Chapter 2611 - The Flame Bearer
Holy Flame City, Violet Sword’s Residence:
Inside an ancient castle made out of meteorite, over 50 Level 100-plus players were currently sparring and training various combat techniques. Not only did these players possess very high combat standards—with even the weakest person being at the Refinement Realm standard and the majority being at the Flowing Water Realm standard—but every one of them could also smoothly integrate their Skills or Spells with their combat techniques. Their level of skill was far superior to ordinary Refinement Realm experts’.
“All of you, work harder! Activating the Ancient Star Castle costs a lot of Mana Stones, and only a limited number of people can train inside it each time! If you can’t pass this week’s integration test, then the others waiting in line will replace you!” a dark-gray armored, middle-aged man with a knife scar on his face shouted as he monitored the players training inside the castle.
“Instructor Wildfighter, your requirements are too high. Not everybody is like Solitary Frost, able to perfectly integrate Advanced Combat Techniques into our Spells in just one week,” a redheaded woman in blue mage robes, standing beside the middle-aged man, said while shaking her head.
“I have already lowered my requirements significantly. They only need to gain a basic foundation in integrating Advanced Combat Techniques with Skills or Spells in 10 days. If it were Solitary Frost, I would’ve given him three days’ maximum. However, even though they have spent more than half of their given time, these newcomers are still stuck integrating Basic Combat Techniques. It seems the Guild’s new recruits are becoming weaker with each passing generation,” Wildfighter said in dissatisfaction as he eyed the group of players training before him. “They are far inferior to our generation.”
“Our generation?” The redheaded woman revealed a bitter smile at Wildfighter’s words. “The commander was the only monster that came out of our generation. I don’t think that everyone else in our generation was much better than these newcomers.”
“Why are you being humble? Your talent is not the slightest bit inferior to Solitary Frost’s. It’s just that you were made to learn too many things at once. In contrast, Solitary Frost’s training is very specific. Otherwise, you would’ve become the commander of the Guild’s second trump card legion by now,” Wildfighter said, rolling his eyes at the redheaded woman.
The redhead’s name was Crimson Star. She was someone the Secret Pavilion had nicknamed the Thousand-hand Witch. At the same time, she was one of the vice commanders of Violet Sword’s strongest trump card legion. In terms of combat standards, she was not the slightest bit weaker than Wildfighter. In fact, if the two of them were to have a duel, his chances of winning would be below 30%.
“Regardless, it seems you think very highly of Solitary Frost. You even held back during the previous match and let him finish with a draw to boost his confidence and pride,” Crimson Star said.
“Don’t say anything about this matter. I might’ve held back that time but only my trump card. Solitary Frost is still very young, with plenty of room for growth. It is only a matter of time before I lose to him,” Wildfighter said, smiling. “Moreover, isn’t it because of that battle that Instructor Torre became willing to teach him?”
“That’s true. I never thought that Instructor Torre would still be willing to teach someone. I was quite surprised when I heard about it. It’s a pity that the Guild lacks Master Lifestyle players, and producing that item takes too much time. Otherwise, Solitary Frost could enter the ancient secret land and receive Instructor Torre’s personal guidance. If that happened, he’d definitely be able to beat you once he came out of the secret land,” Crimson Star said, nodding in agreement with Wildfighter’s words.
“I believe it won’t be long before that changes. Now that Solitary Frost’s group have returned to participate in Azure’s family competition, the Long Family’s fate is sealed. If the Long Family still wishes to retain its ruling rights over Azure, they will have to listen obediently and produce that item for us. Otherwise, the Zeus Corporation will hand Azure’s ruling rights to another family,” Wildfighter said in a definitive tone.
“I heard that the Long Family has a very powerful genius called Silk Moon. Her strength has always been second to only Solitary Frost. If Silk Moon secures second place in the competition, the Long Family might not submit to us,” Crimson Star commented.
“Rest assured, Instructor Torre personally provided Yan Xiaoqian with guidance and helped raise her strength considerably. So long as Silk Moon hasn’t reached the Domain Realm yet, she’ll be no match for Yan Xiaoqian,” Wildfighter stated confidently.
Solitary Frost might be an exceptional genius, but Yan Xiaoqian wasn’t much inferior to him, either. Only, she devoted much of her time to alchemy, so she couldn’t capitalize on her talent in combat. However, after receiving guidance from Torre, her strength had definitely reached the peak of Void Realm experts.
“I don’t know whether Silk Moon has reached the Domain Realm or not, but I stumbled across a rumor stating that the Flame Bearer is instructing Silk Moon. While I still haven’t confirmed the specifics of this information, the friend I got it from says the source is reliable, so there’s a 90% chance that it’s true,” Crimson Star warned.
“What? Silk Moon actually caught the eye of the Flame Bearer? How is that possible? Even when Instructor Torre personally requested the Flame Bearer to guide the commander, the Flame Bearer still rejected his request. How could that little girl catch the Flame Bearer’s eye?” Wildfighter was surprised at the information Crimson Star revealed.
The Flame Bearer was a legend of sorts in the virtual gaming world. Nobody knew the Flame Bearer’s identity. Nobody even knew the Flame Bearer’s age. However, there was no doubt about the Flame Bearer’s existence, as the Flame Bearer was responsible for nurturing quite a few of the virtual gaming world’s shining stars. According to rumors, even Mythology’s Guild Leader had received guidance from the Flame Bearer—which enabled him to surpass his peers and develop Mythology into one of the Five Great Super Guilds.
Now, however, a little girl from the Azure Chamber of Commerce was rumored to be receiving guidance from the same Flame Bearer, as well. In terms of talent, Silk Moon was much worse than Solitary Frost and the current commander of Violet Sword’s strongest trump card legion, yet the Flame Bearer had actually chosen to guide her. Wildfighter couldn’t bring himself to believe this.
“I don’t know, but rumor has it that the Flame Bearer has a unique way of selecting people to nurture. Maybe Silk Moon has some special qualities of her own,” Crimson Star said, shaking her head. In reality, she was also curious as to why the Flame Bearer would choose Silk Moon.
“If Silk Moon really is receiving guidance from the Flame Bearer, then Yan Xiaoqian is in danger,” Wildfighter said worriedly.
Wildfighter did not doubt that Solitary Frost would secure first place in Azure’s family competition—even if Silk Moon received guidance from the Flame Bearer. After all, there was a qualitative difference between the Domain Realm and the Void Realm, preventing players from jumping from the Void Realm to the Domain Realm within a short period. Otherwise, Domain Realm experts wouldn’t be so rare.
However, while securing first place wasn’t a problem for Solitary Frost’s group, securing second place would. After all, Yan Xiaoqian still hadn’t reached the Domain Realm yet.
While Wildfighter and Crimson Star were having their quiet discussion, a white-haired old man entered the training hall. Upon noticing this old man, Wildfighter and Crimson Star promptly went up to greet him.
This was because this old man was none other than Instructor Torre, a legendary figure in Violet Sword.
However, as soon as Torre arrived, a chilly aura filled the training hall. Even Wildfighter and Crimson Star shuddered involuntarily upon sensing this aura.
“Instructor Torre, didn’t you send Solitary Frost’s group to take part in Azure’s family competition? Did something happen?” Wildfighter asked, curious. Judging by the chilling aura Torre released, he could tell that something was amiss.
“I went but had to leave for some business. However, as soon as I was done with my work, I received a message from Solitary Frost stating that they lost in Azure’s family competition. Someone from the Long Family secured first place!” Torre snarled.
They lost? Solitary Frost lost? How is that possible?” Wildfighter was stunned by Torre’s words. He promptly asked, “Could it be the Long Family’s Silk Moon?”
“No. I heard that it’s the Long Family’s second young lady, Silent Wonder,” Torre replied, shaking his head.
“It’s not Silk Moon?” Wildfighter’s eyes widened in shock at this revelation. For a moment, he suspected that Torre was lying to him. “Isn’t Silent Wonder an alchemy expert? Moreover, according to previous reports, she’s only at the Flowing Water Realm. How could she possibly win against Solitary Frost?”
In a competition where only combat standards mattered, how could a Flowing Water Realm expert defeat a Domain Realm expert?
“Now that the Long Family has secured first place, doesn’t that mean they will have a stable hold on Azure’s ruling rights?” Crimson Star asked, frowning.
Master Lifestyle players were crucial for Violet Sword’s development, especially Master Alchemists. Meanwhile, Silent Wonder, who was only half a step from becoming a Grandmaster Alchemist, was someone Violet Sword urgently needed.
“You don’t need to worry about that. I believe the Zeus Corporation will deal with this matter. When the time comes, the Long Family will have to submit, even if they don’t want to,” Torre said coldly. “However, Solitary Frost’s group has truly disappointed me. They actually lost to a little girl who hasn’t even reached the Domain Realm yet. It seems I have been too lenient toward them. After they return, tell them that they don’t have to meet me. Have them properly reflect on themselves.”
He had never once worried about Violet Sword’s plan failing. Moreover, he never imagined that the group would lose to someone with significantly inferior combat standards despite him providing Solitary Frost and the others with direct guidance.
This was simply humiliating!
Wildfighter was shocked when he heard Torre’s words. Hurriedly, he tried to persuade Torre, saying, “Instructor Torre, isn’t this a little—”
However, before Wildfighter could say anything more, a Tier 3 Assassin rushed toward them.
“Reporting: Someone calling themself Zero Wing’s Guild Leader has arrived outside our Residence and wishes to negotiate with our Guild’s upper echelon regarding the Azure Chamber of Commerce’s matters. Do you wish to meet him?” the Tier 3 Assassin said respectfully.
“Zero Wing? Isn’t that the Guild Silent Wonder has been staying at all this time?” Wildfighter commented, his curiosity piqued. “What are they here for? Could they be here to convince us to change our plans for Azure?”
“An unknown Guild wants to meet us? What kind of Guild do they take Violet Sword for?” Glaring at the Tier 3 Assassin, Torre ordered coldly, “Tell them to get lost!”