Chapter 2623 - Zero Wing's True Foundation?
Starlight Fortress, Fortress Lord’s Mansion:
As the heart of the Starlight Fortress, the Mana within the Fortress Lord’s Mansion had changed significantly. From the outside, it looked as if the mansion and its surroundings were encased in a layer of crystals, and the breathtaking sight attracted every passerby’s attention.
“Amazing. The Mana here is at least 50% denser than in the outside world. It’s no wonder why you deem this to be an excellent training ground, Commander Fithalia,” Duan Hanshan praised as he marveled at the glittering castle before him.
The Starlight Fortress’s Mana density had already been extraordinary. It had been so high that it had even rivaled, possibly surpassed, the various superpowers special training grounds.
However, the Fortress Lord’s Mansion had even denser Mana. One would be hard-pressed to find another location on the western continent with such dense Mana.
If players could train in such rich, special Mana, their efficiency would skyrocket. Even Domain Realm experts like Duan Hanshan could likely benefit from an environment with such abundant Mana.
However, Fithalia merely chuckled in response. Without comment, she led Azure’s group into the heavily guarded Fortress Lord’s Mansion.
When they stepped into the mansion grounds, Duan Hanshan and his entourage from Azure were utterly stupefied.
Aside from the multitude of Zero Wing’s experts, over 50 Personal Guards stood guard around the courtyard. Even the weakest of these NPCs was a Secret-Silver Guard, and there were as many as eight Fine-Gold Guards present. These NPCs could even annihilate a 1,000-man team of Tier 3 experts.
Once their surprise subsided, Azure’s members realized how refreshed and light they felt as if newer, better bodies had replaced their old ones.
“What’s going on? Why do I feel like I have so much more physical control?” Solitary Frost exclaimed as he sensed the changes. “Dense Mana shouldn’t have such an effect!”
“It’s not just our physical control. I can feel my Mana control significantly improving, as well,” Yan Xiaoqian said in the team chat. “It’s no wonder why Guild Leader Black Flame is so confident that he can help us fully unlock our Mana Bodies quickly and cross the 100% threshold.”
They had experienced plenty of Mana-rich environments before, including places with denser Mana than the Fortress Lord’s Mansion, yet none of those places had affected them in this way.
They hadn’t moved past the mansion’s front courtyard, yet Yan Xiaoqian sensed a tremendous increase to her combat power. If she could train here for a while, she was confident that she’d reach the Domain Realm in no time. Her Mana control would reach a whole new level, as well.
Sensing the changes, Duan Hanshan turned to Fithalia and asked, “Commander Fithalia, didn’t our agreement with Guild Leader Black Flame only entail three training slots? Has there been some mistake?”
According to Azure’s agreement with Shi Feng, Azure would receive 40 entry slots into Violet Sword’s ancient secret land. As a bonus, Zero Wing would also help three of Azure’s members unlock their Mana Bodies’ full potential and break past the 100% threshold. Aside from Sinful Flame, Solitary Frost, and Yan Xiaoqian, Azure’s members had only come to the Starlight Fortress to prepare for the trip to the ancient secret land and undergo some simple training beforehand.
However, Fithalia had led their entire team to this sacred training ground. There must have been some misunderstanding.
“There’s no mistake. All of you will train here for the next few days. As for the three slots, those trainees will go somewhere else. Unfortunately, I don’t qualify to go with them,” Fithalia said, chuckling.
The Fortress Lord’s Mansion was a one-of-a-kind training environment, so it wasn’t unexpected that Duan Hanshan would misunderstand.
If possible, Divine Tribe would negotiate for a long-term alliance with Zero Wing to train in the Fortress Lord’s Mansion, but it had a limited number of combat rooms. To ensure its own members could continue their development, Zero Wing could only afford to lease a few of these rooms. The only reason that Zero Wing was willing to splurge and lend 40 combat rooms to Azure’s members was the high price the chamber had paid.
“What? The three candidates won’t be trained here?” Duan Hanshan was a little shocked.
He still had his doubts that Shi Feng could help Sinful Flame, Solitary Frost, and Yan Xiaoqian unlock their Mana Bodies’ full potential in a single day, much less help them cross the 100% threshold.
However, after witnessing the Fortress Lord’s Mansion, Duan Hanshan wondered if the feat were actually possible. After all, this environment drastically improved players’ physical and Mana control. Azure certainly had nothing like this. Not even Violet Sword had such a wondrous training environment.
However, Fithalia had just clearly stated that this precious area wasn’t the three candidates’ traid^ going somewhere even better. How could Duan Hanshan possibly accept such a concept as truth?
Even Solitary Frost and Yan Xiaoqian wondered if the commander were playing some trick, using this as an opportunity to boost Zero Wing’s reputation.
After giving the matter some thought, however, they quickly dismissed these assumptions.
Fithalia had no reason to lie to them. Not only was she the commander of Divine Tribe’s second strongest trump card legion, but she was also a famous expert in the west. Why would she lie about such a trivial matter?
You’re finally here! Our Guild Leader has been waiting for you for quite some time. The three people selected for training, please follow me. Everyone else, please wait outside.”
While Azure’s members were dazed, a man wearing Zero Wing’s Guild Emblem approached from the castle. However, neither Duan Hanshan nor his team had noticed his presence. It felt as if this man didn’t actually exist.
Yan Tianxing? How is he so strong? Aren’t his combat techniques basically a match for those three monsters?
Duan Hanshan gave the man before him a suspicious look. According to the report he received on Zero Wing, Yan Tianxing was only an ordinary Domain Realm expert, yet he had obviously made considerable progress in the Domain Realm. Yan Tianxing was now entirely capable of standing toe-to-toe with Butterfly Bell and her comrades.
“Uncle Hanshan, should we go?” Yan Xiaoqian asked.
“Go on. Make sure you listen to Elder Flame later, understand?” Duan Hanshan said, nodding.
He had only seen Zero Wing as a Guild with no foundation, relying entirely on its Guild Leader for its success. In fact, most superpowers assumed Zero Wing’s overall combat power was only on par with ordinary superpowers. However, when it came to other aspects, such as nurturing talented players, Zero Wing couldn’t even compare. The Guild would need a miracle to become an ordinary superpower in the future.
However, Duan Hanshan realized how wrong he and the various superpowers had been after entering Starlight Fortress’s Fortress Lord’s Mansion.
“Understood!” Yan Xiaoqian and Solitary Frost replied, standing at attention.
“Please, lead the way,” Sinful Flame turned to Yan Tianxing once Duan Hanshan had finished instructing the two youngsters.
“Follow me,” Yan Tianxing responded with a nod.
Yan Tianxing then led Sinful Flame’s three into the mansion’s lobby and to the Legacy Room, which was located in the heart of the mansion.
Two Level 122, Tier 3, Fine-Gold Guards stood before the Legacy Room. Not even Sinful Flame would dare make a rash move before these two Personal Guards.
When the doors parted, Sinful Flame and the two young experts noticed a man standing in the Legacy Room. He was manipulating the room’s magic array, and all of the elemental Mana within flowed around him. As the man continued his work, the Mana around him grew astonishingly dense, eventually condensing into a white mist.
“Elemental Control?! Mana Mist?! How is this possible?!” Yan Xiaoqian stared with wide eyes, shocked, at the man within the room.