Chapter 24 – Beyond Epic

“How is this possible?!”

“What a powerful Mana Domain!”

When Soulfire’s members felt the frozen space and mist-like Mana around them, they couldn’t help but turn to look at Shi Feng in shock. Moon Rain, in particular, was utterly dumbfounded by this situation, the words she had originally prepared to say vanishing without a trace.

Meanwhile, standing behind Shi Feng, Wu Lingling and the others revealed faintly smug and prideful expressions on their faces.

In God’s Domain, although players capable of casting Mana Domains weren’t as rare as a phoenix’s feather, they were still very rare existences. Typically, one would only start seeing players with Mana Domains more frequently after reaching Tier 5. Even then, only one or two out of ten Tier 5 players would be capable of casting a Mana Domain. Moreover, most of them were magical class players.

Meanwhile, Tier 5 players were apex existences in God’s Domain. They would be considered bigshots even in the various Super Guilds.

Thus, Shi Feng’s ability to cast a Mana Domain at Tier 3 was practically legendary in God’s Domain. According to rumors, only God’s Domain’s Tier 6 God-ranked experts were capable of such a feat!

“Miss Moon, may I know if I am qualified now?” Shi Feng calmly asked as he looked at Moon Rain’s frozen expression. There was no hint of anger or print in his voice as he spoke. It sounded as if he was merely bringing up an insignificant matter.

However, when Moon Rain snapped out of her daze, she couldn’t help but be at a loss for words, an embarrassed expression on her face. This was because Shi Feng’s words had put her in a bind.

Even if she admitted that Shi Feng was qualified, with her status as Southern Tiger’s vice-captain, she did not have the authority to offer the 10:90 split price Shi Feng was asking for. Yet, if she said that Shi Feng was unqualified and her higher-ups learned of her actions, she would probably have to kiss her position as vice-captain goodbye. After all, an expert capable of casting a Mana Domain at Tier 3 was not an existence Soulfire would dare to casually offend.

Just when Moon Rain was contemplating how she should answer Shi Feng, a thick voice rang in everyone’s ears.

“Yes! Of course you are qualified, Brother Black Flame!” Southern Tiger said with a friendly smile on his face. “I can agree on Soulfire’s behalf to cooperate with you, Brother Black Flame!”

“Captain?” Moon Rain was surprised when she heard Southern Tiger’s words.

This was definitely the first time since Soulfire’s establishment that they had accepted a 10:90 split. Even when they partnered with a Super Guild previously, they had only offered the Super Guild a 20:80 split. Moreover, that was mainly because Soulfire only played a supporting role in the job.

However, they were clearly going to be the main contributors to the Tyrian raid. They bore significant risk, yet all they would get for their efforts was merely 10% of the loot? If news of this spread, it would negatively affect the adventurer team’s reputation. It wouldn’t matter even if Shi Feng was a Tier 3 Sword King who had a Mana Domain.

“It’s fine. I know what I’m doing,” Southern Tiger said, smiling. “Have everyone get ready.”

“I understand.”

Seeing Southern Tiger’s expression, Moon Rain had no choice but to prepare the team for the upcoming raid.

Meanwhile, when Wu Lingling and the others saw this scene, they couldn’t help but gape in shock.

“They actually agreed?”

“I doubt even Super Guilds will get a 10:90 split in such a situation, right?”

Originally, Wu Lingling and the others felt that it was unlikely for Soulfire to accept Shi Feng’s absurd demand. After all, accepting a 10:90 split would be no different from working for free.

It should be known that the average Tier 4 Mythic Bosses would only drop around 30 to 40 items, with only three or four of these items being actually useful. If Soulfire gave Shi Feng 90% of Tyrian’s loot, Shi Feng would be taking all of the best items dropped. As for the remaining items, even if they were valuable, they probably couldn’t hold a candle for the best items. Rather than take on such a thankless job, Soulfire would be better off killing a weaker Boss. Not only would Soulfire gain a bigger harvest, but the risk it had to take would also be smaller.

It was also because of this reason that players would typically split the loot evenly when cooperating to take down a powerful Boss. Depending on the strength of the participating forces, the loot division ratio might go down to 30:70. However, never would anyone accept a 10:90 split.

While Wu Lingling and the other students were having a hushed discussion among themselves, Shi Feng suddenly turned to Southern Tiger and said, “Since you have agreed to my request, can you give me command over the team afterward?”

Upon hearing Shi Feng’s words, Wu Lingling and the others immediately started growing nervous again.

A team’s commanding rights were crucial to a team. Whoever held these rights held the life and death of everyone on the team. Hence, what Shi Feng for was the right to manage the life and death of Soulfire’s members.

It might be fine under normal circumstances, but the various powers were desperately fighting to get a lead over each other in the Miniature Ancient World right now. If Southern Tiger’s team ended up suffering a teamwipe here, it would bring catastrophic to Soulfire.

“That won’t be a problem,” Southern Tiger said, nodding without hesitation. “We’ll leave everything to you, Brother Black Flame.”

Immediately after hearing Southern Tiger’s response, Moon Rain, who was issuing commands to the team, frowned and looked at Southern Tiger as if she was looking at a stranger. Eventually, unable to help herself, she quietly whispered to Southern Tiger, “Captain, isn’t this a little too much? If he improperly commands us into a teamwipe, whether intentionally or unintentionally, it’ll ruin all of our plans in the Miniature Ancient World! Is this really worth it?”

Soulfire had great ambitions for the Miniature Ancient World. Otherwise, the adventurer team wouldn’t have sent Southern Tiger, a Half-step Tier 5 expert, into the Miniature World and had him restart his progress from Tier 3.

Yet, now, not only was Southern Tiger having their team of experts take on great risk to work as free labor for Shi Feng, but he was even handing over the rights to command the team to Shi Feng. What Southern Tiger was doing was no different than gambling all of Soulfire’s investments in the Miniature Ancient World on Shi Feng… “Yes!” Southern Tiger firmly answered.

“Yes?”

Hearing Southern Tiger’s answer, Moon Rain couldn’t help but take another look at Shi Feng, a confused look appearing on her face.

While it was indeed amazing for someone to be capable of casting a Mana Domain at Tier 3, it wasn’t so strange to see such people in the Miniature Ancient World. Anyone who was once an apex expert with a Mana Domain in the outside world could probably accomplish the same feat. After all, they were merely retraining their game characters. The experiences they had accumulated in the outside world remained.

Meanwhile, seeing the confusion on his vice captain’s face, Southern Tiger smiled and whispered, “You might not know this since you haven’t reached the Tier 5 threshold yet, but his Mana Domain is different from the pseudo-Mana Domains you’ve seen those legendary experts cast when they were at Tier 3. His is a complete Mana Domain!”

“A complete Mana Domain?” Moon Rain grew even more confused. “What’s the difference?”

In her recognition, a Mana Domain was a Mana Domain. It was something that allowed players to take control over the Mana in the area surrounding them. At most, Mana Domains would differ in terms of strength. She had never heard of there being fake Mana Domains.

Seeing that Moon Rain did not believe him, Southern Tiger helplessly shook his head and said, “Of course there is a difference. It isn’t a matter of a Mana Domain being weak or strong. If players wish to cast a complete Mana Domain, they need to satisfy two conditions.”

“What conditions?” Moon Rain asked curiously.

“The first condition is to be a Grandmaster Magician!” Southern Tiger said. Then, he turned to look at the distant Shi Feng, a solemn expression appearing on his face as he continued, “The second condition is to construct a Mana Body beyond the Epic rank at Tier 3!”