Chapter 224: Transcendent Martial Arts, Divine Might
Within a stretch of continuous mountains, after tracking for more than an hour, the mercenary trainees finally discovered a not-so-large stronghold in the mountains.
The entire stronghold was inside a natural small cave. Outside the cave there were only some iron fences and barbed wire, a few carriages piled up into houses, and several Winged Tribe teams patrolling the surrounding area.
Only after the Winged Youth who delivered the message entered the stronghold did the mercenary trainees who had been tracking all the way sit down to rest and recover their strength.
“I really don’t know what that devil instructor is thinking, having us use an NPC as training. This training is way too simple. I even had some expectations when I first joined the training class.” A young man named Qi Qiang Lao Liu looked at the Winged Youth in the distant stronghold reporting to someone, and felt that this task had absolutely no challenge.
“I also think the instructor is underestimating us. We are, after all, professionally trained elites. With this level of counter-tracking and tracking, even those who have obtained a quasi-qualification mercenary certificate could handle it easily.” The bald youth beside him named Yue Xia Liao Ren nodded. “And this NPC is way too unintelligent. It has no counter-tracking awareness at all, just went straight back to the stronghold without any detours and led us here directly. This game is way too fake.”
The other four members of the team also nodded in agreement.
Although all aspects in the game were made very realistic, with plenty of monsters along the way that had to be carefully avoided, and they were already feeling very hungry by now—the hunger felt almost real.
But the NPC’s intelligence was really not great. If it were those people from real life, they would have set up some simple traps along the way, and their pursuers’ presence would have been exposed long ago.
And the reason they themselves could detect that many people were tracking them was precisely because they instinctively left a lot of simple warning traps along the way.
“Since we’ve found the stronghold, let’s head back and report.” After observing the Winged Tribe stronghold for a while, Qi Qiang Lao Liu made the suggestion.
But just as Qi Qiang Lao Liu spoke, a flying transport vehicle in the distant sky quickly approached like a gust of wind and landed directly in front of the cave of the Winged Tribe stronghold.
“Is this new plot content?”
The team watched as more than thirty people stepped down from the flying transport vehicle. These people were not Winged Tribe, but Three-eyed Tribe members whose appearance was similar to the Human Race, except that they had three eyes.
Moreover, these Three-eyed Tribe members were fully armed, all uniformly wearing B6-grade battle armor. Even from several hundred meters away, one could sense how extraordinary they were.
After the thirty-plus people got off, a Winged Tribe man in a black cloak walked out from the carriage in front of the cave. With extreme respect, he came before a Three-eyed Tribe man over two meters tall with an impressive bearing.
“Lord Jia Long, why have you come in person?” Mans looked at the arriving Three-eyed Tribe man, extremely shocked.
Because the man named Jia Long before him was none other than one of the three monsters in the garrison, Sky Eye Jia Long. Though not in the Bone Forging Realm, his strength was comparable to a Bone Forging Realm expert.
“I heard that Obsidian Martial Arts Hall sent a large number of people out of the city. The opportunity is rare, so I came to ask what exactly is going on, and whether those two experts who killed Steel Bone and Sharp Tooth are also traveling with them.” Jia Long asked with clear anticipation.
“We are not sure about that.” Mans replied nervously. “We only know that the hall master of Obsidian Martial Arts Hall also went out with them, and according to the news our people just sent back, they are heading toward Death Valley.”
“News your people just sent back?” After hearing this, Jia Long turned to look at a forest a few hundred meters away. “So those people are not yours?”
“Our people?” Mans raised a telescope to look in the direction Jia Long was looking. In the forest he faintly saw several Humans wearing silver-gray clothing, and his face instantly went pale. “Not good, those people are from Obsidian Martial Arts Hall. They have discovered us!”
The White Feather Gang was currently far from being a match for Obsidian Martial Arts Hall. If Obsidian Martial Arts Hall discovered that the White Feather Gang had been secretly following and scouting them, it would be very bad for the White Feather Gang.
“How interesting. So they are from Obsidian Martial Arts Hall.” Jia Long looked at Qi Qiang Lao Liu and the others, who had already started to flee, and said unhurriedly, “Perfect, we will just capture them and ask.”
Hearing this, Mans also reacted and was about to call people to give chase, when he saw that Jia Long, who had just finished speaking, suddenly had a B6-grade longbow in his hand, and in an instant, six arrows were loosed.
Six sharp sounds tore through the air and six arrows shot into the forest. Jia Long then put away the longbow and told several nearby garrison captains to go bring the people back.
“This!”
Mans checked with the telescope and was completely stunned.
Seven to eight hundred meters away, Qi Qiang Lao Liu and the others had all been pierced through the legs by arrows, unable to escape. And Jia Long’s control of the arrows’ power was simply exquisite. A B6-grade arrow over one meter long, under normal circumstances, would obliterate an entire leg with one shot, but these arrows only pierced their legs, leaving them immobile.
Six arrows in one second, each with different force. Mans could hardly believe that such control over physical strength was something a human could achieve.
The six people hit in the distant forest were also shocked.
“Damn! Are the NPCs in this game really this strong?” Qi Qiang Lao Liu looked at the arrow in his knee, completely stunned by Jia Long’s display.
He had originally thought the game’s NPCs would simply suppress with levels, but now he was truly shaken.
Given how high the virtual degree of High Martial Arts Descend was, even NPCs could not violate the physics engine. Being able to achieve this was not just about powerful strength; it also required extraordinary technique.
An NPC in a game actually mastering such technique was simply unheard of.
“No wonder the instructor had us enter this game. This game really has something.” Yue Xia Liao Ren, also hit by an arrow, stared at the proudly standing Jia Long in the distance, his eyes full of excitement and fervor.
The daily training of cosmic mercenaries was extremely harsh, but for elites like them, that training could no longer satisfy them. Their goal was to become legends of the mercenary world, hoping one day to ride alone for a thousand miles and wipe out an entire gang single-handedly.
If they only did everyday mercenary training, such things would be impossible, and in their regular training, they never had real worthy opponents for life-and-death combat.
But now, experiencing the near-real virtual degree of High Martial Arts Descend, and seeing NPCs this powerful as opponents, how could they not be excited?
If they could train in such an environment, even if they did not become legends, they could at least make a name for themselves in the mercenary world.
“Looks like we can’t escape.” Qi Qiang Lao Liu watched the approaching group of garrison captains and could not help but give a wry smile. “The price for this task is really not low. There goes my extra meal allowance for the past few days.”
“It is still worth it.” Yue Xia Liao Ren looked at the approaching Three-eyed Tribe captains and laughed. “If this were a real mission, we would all be dead by now. Now, for just 648 we can buy a life. That is something you could never dream of in reality.”
“True. I wonder if the instructor will reimburse us.” Qi Qiang Lao Liu nodded, feeling that this price was indeed low. Then he began cultivating the Stellar Explosion Meditation Technique. In an instant his brain felt like it was burning, and soon blood poured from his seven orifices as he died.
The others also began practicing the Stellar Explosion Meditation Technique one after another, to earn as much as they could before dying, since among the martial arts hall’s various cultivation methods, the Stellar Explosion Meditation Technique was the most life-consuming.
Even the instructors had said that if they were about to die, they should take the opportunity to cultivate the Stellar Explosion Meditation Technique so their deaths would have some value, which was like saving money on practicing this technique.
“All committed suicide?” Hearing the reports from several captains under him, Jia Long was full of surprise. He had not expected the disciples of Obsidian Martial Arts Hall to be so fierce. This was rare even among the major powers.
However, upon hearing that all six had died, Mans’ expression grew darker and darker.
“Is there a problem with them dying?” Jia Long immediately noticed the change in Mans’ expression and looked at him in puzzlement.
“Lord Jia Long, you may not know, those from Obsidian Martial Arts Hall are all lunatics.” Mans took a deep breath and said solemnly, “The destruction of the Two-Headed Gang in the suburbs was because the gang leader’s son killed a few ordinary disciples from Obsidian Martial Arts Hall. That very night, the hall attacked the Two-Headed Gang headquarters and wiped them out. Now disciples of Obsidian Martial Arts Hall have died on our side. If they find out, they will never let our White Feather Gang off.”
Although the White Feather Gang had always wanted to deal with Obsidian Martial Arts Hall, it had only been from the shadows. Now six disciples of Obsidian Martial Arts Hall were dead. Who knew whether those six had sent out any messages before they died.
If Obsidian Martial Arts Hall learned that the six had died at a White Feather Gang stronghold, they would surely come to kill.
“So this is what you are worried about.” Jia Long smiled dismissively. “Don’t worry. I will be here during this period, and not just me. The other two will probably arrive soon as well. When the three of us sit in town together, if Obsidian Martial Arts Hall is willing to come, all the better. And if not, I have already discussed it with the other two: we plan to go to Chiyue Town to pay Obsidian Martial Arts Hall a visit.”
Although the White Feather Gang had said they would notify them as soon as the martial artists of Obsidian Martial Arts Hall went out.
The three of them did not want to waste too much time on Obsidian Martial Arts Hall, and waiting too long did not suit their personalities. They preferred to take the initiative.
If Obsidian Martial Arts Hall was willing to come to them, they would be more than happy.
“Lord Jia Long, this time the hall master of Obsidian Martial Arts Hall, Lin Qi, also went with them. If he comes here, that will be trouble.” Mans looked at the unconcerned Jia Long and cautiously reminded him.
The Winged Tribe and the Ape Clan had promised the three that they would restrain Lin Qi, a Bone Forging Realm expert, but they needed a pretext and the name of City of Light Chasing to do it.
But if Lin Qi came directly to their doorstep now, no one would be able to restrain him.
“If he can come, that is even better.” Jia Long said with anticipation. “Although the three of us are eager to fight the two disciples who killed Steel Bone and Sharp Tooth, to truly put pressure on us requires a Bone Forging Realm expert. If the three of us fight him together, we might use the opportunity to break through.”
“Moreover, as a precaution for our trip to Chiyue Town, we invited Vice Leader Mihos. With a Bone Forging Realm Intermediate Level like Vice Leader Mihos present, even if we are not a match, they can step in to stop him.”
“Vice Leader Mihos is coming too?” Hearing this, Mans finally felt relieved.
Vice Leader Mihos was a remarkable figure among the Three-eyed Tribe. Only three years after graduating from the Genius Training Camp, they had advanced from Bone Forging Realm Beginner Level to Bone Forging Realm Intermediate Level and were one of the candidates competing to become a young clan leader.
With such a person present, even Lin Qi would not dare act rashly. The strength gap between Bone Forging Realm Beginner Level and Bone Forging Realm Intermediate Level was still significant.
Death Valley, under the blazing sun.
After setting up a resurrection point and having everyone bind to it, the newbies happily began digging Mithril Ore.
Previously, everyone had thought resurrection was impossible in Death Valley, so mining Mithril Ore would be a severe trial. But with a resurrection point, everything was different.
This was essentially a reward from the martial arts hall for the newcomers.
It allowed all the newcomers to practice Crushing Stone Fist with peace of mind. Moreover, because of the presence of Mithril Ore, the free energy in Death Valley was unusually dense. While transporting ore, some players thought they could practice their breathing techniques while carrying the ore.
Although the difficulty of practicing the breathing technique in this way increased a lot, after some attempts these players quickly discovered that both their breathing technique improvement and their physical fitness improvement were much faster than when they practiced in the martial arts hall. Word spread, and soon all the newbies started imitating them, carrying ore while practicing their breathing techniques.
This spectacle even opened Lin Qi’s eyes as he watched. He had never imagined the breathing technique could be trained like this.
Just as Lin Qi was considering whether to have future disciples of the martial arts hall train this way, the system notification suddenly sounded.
System: Congratulations to the host for successfully fusing and mastering the extraordinary martial skill Divine Might, automatically reaching proficient level.
Suddenly, a tide-like flood of memories poured into Lin Qi’s mind, making his head feel like it was about to explode. He almost knelt from the pain.
Only after this flow of memories lasted for five minutes did it gradually fade.
“This is a martial skill?”
Lin Qi was a bit dazed as he examined the memory inheritance he had received.
Once this move was activated, it would use him as the center, compressing air and internal force to erupt outward in all directions. It was like deploying an AT field, merging offense and defense into an absolute domain.
However, activating this move consumed an enormous amount of his internal force. According to the memory inheritance, with his current qi and blood, he could probably use it only once in battle. If he tried a second time, the internal force converted from qi and blood would be completely exhausted, which meant that using it once would consume about half of his current qi and blood.
“This Divine Might, I wonder what level its power could reach if used with that Blood Red Bead.” Thinking of the principle of Divine Might, Lin Qi immediately thought of the Blood Red Bead he had obtained from Mobile City Jade Sky.
That Blood Red Bead could increase the strength of internal force by fifty percent, and Divine Might was almost a purely internal-force-based martial skill. Using the Blood Red Bead with Divine Might would definitely make its power far greater than ordinary extraordinary martial skills, perhaps even enough to contend with those top tier Bone Forging Realm experts.
Thinking of this, Lin Qi could no longer sit still. He immediately returned to the martial arts hall to test the effect of the Blood Red Bead.
Meanwhile, in front of the White Feather Gang stronghold, a group of martial artist players had gathered.
“Judgment, you are really impressive. You not only discovered the hidden plot for this limited-time task, but also tracked it all the way to find this hidden dungeon. This dungeon is really rich, with so many elites wearing B6-grade battle armor. There must be a lot of good stuff hidden in that cave.” Yi Ye Fu Yun watched the White Feather Gang stronghold two kilometers away through a telescope, licked his lips, and praised, “How about you join our team from now on? I guarantee you will earn several times more than you do now.”
“Don’t listen to Yi Ye. Join us instead. If you join, you can directly be vice leader of our team.” Fang Zhen also looked at Dark Judgment and the others with burning eyes. He had not expected such a fierce group among the newbies. They had detected when someone from his convoy was tailing them and even tracked all the way to a hidden dungeon. If this were wilderness exploration, who knew how many treasures they could find.
“Thank you both leaders for your kind offer, but that is not our goal.” Dark Judgment refused directly. “We prefer to sell information and exchange it for valuable things.”
“This hidden dungeon really is as high level as you said.” Luo Wu Shang observed through the telescope for quite a while and nodded. “Then, as we agreed before, one-fifth of the profit from this advanced dungeon goes to you.”
“Thank you, Vice President Luo.” Dark Judgment smiled at Luo Wu Shang’s agreement.
With the advanced dungeon they had discovered this time, even just one-fifth of the profit was enough for his side to expand quickly. After he advanced to martial artist, he even planned to call on some of his former comrades so they could play High Martial Arts Descend together.
When he first came into contact with High Martial Arts Descend, he had only treated it as a high-immersion game to kill time. After all, after withdrawing from the front line and becoming an instructor, he had a lot of free time.
But as he continued to cultivate the martial skills and cultivation methods in High Martial Arts Descend, he found the game truly unusual. Especially after practicing the Stellar Explosion Meditation Technique, his physical reactions and mental state had improved notably. This made him see a chance to return to the front line. If he could go further, he might even return to the peak.
“Alright, let’s move quickly. Time is limited. If something happens over in Death Valley, that would be bad.”
Yi Ye Fu Yun, impatient, took out the superconducting electromagnetic gun made from a damaged B6-grade weapon he had obtained from Fang Zhen and charged straight to the front.
Seeing Yi Ye Fu Yun rush out without another word, the others also drew their weapons and charged.
In an instant, more than forty player martial artists launched an assault on the White Feather Gang stronghold.
