Chapter 447: Martial Alliance

"White Bone Cavern really dares to come?! Have they gone insane!"

Elder Wang's face showed shock as he immediately led the group of distinguished guests away in haste.

Shi Jiu muttered to himself, "White Bone Cavern wants to massacre the island? They're probably just trying to scare us, right?"

Yang Ling pondered and asked, "Shi Jiu, how much do you know about White Bone Cavern?"

"Manager Yang, White Bone Cavern is one of the top three existences in the Martial Alliance. Their ranking is several places higher than our Crimson Refined Fire Flood Dragon Sect."

Shi Jiu seemed somewhat distraught:

"If White Bone Cavern truly resolves to massacre the island, things will become troublesome..."

Yang Ling obtained two useful pieces of information from him.

"Martial Alliance? An alliance formed by first-rate factions?"

"White Bone Cavern's foundation is actually above Fire Flood Dragon Island..."

"In other words... the players in the Divine Realm have been entering a beginner dungeon that originates from a first-rate faction from the very beginning."

Yang Ling clicked his tongue in secret amazement.

At the same time, a bell tolled on Fire Flood Dragon Island.

"Manager Yang, the sect is summoning us to gather. I'm afraid White Bone Cavern has really come..."

Shi Jiu forced a smile on his pale face.

About half an hour later, Yang Ling followed Shi Jiu to the Crimson Refined Fire Flood Dragon Sect.

This was his first time leaving the Crimson Fire Iron Mine since entering the dungeon.

He also took the opportunity to memorize all the scenery along the way.

These could serve as marked locations for navigation.

The sect plaza was packed with people.

Yang Ling could not squeeze in at all, so he could only find a slightly elevated spot to observe from a distance.

He saw groups upon groups of Ninth-Rank Martial Artists, Eighth-Rank Martial Artists, Seventh-Rank Martial Artists, Sixth-Rank Martial Artists.

Fifth-Rank Lesser Masters like Elder Wang stood in relatively forward positions.

But further ahead stood a group of question marks.

After Yang Ling realized these experts were all Fourth-Rank or above, he stopped trying to open their Status Panels, as that would drain his Spirit.

"This group of question marks numbers at least twenty... the vast majority should be Fourth-Rank Grandmasters, and there might even be Third-Rank Grandmaster Supremes."

"I wonder if there will be Second-Rank Human Immortals and First-Rank Land Deities?"

Yang Ling was somewhat curious. At this moment, that group of people seemed to have finished their discussion.

A middle-aged man with an authoritative demeanor slowly swept his gaze around, his eyes solemn:

"Everyone, be silent."

The scene instantly fell into dead silence.

"Today, the petty White Bone Cavern has come to flaunt their power."

"You need not panic. Our Fire Flood Dragon Island has the Old Ancestor presiding over it. They would not dare truly charge onto the island."

This statement immediately made inner and outer sect disciples like Shi Jiu breathe a complete sigh of relief.

They knew that if two first-rate factions truly went to war, weaklings like them, Eighth-Rank and Seventh-Rank, would only be treated as cannon fodder, expendable materials!

"Manager Yang, our lives should be safe. The Sect Master is a Third-Rank Grandmaster Supreme, so his words are definitely reliable."

Shi Jiu was overjoyed.

So this person was the Crimson Refined Fire Flood Dragon Sect's Sect Master, a Third-Rank Grandmaster Supreme.

Yang Ling understood inwardly. It seemed Second-Rank Human Immortals and First-Rank Land Deities would not easily show themselves to handle such matters.

"The two first-rate factions would not so easily fight to the death either, so White Bone Cavern's visit this time has another purpose?"

At this moment, Yang Ling's gaze suddenly locked onto Zhang Daochu in the distance.

This person was staring forward very earnestly, completely unaware that Yang Ling was watching him.

Yang Ling opened Zhang Daochu's Status Panel and took a look, and a flicker of surprise immediately crossed his eyes.

In Zhang Daochu's martial arts column, there was another entry: Heavenly Will Hundred Battles Diagram, and it was at the Flawless Proficiency level.

"The Divine Guard Bureau has so many secret manuals for him to cultivate? Or does he just happen to have an extra secret manual?"

"Flawless Proficiency isn't hard to achieve. As long as you get a pill with effects similar to the Devour Heaven Great Rejuvenation Pill, you can raise your Internal Technique realm in a short time..."

"This one has truly risen again from where he fell."

Yang Ling felt somewhat emotional.

Afterward, he continued searching for the other four Server Region players.

He quickly discovered their traces in the crowd.

These four players' attributes were all a notch weaker than Zhang Daochu's, not worth fearing.

Yang Ling suspected they might be the number one in their respective Server Regions!

Otherwise, it would be hard for them to be matched into the same dungeon as him.

At this moment, that Sect Master continued speaking:

"Today I will select ten Sixth-Rank from the inner and outer sect disciples respectively to spar with White Bone Cavern's Sixth-Rank.

Let them know the Crimson Refined Fire Flood Dragon Sect's foundation."

[You have received a side quest from the Crimson Refined Fire Flood Dragon Sect's Sect Master]

[Accept?]

[Yes / No]

Yang Ling's expression stirred. This quest just happened to match the strength standard of their group of players.

"However, this kind of quest has too much unpredictability. There are still so many Fourth-Rank and even Third-Rank watching from above."

"Once you stick your head out, you'll bear enormous risk..."

Yang Ling thought for a moment and directly chose No.

He noticed that Zhang Daochu and the other four players also seemed to have chosen No, with no movement at all.

Immediately after, quite a few Sixth-Rank experts volunteered, and ten spots were quickly filled.

That Sect Master, along with the Crimson Refined Fire Flood Dragon Sect's higher-ups, took these ten Sixth-Rank individuals to go spar with White Bone Cavern's side.

As for the other martial artists, they dispersed on the spot, each going about their own business.

Yang Ling brought Shi Jiu back to the Crimson Fire Iron Mine.

"Shi Jiu, how long have you been in the sect?"

Yang Ling suddenly asked.

Shi Jiu was stunned for a moment, then immediately reported:

"Manager Yang, this subordinate has been in the sect for over ten years."

"Ten years. Then let me test you. Start from the Martial Alliance, and finally judge who has the greater chance of winning in this sparring match between us and White Bone Cavern."

Yang Ling smiled.

Shi Jiu straightened up, a thoughtful look appearing in his eyes:

"Manager Yang, the Martial Alliance is truly extraordinary. The various large and small sects within the Martial Alliance already number over a hundred."

"Among them, there are at least twelve first-rate sects alone."

"The rankings of sects within the Martial Alliance are actually... very accurate."

"White Bone Cavern ranks third in the Martial Alliance, while our Crimson Refined Fire Flood Dragon Sect can only rank sixth."

"There's a full three-place gap between us, representing a massive disparity in foundation..."

"Perhaps the experts on both sides are comparable in strength, with little difference, but the gap below is absolutely visible to the naked eye."

"This sparring match between our sect and White Bone Cavern may not result in a win."

Having said this, Shi Jiu revealed a bitter smile:

"The Sixth-Rank individuals the Sect Master selected aren't our Crimson Refined Fire Flood Dragon Sect's true prodigies either. I reckon... he never intended to win."

Never intended to win? Yang Ling's expression turned somewhat odd.

Not intending to win, could it be they wanted to deliberately lose to White Bone Cavern?

"Finding himself a way to step down?"

He could not help but suspect in this direction.

"How much do you know about the other first-rate sects in the Martial Alliance?"

Yang Ling asked casually.

Shi Jiu carefully took out a book and handed it to Yang Ling:

"Manager Yang, this book introduces the Martial Alliance. You can buy one for just one or two taels of silver. How about you take a look?"

"There's even this kind of book. Let me see..."

Yang Ling took the book and prepared to flip through it.

A tremendous noise suddenly came from one of the mine shafts, and immediately after, the ground began to shake and tremble continuously.

It lasted a full dozen or so seconds.

Shi Jiu's face suddenly turned incomparably pale. Beads of cold sweat kept emerging from his forehead, and his voice trembled:

"Manager Yang... there's been a mining disaster..."

Just as the words left his mouth, a terrifying wave of heat suddenly surged out from that mine shaft.

The mine slaves watching the commotion from afar fled in panic upon seeing this.

The surrounding temperature began to rise continuously.

Countless mine slaves poured out from the various mine shafts, their expressions terrified.

Just moments ago, they had discovered that the temperature around them had become extremely high.

If they did not leave the mine shafts in time, they would inevitably be suffocated to death below!

"The temperature around here is rising. Could this be... a sign of the Fire Spirit Pearl's emergence?"