Chapter Thirty-Nine: Guild, Fantasy Dungeon, Ambush

As expected, once the novice guild token went up for auction, the bids surged rapidly. In less than half an hour, the price had already surpassed ten thousand gold coins. Thirty thousand gold coins was not an amount a small group could muster. Yet even ten thousand wasn’t the limit—the sum continued to climb.

Even Zhao Nan, usually so composed, couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath.

When the bidding climbed to one hundred thousand, Zhao Nan unexpectedly received a system notification.

“Ding! Player Zuo Panglong offers to trade for your novice guild token with fifty thousand gold coins, one Fantasy Instance key, and a coordinate map!”

Zhao Nan couldn’t immediately recall who Zuo Panglong was, but the Fantasy Instance key piqued his interest. He had already experienced the benefits of a Fantasy Instance once and had been waiting for a chance to try his luck again when he was strong enough.

After some thought, Zhao Nan agreed to the trade. With a fifteen percent fee deducted, fifty thousand gold coins left him with forty-two thousand five hundred—already exceeding his original expectations.

When the transaction was complete, the system delivered a key and a map via mail, which made Zhao Nan leap up in excitement.

“A level-10 Fantasy Instance key, and a level-10 Fantasy Instance coordinate!”

“Instructions: The player must have completed the first class advancement. Up to six people may enter. The average level requirement is 12. Maximum player level is 15.”

After reading the key’s description, Zhao Nan was puzzled. The entry requirements for this instance weren’t difficult. He couldn’t imagine why someone would give up a chance at a Fantasy Instance. If it were him, even for ten guild tokens, he wouldn’t trade.

Guild tokens could always be farmed eventually. But Fantasy Instance keys were a matter of luck—some people might never come across one in their lifetime. Before his rebirth, Zhao Nan had been just such an unfortunate soul.

“Ding! Player Zuo Panglong requests to add you as a friend!”

At that moment, the player sent another message through the trading hall. Zhao Nan rubbed his nose and declined. In this situation, keeping a low profile while making a fortune was best.

“Declined!”

Perhaps Zuo Panglong didn’t fully understand the true value of a Fantasy Instance. That was the only explanation Zhao Nan could think of. Shaking his head, he led Finina out of the trading hall. Now flush with gold, Zhao Nan could finally learn more useful skills. At level fourteen, with access to all five schools of magic, his options were plentiful.

But just as they stepped out of the trading hall, the system’s voice suddenly resounded in the sky.

“Ding! Congratulations to Dongyuan City player Zuo Panglong for successfully founding the ‘Blood Shadow’ Guild, becoming the first guild in Dongyuan City. Reward: a dedicated guild hall room, 5,000 coins, and 1,000 guild reputation!”

Immediately after, a calm male voice followed.

“I am Zuo Panglong, the leader of ‘Blood Shadow’ Guild. We are now recruiting members. The application requirements will be announced tomorrow at 6 a.m.! Successful applicants will have access to exclusive leveling zones, guidance from experts, and the chance to obtain top-tier equipment... and even clear the first level-10 instance!”

In an instant, Zuo Panglong’s voice echoed throughout Dongyuan City. After three consecutive announcements, the city fell into a brief, pin-drop silence.

Then, the city erupted into excitement again—the first guild in Dongyuan City was recruiting!

Zhao Nan’s auction had only stirred those with deep pockets. But Zuo Panglong’s founding of the city’s first guild set every player in Dongyuan City ablaze with enthusiasm!

Crowds rushed through the streets, voices raised in heated discussion... ‘Blood Shadow’ Guild had become the sole topic of the city.

“I wonder what Gao Mingyang is up to right now...” Zhao Nan gazed at the empty avenue, curious. “Since ‘Blood Shadow’ was first, does that mean he hasn’t founded his guild yet... Is he hesitating, or...?”

“Nan?”

“It’s nothing,” Zhao Nan shook his head. The token had been given; now it was up to Gao Mingyang to choose his path.

If Gao Mingyang established a guild, Zhao Nan’s gesture wouldn’t have been in vain, and he could consider him a true friend going forward. But if Gao Mingyang chose instead to sell the token for profit, it would reveal him as someone willing to abandon his ideals for gain—a man not worth confiding in.

A single guild token could be exchanged for a confidant. That was how Zhao Nan weighed the matter.

“Let’s go to the Mage’s Hall.”

Having made up his mind, Zhao Nan smiled in relief. “Your class is better—you get new skills automatically with each level as a Sky Sword Saint. Unlike me—just a regular mage who has to buy every skill.”

“Now you’re just being coy after getting the better deal,” Finina scoffed. “I’d trade all my skills to get your ability that halves cast times!”

“Haha, life’s too dull—you have to find your own fun,” Zhao Nan said as he put his arm around Finina, the two of them laughing as they left.

...

The Mage’s Hall—since they rarely visited, Finina took the chance to go find Haidion and strengthen their bond, while Zhao Nan browsed skills on his own.

There were a great many spells among the five schools of magic. Zhao Nan spent two full hours selecting the ones he needed.

He didn’t want to be a support mage, so he favored offensive spells. Of course, he wouldn’t turn down good support abilities either.

Spell books for post-level-10 skills were ten times more expensive than before. But now that he had a windfall, Zhao Nan didn’t hesitate.

He bought every early-stage spell book, but ultimately pared down his choices for quality over quantity. He settled on four fire offensive spells, three wind offensive spells, one wind support spell, two earth support spells, two water support spells, one water healing spell, two dark offensive spells, and three curse spells.

Eighteen spells in total—mastering even these would be quite a challenge.

“Right, since I’m here anyway...”

Zhao Nan suddenly remembered the key he’d gotten from the berserker Dashan. The 500-gold appraisal fee had deterred him before, but now, feeling flush, he decided to give it a try.

In the appraisal room, the appraiser gripped the key and muttered incantations. Suddenly, a blinding light flared, and the key glowed with a golden luster.

A gold-quality item?

Zhao Nan carefully took the key from the appraiser and examined it.

“Rainbow Seven-colored Key—Azure Key (Level 0): One of the fabled keys that opens the Road to the Heavens.”

Road to the Heavens?

Zhao Nan pondered. Neither the Rainbow Seven-colored Key nor the Road to the Heavens were things he’d heard of. After all, he’d only reached level forty-nine before, and it had only been three years—much of the world remained unexplored.

The trouble with Earth’s gamification was that you could never predict what awaited in uncharted territory.

If he knew nothing about it, perhaps the Road to the Heavens only appeared in high-level areas... Zhao Nan shook his head—he probably wouldn’t have a chance to encounter it for now.

He put the key away and waited for Finina. Later, they found an inn, and that night, the two, now experienced in pleasure, indulged themselves until late before falling into deep sleep.

At dawn, Zhao Nan went straight to Dongyuan City’s special item shop, spent ten thousand coins to triple his backpack capacity, bought a large number of supplies, and set out for the Fantasy Instance location.

The coordinates lay at the edge of Dongyuan City.

With their abilities, traversing monster zones was a breeze. Zhao Nan didn’t bother hunting monsters, simply rushing through.

Following the coordinate hints, it took them half a day to find the entrance—a gigantic tree trunk, hollowed out, with a tunnel leading deep underground. The instance entrance was below.

Zhao Nan sent a small fireball into the hole and listened; hearing nothing unusual, the two cautiously climbed in.

It wasn’t very deep, about seven or eight meters. The air was damp, filled with the smell of rotting leaves and decayed wood. Zhao Nan took a crystal from his pack—a flashlight-like item that, with a little mana, could shine bright as a torch for a long time.

The white light illuminated dozens of meters ahead, but beyond that was a black corridor. It seemed they still had some distance to the entrance.

They walked carefully, encountering nothing. The oppressive silence weighed on them.

“Nan, there are footprints here...” Finina suddenly grabbed Zhao Nan’s arm and whispered, “These are shallow, but those are deeper—they must have been made at different times.”

Zhao Nan nodded, frowning. “It doesn’t look like the same person... Maybe the previous keyholder came to scout. Still, we should stay alert.”

Muttering, he tapped Finina’s back lightly with his staff.

“Stone Armor!”

A brownish glow covered Finina’s body, quickly fading into her skin. Zhao Nan cast the same spell on himself.

This was a level-12 earth mage defensive spell, granting the target a hidden armor with 1,000 hit points—only after it was depleted could actual damage be dealt.

The armor’s defense matched the wearer’s own—effectively adding 1,000 HP. A highly practical support spell.

Thinking it over, Zhao Nan cast another spell, a thread of blue light flowing from his staff and dispersing into the air.

“Wind of Lightness.”

One of the new spells Zhao Nan had purchased—a wind-element ability that spread around the area, sensing danger within thirty meters.

With these three spells active, they continued on.

The passage widened ahead. Zhao Nan spotted traces resembling a subway tunnel, evidence that this had once been an underground railway structure.

After a while, Zhao Nan’s brow furrowed. He quickly pulled Finina aside, moving them two steps away.

At that moment—a whistling sound!

Thud!

An arrow embedded itself in the ground before them. Zhao Nan’s heart skipped a beat; without his precaution, it might have struck him.

“Enemies?” Finina instantly drew her longsword, on high alert.

“And it seems there are quite a few... Six in total! Looks like someone doesn’t want us going further...”

Swish, swish!

As Zhao Nan had said, someone was determined to block their way. Two more arrows flew from the darkness, swift and sudden.

Fortunately, the Wind of Lightness was still in effect, allowing Zhao Nan to dodge with Finina once more.

Bang, bang—!

The arrows exploded on impact, their force considerable. The Stone Armor lost 200 HP.

“Fixed damage, huh...” Finina, as a Sky Sword Saint, had higher defense than Zhao Nan, but both suffered the same.

“Counterattack!” Zhao Nan shouted.

The two worked in perfect sync. Zhao Nan’s staff spun, and in the blink of an eye, three small fireballs shot forth. Finina dashed behind one, sprinting at blinding speed.

“Returning fire is only polite,” Zhao Nan sneered. As the fireballs flew ten meters ahead, his staff flared again.

“Raging Wind Blade!”

Ten crescent-shaped wind blades shot out. Zhao Nan himself followed, moving swiftly—his agility even higher than a thief of the same level, just a hair slower than Finina.

“Careful!” came a woman’s shout from the darkness. The six attackers scrambled to react.

“Think you can run?” Zhao Nan laughed, jabbing his staff into the ground. A pale yellow ripple spread rapidly.

“Quagmire!”

A level-14 earth spell, creating a twenty-meter-wide mire. Any enemy caught would not only sink, but also be slowed for three seconds.

At the same time, Zhao Nan tossed his crystal upward, flooding the area with light—six figures appeared in the gloom.

Finina’s sword flared, and she slashed forward, unleashing a half-meter arc of energy.

A Sky Sword Saint’s signature mid-range sword skill, dealing massive damage and inflicting a bleeding effect—fifty damage per second for five seconds.

The arc struck one enemy in the mire, a huge damage number flashing as the victim fell with a shriek, a ghastly wound opening.

With a successful strike, Finina heard Zhao Nan shout and leapt back. At that moment, a massive fire dragon coiled around Zhao Nan’s staff.

“Flame Dragon Strike!”

A level-14 fire attack spell, summoning a fire dragon to inflict devastating damage on a target.

As the dragon surged toward another foe, Zhao Nan’s hand unleashed a volley of fireballs, streaking toward a third.

Boom—!

A series of explosions rocked the space, dust billowing everywhere. From Zhao Nan tossing the crystal to this moment had only been a few seconds, but the attackers were already in chaos. Amid the smoke, two more screams rang out.

But Zhao Nan showed no signs of stopping, his staff whipping about like a gun barrel, fireballs forming a blazing whip that lashed the area.

Of all his spells, Zhao Nan had practiced fireball the most. Now it was mastered—its power formidable. With a mere half-second casting time, it had become a true weapon.

“Wait, we surrender!”

Finally, after a minute, he heard the attackers beg for mercy.