Chapter 2387 – Strengthening the Ancient God’s Literature

Fragment White River City, Candlelight Trading Firm:

Compared to the surrounding player-owned Shops and NPC Shops, the Candlelight Trading Firm’s 21-story Shop loomed a giant overseeing the city’s business district. Almost every new visitor to White River City gasped when they saw it. The players that focused on their subclasses gave the magnificent building particularly longing looks.

These players’ reactions weren’t simply because White River City’s Candlelight Trading Firm was a 4-star Shop, but also due to Zero Wing’s latest announcement. All Zero Wing and Candlelight Trading Firm members could purchase a private house in Stone Forest City with their GCPs.

Even the various superpowers hungered after Stone Forest City’s private houses, and because of this announcement, the various major powers’ players envied Zero Wing and Candlelight’s members.

Even a fool would recognize the immeasurable future ahead for Stone Forest City. Although a Level 100 neutral map was very dangerous, there was no doubt that it was an excellent leveling spot for current players. Furthermore, nowhere within God’s Domain’s many kingdoms and empires could match the city’s scenery.

With one of the city’s private houses, one would have bragging rights for life.

Unfortunately, securing a permanent private house in Stone Forest City was easier said than done.

Zero Wing had no intentions of selling its private houses to outsiders, only lease them. Once the lease ended, players would have to bid for the house in another auction.

And yet, as a member of Zero Wing or Candlelight, one could own their own house in the city. Why wouldn’t outsiders be jealous?

As Shi Feng made his way toward the Candlelight Trading Firm, his Guild Emblem, that of Zero Wing’s core members, attracted many envious looks, even though he hid his appearance and identity with a Black Cloak.

“He’s actually a Zero Wing core member? It’d be great if I could get to know him,” a Level 96 female Elementalist said, her eyes glowing brightly as she watched Shi Feng pass by.

Nowadays, Zero Wing shone like the midday sun in Star-Moon Kingdom and its several neighboring kingdoms. Even other kingdoms’ major powers had to show respect for the Guild. In addition, countless adventurer teams sought to befriend Zero Wing’s core members in hopes of gaining some advantage in the Cold Spring Forest.

“Isn’t he just a core member? What’s so great about that?” a Level 97 male Shield Warrior said in jealousy. “If I were willing to deal with the restrictions, I could join Zero Wing and become a core member, too.”

“Even for you, that’d be a challenge,” the female Elementalist said, shaking her head at the disgruntled Shield Warrior. “I’ve heard that since Zero Wing has so many members now, they’ve raised the requirement for elite members to the middle stage of the Trial Tower’s fifth floor. If you wanted to become a core member, you’d have to reach the sixth floor’s middle stage at the very least.”

At this stage of the game, players only needed to reach the late stage of the Trial Tower’s fifth floor to be considered an expert. There was a huge difference between the fifth and sixth floors. Even in well-known adventurer teams, the experts that could reach the sixth floor’s middle stage could be counted on one hand.

When he heard the requirement to become a Zero Wing core member, the Level 97 Shield Warrior fell silent. He belonged to a well-known adventurer team from the Black Dragon Empire, and very few of his teammates could reach that stage. He had only recently reached the fifth floor’s late stage. He was nowhere strong enough to become a core member in Zero Wing.

We’ve already raised the core member requirements that high? Shi Feng was similarly surprised when he overheard the conversation.

To ensure that the Guild’s core members had enough resources to develop, Zero Wing had limited the number of players that could become core members. The Guild only had limited resources, especially the rarer resources, after all. There simply weren’t enough to supply an endless number of members. Of course, exceptions could be made for the players that met the Guild’s high standards.

As far as Shi Feng could remember, the minimum requirement to become a core member had been fixed at the early stage of the Trial Tower’s sixth floor, with the higher standard of reaching the sixth floor’s late stage. If players reached the late stage, they wouldn’t have to take part in the core members’ monthly elimination competition.

But apparently, the minimum requirement had been raised to the sixth floor’s middle stage. It was easy to imagine how many experts had recently joined his Guild. Shi Feng had to admit that using Stone Forest City to promote Zero Wing had been amazingly effective.

Moreover, as time passed, the core membership minimum requirements would become more demanding, and the Guild would acquire even more experts.

Although Shi Feng was pleased with his Guild’s development, he felt a little pressured.

More experts meant greater demand for resources. If the Guild failed to meet these experts’ needs, it would only be a matter of time before they left the Guild as other powers established towns and cities in Level 100 neutral maps.

Whether or not Zero Wing grew into a superpower would depend on the Guild’s income of Coins and resources.

Considering this issue, Shi Feng hurried toward the Candlelight Trading Firm.

Melancholic Smile had already gathered the Secret-Silver Guards she had gone to great lengths to find in one of the top-floor Basic Meditation Rooms. As Shi Feng entered the room, she promptly handed him a detailed list of these Guards.

“Guild Leader, after scouring the various kingdoms and empires, I managed to find 16 Secret-Silver Guards with very high Growth Potential. I’ve secured other Secret-Silver Guards as well, but their Growth Potential isn’t as high,” Melancholic Smile awkwardly reported as she gestured to the row of Guards behind her.

Shi Feng had provided her with plenty of clues, and she had utilized the Secret Pavilion’s connections to follow them. However, even after so many days of searching, she had only found 16 Secret-Silver Guards that fit Shi Feng’s criteria.

“Sixteen?” Shi Feng was ecstatic with her results.

Finding Secret-Silver Guards wasn’t easy. They all had a considerably high chance of reaching Tier 4, after all.

Even after ten years in God’s Domain, not even first-rate Guilds had been able to afford to take a Tier 4 combatant lightly. Tier 5 and Tier 6 experts were far too rare. As for second- and third-rate Guilds, they had been wise to fear Tier 4 combatants.

Melancholic Smile simply didn’t realize how amazing her accomplishment was.

Shi Feng instructed Melancholic Smile to continue her hunt for Secret-Silver Guards with high Growth Potential and materials for the Crimson Dragon Flying Ships. Meanwhile, he snuck the 16 Secret-Silver Guards to the Shop’s second basement floor, where the Shop’s private warehouse was located. Only the Shop’s owner had access to this area.

At Epic rank, the Ancient God’s Literature Fragment could only strengthen one Soul per day, but he only had 10 days to complete his Inferior Legendary Quest. At most, he had time to strengthen 9 Secret-Silver Guards. He’d never complete his quest with so few Fine-Gold Guards.

Hence, Shi Feng intended to use the Holy Grail to upgrade the Ancient God’s Literature Fragment.

Since the Ancient God’s Literature Fragment was bound to his soul, which prevented him from trading it or storing it in a warehouse, he had been afraid of upgrading it. It could also drop if he died. If he lost the Literature Fragment after upgrading it, he would mourn the loss.

However, now that he had risen to Tier 3, he was strong enough to protect himself. Now, the chances of someone killing him were extremely low.

The Ancient God’s Literature Fragment’s abilities were frightening, and if he could evolve it, it’d become an unimaginable benefit to Zero Wing.

After carefully retrieving the Holy Grail from its shelf, Shi Feng used it to scan the Ancient God’s Literature Fragment.

A short moment later, a system notification informed Shi Feng of the Life Force required to evolve the Literature Fragment. He would have to permanently sacrifice 50,000 HP...

So much?! The number took Shi Feng by surprise.

For Tier 2 players, losing 50,000 HP was fatal, and the evolution wasn’t even a guaranteed success. If the evolution failed, then he’d lose 50,000 HP for nothing, which was why Shi Feng didn’t use the Holy Grail casually.

However, Shi Feng did not consider the issue for long. Compared to the benefits he could gain from upgrading the Ancient God’s Literature Fragment, losing 50,000 HP was acceptable. After all, the Ancient God’s Literature Fragment wasn’t an ordinary Epic item, and he currently had nearly 1,000,000 HP. Fortunately, HP wasn’t particularly important for a Swordsman, and Shi Feng knew of many ways in God’s Domain to increase his HP permanently.

“Evolve!” Shi Feng growled, gritting his teeth.

As he did, the Holy Grail plundered 50,000 HP from Shi Feng and converted it into purple-blue smoke that enveloped the Ancient God’s Literature Fragment.