In surprise and bewilderment, he stared at the cliff across from him, and not only did astonishment appear in his eyes, but terror and shock too.
He had spent a lot of effort to create the chance for himself, so he had not expected that the person on the cliff would dissolve it so easily and in such a relaxed manner.
Just as Netherworld expected, the players who had been slightly behind and did not jump chose to leave immediately. They used their hands and feet to crawl back, and their speed was much faster than when they were rushing to Punishment Mount. Soon, not a single person was left.
Netherworld said nothing. There was conflict in his eyes. With a tap on the ground, he landed a few feet away, and with a few more jumps, he disappeared.
*****
With one Flowering Knights Slash, Happy had sent all the people off the cliff before landing slowly in his original spot in a relaxed manner. He sat down with his usual expression as if he had done nothing.
Flap, flap, flap!
A snow white messenger pigeon showed up in front of him.
Slightly taken aback, Happy stretched out his arm and allowed the messenger pigeon to land on it. Then, he gently took the letter from the messenger pigeon's leg and opened it.
[Three Lonely Wolves said you agreed to join Beautiful Robes Faction.]
The person who wrote the letter was Phoenix Dances in Beautiful Robes.
Happy took out his pen and paper without hesitation and answered. [I have something to handle today and am a little busy. We'll see how it goes tomorrow.]
Once his messenger pigeon flew out, it quickly returned.
[Alright! Also, do you have any extra high-tier martial art manuals? If you do, perform a trade with our internal members. We'll do the trade according to market price.] Phoenix Dances' words were simple and straightforward.
And from what she wrote in the later half of her letter, Happy could tell that she had already come to understand that the true strength of a sect came from having many sect members who had mastered high-tier martial arts!
If she could say this, then it showed that she already had the awareness of being a faction master. She had chosen to accept that responsibility.
'As expected of Phoenix Dances with Beautiful Robes.' Happy smiled and began to ponder over the matter.
Speaking of high-tier martial arts, he did have a few manuals at hand. Aside from Demon Subduing Staff, Seven Stars Sword, and Swimming Dragon, he had also recently received Golden Bell Cocoon from Master Xuan Kong, which was the upgraded version of Iron Shirt. It was another body fortification technique.
However, the requirements to practice Seven Stars Sword were rather high, and it was a technique that included a qi cultivation technique and a sword technique. The two complemented each other, so he wanted to keep it to practice it himself.
Swimming Dragon was considered a high-tier lightness skill, and he was required to be in Mystical Realm to learn it. Golden Bell Cocoon would always be an expensive item, even in the later stages of the game, and even when people offered to a high price, there would be no stock. As of then, there might not be a lot of people who could learn the technique, and Happy himself intended to practice it.
And… Happy cast a glance at his Universe Bag, pondered for a while, then sent out another message. [I have one high-tier martial art manual, Demon Subduing Staff. Help me make some connections. As for the price… set it at ten thousand taels of silver crumbs. Also, I can give them a Silver-spiked Staff. It's a low-grade masterpiece that is worth twenty thousand taels of silver crumbs."
In truth, Happy remembered that Phoenix Dances would soon fall in love with using longspears, eyebrow-height staff, and other heavy weapons, up to the point she was nearly obsessed with them.
She might be able to digest Demon Subduing Staff.
Just as he expected, Phoenix Dances used a total of four minutes to reply to him this time.
[Silver-spiked staff? Do you have its stats description and its picture?]
Happy was stunned for a moment before a bark of laughter escaped his lips.
Later on, Silver-spiked Staff would become a very famous weapon that would be seen everywhere. Its stats and information would also be known to everyone. However, in his current life, the Silver-spiked Staff had yet to appear. The two he had snatched from the monks who had broken their Buddhist vows should be the first and the second that were seen by the players.
It was no wonder then that Phoenix Dances would ask him that question!
Based on her tone though, she seemed somewhat interested in it.
[Silver-spiked Staff: Level 8 Masterpiece (low grade). The weapon is magnificent and domineering! Attack increases by 180 points. Weapon defense increases by 240 points. Blocking rate increases by 60%. Requires AST: 48 and BMM: 40. Durability: 1,000 points!]
Once Phoenix Dances received the picture and the stats for Silver-spiked Staff, she quickly replied that she would buy it and requested for a trade using RMB. Based on the latest conversion rate, that would mean that she would spend around 12,000 RMB. She explained that she had just reached Blessed Realm, and as of then , she still had not received a single high-tier martial art manual.
As a faction master, it was hardly acceptable if she did not have a high-tier martial art.
Once Happy agreed to it, he sank into thought again.
He suddenly remembered that as of then, high-tier martial art manuals were still very rare.
He also seemed to remember that saber and sword techniques were the most popular in the early stages of the game. Even when the price was jacked up to two hundred taels of silver, there would be no stock on the market. Even though ultimate techniques were kept a secret by various large organizations and he could learn none of them, he still knew the origins of various high-tier martial arts.
Why should he then not use the advantage of his return to the past to earn a profit through selling high-tier martial arts before his enemy appeared? He could also use that chance to increase the overall strength of Beautiful Robes Faction!
Chapter 146 - Hall Master of Class One Hall
"Bastard!"
"If it weren't because of his geographical advantage, I would have gone over and torn him to shreds!"
"Damn him! How dare he kill my brother! Just you wait, I don't believe that you won't come over here!"
The people only regained their courage once they retreated through the chains. When they calmed down, they turned around and cursed up a storm at Punishment Mount while standing on the opposite the cliff. None of them were willing to leave just like that.
But all of them knew in their hearts that the power and lethality contained in the slash back then surpassed what they could withstand. Even if there was no natural chasm between them, they could not hope to stand up against the mysterious person in blue robes.
What caused them to stay, however, was the brocade box!
In just a dozen minutes, the storyline quest would come to an end, and the final ownership of the treasure of the brocade box would be decided. They wanted to know just what sort of treasure was contained in it.
Besides, all of them had hostile thoughts in their minds.
The event had yet to end, so who knew if some miracle would happen.
Their guess was not wrong.
A miracle did indeed happen. A group of people that numbered to around thirty charged down the mountain. They were elites that had the emblem of three drops of blood on their c.h.e.s.ts, were fully geared, and had extraordinary presences, which soon filled the Iron Chain Bridge.
"Class One Hall!"
The people who had remained on the cliff quickly recognized the newcomers. They s.u.c.k.e.d in sharp breaths and paid special attention to the woman who was escorted in the middle. She had a curvaceous body, but a silver veil hid her face, and she also had a head accessory inlaid with gold in her hair.
Everyone waiting at the cliff became even more excited.
"It's the leader of Class One Hall!"<
br />
"She seems very beautiful!"
Right when they finished speaking, dozens of fierce gazes shot toward them at the speed of lightning! When they saw the warning looks from the people from Class One Hall, the crowd hunched their shoulders and stopped talking. They left the area around the Iron Chain Bridge.
"Hall master."
Once the newcomers set up a proper defense around Iron Chain Bridge, Netherworld shot into their midst like a phantom. He wrapped his fist in his palm and greeted the woman with the golden head accessory.
Even though the mountain wind blew at them, revealing the figure of the hall master of Class One Hall, Netherworld did not dare to stare at her for too long. His gaze was trained on the ground, and he looked very respectful.
The hall master of Class One Hall did not seem to have heard him. She arrived in front of the Iron Chain Bridge, but did not look at the five iron chains in front of her. She stared at Punishment Mount from the distance. Her robes fluttered, and her silver veil stuck to her face. She looked like an immortal who had descended to the mortal world.
Netherworld did not dare to be negligent. He told her everything that had happened in a low whisper before he shut up and stood still behind her. He did not dare say anything else.
The members of Class One Hall in the area did not say a single word from the start to the end of his narration. Just like Netherworld, they stood by the side with respect on their faces.
From this alone, it was not difficult to tell just how high was the position of the hall master of Class One Hall in their hearts. Her leading skills and prestige were obvious.
She watched Punishment Mount for a while before her voice came from under the silver veil. "How great are the chances of us taking that brocade box?"
He answered without any hesitation. "One hundred percent!"
The expressions of the people around him did not change. All of them believed that it was only natural.
Class One Hall was one of the most influential gaming guilds in China. They had entered World of Martial Arts in a timely manner, and their reaction had been swift, which was how they had managed to take the lead among the other gaming guilds of the same level. As of then, they had ten people who had reached Grandmaster Realm with their high-tier martial arts!
There were three such people gathered at the cliff.
The other people who had not reached Grandmaster Realm would still be considered top-class players in the game. Many sects would seek after them, and they might even be in charge of some sects themselves.
If Class One Hall could not get rid of a nameless Blessed Realm player with such strength at their disposal, then no one would believe them if they told it.
"Alright." The hall master of Class One Hall turned around in a lackadaisical manner and stared at Netherworld. "If that's the case, I'll let you handle this matter. Seize the brocade box from Punishment Mount in these last few minutes. If you manage it, the position of sect master of the third sect we'll build in Jiangnan will be yours."
"I understand!"
When Netherworld heard her words, he was delighted, and his spirits lifted.
Once the hall master of Class One Hall finished speaking, she did not say anything else. She left them, and her pretty figure soon disappeared from the summit like a wisp of smoke.
"This bridge is a little dangerous. How should we cross it?"
Once the hall master left, everyone relaxed. They were no longer as stern as before. While joking around, they gathered together and began to discuss what they would do.
"Congratulations, Netherworld! You've been here for a while, you take command," someone suggested.
Netherworld did not reject the offer. He nodded and immediately told them his plan.
They had no time to waste and divided their tasks without hesitation.
Two fully geared sect members brought out green snake tendons from their Universe Bags. They curled them around their bodies again and again, and when they tugged them, they refused to budge. They looked incredibly firm and sturdy.
"Let me!"
When they arrived in front of Iron Chain Bridge, one of two people brought out one of the snake tendons and threw it out with a loud whoosh. The snake tendon circled around all five iron chains a few times, forming a few firm loops before tying all of them together.
The person's movements were very nimble. He quickly tied the five iron chains into a bundle, and the amplitude of oscillations became much smaller.
But that was not all.
When he stepped on the Iron Chain Bridge, he wrapped another segment of the chains. They became even sturdier, and soon, they looked like a simple man-made bridge.
The man's actions excited the players who watched from the distance.
"Amazing!"
"As expected of an internal member of a seasoned guild. They actually managed to think of such a method!"
The people clicked their tongues in the distance.
Once the iron chains were bound together, even normal players who had not reached any qi realm would be able to safely cross while holding onto the chains for support. It was no wonder then that the hall master of Class One Hall had handed someone else the task of seizing the tribute from Punishment Mount. As long as they got rid of the disadvantage imposed on them by the iron chains, it would not matter how strong the person on Punishment Mount was. He would not be able to do anything against so many Blessed Realm players.
Half of the task to secure the iron chains was soon finished.
At that moment, Netherworld was full of confidence in taking down Punishment Mount and continued to give orders.
"Have four people guard this place over here. The others, follow me! Remember, once we pass the area with the white fog, four archers should protect us with arrows. The others, seize the time to get on the cliff as quickly as possible! Remember this, don't let him get close to the cliff. We cannot let our efforts go to waste."
The series of arrangements made it sound as if they were about to take down a game boss. Their organization was flawless!
The other sect members did not voice any opinions. They left behind four people to guard Iron Chain Bridge and walked onto the bridge like fish in water. They headed to the other mountain at a rather swift pace.
At that moment, no matter how strong the mountain wind between the two mountains was, it could not affect the members of Class One Hall, who had their hands on the iron chains and walked on steady ground.
Happy had been watching Class One Hall's actions from the other cliff. For the first time, he scowled, and a solemn expression appeared on his face.
'Class One Hall… they are indeed remarkable!'
If anyone else had seen it, they might not be able to sit still anymore and would start making preparations to leave.
But Punishment Mount was a lone mountain. Unless Happy jumped off the cliff to commit suicide, he had nowhere to go!
Happy took in a deep breath. He did not dare to be negligent, so he quickly brought out lancet knives from his Universe Bag and spread them on the ground before himself. They were all close to each other.
Chapter 147 - A Hopeless Situation? A Hopeless Situation!
The ground before Happy was covered with more than one hundred throwing knives that were placed close to each other. Then, Happy slowly brought out a pair of jade green gloves that exuded a cold air—Green Jade Shrouded in Heavenly Silks!
The thirty or so powerful Blessed Realm fighters from Class One Hall came with an aggressive presence. Their methods showed that they were very experienced. Clearly, they came with preparation, and they also forced Happy to face them with everything he had.
In his previous life, after three years of hard work, Happy's understanding toward martial arts had reached a certain degree. He could match up to the various top-class fighters at that time, but as of then, he still had yet to reach that state.
He did not have the various high-grade high-tier martial arts he had in his previous life, h
is Phantasm Body Movement Skill—which was not at all inferior to the ultimate techniques, so much so that it even allowed him to get Arhat Body from Fire Dragon Cave—and his diverse set of weapons that surpassed the level of masterpieces.
But at the very least, he could rely on his experience in fighting against numerous enemies!
However, it would not be easy for him to fight against thirty or so professional gamers who had minds of their own and supernatural control.
So, he had to make full use of the advantage given to him by Iron Chain Bridge.
He seized the lancet knives. The familiar feeling that came from the blades and their slightly lower temperature refreshed Happy's mind. He instantly entered a state where his mind was as calm as water in an ancient well.
He shifted his gaze, and his eyes landed on the members of Class One Hall who had entered the fog.
Happy sighed. For the first time ever, he regretted not using some time to practice bow skills!
The range of throwing knives would increase with the user's qi realm, which was why their lethality was limited during the early stages. The greatest damage a person in Blessed Realm could throw them was less than one hundred and sixty-four feet. If Happy relied only on throwing knives, it would be very difficult for him to pose any threat to the people in the white fog. He would not be able to stop their advance.
Happy was a person who would try his best to think of things in the best way possible, but he would also never give up on considering what he should do if the worst happened.
The people on the Iron Chain Bridge soon cleared the foggy area!
When the two people in the lead walked out of the white fog, Happy frowned. The qi that had gathered on his throwing knives weakened until it vanished.
The reason why he did that was because the two people who walked out of the fog held sturdy shields that could protect most of their bodies. They appeared to be tough enough to block powerful bows, so they could easily defend against throwing knives.
Sword Among Us c1-1268 Page 78