Chapter 1

On October 1, 2030, at 8 PM, the number of simultaneous online players in "Yujiu Tian" worldwide exceeded 300 million, creating another miracle. The main cities were overcrowded, and the "Supreme Holy Cathedral," as the leading city among the eight major cities, was bustling with activity. Hundreds of rarely seen Zeppelin thorn airships floated in the sky, and even three sky fortresses were competing for attention. In front of the guilds, players gathered, gazing up at the extravagant displays in the sky.

Yes, today was the tenth anniversary celebration of the public beta of the virtual online game "Yujiu Tian." Various mysterious quests were inevitable, and all potions and items were discounted by 20%. Even the most dedicated players couldn't resist stocking up, let alone those who spent real money.

The entrance to the Alchemist Guild was particularly lively. Besides the discounted potions, a series of new potions were introduced, and several rare potion formulas were made available.

"Bro, that Morassos double-headed griffin, how much did it cost?" A martial artist couldn't resist touching it. It was already hard to raise a single-headed one, and this double-headed one was a top-tier creature. Just walking it around the city would be impressive, but it was a profession for the wealthy.

"Not much, just a few hundred thousand." The soul beast master, with a calm expression, exuded a faint air of arrogance. Among the eight major professions and over a hundred life professions in the Nine Heavens Continent, each had its own points of pride and technical challenges. For martial artists, it required high skill proficiency; for wizards, it needed strong soul perception. As for soul beast masters, the only issue was money.

However, the soul beast master, who had been boasting, suddenly saw a familiar face and instantly turned into a slobbering fan. "Old Lu, Old Lu, hey, big brother, don't go! Do you have the Fear Potion? My baby has been waiting for over half a month."

"Anxious, huh? Do you think potions are mass-produced? Your batch still needs another half a month." The alchemist rolled his eyes, not too fond of the other. A good alchemist was always this cool.

"Don't go, Brother Lu, I'm just itchy. My Morassos griffin just needs this set of potions to upgrade. Look, one head is big, the other is small, so unbalanced." The soul beast master would ignore his dignity for his pet. For his soul beast, pride and face didn't matter. Even the most dedicated players had limits, as the Nine Heavens world was full of rich people. Not everyone could be like "Bear."

A group of familiar faces gathered around, chatting animatedly. The eight major professions in the Nine Heavens Continent were: Wizard, Martial Artist, Soul Beast Master, Gunner, Exorcist, Alchemist, Blacksmith, and Runecrafter. The first five were combat professions, and the last three were scholarly professions. Additionally, there were hundreds of detailed life and auxiliary professions, such as florists, tailors, and gourmet chefs. Each profession was interconnected and complementary. What existed in the real world existed here, and what didn't exist in the real world also existed here. This virtual game, which combined "adventure," "heroes," "life," "professions," and "showing off," was bound to be popular. It was hard to believe that the company that developed this game almost went bankrupt in its early days.

The crowd wasn't idle, watching live streams while queuing. Today was also the day when S-level challenge quests opened. Players at the top of their professions began the "Number One Peak" challenge, with the in-game live streaming platform accompanying them throughout.

"Damn, damn, what damage is 'Donkey King' dealing? It's insane!"

"Have you seen what he's using? The Catastrophe of the Great Lich King, damn, one staff has better attributes than all my equipment combined." A wizard's mouth was watering, more openly than when looking at a girl.

"Shallow, Donkey King's skill combos are flawless, and his positioning is on par with martial artists. Can he be the world's top wizard just because of his equipment?"

"I told you, Fire Wizards are the way to go, Lightning Wizards are brain-dead!"

"Damn, did Lightning Wizards eat your rice? There's only one Fire Wizard in the top ten!"

"Fire Wizards are the best!"

They were watching the current world's top wizard, "Riding a Donkey to Read the Script," challenge the Wizard King. The debate between Fire Wizards and Lightning Wizards was long-standing, similar to the debate between sweet and savory soy milk. Official guides suggested that Lightning Wizards were easier to reach the peak, but the current top wizard was a Fire Wizard.

The soul beast master, who had the double-headed griffin, was watching the soul beast master challenge, drooling. On the virtual small screen was a player named "Jungle's Love Baby," with a cute loli avatar. Beside her was every soul beast master's ultimate dream, a divine soul beast—the Dual-Headed Fire Phoenix. She was also the top spender, rumored to have spent hundreds of millions on the game, nicknamed "Bear." She was challenging the top soul beast master.

"Bro, wipe your drool, your expression is insulting Bear. Be careful, or Bear's fans will kill you."

"Whatever, I'd be happy to be one of Bear's pets!"

"Get lost, it's not your turn. Even Bear's lackeys are among the top ten soul beast masters in the server!"

"Damn, look, Donkey King has reached the world's top wizard, and he's being interviewed. The first profession's Number One has been born."

The post-match interview was ongoing, and the player who won the Number One title, of course, received honor and a pile of rewards, making countless players envious. Donkey King's live stream had already surpassed 100 million viewers.

"Donkey King, congratulations, you've set a record. Do you have anything to say to your fans?" The hostess's eyes were filled with admiration. No hero team could do without a wizard with explosive damage. After the interview, she would add him on WeChat.

Donkey King, a man in his thirties, was sparing with words, a basic trait of a good wizard, calm and collected.

Donkey King was silent for a few seconds, then his eyes suddenly sparkled. "Old Wang, where are you? I've completed your request. Where's the equipment?"

Old Wang? Equipment?

Donkey King's words left the audience puzzled.

In the competition for the top soul beast master, Bear flaunted her wealth. Soul beast masters didn't require much from themselves; their power came from their soul beasts. Facing an opponent with a divine soul beast and superior control skills, she played her trump card—two divine soul beasts, the "Nine-Turned Dual-Tailed Fire Phoenix" and the "Ice Titan." This combination, known as the "Sea and Land Skewer" and "Ice and Fire," ranked third on the soul beast master's "Fantasy List," but no one thought this combination would appear.

Bear once again flaunted her wealth in front of the world, declaring that she was rich and could do as she pleased.

Seeing the Ice Titan wielding a Zero-Degree Lightning, the technical and wealthy player Super S from the American server immediately conceded. This combination was painful to look at, and there was no way to counter it.

Soul beasts were ranked from Bug, Wolf, Tiger, Ghost, Dragon, to Divine, in ascending order.

The death rate for soul beasts above the Dragon level was extremely high, and raising one required a massive support team and a lot of money. Super S had an 80-person team serving him, and two divine soul beasts with opposing attributes... This was beyond just spending money. There were even rumors that loli Bear was the system's favorite daughter, the ultimate lucky person, with a soul talent for soul beast affinity.

After winning, Bear eagerly accepted the interview. Today, she was dressed up, wearing exquisite crystal high heels, clearly a master's work, costing as much as a regular player's full set. Her cute puffy skirt and a stylish hat made her look more like she was cosplaying than fighting. Her profile listed her height as 1.6 meters, but it looked more like 1.5 meters. However, this was a taboo, and no one dared to question her height in front of Bear.

"Old Wang, Old Wang, I've done it. Either pay me back or be my boyfriend!"

The live stream, with over 300 million viewers, exploded. What was this?

Pay back? Girlfriend?

Money and beauty?

Damn, was this humanly possible!

In the competition for the top martial artist, "Hell Dante" from the European server won the Number One title. Nicknamed "The Emperor," Dante was a former MMA champion who became paralyzed from the neck down in a match. He found himself and a reason to live in Yujiu Tian, using his excellent talent and unparalleled perseverance to bring the martial artist profession to its peak and develop a series of martial artist skills, becoming the spiritual leader of global martial artists. Winning the top spot was a given, and the other participants were there to worship their idol up close.

Facing the host's interview, Dante was as cool as ever.

"Old Wang, get out here, you bitch. I'm challenging you!"

Dante's final roar left the global players stunned... Damn, who was this Old Wang?

At this moment, "Darbu" related topics topped the search rankings worldwide.

The top gunner was Pavlichenko from Russia, nicknamed "Gunner Queen." With a golden 1.8-meter figure, she maximized the precision and flexibility of the gunner profession, especially her "Holy Gun Heaven Burst" skill, which fired 108 shots per second, becoming a nightmare in the arena. She was a perfect blend of beauty and skill, and in real life, she was rumored to be a retired Russian special forces sniper.

In Pavlichenko's words: "Killing is an art."

Due to the earlier peculiarities, the host asked a strange question, "Do you know Old Wang?"

Pavlichenko smiled, one of the top three beauties in Yujiu Tian, second only to "Bear" in popularity. "My Holy Gun Heaven Burst skill was taught by him. Old Wang is my teacher and my idol. Dear teacher, I've completed the task. When can we meet in person?"

She winked playfully, with a hint of flirtation...

The global audience couldn't take it anymore, f***!

Was this the cold and ruthless Sister Ke? So sexy, meeting in person? What were they going to do?

Screenshots, wallpapers, must-have!

Feeling wet.

The final battle for the top exorcist, a profession that tested patience and detail, and was crucial in team battles, was won by "Never Group," nicknamed "Group Dad," from the Chinese server.

Actually, "Group Dad" had once vowed never to participate in official events because the game was "too broken." This time, he had to eat his words, but his fans didn't mind.

"Old Wang, you've caused quite a stir. You've made so many people work for you. For you, I've lost my face. It's your turn to fulfill your promise. When will you give me the Revival Barrier? And you said there would be a surprise, damn, where's the surprise?"

"Never Group" said through gritted teeth. If not for the agreement, he wouldn't have participated in this competition. However, a top-tier barrier, especially a life barrier, was too important... Face didn't matter as much. If needed, he could throw it on the ground and stomp on it.

The players were stunned. What was this? Barriers were a basic skill for exorcists, one of the core knowledge areas. As a top-tier barrier master, he still needed to learn from someone else?

What kind of character had appeared in Yujiu Tian? Were we playing the same game?

The peak profession tournament was bound to set viewership records. The appearance of "Mysterious Old Wang" brought the players' enthusiasm to a climax. From the name, it seemed to be an ID from the Chinese region, and players with "Wang" in their IDs suddenly became popular.

"Hey, handsome, yes, you. You're so cool. Do you have Aluru's Dream? I'll buy it at a high price," a blonde, blue-eyed, chesty girl blocked Wang Feng, noticing the alchemist emblem on his body. "Hand over some to me, I just need one set to complete the task. If you have it, I can agree to some... excessive requests."

Wang Feng, with a slightly silent face, shook his head. The next moment, the girl moved on to continue her quest, annoyed by poor players and unwilling to waste time.

... Damn, can't you be a bit more patient? He was just distracted for a moment!

Wang Feng turned off the live stream. The other five tasks were completed, and it was finally his turn. However, the path to the Alchemist Guild was blocked by a sea of people.

"Bro, what are you pushing for, milking? Queue up!" A muscular player in front turned around and glared at Wang Feng. If not for the NPC guards during the festival, he would have taught him a lesson.

"I'm not buying potions, I'm turning in a task."

"Turning in a task doesn't work, wait in line. See, my main profession is a martial artist. I can punch you ten times, little punk!"

Wang Feng frowned slightly and summoned his soul beast, a short-haired mutt, which appeared lazily.

The martial artist, instead of getting angry, laughed and backed away. The surrounding players also quickly moved away. Wasn't this suicidal?

During the five-year anniversary, any soul beasts, demon beasts, mounts, alchemical constructs, or mechanical constructs could only appear in the city's safe zones and could not wander around. If discovered, they would be immediately killed, and the player would be punished, regardless of whether they were divine or... this bug-level mutt.

The bug-level mutt was a system gift, given to everyone, leading to the joke "starting with a dog." Some players named their dogs after ex-boyfriends or ex-girlfriends, and the poor mutt was often the butt of jokes. However, whether a soul beast master or another profession, they would quickly abandon it, as it was both ugly and useless, too embarrassing.

The NPC guard squad from the Holy Cathedral was already rushing over, and the crowded crowd parted like a wave, forming a path.

Two squads, 24 people in silver rune armor, rushed to Wang Feng in an instant.

The mutt lazily looked at the two squads, showing no sense of protecting its owner, and even looked disdainful.

"Damn, there's really someone who doesn't know when to die. They'll be banned for three days if killed by the guards."

"Feels like they want to quit. Sigh, looks like a poor loser, probably got triggered by the festival."

"Indeed, the festival has triggered a lot of people. So many top players, you don't realize how poor you are until you play Yujiu Tian."

The leader of the Holy Cathedral guard squad, almost twice Wang Feng's height, approached with the Holy Cathedral treasure, the Soul Devouring Blood Sword (Replica), on his back.

"I think he'll use the Cross Light Flash, in four segments!"

"No, in such a situation, showing off is basic. Maybe we'll see the Saint Paul's Nine-Headed Dragon Flash!"

The players waited for the guard captain's show, but the next moment, the entire scene froze.

The guard captain suddenly knelt on one knee, followed by the rest of the Holy Cathedral guards kneeling to the ground...

The scene was bizarre...

"Welcome, Mr. ***. Please let us know if you need anything!" The guard captain said respectfully.

The players were initially silent, then the scene exploded. Damn, to make the guard captain kneel, this person must have incredibly high prestige???

"This person has hidden their ID. The captain calls their position. What position is 'Mr.'?"

"Indeed, I've never heard of such a profession."

Wang Feng had hidden his ID for the past ten years, and he was the only one who didn't enjoy Yujiu Tian.

The players on the scene were still discussing the strange phenomenon. Yujiu Tian was full of oddities and peculiar people, especially today.

Wang Feng ignored them and walked towards the Alchemist Guild. As the most pretentious and arrogant NPC in the city, the Alchemist Guild President "Puchuan," a very sleazy old man, waddled out like he had seen his ancestor, bowing deeply.

"The most noble Mr. ***, you have come. Please, this way. Your visit is a great honor. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you." The fawning manner made many players who had been bullied by him want to bite him to death. This guy was the nightmare of countless alchemists, always making things difficult for players.

What level was "Mr."? The players present were all alchemists, some of them high-level. Master? Grandmaster? Supreme?

But no one had ever heard of such a title.

Although alchemists were not a combat profession, they were crucial, highly respected by players. Whether for players or soul beasts, healing, advancement, and survival all relied on potions. It was the best profession for grinders, and a good alchemist could easily become wealthy. Many combat professions also chose alchemy as a secondary profession because potions were so expensive.

Wang Feng clearly didn't want to deal with him. "I'm here to turn in a task."

Puchuan was slightly stunned. "What task are you turning in?" It was impossible; all tasks should have been completed.

Wait... "Could it be that task?"

Puchuan was a bit excited. This was an impossible task!

Puchuan began to express his admiration. His alchemist shop would become famous, but Wang Feng waved his hand, not giving him the chance to flatter.

Then, he started pulling out