Chapter 319: Perfect Marketing: A Wager Destined for Victory

Ye Ming's figure tore through the vast sky like ink-black thunder, crashing down with a boom into the center of Wuyindao.

"Activate the Spatial Interference Great Formation!"

Its voice, carrying divine might, exploded across the skies above the entire island.

Although the waiting council of elders did not know what had happened, they decisively scattered to the formation eye positions on the island.

Their withered palms pressed simultaneously onto the reefs etched with ancient runes.

As obscure incantations rang out, the seawater surrounding all of Wuyindao began to flow backward, forming a vortex barrier that enveloped the island.

Instantly, the space in the region where the island lay began to become chaotic.

"General, the great formation has been activated."

The leading elder bowed toward the direction where Ye Ming stood suspended in midair and said:

Ye Ming hovered above the black palace in the center of the island, his black robes snapping loudly amidst the chaotic spatial fluctuations.

He raised his head to look in the direction of Dream Island, cold battle intent flickering within his soul fire:

"Very good, let me see how the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce intends to send the Rule Fragments in."

From previous encounters, he knew the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce possessed spatial leap capabilities, allowing them to easily cross vast distances and enter Wuyindao directly.

But now, he had already activated the Spatial Chaos Great Formation.

This great formation was a technique he had specifically developed to counter spatial leap attacks.

In the Monster World, too many races mastered spatial techniques, and combined with the abundant yield of spatial-type resources, it was very easy to create spatial leap channels.

Furthermore, many powerhouses themselves mastered the ability to tear through space.

Surprise attacks utilizing such abilities were difficult to prevent.

They could ignore terrain barriers, bypass all conventional defenses, forcibly breach any physical barrier, and strike straight at the core.

Traditional city walls, barriers, and patrol legions were as good as non-existent in the Iron Face of spatial leaps.

But the Spatial Interference Great Formation was different.

When the formation was fully activated, the twelve Ming Pillars surrounding the island would release Ming Mist particles, which would weave an invisible turbulence net around the island.

Any spatial leap behavior was essentially folding a temporary channel within the real dimension, and the Ming Mist particles would forcibly jam this precise dimensional folding process like gravel slipping into gears.

Secondly, the great formation would continuously release spatial ripples, like constantly throwing stones into a calm Firefly Lake, keeping the spatial coordinates of the entire area in a state of high-frequency vibration.

Even if one could break through the first layer of interference, the teleportation landing point would suffer severe deviations due to the chaotic coordinates.

Moreover, there was a high probability of being sent into the Void World.

Now, the entire Wuyindao was like being wrapped inside a constantly twisting and deforming spatial bubble.

He wanted to see just how the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce would break through this coordinate location that even a Half-God Realm powerhouse would find difficult to lock onto precisely.

Dream Island.

A Lan sat in the auction hall, editing a forum post.

The auction had already ended, and representatives of all races had departed; at this moment, members of the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce were methodically cleaning up the venue's trash.

The trash they handled mostly consisted of exhausted crystal shells, spirit fruit pits left over from the banquet, and so on.

The members of the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce would throw this trash into the sea.

The crystal shells would sink to the seabed to become nutrients for coral groups, while the spirit fruit pits would be snatched away as snacks by passing small sea beasts and spirit fish, resulting in no pollution whatsoever.

Although sacrificing them to Brother Di Zhao would be more convenient, completely skipping the transportation link.

But A Lan believed that this trash itself held certain value.

After the exhausted crystal shells sank to the seabed, they would gradually release residual gentle spiritual energy; this energy was exactly the favorite nourishment for coral polyps, prompting them to accelerate the secretion of calcareous matter, while the scattered spirit fruit pits would attract groups of small sea beasts and spirit fish, whose excrement produced while gnawing on the pits happened to be the best organic fertilizer for the coral groups.

Feeding this trash to the sea would, in the future, earn the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce more tradable land.

The time required for trash to nurture reefs might be somewhat long.

But as a player, A Lan knew his lifespan could no longer be measured by the lifespan of a physical body in reality.

He had plenty of time to plan for the future.

At this moment, the post editing was complete, and he clicked send.

Regarding this wager with Ye Ming, the win rate was naturally one hundred percent.

He could be certain that Ye Ming choosing to agree meant he necessarily possessed means of spatial interference.

Secondly, Ye Ming would soon deploy defenses around the sea areas near Dream Island to ensure players found it difficult to leave.

Even Wuyindao was heavily guarded; not even a mosquito could fly in.

But in his hands, he possessed the Rule-level "Positioning Teleportation"; back when he went there, he had laid down multiple positioning coordinates on Wuyindao, allowing him to travel across space at any time.

The so-called spatial interference technique simply could not defend against the infiltration of Rule-level power.

He could secure victory in the wager within minutes.

But merely winning the victory was far from enough in A Lan's eyes.

He had actively sought this wager with Ye Ming not just to prove the capabilities of the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce to Ye Ming.

It was also to launch a recruitment plan.

Currently, the development of the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce was flourishing, yet the number of players responsible for delivery services remained stagnant.

Generally, novices would come to work for a while before decisively resigning to throw themselves into other gameplay styles.

Among these, the group with the highest number of stable couriers was the Fishing Faction players.

This group was accustomed to drifting on the sea, often fishing for over ten hours at a stretch, with those obsessed even able to fish continuously for several days without logging off.

For them, the delivery missions of the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce were merely a way to earn extra Sacrificial Power income along the way.

Casting a fishing rod while accepting a delivery order, then delivering goods during the intervals waiting for fish to bite, perfectly matched their game rhythm.

But the problem lay in the limited number of pure Fishing Faction players.

Most players were more enthusiastic about hunting, dungeons, or exploring new maps.

Those willing to spend long periods on the sea were ultimately a minority; even though the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce had increased delivery fees, it remained difficult to attract enough players to support the ever-expanding trade network.

But only their own players had the capability to execute delivery missions; hiring foreign races would mean losing one of the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce's golden signs: "Absolute Safety Guarantee."

Therefore, the novice group remained the primary delivery personnel for the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce.

Some time ago, the closure of A Le's Training Camp in the Winter Snow Plain region caused a surge in the number of couriers for the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce, completely solving the problem of excessively long delivery times.

But after the Illusion Spirit Wasteland region opened and A Le's Training Camp reopened, the surged number of couriers rapidly plummeted to rock bottom.

At the current stage, the number of couriers in the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce could no longer keep up with the chamber's expansion speed.

The wager with Ye Ming was an excellent method of exposure.

During the auction, a large number of players had watched the proceedings in his livestream room.

The forum players had all witnessed his wager with Ye Ming.

At this moment, using this as a gimmick to publish a challenge post would attract a large number of players to participate.

Once the event ended, as long as some players were willing to become stable couriers for the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce, this wager would be considered a success.

As for the wager itself, it had been won the moment it began.

He switched to the main page of the forum.

The post he had just published was seeing its popularity rapidly skyrocket.

[Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce: Our chamber is launching a special challenge event today, inviting all players to participate with generous rewards.]

Poster: Seeking Sacrificial Power.

Content:

The Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce is now issuing a special challenge to all server players: Break Through Wuyindao.

Mission Content:

Successfully deliver designated supplies to Wuyindao under the personal command of Ye Ming and with the entire Ming Mist Clan on high alert.

Target Location: Wuyindao, enveloped by Ming Mist particles and spatial turbulence (currently guarded by Ye Ming's Spatial Interference Great Formation; conventional spatial leaps are ineffective).

Mission Requirements: After entering Wuyindao, challengers must privately message the chamber person in charge, complete a cross-space transaction, and hand over the Rule Fragment to a Ming Mist Clan member (mission rewards are limited to the first player to arrive).

Success Reward: 150,000 Sacrificial Power.

Time Limit: From now until 72 hours later.

All players are welcome to sign up.

The IDs of the event liaison officers are as follows: Old Sea Dog, Star Orbit Shattered, I Am Too Strong...

Comment Section:

Three-Point Hermes: The fishing folks have work to do; who understands the joy of earning double income while fishing? I'm taking this order, setting off right now; it seems I'm only about half a day's journey from Wuyindao, wealth is right before my eyes, wait for me to return and brag to you all.

Supreme: I watched the livestream of this wager; it concerns the Iron Face of all player races. It seems it is time for this old man to make a move. Youngsters, watch and learn well; see how I, who have played this game for 60 years, easily earn 150,000 Sacrificial Power.

No Cilantro: Hiss~ the unit price offered is truly high; just succeeding grants 150,000 Sacrificial Power. I worked at the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce for two days after the Winter Snow Plain closure recently, so I know the process well. I'm taking this order; don't snatch it from me.

Sour Bean Feet: When it comes to the ability to pilot vehicles, this Sword Immortal will not yield to anyone. Back in the day, I shook the Qi Die so much in the Di Zhong Mountain Range region that it vomited; if it hadn't knelt and begged for mercy, this prehistoric ferocious beast that has existed since server launch would have been contained. No bragging, my skill in piloting flying swords is number one in the entire server; delivering something is just a small scene.

Nut: Laughable—if Ye Ming can catch me, I’ll devour all the Ming Mist Clan’s resources right here and now. I’ve already signed up and plan to use the Twilight Shadow Soul to phase directly inside; since we’re both in mist form, they’ll assume I’m one of theirs and won’t attack me. Send me the Sacrificial Power first, then I’ll go carry it out.

The popularity of the post was rising rapidly, just as A Lan had expected.

Within a short time, a large number of players contacted the event liaisons, wanting to participate.

Whether any player would succeed in the delivery, A Lan was not clear, but he knew his objective had already been achieved.

Delivery-related services had gained very high exposure on the forum; besides novice players, many veteran players were also paying attention and learning about them.

Once the event ended, there would inevitably be some players who disliked hunting or dungeon gameplay styles willing to stay and work long-term.

As the post's popularity continued to ferment on the forum.

Even the video clips of his wager with Ye Ming sparked heated discussion on the forum.

Many players believed this wager had evolved into a battle of honor between the Player Clan and the Mingwu Clan.

They must slap the Mingwu Clan's Iron Face hard, making them realize the might of the Player Clan.

Even numerous player guilds spontaneously organized "Wuyindao Assault Teams," fervently studying tactics in their guild channels.

Some players proposed using a human wave tactic, dispatching a massive number of Assassin-build players to break through from different directions simultaneously, forcing the Mingwu Clan to stretch themselves thin and unable to form an effective defense.

Other lore-focused players planned to take a technical approach, researching how to find loopholes in the Spatial Interference Great Formation.

Even the Hunting factions and Dungeon factions, who originally had zero interest in delivery missions, joined the fray.

For these players, the method to breach Ye Ming's defensive line was to force their way through with their own martial prowess.

As the heat of forum discussions escalated, a concept was born on the forum: whoever successfully delivers the goods is the coolest kid on the forum.

This wager turned A Lan into a perfect marketing case study.

A large number of players were eagerly signing up to participate.

They set sail from the Caiwu Coast region, launching breakout operations from different directions.

During this period, the Mingwu Clan also began their sniper operations.

The entire Dream Island was under strict surveillance; any member of the Player Clan attempting to leave the island was killed outright, ensuring no player inside Dream Island could ever step foot off it.

But for the players, this action was utterly meaningless.

After all, the Rule Fragment was always in the hands of "A Lan," the president of the Jinbishang Society; as long as one player successfully broke out, they could perform a cross-space transaction to deliver the Rule Fragment directly.

Even with Dream Island blockaded, players could still use the Caiwu Coast as a starting point to break out from different sea directions.

During the challenge event, players displayed their unique skills like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea.

Players possessing flying vehicles attempted to break out from high above, believing that if they flew high enough and fast enough, they could find an unintercepted flight path above the cloud layer, making it impossible for the Mingwu Clan to effectively snipe them.

Defending the sea surface was easy, but defending the sky was difficult.

These players piloted various flying vehicles, shooting straight up into the clouds from the Caiwu Coast.

For those players without flying vehicles, the deep sea became another way out.

No matter how tight the Mingwu Clan's surface blockade was, it could not completely cover the unfathomable seabed.

Some players used diving vehicles, or simply relied on underwater breathing pills, to sneak through along the ocean floor.

The deep sea was dimly lit, making it difficult for Mingwu Clan patrols to reach.

The downside was that besides the Mingwu Clan, danger sources also included giant sea beasts and dark undercurrent whirlpools; these potential crises could all cause the breakout attempts to end in death at the bottom of the sea.

But facts proved that the tactics players were currently using could not affect the Mingwu Clan's defenses in any way.

Ye Ming's tactic was very simple: blockade the sea areas surrounding Dream Island, and secondly, contract their forces to the vicinity of Wuyindao.

No matter how successful the breakouts in other regions were, once they approached Wuyindao, they would Iron Face an inescapable net.

As the countdown for the challenge event progressed, the breakout methods invented by players grew numerous, and many bizarre operations began to appear.

The blockade of Dream Island seemed like an inescapable net, but players believed no defensive force was impregnable.

Whether soaring through the sky, diving to the seabed, or launching a frontal assault, every method tested the players' strategy and courage.

Meanwhile, the Mingwu Clan also adjusted their tactics amidst repeated clashes.

This game of cat and mouse stirred up the emotions of a large number of players.

Cangxing Sea Area, outside Wuyindao.

A squad of over a hundred Mingwu warriors was patrolling the sea area 49 nautical miles from Mingwu Island.

Black mist drifted around each warrior as their gazes swept across the sky and the sea surface, even piercing through the water to scan the seabed environment.

"Da Hunzi, where are you?"

"Don't make noise, I'm too nervous right now, terrified that a member of the Mingwu Clan will speak to me."

With that, the player with the game ID "Da Hunzi" continued to control his Shadow-Striding Body, following the squad of Mingwu warriors as they flew into the distance.

The tactic they were using was named: Shadow-Striding Tactic.

This was a penetration tactic built around the niche second-generation Soul Soul "Shadow-Striding."

The characteristic effect of the Shadow-Striding Soul Soul was to manipulate the target's "shadow" to fight.

But the "shadow" here did not refer to the shadow cast on the ground by sunlight.

Instead, it was a template generated directly based on the opponent's ability characteristics; its strength was influenced by the player's mental power intensity and could integrate other Soul Soul characteristics. This was a relatively niche Soul Soul on the forum; its advantage was that when encountering a difficult opponent, one could use the Shadow-Striding characteristic to create a Shadow-Striding Body possessing the opponent's abilities for countermeasures.

(PS: The Shadow-Striding Soul Soul first appeared in Chapter 227.)

To ensure this plan proceeded smoothly, the warband Da Hunzi belonged to engaged this Mingwu Clan squad in a fierce battle at sea.

Before retreating, they had Da Hunzi use the Shadow-Striding ability to create a Shadow-Striding Body amid the chaos, and incidentally kill the target being replicated by the Shadow-Striding.

Currently, this Mingwu Clan squad had not yet discovered that one of their warriors had been replaced by a player and continued to execute their patrol mission.

"Get me a bottle of mental potion; the farther the distance, the greater the consumption for control. My mana bar can't handle it."

Hearing Da Hunzi's call, a teammate immediately took out a bottle of mental recovery potion and fed it to his main body's mouth.

Meanwhile, Da Hunzi's consciousness remained in the Shadow-Striding clone, following the squad as they wandered all over the sea area.

"Will this plan even work? What if this squad doesn't return to the island? Are we just going to waste two days here?"

"We've come this far, don't give up. I've already called and ordered nutrient fluid for you. Just follow the patrol peacefully. If we succeed, you take the lion's share of the 150,000 Sacrificial Power."

"Fine." Da Hunzi agreed helplessly.

Fortunately, this squad maintained strict discipline; no one spoke throughout the entire journey, with only the leading captain occasionally issuing brief commands to adjust the patrol route.

The sea breeze carried the unique chilly aura of the Mingwu Clan, blowing against his body and making Da Hunzi even more tense; he had to maintain the stability of the Shadow-Striding Body at all times, for the slightest carelessness could lead to exposure.

Shadow-Striding could replicate all of the opponent's non-rule abilities, but it was uniquely unable to replicate memories.

This was also the reason he feared communication.

If they really started chatting, his flaws would be endless, making it very easy to be exposed and then killed.

As time passed, Da Hunzi summoned his map to check and discovered the patrol route wasn't advancing toward Wuyindao at all; he couldn't help but complain in the squad chat channel:

"This patrol route is way too repetitive; why are we just going in circles?"

"Don't rush; the Mingwu Clan's patrols naturally have no pattern. Be patient," a teammate hurriedly soothed.

Just as Da Hunzi was preparing to continue complaining, a column of water suddenly exploded on the sea surface in the distance.

A player fleet was forcibly breaking through the blockade; cannon fire roared, spells interwove, and the sea surface instantly boiled.

The Mingwu Clan squad where Da Hunzi was located immediately entered combat status, and the captain ordered in a cold voice:

"Intercept!"

Seeing his own players appear, Da Hunzi's heart tightened.

If the Shadow-Striding Body joined the fight, there was a high chance it would be killed, but if it didn't move, it would also arouse suspicion.

"Brothers, something big has happened; we've encountered our own Violent Breakout Squad. What do we do? Should we fight?"

"Fight, but don't try too hard."

"Also, when fighting, send me the game IDs of the Violent Breakout Squad members; I'll private message them to beg for mercy so they don't target you."

"Understood. Engaging now; you guys hurry up and prepare to private message and beg for mercy."

A great battle was imminent; the sea fortress piloted by the Violent Breakout Squad rapidly approached within sight, and the Mingwu warriors moved into action one after another.

The Shadow-Striding Body under Da Hunzi's control also gritted its teeth and followed suit.

Upon seeing the opposing players' IDs, he decisively sent them to the squad chat channel.

Over ten seconds later, unable to wait any longer, Da Hunzi asked in the chat channel:

"How's it going? Did you private message them?"

"Begging for mercy right now. You keep fighting, but don't use lethal force; be careful your own brothers don't really kill you."

Shortly after, Da Hunzi's anxious voice rang out again:

"Holy crap, the opposing warband is so brutal, I'm a bit scared. Did you guys actually private message them or not?"

"Contact has been made; we sent a Sacrificial Power red packet. From now on, fight with peace of mind; they will definitely spare your life."

The great battle concluded half an hour later.

Only 23 warriors from the Mingwu squad survived, including the Shadow-Striding Body controlled by Da Hunzi, which was throwing the match.

As for the Violent Breakout Squad composed of players, they were completely annihilated.

At this moment, with the patrol squad suffering heavy losses, the captain chose to advance in the direction of Wuyindao.

This made Da Hunzi and his teammates extremely excited.

They were getting closer and closer to victory.

The patrol squad dragged their broken formation, flying toward Wuyindao.

The mist on the sea surface grew increasingly thick, the surrounding temperature plummeted, and tiny ice crystals condensing in the air became visible.

In the distance, the silhouette of an island shrouded in black mist gradually became clear; that was precisely the clan territory of the Mingwu Clan: Wuyindao.

Da Hunzi controlled the Shadow-Striding Body, blending in with the surviving Mingwu warriors, his heart beating like a war drum.

"Almost there; 150,000 Sacrificial Power is within reach," he cheered softly in the squad voice channel.

"Don't get happy too soon; the closer we get to Wuyindao, the more experts of the Mingwu Clan there are. Your Shadow-Striding Body has no flaws, but pay attention to your own behavior; watch what the other Mingwu warriors do, and do the same," a teammate warned at this moment.

Da Hunzi swallowed hard, controlling the Shadow-Striding Body to scan the surroundings.

The Mingwu warriors beside him moved forward in silence; none spoke, nor did they show any grief that should accompany the death of clansmen.

Just as they were about to reach the shore, a dark figure slowly emerged from the mist.

This was a high-ranking commander of the Mingwu Clan, clad in dark-patterned battle armor, with black mist surging around his body; merely standing there gave Da Hunzi a suffocating sense of oppression.

"Patrol squad, report the situation," the commander said in a low voice.

The captain of the Mingwu Squad immediately stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and spoke respectfully:

"Reporting to the Commander, we encountered a surprise attack by the Player Clan and suffered heavy losses, but we have annihilated the enemy forces entirely."

The Commander's gaze slowly swept over the remaining warriors, finally stopping on the Shadow-Striding Body controlled by Da Hunzi.

He's been targeted!

Da Hunzi's body went rigid, cold sweat instantly soaking through his back.

"Your aura is somewhat chaotic; are you injured?"

Facing the inquiry, Da Hunzi was anxious at heart, but he forcibly suppressed his nervousness and remained silent, merely kneeling on one knee, terrified of being exposed.

Just as he thought he might be exposed, the squad captain explained on his behalf:

"Commander, it sustained significant injuries during battle and may be temporarily unable to speak."

Da Hunzi's heartbeat nearly burst from his chest as his teammates frantically reminded him over voice chat:

"Hold steady, don't panic! What the hell are you nervous about? At worst, the mission fails."

At this critical moment.

Boom!

Suddenly, a massive column of water erupted from the sea surface in the distance, followed immediately by a warship breaking through the waves, with thousands of Mingwu Clan warriors in hot pursuit behind it.

"Enemy attack! The Player Clan is attacking!"

The Commander paid no further attention to Da Hunzi and immediately shouted sternly:

"Intercept them... You others, enter the island first to heal your wounds."

Da Hunzi felt as though he had received a grand pardon; he immediately controlled the Shadow-Striding Body to follow the team deeper into Wuyindao.

But the crisis did not seem to have dissipated.

Along the way, one could see the figures of Mingwu Clan warriors standing in strict formation, looming in and out of sight within the churning mist.

As a veteran player, Da Hunzi felt that even when facing death, he had never been this nervous.

Death allowed for resurrection, but if he were exposed, he would lose fifteen thousand units of Sacrificial Power.

Continuing deeper inside, every hundred meters revealed a watchtower, atop which hovered a dim blue mist lamp.

Analysis indicated that these dim blue beams could rapidly scan for potential hidden units.

It was evident that the Mingwu Clan had long developed a targeted countermeasure against infiltration.

Unfortunately for them, they were facing players.

A few minutes later, Da Hunzi controlled the Shadow-Striding Body, following the surviving Mingwu warriors through the sea mist, thick as ink.

With every step forward, the surrounding mist became stickier, wrapping around him as if alive, seeping a bone-chilling cold into his marrow.

Finally, Da Hunzi's Shadow-Striding Body passed through the last barrier of dense fog.

The instant his feet firmly stepped onto the black reefs of Wuyindao, the entire warband's voice channel instantly exploded into an uproar.

"Holy crap, we actually got in! Hurry and send the video; I need to contact the person in charge of the Jinbishang Society. We've hit the jackpot!"

"Hahaha, awesome! I saw on the forum that there are already several Shadow-Striding Squads, but we were the first to succeed. This feels great!"

"Contacting the person in charge of the Jinbishang Society now; preparing to receive the Rule Fragment."

"Fifteen thousand units of Sacrificial Power, brothers! This haul is pure profit. Tonight, order the most expensive Spiritual Food banquet; I'm going to eat until I'm stuffed!"

Before long, Da Hunzi, who was still advancing with the team, received the Rule Fragment traded by his teammate.

With the explicit challenge mission completed, Da Hunzi stopped pretending entirely.

His nervousness transformed into ecstatic joy; under the bewildered gazes of the other Mingwu warriors, he placed his hands on his hips, threw back his head, and laughed uproariously.

Inside the main hall at the center of Mingwu Island.

Ye Ming's slender bone fingers gently tapped the armrest of the Wang Zuo, the fingertips clinking crisply against the metal, while the soul fire within his skull pulsed slowly.

Two days had passed since the agreed-upon time.

Facts proved that the Jinbishang Society had not delivered the Rule Fragment stipulated in the agreement to Mingwu Island.

"It seems I overestimated the Jinbishang Society."

The low voice echoed through the hall, carrying a hint of disappointment.

During their previous few encounters, although he had reservations about the Jinbishang Society, his expectations had been greater.

He believed that with the capabilities of the Jinbishang Society, the development of the Mingwu Clan might ascend to a new level.

But the Jinbishang Society did not seem as omnipotent as they had described themselves to be.

Just then, an elder of the Mingwu Clan flew in from outside the hall and knelt on one knee before Ye Ming:

"General, members of the Jinbishang Society disguised themselves as our clan's warriors, broke through layers of defense, entered the island, and brought this item."

Speaking thus, the Mingwu Clan elder held up a dark golden metal box with both hands.

Ye Ming's eyes shifted slightly; he raised his hand and retrieved the object from across the air.

The metal box landed steadily in his palm with a soft "click," the lid opening automatically to reveal a black fragment inside.

This was precisely the Rule Fragment from his wager with the Jinbishang Society.

Ye Ming's five fingers suddenly clenched, causing the Rule Fragment to burst forth with dazzling light in his palm.

His sharp gaze swept over the generals in the hall, his voice striking like cold iron:

"With the Spatial Interference Great Formation, the triple-layered mist barriers, three hundred and seventy-two watchtowers, three hundred and sixty mist-eye monitors, and the Sea-Patrolling Mist Guards patrolling day and night, how was this all-encompassing net breached so silently?"

Facing the interrogation, the elder who had brought the Rule Fragment became somewhat flustered:

"Grand General, we carefully inspected that infiltrating member of the Jinbishang Society; whether in bodily structure or ability characteristics, he was identical to our clan. Even the mist eyes could not detect any flaw."

"Where is he now?"

"After handing over the Rule Fragment to me, his body disintegrated and vanished without a trace."

After hearing the elder's explanation, Ye Ming said nothing.

It seemed the Jinbishang Society possessed a powerful disguise technique.

However, this method of success was overly cunning.

But a loss is a loss...

Just as Ye Ming was reflecting on this, the space in the center of the hall suddenly distorted, causing Ye Ming's expression to tighten.

The entire Wuyindao had long ago activated the Spatial Interference Great Formation; theoretically, not even a single mist fly could teleport inside.

After the white light dissipated, the figure that arrived was none other than the person in charge of the Jinbishang Society: Lord Shou Jili.

"General Ye Ming, I hope you have been well since we last met."

Seeing the smile on A Lan's Iron Face, Ye Ming suddenly realized something.

The series of infiltration actions over the past two days had been utterly meaningless; in the eyes of the Jinbishang Society, it was merely a game with a predetermined outcome.

They could have broken through the spatial interference and entered or exited Mingwu Island at will, yet they chose to arrive only now.

They even insisted on using disguised infiltration to toy with him.

But the anger flashed through his mind only for an instant; Ye Ming spoke in a deep voice:

"Jinbishang Society, impressive methods."

"First using infiltration to present the Rule Fragment, then using spatial technology to prove your core capabilities."

He looked straight at A Lan, yet there was no sense of defeat in his eyes:

"You have already proven the capabilities of the Jinbishang Society. In this wager, my Mingwu Clan has lost."

"Since the Jinbishang Society can casually break through the Mingwu Clan's spatial blockade, then the previous infiltration actions were surely just to test my clan's defensive capabilities, correct?"

A Lan smiled slightly:

"General Ye Ming, testing is mutual. While the Mingwu Clan wished to know the capabilities of my Jinbishang Society, did my Jinbishang Society not also wish to know the capabilities of the Mingwu Clan?"

"And the result? Are you very disappointed that my Mingwu Clan allowed you to complete the delivery mission so easily?" The soul fire within Ye Ming's skull pulsed as he stared directly at A Lan.

"The main force warriors of the Mingwu Clan can annihilate a player warband within three minutes; this combat power earns my appreciation."

Hearing this reply, Ye Ming suddenly burst into loud laughter:

"Good, very good, this Jinbishang Society!"

"Lord Shou Jili, you need not save Iron Face for this General. A loss is a loss. My Mingwu Clan has roamed the seas of Cangxing Star until now, experiencing great winds and massive waves; we have even faced crises of clan extinction. We are not so petty as to be unable to afford losing a single wager. This time, this General admits defeat with complete conviction. You have proven the capabilities of the Jinbishang Society; henceforth, this General will offer no more tests and will sincerely initiate cooperation with the Jinbishang Society."

A Lan, having achieved his objective, nodded with a smile:

"The General's magnanimity is admirable."

With that, his figure suddenly blurred, melting into the air without warning like a thin mist scattered by the wind.

There were no spatial fluctuations, no energy ripples, not even a single breeze was disturbed; it was as if he had never arrived.

Ye Ming's pupils contracted sharply.

With his perceptual abilities, he could not capture the slightest trace of the other party's departure.

This was clearly neither spatial teleportation nor the dissipation of an illusion; it was more akin to being erased by some existence of a higher dimension.

"What an impressive Jinbishang Society..."

Ye Ming slowly tightened his grip on the Wang Zuo armrest, realizing that the capabilities the other party had displayed now were likely just the tip of the iceberg.

8,300 words presented~

(End of Chapter)