"A contract?" Shi Feng murmured to himself, puzzled.
The information he had gathered from his previous life hadn't mentioned anything like this, but that lucky player had never shared those details either, so it was natural that no relevant intel had surfaced. Still, if that lucky player had managed to complete it, Shi Feng certainly wasn't about to believe he couldn't. After all, he was vastly stronger than that player had been at the time. There was no reason he'd fail.
As long as he completed this quest, he would have the capital to rise in White River City.
And what exactly was this capital?
Did that even need to be asked?
For any player entering White River City, there was nothing better than owning their own property within the city. And not just any property — a noble estate located in the trade district. Only by owning an estate in White River City could one establish a guild headquarters.
A guild headquarters was immensely important to any guild. It could be called the single most valuable perk a guild could have, bar none.
Every guild headquarters was essentially a private territory. The greatest benefit was accelerated leveling speed and exclusive headquarters quests. With a guild headquarters, all guild members resting inside could store double experience. With double experience, whether grinding monsters or leveling up, they would earn twice the normal amount.
The amount of double experience stored depended on how long one rested at the headquarters. Resting for forty-eight hours typically allowed twenty percent of double experience to be accumulated, with a maximum cap of one full level's worth. For guild members tired from battle who needed to rest, this was an irresistible draw.
Then there were the exclusive headquarters quests — commissions from local NPCs. They refreshed daily and offered generous rewards. Occasionally, quests even appeared that rewarded Dark-Gold equipment. On top of that, they boosted Guild Prestige and Guild Funds, since twenty percent of every quest's payout went straight to the guild treasury. Even keeping only eighty percent of the money was more than most high-level quests paid.
Beyond that, the guild headquarters offered a host of other functions. In truth, the core of any guild was its headquarters.
Unfortunately, obtaining a guild headquarters was extraordinarily difficult. Even a top-tier first-rate guild had spent over a month to secure one in a remote location. As for second-rate and third-rate guilds — even four months after the Divine Realm's launch, plenty of third-rate guilds still had no headquarters to speak of.
In his previous life, Shadow had spent seven months to acquire its first guild headquarters. Seven full months. By that point, most players had already reached around level fifty. Shadow had struggled to obtain a remote headquarters in a city of two or three hundred thousand people. From that moment on, Shadow had finally found its footing, officially becoming a minor guild.
Only a guild with its own headquarters could be called a true guild. The speed at which one acquired a headquarters was a direct reflection of a guild's strength.
Shi Feng's goal was to obtain a guild headquarters within fifteen days of entering White River City. And Blackbeard's introduction letter was the fastest shortcut — bar none.
"Yes, but—" Wiseman looked Shi Feng over carefully and gave a slight shake of his head. "Young man, you are far too weak. I'm afraid you won't be able to fulfill this contract. I don't know why Blackbeard trusts you so much, but for you, this is still too early."
"Lord Wiseman, I believe I am capable of handling this task," Shi Feng said firmly.
Wiseman couldn't help but smile. Young people were always so confident — it wasn't until they ran into real trouble that they realized their own ignorance. He then said, "Young man, why don't we make a deal?"
"If you can pass the trial I set, I will agree to help you complete the Black Iron Contract. But if you fail, then come back after you have become a proper Swordsman. How does that sound?"
Shi Feng bowed his head slightly, lost in thought. He recalled that the lucky player from his previous life had also obtained a private territory after reaching level ten or so, yet Wiseman was telling him to return after becoming a full Swordsman.
A player's initial class was not a formal one — it was an apprentice class. To become a proper first-tier class, one had to reach level twenty, then apply for a class assessment at the Class Association. Passing the assessment made you an official first-tier class. Once Shi Feng passed, he would become a certified Swordsman — not only would his attributes receive a significant boost, but he would also learn exclusive first-tier Swordsman skills and receive an official Swordsman emblem.
That lucky player had been only around level ten when he passed, so Shi Feng didn't see why he couldn't. After all, he was already level thirteen — not a fresh level ten — and his equipment was far superior. There was no reason he'd fail.
"Lord Wiseman, I accept your trial," Shi Feng nodded in confirmation.
"It's a simple task. All you need to do is obtain the demon's heart. There is a Demon Citadel in the Cursed Lands. It was originally a lord's manor, but that lord was tempted by a demon and fell into corruption, becoming the Dark Knight Gaius. He cursed all of the people in his territory, turning them into demonic beings. I need Gaius's heart to lift this curse. Are you willing to venture to the Cursed Citadel, slay the Dark Knight Gaius, and bring back his heart?" Wiseman asked gravely.
"The Demon Citadel in the Cursed Lands?" Shi Feng was taken aback.
That was the top-tier 20-player team Dungeon for levels 10 to 15. Countless guilds had attempted the Demon Citadel only to be wiped out again and again, ultimately falling one and all to the Dark Knight Gaius.
"That's right — it all depends on whether you can pull it off. If you can't even handle something like this, I'm afraid I'll have to advise you to give up on that contract," Wiseman urged.
"Is there a time limit?" Shi Feng asked.
"There isn't, actually. Even if you only complete it after being promoted to a full Swordsman, that will do," Wiseman said with a smile.
"Very well, I accept this agreement." Shi Feng breathed a sigh of relief. Right now, most players hadn't even reached level 10. If there were a time limit — and a short one at that — he would never make it in time. Without one, though, there was no real problem.
Shi Feng also now understood why that lucky player had been able to complete this quest.
By that time, most players were already around level twenty. An elite team from a third-rate guild could easily clear the Demon Citadel and claim the demon's heart. But for all the guilds in their present state, this was an impossible task.
To clear the Demon Citadel, they would need to assemble a team of at least twenty players, all of whom would need to be at least level twelve or thirteen and equipped with solid gear. Otherwise, they wouldn't stand the slightest chance.
"Looks like I need to get moving on assembling a team." Shi Feng now had a rough goal in mind. Especially with the social gathering in a few days — if he had enough resources, he might be able to put together a solid team. Once that happened, clearing the Demon Citadel would become much easier.
As Wiseman watched Shi Feng departing, something seemed to suddenly occur to him. He called out to stop the young man, saying, "Young man, wait a moment — I still have something very important to give you."