After dispatching the evil forces, I first considered searching for Long Xin and the others in the east section of the first dungeon level where I used to train. However, I quickly realized they might have already advanced and moved from our old spot. Their training grounds would likely be somewhere in the Dark Zone. But now, the Dark Zone, much like the area of the evil forces, was deserted. How was I supposed to find anyone? Thinking further, if something major had indeed happened to the Centipede Cave, Long Xin, with her sharp wits, and Long Qi, with his caution, would have retreated far away by now. They should be waiting for me back at the earthen city inn.

Sigh, what in the world is going on? I haven't the slightest clue. I'll just have to take things one step at a time. The surroundings were utterly silent. The ground was littered with dense piles of dead Pincer Worms. It looked like these creatures had been killed three or four days ago. Strangely, there was no sign that anyone had come to collect them. You see, when Rangers kill monsters, they usually take care of collection quests simultaneously. For such a massive pile of Pincer Worm corpses to remain untouched made the situation feel even more abnormal. Looking at the mess of footprints on the ground, it was clear that the group who killed these Pincer Worms wasn't a Ranger squad focused on training. Ordinary Ranger teams consist of a few or about ten people occupying a specific area for training. Thus, within a certain range, the footprints couldn't possibly be this chaotic. These messy footprints could only lead to one conclusion: these monsters were slain simultaneously by a large number of people in a short span of time.

Honestly, what is going on? My head is starting to spin. Forget it for now; I shouldn't dwell on this. I thought to myself, since I’ve mastered the Blazing Fire Sword Technique, I probably won't have many opportunities to return to the Centipede Cave. I should take advantage of being here now and check out the Death Coffin. If luck is on my side, I might even catch a glimpse of the Dragon God of Touch! Of course, regarding the legendary Dragon God of Touch, I only intended to see what it looked like; I certainly wasn't planning a direct confrontation. After all, I know my own limits quite well.

Having made up my mind, I headed toward the direction of the First Line Sky, following the map's guidance.

According to the Ranger Handbook, the First Line Sky was similar to the Dark Zone, primarily inhabited by mutated creatures like Pincer Worms. However, very few Rangers training in higher-level skills came here. The reason was obvious: this area was closest to the Death Coffin, which housed the Chasing Dragon God of Touch, a super terrifying evil entity. Although Rangers had long known that the Dragon God of Touch only appeared in the deepest recesses of the Death Coffin, the First Line Sky was only separated from it by a single gate. Consequently, there was always some lingering psychological dread. Who could guarantee that the Dragon God of Touch wouldn't suddenly burst out of the Death Coffin and appear in the First Line Sky? If that happened, they wouldn't even have a chance to cry. Although I was scared too, I desperately wanted to see what the Death Coffin looked like. Furthermore, if I accidentally ran into the Dragon God of Touch, at least I could see what it looked like! While the Dragon God of Touch was truly a terrifying giant, I figured as long as I was careful and bolted the moment things looked bad, I could probably save my own skin.

Following the map, I walked for about two hours and finally reached the entrance near the Death Coffin.

However, from a distance, I heard the clamor of a fierce battle, and it sounded like people were arguing about something. My heart leaped with joy—finally, the sound of other people! But the situation seemed unsettling. A dense killing intent permeated the air, and the atmosphere was frighteningly grim. Something feels wrong, I thought to myself.

Not daring to be careless, I instinctively softened my steps and crept toward the large boulder at the corner, poking out half my head. I looked towards where the sounds were coming from.

In front of the stone gate leading to the Death Coffin was a vast, open clearing. At this moment, the clearing was packed with people, all dressed in Ranger attire. A rough count suggested at least five thousand individuals, and most of them appeared to be high-level Rangers, with several dozens at the Scarlet Moon level. These people seemed to be two opposing factions. Everyone had their swords drawn, their expressions grave. It looked like the two sides were moments away from a fight.

However, between these two major factions, there were several dozen individuals, also divided into two groups, and the sounds of argument originated from them.

It must be the representatives from both sides negotiating, I analyzed internally. But judging by the situation, both sides seemed deadlocked. The tension was escalating, threatening to erupt at any moment.

Damn it, is this the legendary conflict of the martial world? I mused. No wonder the Centipede Cave became so deserted; it turned out so many Rangers had flooded in and fought their way here. It’s baffling that these guys aren't diligently training but are instead here to brawl. But then again, where there are people, there is the martial world; where there is the martial world, there is conflict; and where there is conflict, there are fights. Especially in a world like the Fama Continent, where military might reigns supreme, such conflicts must be even more common. Realizing this, my heart brightened. Damn it, this is an unexpected bonus! When I used to play Legend, the things I did most often besides leveling up were PK matches and guild wars. And since arriving in this world, apart from the terrifying scene right after I first arrived and practicing a few moves when sparring sword techniques with Chen Feng, I hadn't witnessed any real-life PK in this world. This is great; I finally have a chance to witness it, and it looks like a large-scale guild war, no less. Thinking of this filled me with excitement and impulse—partly due to the fighting genes stirring within me, but also because I wanted to observe their fighting styles to understand the characteristics of this world's martial skills and to discern the differences between my own abilities and theirs. After all, although my training progress was fast back then, and I felt quite good about myself, there is an old saying: self-assessment without external reference is like building a cart behind closed doors. My self-perception is one thing, but the reality of my actual skill level is another. I’m not naive enough to think my meager skills qualify me as a master.

True masters are forged through countless real combat engagements and relentless tempering against various opponents; simple monster grinding can never create a genuine master.

To get closer to the scene and observe the fighting more closely, I crept forward a few more steps, then hid beneath a large boulder, exposing only a small part of my head. I figured no one on the field would notice a minor character like me.

This is truly an excellent location for a large-scale brawl, I observed the surrounding terrain, mentally calculating. It spanned an area equivalent to two football fields. Both sides probably chose this spot for that reason. To my left, the majority of people wore a blood-red dragon insignia. They seemed to belong to the same guild. In front of their formation was a banner with a black border on a gold background, embroidered with a blood-red coiled dragon. Just looking at it sent a shiver down my spine, a chilling sensation. Damn it, just looking at the guild emblem suggested this guild was likely boastful and arrogant—the kind that was thoroughly repulsive. Subconsciously, I had already categorized them as the evil side. But that wasn't the important part; what mattered to me were their combat methods. Therefore, their classes, formations, and positioning were what interested me most.

Lined up at the very front were all Warriors. Most of them wore heavy armor, wielding a Hellfire Battle Axe, but sported Skull Helmets. Around their necks hung a blue Jade Necklace; unlike the Jade Necklace in the game, the real-life version was far more visually appealing. The transparent blue pendant, about the size of an egg, shone with a crystal-clear, bright luster even in the dimly lit giant cavern. Their wrists and palms were wrapped in a pair of yellowish-brown fingerless gauntlets. The conspicuous skull pattern instantly made me recognize them as Death Gloves. On the middle finger of their exposed hands, they wore a pair of golden Dragon Rings—the Ring of Dragons, no less.

As for their waists, they wore an ancient-looking Steel Belt, and on their feet were Soul-Evading Boots, also crafted from fine steel and tough leather. This was standard high-level Warrior equipment, which made me salivate with longing. Damn, what marvelous things! To possess a full set of standard class equipment was the dream of countless Rangers. Good gear could multiply a Ranger's strength several times over. But the exorbitant price caused countless Rangers to hesitate. Take the Jade Necklace, for example. The Jade Necklace was crafted using scarce Jade Blue Crystals as the main material. Although Jade Blue Crystals were also mined in the Centipede Cave, their quantity was extremely limited. Any mutated creature in the Centipede Cave might drop a Blue Jade Crystal—whether it was a Centipede Worm or a Black Evil Maggot, and so on. But very few ever did. Not every Centipede or Worm-like mutated creature contained a Blue Jade Crystal. Only a small number of mutated creatures, due to some physiological anomaly, would accumulate these crystals in their bodies. This situation was somewhat similar to the precious Chinese medicine ingredient, Ox Gallstone.

In fact, Ox Gallstone is a gallstone produced when an ox develops a bodily ailment, but this condition is rare, occurring in perhaps one in ten thousand cattle. Few oxen ever develop gallstones, and even if they do, they might not accumulate an Ox Gallstone large enough. Consequently, in the field of traditional Chinese medicine, natural Ox Gallstone prices exceed gold by more than double, and it is priceless.

The formation of Blue Jade Crystal is very similar to how an ox produces Ox Gallstone, but the probability is even lower—almost one in a hundred million. This illustrates how incredibly valuable a Blue Jade Crystal is. Manufacturing a single Blue Jade Necklace would cost at least 8 million gold coins. However, spending that much money for a Jade Necklace was absolutely worth the price. Owning a Jade Necklace could significantly increase a Warrior’s spiritual energy recovery speed, and the Jade Necklace also possessed the function of condensing and amplifying spiritual energy output. It could be said that just one Jade Necklace could boost a Warrior's strength by about twenty percent. The Death Gloves, the Ring of Dragons, the Steel Belt, and other accessories had similar effects, but without exception, their prices were astonishingly high. This was because the materials used to craft these accessories, like the Blue Jade Crystal, were precious and rare. But if you had the money, no Ranger would be reluctant to purchase them.

A standard set of high-level Warrior equipment could increase a Warrior’s attack and defense power by two to three times. It was said that among Warriors of similar strength, the gap between those wearing equipment and those without was absolutely immense. But a complete set of standard high-level Warrior gear would cost at least sixty million gold coins—a truly terrifying astronomical figure.

Of course, below the high-tier professional equipment, there was also a next-level set, but most Rangers wouldn't bother purchasing it. Except for the weapon, there wasn't much difference whether they wore the rest or not, and while the cost wasn't as outrageous as the high-tier gear, it would still make most Rangers balk. A standard set of mid-tier professional gear still cost ten million gold coins, with the weapon alone accounting for half that price.

Back then, Long Xin and the others couldn't afford the accessories precisely because of their financial constraints; just getting a weapon for each of them had nearly bankrupted them. To gather enough money to buy accessories, Long Xin seized every money-making quest without fail. Moreover, as the guild leader, Long Xin never wasted a single copper coin, which was why she always appeared so avaricious and stingy in daily life. Unless absolutely necessary, Long Xin would never have spent money on a Taoist Helmet before entering the Centipede Cave.

As for Jin Hong and Dong Guan, it was even less of a discussion. Other than being able to wear the Sea Soul and Crescent Blade, they simply had no surplus money for other accessories, and these two seemed to have no concept of financial management. It's hard to imagine how they would have navigated their paths ahead without meeting Long Xin. On the continent, becoming a powerful Ranger was no simple task; besides diligent training, money was also a component of strength. Without a keen sense of financial management, even if one’s physical cultivation was exceptionally strong, it would all be in vain.

Normally, it was rare to see a fully equipped high-level Warrior. Yet before my eyes now, not only were such Warriors present, but they stood in entire rows—nearly two thousand of them in total.

If the heavens were to convert all the equipment they wore into gold coins, how large a house would be needed to store it all? This showed how astonishing the strength of this guild was.

Behind the formation of Warriors, to the left, were all Mages. Like the high-level Warriors, these nearly one thousand Mages were also fully kitted out in their profession's high-tier gear. To the right was the formation of Taoists, also fully equipped.

Taoists, Warriors, and Mages formed a triangular Grand Array, arranged in a 'pin' shape. This reminded me of the combat formation Long Xin and her two companions used. From this, it was evident that the triangular 'pin' formation was a popular arrangement for cooperation among Taoist, Warrior, and Mage classes.

The other side, compared to the uniformly colored and equipped Dragon Guild (well, I don't even know the name of that guild yet, so I’ll provisionally number them), appeared more scattered. Their clothing colors were inconsistent, and their equipment varied from good to poor. Most people only wore the most basic high-level weapons, armor, and helmets for their respective classes. Those who were fully equipped accounted for less than twenty percent. Their guild markers and banners were also motley—some featured eagles, others wolves, rabbits, and swallows. I had no idea what the actual guild names were, but the large flag placed in the center, bearing a golden phoenix, suggested they might not be members of the same guild but perhaps an alliance temporarily formed through some arrangement. Perhaps the number of people was this side's only advantage, but if a real fight broke out, I felt the Dragon Guild had a much higher chance of winning.

The negotiation group in the center of the field also seemed to have reached a stalemate. The smell of gunpowder was getting heavier.

"Chi Jiao, don't push people too far!" The speaker was a large Warrior wearing a tiger emblem. Perhaps due to extreme anger, even from a distance, I could see his face was bright red and the veins on his neck bulged, writhing like earthworms.

"Hahahaha!" A wild laugh erupted from the young man called Chi Jiao, who scoffed, "I am pushing you too far, so what? Do you think you rabble dares to confront our Mad Dragon Guild with just yourselves?" The young man continued, "I'm not belittling you, but even if there were more of you, you wouldn't be enough to fill my teeth."

"Mad Dragon Guild! Truly mad!" The large Warrior laughed in extreme anger, "Too bad the earthen city isn't ruled by your Mad Dragon Guild yet!"

"Is that so?" The young man looked composed, "Not now, but soon it will be!" A ruthless glint flashed in the young man's eyes, "As soon as you all die here."

"You're quite confident!" A Taoist woman, about thirty years old, standing next to the large Warrior, smiled faintly, "Young man, truly ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth. Death is staring you in the face, yet you remain unaware."

"Death? By the likes of you?" The young man maintained his composed expression.

"If it were just the six allied Level Six guilds here, perhaps we wouldn't be a match for your Mad Dragon Guild," the beautiful Taoist stated calmly, "But... we also have..." The beautiful Taoist paused deliberately here.

"Plus who?" The young man snarled menacingly, "You'll die too."

"Is that so? Plus the Divine Moon Palace!" A cold voice rang out just as a black figure, like a drifting cloud, stepped into the field. Upon closer inspection, she was a golden-haired woman. From a distance, I couldn't make out her features, but judging by her graceful figure and crisp female voice, she should be beautiful. She wore a black Demon Robe, but embroidered on the chest was a crimson crescent moon—her guild emblem. In her hand, she held an Ancient Jade Scepter, and around her neck hung a string of Demon Bells. Her wrists were adorned with dark Dragon Bracelets, and her rings were the purplish-black Purple Beryl. She wore a Steel Belt and Soul-Evading Boots, but no helmet. It wasn't just my sharp eyesight; this entire set of gear was identical to the ZUMA Set in Legend. This was the highest-tier equipment I had seen in the Fama World. This was the standard gear for a Scarlet Moon Mage. Long Xin had mentioned the ZUMA Set to me more than once, almost dreaming of the day she could wear one.

"Mad Woman! Yan Luo!" The previously arrogant young man's expression was now utterly grim. Conversely, the angry large Warrior looked genuinely delighted. As for the beautiful Taoist woman, she remained calm and composed, seemingly unsurprised by the golden-haired female Mage's appearance.

"So you brought help!" The young man said darkly, "No wonder you dared to arrange yourselves to challenge us."

Although I didn't know who this woman was, the markedly different reactions from the Rangers in the two opposing camps indicated that she must be a figure of great importance.