Chapter 605 - Player’s Paradise

After Shi Feng confirmed his decision, the heavy stone doors slowly parted.

Meanwhile, Shi Feng’s remaining time in the World Summit instantly decreased by 50 minutes.

When he entered the Shrine, he was greeted by a staircase that led to the top of the Shrine. Engraved runes and pictures decorated the staircase’s walls. Among them, there were even images of Gods before the Great Destruction.

Shi Feng ascended the Shrine’s staircase, step by step.

In the beginning, Shi Feng had not felt anything out of the ordinary. However, by the time he was halfway to the top, he felt something off.

“Why has the gravity here increased?”

Shi Feng’s physical control was quite strong. As he took another step up, he felt the gravity increase by 10%. Although the gravity had only increased from 1 to 1.1 g, this small change would affect his Skill Completion Rates, resulting in a decrease in his combat power.

However, since Shi Feng had already entered the Shrine, he had no intentions of leaving.

If he could not even overcome a single Bronze Shrine, obtaining the Bible of Darkness would be a pipe dream.

Shi Feng continued to ascend, step by step. However, he was no longer as fast as before, as with every ten steps, the gravity increased. And with each change, Shi Feng needed some time to adapt.

By the time Shi Feng reached the top of the Shrine, the gravity had shifted to 2.4 g.

Exposed to such an intense shift, even Shi Feng was significantly affected.

The room at the top of the Shrine was not large. It was roughly the size of a basketball court. Aside from a black stone coffin in the room’s center, the area was empty.

Shi Feng approached the center of the room. When he was ten yards away from the stone coffin, golden runes suddenly emerged on its black surface. A moment later, a golden magic array began to expand from the stone coffin, enveloping Shi Feng with it.

“A barrier?”

Shi Feng glanced at his surroundings. Golden, translucent walls enclosed the area around him, trapping him with the stone coffin.

Just as Shi Feng considered his escape options, a semi-transparent figure materialized inside the barrier.

This figure was actually Shi Feng himself. Both the figure’s appearance and apparel were exactly like his own.

[Shrine Guard]

Level 32

HP 20,000/20,000

“Am I supposed to defeat him?” Shi Feng frowned at the Shrine Guard, his expression becoming somewhat solemn.

Shi Feng only required one critical hit to finish off the Shrine Guard’s 20,000 HP. However, he did not dare to casually approach the Shrine Guard because, currently, his intuition warned him that, should he approach the Guard, only death awaited him!

Shi Feng was a player that was capable of defeating a Lord by himself, yet, against this Shrine Guard, who only had 20,000 HP, he was utterly helpless.

“Are you too scared to approach me?” the Shrine Guard asked, laughing.

Shi Feng could not help his shock when he heard the Shrine Guard’s humanlike speech and behavior.

In his memories, only high-tiered NPCs were capable of such performances. He had never heard of a Common Monster behaving like this. It was obvious that the Shrine Guard was an extraordinary existence.

“I don’t have a death wish.” Shi Feng shook his head, growing more certain of his intuition’s warning.

“Not bad. You have actually discerned the gap in strength between us. However, rest assured, since you have already made it here, there is no danger. On the contrary, I have a reward for you,” the Shrine Guard said, laughing.

“Reward? What kind of reward?” Shi Feng did not think that an NPC would trick him, and there was no need to do so. This NPC was certainly far stronger than himself. The Shrine Guard could simply kill him if he wanted to.

“I will help you become stronger.” The Shrine Guard then explained, “I can offer you guidance on one Swordsman Skill. How much you learn depends on you, of course. However, you don’t have much time left. You only have 49 minutes remaining.”

Guidance on a Swordsman Skill! Shi Feng was surprised. When he thought back to the price required to enter the Bronze Shrine, he immediately understood. Hurriedly, he said, “I would like you to give me pointers on Chop.”

Shi Feng had plenty of Swordsman Skills. However, there were some he used frequently and some he only used occasionally. Among them, he used Chop most often. Although his Magic Weapon had allowed his Skill Completion Rate to rise significantly, he was still far from achieving a 100% Skill Completion Rate.

“You’ve made a wise decision. Watch me carefully, then.”

The Shrine Guard nodded. He then began to flow through the motions of Chop.

The Shrine Guard’s body leaned forward and swung the Abyssal Blade in his hand. The Abyssal Blade then began to blur. In the next moment, it was as if the space in front of the Shrine Guard broke as a faint spatial crack appeared. The Shrine Guard’s Chop was completely different than Shi Feng’s.

“How is this possible?” Shi Feng was at a loss for words.

His Skill Completion Rate with Chop was over 95%, and he was extremely close to reaching perfection. However, whenever he used Chop, it always appeared in the form of three sword lights resembling full moons that gathered at a single point. However, these three sword lights did not appear when the Shrine Guard used Chop. From the beginning, there had only been a single sword light. Moreover, the Shrine Guard’s swing had not been particularly fast, so Shi Feng could see the Skill being executed very clearly.

However, the most frightening aspect was the power the Shrine Guard’s Chop had displayed...

Shi Feng could sense that the Shrine Guard’s Strength and constitution and his own were exactly the same. The only difference was that the Shrine Guard had slightly more HP. Yet, the Shrine Guard’s Chop could tear apart space itself. Although the spatial crack that had formed seemed very small, the might it contained was sufficient to kill him instantly.

Despite the Shrine Guard’s speed and power being ordinary, he was actually able to display such frightening power.

“Confused?” the Shrine Guard asked, smiling.

“Mhm.” Shi Feng nodded and admitted shamelessly.

No matter what was said or done, he was a top-tier expert in God’s Domain who had reached the Flowing Water Realm. Although he still could not compete with those apex experts in the past, he was not that far away from reaching their level. Yet, the Chop the Shrine Guard had executed shattered his conception of the Skill known as Chop.

“If you don’t understand, I will display the Skill a few more times. You can also experience it for yourself. Rest assured; while inside this barrier, you will not receive any damage.” The Shrine Guard spoke like a teacher who guided his student carefully.

Hearing this, Shi Feng quickly sought the Shrine Guard’s guidance.

If one wished to improve on their techniques, the fastest way to do so was through actual combat. Previously, he had kept a distance between himself and the Shrine Guard, worried that the NPC would kill him. Now that he knew the NPC intended to help him improve his ability with the Skill, he would not hold back. Immediately, he displayed his best Chop and began battling the Shrine Guard.

Since Shi Feng attacked him, the Shrine Guard replied with a Chop of his own.

When the two swords collided, sparks flew into the air around them.

Peng!

In one moment, Shi Feng sent a Chop at the Shrine Guard, and in the next moment, his body left an imprint on the barrier’s wall. There was even a faint spatial crack lingering in Shi Feng’s original position.

“This... is this a super-perfect Skill?” Shi Feng stared at the Shrine Guard with a stupefied expression. His mind replayed the Shrine Guard’s sword swing.

Regarding speed, Shi Feng was definitely the victor. Moreover, he had prepared to dodge the NPC’s attack beforehand.

However, before he had any chance to dodge, the Shrine Guard’s sword had collided with his own. He instantly felt a tremendous power flow into his hand. In the next moment, he had been thrown backward.

Shi Feng was still badly shaken by the Shrine Guard’s attack. Fortunately, this was only a lecture. Otherwise, the NPC’s attack might have really killed him. He and the Shrine Guard were worlds apart from each other.

“Perfect?” the Shrine Guard laughed. “Nothing is perfect in this world. It is only because your vision is limited, and you are confined to your own world.”

“Nothing is perfect?” Shi Feng thought about the Skill Completion Rate’s limit of 100%. Yet, the Shrine Guard had said that nothing was perfect. “Could the Skill Completion Rate possibly exceed 100%?!”

The more Shi Feng thought about it, the more he felt it was possible. Otherwise, why would his Chop, which neared a 100% Completion Rate, be so inferior to the Shrine Guard’s?

Following which, Shi Feng faced-off against the Shrine Guard again and again.

Although every exchange ended in Shi Feng’s utter defeat, the more Shi Feng fought, the more his excitement grew. He felt as if he had caught onto something, something that he had never noticed before.

He had laced too much importance on his body, trying too hard to replicate a Skill’s template motions that had been provided by the system; he had forgotten to think outside of the box.

As Shi Feng traded blows with the Shrine Guard, his Skill Completion Rate continued to rise.

%... 97%... 98%...

“It should feel like....” Shi Feng leaned forward. He no longer pursued ultimate speed as he swung his sword along the air’s resistance.

Suddenly, a spatial crack appeared before him.

Chop’s Skill Completion Rate reached 101%.