape for a while, you would arrive in a massive underground city. A labyrinth of streets and buildings, it was no different from the cities on the surface. At this moment, on the main road, a grand ceremony was taking place. Necromancers in black robes raised their staff and summoned up balls of green soulfire, which hovered up and down in the air. They stood around an altar in the center of the city, muttering cryptic incantations. The central altar was made out of ashen-gray rocks. It covered a 600-meter wide area. 10 large Sanguine Dragons lay crouched down around the altar, trembling in fear. Outside were 6,000,000 players observing the ceremony. They converged from the various interlinking streets and made a loud ruckus. As the Necromancers continuously chanted, a large throne emerged above the altar. An NPC in black robes appeared in front of it and sat down. A long scepter hovered in front of his chest. Attached to the top was a black skull. Its jaw would occasionally unhinge and let out a frightening cackle. A powerful aura of death radiated from his body, spreading out to the surroundings. All the players on the scene could feel their bodies brimming with strength. The NPC raised his skull scepter and announced, ¡°I am the Lich King, the ruler of the underworld. My soul is forever undying. In this world, I am the most powerful! Even fate is not beyond my control! I represent the will of the Death God. May death walk with you wherever you go, and spread out to everything you see. Calamity, blight, fear, madness. No mortal can escape death. All will fall into its domain.¡± Countless gazes focused on the throne. For many people here, this was their first time seeing the Lich King, the unquestionable ruler of the undead. It was rumoured he controlled the entire undead army of the underworld. Every time he set out, 30 bone dragons would pull his carriage. When he declared war, hundreds of millions of undead would surge forward at his call. The Lich King¡¯s powerful aura caused everyone to involuntarily bow their heads. ¡°My pious believer, come up here,¡± the Lich King¡¯s hoarse voice rang out. A Dark Incantist in gray robes slowly walked up. When everyone saw him, they held their breaths. It was the guild leader of Fallen Angel! Why would he appear here of all places!? Why did the Lich King call him up there? They were all curious to find out. The Fallen Angel players below erupted with thunderous cheers. The Lich King flicked his wrist. A black crown appear in his hand. It was encrusted with blood red gems, which emanated a dazzling radiance. Plenty walked up to the Lich King and kneeled down before him. The Lich King placed the crown on Plenty¡¯s head. ¡°From now on, you will be the chairman of the Dark Council, the leader of the underworld. This grace is only given to the most faithful believers. This grace is only given to a member of the Undead Empire who has fought for the glory of the underworld. Countless ancestors relied on their unyielding will to conquer the arrogant and despicable mortals countless times before. Now, you have inherited their will. Shoot down the sun of the Atlanta continent! The soul of Hades, awaken! Bless your believer!¡± Everyone was astonished. The Chairman of the Dark Council, just how high of a rank was this title? Many players suddenly recalled a matter. Wasn¡¯t it said that if you collected all six volumes of the Book of Chaos, you could become the Chairman of the Dark Council? Didn¡¯t this mean that Plenty had already completed the Book of Chaos? This was an incredibly shocking piece of news! After Plenty received the crown, the staff in his hand shattered and transformed into a two-meter tall scepter. A powerful aura of death overflowed from his body. He stood up and gazed down at the crowd below. ¡°I am the new Chairman of the Dark Council! All the members of the underworld are under my command. Those who do not submit to Fallen Angel, shall be killed! All those who oppose me, shall also be killed!¡± Plenty¡¯s sharp gaze pierced the souls of all the spectators, his overwhelming killing intent causing them to tremble in fear. Plenty¡¯s words were extremely arrogant, but he had every right to be. After becoming the Chairman of the Dark Council, there was no one in the underworld that could oppose him. The Fallen Angel players below felt their blood boiling with excitement. They broke into even more fervent cheers. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 940 - Back into the Thick of Things News of Plenty¡¯s ascension to the Chairman of the Dark Council spread like wildfire, from the underworld to every corner of the surface. Before long, it was known to everyone in both great factions. Asskickers United¡¯s guild chat. A group of people were chatting. ¡¸What kind of title is Chairman of the Dark Council? I wonder what¡¯ll happen now,¡¹a Warrior said. ¡¸It¡¯s similar to the Supreme Pontiff of the Righteous Faction. So, you tell me,¡¹a Priest replied. The Warrior dropped his jaw in shock.¡¸So, you¡¯re telling me that even Bladelight¡¯s Judge of the End, Smoke Stub¡¯s Will of Kawasi, and Sparrow Hawk¡¯s Adjudicator of Light titles can¡¯t compare?¡¹ ¡¸Those three titles are roughly on par with the old boss¡¯ Great Prophet title. They¡¯re far inferior to Chairman of the Dark Council. If the old boss were still here, he¡¯d probably already be the Supreme Pontiff of the Temple of Light. He¡¯d shut those guys in the underworld up.¡¹ When the topic shifted to Nie Yan, everyone became sad. The guild chat became quiet. ¡¸Without Nie Yan around, when did you guys all become so useless? It¡¯s just a title, nothing more. What¡¯s there to be amazed about? You should worry about levelling instead. There are plenty of high rank titles, Will of God Nirta, Will of the Radiant God, Undying King, I could go on. Any one of those are better than Chairman of the Dark Council!¡¹Guo Huai berated in voice chat. ¡¸Executive Guild Leader, those are impossible to get,¡¹a player quietly muttered. Titles like Chairman of the Dark Council and Supreme Pontiff required you to complete the Book of Chaos or Book of Order respectively. As for titles like Will of God Nirta, Will of the Radiant God, and Undying King, those were even more difficult to obtain. ¡¸Either way, Fallen Angel still has no way of threatening us. After all, our Righteous Faction has so many Legendary NPCs. If the Evil Faction wanted to siege our cities and strongholds, they¡¯ll be in for a rude awakening. When we have our first Legendary players, they¡¯ll have even less of a chance,¡¹Bladelight said. Discussion about the Chairman of the Dark Council title continued for a long time. It was highly unlikely anyone would obtain a title that could rival it anytime soon. The top experts in the guild all felt under pressure. Right now, Asskickers United and Fallen Angel were roughly equal in strength. So, Fallen Angel wouldn¡¯t try anything. However, if they started falling behind in strength, that might change in the future. The Chairman of the Dark Council could mobilize a large number of undead forces. If a war broke out, the consequences would be hard to imagine. ¡¸We have no choice but to be careful, not just in the game but outside in the real world too. You guys know that World Bloc and the Brutus Capital Group each basically rule half the world now. If a conflict breaks out between the two of them, it will most definitely begin in Conviction. Fallen Angel will start by launching an attack on Asskickers United. Three years ago, Plenty said that as long as Nie Yan was in Asskickers United, he wouldn¡¯t touch us. However, Nie Yan has since left us. Even if he makes a return now, he¡¯ll only be at Level 150, and the only title he still has of note is Great Prophet. His equipment is still pretty strong, but it¡¯s far too weak compared to that of the current top players. Now, all the best equipment is found in the Chaos Temple and Sword of the War God. Ordinary equipment has no way of competing,¡¹Guo Huai said. The fact that Nie Yan¡¯s equipment of three years ago still allowed him to enter the ranks of experts was a testament to his strength back then. However, his glory days were long over. Even if he logged back on now, it wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference. After three years, the average skill level of the playerbase had seen tremendous growth. Sun, King of the World, and the others had caught up to Nie Yan and surpassed him. In all fairness, Nie Yan had laid out the groundwork for them. They didn¡¯t need to do much of anything. The guild chat eventually shifted to another topic. ¡­ A player in a gray cloak was walking through the streets of Calore. The hood over his head covered his face, hiding his appearance from view. Seeing the discussion in the guild chat, his expression was filled with shock. Plenty had actually become the Chairman of the Dark Council! The Supreme Pontiff of the Temple of Light, huh¡­? He let out a deep sigh. That was a long and distant memory. If he hadn¡¯t been shot in the heart, he probably would¡¯ve already ascended to that position two years ago. Sun and the others had helped him find most of the chapters from the Book of Order. If he went back to collect them, he¡¯d only be missing four chapters. Becoming the Supreme Pontiff wasn¡¯t that far off. However, it had been three years. In the eyes of an expert, this was an incredibly long time. His level had fallen behind, and his skills were rusty. Given the three-year gap, catching back up to the top experts would be tough to say the least. Not to mention the long revalidation process after undergoing a heart transplant. Though he was physically in great shape again, his game senses had thoroughly deteriorated. Making a comeback would be incredibly difficult. Add on the fact that more and more powerful equipment and skills had been added to the game, along with there being many new combat styles that he hadn¡¯t encountered before, if he were to go against a top expert, he wouldn¡¯t even have a 1% chance of winning. If he were to reveal himself to the guild members in this state, they would probably be sorely disappointed. Nie Yan thought for a bit before deciding that he¡¯d cross that bridge when he came to it. Right now, he was in appear offline. After the release of the Chaos Temple, Conviction introduced this new function. It could hide his online presence from everyone, including friends and guild members. His level, pet information, and various other stats wouldn¡¯t update on the leaderboards, and if someone were to record footage of him, it would show him as a hazy silhouette. This lasted all the way up to until he left this state. This new status mode was extremely useful. Even if Nie Yan couldn¡¯t climb back to the peak, sneaking back into the game as a casual player was fine too. Like this, he could still enjoy the entertainment of the game. With Cao Xu death and World Bloc thriving, Asskickers United found itself in an incredibly stable position. He only wanted to get back into the game to kill some time. Nie Yan walked into the Starry Night Potion Shop, then found his way to a counter in the backroom. Even though Nie Yan¡¯s appearance was hidden by a cloak, the guild emblem on his chest still proved he was a member of Asskickers United. ¡°How can I help you, sir?¡± the clerk greeted politely. He looked to be around 30 years old. He gazed at Nie Yan curiously. After all, it wasn¡¯t everyday that a member of Asskickers United acted so mysteriously in the backroom of the Starry Night Potion Shop. However, on second thought, Asskickers United was huge. For there to be one or two weirdos was pretty normal. ¡°I¡¯d like 50 Disguise Potions, 120 Health Potions, 10 Poison Resistance Potions, 10 Ice Resistance Potions¡­ all of them at your highest grade,¡± Nie Yan said in a purposefully hoarse voice. ¡°S-sir?¡± The clerk¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°You do realize the highest rank potions we offer here are Sage-rank, right? You surely know about the restriction. Only core members can buy these potions. Please show me your membership badge.¡± Nie Yan took out his membership badge. It was crescent shaped. ¡°M-magicite?¡± The clerk¡¯s face paled. He immediately became a lot more respectful. ¡°Please hold on a moment. We will get you your potions as soon as possible, two minutes at most.¡± Asskickers United¡¯s membership badges were divided into several types: bronze, silver, gold, and magicite. The higher the rank, the higher the member¡¯s position in the guild. In all of Asskickers United, only 30 members held a magicite badge. Anything under 2,000,000 gold could be withdrawn for free every month. All they had to do was record their names. The clerk wondered what sort of big shot stood before him right now. He gazed at Nie Yan curiously, finding his silhouette somewhat familiar. Before long, the potions Nie Yan requested were delivered and placed on the counter. ¡°Sir, here are all the potions you asked for. Please collect them. The total price is 670,000 gold. Just sign your name here,¡± the clerk said. ¡°No need, I¡¯ll just pay directly.¡± Nie Yan shook his head, handing over 670,000 gold. After completing the transaction, Nie Yan put away the potions in his bag, then turned around and left. The clerk stared at Nie Yan¡¯s departing back, finding it all the more familiar. Soon, a certain person flashed in his mind. However, when he was about to look more closely, Nie Yan had already disappeared behind the door. He smacked his head. Did he see wrong? Nie Yan walked out of the Starry Night Potion Shop. He drank a Specialist Disguise Potion and changed his appearance to look more average and less handsome. Looking a bit uglier was not a problem. He was just here kill time anyway. Bird and the others¡¯ skills had improved immensely over these past three years. These Specialist Disguise Potions had a duration of two days. Like this, he wouldn¡¯t have to keep drinking potions every few hours. As Nie Yan strolled through the streets, he pulled up the official website. It was filled with many different videos. Searching for Thief related ones and filtering for most viewed and highest rated ones, videos of Sun, King of the World, Mistaken Smile, Shadow Killer, and the others came up at the very top. It looked like none of them had slacked off since his disappearance. Nie Yan smiled and started watching the videos. They would help him recover his skills quicker. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 941 - Inheritance Gem Sun, King of the World, Mistaken Smile, and all the other top Thieves who had received guidance from him had truly grown strong enough to stand on their own. After watching the stunning battles in the videos, Nie Yan felt he definitely couldn¡¯t do any better than them. He let out a deep sigh, a mix of gratification and regret in his heart. Maybe coming back was unnecessary. Asskickers United was in good hands. Plus, even if he wanted to claw his way back to the peak, he was already past his prime. He might as well enjoy his retirement in peace. Nie Yan glanced at his pet window. Even though he¡¯d hatched the Divine Eclipse Dragon over three years ago, it was still at Level 0. Then there was the final empty pet slot. Thinking for a bit, he decided to take one of the dragon eggs from the guild treasury. When they cleared out the last of the Violet Eye Dragons from the nest all those years ago, they obtained three eggs. Those quickly found an owner. However, there still was a Violet Eye Dragon egg sitting in the guild treasury. Apparently, it was produced later on when the tamed Violet Eye Dragons bred. This was definitely a rare event. Nie Yan decided to hatch this Violet Eye Dragon, then feed it an Evolution Crystal. Like this, he would have three dragon pets. With their unrivalled firepower, his levelling speed would quickly increase. The Chaos Temple dropped a skill book called Spirit Awe. It was a passive skill that was available to all classes. After learning it, all pets would flee at the mere sight of you. So, when PvPing against experts, pets were effectively useless. Nevertheless, three powerful pets would accelerate his levelling speed by quite a bit, saving him a lot of time. He needed every little advantage he could get because he had fallen too far behind in level. Nie Yan headed to the treasury manager. Pulling open the treasury window, he bought the Violet Eye Dragon egg for 3,000,000 merit points. This was an unimaginable sum for ordinary guild members. But to him, it was only a drop in the ocean. News of the Violet Eye Dragon egg disappearing from the guild treasury sent large waves among some players who¡¯d been working on getting the merit points for it. However, with so many other amazing items in the guild treasury, one less dragon egg didn¡¯t attract too much attention. After Beast Tamer Hall had finished taming the Violet Eye Dragons, he decided to open up a pet shop in Okoron. Nie Yan went here to hatch it, after which he fed the Violet Eye Dragon an Evolution Crystal, raising its Growth Rate from 15 to 20 and putting it on par with Lil¡¯ Gold. However, it was still a far ways off from the 30 points of the Divine Eclipse Dragon. Nie Yan went back to browsing the guild treasury to see if there were any other good items. His gear hadn¡¯t improved in three years. Many of the items inside the treasury were far better than what he was currently wearing. Not to mention the treasury had grown even more dazzling. There was pretty much anything you could imagine, with no lack of oddities and ends. He would have to check the auction house out too and see what was up for sale. Even though his equipment was still the same, the amount of gold he had his disposal ballooned dramatically. Just the Starry Night Potion Shop brought in gold in the 10 digits daily. After browsing for a bit, Nie Yan concluded the guild treasury was truly filled with good things. However, most of these items still couldn¡¯t enter his eyes. He shifted his focus to the Special Items section. It consisted of over 30 pages and 100,000 items in total. There were many items Nie Yan didn¡¯t recognize. Occasionally, he would find something interesting. The sheer amount of items left his head spinning. Flipping to the next page, a particular item caught his eye. Heart of Gaia: Special Item Description: Earth Resistance +50, Earth Magic +20% Gaia¡¯s Might: Channel the power of Gaia and become immune to all earth damage. Duration: 30 seconds. Cooldown: 20 minutes. Restrictions: Righteous Faction Nie Yan recalled the Kiln Fire Heart and Heart of Winter, both of them still in his bag. So he was right! These items were part of a series! Taking the Heart of Gaia, Nie Yan started searching for other similar items. Before long, he found two more, the Aqua Heart and Arcana Heart. The Kiln Fire Heart, Heart of Winter, Heart of Gaia, Aqua Heart, and Arcana Heart emitted a multicoloured radiance in Nie Yan¡¯s palm. He wondered if there were any others and what their use was when put together. Nie Yan sunk into deep thought. These items were most definitely part of a series, and there were likely only five of them! For items like the Kiln Fire Heart, 50 Magic Resistance was pretty decent, but not something to write home about at this stage of the game. The supplementary skill was better, but it took time to cast. Skills like Kiln Fire and Gaia¡¯s Might simply weren¡¯t practical in PvP. When facing off against a Mage, you wouldn¡¯t know if they were going to use Fire Magic, Earth Magic, or even combination magic. Apart, these items were of little value to Nie Yan. However, perhaps he could bring them together. He still had Pandora¡¯s Box which had the synthesize option. It was worth a try. Worst case scenario, he would lose the five items because he didn¡¯t have a synthesis recipe. This wouldn¡¯t be much of a loss to him, whereas the best case scenario would net him a great item! Nie Yan placed the five gems inside Pandora¡¯s Box. The five gems shined with different colours. Do you wish to synthesize these items? Yes! The box lit up with a dazzling radiance that threatened to blind him. Nie Yan quickly covered his eyes with his arms. He could sense five different energies being transformed, then melded together, letting out a scorching heat. Ah, seems like a failure, Nie Yan thought. He didn¡¯t have high hopes. After all, he was attempting this without a synthesis recipe. There were strict rules to the things you could synthesize inside Pandora¡¯s Box. You couldn¡¯t throw in just anything you wanted. Long ago, he¡¯d tried to synthesize several low grade gems. The end result was nothing being produced and all of the gems being destroyed. This was only an experiment. Nie Yan had no idea if he would succeed. Pandora¡¯s Box continued to radiate a scorching heat for several minutes before finally settling down. A crisp notification jingle rang out. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. This was the sound of a successful synthesis! Nie Yan hurriedly opened Pandora¡¯s Box and found a five-coloured gem. It was about the size of an egg and completely translucent. Pulsing with different colours, it occasionally released scorching hot fire energy that seemed to come from the depths of the earth, the biting cold ice energy from the heart of the tundra, and so on. This gem certainlty looked out of the ordinary. Nie Yan wondered what sort of effects it had. So, he examined it. Elemental Heart: Special Item Description: All Elemental Resistance +500, Magic +50% Elemental Familiarity (Passive): Greatly weaken elemental damage from all sources with a 20% chance of nullifying it. Restrictions: Righteous Faction All Elemental Resistance +500 was incredible even by today¡¯s standards. The skills of the Kiln Fire Heart, Heart of Winter, and other three items had all disappeared, replaced with Elemental Familiarity, which reduced elemental damage and had a 20% chance of nullifying it. This was definitely a top-notch item! Nie Yan equipped the Elemental Heart into his accessory slot. What was a strong player without an equally amazing accessory? Every slot had to be used to its full potential! Many of Nie Yan¡¯s accessories needed to be changed out. He would have to build up his gear again one step at a time. Nie Yan continued browsing through the guild treasury. Seeing the gobsmacking number of items, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Since his departure three years ago, many things had changed. The treasury had so many more new special items, many of which were even better than what he currently had. One could imagine how much the players of Asskickers United had grown! Nie Yan¡¯s eyes fell on a particular set of items. His heart trembled. It¡¯s them! They were three gems, Inheritance of Radiance, Inheritance of Darkness, and Inheritance of Fire. These items were probably found by the players from Asskickers United. However, they didn¡¯t know what they were used for and so left them in the guild treasury. The Glimpse of Darkness recorded down how to obtain the Abak Tyrant Set. After following all the clues, searching far and wide, and expanding who knew how much effort, Nie Yan finally collected all the pieces and completed the set. Later on, when he completed the Glimpse of Light, it described how to obtain the five Inheritance Gems. These five gems were used to strengthen the Tyrant Abak Set. In other words, the Tyrant Abak Set could become stronger. Even though the Level 180 Tyrant Abak Set was still fairly powerful at this stage of the game, it was nothing compared to the gear of the strongest few players. However, after strengthening it with the Inheritance Gems, Nie Yan wondered how powerful it would become. After withdrawing the Inheritance of Light, Inheritance of Darkness, and Inheritance of Fire, Nie Yan still needed two more Inheritance Gems. They were the Inheritance of Life and Inheritance of Arcana. Two new quests popped up in Nie Yan¡¯s quest window. The Inheritance of Life has been stolen by the Chaos Keepers in Judgement Valley. Punish these petty robbers! This is your glory. May the Light bless you. The Inheritance of Arcana has been lost in the Sin Swamp of the underworld. It is brimming with danger there. Brave adventurer, set foot on your journey and retrieve this gem! Nie Yan already knew where the remaining two gems were. He wondered what would happen to the Tyrant Abak Set after he gathered them. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 942 - Demon Realm Stone As Nie Yan continued browsing the guild treasury, he found two map pieces called Cahill¡¯s Memories. Cahill¡¯s Parchment Scroll (Damaged): Seeker¡¯s Memories Nie Yan recalled he had such a treasure map fragment in his bag. He¡¯d gotten it from a Thief called Jack the Ripper who he killed many years ago. This item had been sitting in the corner of his bag ever since. He¡¯d forgotten all about it. However, seeing the two other map pieces jolted his memory. He placed the three pieces together. They just happened to make a complete treasure map. Nie Yan wondered what the grade of this treasure map was. There was a complex route drawn on it. It was likely the introduction for a quest. However, he had no interest in going treasure hunting right now, so he decided to put it on the backburner. He tossed the treasure map into his bag. Continuing his search of the guild treasury, Nie Yan found nothing else that caught his interest. Many Special Items were related to quests. Their stats weren¡¯t that great, but they could trigger follow-up quests to obtain better loot. Nie Yan thought for a moment. His main priorities were to collect the Inheritance Gems and complete the Book of Order. Becoming the Supreme Pontiff wouldn¡¯t just be important to him but the entire guild as well. Even though Asskickers United and Fallen Angel hadn¡¯t had any major conflicts, if a war were to break out, Plenty would have a significant advantage since he could mobilize the army of the Evil Faction. Three years ago, Plenty had said that he wouldn¡¯t touch Asskickers United as long as Nie Yan was around. However, that was then, and this was now. The only reason Plenty had said those words was because he feared Nie Yan¡¯s strength. Now, Nie Yan was no longer the Mad Rogue who instilled fear in all. He lacked all leverage to force Plenty to comply with their previous promise. If he could attain the Supreme Pontiff title, however, he would at least have some way of alleviating the pressure coming from Fallen Angel. Nie Yan decided to do some power leveling first as well as finding the remaining Inheritance Gems. Right now, he was too lacking in both level and gear. If he didn¡¯t get stronger, obtaining the remaining chapters from the Book of Order would be impossible. Sun and the others had tried to collect the remaining four chapters, but they all failed. With Nie Yan¡¯s current strength, the results wouldn¡¯t be any different. Nie Yan made a trip to the auction house but failed to find any gains. He teleported to the outskirts of Okoron with Instant Transmission, then summoned the Darkwing Dragon and took off in the air. The Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon was no longer one of its kind. In the entire Righteous Faction, apart from his there were already five other Darkwing Dragons, two of which were also Rank 9. So, Nie Yan didn¡¯t have to worry about being recognized. Nie Yan glanced at his bag, his gaze landing on the Demon Realm Stone inside. This was something he¡¯d obtained a long time ago. Demon Realm Stone: Special Item Description: A stone from the remote demon realm, from where all darkness energy originates. It contains powerful darkness energy. In times long past, the demons had stolen three Demon Realm Stones from the demon realm. They didn¡¯t get far, as the Demon Realm Sentinels hunted them down and killed them. But the Demon Realm Stones were never retrieved, lost somewhere within the human world. Possible Effect: If directly consumed by a creature with the darkness attribute, it can raise their strength, completely transforming them or allowing them to directly break through. It can also lead to several unexpected side effects. Nie Yan wondered if he should feed the Demon Realm Stone to the Darkwing Dragon. Back when he first obtained this item, the Darkwing Dragon was Asskickers United¡¯s sole Rank 9 flying mount. It was an extremely important asset in the war against Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group. If it ate the Demon Realm Stone and died, it would¡¯ve been a huge blow to the guild. Now, however, Rank 9 flying mounts were no longer that rare. Perhaps he could try his luck to see if it could help the Darkwing Dragon break through to Rank 10. Rank 10 was within the realm of Legendary. The Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon had fallen to mediocrity. If he fed it the Demon Realm Stone, he would at least have a chance of getting it to Rank 10. There was no harm in trying. Having made up his mind, Nie Yan enjoyed the scenery down below. Roughly 15 minutes later, Judgement Valley was already within view and Nie Yan had his Darkwing Dragon land on the ground. Nie Yan took out the Demon Realm Stone from his bag. The Darkwing Dragon instantly focused its attention on the stone in his hand. The Demon Realm Stone couldn¡¯t look any more ordinary, but it was extremely enticing to dark attribute creatures. Contained inside was the purest darkness energy. As a person climbed toward the peak, the path would grow increasingly narrow. Sometimes, there was no choice but to brave risks. If they succeeded, they would look down on the world. If they failed, they would fall back to the earth. This reasoning could also be used for the Darkwing Dragon. If it wanted to break through the ranks of Legendary, it would have to take some risks. Nie Yan tossed the Demon Realm Stone in the air. The Darkwing Dragon opened its mouth and swallowed it in one gulp. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s body erupted with a dazzling black radiance. The incredibly pure darkness energy ignited and started burning like scorching hot flames. It let out a mournful cry as it started trashing about in pain, toppling down several trees in the surroundings. Under the black flames, they were reduced to ash on touch. Nie Yan wrinkled his brows. The Demon Realm Stone was more frightening than he imagined. The darkness energy contained within these black flames was incredibly volatile. He didn¡¯t know if the Darkwing Dragon could endure it. If it could, its strength would go up by leaps and bounds. If it couldn¡¯t, it might even die. Mulling it over, Nie Yan decided to retrieve the Darkwing Dragon back to his pet space. He would check up on it later. A red sun hung just above the mountain peaks far in the distance, dying the woods a crimson colour. The air was brimming with the stench of blood. Judgement Valley! This place was one of the first passages between the underworld and surface. It was where the two great factions clashed. The map had five occupation points. Players from the Righteous Faction and Evil Faction would fight for control of them. The number of PvP battles that occurred here on a daily basis exceeded at least 10,000. The deaths were innumerable. This was one of the places where the experts of both factions gathered. If it were before, Nie Yan would¡¯ve walked around the place like he owned it. Now, however, he had no choice but to be careful. At present, Nie Yan was only Level 156, far behind the top players. His equipment was also no longer the best, nor did he have an advantage in terms of skills. Plus, extremely skilled players could be found everywhere. He didn¡¯t dare to think he was still superior. If he encountered an expert, he wasn¡¯t confident he could win, let alone crush them like three years ago. I¡¯ll get the Inheritance Gem and leave! Nie Yan didn¡¯t want to linger here for too long. Recovering his strength was the greater priority. Just when Nie Yan was about to head in the depths of Judgement valley, he heard a rustling in the distance. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. People! He immediately entered stealth. Five silhouettes flew out of the woods. They were all Evil Faction Players: a Slayer, Mystic, Dark Zealot, Necromancer, and Dark Incantist. Their average level was over 180, with the strongest among them being Level 186. Most of their gear was also chaos equipment. Chaos equipment came from the Chaos Temple. They all shared one trait, and that was high defense. Facing this lineup of people, Nie Yan immediately felt the pressure. He carefully snuck over, activating Extreme Disappear. The players today all had frighteningly high Awareness. If he wasn¡¯t careful, he would be discovered. If Nie Yan had kept playing over these past three years, he would definitely be well over Level 200 by now. Crushing these people would be as simple as could be. However, he couldn¡¯t linger on hypotheticals and what-ifs. Now, he wasn¡¯t even remotely their match. For better or for worse, he simply wasn¡¯t under that much pressure, nor was his desire to raise his strength that intense. ¡°What happened here?¡± the Dark Zealot asked with a frown. It appeared as if a fire had gone through this place. Six trees had been toppled over and burned to ash. ¡°That dragon cry we heard just now came from here. Could it be that a dragon died here? But where¡¯s the corpse?¡± the Slayer said suspiciously. The group started investigating the place. These people had come here because they heard the Darkwing Dragon. The Dark Zealot was the leader of this group. Upon closer inspection, Nie Yan saw a Fallen Angel emblem on his chest. He was a member of Fallen Angel! These people were unfamiliar to him. Likely, they had joined after his departure. Countless experts had popped out of the woodworks over these past three years. Nie Yan didn¡¯t dare to underestimate them. Transcendent Insight! Nie Yan circled around to an area about 20 meters from the Dark Zealot. He wanted to take a look at their stats. At this moment, the Mystic in the group sensed something off. ¡°A Thief!¡± Their faces turned cold. The Necromancer waved his staff and placed down a green wooden stick. At the top was an eye. As it looked around, a light shone on Nie Yan, revealing him from stealth. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. His Stealth stat was already too low. In the past, he could be within five meter of these people, and they wouldn¡¯t notice a thing. Of course, the biggest factor here was the fact that he was over 30 levels lower than these players. ¡°It¡¯s a Righteous Faction player! Kill him! Don¡¯t let him run!¡± the Dark Zealot ordered. 1. Nie Yan gets the map piece in against the strongest Thief in Radiant Sacred Flame, Jack the Ripper. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 943 - Clever Use of the Incorporeal Potion As soon as the Dark Zealot gave the order, the Mystic blinked over to within five meter of Nie Yan. With a flick of his wrist, his hands ignited with a ball of flames. His sword went ablaze as he let loose a slash. ¡°Die!¡± the Mystic shouted. Nie Yan¡¯s name was invisible, but his level wasn¡¯t. ¡°Judgement Valley is no place for weak Level 156 trash!¡± What frightening speed! This attack speed was unprecedented three years ago. Even the Nie Yan of back then wasn¡¯t this fast! A scorching hot flame sword cleaved down. Nie Yan hurriedly had Kalenna buff him with several blessings. Gale Step! With a flash of light, Nie Yan took advantage of the brief invincibility of Gale Step to retreat far back. A second slower and he would¡¯ve been toast. ¡°Oh? Pretty quick. You¡¯ve got a guardian angel too. But if you want to escape me, it won¡¯t be that simple!¡± the Mystic blinked over, his flaming sword already cleaving down on Nie Yan. BOOOM! Everything within a 10-meter radius was engulfed in an inferno. As the flames reached his skin, Nie Yan activated Shadow Waltz and dashed out. If not for the game sense and instinct Nie Yan built up before he quit, he would¡¯ve been swallowed up by the flames. This attack speed was far beyond his imagination. He felt true danger for the first time. So a Mystic could be this powerful! Before the invincibility of Shadow Waltz wore off, the Necromancer had already summoned 30 skeletons to block Nie Yan¡¯s path. The Dark Incantist buffed them, then threw out several curses at Nie Yan. However, none of them stuck. So, he immediately switched to magic attacks. ¡°You actually need our help to kill a Level 156 scrub? Fiendmark, are you still asleep? Come on, man!¡± the Necromancer chided. Fiendmark was already annoyed that his curses were ineffective. The Necromancer¡¯s snide remark only served to further infuriate him. ¡°Something is weird about this Thief. My curses don¡¯t work on him!¡± the Dark Incantist said. The Slayer shot forward like a meteor. A dexterity focused Slayer was the most potent killer, even more frightening than a Thief. Nie Yan¡¯s invincibility had just worn off, when he saw a torrent of slashes coming straight towards him. His heart trembled. The skeletons were blocking his path of escape! With a flick of his wrist, he switched out to Zennarde¡¯s Sword and let out a deep roar. Annihilation Slash! 10 flaming swords merged together in the air, then came cleaving down towards the ground. BOOOM! The skeletons were obliterated. The Necromancer looked in shock at the enormous sword. He quickly waved his staff as an enormous bone shield appeared in front of him. BANG! It was instantly destroyed, exploding into pieces. The remnant force from the attack struck his body, dealing 13,000 damage. Even though the Necromancer had well over 30,000 health, he was still badly frightened by this attack. If it weren¡¯t for his bone shield just now, he would¡¯ve been killed! Wasn¡¯t this Thief supposed to be only Level 156? ¡°What the hell! Are you sure he is a Level 156 Thief?¡± the Necromancer cursed. ¡°H-holy shit! I-it¡¯s Nirvana Flame! That¡¯s Zennarde¡¯s Sword in his hand!¡± the Dark Incantist cried out in fright. ¡°Damn, you¡¯re right! It is Nirvana Flame! I¡¯m sure of it!¡± the Slayer cried out. He had closed in on Nie Yan, only to have all his attacks parried. He could hardly imagine an ordinary Thief pulling off such a feat. However, if he really was the Mad Rogue, everything made sense. Three years ago, just the mention of his name would cause the players of the underworld to pale in fear. Stood he really before them today? Everyone was stunned. ¡°Fuck! Don¡¯t just stand there you idiots! Kill him! What the hell are you afraid of? He¡¯s just a Level 156 Thief, and his equipment is shit! Even if he is Nirvana Flame, so what? He is nothing but a washed up expert, a low level piece of trash! We have five on our side!¡± the Dark Zealot cried out. The five of them had an average level of 183. Yet they were scared of a Level 156 Thief. If word got out, they would be laughingstocks! The four players snapped back to their senses. They might be facing Nirvana Flame, but he was still only a Level 156 Thief. Not to mention he hadn¡¯t played in years, so his skills had probably deteriorated. ¡°We kill him today and record it! When we post the video online, the whole world will see that the Mad Rogue is nothing more than trash!¡± the Slayer exclaimed, his eyes flashing with a cruel light. The dual blades in his hands turned into streaks as he sent out 10 slashes flying towards Nie Yan. A washed up expert? Trash? Nie Yan¡¯s anger boiled. Even though he hadn¡¯t logged on in three years, his honor couldn¡¯t be besmirched! Want to kill me? It won¡¯t be that easy! Nie Yan knew that killing these five people today was impossible. He simply wasn¡¯t strong enough. They were clearly no strangers to PvP, and their teamwork was excellent. Not to mention they were far higher level than him. Even a trump card like the Annihilation Slash only dealt 13,000 damage to the Necromancer, to say nothing of the others. Nie Yan¡¯s eyes flashed with a cold light as he noted down the faces of the five in his head. Nie Yan had used up all his escape skills. Yet these five were still pursuing him relentlessly. If he clashed with them head-on, they would force him into the passive and ultimately kill him. Escaping this party of five would be incredibly difficult. Five Level 180+ experts who used skills he¡¯d never seen before. Their might was frightening! To be able to endure until now was already his limit. If others knew that Nie Yan could last almost two minutes against a group of Level 180+ players despite only being Level 156, they¡¯d be flabbergasted. How could he escape? Their attacks were too fierce! No matter how he ran, they would stick to him like burrs, and overtake him. Nie Yan sidestepped an attack from the Necromancer and had Kalenna protect him with a shield. At the same time, a slash came cleaving down on him. He couldn¡¯t dodge in time. PSSHFT! The shield instantly shattered. A damage value of over 17,000 floated up above his head. That¡¯s it! A light bulb lit up in Nie Yan¡¯s head. Three spells came whizzing towards Nie Yan. The Mystic and Slayer also charged toward him from the flanks. Shadow Clone! Nie Yan¡¯s body split into two, each dashing off in a different direction. ¡°It¡¯s his shadow clone!¡± ¡°Which one is real?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know. Catch them both!¡± Nie Yan¡¯s actions caught these players off guard. They had no idea which one to chase after. ¡°I¡¯ll go chase that one!¡± the Mystic said. He blinked over and came hurtling down with a crescent slash. When the Slayer saw the Mystic chasing after one of them, he went off chasing the other. Nie Yan glanced over his shoulder and found the Slayer chasing after him. A caster also had their eyes on him, several spells about to hit him. Nie Yan activated Holy Descent. BANG! BANG! BANG! The spells struck him one after the other but failed to deal any damage. Under the cover of the explosions, Nie Yan drank a Sage-rank Incorporeal Potion. His body disappeared and became intangible. The Slayer came from behind and slashed down on Nie Yan with his two blades. PSHFT! PSFHT! It was almost as if he cut into clouds. His target disappeared like smoke. The Slayer was stunned. He quickly shouted, ¡°This one is the fake! That¡¯s the real one!¡± The Slayer immediately turned around and headed over to the other Nie Yan. The other three casters also focused their attention in that direction. The Sage-rank Incorporeal Potion made the user¡¯s body incorporeal, lasting for a total of three minutes. However, their movement speed would be greatly reduced. In these three minutes, they could at most cover a distance of about 400 meters. If you were in a battle and the enemy knew you used an Incorporeal Potion, they would simply guard the surroundings and stay on the lookout. After several minutes, the potion effect would wear off and you would enter a weakened state for 30 seconds. In other words, you would be an easy target. For this reason, Incorporeal Potions weren¡¯t practical in most situations. The players from Fallen Angel chased after the shadow clone. Nie Yan had it use all its speed boosting skills. Its speed was still consderiable. It leaped into the air, traversing over 30 meters, then shot out a web line and swung for another dozen meters. The five players relentlessly pursued the shadow clone. Before long, they surrounded it. With the enemy running away from him, Nie Yan struggled to escape in the other direction, looking for a place to hide. The Mystic conjured up a ball of fire and slammed it into the shadow clone¡¯s abdomen. BOOM! It was sent flying, a damage value of over 16,000 floating up above its head. The shadow clone struggled to crawl back to its feet, attempting to escape. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Three spells ruthlessly bombarded its body. POOF! The shadow clone collapsed into a puff of smoke and disappeared before their eyes. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s going on?¡± the Mystic asked in confusion. ¡°Both were fake? Then where¡¯s the real one?¡± the Slayer was dumbstruck. Just what happened? The trick Nie Yan pulled with the Incorporeal Potion had utterly fooled them. They were at a complete loss at what to do. ¡°Nirvana Flame got away?¡± Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 944 - Chaos Keeper A Level 156 player had actually escaped right from under their noses! If their fellow guild members found out about this, they could never raise their heads again, even if the escapee was Nirvana Flame! ¡°Guys, think carefully! How did he escape?¡± Fiendmark said. Even now, he still had no idea what happened. They saw Nie Yan split into two people, then run off in opposite directions. How did both end up being fake? Where was the real one? ¡°I don¡¯t know. It makes no sense,¡± the Necromancer said. Everyone was scratching their heads. ¡°That guy is real slippery. No wonder everyone considered him invincible,¡± Fiendmark gloomily remarked. A Level 156 Thief had actually played them for complete fools. Given their better equipment and higher levels, the five of them still couldn¡¯t do anything to Nie Yan. He couldn¡¯t imagine what the result would be if it were back during Nie Yan¡¯s peak. ¡°I think I know how he did it! He fled when I attacked him!¡± the Slayer exclaimed. ¡°When?¡± The others turned to the Slayer. ¡°Do you remember when we killed the first one? He disappeared like a puff of smoke when our attacks landed on him. That¡¯s why we thought it was the fake!¡± the Slayer said. He was truly amazed that Nie Yan employed such a clever trick to pull the wool over their eyes. ¡°Wait. Are you saying he used an Incorporeal Potion?¡± the Necromancer asked, finally realizing what happened. ¡°Right! He definitely used an Incorporeal Pootion!¡± the Slayer nodded. The Mad Rogue¡¯s shadow clone had substance. When it was attacked, it would take damage. That small detail had slipped their mind. After all, they had never faced him before. All they knew was from hearsay over the years, nothing concrete like whether the clone was just an illusion or had actual substance. Not to mention in that kind of tense situation, they simply didn¡¯t have the time to consider all possibilities. They all glanced at each other in dismay. Even this kind of method worked. In any other situation, a Level 156 Thief had no way of escaping them. However, today, they had been thoroughly duped and had their horizons widened. ¡°Sure, he has a few tricks up his sleeve. But the next time we meet, we¡¯ll come prepared!¡± the Necromancer said. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll give us another chance? I¡¯m guessing if he sees us again, he¡¯ll stay far away. Thankfully, his level is too low. It¡¯ll take him at least a few years to catch back up. We¡¯re lucky we won¡¯t have to worry about being stalked by him,¡± the Dark Zealot sighed. After today¡¯s fight, he got a glimpse of how amazing the Nirvana Flame of three years ago was. ¡°Devil Sky, should we chase after him? He used an Incorporeal Potion. That means he couldn¡¯t have gone far,¡± the Necromancer asked. ¡°Are you stupid? Even if Nirvana Flame is only Level 156 right now, he¡¯s still the guild leader of Asskickers United. You think he¡¯s that easy to bully? With a single word from him, all the tens of thousands of Asskickers United players in Judgement Valley will come down on us with the might of Thor¡¯s hammer! If you want to throw your life away, go ahead, but don¡¯t drag us down with you!¡± the Dark Zealot cursed. ¡°Also, don¡¯t speak about what happened today to anyone. If people find out, we won¡¯t have the face to show ourselves again.¡± Fiendmark and the others could only leave with their heads hanging low in dejection. After Devil Sky¡¯s party disappeared into the forest, Nie Yan stepped out from behind a tree with a bitter smile on his face. If it weren¡¯t for his quick thinking just now, he would¡¯ve been dead. Nie Yan simply wasn¡¯t strong enough to take on the attacks of a Level 180+ player. Recalling the Mystic, he still felt fear lingering in his heart. In the eyes of that party, none of them top experts, a Level 156 player like Nie Yan was only trash. Players on the level of Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and Tang Yao probably wouldn¡¯t even bother to stop and kill him. To them, even that party of five was easy pickings! Nie Yan wondered if Devil Sky¡¯s party would reveal news of his return to the world of Conviction. His past fame was simply too dazzling. If others found out he was trying to make a comeback, who knew how many eyes would start targeting him. Moreover, who knew how many people were waiting for him to make a fool of himself! The players on the forums, especially those who didn¡¯t like him in the first place, would almost certainly mock him to no end. ¡°Look, that¡¯s Nirvana Flame, the wash-up piece of trash.¡± As for the players from Asskickers United, Nie Yan didn¡¯t know how he would face them. The taunts would only become more aggressive if he decided to leave again so quickly after returning. ¡°Haha! A few words and Nirvana Flame is already too scared to log back on anymore!¡± Nie Yan rubbed his forehead. This was human nature. When you were powerful, many people would praise you, fear you, and envy you. When you fell from the top back to rock bottom, only your closest friends would stay by your side. The rest wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kick you while you were down. The more miserable you became, the happier they were. Faced with the ridicule of the world, are you just going to give up? Nie Yan¡¯s eyes flashed with determination. He coldly snorted. Call me a washed-up expert, will you? I¡¯ll prove to all of you that even if I haven¡¯t logged on in three years, I¡¯m still the legendary Mad Rogue! Trust me, I will climb back to the top! Nie Yan¡¯s heart brimmed with motivation. In the beginning, he relied on his unshakable confidence to slowly walk his way to the peak and make Assskickers United the absolute ruler of the Righteous Faction. Even though some of it had to do with luck and the knowledge from his past life, his success was born from so much more than that. Perhaps his skills and strength played the biggest role. One day, I will let everyone know that Nirvana Flame is still the Mad Rogue and not someone to be mocked. This is the dignity of the Mad Rogue! Originally, Nie Yan just wanted to walk the path of an ordinary player and spend the rest of his days in relaxation. In the end, however, he wasn¡¯t willing to let himself become a relic of the past; or perhaps he just refused to linger in mediocrity. He¡¯d already spent more than enough time doing that in his past life. In this second chance, he wanted to spurn this path and rule over the world from high atop the clouds. Nie Yan clenched his fists. He finally had a new goal. Looking far into the distance, he entered stealth and dashed into the forest. With his current strength, PvPing with others wasn¡¯t the wisest choice. He needed to quickly raise his level. However, he knew all too well the struggles of levelling up. Every successive level required a ludicrous amount of experience. He needed to hole himself up somewhere where no one would disturb him and start a power levelling session! Let¡¯s find the Inheritance of Life first, Nie Yan thought. If he could obtain the two remaining Inheritance Gems and upgrade the Tyrant Abak Set, levelling up would be much easier. Nie Yan headed straight into the depths of Judgement Valley. He encountered many players on his path. All of them were at least Level 170. Any players weaker than that would generally be throwing their lives away. This was the gathering place of experts, after all! They frequently came here to hone their skills and PvP against their peers. Level wasn¡¯t the be all and end all of combat. Some Level 190 players who came here might even find themselves cut down by a Level 170 expert. These players who lived on the battlefield and those who spent most of their time grinding monsters to level weren¡¯t on the same plane in terms of skill. When Nie Yan encountered Evil Faction players, he would take a long detour around them. His exchange with Devil Sky¡¯s party made him realize his situation. His level was simply too low. His stealth ability could no longer cope. As Nie Yan travelled deeper into Judgement Valley, a wide-open space appeared before his eyes. This was the central area of the map, about 3,000 meters away from the passage to the underworld. In the center of the clearing was an enormous demonic beast. It was six meters tall with pitch-black fur. It looked just like a minotaur, save for a pair of large fleshy wings growing from its back. It held a large cleave in its hand. ¡°GROAAGH!¡± The demonic beast let out a world-shaking roar. A large group of players were gathered around it. Because they were too far away, he couldn¡¯t make out their appearances. This Chaos Keeper was actually a Level 190 Demonic Lord! Nie Yan was dumbstruck that such a powerful monster showed up in Judgement Valley. This was too frightening! What Nie Yan didn¡¯t know was that after his disappearance three years ago, more and more powerful bosses started appearing in the Atlanta continent. Let alone Level 190 Demonified Lords, even Level 250 Demonified Lords weren¡¯t super rare anymore! It appeared the release of the Chaos Temple had caused this. Nie Yan bitterly smiled. He had fallen too far behind. Nie Yan originally wanted to see if he could kill the Chaos Keeper to obtain the Inheritance of Life. However, looking at the fight raging on before him, he came to the painful realization that he couldn¡¯t even take on those players, let alone the boss. A shower of spells rained down on the Chaos Keeper, creating a lightshow of explosions. There were players from both factions fighting the Chaos Keeper. It was extremely chaotic. For any side to kill the Chaos Keeper would be no easy matter. ¡°GRRAAOGH!¡± The Chaos Keeper cleaved down with its cleave, creating a massive slash that swallowed up several hundred players. The surviving players started to retreat in fear, scattering in all directions. The Chaos Keeper went into pursuit, with every slash of its blade, several dozen heads would fly. Nie Yan sucked in a cold breath of air. What a powerful monster! Nie Yan estimated only the top experts of both factions could kill this Chaos Keeper. However, those players were gathered in the Chaos Temple and Sword of the War God. None of them would come here! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 945 - Dark Demonic Space Starting from Level 180, every 10 level difference meant an exponential increase in power for Demonic Lords. Beyond Level 200, that would be entering the realm of Legendary, A Level 190 Demonic Lord was no joke. Three years ago, Nie Yan could at most deal with a Level 180 Demonified Lord. If he encountered a Level 190 Demonified Lord, he would be dead before he had a chance to escape. Seeing the Chaos Keeper sweeping through the players below, Nie Yan decided to give up on the Inheritance of Life for now. Honestly, defeating the Chaos Keeper was fairly simple. All he had to do was have Guo Huai send over a few people, and he wouldn¡¯t even have to lift a finger. However, that would defeat the purpose. Besides, if Nie Yan wasn¡¯t the one to kill the Chaos Keeper, the Inheritance of Life might not even drop. The Chaos Keeper respawned once every 10 days. It appeared his objective today would end in failure. Seeing the Chaos Keeper rampaging around, Nie Yan¡¯s expression became resolute. Since he¡¯d decided to climb back to the peak, it would be his first target. If Nie Yan could defeat the Chaos Keeper, that meant he had taken one step forward on the path of power. Slow and steady wins the race. Nie Yan pulled open Conviction¡¯s website and started searching for a good location for a power levelling session. Most high level maps were filled with people. Nie Yan wanted to find a secluded place with a high mob density! After skimming through numerous threads and guides, Nie Yan finally found a suitable place, a solo dungeon called Dark Demonic Space. There were countless Level 180 monsters inside, while only players Level 180 and below could enter. The maximum amount of time you could stay inside was two days. If you cleared it before then, you would receive a bonus reward. The current fastest clear time belonged to Howling Wind of the Satreen Empire at a little over five hours. The next best records were all over eight hours. ¡°Soloing a new dungeon, huh¡­¡± Nie Yan licked his lips. This dungeon was perfect for him. It could only be run until Level 180. That meant, the levelling speed would be extremely quick. The dungeon was in the vicinity of Judgement Valley. Players from both factions could enter. Nie Yan activated Gale Step and flitted through the forest. About 10 minutes later, Nie Yan arrived at his destination. An enormous portal in the shape of a black gate entered his vision. There was a steady stream of players constantly entering inside. Those who died in Judgement Valley and fell below Level 180 would come here to raise their level back up. Generally, only Level 170¨C180 players would enter this dungeon. Any lower than that, and it would be hard to progress. However, Nie Yan still decided to go in and take a look. After all, he was convinced he could easily take on a Level 180 player in a duel. Not to mention his multiple powerful pets and summons. ¡°It¡¯s time to start power levelling!¡± Nie Yan was filled with excitement. He¡¯d already stagnated at Level 156 for far too long. Nie Yan approached the gate. Do you wish to enter the Dark Demonic Space? Yes! The portal to the Dark Demonic Space has opened. Nie Yan was enveloped in a brilliant flash of light. After opening his eyes, he found himself in a plain. Up ahead was a 15-meter wide bridge that stretched far into an endless void, filled to the brim with an uncountable number of humanoid monsters in dark robes. Two angels guarded the entrance to the bridge. Clad in silver armour with a pair of white wings growing out of their backs, they looked holy and noble. Every now and then a monster would find the courage to dash past them, only to be cut down within an instant. ¡°Brave Adventurer, welcome to the Dark Demonic Space,¡± an angel greeted. He had the appearance of a 30-year-old man brimming with valor. His name was Gower. ¡°Have you come to challenge this space?¡± ¡°I have.¡± Nie Yan nodded. ¡°Good! You may begin! Set foot on your journey to glory!¡± the angel exclaimed. Nie Yan walked toward the bridge. He summoned Lil¡¯ Gold, the Shadow Demon Wolf, the Eclipse Divine Dragon, and the Violet Eye Dragon. The latter two were still Level 0. So, they would have to sit in the back and soak up experience. Lil¡¯ Gold and the Shadow Demon Wolf let out roars and charged into the black swath of monsters. Explosive Counter! Mad Wolf Slash! The Level 160 Elite-class Dark Demonkin up ahead instantly crumpled. Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! One level up sound after another rang in Nie Yan¡¯s ears as rays of light fell over the Divine Eclipse Dragon and the Violet Eye Dragon. These two pets both reached Level 20 in an instant. The amount of experience required at the early levels was next to nothing at this point. So, they quickly gained levels. Lil¡¯ Gold and the Shadow Demon Wolf pressed forward at an astonishing speed. The monsters appearing up ahead got stronger and stronger, and the amount of experience they gave rose accordingly. Nie Yan summoned Paladin Lafus and had him and Kalenna support Lil¡¯ Gold and the Shadow Demon Wolf. The 15-meter wide bridge was crowded with Dark Demonkin, to the extent some were standing on the edge. When Lil¡¯ Gold and the Shadow Demon Wolf charged over, some of them lost their balance and fell down in the nothingness below. Even those gave Nie Yan experience. Nie Yan glanced down at his level. His experience bar was slowly but surely filling up. This levelling speed was quite decent. The Dark Demonkin didn¡¯t drop any equipment after dying. Occasionally, one or two would drop a Dark Demonic Fragment. Dark Demonic Fragment (Quest Item): Hand this item to Angel Gower to receive additional rewards. Lil¡¯ Gold¡¯s health rapidly fluctuated up and down. The Shadow Demon Wolf was much better off. It barely lost any health. One could clearly see it was far superior in terms of combat strength. With these two powerful pets at the front, Nie Yan didn¡¯t have to lift a finger. He followed behind Lil¡¯ Gold and the Shadow Demon Wolf while leisurely browsing the official site. He was catching up on what happened over the past three years as well as any balance changes. There were big changes to skills. Many new powerful skills had come out. It appeared he would have to swap out some of the skills in his skill bar. Besides that, during his absence, everyone had realized the might of pets, especially after his showing with the Shadow Demon Wolf. Even though the Shadow Demon Wolf was a mount, it was still in the pet category. Many players started seeking out powerful pets. This completely changed the balance of the game, greatly reducing the impact of individual player strength in PvP. As a result, the number of people calling for the nerf of pets grew greater and greater. Eventually, when the Chaos Temple was released, Conviction introduced the Spirit Awe skill, which rendered all pets useless in PvP. Even some bosses possessed similar suppression skills. Apart from pets and the changes to skills, the next largest change was Chaos Gear, which could be obtained by entering the Chaos Temple upon reaching Level 180. Generally, the level requirement for Chaos Gear was Level 180+. Their properties were a bit better than Legendary-grade equipment. This way, if Nie Yan grinded his way to Level 180, then entered the Chaos Temple to farm a set of Chaos Gear, he would catch up to most of the high level players. He wondered which was better, Chaos Gear or the enhanced Tyrant Abak Set. With a clear levelling plan in mind, Nie Yan felt even more motivated. Nie Yan glanced at the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s level. It had already broken past Level 50. The number of spells it could use left his eyes slightly spinning. The Divine Eclipse Dragon was a caster type pet. It could use both light and dark attribute magic, including no small number of Forbidden Magic which could be learned after Level 100. At Level 50, it already knew many AoE spells, only that it was too low level at present to contribute any damage. The Divine Eclipse Dragon would definitely become a mobbing machine. It would have no issue helping Nie Yan get to Level 200! As for the Violet Eye Dragon, it wasn''t bad but it simply couldn¡¯t compare to the Divine Eclipse Dragon. At best, it could only match Lil¡¯ Gold. Lil¡¯ Gold also levelled up quite a few times, reaching Level 153. His health reached an astonishing 320,000, and his mobbing speed became visibly better. After grinding nonstop for three hours, Nie Yan¡¯s party had advanced about 3,000 meters on the bridge. The angels guarding the entrance were already no longer in view. It seemed as if both ends of the bridge stretched out endlessly. Finally, a crisp notification jingle rang out. Nie Yan levelled up to Level 157. ¡°Man, it¡¯s been a long time since I heard that,¡± Nie Yan basked in the feeling of levelling up again for the first time in three years. After a while, the Dark Demonkin turned into Level 180 Elites. They were far stronger than their Level 160 or Level 170 counterparts. Lil¡¯ Gold was starting to have a harder time keeping up, nearly dying on multiple occasions. Nie Yan slowed down his pace and had the Shadow Demon Wolf lead the vanguard, alleviating some of the pressure on Lil¡¯ Gold. Seeing Lil¡¯ Gold unable to hold on any longer, Nie Yan summoned his three Doom Sentinels. Even though they could only resist for a short time, it was better than nothing. After levelling here for a whole day, the Divine Eclipse Dragon and Violet Eye Dragon reached Level 93 and 92 respectively. After reaching Level 92, the Divine Eclipse Dragon was already as strong as Lil¡¯ gold at Level 140. As a result, he could start dealing damage to the Demonkin. Nie Yan pulled out some of the high rank scrolls he withdrew from the guild treasury. Crushing a Frost Torrent Scroll, icy white rain started pouring down from above. Before long, the Dark Demonkin within a 200-meter radius were frozen solid, making it difficult for them to move even an inch. Lil¡¯ Gold called down a meteor. BOOOM! Countless Dark Demonkin shattered into fragments of ice. Several more rays of light fell over the Divine Eclipse Dragon and Violet Eye Dragon. Nie Yan glanced at his experience bar. ¡°Sweet! That was 2%!¡± After reaching high levels, it had been a while since he experienced this kind of levelling speed. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 946 - Holy Nova Ray The Dark Demonkin gave ample experience, and there was a ludicrous number of them packed together on this bridge. With Lil¡¯ Gold and the Shadow Demon Wolf wantonly killing them, one could imagine how frightening the levelling speed was. The Divine Eclipse Dragon and Violet Eye Dragon were gradually starting to contribute to the battle. If they got just a little stronger, Nie Yan¡¯s levelling speed would reach a completely new plane. There were simply too many Level 180 Dark Demonkin. Lil¡¯ Gold and the Shadow Demon Wolf were starting to have a hard time advancing forward. However, if Nie Yan were to kill them himself, their speed would drastically slow down. At that point, he might as well go somewhere else to find harder individual targets. After two days of continuous grinding, a flash of light fell over Nie Yan, and he was teleported outside the entrance to the Dark Demonic Space. Here, the players from both great factions were fighting fiercely with sparks flying everywhere. Nie Yan didn¡¯t bother participating. He avoided the commotion with Gale Step and reentered the Dark Demonic Space. The dungeon was reset. Nie Yan would have to start from the beginning. However, that wasn¡¯t a problem. In fact, it was precisely what he wanted. The days passed by one after another. The faces Nie Yan saw outside the entrance kept changing, but he never left. After grinding in the Dark Demonic Space for two entire weeks, he reached Level 160. The Divine Eclipse Dragon was starting to catch up. It had reached Level 130 and could already rival a Level 200 Lil¡¯ Gold. It was finally ready to display its might! Nie Yan entered the Dark Demonic Space once more. He handed over all the Dark Demonic Fragments he¡¯d collected so far to Gower and received 3% worth of experience. ¡°Sir Nirvana Flame, you have turned in 16,253 Dark Demonic Fragments. Your current rank among all contestants is 226. You have yet to clear the Dark Demonic Space,¡± Gower said. Nie Yan raised an eyebrow in suspicion. Could this mean there was an additional reward for reaching number one? Since the Dark Demonic Fragments couldn¡¯t be traded, every fragment he turned in was obtained by himself. After grinding for two weeks straight, he only reached rank 226 on the leaderboards. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how many more fragments he would need to reach rank one. Nie Yan continued grinding without pause. The Divine Eclipse Dragon had recently learned a new skilled called Holy Nova Ray. He was eager to test it out. At Nie Yan¡¯s command, his several pets charged forward. The Divine Eclipse Dragon was still too weak. So, it could only stay in the rear and cast magic. The Divine Eclipse Dragon started chanting an incantation. Countless specks of light were drawn toward its body. The air was saturated with holy energy. Kalenna waved her staff, buffing the Divine Eclipse Dragon with several holy blessings. The Divine Eclipse Dragon was emitting a dazzling radiance of holy power, as if it were a divine being. FWOOOOOM! It opened its mouth and shot out a giant beam of light. It was 15 meters wide and continued on for more than 600 meters. It pierced through all the Dark Demonkin in its path. Miserable shrieks rang out from within the light. A string of 500,000s at 10 hits per tick floated up above their heads. Three seconds, five seconds, seven seconds... the beam continued to fire. Swaths of Dark Demonkin collapsed within the light, transforming into ash. The beam finally stopped after 10 whole seconds. Nie Yan looked up ahead, his jaw dropping in shock. The next 600 meters of the bridge was completely swept clean of monsters, only Dark Demonic Fragments hinting at their previous existence. At least 10,000 Level 180 Elite-class Dark Demonkin were wiped out in that attack! This Holy Nova Ray was practically the ultimate skill for levelling up in the Dark Demonic Space! It was more useful than any Forbidden Magic, which had a long cast time; and even though they had large area of effects, only a small portion of it would hit the Dark Demonkin. Not to mention their usual cooldowns of one to two months. Meanwhile the Holy Nova Ray was frightening beyond belief and only had a cooldown time of 30 minutes! Nie Yan¡¯s experience bar instantly filled up by 0.2%. After reaching Level 160, the amount of experience he required to level up was 580 times that of when he was Level 156. So, it was clear how astonishing this levelling speed was. If Holy Nova Ray could be used once every half-an-hour, then by the end of the day, he could gain 6% experience from this skill alone! Adding in the contribution from his other pets, that was an additional 5% for a total of 11%. By these calculations, he would reach Level 161 within only 10 days! This was nothing short of incredible! Nie Yan entered the second stage of the Dark Demonic Space. Where on the first stage he had to fight Level 160-180 Elites, now his opponents were Level 160-180 Variant Elites. Their health increased by six times. The difficulty instantly ramped up. However, the drop rate of Dark Demonic Fragments also increased. After tuning them in to Gower, he could gain quite a bit of additional experience. The cycle continued. Nie Yan would grind for two days, get booted out of the dungeon, and start all over again. As calculated, a crisp notification jingle rang out 10 days later. Nie Yan reached Level 161. Grinding day-in-day-out for 16 hours a day for almost a month straight, any other player would be driven mad from the sheer monotony. In this regard, Nie Yan¡¯s discipline and perseverance were to be commended. During the offline hours, Nie Yan relaxed with Xie Yao on the beach, while he would play through the night. Like this, one day after another passed. He deeply cherished this kind of simple life. Only those who had died before could understand this feeling, let alone someone like him who had died twice! His state of mind was no longer the same as before. As he logged in, Nie Yan found himself again on the bridge of the Dark Demonic Space. He had the Divine Eclipse Dragon cast several AoE spells, clearing out a large swath of Dark Demonkin. After which a white ray of light fell over its body. The Divine Eclipse Dragon levelled up again! Level 150! This was an important milestone! Holy Nova Ray rose up by a rank. Its range was increased by 30%, the damage by 50%, and the cooldown reduced to 25 minutes. The Divine Eclipse Dragon also learned several new skills, all of which were AoE spells. One was a darkness attribute spell similar to Holy Nova Ray, Abyssal Pierce. There was a saying that every light attribute magic had a darkness attribute counterpart. It appeared this was true. Nie Yan was excited to see the effects of Abyssal Pierce. At Nie Yan¡¯s command, the Divine Eclipse Dragon stood behind the Shadow Demon Wolf and started chanting. Ripples of death energy emanated from its body. WHOM! A line of darkness as deep as the abyss shot out, shrouding the world in death and gloom. The next 600 meters of the bridge became a sea of death. The Dark Demonkin turned into piles of bones. ¡°Damn! What a scary spell!¡± Nie Yan sighed in admiration. ¡°I can use Holy Nova Ray and Abyssal Pierce right after each other! Nice!¡± Sure enough, the Divine Eclipse Dragon was great for levelling. Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon were both brawlers. No matter how fast their mobbing speed, it would still be limited. However, the Divine Eclipse Dragon was different. It was the most powerful caster-type dragon! Not to mention its Growth Rate of 30. Once it reached a truly higher level, it would become an unrivalled existence. Its mobbing speed was already on par with peak Magisters like Tang Yao! The only thing holding it back was that it was too low level to deal with some of the higher level monsters. After the Divine Eclipse Dragon reached Level 150, Lil¡¯ Gold, the Violet Eye Dragon, and the Shadow Demon Wolf were relegated to the back. They were in charge of ensuring its safety and cleaning up any stragglers. It fired out spells non-stop, leaving a trail of corpses in its wake. With the help of the Divine Eclipse Dragon, the second stage of the Dark Demonic Space was cleared within a day and a half. Nie Yan finally reached the end of the bridge. There, he saw a stone tower floating in the void. There was a single light at the top, giving off a faint glow. There was a shrine inside, which held an enormous crystal ball. He rested his hand over the crystal, which released a dazzling radiance. You have cleared the Dark Demonic Space in 25 hours, 32 minutes, and 57 seconds. The current fastest time is held by Howling Wind at 5 hours, 21 minutes, and 12 seconds. You have received a Resurrection Crystal. After clearing the dungeon, Nie Yan actually obtained a Resurrection Crystal! This was definitely a pleasant surprise. They were still quite rare, but that was secondary. The fact they could revive fallen flying mounts and fairies was far more important to him. A single crystal was worth at least several hundred thousand gold. If Nie Yan broke the current record, he would probably obtain something even better. He was filled with expectation. He wondered what sort of method Howling Wind used to clear the dungeon in only five hours and what sort of reward he obtained. Nie Yan was teleported out of the dungeon. Afterwards, he immediately entered back inside. After picking up the pace, he no longer bothered with cleaning up the stragglers. He was rushing forward as fast as he could. His second clear time was 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 50 seconds. This was already a lot faster. He received a Dark Emerald this time around. It was useful for socketing equipment and was also worth several hundred thousand gold. On the third clear, the time was 12 hours, 22 minutes, and 9 seconds. Nie Yan didn¡¯t receive anything this time. According to the official website, every player would only receive a reward if certain conditions were met: once when they cleared the dungeon within two days, once when they cleared it within one day, and once when they beat the fastest time. Apparently, the reward for beating the fastest time was extremely generous. The first two rewards were merely tokens. Thinking about it, it made sense. If you received this kind of rewards every time you cleared the Dark Demonic Space, everybody would be running it non-stop. The first two rewards were already quite good. Nie Yan wondered what sort of reward he would receive for beating the record. Clearing the Dark Demonic Space in five hours seemed incredibly difficult though. That Howling Wind wasn¡¯t ordinary. In the previous timeline, he was also the Satreen Empire¡¯s number one expert. It was a shame Guo Huai failed to pull him into Asskickers United. ¡°Five hours, huh. It¡¯s hard, but not impossible,¡± Nie Yan muttered. ¡°I¡¯m going to be levelling here until Level 180 anyway. I¡¯ve got plenty of time.¡± 1. Remember, an ingame day is 16 hours. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 947 - Record Broken Nie Yan checked the forums. There was nothing about him returning to the game. It looked like Devil Sky¡¯s party didn¡¯t reveal anything about their encounter to others. It made sense. Five Level 180+ players couldn¡¯t even kill a single Level 156 player. They were probably too embarrassed to tell anyone. For the time being, Nie Yan didn¡¯t wish to return to Asskickers United. Unless left with no other choice, he wouldn¡¯t let the players of the guild know he was back. The day he revealed himself would be the day when the Mad Rogue climbed back to the peak. Nie Yan spent several more days in the Dark Demonic Space, bringing the Divine Eclipse Dragon up to Level 156. Nie Yan gradually realized something. Even though the system had nerfed the use of pets in PvP, they also greatly reduced the amount of experience required to level them up. For example, Lil¡¯ Gold was already Level 172. Generally, unless there was some sort of special circumstance, it was best not to raise a pet more than five levels over that of the player, or else there was a risk of the pet rebelling against its master. However, he didn¡¯t have to worry about this because his Dragon King¡¯s Divine Might demanded absolute loyalty of all dragon pets. As Lil¡¯ Gold levelled up several times, he became more useful again in the Dark Demonic Space. However, it couldn¡¯t be compared to that of the Divine Eclipse Dragon. The Level 156 Divine Eclipse Dragon had the ability to challenge the fastest clear time of the Dark Demonic Space. Holy Nova Ray! The Divine Eclipse Dragon shot out a ray of light. The dazzling radiance illuminated the entire Dark Demonic Space. All the Dark Demonkin in the next 800 meters of the bridge were wiped out clean. Nie Yan¡¯s pets steamrolled through everything and anything in their path. Seeing a large horde of Dark Demonkin charging over, Nie Yan had the Divine Eclipse Dragon fire an Abyssal Pierce. Another 600 meters of the bridge were cleared instantly. Nie Yan continued pressing forward at a monstrous pace. In only six minutes, he¡¯d already advanced several thousand meters. This kind of speed was inconceivable in the eyes of ordinary players. Lil¡¯ Gold, the Violet Eye Dragon, and the Shadow Demon Wolf charged into the Dark Demonkin, shoving them into each other until some were pushed off the bridge. Nie Yan used this method to press forward for a minute, packing the Dark Demonkin as closely together as possible. When the mob density was high enough, the Divine Eclipse Dragon opened its mouth. A black and white light beam shot out toward the Dark Demonkin before combining together. BOOOOM! A monochrome light lit up the entire Dark Demonic Space. The bridge quaked violently as if it were about to collapse. Nie Yan¡¯s face paled. ¡°It¡¯s not really going to collapse, right?¡± The explosion slowly subsided. Thankfully, the bridge was still intact. All the Dark Demonkin for the next 100 meters were blasted into oblivion. The Divine Eclipse Dragon had pretty much used all of its powerful magic. Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon took the vanguard again and started sweeping through everything in their path. As for the Shadow Demon Wolf, all it had to do was charge forward. Every time it leaped into the horde of Dark Demonkin, many would be forced off the bridge. About two hours later, Nie Yan saw the tower in the distance. There was about 1,000 meters left. All he needed was one final push. Nie Yan had the Shadow Demon Wolf lead the vanguard. He leaped up onto the wolf¡¯s back, then slashed out with an Annihilation Slash. BOOOM! Another 60 meters of the bridge were cleared out. Barrelling forward for another 30 minutes, Nie Yan leaped 30 meters through the air, then shot out a web line at the tower. As he swung inside, he lunged forward and slammed the crystal with his hand. A dazzling light shone out. Nie Yan¡¯s time was recorded down. ¡°2 hours, 15 minutes, and 2 seconds! Not bad.¡± Nie Yan smirked. You have cleared the Dark Demonic Space in 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 2 seconds. The current fastest time is held by Howling Wind at 5 hours, 21 minutes, and 12 seconds. Congratulations! You have broken Howling Wind¡¯s record. You have become the first player to clear the dungeon within 3 hours. You have received the Craftsman God¡¯s Invitation. Craftsman God¡¯s Invitation: You may request Craftsman God Bronnik of the Hardrock Mountain Valley to upgrade one piece of equipment into Chaos gear. Nie Yan was stunned. Craftsman God Bronnik? He had never heard of this NPC before, even in his past life. It seemed like Bronnik had appeared sometime over the past three years, and he could turn ordinary equipment into Chaos gear! According to the information Nie Yan read online, the equipment in the Atlanta continent was already fully developed, with the highest grade being Sacred Objects like the Death God¡¯s Edge. The next best were Divines like Zennarde¡¯s Sword. Chaos gear was a brand new type of equipment introduced in the past three years. They came from the distant void and were crafted from void metal. Using the grading system of the Atlanta continent, they could be considered Divines, with the best being on par with Sacred Objects. This was one of the reasons Nie Yan had fallen so far behind! Nie Yan glanced at his equipment window. ¡°Should I try turning Zennarde¡¯s Sword into a piece of Chaos gear?¡± If it were possible, would Zennarde¡¯s Sword become a Sacred Object? While Nie Yan was deep in thought, a global announcement rang out. Nirvana Flame has beaten the record for the fastest clear time in the Dark Demonic Space. The new record is 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 2 seconds. This is the first clear time in under 3 hours. Adventurers, you are welcome to challenge this record. This announcement was made both in the Righteous Faction and Evil Faction. The playerbase instantly went into an uproar. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but bitterly smile. It seemed like he had screwed up. Even though was in appear offline mode¡ªnot even his friends knew he was online¡ªwhen he accomplished this large of a feat, the system would still make an announcement. Nie Yan didn¡¯t expect beating the record for the Dark Demonic Space would result in a global announcement. He couldn¡¯t help but gloomily shake his head. What Nie Yan didn¡¯t know was that when the Dark Demonic Space was first released, there were countless players challenging it every day, up to 800,000 at its peak. Every time someone broke the fastest record, the system would always make a global announcement. New and improved methods were thought of every day. It was only until Howling Wind created the five-hour record that it slowly died down, since no one was able to beat it. The players who challenged the Dark Demonic Space all reached Level 180, then moved on to different places. There were still around 50,000 players coming here every day to level, but no one could break Howling Wind¡¯s record. The Satreen Empire¡¯s number one Magister was truly powerful. However, his record was broken, and by none other than Nirvana Flame! The entire server was in a state of upheaval. Nirvana Flame was back! Asskickers United¡¯s guild chat. ¡¸Guys, look at the global announcement!¡¹a Magister shouted excitedly. ¡¸We know! The boss is back? How come he hasn¡¯t said anything?¡¹ News of Nie Yan¡¯s return was like a tornado, sweeping through all of Asskickers United. ¡¸I knew the boss would come back! I knew he wouldn¡¯t abandon us!¡¹Several veteran guild members were choking up in tears. They thought back to three years ago. Nie Yan had led them in braving through countless storms, defeating all the enemies in their path before finally unifying the entire Righteous faction. ¡¸Why hasn¡¯t the boss said anything?¡¹ ¡¸Boss, say something!¡¹ ¡¸It doesn¡¯t matter how much time passes. You will always be our boss! We¡¯ve all been waiting for you to come home!¡¹ The guild chat flooded with messages. Reading through them all, countless faces flashed through Nie Yan¡¯s mind, his nose turning sour. ¡°Should I tell them?¡± Nie Yan muttered. As the guild leader of Asskickers United, he didn¡¯t want to return like this. He was only Level 161, and his equipment was out of date. It would truly feel a bit depressing. He didn¡¯t know how many voices, especially those from outside, would start making disparaging comments. More notifications filled his vision. His friends were sending whispers without break. Bladelight:¡¸Damn! You came back and didn¡¯t even let us know? You owe us three rounds of beer in the next gathering!¡¹ Smoke Stub:¡¸It¡¯s good you¡¯re back. You¡¯ve really made everyone wait.¡¹ Undying Scoundrel:¡¸Boss, you don¡¯t know how much we¡¯ve missed you! Please say something. Your brothers are waiting!¡¹ Young Sparrow Hawk:¡¸Back already from your honeymoon? Wanna go levelling together with us later? Without you here, it¡¯s just not the same.¡¹ ¡­ Nie Yan received several hundred whispers. In offline mode, he couldn¡¯t receive any calls. So, they could only send him text messages. Even so, he could feel the sincere emotions from their words. His eyes started tearing up. It felt really good to be alive. Nie Yan hadn¡¯t seen any of them in quite some time already. He wondered how they were doing. So, he took his time to reply to their messages and explain why he wouldn¡¯t step out from the shadows for now. Guo Huai, Bladelight, and the others placated the guild members in the chat, telling them that Nie Yan would return, just not quite yet. Nie Yan took in a deep breath. Seeing the warm greetings of all the members in the guild, he couldn¡¯t help but get emotional. If he returned to the guild right now, he didn¡¯t know what he would do. He might even burst into tears. Separation made the heart grow fonder, perhaps this was this feeling. The guild chat was in a celebratory mood. Nie Yan had returned, even if he was only at Level 156. What they didn¡¯t know was that he¡¯d already grinded himself to Level 161. The time of his return to the peak and the guild would soon come! All guild members were incredibly excited. ¡¸The boss really knows how to make an entrance. As soon as he came back, he broke the record for the Dark Demonic Space. He more than halved Howling Wind¡¯s time!¡¹ ¡¸With this kind of speed, it won¡¯t take long for the boss to break past Level 180!¡¹ ¡¸Hehe, I bet Plenty is starting to sweat right about now.¡¹ ¡¸I can¡¯t wait for the boss to complete the Book of Order and become the Supreme Pontiff. That would be awesome.¡¹ Asskickers United¡¯s players were excitedly chatting with each other. Only a few of the more level headed players knew that a three year gap wasn¡¯t that easy to overcome. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 948 - Void Metal Nie Yan¡¯s return didn¡¯t merely shock the players of Asskickers United but the entire playerbase. Originally, many people felt that even if he came back now, it wouldn¡¯t stir up any big waves. After all, he was only Level 156, and over these past three years, he had long since fallen from the number one spot. Catching up to the players at the peak was easier said than done! Most players were pessimistic about a potential return of Nie Yan. However, when they saw the global announcement, they all quietly shut their mouths. Someone did the calculations. Every clear of the Dark Demonic Space netted about 5 billion experience. If Nie Yan kept grinding the dungeon at his current pace, he could get in about five to six runs in a 16-hour day. At that pace, he would go from Level 156 to Level 180 in only two months! Howling Wind was the previous record holder for the fastest clear time in the Dark Demonic Space. He averaged around seven hours a run and achieved his five-hour record at Level 180. From Level 163 to Level 180, it took him a total of seven months. Even Tang Yao failed to beat this record. However, Nie Yan had done just that and he wasn¡¯t even close to Level 180! The frightening Mad Rogue. Did this mean that Nirvana Flame was going to rise back to the top? The Albalia Void Lava Ruins in the Sword of the War God. A team of players was advancing through the void lava. The highest level among them was 202 and the lowest 196. ¡¸Howling Wind, look at the global announcements!¡¹a Warrior said in voice chat. Howling Wind opened up the global announcements and looked at the latest one. His eyes lit up.¡¸Nirvana Flame is back!?¡¹ ¡¸Wow, he is already strong enough to clear the Dark Demonic Space, and in under two hours! The rewards there are really good.¡¹ ¡¸Howling Wind got a Chaos-grade Mage robe for his top time. I wonder what Nirvana Flame got.¡¹ ¡¸All the top experts are probably starting to feel the pressure. I wonder how long it will take Nirvana Flame to climb back up to the top after his three-year hiatus. After all, only a freak like him can pull something like that off.¡¹ While his teammates were chatting, Howling Wind was lost in thought. Like many others, he thought Nie Yan had died three years ago. At that time, he was filled with regret. He wondered if he would have the qualifications to challenge Nie Yan when he caught back up. Nie Yan was also the main subject of discussion in the Fallen Angel guild chat. Back when Nie Yan was at his prime, no one in both factions even came close to him. Although he had fallen behind a lot, no one could say for certain he wouldn¡¯t overtake them again. So, many of the players in Fallen Angel had the inclination to snuff out this potential threat while it was still in the cradle. ¡¸Boss, Nirvana Flame is grinding in the Dark Demonic Space. Let¡¯s send some people over to ambush him.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, Boss! We can¡¯t risk Nirvana Flame rising back to the top again!¡¹ ¡­ Everyone in Fallen Angel was waiting for Plenty¡¯s reply. Plenty was also in the Sword of God at this moment. Seeing the discussion in the guild chat, he faintly smiled.¡¸That kind of mindset is for the weak. If you have time to think about getting in the way of others, you¡¯re better off spending it levelling up and getting stronger.¡¹ The players in Fallen Angel¡¯s guild chat went silent. They no longer brought up this topic. ¡°Boss, I know you¡¯re a straightforward person who does everything in the open. But if we really don¡¯t stop Nirvana Flame, I¡¯m worried¡­ You know, we can always hire someone outside of our guild,¡± a Warrior beside him said. Plenty shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine, no need. I want to see how Nirvana Flame will make up for this three-year gap.¡± The Warrior¡¯s eyes flashed with a subtle light. He met gazes with the several teammates around him. Plenty lowered his head in contemplation. He couldn¡¯t help but bitterly smile. Clearing the Dark Demonic Space in under two hours. This was truly astonishing. Even he felt the inclination to send someone to go after Nie Yan. If you really can climb back up to the peak, I will gladly await the day! ... Nie Yan was still grinding away in the Dark Demonic Space. Every time he exited the dungeon, he would only be out for a few seconds before stealthing and entering back in. He discovered that the number of players outside the entrance had spiked. There were faces from Asskickers United and from Fallen Angel. There were even quite a few guildless players. Still, Most were from Asskickers United. They were guarding the area. Nie Yan realized these people were sent by Guo Huai. Likely, Guo Huai was worried there would be people looking to ambush him and interfere with his levelling. Nie Yan didn¡¯t want to betray their good intentions. He didn¡¯t linger and continued levelling. After a dozen more runs, Nie Yan averaged a clear time of around two and a half hours. Breaking through the two-hour mark was difficult. He would have to get the Divine Eclipse Dragon a bit higher level first. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t receive rewards for breaking his own records. The only exception was if he broke through the two-hour mark. It took Nie Yan another five days to break through the two-hour mark. His new record was 1 hour, 52 minutes, and 7 seconds. You have received one Dark Void Iron. Nie Yan¡¯s heart stirred. He had know idea what this Dark Void Iron was. He opened his inventory and checked it. The Dark Void Iron was about the size of a fist and dark black in colour, like a lump of coal. It shone a black lustre. Dark Void Iron (Void Metal): Give this Dark Void Metal to Bronnick for a pleasant surprise. The entire playerbase had their eyes glued on the leaderboards for the Dark Demonic Space. They felt their scalps go numb as they watched Nie Yan repeatedly breaking his own record. It reminded them all too much of the impossibilities Nie Yan achieved time and time again all those years ago. He would be back. Nie Yan grinded like a madman. Within no more than 30 seconds of clearing the Dark Demonic Space, he would be back on that bridge again. Every time his Divine Eclipse Dragon levelled up, his speed further increased to the point where he could clear it in around an hour and a half. Players across both factions started speculating whether Nie Yan would break the one-hour mark before hitting Level 180. At the current trend, that was a real possibility. Either way, everyone realized it would become an unbreakable record regardless. Apart from the shock, there was also a deep-felt sense of reverence for Nie Yan. Just how long had he been grinding in the Dark Demonic Space? At least two weeks consecutively. If it were an ordinary player, they would¡¯ve long since puked out blood from the repetition. For him to persevere for this long, it was no surprise he used to be the number one player. After an entire month, Nie Yan reached Level 175. From his point of view, this levelling speed was still fairly slow. Lil¡¯ Gold, the Violet Eye Dragon, and the Divine Eclipse Dragon were all levelling up far quicker. Lil¡¯ Gold was already level 185, the Violet Eye Dragon Level 175, and the Divine Eclipse Dragon Level 183. The Divine Eclipse Dragon contributed most of the damage. So, its share of the experience was also the largest. The Level 183 Divine Eclipse Dragon was ludicrously powerful. It had 367 spells in total, of which 35 were ordinary AoE spells, three were single target Forbidden Magic, and two were AoE Forbidden Magic. With this kind of super pet by his side, Nie Yan¡¯s levelling speed was naturally extremely fast. Ordinary players would have no way of imagining this. Pets were only good for levelling these days. They had some influence on his strength, but it wasn¡¯t much. Even though the average skill level of players was much higher than before, an old dog could still learn new tricks. During Nie Yan¡¯s time in the Dark Demonic Space, his pets were doing almost all the work. He was following behind while binging PvP videos. From them, he gained a few new insights. His skills weren¡¯t necessarily inferior to others. The biggest differentiators were his level and gear. Levelling inside the Dark Demonic Space was already starting to get too slow for Nie Yan¡¯s taste. He planned to make one final attempt at breaking the one-hour mark, then leave to find a more suitable place to level. As soon as Nie Yan entered the Dark Demonic Space, he had Kalenna buff his several pets to the max with her blessings. Afterwards, they steamrolled through everything in their path. Their enormous frames were like a giant plow, leaving a trail of slaughter in their wake and shoving countless Dark Demonkin off the bridge. This was absolutely the fastest and most enjoyable way to level. Seeing the health bars of his pets dip, Nie Yan hurriedly had Kalenna and Paladin Lafus heal them. Like this, they pressed forward through the bridge at an astonishing speed until the tower was in sight. He made the last sprint and touched the crystal. Looking at the time, he smirked¡ª59 minutes and 59 seconds. Even though he had just barely broke the one-hour mark, it was enough. You have cleared the Dark Demonic Space in 59 minutes and 59 seconds. This is a new record. You are the first player to clear the Dark Demonic Space in under an hour. You have received one piece of Black Void Gold. Black Void Gold (Void Metal) Previously, it was a piece of Void Iron. Now it was a piece of Void Gold. After looking them up online, Nie Yan learned void metal was used to reinforce equipment. It only worked on Legendary-grade equipment and would upgrade them to Chaos gear, greatly boosting their stats. It looked like it was about time he visited the Craftsman God. Nie Yan wondered how powerful Zennarde¡¯s Sword would become after being reinforced. He couldn¡¯t help but be filled with expectation. Maybe it would rise to be on par with the Death God¡¯s Edge. Nie Yan unsummoned his pets and teleported out of the Dark Demonic Space. He started taking his leave. There were too many people in the vicinity. Summoning the Shadow Demon Wolf would be too eye-catching. Not far away, six Evil Faction players were looking around. Spotting Nie Yan in his black cloak, they lowered their heads and whispered something before leaving. Seeing the expressions of these players, Nie Yan immediately sensed something off. Before long, he saw a dozen Evil Faction players moving in to surround him. Their intentions were obvious. Likely, these people were from Fallen Angel. After all, he was their greatest threat right now. The only reason Nie Yan nearly died at the hands of Devil Sky¡¯s party of five was because his level was too low. There was almost a 30-level difference. Now, he was already Level 177. If these players wanted to kill him, it wouldn¡¯t be that simple. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 949 - Unlocked Skills! It would be pretty much impossible for these players to kill Nie Yan. However, they were still troublesome opponents due to their level difference. A PvP battle was different from fighting bosses, which could be easily exploited as long as you knew their weaknesses. A Level 170 player could even take down a Level 200 Lord if they knew what they were doing. However, most players weren¡¯t stupid like monsters, especially experts who possessed exquisite combat techniques and countless trump cards. When several such experts teamed up together, their combat prowess would be more than the sum of their parts. Three years ago, Nie Yan was far ahead of ordinary players in level and stats. So, killing them was easy. However, he had lost these advantages. If he were surrounded by many players, he would still have to be careful. Nie Yan hadn¡¯t done any PvP in a long time. He was both rusty and unsure as to which skills were the current flavour of the month. Fortunately, his bag was chock full with useful items, like the Web Crawler Ring that could help him bait the enemy. Not to mention the Sage-rank potions he¡¯d picked up earlier. His eyes fell on the large pile of Dark Demonic Fragments in his bag. For the sake of maximizing his levelling efficiency, he had yet to turn them all in to Gower. It looked like after this battle was over, he would be making another trip into the Dark Demonic Space. Nie Yan wasn¡¯t too nervous. Even though he hadn¡¯t logged on in three years, he still had the same domineering style. He counted 12 enemy players. Killing all of them would be difficult, but taking out a few wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Preoccupied with raising his level, Nie Yan hadn¡¯t taken the time to check his skill window. Until now that was. The biggest surprise he found were three new skills: Helix Edge, Fatal Burst, and Crippling Bellow. They were all high rank skills. Nie Yan hadn¡¯t learned any skill books recently. How did these skills appear? A light bulb flashed in Nie Yan¡¯s head. He recalled the Glimpse of Darkness. It contained many skills that still needed to be unlocked. The monsters inside the Dark Demonic Space were all of the darkness attribute. After grinding there for such a long time, he had no idea how many Dark Demonkin he¡¯d killed, though at least tens of millions. Unlocking Helix Edge required killing 6,000,000 darkness attribute monsters, 13,000,000 for Fatal Burst, and 22,000,000 for Crippling Bellow. That meant he had killed at least 41,000,000 Dark Demonkin! The Glimpse of Darkness allowed three to six skills to be unlocked at the same time. Only after raising their ranks to the max could the remaining skills be unlocked. So, it would be some time before he could unlock the rest. The skills Nie Yan obtained previously from the Glimpse of Darkness like Gale Ambush were pretty decent. He wondered how useful these three new skills would be. He checked their descriptions. Helix Edge: Send out a spiralling strike that skewers all targets in a straight line for 3 meters. 100% chance to deal 5x Critical Damage. Cooldown: 30 minutes. Fatal Burst: Drive your dagger through the enemy¡¯s back, dealing 300% damage. Chance to instantly kill the target. Cooldown: 12 minutes. Crippling Bellow: When a target approaches within three meters of you, unleash an ear-piercing roar that cripples them for 30 seconds. Cooldown: 15 minutes. These skills were just like the ones he unlocked before, fairly decent for PvP. If he used them well, he could easily turn the tables in the heat of battle, and he just so happened to have a few practice dummies to try them out on! The players from the Evil Faction tailed anyone that left the Dark Demonic Space with their appearances cloaked. Even if it clearly wasn¡¯t Nirvana Flame, they wouldn¡¯t be satisfied until that person was dead. Even though Plenty didn¡¯t approve of taking action, many of the guild members saw Nie Yan as a thorn in their eyes, wishing nothing more than to get rid of this threat as soon as possible. So, some of them set out to intercept him. Nie Yan who was already Level 177 looked around at the 12 players circling in on him. Averaging around Level 183, they weren¡¯t peak experts. If he couldn¡¯t even deal with a bunch of small fry like them, how could he possibly climb back to the top? Three Mystics, two Slayers, two Spectral Thieves, and five Necromancers, they were all classes that were powerful in PvP. Apart from a few exceptional top experts, support classes like Dark Zealots and Priests weren¡¯t willing to step in PvP zones because they would instantly become the focus of the enemy. ¡°That guy looks like Nirvana Flame! Kill him!¡± one of the Mystics shouted. He conjured up a ball of black flames in his hand. Meanwhile, a thick layer of black ice wrapped around his sword. He blinked in front of Nie Yan and drove the fireball toward Nie Yan¡¯s abdomen. With his attack mere inches away from Nie Yan, the Mystic¡¯s lips curved into a sinister smile. The next thing the Mystic saw was a flash as his fireball missed. Phantom Assassination! Nie Yan¡¯s silhouette blurred as he dodged the Mystic¡¯s attack, his dagger stabbing towards the enemy¡¯s throat. The Mystic raised his ice sword to parry the attack. His reaction was incredibly fast. However, Nie Yan was even faster. Reverse Grip Backstab! His figure blurred as he plunged his dagger into the Mystic¡¯s back with one hand, the other crushing a scroll. Bewitching Scroll: Cause the target to hallucinate for three seconds. The Mystic never expected that Nie Yan would use a scroll. Add on the fact that Nie Yan¡¯s actions were extremely subtle, and it completely slipped his notice. ¡°W-what the hell! What¡¯s going on!?¡± the Mystic cried out in confusion. One moment he stood on the battlefield, the next he lay comfortably on a lounge chair, numerous scantily clad beauties dancing for him. Nie Yan followed up with Backstab and Backbreaker as three damage values for a total of 30,000 floated up above the Mystic¡¯s head. However, the Mystic had close to 60,000 health. Seeing their companion in trouble, the other Evil Faction players pounced forward. ¡°T-this guy really is Nirva-¡± the Mystic¡¯s words got stuck in his throat. He never thought this cloaked player would actually be Nirvana Flame. 12 against one, they had naturally underestimated the enemy. Ordinary skills didn¡¯t deal enough damage. It would take Nie Yan at least a few seconds to kill the Mystic. There was no time for that. Fatal Burst! After dealing this fatal blow, he evaded the oncoming attacks from the other enemies. In a situation like this, every single skill was precious. If he used them all at the start, he would be powerless afterwards. ¡°His combat style is just like Nirvana Flame¡¯s! It really might be him! Kill him!¡± a Slayer shouted. Nie Yan evaded several more attacks. His gaze locked onto a Necromancer standing in the rear. He pounced toward them. In the past, Nie Yan could one-shot most players because he was so far ahead of the pack in both terms of level and attack power. He¡¯d already lost count of the number of Warriors that were instantly cut down by his blade. Now, however, after the average level, defense, health, and other stats of the playerbase rose considerably, it was difficult for him to one-shot anyone, unless it was a squishy caster or if he used a powerful skill like Annihilation Slash that had 20x damage multipliers. In his current situation, he was greatly outnumbered. So, he had to take care not to be locked down. When the several Necromancers saw Nie Yan disappear, they immediately stuck their detection eyes into the ground. One of them spotted Nie Yan¡¯s silhouette dashing straight towards him. He hurriedly shouted, ¡°He¡¯s over here! He¡¯s coming for me!¡± The Necromancer waved his staff. A large bone serpent erupted from the ground and shot toward Nie Yan. Blink Strike! Nie Yan suddenly disappeared from his spot and appeared right in front of the Necromancer. As his dagger stabbed toward the Necromancer¡¯s forehead, a bone shield shot out of the ground, the spikes on its edge about to snap his arm in two. He hurriedly retracted his arm. The Necromancer¡¯s reactions were quick! At the end of the day, the Necromancer was a veteran of Judgement Valley. Even though he couldn¡¯t compare to Nie Yan in skill, he wasn¡¯t easy pickings either. Gale Ambush! Nie Yan accelerated, circling round the bone shield and stabbing the Necromancer in the back. A cluster of bone spurs erupted from the ground beneath Nie Yan. They were incomparably sharp and over six meters long. There were a dozen in total. The other Necromancers also took action. In order to prevent Nie Yan from dodging, all the spells they used were instant cast. PSFHT! PSFHT! Two bone spurs pierced Nie Yan¡¯s body, dealing 9,000 damage each. In the instant Nie Yan was struck by the bone spurs, he activated Gale Step to prevent any further damage. Seeing the Necromancer turning to flee, he stabbed forward with Helix Edge. A spiralling attack shot out and pierced the Necromancer¡¯s back. PSFHT! Blood flew into the air. 5x Critical Damage, the Necromancer had no way of enduring this attack. He was instantly killed. The three new skills Nie Yan had just learned were quite useful. ¡°Shit! Old Six got done in!¡± ¡°This guy is definitely Nirvana Flame! Don¡¯t let him escape!¡± a Mystic cursed. He was the leader of the group. Two Mystics and two Slayers charged toward Nie Yan. Nie Yan swapped his weapon to Zennarde¡¯s Sword and slashed down. A massive slash came cleaving down. ¡°It¡¯s Annihilation Slash!¡± ¡°Dodge!¡± They were well aware of the might of this skill. Three years ago, it was called the strongest skill. Even in the present day, it wasn¡¯t to be looked down on. One of the Mystics and one of the Slayers reacted in time. As the slash came cleaving down, they escaped by a hair¡¯s breadth. The other two weren¡¯t so lucky. By the time they thought to dodge, the attack was already upon them. BOOOM! They were sent flying. Annihilation Slash was still an extremely powerful killing move. Another two players were killed! That makes four. Nie Yan licked his parched lips. By PvPing with these players, he was starting to get back that feeling from years ago. Everything was under his control! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 950 - Dark Demon Crystal It was only the briefest exchange yet four people had died. The others were shocked and furious. ¡°Dammit! What a tough bastard!¡± the Slayer cursed. Nie Yan hadn¡¯t logged on in three years. If it were any other player, their skills would¡¯ve reset to factory settings. One could easily imagine how domineering he was during his prime. ¡°Watch him closely. Don¡¯t let him escape!¡± Two Spectral Thieves circled in on Nie Yan. Meanwhile, the four Necromancers planted detection eyes in a 600-meter wide area to prevent him from escaping. The Mystic and Slayer pursued Nie Yan relentlessly from behind. ¡°Annihilation Slash has a long cooldown. He won¡¯t be able to use it again any time soon. Since he¡¯s been grinding all this time in the Dark Demonic Space, he likely hasn¡¯t learned any new skills either. All we have to watch out for are scrolls. Don¡¯t give him any time to use them!¡± the Mystic shouted. ¡°If we can kill Nirvana Flame, Black Spear will reward us handsomely!¡± The other members felt their dwindling confidence reinvigorated. They would kill Nirvana Flame, no matter what! Their levels were all higher than his. They had crossed paths with countless experts before, undaunted. Today wouldn¡¯t be any different! However, it was still a fact that Nie Yan managed to take out four of their members while being outnumbered 12 to one. His strength wasn¡¯t to be underestimated. Nie Yan glanced at his skill bar. Most of his skills were still available. However, his high damage ones were on cooldown. He could only rely on his crowd control skills. The enemy was with many, so they could save each other. Thankfully, none of them played a healing class. Nie Yan¡¯s eyes landed on the Necromancers. ¡°You lot first.¡± He shot forward with Gale Step. ¡°Stop him!¡± a Necromancer shouted. Bone walls shot up from the ground in front of Nie Yan. He had no choice but to carefully dodge them. Even though these bone walls were relatively weak, shattering in a single hit, they had virtually no cooldown and were instant casts. If a Thief were to be boxed in by them, they would be skewered by countless bone spurs. Nie Yan leaped into the air, soaring over the bone walls. As he came falling back to the ground, he stabbed toward the Necromancer with his dagger. The Necromancer was a veteran of many battles. He was no stranger to the erratic attacks of Thieves. Seeing Nie Yan coming down on him, he kept his calm. With a wave of his staff, a golden skeleton appeared in front of him. It was three meters tall and held a large bone shield. Nie Yan flicked his wrist and summoned Lil¡¯ Gold, whose massive frame rammed into the skeleton, smashing it into pieces. ¡°It¡¯s his Golden Dragon!¡± the Necromancer anxiously shouted as he hurriedly retreated back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I have Spirit Awe. It can¡¯t do anything to us!¡± the Mystic said cooly. Nie Yan glanced at Lil¡¯ Gold¡¯s status. He was indeed affected by Spirit Awe. He couldn¡¯t move, nor use any long ranged attacks. This skill completely crippled pets! However, Nie Yan didn¡¯t care much for this. His objective for summoning Lil¡¯ Gold wasn¡¯t to kill anyone, but rather to function as cover while he activated Shadow Clone. Distracted by the collision between Lil¡¯ Gold and the golden skeleton, the enemy players unknowingly lost track of Nie Yan. ¡°Wait. Where did Nirvana Flame go?¡± ¡°Huh, I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Be careful guys!¡± the Mystic shouted. As the words left his mouth, he saw a faint silhouette dashing towards one of the Necromancers. ¡°He¡¯s over there!¡± The several melee classes all charged toward the silhouette. With those players lured away by his shadow clone, Nie Yan activated Gale Step and Extreme Disappear and appeared behind one of the Necromancers. The Necromancer¡¯s attention was focused on the silhouette in the far distance. He didn¡¯t expect an ambush. By the time he sensed something wrong, his feet were already locked to the ground. Confirming his Extreme Intimidate was effective, Nie Yan struck the Necromancer in the back of the head with Smothering Strike. Then he followed up with an elbow strike, Backstab, and Lacerate. After completing the 3-hit combo, he fled away. The melee class players were several dozens of meters away chasing the shadow clone. There were two Necromancers nearby. However, by the time they noticed something was wrong, Nie Yan had already completed his 3-hit combo. Two spells flew toward Nie Yan. He quickly evaded the attacks with Disappear. After taking the 3-hit combo, the Necromancer only had 6,000 health left. By the time the stun wore off, two 3,000s from bleed damage floated up above his head. He didn¡¯t even have the time to drink a health potion before collapsing to the ground. ¡°What happened?¡± The Mystic frowned. ¡°He probably used his Shadow Clone skill!¡± The Slayer glanced at the silhouette they were chasing after. If what they were chasing after was just a clone, they were wasting their time. ¡°Everyone, regroup!¡± the Mystic shouted. Nirvana Flame had already summoned his shadow clone. If he wanted to escape, he could¡¯ve easily done so by now. But he was still here. It looked like he wanted to kill them all! The seven still alive regrouped. Five of their brothers were already dead. Their losses were heavy. The only upside was that they had managed to retrieve all the fallen equipment. ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s give up on chasing him. In a bit, we¡¯ll have reinforcements arriving. If he wants to run, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it,¡± the Mystic said. If they continued on like this, they would only lose more. Nie Yan recalled Lil¡¯ Gold, then lingered around on the outskirts. Seeing the seven players huddled close together, he guessed they¡¯d had enough. Nie Yan smirked. If they wanted to kill him, they would have to prove they had the ability first! Even now when these players were huddled close together, he could still kill a few and escape in one piece. However, it would waste a lot of time, and he would have to brave a certain risk. Looking in the distance, it seemed like some Righteous Faction players were rushing over. He decided to put an end to this bout of fun. He would turn in his Dark Demon Fragments, then continue levelling! Nie Yan made his way back to the entrance to the Dark Demonic Space. The seven Evil Faction players stuck closely together in place until they were absolutely certain Nie Yan had left. ¡°He should have left by now, right?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± The Mystic was about to have everyone withdraw, when he discovered a large group of Righteous Faction players moving to surround them. ¡°It¡¯s Asskickers United!¡± The Mystic¡¯s face paled. Before their reinforcements even arrived, they had alerted the players from Asskickers United. There were 70 players in total. All of them were well over Level 180. They were doomed! Nie Yan had long since left. Unaware of what was happening to those seven players, he entered the Dark Demonic Space. ¡°Welcome, brave adventurer. How may I help you?¡± Angel Gower asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to turn in my Dark Demonic Fragments.¡± Nie Yan handed over all the fragments he¡¯d collected over the past couple of weeks. On the leaderboards for the Dark Demonic Space, the previous rank one person had turned in 370,000 Dark Demonic Fragments. Nie Yan became the new number one after turning in a total of 890,000 Dark Demonic Fragments. Two crisp notification jingles rang out. Nie Yan directly levelled up from Level 177 to Level 179. The reward for turning in so many Dark Demonic Fragments was quite generous. Apart from the high mob density, this was another reason the Dark Demonic Space was lauded as the best levelling place. If a powerful Mage were to grind here, their levelling speed would be several dozens of times faster than outside. You have achieved rank 1 for most Dark Demonic Fragments turned in. You have received one Dark Demon Crystal. Nie Yan wondered what sort of item this Dark Demon Crystal was. He checked his inventory and found a long strip of black crystal. It emitted a faint black glow, its colour was muddled and clouded. Nie Yan examined the item. Dark Demon Crystal (Chaos Item): Unique Use: Feed to any pet and transform their attribute to Chaos. All stats +30%. Greatly increases Growth Rate. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the Unique on the item meant. Could it be that this was a one of a kind item? This was the most likely explanation. As for who to use this item on, the Divine Eclipse Dragon came to mind. Nie Yan wondered if it could get even stronger. At the thought alone, Nie Yan became incredibly excited. The Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s Growth Rate was already quite high. Furthermore, Nie Yan¡¯s Dragon King¡¯s Divine Might skill gave a large stat boost to all dragons, bringing its power to an even more ludicrous level. If it could get even stronger, then no one else could compete! Nie Yan started realizing something. The Divine Eclipse Dragon was his ticket back to the peak. Even though pets had become mostly irrelevant in PvP and boss fights, their mobbing abilities had been buffed as compensation, and the amount of experience they required for every level up was also greatly reduced. Like this, it was fairly easy to make a powerful pet, allowing them to carry their masters to higher levels. His Divine Eclipse Dragon was undoubtedly the most powerful pet in the game. If he fed it the Dark Demon Crystal and made it even stronger, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about catching up in level at all. As he progressed to higher level maps, he would naturally have more opportunities to find better equipment! ¡°Great Prophet, may I ask if you have an item called the Death God¡¯s Edge on your person?¡± Gower asked. ¡°I do.¡± Nie Yan nodded. Why would Gower ask about this now and not earlier? Could it be because he had handed over a certain number of Dark Demonic Fragments? Nie Yan keenly sensed that he was about to receive a major quest. ¡°Archangel Tallod has already been waiting for you at the Gates of Hell for a long time,¡± Gower said. ¡°How am I supposed to find him?¡± Nie Yan asked. The topography of the Gates of Hell was extremely complicated. Even up until now, the players levelling there hadn¡¯t discovered so much as a trace of Archangel Tallod. If he went over there, even if he flipped the whole map over, he might not necessarily find Tallod! ¡°I can teleport you to him right now,¡± Gower said. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 951 - The Divine Eclipse Dragon Evolves! Gower could teleport him straight to Tallod? Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but feel a little excited. He¡¯d already lost track of how long the Death God¡¯s Edge was sitting in his bag. He hadn¡¯t heard any news about Archangel Tallod. Though he hadn¡¯t gone himself to investigate the Gates of Hell, he did once have Guo Huai send people. This was certainly a pleasant surprise. Like this, he could save a lot of time and effort! Nie Yan knew Tallod¡¯s quest wouldn¡¯t be simple. After all, one of the quest items was the Death God¡¯s Edge. This was a Sacred Object! However, Nie Yan worried he wasn¡¯t strong enough to go right now. He couldn¡¯t wait too long, but he at least wanted to feed the Divine Eclipse Dragon the Dark Demon Crystal and upgrade Zennarde¡¯s Sword. ¡°Sir Gower, I still have some business to take care of. Would it be possible for me to come back later?¡± Nie Yan asked. This kind of request shouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡°Of course, Great Prophet. You can come back and look for me at any time,¡± Gower said. Nie Yan exited the Dark Demonic Space. He teleported back to Okoron with Instant Transmission and headed into a certain villa. The villa occupied a roughly 300-meter wide area, surrounded by six-meter high walls. It was quite luxurious, only that the location was a bit remote. This was a little rest area he specifically left for himself. Very few people knew about it. Nie Yan walked out into the courtyard and summoned the Divine Eclipse Dragon. It was five meters tall and covered in silvery ashen scales. It exuded the aura of a king, which overshadowed all dragons. Nie Yan brought out the Dark Demon Crystal. The Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s gaze instantly locked onto it, a begging cry escaping its throat. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t wait to see the changes in the Divine Eclipse Dragon after eating the Dark Demon Crystal. He tossed it in the air. The Divine Eclipse Dragon snapped the crystal up and gulped it down in one go. In the next moment, a dazzling radiance started glowing on the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s scales. The alternating flashes of black and white were mesmerizing. Land bound dragons were different from their flying counterparts. Advancing from one rank to the next was incredibly difficult for flying dragons, taking at least one to two months or even longer. On the other hand, land dragons weren¡¯t restricted by ranks. After eating something, it would be quickly digested. Nie Yan struggled to look at the Divine Eclipse Dragon through the blinding light. It underwent immense changes. After growing to eight meters tall, it also grew a second head! A twin-headed dragon! One head had a white horn that radiated holy aura, and the other had a black horn that radiated dark aura. A powerful aura swept out. Anywhere the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s gaze swept past, cyclones would form in the surroundings. Nie Yan felt his heart palpitate. The Divine Eclipse Dragon had evolved into a twin-headed dragon! Apart from its formidable might, it also gave a sinister appearance. Nie Yan checked the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s status window. Its Growth Rate had doubled from 30 to 60! It had also learned 30 new skills. The Dark Demon Crystal really was too powerful! It seemed only logical now that it was a one of a kind item. If Nie Yan had evolved the Divine Eclipse Dragon when it was still Level 0, just how powerful would it be now!? However, thinking about it, if he hadn¡¯t brought its level up, there was no way he could¡¯ve gotten the Dark Demon Crystal. It didn¡¯t matter anymore either. He¡¯d already fed it. The Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s two heads could individually and simultaneously cast spells. It was only a pity that one head could only cast light magic and the other could only cast dark magic. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but think how valiant the Divine Eclipse Dragon would look with both its heads casting magic at the same time. Just thinking about it made his blood boil with excitement! With this extraordinary pet, why would Nie Yan ever worry about catching up in level? Conviction didn¡¯t lack anything. Even dungeons like the Dark Demonic Space were in no short supply! Before evolving, the Level 183 Divine Eclipse Dragon was already more frightening than any Level 200 player or pet. Even Lil¡¯ Gold would have to grow to Level 270 to rival its stats. After eating the Dark Demon Crystal, he wondered what sort of level it had reached. Its stats had increased by 30%, and its two heads could cast magic at the same time. The ultimate levelling weapon... Nie Yan sighed in admiration. If he could bring the Divine Eclipse Dragon to Level 200, as long as he didn¡¯t bump into any Demonified Lords, he could go through Elites and Lords like dicing vegetables! Nie Yan unsummoned the Divine Eclipse Dragon. His next objective was to upgrade Zennarde¡¯s Sword. Only then would he feel confident in making a trip to the Gates of Hell. After stocking up on consumables, Nie Yan left Okoron. He summoned the Spectre Dragon and took off toward his next destination. Glancing at his pet space, the Darkwing Dragon was still curled up in pain. He had no idea if it was struggling to survive, or fighting to break through. It all depended on luck. Hadrock Valley, this map was located on the border of the Satreen Empire. Apparently, Craftsman God Bronnick was a tauron with an extremely explosive temper. Most players that came here would be driven out. Only players with 500+ Influence were allowed an audience with Bronnick. Nie Yan had 1,100 Influence in the Viridian Empire and 500 in the Satreen Empire. Influence was incredibly difficult to build up. Even now, 500 Influence was an unreachable number for most players. On the entire surface, only a small amount of players had reached it. One could imagine how inconceivable of a thing it was for Nie Yan to achieve 1,100 Influence three years ago. The few people who were allowed an audience with Craftsman God Bronnick came here every now and then for the quests he gave out. They were all high difficulty ones that took one to two months to complete. The reward was more than worth it, though. Bronnick would upgrade your equipment to Chaos gear. If he had the right materials in stock, he could even make an item second only to a Sacred Object. Even though Nie Yan had two Sacred Objects, he couldn¡¯t equip them. So, he had yet to experience the true might of one. About 20 minutes later, a valley covered in a thick layer of clouds appeared in Nie Yan¡¯s vision. That was his objective. The Spectre Dragon descended into the clouds. After passing through the dense mist, he saw a faint red glow in the distance, the air brimming with the smell of sulfur. This was a valley in Hadrock Valley that served as Bronnick¡¯s forge. The Spectre Dragon landed on the ground. Nie Yan unsummoned it. Looking at his skill bar, he discovered all his skills were greyed out, including Gale Step. It looked like this place forbade PvP. He walked along the path and headed deeper into the valley. Let¡¯s upgrade Zennarde¡¯s Sword! Nie Yan¡¯s eyes lit up with anticipation. Several minutes later, Nie Yan spotted a thatch hut right at the edge of a crater. That was Bronnick¡¯s residence. Five Level 190+ players were already waiting outside his door. Seeing Nie Yan walking up the path alone, they looked at him with eyes full of skepticism. ¡°Is that guy stupid? Why did he come alone? Doesn¡¯t he know you have to have at least a party of five to accept Bronnick¡¯s quest?¡± a Shaman remarked. ¡°Look, he¡¯s only Level 179. What the hell is he coming here for?¡± an Orc said. He couldn¡¯t help but feel superior. To reach Level 193 and his current achievements, he didn¡¯t know how much blood and sweat he spent. Anyone below Level 180 wasn¡¯t even worthy of a second glance. ¡°I bet it won¡¯t be long before he¡¯ll be walking back up that path like a sorry sap. Bronnick will kick him out,¡± the Shaman said. ¡°After turning in this quest, we can get a Void Ore. That¡¯s worth at least 100,000 gold! So, 20,000 between the five of us. Which one of you wants to use it?¡± the orc Warrior asked. On the topic of Void Ore, his face broke into smiles. ¡°Give it to me. I need an upgrade for my staff,¡± an Elven Mage said. Nie Yan followed behind the party of five, eavesdropping on their conversation. Many new items and materials were introduced during his three-year hiatus. This Void Ore they were talking about, he had no clue what it was. However, at a 100,000 gold valuation, it was worth more than ordinary Legendary-equipment! Would his Dark Void Iron and Void Gold be worth the same, or more even? It looked like he would have to research more on his general knowledge, though not right now. He was already outside of Bronnick¡¯s residence. The party of five entered the thatch house first. Nie Yan knitted his brows. Who knew how much time they would take speaking with Bronnick. Right now, he didn¡¯t even want to waste several minutes. Forget it, they came first, Nie Yan inwardly grumbled. Nie Yan followed the party inside the thatch hut. He finally got a look at Craftsman God Bronnick. He was over two meters tall with a hearty build. His appearance was the same as any other tauron, save for his long, grey beard. ¡°Craftsman God Bronnick, we¡¯ve found the item you requested,¡± the orc Warrior said, bringing out an old parchment scroll. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 952 - Upgrading Zennarde’s Sword Craftsman God Bronnick¡¯s thatch hut looked run-down and shabby. The things inside were strewn all over and haphazardly piled on top of each other. There wasn¡¯t much space either. With six people entering at once, the place instantly felt cramped. Bronnick raised his head. He swept his turbid eyes swept over the visitors before focusing on Nie Yan. His expression lit up. Ignoring the party of five trying to turn in their quest, he approached Nie Yan. ¡°That poor sap is screwed. Bronnick is going to send him flying out of here with a boot,¡± the orc Warrior said with schadenfreude. ¡°Ha, yeah. A Level 179 scrub coming here, I wonder if his Influence even reaches the requirements.¡± The Shaman chuckled. The party of five gleefully waited for Nie Yan to be humiliated. From their point of view, any player below Level 180 had no right to be here. Bronnick stopped in front of Nie Yan and greeted him with a respectful bow. ¡°You honor me with your presence, sir. Welcome to my humble abode.¡± Since Nie Yan was in appear offline mode, NPCs wouldn¡¯t use his name in their speech. Nie Yan¡¯s status as a Great Prophet put him above Bronnick in the hierarchy. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, Craftsman God Bronnick.¡± Nie Yan nodded. Hearing the exchange between Nie Yan and Bronnick, the party of five dropped their jaws in shock. ¡°H-how is this possible? W-why is Bronnick so respectful to that guy?¡± the orc Warrior asked in utter disbelief. He felt like the world was going loopy right now. ¡°Whos is this guy? Damn! This a load of bull! The last time we came here, Bronnick couldn¡¯t even be bothered to raise an eyelid to look at us!¡± the Shaman fumed. This was their first time seeing Bronnick treating a player so affably. The party of five could hardly believe their eyes. Nie Yan and Bronnick continued to converse. Neither of them leaked any important information. ¡°I can upgrade any one of your items to Chaos-grade, free of charge. If you happen to have any void metals, the results will be much better,¡± Bronnick said. The party of five sucked in a cold breath of air. It had to be someone really famous behind that cloak for Bronnick to offer an upgrade for free! One had to know, even if you brought void metal, upgrading any piece of equipment would cost at least 60,000 gold, and you would have to find large pile of rare and bizarre materials. Just what kind of quest did this Level 179 player complete to receive a reward like this? ¡°There¡¯s no way that low level piece of trash has a piece of void metal!¡± the Shaman hatefully whispered, his eyes on Nie Yan¡¯s hands. One had to know, their party of five risked life and limb to complete Bronnick¡¯s quest, all for the sake of obtaining a single piece of Void Ore. Void metals were one of the rarest items in the game! He refused to believe Nie Yan possessed one! ¡°A Void Ore is worth at least 100,000 gold. No way a Level 179 player has that kind of gold.¡± The orc Warrior refused to let go of his feeling of superiority. The party of five quietly whispered amongst each other. Even if Nie Yan didn¡¯t possess a piece of void metal, just the exchange between him and Bronnick was enough to leave them completely shocked. Nie Yan hadn¡¯t had the time to research the new materials introduced to the game. So, he wasn¡¯t too familiar with void metals. His only clue were the Dark Void Iron and Void Gold in his bag, both labelled as Void Metal. However, he doubted they were enough. Blacksmiths generally required dozens to hundreds of pieces of metal when upgrading a piece of equipment. If he had to collect 100 pieces of either of them, he¡¯d be better off using that time to level. ¡°Bronnick, is this the void metal you¡¯re talking about? How many will I need to upgrade my equipment?¡± Nie Yan asked. He took out the Dark Void Iron from his bag. It was about the size of a fist and looked completely ordinary without any particular features. ¡°You have a piece of Dark Void Iron? That¡¯s great! Upgrading a piece equipment doesn¡¯t require much. Just one piece is enough,¡± Bronnik said. His gaze landed on the lump of metal in Nie Yan¡¯s hands. ¡°The purity of this Dark Void Iron is quite high. It will produce a great result!¡± Nie Yan felt a little silly. So, one piece was enough! He¡¯d been worried for nothing. The party of five players from the Satreen Empire sucked in a cold breath of air. They felt their heads spinning. A piece of Dark Void Iron was actually in the hands of a Level 179 player! This world was so unfair! Their eyes were bloodshot from all the staring. The orc Warrior pinched himself hard on the cheeks. The sharp pain told him he wasn¡¯t dreaming. Just what in the world was going on? The five players had every right to be shocked. The market value of a Void Ore started at 100,000 gold, and rarely ever appeared in the marketplace. Even if you camped out in the auction house for a week straight, you¡¯d be lucky to find one or two pieces. Around 20 to 25 Void Ores were equal to a single piece of Dark Void Iron. One could imagine how valuable Dark Void Iron was! If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Bronnick was a powerful Legendary NPC and PvP was disabled in this zone, they would¡¯ve tried to rob Nie Yan on the spot. A Legendary item and a piece of Dark Void Iron, as long as you helped Bronnik collect the necessary materials, it would become an item on par with a Sacred Object! Bronnick had already agreed to upgrade one of Nie Yan¡¯s items for free. Nie Yan had also taken out a piece of Dark Void Iron. They weren¡¯t stupid enough to believe he didn¡¯t have a Legendary item! This was simply too shocking! A Sacred Object! How powerful of an item was this! The party of five licked their parched lips. Nie Yan breathed a sigh of relief. He only needed one piece of Dark Void Iron to upgrade Zennarde¡¯s Sword to a Chaos item. He still had the Void Gold in his bag. The Dark Void Iron was the reward he received for clearing the Dark Demonic Space within two hours; while he received the Void Gold for clearing the Dark Demonic Space within one hour. It was clearly of a higher rank. Since Nie Yan was going to upgrade Zennarde¡¯s Sword, he would of course use the best material! ¡°I still have this Void Gold. I wonder if it can also be used to upgrade equipment?¡± Nie Yan asked as he took out the lump of Void Gold from his bag. The party of five stared in both disbelief and suspicion. ¡°Void Gold? Is he for real?¡± They felt their hearts race as they tensely awaited Bronnick¡¯s reply. ¡°Without a doubt, this is Void Gold, quite a high purity too. Using this to upgrade equipment will produce a much better finished product than with Dark Void Iron.¡± Bronnick nodded. The party of five felt a bomb go off in their heads. This lump of metal was actually Void Gold!? The same material countless people were going crazy over? The world really was going lopsided today! Sure, they could barely accept a level 179 player had a piece Dark Void Iron, but Void Gold? This was straight up heaven-defying! Dark Void Iron could still be obtained if you forked over two or three million gold. Apparently, the guild leader of Fallen Angel, Plenty, had collected more than 20 Void Ores and refined them into a Dark Void Iron ingot. Asskickers United was even more ruthless. Any piece of void metal that didn¡¯t exceed 10% above the normal market price was instantly snatched up by them. Only when the prices were inflated too high would they give up. According to rumours, they¡¯d gotten some Dark Void Iron through this method. As for how many pieces exactly, no one knew. They were all used up by their top ranked players. However, even if you had the gold, it was impossible to purchase Void Gold. Up until now, the number of Void Gold Ores in both great factions didn¡¯t exceed five. However, this information couldn¡¯t be correct, since 20 to 25 pieces of Void Gold Ore were required to extract a Void Gold Ingot! They simply couldn¡¯t imagine how much a Void Gold Ingot could upgrade a piece of Legendary-grade equipment. When the party of five was still recovering from their shock, Nie Yan finished speaking with Bronnick. A trade window popped up in front of him. All the necessary upgrade materials were already there. He placed in Zennarde¡¯s Sword, then the Void Gold Ingot. A notification popped up. Do you wish to upgrade Zennarde¡¯s Sword? Success Rate: 99.8%. With this kind of success rate, if he failed, it simply wasn¡¯t meant to be. However, he doubted he would have this kind of bad luck. Yes! Nie Yan hit confirm. In the next moment, he felt like he was transported into a void. Craftsman God Bronnick stood in front of an enormous forge, striking his hammer. Several days seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. When Nie yan snapped out of his reverie, he was back in the thatch hut. In the trade window, Zennarde¡¯s Sword had a completely new appearance. The upgrade was a success! Even though he didn¡¯t think his luck was that bad, he still couldn¡¯t help but feel a little nervous. After all, the item he put up was perhaps his most precious. Even he couldn¡¯t bear such a big loss. Seeing it was a success, he felt a huge weight off his heart quickly replaced by endless excitement. Zennarde¡¯s Sword was originally a pure black, but now it flickered with hints of gold. There was also the addition of pulsing gold runes within the dark flames that raged around the blade. From the extremely demonic appearance to a more solemn and dignified one, it gave off the unrivalled power of a king! Nie Yan felt the spirit inside Zennarde¡¯s Sword slowly awakening. Only the slightest presence, yet it gave off an imposing aura that looked down on all in the world! Nie Yan wondered how much the stats of Zennarde¡¯s Sword had changed. His heart raced with excitement and anticipation. He retrieved the item back into his inventory. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 953 - Chaos Se As soon as Zennarde¡¯s Sword entered back into his inventory, Nie Yan felt a powerful aura surge out from his bag. This weapon which had accompanied Nie Yan in his rise to glory so many years ago, and would do so again! Nie Yan examined Zennarde¡¯s Sword. Zennarde¡¯s Sword (Sacred): Chaos Description: A godly weapon created by Kallander and imbued with the dark magic power of Dragon King Zennarde, becoming a Divine weapon. Failing to subdue the spirit within Zennarde¡¯s Sword will result in a fatal backlash. After being reinforced with Void Gold, its power has risen greatly. Properties: Attack 39,560¨C39,827, Critical +1,250, 55% chance to deal 1,800% Critical Damage, True Damage Hell Execution (22): Chance to instantly execute an enemy when their health falls below 35%. Success rate is determined by the level difference and enemy defense. Energy Cost: 15. Cooldown: 1.5 seconds. Advanced Apocalyptic Extinction: Inflict the enemy with five types of Curses: Rank 22 Exhaustion, Rank 22 Cripple, Rank 22 Disease, Rank 22 Fear, and Rank 22 Corrode. Duration: 15 minutes. Cooldown: 1 hour. Annihilation Slash (Rank 22): Channel your energy into an enormous sword of dark fire and annihilate all enemies in your path. Deals 8,000% damage to all enemies in a 5 by 50 meter area in front of you. Cooldown: 1 day. Dragon King¡¯s Divine Might: You can own up to three dragon pets and two dragon flying mounts. All dragon pets and flying mounts will receive +50% to all stats and dragon pets also have their loyalty permanently maxed out. By comprehending the strength of Zennarde, you have obtained Divine Power. It will guide you to the secret treasure of the dragon race. Restrictions: None -Creator: Kallander Nie Yan compared it to the old properties of Zennarde¡¯s Sword. Zennarde¡¯s Sword (Divine) Description: A godly weapon created by Kallander and imbued with the dark magic power of Dragon King Zennarde. Failing to subdue the evil energy within Zennarde¡¯s Sword will result in a fatal backlash. Properties: Attack 7,560¨C9,827, Critical +750, 35% chance to deal 1,500% Critical Damage, Ignore Level +95, Ignore Armour Hell Execution (Rank 18): Chance to instantly execute an enemy when their health falls below 30%. Success rate is determined by the level difference and enemy defense. Energy Cost: 20. Cooldown: 2 seconds. Advanced Apocalyptic Extinction: Inflict the enemy with five types of Curses: Rank 18 Exhaustion, Rank 18 Cripple, Rank 18 Disease, Rank 18 Fear, and Rank 18 Corrode. Duration: 15 minutes. Cooldown: 1 hour. Annihilation Slash (Rank 18): Channel your energy into an enormous sword of dark fire and annihilate all enemies in your path. Deals 5,000% damage to all enemies in a five by 50 meter area in front of you. Cooldown: 1 day. Dragon King¡¯s Divine Might: You can own up to three dragon pets and two dragon flying mounts. All dragon pets and flying mounts will receive +30% to all stats and dragon pets also have their loyalty permanently maxed out. By comprehending the strength of Zennarde, you have obtained Divine Power. It will guide you to the secret treasure of the dragon race. Restrictions: None -Creator: Kallander All of the properties of Zennarde¡¯s Sword saw a massive upgrade. What excited Nie Yan the most was the boost in attack power. The almost 40,000 attack power was even higher than the 37,000 attack power of the Death God¡¯s Edge! It had become a genuine Sacred weapon! With such a powerful weapon, Nie Yan¡¯s attack had once more risen to astonishing heights, allowing him to take another step toward the apex. He estimated even if the likes of Plenty, Smoke Stub, and Bladelight pulled out all their aces, their damage wouldn¡¯t be much higher than his. The only thing still lacking behind was his level. If Nie Yan could turn his Tyrant Abak Set into Chaos gear as well, then he would truly stand at the apex once more. ¡°Craftsman God Bronnick, I would like to talk to you about a more sensitive matter. Could you have that party of five wait outside first please?¡± Nie Yan asked. This was a rather rude request, but those five had seen enough. If he continued the discussion in their presence, he might leak out some important secrets. ¡°You lot, step outside.¡± Bronnick waved to the five players. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll compensate you for the inconvenience.¡± The party of five was slightly annoyed. However, after hearing that Bronnick would give them compensation, their anger quickly disappeared. Anything he gave would be amazing. They didn¡¯t dare to voice any complaints as they walked to the door. Before heading out, they let their eyes land on Nie Yan one last time in the hope of seeing through this mysterious man¡¯s cloak. However, there was not a clue to their identity. Besides, Nie Yan had drank an Appearance Changing Potion, so even if he took his cloak off, these players wouldn¡¯t recognize him. ¡°If I want to upgrade my Tyrant Abak Set, what materials will I require?¡± Nie Yan asked after the party of five closed the door behind them. Bronnick pondered for a long while before breaking his silence. ¡°That will be difficult. Let me make you a list.¡± He grabbed a pen and paper and started scribbling down the required materials as he mumbled, ¡°8 Void Metal ingots; 32 different Rank 16 Gems, and I¡¯ll need 20 of each; Dark Crystals¡­¡± Bronnick listed of a dizzying number of different materials. When he was all done, he turned to Nie Yan and said, ¡°You know, your Tyrant Abak Set is already very good. If you want to turn it into Chaos gear, I¡¯ll have to do it piece by piece. This Legendary set will no longer be a set, and the set bonuses will disappear. However, in exchange, you¡¯ll see a large increase in stats, far greater than what the set bonuses provide right now. This is something you¡¯ll have to carefully consider.¡± The Tyrant Abak Set would go from a Legendary set to eight separate pieces of equipment? Nie Yan frowned. However, if the stats of each individual piece were going to be much higher than the combined whole, that was the only way to go. Since it would no longer be a set, Nie Yan wouldn¡¯t have to worry about upgrading the Bloody Dagger and Slaughter Edge. He would be just fine with the six armour pieces and Zennarde¡¯s Sword. Not upgrading the Tyrant Abak Set was out of the question. It already lagged far behind compared to the best equipment out there right now. Either Nie Yan had to find a way to upgrade it, or he could only switch it out for a more powerful set. Between the two choices, Nie Yan would prefer the first one. Obtaining the Tyrant Abak Set was already incredibly difficult. He didn¡¯t want to imagine how hard it would be to find even higher quality gear. The first option was much simpler. As for the Void Metal, apparently the ores were rare drops in the Chaos Temple. If he utilized the entire strength of Asskickers United, even if he couldn¡¯t find something as high end as Void Gold, getting Dark Void Iron was still possible. ¡°If I only want to upgrade six pieces, does that mean I¡¯ll only need six Void Metal ingots?¡± Nie Yan asked. He already had a Dark Void Iron Ingot in his bag. That meant he just needed to get five more. ¡°Correct. Actually, if you only want to upgrade six pieces, I think I might have another method.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± Nie Yan asked curiously. ¡°Melt the eight pieces into six and create a completely new Chaos set. Of course, it will require a lot more materials, and we¡¯ll also have to sacrifice a piece of Sacred-grade equipment,¡± Bronnick said. This would be his most powerful creation! Turning the eight-piece Tyrant Abak Set into a completely new six-piece Chaos set? Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. If this was really possible, his strength would go up by leaps and bounds! If Nie Yan said he wasn¡¯t moved, it would be a blatant lie. However, it would cost him a Sacred item. Nie Yan immediately thought of Patternoster¡¯s Warhammer. This hammer wasn¡¯t meant to be used by a Thief. It was useless to him. ¡°Even though a Sacred item will have to be sacrificed, it won¡¯t be in vain. Its properties will be transferred over to the new set,¡± Bronnick said. ¡°Apart from the Sacred item, what other materials will I need?¡± Nie Yan asked. He was very interested in Bronnick¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Many. Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Bronnick listed off a large number of materials, many of which Nie Yan had never heard of before. They all came from the Chaos Temple or Sword of the War God. Of the 30 different materials, a few sat in the guild treasury. After acquiring all those different materials, he would also still need six Void Metal ingots. ¡°So, if I gather all these things, You can turn my Tyrant Abak Set into a Chaos set?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°Yes, Great Prophet. Apart from the materials, the crafting fee will be 10,000,000 gold,¡± Bronnick said. The crafting fee was irrelevant. The amount of gold at Nie Yan¡¯s disposal had long since passed astronomical levels. He couldn¡¯t care less about a measly 10,000,000 gold. Nie Yan had gained quite a lot from this trip to Craftsman God Bronnick¡¯s place. Apart from upgrading Zennarde¡¯s Sword, he also found out how to upgrade his other equipment. Even if it wasn¡¯t possible to do this right away, he at least had a goal to work toward. Nie Yan sent Guo Huai a message.¡¸How¡¯s the guild lately?¡¹ Guo Huai was overjoyed beyond belief to hear from Nie Yan.¡¸You finally show yourself! You really left us out to dry over these past three years. I had to work around the clock with the other staff members to pick up the slack when you disappeared!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s been hard on you guys. It¡¯s because of all of you that Asskickers United hasn¡¯t collapsed.¡¹ Nie Yan knew that after his departure from the game, Guo Huai and the others had spent an untold amount of effort to pacify the panic and despair in the guild. ¡¸That¡¯s right! Now, when are you planning to lead us again?¡¹ ¡¸Not any time soon. With my current equipment and level, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s suitable for me to come back as the guild leader. Even if the people in the guild don¡¯t care, the people outside will. ¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s fine. Let them speak. They¡¯re nobodies anyway,¡¹Guo Huai said.¡¸Sure your level has dropped, but everyone in the guild reveres you just as much as they did three years ago.¡¹ ¡¸I know, but still. Let me climb back to the peak first,¡¹Nie Yan said in a determined tone. Even if he went back now, there wasn¡¯t much he could do. ¡¸Are you sure? You¡¯ve been gone for three whole years! Even if you¡¯ve power levelled to 180 inside the Dark Demonic Space, you¡¯re still more than 20 levels away from the top ranked players. Plus, they¡¯ve all had two years to collect Chaos gear,¡¹Guo Huai said worriedly. Catching up after a three-year absence was easier said than done! ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡¹Nie Yan shared the list of materials Bronnick had given him.¡¸How many of these things can you help me find?¡¹ Guo Huai glanced at the list.¡¸Many of these materials are quite rare. I estimate the total value of everything on this list is at least 30,000,000 gold. Just the five Void Metal ingots will cost 12,000,000 gold at minimum. However, it¡¯s nothing for our guild.¡¹ Even Nie Yan was surprised. He never thought these materials would cost so much. However, thinking about it, a top rank Chaos set was even more valuable! ¡¸So, you want me to help you get these things, right?¡¹Guo Huai asked. ¡¸Yeah. All of these materials are important. I''ll focus on raising my level. Message me back when you¡¯ve found all of them,¡¹Nie Yan replied. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 954 - Archangel Tallod The materials for upgrading the Tyrant Abak Set already cost 30,000,000 gold. However, Nie Yan estimated this new set would rival, if not outshine, the best equipment in the game. After bidding farewell to Craftsman God Bronnick, Nie Yan left the thatch hut. Back outside, he found the party of five players from the Satreen Empire staring at him, trying to figure out his identity. A little earlier, the five of them had discussed whether or not they should kill Nie Yan and rob him of his items, but they ended up giving up on the idea. In the entire Righteous Faction, very few players could take out something as precious as Void Gold. This kind of person definitely had an astonishing backing. If they failed their ambush and offended someone they shouldn¡¯t have, the consequences would be unimaginable. They stared at Nie Yan¡¯s departing figure before going back inside the thatch hut. Nie Yan walked away from Bronnick¡¯s residence for a few minutes, then placed down a teleportation marker so he could return here anytime he wanted. Afterwards, he teleported back to Okoron. Zennarde¡¯s Sword was upgraded, and the Divine Eclipse Dragon had evolved. It was about time Nie Yan went to the Gates of Hell and met Tallod. Okoron was as flourishing as ever. No one noticed Nie Yan¡¯s arrival. If it weren¡¯t for him appearing in the Dark Demonic Space, most people would¡¯ve already forgotten the name of Nirvana Flame. His glory was already a long and distant memory. Only a few people would still excitedly bring up tales of those old days. The deepest memory he left for everyone was the still ever dominant Asskickers United and the Starry Night Potion Shop which enjoyed a true monopoly. After depositing the Dark Void Iron Ingot into his personal storage, Nie Yan summoned the Spectre Dragon and left Okoron again. His next destination was the Dark Demonic Space in Judgement Valley. While Nie Yan was off doing his own thing, a huge stir was occurring in the Righteous Faction¡¯s market. Guo Huai dispatched a large number of players all over to collect the high rank materials Nie Yan requested. All the auction houses across the Righteous Faction were swept clean of Void Iron Ore. Even then, it still wasn¡¯t enough. So, they set out to acquire more. Within 10 minutes, Guo Huai utilized Asskickers United¡¯s massive network to collect three quarters of the materials needed. Close to 20,000,000 gold flooded the market. One could imagine how big of an impact this had. The final bunch of items were fairly easy to find, with the exception of Void Iron Ore. Guo Huai left the task of acquiring more Void Iron Ore to Tang Yao and the others. They formed a party and started farming the Chaos Temple and Sword of the War God. They needed 100 Void Iron Ores. Even a super power like Asskickers United would have some difficulty acquiring so many. Guo Huai had his men also search for Dark Void Iron Ore in the underworld. He would employ special methods to have them smuggled back to the surface. Gold was universal in the game. So, you could pretty much buy anything anywhere. ... Fallen Angel, the Dark Council Hall. Ever since Plenty became the Chairman of the Dark Council, many members of Fallen Angel rose to high positions in the Evil Faction. One of them was their vice guild leader, Proud Warlance. He was now a member of the council. He sat proudly on his seat, clad in the Fallen Angel Kasar Set. The silver ashen armour pulsated with a mottled light. Plenty sat at the throne, striking a grand appearance. He wore the robes of the chairman and held the Monas Curse Scepter. ¡°Boss, let¡¯s declare war on the Righteous Faction. With our current strength and the Dark Council¡¯s dark army, we can easily capture a few dozen of Asskickers United¡¯s strongholds,¡± a Necromancer in black robes suggested. Plenty remained silent, an unreadable expression on his face. ¡°I know you promised Nirvana Flame that you wouldn¡¯t attack Asskickers United as long as he was there, but that was because he was invincible back then. Things have changed, and he¡¯s become a relic of the past. You can easily crush him now, and there¡¯s nothing he can do to stop you,¡± the Necromancer continued, refusing to give up. Plenty shot a sharp glance at the Necromancer, then coldly said, ¡°You know very well that the Righteous Faction has at least a dozen Legendary NPCs. If we declare war, we won¡¯t win a thing. We need a dozen Legends to even stand a chance of taking down Calore. Yet you keep pestering me about declaring war on the Righteous Faction. Are you really that afraid of him rising up again? You¡¯re a coward, nothing more.¡± Plenty¡¯s gaze seemed to be capable of seeing through a person¡¯s heart. The Necromancer tried to justify himself, but he could only dejectedly admit he was afraid, terrified even. He¡¯d recently received word that not only did the 12 players he sent after Nie Yan failed their ambush, but five also died! One had to know, Nie Yan was only Level 177 at that time! If he went up another 10 or 20 levels and completed the Book of Order to become the Supreme Pontiff, they would have no hope of taking him down anymore! Nie Yan¡¯s levelling speed also made him feel a chill in his heart. Nie Yan was only Level 156 when he returned to the game. A few short months was all he needed to reach Level 177! This kind of progress was simply too monstrous! If he were to learn that Nie Yan was already Level 179, he would probably faint on the spot. ¡°Warlance, what do you think?¡± Plenty asked. ¡°You¡¯ve just become the Chairman of the Dark Council. While it¡¯s true that you can mobilize the dark army to attack the Righteous Faction, it¡¯s best if we make the proper preparations. Even without Nirvana Flame, Asskickers United has many top ranked experts. After operating in the Righteous Faction for so long, their roots run very deep. Attacking them means declaring war on the entire Righteous Faction. We have no choice but to be prudent. I think we better wait for a few of our top ranked players to become Legends first. For now, we can try sending out some people to probe their strength. I can personally go and bring a dozen players with me,¡± Warlance said. Plenty sunk into silence. Warlance¡¯s words made sense. Attacking the Righteous Faction right now simply wasn¡¯t worth it. Without an absolute advantage, what was the point? At present, he was the Chairman of the Dark Council and was busy pulling the experts from Fallen Angel into its membership. Several of his members already had opportunities to advance to Legends. Fallen Angel¡¯s advantage was growing bigger and bigger. Was it necessary to rush things? ¡°Alright, you bring a few people up there to probe their strength.¡± Plenty nodded. Truthfully, he already knew about Nie Yan taking out five of their members outside the Dark Demonic Space. He was also taken aback by how quickly Nie Yan reached Level 177. A trace of urgency welled up in his heart. He would have Warlance go up to probe the strength of Asskickers United¡¯s top experts. If their strength was only so-so, he would immediately declare war! ... Nie Yan had no idea these matters were going on in the underworld. He was too focused on himself to care about anything else. The only thing on his mind was climbing back to the apex with all his strength. Before long, Nie Yan stepped inside the Dark Demonic Space, where he appeared in the safe zone. Angel Gower walked over to greet him. ¡°Great Prophet, have you finished your preparations?¡± Gower asked. ¡°I have, please teleport me to Archangel Tallod.¡± Nie Yan nodded. ¡°Alright, please wait a moment.¡± Gower chanted an incantation, a white light enveloping Nie Yan. Bathing in the light, Nie Yan sensed the space around him warping. With a flash of light, he disappeared from his spot. The scenery before Nie Yan suddenly changed. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself on top of a shabby transfer gate formation. Surrounding him was a vast wasteland. It felt as though he arrived in a place completely forgotten by man. Countless boulders were scattered around the barren while the dirt was pitch black. There was no life of any sort to be seen. An enormous gate floated in the sky overhead. It was 100 meters tall and sealed shut. In the middle of the gate was a carving of an enormous skull with a malevolent appearance. It looked extremely life-like, almost as if it came from a real being. Guarding the gate was a tall angel. He was clad in silver white armour and wielded an enormous sword over 10 meters in length. Growing out of his back were three pairs of wings. They were transparent and wispy, almost as if they were made out of light. They were several dozen meters in size. Fluttering in the wind, they radiated a divine aura. This was the legendary Archangel Tallod, the Guardian of the God of Radiance and propagator of faith! After the fall of the gods in the ancient past, Tallod became the Righteous Faction¡¯s most powerful representative, a Level 360 Lord! He was on the same level as War God Kelo, and he had light attribute Divine Power, the bane of all evil creatures. Meanwhile, the most powerful representative of the Evil Faction was his shadow, Fallen Angel Augus. According to lore, the God of Radiance granted divinity to Archangel Tallod, allowing him to ascend to godhood and discard the darkness within himself, and from that abandoned darkness, Fallen Angel Augus was born. Sensing a visitor, Archangel Tallod opened his eyes which shone with a profound light. He stared at Nie Yan. Nie Yan instantly felt his spirit purifying, his mind no longer bothered by distracting thoughts. What formidable divine power! This pure divine power seemed to reign over all! Kalenna, floating beside his shoulder, immediately became respectful. ¡°You¡¯ve come,¡± Archangel Tallod finally spoke. His voice seemed to travel all the way from the ancient past to the present. ¡°Yes, Archangel Tallod,¡± Nie Yan respectfully greeted. He didn¡¯t dare to behave rudely in front of an NPC of this level. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 955 - Advanced Adjudicator of Light! Nie Yan had imagined what Archangel Tallod would look like countless times in the past. However, seeing him now for the first time, he was still deeply shocked. ¡°By obtaining the Death God¡¯s Edge, you have become the chosen one. It is the key to opening the Gates of Hell and enter that infernal realm. Enter its deepest depths and retrieve the Death God¡¯s Skull for me; I¡¯ll reward you generously. Of course, you can choose not to go. It is a frightening place no sane man would dare enter. If you choose to leave, I will give you something of equal value in exchange for the Death God¡¯s Edge. For the sake of the entire world, the Death God¡¯s Skull cannot find its way into Fallen Angel Augus¡¯ hands. Either you enter now and secure it, or I will destroy the Death God¡¯s Edge,¡± Archangel Tallod said. Nie Yan had read the main storyline of Conviction. According to the lore, if Fallen Angel Augus obtained the Death God¡¯s Skull and thereby the Divinity of the Death God, he would lead hundreds of millions of demons and undead in an all-out assault on the Righteous Faction. The entire continent would face a world-ending calamity. To go or not to go? Given Nie Yan¡¯s personality and the fact he¡¯d already come here, there was no way he would shrink back now! ¡°Archangel Tallod, I¡¯m willing to enter the Gates of Hell,¡± Nie Yan said with a respectful bow. At this moment, his heart was racing in his chest. This was definitely the highest rank quest he¡¯d ever received since entering the game! If he completed it, no matter what kind of reward he received, it would definitely cause his strength to soar by leaps and bounds! ¡°Brave adventurer, I express my deepest gratitude to you. In the darkness where the blessings of god cannot reach, may luck be by your side,¡± Archangel Tallod said, returning the bow with his own gesture. Nie Yan felt a divine power lifting him up and bringing him towards the Gates of Hell. In front of the enormous gates, his eyes fell on a small recess about the size of the Death God¡¯s Edge. ¡°The Death God¡¯s Edge is the key to opening the Gates of Hell,¡± Nie Yan muttered. He took out the Death God¡¯s Edge and inserted it into the recess. KLINK! The Death God¡¯s Edge was a perfect fit. RUMBLE! RUMBLE! The Gates of Hell slowly opened as wisps of dark energy leaked out. Nie Yan was just about to step inside, when an icy gust blew past his face, followed by ear-piercing screams. A floodwave of evil spirits started rushing out from the small opening between the gates. As the spirits swarmed toward Nie Yan, Archangel Tallod swung his great sword. A radiant slash cleaved down. The spirits wailed out in pain before crumbling into dust. ¡°Hurry up, and go in. The Gates of Hell will close in three minutes. If you don¡¯t enter now, it will be too late. Every 30 days, a portal will open for five minutes. Enter the portal within that time, and you can come out. May the light of God be with you,¡± Archangel Tallod said, continuously slashing out with his sword as he disposed of any of the spirits trying to escape. Looking at the boundless darkness before him, Nie Yan stepped forward without hesitation and entered. It was almost as if Nie Yan were travelling through a vast void. After 15 minutes, he finally felt his feet touch solid ground. Glancing at his inventory, the Death God¡¯s Edge didn¡¯t return to his bag. An icy gust blew past his face, causing him to shiver. Gazing around, he finally got a clear look at his surroundings. Nie Yan sucked in a breath of cold air. He stood in the land of corpses. The mountain ranges in the far distance were simply larger piles of corpses. There were no living creatures. This was a true hell! Countless undead roamed this barren wasteland in search of food. Wraiths and demons flew in murders, resembling enormous black clouds. Never before had Nie Yan seen anything like this. He finally grasped the true meaning of innumerable! Nie Yan understood why legends told that if the Gates of Hell were opened, a calamity would befall the entire world. This was why Archangel Tallod was guarding it! What an incalculable number of undead! Nie Yan¡¯s appearance immediately alerted the undead in the vicinity. The breath of the living was like an irresistible delicacy to them, enough to drive them mad with hunger! The monsters that attacked him were only Level 180 Elites. Nie Yan could easily deal with them. After obtaining the Divine Eclipse Dragon, when he saw large hordes of monsters, instead of being afraid, he felt his heart racing with excitement! All he saw was large sacks of experience flooding towards him! Nie Yan immediately entered combat mode. He summoned his various pets and summons and had Kallena buff them with her blessings. The Divine Eclipse Dragon immediately went wild. Letting out a thundering roar, its two heads started shooting out light and dark magic. The surroundings turned into a monochrome world of black and white. Judgement Light! An enormous pillar of light bombarded a 400-meter wide area up ahead. In an instant, a thousand undead let out mournful cries before transforming into ash. Holy Nova Ray! A ray of light pierced through the dark sky. In the blink of an eye, countless demons were scorched and dropped from the sky. As for the wraiths, they were burned to nothing. Almost simultaneously, a black beam of light pierced through the sky. Abyssal Pierce! What frightening might! After upgrading Zennarde¡¯s Sword, Dragon King¡¯s Divine Might increased the stats of all dragon pets from 30% to 50%. This was on top of the 30% stat increase the Divine Eclipse Dragon gained after evolving. The number of spells at its disposal also increased by quite a bit. Not to mention its two heads that could work independently from each other. Its ridiculous firepower would even put Tang Yao to shame. The commotion Nie Yan created shook the entire realm. Countless wraiths and demons in the horizon were swarming over. Their vast numbers blotted out the sky. ¡°I need Forbidden Magic!¡± Nie Yan muttered. Only Forbidden Magic could deal with such a large number of monsters! After clearing out the horde of monsters in the surroundings, the two heads of the Divine Eclipse Dragon both started casting Forbidden Magic. One creature casting two Forbidden Spells simultaneously, this was an inconceivable matter for ordinary players! The air shuddered intensely as an enormous vortex of light and dark converged on the Divine Eclipse Dragon. The two opposing elements clashed together before eventually coming to a strange harmony. It was rumoured that when Forbidden Spells of opposing elements were cast simultaneously, under some special circumstances, they could merge together to form a powerful combination magic! ¡°Is this going to be a light and dark combination magic?¡± Nie Yan wondered, his heart beating excitedly. The destructive power of a single Forbidden Spell was already frightening enough. He couldn¡¯t imagine a combination magic formed out of two. That was something straight out of legends! After chanting two sets of syllables, the Divine Eclipse Dragon fired out two enormous balls of light, one white one black, into the sky. They spiralled around each other before finally colliding into a massive explosion. BOOOOM! Nie Yan nearly lost his footing as the ground below quaked violently. His ears were ringing, while his vision was dyed in monochrome. It felt as if the entire world was going to be destroyed! This was a legendary combination magic from two Forbidden Spells! Too powerful! After half-a-minute passed, Nie Yan gradually regained his vision. The horde of wraiths and demons swarming towards him from the horizon were all gone. All that remained was a large pile of corpses scattered over the ground. He gaped his mouth in shock. This combination spell was more powerful than 10 Forbidden Magic combined! Just how many monsters had died in that attack! A crisp notification jingle rang out. Nie Yan glanced at his level. He reached Level 180, 7%! A moment ago, he was still Level 179, 71%! Nie Yan felt his head spinning. The amount of experience required to level up from Level 179 to Level 180 could be described with the number of grains of sand in the world. Just going up by 1% was extremely difficult. Yet he had gone up by 36% in one attack! This was too shocking! Nie Yan wasn¡¯t aware that there were many Lord-class wreaths and demons among the Elites. All of them were completely wiped out without a trace! At least several thousand Level 180 Lord-class monsters died in that one attack! ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Nie Yan sighed. This combination magic out of Forbidden Spells was completely unrivalled. If the players outside were to learn of this, just how would they react? Apart from the level up, Nie Yan also discovered that his Adjudicator of Light title had ranked up from Intermediate to Advanced. Advanced Adjudicator of Light was on the same rank as Great Prophet. It made sense. Both titles had equally difficult requirements. From the moment he obtained Adjudicator of Light to now, he¡¯d killed at least 80,000,000 dark creatures. A title that could only be obtained after killing so many dark creatures! How could it be possibly be lacking? Nie Yan checked the bonuses of the title. Advanced Adjudicator of Light Description: A second order title of the Temple of Light. Properties: Influence in the Righteous Faction +1,200. Supreme Resurrection: Revive any fallen NPC. Cooldown: 30 days (Cannot be used on deities.) The revival skill from Advanced Adjudicator of Light was different from that of Priests. It could be used to revive NPCs! Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. Did that mean if one of his powerful NPC subordinates died in battle, he could still revive them? Advanced Adjudicator of Light was already on the same rank as Great Prophet. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there was another title above it. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 956 - Deceased Skulls Nie Yan¡¯s heart was filled with curiosity. Unfortunately, the Advanced Adjudicator of Light title gave no hints as to whether it could advance any further. Truthfully, Supreme Pontiff and Chairman of the Dark Council were the highest rank titles of their respective factions. If there were another title above Advanced Adjudicator of Light, would it be even better than Supreme Pontiff? Righteous Faction +1,200 Influence, this was too frightening. It was even greater than the amount of Influence he gained from Great Prophet and all his other titles combined. As for the revival skill, he didn¡¯t immediately see how it would be of use to him. What NPC was there to revive? Nie Yan doubted he would have many opportunities to use it, unless he were in some very special circumstances. Nie Yan continued heading deeper into this wasteland of death. This place was a levelling paradise. The monsters in the vicinity all swarmed toward him. They were practically endless. The initial excitement eventually faded away as the levelling turned into a monotonous grind. Nie Yan felt time passing at an excruciatingly slow pace. Nie Yan traversed through the mountains of corpses and seas of bones. There seemed to be no end. The first day came to an end. Nie Yan checked his level. After the Divine Eclipse Dragon cast several Forbidden Spells, he had shot up to Level 182. Three levels in a single day. If anyone were to find out, they would have a heart attack. However, since the several Forbidden Spells the Divine Eclipse Dragon cast had cooldowns of around a month, it would be some time before he could repeat it. Nevertheless, levelling here was far better than anywhere else. Even the Dark Demonic Space couldn¡¯t compare. Nie Yan looked around his surroundings to check for loot. After all, these undead were all Level 180 monsters! Unfortunately, the drop rate of these monsters turned out to be pitifully low. After passing by the corpse of a scorched demon, Nie Yan saw something black sparkling on the ground. ¡°What is this?¡± Nie Yan mumbled as he picked it up. The object was ice cold to the touch. Flipping his palm over to examine it, he discovered it was some sort of ore. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. His appraisal senses for ores were extremely sharp right now. As soon as he saw it, he thought of the Void Gold Ingot he obtained back in the Dark Demonic Space. He promptly examined it. Ancient Occult Silver Ore: Special Material Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. So this thing wasn¡¯t Void Gold. He knitted his brows. ¡°Then what is this Ancient Occult Silver?¡± Nie Yan searched online fort the term Ancient Occult Silver. A lot of search results popped up for Occult Silver, but there was nothing for Ancient Occult Silver. It looked like he would have to go ask Craftsman God Bronnick about it later. There were corpses scattered all over the ground. Nie Yan was like a battlefield looter, searching around for spoils. The monsters here didn¡¯t drop equipment, only different odds and ends. Ancient Black Copper Ore: Special Material Ancient Platinum Ore: Special Material Ancient Viridian Iron Ore: Special Material Ancient Violet Gold Ore: Special Material Nie Yan found many more of these odd ores, more than 60 in total. He had no idea what they were used for. However, anything that dropped in a place like this certainly wasn¡¯t ordinary. So, he picked them up anyway, even if it wasted a bit of time. He eventually noticed that only the Level 180 Lords dropped these ores. Even then, it was still rare with a drop rate of 1 in 60. The low drop rate was all the more reason for Nie Yan to pick these ores up. Apart from the ores, Nie Yan also collected 600 skulls. Deceased Skull: Level 180 Elite Bone Demon Deceased Skull: Level 180 Lord Shadow Knight ¡­ Nie Yan had no idea what the ores were used for, but he was quite familiar with the use of these skulls. The Necromancers from the Evil Faction could summon undead and command them. However, these undead didn¡¯t come out of nowhere. There needed to be a summoning item. That was where these Deceased Skulls came into play. A Necromancer generally carried anywhere between 20 to 30 Deceased Skulls with them at all times. The low level skulls had high drop rates and were relatively common, while the highest level skulls were near impossible to find. The Deceased Skulls Nie Yan was picking up were already quite rare. If they were smuggled to the underworld, a single Level 180 Elite Deceased Skull would easily sell for 20,000 gold. As for the Level 180 Lord skulls, the price was even higher. Of course, this was assuming supply and demand were in equilibrium. They weren¡¯t, so it was impossible to tell what they would actually go for. Needless to say, if Nie Yan were to smuggle these Deceased Skulls to the underworld, it would cause a huge uproar in the Evil Faction! Only a special map like Hell would drop so many high level Deceased Skulls! Glancing at all the skulls in his bag, Nie Yan felt like he was looking at a sack of gold. Of course, Nie Yan wouldn¡¯t dump all these Deceased Skulls in the marketplace of the underworld. Who knew how many would fall into the hands of Fallen Angel? He would only be making the enemy stronger! Nie Yan contemplated on how to best use these Deceased Skulls as he returned to the monotonous grind. It would be a waste to let them sit in the guild treasury and collect dust. A light bulb lit up in Nie Yan¡¯s head. Even though Fallen Angel had unified the Evil Faction more than three years ago, there were still pockets of resistance spread all throughout the underworld, just like how the remnants of Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group would occasionally pop up to stir up trouble on the surface. Of course, they would be promptly dealt with, and they had very little effect on the larger scale. However, they were still a pain and never gave up. Nie Yan didn¡¯t want to let these Deceased Skulls fall into the hands of Fallen Angel. So, he would sell them to Fallen Angel¡¯s enemies. He would be hitting two birds with one stone. It was a perfect plan! The idea quickly became a well thought out plan, lifting Nie Yan¡¯s spirit. When he would finally leave this place and sell the Deceased Skull, there¡¯d be a nice show to watch! The days came and went. Nie Yan was slowly inching back towards the top of the level leaderboards. Thinking about how he wasn¡¯t far from returning to the peak, he couldn¡¯t help but get excited. ... While Nie Yan was grinding like a madman in Hell, a huge stir broke out in the Abernathy Great Grasslands. Warlance had shown up in Judgement Valley with 20 top elites from Fallen Angel. They went on a rampage, killing more than 1,200 players from Asskickers United before vanishing without a trace. When they turned up again, it was outside a stronghold controlled by Asskickers United. The people there stood no chance against these close to Level 200 peak experts. More than 6,000 players were killed before one of Fallen Angel¡¯s Dark Incantists cast a powerful Forbidden Magic, turning the stronghold into cursed grounds. Anyone that entered would take 1,000 damage every second. This effect would last an entire year. In other words, this stronghold was uninhabitable for a whole year. The players from Asskickers United were infuriated. More than 200 Masters went over to surround Warlance¡¯s group. However, Fallen Angel had come prepared. They disappeared again without a trace, only to show their faces sometime later near another one of Asskickers United¡¯s strongholds in the Abernathy Great Grasslands. Okoron guild headquarters. Guo Huai was infuriated as he read the incoming reports. Fallen Angel was clearly provoking them! Did they think Asskickers United was so easy to bully!? Guo Huai immediately issued an order.¡¸Bladelight, quickly come back with the others!¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re already on our way. We¡¯ll be back in five minutes tops!¡¹Bladelight replied. He¡¯d just checked the forums and guild chat. So, he was already aware of the situation. He caressed the handle of his sword, a hint of excitement welling up in is heart. Finally, some action! After grinding endless mobs and dungeons for so long, he was starting to get bored out of his mind. Bladelight glanced back at Lei Su, Tang Yao, and the other members of the team. It looked like they were also itching for a real battle. He chuckled. ¡°You guys already know the situation. Fallen Angel is finally taking action against us. Let¡¯s go, it would be rude not to respond to their greetings. Most of them are easy to deal with. But we have to be careful against Plenty and Warlance. One is the Chairman of the Dark Council, and the other is a member. Their equipment, levels, and skills are probably pretty high up there.¡± ¡°Great timing! It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had a real battle. I felt like my bones were going to rot.¡± Smoke Stub laughed. Not only the youngsters, even an old and seasoned veteran like him was longing for some action. About five minutes later, many of Asskickers United¡¯s top ranked players gathered in Okoron. There were over 2,000 people in total. Now was the time for a battle of experts. Ordinary players wouldn¡¯t be of much help in this situation. Asskickers United¡¯s conference hall was bustling with voices. The large room was packed to the brim. The 2,000 people here were all Masters! ¡°Executive Guild Leader, give us your command! How are we going to deal with those guys?¡± a player asked. After finding out two of their strongholds had been attacked, all of Asskickers United was buzzing like an angry hornet¡¯s nest. Their honor could not be trampled on! Faced with this kind of situation, Guo Huai remained completely calm. Over these past three years, he had seen all sorts of things, both good and bad. He had long since attained the absolute calm of a leader. ¡°Smoke Stub, Lei Su, you two lead your own parties into the underworld. Since Fallen Angel decided to send their people here to cause us trouble, we¡¯ll naturally respond in kind. If they destroyed two of our strongholds, we¡¯ll destroy a dozen of theirs! Bladelight, you bring a group of people to intercept Warlance¡¯s group. Be careful, his strength isn¡¯t to be underestimated. He¡¯s known as the number one Warrior in the Evil Faction. You probably don¡¯t have much experience with the skills of an Undead Warrior either. So, stay on your toes,¡± Guo Huai said. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 957 - Challenge Accepted Guo Huai predicted an all-out war between Fallen Angel and Asskickers United was unlikely. A conflict between two great factions was different from a regular war between two guilds. NPCs would also participate. If Fallen Angel launched an all-out offensive, it would attract the attention of the NPCs of the Righteous Faction. If one or two Legendary NPCs took action, the outcome would be difficult to predict. Likely, Plenty would only dare to act when the number of Legendary experts in Fallen Angel far surpassed that of Asskickers United. Guo Huai faintly realized that Nie Yan¡¯s reappearance had put a lot of pressure on Fallen Angel. They were worried about him becoming powerful again. That was why they were probing their strength right now. To see if they could take action before that moment arrived. Guo Huai couldn¡¯t help but wryly smile. Sure enough, there was never a day of peace with Nie Yan around, kicking up a storm the moment he reappeared. Nevertheless, he was filled with anticipation. Could Nie Yan really return to the apex and become the invincible Mad Rogue once more? A three-year gap was fatal for ordinary players. However, Nie Yan always seemed to find a way to defy all logic and accomplish what others could not. Would he create another miracle? Nie Yan had laid down a solid foundation for Asskickers United all those years ago. Even if Nie Yan couldn¡¯t climb back to the peak, Guo Huai was determined to protect it! He issued some orders. Since Fallen Angel wanted to test Asskickers United, he would naturally give them a strong showing! Over the next couple of days, Bladelight led a group of Masters from Asskickers United after Warlance and his cohorts. With the added pressure from the pursuit, Warlance was forced on the defensive. As for Smoke stub, Lei Su, and the others, they managed to raze two enemy strongholds to the ground, sending the players from Fallen Angel into a rage. Now, things were considered even. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. Proud Warlance issued a challenge on the forums.¡¸Two days from now, Fallen Angel will send 10 representatives to Judgement Valley for a showdown. Asskickers United, do you dare to accept?¡¹ The conflict between Asskickers United and Fallen Angel had long since become a hot topic of discussion among players. Everyone was wondering if these two superpowers would go to war. Proud Warlance¡¯s challenge only served to further fuel this speculation. A fight between the peak experts of Asskickers United and Fallen Angel! How exciting! A few sharp-eyed observers could tell Fallen Angel was simply probing Asskickers United. If the results were in their favour, they¡¯d likely launch an all-out offensive and declare war on the Righteous Faction. Asskickers United and Fallen Angel were the respective rulers of their factions. Asskickers United was a guild for experts since its early inception. After unifying the entire Righteous Faction, the number of experts under their flag naturally skyrocketed. Fallen Angel similarly was a gathering place for experts. They had more than 60,000 Silver Wings and 100 Gold Wings in their ranks. Since the Evil Faction had fewer players than the Righteous Faction, their innate skills were slightly better. This was a widely known fact. For ordinary players, such a small difference didn¡¯t mean much in PvP. However, between experts, even the slightest advantage could determine victory or defeat. Not longer after Proud Warlance issued the challenge, Bladelight replied as representative of Asskickers United that they would gladly accept the challenge. This instantly triggered a huge uproar in the forums. Players excitedly discussed the upcoming fight. This was an unprecedented clash! With Asskickers United and Fallen Angel both sending 10 representatives, this would basically be a gathering of peak experts from both great factions! This was the highest competition of skill in the entire server! How could anyone not be excited? The forums were flooded with posts discussing this competition. ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± ¡°Difficult to say. Both sides are massive titans. I don¡¯t think either side has a clear advantage.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hedging my bets on Asskickers United. They¡¯ve always been known for their experts. I refuse to believe Bladelight, Smoke Stub, Sun, King of the World, and them would lose to anyone!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so sure. Fanboying aside, I think Fallen Angel came prepared this time, or else they wouldn¡¯t have issued the challenge. Didn¡¯t you see the rules they set out for the competition? It¡¯s a 10v10. Every player only gets one chance. The loser gets kicked off the stage, and the winner stays on. The first side to run out of representatives loses. They have Proud Warlance, Godking, and Plenty. Just those three alone will be incredibly difficult to beat. Especially Plenty, the Chairman of the Dark Council!¡± A betting ring popped up online. You could bet on Asskickers United or Fallen Angel. The odds were already out. However, they were basically one to one. Asskickers United¡¯s guild chat was also filled with discussion about this upcoming competition. ¡¸Bladelight, teach those Fallen Angel guys a lesson!¡¹ ¡¸Sun, I believe in you!¡¹ ... The 10 players participating in the competition were already decided. They were Bladelight, Smoke Stub, Mistaken Smile, Sun, King of the World, Black Hell, Lustboy, Dark Requiem, Sunny South, and Tang Yao. All 10 of them were from the Viridian Empire. Several newer members from the Satreen Empire also expressed their interest to join. Guo Huai had tried finding a top elven Thief and orc Shaman among them but gave up in the end. Nie Yan had had an enormous influence on Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and them. They were far more skilled than many of the other top experts. As a result, even though Asskickers United had recruited many experts from the Satreen Empire, they still couldn¡¯t compare to these veterans. There were no objections to the list of participants, mostly because Guo Huai said that anyone who defeated one of those on the list could take their place. In other words, this list wasn¡¯t final. Because of Fallen Angel¡¯s challenge, the number of members from Asskickers United heading to Judgement Valley and the underworld increased by sixfold. They were too weak to participate in the showdown. So, they could only go elsewhere to scratch that itch. Nie Yan occasionally checked the guild chat while grinding in Hell. The lively discussion brought a smile to his face. Even after three years, the passion of the members hadn¡¯t waned one bit. They were still fighting for the sake of the guild! He felt gratified. Fallen Angel¡¯s challenge to Asskickers United was definitely premediatetd. On one side, they wanted to test Asskickers United¡¯s strength. On the other side, they wanted to strike a blow at Asskickers United¡¯s morale. Nie Yan wondered how well Bladelight and the others would fare. It was a pity he couldn¡¯t participate. With his current level and equipment, he would be one shot most likely. He couldn¡¯t help but feel unresigned in his heart. However, Bladelight and the others should be strong enough to deal with Fallen Angel. The only two that made Nie Yan worry were Godking and Plenty. Godking was the former guild leader of Pantheon. After surrendering to Fallen Angel, he ended up under Plenty. As someone capable of leading a guild, Godking wasn¡¯t to be looked down on. Who knew how much he¡¯d grown. As for Plenty, his title as Chairman of the Dark Council alone probably gave a ton of stat bonuses. Not to mention he kept almost everything about himself a secret. No one even knew what kind of equipment he had. Perhaps this was the most frightening thing. If Asskickers United lost, it would be a heavy blow. Over these past seven years, Nie Yan and his fellow guild members had paid untold amounts in blood and sweat to lead Asskickers United to where it was today. They pledged their lives for the guild¡¯s glory! Asskickers United was something Nie Yan built from the ground up. One could imagine how much emotion he invested into it! However, after his three-year hiatus, he no longer even had the qualifications to defend its glory! Nie Yan felt a bit dejected. He hated the fact that he couldn¡¯t instantly rush to Level 200, complete this quest and leave. However, there was no quick fix. In the end, he sent a message of encouragement to Bladelight and the others. Replies quickly came back. ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, you can leave it to us! Just focus on raising your level. We¡¯re all waiting for you!¡¹ ¡¸Big Brother! I¡¯ll do my best! I definitely won''t let you down!¡¹ .... Nie Yan let out a deep sigh. Fallen Angel¡¯s challenge caused him to feel a sense of urgency. The enemy had already set their sights on the Righteous Faction! His heart stirred restlessly, only a single thought in his mind. Level up! Level up! Level up! The desire to climb back to the peak grew all the more intense. How silly of him. Nie Yan originally planned to return as an ordinary player and enjoy his days in leisure, free from the shackles of responsibility. However, when he logged back on and saw all those familiar names in the guild chat, he couldn¡¯t resist to make a full return. Nie Yan finally realized why he had the inexplicable urge to log back onto Conviction after three long years. It was because he couldn¡¯t abandon his guild! Asskickers United could not fall, or else World Bloc might be implicated too. In the worst case scenario, the Brutus Financial Group would do what he had done to the Century Financial Group, or what the Century Financial Group had done to him in his past life. The Divine Eclipse Dragon appeared to have understood Nie Yan¡¯s feelings. Its two heads started firing magic at an even faster pace, steamrolling through everything in its path. Nie Yan checked the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s level. After grinding for such a long time, it had already reached Level 189 and was only a step away from Level 190. After stepping through the Gates of Hell, it became like a fish in water. Its ridiculous firepower was utilized to its fullest potential. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 958 - Showdown in Judgement Valley Nie Yan plowed through this land of the death. The days passed, but neither the sky up above nor the vast expanse of corpses in front of him changed. There was no escaping this until the Gates of Hell would open again in a little less than 30 days. With nothing else to occupy his mind, Nie Yan wondered what the results of the competition would be. He opened up a livestream and watched the situation in Judgement Valley. ... Judgement Valley. An unprecedented event was taking place in this grim battlefield. A 300-meter wide area was cleared out in the middle, a hundred thousand experts from both factions forming a circle around it. They were here to show the strength of their faction, as well as to cheer on their representatives. The 10 peak experts from both Asskickers United and Fallen Angel had already arrived and stood opposite from each other in the middle. Warlance and Godking brought 3,000 people over for insurance. The guild leader of Fallen Angel, Plenty, didn¡¯t come. As for Asskickers United, Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others brought 60 top elites with them and another 3,000 troops were stationed in the surroundings. Even though it was a 10v10, the outcome of this competition would decide many things. In order to prevent any meddling, having experts around was necessary. Both sides took up battle formations as the smell of gunpowder permeated the air. Some of the unaffiliated players in the crowd started looking for trouble. However, they were quickly dealt with. Bladelight swept his gaze over Fallen Angel¡¯s ranks and didn¡¯t spot any traces of Plenty. ¡°Your guild leader didn¡¯t come?¡± ¡°This kind of competition isn¡¯t worth his time!¡± Warlance arrogantly replied. The Righteous Faction immediately stirred. What an arrogant declaration! They wanted to see if Fallen Angel would still be laughing by the end of this competition! Bladelight shrugged his shoulders. He couldn¡¯t be bothered to retort. Today, their fists would do the talking! Godking remained silent. Clad in a gray robe, no one could make out his expression. Of course, Plenty was plenty interested in this event. He was back in the Fallen Angel guild headquarters, watching a livestream. Not just him, but countless players from both great factions were watching the livestream of this event. After all, this was a clash of the strongest players from both great factions! The 10 representatives of both guilds were present. The PvP area in the center was already decided on. Everything was ready. Warlance swept his eyes over the representatives from Asskickers United. ¡°Are you lot ready?¡± ¡°Whenever you are,¡± Bladelight replied. Asskickers United had long since been prepared. The rules of the competition were clear. One side would first send out a person, after which the other side would send out theirs. The loser was booted off while the winner would stay on. It would go on until one side had no more players. The side that had to send a person out first was undoubtedly at a disadvantage. ¡°We don¡¯t want to be accused of bullying. So, we¡¯ll take the disadvantage. Soul Feather, you go up first!¡± Warlance said, glancing at a Mystic clad in black armour. Soul Feather entered the stage, causing the people in the surroundings to break out into whispered discussion. The number one Mystic in the underworld, and the only player to have obtained the Hell Soul Hunter title! In the entire Evil Faction, he ranked within the top five. He was nicknamed the King of Killers! Bladelight¡¯s face turned serious. He¡¯d heard of Soul Feather¡¯s name before. He was a famous figure in the underworld! They weren¡¯t play around! Bladelight looked around, deciding who to send up first. His target was Warlance. He would have to leave Soul Feather to someone else. ¡°Let me go,¡± Lei Su said. Warrior against Warrior. He refused to believe he was any weaker than this Mystic before him! Bladelight glanced at Lei Su. After pondering for a moment, he nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave him to you. That guy isn¡¯t ordinary. Don¡¯t underestimate him!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I won¡¯t be careless!¡± Lei Su confidently said. He stepped forward in his golden armour, carrying a large greatsword on his back. The people on the side of the Righteous Faction started stirring. ¡°War God Lei Su is taking the stage!¡± ¡°I wonder who¡¯s stronger, the War God or the King of Killers. What do you think?¡± Lei Su¡¯s name was very famous among the playerbase. He carried the two-meter long War God Kelo¡¯s Sword on his back. According to rumours, he had already upgraded it to a Chaos weapon. Its attack power was astonishing. As for whether his nickname as the War God was just for show, it was difficult to say. Among Sword Saints, the two most famous were in Asskickers United. One was Lei Su, and the other was Smoke Stub. It was difficult to say who was the better of the two. Smoke Stub was known for his steadiness, while Lei Su was known for his wild and domineering style! When Lei Su and Soul Feather faced each other in the arena, the players in the vicinity felt two unrivalled auras sweep out. They unconsciously backed away a few steps. ¡°Nobody can stop the War God!¡± ¡°All hail the King of Killers!¡± ¡­ The players from both sides erupted into cheers. Mystics were known for their fierce attacks and frightening speed. Lei Su wondered how powerful Soul Feather was. He drew his greatsword from his back. Soul Feather¡¯s sharp eyes locked onto Lei Su. He coldly chuckled. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re out of luck today, having to face me!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that!¡± Lei Su hit back. ¡°What are you waiting for, let¡¯s start!¡± Soul Feather said, not wasting any more words. A referee oversaw the match. He repeated the rules of the fight, asked both parties if they were ready, and finally gave the signal to start the match. Soul Feather instantly shot a fireball at Lei Su. He then blinked forward with a slash, igniting his sword with flames. Soul Feather blinked around the stage, letting loose one powerful attack after another. Lei Su was forced on the backfoot. However, he was a veteran of countless battles. It would take much more than that to overwhelm him. He swung his sword, unleashing a giant slash. Soul Feather¡¯s feet had just touched the ground after a Blink, when he discovered a large slash flying towards him. His heart trembled. What sharp reaction speed! He immediately leaped back several meters. Lei Su¡¯s attack brushed past his chest armour. He coated his sword in black ice and slashed forward. Flaming Earthrender! Lei Su smashed his sword into the ground, causing cracks to spread out and a fiery inferno to erupt into the air. Soul Feather protected himself with a dark shield, tanking Lei Su¡¯s Flaming Earthrender head on. Meteor Blade! His sword streaked toward Lei Su¡¯s throat like a meteor. The tip of the blade glowed red from the friction with the air, releasing a dazzling light. Seeing the black shield protecting Soul Feather, Lei Su immediately sensed something off. He cancelled his Flaming Earthrender mid-attack and raised his guard. KLAAANG! His greatsword clashed against Soul Feather¡¯s longsword. The spectating players felt their breath stagnate watching the two battle. In the blink of an eye, Lei Su and Soul Feather had already exchanged several moves. If an ordinary player were to face these attacks, they would¡¯ve already died several times over! Lei Su and Soul Feather were evenly matched. Even the slightest lapse in judgement or split-second reaction would decide the victor! The players from Asskickers United broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°Soul Feather¡¯s attacks just keep on coming! I think Lei Su might lose this one.¡± Bladelight knitted his brows. The offensive of a Mystic was simply too ferocious. Lei Su was constantly forced on the passive. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it so soon. I know Lei Su. That brat is really crafty. He has a lot of hidden aces up his sleeve. I can¡¯t count how many times I¡¯ve died to him because I wasn¡¯t careful. I think he¡¯s looking for an opening. Soul Feather hasn¡¯t PvPed with him before. He won¡¯t see it coming!¡± Smoke Stub shook his head. He was the most authoritative person on this topic because he¡¯d fought Lei Su the most. Over on the side of Fallen Angel, Warlance and the others were also closely watching the battle. They really didn¡¯t expect that Lei Su could go toe-toe with Soul Feather. It looked like they had still underestimated Asskickers United! Warlance suddenly sensed the magic energy in the area go berserk. His lips curved into a smile. Soul Feather was about to use his trump card! Vacuum Chain Burst! Even after several exchanges, Soul Feather hadn¡¯t eked out any advantage. He was finally running out of patience. He originally wanted to save this skill for someone else. Now, however, he was going to use it to bury Lei Su! ¡°Die!¡± Soul Feather growled. As he unleashed a relentless torrent of slashes with the longsword, he started casting magic in his free hand. Lei Su instantly sensed the fluctuations in the air. Soul Feather was about to use his killing move! This was his chance! He made his move. Mind Banish! War God¡¯s Fury! This was Lei Su¡¯s killer combination of skills! When Soul Feather used his killer spell, he didn¡¯t expect Lei Su to charge at him with even greater ferocity. He was just about to use his longsword to block, when his mind felt sluggish. His heart trembled. Not good! It was Mind Banish! By the time he regained clarity, it was already too late to block. Lei Su¡¯s greatsword was already coming down on him. It was too late to dodge. Then you can die with me! Soul Feather¡¯s face flashed with a sinister expression. He cast his magic. PSFHT! PSFHT! PSFHT! Countless slashes cleaved down on Soul Feather. A long string of 20,000s floated up above his head. Instant kill! In the same moment, something went off in the space beside Lei Su. BANG! A damage value of 17,000 floated up above his head. BANG! B ANG! BANG! Several more explosions followed. Lei Su was sent flying back before crashing into the ground. The might of Vacuum Chain Burst was also extremely frightening! The crowd was stupefied. The last exchange practically happened in a flash. All they saw was Lei Su and Soul Feather both flying out. Was it a double knock-out? A draw? Outcomes like this did happen every once in a while! No one expected the first match to end in a draw! When everyone thought the battle had ended, Lei Su struggled back to his feet. Wiping the blood from the corner of his lips, he gave a cheeky smile. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 959 - Consecutive Victories! The spectators gazed at Lei Su in shock. They didn¡¯t expect this turn of events! Vacuum Chain Burst was a 10-hit skill. Eight hits dealt 17,000 damage while two random hits critted for 38,000 for a total of 212,000 damage. Lei Su somehow survived that frightening damage! He was truly monstrous! Lei Su just barely clinging onto life, with a little over 5,000 health remaining. But he was still alive! This was an undeniable fact! ¡°What a lucky son of a bitch!¡± Warlance cursed under his breath. He never imagined Lei Su would survive after taking a Vacuum Chain Burst head-on. Soul Feather¡¯s loss caught the players of the Evil Faction off guard. Even Plenty didn¡¯t expect this outcome. The Righteous Faction was the first to recover from the shock. They erupted into boisterous cheers. Lei Su took home the first win! ¡°Lei Su, come back.¡± Bladelight chuckled. He knew just what kind of danger Lei Su braved. If Lei Su had tried to force his attack any sooner, it would¡¯ve missed. If he had been a step later, he would¡¯ve gotten hit by the Vacuum Chain Burst first. The battle was decided in that one instant as Lei Su attacked at the perfect moment. Even though he took a huge risk, to the extent he didn¡¯t even have the time to activate any defensive skills, he relied on his massive health pool to eke out a victory. Be it War God¡¯s Fury or Vacuum Chain Burst, both were killer trump cards. It was clear neither side held anything back. After just barely scraping by with a victory, Bladelight naturally wouldn¡¯t force Lei Su to stay on. ¡°We¡¯ll send our next fighter up first this time. Sun, it¡¯s your turn.¡± Bladelight glanced at Sun. ¡°Got it.¡± Sun nodded. Seeing Asskickers United sending out a Thief, and Sun at that, Warlance knitted his brows. As far back as Asskickers United¡¯s early days, their Thieves were the most difficult to deal with. That remained true even after Nie Yan¡¯s departure. Sun, King of the World, Mistaken Smile, Shadow Killer, One Strike Vow, Tyrannical, Hapless Frog, just to name a few had all inherited his skills. Now, they¡¯d developed their own styles, and their skills had reached the apogee. Especially Sun, King of the World, Mistaken Smile, and Shadow Killer, who were dubbed the Four Heavenly Kings by the players of the Righteous Factions. Warlance had received an order from Plenty before coming here today. Fallen Angel wouldn¡¯t make use of any class advantages. If they were going to fight, it would be blow for blow. If Asskickers United sent out a Thief, so would they! Warlance turned to Ghost. ¡°I¡¯ll leave Sun to you.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ghost nodded. ¡°How confident are you?¡± Warlance asked. If the opponent were anyone else, Warlance¡¯s question would have incurred Ghost¡¯s displeasure. After all, he was the strongest Thief in the Evil Faction! He had yet to meet another Spectral Thief that could best him. However, his opponent this time was Sun. He didn¡¯t have the slightest confidence in victory. Truthfully speaking, he would every now and then go online and search for videos of the Four Heavenly Kings. The more he watched, the more shocked he would become. Every session he would discover they had come up with a new tactic or technique. With so many top ranked Thieves mingling together and learning from each other in Asskickers United, they would naturally progress at a much faster rate. On the other hand, Ghost could barely find any good opponents in Fallen Angel. He had no choice but to stumble forward on his own. However, if he turned down this challenge, how would he know where he placed? Ghost didn¡¯t dare to underestimate his opponent. Three years ago, Nirvana Flame was the invincible Thief. The teachings and insights he left behind couldn¡¯t be compared to that of other guilds. After Sun took the stage, Asskickers United broke out into even more boisterous cheers. As long as he didn¡¯t face someone like Warlance, a win was guaranteed! Even if Warlance did come up, he still had ways of adapting! Those on the Righteous Faction wondered who Fallen Angel would send out in response to Sun. Would it perhaps be Warlance? At this moment, a Spectral Thief entered the PvP stage. It was Ghost. The players from the Righteous Faction gasped in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s a large guild for you, forward and upright! They could have easily sent out a powerful Warrior up to deal with Sun, but they sent up another Thief!¡± With Fallen Angel unwilling to take the class advantage, the players from the Righteous Faction started viewing Fallen Angel in a new light. ¡°Damn, I don¡¯t see any hope of Fallen Angel winning this round. Even at Nirvana Flame¡¯s prime, Sun was right behind him!¡± The two Thieves stood opposite of each other on the stage. The referee outside gave the signal to begin. Both of them vanished into stealth. Many of the spectators activated their ocular skills. Those without didn¡¯t even have the qualifications to view this match. A duel between Thieves was the most difficult to follow. A large portion of the battle was spent in stealth while the actual clashes only lasted a brief instance as the sparks from daggers clashing flew out into the air. Much of what was going on was guesswork. Only the system recorded replay, which would be released at a later time, would show what actually happened in super slow motion. After exchanging only several moves with Sun, Ghost already felt a deep fear in his heart. What speed and reflexes! He had yet to land a single attack on Sun, and it seemed like Sun was holding back! Sun appeared to have come from the same mold as the Mad Rogue of yore! Assassinating Pierce! Ghost accelerated, the dagger in his hand glowing red hot as he stabbed toward Sun¡¯s forehead. Even though Sun was in stealth, Ghost could still accurately lock onto his positions with Demon Eyes. As the dagger came piercing towards him, Sun slighted to the side and avoided the attack. Ghost only saw Sun¡¯s figure blur before disappearing from his vision. His heart shivered. It was Sun¡¯s signature shadow steps! Suddenly, he felt a cold chill as a dagger flashed behind him. He hurriedly twisted around, bending his arm in a bizarre fashion. KLANG! He just barely parried Sun¡¯s attack. Reverse Grip Backstab! Ghost quickly retaliated, swinging his dagger towards Sun¡¯s back. KLANG! Sun casually parried the attack before pulling away and retreating back into stealth. The two had a dozen exchanges like this in the span of 30 seconds, each lasting only a second or two at most. At the end of the day, Ghost was still the number one Thief in the Evil Faction. He wouldn¡¯t be defeated so easily. However, he was clearly being overwhelmed. Over on the sidelines, King of the World, Mistaken Smile, and the others closely watched the match. They glanced at each other. ¡°That Ghost isn¡¯t half bad. He can actually hold his own against Sun for this long,¡± King of the World said. Of course, Fallen Angel stood no chance against Asskickers United when it came to Thief players! ¡°From the start of the match to now, Ghost has used three more skills than Sun. That¡¯s the gap in strength. When he runs out, Sun will win,¡± Mistaken Smile said. They could tell at a glance which side was superior. Ghost was still a few notches below Sun. Two minutes into this high tempo battle, Ghost finally ran out of skills. Struck in the spinee by a Backbreaker, he became crippled. A split second later, he was dead on the ground. The spectators from the Righteous Faction erupted into another round of passionate cheers. ¡°Another loss¡­¡± Warlance frowned. It appeared they had greatly underestimated the strength of Asskickers United¡¯s elites. If the two great factions were to go to war, it would be difficult to seize an advantage. Regardless, the die was already cast. They could only see this competition through until the end. One match after another came to a close. Asskickers United won all of them. It was only in the seventh match, Warlance versus Dark Requiem, that Fallen Angel achieved its first win. However, that was achieved by relying on a class advantage. These results had the players from the underworld grumbling with dissatisfaction. The players Fallen Angel sent out were their peak experts, not to mention the advantage they had in innate skills. Yet they were losing so badly to Asskickers United! How did this make any sense!? Fallen Angel had only four more players eligible to compete. If they were killed too, it would be a resounding defeat! ... Back in Hell, Nie Yan was watching the livestream with a smile on his face. Sun, Smoke Stub, and the others had grown tremendously in his absence. Fallen Angel had really kicked a steel plate this time. With this kind of showing, they likely wouldn¡¯t have the face to return to the underworld. Even though Warlance was strong, he was only on the same level as Bladelight and the others. At best, he could force another defeat by relying on a class advantage, but there was no avoiding defeat in the end. ¡°I wonder if Plenty will show up to save the day.¡± Nie Yan narrowed his eyes. If Plenty felt forced to take the stage, then Fallen Angel had already lost the battle in one respect. However, if Plenty really were to take the stage, Bladelight and the others would be in serious trouble. The bonuses from the completed Book of Chaos were no joke! ... Unbeknownst to Nie Yan, Plenty was already starting to get restless. He was pacing around in the Fallen Angel guild headquarters. ¡°Nirvana Flame, even if you haven¡¯t logged on in three years, the people you brought with you back then are still as strong as ever. If you never left, you would¡¯ve taken over the underworld by now.¡± Plenty deeply sighed, a myriad of emotions stirring in his heart. The players Plenty sent out all stood at the very peak of their respective classes in the Evil Faction, the number one Thief, the number one Slayer, the number one Mystic, the number one Necromancer, and so on. Yet in front of these players from Asskickers United, they suffered one defeat after another. How could he possibly stay calm? In this competition, the gap between Fallen Angel and Asskickers United became painfully clear. Even if his strength far exceeded others as the Chairman of the Dark Council, he still had to rely on those below him to win wars. There was a limit to how much he could do by himself! Plenty bitterly smiled as his gaze landed back on the livestream. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll be forced to make a showing.¡± Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 960 - Number One Warrior! Plenty couldn¡¯t wrap his head around why the elites of the Evil Faction lost so badly to their counterparts of the Righteous Faction. Plenty''s confusion was understandable. When Nie Yan regressed to the past, he¡¯d changed the dynamic of the two great factions. His influence on Bladelight, Sun, and the others was especially great. When Sub Legendary gear was still extremely rare in the game, they were already building towards their Legendary sets. This immense advantage only grew as time passed. When the Chaos Temple first released, Bladelight, Smoke Stub, Tang Yao, Sun, and several dozen other peak experts from Asskickers United entered with full sets of Legendary gear. While Fallen Angel was struggling to progress and continuously wiping on the temple outskirts, Asskickers United quickly slaughtered their way into the inner hall and snatched up all sorts of high quality loot. The gap grew even bigger after the release of the Sword of the War God. Because the stats of Fallen Angel¡¯s main team weren¡¯t high enough, they didn¡¯t dare to enter this new dungeon at first. Meanwhile, Asskickers United started running it on the day of release and blitzed their way straight to the inner region. By the time Fallen Angel really started running the Sword of the War God, they were more than three months behind Asskickers United. The difference in strength continued to widen like this! Logically speaking, the peak experts from the Righteous Faction and Evil Faction should be roughly on par in strength, with the latter even being slightly stronger even because of the innate skill advantage. However, the outcome was completely out of expectation. Smoke Stub, Sun, and the others were onesidedly dominating these arrogant top experts of Fallen Angel! It was all the more humiliating for Fallen Angel, since they were the ones to propose this showdown. If things went on like this, they¡¯d become the laughingstocks of both great factions! It couldn¡¯t go on like this. Plenty had no choice but to step in. Another member was booted out of the competition. Fallen Angel only had three players left, which included Warlance, Godking, and an empty spot. That empty spot was saved for Plenty. Warlance and Godking glanced at each other. ¡°I¡¯ll go up,¡± Warlance said after thinking for a moment. Godking would likely be matched up against Tang Yao while he would be facing Bladelight. This would be Warlance¡¯s second showing. In his first fight, he abused his class advantage to beat Dark Requiem, a truly shameful act. Just thinking of it caused his face to flush red with shame. It was a pity that hadn¡¯t been enough to turn things around. Seven losses to only one win. They had three people left, Asskickers United nine. Warlance really wanted to know how Bladelight and the others got so freakishly strong. Every single one of them were powerhouses! Previously, Fallen Angel had even reviewed the battle footage of the top experts from Asskickers United. Even if they weren¡¯t assured of victory, they believed they at least had a 50-50 chance. Who knew these guys had hidden their strength so well! Warlance had no idea how well he would fare against Bladelight. Originally, he was quite confident. However, after seeing the people on his side lose one after the other, he started doubting his chances of victory. If they lost this competition, Fallen Angel would truly lose all face. They would never be able to raise their heads again. The members from Fallen Angel weren¡¯t the only ones in shock. Everyone was, even the players from Asskickers United. No one expected things to turn out this way! ¡°You know, I thought Fallen Angel and Asskickers United would be evenly matched, like a 50-50 toss-up on who would win. I never imagined Fallen Angel would be so much weaker!¡± ¡°Damn. I¡¯m a fan of Asskickers United, and even I¡¯m starting to feel bad for Fallen Angel. If the two factions go to war, Fallen Angel will just end up like Angel Corps back then, on the back foot as soon as the war begins.¡± ... The forums were also booming with discussion about the competition. Everyone had a new grasp on the strength of Asskickers United¡¯s peak experts. Apart from Warlance scoring a victory and Soul Feather putting up a decent fight, the rest of Fallen Angel¡¯s representatives had suffered humiliating defeats. ¡¸I wonder if Plenty will come. If he loses too, that would be a scene.¡¹ ¡¸Plenty is the Chairman of the Dark Council. If he does come up, it¡¯ll be hard to say who will win this competition.¡¹ ¡¸Hard to say my ass! Even if he comes, what¡¯s the use if all his subordinates lose? He can¡¯t stop Asskickers United alone!¡¹ ¡­ Warlance walked onto the stage. Bladelight smirked. ¡°It¡¯s finally my turn to go up!¡± Bladelight stepped onto the stage and took position 10 steps away from Warlance. He asked with a small grin, ¡°So, is Plenty really not coming?¡± Warlance¡¯s face flashed between anger and humiliation. He previously claimed that Plenty didn¡¯t need to bother with a competition of this level. Now, however, they would have zero chance of victory without him. ¡°I admit, we vastly underestimated you lot. You have my sincerest admiration. In this match, I¡¯ll give it my all. I hope we won¡¯t ever meet on the battlefield!¡± Warlance drew the greatsword strapped to his back. It was a white bone sword blazing with soulfire. Warlance admitted he¡¯d misspoken. So, Bladelight dropped the subject. He focused his full attention on the battle. No matter what, he could not lose! Simply by standing there, Bladelight gave off a domineering aura. Warlance¡¯s pupils constricted. He knew the person before him was undoubtedly one of the strongest opponents he¡¯d encountered so far! ¡°Begin!¡± The referee¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Taste my blade!¡± Warlance roared. He charged forward and slashed down with his large bone sword. Bladelight didn¡¯t bother dodging. He raised his greatshield to block and slashed out with the longsword in his other hand. The two were quick and decisive. When it came to a battle between two powerful Warriors, petty tricks wouldn¡¯t work. Speed and unrivalled power were all that mattered! In this high-speed clash, the first one to chicken out would lose! Both attacks landed simultaneously. KLAANG! Both Warriors were forced back a step. A damage value of 6,300 floated up above Bladelight¡¯s head. As for Warlance, a 9,400 floated up from his head. Warlance didn¡¯t expect the gap to be so great right off the bat. He finally got a look at Bladelight¡¯s health pool and sucked in a breath of cold air, it was almost 300,000! This was monstrous! He was practically a raid boss! One had to know, even the tankiest Undead Warrior in Fallen Angel only had 180,000 health! Bladelight had so much more health that it was practically like facing two Warriors at once! He finally grasped the true meaning of a tank. Compared to Bladelight, all other tanks were slag! Warlance himself only had 160,000 health! Bladelight¡¯s defense had to be equally as monstrous. Warlance normally dealt upwards of 20,000 damage with his Fury Bone Slash. Now, however, his attack only dealt 6,000 damage! Tendon Break! Whirlwind! Half Moon! Even though a battle between Warriors was one of blow for blow, there were also plenty of techniques you could employ to get in a bit of extra damage, preserve your own health, or interrupt the opponent! Sword slashes flew out in every direction. The attacks of the two Warriors were fast and precise. Though they appeared to be evenly matched at first glance, Warlance was painfully aware of the difference in stats. The 140,000 health difference aside, even his defense and damage were below that of Bladelight. As for skills, he was offense focused while Bladelight was defense focused. So, there was no comparing the two on that front. When Warlance faced other players, he felt like he was pretty adept at using his skills. However, when he was faced against Bladelight, it was like his every move and opening was seen through. Every time he was about to use a high damage skill, Bladelight would rush in just at the right moment with a Shield Bash. Even though it didn¡¯t deal much damage, it had an interrupt effect, causing him to waste several powerful skills. Interrupting an opponent with Shield Bash was a show of pure skill. It required precision, awareness, speed, and so on. You only had a split second window. To be able to interrupt so many high rank skills in a row with Shield Bash, this kind of Champion was truly a super expert! Bladelight was like a boulder, immovable. Warlance didn¡¯t stand a chance. Those watching the battle on video were dumbstruck, especially the Warriors. Their hearts were racing with excitement. Even though it appeared the two were simply trading blow for blow on the surface, they were well aware of the deeper skills being employed! Even the most minute action was something they couldn¡¯t replicate even after a thousand repetitions! Both Bladelight and Warlance were amazing! All the ordinary players shared this thought. Only the true experts could tell that Bladelight was more skilled than Warlance. This was an uneven match-up from the start! Everyone believed that even if Warlance couldn¡¯t beat Bladelight, he would at least put up a good fight. However, after seeing Bladelight walking all over him, they couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Even if Warlance¡¯s stats were 50% higher, it might still not be enough for a win. They could fight another 10 times, the result would still be the same. It was clear as day. Bladelight was the number one Warrior in all of Conviction. As for number two, that was either Smoke Stub or Lei Su. Warlance wasn¡¯t even qualified to enter the top three! Likely, at this moment, everyone was wondering the same question. Why was there such a huge discrepancy in strength between the Righteous Faction and Evil Faction? Practically in the next instant, they all thought of one person, Nirvana Flame! All of these players had been guided by Nie Yan. From when the game was first released, Nie Yan had gathered them together and taught them all he knew. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 961 - Dark Demon King Seven years ago, Nirvana Flame gathered these players together, then led them to the summit, sweeping through all opposition. The glory of the Mad Rogue was still vivid in their minds as it was three years ago. At this moment, they recalled Nirvana Flame had recently returned to game. It was just that no one knew in what corner of the game he was off levelling in! Would Nirvana Flame return to the apex and lead Bladelight and the others in defeating Fallen Angel? While the spectators were lost in thought, Warlance was suspensefully defeated by Bladelight. As Bladelight walked down from the stage, Tang Yao walked up with a wide grin. ¡°It¡¯s finally my turn!¡± He locked eyes with Godking on the other side. There were only two more representatives left on Fallen Angel¡¯s side. Godking, and after him Plenty. The first nine were only the appetizer. Asskickers United¡¯s remaining nine players were itching to test their skills. They wanted to see just how strong the Chairman of the Dark Council was! Tang Yao versus Godking. Nie Yan was fairly confident in Tang Yao¡¯s skills. Although Godking was a veteran expert who was one of the first to become a Gold Wing, Tang Yao was equally if not more unfathomable. As a Level 206 Magister with a full set of Chaos gear, he held a 60%-victory rate against the other peak experts in Asskickers United. Though the position of number one expert in the Righteous Faction had been left vacant ever since his departure from the game, even Nie Yan wouldn¡¯t have any objects if Tang Yao were to take his place. Godking¡¯s chances of winning were basically nill. Nie Yan shifted his attention away from the livestream. He returned to diligently picking up the loot off the ground, acquiring a stunning amount of Ancient Ores and Deceased Skulls. Thankfully, he had plenty of bag space. The bags he was using were 1,000-slot bags he¡¯d obtained from the guild treasury. He had five altogether. The same ores and skulls could be stacked together, with 20 making a full stack. So, even though he¡¯d collected more than 200 ores and 1,000 skulls, he still had plenty of space left. After circling around a mountain of bones, Nie Yan spotted an enormous figure roaming the plains in the distance. Standings over 30 meters tall, the creature resembled a primordial demon from the distant past. It was a skeletal monster with a long tail, sharp spines growing all over its body. Its eye sockets blazed with crimson flames which pulsed around non-stop, like a pair of headlights. Dark Demon King (Demonified Lord): Level 200 Nie Yan sucked in a breath of cold air. He didn¡¯t expect to encounter a Level 200 Demonified Lord here! Starting from Level 180, monsters became exponentially stronger every 10 levels. A Level 180 Lord and Level 200 Lord shouldn''t even be compared in the same breath. With Nie Yan¡¯s current strength, he would die to the Dark Demon King if he were discovered. The Dark Demon King seemed to vaguely sense something and looked over in Nie Yan¡¯s direction. Nie Yan hurriedly had the Divine Eclipse Dragon hide behind a large pile of bones. He himself held his breath, deathly afraid to budge an inch. Nie Yan could sense the Dark Demon King¡¯s gaze sweep over him from more than 300 meters away. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t appear to have discovered him. It bent down, grabbed a handful of undead and shoved them into its mouth. The countless undead were like helpless fowl as they went straight into the Dark Demon King¡¯s stomach. Even from this distance, Nie Yan could feel the ground shaking from every step the Dark Demon King took. What a frightening existence! The Dark Demon King was slowly moving towards Nie Yan¡¯s hiding place. If it got any closer, it would discover him. Nie Yan had an idea. He summoned his shadow clone, then had it dash off into the distance with Gale Step. The Dark Demon King was just about to devour another handful of undead, when something caught its attention. The crimson flames in its eye sockets pulsed. It quickly locked onto the fleeing silhouette of the shadow clone. A piercing roar resounded through the surroundings as it gave chase. Nie Yan breathed a sigh of relief. His plan worked. He quickly left before the Dark Demon King would be back. Before hitting Level 190, Nie Yan felt he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance versus the Dark Demon King. Nie Yan checked the skills in the Glimpse of Darkness. The very last one he could unlock was a Legendary skill called Sanguine Tide. To unlock it, he first had to max out the three skills he already obtained, and then meet the kill count requirements for it. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of skill it was. A Legendary skill certainly wouldn¡¯t be lacking! Unlocking Sanguine Tide required him to kill 200,000,000 dark creatures. This figure was a bit daunting. The previous three skills he obtained would require him to kill 300,000,000 dark creatures to max out. He wouldn¡¯t be reaching this goal of 500,000,000 any time soon. However, extending his stay in Hell wasn¡¯t out of the question. Nie Yan decided to avoid the area he found the Dark Demon King in. This land of death was massive anyway. He could always explore in a different direction. After marking down the Dark Demon King¡¯s territory on his map, Nie Yan carefully backtracked and discovered the monsters he cleared out were already back. What a frightening respawn speed! However, ordinary monsters were perfect for him right now. Exploring another section of Hell, Nie Yan checked up on the livestream. Tang Yao and Godking¡¯s battle had already reached its climax. Godking activated Demonic Embodiment as the golden wings on his back turned jet black, firing out spells in rapid succession. Tang Yao used the most basic Blink skill to dance around the battlefield as he fired out magic like a machine gun. All of his spells were instant cast. Instant cast spells generally didn¡¯t deal much damage. However, a Fireball from Tang Yao was incomparable to a Fireball from an ordinary player. Even his most basic spells could instantly kill a Level 190 Warrior! Tang Yao¡¯s damage had reached ludicrous heights! Even though Godking had activated Demonic Embodiment and protected himself with a shield, he still didn¡¯t dare to take Tang Yao¡¯s attacks head-on. He continuously beat his wings to dodge. While Godking and Tang Yao were facing off, a small commotion broke out among the spectators. Nobody knew when, but Plenty had appeared in front of the players from Fallen Angel. He was wearing luxurious black robes. ¡°Plenty finally couldn¡¯t sit still anymore and came himself!¡± ¡°Of course. Look how badly they¡¯re losing. If he didn¡¯t come, Fallen Angel would become the laughingstocks of both factions.¡± ¡°I wonder if Plenty can turn the tide by himself, or if he¡¯ll just be another body to the count.¡± The spectators were anticipating how this development would change the competition. A true heavyweight had appeared! Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others smiled. The real boss had finally appeared. They¡¯d been waiting for this moment. Plenty wore a calm expression on his face. The domineering air he gave made all the surrounding players retreat three meters away. No one dared to stir up trouble, unless they had a death wish. Plenty observed the stage. Though his expression was calm on the surface, his heart was battered with waves of shock. Even Godking was being suppressed! At this rate, the match would be over in the next few minutes. After so many rounds, Fallen Angel had only achieved one win! This was undoubtedly a disgrace. The gap between Asskickers United and Fallen Angel was actually this great! Young Sparrow Hawk could actually defeat Godking! Plenty realized that if he wanted to beat Sparrow Hawk, he would actually have to put in some effort. Plenty originally planned on launching an attack on Asskickers United. Of course, it wasn¡¯t going to be an all-out offensive. Rather, he would first take control of the passage linking the surface to the underworld, then dispatch an army of 30,000 experts to sweep through the enemy¡¯s strongholds. They wouldn¡¯t tangle with the NPCs of the Righteous Faction and suppress Asskickers United first. Even if Nirvana Flame returned, Asskickers United would be at an absolute disadvantage. However, he quickly realized what a joke this idea was. With how strong Asskickers United¡¯s top experts were, they would end up making a fool of themselves and have their own strongholds taken instead. If it were one versus one, Plenty was confident he could beat anyone. However, if he were to face two or three of Asskickers United¡¯s peak experts at once, even he would have no choice but to turn his tail and flee. Plenty thought back to three years ago. Back then, Nirvana Flame could face off against several dozen peak experts, massacre a bunch of them, and escape completely unscathed. What¡¯s more, there was nothing the enemy could do to stop him! Plenty inwardly sighed. That was a height he could never hope to reach. Godking cut for a sorry figure, just barely surviving at this point. On the other hand, Tang Yao was getting more and more bold. He had a smug smile on his face, just like a cat playing around with its prey. Fallen Angel had talked a good game, but their skills just couldn¡¯t match up in the end. Plenty¡¯s eyes flashed with a cold light. Sure enough, he had miscalculated today¡¯s outcome. Asskickers United was much stronger than he predicted, but he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to look down on Fallen Angel! Arcane Reset! Dark Flame Burst! Dark Flame Burst! Dark Flame Burst! Godking blinked away, dodging the dense shower of spells. He reappeared 10 meters behind Tang Yao and coldly snored. You¡¯ve had your fun. It¡¯s my turn now! He waved his staff, sending three black fireballs flying towards Tang Yao. As they closed in, he growled, ¡°Explode! Explode! Explode!¡± Three Dark Flame Bursts suddenly detonated, the flames engulfing everything in a 30-meter radius, turning it into an AoE attack. At the same time, Tang Yao lightly waved his staff. Arcane energy surged out into the surroundings. Just like three grenades going off, the three fireballs completely engulfed Tang Yao. Dark Flame Burst was a super powerful, high damage spell. Even Warriors like Smoke Stub and Lei Su would be clinging onto dear life after taking three in a row, let alone a squishy Mage like Tang Yao! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 962 - Plenty Takes the Stage! Seeing Tang Yao getting swallowed up by the explosions, the spectators thought it was a win for Godking for sure. Even if Tang Yao somehow managed to evade a direct hit, the shock waves would still kill him. After the flames subsided, there was no trace of Tang Yao anywhere. Godking was dumbstruck. He missed? ¡°He¡¯s over there!¡± a spectator shouted. It was taboo to reveal someone¡¯s position like this during a match. However, the sheer destructive power of the Dark Flame Bursts had them thoroughly shocked. So, some couldn¡¯t help themselves when they found Tang Yao¡¯s location. Not that it mattered much, since Godking had already spotted him. No one knew when but Tang Yao had emerged right behind Godking. With a wave of os his staff, he cast Shock Blast as a powerful wave of force swept out into the surroundings. Godking was already in the middle of dodging. He wouldn¡¯t be hit by a measly Shock Blast! Magic Lockdown! Tang Yao waved his staff as the nebula at its tip started swirling rapidly. Godking tried to blink away, only to discover his spell was interrupted mid-cast. It was already too late to dodge. BANG! A powerful shock wave swept over his body. A damage of value of 20,000 floated up above his head as he became crippled. Tang Yao linked his spells together beautifully. Even the most basic spells, after linking them together, were enough to subdue a peak expert like Godking! If Godking hadn¡¯t been so eager to see if his Dark Flame Bursts hit, he wouldn¡¯t have been distracted for that brief moment. If Tang Yao had cast Magic Lockdown first, then even if Godking couldn¡¯t blink away, he could still use other spells to run away. Tang Yao had calculated all of this. So, he used Shock Blast first to bait Godking into trying to blink away. This was basically a subconscious reaction. Every expert had their own habits and conditioned reflexes. By the time Godking failed to Blink to safety, it was already too late to use another spell before the Shock Blast struck him Godking was a famed expert. Yet he was hit by two extremely basic spells. The spectators were stunned. As they replayed the previous exchange back in their heads, they quickly realized what happened. Their hearts trembled. Who could possibly dodge a combination like this? Even peak experts would need a good dose of luck to achieve this. Godking was crippled for around two seconds. Tang Yao naturally didn¡¯t let go of this opportunity. Arcane Flame Burst! A basketball sized ball of dark purple flames shot toward Godking. BANG! Flames exploded everywhere as his body was flung away, a damage value of 30,000 floating up above his head. Some distance away, he collapsed dead to the ground. Another loss for Fallen Angel. No one was surprised anymore. Against the freaks from Asskickers United, no one stood a chance. Even Fallen Angel were making a fool of themselves. With Godking¡¯s loss, there was only one representative left on the side of Fallen Angel. Everyone turned their gaze to Plenty. Everyone wondered if Plenty planned to go up. Plenty only had two options. One, go up and face Tang Yao, Bladelight, and the rest. However, even if he could take out three or four of them, all nine would be impossible. Two, become a laughingstock. If he chose for option two, not just him, but all of Fallen Angel would never be able to raise their heads again. He wouldn¡¯t be their proud leader, but a simple coward. Everyone looked at Plenty, awaiting his decision. One had to know, he was a Dark Zealot, the Evil Faction counterpart to the Priest from the Righteous Faction! Nothing more than a support class! Even if he was a godly one, could he really turn back the raging tide? Tang Yao, Bladelight, and the others also stared at Plenty. He was their final target. Everyone before was just an appetite whetter! The crowd quietly discussed among each other. No one had high hopes for Plenty. No matter how strong the Chairman of the Dark Council was, his opponents were the nine peak experts from Asskickers United. Even if he fought them one at a time, every next match his chances of victory would grow slimmer and slimmer. This competition changed the mind of countless players from both great factions. No one had any hope for Fallen Angel anymore. The players from the Righteous Faction were all elated. They originally thought it would be an unfair matchup since the innate skills of the Evil Faction were better. Now, however, they didn¡¯t have any complaints. It turned out they were by far the stronger side! As for the Evil Faction, especially those from Fallen Angel, they were on the verge of flipping out. What number one Necromancer, number one Undead Warrior, number one Mystic? After losing so badly, what good were these titles? At this moment, Plenty whispered something to the people beside him. They nodded to him and went off to do something. Plenty knew he could easily win the first two matches with his current equipment. However, from the third match onwards, Asskickers United would¡¯ve more or less seen through his playstyle. He estimated winning five matches was probably his absolute limit. As such, he dispatched some subordinates to fetch the best Dark Zealot equipment in the Fallen Angel guild treasury. After fighting a few matches, he would switch out his equipment. Maybe that would increase his odds of success! Plenty entered the stage. He wore a tranquil expression, lacking the arrogance of an expert. The players from the two great factions went into an uproar. The guild leader of Fallen Angel was finally forced to take the stage! Tang Yao, Bladelight, and the others were discussing something below the stage. ¡°The big fish has finally come out. Which one of you guys wants to go up first?¡± Tang Yao asked. Even though none of them were clear on Plenty¡¯s strength, the Chairman of the Dark Council wasn¡¯t to be underestimated. In strategy, he could look down on everyone in contempt. On the battlefield, he was the focus of the enemy. So, they had to be cautious. ¡°Whoever goes first, they should probe his strength,¡± Bladelight said. He glanced at the members beside him. The nine of them were all roughly on par in strength. So, it didn¡¯t really matter who went up first. ¡°I¡¯ll go first. It doesn¡¯t matter who goes up anyway. I want to see just how strong he is!¡± Smoke Stub smiled. ¡°Sounds good,¡± Bladelight said. Smoke Stub ranked in the top five among the nine of them. If Plenty wanted to beat him, it wouldn¡¯t be easy. Maybe Smoke Stub would perform even better than expected and defeat Plenty in the first match. If that were to happen, Fallen Angel would truly have no face left. Smoke Stop entered the stage. Plenty was an extremely mysterious figure, rarely ever appearing in public. No one knew just how strong he was. This was his first public match. So, naturally everyone was paying close attention. Everyone wondered if Smoke Stub could defeat Plenty. When Smoke Stub stopped across from him, Plenty opened his mouth. ¡°The person I respect the most in my life is the Nirvana Flame of back then. He was truly invincible. I have no doubt in my mind I would lose if we were to face off. But I didn¡¯t expect that three years later, even the people that accompanied him would grow to become so exceptional. You have my deep admiration. Today, I won¡¯t hold anything back. One more thing. If Nirvana Flame manages to climb back to the peak, pass on a message to him for me. I look forward to the day we clash!¡± The players from the two great factions broke into a stir. They didn¡¯t expect Plenty as the Chairman of the Dark Council to claim the person he respected the most was Nirvana Flame. However, thinking back to three years ago, it made sense. The name of the Mad Rogue was an undying legend! Smoke Stub could hear the arrogance behind Plenty¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t mind, simply chuckling. ¡°If you want to challenge Nirvana Flame, you¡¯ll have to get through us first. If you defeat all of us, he will naturally come looking for you!¡± ... Back in Hell, Nie Yan watched the livestream with a pensive look on his face. Smoke Stub, Bladelight, and the other seven had all pretty much fought a match. So, Plenty had a rough understanding of their strength. At this moment, Plenty switched out his Scepter of the Dark Council to a Chaos-grade redwood staff he¡¯d never seen before. Likely, Plenty was trying to hide his strength. Nie Yan knew Plenty wouldn¡¯t do anything without reason. Since he changed his scepter, it meant he wasn¡¯t planning to go all out in the first few matches. He was clearly gunning for a full sweep! Nie Yan knitted his brows. It was a pity he was too weak right now to participate in a competition of this level. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit worried. ... ¡°Begin the match!¡± the referee shouted. Smoke Stub and Plenty both moved at practically the same instance. Plenty protected himself with a barrier. A ring of dark flames rapidly rotated around his body, preventing any enemies from drawing near. Tri Judgement Slash! Smoke Stub attacked the barrier with his most powerful skill. Three enormous slashes shot out toward Plenty, brimming with unrivalled destructive power. Both sides were going all out from the start! Plenty didn¡¯t panic. He calmly retreated a few steps and waved his staff. A dark aura erupted from the ground as a Dark Succubus emerged on the battlefield. The Dark Succubus was a summon. It had zero killing power against a player like Smoke Stub. The speed and defense of the Dark Succubus was decent while its attack power was pretty mediocre. It was a middle rank summon. No matter how high its defense or health, it couldn¡¯t withstand a single hit from Smoke Stub¡¯s ultimate attack. Not to mention Spirit Awe which also worked against summons. So, why did Plenty summon the Dark Succubus for? Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 963 - Die! The Tri Judgement Slash was about to swallow up the Dark Succubus, when Plenty calmly waved his staff. A tide of bones erupted from the ground and formed a shield in front of it. BANG! BANG! BANG! The three slashes collided into the shield in quick succession. To the surprise of the entire crowd, the Dark Succubus only staggered several steps back, and the shield was still perfectly intact. Smoke Stub¡¯s eyes trembled. He had no idea what kind of protection magic this shield was, but its defensive capabilities were phenomenal! At the same time the Dark Succubus served as a body to block the attack, Plenty brandished his staff. Dark magical energy started rapidly condensing at the tip. Nightmare Curse! Smoke Stub was moved forward to attack, when a shadowy energy invaded his body. His vision became slightly blurry as his steps faltered. Curses were instant cast spells. Unless the player used a defensive skill that blocked curses beforehand, there was no way to dodge them. Thankfully, curses generally didn¡¯t have powerful crowd control effects. They were usually more annoyances than anything else. Plenty¡¯s Nightmare Curse couldn¡¯t be cured for the first five minutes. Smoke Stub charged forward and slashed down on Plenty with his greatsword. Ever since Smoke Stub class swapped his base class to a barbarian Raider, his physical stats and Strength scaling skyrocketed. Someone like the Dark Succubus was too weak to put up any kind of resistance, and even a godly Dark Zealot like Plenty wouldn¡¯t survive more than two hits. At this moment, the Dark Succubus started multiplying, going from one to two, to four, to eight, and so on. Smoke Stub¡¯s face paled. What kind of skill was this? He¡¯d never seen it before! Why were there so many Dark Succubi? ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how many there are!¡± Smoke Stub roared, knocking aside three Dark Succubi with his charge. Smoke Stub looked up ahead, only to find Plenty had disappeared. ¡°Shit!¡± he cursed. The skills of that Succubus were too strange. This was his first time experiencing something like this. ¡°Whirlwind Slash!¡± He spun his greatsword around and sent five more Dark Succubi flying. Radiant Sight! Smoke Stub¡¯s eyes flashed with a dazzling radiance. He believed these Dark Succubi were mere illusions and could be dispelled with his ocular skill. However, he was wrong. They were all real. To make matters worse, he couldn¡¯t find Plenty, even sweeping his gaze over the entire arena. The spectators were also dumbstruck. No one had eyesight on Plenty. It was as if he had vanished into thin air! From the very start of the game, Plenty had taken note of Nie Yan and took a keen interest in Special Items, collecting them all throughout the Evil Faction. With them as foundation, he created a style of combat that ordinary players could never imagine. Of course, since he¡¯d never shown off his combat style before, no one knew what to look for. The ordinary Summon Succubus spell combined with a Body Double Ring and Possession skill became a viable PvP tactic. After bringing out a summoned creature, players could use the Body Double Ring ring to create a clone of their summon.The higher the summon¡¯s rank, the greater the mana cost to duplicate it. Plenty picked the Dark Succubus precisely because its level was low. He could basically duplicate it infinitely. After creating a large number of clones, he used the Possession skill to hide himself among them. As he made more clones, he also continuously targeted Smoke Stub with curses. Even though Smoke Stub had a skill that could dispel curses, it could only dispel them one at a time and there was a cooldown. Faced with so many curses, there was nothing he could do. If Plenty were to fight him head-on, Smoke Stub certainly wouldn¡¯t be in such sorry straights. Everything was going according to Plenty¡¯s plan. He immediately seized the initiative by using non-conventional tactics. These little tricks weren¡¯t very above board, but he didn¡¯t care that much, or rather he was in no position to care. He had already made his decision. He would resort to these tactics to win the first few matches, then reveal his true strength in the latter matches! This tactic wasn¡¯t perfect. There was a certain chance the enemy could see through his tricks. It had no place on a battlefield, but it was extremely effective in PvP. Smoke Stub sent five Dark Succubi flying. He used all the AoE skills in his arsenal, but every Dark Succubus was protected by a bone shield. They were originally frail enough for him to one-shot them, but now they could tank several of his hits. Not to mention the dozen curses that greatly reduced his stats. On the sidelines, Tang Yao knitted his brows. Plenty resorting to cheap tricks was truly something you¡¯d never expect. However, he couldn¡¯t see through it. If it were on the battlefield and you encountered a tactic you couldn¡¯t deal with, you could simply run away. When the skill ran out, they were naturally done for. However, it was completely different in a duel. ¡°Plenty is trying to hide his strength and using cheap tricks to take out as many of us as he can. He will use his real strength to take out the rest of us,¡± Bladleight surmised. He could see through Plenty¡¯s intentions. Anyone that faced the nine of them in a row would find it difficult not to lose. If someone could do it, it would be Nie Yan at his peak. It was impossible for everyone else. Plenty was backed into a corner. If he lost, Fallen Angel would suffer a crippling blow. It would be an eternal stain on their reputation. So, for the sake of defeating Bladelight, Tang Yao, and the others, he had no choice but to try to conceal as much of his strength as possible in the first few matches. The more he revealed, the quicker he would lose. Even though Plenty was hiding his strength, Tang Yao, Bladelight, and the others saw through a few things. When Plenty was standing on the stage, he was calm and collected. When he cast a spell, it was at the perfect timing. Thinking back to how he brought out the Dark Succubus, bone shield, and so on, his true strength definitely wasn¡¯t lacking. If he were using his normal scepter, even if it were a frontal confrontation, Smoke Stub wouldn¡¯t necessarily be his match! One had to know that cheap tricks required a lot of skill. To be able to defeat an expert like Smoke Stub with them showed just how high Plenty¡¯s caliber was. If he were an ordinary player, he¡¯d likely be killed before getting the first skill out. Inflicted by so many curses, Smoke Stub saw his health dwindle away to less than half. However, the desire to win was still blazing brightly in his heart. As he swept his gaze over the countless Dark Succubi, he locked onto one that happened to be keeping a distance. His eyes flashed with a cold light. Charge! BANG! BANG! BANG! Smoke Stub sent six Dark Succubi flying. Plenty¡¯s eyes widened in alarm. What a guy! He actually found me! He immediately dispelled his possession. BANG! The Dark Succubi was sent flying. Plenty reappeared on the stage. He waved his staff and targeted Smoke Stub with Shadow Bind. Sky God¡¯s Furor! Smoke Stub¡¯s body shone out with a dazzling light. The silhouette of a celestial Warrior appeared behind him as if he had become the vessel for a god. His body swelled in size. Plenty didn¡¯t expect Smoke Stub to explode with so much might even after being inflicted with over a dozen curses. He sighed. It looked like cheap tricks could only take him so far against an expert of Smoke Stub¡¯s level. He would still have to use his full strength. Lich King Form! Plenty waved his staff. A dark decaying power instantly surged out and enveloped his body, lifting him about half a meter up in the air. ¡°Burning Hand!¡± Plenty roared. An enormous hand of black flames appeared out of the air and shot toward Smoke Stub. Smoke Stub roared and charged straight toward it. BOOOM! The ground shook violently as a whirlwind of power swept all the Dark Succubi out of the stage. The spectators retreated back in fear. Just of how high a level was this battle? The skills of these two were too frightening! However, thinking about it, it made sense. Smoke Stub was one of Asskickers United¡¯s peak experts. He frequently ran all sorts of high level dungeons with the main team. Meanwhile, Plenty was the Chairman of the Dark Council. Both their backgrounds were extremely astonishing. Them having super powerful skills was perfectly normal. Previously, when Plenty brought out all those Dark Succubi, everyone thought Smoke Stub was doomed. But not only did he escape this impasse, he also forced out Plenty¡¯s real body and launched a powerful counterattack. This kind of grit was worth admiring. Even though Smoke Stub had foiled Plenty¡¯s trick, he was already an arrow at the end of its flight. Too much of his health had been shaved away. Originally, he should¡¯ve pulled back to recover his health. However, with the Burning Hand coming straight for him, he had no choice but to go for broke. Smoke Stub took the hit head-on and was forced back several meters. A damage value of 30,000 floated up above his head. Smoke Stub¡¯s 200,000 health pool was shaved away to only 50,000 by Plenty¡¯s curses. Now, after taking another powerful hit, he could only stake it all on one last attack. Smoke Stub¡¯s sharp eyes locked onto Plenty. Plenty didn¡¯t plan to give Smoke Stub the chance. He used another Burning Hand. The giant hand made out of black flames came down from the sky, wanting to squash Smoke Stub to dead. The hand was like a giant black top, completely blotting out the sky above Smoke Stub. A powerful pressure bore down on Smoke Stub as if several thousand lbs weighed down on him. He could hardly move an inch. ¡°Die!¡± Plenty¡¯s lips curved into a cold smile. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 964 - Dark Demon Guard What a powerful spell! Not to mention it could be cast multiple times in a row! Smoke Stub hurriedly protected himself with a golden shield. BOOOOM! The Burning Hand ruthlessly slammed into Smoke Stub. Smoke Stub suffered another powerful attack. The golden shield around his body shuddered as a damage value of 10,000 floated up above his head. Burning Hand! Plenty hit Smoke Stub with another Burning Hand. This normally didn¡¯t pose much of a threat. Now, however, he was like a candle at the end of its wick. He only had a sliver of health left, and he had no way of dodging this spell. Nie Yan watched the livestream with rapt attention. Even if Smoke Stub could dodge the Burning Hand, victory was still impossible. It was clear that Plenty was holding back. Even if he hadn¡¯t used those cheap tricks to shave away so much of Smoke Stub¡¯s health, Smoke Stub still wouldn¡¯t have more than a 30% chance of winning. Sure enough, after several more exchanges, Smoke Stub eventually ran out of health and collapsed to the ground. Nie Yan felt his heart sink. Smoke Stub, Bladelight, and the rest were all roughly on par in strength. Factoring out class advantages, not one was significantly better. Plenty was clearly stronger than them by a notch or two. Smoke Stub¡¯s defeat led to a huge stir, especially to those who were familiar with Smoke Stub¡¯s strength. ¡°It looks like the guild leader of Fallen Angel is no joke.¡± ¡°Of course, he is the Chairman of the Dark Council! Do you have any idea how many high difficulty chain quests and super high level bosses you have to kill to obtain all the chapters from the Book of Chaos? How could he possibly be weak!¡± Plenty won back some face for Fallen Angel by defeating Smoke Stub. If he had lost as well and in the first match at that, Asskickers United would forever cement itself as the most powerful guild in all of Conviction. The second person to take the stage was Mistaken Smile. Since Thieves suppressed casters and Bladelight and the rest were all roughly on par with each other, Nie Yan estimated Mistaken Smile had about a 35% chance of winning. However, anything could happen. Plenty stood on the stage valiantly, refusing to take a rest. When Mistake Smile stepped forward, he said, ¡°Asskickers United has so many experts. If two of you were to go up against me at once, I admit I would lose. But if it¡¯s one on one, none of you will ever defeat me!¡± If these players Asskickers United could easily defeat him, then all the effort spent questing and becoming stronger would be all for nothing! One had to know, the entirety of Fallen Angel had poured an enormous amount of resources and manpower on him. For the sake of collecting the chapters from the Book of Chaos, more than 100,000 players had died on a low estimate. Only through their sacrifice could he reach this nigh invincible state. This was something Bladelight, Mistaken Smile, and the others couldn¡¯t compare to. Originally, Plenty had an air of arrogance around him. How could Smoke Stub, Mistaken Smile, and them possibly compare to him? Before this showdown, he believed he could easily 1v3 or 1v4 them, since he could do the same with the peak experts from the Evil Faction. Only after seeing the first 10 matches did he realize his misjudgement. Even he himself probably couldn¡¯t go against Smoke Stub and them 1v2. ¡°Winner, loser, we won¡¯t find out until we actually fight!¡± Mistaken Smile said, brandishing his dagger. ¡°Come.¡± Plenty stared at Mistaken Smile. Humbled after his match with Smoke Stub, he decided to go all out. Nie Yan watched the livestream. He was eager to see how Plenty would do against Bladelight and them. However, regardless of the outcome, Plenty¡¯s strength put enormous pressure on him. No one could 1v1 him, not even the pillars of Asskickers United! It looked like he would have to work even harder, or else he wouldn¡¯t have the qualifications to face Plenty! Nie Yan continued south, killing all the enemies in his path. Several minutes later, another large creature entered his sights. Could it be another Dark Demon King? The creature looked nearly identical to the Dark Demon King. Nie Yan halted his steps. He prepared to leave. If he was spotted, he would probably be killed! Nie Yan was about to walk in another direction, when he noticed something different about this monster. It was somewhat smaller than the Dark Demon King. After looking closer, he was sure of it! Could it be that that wasn¡¯t a Dark Demon King? Nie Yan decided to get closer and take a look. He entered stealth and approached the creature. After getting close enough, he activated Transcendent Insight. Dark Demon Guard (Demonified Lord): Level 190 So it was only a Dark Demon Guard, and not a Dark Demon King! Nie Yan relaxed. A Level 190 Demonified Lord was still extremely powerful but not impossible to deal with! Nie Yan would have to kill every monster in this unholy place sooner or later anyway. So, he might as well get to it. Nie Yan had his pets, which were slaughtering monsters some distance away, group back up with him and also summoned Paladin Lafus. Lil¡¯ Gold was the tankiest out of his three dragons. The Violet Eye Dragon came in second, while it also had decent magic ability. As for the Divine Eclipse Dragon, even though it was the squishiest out of all three, its magic ability was in a tier of its own. Finally, Paladin Lafus could simply stay in the rear and support. His attacks would have no effect on the Dark Demon Guard! This was Nie Yan¡¯s first time facing a Level 190 Demonified Lord. It was stronger than a Level 180 Demonified Lord by several times over. However, between Zennarde¡¯s Sword, his level, and the Divine Eclipse Dragon, Nie Yan had also grown much stronger. Nie Yan felt confident. Even if he couldn¡¯t defeat the Dark Demon Guard, he could always flee! Every step the Dark Demon Guard took shook the ground. Nie Yan pondered his options. The Dark Demon Guard was a melee monster, making it far easier to deal with than a ranged one. However, that didn¡¯t mean he could fight it head-on! Seeing the Dark Demon Guard lumbering around, Nie Yan wasn¡¯t naive enough to believe that it was actually this slow. If it wanted to, its movement speed would definitely be astonishing. Melee-type Demonified Lords had to be fast, or else they would be easily kited to death by Mages. The system wouldn¡¯t put in a boss like this. As his thoughts reached the idea of kiting the boss, Nie Yan had an idea. If it worked, he could even take down the Level 200 Dark Demon King! Defeating a Level 200 Demonified Lord would prove difficult, but there would be no issue in defeating this Level 190 Demonified Lord! ¡°Let¡¯s give it a go!¡± Nie Yan muttered. He had Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon charge toward Dark Demon Guard. When the Dark Demon Guard discovered Nie Yan and the two dragons, it roared at the sky, then brandished its greataxe and charged toward Nie Yan who gave off the holy aura of a Luminous Dancer. A black and white beam suddenly cut across the air and struck the Dark Demon Guard. FWOOM! The two beams blasted the Dark Demon Guard, causing it to wail out in pain and stagger several steps back. Holy Nova Ray and Abyssal Pierce! The two attacks continued for 10 seconds, both dealing over 10,000 damage per tick. Only 10,000 damage a tick? Nie Yan was dumbstruck. When he used these two spells against Level 180 Lords, they could easily deal several hundred thousand damage per tick! The defense of this Dark Demon Guard was extremely high! 200,000 damage was barely a tickle for the Dark Demon Guard! Nevertheless, the Divine Eclipse Dragon successfully attracted the aggro of the Dark Demon Guard. It let out a furious roar and charged toward its attacker. ¡°Now!¡± Nie Yan¡¯s eyes flashed with a devious light. Lil¡¯ Gold immediately shot forward and slid himself right in front of the Dark Demon Guard¡¯s feet. BOOOM! The Dark Demon Guard came to a halt as its leg collided with Lil¡¯ Gold. It was much larger than him, but not large enough to get past. A damage value of 130,000 floated up above Lil¡¯ Gold¡¯s head. Nie Yan hurriedly had Kalenna and Lafus heal him, restoring his health back to full. Even though Lil¡¯ Gold already had over 500,000 health, Nie Yan didn¡¯t want to take the risk. He wanted to keep Lil Gold¡¯s health topped just in case. The Divine Eclipse Dragon fired out two balls of light, one black and one white. BOOOM! They struck the Dark Demon Guard and exploded. The Dark Demon Guard was infuriated. However, Lil¡¯ Gold kept it locked in place. It had no way of chasing the Divine Eclipse Dragon. This only worked to further infuriate it as it tried anything and everything to get past Lil¡¯ Gold. Of course, Nie Yan wouldn¡¯t let that happen. Whatever the Dark Demon Guard tried, Lil¡¯ Gold would block its path. Even though his skills had gotten rusty over the years, Nie Yan was still extremely proficient at these little tricks! The Divine Eclipse Dragon bombarded the Dark Demon Guard while Lil¡¯ Gold continued blocking its path. With the two working together, the Dark Demon Guard basically became target practice for the Divine Eclipse Dragon! Though different from kiting, it basically led to the same result! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 965 - The Mad Rogue’s Challenge Ordinary players couldn¡¯t hope to control their pets as skillfully as Nie Yan. His control had reached perfection. In all of Conviction, perhaps there were only a few players that could match his level. The Dark Demon Guard¡¯s health was slowly being shaved away. Since it was too high, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t see exactly how much it had. The Dark Demon Guard was incredibly tanky. Nie Yan had no idea how long it would take to kill it. However, Nie Yan wasn¡¯t worried. There was plenty of time. He would continue chipping away at it until it was dead! The Dark Demon Guard was finally thoroughly enraged. It swung out with its greataxe and sent Lil¡¯ Gold flying. Just as it was about to take a step forward, the Violet Eye Dragon blocked its path. BANG! The Violet Eye Dragon was also sent flying. The Dark Demon Guard wanted to charge forward, only to have Lil¡¯ Gold stagger back and block its path once more. It was completely helpless against its pestering. Only a few bosses had Spirit Awe. Thankfully, the Dark Demon Guard wasn¡¯t one of them, or this tactic wouldn¡¯t work. The Divine Eclipse Dragon wasn¡¯t the only one dealing damage. Nie Yan went up and let loose with a flurry of attacks. Since the Dark Demon Guard¡¯s aggro was completely focused on the Divine Eclipse Dragon, the damage he dealt wasn¡¯t enough to cause its aggro to shift. ... The competition in Judgement Valley was intensifying. Smoke Stub, Mistaken Smile, and Black Hell had lost one after another. Even though Plenty¡¯s wins weren¡¯t easy and he was forced to use almost all his strength every time, a loss was still a loss. With Plenty winning three matches in a row, the players from Fallen Angel regained some of their morale and even broke out in cheers. Plenty bitterly smiled. Even though he won three matches in a row, he wasn¡¯t happy. After reaching this point, he had a good idea of Asskickers United¡¯s strength. He wanted to use this competition to probe the enemy and gauge whether or not he should attack the Righteous Faction. He didn¡¯t expect his meticulous plan to almost become a spectacle for Asskickers United to show off their might. Given the strength of their peak experts, if Fallen Angel were to attack the Righteous Faction, they would likely be inviting egg on their face. He started to hesitate on whether he should attack the Righteous Faction. Either way, Plenty still had to see this competition through to the end, though the goal was different now. He had to defend Fallen Angel¡¯s honour! Asskickers United still had six people, Bladelight, Sun, King of the World, Lei Su, Lustboy, and Sparrow Hawk. It would be a tough task. Plenty didn¡¯t have any more tricks up his sleeves, and many of his high rank skills were on long cooldowns. Plenty got down from the stage and said to a Warrior below the stage, ¡°Give me the equipment. I¡¯m swapping sets!¡± The Warrior respectfully gave Plenty a large pile of equipment. It was all Chaos gear, many of which had different supplementary skills. All of the best Dark Zealot equipment in Fallen Angel was here. Plenty picked out a few pieces and put them on. After swapping into a new set of equipment, Plenty brought out his Scepter of the Dark Council. Wearing his new equipment, he stepped back into the ring. Lustboy was already waiting there. Seeing Plenty take out the scepter, his eyes faintly trembled. ... Nie Yan looked worriedly at the livestream. He didn¡¯t expect Mistaken Smile and Black Hell to lose as well. ¡°Dammit!¡± Nie Yan felt himself getting restless. He guessed Plenty¡¯s ambitions had grown after becoming the Chairman of the Dark Council, and his reappearance had only served to further drive Plenty¡¯s ambitions. Fallen Angel¡¯s reason for challenging Asskickers United was simple. It was to probe Asskickers United¡¯s strength. He had no idea if Plenty would declare war after it concluded. Of course, Asskickers United was never afraid of a fight. Nie Yan hoped the war between the two great factions could be pushed back as much as possible. He needed every second he could get to catch back up. When he recovered his position atop the leaderboards, whatever happened would at least be within his control. Fallen Angel¡¯s ambitions could not be allowed to grow any further. The only way for that was to crush Plenty head-on! If Plenty lost in the next few battles, then that would be perfect. Nie Yan wondered if Bladelight, Sun, and the rest could complete this task. Nie Yan estimated he only needed three more months to reach level 190. At that time, even if he were to face the Level 200+ Plenty, he could face him with confidence. Anything within a 20-level difference was under his control! If Bladelight and the others could defeat Plenty, Nie Yan estimated Fallen Angel would throw away any and all plans of attacking the Righteous Faction in the near future. Nie Yan understood worrying was useless. He could only put his all into defeating the Dark Demon Guard. What he didn¡¯t know was that Plenty¡¯s mind was already starting to change. Right now, his only goal was to defend Fallen Angel¡¯s honour. As time slowly passed, under the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s ruthless bombardment, the Dark Demon Guard¡¯s health finally fell to 90%. Nie Yan checked the time. It took about 20 minutes to shave away 10% of the Dark Demon Guard¡¯s health, mostly thanks to the Divine Eclipse Dragon. Its damage was quite decent If other players were to find out Nie Yan was only using the word decent to describe the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s damage, they would try to drown him in spit. This was a typical case of the well-off being oblivious to the plights of the poor. Even the number one player on the leaderboards, Tang Yao, couldn¡¯t compete with the two-headed Divine Eclipse Dragon! If even Mr. Walking Gatling Gun couldn¡¯t compare, there was no need to speak about other players. After his hiatus, Nie Yan didn¡¯t really understand where he placed in terms of strength. He only knew that the Divine Eclipse Dragon was really powerful. However, never could he imagine that its damage already surpassed that of Tang Yao! With a powerful pet like the Divine Eclipse Dragon, it would be strange if Nie Yan didn¡¯t level up quickly! So long as no mishaps occurred, he could slowly chip away at the Dark Demon Guard until it was dead. A Level 190 Demonified Lord. Even someone like Tang Yao would have to put in quite a bit of effort to defeat it. However, Nie Yan wasn¡¯t breaking a sweat. Nie Yan engrossed himself in dealing with the Dark Demon Guard, occasionally glancing at the livestream. Over the next half-an-hour Bladelight, Sun, and the others all lost to Plenty. Tang Yao was the last to challenge him, but even he didn¡¯t stand a chance. This caused the forums to erupt in discussion. Asskickers United had still lost in the end. Even Tang Yao lost? Nie Yan knitted his brows. He opened the replay of the match. Plenty went all out. He looked like a god as he floated high up in the air, a scepter in his hand. The two both used large scale AoE magic against each other, resulting in the spectators retreating more than a thousand meters back to not be affected. Tang Yao went all out. However, in terms of skill arsenal, he was inferior to Plenty by a notch. Tang Yao¡¯s highest ranked title was Advanced Adjudicator of Light, and his strongest support creature was the Rank 9 Arcane Fairy. It gave him several supplementary Forbidden Spells. Forbidden Magic was useful both in team fights and on the battlefield. However, in a one versus one duel, they were mostly useless. Meanwhile, the Scepter of the Dark Council that Plenty wielded was a Chaos weapon on par with a Sacred item. He also had a grimoire the Lich King provided him. When he made use of all his strength, Tang Yao had no way of competing. The match was simply world-shaking. Unfortunately, none of the spectators got a good look due to the intense magic forcing them back in fear. If they wanted a clip of the match close up, likely only the two participants would have it. After skimming through the videos of the matches, Nie Yan let out a deep sigh. What he worried about the most happened. ... The arena stage was completely obliterated. The area was flattened smooth. Hovering in the air, Plenty checked his health. He only had 6,000 left. If he hadn¡¯t given himself a few shields and healed himself, he would¡¯ve died to Tang Yao. He felt a cold sweat on his back. That was too close for comfort! Plenty actually fought and beat nine of Asskickers United¡¯s peak experts in a row! Thinking about it, he felt a lingering fear in his heart. Him winning in the end was largely due to luck. The players from Fallen Angel broke out into uproarious cheers. The forums were filled with posts praising Plenty for defeating so many of Asskickers United¡¯s peak experts in a row. He cemented his place as the number one player in both great factions. This title was achieved by relying on his strength alone to defeat all opponents. Plenty stepped down from the stage. His brothers in Fallen Angel were bursting with excitement, unable to calm down. Just how amazing was it to defeat nine of Asskickers United¡¯s peak experts in a row! Perhaps only Nie Yan in his prime could compare! Tang Yao revived. He let out a deep sigh. A loss was a loss. There was nothing he could do to change that. In contrast to the noise on the side of Fallen Angel, Asskickers United¡¯s players were dead silent. Even though they were stronger than Fallen Angel as a whole, Plenty had still single handedly turned the tide and defeated them. Above all, the title of number one expert in all of Conviction fell to Plenty. Many players couldn¡¯t accept this, but there was nothing they could do about it. Even though Plenty commanded his subordinates not to throw insults or taunts at Asskickers United, the forums were still filled with flaming from both sides. It was to the extent someone proposed settling things once and for all on a certain date in Judgement Valley. Likely, there would be another huge battle breaking out in the near future. Within the mess the forums were in, a single post especially attracted everyone¡¯s attention. ¡¸In five month¡¯s time, I¡¯ll set out for the Evil Faction. Let¡¯s meet then, Plenty. -Nirvana Flame¡¹ It was the Mad Rogue¡¯s account, no doubt! The same one that hadn¡¯t logged on in three years! This post was immediately shot to the top of the forums with tens of millions of upvotes. The entire server was in an uproar. Even though it was just a simple sentence, the waves it made was no less than when Plenty defeated nine of Asskickers United¡¯s peak experts in a row. Nirvana Flame was making a comeback, and he issued a challenge to Plenty, the guild leader of Fallen Angel! Just how shocking was this piece of news! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 966 - Demon King Stone Many players were skeptical. However, Asskickers United¡¯s higher-ups quickly confirmed its authenticity. The account without a doubt belonged to Nie Yan. Since accounts were bound to the person themselves, there was no way to fake an identity. He was indeed the poster. News of Nie Yan¡¯s return had already spread to every corner of Conviction. However, this challenge still left everyone dazed. Nie Yan had taken a three-year break from the game! During this time, Plenty went from around Level 150 to Level 205, only a bit away from catching up to Tang Yao, while also completing the Book of Chaos and obtaining high rank titles like Chairman of the Dark Council. There was also the matter of his gear. With the resources available to him, he had acquired himself some of the best equipment in the entire game. This showdown only proved how far ahead of the pack he was; even the peak experts of Asskickers United couldn¡¯t beat him. It was mind boggling to the playerbase that Nie Yan would have the confidence to challenge Plenty, even if it was in five months. From their perspective, Nie Yan had only started playing again a couple of months ago. Though his level on the leaderboards was still 156, after seeing his achievements in the Dark Demonic Space, they guessed he had reached somewhere around Level 170 at most. This might be impressive, but nowhere near enough to challenge Plenty! How shocking was this news! Nie Yan lived up to his nickname of the Mad Rogue. He really was mad! Given what everyone knew of Nie Yan, he wouldn¡¯t do anything unless he was confident. This meant he believed he truly stood a chance. Was Nirvana Flame going to reclaim his throne at the summit? Asskickers United had suffered a blow in morale. Even though Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and them had steamrolled through nine of Fallen Angel¡¯s peak experts, the position of number one expert was still snatched away by Plenty. How could they possibly be happy with this result? However, Nie Yan¡¯s post instantly lifted their moods and caused the entirety of the guild to stir. The boss was challenging Plenty! What an exciting development! Even though the players from Asskickers United had no idea how Nie Yan was going to get strong enough to challenge Plenty in five months¡¯ time, which of his accomplishments in the past didn¡¯t subvert expectations? Every member had full confidence in him. Since he dared to issue the challenge, he naturally had a plan!. The crowd gathered in Judgement Valley gradually scattered. Fallen Angel also returned to the underworld. Plenty singlehandedly reverse sweeped Bladelight, Tang Yao, and them to win the competition. All of Fallen Angel was rejoicing. After all, their boss had had snatched up the position of number one expert. Still, shock reigned in the guild at this moment. ¡¸Nirvana Flame really is suicidal! He wants to challenge the boss in five months? Dream on! Can he even get to Level 190 in that time? I¡¯ll eat my socks if he can even reach 180! Not to mention the boss is now Chairman of the Dark Council!¡¹ ¡¸Hard to say. That¡¯s Nirvana Flame we¡¯re talking about. He isn¡¯t the type to wildly boast. Plus, Asskickers United¡¯s reputation is on the line as well.¡¹ Fallen Angel¡¯s guild chat was filled with discussion. Plenty read through the messages with a frown. ¡°Nirvana Flame is finally back,¡± Warlance said, glancing at Plenty. ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± Plenty asked. ¡°Knowing him, he will definitely come looking for us in five months. I don¡¯t know how strong he¡¯ll be by then, but if he didn¡¯t have some assurances, he wouldn¡¯t have issued the challenge,¡± Warlance said. Plenty wore a deep expression. ¡°This pertains to the honour of Asskickers Unied. So, he definitely isn¡¯t joking around, meaning he has the confidence in climbing back to the peak in the next five months. If he really pulls it off, he will create another legend. However, I won¡¯t sit still and wait for him to catch up! In five months, we will see who comes out on top! Gather all the peak experts in the guild. I have a mission for them. I want to build up a new set of equipment!¡± After Plenty instructed his subordinates, he also went to work himself. Watching Plenty leave, a strange feeling sprouted from Warlance¡¯s heart. He was worried Plenty was going to lose. However, Nirvana Flame was probably Level 170 at most right now, still a long shot away from Plenty¡¯s Level 206. Could he really catch up? This was simply inconceivable. How could a Thief¡¯s levelling speed be faster than a caster¡¯s? If Warlance knew Nie Yan had a super powerful pet like the Divine Eclipse Dragon and was already level 183 right now, he would probably be breaking out in cold sweat. ... Somewhere deep within Hell. Nie Yan didn¡¯t bother with the forums anymore after posting his challenge. He only casually glanced at the guild chat, checking on the discussion going on there. Since the date was set for his challenge with Plenty, he had to hurry up. Catching up in such short time would still prove extremely difficult. Not to mention Plenty would only be stronger in five months! Nie Yan would have to give it his all if he wanted to stand a chance of victory. His main priority right now was to complete the quest in Hell! Nie Yan gazed at the Dark Demon Guard before him. He had finally shaved away this Level 190 Demonified Lord¡¯s health to less than 30%. The Divine Eclipse Dragon was moving around and firing magic nonstop. The Dark Demon Guard tried to charge past Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon several times, only to be foiled at every attempt. When the Dark Demon Guard¡¯s health fell to 10%, its entire body turned blood red, and its aura soared. It was going berserk! Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. He hurriedly passed down an order to the Divine Eclipse Dragon. As it chanted an incantation, magical energy in a several hundred-meter radius started sailing towards it. One set of syllables, two sets of syllables¡­ Sensing the intense fluctuations in the air, the Dark Demon Guard felt a threat. BANG! BANG! It sent Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon flying with a Charge. The Dark Demon Guard rushed toward the Divine Eclipse Dragon. THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! The Dark Demon Guard was getting closer and closer. Nie Yan didn¡¯t panic. He knew there was still time! The Dark Demon Guard closed in fast, 50 meters, 40 meters, 30 meters¡­ Suddenly, a boundless pressure bore down from the sky. An enormous sword of holy light and blazing black meteor descended from the sky. BOOOM! BOOOM! The two single target Forbidden Spells struck the Dark Demon Guard. Two massive damage values floated up above its head. Its last remaining 10% health was gone in an instant. THUDD! A dying cackle sounded from this monster of bones as it crashed to the ground, kicking up a large cloud of dust. Nie Yan glanced at his experience bar. It filled up by 6%. This much for a single monster was almost unheard of! Nie Yan faintly smiled. Everything was going as planned. He walked over to the Dark Demon Guard¡¯s remains and rummaged around. He found a single item, a gem fragment about the size of an egg. Demon King Stone Fragment (1/5): Special Item Properties: Can only be used in Hell. Reduces the stats of Dark Demon Guards and Dark Demon Kings by 8%. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. With this item, he would have a much easier time facing Dark Demon Guards and Dark Demon Kings. This was just one fragment. It appeared there were four more. If Nie Yan could gather all five fragments and levelled up to 185, he felt he could take on the Level 200 Dark Demon King. Thinking to this point, Nie Yan decided to search around for more Dark Demon Guards. Half-an-hour later, he spotted a massive figure in the distance. It wasn¡¯t a Dark Demon Guard but a Dark Demon King! It turned out this map didn¡¯t only have one Dark Demon King! Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. Taking advantage of the fact it hadn¡¯t noticed him, he quickly ducked far away. After almost two whole days, Nie Yan finally mapped out the surrounding region. Within a 50 kilometres radius, there were six Dark Demon Kings and more than 20 Dark Demon Guards roaming around. Even though Nie Yan could solo Level 200 Demonified Lords by now, there were only a few in the entire Righteous Faction, and they spawned once a month. Usually, entire expedition teams would set out to hunt them at certain times. Of course, there were also many kill stealers out there. So, it was near impossible to monopolize them. Nie Yan wondered where Hell was located to have so many Dark Demon Kings! At Nie Yan¡¯s current level, defeating the Dark Demon Kings would be a challenge. He could only take out the Dark Demon Guards one at a time. However, hunting Dark Demon Guards to level up was still pretty efficient. Nie Yan estimated he could level up quite a few times in the next two to three months. The Demon King Stone Fragment only had a chance of dropping every one out of six Dark Demon Guards. About a month later, Nie Yan hit Level 189. In his first month and a little back in Conviction, Nie Yan spent his time grinding away in the Dark Demonic Space. Now, he¡¯d been in Hell for over a month as well. Anyone else would have gone mad from the monotony. The portal out came and passed. Nie Yan decided to extend his stay in Hell. Apart from his level, his harvests over this past month were ample. The Divine Eclipse Dragon had already reached Level 199. Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon also reached Level 193. The Divine Eclipse Dragon was a whole 10 levels higher than Nie Yan. Were it any other master, it would¡¯ve long since rebelled. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have to worry about that. The Divine Eclipse Dragon was only a tiny bit away from reaching the Level 200 mark. Its stats were already far higher than any player could imagine. One had to know, this was the sole dragon king in both great factions, the most powerful pet! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 967 - Level 200 Divine Eclipse Dragon With the Divine Eclipse Dragon about to reach Level 200, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but get excited. This would be another milestone! And more importantly, the Divine Eclipse Dragon would learn new magic, maybe even a Legendary one. It would be a game changer if the Divine Eclipse Dragon learned a Legendary skill. Its combat power would break through to a whole new realm. At present, it could easily take on a Dark Demon Guard. At Level 200, it could take down Level 200 Dark Demon Kings! Nie Yan¡¯s levelling speed would increase dramatically when he started grinding Dark Demon Kings. Plus, they should drop even better loot! Nie Yan¡¯s desire to level up intensified. He restlessly found another Dark Demon Guard. Since passing through the Gates of Hell, Nie Yan¡¯s strength had increased by at least 30%. Combined with the four Demon King Stone Fragments in his bag, which had a powerful suppressing effect on the Dark Demon Guards, he could take one down in about an hour and a half. Under the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s ruthless bombardment, a Dark Demon Guard groaned out in agony as it was forced back step by step. Even when it did manage to take a step forward, Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon would firmly lock it down, both of them having grown tremendously in terms of raw strength. The Dark Demon Guard was powerless to put up any kind of resistance. After it died, Nie Yan scanned around its corpse before finding a glittering black gem fragment. The fifth Demon King Stone Fragment! Nie Yan could now fuse a complete Demon King Stone! After putting the five Demon King Stone Fragments together in his bag, they started emitting a scorching hot black flame. They gradually moved together in formation before merging together with one final brilliant flash. The light slowly subsided. A fist sized, black gem appeared in Nie Yan¡¯s bag, the intact Demon King Stone. Demon King Stone: Special Item Properties: Can only be used in Hell. Reduces the stats of Dark Demon Guards and Dark Demon Kings by 50%. +10% to all stats if consumed by a dark creature. A 50% stat suppression effect! Nie Yan raised an eyebrow in surprise. With this item, taking on the Dark Demon King would be a cinch. As for the +10% to all stats if consumed by a dark creature, he wondered if it would work on the Divine Eclipse Dragon. After all, the Divine Eclipse Dragon was a dual attribute creature! Nie Yan grabbed the Demon King Stone from his bag and held it tightly in his palm. He could sense a dark energy radiating out. The Divine Eclipse Dragon immediately turned its attention to the gem in Nie Yan¡¯s hand, both its mouths dripping with drool. Nie Yan could sense the begging in its eyes. That was one question answered. However, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t feed it to the Divine Eclipse Dragon just yet. He still had a use for it! ¡°Should I try challenging a Dark Demon King?¡± Nie Yan¡¯s heart stirred. At present, the number of players that could solo a Level 200 Demonified Lord didn¡¯t exceed three. Not to mention there weren¡¯t many bosses of that level for them to challenge. However, Nie Yan had located a total of six in Hell! Thanks to the 50% stats suppression effect, he stood a chance. And even if it didn¡¯t drop any good rewards, the experience alone would be enough to make it worth his while! However, hesitation sprouted in Nie Yan¡¯s heart. Even when weakened by 50%, a Level 200 Demonified Lord still couldn¡¯t be looked down on. It was stronger than a Level 190 Demonified Lord by several times over. Nie Yan ultimately decided to level up a few more times first. Since he had decided to stay here for another month anyway, he had plenty of time. There was no need to rush. Besides, if he left, where else could he find such a phenomenal levelling place? Over the course of the next month, the stir from Nie Yan¡¯s challenge to Plenty gradually calmed down. The players from both great factions immersed themselves in levelling and secretly competed with each other. Especially Asskickers United and Fallen Angel, the competition having cemented their rivalry. Neither side was willing to back down with conflict spreading to the maps neighbouring Judgement Valley. Larger scale battles even broke out on several occasions. Guo Huai kept Nie Yan up to date. Meanwhile, Bladelight and the others had formed a 1,000-man expedition team and were grinding Sword of the War God to help Nie Yan find void metals. After running it for a total of 600 times, they still weren¡¯t satisfied. Only the best items were good enough for their boss! So, they continued running the dungeons in their hunt for Void Gold. Nie Yan was being realistic by deciding to settle for Dark Void Iron. If he had Void Silver or even Void Gold, the quality of the upgraded Tyrant Abak Set would be even higher. However, up until now, Asskickers United had only collected 13 Void Silver Ores. This wasn¡¯t even enough to refine a single Void Silver Ingot, which required 25 ores. Even though it seemed hopeless, Asskickers United¡¯s players didn¡¯t give up. Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others spent 95% of their time running Sword of the War God. Their perseverance and determination didn¡¯t lose out to Nie Yan¡¯s. The three innermost regions of the Sword of the War God consisted of the Radiant Lake, Silverbright Peak, and Emerald Marsh. Out of the three, the Radiant Lake was the easiest to run. Next came the Silverbright Peak, which was only cleared by Asskickers United so far. Fallen Angel¡¯s main team had already wiped there more than 60 times. Even if Plenty personally led the team, it wouldn¡¯t change this. After all, he was just one person. Their overall strength was several notches below that of Asskickers United. According to rumours, Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others were running Sword of the War God six times a day. But perhaps the hottest piece of news was that they were supposedly looking to attempt the Emerald Marsh. The drop rates of void metals were a lot higher here than in the other two places. There was even a chance of Void Gold appearing. Apart from having a team grinding Sword of the War God at all times, Guo Huai also had his subordinates clean the auction houses across the Righteous Faction from all void metals on a daily basis. Asskickers United¡¯s only wish was to help Nie Yan return to the peak and defeat Plenty! For this end, they were willing to pay any price! After learning this information, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but be moved. Countless guildmates were silently working around the clock to help him. If he didn¡¯t beat Plenty, he would really be letting everyone down. Though mentally exhausted from the several months of nonstop grinding, Nie Yan gritted his teeth and persevered. So many brothers in the guild were slaving away for him! How could he not respond to their hard work? Asskickers United had already gathered all the required Dark Void Iron. If they could get the higher quality Void Silver, that would be even better. However, looking at the current situation, acquiring enough for one ingot would already be quite impressive. Six ingots were next to impossible. Nie Yan thought back to the ancient ores in his bag. They were clearly different from void metals, nor were they as rare. But their use was a mystery to him. He¡¯d already gathered more than 1,200 of them spread across a dozen different kinds. If these ancient ores turned out to be on the same level as void metals, how great would that be? However, this was only a wishful thought. If these ancient ores could be turned into void metal, he¡¯d have really struck it rich. Guo Huai also informed Nie Yan that Plenty had vanished into thin air after receiving the challenge. The moles they had planted in Fallen Angel had no idea where he went. Nie Yan knitted his brows, uneasiness sprouting in his heart. In all likelihood, Plenty set off to increase his strength. He wondered what level Plenty would reach in five months¡¯ time and whether he¡¯d stand a chance against him. On a more positive note, Xie Yao had also returned to the game. Three years ago, she left the game to spend time with Nie Yan. Now that she was back, it was unlikely she would catch back up to Tang Yao and the others. She wasn¡¯t a freak like Nie Yan. Still, she currently spend her days grinding in the Dark Demonic Space to bring her level up. Her fastest clear speed so far was six hours, a far cry from Nie Yan¡¯s one hour. Nie Yan focused his attention up ahead again. The Divine Eclipse Dragon was still continuously firing magic, sweeping through everything in its path. After grinding for so long, the Divine Eclipse Dragon was 97% of the way toward levelling up to Level 200. After travelling south for an hour, a grand tower atop a mountain of bones appeared in the distance. It was snow white as if it¡¯d been crafted from jade. It somewhat resembled a tower with a flight of stairs leading up from the foot of the mountain to the peak. This structure appearing out of nowhere couldn¡¯t be a coincident. It was likely related to the main quest! Thinking to this point, Nie Yan approached the tower. As he looked at the base of the mountain, he sucked in a cold breath of air. He saw more than 60 colossal figures roaming around. They were even larger than the Dark Demon Kings! An existence even more frightening than Dark Demon Kings, and there were more than 60 in total! They completely blocked the path forward. Nie Yan had no way of approaching the tower. In this kind of situation, Nie Yan didn¡¯t dare to get closer. If he were discovered, he¡¯d be done for! Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He started wondering if it was really possible for him to clear this quest. 60 monsters that were no weaker than Level 200 Demonified Lords, and they were packed so closely together. How was he supposed to get past them? Entering the tower seemed inevitable. Nie Yan could only avoid it for the time being. Nie Yan decided to get the Divine Eclipse Dragon to Level 200 and defeat the Dark Demon Kings first. Just like how the Dark Demon Guards dropped the Demon King Stones, the Dark Demon Kings might drop something similar. After walking in a different direction for another half an hour, a white light finally fell over the Divine Eclipse Dragon. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. It finally reached Level 200! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 968 - Legendary Skill! Nie Yan¡¯s heart was brimming with elation and excitement. When he first logged back in after his three-year hiatus, he thought he had no chance of climbing back to the peak. However, as the Divine Eclipse Dragon grew stronger, its mobbing speed rose to such ludicrous heights that the impossible seemed possible. All Nie Yan¡¯s hopes were placed on the Divine Eclipse Dragon. If he hadn¡¯t obtained its egg three years ago, he would have no way of levelling this easily. All those years ago, Nie Yan had built a great foundation. Even now it still stood rock solid, since many of his items had boundless upgrade potential! With things such as the Divine Eclipse Dragon, Zennarde¡¯s Sword, Death God¡¯s Edge, Paternoster''s Warhamer, the Tyrant Abak Set, and so on, as long as Nie Yan put in the effort, climbing back to the rank of experts was an easy matter. He just didn¡¯t know if he could return to his prime from three years ago, when he was the undisputed number one player in the game. After all, people like Plenty were also exceptionally talented and blessed with immense luck. The Divine Eclipse Dragon reaching Level 200 meant Nie Yan was one step closer to returning to the peak. Nie Yan impatiently opened the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s status page. After reaching Level 200, the Divine Eclipse Dragon saw a substantial boost in stats. It also learned two Legendary skills, Doppelganger and Enrage. Doppelganger: Split into five clones. The clones have 100% of the user¡¯s stats and last for one hour. As long as one of the clones is still alive, the user won¡¯t die. Cooldown: 1 day Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but gasp in amazement. Doppelganger was indeed worthy of being a Legendary skill! It was far stronger than his Shadow Clone! Where his shadow clone was a separate entity entirely, these clones were still linked to the Divine Eclipse Dragon and only by killing all of them would it die. This skill was more powerful than any Forbidden Magic. One had to know, all five bodies could cast Forbidden Magic. With two heads each, that was 10 Forbidden Spells in total. Even a Level 200 Demonified Lord couldn¡¯t survive such an attack! The second skill was similarly amazing. Enrage: Enter an enraged state. Stats increased by 300% for 10 minutes. Cooldown: 5 hours With its high Growth Rate, this skill only made the Divine Eclipse Dragon more frightening of a powerhouse. Not to mention the cooldown was only five hours, which meant it could be used about three times a day! Nie Yan¡¯s eyes fell on the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s name. He hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but there were changes to its name! It was originally just called the Divine Eclipse Dragon, but now it had changed to Legendary Magic Beast, the Divine Eclipse Dragon Gimmeria Worun. Nie Yan didn¡¯t expect the Divine Eclipse Dragon to gain a proper name. The first part was clearly a title, while Gimmeria was most likely its name. As for Worun, that was the clan of dragons it hailed from. The Divine Eclipse Dragon was a Legendary Magic Beast. Its strength was on a level of its own. Nie Yan searched online and discovered a bit of ancient lore on the Divine Eclipse Dragon. Thousands of years ago, it was the king of land dragons. However, it ultimately went extinct because of its low reproductive rate. The only proof of its existence for many generations was a single egg. But after that vanished, the last traces of this species disappeared completely. This was all recorded down. In other words, the Divine Eclipse Dragon was undoubtedly one of its kind! Just this information alone made Nie Yan endlessly excited. Generally, the more ancient and rare something was, the stronger it was. Thankfully, the Divine Eclipse Dragon hadn¡¯t fallen into the hands of someone else. What Nie Yan didn¡¯t know was that he had also spent quite a bit of effort into hatching the Divine Eclipse Dragon. Only with the help of Beast Tamer Hall did he succeed. Odds were, he was the only Beast Tamer in the Righteous Faction who had the qualifications to hatch it. The hatching of the Divine Eclipse Dragon marked the crucial point of Nie Yan returning back to the peak. This world truly was full of coincidences! With two Legendary skills, The Divine Eclipse Dragon could probably take on a Dark Demon King now! Nie Yan set off to where one of the Dark Demon Kings was located. He¡¯d already marked the coordinates of every Dark Demon King he encountered on the map. He could slowly take them down one at a time. 15 minutes later, an enormous skeletal creature entered Nie Yan¡¯s vision. Standing over 30 meters tall, it resembled a titanic beast. Even though this wasn¡¯t Nie Yan¡¯s first time seeing one, upon closer inspection, he still couldn¡¯t help but hold his breath. He wondered if Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon could even take a single stomp from this behemoth. If Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon couldn¡¯t lock it down, it wouldn¡¯t matter if the Divine Eclipse Dragon could split into five. Nie Yan scanned the surroundings. The area was completely barren. There was no terrain he could use to his advantage. After thinking for a bit, Nie Yan ultimately decided to just go for it. Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon were already over Level 190. They were probably strong enough to take a few hits, and that was all he needed! Nie Yan passed down a command. The Divine Eclipse Dragon activated Doppelganger. It split into five, after which they all activated Enrage. Battle Angel Kalenna waved her staff, buffing the five Divine Eclipse Dragons, Lil¡¯ Gold, and the Violet Eye Dragon with various blessings. All preparations were complete. Nie Yan firmed his resolve. Win or lose, he would have to attempt it to know for sure. Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon roared before barreling towards the Dark Demon King. The Dark Demon King was the strongest boss Nie Yan had fought so far. He couldn¡¯t afford to hold anything back. He summoned his shadow clone and dashed forward as well. Sensing the enemies fast approaching, the Dark Demon King swung around. It let out an equally fierce roar as it charged toward toward Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon. Its speed was astonishing. BANG! BANG! Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon were knocked six meters back. They both took over 300,000 damage. That was two-fifths of their health gone in an instant! However, Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon were unphased. They stubbornly rushed back forward. The Dark Demon King¡¯s first attack was especially fierce. After exhausting the momentum from its charge, it could only use its greataxe to attack. BANG! BANG! BANG! Five dark and five light spells bombarded the Dark Demon King. The ferocious bombardment caused it to wail out in pain. The Dark Demon King¡¯s exact health was hidden, but those 10 attacks dealt at least 1,000,000 damage. Unfortunately, its health bar only dropped by a small sliver. BANG! Lil¡¯ Gold was sent flying with a kick. If it weren¡¯t for Kalenna and Paladin Lafus¡¯ potent heals, Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon would¡¯ve died numerous times already. Apocalyptic Extinction! Nie Yan debuffed the Dark Demon King with a slew of curses, then launched a relentless assault with his shadow clone. Zennarde¡¯s Sword blazed, chipping away chips of bone. It was a Sacred-grade weapon at the end of the day. Its attack power was astonishing. Every attack dealt at least 60,000 damage. The shadow clone was the same. Even after having its stats suppressed by 50% by the Demon King Stone, the Dark Demon King was still this strong. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t imagine how frightening it was at full strength! Tang Yao and Plenty could both solo Level 200 Demonified Lords. Nie Yan started to get a better understanding of where he stood compared to them. Under the fierce assault, the Dark Demon King went into a rage. It cleaved down with its greataxe. BOOOM! A pillar of black flames soared into the sky. BANG! Nie Yan felt a powerful force slam into his chest as he was sent flying. A damage value of 80,000 floated up above his head. The Shadow Clone, Lil¡¯ Gold, and the Violet Eye Dragon were also sent flying. The Dark Demon King was just about to continue its assault, when one of the Divine Eclipse Dragons fired out an enormous black ball of light. BOOOM! The powerful blast forced the Dark Demon King to retreat half a dozen steps. A damage value of 15,000,000 floated up above its head. Dark Divine Burst, a single target Forbidden Magic! Just as the Dark Demon King regained its footing, an enormous white ball of light slammed into it. The ball of light ruptured with dazzling rays. Smoke started coming off the Dark Demon King¡¯s bones as it cried out in misery as it staggered further back. Holy Stellar Flare, another single target Forbidden Magic! Seeing the Forbidden Magic was effective, Nie Yan passed down an order to the five Divine Eclipse Dragons. The Dark Demon King fell into sorry straits. Every time it regained its footing, it would be blasted by another single target Forbidden Magic. It didn¡¯t even have a chance to get up to its feet, let alone attack. The 10 heads of the five Divine Eclipse Dragons fired Forbidden Magic one after another. After completing a cycle, they would use a different Forbidden Magic. The time between spells was calculated to perfection, leaving no room for the Dark Demon King to recover. The Divine Eclipse Dragon could use all light and dark Forbidden Magic. The two attributes had more than 10 each. With them being cast one after another, the might was astonishing. Only 50 Forbidden Magic would be enough to blast the Dark Demon King into smithereens. After two rounds of 10 Forbidden Spells, the Dark Demon King lost more than two thirds of its health. The Dark Demon King¡¯s mournful cries lingered in the air. Seeing this Level 200 Demonified Lord being trampled so thoroughly, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but smack his lips, even if it was 50% weaker than normal. After another round of Forbidden Magic, the Dark Demon King would be dead. Nie Yan became excited. As long as he could successfully take this one down, the rest would naturally follow. He could slowly take his time dealing with them. He wondered what kind of amazing loot they would drop! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 969 - The Fifth Shattered Divinity! Just when Nie Yan thought this kill was in the bag, the Dark Demon King let out a deafening roar that cut across the sky. Its body turned a glowing scarlet red as it swelled in size. ¡°Shit! It went berserk already?¡± Nie Yan¡¯s eyes trembled. The super powerful lords would generally only go berserk when their health fell to 10%, sometimes even at 15%. However, the Dark Demon King went berserk at 30%! This completely broke the norm! The Dark Demon King brandished its greataxe and cleaved down on Lil¡¯ Gold. Nie Yan hurriedly had Lil¡¯ Gold pull back, but it was already too late. BOOOM! Lil¡¯ Gold was smashed into the bed of bones below him, his body completely submerged. He had no way of moving. The Dark Demon King brandished its greataxe once more. With another hack, blood flew into the air as Lil¡¯ Gold transformed into a ray of light. Nie Yan¡¯s heart shook. He hurriedly ordered the Violet Eye Dragon to retreat. The Violet Eye Dragon didn¡¯t even have the time to turn around, when the Dark Demon King swung out with its axe in a circular arc. It was a Whirlwind Slash! BOOOM! The Violet Eye Dragon was sent flying. A damage value of almost 700,000 floated up above its head. It crashed back to the ground dead. A critical hit! Instant death! BANG! BANG! BANG! Forbidden Magic rained down on the Dark Demon King. The damage was even higher than before, reaching up to an astonishing 20,000,000! In its berserk state, the Dark Demon King¡¯s defense was weakened. However, unlike before, the Dark Demon King no longer suffered any knockback from Forbidden Magic. It strode forward and charged toward one of the Divine Eclipse Dragons. ¡°Crap!¡± Nie Yan¡¯s face paled. If the Dark Demon King killed just one of the Divine Eclipse Dragons, the damage output would tank. That would give the Dark Demon King more time to kill them all! He hurriedly ordered the targeted Divine Eclipse Dragon to escape. BANG! Another Forbidden Magic struck the Dark Demon King. The Dark Demon King caught up with the fleeing Divine Eclipse Dragon and cleaved down with its greataxe. BANG! A damage value of 500,000 floated up above its head. However, the Divine Eclipse Dragon had a total of 1,670,000 health thanks to the effect of Enrage. It ignored the attack and continued to flee. The Dark Demon King bellowed out furiously. Its greataxe blazed with a black flame as it loosed another slash. An unrivalled destructive power surged out. BOOM! The Divine Eclipse Dragon was sent flying like a rag doll. One Divine Eclipse Dragon was killed! BANG! Another Forbidden Magic struck the Dark Demon King. ¡°It¡¯s effective! Only a little more!¡± Nie Yan and his shadow clone rushed toward the Dark Demon King in a pincer attack. Annihilation Slash! A blazing tsunami of sword energy swept forth, far larger and more powerful than any Annihilation Slash that Nie Yan had executed before. BOOOM! BOOOM! The dual Annihilation Slashes struck the Dark Demon King at the same time. Two damage values of 1,000,000 floated up above its head. Nie Yan¡¯s Annihilation Slash actually dealt half the damage of the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s Forbidden Magic! This was simply incredible! A brief moment later, another Divine Eclipse Dragon failed to escape the Dark Demon King and was killed. In the time it took the Dark Demon King to kill two Divine Eclipse Dragons, its health was shaved away to only 13%. The Dark Demon King was towering with rage as it pursued its next target relentlessly. Nie Yan felt a chill in his heart. If it weren¡¯t for the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s Doppelganger and Enrage skills, he would have to wait until he was well over Level 200 to take it on. Nie Yan and his shadow clone danced around the Dark Demon King. Hell Execution! Hell Execution! Regardless of whether Hell Execution was effective, Nie Yan wouldn''t know unless he tried. After all, its success rate had sharply risen after Zennarde¡¯s Sword was upgraded to Chaos-grade. If it did work, it would save him a lot of trouble. As the Dark Demon King¡¯s health dropped lower and lower, its attacks only grew more ferocious. It killed another Divine Eclipse Dragon. The two remaining Divine Eclipse Dragons fled far away under Nie Yan¡¯s command. He wanted to buy as much time as possible. Hell Execution! Hell Execution! Nie Yan had already lost count of how many times he used Hell Execution. Just as the Dark Demon King was about to close in on another Divine Eclipse Dragon, Zennarde¡¯s Sword shone with an ominous crimson radiance. ?90,551,297! A dazzling red slash bisected the Dark Demon King. It let out a mournful cry as it crashed to the ground. ¡°Yes!¡± Nie Yan exclaimed. If it weren¡¯t for Hell Execution succeeding, he didn¡¯t know how much effort he would have had to spend or if it was even possible for him to shave away the last of the Dark Demon King¡¯s health. The remains of the toppled Dark Demon King looked like a giant hill. A crisp notification jingle rang out. Nie Yan had reached Level 190! This one kill gave him about 73% of a bar¡¯s worth of experience! When players like Tang Yao killed a Level 200 Demonified Lord, they would be lucky to have their experience bars increase by even 1%. However, since Nie Yan was only Level 180, he received an immense amount of experience from the Dark Demon King. Nie Yan felt a strange energy float up from the remains of the Dark Demon King and flow into his body. Divine Power +5 Nie Yan was filled with excitement. This truly was an unexpected surprise! He wondered how many Dark Demon Kings were in Hell. If they all gave him five Divine Power, then that would be quite impressive. Checking his status page, he already had 56 Divine Power. If Nie Yan could acquire 300 Divine Power, he could equip the Death God¡¯s Edge. A thought suddenly occurred to him. This quest might be important for the Death God¡¯s Edge. Perhaps he would gain enough Divine Power to equip it by clearing this quest! Nie Yan had only this one kill to base his conjecture on. The rest was all intuition. The Death God¡¯s Edge in one hand and Zennarde¡¯s Sword in the other, these two Sacred weapons could boost his attack considerably. Regardless of how difficult this quest was, Nie Yan was determined to see it through to the end. After all, if he completed it, his strength would rise to a whole new level! Nie Yan wondered if the Dark Demon King dropped any good loot. He rummaged through the remains and spotted a viridian coloured crystal fragment. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t be more familiar with this item! His heart trembled. After such a long time, he finally found another Shattered Divinity! Even in this dark world filled with death, the Shattered Divinity still glowed a dazzling radiance. This item was the key to him advancing to a Legend! There were four requirements to entering the Legendary realm: six Shattered Divinities, Virtues of a Saint, Holy Spirit Heart, and a Sacred item. He¡¯d already gathered the latter three. The only thing he was missing was the Shattered Divinities. Including this one, he now had a total of five! He only needed one more! The difficulty of becoming a Legend could be described with an SSS-rating. Nie Yan had searched online before. The requirements to advance were different for every player. It was rumoured Bladelight only needed to kill a Level 200 Demonified Lord to become a Legend. Though the truth was that that was only one part in a long chain of quests. Many players were tackling the barrier to Legendary. There were quite a few at 80% or 90% of the way done. However, there were no reports on anyone succeeding yet. Nie Yan had spent who knew how much effort on fulfilling the latter three requirements, nearly failing along the way on more than one occasion. Still, relatively speaking, his progress was quite quick. If Nie Yan hadn¡¯t taken a break from the game, he would¡¯ve likely already become a Legend two years ago. Based on his experience, Shattered Divinities weren¡¯t too hard to find. If you were lucky, they would drop. The other requirements, which he had already fulfilled, were far more difficult! Since luck seemed to be the determining factor, Nie Yan had been curious to learn when he would collect the final two Shattered Divinities. He was happily surprised the first came to him today! Nie Yan was only a tiny step away from entering the Legendary realm! If he could take this step before Plenty, that would take him a long way in the upcoming duel. Since this Dark Demon King dropped a Shattered Divinity, Nie Yan wondered if the others would too. He couldn¡¯t help but become excited. Legend! This mythical realm was already within his sight! When he became a Legend, Masters would be nothing but scrag! Nie Yan suppressed the excitement in his heart. Killing another Dark Demon King today wasn¡¯t possible. The Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s two Legendary skills would take until tomorrow to come off cooldown! However, Nie Yan could wait! After putting away the Shattered Divinity, only then did it occur to Nie Yan that the Dark Demon King might have dropped something else. He was too excited just now and forgot to look. Nie Yan rummaged through the remains once more and found another strange item. Ancient Scale (Special Material): Can be used to upgrade equipment. This item looked like a dragon scale. It was black and translucent, and fit perfectly in his palm. Another upgrade material. Nie Yan had no clue what it was used for. This was another item he would have to consult Bronnick on. Nie Yan wasn¡¯t too excited about acquiring the Ancient Scale. After all, he had no idea how good it was. He continued relishing in the joy of obtaining the fifth Shattered Divinity as he returned to grinding the weaker mobs. Tomorrow, he would see if a sixth Shattered Divinity would drop! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 970 - The Sixth Shattered Divinity! After confirming he hadn¡¯t missed anything, Nie Yan returned to levelling with the Divine Eclipse Dragon. As for Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon, he revived the two. They were in a weakened state, but would soon fully recover. On the second day, the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s two Legendary skills came off cooldown. Nie Yan found a second Dark Demon King and killed it. From its corpse dropped an Ancient Scale and skill book. Unfortunately, there was no Shattered Divinity this time. No matter what kind of skill book it was, it couldn¡¯t be compared to another Shattered Divinity. Still, Nie Yan wasn¡¯t disappointed. Nie Yan took a look at the skill book. Fawne¡¯s Phantom (Thief): Legendary Requirements: Legend It was a skill that could only be learned after becoming a Legend! Fawne was one of the most famous elven Thieves in Conviction¡¯s history, a Legend. This skill book actually carried his name! Nie Yan wondered what this skill did, but there was no description. This wasn¡¯t the first Legendary skill book. There were already many of them in Asskickers United¡¯s treasury, acquired when the guild members took down Level 200 Demonified Lords. However, since no one had yet become a Legend, they were collecting dust. Among the collection, there were two for Thieves. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but be filled with anticipation. As long as he became a Legend, he could learn three Legendary skills! All Nie Yan needed was one more Shattered Divinity! Since Shattered Divinities couldn¡¯t be traded, Nie Yan could only rely on himself to obtain them. There was no official information on where they dropped, but through trial and error he learned that Demonic Lords like the Dark Demon King had a certain chance of dropping them. Now what Nie Yan needed most was luck! Nie Yan wondered if another one would drop by the time he took out all the Dark Demon Kings. Over the next few days, Nie Yan would set aside some time to hunt the Dark Demon Kings. He spent the rest of his time hunting the smaller mobs. Nie Yan¡¯s harvests were incredibly. The six Dark Demon Kings and the countless smaller mobs he killed helped him level up to Level 193. Apart from this, he also obtained some great loot, including two Demon King Seal Fragments and five Ancient Scales. Demon King Seal Fragment: Special Item Properties: Leave this item in your bag to obtain an additional 1% experience when hunting monsters. 0.10% chance a monster will drop an additional magic item. Gather six Demon King Seal Fragments An item that increased experience gain and drop rate! If this Demon King Seal Fragment were to be placed in the marketplace, it would cause the strongest and richest players to fight over it. Even if it only increased experience gain by 1%, this was still extremely valuable to any player over Level 150. After all, it meant you could progress 1% faster than others. The astronomical amount of experience required to level up would also seem just that little bit less daunting. Occasionally, items that increased experience gain did appear. However, they were all equipment that had to be worn. Items like the Demon King Seal Fragment which could be left in your bag were extremely rare. It was easily worth 6,000,000 gold. As for the increased drop rate, that was even better. Every monster had a certain chance of dropping an item. An increase of 0.1% meant you would receive an additional item for every 1,000 monsters you killed. Not to mention magic items were things that gave supplementary skills. Nie Yan had already gathered two of these fragments. He wondered if the reward for collecting six of them would be a complete Demon King Seal. Hell was vast. Likely, there were many more Dark Demon Kings he hadn¡¯t discovered yet. Each one he killed could drop a Demon King Seal Fragment! For the sake of gathering six Demon King Seal Fragments, Nie Yan expanded his search range. He traversed the endless sea of bones without pause. After 10 whole days, Nie Yan still failed to find the end of Hell. However, he did encounter two more Dark Demon Kings and obtained another Demon King Seal Fragment. Nie Yan could feel the effects of gaining 3% additional experience. These Demon King Seal Fragments would have a huge impact on his future growth. Even if he wasted a bit more time in Hell, it worth be worth it. He wouldn¡¯t even mind spending three or four more months here! On the level leaderboards, Nie Yan was still Level 156. However, everyone knew that was because he was still in appear offline mode. So, they were every day guessing what his updated level would be. With the levelling speed of a Thief, it definitely couldn¡¯t surpass that of a Mage. This was evident on the leaderboards. The number one player was Tang Yao at Level 206, 92%. Meanwhile, the highest Level Thief was Sun at Level 201, 32%. Sun¡¯s levelling speed was already nothing short of astonishing for a Thief, but he was still a full five levels behind Tang Yao. The higher the level, the more significant this gap was. One had to know, Tang Yao had been Level 206 for close to two months already, but he still hadn¡¯t levelled up. If you were to compare time, then Tang Yao was at least five months ahead of Sun. Taking all information available to them into consideration, the playerbase estimated it would already be a heaven-defying miracle if Nie Yan was Level 185 by now. Little did they know that he was already Level 193. The playerbase concluded the highest Nie Yan could go before his duel with Plenty was Level 195. Meanwhile, Plenty should be able to reach at least Level 205. In a one versus one duel, a 10-level difference was detrimental. Not to mention Level 200 was watershed. The difference would simply be too big. In terms of equipment, even though Asskickers United had mobilized everyone to help Nie Yan, one couldn¡¯t forget that Plenty was the Chairman of the Dark Council and the guild leader of Fallen Angel. His equipment was the best in the entire underworld. He also had all of Fallen Angel behind him. He wouldn¡¯t necessarily lose out to Asskickers United! Defeating Plenty in five months, what a joke! Many players felt Nie Yan was in over his head. In the entire Righteous Faction, the only ones who had faith in him were the members of Asskickers United. The discussion in the outside world didn¡¯t bother Nie Yan one bit. He fully immersed himself in levelling, only checking the forums sporadically. Reading the mocking and pessimistic comments on the forums, he dismissed them with a laugh. If they knew he was already level 193, they¡¯d change their minds real quick. It didn¡¯t matter what people predicted. Results were all that mattered! Nie Yan wandered around this barren wasteland of death. Over this past month and a half, apart from that strange pyramid tower, he discovered nothing else. It appeared that place was his destination. However, defeating those 60 super powerful bosses was going to be incredibly difficult. A devilish laughter cut across the air. Nie Yan¡¯s face lit up with joy. A Dark Demon King! Nie Yan finally found another Dark Demon King! He dashed over toward the source of the sound. Before long, a towering silhouette appeared in his vision. Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon charged toward the Dark Demon King. These two had both reached Level 200, which had greatly enhanced their stats. Lil¡¯ Gold saw especially changes, with its defense tripling! Nie Yan no longer needed to spend as much effort to kill a Dark Demon king. The Divine Eclipse Dragon split into five. After activating Enrage, they started a ferocious assault on the Dark Demon King. A string of ludicrously high damage values floated up above the Dark Demon King¡¯s head. Its mournful cries rang out across the air. After whittling the Dark Demon King¡¯s health down for approximately half an hour, Nie Yan dashed in to finish it off with a Hell Execution. Nie Yan guessed that once he reached Level 200, he wouldn¡¯t need the Demon King Stone anymore to take down a Dark Demon King. By then, he would be strong enough to take care of it himself! Nie Yan estimated he would reach Level 200 if he stayed here for four months. This already far surpassed his original expectations. Approaching the Dark Demon King¡¯s remains, Nie Yan¡¯s heart tumped fiercely. Another viridian crystal fragment! When Nie Yan picked up the crystal fragment, his hands couldn¡¯t stop shaking from excitement. Legend, a Legend, I can finally become a Legend! Nie Yan finally fulfilled all the requirements for advancing to Legend! When Nie Yan put away the Shattered Divinity in his bag, a notification popped up. You have fulfilled all the requirements to become a Legend. Seek out Archangel Tallod. He will help you complete your advancement. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. It turned out you had to visit Archangel Tallod to complete your advancement. It made sense. Only an NPC of that level could help a player ascend to the Legendary realm. Nie Yan could finally become a Legend! It truly hadn¡¯t been easy. The journey it took to get here was far more difficult than becoming a Shadow Dancer. It was a pity he couldn¡¯t immediately advance, or else his levelling speed in Hell would increase considerably. Nie Yan suddenly had an idea. Before the portal leading out opened, he definitely had to complete this quest! Then when he became a Legend, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about finding another place to level! After placing all the items required to advance to a Legend in one corner of his bag, Nie Yan continued searching around the Dark Demon King¡¯s remains and found another Demon King Seal Fragment. Now he had a total of four fragments, two away from completion. Given the drop rate of these fragments, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to gather the rest. Nie Yan could already imagine his glorious return. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 971 - Demon King Seal! With the goal right before his eyes, Nie Yan felt time was of the essence. His motivation was reinvigorated and he picked up the pace. Sure enough, a person¡¯s potential was decided by how much effort they were willing to put in. Five days later, Nie Yan finally collected the sixth Demon King Seal Fragment. After putting it in his bag, it fused together with the other five fragments. The complete Demon King Seal! It looked like the seal of an ancient emperor, with the design of a demon spreading its wings carved on the surface. Nie Yan examined the item. Demon King Seal: Special Item Properties: Leave this item in your bag to gain 10% additional experience when hunting monsters. 1% chance for monsters to drop an additional magic item. These bonuses were great, far better than the six fragments added together. It was worthy of an item that dropped from Hell. Nie Yan had spent a month and a half down here already. His harvests were ample. Of course, this was to be expected since the gatekeeper was Archangel Tallod and the entrance key a Sacred Item. With the Demon King Seal, Nie Yan had an even better chance of reaching Level 200 in five months¡¯ time. ¡°Plenty, just you wait! I''ll come looking for you!¡± Nie Yan clenched his fist. No matter what, he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to destroy Asskickers United! After completing the Demon King Seal, Nie Yan felt there was no longer any reason to continue levelling in this area. He set off toward the pyramid tower of bone he spotted before. About half an hour later, Nie Yan arrived at his destination. Nie Yan had the Divine Eclipse Dragon and his other pets hunt monsters in the area. Meanwhile, he approached the foot of the mountain upon which the pyramid tower stood. Up ahead were 60 enormous monsters. They completely sealed off the path. Each one of these monsters was more frightening than a Dark Demon King. He closed in on one of them and activated Transcendent Insight. Umbra Demon King (Demonified Lord): Level 210 The Umbra Demon King sensed something and looked over in Nie Yan¡¯s direction. Nie Yan hurriedly hid behind a large pile of bones and activated Extreme Disappear. The Umbra Demon King glanced over at his hiding spot, but failed to find anything. Finally, it turned around and walked away. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but break out in a cold sweat. Level 210 Demonified Lords! They were a full 10 levels higher than the Dark Demon Kings! Sure enough, just one of these monsters was already far too strong for him to take on, let alone 60 of them. A frontal confrontation was suicide. It seemed like Nie Yan¡¯s only option was to sneak past them. However, sneaking by these Umbra Demon Kings was easier said than done. They could easily one-shot him! Nie Yan glanced at the Divine Eclipse Dragon, Lil¡¯ Gold, and the Violet Eye Dragon farming in the distance. An idea came to mind. He could have his trio of dragons draw away the attention of several Umbra Demon Kings. Like this, it would alleviate some of the pressure on him. Nie Yan didn¡¯t expect to succeed on the first try. However, dying had to be avoided. If he died, the quest would fail. So, he had to move with caution. Nie Yan circled around the bone mountain and carefully examined the terrain. The defenses at the front were the tightest, with 62 Umbra Demon Kings roaming around. To both sides of the mountain were also 40 to 50 Umbra Demon Kings. The back of the mountain was the least heavily guarded, with only 21 Umbra Demon Kings. However, behind them was a cliff wall about 100 meters high. This cliff didn¡¯t pose much of an obstacle to Nie Yan. All he had to do was draw the Umbra Demon Kings away. Nie Yan decided to choose the path of least resistance. He had his trio of dragons regroup to his side as he began to carry out his plan. First, Nie Yan had his shadow clone dash toward an Umbra Demon King. Before long, it approached within 200 meters of it. The Umbra Demon King noticed the shadow clone¡¯s presence and let out a terrifying roar. It charged forward while madly flailing its greataxe. Nie Yan hurriedly had his shadow clone flee as far away as possible. The Umbra Demon King barrelled forward with enormous strides, the earth violently quaking beneath its feet. Nie Yan could tell the distance between the two was rapidly shrinking. The Umbra Demon King¡¯s movement speed was at least 8,500! Nie Yan felt a chill run down his spine. Even he wasn¡¯t even half a fast as this Umbra Demon King! Faced with this kind of boss, running away was impossible! The Umbra Demon King quickly closed in on the shadow clone. It brandished its greataxe and cleaved down. The shadow clone leaped out of the way! CRASH! A several meters wide scar was carved out of the earth in the place the shadow clone originally stood. The shadow clone managed to dodge the first attack, but before it had a chance to continue fleeing, the Umbra Demon King cleaved down again with its greataxe. BOOOM! Dirt and bone fragments flew everywhere. Your shadow clone has died. The shadow clone barely lasted a minute! The Umbra Demon King¡¯s attack speed was even more frightening than its movement speed at at least 9,500! Nie Yan moved like a snail in comparison, with only 5,300 attack speed. Faced with this kind of attack speed, Nie Yan estimated he¡¯d be lucky to dodge even two attacks. As for its attack power, even his three dragons combined couldn¡¯t compare. However, the most frightening aspect was that there were 21 such existences gathered together in one spot. Nie Yan lingered around the outskirts of the area for two days, occasionally sending out the Divine Eclipse Dragon, Violet Eye Dragon, Lil¡¯ Gold, Paladin Lafus, and his shadow clone to probe the attack patterns of the Umbra Demon Kings. Only like this could he gather the confidence to take action. On the third day, Nie Yan decided to bombard the Umbra Demon Kings with Forbidden Magic. The maximum attack range of the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s Forbidden Magic was 1,200 meters. Nie Yan wanted to know if he could lure the Umbra Demon Kings from such a great distance. Nie Yan led the Divine Eclipse Dragon to the top of a hill about 1,200 meters away. The air was filled with a dark haze. It was hard to spot the Umbra Demon Kings from this far away. Nie Yan used the shadow clone to locate the Umbra Demon Kings, then had the Divine Eclipse Dragon cast its Forbidden Magic. Holy energy started rapidly converging in the air, flooding the surroundings with light. Glorious Radiance! This Forbidden Magic had the largest attack range. It had a cast range of 900 meters and a radius from the epicenter of the attack of about 300 meters. So, it was just enough to reach the Umbra Demon Kings. Sensing the torrent of holy energy converging in the sky, the Umbra Demon Kings turned restless. However, their detection range was far lower than 1,200 meters. After two full sets of syllables, a boundlessly dazzling sphere of light streaked down toward the earth like a meteor. BOOOM! It detonated mid-air and rained down a torrent of pure and holy flames. As the Forbidden Magic fell down, Nie Yan had his shadow clone activate Adjudicator of God. BANG! BANG! BANG! Holy flames rained down on the Umbra Demon Kings. A blanket of 100,000s floated up into the air. However, this kind of damage was nothing to these bosses. After suffering an attack the Umbra Demon Kings immediately dispersed. Five charged toward the source of the attack, while the rest escaped the range of the attack, leaving the path to the mountain wide open. Borrowing the shadow clone¡¯s vision, Nie Yan was elated. This method could work! Even though a Forbidden Magic like Glorious Radiance wouldn¡¯t deal much damage to the Umbra Demon Kings, it could scatter them! Nie Yan didn¡¯t expect this crazy idea to work. However, it still carried some danger. If he were unlucky enough to bump into one of the Umbra Demon Kings and suffered an attack, he would undoubtedly die! Without a better method, Nie Yan had no other choice. Besides, if he didn¡¯t try, how would he know? Glorious Radiance lasted for about two minutes. The holy energy in the sky rapidly dissipated as the surroundings settled down. Seeing the five Umbra Demon Kings fast approaching, Nie Yan had his Divine Eclipse Dragon retreat far away. When the Umbra Demon Kings failed to find anything, they turned around and left. Through the shadow clone¡¯s eyes, Nie Yan discovered the Umbra Demon Kings gathered below the cliff wall again. The duration of Forbidden Magic was limited. Nie Yan had to make use of every second. If a mishap occurred, he would be doomed! After waiting around for another day and replaying his plan over and over again in his mind, Nie Yan finally made his decision. He was going to give it a shot. Nie Yan recalled Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon. He had the Divine Eclipse Dragon activated Doppelganger and Enrage. Five Divine Eclipse Dragons appeared on the hilltop. Nie Yan carefully carried out his plan. Two Divine Eclipse Dragons remained on the hilltop, preparing to cast the Forbidden Magic. Another three approached the Umbra Demon Kings from the flanks. Double checking everything, Nie Yan confirmed he was ready. Nie Yan flitted across the wasteland, stopping at about 300 meters from the Umbra Demon Kings. Looking to his sides, the three Divine Eclipse Dragons slowly closed in on their targets, 300 meters, 200 meters... Nie Yan narrowed his eyes as his heart raced. It was about to begin! The three Divine Eclipse Dragons let out a low dragon cry, their voices cutting across the air like thunder. The Umbra Demon King stirred as half of them charged toward the three dragons. Meanwhile, a large amount of holy energy violently surged in the air. It was another Forbidden Magic similar to the previous, Radiance Rupture! Balls of light started streaking down from the sky like a meteor shower. Nie Yan waited for the right moment before activating Adjudicator of God. BANG! BANG! BANG! Countless balls of light exploded on Nie Yan¡¯s body. Streaks of light and debris flew everywhere. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 972 - Mysterious Throne A shower of berserk magic bombarded Nie Yan but failed to do any damage to him. The Umbra Demon Kings immediately dispersed. Nie Yan¡¯s path forward was cleared open. Still, Nie Yan patiently waited. Only after the Umbra Demon Kings were a good distance away, did he dash forward with Gale Step. Nie Yan only needed half a minute at most to reach the bottom of the cliff wall. Thanks to the five Divine Eclipse Dragons working together to draw the aggro from all 21 Umbra Demon Kings, Nie Yan¡¯s path ahead was completely clear. However, even this wasn¡¯t enough. The two Umbra Demon Kings closest to him sensed him and roared out angrily. They charged toward him, brushing off the Forbidden Magic. Crap! How in the world did they notice me? Nie Yan was about a hundred meters away from the Umbra Demon Kings. Never did he expect that he would still be detected! A tremble shot through Nie Yan¡¯s heart as he watched the two Umbra Demon Kings surround him. He was no match for these two bosses! Thankfully, Nie Yan had prepared for this kind of situation. He had Kalenna buff him with all sorts of blessings, giving him an explosive boost in speed. As long as he reached the cliff wall, he would be safe! The two Umbra Demon Kings rapidly closed in on Nie Yan. Beckon Doom! Three Doom Sentinels appeared behind Nie Yan. He had Kalenna buff them with defensive spells. His speed didn¡¯t slow at all. With the protection of the defensive spells, the Radiance Rupture couldn¡¯t harm the Doom Sentinels. The three Doom Sentinels moved to intercept the two Umbra Demon Kings. The two Umbra Demon Kings roared and cleaved down with their greataxes. BOOOM! Triple instant kill! The Doom Sentinels were blown apart. They were nothing more than ants in front of the Umbra Demon Kings! However, the Doom Sentinels did briefly stall the two Umbra Demon Kings. Nie Yan glanced back over his shoulder. He was happy to find his tactic worked. Without missing a beat, he summoned Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon and protected them with shields. The two dragons roared and went up to meet the Umbra Demon Kings. They could hold them off for a brief moment, but it still wasn¡¯t enough. It was another 300 meters to the cliff wall for Nie Yan while the Umbra Demon Kings were only 50 meters behind him. They could still catch up to him! Shadow Clone! Nie Yan split into two. The real him vanished with Extreme Disappear while the clone fled in a different direction. BANG! BANG! The two dragons also failed to withstand the attacks from the Umbra Demon Kings. Their mangled bodies arced through the air before lifelessly crashing into the ground. Instant death! A Level 210 Demonified Lord was at least eight times stronger than a Level 200 Demonified Lord. Even Level 200 dragons like Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon were felled with one attack. After the two Umbra Demon Kings finished dealing with the dragons, they halted their steps and stood in place with confused looks. They sensed two presences. One was particularly strong and fleeing to the left. The other was rather faint and heading towards the cliff wall. These two presences were naturally Nie Yan and his shadow clone. After hesitating for a brief second, the two Umbra Demon Kings charged after the shadow clone. True, the Umbra Demon Kings were Level 210 Demonified Lords, but they were also undead. Their intelligence wasn¡¯t very high. So, most of their decisions were based on the aggro system. The shadow clone had the stronger presence. So, they went after it first! The Umbra Demon Kings had no ability to think, let alone do something as complex as trying to determine Nie Yan¡¯s objective. So, they couldn¡¯t tell which was which. Nie Yan smirked. Everything was going as he planned. He gradually closed in on the base of the cliff wall. Only five seconds later, a notification popped up. Your shadow clone has died. However, in these five seconds, Nie Yan had already covered a distance of more than 100 meters, widening the gap with the Umbra Demon Kings to 150 meters. After killing the shadow clone, the two Umbra Demon Kings immediately set their sights on him. Nie Yan could only stake everything he had. Looking up ahead, the cliff wall was almost within reach. The two Umbra Demon Kings were hot on Nie Yan¡¯s tail. They were right behind in a moment and swung down with their greataxes. Just as one greataxe came down on his head, Nie Yan¡¯s dodged to the side, the energy of the attack barely brushing past him. BANG! Nie Yan could easily guess what happened to the ground behind, but he didn¡¯t dare to turn back to look. The two Umbra Demon Kings both missed their attacks. Seeing a silhouette fleeing into the distance, their anger soared. They roared out as their bodies ignited with black flames. Swinging out with their greataxes, two enormous, fiery slashes cleaved down from the sky. Nie Yan was only 50 meters from the cliff wall, when a piercing heat attacked him from overhead. He held his breath as he saw the two flaming slashes coming down on him. Given how large they were, it would be impossible for him to dodge. He had Kalenna protect him with her highest rank shield. Nie Yan took out a Specialist Health Potion and soared into the air with a Leap, braving one of the flaming slashes head-on. BANG! The shield around Nie Yan¡¯s body shattered instantly as flames engulfed him. A damage value of over 90,000 floated up above Nie Yan¡¯s head as his body was flung toward the cliff wall. He quickly downed the Specialist Health Potion before shooting out a web line at the cliff wall. With a hard tug, he swung through the air and landed on the wall. He didn¡¯t die! Nie Yan was panting heavily, cold sweat drenching his neck. That was an attack from a Level 210 Demonified Lord! The only reason Nie Yan had survived was because of the magic immunity effect of Adjudicator of God. He¡¯d activated it earlier to move around freely through the Radiance Rupture. The flame slash the Umbra Demon King unleashed was at least 80% magic damage. All of it was completely negated, meaning he only took 20% damage. Even then, that was still enough to instantly shatter his shield and shave away more than 90,000 of his health. Seeing the two Umbra Demon Kings fast approaching, Nie Yan activated the Crawl skill and quickly scaled up the cliff wall like a spider. BANG! BANG! BANG! The sound of the rocks crumbling below him threatened to swallow him whole. Nie Yan ignored the Umbra Demon Kings as he climbed up the mountain with graceful agility. At about 60 meters up the wall, Nie Yan looked down. The two Umbra Demon Kings were moving around restlessly at the base. They couldn¡¯t climb. So, all they could do was roar and flail their greataxes. Nie Yan looked up into the sky. He saw several enormous flying creatures circling above him. They were even larger than the Rank 9 Darkwing Dragon. He definitely couldn¡¯t let them discover him, or else he would be done for. Borrowing the protruding bones as cover, Nie Yan slowly approached the pyramid tower. As he circled round to the front, he found an opening just large enough to fit a single person. Looking up at the sky to confirm those flying creatures hadn¡¯t noticed him, Nie Yan carefully entered the pyramid tower. His surroundings instantly became dark. Nie Yan had no idea where the narrow passage led to. The sides of the walls were lit up with torches, their dim flames flickering to and fro, stretching out far into the distance. Nie Yan walked with extreme caution. He had no idea what he would encounter around the next corner. Six minutes later, Nie Yan arrived in a large hall. The ceiling was about 30 meters high. The rows of towering pillars made this place appear especially grand. Painted on them, the walls, and the ceilings were beautiful murals of demons and angels. It depicted a war between the two sides. At the center was a mighty angel facing a dark creature with countless tentacles. That was likely the God of Light and the Death God. Only after making sure there were no monsters here, did Nie Yan relax. At the end of the hall stood an empty throne made out of a mysterious black metal. There also appeared to be something beside the throne. It appeared he was too paranoid. There really were no monsters here. It made sense. Just entering this pyramid was already extremely difficult. The Umbra Demon Kings guarding outside were powerful beyond belief. It was enough to make this an SSS-rated quest. If even more powerful monsters appeared inside, then it really would be too unfair! Nie Yan focused on the thing next to the throne, his heart trembling. As he took a step toward it, an immense pressure bore down on him. This force couldn¡¯t be resisted. Nie Yan felt as if he were going to be squished into a meaty patty. It was the aura of a god! This frightening strength reigned over all! Could it be that he was going to die here? Nie Yan was filled with unwillingness. After braving through countless dangers, was he really going to die right before the finish line? Did he fail to meet some important condition of the quest? Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 973 - Great Hell Judge! Nie Yan¡¯s mind flashed with countless possibilities. Just what requirement did he fail to fulfill? Could it be that he first had to wipe out all the Umbra Demon Kings for the quest to be considered complete? But how could that be it? It was simply impossible for him, or any other player, to take out so many Umbra Demon Kings! As Nie Yan gave up all hope, Kalenna floated up above his shoulder and waved her staff. A white light enveloped his body, alleviating the pressure. Guardian Barrier! Nie Yan breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced at Kalenna. If it wasn¡¯t for her, he¡¯d be done for. After carefully checking the area up ahead for any traps, Nie Yan walked toward the throne. You have discovered the Death God¡¯s Throne. This mysterious metal throne actually belonged to the Death God! The throne was without its lord. According to legend, the Death God and the God of Light had killed each other in mutual destruction. Nie Yan shifted his gaze down to the small black box sitting next to the throne on the floor. It was made out of wood and bore no special engravings. It couldn¡¯t look any more ordinary. Nie Yan wondered what was inside the box. He picked it up. There was no lock, but he could sense a strange energy coming from within. Nie Yan carefully opened the box and discovered a black skull inside. His heart trembled violently. It was about the same size as a human¡¯s, and gave off a black shine, as if it were made out of crystal. Inserted in the middle of its forehead was a large crimson jewel. Though most terrifying were the eyeballs that still filled its eye sockets. As they shifted around, its jaw unhinged and let out an eerie cackle. Sure enough, it was the Death God¡¯s Skull, the item Nie Yan came to Hell for! ¡°Got it!¡± Nie Yan closed the box. He was just about to leave when he discovered he couldn¡¯t use his Unknown Transfer Scroll. A violent tremor suddenly shook the entire hall. Frightening cracks spread out through the walls. This whole place was going down! Nie Yan fled toward the exit! He had to escape before thinking about anything else! Using all his speed boosting skills, Nie Yan streaked across the narrow passageway like a bolt of lightning. BANG! BANG! BANG! Nie Yan heard the walls collapsing behind him. As Nie Yan exited the pyramid tower, he saw the Umbra Demon Kings running away in the distance. They seemed terrified by something to the point they didn¡¯t even bother looking at him. He felt an odd sense of relief and fear welling up. Several dozens of kilometers away, far into the horizon, an enormous pillar of light descended from the sky. It pierced through the boundless darkness. It was the portal to the outside! Nie Yan¡¯s heart was filled with elation. Even though the appointed time for the portal hadn''t arrived yet, his quest was completed. So, Archangel Tallod had opened the portal early for him. Nie Yan sprinted for half a kilometer before feeling the earth violently quake below him. The mountain behind him collapsed as an unrivalled creature crawled out. It was a titanic skeletal monster! This monster was over 100 meters tall. Compared to this creature, the Umbra Demon Kings were nothing more than ants. It could easily squash them to bits with one foot! Nie Yan inspected the creature with Transcendent Insight. Bone Emperor (Lord): Level 300 The Bone Emperor climbed out of the collapsed mountain and locked onto the fleeing Nie Yan. It let out a world-shaking roar. Nie Yan felt his soul leaving his body. Just the roar of the Bone Emperor alone threatened to send him flying! Nie Yan sensed an ice-cold gaze lock onto him, causing his body to shiver violently from head to toe. He couldn¡¯t help but curse uncontrollably. What kind of frightening boss was this? Who could possibly deal with it, when escaping from under its watch was already impossibly difficult? What kind of difficulty rating would this quest have? An SSSSS-rating? What Nie Yan didn¡¯t know was that this quest was originally never this difficult. However, with the release of the Chaos Temple and Sword of the War God, the system upped this quest¡¯s difficulty. There was no way he could possibly complete it at this difficulty. For the first part of Hell, unless a player was Level 200+, they wouldn¡¯t stand much of a chance against the Level 180 Elites and Lords. When it came to the Level 210 Demonified Lords, perhaps even Level 220 players wouldn¡¯t be enough to kill them. Nie Yan reaching this point and obtaining the Death God¡¯s Skull was nothing short of a miracle. Under the gaze of the Bone Emperor, Nie Yan lost all will to resist. Angering a Level 300 Lord was no different from committing suicide. He couldn¡¯t even run away as he wasn¡¯t nearly fast enough. There were at least 90 gigantic flying creatures circling in the sky. So, trying to escape by summoning the Spectre Dragon wasn¡¯t an option either. Nie Yan was ready to give up, when a light bulb lit up in his head. With his current strength, facing the Bone Emperor spelt absolute death. However, he wasn¡¯t completely helpless. He still had two Kelo Stones! Nie Yan fetched a Kelo Stone from his bag and crushed it. The Bone Emperor was about to kill Nie Yan with its first attack, when a presence even more powerful than it swept out. It halted its steps in shock. The hulking figure of War God Kelo appeared in front of Nie Yan. He originally worried Kelo might not be able to enter Hell. However, after seeing him, he breathed a sigh of relief. He was finally safe. ¡°Hello, War God Kelo,¡± Nie Yan greeted. The Bone Emperor stood some distance away, frozen in fear. War God Kelo¡¯s gaze fell on Nie Yan, then on the Bone Emperor. He faintly smiled. ¡°Long time no see, young lad. It looks like you need my help?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Nie Yan nodded vigorously. ¡°I can¡¯t help you complete a quest, but your quest only requires you to obtain the Death God¡¯s Skull. It doesn¡¯t include defeating this bag of bones. Alright, I will help you take it down. Hurry up, leave,¡± War God Kelo said. Nie Yan recalled War God Kelo had said something about this before. Fortunately, his quest was merely to retrieve the Death God¡¯s Skull, and it was already in his hands. This could be considered a loophole. Hell was an actual map, and not a special quest instance. So, since Nie Yan had already finished the quest, War God Kelo could come to his side and help him deal with this monster that chased after him because of the quest. Nie Yan relaxed. As he left the Bone Emperor to War God Kelo, he sprinted toward the distant portal. He wouldn¡¯t gain any experience from War God Kelo killing the Bone Emperor anyway, nor would he receive any drops. So, there was no point in staying. A loud clashing sound broke out behind him. With War God Kelo¡¯s strength, defeating the Bone Emperor would be simple. Nie Yan didn¡¯t bother looking back. He stepped into the portal and disappeared with a flash of light. When Nie Yan opened his eyes again, he was outside the Gates of Hell. ¡°Youngster, I¡¯m truly surprised. You actually retrieved the Death God¡¯s Skull,¡± Archangel Tallod said in astonishment. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes. Thinking about their previous exchange, no wonder he was offered the choice to simply hand over the Death God¡¯s Edge and leave. Instead, he foolishly jumped right into Hell and almost lost his life! Nevertheless, Nie Yan had profited immensely from disaster. If he hadn¡¯t entered Hell, he wouldn¡¯t have gained so many levels in such a short amount of time, nor would he have obtained the two Shattered Divinities. Especially this last point lightened Nie Yan¡¯s mood. ¡°Archangel Tallod, this is the Death God¡¯s Skull you asked me to retrieve,¡± Nie Yan said, handing over the skull. Archangel Tallod accepted the black box, whereupon his hands lit up with a pure white flame. A shrill cry rang out as the box and its contents were rendered into ash, disappearing into the wind. You have completed Archangel Tallod¡¯s Request and obtained the Great Hell Judge title. Three rays of light fell over Nie Yan. Apart from the title, there was also the experience reward! Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but become excited. Since this was basically a god-level mission, the experience reward couldn¡¯t possibly be small! He had levelled up three whole times! If Nie Yan were to gain three levels in a row at Level 150, he wouldn¡¯t be too excited. Now, however, he was already level 193! With these three levels, he jumped directly to level 196! This quest reward put him one large stride forward to Level 200. Nie Yan glanced at the Great Hell Judge title. It was a Tier 3 Temple of Light title, superseding the Adjudicator of Light title. This title even surpassed Great Prophet and was on the same footing as Supreme Pontiff! Great Hell Judge: All Stats +50%, Movement Speed +200%, Summon an Archangel (Requires Book of Order). What an amazing title! When Nie Yan completed the Book of Order, he could summon an Archangel. He wondered how strong the Archangel would be. Would it reach the Legendary realm? Apart from these bonuses, there was also one more pleasant surprise. Kalenna¡¯s strongest defensive magic, her Guardian Barrier, was finally unlocked! He could freely use it now! A title that didn¡¯t lose out to the Chairman of the Dark Council, an unrivalled defensive magic, and about to become a Legend. If he were to challenge Plenty after completing this last part, how much of a chance would he have? Nie Yan felt he was already strong enough. However, he couldn¡¯t guarantee Plenty didn¡¯t have some kind of trump card. Since he had already reached this point, he needed to thoroughly crush Plenty and wipe away any traces of his ambition! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 974 - Legendary Thief! The final reward for delivering the Death God¡¯s Skull to Archangel Tallod was 300 Divine Power. Nie Yan was already at 180 Divine Power, most of which came from killing Dark Demon Kings. Combined together, he had a total of 480 Divine Power, allowing him to equip the Death God¡¯s Edge. With the Death God¡¯s Edge in one hand and Zennarde¡¯s Sword in the other, Nie Yan¡¯s attack power would rise by another level. Not to mention the Death God¡¯s Edge had crit bonuses and the ability to inflict various high rank curses as well as the Death God Tempest supplementary skill. Be it in PvP or PvE, this weapon¡¯s might was not to be looked down on! The two daggers were the ultimate weapons. Nie Yan¡¯s only regret was that he didn¡¯t have the armour to match them. However, that would soon change. Nie Yan sunk into deep thought. After he successfully completed his class advancement, he still had many things to do. First, he had to find the Inheritance Gems to rank up the Tyrant Abak Set and turn it into a Chaos set with the Dark Void Iron. After that, he needed to get to Level 200. Then came Karsi¡¯s quest to rescue the Ten Holy Paladins. Even at this stage of the game, a Legendary servant would still be of immeasurable value. The Book of Order would come next. It would not only give him the Supreme Pontiff title, but also let him summon an Archangel. Finally, there was the Hidden Treasure of the Dragon Race, which would hopefully give him a special reward, and the wings for which he needed to find a few more materials. This last point was of vital importance if he were to fight winged opponents. These six things were his main priorities. Beside that, his quest window was filled with six other quests both large and small that he hadn¡¯t completed yet. However, he didn¡¯t consider them important. He¡¯d probably just pass them on to someone else. After reaching this point, even if he completed them himself, they would do little to make him stronger. For example, Cahill¡¯s Parchment Scroll was likely related to some treasure. However, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to retrieve it. One of the top members in the guild could do it instead. As long as Nie Yan succeeded in becoming a Legend, all his quests would become a piece of cake for him. Nie Yan retrieved the Death God¡¯s Edge from the gate. In the instant it entered his hand, it let out a dazzling radiance before slowly fading away, leaving behind an ominous red glow. The feeling of being able to wield the Death God¡¯s Edge was wonderful. ¡°You have fulfilled all the requirements to step into the Legendary realm. Do you wish to become a Legend? If so, I shall be your guide,¡± Archangel Tallod said. Do you wish to become a Legend? In order to step into the Legendary realm, one of the Sacred items in your possession will be bound to you. Nie Yan decided to have the Death God¡¯s Edge bound to him, then confirmed his choice. From out of nowhere, six small angels appeared above Nie Yan¡¯s head. They were about the size of Kalenna. There were both men and women, their bodies draped in pure white robes. They sprinkled white specks of light which floated down from the air and entered his body. Nie Yan felt a warm energy flowing throughout his body. This was a completely new feeling. Roughly three minutes later, the angels disappeared without a trace. ¡°Nirvana Flame, you have completed your ascension. From henceforth, you will serve as a representative of God in the human world, spreading the light in his place. You can choose to make your ascension public to the world. If you do, you will receive the support of the entire Righteous Faction. You may also choose to keep your identity concealed. However, if the Righteous Faction comes under attack, I hope you will step forward to save the innocent and banish all evil,¡± Archangel Tallod said. Do you wish to make your ascension to a Legend public? Nie Yan had been worried news of him becoming a Legend would make its way to the Evil Faction. But it seemed there was nothing to worry about, since he could choose to conceal this information! Nie Yan declined to make his advancement public. This was a server-shaking piece of news! Unbeknownst to everyone, he had become the first Legendary player in the game! Be it the players from the Righteous Faction or Evil Faction, none of them would even consider this a possibility. Since news of becoming a Legend could be hidden, Nie Yan wondered if there were others who had advanced before him. One thing was for sure though. Apart from him, no one else in Asskickers United had become one. In fact, only Plenty came to mind when he thought about it. Nie Yan glanced at his character window. In front of his name was a long list of titles: Legendary Thief, Great Hell Judge, Great Prophet, Great Duke, and Venerable Nirvana Flame - Edmet. Edmet was the family name of the guider, signifying that Nie Yan was guided to the Legendary realm by Tallod Edmet. Nie Yan had acquired many more titles over the years. However, as his standing rose within different regions and the Righteous Faction as a whole, none of these titles were worthy of being displayed with his name. Any one of the five high rank titles mentioned would make a person gasp in astonishment. Moreover, one person possessed them all! When Nie Yan completed the Book of Order, he would even gain another one, Supreme Pontiff! After advancing to a Legend, Nie Yan saw a 300% boost to all his stats. Like this, his movement speed and attack speed directly closed in on the post Chaos Temple and Sword of the War God cap. If he were to face an Umbra Demon King now, he could easily chip away at it until it was dead! Apart from the stat bonuses, Nie Yan could also choose to rank up three of his skills to Legendary. He chose Gale Step, Backbreaker, and Counter. These three skills were the most important to him. Skills like Annihilation Slash, Apocalyptic Extinction, and so on were all supplementary skills from his equipment and so couldn¡¯t be selected. Gale Step, Backbreaker, and Counter became Gale Step of Nirvana Flame, Backbreaker of Nirvana Flame, and Counter of Nirvana Flame. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but wryly smile. However, the change in the names signified they were no longer ordinary skills. They had received the branding of a Legendary Thief! If Nie Yan used Gale Step of Nirvana Flame, any player below Legendary wouldn¡¯t be able to detect a trace of his existence. As for Backbreaker and Counter, they became much fiercer than before. Their effects were increased by at least sixfold. Even if he were to face a super powerful boss, they would still have an effect! Nie Yan also learned the Legendary skill book he found in Hell, Fawne¡¯s Phantom. This was a skill similar to Gale Step, but it had no cooldown or duration. It was basically a passive skill. Its effects were up to the player to comprehend. While Nie Yan was distracted by all his new stat bonuses, a notification popped up to all players of the Righteous Faction. Hell has been released. All players from the Righteous Faction are welcome to enter this new map and explore it. The release of a new map generally wouldn¡¯t shock players. After all, there were at least five or six every month. However, the official website released quite some information on Hell, including the mobs that spawned here. This immediately caused an uproar. Hell had a total of 13 Level 200 Demonified Lord spawn areas, while on the entire surface world there were only 23 Level 200 Demonified Lord spawn areas. These Demonified Lords usually took at least a week to respawn, some a month or more. There simply weren¡¯t enough to go around. Every day countless players would camp these areas. As soon as the boss spawned, a large scramble would break out. Now, a new map with more than a dozen new Level 200 Demonified Lords was released. How could the players not be excited? Countless cities opened up transfer gates directly to the Gates of Hell. Before long, expedition teams from all the large guilds set out to explore Hell. Nie Yan chatted with Archangel Tallod for a bit, wanting to dig up anything extra. However, all Tallod spoke about was the history of the conflict between the Righteous Faction and Evil Faction. Gleaning no useful information, he could only give up. As he looked at the players in the distance rushing over, Nie Yan weighed whether he wanted to go back now and upgrade his equipment or take on a Level 210 Umbra Demon King first. After all, as a Legend he could probably take them on! There were at least 200 Umbra Demon Kings. From Nie Yan¡¯s point of view, that was a large pile of experience! ¡°Let¡¯s upgrade my equipment first!¡± Nie Yan decided. Even though a large number of players had entered Hell, it would take several weeks for them to explore far enough to encounter the Umbra Demon Kings. Nie Yan teleported to Judgement Valley with Instant Transmission. With his current strength, killing the Chaos Keeper would be a piece of cake. He¡¯d be able to retrieve the two remaining Inheritance Gems in one hour tops! ¡¸Have you gotten the materials I asked for?¡¹Nie Yan sent a message to Guo Huai. ¡¸We have everything, including the Dark Void Iron. However, Bladelight and them want to help you get the higher quality Void Silver. Sadly, we¡¯ve only collected 16 ores so far, still not enough to smelt one ingot,¡¹Guo Huai replied. ¡¸That¡¯s fine. It¡¯s the thought that counts. Just deposit everything into my personal storage. I¡¯ll go pick it up in a bit. You can dispatch an expedition team to Hell. The levelling speed there is pretty good. But be careful. The mob density there is unusually high. Bring more Priests and Paladins,¡¹Nie Yan said. After which he continued to explain the situation inside Hell. Guo Huai gasped in shock as he listened to Nie Yan talk of the hordes of wraiths and undead blotting out the sky and covering the land. Let alone going there to level, he was worried their members would be killed as soon as they stepped foot in there. Only an expedition team of several hundred Masters could survive such a place! Since there were so many monsters, the levelling would certainly be fast. It was best to use AoE magic! ¡¸I¡¯ll send out an expedition team right away!¡¹Guo Huai said. After finishing his chat with Guo Huai, Nie Yan rushed over to the Chaos Keeper spawn area. Time was precious. He wanted to get everything done as quickly as possible! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 975 - Inheritance of Life Gem The Depths of Judgement Valley. The Chaos Keeper had spawned three days ago. However, no one had managed to kill it yet. At this stage of the game, a Level 190 Demonified Lord wasn¡¯t too difficult to deal with. However, few Masters bothered to come here to fight this boss. There were many reasons for this. First and foremost was the fact that Judgement Valley was a PvP hotspot, especially for skirmishes between the two great factions. It didn¡¯t matter who came to deal with the Chaos Keeper, there was always someone ready to interfere. It also didn¡¯t help that the Chaos Keeper didn¡¯t drop anything particularly amazing. In fact, what it did drop was pretty sub par given the difficulty of the boss. So, it really wasn¡¯t worth the effort for higher level players. Nevertheless, the Chaos Keeper was still a hotly contested battleground. After flitting through a patch of forest, Nie Yan finally entered the hunting grounds of the Chaos Keeper. Seeing this Level 190 Demonified Lord again, his feelings toward it were completely different from before. No longer was it an unreachable existence. Now, Nie Yan could easily wipe the floor with it! Around the Chaos Keeper was a large crowd. The players from the two factions were clashing fiercely. When some players occasionally died, either to the boss or those from the enemy faction, they would drop their equipment, triggering a mass scramble. Kill the Chaos Keeper, retrieve the Inheritance Gem, and leave. Nie Yan had zero intention of tangling with these players. Glancing at his skill bar, Nie Yan had an idea. Why not use this opportunity to test out his new Legendary skills? Nie Yan strode forward and blurred into motion. Wind howling past his ears and the scenery flitting before him, Nie Yan felt faster than ever. This was the speed cap! About 60 players from Asskickers United were on the battlefield. One of them was called Thunderfire Blaze. He was a first-rate member in the guild. ¡°Old Six, Old Eight! Help me kill that Spectral Thief. He¡¯s already injured three of our members! He doesn¡¯t have any skills left!¡± Thunderfire Blaze roared, commanding two Warriors to pincer the Spectral Thief. Charge! Charge! The two Warriors accelerated toward the Spectral Thief. As they raised their weapons to attack, a silhouette flashed before the Spectral Thief. They saw the flash of a blade, and then a damage value of 70,000 floating up above the Spectral Thief¡¯s head. An instant kill! Thunderfire Blaze froze in place, his mouth gaping open in shock. He searched for the silhouette, only to find it had already traversed 60 meters! What astonishing speed! Thunderfire Blaze was no stranger to peak experts, having interacted with the likes of Sun and Mistaken Smile before. However, even those two nor any other player he¡¯d met was fast as that silhouette. He looked with incredulous eyes. As Thunderfire Blaze thought back to what happened a moment ago, he recalled catching a glimpse of a black flame when the Spectral Thief was killed. Zennarde¡¯s Sword! His heart trembled as a certain figure surfaced in his mind. His eyes started tearing up with emotion. The boss was back! Nie Yan was already this strong? He¡¯d only returned to the game a few months ago! Thunderfire Blaze looked over in the distance and saw Nie Yan making a beeline for the Chaos Keeper. He immediately shouted in voice chat,¡¸All guild members, gather at 356.271.278!¡¹ The Asskickers United players in Judgement Valley were all stunned by this order. However, Thunderfire Blaze¡¯s status in the guild was pretty high. He wouldn¡¯t sound this excited over nothing! So, they rushed over from all directions. ¡¸Thunderfire, what¡¯s going on?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, don¡¯t keep us in the dark!¡¹ .... Many players voiced their confusion in voice chat. Thunderfire Blaze ignored their questions.¡¸From the coordinates I gave you, clear the area within a 500-meter radius! Kill all those from the Evil Faction and tell those from the Righteous Faction to leave!¡¹ Nie Yan¡¯s objective was clearly the Chaos Keeper. So, Thunderfire Blaze wanted to clear the path for him. Still, while Nie Yan was facing the Chaos Keeper, there was a high chance the people from the Evil Faction would try to interfere. So, he led more than 20 Asskickers United players over to help. Nie Yan was oblivious to Thunderfire Blaze¡¯s actions. He¡¯d already arrived in striking distance of the Chaos Keeper. Glancing up, its sinister appearance entered his vision. From time to time, spells from the Mages of both sides rained down on it and exploded. Nie Yan glanced at the Chaos Keeper¡¯s health¡ª73%. He leaped up into the air and slashed out with Zennarde¡¯s Sword. BANG! ?133,281 The players around the Chaos Keeper froze, their faces filled with indescribable shock. They nearly forgot to attack. ¡°L-lord, what kind of damage is that? Over 130,000!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a Level 190 Demonified Lord! How¡­? Is that 10x critical damage or something?¡± Nie Yan loosed another slash on the Chaos Keeper¡¯s neck, landing a critical hit for real this time. ?369,121! The players in the surroundings felt their heads spin as if their world were being flipped upside down. Even peak Mages, including the likes of Tang Yao, would be hard pressed to deal more than 100,000 damage to the Chaos Keeper. Yet this person¡¯s normal damage was already at 130,000, and he was critting for more than 360,000! How were people supposed to live? Little did these players know that this wasn¡¯t even Nie Yan¡¯s highest damage attack. With Zennarde¡¯s Sword and the Death God¡¯s Edge, Nie Yan¡¯s attack power and critical hit had already reached an astonishing level. Even Level 200+ Mages could at best match his damage. This was only natural. After all, even Tang Yao and the others weren¡¯t dual wielding Sacred weapons! Right now, a Level 190 Demonified Lord like the Chaos Keeper was as brittle as sugar glass in front of Nie Yan! Nie Yan only needed two attacks for the Chaos Keeper to fully aggro onto him. It bellowed out furiously and raised its mallet-like fists, raining down punches on him. It was dead set on smashing him into meat paste. BANG! BANG! BANG! The Chaos Keeper¡¯s furious attacks were incredibly frightening. The players from both factions quickly dispersed in every direction. Only Nie Yan stood his ground. His silhouette danced around the Chaos Keeper. As if he were an ethereal phantom, no matter how furious its attacks, it couldn¡¯t land a single hit on him at all. ¡°Woah! Who is that guy?¡± ¡°He must be one of the big shots from Asskickers United! Amazing!¡± None of the spectators could¡¯ve imagined the person soloing the Chaos Keeper was Nie Yan. He¡¯d hidden the visual effects of his weapons and was primarily attacking with the Death God¡¯s Edge. Few people had seen this dagger. So, no one immediately recognized him. On top of that, the strength Nie Yan displayed right now was not the slightest bit inferior to the likes of Sun, King of the World, and Mistaken Smile! Everyone was still under the belief that he was still relatively low level and weak. Nie Yan didn¡¯t care if he was recognized. When the players in the surroundings all backed away, he smirked. Like this, he could focus on the Chaos Keeper without worry. As Nie Yan played around with Fawne¡¯s Phantom, he was shocked with its effects. This Legendary skill raised his evasion to an astonishing level. The Chaos Keeper couldn¡¯t even touch a hair on his head! Meanwhile, he could easily shave away at its health. This Legendary skill was impossible to deal with, unless the other side had something similar! The Chaos Keeper smashed down with one of its fist. Nie Yan used one of his other Legendary skills. Counter of Nirvana Flame! Nie Yan easily slid past the fist. The Death God¡¯s Edge flickered with a cold light as he plunged the blade into the Chaos Keeper¡¯s waist, crippling it. BANG! BANG! BANG! Nie Yan rained down a flurry of slashes on the Chaos Keeper. ?131,456 ?269,155 ?977,777! ... Elsewhere on the battlefield, Thunderfire Blaze and the others were clearing out the area, causing a fierce battle to break out. In the chaos, the players lost sight of Nie Yan. Only five minutes later, the Chaos Keeper¡¯s health bottomed out. It let out a mournful cry before toppling down. ¡°The Chaos Keeper died! Quickly snatch the loot!¡± Several Evil Faction players tried to rush in to steal the loot, only to be intercepted by Thunderfire Blaze and the others. THUD! The Chaos Keeper¡¯s heavy corpse crashed into the ground, causing the earth to violently quake. Nie Yan¡¯s eyes landed on a light blue gem next to the Chaos Keeper¡¯s corpse. He rushed over and picked it up. Standing back up, he glanced at the Asskickers United players gathered in the vicinity and bitterly smiled. Likely, these guild members had already recognized him. However, if it weren¡¯t for them, he would¡¯ve had to fight with countless players over the drops. Nie Yan checked his inventory. He confirmed it was the Inheritance of Life gem. After getting what he came here for, Nie Yan activated Gale Step. His figure blurred before disappearing without a trace. Holding the Evil Faction players off, Thunderfire Blaze glanced over in the direction Nie Yan disappeared off to, a deep expression on his face. ¡¸Thunderfire, who is that guy? He looks familiar,¡¹a guild member asked. Thunderfire Blaze had so many people come over to clear out the area. He hadn¡¯t allowed anyone to interfere in the battle. There was definitely a deeper meaning behind this. Moreover, they had all witnessed that Thief¡¯s strength. He was no weaker than the likes of Sun and King of the World, possibly even stronger. However, none of them realized it was Nie Yan. ¡¸You¡¯ll all know soon enough.¡¹Thunderfire Blaze mysteriously smiled. He knew Nie Yan had a reason for not revealing himself. Seeing the Chaos Keeper¡¯s corpse, his heart boiled over with excitement. The legendary Mad Rogue was back! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 976 - Sacred Set - Abak! The remaining Inheritance of Arcana was in the hands of another Level 190 Demonified Lord. Within 20 minutes, Nie Yan traveled to the underworld and killed it before teleporting back to Okoron with Instant Transmission. As usual, Nie Yan hid his appearance behind a black cloak as he headed to his personal storage. If it weren¡¯t for aiding World Bloc¡¯s expansion into the virtual reality market or so many brothers relying on Asskickers United to feed their families, Nie Yan would rather spend his time as an ordinary player; levelling, looking for treasure, and haggling over prices in the marketplace. However, since he¡¯d decided to walk the path of a hegemon, he could no longer enjoy the privilege of the common man. Nie Yan deposited everything he didn¡¯t need into the Asskickers United guild treasury. After which he withdrew all the materials he previously asked Guo Huai to collect, including the Dark Void Iron. Nie Yan glanced at the five Inheritance Gems in his bag and arranged them according to the description in the Glimpse of Light. A multicoloured radiance instantly lit up the surroundings. Do you wish to upgrade the Tyrant Abak Set? Yes! Nie Yan hit confirm without hesitation. BANG! BANG! BANG! The five Inheritance Gems shattered as eight streams of light fell over the Tyrant Abak Set. After which the entire set blazed with a five-coloured radiance. This upgrade boosted the defense of the six armour pieces and the attack of the two daggers. Apart from this, there were six new stat bonuses. Even though the upgrade wasn¡¯t world shattering, it was still fairly decent. However, Nie Yan had no interest in taking a closer look at the changes in the Tyrant Abak Set. He wanted to smelt them into a brand new Chaos set first! That upgrade would help it become a whole new beast! After finishing up his business in Okoron, Nie Yan teleported to the Hardrock Mountain Valley. He arrived outside the entrance of Craftsman God Bronnick¡¯s thatch hut and entered inside. Craftsman God Bronnick appeared noticeably more respectful than before. This was only natural. Nie Yan had just received the Legendary Thief and Great Hell Judge titles. So, his status was much higher. ¡°Bronnick, I gathered all the materials you requested.¡± Nie Yan brought out a large pile of crafting materials. Apart from this, he also handed over the eight pieces of the Tyrant Abak Set and Paternoster''s Warhammer. ¡°That¡¯s perfect, sir Nirvana Flame. Please step back a little. I¡¯ll get to work right away,¡± Craftsman God Bronnick said. ¡°Uhm, before you do that. While I was out adventuring in the wilderness, I encountered some strange metals that I couldn¡¯t identify. I wonder if you can appraise them for me first?¡± Nie Yan asked. ¡°I¡¯m willing to serve,¡± Bronnick replied. Nie Yan took out the items he found in Hell. There were more than several thousand ores as well as nine Ancient Scales. Bronnick¡¯s eyes swept over the pile before falling on the Ancient Scales, which instantly grabbed his attention. He emotionally said, ¡°T-these ores, these scales! My God! Sir Nirvana Flame, just where did you find them? According to legends, they can only be found in the depths of Hell! In the far and ancient past, Hell was once a treasured mining site of the human race. It was only later on that the servant of the Death God forcefully occupied it and turned it into a bleek realm of death. God hasn¡¯t descended in the mortal world for several millennia. Now, Archangel Tallod guards the Gates of Hell, preventing anyone aligned with the Evil Faction from entering, and malevolent undead inside from escaping into the human world. Could it be that you found a way in?¡± ¡°Correct. At the behest of Archangel Tallod, I entered Hell to complete a quest and obtained these materials along the way.¡± Bronnick had a deep look of veneration. Nie Yan inwardly chuckled. He knew his way around NPCs. With Bronnick, as long as someone as great as Archangel Tallod was mentioned, he¡¯d instantly be awed. ¡°Could you tell me what these ores are used for?¡± ¡°You have to carefully examine their composition, then refine them. 2,000 refined ancient ores can be smelted into a special alloy that won¡¯t lose out to any void metal. It can be used together with the Dark Void Iron to remake the Tyrant Abak Set. As for the Ancient Scales, they can be used to bolster the defense of any armour,¡± Bronnick explained. Nie Yan¡¯s heart shook. These materials would make his Tyrant Abak Set even better? That surely meant it would reach the Sacred-grade, right? ¡°Sounds good. Please, use as many of them as you need.¡± Nie Yan didn¡¯t hesitate to hand over the materials he¡¯d collected from Hell over to Bronnick. Bronnick didn¡¯t dare to dally and got to work right away. Reforging an equipment set wasn¡¯t something that could be done in a short few minutes. Bronnick opened up his forge as searing heat billowed out. Nie Yan patiently waited at the side as he started imagining what his new Tyrant Abak Set would look like. He was filled with anticipation! Bronnick was hard at work. As the smelting furnace reached the right temperature, he threw in the ores and Paternoster''s Warhammer. The hammer slowly melted into a molten form. Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. A Sacred weapon was melted down just like that! The Bloody Dagger and Slaughter Edge were also melted down. After turning the weapons and ores into molten metal, Bronnick poured it over a large mold with the six remaining armour pieces of the Tyrant Abak Set inside. Mysteriously, they didn¡¯t melt under the red hot molten metal. He grabbed a large hammer and started beating away. While waiting, Nie Yan checked his pet window. It appeared the Darkwing Dragon succeeded in digesting the Demon Realm Stone and could advance to Rank 10. However, it would take a lot longer to advance than previously. So, it couldn''t come out his pet space for the time being. Nie Yan hoped the Darkwing Dragon would break through to Rank 10 before he set off for the underworld. Like this, if he encountered any enemies in the sky, he would have nothing to fear. Time slowly ticked away. Craftsman God Bronnick was still carefully beating away with his hammer. The newly reforged Abak¡¯s Gloves of Sealing was placed to the side. It appeared to be still missing a few finishing touches. The outside was covered in a layer of azure metal. Under the glow of the forge, it reflected a peculiar lustre. The sleek design was otherworldly and captivating. Craftsman God Bronnick slaved away for three hours straight. Finally, the six pieces of the Tyrant Abak Set were placed on top of a stone table. Muttering some unintelligible syllables, he took out a small chisel and engraved enigmatic runes on each piece. As he finished, the armour pieces released a dazzling azure brilliance as a light started circulating around the armour like flowing streams. Nie Yan gasped in amazement, his breathing growing heavy. This was the brand new Tyrant Abak Set! Nie Yan could sense an icy aura in the air, causing the surrounding temperature to plummet. Within that chill was a heavy murderous intent. Bronnick¡¯s hand trembled as he caressed each piece of the newly created Tyrant Abak Set. He emotionally said, ¡°I have no doubt this will be the greatest masterpiece in my lifetime!¡± Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but get excited. Since Bronnick claimed this was his greatest masterpiece, it had to be phenomenal! Bronnick sent a trade request to Nie Yan, then placed the six pieces of the Tyrant Abak Set into the trade window. Nie Yan confirmed the trade, after which he checked the quality of the reforged Tyrant Abak Set. Sure enough, it was a Sacred-grade set. A single Sacred item was already unattainable for most players. A Sacred set was simply unheard of! The Tyrant Abak Set was the only one in existence! Nie Yan calmed his restless nerves. As he checked the stats of the new Tyrant Abak Set, he felt his heart tremble violently. The new Tyrant Abak Set was composed of the Glacial Gloves of Sealing, Dark Frostwinter Shoulderguards, Vorpal Frost Striders, Leg Guards of Glacial Focus, Cape of Frozen Ruin, and Winterwalker Phantom Leather Armour. Each piece was Sacred-grade, their properties more than six times higher than before! Nie Yan¡¯s stats rose to an unfathomable level. As for the set bonuses, there were 10 in total. They included All Stats + 500%, All Skills Max Rank, and so on. The previous four skills were still there, and they were all enhanced. Slaughter Aura had its splash damage increased from 50% to 100% and the area of effect increased. The crowd control effect increase of Unlimited Bladeworks was buffed from 50% to 100%, and the damage bonus per hit in a combo was doubled. Bloodthirsty Aura¡¯s stat bonus to surrounding allies increased from 120% to 300%. Finally, Instant Transmission¡¯s cooldown was reduced from half-an-hour to zero. There were two more skills, the two from from Paternoster¡¯s Warhammer: Frozen Fortress and Thunder God¡¯s Hammer. What shocked Nie Yan the most was that the set had a brand new Legendary skill. Jotunheim¡¯s Descent: Freeze everything within a 30-meter radius with the icy air from the realm of absolute frost. Those with less than 1,200 Ice Resistance will take godfrost damage. Those with less than 1,800 Ice Resistance will have their movement speed reduced dramatically. Those attacked while under the influence of the skill will be inflicted by Godice Shatter. When players encountered extreme cold, they would start taking frost damage. Godfrost would probably instantly freeze you to death. Less than 0.1% of the playerbase had 1,200 Ice Resistance, while those with 1,800 Ice Resistance could probably be counted on a single hand. As for Ice Shatter, that was a single-target Forbidden Magic. When a target was frozen, they would be shattered from the inside, suffering extremely high damage. Then there was still Godice Shatter. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t begin to imagine how powerful it was, but it would definitely be astonishing. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 977 - Icy Aura Thankfully, Jotunheim¡¯s Descent only affected players Nie Yan deemed enemies. Otherwise, he would literally become a person no one could approach. Nie Yan equipped the reforged Tyrant Abak Set. The sleek outfit had a unique appearance. Keeping in line with the style of a Thief, it wasn¡¯t too conspicuous. The surface of the armour was polished to a glossy shine, flickering with a metallic radiance. An intricate rune was engraved on every piece, each completely different from the other, but forming a peculiar harmony with each other. Azure streaks of light circulated around the surface of the armour. The powerful frost aura caused the air around Nie Yan to condense into ice crystals. Simply being near it, people in the surroundings would feel a bone-chilling cold. Nie Yan¡¯s gear had already reached the peak of endgame. As for accessories and so on, their impact was minimal. He could simply head to the guild treasury and pick out what he liked. Things like accessories were merely minor details. With the new Tyrant Abak Set, Nie Yan¡¯s stats already reached a level countless players could only dream of. The Winterwalker Phantom Leather Armour provided 12,830 defense, the Leg Guards of Glacial Focus 6,832 defense, the Glacial Gloves of Sealing 5,290 defense, the Cape of Frozen Ruin 3,290 defense, the Vorpal Frost Striders 3,293 defense, and the Dark Frostwinter Shoulderguards 3,272 defense. Combined with Nie Yan¡¯s base defense and other defense bonuses, he breached 80,000 defense. For a player under Level 200, this was unimaginable. Nie Yan estimated he could even tank the damage of the Level 210 Umbra Demon Kings head-on now. ¡°Thank you for helping me reforge the Tyrant Abak Set, Bronnick,¡± Nie Yan said. Bronnick hurriedly shook his head. ¡°No need to thank me, sir. I was only doing my job.¡± Nie Yan recalled his Legendary Thief and Great Hell Judge titles. Considering how high of a rank they were, it was only natural that NPCs would treat him with such reverence. ¡°Sir Nirvana Flame, I must warn you. A great calamity will descend on this world. To be able to forge this equipment for you is not only my honour but also my contribution to the living beings of this world,¡± Bronnick said. Nie Yan was stunned. A great calamity? He tried to suss out some more information out of Bronnick, but to no avail. Bronnick was extremely tight-lipped regarding this matter. Nie Yan ultimately decided to drop the matter. He could always use Great Prophecy to find out what was going on. Then he could start preparing, likely for the release of a new expansion. After reforging the Tyrant Abak Set, Nie Yan had one less worry on his mind. He teleported to Okoron and picked out some new accessories to replace his obsolete ones. This was also where the Void Silver Ore came in handy. He didn¡¯t require a full ingot to craft an accessory. Just a few was enough. So, together with what was left of his ancient ores he crafted a necklace. Nie Yan found a secluded place to use Great Prophecy, but it failed to show anything. It appeared whatever calamity was coming couldn''t be predicted. He would have to slowly figure it out. With his new equipment, Nie Yan was ready to take on those Level 210 Umbra Demon Kings. He left his private villa and walked out onto the streets of Okoron. Nie Yan was inconspicuous in his black cloak. Cloaked players could be spotted walking the streets all the time, and those with the same build as him could be found everywhere. Even if Tang Yao, Bladelight, and them bumped into him, they still wouldn¡¯t recognize him. As Nie Yan walked through the streets, the players around him parted to the sides and stared at him in shock. They felt a deep chill permeate into their bones. Looking at the source of the bone-chilling aura, they found a mysterious player hidden behind a cloak. They couldn¡¯t even see what kind of equipment he was wearing, As they tried peaking at the face under the hood, they felt an icy cold gaze pierce through them, causing their hearts to shiver uncontrollably. The passerby couldn¡¯t help but wonder who this mysterious person was. A powerful ice Mage perhaps? Sure, many ice Mages gave off cold auras, but it was never this intense! Even when they were casting ice magic, it wouldn¡¯t have such a strong effect on the surroundings! Nie Yan hadn¡¯t even activated Jotunheim¡¯s Descent, or else who knew how many people would be frozen to death in his wake! Jotunheim¡¯s Descent didn¡¯t have a cooldown. It could be toggled on and off at will. If he activated it, it would be a calamity for the players around him. Nie Yan was caught off guard by the stares of alarm directed at him. He didn¡¯t expect his equipment¡¯s ordinary aura to have such a powerful effect. After passing by the entrance of Asskickers United¡¯s guild headquarters, Nie Yan briefly hesitated. However, this wasn¡¯t the time to reveal himself. He would wait until he was strong enough to defeat Plenty with absolute confidence. Nie Yan browsed his quests while walking along the streets of Okoron, when his voice chat rang. It was Guo Huai. ¡¸Nie Yan, I just received word that Plenty is doing his Legendary advancement quest. Apparently, he will succeed within the next two months. What do we do?¡¹Guo Huai asked anxiously. From his point of view, Nie Yan stood zero chance of winning if Plenty advanced to a Legend. Nie Yan lightly chuckled.¡¸Don¡¯t worry, I already guessed he would be tackling his Legendary advancement quest. Two months, huh? Longer than I expected. I thought he¡¯d only need a month.¡¹ ¡¸W-why are you acting so nonchalant? If he becomes a Legend, how will you win?¡¹Guo Huai exclaimed. He couldn¡¯t resist the urge to dispatch Shadow Killer, King of the World, Mistaken Smile, and them to interfere with Plenty¡¯s advancement. Little did he know that Nie Yan already was a Legend. ¡¸He¡¯s late. I am a Legendary Thief now,¡¹Nie Yan said. Guo Huai was one of his own. There was no need to hide anything. Plus, Guo Huai knew better than to blab this information to others. Guo Huai dropped his jaw in shock. He muttered in disbelief,¡¸H-how did you? How is that possible? You¡¯ve only been back for what, three months? Tang Yao has been doing his Legendary class advancement quest for close to two years now, and he¡¯s only 90% finished! How did you complete yours so quickly?¡¹ ¡¸Nothing is impossible. I already accepted the quest three years ago and completed most of it. I was only missing two Shattered Divinities. After collecting them, advancing was pretty easy.¡¹ ¡¸T-three years ago...¡¹Guo Huai muttered in shock. It turned out Nie Yan was already doing his Legendary class advancement quest three years ago, and had come so close to completing it back then! Guo Huai couldn¡¯t imagine what the present Nie Yan would look like if he¡¯d never taken a break from the game. He excitedly said,¡¸Hah, here I was worried about you all for nothing. Turns out you were already prepared. Guess I can rest easy now. In the two months Plenty is taking to finish his class advancement, you can work on catching up to him in level. Speaking of which, what level are you now?¡¹ ¡¸Level 196,¡¹Nie Yan replied. ¡¸Damn! You monster! That¡¯s some insane levelling speed! You¡¯re almost Level 200! At this rate, you might even overtake him!¡¹Guo Huai clicked his tongue. If Nie Yan were to reveal his current level to the public, who knew what kind of uproar it would cause. He was simply inhuman! ¡¸Oh, one more thing. Sun, King of the World, and them have already helped you find three chapters from the Book of Order. However, the last chapter, the Chapter of Holiness, is the core chapter. So, you can only get it yourself,¡¹Guo Huai said. When Nie Yan completed the Book of Order, he would become the Supreme Pontiff, which was the Righteous Faction¡¯s equivalent of Plenty¡¯s Chairman of the Dark Council title. The level difference would be negligible. The two would also be evenly matched in terms of titles and class advancement. As for equipment, Nie Yan had just gotten himself a Sacred set. In terms of skill, Nie Yan definitely wouldn¡¯t lose out to Plenty. His chances of winning started looking better and better. Little did Guo Huai know that Nie Yan had recently obtained Great Hell Judge, a title no less inferior to Supreme Pontiff or Chairman of the Dark Council. Furthermore, he could also use Kalenna¡¯s ultimate defensive spell now. Nie Yan chuckled. He couldn¡¯t be bothered to flaunt about every little thing. What mattered the most was that he was confident in himself.¡¸Have them hold onto the chapters. I¡¯m going to raise my level some more. I¡¯ll let you know when I go collect the Chapter of Holiness.¡¹He wanted to take this one step at a time. If he waited until he was Level 200 to retrieve the Chapter of Holiness, his chances would be higher. After all, Plenty had only completed the Book of Chaos at Level 205. The quest for collecting the last chapter likely wasn¡¯t ordinary. ¡¸Got it. If you need anything, just let me know,¡¹Guo Huai said. ¡¸I collected a large amount of Deceased Skulls while in Hell. I¡¯ve deposited them all in your personal storage. Find a way to deal with hem.¡¹ ¡¸I see them. I don¡¯t know what we¡¯re going to do with all of them though. They¡¯re all really powerful. It¡¯s not worth it to sell them to the Evil Faction. We¡¯ll only be making the enemy stronger, and scrapping them seems like a huge waste too.¡¹ ¡¸Who says we need to scrap them? Fallen Angel still has a lot of enemies. We can just sell the Deceased Skulls to them for a slight discount.¡¹ ¡¸Hah! Why didn¡¯t I think about that? What a ruthless move! I¡¯ll get to it right away. ¡¹ ¡¸Remember to sell them for cheap, or else they won¡¯t be able to afford them. Also, don¡¯t sell too many at once, or else they¡¯ll try reselling the skulls in the marketplace.¡¹ ¡¸I know, I know. How long have I been running errands for you now?¡¹Guo Huai chuckled. This time, they could deal a sneaky blow to Fallen Angel. Plenty would likely be in for a real headache. Nie Yan chatted with Guo Huai for a bit longer before hanging up. After restocking on his consumables, he teleported to the Gates of Hell. The entrance outside the Gates of Hell was packed with players, many seeking to join teams. Only expedition teams of 1,000 people or more dared to enter. Nie Yan ignored these players and headed directly for the gates. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 978 - Returning to Hell! Unbeknownst to Nie Yan, while he was busy reinforcing his equipment, countless players flocked to Hell with 20-man teams. The end result was them being quickly surrounded by an endless horde of undead and killed. It was a quick and painful lesson. Hell was a boundless pit of undead. However, many people refused to accept this outcome and formed 1,000-man expedition teams. It took 12 expedition teams in total to gain a foothold and clear out a safe area. From there, they expanded outward to hunt monsters. Like this, a large number of players, many of which belonged to Asskickers United, entered Hell and so began a grand levelling spree in this brand new map. Hell was a special map with only two entrances, one in each great faction. The Death God¡¯s Edge was the key to opening the Gates of Hell. If the Righteous Faction opened Hell, their players could enter Hell for an exclusive amount of time, and vice-versa with the Evil Faction. So, the players from the Righteous Faction would have to thank Nie Yan for all the benefits they could reap from this place. The surroundings at the Gates of Hell were bustling with activity, filled with players looking to join teams. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t be more familiar with this kind of scene. In the previous timeline, he would frequently be on the lookout to join expedition teams. The earnings he could make with them were far better than if he were alone. Nie Yan lightly chuckled. He walked past Archangel Tallod and entered through the gates. Tallod was incredibly busy. There were 60 expedition team leaders lined up in front of him. They received quests to enter Hell and collect undead items. After turning them in, they would receive ample experience and gold. If they did enough quests for Tallod, they could even receive a high level item. Nie Yan had no interest in doing these quests, nor did he have any plans on lingering in the outskirts hunting monsters. The real rewards were in the very depths of Hell. With a flash of light, he appeared inside the map. Some players saw Nie Yan arrive alone, shock forming in their eyes. This guy was mad! Someone actually dared to enter Hell all by themselves? Seeing the skeptical looks directed at him, Nie Yan could guess what these players were thinking. Not sparing them a second glance, he set off, transforming into a blur. The players gaped open their mouths. What frightening speed! Who was he? A race car in human form? What happened next astonished them even more. The temperature around Nie Yan plummeted. All the moisture in his immediate vicinity froze into icicles and dropped to the ground. As he flitted forward, the undead that approached within a 30-meter radius of him were instantly turned into frozen statues. BANG! BANG! BANG! They exploded into fine powder of ice. Nie Yan sped ahead with remarkable speed. Skeletons and wraiths alike exploded into particles of ice as he ran past them. Nie Yan traversed a thousand meters in an instant, a long stretch of ice and mist trailing behind him. ¡°Holy shit! What kind of ice magic is that? It¡¯s terrifying!¡± ¡°That¡¯s crazy! Imagine if he ran a whole circuit around Hell. Just how many times would he level up?¡± None of the people present ever imagined levelling up in this way. They gazed at Nie Yan¡¯s rapidly departing back with envy on their faces. Little did they know that Jotunheim¡¯s Descent wasn¡¯t ice magic. Though many monsters had died in Nie Yan¡¯s wake and the levelling speed was good to the ordinary player, it simply couldn¡¯t be compared to what he could achieve with the Divine Eclipse Dragon. The little amount of experience he was gaining this way didn¡¯t enter his eyes. Some 15 minutes of running later, Nie Yan glanced back and no longer saw anyone behind him. The exploration of Hell was going far slower than he expected. He could deal with the Umbra Demon Kings without worry. About an hour later, Nie Yan reached his destination. The Level 300 Bone Emperor was taken down by War God Kelo, leaving behind only the collapsed mountain and the ruins of the pyramid tower. However, the Umbra Demon Kings were still there, refusing to disperse. About 200 Umbra Demon Kings were gathered together. This place would soon be labelled a forbidden death zone for ordinary players, but all Nie Yan saw was walking sacks of experience. After killing all of them, he¡¯d likely have no problem reaching Level 200! The amount of experience a Level 210 Demonified Lord gave was several million times that of an ordinary Level 180 undead! Briefly observing the Umbra Demon Kings, Nie Yan opted to summon the Divine Eclipse Dragon. He decided not to use Doppelganger for now. He¡¯d have it position itself on top of a hill about 1,000 meters away from the Umbra Demon Kings and cast Forbidden Magic. After scattering them with the magic, he¡¯d lure a few over with his crossbow and pick them off bit by bit! Nie Yan quickly got to wok. The Divine Eclipse Dragon started chanting in dragon tongue. An enormous amount of holy energy converged in the sky. BANG! BANG! BANG! Holy flames rained down on the ruins of the pyramid tower. The Umbra Demon Kings hurriedly scattered. Nie Yan lingered around the outskirts of the area. Seizing the opportunity, he pulled out his Cavalry Crossbow and fired a volley of bolts. Put! put! put! The five bolts struck one of the Umbra Demon Kings. Even though his crossbow wasn¡¯t high level and its base attack power was nothing special, after his stat bonuses were applied, it still dealt considerable damage at 10,000 damage a bolt. ¡°HHGRRAWO!¡± The Umbra Demon King charged toward Nie Yan. Nie Yan turned around and fled. He was much faster than the Umbra Demon King. However, he slowed down on purpose to let it catch up to him. Nie Yan¡¯s luck was pretty good. Only one Umbra Demon King followed him. After luring it away from the others for a good 600 meters, Nie Yan came to a halt. When the Umbra Demon King arrived within 30 meters of Nie Yan, its movement slowed down to a crawl as a thick layer of ice spread across its body. Jotunheim¡¯s Descent was in full effect! ¡°HHHAGHW!¡± the Umbra Demon King roared and chopped down with its greataxe. With a Gale Step of Nirvana Flame, Nie Yan turned into a streak of light and reappeared behind the Umbra Demon King. Backbreaker of Nirvana Flame! Nie Yan¡¯s dagger stabbed into the Umbra Demon King¡¯s spine. BANG! A deluge of ice ruptured from the wound, an astonishing damage value of several million floating up in the air. A God-rank ice rupture wasn¡¯t to be looked down on! ¡°HHWRAWH!¡± the Umbra Demon King roared out in pain. It wanted to swing its greataxe at Nie Yan, but its movements were too slow. Nie Yan had already circled back around again. BANG! Another explosion of ice went off. Nie Yan¡¯s every attack procc¡¯d the ice rupture effect. Its damage was beyond frightening. The range varied, but it was always more than 10 times higher than his normal damage. BANG! BANG! BANG! A series of explosions continuously rang out. Resembling the heavy beats of war drums, it followed a unique tempo! This was the rhythm of Nie Yan¡¯s attacks! At this rate, Nie Yan could take down the Umbra Demon King in less than half an hour! This was an astonishing speed. If Plenty, Tang Yao, Bladelight, and them were to find out that Nie Yan could solo a Level 210 Demonified Lord at only Level 196, and within half an hour no less, just what kind of reactions would they have? While Nie Yan was chipping away at the Umbra Demon King in front of him, two more started approaching him from some distance away. ¡°Shit!¡± Nie Yan cursed. Taking on three Umbra Demon Kings at the same time would prove difficult even for him. Nie Yan knew he had to act quickly. He drew all three Umbra Demon Kings another 3,000 meters away. Like this, there was no chance of any more coming over. The two other Umbra Demon Kings also had their movements slowed to a crawl after entering the range of Jotunheim¡¯s Descent. The speed at which they swung their greataxes was over 30% slower than before. Nie Yan evaded a greataxe, then retaliated with a Counter. BANG! Another explosion of ice went off. From Nie Yan¡¯s point of view, the movements of the Umbra Demon Kings were slow like a snail¡¯s. He could easily evade all they threw at him. Not to mention his ice rupture only served to further slow them. The three Dark Demon Kings were practically moving in slow motion. Meanwhile, Nie Yan was dancing around them like a butterfly and stinging them like a bee. Any time the ice rupture debuff was about to wear off on one of them, he would reapply it with an attack. If Nie Yan were to attack by himself, who knew how long it would take for this battle to be over. So, he had the Divine Eclipse Dragon come over, splitting into five with Doppelganger and activating Enrage, and summoned Lil¡¯ Gold and the Violet Eye Dragon. Seven dragons altogether joined the fray. A dense barrage of single-target magic rained down on one of the Umbra Demon Kings. A large string of damage values immediately floated up in the air as its health started plummeting downward. The damage was astonishing, leaving Nie Yan satisfied. The Divine Eclipse Dragon dealt too much damage, drawing the aggro of the Umbra Demon King. But still slowed by Nie Yan, it had no chance of catching up to any of the dragon¡¯s clones. Especially since with every step it took, an ice rupture would go off on its body. About 15 minutes later, the first Umbra Demon King let out a mournful cry and collapsed to the ground. A white light fell over Nie Yan. His eyes lit up. A level up! The experience from a Level 210 Demonified Lord was quite ample! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 979 - Inconceivable Sight! The experience from a Level 210 Demonified Lord was enormous for a player in their Level 190s, mostly due to the 600% bonus multiplier from the level difference. Nie Yan shot up from Level 196, 23% to Level 197, 62%. Nie Yan was certainly an outlier. He was the first at his level to solo a Level 210 Demonified Lord. It was unlikely anyone would match this feat. After all, who else but Nie Yan would have a Sacred set and be a Legend at Level 196? Nie Yan scanned his eyes over the Umbra Demon King¡¯s remains and spotted a greyish black fragment on the ground. Death God¡¯s Bone Fragment (1/12): Special Item Nie Yan wondered what the Death God¡¯s Bone was used for. He guessed it was similar to the Demon King Stone and Demon King Seal. Relying on the might of Jotunheim¡¯s Descent, Nie Yan continuously chipped away at the health bars of the two remaining Umbra Demon Kings. The seven dragons supported him from a distance with their magic. CRASH! The second Umbra Demon King collapsed to the ground. A crisp notification jingle rang out. Another level up! This kill gave Nie Yan 41% experience. Sweet! If Nie Yan were grinding ordinary mobs, it would probably take him almost a week to level up, more if he took his time. Now, however, his level was rocketing upwards. Apart from Jotunheim¡¯s Descent, Nie Yan was also getting a better grasp of Fawne¡¯s Phantom. It was truly worthy of being a Legendary skill. After activating it, it was almost as if he were draped in an illusory veil, his silhouette constantly flickering back and forth erratically. He could easily confuse the enemy, preventing them from locking onto his exact position. Even an Umbra Demon King at full power couldn¡¯t touch a single hair on his head, let alone when it was affected by Jotunheim¡¯s Descent! As Nie Yan continued using Fawne¡¯s Phantom, his use of the skill became more natural. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Plenty would ever counter a skill like this. Ordinary magic certainly couldn¡¯t do the trick. Nie Yan recalled two more Legendary skill books sitting around in the guild treasury. He wondered how powerful they were. Since they were also Legendary skills, they couldn¡¯t be any worse than Fawne¡¯s Shadow. After he was finished here, he would go back and take a look. Nie Yan grinded away without a worry in the world. One Umbra Demon King after another collapsed to the ground. Reaching Level 199 would take five more Umbra Demon Kings, Level 200 21, and Level 201 83. The surroundings of the pyramid tower were littered with the remains of the Umbra Demon Kings. As time passed, the number of players entering Hell grew exponentially. There were teams setting out in droves, including the elites from Asskickers United. However, no one had reached Nie Yan¡¯s spot yet. After spending spending the whole day in Hell, Nie Yan looked back at what was left of the mountain in the far distance. There were still at least 160 Umbra Demon Kings left. Nie Yan glanced inside his bag. He¡¯d collected three Death God¡¯s Bone Fragments so far. Likely he would have to clear out all the Umbra Demon Kings to gather all 12! As for his level, he was knocking on the door of Level 200. While Nie Yan was working on downing another Umbra Demon King, three silhouettes flitted across the barren some 5,000 meters away. They were incredibly fast. By the time the monsters in the vicinity noticed them, they were already far away. These three were experienced Shadow Dancers, having reached an incomprehensible speed for ordinary players. They were fast enough that if they didn¡¯t wish to fight these Level 180 mobs, they could simply run past them. Even though the spawn rate in Hell was still extremely high, it had slowed down significantly compared to when Nie Yan first arrived. The mob density was slowly getting lower. ¡°Damn! There are so many monsters here! When the team gets here, the levelling speed will be amazing!¡± a Thief in silver gray leather armour said. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll be busy here for the next few days. If we grind here for a month, we should reach Level 200!¡± another Thief exclaimed. He glanced at his experience bar. He was about 63% away from levelling up. Since there were so many monsters here, they wouldn¡¯t be running out of targets anytime soon. Their team comprised 20 people, all of whom were Masters. They had an average level of 200. The three of them were here to scout out a good place to grind mobs. As the three Thieves were looking around with glee, a mournful cry cut across the air. It sounded like a boss monster dying. The three glanced at each other. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Should we go take a look, Imperial?¡± The leader of the three, Imperial Sword, pondered for a moment. Judging from the sound of that cry, his intuition told him whatever died was incredibly dangerous. His heart was filled with curiosity. Could it be that a team was already hunting bosses all the way out here? Imperial Sword said, ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look. Remember, if we encounter danger, listen to my commands!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± The three dashed over to the source of the sound. They soon found a high vantage point, from where they spotted several gigantic bosses, far larger than any they¡¯d seen before. These bosses were like moving fortresses. The large greataxes they slung over their shoulders caused the hearts of the trio to shiver in fear. ¡°I¡¯ll go up and take a look to see what level those bosses are!¡± one of the Thieves excitedly said. Their 20-man team was composed entirely of Masters, and they were all around Level 200. So, if this was a field of Level 200 Demonified Lords, they¡¯d hit the jackpot! The Thief slowly approached one of the Umbra Demon Kings, excitement in his hurried steps. At about 300 meters, the Umbra Demon Kings started stirring. One of them locked its gaze on to him. He immediately froze as cold sweat dripped down his neck. Even moving was difficult. Fuck! This is no Level 200 Demonified Lord! ¡°HHHRWWAH!¡± The Umbra Demon King charged forward, closing the 300 meter distance in an instance, and slashed down with its greataxe. The earth quaked violently. Imperial Sword¡¯s face paled. What astonishing destructive power! A notification popped up. Your teammate Gloom has died. ¡°Shit!¡± Imperial Sword cursed. He was very familiar with Gloom¡¯s strength. When the Umbra Demon Kings stirred just now, he thought Gloom would have no trouble getting away. He didn¡¯t expect Gloom to be killed so quickly. Gloom revived at the graveyard. He hurriedly warned in voice chat,¡¸Imperial, don¡¯t go there! Those are Level 210 Demonified Lords, Umbra Demon Kings!¡¹ Imperial Sword¡¯s heart trembled. No wonder Gloom failed to get away! Level 200 Demonified Lords were already extremely powerful. Level 210 Demonified Lords were basically invincible existences to them! ¡°Crimson Note, we¡¯re retreating!¡± Imperial Sword said, rapidly pulling back. With so many Level 210 Demonified Lords up ahead, they would be dead if they were discovered. Crimson Note ignored the command. His eyes were fixated on something that by all rights should be impossible. He shouted, ¡°I-imperial, look over there!¡± Imperial Sword looked over to where Crimson Note was pointing. About 500 meters away, an Umbra Demon King was wildly swinging its greataxe, displaying its astonishing might. Just below its feet was a silhouette darting about continuously. Looking more closely, he realized that was a player! The two glanced at each other. ¡°There are people fighting that Umbra Demon king!¡± ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go take a closer look,¡± Imperial Sword said. He wondered who could possibly be fighting a Level 210 Demonified Lord. The only possibility coming to mind was Asskickers United¡¯s main team. The two Thieves took a detour around the group of Umbra Demon Kings and approached Nie Yan. They both activated all their stealth boosting skills for fear of being discovered. After approaching close enough to get a good look, the duo sucked in a breath of cold air. A team wasn¡¯t fighting the Umbra Demon King, a lone Thief was! If it were a Mage, they might find this situation easier to accept. After all, ranged classes could still kite. But a Thief? This was simply inconceivable! ¡°Who is that? Sun? King of the World? Maybe Shadow Killer?¡± Crimson Note asked in a trembling voice. Soloing a Level 210 Demonified Lord, this was simply too monstrous! ¡°One of those freaks. No one else can pull something like this off,¡± Imperial Sword replied. The sight before him was a huge shock. Their 20-man team of Masters struggled to face even a single Level 200 Demonified Lord. Yet this Thief before them was soloing a Level 210 Demonified Lord! As they watched the battle, they saw the silhouette flashing nonstop. Their speed was shocking. No matter how the Umbra Demon King attacked, it couldn¡¯t touch a hair on their head. There also appeared to be a white mist around him, which froze everything it touched. Even the boss was no exception. ¡°Is that a domain skill?¡± Crimson Note asked. ¡°It might be an aura. What an inhuman guy! Look over there, there¡¯s the remains of at least a dozen Umbra Demon Kings!¡± Imperial Sword said. Soloing Level 210 Demonified Lords, just how much of a show-off was this guy! ¡°Crimson, clip this.¡± Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 980 - Legendary Video! Imperial Sword and Crimson Note found a safe vantage point and secretly recorded Nie Yan¡¯s battle. Since the duo was relatively far away, Nie Yan didn¡¯t discover them. Like a well-oiled machine, he killed the Umbra Demon King in front of him, then lured over three more Umbra Demon Kings. Them befell the same fate as the ones before them, their health chipped away until it bottomed out. ¡°Look! He has several pets over there!¡± ¡°One of them looks like a Golden Dragon. Why does this guy have so many pets?¡± ¡°How can he control three pets?¡± Imperial Sword gasped. This completely overturned his common sense. A player was only supposed to have on pet! The enormous Divine Eclipse Dragon was especially eye-catching. He was taken aback by the fact that its two heads could seemingly cast magic independently. Who knew how shocked Imperial Sword and Crimson Note would be if the Divine Eclipse Dragon had used Doppelganger! The two didn¡¯t link Lil¡¯ Gold back to Nie Yan. Many people had Golden Dragons these days, at least several tens of thousands in the entire Righteous Faction. Besides, most players wouldn¡¯t even consider it possible for this to be Nie Yan. He¡¯d returned to the game after a three-year hiatus only a few months ago. No matter how astonishing his achievements in the past, they figured it would still take him a year or two to climb back to the peak. There was no way he could¡¯ve progressed this much so quickly. It was hard to imagine the Righteous Faction had someone who could solo Level 210 Demonified Lords. Likely not even Sun, King of the World, and them were this strong. Could he be some kind of hidden expert? Imperial Sword and Crimson Note gradually drew closer in an attempt to get a better look. As Nie Yan concentrated on dealing with the three Umbra Demon Kings, he suddenly sensed an unfamiliar presence. He gazed into the distance, but couldn¡¯t find it. ¡°Am I hallucinating? It felt like someone was approaching me¡­ Nah, it¡¯ll still be a while before anyone reaches here,¡± Nie Yan muttered. Even if there was someone, they couldn¡¯t scare Nie Yan. He continued dealing with the Umbra Demon Kings while paying close attention to his surroundings. If he confirmed someone had really come to ambush him, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill them. About 100 meters away, Imperial Sword felt a cold gaze sweep over him. His heart trembled, fearing he¡¯d already been discovered. He froze in place and held his breath. Only after confirming Nie Yan was still fighting the Umbra Demon Kings did he dare to breathe out again. However, he didn¡¯t dare to get any closer. Even though he was only a hundred meters away, he could still feel bone piercing chill in the air. Even the Umbra Demon Kings were greatly affected by Nie Yan¡¯s domain. He couldn¡¯t imagine what would happen if a person were to enter its range. Before long, two videos were posted on the forums. One was of Gloom being killed while trying to scout out the Umbra Demon Kings. Gloom had at least a bit of fame among players. Seeing this Shadow Dancer getting one shot, the players could imagine how powerful the Umbra Demon Kings were. Judging from the background in the video, this event likely took place in Hell. When the playerbase learned there were a hundred-plus Level 210 Demonified Lords in Hell, their interest for this new zone soared even higher. As for the second video, it caused an even greater uproar. Everyone already knew how powerful the Umbra Demon Kings were from the first video. Yet here was a guy soloing not one, not two, but three of them at once! They could hardly contain their shock. Even though the video was shot from over a hundred meters away, they could still see everything clearly, just that the player was simply too fast. He only appeared as a blur. You couldn¡¯t even see what equipment he was wearing, nor what weapons he was using. That monstrous damage, devilish dodging speed, and powerful domain left players intensely curious. Who was this mysterious expert? Nie Yan became the hot topic of discussion in the forums. Monstrous strength! This display of strength even surpassed Plenty, who everyone previous recognized as the number one expert in the game. Sure enough, there was always a higher mountain! Some people guessed the mysterious expert was Nie Yan, but they were quickly drowned out by criticism. What a joke! He¡¯d only returned to the game how long ago? Even if he were riding a rocket, he wouldn¡¯t be this quick! However, there were always those who thought different. Maybe it really was Nie Yan. After all, a player that could solo Level 210 Demonified Lords would naturally rocket up in levels! This levelling speed was even several times faster than that of the top player on the level leaderboards, Young Sparrow Hawk! Apart from this, there was also those three pets. Especially the Divine Eclipse Dragon was too eye-catching. A two-headed dragon, each head capable of functioning independently. What¡¯s more, both heads were far stronger than an ordinary dragon. This was definitely a first. A Level 200 dragon that was more powerful than any other dragon pet they¡¯d seen before, this matter was simply inconceivable! The two videos attracted the attention of many people. On a nameless hillside in Sword of the War God, a team of several dozen players were advancing through the desolate plains. It was Tang Yao, Bladelight, and company. ¡°Did you guys see that video being passed around on the forums?¡± Tang Yao asked. ¡°I saw. That Thief is crazy, soloing multiple Level 210 Demonified Lords, and it looks like he isn¡¯t even breaking a sweat! That dude¡¯s a monster!¡± Undying Scoundrel remarked. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Lemme take a look.¡± Everyone checked the forums. ¡°What do you guys think?¡± Bladelight asked. ¡°That has to be the boss!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Nie Yan. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± Tang Yao nodded. Even though he couldn¡¯t make out the equipment, that was his gut feeling. ¡°Smoke Stub, what do you think?¡± Bladelight asked. He also believed the person in the video was Nie Yan. He was just surprised Nie Yan could already solo Level 210 Demonified Lords. He¡¯d only returned to the game some three months ago at Level 156! ¡°What else is there to say? I have no doubt that that is Nie Yan,¡± Smoke Stub replied. ¡°Do you remember that egg we got from the tamed Violet Eye Dragons breeding? Well, it has disappeared from the guild treasury a couple of months back. That must have been Nie Yan. Needless to say, that Golden Dragon is Lil¡¯ Gold. As for the two headed dragon, do you remember that black and white dragon egg Nie Yan obtained after defeating Fallen Angel Brufut? Plus, don¡¯t forget one of the supplementary skills of Zennarde¡¯s Sword, Dragon King¡¯s Divine Might. It allows him to own up to two dragon flying mounts and three dragon pets at once.¡± Smoke Stub¡¯s explanation convinced them all. ¡°Nie Yan, that punk! He can already take on Level 210 Demonified Lords! How long has he been back in the game? Does he want to let others live?¡± Tang Yao rolled his eyes. He already had five pieces of Sacred-grade void equipment. However, he still didn¡¯t dare to imitate Nie Yan and solo Level 210 Demonified Lords. The Sword of the War God dungeon had many bosses at that level, which they had fought as a team. But trying to solo them? He felt his heart go numb. ¡°We helped Nie Yan collect six Dark Void Iron Ingots. All he needs is six pieces of Legendary equipment to craft six pieces of Sacred void equipment. He probably has already upgraded his Tyrant Abak Set and Zennarde¡¯s Sword. Just by taking a look at how he¡¯s dealing with that Umbra Demon King, you can tell his equipment has risen to a whole new plane. Combined with those three powerful pets, his levelling speed definitely won¡¯t lose out to any Mage. With his skills on top of that, soloing a Level 210 Demonified Lord should be no issue for him. Remember his clear time in the Dark Demonic Space, and then the release of Hell, it all adds up,¡± Bladelight said. After hearing Bladelight¡¯s conjecture, they no longer lingered on Nie Yan¡¯s rapid progress. No, what they were the most excited and moved about was the return of the Mad Rogue. Wherever he pointed Zennarde¡¯s Sword, everything in his path would be swept away. Three years, an entire three years, Nirvana Flame was finally retaking his throne of glory! Even though Smoke Stub, Bladelight, and the others knew the person in the video was Nie Yan, they didn¡¯t reveal it. The players on the forums were still guessing the identity of that person. Elsewhere in Sword of the War God, another team was steadily advancing through the barren. Their leader was the number one player in the Satreen Empire, Howling Wind. Howling Wind had never PvPed with Tang Yao before. So, no one could tell who was the number one Mage in the Righteous Faction. Nevertheless, his status as the number one Mage in the Satreen Empire was unquestioned. He led a team of 50 people, all of whom were top experts. Howling Wind watched the video on the forums with a pensive look on his face. ¡°Do you know who that is?¡± an orc Warrior beside him asked. He was also deeply shocked by the video. ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Howling Wind replied. He already had a certain person in his mind. He just wasn¡¯t willing to voice it out. As the number one Mage in the Satreen Empire, he always strived to improve himself, honing his skills by pitting himself against the strongest opponents. The title of number one Mage in the Righteous Faction was never settled. Tang Yao¡¯s fame always surpassed him. Yet he never once tried to challenge Tang Yao. One could take that as an act of submission, but he simply wasn¡¯t interested. True, Tang Yao was strong, but at best they were evenly matched. Ever since he entered the game, he¡¯d only admired one person, and that was Nirvana Flame. There were many times he wanted to challenge Nie Yan, but something would always come in between. When Nie Yan disappeared three years ago, all he felt was a deep sense of regret. So, since Nie Yan¡¯s return, he¡¯d patiently waited for him to climb back to the peak. He knew for a person like Nie Yan, it wasn¡¯t a question of if but when. It¡¯s just that he didn¡¯t expect the day to come so soon. Seeing the silhouette in the video, his blood boiled with anticipation. ¡°Let¡¯s clear this section in 30 minutes. Then we¡¯re returning to Orc King City!¡± Howling Wind announced. ¡°W-what? Why are we returning so soon? We prepared enough potions for three days! Wasn¡¯t that supposed to be the original plan?¡± the orc Warrior asked doubtfully. ¡°I have something important to do. You guys can stay here and grind for a few more hours if you want,¡± Howling Wind said, his eyes flickering with a peculiar light. Over these past three years, he¡¯d never been as excited as he was today. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 981 - Howling Wind’s Challenge Nie Yan finally noticed the commotion on the forums. He didn¡¯t expect to find a video of himself. Apparently, that feeling earlier wasn¡¯t him imagining things. A Thief had indeed approached him. Checking his surroundings once more, he discovered nothing out of the ordinary. The other side had hid themselves fairly well. However, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to investigate any further. As long as the enemy wasn¡¯t a Thief at the level of Sun, King of the World, and the others, they were nothing to Nie Yan. Nie Yan was confident in the might of Jotunheim¡¯s Descent. If anyone dared approach him within 30 meters, in stealth or not, they would be frozen to death! BANG! BANG! BANG! The heavy sound of ice rupturing rang out through the air like the sound of gongs being struck. Another Umbra Demon King let out a mournful cry and collapsed to the ground. Ding dong! A crisp jingle rang out as a white light fell over Nie Yan. A level up! Nie Yan was elated. He¡¯d finally reached Level 200! It hadn¡¯t even been four months since his return to the game. Nie Yan never expected his levelling speed would be so quick. Thinking about it, be it the quest related to Hell or the Divine Eclipse Dragon, they were all part of the foundation he¡¯d built up before his hiatus. If it weren¡¯t for them, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have these achievements today. Nie Yan picked up the loot that the Umbra Demon King dropped. It was another fragment of the Death God¡¯s Bone. As he held the item in his hand, he detected something unfamiliar in the air. His face turned cold. Hiding behind a pile of bones, Imperial Sword had the urge to jump out and snatch the loot the Umbra Demon King dropped. However, sensing the temperature in the surroundings plummeting, he couldn¡¯t help but bitterly smile. The person before him was insanely strong. Trying to steal from him was the same as snatching food from a tiger¡¯s den. Even though a Level 210 Demonified Lord was certain to drop amazing things, he needed to be alive to get them! So, he didn¡¯t dare to try his luck in the end. Eye of Truth! Nie Yan snorted, his eyes flashing with a profound light. Sensing Nie Yan¡¯s gaze locking right onto him, Imperial Sword¡¯s heart trembled. He hurriedly said in voice chat,¡¸Crimson, let¡¯s get out of here!¡¹ Imperial Sword and Crimson Note both crushed the Unknown Transfer Scrolls in their hands. With a flash of light, the two disappeared. ¡°Looks like they know what¡¯s good for them.¡± Nie Yan withdrew his gaze. If those two Thieves stuck around any longer, he would¡¯ve definitely taken action and killed them. Them voluntarily leaving saved him the hassle. Nie Yan returned to his grind. The experience the Umbra Demon Kings gave was far more ample than he expected. Likely, he would be at least Level 202 by the time he cleared them all out! Nie Yan still had another two and a half months before his five-month deadline was up! At the appointed time, Nie Yan would head to the underworld and challenge Plenty. However, he knew he wouldn¡¯t be facing Plenty alone. Moreover, Plenty definitely had killer aces up his sleeve. So, he wanted to be absolutely confident he could win, and level played an important factor in this. For Asskickers United¡¯s glory, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t allow any mishaps! Since those two Thieves from earlier had discovered this place, more people would likely start arriving. Nie Yan decided to pick up the pace. Thankfully, the players from the Evil Faction couldn¡¯t enter Hell. If Plenty found out about a Righteous Faction player solo grinding Level 210 Demonified Lords, he would definitely send his subordinates to obstruct them. It didn¡¯t matter if that person was Nie Yan or not. Nie Yan wasn¡¯t afraid of them, but it would impact his levelling speed. ... The Gates of Hell. An elven Elementalist donning the Azeran Void Robes and wielding the Soranda Void Staff arrived. Instead of looking for a team, he directly entered Hell. The players in the surroundings were stunned. ¡°I-isn¡¯t that Howling Wind?¡± ¡°It is! I recognize him! Why is he here all alone?¡± ... Even though Howling Wind was all by himself, no one dared to look down on him. He was a Magister who stood on the same footing as Young Sparrow Hawk! Howling Wind ignored these players, though their whispers reached his ears. He set out with consecutive blinks. Before long, he was more than 600 meters away, leaving the gossipers far behind. The players back near the entrance couldn¡¯t help but sigh in admiration. What astonishing speed! Howling Wind treated the monsters in Hell like they were nothing as he began searching for Nie Yan. Five hours later, Howling Wind spotted a group of gigantic skeletal creatures in the far distance. They were the Umbra Demon Kings from the video! ¡°Found you!¡± Howling Wind muttered. After which he sank into deep thought. With his current strength, soloing a Level 210 Demonified Lord was possible, but it would be a struggle. Nie Yan was indeed strong. However, that was precisely why he wanted to challenge him! If his opponent were only roughly on par with him, he¡¯d have no interest in fighting! Howling Wind was an eccentric person. The stronger the opponent and more outmatched he was, the more astonishing power he¡¯d display! Only by challenging the strong could he grow more powerful! Ever since he became the number one Mage in the Satreen Empire, Howling Wind hadn¡¯t found a worthy opponent. It was rather lonely at the top. Perhaps the only worthy opponent was Nie Yan. However, he¡¯d never found the right opportunity. This was his only regret. After Nie Yan disappeared three years ago, his heart became empty, as if he had lost something important. When he learned of Nie Yan¡¯s return, his desire for battle reignited. He knew the Mad Rogue of that time would eventually return, and an expert like Nie Yan definitely would not be content living quietly in mediocrity. Some people were destined to break the heavens and earth. Nie Yan was such a person! It was just that he never expected Nie Yan to come back with such ferocity. Within a short few months, he¡¯d already gained such astonishing strength! Howling Wind executed several consecutive blinks. As he looked around, he heard a mournful cry in the distance. ¡°There you are!¡± Howling Wind raised an eyebrow, teleporting towards the source of the sound. ... Nie Yan had just killed an Umbra Demon King. As he started focusing on another one, he sensed something in the air. Looking into the distance, he spotted a silhouette rapidly coming in his direction. Shortly after returning to the game, Nie Yan had watched many videos on the Dark Demonic Space and researched PvP techniques. Howling Wind was in some of them. So, he was somewhat familiar with Howling Wind¡¯s appearance. However, since the distance was too great, Nie Yan didn¡¯t immediately recognize him. ¡°A Mage huh,¡± Nie Yan remarked, his expression turning dark. If the other side tried to interfere with his grinding, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill them! Howling Wind stopped at about 200 meters away from Nie Yan. He showed no signs of raising his staff to attack, instead patiently waiting. This place was the territory of the Umbra Demon Kings; ordinary undead didn¡¯t dare to approach here. The surroundings were completely barren. After seeing that Howling Wind came with no ill intent, Nie Yan concentrated on his battle. The Umbra Demon King held strong for some 15 minutes before collapsing to the ground. Seeing the battle end, Howling Wind approached Nie Yan. Nie Yan raised an eyebrow in surprise as he finally recognized Howling Wind. Why did he come all the way here? ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Howling Wind.¡± Howling Wind could sense the cold aura emanating from Nie Yan, threatening to turn him into an icicle. He stopped at about 50 meters away from Nie Yan. Nie Yan nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re Nirvana Flame. I want to challenge you. Right here, right now,¡± Howling Wind said, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit. No doubt, the person before him was Nirvana Flame! ¡°Not interested,¡± Nie Yan replied curtly. It turned out Howling Wind had only come here for a duel. If it were a week or two ago, he might¡¯ve been interested. Now, however, he was already a Legend with a full set of Sacred-grade void equipment. The difference in strength was too great. Howling Wind froze. He never imagined Nie Yan would reply in such a way, his heart quickly filling with indignation. So what if you¡¯re Nirvana Flame? There is no reason to look down on me like that! ¡°If you don¡¯t kill me, don¡¯t even think about grinding here in peace!¡± Howling Wind said. This was his only way to force Nie Yan to go all out! ¡°You¡¯re not my match. Come back when you¡¯ve become a Legend.¡± Nie Yan shook his head. Even though Howling Wind was the number one Mage in the Satreen Empire, the gap between a Master and a Legend was like that of the heaven and earth. If Howling Wind were to fight him now, it would be a one-sided beatdown. Howling Wind sucked in a breath of cold air. Nie Yan had already become a Legend? He stared at Nie Yan in disbelief. How was that possible? He¡¯d only returned to the game a few months ago. How did he become a Legend before all of them? Nie Yan really did live up to his reputation as the Mad Rogue. He wasn¡¯t undefeated for no reason. Howling Wind felt dejected. Was a Legend really that strong? Did he really not even have a sliver of hope of winning? Staring at Nie Yan, Howling Wind¡¯s eyes flashed with determination. He pointed his staff at Nie Yan and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to become a Legend so quickly. Even though I know you¡¯re extremely powerful and I have no hope of winning, no matter what, I still want to try. So, please humour me. This has been my only wish for these past three years.¡± Nie Yan¡¯s heart trembled. No wonder Howling Wind could become the number one Mage in the Satreen Empire. This resoluteness couldn¡¯t be found anywhere. ¡°Fine, come at me,¡± Nie Yan replied in an insipid tone. Howling Wind¡¯s eyes lit up with joy. He raised his staff and cast Elemental Judgement. Six tornadoes formed around Howling Wind and swept out toward Nie Yan. Such a powerful AoE magic was an instant cast! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 982 - Death God’s Bone Under the cover of the six tornadoes, Howling Wind¡¯s body became a blur before splitting into three clones, which dashed off in different directions. The ground stiffened as a layer of frost spread out. THUT! THUT! THUT! A dense cluster of ice spikes erupted out. Howling Wind¡¯s attack was ferocious. If a player were to encounter such a frenzied assault, they would likely turn tail and flee. Nie Yan¡¯s silhouette flickered before disappearing from his spot. Fawne¡¯s Phantom! Nie Yan was like a phantom, his silhouette flickering back and forth. It was impossible to pinpoint his exact location. No matter how much of a seasoned expert Howling Wind was, he¡¯d never seen a skill like this before. His heart sank. With a wave of his staff, he sent a shower of spells raining down on Nie Yan. Eye of Truth! Nie Yan¡¯s eyes blossomed out with a profound light. Sweeping his gaze over the three Howling Winds, he discovered to his shock that all three were real. ¡°Whatever, I¡¯ll just kill them all.¡± Gale Step of Nirvana Flame! Nie Yan¡¯s figure blurred, in the same moment appearing behind one of the Howling Winds 60 meters away. PSHFT! Blood flew into the air. Instant kill! The speed of a Legendary Gale Step was fast beyond belief. All Howling Wind saw was a blur before one of his clones was killed. So this is the speed of a Legend, Howling Wind inwardly muttered. Nie Yan was far faster than any player he¡¯d met before! The two remaining Howling Winds blinked around the battlefield, letting loose with a flurry of spells. Earth Spikes, Ice Arrows, Lightning¡­ all his spells were instant cast. To his dejection, however, he discovered even with him completely focusing his senses, he couldn¡¯t pinpoint Nie Yan¡¯s position. A Legendary skill wasn¡¯t something ordinary skills could compete with! Howling Wind felt death drawing ever closer from behind him. BLINK! BLINK! BLINK! He continuously blinked around the battlefield, but the feeling never disappeared, as if Nie Yan¡¯s dagger was already on his neck. PSFHT! The second Howling Wind died to a single attack. Howling Wind felt deep shock battering at his heart. Just how did Nie Yan do it? How did Nie Yan have the energy to spare to deal with his other clone? Unbeknownst to Howling Wind, Nie Yan had already toggled off Jotunheim¡¯s Descent. If it were activated, he would¡¯ve long since turned into an ice sculpture! This was the difference between a Master and a Legend. The two weren¡¯t even on the same plane! Howling Wind finally realized this was an opponent he stood no chance against. He originally thought even if he couldn¡¯t defeat Nie Yan, he could still put up a decent fight. Now, he knew that was only wishful thinking. How hard was it to advance to a Legend? He himself had been at it for a year already, but even after 20 attempts, he still was no step closer to breaking through that final hurdle. By the time he finally became a Legend, what level would Nie Yan be at? No matter how much Howling Wind blinked around, he could sense Nie Yan¡¯s killing intent following him relentlessly. He couldn¡¯t comprehend how. His Blinks were completely random. How did Nie Yan pinpoint his location every time? His prediction ability was terrifying! Nie Yan¡¯s comprehension of Fawne¡¯s Phantom grew deeper as he fought Howling Wind. Apart from the unrivalled evasion ability and speed, it also provided him unmatched pursuing ability. With this skill, even if the enemy blinked away at random, he could still track the movement through the flow of their mana. Nie Yan became increasingly confident that if Plenty wanted to stand a chance against him, he had to advance to a Legend. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t know whether Plenty already succeeded or not. So, rather than taking the risk of challenging him now, he would focus on increasing his strength instead. ¡°You¡¯ve lost,¡± Nie Yan said in an indifferent tone. He had to admit that Howling Was was quite strong. However, a Master had no chance of winning against a Legend. This was a gap that couldn¡¯t be closed with equipment nor level nor skill. Howling Wind halted his step, looking a little lost. The strength he was so proud of was nothing in front of Nie Yan. He realized that cold chill he felt on his neck was Nie Yan¡¯s blade, ready to chop down whenever. He¡¯d already lost. Nie Yan stopped about 10 meters across from Howling Wind. Seeing his opponent¡¯s dejected appearance, he consoled, ¡°This isn¡¯t an issue of skill. That¡¯s just how the game works. Legend beats Master like rock beats scissors. If you want to have a real duel, come back when you¡¯ve become a Legend.¡± Howling Wind bitterly smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve got to witness the might of a Legend firsthand. But to be honest, even if you were still a Master, I don¡¯t think I could¡¯ve won. You¡¯ve already advanced while I¡¯m still struggling to get past that final hurdle. This is a difference in skill. I won¡¯t make any excuses for myself. A loss is a loss.¡± Nie Yan shrugged his shoulders, declining to express his opinion. Perhaps it really was like what Howling Wind said. Even if Tang Yao came over right now, he probably wouldn¡¯t last more than a few moves. The difference in class rank was too great. When he defeated Howling Wind, he didn¡¯t have to do anything fancy. All he did was rely on the overwhelming power of his skills. ¡°If you want to improve, go learn from Sparrow Hawk, Sun, and them. Fumbling forward by yourself can only take you so far. You¡¯re a bit weaker than them in terms of skill.¡± Nie Yan had an idea. He¡¯d first belittle Howling Wind a little. Perhaps that would get him to join Asskickers United. An expert like Howling Wind was difficult to find. If he could be pulled into Asskickers United, it would be a big win. However, after becoming a Legend, Nie Yan didn¡¯t particularly care anymore if Howling Wind joined. One more or one less, it made no difference on the overall picture. Howling Wind seemed dissatisfied with Nie Yan¡¯s evaluation. He opened his mouth to argue. ¡°I¡¯m going back to levelling.¡± Nie Yan turned around and dashed over to the Umbra Demon Kings in the distance, continuing his grind. After this match with Howling Wind, he had a rough idea of his own strength. He was confident that he had an absolute chance of victory if Plenty failed to break through in the next two and a half months. Fallen Angel, I¡¯ll be coming for you soon! The video of Nie Yan battling the Umbra Demon Kings continued circulating around. Eventually, news of this mysterious expert reached the ears of Fallen Angel. However, their higher-ups remained calm, expressing no particular reaction. Plenty appeared to have vanished into thin air, while Fallen Angel¡¯s elites were frequently spotted going in and out of Sword of the War God. According to the rumours, they were frantically collecting void metal. Nie Yan received constant updates on the situation in Fallen Angel from Guo Huai. From that, he guessed Plenty was also crazily raising his level and the quality of his gear. Once the five-month deadline was up, he wondered how strong Plenty would be. After grinding in Hell for three more days, Nie Yan received word from Guo Huai that Howling Wind had brought his team with him to join Asskickers United. Subsequently, he defeated Sun, Tang Yao, and the rest. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. It looked like this was Howling Wind¡¯s way of proving him wrong. He had several powerful experts under his wing. If Fallen Angel ever tried to declare war on Asskickers United, they would now have a greater advantage. Nie Yan recalled how Howling Wind took on Angel Corps all by himself in the previous timeline. Yet this unyieldingly proud figure was absolutely dominated by him. Even though when the game first released Nie Yan had the advantage of foresight, he had to rely on hard work to get to where he was now. Nie Yan eventually found the final fragment of the Death God¡¯s Bone. After he placed all 12 fragments together in his bag, they let out a dazzling light. The 12 fragments gradually merged together before becoming a single bone. Nie Yan stared fixedly at the bone, wondering what it would become. The intact Death God¡¯s Edge was extremely smooth. There wasn¡¯t a trace of a single crack. It looked as if it were crafted from a black metal, giving off a dark lustre. Death God¡¯s Bone: Special Item Death Sentence: Target an enemy for death. If the target is not more than 20 levels above the user, this spell will instantly kill them. Cooldown: 30 days. Death Sentence? Nie Yan was curious to see this skill in action. A cooldown of 30 days. If Nie Yan used it, it would be back up by the time he would duel Plenty. Looking in the distance, an Umbra Demon King happened to be moving towards him. Death Sentence! Suddenly, an enormous hand emerged from the sky as if it had crossed through from the void. As the index finger pointed at the Umbra Demon King, a powerful aura of death spread out. This skill was far grander than Annihilation Slash! It also looked even more difficult to dodge. The hand blotted out the entire sky as an immense force bore down on the ground. All the undead in the vicinity trembled in fear. BOOOM! The Umbra Demon King appeared to be struck by a powerful force. It collapsed to the ground. Instant kill? Nie Yan gasped. What a powerful skill! It really was an instant kill! This skill was ridiculously overpowered. In terms of killing power, no other skill could beat it. Of course, it wasn¡¯t invincible. At the very last moment before the attack landed, it could still be evaded. However, only the fastest and most skilled could pull that off. Especially since Nie Yan would only use it at the most opportune time, when the enemy had no chance of evading! After gathering the 12 fragments, Nie Yan had another killer ace! Nie Yan¡¯s harvests were quite good. Looking around, there were still two Umbra Demon Kings left. He¡¯d deal with them in 30 minutes. At this home stretch in Hell, a satisfied smile appeared on Nie Yan¡¯s face. He was already Level 202, 32%, while his dragons were even higher with the Divine Eclipse Dragon at Level 211 and the other two at Level 205. Nie Yan broke out into laughter, his voice reverberating for a long time in the air. It brimmed with confidence, just like in the past. The moment he left Hell would mark the Mad Rogue¡¯s return to glory! ¡°It¡¯s been three years. I¡¯m back!¡± Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 983 - Return of the Mad Rogue With a flash of light, Nie Yan teleported back to Okoron. As he walked down the bustling streets of his city, he sighed with emotion. Finally, he was going to return to Asskickers United in glory! Nie Yan was about to announce his return anyway, so he disabled appear offline mode. On the level leaderboards, he immediately shot up from the hundred millions to rank 93. The players in the Righteous Faction quickly caught wind of the change on the level leaderboards, shock spreading among them. They rubbed their eyes in disbelief. How was this possible? How did Nie Yan level up from Level 156 to Level 202 in under four months? This was simply insane! The news of Nie Yan¡¯s updated level quickly reached the Evil Faction, causing an enormous uproar. The forums erupted with discussion. Those who previously claimed Nie Yan had no chance of catching up quietly shut their mouths. They couldn¡¯t wrap their heads around how he managed to level up at such an insane speed! It didn¡¯t take long before someone linked the footage of a Thief soloing the Umbra Demon Kings to him. All of a sudden, everything made sense. At Level 202, there was only a four or five-level difference between Nie Yan and Plenty, meaning the level suppression was negligible. At that point, victory would be decided by skill and gear quality. The players took Nie Yan disabling appear offline as a declaration of his return. The throne of number one player in the game once more had its master! The phrase ¡®monarch overlooking the heavens¡¯ perfectly described Nie Yan. At this moment, no one believed Plenty could beat him. His undefeated record was engraved deeply in the hearts of countless players. Even to this day, it still remained standing! After finding out Nie Yan was already Level 202, the entirety of Asskickers United broke out in celebration. The guild chat flooded with messages as everyone expressed their excitement. Some old veterans felt their eyes tickling with tears. It had been three whole years. Everything seemed like a dream. At some point, word of Nie Yan walking down the streets of Okoron towards the guild headquarters started going around. The Abernathy Great Grasslands, Calore, Orc King City, Blaze City, Chaos Temple, Sword of the War God, countless guild members stopped what they were doing and activated their Return Scrolls to teleport back to the closest city, then made their way to Okoron. Players from Asskickers United were flocking from all over towards Okoron. There were also quite a few non-guild members rushing over to witness the occasion. The city was large enough to contain tens of millions of people, but it was still packed to the brim, even more so than usual. Everyone was brimming with excitement. They were here to witness the return of the Mad Rogue, the return of the king! This was sure to be a historic moment. Three years, an entire three years! When news of Nie Yan being shot came out, countless guild members felt a huge blow to their hearts. Many even cried. He had guided Asskickers United down the path of glory, going from nothing to becoming the ruler of the Righteous Faction. Many people joined the guild as nobodies, slowly maturing over the years. The feelings these old veterans had for Nie Yan were extremely deep. Finally, he was coming back! He hadn¡¯t forgotten about them! ... Sword of the War God. Smoke Stub glanced at the guild chat, then turned to the others with a faint smile. ¡°Looks like Nie Yan is coming back. How about we go back and welcome him home?¡± ¡°You sure this information is legit? If he¡¯s planning to come back, you¡¯d think he would tell us first. Someone might just be spreading rumours,¡± Bladelight said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter. He has already disabled appear offline. With so many people gathering in Okoron, he has no choice but to show himself.¡± Smoke Stub laughed. Bladelight thought for a moment. It made sense. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head back!¡± The rest of the team erupted into cheers. Sun, Undying Scoundrel, Lustboy, all of them were excited beyond belief. With a flash of light, they teleported back to Okoron. Watching Bladelight and the others appearing in Okoron, everyone was even more sure Nie Yan was making his return. Their boisterous cheers shook the city to its very core. ... Nie Yan made a run to the Starry Night Potion Shop. He originally wanted to take care of a few things, then get in touch with Bladelight and the others. But by simply appearing online again, he had caused such a huge commotion. He was a little taken aback. It seemed futile to keep hiding. So, Nie Yan sent Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others a message. Taking off his cloak, he walked straight past the Starry Night Potion Shop and toward the Asskickers United guild headquarters. Seeing a player in the middle of the street revealing himself to be Nirvana Flame, all the players in the vicinity stared at him in shock before quickly parting ways to let him through. ¡°Boss!¡± ¡°Boss, do you remember me?¡± ¡­ Some Asskickers United players in the surroundings yelled out to him. They didn¡¯t expect Nie Yan to reveal himself here. They could hardly contain their excitement. Nie Yan nodded back with a faint smile. It had been three years. Even though he had forgotten the names of many of the people before him, he still recognized them. His heart was filled with a myriad of feelings. Three years ago, he had briefly died. Fortunately, he was given a new lease on life. Seeing these people again, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh with deep emotion. As Nie Yan continued walking towards the guild headquarters, from everywhere people started following behind him. Even though Nie Yan knew his return would cause a huge reaction, he didn¡¯t expect it would be to this extent. Okoron was even more packed than usual, tens of millions all here to see his return! In the blink of an eye, the entirety of Asskickers United knew of Nie Yan¡¯s return. Nie Yan glanced at the guild chat. It was moving so fast he couldn¡¯t possibly keep up, only seeing a few messages. ¡¸Boss, welcome home!¡¹ After catching a glimpse of this message, Nie Yan fought back the urge to let his tears come out. He wondered how Bladelight, Smoke Stub, Sun, and them were doing. The players following behind Nie Yan started taking notice of his equipment. He¡¯d hidden the stats of his equipment, but they could tell from its appearance what grade it was. Their minds trembled in shock. All Sacred-grade, and it looked like a set! All six pieces had a sleek and stylish appearance and sparkled with a metallic lustre. Just above their surface circulated streams of azure light, which gave off an ice cold aura. They couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Thinking back to the video of Nie Yan soloing the Umbra Demon Kings, they guessed this equipment set had an astonishing aura or domain type ability as well as that ice rupture effect. As they thought about that monstrous damage, they couldn¡¯t help but shudder in fear. Nie Yan leisurely strode forward, wearing a calm expression on his face. Yet the players around him felt an untouchable prestige. The person before them was the undefeated legend, the Mad Rogue who accomplished countless impossible feats! His name alone gave off a sense of pressure. A few minutes later, the entrance to the guild headquarters was already within view. Gathered there were several thousand of the guild¡¯s elites standing in rank and file. Seeing these passionate faces, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t feel more at home. He recognized many of them by name. Three years ago, they had fought shoulder-to-shoulder with him in leading Asskickers United to glory! ¡°Boss!¡± ¡°Boss, you¡¯re back!¡± ¡­ Many players let their tears run freely as their emotions got the better of them. Nie Yan spotted Bladelight, Smoke Stub, Sun, King of the World, and the others. Bladelight walked up to Nie Yan and gave him one big bearhug. Afterwards, he stepped back and patted him on the shoulder with a hearty smile. ¡°You lil¡¯ punk. You finally have the nerve to show yourself, huh?¡± ¡°Big Bro!¡± Sun excitedly walked forward, his face full of snot and tears. Tang Yao and King of the World were more calm. After all, they still interacted with Nie Yan regularly in real life. Nie Yan¡¯s heart was deeply moved. He swept his gaze over the crowd gathered around him. Smoke Stub, Undying Scoundrel, Young Seven, Mistaken Smile¡­ seeing all these familiar faces, he fought back the urge to holler at the top of his lungs that he was finally back. ¡°The king has returned, the monarch overlooking the world!¡± ¡°All hail the Mad Rogue!¡± ¡­ No one knew who was the first to yell out these words, but the rest of the crowd quickly followed suit. Their passionate cheers rumbled like thunder, threatening to bring all of Okoron down. One could imagine how loud they were. All the non-guild members in the scene paled in fright. They finally understood why Asskickers United always came out on top in an impossible situation and how they rose up to become the ruler of the Righteous Faction. Even though Asskickers United remained relatively stable over these past three years, everyone in the guild felt like something intrinsic was missing without Nie Yan. With his return, all of them lost themselves in excitement. He was the spiritual pillar of the guild. As long as he was there, they felt invincible. This was the power of a leader! The Mad Rogue was the glory of Asskickers United, their symbol of invincibility. Okoron descended into a state of merriment. Countless Asskickers United players surged through the streets and gathered around the guild headquarters. Several million players were packed so closely together around the guild headquarters that their feet didn¡¯t touch the ground anymore. Nie Yan climbed to the top of the highest tower in the guild headquarters. He looked over the sea of people, all of them eagerly looking up and waiting for him to speak. Even the roofs of nearby buildings were packed with players! They were all cheering. ¡°Long live Asskickers United! Long live Nirvana Flame!¡± Nie Yan¡¯s heart stirred with emotion and a sense of pride. This was the feeling of overlooking the world! As long as he gave the word, millions of players would sweep through all enemies in his path! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 984 - Chapter of Holiness! Nie Yan swept his gaze over the crowd below. He could sense the passion and emotions stirring in each and every one of them. Bladelight put a hand on Nie Yan¡¯s shoulder and said with a smile, ¡°Go on. They¡¯re all waiting for you to speak.¡± ¡°Yeah, Big Bro! They¡¯ve all been waiting for your return,¡± Sun chimed in. Tang Yao, Smoke Stub, and the rest nodded in agreement. Nie Yan looked down at the excited crowd. ¡°Brothers, it¡¯s been three long years. I¡¯m finally back. I am so happy to see all of you again. You know, I was looking at the guild chat earlier and saw some say, ¡®Boss, welcome home!¡¯ Yes, I am home, and I¡¯m deeply touched, touched that so many of you didn¡¯t forget me, didn¡¯t give up on me. To be honest with all of you, I¡¯m overwhelmed that so many of you showed up here today. I vividly remember as though it happened yesterday how we fought shoulder-to-shoulder together and broke through all obstacles to rule the Righteous Faction. Today, for the sake of those who fought and still fight with us, for the glory of Asskickers United, join me again as we continue on this path of glory!¡± Nie Yan pointed Zennarde¡¯s Sword toward the sky, the blazing azure flames reflecting the excitement in his heart. ¡°Long live Asskickers United!¡± ¡°Long live Nirvana Flame!¡± ¡°Defeat Fallen Angel and rule the world!¡± ... The roaring cheers of the crowd shook all of Okoron. Nie Yan knew speaking any more words would simply be superfluous. He was back. That was all that mattered to these players. Their morale skyrocketed to an all time high. Over the next few hours, Okoron was livelier than ever as Asskickers United launched a massive celebration for the Mad Rogue¡¯s return. Nie Yan entered a conference hall in the guild headquarters. Guo Huai and the others were already waiting for him. ¡°Thank you. I know it¡¯s been tough on you guys,¡± Nie Yan said. He truly meant these words from the bottom of his heart. When news of him being shot came out, Asskickers United might have very well collapsed were it not for the efforts of Guo Huai, Bladelight, and the rest. They fended off the guilds that rose to prominence in his absence, and kept Asskickers United a coherent whole. ¡°Pfft! What is this courteous and polite nonsense? Don¡¯t treat us like strangers!¡± Guo Huai said with a smile. ¡°Right! When we hit the bar later, you can treat us to a few rounds!¡± Bladelight laughed. ¡°Consider it your punishment. Going off on a honeymoon with Yao Yao, and leaving us behind! We thought you¡¯d forgotten us!¡± Smoke Stub broke into a smile. ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back.¡± Nie Yan smiled at King of the World and Tang Yao. They held a short celebration in the conference hall. After all, Nie Yan¡¯s return was an enormous deal. Nie Yan took the opportunity to get to know some of the new faces. The number of elite experts under Asskickers United¡¯s banner reached the tens of thousands. Many were no less inferior to the likes of Undying Scoundrel, Summer Bug, and them. They had all joined after his departure from the game. For many of them, this was their first time meeting him. Still, he recognized more than half of them, since they were famous experts in his past life. Howling Wind and his group had also arrived. All these talented people were his subordinates. It really was like a dream. ¡°Guo Huai, how has Fallen Angel reacted to my return?¡± Nie Yan asked. News of his return had definitely reached Plenty¡¯s ears by now. ¡°It¡¯s strange. There seems to be no reaction whatsoever. Their members are talking about it, but apart from pacifying some worries, their staff members haven¡¯t expressed any thoughts. Their main team still hasn¡¯t returned either, and Plenty is nowhere to be found,¡± Guo Huai replied. ¡°Looks like Plenty is really feeling the heat. He¡¯s probably holed himself up somewhere to raise his level,¡± Bladelight said. ¡°I wonder if he¡¯s succeeded in becoming a Legend.¡± ¡°Hard to say¡­¡± ... Everyone chimed in with their thoughts. Nie Yan eventually raised his hand, signalling everyone to calm down. ¡°I¡¯m going to complete a few quests by myself, then head to the Evil Faction to see what¡¯s going on down there for myself.¡± ¡°Boss, you sure you don¡¯t want us to come with you?¡± ¡°No need. I¡¯ll be going alone.¡± Nie Yan shook his head. Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others didn¡¯t show much surprise. They weren¡¯t at all worried. There was a reason why Nie Yan remained undefeated. Even if he headed to the Evil Faction alone, he would still be fine. ¡°What quests do you still need to do?¡± Bladelight asked. ¡°Need our help with anything?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all unique, exclusive quests, including completing the Book of Order,¡± Nie Yan said. With his current strength, these quests wouldn¡¯t take much time or effort. ¡°Big Bro, before you go, let us hand over the chapters from the Book of Order we collected for you,¡± Sun said. ¡°Ah, right. Yeah, that sounds good.¡± Nie Yan nodded. He needed all the chapters to complete the Book of Order anyway. There was no need to refuse out of politeness. The party lasted for two hours before everyone dispersed. Nie Yan had Sun and the others hand over their chapters from the Book of Order. Of course, they were non-transferable items and could only drop upon death. A dazzling radiance shone from Nie Yan¡¯s bags. The scattered chapters fused into complete volumes. Five volumes and five chapters neatly lay inside his inventory. These five volumes were divided into the Glimpse of Darkness, Glimpse Of Light, Glimpse of Ice, Glimpse of Thunder, and Glimpse of Fire. The Glimpse of Darkness gave the greatest stat bonuses for a Thief with the Glimpse of Light coming in second. The other three volumes didn¡¯t benefit Nie Yan as much, but they were still good. To complete the Glimpse of Divinity and with that the Book of Order, he only needed to find the Chapter of Holiness. Afterwards, he would have another Sacred item in his possession and would be bestowed the title of Supreme Pontiff. According to rumours, the Chapter of Holiness was in the hands of a Level 200 Demonified Lord called the Void Walker. Nie Yan could only defeat it himself. To others, a boss like the Void Walker was near impossible to beat. To draw a comparison, for the sake of obtaining the last chapter of the Book of Chaos, Plenty had expended an untold amount of effort just to defeat the Level 200 Demonified Lord the Divine Djinn. At that time, Plenty was already level 205. Fortunately, retrieving the Chapter of Holiness would be a cake walk for Nie Yan. After all, he could already solo Level 210 Demonified Lords. What did he have to fear of the Level 200 Void Walker? Over the next few days, Nie Yan completely engrossed himself in questing. Finally, he found himself at the entrance to the Void Palace, a place deep within the Chaos Temple. Behind those gates was the Level 200 Void Walker. The Void Palace was the only place in the Chaos Temple that hadn¡¯t been explored yet. Most teams weren¡¯t strong enough to kill the monsters guarding the entrance. And even those teams who did kill the guards found themselves stuck, as the gates wouldn¡¯t budge no matter how they tried. So, they could only turn back in dejection. Nie Yan stared at the gates, his three giant dragon pets proudly standing behind him. If others were to see him trying to enter the Void Palace alone, they would turn pale in fright. Nie Yan placed his palm on the gate. It instantly lit up with a dazzling radiance as the gates slowly rumbled open. He blurred into motion and dashed straight toward the Void Walker. The Divine Eclipse Dragon used Doppelganger and split into five bodies. The 10 heads all started chanting extremely powerful single-target Forbidden Magic. The Void Walker roared out and slashed out with its ethereal claws. However, no matter how it attacked, it couldn¡¯t land a single hit on Nie Yan. A dense shower of spells rained down on the Void Walker, causing it to wail out in pain. A Level 200 Demonified Lord was actually powerless to fight back! To Nie Yan, fighting this Void Walker was like a walk in the park. The monster continuously wailed out in pain as its health plummeted down. Even a team of apex experts wouldn¡¯t necessarily be able to match this damage! About 10 minutes later, the Void Walker let out a final mournful cry. Its body started falling apart as it disintegrated into nothing. To Nie Yan¡¯s surprise, nothing dropped after the Void Walker died. ¡°Where¡¯s the Chapter of Holiness?¡± Nie Yan knitted his brows. He looked around the palace hall and found a passage leading to who knew where. So the Chapter of Holiness wasn¡¯t on the Void Walker after all! The passage was too narrow for the three dragons to fit in. Nie Yan thought for a moment before activating Gale Step and dashing in. The scene that greeted Nie Yan left him gasping in shock. At the end of the passage was a long flight of stairs. It was about two meters wide, leading up to the endless void. The only interruption were the flaming green meteors streaking past. This scene was more spectacular than tens of thousands of meteor spells combined together. It seemed like the work of an invincible Mage. Even though there were countless meteors streaking through the void, none of them struck the stairs. For the sake of obtaining the Chapter of Holiness, Nie Yan was willing to brave any danger, to say nothing of the fact he had absolute confidence in his strength now. Even if he did meet with danger, he could rely on his skills to turn the situation around to his advantage. As Nie Yan ascended the stairs, he felt like he was walking through the void. Nie Yan had no idea where he was anymore. Around him was a boundless void, and the stairs continued stretching upward without end. It felt similar to the dimension inside the Dark Demonic Space. After climbing more than 200,000 steps, Nie Yan finally saw a black gate up ahead. It was sealed shut. On it were various strange engravings. He was instantly curious. What could lay beyond here? Thinking to this point, a speck of light entered Nie Yan¡¯s vision. There appeared to be something floating in front of the gate. That light couldn¡¯t be more familiar to Nie Yan. It was unmistakably a chapter from the Book of Order, the Chapter of Holiness! Nie Yan¡¯s face lit up with elation. The final chapter was almost within reach! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 985 - Book of Order The Chapter of Holiness floated in the void, emanating a powerful holy aura. The last remaining chapter! The title of Supreme Pontiff was within grasp! Nie Yan had started to realize a certain truth over the years while playing Conviction. The strong only grew stronger! Those more skilled than their peers could complete more difficult quests and obtain better gear and skills. With this better equipment, they could naturally take on even higher difficulty quests and get their hands on even better loot. Like this, they would pull farther and farther ahead from ordinary players. Nie Yan was a prime example. After becoming a Legend, many things became much easier to obtain, such as the final chapter from the Book of Order and the Supreme Pontiff title. After obtaining these things, his strength would rise by another level, and he would pull even farther ahead. Nie Yan climbed up to the top of the stairs and stopped in front of the floating Chapter of Holiness. He reached out to it with his hand. The Chapter of Holiness appeared to sense the other chapters in Nie Yan¡¯s possession and started whirling around, giving off a gentle white light. Nie Yan grabbed the Chapter of Holiness and placed it inside his bag. The remaining chapters slowly came together, releasing a dazzling light before merging into a complete volume. Afterwards, the six volumes fused together into a thick book. The front cover was made out of some unknown material while the edges were embroidered with gold thread. It was worn out and drab, evidence of its long history. Written on the cover in Ancient Common were the bolded words, Book of Order. Nie Yan wondered what the stats of the completed Book of Order were. However, the stairs beneath his feet started shaking violently before he had a chance to find out. Countless cracks spread across the enormous black gate in front of him. The whole place was about to go down! Nie Yan¡¯s heart shook. He didn¡¯t dare to dally here any longer. He bolted away with Gale Step. BANG! BANG! BANG! A cacophony of explosions rang out behind him. The meteors, each of them hundreds of times larger than the ones summoned by Forbidden Magic, started raining down on the stairs. They obliterated large sections as they smashed through the steps. A meteor crashed down directly below Nie Yan. BOOM! Hundreds of steps exploded into the void. Nie Yan halted his steps. His way down was cut off! Three notification and announcement jingles rang next to Nie Yan¡¯s ears. He had no time to check what they were. Just as he was about to summon the Spectre Dragon and fly away, several meteors came falling right towards him. ¡°Crap, I¡¯m done for.¡± Nie Yan despaired. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have anything on him that would drop on death. His several Sacred items were all bound to him. That included the Death God¡¯s Edge, which bound to him after completing the quest in Hell, and the Book of Order which was now complete. So, he would only lose some experience. BANG! BANG! BANG! Nie Yan felt an overwhelming heat engulfing him before all went dark. A while later, Nie Yan revived in the graveyard. Looking at his experience bar, he felt it was well worth it. He obtained the Book of Order at a small loss of experience that didn¡¯t even see him drop a level. Nie Yan glanced at the notifications and announcements he received. Nirvana Flame has completed the Book of Order. In two hours, Archangel Tallod will descend on the Temple of Light in Calore and officially bestow him the title of Supreme Pontiff in a coronation ceremony. Nirvana Flame has opened the Entrance to the Void World. Invasion of the Void World: Inhabitants of the Atlanta continent, for the preservation of humanity, return to your cities and fight off the invaders from a foreign world. May the God of Light be with you. Jebiath the Great has died. You have failed the quest ¡°Elder Redwin¡¯s Betrayal.¡± Jebiah the Great¡¯s Scepter Fragment has disappeared. Before Nie Yan could comprehend what was going on, he received a second string of announcements. Calore is under siege by creatures from the void. Calling all players for assistance. Okoron is under siege by creatures from the void. Calling all players for assistance. Nisode is under siege by creatures from the void. Calling all players for assistance. ... Nie Yan received more than 30 such announcements in total. He was flabbergasted. Did him grabbing a single chapter really cause such a huge event? Unbeknownst to Nie Yan, the trigger condition for the release of the Void World was the completion of both the Book of Order and Book of Chaos. Since Plenty had already completed the Book of Chaos, Nie Yan completing the Book of Order became the key to opening the floodgates. Since this was a trigger event, Great Prophecy couldn¡¯t predict it. Invasion of the Void World, this sounded like another major expansion. In two hours, Nie Yan had to be in the Temple of Light in Calore to be coronated as the Supreme Pontiff. However, with the invasion of the void, the entirety of the Atlanta continent was in chaos. Likely, it wouldn¡¯t be as grand of an event as the crowning of the Chairman of the Dark Council. Be it Nie Yan completing the Book of Order, receiving the Supreme Pontiff title, or the opening of the Void World, it triggered a huge uproar among the playerbase. So many major events were clustered together. Everyone was dumbstruck. ¡¸Guo Huai, what¡¯s the situation like on your side right now?¡¹Nie Yan asked. ¡¸It¡¯s complete and utter chaos here. All our strongholds are under siege from void creatures. There are too many of them. We can¡¯t hold on.¡¹Guo Huai anxiously reported. Nie Yan pondered for a moment. Every now and then in Conviction, a major event would rear its ugly head to wreck immense havoc, forcing players to rebuild from the ruins. It was only a matter of time for this invasion of the void to happen. ¡¸What about the Evil Faction?¡¹Nie Yan asked. He hoped the void creatures were also invading the underworld and not just the surface, or else it would be really unfair. ¡¸They¡¯re also under siege. I¡¯m guessing Plenty is tearing his hair out trying to deal with it.¡¹ ¡¸I see, that¡¯s good. Since everyone is being attacked, whoever can survive this calamity will be the victor. I¡¯ll return to Okoron immediately!¡¹Nie Yan said. He skimmed through the guild chat and pieced together a rough picture of what happened. After he completed the Book of Order, innumerable green meteors starting raining down all over the Atlanta continent. After they crashed into the ground¡ªobliterating many man made structures and even entire towns¡ªthey opened up to reveal hordes of void creatures. These monsters started hunting down the players in the wilderness. Before long, they found themselves without players left to feast on. Not satisfied with this, they started attacking settlements and cities too. The weakest among these void creatures were ordinary Level 180 monsters. Among them there were countless, Void Walkers, Void Slaughterers, and Void Predators; Level 200, 210, and 220 Lords respectively. There were even Demonified Lords. The players in the cities fought back fiercely. However, taking down these void creatures required enormous manpower. On average, tens of thousands of players were required to deal with a single Void Walker! Under the siege of the void creatures, strongholds were quickly lost; especially those of which that were hit by the meteors. The cities fared somewhat better. With countless powerful NPCS guarding them, they could put up a decent resistance. Nie Yan was puzzled about one thing. What did Jebiah the Great¡¯s death and Elder Redwin¡¯s Betrayal have to do with the invasion of the void? He¡¯d been putting off that quest for who knew how long without issue. But now he¡¯d suddenly received a notification that he failed it. Thankfully, there weren''t any penalties, nor did the quest disappear as a new continuation opened up. Could it be that Elder Redwin had something to do with this invasion? Nie Yan didn¡¯t have the luxury to continue pondering this question. He would have to deal with things as they came. Plus, this was also a blessing in disguise for him. With his current strength, these high level Lords were perfect food for him. He could seize this opportunity to power level! Nie Yan still hadn¡¯t had a chance to check out the Book of Order. He pulled it out and examined it. Book of Order (Sacred): Inheritance Item Description: Only the holder of the Book of Order will receive God¡¯s inheritance and become the Righteous Faction¡¯s Supreme Pontiff. Your mission is to spread the glory of light. The owner of this item may mobilize the army of the Temple of Light and give out orders to all its followers. Properties: All Stats + 300%, Experience +80%, Magic Item Drop Rate +10%, All Skills Max Rank, Dark Magic Immunity, Physical Damage Reduction +80%. Access to all skills and spells; the user may learn up to 100 of them at any time (Some effects cancelled out by the Book of Chaos). Restrictions: Nirvana Flame Note: Item effects are applied immediately upon entering the player¡¯s bag. The Book of Order was undoubtedly amazing. As an item that took effect just by sitting in the player¡¯s bag, it could only be described as heaven defying. Then again, it was one of the ultimate items in Conviction. For it to have these kinds of properties wasn¡¯t shocking. Nie Yan was especially taken aback by the fact that he had access to all skills and spells and could learn up to 100 at any given time. Likely, the Book of Chaos also gave something similar. If he didn¡¯t have the Book of Order and rashly challenged Plenty, he would¡¯ve probably suffered a humiliating defeat. It appeared Plenty was still holding back. Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t hot-headed. What Nie Yan didn¡¯t know was that the Book of Chaos was completely different from the Book of Order. But since the properties of the Book of Chaos weren¡¯t public, he had know way of knowing what they were. Nie Yan obtained another item that didn¡¯t lose out to any other Sacred-grade piece of equipment. His strength soared up by another level. He could probably stand as an equal among the Legendary NPCs now. Plenty probably saw in the void creatures the same as Nie Yan, a great opportunity to level up. Nie Yan¡¯s heart was filled with eagerness and competitive spirit. As he tightly gripped Zennarde¡¯s Sword in his hand, the flames blazed brightly. ¡°Let¡¯s see who can kill them faster, Plenty!¡± Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 986 - Absolute Might! When Nie Yan returned to Okoron, he found the whole place in chaos. Countless players were rushing towards the city walls. However, they couldn¡¯t stop some void creatures from breaking through the city¡¯s defenses. They floated ominously above the ground, resembling mega sized spectres with sharp teeth and claws. The troops from Asskickers United desperately fought back against them. A Void Walker moved through the city, toppling down buildings while completely brushing off the shower of magic raining down it. Even though the players fighting the Void Walker were panicked and confused, they still managed to form a relatively effective resistance. ¡°Mages, take position to the left. Use the buildings as cover. Maintain your damage output! Warriors, protect the Mages!¡± a Priest from Asskickers United ordered. The players in the surroundings rallied under his leadership. BANG! BANG! BANG! The Warriors charged forward while the Mages bombarded the Void Walker with their magic. A Level 200 Demonified Lord was normally an untouchable existence for ordinary players. However, by throwing enough bodies at it, they slowly whittled its health down. ¡°HREEEEEK!¡± the Void Walker cried out, wrecking the surrounding buildings with one clean slash. Just at this moment, Nie Yan arrived on the scene. Okoron was his city. He had poured an untold amount of blood and sweat on it. Seeing the Void Walker wantonly destroying everything he had worked so hard for, his expression turned ice cold. Nie Yan disappeared from his spot and reappeared right below the Void Walker. He slashed out with Zennarde¡¯s Sword as a string of frightening damage values floated up above its head. Three minutes later, it let out a mournful wail and collapsed to the ground. Nie Yan glanced at his experience bar. It had only filled up by a tiny bit. As for the loot, he left it where it was. The city needed him right now, and he wasn¡¯t about to let it fall because he was preoccupied with something as unimportant as that. The players in the vicinity were dumbstruck. They¡¯d been fighting the Void Walker for who knew how long and only brought its health down to 90%. Yet a single person had come around and took care of it in the blink of an eye. ¡°That Thief, that dagger¡­ it¡¯s the boss!¡± the Priest exclaimed as he stared at Nie Yan¡¯s departing silhouette. ¡°No doubt about it, the boss is here!¡± This small piece of news sent waves through the players from Asskickers United as they started fighting with even greater ferocity. The non-guild members dumbly starred in the direction Nie Yan disappeared in. So, that was Nirvana Flame? How strong! This was their first time seeing Nie Yan live in action. Under the blade of Zennarde¡¯s Sword, a Level 200 Demonified Lord was nothing more than helpless prey! Nie Yan was putting out fires all over Okoron, bumping into Bladelight and other familiar faces along the way. They were also working hard to drive the void creatures out of the city. ¡°Nie Yan, the east gate needs help! I¡¯ll go with Smoke Stub to back up the west gate!¡± Bladelight said. ¡°Got it!¡± Nie Yan said before dashing off. ... Okoron, east gate. Several hundred thousand Asskickers United players were on the walls, beating back the void creatures outside. The arrow towers and catapults were firing at full power. Undying Scoundrel was the man in charge at the east gate. From atop the wall, he gravely looked at the endless sea of void creatures, with no small number of high level Demonified Lords among them. The Mages had already cast 60 Forbidden Spells to kill just one of them. They were too strong, and there were simply too many of them! Their every attack would break large chunks off the wall. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the east gate would fall. ¡¸Scoundrel, we can¡¯t hold on any longer!¡¹ ¡¸Send up the three Magisters who still have their Forbidden Magic! Cast them one after another!¡¹Undying Scoundrel shouted. A Level 220 Demonified Lord-class Void Predator managed to scale the walls and slashed down with its monstrous claws. BAANG! The walls shook violently as several dozen players were sent flying. For many of them it wasn¡¯t their first death since the void invasion. Even so, they didn¡¯t hesitate to rush back from the graveyard and continue helping in the city¡¯s defense. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t enough as the walls were starting to crumble. The players on the walls desperately tried to fend of the enemy. If worse came to worst, they could only retreat from the walls and set up a defensive line in the city. However, that meant Okoron would suffer even greater destruction. At this moment, seven dragons appeared out of nowhere on the city wall. The players from Asskickers United were briefly taken aback before realizing who these dragons belonged to. Their eyes lit up with joy. A silhouette rushed forward to greet the Void Predator. ¡¸Scoundrel, focus all your attacks on whichever monster I¡¯m attacking!¡¹Nie Yan ordered. ¡¸Understood, Boss!¡¹Undying Scoundrel relaxed someone as he passed on the message to his men.¡¸Everyone, the boss is here! Listen to my orders!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s the boss!¡¹ Morale instantly skyrocketed. Nie Yan¡¯s presence was an enormous source of confidence for these players. ¡¸Listen to Scoundrel!¡¹ ¡¸Follow my lead! Help the boss!¡¹Undying Scoundrel shouted. Nie Yan struck the Void Predator with his Backbreaker of Nirvana Flame. BANG! An explosion of ice ruptured out from the wound, halting its movements. Immediately after, the Forbidden Magic from the dragons along with the spells from the Mages came raining down. An assault of more than 50,000 spells! About a minute later, the Void Predator let out a mournful cry and collapsed to the ground. Nie Yan glanced at the Void Predator¡¯s remains and noticed something sparkling. ¡°Void metal!¡± He reached down and grabbed it. Upon closer examination, he discovered it was Void Silver Ore! Not a bad harvest. Every ore was definitely precious! After taking down the first Void Predator, Nie Yan immediately locked onto the next. He pounced forward with a Legendary Nightmare Beheader! Nie Yan had taken the two Legendary skill books for Thieves that were in Asskickers United¡¯s guild treasury. One was Nightmare Beheader and the other was Shadow Escape. Nightmare Beheader¡¯s range couldn¡¯t compare to Annihilation Slash. However, its damage wasn¡¯t any bit inferior, and its cooldown was much shorter. It worked best on a single target! BANG! The Void Predator took a heavy blow and staggered several steps back. The Void Predator was about to retaliate, when a locust swarm spell came whistling over. The locust swarm engulfed it, interrupting its attack. Nie Yan seized the opportunity and circled around with a Lacerate. PSFHT! Ice rupture proc¡¯d again! About a minute later, the second Void Predator fell under the fierce assault. As for the weaker Level 180 Void Wolves in the vicinity, they couldn¡¯t endure the bitter cold of Jotunheim¡¯s Descent and instantly froze to death. Nie Yan had Kalenna protect him with Kalenna¡¯s Guardian Barrier. It almost tickled as multiple Demonified Lords attacked him together. Asskickers United¡¯s players were left speechless. No matter how much they attacked, they couldn¡¯t deal with a single Void Predator. However, with Nie Yan¡¯s arrival, they killed two in the span of a short few minutes. His position in their hearts rose even higher as they once more viewed him as an invincible god. Seeing Nie Yan¡¯s silhouette flickering around the battlefield like a phantom, they wondered how long it would take for them to reach his level. They could only rely on the protection of the walls to deal damage to the void creatures. Meanwhile, Nie Yan dared to charge into the frightening sea of monsters all by himself. What astonishing strength! ¡¸M-my God! Look at our stats!¡¹a Mage shouted. ¡¸36 blessings! Holy crap! No wonder our damage increased by so much after the boss arrived! Before we were barely hitting in the double digits. Now, we¡¯re hitting in the several thousands!¡¹ Kalenna¡¯s blessings weren¡¯t just for Nie Yan, but for all his nearby allies too! It was a pity the second Void Predator he killed didn¡¯t drop any void metal. Nie Yan picked up a piece of equipment. It was a Level 200 Legendary void metal chestplate. Its stats were pretty decent. He tossed it into his bag. Under Nie Yan¡¯s leadership, Asskickers United launched an all-out counterattack. They focused on the Demonified Lords, which fell beneath his blade one after another. As for the ordinary Level 180 Void Wolves, they were swept away by the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s AoE magic. As the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s light and dark Forbidden Magic rained down on the battlefield, countless void creatures were vaporized into nothing. Ding dong! Nie Yan glanced at his level. He had reached Level 203! What astonishing levelling speed! Not only Nie Yan, everyone else received a lot of experience too. More than 80% of the players had at least levelled up once. Some even levelled up two or three times! About an hour later, the void creatures at the east gate were almost completely wiped out, the ground littered with corpses. There were only a few stragglers left alive. Nie Yan didn¡¯t stick around for them as he immediately headed elsewhere. An hour and 50 minutes later, Nie Yan levelled up again. He smacked his lips in satisfaction. With the release of the Void World, levelling became much faster. At the same time, he also received a notification. You have killed 36,000 void creatures and obtained the Allied Army Legion Commander title. You have obtained a Void Silver Ore. Nie Yan was puzzled. What was the Allied Army Legion Commander? Would it give him something useful? That said, the Void Silver Ore was a pleasant surprise. Apart from this one, he¡¯d also obtained five from killing Void Predators. Nie Yan wondered if he could upgrade the Tyrant Abak Set again with the Void Silver. Then again, the Tyrant Abak Set was already quite powerful. If he couldn¡¯t use it, he could always pass it on to Bladelight and them. Thanks to the efforts of the players form Asskickers United, most of the void creatures around Okoron were eventually cleared away. However, there were still many void creatures in the wilderness. Sooner or later, they would come swarming over. So, they had to take advantage of this brief period of peace to strengthen their defenses and prepare for the next wave. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 987 - Fallen Angel, Get Ready! Calore, Temple of Light. The flames of battle couldn¡¯t reach here, a gentle holy aura in the air. News of Nie Yan¡¯s coronation ceremony had quickly spread around the Righteous Faction. Even though the situation across the continent was chaotic right now, many people still came to witness this historic moment. After all, the Supreme Pontiff held the highest authority in the Righteous Faction. The main hall in the Temple of Light was packed with players. A red carpet was rolled out that led directly to a seat at the front of the room. The throne of the Supreme Pontiff! A symbol of absolute authority! In front of the throne was Archangel Tallod clad in his silver white armour. The ethereal wings of light on his back fluttered back and forth. His palms rested on the pommel of his greatsword, which was pointed downward toward the ground. He appeared dignified. After the Gates of Hell opened, many players became familiar with Archangel Tallod. Seeing his dignified expression, they knew better than to open their mouth. Even though the main hall was packed, it was deathly silent, so much so that you could hear a pin drop. Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others weren¡¯t present. They were busy protecting Okoron. Besides, the coronation ceremony was merely a formality. Nie Yan entered the hall, slowly walking over the red carpet. Looking at Archangel Tallod and the throne behind him, he still couldn¡¯t help but feel excited. From the beginning of the game to now, from an ordinary player to the Supreme Pontiff, the journey truly wasn¡¯t easy. Nie Yan scanned the room before landing on a familiar face. Standing in the crowd right below the throne was Xie Yao. She had an indescribable grace about her, making her stand out like a snow lotus in full bloom. As they met eyes, Xie Yao broke into a smile so gentle and enchanting that time appeared to come to a halt. Whenever Xie Yao was by his side, Nie Yan felt like he could accomplish anything. Nie Yan slowly strode forward, all eyes following his every step. The crowd felt like they were watching the ruler overlooking the world as reverence filled their hearts. He was about to officially become the Supreme Pontiff of the Temple of Light! Nie Yan was an unreachable, god-like existence to countless players! Many members of the crowd belonged to Asskickers United. They excitedly watched as Nie Yan approached Tallod, their eyes welling up with emotion. As they recalled the brilliance of his past achievements, they couldn¡¯t help but feel their hearts race and boil with excitement. It was him who had led them to the peak of honour and glory! Nie Yan stopped in front of Archangel Tallod, who placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Holder of the Book of Order, Nirvana Flame, are you willing to inherit God¡¯s glory and spread the faith of his light?¡± Archangel Tallod asked. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m willing,¡± Nie Yan said. He felt a heavy pressure just by being in Archangel Tallod¡¯s presence. What an overwhelming aura! It was far more powerful than any Legendary NPC! ¡°Nirvana Flame, will you accept the title of Supreme Pontiff and become the executioner of God¡¯s will?¡± Archangel Tallod asked. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m willing!¡± Nie Yan answered. Under the weight of Archangel Tallod¡¯s aura, he showed the utmost respect, not daring to show the slightest arrogance. ¡°Hereby I grant you the absolute authority to lead the followers of the Temple of Light. Fight bravely! May God¡¯s light be with you!¡± Archangel Tallod finished. A dazzling radiance brimming with an unrivalled power power fell over Nie Yan, Nie Yan felt every pore of his being surging with strength. Within the radiance, Archangel Tallod took out a golden crown and placed it over Nie Yan¡¯s head. His stately voice lingered in Nie Yan¡¯s ears. ¡°As I bathe in the light of Heaven, God has granted me an immortal body. Archangel Tallod has bestowed upon me supreme authority. As the Supreme Pontiff of the Temple of Light, I will declare war against the darkness and make sure His light illuminates every corner of the land. I will drive off all evil from this world and dispel all of humanity¡¯s sickness. I am this world¡¯s king!¡±Nie Yan¡¯s deep voice reverberated out. A powerful aura swept out, causing the players in the surroundings to pale in shock. They didn¡¯t dare to show any resistance as they knelt before him in submission. Nie Yan¡¯s eyes swept over the crowd. It was as if his gaze could see through all. The players felt like they were sitting on pins and needles. Finally, the players from Asskickers United erupted into cheers. ¡°Supreme Pontiff! Supreme Pontiff!¡± ¡°Long live Nirvana Flame!¡± ... Nie Yan lightly nodded. He could finally mobilize the army of the Temple of Light! Opening his status page, he noticed an additional tab for summoning NPC troops, which comprised a 200,000 strong Paladin Legion, 20,000 strong Priest Legion, and 50,000 strong Holy Griffon Knight Legion. With the threat of the void creatures still looming over them, Nie Yan instantly mobilized them. They would help the cities across the continent in repelling this invasion. After the coronation ceremony, Archangel Tallod stayed in the Temple of Light. From now on, he would personally oversee the temple in Calore. With him here, Calore would never fall! Nie Yan took his crown in his hands and inspected it. It gave zero stats, but it represented the highest position and authority! The cheering of the players from Asskickers United could be heard all across Calore. Nie Yan faintly smiled. The coronation ceremony gave him a brand new feeling. Today marked the day that he had reached the highest peak in Conviction! From now on, he would rule over the entire Righteous Faction! Perhaps in the future, his influence would even spread to the underworld! Staring at Nie Yan who bathed in a holy radiance, Xie Yao started reminiscing about the past. When they first met, she didn¡¯t know why, but from the first moment she felt like they were connected by destiny. In these past seven years, countless things had happened, all of which had become her most cherished memories. While Nie Yan sought higher and higher glory, she was simply content simply being by his side. The celebration after the coronation ceremony lasted for a few hours. The Asskickers United players in Okoron were also endlessly excited. Watching the video of the event, they wished nothing more than to be there in person. Unfortunately, they had to stay behind and defend Okoron. The guild members shared their joy in the guild chat. ¡¸Archangel Tallod crowned the boss Supreme Pontiff!¡¹ ¡¸The title of Supreme Pontiff and Chairman of the Dark Council basically cancel each other out. He can definitely beat Plenty now!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s for sure!¡¹ ¡¸Boss, we¡¯ll follow you wherever you go! Lead us to victory against Fallen Angel!¡¹ ¡­ Nie Yan glanced at the guild chat. He was pretty much set on heading down to the Evil Faction. However, with the opening of the void, he could still raise his level a bit more first! Lost in thought, Nie Yan¡¯s pet space suddenly erupted with a powerful energy. His heart trembled. The Darkwing Dragon broke through to Rank 10! It had increased in size by several times over with a wing span of well over 100 meters! Nie Yan was speechless. It had practically become a flying fortress. Its scales even radiated a faint holy aura. He had probably triggered some special evolution during the coronation ceremony. The sole Rank 10 Legendary flying mount! At this moment, the Darkwing Dragon was once more the supreme ruler of the skies! The Spectre Dragon also showed signs of breaking through. However, it likely wouldn¡¯t come into play in the underworld. Karsi¡¯s quest had a time limit of three years. However, no one had ever completed it. Nie Yan reaccepted the quest and headed out of Calore before summoning the Darkwing Dragon. Hopping on its back, he took to the air and paid a visit to the Roth Wetlands and Abyss Caverns of the Lorang Mountain Range. This quest was rather easy to Nie Yan now. Even though Cerberus was strong, it was nothing more than a Level 200 Demonified Lord. With his current strength, he could make quick work out of it. He finished the quest in just under two hours. After saving the eight surviving members of the Ten Holy Paladins, they joined the Temple of Light. They were all powerful NPCs that now fell under Nie Yan¡¯s command. As the Supreme Pontiff of the Temple of Light, even if Nie Yan didn¡¯t finish the Ten Holy Paladins quest, he could still command Karsi to a certain extent. However, after rescuing them, Karsi directly became his servant and could be dispatched at will. Apart from the Abyss Caverns, Nie Yan also made a trip to the Dragon Valley in the Moz Mountain Range. It took him roughly three hours to complete the Secret Treasure of the Dragon Race quest. Even though the rewards weren¡¯t that spectacular, he did obtain two dragon runes for Zennarde¡¯s Sword. They were ancient enchants that increased the attack power of Zennarde¡¯s Sword by 5,000, while also boosting the effects of all its supplementary skills by an additional 20%. It was now better than the Death God¡¯s Edge in every regard. The void creatures surged out endlessly from the void. Even though there was chaos all over Conviction with cities collapsing, the average level and gear quality of players was shooting up. The void creatures gave an extremely ample amount of experience, far more than equal level monsters. Not to mention the equipment they dropped was of high quality. The Righteous Faction and Evil Faction entered an arms race of sorts, with both competing to raise their levels and the quality of their gear faster than the other. In the short span of half a month, Tang Yao reached Level 210, Plenty Level 211, and the other top experts also rapidly climbed in levels. During this time, Nie Yan didn¡¯t head to the Evil Faction to challenge Plenty, nor did any conflicts break out between the two great factions. There was a rare period of peace. Of course, this couldn¡¯t last forever. In the darkness of the underworld near the entrance to the surface a silhouette appeared. This person was naturally Nie Yan. He had teleported here with Instant Transmission. Nie Yan looked in the distance. Even though his Night Vision stat was extremely high, he could still only see a relatively limited range. Everything beyond was covered in a veil of endless darkness. He smirked. ¡°Fallen Angel, Plenty, get ready. I¡¯m coming!¡± Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 988 - Heads Rolling with Every Step Nie Yan summoned his dragons. The void creatures were also invading the underworld. So, he could do some levelling along the way. Since the start of the void invasion, Nie Yan¡¯s level skyrocketed. He caught up to Tang Yao at Level 210. Of the Level 220+ Demonified Lords that spawned in the Righteous Faction, he had single-handedly taken down more than half of them. Nie Yan no longer hid himself behind a cloak. His azure armour flickered with a dazzling radiance within the darkness. A pair of black wings slowly fluttered on his back. These were Demon Wings he crafted from the Demon Feather. In the past few weeks, Guo Huai had helped him collect the other materials he needed for crafting them They didn¡¯t give any stat bonuses, only the ability to fly. Even so, these wings were still useful to Nie Yan. He now had decent aerial mobility. Apart from his unrivalled equipment, Nie Yan also had an old man wielding the Amos Void God Staff following behind him at a steady pace. A white nebula of holy energy circulated around him. This old man was Karsi. As a Legendary NPC, he had seen countless battles and racked up astonishing achievements on the battlefield. He was an existence countless players revered. Karsi would only take action if Nie Yan gave him the order. A Level 230 Demonified Lord-class Void Succubus appeared up ahead. When it discovered Nie Yan, it immediately let out a shrill cry and pounced toward him. Nie Yan¡¯s figure blurred, activating Fawne¡¯s Phantom, and reappeared in front of the Void Succubus. He twisted his body to the side and executed a Reverse Grip Backstab. His blade plunged into her side, proccing ice rupture and instantly covering her body in a thick layer of frost. The Void Succubus lashed out in a violent frenzy. But no matter what she did, she failed to land a single hit on Nie Yan. BANG! BANG! BANG! A shower of Forbidden Magic rained down on the Void Succubus. A string of 20,000,000s floated up above her head. Not far from where Nie Yan was battling the Void Succubus, several Thieves were flitting across the darkness. Sensing something, Nie Yan looked in the distance and spotted several silhouettes. He smirked. It appeared Fallen Angel would find out about his arrival pretty soon. He was going to openly slaughter a path to the capital of the Undead Empire, Necropolis! From here to Necropolis. Meet god, slay god! Meet buddha, slay buddha! Nie Yan wanted to see who in the Evil Faction could block his path! Beneath his feet was the territory of the Evil Faction. Fallen Angel probably didn¡¯t expect him to announce himself in such an arrogant manner. Under Nie Yan¡¯s fierce assault, the Void Succubus let out a mournful cry and disintegrated into nothing. ... Necropolis, Fallen Angel¡¯s guild headquarters. Over 200 higher-ups from Fallen Angel were holding an emergency meeting in the conference hall. They¡¯d just received word that Nirvana Flame was spotted in the underworld. The entire guild was in an uproar. Even though Plenty was an invincible existence in their hearts, the person coming for them was the Mad Rogue! In the short span of five months, he¡¯d gone from being pitifully weak at Level 156 to only being one level behind Plenty at Level 210! What insane levelling speed! It was practically heaven-defying! Seeds of doubt sprouted in their hearts. Could Plenty really defeat Nirvana Flame? The showdown between Nie Yan and Plenty was unavoidable. If Plenty lost, Fallen Angel would suffer an enormous blow. Previously, Asskickers United¡¯s peak experts had already shown their superoirty. If it weren¡¯t for Plenty single-handedly making a comeback, they would¡¯ve lost all face. However, as if in response Nie Yan had risen back to the top. It appeared he wasn¡¯t content to let them have even that victory. ¡°That son of a bitch! Who does he think he is? Does he think we are so easy to bully? Boss, we should send our people to intercept him!¡± a Dark Zealot exclaimed in righteous indignation. Sending people to intercept him? That would be the same as Fallen Angel declaring that Plenty was too afraid to fight Nie Yan! Warlance glanced at Plenty, whose eyes were closed. Plenty wore a cloak that hid his equipment. He remained silent, causing the others players to glance at each other confidently. Eventually, Plenty opened his eyes and replied in an indifferent tone, ¡°He¡¯ll come sooner or later. No need to get anxious.¡± There was no avoiding the inevitable. As for how sure he was of victory, he couldn¡¯t say. Godking joined in and asked, ¡°Boss, should we at least send some people to probe his strength?¡± Plenty pondered for a moment. Nie Yan was without a doubt the strongest enemy he¡¯d encountered to date. He had no idea how much stronger Nie Yan had grown in this short amount of time. This didn¡¯t bode well for his chances of victory. However, sending people to intercept Nie Yan was a show of weakness. Seeing Plenty frozen with indecision, God King and Warlance glanced at each other. They began making arrangements themselves. Since Plenty wasn¡¯t willing to tarnish his reputation. It could only be left to the two of them. ¡°Help me prepare the summoning formation. If I can¡¯t defeat Nirvana Flame, we can only rely on that move,¡± Plenty said. These words caused Godking and Warlance¡¯s eyes lit up. With that move, they might actually stand a chance! ¡°Yes! We¡¯ll prepare right away!¡± ... Word of Nie Yan¡¯s arrival in the underworld quickly spread. Not just within Fallen Angel, but throughout both great factions. The players couldn¡¯t help but get excited to see what Nie Yan would pull off this time. A post on the forums soared to the top. It contained a livestream from Nie Yan¡¯s perspective. ¡°Nirvana Flame actually went to the underworld alone! He¡¯s crazy!¡± ¡°With his skill, he can be as arrogant as he wants to be.¡± ¡°Huh? Who¡¯s that man next to him wearing a cloak?¡± ¡°That should be Karsi, a Legendary Holy Mage. I heard a rumour that he¡¯s Nirvana Flame¡¯s servant.¡± ¡°A Legendary servant¡­¡± Discussion surrounding Nie Yan filled the forum. Many people were guessing whether Plenty stood a chance. After witnessing Nie Yan¡¯s might, would he even dare to fight? Apart from the discussion, the flame wars between Asskickers United and Fallen Angel had never stopped. However, in terms of morale, Asskickers United¡¯s side held a clear-cut advantage. Nie Yan had killed his way into the Evil Faction by himself, and his destination was the capital of the Undead Empire, Necropolis! Even if Fallen Angel¡¯s side wanted to argue back, there was nothing they could say. Nie Yan glanced at the forum and smiled indifferently. These comments didn¡¯t mean anything. In the end, strength prevailed over all! After picking up the loot the Void Succubus dropped, Nie Yan strode forward. As more void creatures fell to his blade, he started noticing an increase in player activity near him. As expected, Fallen Angel had sent people to intercept him! A dozen Thieves suddenly jumped on Nie Yan. But as their blades cut down on him, they failed to connect. PSFHT! PSFHT! PSFHT! Blood splashed out as 12 bodies dropped to the ground. The Thieves had inconceivable expressions on their faces. What insane speed! Was this the might of a Legend? These Thieves hadn¡¯t even advanced to Soulweavers, yet dared to challenge him! Nie Yan sneered. Even ants would put up a better fight. Though these Thieves weren¡¯t wearing any guild emblems, Nie Yan was sure they were sent by Fallen Angel. After all, no one else was crazy enough to provoke him! Nie Yan¡¯s eyes flashed coldly as he locked onto something on a distant hill. Moments later, the Divine Eclipse Dragon¡¯s magic struck there. Three Thieves were revealed from stealth as their bodies exploded. Triple kill! Every step Nie Yan took another Thief would reveal themselves. They tried a wide variety of techniques to catch him by surprise, to deal some actual damage. However, they all failed. Before they could even get close to him, they would find their health bars suddenly empty. To Nie Yan¡¯s surprise, there wasn¡¯t a single Soulweaver among the Thieves that came for him. In fact, he hadn¡¯t so much as sensed the presence of one. These Thieves were nothing more than cannon fodder, probably to make him drop his guard. He guessed the real fun was still to come. At this moment, three Thieves came dashing towards Nie Yan, closing in with lightning speed. They pincered Nie Yan, not even giving him the time to command his dragons. Lockdown! One of the Thieves tried to lock Nie Yan down. Nie Yan quickly activated his Legendary Gale Step and used the brief moment of invincibility to evade at an unimaginable speed. He was faster than these Soulweavers by several times over. One of the Thieves sensed a sharp killing intent washing over him. His face paled in horror. He tried to escape with Gale Step. Lockdown! Cutthroat! Nie Yan executed the two skills masterfully with no gap in between, almost as if he¡¯d practiced them millions of times. The Thief didn¡¯t even have a chance to activate Gale Step before his body was immobilized by lockdown. PSFHT! A fountain of blood jetted out from his throat. Instant kill! Nie Yan¡¯s ruthless and efficient dispatching of their comrade left the other two Thieves breaking out in a cold sweat. However, in this critical moment, they had no time to hesitate or think. They¡¯d come here with the resolve to die anyway. Their attacks were filled with an unyielding might as they staked everything on the line. Dash Strike! Dash Strike! The daggers of the two Thieves streaked forward like meteors. Nie Yan¡¯s figure flashed. All the two Thieves saw was a blur as their attacks missed. They panicked. Before they could react at all, Nie Yan chained Extreme Intimidate with Counter and Phantom Assassination! PSFHT! PSFHT! Two jets of blood spurted out at the same time. The Thieves wore expressions of disbelief as the light slowly faded from their eyes. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 989 - Killing Godking Nie Yan slaughtered everyone who came for him. These players were simply too weak, lacking even the qualifications to probe his strength. He decided to try out some of the 100 skills he could learn from the Book of Order. Even if he wasn¡¯t familiar with them, they were still more than enough to kill these small fry. Between killing players, Nie Yan quenched his thirst on void creatures. He made quick work of them and raised his experience all the way to Level 210, 65%. Just a bit more grinding, and he would catch up to Plenty! A Level 220 Void Predator appeared up ahead. Nie Yan was about to engage it, when he detected the presence of a large group of players in the distant forest. After thinking for a moment, Nie Yan summoned his shadow clone. It entered stealth and dashed toward the forest. Before long, blood-curdling screams rang out from the forest. These players were no match for the shadow clone! Some players attempted to approach Nie Yan, who had his dragons blast them from afar with their flames. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Their bodies were thoroughly roasted. Nie Yan ignored the prying eyes and engaged the Void Predator. About a hundred Mages in the greater surroundings paced back and forth in hesitation. They didn¡¯t dare to approach Nie Yan. All those that tried before them were instantly killed. Some didn¡¯t even get anywhere near him as they were frozen to death by the effects of Jotunheim¡¯s Descent. Still, their job was clear. They all drank Sage-rank Ice Resistance Potions, and then closed in on Nie Yan. Nie Yan glanced east, where a group of Mages was approaching him. Since the Thieves couldn¡¯t handle him, they sent in the casters! The 100 Mages were all Gold Wings. In the entire Evil Faction, no one besides Fallen Angel could mobilize such a force! The Mages hid their appearances behind cloaks, rapidly closing in on Nie Yan with blinks. Nie Yan shot a glance at the Mages before shifting his attention back to the low health Void Predator. He didn¡¯t panic in the slightest. He let loose with a flurry of Hell Executions. A string of misses floated up above its head before the last one landed. The Void Predator wailed out in anguish and disintegrated into nothing. Nie Yan gazed over at the Mages. The leader was a player in silver ashen robes. Giving a signal with his hand, the hundred players split into teams of five and moved in to surround Nie Yan. WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! Magic started raining down from the sky. Gale Step of Nirvana Flame! Nie Yan evaded the bombardment of spells. At the same time, the Divine Eclipse Dragon fired out two spheres of light, one black and one white. The two balls spiralled around each other before colliding together. BOOOM! A massive explosion immediately swept out. Some Mages failed to escape in time and were engulfed in the flames. ¡°Fuck! What kind of skill is that?¡± ¡°Those were clearly instant cast spells! Why the hell was that attack so powerful?¡± The two spells the Divine Eclipse Dragon fired out were Light Ball and Dark Ball. On their own, they were nothing special. However, after being combined together, their destructive potential increased exponentially, far surpassing the realm of low level magic. Even more frightening, this combination magic could be used freely! The cooldown was near non-existent and the cast time was almost instant. A chaotic battle broke out. Many of the Mages switched focus to the Divine Eclipse Dragon. A few others tried to surround and pincer Nie Yan, but they couldn¡¯t keep up with his unpredictable movements. Most terrifying though, was that Karsi had yet to take action. With Karsi¡¯s strength, dealing with them would be extremely easy. No one understood why he hadn¡¯t taken action yet. Could it be that Nie Yan couldn¡¯t command him? Of course, this was only a faint hope. The Divine Eclipse Dragon and Nie Yan alone were already too much for them. Because of this, their objective was simply to draw out and probe as much of Nie Yan¡¯s strength as possible. They had no hopes of actually killing him. Unfortunately, Nie Yan appeared to have already figured out their purpose. He used only Fawne¡¯s Phantom, Counter, Gale Step, and a few other common skills. Yet they still couldn¡¯t get a handle on him at all. Nie Yan¡¯s figured blurred as he closed in on one of the Mages. The Mage immediately felt the surrounding temperature plummet and his movement speed decrease. Staring in Nie Yan¡¯s eyes, he blinked away. As his feet touched the ground, he heard a rupturing sound behind his back. Nie Yan had somehow followed him! Instant kill! Blood sprayed into the air. Even in death, the Mage couldn¡¯t wrap his head around how Nie Yan predicted his blink. A blink form a Gold Wing Mage was a 100% effective tool. No matter what kind of attack they faced, they could blink away to escape. However, this surefire skill was completely useless against Nie Yan! Finally locking onto Nie Yan, the Mages immediately targeted a barrage of spells at him, like Earth Spikes, Ice Blast, and so on. Nie Yan¡¯s figure blurred and disappeared without a trace. BANG! BANG! BANG! The barrage of spells failed to hit their target. Nie Yan used Gale Step to appear behind another Mage. Sensing a cold chill behind their neck, the Mage panicked.They tried to blink, but discovered their skill bar was grayed out. PSHFT! Nie Yan stabbed through the Mage¡¯s chest with Zennarde¡¯s Sword. Another instant kill! The Mages were dropping like flies, unable to put up any form of resistance. Watching his men dropping like flies, the leader ordered, ¡°Have the 200 on standby come forward!¡± Nie Yan had come to the Evil Faction alone. A hundred Gold Wings fighting him was already pushing it. It would be difficult to avoid rumours that Fallen Angel was unscrupulous, sending so many players to gang up on one person. Fallen Angel originally believed these 100 Gold Wings were enough to force Nie Yan to pull out his cards. Never did they expect that he could take them out without breaking so much as a sweat. This was unacceptable! So, the leader called more players over. As the leader of the Mages called for reinforcements, Nie Yan locked onto him among the crowd. Nie Yan¡¯s silhouette blurred into motion as he shot forward. Feeling the temperature around him plummet, the leader of the Mages froze. Even though there were seven other Gold Wings around him, he knew Nie Yan was after him. The leader of the mages waved his staff. Darkness Burst! A dark explosion swept out from around him. Nie Yan activated Shadow Escape, taking advantage of the brief invincibility to nullify the attack. As he pounced forward, Zennarde¡¯s Sword blazed brightly as he slashed down on the leader of the Mages. The leader of the Mages quickly waved his staff. A thick layer of stone formed around his body. This Stone Sculpture spell had incredible defensive properties. Nie Yan¡¯s attack landed on the statue. BOOM! It instantly shattered into a million pieces as debris flew everywhere. The statue was destroyed in one hit! At this moment, the leader of the Mages appeared 30 meters away, his chest heaving up and down heavily as he gasped for air. Nie Yan¡¯s attack was too fast and too fierce. It was impossible for him to dodge it physically! Stone Sculpture was actually an escape skill. Nie Yan raised an eyebrow in surprise before his lips curved into a faint smile. The Mage in the silver ashen cloak was actually Godking! No wonder he could escape his ferocious assault! Godking was once the guild leader of Pantheon, a former rival that stood on equal footing with Plenty. His strength wasn¡¯t to be underestimated. Godking knew his identity was exposed after using Stone Sculpture. The number of players in the Evil Faction with this skill could be counted on one hand. Godking started waving his staff to shield himself, when Lil¡¯ Gold blasted him with a jet of flames. Lil¡¯ Gold was already Level 230. If Godking were hit by the attack, even if he didn''t die, he would be barely clinging onto life. Godking quickly blinked away. BOOOM! The flames blasted the ground where he previously stood, sending rubble flying everywhere. What destructive might! Godking had Spirit Awe active, but the effective range was only 120 meters. Meanwhile, the Level 230 Lil¡¯ Gold¡¯s attack range was an astonishing 300 meters! The other players with Spirit Awe tried to close in on Lil¡¯ Gold, the Divine Eclipse Dragon, and the Violet Eye Dragon. However, the dragons¡¯ firepower was too fierce. They couldn¡¯t enter anywhere within a 200-meter range. Even though they could exchange fire with the Divine Eclipse Dragon from afar and try killing it that way, it was the equivalent of using a pistol to go against a turret! One player after another was transformed into white rays of light. Godking had just dodged Lil¡¯ Gold¡¯s flame breath, when a light and dark combination spell from the Divine Eclipse Dragon came whizzing over. BOOOM! An enormous explosion swept out. Godking had already used several consecutive blinks to escape the range of the blast. Just as his feet touched the ground, he felt the temperature around him plummet. Nie Yan was after him again! Godking blinked away again. In his place, a demon in black armour emerged out of thin air and came slashing out with its blade. Nie Yan¡¯s silhouette flickered, instantly engulfed in a cloud of smoke and debris. ¡°Did it hit?¡± Godking felt the temperature around him returning to normal. He¡¯d seen the Archfiend¡¯s attack land on Nie Yan! In this brief moment of hope, Godking felt an ice-cold aura lock onto him. His body immediately froze up, unable to move. No! Godking¡¯s heart trembled. The last thing Godking saw was a dagger shrouded in black flames slashing down on his chest. These ominous flames seemed to want to devour him completely, both body and soul. His pupils shrank. PSFHT! Instant kill! Nie Yan¡¯s figure slowly materialized over Godking¡¯s corpse. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 990 - Rank 10 Legendary Darkwing Dragon! By the time the reinforcements Godking called over arrived, less than 30 of the 100 Gold Wings were still alive. Nie Yan and his dragons were absolute killing machines, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. The enemies trembled with fear. When the 200 Gold Wings arrived, Karsi finally took action. He waved his staff, and the magic energy within a several thousand meters radius undulated violently. Lowering his head, he started chanting a cryptic incantation. His voice seemed to pierce through time and space. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± The players from Fallen Angel knew they were in great danger. However, they were frozen in place with no idea on what to do. This was a strength that couldn¡¯t be resisted. ¡°L-look over there! Karsi is casting magic!¡± ¡°Shit. Everyone, retreat!¡± The Gold Wings scattered without hesitation. Stop Karsi? What a joke! Nie Yan would never give them the chance to even get near him! Moreover, they sensed that whatever spell Karsi was casting was already on the verge of completion. Even if they wanted to, they didn¡¯t have the time to stop him. Several players had Transfer Rings and directly teleported away. The rest ran as far as their legs could carry them. At this moment, Karsi chanted the last syllable. A dazzling radiance erupted from his body, making him resemble a miniature sun. Everything in a several thousand meters radius was turned into a world of white. A divine hymn could be heard in the air as the image of a holy temple appeared. The Gold Wings cried out in pain. The holy light threatened to purify their entire existence. They were all Evil Faction Players. So, their bodies were filled with darkness energy. The powerful holy energy tried to cleanse this. PSFHT! PSFTH! PSFTH! 200 Gold Wings burst into smoke and disappeared without a trace, not even leaving behind a corpse. Even Nie Yan was taken aback. He stared at Karsi with his mouth wide open like a goldfish. So, this was the might of a Legendary Mage? Too frightening! Even though Nie Yan was also a Legend, he was a player while Karsi was an age-old NPC. They simply weren¡¯t on the same level in terms of strength. Nie Yan¡¯s only advantage over Karsi was that he could revive an unlimited amount of times. However, even this advantage wasn¡¯t enough to beat Karsi, who reached infinitely close to the realm of a god. If he tried, he would simply be beaten back to Level 0. Nie Yan only wanted to see Karsi in action a little. He didn¡¯t expect Karsi would use such a shockingly powerful spell on the first move. More than 200 Gold Wings wiped out in an instant! He was afraid after this, no one would dare to play with him anymore. The viewers of the livestream felt their scalp tingling, expressions of horror plastered on their faces. They had no idea how to describe the shock in their heart. The might of a Legendary Holy Mage was beyond anything they could¡¯ve ever imagined! With such a powerful servant at his side, Nie Yan was pretty much invincible! ¡¸Who would do something without being sure of themselves? Especially someone like Nirvana Flame. Since he dares to slaughter his way into the Evil Faction alone, that likely means he has confidence in winning. Plenty is probably in for a world of hurt. I don¡¯t see him beating a Legendary NPC like this.¡¹ ¡¸I wouldn¡¯t be so sure. I don¡¯t think Nirvana Flame will have Karsi join the battle. After all, it¡¯s a 1v1 duel between him and Plenty. Still, I don¡¯t see Plenty winning.¡¹ ¡­ The players on the forums were all voicing their opinion. Unfortunately, there was no word from Fallen Angel. Plenty chose to remain silent, not bothering to give any reply. Everyone was wondering how Plenty was going to deal with Nie Yan. Apparently, Fallen Angel was working on something in Necropolis. However, in the face of absolute power, no trick would work. ... The holy light slowly faded away. Nie Yan felt like he was transported to another world, then brought back. There wasn¡¯t a single corpse in the surroundings. The battlefield was completely swept clean. However, there were quite a few sparkling pieces of equipment on the ground. Nie Yan collected them all and tossed them into his bag. Looking in the distance, he spotted several Thieves in hiding. Karsi¡¯s spell hadn¡¯t purified them. Likely, they were people from the Righteous Faction. The spell only dealt damage to those from the Evil Faction. Since they weren¡¯t his enemies, he didn¡¯t bother with them. They were probably just trying to get some footage of his escapades in the Evil Faction to broadcast in real time. Nie Yan continued making his way forward. After Karsi¡¯s display of might, no one else dared to stir up trouble with him. He easily dispatched the many void creatures he encountered on his journey. Along the way, he happened to come across five strongholds belonging to Fallen Angel. However, they were all in ruins. During the invasion of the void, Fallen Angel had also taken heavy losses. It was easy to see from all this ruin and destruction. Destruction, creation, destruction, and creation again. This was simply how the world of Conviction worked. Players would rise up from the ruins and rebuild a brand new world. About five hours later, a crisp notification jingle rang out. Nie Yan glanced at his character page. He had reached Level 211 and caught up to Plenty! Nie Yan smirked. At least in terms of level, he wouldn¡¯t be at a disadvantage. A grand stronghold appeared over the horizon. An Advanced Stronghold! Both Asskickers United and Fallen Angel had obtained several Advanced Strongholds and numerous Intermediate Strongholds over the last few years. Advanced Strongholds had extremely thick walls that could be compared with Intermediate Cities. They were heavily fortified and often housed a large number of siege engines. They were important strategic points. The walls of the stronghold were packed with players. They were relying on the protection of the walls to repel the siege of the void creatures. Most of the void creatures around the stronghold had already been cleaned up. Only 30 high level Demonified Lords were still attacking the walls. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The walls groaned under the assault of these void creatures. The arrow towers and cannons were firing nonstop at them as a dense hail of arrows and shells rained down from the sky. Several hundred flying mounts were circling in the air, sweeping down regularly to attack the void creatures. The fighting was extremely intense. An evil grin formed on Nie Yan¡¯s face as he watched this scene. Fallen Angel only had three Advanced Strongholds. If he razed one of them to the ground, even with how large they were, it would still be a huge blow to them. Darkwing Dragon! Nie Yan summoned his Darkwing Dragon. With the sound of a howling gale, the gigantic Darkwing Dragon appeared in front of him. Its 100-meter wingspan made it resemble an ancient behemoth. Ordinary flying mounts were less than a tenth of its size. With the arrival of the Darkwing Dragon came also a powerful aura that swept out into the surroundings. The sole Rank 10 Legendary flying mount! Apart from the Darkwing Dragon, Nie Yan also summoned his Spectre Dragon. Although it was still fairly large compared to other flying mounts, it looked like a child next to the Darkwing Dragon. A single beat from the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s wings could send it flying. Nie Yan leaped onto the Darkwing Dragon. He also had his several land dragons and Karsi jump on its back. There was plenty of space. The Darkwing Dragon flapped its wings and took to the air. A powerful gale sent the Spectre Dragon reeling several meters back. Shortly after, it also took to the air and followed behind. As soon as the Darkwing Dragon appeared, it immediately attracted the attention of the players defending the stronghold. ¡°L-look over there! What¡¯s it that?¡± The players on the walls gazed in horror as an enormous black beast came flying straight for them. ¡°It looks like a flying mount!¡± ¡°A dragon! It¡¯s the Darkwing Dragon! Oh my God! Why is it so big?¡± This was their first time seeing such a large flying mount. ¡°His Darkwing Dragon broke through to Rank 10!¡± the flying mount riders cried out in shock. They had a better understanding of the strength of flying mounts. A one rank difference, especially at the higher ranks, was like the gap between the heavens and earth. What did a Rank 10 flying mount represent? Invincibility! Every other flying mount in the face of a Rank 10 flying mount was nothing more than an ant! Fallen Angel had more than 300 Rank 9 flying mounts. They were the ultimate weapons in the sky. It was believed Rank 10 was only a myth, so they considered themselves at the apex. So, one could imagine their shock when they saw the one and only true Rank 10 flying mount in existence! The Darkwing Dragon was like a tempest, pouncing towards the flying mounts from Fallen Angel. The several hundred flying mounts instantly scattered. They didn¡¯t have the slightest will to fight. The riders frantically tried to recall their flying mounts. However, the flying mounts wouldn¡¯t budge. In the presence of a Legendary Rank 10 flying mount, they were frozen in terror, some even outright refusing the orders of their masters. PSFHT! PSFHT! PSFHT! Three Rank 9 flying mounts tried to attack the Darkwing Dragon, only to be torn into pieces. Nie Yan¡¯s dragon pets and Karsi started casting magic. A shower of single-target Forbidden Magic rained down from the sky, instantly taking out the flying mounts from Fallen Angel. A one-sided slaughter! ¡°Show them your might!¡± Nie Yan said. The Darkwing Dragon raised its head to the sky and let out a roar. The powerful dragon cry swept out, carrying the aura of an invincible king. All the Fallen Angel players on the scene paled in fright. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 991 - Battle of the Pinnacle 1 The Rank 10 Darkwing Dragon terrorized the sky, tearing through multiple Rank 9 flying mounts in the blink of an eye. The flying mount riders from Fallen Angel fled in every direction. Instead of giving chase, Nie Yan had the Darkwing Dragon swoop down toward the stronghold. ¡°The Darkwing Dragon is coming for us! E-everyone, run!¡± In the face of the invincible and unstoppable Darkwing Dragon, the players from Fallen Angel lost all will to fight and quickly scattered. Both light and dark energy rapidly converged above the Darkwing Dragon. Before long, two beams pierced through the air and headed directly for the stronghold below. They spiralled around each other before finally merging at the end. BOOOM! A giant explosion shook the entire stronghold. The destructive blast swept mayhem through the entire stronghold. After the dust and smoke settled, everything within a several thousand meters radius of the blast zone was transformed into ruins. The walls were no exception, with the void creatures flooding in like a surging tide. The stronghold became a chaotic battlefield. Nie Yan had the Darkwing Dragon fly across the air. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Its enormous wings collided with the arrow and cannon towers, causing some to collapse completely and others to have their tops broken off. A shower of magic rained down on the stronghold. The dragons focused their spells on where players were most concentrated. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Countless players were engulfed by explosions. After suffering Nie Yan¡¯s assault, the stronghold was quickly overrun by void creatures. The Mages from Fallen Angel raised their staffs and attacked the Darkwing Dragon with their magic. BANG! BANG! BANG! The spells exploded on its body but failed to do any meaningful damage. Their attacks barely left a mark. Nie Yan passed an order to the Darkwing Dragon. It quickly ascended to a 600-meter high altitude. Looking down from above, the stronghold was in complete chaos. There were over 100 high level void creatures wreaking havoc inside. Surrounding them were countless black dots. These were the players from Fallen Angel. They were trying their best to repel the void creatures, but their numbers were quickly dwindling. Before long, the stronghold would be lost. Nie Yan had successfully broken the previous deadlock with his appearance. Fallen Angel had no way of repairing their walls in the middle of combat, nor could they deal with the never-ending flood of void creatures. In the end, they would have no choice but to abandon the stronghold. Nie Yan no longer paid any attention to the players below. The Darkwing Dragon sped away and disappeared into the horizon. ... Necropolis, Fallen Angel guild headquarters. Plenty wore a grim expression on his face. He had just received word of Nie Yan¡¯s destructive display in the Soraga Stronghold. The stronghold was one of Fallen Angel¡¯s three Advanced Strongholds. If the void creatures turned it into ruins, it would be a heavy blow to Fallen Angel. However, there was nothing Plenty could do to save the stronghold. Nie Yan was heading right for Necropolis. This was where his odds of winning were the greatest. If it were anywhere else, he would have no hope! So, even though he knew Soraga was going to fall, he didn¡¯t take the initiative to attack. Right now, Plenty¡¯s only hope was that Nie Yan would arrive here faster so they could have their showdown in Necropolis. ... Nie Yan stood on the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s back and gazed into the distance. A vast grave stretching as far as the eye could see appeared in his vision. In the center was an enormous transfer gate. At the top of the gate was a giant eyeball which emitted an ominous light as it swept its gaze over the surroundings. The only way for a Righteous Faction player to reach Necropolis was by destroying this gate. Hundreds of thousands of Evil Faction players formed a giant semicircle around the gate to protect it. ¡°I heard Nirvana Flame is about to arrive!¡± ¡°Yeah, I wonder how the showdown will go.¡± ¡­ Several players were quietly discussing amongst each other. They were guildless players who only came here to watch the show. This kind of once in a lifetime match filled them with curiosity. If Fallen Angel hadn¡¯t sealed off the area, even more people would¡¯ve come to watch. Some players gazed over at Fallen Angel¡¯s ranks. Standing at the front was Plenty in his ashen cloak. According to rumours, he had upgraded all his equipment to Sacred-grade with void metal. As for their stats and bonuses, no one knew but him. The distance was too great. The spectators couldn¡¯t see Plenty¡¯s expression. He stood proudly with his cloak fluttering in the wind and a large scepter in his hand. The other players from Fallen Angel stood more than five meters behind him, surrounding him like the stars around the moon. In the Evil Faction, Plenty was an absolute existence. No one dared to go against his authority. ¡°Look, over there!¡± someone shouted. The entire crowd stirred. They all looked into the distance, where a large shadow appeared over the horizon. ¡°It¡¯s Nirvana Flame! He¡¯s here!¡± Many people carried a hint of excitement in their voices. Today, they would witness a battle between the highest peaks in the two great factions. Plenty looked up at the sky. His eyes flashed with a peculiar light. His Night Vision was far higher than that of anyone else. Piercing through the darkness, the enormous Darkwing Dragon entered his vision. His face slightly paled. The Rank 10 Legendary Darkwing Dragon. Plenty couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Nie Yan managed to obtain such a powerful flying mount. The Darkwing Dragon¡¯s body was enormous. Every beat of its wings left him reeling with shock. What a frightening flying mount! The Darkwing Dragon was like a gale. As it came flying over and landed in an open space about 400 meters away from Plenty, the gusts of wind it kicked up sent the players in the vicinity flying. Facing this terrifying beast in person, they broke out in a cold sweat. Never had they seen anything like it! Nie Yan swept his gaze over the crowd before locking onto Plenty. He leaped down from the Darkwing Dragon¡¯s back and calmly walked forward. Even though he was surrounded by hundreds of thousands of enemies, Nie Yan didn¡¯t show the slightest fear. Everyone held their breath as they focused their attention on Nie Yan. The man before them was the same Mad Rogue who rebuked the heavens and earth and swept through everything in his path. He¡¯d departed from Conviction three years ago, vanishing from the eyes of the players. Some even believed that he was no longer a top expert. But now here he was, an expert they could never hope to rival. His legend hadn¡¯t faded in the slightest! He was undefeated today just as he was three years ago! Even though Nie Yan belonged to the enemy faction, the players from Fallen Angel didn¡¯t hold the slightest bit of hostility toward him. On the contrary, they felt a deep respect. A character like the Mad Rogue was a legend in their eyes. They simply couldn¡¯t bring themselves to hate him. After giving the crowd a moment to overcome their shock, Plenty took off his cloak and walked forward. Nie Yan and Plenty stopped at about 100 meters away from each other. The players in the surrounded retreated 800 meters back, giving the two plenty of room to fight. This place would be the battlefield for Nie Yan and Plenty. So as to not get caught up in the middle of it, they opted to back away a good distance. Everyone stared at the two. Nie Yan¡¯s azure light armour was extremely impressive. As he held Zennarde¡¯s Sword in one hand and the Death God¡¯s Edge in the other, he resembled an unsheathed blade, brimming with killing intent. Even though they were more than 800 meters away, this murderous aura still pierced their hearts and caused their souls to tremble. Standing across from one legend stood the other. Plenty wore ashen black robes. Holding a mighty scepter in his hand, he was also quite imposing. These two players held the greatest authority in their respective faction. A single word from either could shake the heavens and earth. The spectators couldn¡¯t help but lose themselves in reference. If they could reach this level one day, they would have no more regrets in life. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect us to meet again after you quit.¡± Plenty smiled, sizing Nie Yan up. ¡°Nor did I think our first meeting after three years would be like this.¡± Nie Yan shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Fate works in mysterious ways. Even three years ago, everyone guessed we would have this match one day.¡± ¡°If there wasn¡¯t any other choice, no one would want to go against a freak like you.¡± Plenty bitterly smiled. Nie Yan really was inhuman. Over these past three years, he¡¯d gained an enormous advantage, but Nie Yan still managed to close that gap in a short five months and perhaps even surpassed him. As much as he didn¡¯t want to believe this, these were the facts. If he waited another one or two years, he¡¯d be left behind in the dust. ¡°No matter what, with so many people from both factions watching us, this match is unavoidable!¡± Nie Yan chuckled. Looking at Plenty, his eyes flashed with a cold light. ¡°Come, Plenty. Let¡¯s see how strong you¡¯ve grown over these past three years!¡± Zennarde¡¯s Sword seemed to sense Nie Yan¡¯s fighting spirit and blazed to life, emitting a scorching heat. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep you company. The battle today will determine who¡¯s the true ruler between Asskickers United and Fallen Angel!¡± Plenty turned serious. Holding out his scepter in front of him, darkness energy came pouring out and transformed into a powerful whirlwind. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 992 - Battle of the Pinnacle 2 The spectators felt a powerful aura sweep out, threatening to blow them away. With pale faces, they retreated back further as they stared at the two in alarm. What powerful might! All eyes were on the battlefield. Both sides were ready to battle! At this moment, several hundred silhouettes came flying over and landed about 700 meters from the battle area. They were players from the Righteous Faction led by Bladelight. ¡°Looks like we made it just in time.¡± Bladelight chuckled. Nie Yan and Plenty were still standing opposite of each other. ¡°Like we would miss this match!¡± Undying Scoundrel exclaimed. ¡°They¡¯re starting!¡± Smoke Stub said, taking a step forward to get a better look. When the players from the Evil Faction saw Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the rest, their eyes widened in fear as they retreated another 60 meters. Their numerical advantage meant nothing against these peak experts from Asskickers United. Fighting them was simply seeking death! Besides, Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the rest wouldn¡¯t have to expend any effort to kill them. Bladelight, Smoke Stub, and the others didn¡¯t bother with these players either. Their eyes were fully focused on the battle that had just started. Apart from Bladelight and others, there were also a few guildless players from the Righteous Faction. Of course, anyone that dared to come here was a top expert. A white robed Holy Mage holding a white leopard cat in her bosom was watching the battle. Her graceful temperament and charming appearance captivated those around her. However, no one dared to try and flirt with her. They weren¡¯t suicidal! No one in their right mind would dared to hit on Xie Yao, the girlfriend of Nirvana Flame! ¡°It¡¯s starting!¡± The crowd stirred. Nie Yan entered stealth and disappeared from view. Even the murderous aura pouring out of Zennarede¡¯s Sword seemed to wink out of existence. This caused Plenty to feel even greater danger! The enemy before him was the legendary Mad Rogue. Plenty didn¡¯t dare to be careless, for the slightest lapse in concentration would result in a dagger in his throat. In a battle between peak experts, a hair¡¯s breadth could mean the difference between victory and defeat! Demon Eyes! Plenty¡¯s black pupils glowed crimson and transformed into the shape of a diamond. As his gaze swept out, he instantly became aware of every creature in the surroundings.Yet he still couldn''t detect a single trace of Nie Yan! How was this possible? Plenty felt apprehension. Activating Demon Sense, he focused his senses and quickly felt a frightening cold air behind him. What insane speed! Nie Yan was faster than any player he¡¯d encountered before! After Nie Yan entered stealth, he activated Fawne¡¯s Phantom and true to the skill¡¯s namesake appeared behind Plenty like a ghost. Zennarde¡¯s Sword came slashing down. Plenty waved his staff. A large, black serpent congealed from darkness energy leaped up from the ground and wrapped itself around him. PSSFHT! Nie Yan¡¯s attack slashed the serpent apart, causing it to vanish like a wisp of smoke. However, Plenty was gone. Eye of Truth! Nie Yan let out a grunt as his eyes blossomed out with a profound light. The surroundings instantly became clear as he locked onto Plenty in the distance. At the same time, a dark gloomy aura rose up from the ground. Though it was nearly indiscernible, it still didn¡¯t escape his detection! A giant shadowy hand shot up from the ground and moved to grab Nie Yan. What frightening cast speed! Nie Yan had no idea when Plenty cast Shadow Bind. If it were an ordinary player, there would be no way they¡¯d be able to predict, nor react to a Shadow Bind right after killing the dark serpent. However, Nie Yan had already lost count of how many battles he¡¯d experience in both his past life and this one. His senses for danger were refined to the extreme. He activated Gale Step in the nick of time and escaped. Miss! In the next moment, Nie Yan appeared in front of Plenty and stabbed at his chest with a Dash Strike. Plenty¡¯s body suddenly turned into several shadows as he avoided Nie Yan¡¯s attack. With a wave of his staff, the ground beneath Nie Yan¡¯s feet became soft. Everything in a 60-meter radius of the two transformed into a giant sandpit. Nie Yan hurriedly retreated several dozen meters away, raising an eyebrow in surprise. Plenty had really grown much stronger. He was definitely the strongest enemy he¡¯d faced to date! The battle had only just started. So, both sides had yet to pull out their cards. They¡¯d only used probing attacks so far. However, in the hands of these peak experts, even the most ordinary skill became extraordinary! Be it Nie Yan or Plenty, the slightest slip-up would prove fatal. The exchanges between Nie Yan and Plenty were too fast for most players to keep up with. All they saw was two blurs darting around non-stop on the battlefield. In the span of a short few seconds, the two moved between six different places. Only the experts could tell how perilous the battle truly was as they broke out in a cold sweat. If it were them there, they would¡¯ve already died several times over. The players who couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of the live battle downloaded the recording and replayed it back frame by frame. They immediately felt their scalps tingle, shocked by how many times Nie Yan and Plenty had exchanged moves in such a short time frame. Even more, each move was incomparably fierce. Nie Yan¡¯s attacks were ruthless and as fast as lightning. On the opposite side, Plenty¡¯s reflexes were extraordinary, and the speed at which he cast his magic was astonishing. Most casters would have to wave their staff several times and chant a long incantation to cast a single spell. Meanwhile, he only had to slightly move his lips and wave his scepter to do the same. Not to mention how easily he transitioned from one spell to the next. The slightest hesitation would result in his opponent being hit. ¡°Seems like they¡¯re still feeling each other out. Plenty, that bastard, has grown really strong. It¡¯s no wonder he defeated us,¡± Bladelight remarked. ¡°What? This is still just a warm-up?¡± A few Asskickers United players in the vicinity gazed at Bladelight with a look of disbelief. ¡°Look, they¡¯re still using the most ordinary skills. We haven¡¯t seen any high rank ones yet!¡± Bladelight explained. Observing the battle between Nie Yan and Plenty, his heart was also filled with a myriad emotions. Both of them could be described as heaven-blessed geniuses. Only these two freaks could allow everyone to experience the pinnacle of PvP. The spectators watched the match with eyes full of astonishment. Meanwhile, Plenty and Nie Yan were immersing themselves deeper and deeper into the battle until it seemed like they were the only two people in the world. A stray fireball landed in a crowd of players. BOOOM! The resulting explosion swallowed up 30 players. The rest of the crowd quickly retreated another several hundred meters. Nie Yan glanced at his skill bar. In less than a minute, he¡¯d used 60 skills. If it weren¡¯t for the Book of Order, he would be really worrying right now! As the battle continued, Plenty was starting to feel the pressure. Many of his ordinary skills were on cooldown. It was obvious that Nie Yan had far more skills than him. With each wave of attacks being fiercer than the previous, he was forced onto his back foot. If he kept trying to match Nie Yan blow for blow, he would be done for. Both sides had already finished gauging the other¡¯s strength. Since it was like this, Plenty was ready to go all out to see who was the strongest between the two of them! Plenty retreated 100 meters. Seeing Nie Yan chasing after him, he let out a low grunt. A powerful aura surged out of him as he stabbed his scepter into the ground. BOOOM! Enormous cracks started spreading out from the earth at a frightening pace! An enormous serpent formed out of electricity coiled around Plenty, sending bolts of lightning flying into the surroundings. Finding the earth trying to swallow him up, Nie Yan quickly pulled back. With his hand bracing against the ground, he catapulted 60 meters back before landing on his feet. As he gazed over in Plenty¡¯s direction, his expression turned serious. There was no more holding back! Nie Yan showed no signs of retreating. The true match would now starts. Everything before was only child¡¯s play! Plenty flapped his golden wings. He slowly started ascending in the air as his robes fluttered in the wind, resembling a demon god. He chanted out a cryptic incantation in a hoarse tone. With a wave of his staff, he his sent his lightning serpent lunging towards Nie Yan. What a fast attack! Nie Yan¡¯s silhouette blurred as he dodged out of the way. BOOOM! A large five-meter wide crater was carved out of the earth where he previously stood. This was the destructive might of magic! Plenty didn¡¯t stop here. Seeing his attack miss, he waved his scepter again as the serpent lunged toward Nie Yan once more. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Explosions rang out across the battlefield like a torrential downpour. The spectators paled in fear. How could someone possibly dodge such a fierce attack? If they were the slightest bit slow, they would be struck by the lightning serpent and killed. Nie Yan¡¯s silhouette continued flickering back and forth. He used Fawne¡¯s Phantom to barely avoid the attacks. As he tried to close in on Penty, the attacks became even more intense. Plenty had completely broken through the limits of his class! For him to be able to become the CHairman of the Dark Council, his strength had to be extraordinary! Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 993 - Battle of the Pinnacle 3 Dark electricity crackled all around Plenty. Occasionally, a stray bolt would hit the ground and send rubble flying everywhere. With his path to Plenty obstructed, Nie Yan¡¯s heart sank. Since they were already starting to use skills of this caliber, he wouldn¡¯t hold back either. Kalenna waved her staff as a white radiance fell over him. Kalenna¡¯s Guardian Barrier! A dazzling barrier enveloped Nie Yan. After which he braved the lightning and dashed straight for Plenty. Thunder God¡¯s Hammer! A giant white hammer appeared in front of Nie Yan and shot directly toward Plenty. This was the supplementary skill transferred over to the Tyrant Abak Set from Paternoster''s Warhammer! It was extremely deadly. If Plenty were hit, he would be barely clinging onto life at best. Even then, the added stun effect meant his fate was sealed! BANG! BANG! Two electric serpents struck Nie Yan, causing the barrier around him to tremble lightly. A damage value of 200 floated up above his head. Plenty¡¯s heart trembled. What a sturdy barrier! At the same time, the Thunder God¡¯s Hammer was about to smash him flat. He quickly waved his scepter and called forth a Bone Cage. Thick bone spurs resembling the fangs of an ancient beast erupted from the ground. They shone with a black, metallic lustre. BOOM! The hammer crashed into the bone spurs before exploding. The three bone spurs were rendered into a fine powder. Nie Yan swung out with Zennarde¡¯s Sword and unleashed a Legendary slash. Nightmare Beheader! Before Plenty could even catch his breath, the frightening slash came cleaving down towards him. The famous Annihilation Slash, which had killed scores of players, had similar visual effects. So, as soon as Plenty saw the Nightmare Beheader, he mistook it for Annihilation Slash! Only six meters were between Nie Yan and Plenty when he cast Nightmare Beheader. In the same breath, he also targeted Plenty with Lockdown. Plenty paled in fright. The enemy was upon him, and he couldn¡¯t use any escape skills! He hurriedly waved his scepter. Lich King¡¯s Barrier! In this life-or-death moment, the image of the Lich King appeared behind Plenty and shielded him with a black barrier. BOOOM! The Nightmare Beheader slammed into Plenty and sent him flying like a cannonball. A damage value of 36,000 floated up above his head. BANG! The ice rupture effect was triggered too, causing him to take an additional 20,000 damage. He lost more than half of his health in this one attack! It was a pity the ice rupture failed to deal more damage to Plenty. Even though Nie Yan had already activated Jotunheim¡¯s Descent, it had a limited effect on Plenty. This probably had to do with Plenty¡¯s Ice Resistance. After all, Jotunheim¡¯s Descent was revealed a while back already. It would be strange if Plenty didn¡¯t take measures against it. If it weren¡¯t for the Lich King¡¯s Barrier, even if Plenty had twice as much health, he still wouldn¡¯t have survived Nie Yan¡¯s attack! Nie Yan wasn¡¯t surprised Plenty had a powerful skill like Lich King¡¯s Barrier. In fact, it would be strange if a player of his caliber didn¡¯t. Gale Step of Nirvana Flame! Nie Yan¡¯s figure flashed, disappearing into stealth yet again as he pounced toward Plenty. Plenty didn¡¯t dare to linger. He quickly activated Shadow Mist as his body transformed into fog and disappeared with the wind. Nie Yan concentrated his gaze, trying to pinpoint Plenty¡¯s location. The powerful skills displayed by both players left the spectators breathless. They didn¡¯t even dare to blink, afraid they would miss the next move. ¡°My lord! This is out of this world!¡± ¡°Those two are Legends!¡± ¡°What amazing skills!¡± The crowd sighed in admiration. Even though the exchange in the beginning was impressive, apart from the speed, Nie Yan and Plenty were only using ordinary skills. So, everyone felt the match was fairly normal. Now, however, Legendary skills were used left and right. They felt this was the way things should be. The skills Nie Yan and Plenty were using they had obtained through their own strength. Only those who had mastered the basics had the right to learn these powerful Legendary skills! The heavens were fair! In order to stand at the very apex, luck alone wasn¡¯t enough. Unrivalled skills and talents and an even stronger backing were all essential. Even with how large Conviction was, only Nie Yan and Plenty had reached these heights. Watching the battle between Nie Yan and Plenty, the spectators felt their hearts racing with excitement. So this was the battle of the pinnacle! Nie Yan locked onto Plenty¡¯s position. Zennarde¡¯s Sword and the Death God¡¯s Edge flickered with a sharp light as he shot forward. Plenty backed away with several consecutive blinks, shooting out one powerful spell after another. From the start of the battle to now, he could sense the huge gap between him and Nie Yan. If things went on like this, he would undoubtedly lose! Nie Yan seemed to possess an endless amount of skills, each more powerful than the previous. Who knew how many more trump cards he still had up his sleeve? Plenty glanced at his skill bar. The skills he hadn''t used yet were mostly Forbidden Magic. However, Forbidden Magic was fairly useless in PvP since their cast times were too long. In such an intense battle, a split-second could determine victory or defeat. If he stopped to cast Forbidden Magic, it would be the same as throwing in the towel. Looking at his last two skills, Plenty¡¯s eyes flashed with determination. No matter what, I have to win! I¡¯ve never lost before, and I¡¯m not about to start losing now! Three years ago, he might¡¯ve felt that he stood no chance against Nie Yan and had no desire to fight him. However, things had changed and he refused to believe he would still lose! ¡°Lich King Form!¡± Plenty growled. An enormous silhouette emerged behind Plenty. It wore ragged, ashen robes. Behind its hood was a frightening skeletal face, its eye sockets blazing with ominous crimson flames. Its body rapidly shrunk down and entered Plenty¡¯s body. Plenty raised his head to the sky and roared. An endless sea of magical energy formed an enormous vortex around him, resembling a boundless nebula. It rapidly expanded to several thousand meters in size, looking like it would sweep up everything. The spectators tripped over their feet as they ran for safety. This enormous vortex of magic energy threatened to suck their very souls away! ¡°L-look, our mana!¡± ¡°That thing is draining our mana away!¡± The casters paled in horror. They watched as their mana was sucked away by the nebula. ¡°Everyone, retreat! Especially the casters!¡± Bladelight shouted. The casters here were basically serving as an endless source of mana for Plenty! Running for safety, Tang Yao frowned. ¡°Since when the hell did his Lich King Form become so strong?¡± ¡°Right, his Lich King Form back then didn¡¯t seem so powerful!¡± Everyone was puzzled. They had all witnessed Plenty¡¯s Lich King Form during the competition in Judgement Valley. It wasn¡¯t anywhere near as powerful as it was now, though. ¡°I think it¡¯s because he upgraded his equipment. He¡¯s wearing a full set of Sacred-gear now. The supplementary skills attached to his equipment should¡¯ve received an upgrade as well!¡± Bladelight surmised. ¡°That must be it!¡± Everyone had anxious expressions as they looked over at Nie Yan in the middle of the vortex. How would he deal with this powerful skill? At this moment, Plenty became the embodiment of the Lich King himself. His entire body radiated a frightfully sinister aura. With a wave of his staff, it was as if the heavens were going to collapse and the earth would cave in. Countless cracks opened up across the ground as large pillars of black flames erupted into the air. The magic energy from Kalenna¡¯s Guardian Barrier was being sucked away at a rapid pace. At this rate, Nie Yan would die within this vortex! He had to kill Plenty kill! However, to Nie Yan¡¯s shock, he discovered his body was basically locked down. The force of the vortex was too strong! A light bulb flashed in Nie Yan¡¯s head. He unfolded the Demon Wings on his back and allowed the vortex to carry him up in the air. He started swirling around Plenty, picking up greater and greater velocity. Nie Yan was being sucked closer and closer to the center of the vortex, to Plenty. If it were an ordinary player, they would¡¯ve probably passed out from dizziness. However, Nie Yan¡¯s eyes were firmly locked onto Plenty, like a predator stalking its prey. His gaze spelled murder. ¡°Within my nebula, I am the master! Die! I¡¯ll peel away your flesh one piece at a time and offer it to the eternal darkness!¡± Plenty¡¯s eyes flashed with a sinister light. His expression contained all the dark forces: pestilence, wrath, fear, death¡­ Plenty reached out with his hand. A giant hand made out of darkness energy pierced through the endless void to grab Nie Yan. Even before this sinister energy reached him, Nie Yan felt like it was going to corrode everything in existence. Nie Yan felt his body slowly being melted away by this corrosive darkness. Kalenna¡¯s Guardian Barrier was on the verge of collapse. The Lich King Form skill was actually so powerful! However, when he unfurled his wings, Nie Yan had already decided to go for broke. He activated Shadow Clone as his body split into two. Adjudicator of God! Death Sentence! Suddenly, two enormous black hands emerged from the sky. Their target wasn¡¯t Nie Yan but rather Plenty in the middle of the nebula! ¡°Die!¡± Nie Yan¡¯s eyes flashed with determination. If he was going down, he would take Plenty down with him! BANG! An unrivalled power slammed into Nie Yan¡¯s chest, instantly shattering Kalenna¡¯s Guardian Barrier. ¡°GUGH!¡± He spat out a mouthful of blood as his entire body was sent rocketing towards the ground. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 994 - Battle of the Pinnacle 4 When Nie Yan was sent flying like a kite with its string cut, he felt a white light fall over him. Then, his body crashed into the ground. A damage value of more than 90,000 floated up above his head. If it weren¡¯t for Kalenna¡¯s Guardian Barrier absorbing a portion of the damage and Adjudicator of God negating the magic damage, he would already be dead. Just a small portion of the attack¡¯s physical damage had shaved away more than two-thirds of his health! He sucked in a cold breath of air. Plenty had put all his focus into controlling the nebula and delivering that all-out attack to Nie Yan. His body was depleted of all energy as his knees wobbled violently. Seeing the two massive hands crashing down towards him, his eyes flashed with a trace of panic. He couldn¡¯t understand how Nie Yan managed to cast such a powerful magic in this situation. This was simply inconceivable! However, reality was right before his eyes! In order to control the nebula, Plenty had to give up everything else; he couldn¡¯t move, he couldn¡¯t cast other skills, he couldn¡¯t do anything but watch as the two hands crashed down on him. The only reason Nie Yan used two Death Sentences was because he was afraid Plenty would dodge the first one. The second one was insurance. If he knew Plenty couldn¡¯t move, he would¡¯ve only just used one! Plenty¡¯s gaze landed on Nie Yan on the ground. He still hadn¡¯t died! Plenty¡¯s eyes flashed with despair. However, a split-second later, they became firm with resolve. I cannot lose! He used his last skill. Sacrifice to the Dark End! BANG! Struck by the Death Sentence, Plenty was sent crashing into the ground. The nebula around him came to a halt and gradually dispersed. When the howling winds stopped, Nie Yan breathed a sigh of relief. Looking in the distance, he saw Plenty¡¯s corpse on the ground. ¡°I won?¡± Nie Yan¡¯s heart relaxed. He had won by luck. Plenty''s magic completely surpassed his expectations. At the end of the day, the other side had a three-year lead on him! This victory truly didn''t come easily! The spectators stared at the ground in a daze. The might of the Lich King Form was too astonishing! They all thought Nie Yan was done for. What could he possibly do to defend against that invincible nebula? Never did they imagine that he would overturn their expectations again. When the dust settled, he stood while Plenty¡¯s corpse lay on the ground. Nie Yan was the victor! The players from the Righteous Faction erupted into cheers. As Nie Yan was about to turn around and leave, Plenty¡¯s corpse turned into dark energy and circled in the air, transforming into the image of a giant Lich King. The entire world was once more enveloped in a gloomy aura. The players were taken aback, staring at the scene in disbelief. Could it be that the battle hadn¡¯t ended yet? Did Plenty have a second life? Nie Yan¡¯s heart sank. He sensed an unrivalled power, far beyond what he¡¯d come across from a player before. This was the presence of a deity level NPC! The Lich King! Nie Yan seemed to realize what was going on. According to rumours, the Lich King¡¯s real body was hidden in the depths of the underworld. He was on the same level as Archangel Tallod. The one that appeared in Necropolis was simply an apparition. Did Plenty summoning the Lich King count as violating the match¡¯s rules? The Lich King hovered in the air like a spectre. His body was semi-transparent. Illusory images of him covered the entire sky. A heavy pressure weighed down on the players. Some fell to their knees, while others fought their wobbling knees. No one had the strength to oppose this force. ¡°Kakaka, I sense the power of eternal life. I¡¯ve revived once more. My disciple, you¡¯ve summoned me. I will help fulfill your wish! Wretched maggot, accept your lamentable fate!¡± The Lich King¡¯s enormous dark hand moved toward Nie Yan. In the face of this absolute power, Nie Yan had no ability to resist. Just as Nie Yan was about to be crushed to death, Karsi¡¯s silhouette blinked over from the far distance and erupted with a dazzling radiance. A barrier of light slowly expanded outward, protecting the two within. BOOOM! The dark hand exploded after crashing into the barrier and dissipated into nothing. However, Karsi¡¯s barrier was also shattered, and the person himself was sent flying back. In front of a deity level NPC, even a Legendary NPC like Karsi was powerless. ¡°A mere Legend. Is that all? You might be proud of your 1,000 years of life, but I¡¯ve already existed in this world for tens of thousands of years,¡± the Lich King said with a look of contempt. Nie Yan glanced back at Karsi. He was badly injured, and no match for the Lich King. Blocking one attack was already his limit. Was he really going to wait helplessly for death? After he lost, what was he going to do? March onto the forums and cry out with righteous indignation, ¡°I didn¡¯t lose to you! I lost to the Lich King!¡± No. That wasn¡¯t his style! When Plenty summoned the Lich King, didn¡¯t he have a Legendary NPC like Karsi take action as well? He had still lost. What ground did he have to stand on? ¡°How did he summon that thing?¡± Nie Yan¡¯s mind flashed with an idea. Right, it had to be the Book of Chaos! That was definitely it! That was the only reason Plenty could summon the Lich King! He recalled his own Book of Order. Wasn¡¯t he able to summon an Archangel himself? Nie Yan pulled out his skill window and scrolled down to the Summon Archangel skill. The Book of Order and Book of Chaos were direct opposites! ¡°Come out! Summon Archangel!¡± Another dark hand appeared in the sky and came crashing down towards Nie Yan. The aura of death permeated outward. As the hand approached ever closer, Nie Yan started to despair. Suddenly, a scorching white radiance enveloped him. He was like a beacon of light in the darkness. As the rays cut into the Lich King, he let out a mournful cry. Nie Yan raised his head and saw a tall angel descending. Clad in silver-white armour with a pair of translucent wings of light flowing down his back, he wielded a large white greatsword in his hand. Archangel Tallod! Another deity level NPC! A showdown between two deity level NPCs! ¡°I swear on my life, in the name of God, I will annihilate all darkness and illuminate the world in his light¡­¡± Archangel Tallod chanted a solemn hymn as he charged toward the Lich King while brandishing his greatsword. He was like a dazzling sun, bringing dawn to this world of eternal night. BOOOM! A tremendous collision rang out, threatening to destroy the entire world. Even Forbidden Magic paled in comparison to this absolute strength. The world seemed to calm to a halt as if time froze. Those on the forums lost all colour in their faces, let alone the spectators on the scene. Just what kind of battle was this? When everyone thought the battle had ended with Nie Yan¡¯s victory, Plenty had summoned the Lich King right before his death. Even a Legendary NPC like Karsi was sent flying by the Lich King. They all thought Nie Yan was doomed for sure. Facing a deity level NPC like the Lich King, how could he possibly win? Upturning their expectations yet again, Nie Yan summoned his own deity level NPC in the form of Archangel Tallod. This development was completely unprecedented! Nie Yan saw a grand holy temple emerge in the sky and heard the hymns of countless angels. He could also see countless evil spirits blotting out the sky. In the end, both these things disappeared as the world descended into a deathly silence. Archangel Tallod and the Lich King vanished as if they had never appeared in the first place. The blinding light gradually subsided. As for what happened in the end between Archangel Tallod and the Lich King, no one knew. That could only be left up to imagination. However, the match between Nie Yan and Plenty was clear. Nie Yan was the victor! The news spread like wildfire as the spectators gradually dispersed. Not much was left of this battlefield but the traces of the battle between two deities. Video of this final battle was saved by countless players, immortalizing this grand spectacle. In many years from now, people would still watch it in awe, a legend that was passed down from generation to generation. After the battle ended, a full-out war between the Righteous Faction and Evil Faction broke out. With Asskickers United as a reprensative for the Rgitheous Faction, they launched a frontal assault against the Evil Faction. As for the outcome of this war, it would take years to decide. However, the Righteous Faction had an immense advantage. It would be extremely difficult for the Evil Faction to turn the tide. Nie Yan planned to stay in Conviction as long as the servers were still up and running. The name of the Mad Rogue would forever be a part of its history and ring out across the Atlanta continent. On the 10th anniversary of Asskickers United¡¯s founding, Nie Yan and Xie Yao announced the happy news of the birth of their first child. Hundreds of thousands of guild members gathered in real life in Huahai for a grand celebration. Those who couldn¡¯t make it were holding little parties of their own. World Bloc only kept expanding. It formed an official alliance with the Dragonsoar Financial Group, Glory Financial Group, and many other famous financial groups. Their reach spread across the entire world, surpassing even the Brutus Capital Group. It got to the point where even the federation couldn¡¯t do anything to them. Among its many ventures, World Bloc also joined the bidding process for the rights to develop the newest virtual reality game in collaboration with the federation. It would be built on better technology than Conviction and receive far larger funding. As to how long this project would take to complete, no one knew. Another several years later, the Brutus Capital Group was slowly pushed to the background. World Bloc won the rights to create the next virtual reality game, but there was no news on when it would be released yet. There was no one who could touch World Bloc anymore. Nie Yan could finally relax as his wish of two lifetimes had been fully realized. Previous ChapterNext Chapte Chapter 995 - Past Life, This Life Fin Huahai, the Moro River Banquet Hall. This establishment was bustling, with a steady stream of people coming and going. A total of 6,000 people were invited for tonight¡¯s celebrations. The gathering was quite secretive. No one from the public knew why they were here. The guests came from all walks of life. There were the CEOs of large financial groups as well as ordinary shop owners you would find in your everyday corner store. There were bureaucrats and white-collar workers. Some were even freelancers with no particular job. However, none of them seemed to care about any of this. They chatted merrily, shoulder to shoulder as if they were close brothers. If other players from Conviction were here, they would be shocked speechless. The names these people were calling each other were the most famous characters in the game. The top few floors of the Moro River Banquet Hall were merged together. 600 people were gathered together across 40 tables. They were chatting happily and toasting to each other. On both sides of the hall were 60 waitresses dressed in elegant qipaos. ¡°Scoundrel, aren¡¯t you quite the playboy in Conviction? You always have a beautiful girl around your arm! I didn¡¯t expect you to be so timid. When that waitress poured a drink for you just now, your face was bright red,¡± Tang Yao teased. ¡°W-well¡­ you know, it¡¯s different! That¡¯s inside the game!¡± Scoundrel refuted in embarrassment. Everyone erupted into laughter. Who knew Undying Scoundrel had such an interesting side to him? ¡°The boss is coming!¡± The 600 people stirred, standing up one after another as their faces lit up with excitement. Even the waitresses couldn¡¯t help but shoot curious gazes over. They also played Conviction and naturally knew Nie Yan¡¯s name, not to mention he was also the Xie Family¡¯s son-in-law. Nie Yan was dressed in a well-ironed western suit. He looked dignified and suave. Next to him was Xie Yao in a white evening dress, her long hair worn up in a bun. Her beautiful figure was perfectly accentuated. Many of the guests couldn¡¯t help but sigh in admiration. What a lovely couple! ¡°Nie Yan, you lil¡¯ punk! You¡¯ve made us wait! Get over here and toast with us, or are you going to let us all down?¡± Bladelight walked over. He looked like a bear with his large, hulking figure. Sure enough, he lived up to his reputation even in real life. Following Bladelight¡¯s words, everyone heckled jokingly. Nie Yan swept his eyes over the crowd. These fellows were all a bunch of troublemakers, wishing nothing more than to stir up chaos. They were his old comrades who¡¯d followed him through countless campaigns. So, there were no misunderstandings between each other, and they all spoke fairly frankly. ¡°I had to pay a visit to the guys below. So, I ended up being a little late. Alright, a toast to you all! I¡¯ll down the first drink!¡± Nie Yan raised the glass from his table and downed his drink in one gulp, letting out a satisfied sigh. Today was the largest gathering they¡¯ve had since the start of the game. Asskickers United¡¯s core members were all here, Young Seven, Smoke Stub, Sun, and so on. Not only Asskickers United, but Holy Empire, Radiant Sacred Flame, Sapphire Shrine, the War God Tribe, they were all here as well. Naturally, Sleepy Fox, Fa Lan, and Nightbreak Trickster were among the crowd. ¡°Big Bro!¡± Sun walked up to Nie Yan with an excited expression. Looking at Sun¡¯s juvenile face, it was hard to imagine that he was one of the most ruthless and decisive killers in the game. Nie Yan chuckled, ¡°Today¡¯s a school night, isn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re planning on playing hooky tomorrow? Remember to study hard! Don¡¯t let Asskickers United lose face!¡± Sun rolled his eyes. How was skipping school related to the face of the guild? Seeing Sun¡¯s crumbling expression, Xie Yao couldn¡¯t help but giggle. Convincing this mischievous kid to study hard wasn¡¯t easy! ¡°Did everyone make it?¡± Nie Yan asked, looking around. ¡°Yeah, everyone¡¯s here. This is our biggest gathering yet,¡± Paladin of the Elegy said. ¡°That¡¯s great! I didn¡¯t expect so many people to turn up. Tonight, we¡¯re going to drink until everyone¡¯s piss drunk!¡± Nie Yan declared. The entire banquet hall erupted into cheers. ¡°Yeah, piss drunk!¡± Asskickers United¡¯s peak experts all made toasts to Nie Yan one after the other, downing several dozen glasses in the process. Despite Nie Yan¡¯s shocking alcohol tolerance, he also started showing signs of getting tipsy. The celebrations in the Moro River Banquet Hall continued all night. No one could imagine that these 6,000 people had changed the history of Conviction as well as the world. In real life, they were ordinary civilians, working hard everyday for a livelihood. However, with the escape of the game, they¡¯d all played out their own respective legendary stories and became existences that countless players revered. Seeing this rag-tag bunch of people, all from varying backgrounds and social circles, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but recall a certain phrase, ¡°The stage is as wide as your heart makes it!¡± As he thought back to the last 10 years since his reincarnation, Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but express his thanks to the heavens for giving him another opportunity at life. Finding love with Xie Yao and coming to know this amazing group of brothers was the best thing in the world to have happened to him. Life was no longer lonesome! After partying into the early morning, at around 5 AM, everyone retired to their respective suites. Nie Yan staggered into the room, Xie Yao supporting him with her shoulder. His vision was hazy from all the alcohol. Looking at her delicate face, he could tell she had also drank a few glasses. Her flushed cheeks looked particularly charming. ¡°Xie Yao, thank you. Hic... Y-you know¡­ The most fortunate thing to happen in my life is bumping into you on that fateful day in Ningjiang. I¡­ Hic, I thought I¡¯d pass away with that regret in my heart. Who knew the heavens would give me another chance?¡± Nie Yan slurred. He was completely drunk. Xie Yao thought Nie Yan was referring to the time he was shot in the heart. Her eyes brimmed red with tears. When the news had reached her, she felt like her whole world was collapsing as all the colour drained away from her life. Thankfully, that had all passed. ¡°Come, let me bring you somewhere.¡± Nie Yan pulled Xie Yao into the bedroom. There were two game capsules set up. He¡¯d already prepared them in advance. ¡°This late? Where are we going?¡± Xie Yao asked in confusion. Nie Yan¡¯s gaze fell on Xie Yao¡¯s body. Her skin-tight white dress revealed her perfect curves. She was like an angel descended from heaven, the most beautiful spark to his life. Her jet-black hair draped down over her shoulders, her picturesque face you could only find in the magnum-opus of a painter. Everything about her carried an indescribable, otherworldly charm. ¡°The game!¡± Nie Yan said. Focusing his gaze on Xie Yao, countless memories gushed forth like a spring. His heart was beating wildly. Xie Yao was skeptical. Why did Nie Yan want to play Conviction with her now of all times? The two stepped into the game capsule. Nie Yan teleported to an underground dungeon using Instant Transmission. He appeared in a stone chamber. It was completely sealed while the remains of disarmed boobytraps could be found all around the entrance. They were enough to blow up anyone. ¡¸It¡¯s safe now. Use the ring to teleport to me,¡¹Nie Yan said. With a flash of light, Xie Yao apepared by Nie Yan¡¯s side. She looked around in a daze. What was this place? Why did Nie Yan bring her here? The room was clean without a speck of dust in sight. On the walls were various murals, giving off a mysterious feeling. ¡°Yeeek!¡± Xie Yao cried out. Nie Yan¡¯s rugged arms had latched onto her waist. The two locked bodies. Sensing Nie Yan¡¯s heavy breathing, Xie Yao¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but beat wildly. Did Nie Yan really plan to¡­ here of all places? This stone chamber was unfamiliar to Xie Yao. She couldn¡¯t help but worry that a stranger might walk in on them. Nie Yan was drunk. His hands mischeviously groped Xie Yao¡¯s body, delving into her robes and caressing her fair white skin. She felt an electric shock run through her from head to toe. Nie Yan was behaving particularly wild tonight. Xie Yao couldn¡¯t help but bashfully close her eyes, letting him devour her. Xie Yao¡¯s robes dropped to the ground, revealing a beautiful, fair figure, as if she were the most perfect statue carved by God himself. Her slender shoulders trembled lightly. This was her first time doing it in the game. She felt like she¡¯d returned to their first time. Her stomach was filled with butterflies as well as a hint of expectation. Nie Yan couldn¡¯t help but recall his past life. Back then, Yao Yao had exposed herself to him, resembling a goddess that had come down from the heavens. It was after that fated night that the two of them slowly drifted apart as she left his world. Nie Yan felt his hands tremble. The scene before him wasn¡¯t a dream. The tragedies of his past life were nothing more than that, relics of a history that would never repeat. Nie Yan gently nibbled Xie Yao¡¯s ear, his heart filled with a slight ache as he relived the memories of that fateful night. His voice trembled as he whispered, ¡°Tonight, you¡¯re Yao Yao.¡± Xie Yao¡¯s eyes trembled as she felt a mysterious aching in her heart. She didn¡¯t understand. After all, Yao Yao was her, and she was Yao Yao. No longer thinking about it, the two lost themselves in each other¡¯s embrace. Fin. Previous Chapte Message From the Translation Team Translator Afterword Even though it''s been a couple of weeks since the novel ended for me, it still feels a bit surreal that I''m finished with Rebirth Thief. After dedicating four years of my life to it, I feel sort of lost and restless. That said, I''m happy to have experienced this journey alongside you guys. It''s been a source of consistency for me over these rocky few years of my life. There were many times I was seriously considering dropping the novel, when things were getting rough in real life, and as a translator, wondering if I was really cut out for this scene. However, I''m glad I stuck it out., and one of the things that kept me going was reading your discussions in the comments and interacting with you guys there or on Discord. Without your support, I don''t know where I''d be in life right now, but I''m sure it would be much worse off, and I really mean it when I say this. Regarding my thoughts on the end of the novel, the story personally ended for me in . Everything thereafter was just an epilogue with Mad Snail tying up as many loose strings as he could. Honestly, I enjoyed it for what it was. I used to get really annoyed by the retcons, inconsistencies, and dropped plot threads in Mad Snail''s writing in the beginning. I''m sure some of you older readers remember the page-long rants I would go on about it. But I eventually learned to accept that this was just a fact of life with the author. All in all, it''s been a fun ride, but I don''t plan to end it here. I''ve come to realize that I still love translating and bringing these fun stories to you guys. From what started out as a fun hobby to give back to the community has developed into a career I genuinely want to pursue. So, I''d love to have you guys join me again in seeing where this ship will take us next. Editor Afterword No matter how great the journey, it must end one day. Well, here we are. When I began on this journey four years ago, I never could¡¯ve imagined it would lead to here. Rebirth Thief seemed like one of those novels you would start, but never finish. Unfortunately, it has. I want to thank everyone who has been here with us throughout this journey from the bottom of my heart. Shanks, I could¡¯ve never been here if it wasn¡¯t for you. You gave me trust when I needed it the most. Devshard, you showed me how little I knew of editing, and taught me how to improve. And of course you, the reader, without whom all of this wouldn¡¯t have been possible. It has been a phenomenal four years. From laughing with Shanks over the latest interesting Snail math to reading the many comments under each chapter, I¡¯ve enjoyed every aspect of working on this novel and I¡¯m eager to see what the future has in store for me. For now, I can say that I will continue working with Shanks on the next project. I hope to see all of you there! Future Projects In keeping with the tradition of Flowerbridgetoo (my dear friend who I formerly worked for as the editor of Martial God Asura), I''ve translated shortlist of teasers for novels I found interesting and worth picking up. I''d originally selected five, but that had to be cut down to three after I came down with a bad flu this past week. You can vote on which one you like the best, and it might influence my decision on the novel I pick up for my next main project. P.S. To those asking me to pick up World Defying Dan God, though it''s not off the table, I''m not really keen on picking up dropped novels. 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