Chapter 2368 – Venue Shocked
White Autumn hadn’t been loud, but everyone in the venue had heard him clearly. They immediately turned toward Shi Feng in astonishment.
“He’s reached Tier 3?! Impossible!”
Instinctively, they refused to believe White Autumn’s claim, especially the furious Long Xianglong. He assumed White Autumn was trying to trick him.
“Is White Autumn joking? How can that kid be Tier 3?!” Not even Duan Hanshan believed White Autumn’s statement had been serious.
Apex experts like Duan Hanshan had been fighting to reach Tier 3 for a while, yet even now, he wasn’t confident of completing his Promotion Quest and intended to train for a while longer.
Meanwhile, Shi Feng was merely the Guild Leader from a pseudo-superpower. He had nowhere near as much access to resources as Azure’s Grand Elders. It’d already be impressive if the young man had reached Level 100, not to mention Tier 3.
However, Hermit suddenly stepped forward and confirmed, “He is indeed a Tier 3 Sword King.”
Shocked silence filled the venue again after Hermit supported White Autumn’s statement. Not only had White Autumn claimed that Shi Feng was a Tier 3 player, but now Hermit, one of Azure’s Grand Elders, agreed. Either these two men were playing a joke, or they were telling the truth. However, Hermit should have no reason to lie with his status and position.
Everyone turned to stare at Shi Feng, their expressions changing. Rather than seeing a simple pseudo-superpower’s Guild Leader, they saw Shi Feng as a Tier 3 powerhouse that could effortlessly slaughter Tier 2 players.
It’s no wonder why Hermit turned a blind eye to his earlier transgression! So, he’s a Tier 3 Sword King? Realization dawned on Burning Owl.
Hermit was famous for his strict nature in the Azure Chamber of Commerce. He wouldn’t tolerate an outsider killing one of Azure’s peak experts, yet he had done precisely that at the Dark Hills’ checkpoint. He had even admonished the surviving peak experts that guarded the checkpoint.
Hermit wasn’t trying to interfere with the two main families’ affairs; he just wanted to prevent any friction between Azure and Shi Feng.
“Tier 3? He’s certainly hidden his strength,” Jade Bamboo muttered. Now, she watched Shi Feng with a more serious gaze. She hadn’t thought that Zero Wing had such an incredible foundation.
The Tier 3 Promotion Quest was an exceptionally difficult trial. Based on what she knew, none of God’s Domain’s superpowers had successfully nurtured a Tier 3 player yet. If Shi Feng were truly a Tier 3 player, her adventurer alliance would need to reevaluate the potential partnership with Zero Wing.
Meanwhile, Long Xianglong’s complexion shifted between red and white. He was silent for a long moment, but eventually, he gritted his teeth and glared at Shi Feng. “Excellent! You actually tried to trick me!”
Even he would have to flee from a Tier 3 player. The difference between the tiers’ power was simply too massive to overcome, which was how Tier 2 players so easily trampled over Tier 1 players.
Meanwhile, Duan Hanshan was relieved that he hadn’t attacked the man earlier. Otherwise, he would’ve been in this awkward position, rather than Long Xianglong.
“Elder Long, do you still desire a match?” Shi Feng asked, smiling faintly.
Shi Feng could understand Long Xianglong’s desire to drag Silent Wonder to the Azure Chamber of Commerce, but he couldn’t ignore the man’s insult that Zero Wing would destroy her future.
If Long Xianglong wanted a match, Shi Feng didn’t mind showing off Zero Wing’s foundations.
“No need. I admit that I am no match for you right now,” Long Xianglong decided. “However, the difference between our individual strengths doesn’t prove anything. Nurturing experts require a massive amount of resources. Is Zero Wing better equipped than Azure to handle that requirement?”
“How would we know if we don’t try?” Shi Feng nonchalantly replied.
Azure had a lot of resources, but Zero Wing wasn’t as unprepared to nurture experts as it had been in the past. This was especially true now that Zero Wing had accumulated a huge stockpile of Primal Void Stones. Once the Guild constructed a combat room with those stones, it would be just as capable of nurturing experts as current superpowers.
Furthermore, Shi Feng had a better understanding of what awaited players after Tier 3 than anyone.
“Good! Very good! Azure holds this competition between the shareholder families’ younger generation every year. Naturally, Wonder will participate in next year’s competition, as well. Show me how far she’ll develop with Zero Wing without Azure’s resources!” Long Xianglong snarled before he turned and left.
“Third Uncle!” Silent Wonder felt anxious as she watched Long Xianglong storm off.
Zero Wing had expended a lot of resources to help her improve. She had hoped to return the favor with resources from Azure once she had won the competition, but Long Xianglong’s attitude made it clear that he had no intention of giving her Guild a single cent.
“Don’t bother, Second Sis. You know how Third Uncle is. We’ll have to wait until he calms down to persuade him,”
Burning Owl advised, trying to ease Silent Wonder’s nerves.
She had no choice but to give up, despite how guilty she felt.
Meanwhile, the various spectating powers joyfully grinned at Shi Feng, especially Duan Hanshan.
Despite helping the Long Family a great deal, Zero Wing would walk away with nothing. Why wouldn’t Duan Hanshan be pleased?
“Black Flame is very strong, but he’s foolish. He threw away such a golden opportunity.” Yan Xiaoqian looked at the man, a little disappointed. “It seems Silent Wonder won’t be a match for me in the next competition.”
“Black Flame really is stubborn. If he hadn’t provoked Long Xianglong, he would’ve secured precious resources from the western continent. Not only would Zero Wing have grown stronger, but it would’ve had an easier time fending off the Otherworlds’ invading powers. But he’s lost everything. What can he possibly do by himself?” The blue-clad Assassin beside Jade Bamboo surmised, just as stunned by Shi Feng’s performance as the rest of the crowd.
Shi Feng might be very strong and deserve respect for reaching Tier 3 so soon, but he’d only have that advantage for a short time. His status as a Tier 3 player would be meaningless once the various superpowers’ experts were the same tier. How exactly did Zero Wing intend to compete with the Azure Chamber of Commerce then?
Jade Bamboo nodded in agreement. She had planned to convince her Alliance Master to negotiate a partnership with Zero Wing, but it seemed that it was no longer necessary.
Similarly, the other superpowers that intended to approach Zero Wing about an alliance dismissed the idea.
Shi Feng didn’t remain in Demonstone Town after Azure’s competition reached its end. He and Silent Wonder immediately teleported back to White River City. Since the very beginning, he had never viewed Demonstone Town’s resources as important.
He had only one thing on his mind: his territory in the Cold Spring Canyon. Once he developed the area, the resources Azure could offer would pale in comparison.