The Fourth Disaster: People become gods through high martial arts and gaming

Chapter 333 Expedition to the Forbidden Zone and the Obsidian Army? (Long Chapter)
Red Moon Town, Obsidian Martial Arts School.

The sudden announcement of the New Year's limited-time event, "City Beyond the Realm," caused a stir among the players in the martial arts hall. New players complained, wondering what kind of event it was, since only core disciples could participate, and it had nothing to do with them, the complete newbies.

But the veteran players were completely different; their eyes lit up as they watched.

"The plan is amazing! Finally, there's another event. My hard times are finally over."

"Yes, after so many days, I, a dignified Bone Forging Realm martial artist, can only snatch one lord monster in half a day in the wilderness, and at most I can only get three lord monsters a day. This makes my life really unbearable. Those points are not even enough for me to play in the martial arts room for a day."

"You're doing alright at the mid-stage of the Bone Forging Realm, but I'm only at the early stage. I can't even snatch half a monster in the wilderness. Now I can only guard the mining sites, mining and earning some guarding fees. I can only go back to Crimson Moon Town to improve at least every two days. Life is just too miserable. I really miss the old days when there were so many monsters that I didn't have to fight for them. I could just go out and there would be people robbing me from time to time. I could earn some extra money. It was so much better."

Many veteran players were almost in tears when they saw the limited-time event.

Since the arrival of high-level martial arts and the significant increase in game slots, competition in Red Moon Town has become increasingly fierce. Many tasks that players were unwilling to take on in Red Moon Town before are now being eagerly undertaken by newbies.

Want to earn contribution points and credits by defeating monsters?

Sorry, within a radius of 500 kilometers of Red Moon Town, if you can find monsters, you're the chosen one of this version. If you want to kill monsters and make money, you can only rent a flying transport vehicle and travel thousands of kilometers away to compete with NPC teams in major cities for monsters. And sorry, that's a privilege only mid-level martial artists who can transform have. Martial artists below the mid-level who can't transform are only fit to mine.

If you want a comfortable life, you have to go to the Mountain of the Dead. However, the outer areas of the Mountain of the Dead have been cleared out recently. All the major teams, even the temporary random teams, require a minimum level of Bone Forging Realm. After all, no one wants to team up with someone who is useless when dealing with Calamity-level monsters, and then have to share points and contributions.

In addition, players engaged in life professions are particularly happy, especially the apothecary profession, which is already the darling of the version. The higher the level of the apothecary, the more fun it is. Apothecaries who can make type 3 potions will be snatched up by the four major guard groups, who will try to buy all the type 3 potions they make at high prices.

If it weren't for the martial arts school's rule that all pharmacists must complete a certain amount of work for the school each day before they can sell medicine at will, a level 3 pharmacist could earn more points every day than a top-tier player.

However, with the number of players recently exceeding 50,000, more and more newbies are becoming pharmacists, and the competition is becoming increasingly fierce. It's only a matter of time before Type 3 pharmacists become worthless.

"Energy Blood Essence, the Order to Build a Town in the Mountains of the Dead—is this the developers' plan to fully open up the level cap and push the game to the next stage?" Ragnarok, who had just come out of the training room, was filled with excitement.

The value of Energy Blood Essence goes without saying; it is currently an essential item for martial artists in the Blood Condensation Realm. However, it appears far too rarely in the game, and it has never appeared in the martial arts hall before. Vice President Luo Wushang was able to break through to the Blood Condensation Realm thanks to the Energy Blood Essence dropped in the last story battle.

Previously, the people from Tianwei had analyzed that the reason for this was entirely because the planners wanted to limit the level of top-tier players, while allowing more newbies to catch up. After all, this was only the closed beta, and it was impossible to allow the level gap between players to be too large. This resulted in energy and blood essence being extremely scarce, and they only dropped in the storyline of the Mountain of the Dead.

As a result, there are only five Blood Coagulation Realm players left after all these days.

The fact that the martial arts school is now suddenly rewarding them with energy blood essence proves that the previously blocked level cap has finally been unlocked. Otherwise, given their current bone tempering speed, it would be unlikely that they could break through to the Blood Condensation Realm without external assistance, which would take them at least two or three months.

As for the town-building token, it goes without saying that it's something that all the major guilds want.

Although many teams now have outposts in the Dead Mountain Range, they are just outposts. Apart from a basic spirit tower, they have no other functional buildings. They are just temporary wooden huts built by a group of players to provide shelter from the wind and rain. They cannot develop at all, let alone make money for the team. At most, they can make it more convenient to hire newbies to mine nearby.

But it would be different if a town could be built. Then, like Red Moon Town, various functional buildings could be created, which would attract players to make money and gain capital. Moreover, building a town in the Dead Mountains would undoubtedly attract a large number of players. After all, Red Moon Town is a beginner town. If you want to fight monsters and make money, it will save you a lot of travel time. Living in a town in the Dead Mountains is undoubtedly more convenient.

"If our Heavenly Might could obtain a Town Establishment Token, I wonder if we could also build a Martial Arts Training Room." Ragnarok glanced at the Martial Arts Training Room behind him, his heart filled with anticipation.

The martial arts school's recently launched beginner training room is even better than the beginner training tower in terms of physical training. Fighting under a hundred times gravity is a challenge to the limits of the body. Not only are the bones in the whole body tempered faster, but the level of martial arts skills also improves with the naked eye. Especially when fighting against powerful players, you have to find ways to make your martial arts skills faster and more precise, otherwise you will be hit by other players first, or the power will be insufficient, leading to the final defeat.

In just over ten days, he has not only reached the high-level limit of the Bone Forging Realm, but also perfected the second level of the Body Strengthening Secret Technique. The two high-level extraordinary martial arts techniques that accompany the training method have also reached perfection.

However, with such rapid improvement, the beginner training room also depleted his accumulated hundreds of millions of points.

But it was truly exhilarating. He was now confident that he could give the big boss from the original Mountain of the Dead storyline a good fight.

If we build our own training room, the cost will definitely be less, and it can be exclusively used for our own guild members, unlike now, where even though we have four training rooms, everyone is scrambling to get one.

Just as he was lost in his fantasy of Ragnarok, his smartwatch suddenly rang; it was Zhang Qingwei contacting him.

"Gods, you should also return to your base quickly. All core disciples in the guild, regardless of whether there is anything important, should return to the base to assemble and embark on an expedition to the forbidden zone." After giving the notification, Zhang Qingwei hung up the communication.

At this time, not only Ragnarok received the communication, but also the core disciples in the martial arts school. Almost all of them were given the order to gather and do their best to complete the limited-time event.

Inside the Machine God's base.

"Sister Chen, how's the information you found about the Forbidden Zone of the Mountain of the Dead?" Fang Zhen couldn't help but ask Chen Ya, who had rushed back.

High Martial Arts is great in every way, except it's too hardcore. Whether it's quests or events, the instructions are just simple explanations, unlike other games that have detailed guides. I have to say, this is too realistic.

Fortunately, they were already used to it, since such situations were common in reality. So they regularly collected various kinds of information and even had people specifically assigned to do these things, and they had their own database.

In fact, Fang Zhen and the others did not know that the information they collected was secretly released by Lin Qi through Qin Mu and others from time to time. It can be said that he gave almost all the information he knew to the players.

"That's all." Chen Ya tapped her smartwatch, and all the restricted area information was projected directly onto the conference table.

After reading it, everyone couldn't help but feel excited.

"Is this the restricted area?" The gunman from beyond the Great Wall looked at the description of the restricted area, his eyes shining.

According to the information, the restricted area is indeed dangerous, and you never know how you died, especially if you enter during non-safe periods, where it's almost certain death. But the restricted area is also truly rich.

Before the forbidden zone appeared, the land within it was the peak period for all races. Their various technologies, training methods, martial arts, and so on were unmatched by the present era, and there were many relics that surpassed existing civilizations.

If these players could obtain even a small amount of these items, they would become incredibly wealthy.

Nowadays, there are essentially two ways for players to make big money. One is to hunt high-level monsters. These monsters are valuable from head to toe. Not only do martial arts schools buy them back at high prices, but NPCs also buy them back at high prices. However, few NPCs have that many points and do not provide contributions, but they will exchange them for cultivation resources, such as energy crystals and high-level potions.

Another type is life professions, whether it's making potions, weapons and equipment, or even mechanical devices such as flying transport vehicles and life detectors that players can make themselves. There are no restrictions in the game, but it is very difficult to get your hands on the equipment to make them.

However, these mechanical devices are exactly what players need. Normally, they can only be purchased from martial arts schools using points. If players can actually manufacture them, they won't have to worry about selling them.

If they could actually get their hands on some lost technology and equipment from the restricted area, it would be hard not to make a fortune.

“This restricted area is indeed a good place, but the danger level is too high, and it is very far away from us. It will be quite difficult to gain anything in the restricted area and find the extraterrestrial city in the event.” Li Ranxing nodded, also very interested in the restricted area of ​​the Mountain of the Dead, but this New Year limited-time event was obviously much more difficult than the previous events.

"How many core disciples does our Machine God currently have?" Fang Zhen asked.

"As of yesterday, our Machine God Guardian Regiment has a total of 166 core disciples," said One Spear Overlord. "Among them, 127 are at the mid-stage of the Bone Forging Realm, and 39 are at the high-stage of the Bone Forging Realm."

“There are too few people.” Fang Zhen shook his head, looking intently at the map of the restricted area. “Anyone who has reached the level of a martial artist should come with us this time. Although we don’t know how long this limited-time event will last, according to the data, it should last until the end of the safe period. In order to facilitate our activities in the restricted area in the future, we must establish a base outside the restricted area. Establishing a base requires a lot of manpower. Players who are not core disciples can establish bases outside. Even after this event ends, we can upgrade the bases into towns in the future, so we can expand into the restricted area at any time.”

"That's a great idea!" Chen Ya's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and she couldn't help but smile. "This forbidden zone in the Mountain of the Dead is definitely the core of future development. If we can build a town next to the forbidden zone, it will definitely become the most prosperous town in the game for quite some time!"

"Then I'll go recruit more people and buy more materials." The gunman from beyond the Great Wall was also very excited after hearing this and walked out of the meeting room, not wanting to stay at the base for even a moment longer.

Meanwhile, within Crimson Moon Town, it wasn't just Fang Zhen and his group who realized the key; many teams also saw this avenue for wealth. After all, anyone who had read the relevant information about the forbidden zone, coupled with the town-building tokens awarded as a limited-time event reward, could easily see that using these tokens in the forbidden zone was the best option. Suddenly, the entire Crimson Moon Town was abuzz with recruitment of free players with martial arts-level strength, while simultaneously purchasing energy ore from NPC merchants using points. Merchants of all races in Crimson Moon Town were celebrating like it was New Year's.

Previously, Obsidian Martial Arts Academy points were only circulated within Crimson Moon Town. In fact, many merchants who came to do business did not want points, as they could not afford the monster meat produced in Crimson Moon Town. The gray-robed disciples of Obsidian Martial Arts Academy wanted points, or rare energy crystals or potions of type II or higher, which forced them to find ways to earn more Obsidian Martial Arts Academy points.

However, as Obsidian Martial Arts Academy became another formidable force, more and more disciples joined. These disciples wanted points rather than bits, since many training devices within the Academy only required points. As a result, Obsidian Martial Arts Academy points became increasingly valuable, even surpassing bits and energy crystals in terms of hard currency.

Merchants in many cities and even some towns within the Wushan area are now starting to use priority points for transactions.

In Red Moon Town, several kilometers underground, in a vast space, large numbers of apprentices and martial artists dressed in prison uniforms are building a five-story tower made entirely of energy ore.

The entire five-story tower occupies an area nearly equal to that of the Obsidian Martial Arts School.

The first floor alone has 1,500 training rooms.

The second floor has three hundred training rooms.

The third floor contains fifty training rooms.

The fourth floor has ten training rooms.

There is a cultivation room on the fifth floor.

At this point, the entire five-story tower was about 70-80% complete, and it was far more magnificent than the cultivation tower on the mountaintop.

"At this pace, it should be completed before the mission is finished." Lin Qi looked at the intermediate cultivation tower under construction and was very satisfied.

Although there are still four players short of the ten required for the mission to become complete pseudo-transcendent life forms, this gap can be bridged soon once he sends out the energy blood essence he obtained from the Tianhe Domain City trade.

At that time, we can immediately build an intermediate cultivation tower, raising the strength of the entire Crimson Moon Town to a new level. Then, even a domain city will find it difficult to touch Crimson Moon Town.

"Master, are you really going to build a town outside the forbidden zone of the Dead Mountain Range?" Qin Mu couldn't help but ask.

Now, the Obsidian Martial Arts Academy has finally gotten on the right track, and there are no more conflicts with other forces. Everything is developing in an orderly manner, and Crimson Moon Town is growing stronger and stronger. It's only a matter of time before it develops into Crimson Moon City.

But according to Lin Qi, the idea of ​​building a town outside the forbidden zone controlled by the Smiling Skull in the Mountain of the Dead is simply too crazy.

As one of the top powers in the Four Domains, the Smiling Skull has a Grandmaster of the Celestial Realm in charge, and not just one Grandmaster. When the three forces attacked the stronghold, no Grandmasters took action, simply because Grandmasters are prohibited from taking action casually within the Four Domains.

But if they all reach out to the Smiling Skull, it wouldn't be surprising if the Grandmaster of the Smiling Skull took action, and even the four major cities couldn't say anything, since as a Grandmaster, he always has his own territory and space.

Building a town right on the doorstep of the Smiling Skull is tantamount to provoking the Grandmaster of the Smiling Skull.

"The restricted area doesn't belong to them. If they can establish a stronghold near the restricted area of ​​the Dead Mountain Range, why can't our Obsidian Martial Arts School?" Lin Qi said dismissively.

According to the information he obtained from Ling Ye in Tianhe Domain City, the Smiling Skull has a total of four Grandmasters of the Celestial Realm, the strongest of whom is at the mid-level of the Celestial Realm. In terms of the number of Grandmasters, they surpass Earth Star Pharmaceuticals and Red Moon Chamber of Commerce, and only the four major domain cities can surpass them.

However, he has now reached the Blood Condensation Realm in all three training methods. With the addition of the third level of the Body Strengthening Secret Technique and the mastery of Energy Burst, his strength is not inferior to that of a Grandmaster in the middle stage of the Celestial Realm. Among the players, there are five who have reached the Blood Condensation Realm and possess the strength of the initial stage of the Celestial Realm. There is also Li Ranxing, a player who has somehow mastered the third level of the Body Strengthening Secret Technique and whose strength is close to that of the initial stage of the Celestial Realm.

With seven Grandmaster-level combatants on his side, there was no need for him to care too much about the Smiling Skeleton. On the contrary, he was currently short of energy and blood essence, and in order to help players find the First City faster, the only option was to build a town nearby. This was the reason he issued the Town Building Order.

He not only wants to take over the forbidden zone of the Mountain of the Dead, but the entire Mountain of the Dead is a huge treasure trove with several large energy veins that have been discovered. Energy ore is the foundation for converting energy blood essence in the future, so he wants to take over the entire Mountain of the Dead. Establishing towns outside the forbidden zone is just the first step.

"Master, if we do this, the Grandmaster of the Smiling Skull might take action and have a legitimate reason to wipe out all of us in the Mountain of the Dead. At that point, even the Misty Mountain City probably won't say anything," Qin Mu said worriedly.

"Make a move?" Lin Qi couldn't help but laugh. "Then let's have a battle. We haven't even settled accounts with them for their sudden attack on our stronghold. If they want to make a move, then it's time for the world of the Dead Mountain Range to change."

"To change the landscape of the Mountain of the Dead?" Qin Mu looked at Lin Qi, who was smiling confidently, and was filled with surprise and shock.

He believed he had a good understanding of the Obsidian Martial Arts Academy. Currently, the Academy had over 50,000 gray-robed disciples, including five at the Blood Condensation Realm and over 1,500 at the Bone Forging Realm. It could be said that as long as no Grandmasters appeared, the Obsidian Martial Arts Academy was the number one force below the four major domain cities.

But seeing Lin Qi's calmness and confidence, he understood that Obsidian Martial Arts School must have some means to counter the Smiling Skull.

"Let's not talk about this anymore." Lin Qi waved his hand and instructed, "Have people go to other cities and buy as much energy ore as possible, the more the better. I'll need it later."

Although players and those selling electromagnetic guns in major cities have earned a lot of energy ores, these energy ores are barely enough to meet their needs, and they can't save much at all.

If we obtain the conversion equipment from the First City in the future, these energy ores can be converted into energy crystals and energy blood essence. The amount of energy ores required is enormous, so we must plan ahead.

"Yes." Although Qin Mu didn't understand, he still bowed and left.

Meanwhile, the players in Crimson Moon Town were busy running around. Several teams organized nearly 20,000 people, the weakest of whom were all beginner-level martial artists, and there were more than a thousand Bone Forging Realm martial artists. They set off from Crimson Moon Town in a grand procession, piloting two giant sky ships and hundreds of flying transport vehicles, along with a large amount of materials. This left both the residents of Crimson Moon Town and the people who came to do business in awe.

"What is the Obsidian Martial Arts Academy planning to do with such a massive fleet?"

"It's not just massive. My friend who sells energy ore heard that the Obsidian Martial Arts Academy's operation involved over a thousand gray-robed disciples at the Bone Forging Realm, and nearly twenty thousand gray-robed disciples at the Martial Artist level."

"Holy crap! Is the Obsidian Martial Arts School planning to take over a top-tier power?"

As the Obsidian army drove away, everyone in Red Moon Town wondered who had provoked the Obsidian Martial Arts School to take such a big step, which was unprecedented.

A thousand gray-robed disciples at the Bone Forging Realm are equivalent to a thousand Blood Condensation Realm experts; such power is enough to shake the heavens and earth of a region.

……

In the Dead Mountain Range, not far from the forbidden zone, there is a temporary stronghold specially built by the Smiling Skull.

"It's almost time. The supplies are all ready, so let's set off." Mond glanced at the alloy storage boxes carried by everyone present and nodded.

Using aircraft and vehicles within the restricted area is extremely dangerous, as the sounds of these vehicles alone can cause many unnecessary dangers. Therefore, entry into the restricted area is by foot, and even flying is not permitted.

As the group in the Fog Mountain City were about to follow Mond to the forbidden zone, a series of booming sounds came from the distant sky, which were the sonic booms caused by flying vehicles.

"Has anyone else ventured into the restricted area?"

Shefina looked curiously toward the source of the sound, and was momentarily stunned.

Two colossal skyships and hundreds of transport vehicles were seen flying over in a grand procession. On the decks of the two skyships stood over a thousand gray-robed disciples of the Obsidian Martial Arts Academy at the Bone Forging Realm and several thousand gray-robed disciples at the Martial Artist level.

(End of this chapter)