Chapter 2489 – Circumventing the Rules?

Hell Rush and the Hell Legion’s other members gave Shi Feng a strange look after he spoke up. They had already explained the Demon God’s Temptation to the eastern players. They hadn’t expected that Shi Feng would still aim to claim the Inferior Legendary Treasure Chest. Trying to take that chest would be the equivalent of trading one’s life for wealth.

“Guild Leader Black Flame, you won’t be able to use your Berserk Skills or any magic tools once inside the temple.

You’d have to face the Demon God’s phantom by relying on your own power. Although the phantom isn’t a true Demon God, a Demon God did create it. It’s far stronger than a Hero of the same level and tier,” Hell Rush explained. “If you fail, you’ll have to remake your account.”

Hell Rush could sympathize with Shi Feng’s desire. An Inferior Legendary Treasure Chest was just that tempting. That treasure chest had a very high chance of bestowing a Fragmented Legendary item to whoever opened it.

But, Shi Feng didn’t know how powerful a Demon God’s phantom was.

Hell Rush might have considered the task of obtaining the chest, too, if he hadn’t seen a Demon God’s phantom for himself, but he had.

The Hell Legion’s members nodded in agreement with their commander. They acknowledged Shi Feng for his strength, but the man wasn’t powerful enough to challenge a Demon God’s phantom and survive.

“Guild Leader?”

Shi Feng’s statement even made Aqua Rose a little nervous. He hadn’t even unlocked his Mana Body’s full potential, and in the Star Tomb, he had slightly less combat power than she did. If Shi Feng failed the trial, he’d take Zero Wing down with him. The man was the symbol of Zero Wing, and if he were forced to remake his account, the Guild would quickly crumble.

“You misunderstand. I have no intention of challenging the Demon God’s phantom directly,” Shi Feng explained, noticing his comrades’ anxious expressions. “I’m just saying that obtaining that treasure chest is possible.”

“Obtaining the treasure chest without challenging the Demon God’s phantom?” Hell Rush gave Shi Feng a confused look. He thought the man must be joking. Once players entered the temple, they couldn’t leave until the trial until they completed it. If Shi Feng didn’t defeat the Demon God’s phantom, how would he claim the treasure chest?

Yes, though it will be somewhat difficult,” Shi Feng answered, nodding. He then turned to Aqua Rose and said, “Set up a Starlight Gathering Magic Array around the temple. Then, I want you to stand guard and prevent any monsters from approaching.”

Shi Feng knew far more about the Ancient Gods and their phantoms than anyone in God’s Domain. Not even a Dragon of the same tier would approach an area guarded by an Ancient God’s phantom. The phantom’s strength was on par with that of a Divine Dragon. As he was now, he wouldn’t last three or four hits against a Demon God’s phantom of the same tier, much less against a phantom that was one tier higher.

While he might not be able to defeat a Demon God’s phantom, however, obtaining that treasure chest was a different story.

Many confident experts had challenged Demon God’s Temptations during his previous life, but they had all been forced to set up new accounts. Not even apex experts had succeeded.

However, one independent player had secured the treasure within a Demon God’s Temptation at some point, and that independent expert had posted about his victory on the forums. The incident had shaken God’s Domain to its core, inspiring curiosity in every player. The various superpowers had even tried to recruit this independent player, offering an Elder position, even a Grand Elder position, within their Guilds.

When the superpowers had finally located the player, however, what they had found had left them dumbfounded.

That independent player had only been an ordinary expert. He hadn’t even reached the Refinement Realm at that point...

No one had expected the outcome. So many experts, including Domain Realm experts wielding Fragmented Legendary items, had tried to clear Demon God’s Temptations, yet none had lasted more than 10 seconds against the Demon God’s phantom. Naturally, they hadn’t secured the treasure, either.

After detailed interviews, the various superpowers had learned that the independent player hadn’t actually challenged the Demon God’s Temptation. Rather, he had found the treasure hidden within the temple.

To claim the treasure for himself, he had merely decoded the magic arrays that had protected the temple.

Once a player decoded the magic arrays, they could use magic tools within the temple. This made it possible to pin down the Demon God’s Temple long enough to flee with the treasure.

Astounded, none of the various superpowers had considered that there was a way to bypass the system’s rules. Every player in God’s Domain had long since memorized the Main God System’s various rules and determined that players simply couldn’t challenge these rules. However, the Main God System had never indicated that challenging existing rules was impossible. Players had simply convinced themselves that the concept was fact.

Of course, the method the independent player had employed wasn’t easy.

Decoding the temple’s magic arrays required a lot of time, and Demon God’s Temptations didn’t exist for long, with most only lasting two days.

Although the independent player hadn’t been an amazing expert, he had been an Advanced Master Magician, only one step away from Grandmaster rank. Hence, he had been able to decode the magic arrays within the time limit, obtaining the treasure.

Unfortunately, of the many powers that had attempted to use the same method, very few had succeeded.

Demon God’s Temptations appeared at random, and even if players found one, challenging it would be pointless if they couldn’t decode the magic arrays before the temple vanished. Even if they succeeded, they’d still have to escape the Demon God’s phantom. If they couldn’t last 20 or 30 seconds, escaping with the treasure would be impossible.

Now that Shi Feng was a Master Magician, albeit only at Basic rank, he had a chance of decoding the temple’s magic arrays. The time limit was the only problem.

But Shi Feng couldn’t care less. Since he had stumbled across a Demon God’s Temptation, giving up without trying would be a waste.

Meanwhile, confused, Aqua Rose and her companions did as they were told, setting up a Starlight Gathering Magic Array around the temple. As they did, the magic arrays concentrated the ambient Mana, which skyrocketed around the temple.

Now that the Mana density is higher, I should be able to decode the arrays faster. Next, I’ll have to race against time. Sensing the gathering Mana, Shi Feng took a deep breath and approached the stone pillars around the temple. He then began to decode the magic arrays that protected the temple.

The several ancient pillars suppressed space around and inside the temple. Essentially, they were the core magic arrays that sealed the temple. If he could decode them, he could enter and leave the temple freely until the magic array’s auto-repair completed. He would not have to worry about being trapped or not having access to magic tools within the temple.

“Commander, Black Flame has gone insane. Those are the system’s magic arrays, yet he’s trying to decode them...” Thunder Beast was stunned as he watched Shi Feng approach one of the stone pillars and get to work.

“I don’t know,” Hell Rush said, shaking his head. “However, he hired us. Since he wants to try decoding the magic arrays, we can only comply with his wishes. In any case, we can use this opportunity to get some rest.”

Hell Rush assumed Shi Feng had already submitted to the temptation and become obsessed with the Inferior Legendary Treasure Chest, but Shi Feng must realize that defeating a Demon God’s phantom was impossible, coming up with another method to tackle the Demon God’s Temptation. Although Hell Rush thought the Swordsman’s idea was even less feasible than confronting the phantom directly, he had no reason to stop the man since this method wasn’t dangerous.

The Hell Legion began to relax as they kept an eye on the surrounding monsters.

Meanwhile, excitement welled within Shi Feng as he examined the temple’s magic arrays. It turned out that they weren’t as powerful as he had assumed, only somewhat complex, consisting of a series of linked Master Magic Arrays. These weren’t nearly as formidable as the magic arrays that had entrapped the Silver Divine Dragon.

Given enough time, decoding these arrays wouldn’t be a problem.

Shi Feng frantically decoded the core magic arrays engraved on the ancient stone pillars as time flew by.

Three hours... Six hours... Twelve hours...

The harder Shi Feng tried to decode the magic arrays, the more impressed he became. These arrays offered a lot of insight into magic arrays’ structure and manipulations.

Unfortunately, the more magic arrays Shi Feng decoded, the slower his progress became. Not only were the engraved arrays more complex than the last, but they also required more Mana and more precise Mana control.

In the end, Shi Feng had only decoded half of the magic arrays after more than a day had passed. He began to feel a little dejected.

It’s no wonder why only a few powers had ever successfully obtained the treasures, even after learning how to secure them without facing the phantom. The last magic arrays aren’t testing players’ knowledge of magic arrays, but their Mana control. Shi Feng gave the next magic array a bitter smile. It seems that I won’t be able to claim the treasure chest after all.

“Guild Leader, your Mana control is too rough. Like combat techniques, Mana operates within certain rules. It’s easier to control if you work within those rules,” Aqua Rose, interrupted, watching Shi Feng work while staying out of his way.

Combat technique? Shi Feng’s eyes glowed as he suddenly realized something. That’s right!

He then gritted his teeth and retrieved the Memory Crystal that contained the Heavenly Blue Saint’s Mana Technique.

He had wanted to save it until he had unlocked his Mana Body’s full potential. Wielding the technique would involve his Mana Body, after all, but a Mana Technique was, at its core, a way to use Mana. Even if he couldn’t execute Eliadi’s Mana Technique just yet, learning it should grant him a boost to his Mana control.

I can only try it!

Shi Feng then squeezed the Memory Crystal until it shattered, and a stream of purple-gold light flowed into his head, forming a virtual space within his mind.