Chapter 124: Training Camp: Reverse Tide Blessing

Snow Valley.

Night curtains low, all sounds silent.

The players of the Grind Emperor Group finished evening training and walked back to their rooms.

The valley in their eyes, embraced by night, revealed a transcendent tranquility and grandeur; silver moonlight spilled down, draping the continuous snow peaks in a soft veil; at the peaks' summits, the pristine white snow, under the moon's glow, shimmered with a faint blue light.

In the valley, the cold wind whispered, passing through sparse trees, carrying the chill of ice crystals, weaving with the night into a distant, cool melody.

Looking up at the sky, an unparalleled visual feast unfolded on the horizon; the aurora danced in the night sky, a hazy green auroral band swaying gently, sometimes gathering into a brilliant curtain, sometimes scattering into fragmented flowing lights, wandering in the air, unpredictable, decorating the night sky like a dream.

Scrolling through the forum placed in the upper-left corner of their vision, the Grind Emperor Group players chatted about the functions of the newly updated weaponized props these past days:

Li Zheng: I have decided; once we return to Emperor Tomb Village, I will go to the Weaponized Vehicle Factory to forge a flying sword, and from then on, I will travel by sword flight.

So Poor I Eat Dirt: Sword flight is flashy but utterly impractical; my suggestion is powered boots; the forum has ready-made templates you can use; a catapult start can also be used in actual combat, far better than gimmicky products like sword flight with low endurance.

Family Shared Godfather: By the way, brothers, do any of you have the idea to pool funds to build a multi-person vehicle for us to use together?

Killing Intent Stirred: Coming to the training camp to live a hard life is precisely to become superior; we have endured this long; after returning home in glory, of course, everyone will have their own weaponized vehicle; why would we want a multi-person vehicle? That sounds troublesome.

Leopard Head Zero Recharge: Forget vehicles; we don't even know when we will clear the camp and graduate; this is only Phase One; there are still four more training camp phases to clear; however, our days are getting better and better; recently the Water Valley Training Camp left, and Gui Tong has been well-behaved; finally, we are living good days; but we are also about to graduate from the Phase One Training Camp and go to Phase Two; at that time, new hard days will probably come again; thinking of this, my stomach is hungry again.

Fun Without Paying: I'm hungry too; how about we get a late-night snack when we get back? A lobster banquet?

Grind Emperor Group: Good (in unison).

……

After the passionate late-night snack session upon returning to their rooms, the Grind Emperor Group players went to sleep early.

The next morning.

Accompanied by the sound of drumming echoing through the valley, the Grind Emperor Group players decisively rose, left their rooms, and sprinted toward the training ground.

Within half an hour, all players of the Snow Valley Training Camp had assembled.

The head instructor, Instructor Kuang Sha, arrived at this moment.

But this time, Instructor Kuang Sha did not announce any training items; after his gaze swept over all the new students present, his vision focused on the Grind Emperor Group players:

"Today I have good news to tell you; I am very satisfied with your Player Clan's performance in the training camp; I have reported this to Elder You; his reply to me is that he will additionally issue training camp qualifications for your Player Clan in the near future; Elder You will arrange the specific time."

Hearing these words, before Li Zheng and the others could respond, the players in the livestream room cheered out loud.

Moreover, paying players continuously tipped and spammed the screen.

Li Zheng and the others' performance had given them the possibility of entering the training camp.

The livestreams of these days attracted many players' attention; Li Zheng and the others' performance could be described with the two words "tenacious."

From the initial bullying and humiliation, despised and rejected by all clans, to later rising up in resistance and launching the "Starvation Tactics," through tenacious willpower and effort, they forced the Four-Eyes Clan, whose strength completely overwhelmed them in every aspect, to submit.

Subsequently, with the arrival of members from the Water Valley Training Camp, they even organized the Four-Eyes Clan and other Snow Valley new students, launching consecutive days of starvation and night-fighting tactics, completely breaking the mental state of the new students from both training camps.

During this process, the Grind Emperor Group players were also in great pain.

But they endured the pressure and persisted.

The recognition in Instructor Kuang Sha's eyes was precisely what the Grind Emperor Group players earned through their own efforts.

The players in the livestream room believed that the Reverse Tide Legion's willingness to open additional new student recruitment slots for the Player Clan was largely due to the contributions of the Grind Emperor Group members.

This was also one of the reasons why the Grind Emperor Group members' livestream rooms were so harmonious.

If it were other players' livestream rooms, encountering good opportunities and luck would generally be met with curses.

But when the Grind Emperor Group players obtained substantial benefits, the livestream room was filled with blessings and praise, believing this was the reward they deserved.

Li Zheng and the others, upon learning this news, were also stunned; subsequently, smiles appeared on their faces one after another.

As the first batch of players to enter the game at launch, they knew that the Player Faction's development was a case of shared glory or shared ruin; this was a good thing for the whole.

More importantly, the constant tip notifications in the livestream room were truly pleasant to hear; hearing them made one want to hear more.

Just then, Instructor Kuang Sha's tone shifted:

"You have been in Snow Valley for 35 days; today I must inform you of a message: you are about to advance to the Phase Two Training Camp and leave here."

Li Zheng and the others had long been mentally prepared for this news and felt no surprise or astonishment; they listened as Instructor Kuang Sha continued speaking:

"But going to the Phase Two Training Camp will not involve aircraft for transport; you must travel there yourselves, crossing mountains and rivers; along the way, you will inevitably encounter dangers upon dangers; all of this requires you to face and overcome together."

"Next, I will give you two days of rest to recuperate; on the third morning, get the hell out of the Snow Valley Training Camp and set off for the Phase Two Training Camp!"

Hearing the good news of graduating from Phase One, the other students of the Snow Valley Training Camp cheered and jumped for joy.

A smile also appeared on Instructor Kuang Sha's face at this moment:

"Disperse, get the hell out... Oh, by the way, the cafeteria meal times for these two days will be extended to one hour; all of you must eat more; there will be times on the road when you go hungry; also, the equipment you brought when you arrived can be collected from me."

After the assembly dispersed, a faint sorrow rose in the hearts of Li Zheng and the others.

During these days of training, they had developed feelings for the Snow Valley Training Camp; suddenly learning of their departure made them naturally reluctant to leave.

But behind this reluctance also lay anticipation for the Phase Two Training Camp.

During breakfast time, Li Zheng and the others sat in a corner of the cafeteria, eating heartily; at this moment, Gui Tong arrived at their table with his clan members and sat down.

"Gui Tong, what are you doing? Do you want to fight us again before leaving?" Li Zheng gnawed on the monster leg in his hand, his expression slightly wary as he spoke.

Hearing these words, Gui Tong awkwardly waved his hands repeatedly.

How much these beasts of the Player Clan could endure starvation, they were convinced from the bottom of their hearts.

In the last two days before leaving, when they could finally rest properly, they did not want to be bruised and battered, leaving while enduring hunger.

Thinking of this, Gui Tong placed his tray in front of Li Zheng and spoke with a solemn tone:

"It is like this: the journey to the Phase Two Training Camp will take about a month; this journey will cross multiple small regions; along the way, you will inevitably be attacked by various monsters; therefore, I think we should put aside our differences and cooperate to cross this journey."

Hearing Gui Tong's words, Li Zheng appeared somewhat speechless:

"Although our relationship is not great, we are still students from the same training camp; of course, we will cooperate to travel this journey; do you still want to fight each other on the road?"

"Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease; after entering the Phase Two Training Camp, I hope we can continue to cooperate and fight against students from other training camps together."

Speaking thus, Gui Tong actively extended his right hand.

Seeing Li Zheng grinned, didn't wipe his hands, and grabbed Gui Tong's hand directly with his oily right hand:

"Tongzi, I can tell your attitude toward us has changed a lot."

Gui Tong pulled his hand back with a look of disgust, glanced at the oil stains on his palm, and said irritably:

"I only agreed to cooperate with you so I could graduate smoothly—don't flatter yourself."

Seeing Li Zheng opened his mouth to retort, but his gaze was drawn to a new purple necklace around Gui Tong's neck.

The purple necklace encircled Gui Tong's neck, emitting a soft violet glow.

The chain was made of intricate small purple rings linked together; the pendant was a thumb-sized amethyst, its color deep and saturated, shifting gradually from light purple to deep purple, then back to light purple, like the violet hue of dawn-lit violets, with a tiny white crystal embedded at its center, adding a touch of vitality.

After activating his Analyze ability, detailed information surfaced in his mind.

【Shadow Ziyue】:

Equipment Quality: 285

Equipment Description: Crafted primarily from the rare spiritual mineral "Shadow Stone" found in the Shadow Myriad Realms, this unique equipment contains a surging force of Shadow Energy, providing the wearer with continuous spiritual stamina and purifying multiple spiritual negative states, ensuring the wearer's mental health.

……

Seeing the equipment quality number, Seeing Li Zheng was stunned.

In this game's setting, equipment quality operates similarly to Painful Painful Minghun levels.

For example, not long after server launch, Wo Si Ni Die came to him to buy Shou Shou Jili—he bought Tie Ye the "Mount Shaker Axe," a weapon with quality 8, priced at 100 Shou Shou Jili.

From this, one could deduce just how terrifying the value of Gui Tong's Shadow Ziyue must be.

Seeing Li Zheng: (screenshot analysis) Holy shit, equipment quality? 285—what the hell is this divine artifact!

Broke to the Bone: I've got a bold idea—how about we rob him on the way to Qian Wang Er Qi? A 285-quality item? That's gotta be worth millions of Shou Shou Jili, maybe even more—how the hell is this kid so rich?!

Kill Instinct Activated: Honestly, my kill instinct just kicked in.

Family Shared Godfather: A magic-user's divine gear—continuous spiritual stamina regeneration. Godfathers, this kid wants it.

Fun Without Paying: Damn, this kid's carrying millions into training camp… too bad he only started wearing it today—if he'd worn it earlier, I'd have snatched it from him during lunchtime brawls.

Leopard Head Zero Spend: You guys just talk big—you'd never actually move to rob him. You've built up some feelings, remember how you guys took several punches for Tongzi during those fights with Shuiguo?

……

Noticing the players' gazes fixated on his necklace, Gui Tong's expression turned wary:

"What are you doing?"

In response, Broke to the Bone chuckled:

"Tongzi, that necklace of yours looks pretty nice."

"What's it to you?" Gui Tong glared.

"With graduation approaching, I think we should leave each other some mementos—this bond is worth remembering. Why not give us your necklace? We'll give you something precious in return as a keepsake."

Realizing the players had set their sights on his necklace, Gui Tong's temple twitched:

"Not a chance. I won't give this to you under any circumstances."

The clan member sitting beside Gui Tong spoke up then:

"This is our clan's most treasured relic. Only the heir to the next Four-Eyed Clan Chief may wear it. Drop this idea—this necklace will never be given to you."

Hearing it was a clan leader's token, the Gan Di Team sighed inwardly.

"Not a god of wealth—we can't trick it out of him with barter," Family Shared Godfather remarked.

After breakfast ended, they followed Instructor Kuang Sha to the southern side of the training camp, a place they'd never visited.

There, Seeing Li Zheng and the others saw a statue of immense majesty.

The statue stood dozens of feet tall, carved from black obsidian, Cloaked in Heavy Armor etched with intricate war totems; through the armor's gaps, the muscular, powerful form beneath was faintly visible, radiating an unmatched wildness and power.

The statue's body lacked a head; its right hand gripped a massive battle-axe, its blade shimmering with crimson light, as if it could cleave through any obstacle in the world; the haft was carved with a pattern of crimson flame, and the axe's tip was embedded into the base below, fused with the earth.

The statue's base was broad and heavy, surrounded by bas-reliefs vividly depicting countless warriors charging into battle, drenched in blood.

The tiny figures in the reliefs were lifelike—brave warriors, and behind them, grieving civilians praying; one corner of the base bore ancient inscriptions.

Though headless, the moment they saw the statue, Seeing Li Zheng and the others felt a crushing wave of slaughter and fury.

Instantly, it felt as if they stood on a battlefield, with ten thousand troops surging toward them.

The players of the Gan Di Team all unconsciously drew a deep breath to ease the pressure from the statue.

"Before leaving Phase One training camp, you have one final task: receive the Blessing of the Reverse Tide God, and forge a Rule Mark within your bodies. This Rule Mark will aid your rapid growth and turn you into mighty warriors of the Reverse Tide Legion."

Saying this, Instructor Kuang Sha stepped before the statue, clenched his right fist against his chest, and bowed his head in reverence.

Then Instructor Kuang Sha turned to them:

"Approach the statue one by one. I will assist you in receiving the Reverse Tide God's Blessing."

Realizing another reward was imminent, Seeing Li Zheng and the others were ecstatic.

The first to receive the Reverse Tide Blessing was Gui Tong of the Four-Eyed Clan. He stepped before the statue, mimicked Instructor Kuang Sha's posture, bowed respectfully, then looked up at Instructor Kuang Sha.

Instructor Kuang Sha moved beside the statue and placed his hand on one of the bas-reliefs.

Instantly, the crimson light on the statue's axe spun rapidly, then shot out a beam of crimson light that struck Gui Tong—his eyes immediately glazed over, becoming vacant.

This process lasted about ten minutes. When Gui Tong's eyes gradually cleared, Instructor Kuang Sha said in a low voice:

"Next."

As Gui Tong turned and walked toward them, Broke to the Bone couldn't help asking curiously:

"Tongzi, what did it feel like receiving the Blessing?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Gui Tong replied, but his eyes betrayed unmistakable delight—he'd clearly gained something significant.

Soon after, the new recruits from Snow Valley Training Camp took turns receiving the Blessing before the statue.

It was soon the players' turn. Seeing Li Zheng, as team leader, stepped forward first.

Standing before the statue, he mimicked the posture of the previous trainees and bowed respectfully—then the axe on the statue burst into crimson light and shot straight toward him.

When Li Zheng's body was struck by the flowing light, a brilliant crimson Fu Wen Lao Yin outline rapidly coalesced and was sketched within him.

This immediately activated the "Purification System" within the Challenger System, which began operating to erase the spirit pattern's trajectory.

But Qi Sheng's power descended at this moment.

Curious about the special energy attempting to alter Li Zheng's bodily structure, he suppressed the Purification System's operation, allowing the energy's spirit pattern to freely traverse and sketch within Li Zheng's body.

During this process, it became evident that this Gou Le Lao Yin's spirit pattern was entirely different from the trajectory that had previously formed the Tong Ku Lao Yin.

Each stroke followed the natural flow of the Monster World's operation; the sketching process was utterly fluid and pleasing to behold.

And this was a Rule Lao Yin—far beyond anything the Tong Ku Lao Yin could compare to.

The guidance standing beside Qi Sheng also grew Solemn:

【Boss, I know who this Reverse Tide God is.】

"Who?"

【The one hailed as the strongest in combat among the Eight Extremes Gods—Hun Zhan.】

"Can he be swayed?"

【Unclear. Until we know Hun Zhan's current intentions, direct contact is inadvisable. After all, he serves the former Beneath Di Zhao, not you. He may not choose to continue pledging loyalty to you, the inheritor who preserves the original essence of Beneath Di Zhao, as we four have.】

In the midst of idle chatter, a crimson Rule Lao Yin gradually solidified within Li Zheng's body.

"So, what is the effect of the Rule ability Hun Zhan wields?" Qi Sheng asked curiously, while the sketching was still incomplete.

【War Power. All wars can provide him with strength. Warriors bearing the War Lao Yin also gain the benefits of this Rule's enhancement.】

【For example: a player with War Rule enhancement fighting against Hei Chao Xie Sui will grow stronger the longer the battle lasts—even without slaying any Hei Chao Xie Sui, merely participating in the war grants strengthening through this world's Rule force. In an epic-level super war, after one round ends, all warriors' power could increase several-fold, even dozens of times.】

"Whoa, that's intense." Qi Sheng was stunned by the effect of this Rule power.

【Of course, Hun Zhan wields a World Rule of the Monster World—one of the mighty Eight Extremes Rules—far surpassing the strength of Rules from lesser worlds. His War Lao Yin is like our Challenger System, infused with his own Rule power, granting every warrior a War System that allows them to grow rapidly through war.】

"Can this Rule enhancement work in small-scale battles?" Qi Sheng pressed further.

【Only war grants the power of the War Lao Yin. Small-scale skirmishes clearly won't work—and the larger the war, the stronger the enhancement.】

【Beyond the power boost from war, the War Power Rule likely grants additional combat skills tied to warfare. These guys are in for a treat.】

Hearing this, Qi Sheng asked the most pressing question:

"Can this Rule power be replicated by consuming Shou Shou Jili?"

【Yes. I've recorded the trajectory for weaving the Rule Lao Yin. But without Hun Zhan's aid to propel the Rule's coalescence, replicating this Rule Lao Yin would demand an enormous amount of Shou Shou Jili—each imprint may cost over a hundred million Shou Shou Jili.】

"Forget it. I didn't ask."

Saying this, Qi Sheng switched his view to Li Zheng's perspective.

At this moment, the Rule spirit pattern within Li Zheng was nearly complete, coalescing into the War Divine Seal.

(End of Chapter)