"You're Black Flame?" Blute stared at Shi Feng who had appeared before him, his mind going completely blank.
Half-step Fifth Rank!
At a time when even the major superpowers didn't have many Fourth Rank class holders, a half-step Fifth Rank existence was beyond imagination. Even players and NPCs from other worlds would struggle to deal with such a being.
"That's right, it's me." Shi Feng nodded.
"So it's Guild Master Black Flame. Everything before was just a misunderstanding—we never actually intended to blockade Starlight Fortress," Blute said with an apologetic smile. "Since Guild Master Black Flame isn't interested in our cooperation, the Blood Pact Alliance won't force the matter. If there's nothing else, we'll take our leave."
As soon as Blute finished speaking, he prepared to lead everyone from the Blood Pact Alliance out of Starlight Fortress, with no intention of lingering any longer.
"Misunderstanding?" Shi Feng laughed the moment he heard that. "Guild Master Blute, you brought over ten Fourth Rank NPCs all the way here to Starlight Fortress and publicly declared a blockade—and you're telling me that's a misunderstanding?"
"Since you're all here, then you can all stay!"
With that, Shi Feng unfurled his Magic Domain. Instantly, mana that seemed almost liquid spread outward, blanketing an area of a full four thousand yards.
Once Shi Feng deployed his Magic Domain, Blute and the others found their movements stiffening. It was as though they were sinking into a quagmire—every part of their bodies felt impossibly heavy, as if the entire world had been frozen in place. Even the 160-plus-level Fourth Rank NPCs present could only barely resist a fraction of the domain's suppression, completely unable to channel the ambient mana.
Fidelia and her companions watched Shi Feng strike so suddenly, stunned.
They hadn't expected him to attack without a moment's hesitation. The Blood Pact Alliance had over ten Fourth Rank NPCs—individually, they might not be Shi Feng's match, but working together, they could potentially hold their own even against a Fifth Rank class holder.
"This is bad! It's Domain Creation!" The leading Fourth Rank NPC, an elderly man, stared at Shi Feng with an expression of indescribable gravity.
Half-step Fifth Rank was terrifying enough on its own, but a Fourth Rank who had mastered Domain Creation could barely contend with a Fifth Rank class holder in combat. Against such a powerhouse, a group of Fourth Rank fighters would be utterly helpless.
The reason Fourth Rank classes were so powerful was their ability to draw upon ambient mana through their own magical reserves, dramatically amplifying their spell output. But under the effect of Domain Creation, the domain operated by its own rules—like a miniature world. Without equally mastering Domain Creation, one simply couldn't tap into the surrounding mana and had to rely solely on one's own reserves. This completely nullified the Fourth Rank advantage.
Domain Creation had manifested naturally for Shi Feng after his spirit stepped into the Fifth Rank. His magic circle proficiency had reached the Grandmaster level on its own, and with that, his Magic Domain had naturally evolved into something resembling a small world—without him needing to deliberately master it.
"Run!" Blute shouted urgently.
"You really think you can escape?" Shi Feng drew the Abyssal and unleashed Dark Binding.
Upgraded to Fourth Rank, Dark Binding was incomparably more powerful than its Third Rank version. Within a five-hundred-yard radius, pitch-black chains erupted from the void, instantly sealing the movement of every Blood Pact Alliance member. Even those who used spells to break free still suffered a massive reduction in mobility.
The instant the Blood Pact Alliance's movements were crippled, Shi Feng closed the distance in a single step and swung the Light of Two Worlds once more.
Fourth Rank Inherited Skill—Sword Shadow Formless!
Sword Light Cycle!
Thirteen streaks of sword light flickered like starlight, too fast for anyone to react. One after another, they pierced through the hearts of Blute and his companions.
Among the Blood Pact Alliance players present, only Blute—who had broken through the 100% limit of his Mana Body—managed to react in time. He immediately deployed a Fourth Rank defensive spell to block the incoming sword light, but his Fourth Rank magic barrier shattered into countless fragments under the impact.
As for the other Fourth Rank players of the Blood Pact Alliance, not a single one survived. Every one of them was struck directly by the sword light. Even a Fourth Rank Shield Warrior with high defense and massive HP fell on the spot—they simply couldn't withstand a single blow.
The Fourth Rank NPCs fared somewhat better, since their levels and equipment far surpassed those of players at the same rank. They all deployed Fourth Rank defensive spells immediately, blocking every last streak of sword light. However, this forced them to burn one of their emergency life-saving trump cards each, leaving them unable to use such protective magic again in the short term.
But after that single exchange, Shi Feng clearly had no intention of giving the Blood Pact Alliance any room to breathe. He once again deployed Sword Domain and Sword Light Cycle.
Seven magical swords danced under Shi Feng's control, their power no less devastating than a blow from a Fifth Rank class holder. For a time, the dozen-plus Fourth Rank NPCs and Blute could only work together to barely fend off the onslaught, utterly unable to fight back. One by one, they were forced to burn through their remaining life-saving trump cards...
Explosions and the sound of shattering space echoed throughout Starlight Fortress.
In less than thirty seconds of that terrifying barrage, every last one of the Blood Pact Alliance's dozen-plus Fourth Rank NPCs and Blute himself had been reduced to ash in midair, dead beyond any hope of revival...