Orc Empire, Silverwing Town.
After shaking off the pursuit of dark-faction players, Shi Feng returned directly to Zero Wing's headquarters in Silverwing Town to arrange the NPC merchants' cargo logistics and the purchase of their goods.
The trade route had already been opened, but collecting usage fees from NPC merchants required both players and NPC guards working together. Additionally, buying the goods that NPC merchants sold to other NPCs could only be done when a player physically inspected their wares, so all of it demanded considerable manpower.
Moreover, purchasing items from NPC merchants required a certain level of knowledge about the goods, making it necessary to assign dedicated personnel to the task.
However, as soon as Shi Feng arrived at the guild headquarters, he found the entire place in a state of uproar, everyone chatting with visible excitement and elation.
"Guild Master, you're finally back! Everyone's been talking about you," Shuise Qiangwei said, a touch of excitement in her voice as she greeted the returning Shi Feng. "Because of your performance at the Secret Stone Fortress and the feat of driving back thousands of dark-faction adventurers with a single sword strike, many people have been calling you the Orc Empire's greatest swordsman. Some have objected, saying the title is unearned and that only a real fight would prove anything — but because of this, more and more players from the surrounding kingdoms want to join our Zero Wing guild. On top of that, quite a few renowned experts from other countries have issued challenges to you, though Huo Wu and the others have taken them on your behalf. They're all fighting in the arena right now."
"Renowned experts from other countries want to challenge me?" Shi Feng chuckled. "Well, that's not a bad thing at all."
He hadn't expected that a single battle at the Secret Stone Fortress could lead to this kind of development.
Previously, there had been no shortage of people in the Star Moon Kingdom who wanted to challenge him, but it had been limited to just the Star Moon Kingdom. Now players from several surrounding kingdoms were eager to face him, which meant his reputation had reached a considerable height across the region. Otherwise, these well-known experts wouldn't have bothered issuing challenges.
This was excellent news for Silverwing Town.
"Shuise, starting today, set up a dedicated challenge platform in the arena — specifically for those who want to challenge me. But there have to be limits. Each challenger has to pay five gold coins to enter. If they win, they receive twenty. If anyone manages to win ten consecutive matches on the challenge platform, I'll accept their challenge personally. As for who faces them, pick from our main raid team members," Shi Feng said.
"Understood." Shuise Qiangwei's eyes lit up.
This move would not only make the arena more popular, but also generate more income, and on top of that provide training for the main raid team. It was a three-for-one deal.
"Smiley, how are things going with the All-Purpose Magic Equipment and the Elf Silver I asked you to produce?" Shi Feng turned to look at Youyu Weixiao, who stood nearby.
Before leaving to work on the trade route quest, he had entrusted the All-Purpose Magic Equipment and Elf Silver production to Youyu Weixiao.
The All-Purpose Magic Equipment was an item Shi Feng had created himself — he could produce as many design blueprints as he wanted. However, the success rate for others crafting it was lower than his own, and the costs were slightly higher, which was why he hadn't had the whole team make them.
But now that forging techniques had improved and with Youyu Weixiao, a Master Blacksmith, on hand, mass-producing the All-Purpose Magic Equipment was no longer impossible.
"Right now, only I have a decent success rate with the All-Purpose Magic Equipment, so I've been making them all myself. So far I've produced fifty-three units, still quite a ways from two hundred. However, Shuang Keke has already advanced to Master Blacksmith in Titan Holy City. With her help, I'm confident we can have all two hundred ready within a day. As for the Elf Silver, over two hundred bottles have been produced and can be delivered at any time," Youyu Weixiao reported with a pleased expression.
"Shuang Keke has advanced to Master Blacksmith too?" Shi Feng was delighted.
A Master-rank crafting profession was highly sought after by major factions everywhere, let alone that of a blacksmith — one of the three principal crafting professions. With Shuang Keke's promotion to Master Blacksmith, the Torch Commerce guild would be able to rise to an even higher level.
Previously, the Torch Commerce guild had two Master Blacksmiths, but Shi Feng himself was the guild master and far too busy to dedicate time to crafting, while Youyu Weixiao had to manage the guild's operations and could spare very little time for actual forging either. Shuang Keke, on the other hand, had no managerial duties to worry about and could devote herself entirely to the forge.