Though the Nine Dragon Emperor said that…
It might sound incredibly arrogant, but every major guild leadership present understood.
The handsome young man before them absolutely had the credentials to back it up.
The Dragon Phoenix Pavilion being hailed as the top-tier guild closest to a Super Guild was no empty claim — it was built on genuine, formidable strength.
In this day and age, virtual networks had long since woven themselves into everyone's lives. Almost everyone dabbled in various virtual games, and guilds in the virtual gaming world numbered in the countless thousands.
Any guild worth mentioning was labeled a third-rate guild, but even so, that alone meant they had already risen above the masses — possessing a certain amount of financial backing, a considerable number of members, and some achievements in various virtual games.
Above that were second-rate guilds, which not only had ample funds but also housed numerous expert players. These experts were at least somewhat well-known in the virtual gaming world, and their membership went without saying — they typically operated across several cities in the Divine Realm.
First-rate guilds — these were guilds that had dominated in over a dozen major virtual games. Their history alone typically exceeded ten years, having been tempered through countless trials to survive as formidable organizations. They possessed comprehensive expert training programs, extensive channels and connections, and most importantly, they recruited a tremendous number of experts.
Nearly every year, the rising new experts of the virtual gaming world were divided up among these guilds. Year after year, they always had a deep pool of talent supporting the guild, fighting for it, bringing it endless glory, and leveraging their channels and connections to earn massive amounts of money.
They were far beyond what any second-rate guild could hope to compare with.
And Super Guilds?
They were the titans of the virtual gaming world. Many virtual games were even produced by these Super Guilds themselves, and they maintained their own research teams dedicated specifically to honing gaming techniques. Ordinary experts meant nothing to Super Guilds — they cultivated their own talent entirely. Only those with truly exceptional natural ability would they bother recruiting.
As for the various major competitions in the virtual gaming world, they were almost all hosted by these Super Guilds. The vast majority of top-tier experts who emerged each year were products of Super Guilds' own training.
Take Zitong and Shuise Qiangwei — both had been cultivated by the same Super Guild. After being tempered through various competitions and claiming victory one after another, each had risen to become a Rookie King. Then they went on to build their own careers.
Actually, it wasn't just the two of them. Many well-known experts in the virtual gaming world had their origins in those Super Guilds.
That was the terrifying power of Super Guilds.
On this point alone, they completely outclassed first-rate guilds, let alone in every other aspect.
Take financial resources, for instance — every Super Guild had already reached the pinnacle of the industry. In a society as virtually advanced as theirs, the economic value of virtual industries was constantly climbing. In terms of both wealth and influence, they were no less impressive than world-class conglomerates — some were even stronger.
Though the Dragon Phoenix Pavilion wasn't a Super Guild, it was practically on par. The only difference was its relatively shorter history — but "shorter" was relative. The Dragon Phoenix Pavilion had actually existed far longer than many first-rate guilds.
"Well, this is going to be interesting." From a distance, Xinghe Wangxi looked toward Shi Feng, a meaningful smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Guild Leader, how can you still crack jokes? If the Dragon Phoenix Pavilion really buys up the entire Candlelight Trading Company, won't our trip here have been for nothing?" Zitong shot Xinghe Wangxi a glare. Having come from a Super Guild herself, she knew full well the depth of resources a Super Guild commanded.
Perhaps Black Flame was incredibly strong, but that strength was limited to the Star Moon Kingdom. If placed among a Super Guild, he'd probably be considered merely average.