Chương 14: Prefecture City Guild Race

The online chat channels remained highly active, messages scrolling nonstop. Sima Duwei clearly had insider knowledge and continued to explain.

"In this game, each city can only have ten guilds, and that includes NPC guilds. If a city's guild slots are full, players must challenge one of the existing guilds to a PK match and replace them if they win. Both Iron Blood Gate and Divine Sword Guild plan to establish their guilds in the Western Province capital. However, only one slot remains there; the other nine are already occupied by NPC guilds. At current levels, players cannot defeat NPCs, so the two guilds can only fight over that last slot."

"Which guild got the last slot?" someone asked. Sima Duwei replied, "Neither yet. The guild establishment quest in the provincial capital is quite complex. For example, our War Goose Guild's main base is in Cangwu City in the Southern Province. To establish a guild there, we had to complete nine linked quests to obtain a guild token. Right now, the main teams of Iron Blood Gate and Divine Sword Guild are not fighting; they are both working on the guild establishment quest.

They are only sending secondary teams to harass each other and delay the other's progress."

"Couldn't one guild just wait for the other to establish their guild and then issue a formal challenge? Why rush to complete the quest first?" others pressed. Sima Duwei explained, "Once a challenge is issued, the defending guild has fifteen days to choose a fight date. So whichever guild establishes their guild first gets half a month to develop using the capital's resources before having to fight. Both Iron Blood Gate and Divine Sword Guild are top-tier guilds.

If one of them gets that half-month head start, does the other stand any chance?" The night was quiet, a cool breeze drifting through the streets outside. Yang Fan read the messages and realized that the Western Province was about to descend into chaos. Players, guilds, and NPCs were all openly or secretly fighting. He was glad he had the foresight to leave early. Sima Duwei continued, "Stop watching the drama and focus on leveling up to 10.

We are currently branch members of War Goose Guild and will need to assist with certain tasks later. The guild pays a fixed monthly salary, and top performers receive bonuses. But slackers will not be tolerated. I hope everyone takes this seriously." Yang Fan had already reached level 10. After logging in, he could complete the guild entry quest. Once he joined the War Goose branch guild, he would finally be able to show off.

As a Hundred Commander with a full Bronze equipment set, the other members in the group would surely bow and call him boss. Besides, this game had no cash shop and was completely disconnected from the outside world. Hard work and good development could potentially promote him from the branch guild to the main War Goose Guild, doubling his salary and leading to a comfortable life. Yang Fan was lost in his daydream when a sudden knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

He put down his chopsticks and walked to the door. When he opened it, a familiar face appeared, one that always gave him a headache.

"Yang, when are you going to pay this month's rent? It's almost the end of the month."

"Auntie, I'm really sorry. My family needed money urgently this month, so I sent my salary back home. Can I pay you together with next month's rent?"

"That's fine. Since you're such a filial son, I'll let it slide until next month. But I have to say, you're a grown man now. You should pay more attention to your appearance. Being so sloppy, how are you ever going to find a wife?"

"Thank you for your concern, Auntie. I'll do better. But you always dress so well. You look so elegant today, at least ten years younger and more beautiful than usual." Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work! The landlady chuckled and scolded him for being a smooth talker before heading downstairs. Yang Fan closed the door and let out a sigh of relief. He had expected her to yell at him or even kick him out, but instead she had been easygoing.

Ever since he started playing this game, things had been improving. His daily routine had become more regular. He no longer spent all day hunched over the keyboard typing, and his back pain had stopped bothering him. He even felt healthier than before. Yang Fan tidied up the dishes on the table and made the room look cleaner. Then he picked up his game helmet and logged back into the game.

The world around him shifted, and a flash of system white light transported him into the bustling world of Mystic Wasteland Dao Realm. The sky over Guiyang Prefecture in the Southern Province was clear and bright. The city was paved with bluestone bricks, and buildings with layered eaves stretched in orderly rows. The streets were wide and straight, lined with fluttering banners and shops.

Crowds of pedestrians moved to and fro, carriages passed continuously, and the entire city was alive with the prosperity of an ancient capital. Yang Fan opened his map and followed the directions to Guiyang Prefecture's guild hall. The hall was located in the administrative core of the city, its exterior grand and imposing, with red pillars and a blue-tiled roof. The main gate was solemn, flanked by stone beasts.

Inside, the hall was spacious and bright, with neatly arranged desks and orderly documents, exuding the seriousness of an official institution. A prefecture clerk was in charge of issuing guild quests. He looked at Yang Fan and said with respect, "Hundred Commander, if you wish to join a guild in Guiyang Prefecture, you will need an official approval letter from the Longxi Prefecture government." A system notification appeared: "You have received a quest: Guild Entry Review for Guiyang Prefecture. Accept?"

"What? I just want to join a guild, and I have to go back to Longxi Prefecture?" Yang Fan asked, confu sed.

"Yes, Hundred Commander. The empire has strict regulations. Anyone joining a city guild must pass a review and assessment. However, given your outstanding record, you would normally be exempt from the assessment. But since you are a Hundred Commander of Longxi Prefecture, we cannot bypass your home prefecture's authority. We must receive official approval from Longxi Prefecture allowing you to join a guild in Guiyang." Yang Fan understood.

Guilds were not just player associations; they were also regulated by each city's government. Since his Hundred Commander title was granted by the Longxi Prefect, he would need the Prefect's approval to join a guild in another prefecture. He sighed. After all that, he still had to return to the Western Province. What if the Prefect refused? He would accept the quest for now and figure things out later. After accepting the quest, Yang Fan did not immediately head to the Western Province.

Instead, he decided to visit the White Tiger Temple branch in Guiyang Prefecture first. He had reached level 10, which meant he could visit the temple to select his class. Every prefecture had branch temples, making it convenient for players to learn and upgrade skills without traveling too far, especially since using teleportation arrays cost money. But Yang Fan was not here for class selection. He wanted to ask about Ying Yao.

According to the quest, Ying Yao belonged to the White Tiger Temple, so the branch should have information about him. This was an epic quest, so Yang Fan took it seriously. The owner of the bronze armguards was clearly no ordinary figure, and his disciple Ying Yao was likely a high-level NPC. The reward for the quest was bound to be generous. The White Tiger Temple branch was located in the western district of Guiyang Prefecture.

The architecture in this area was stark and austere, a stark contrast to the bustling commercial streets. The temple grounds were quiet and solemn, with ancient trees lining the bluestone paths and a cool, dignified atmosphere hanging in the air. The White Tiger Temple branch was divided into front, middle, and rear sections. The front hall housed the Administration Office, the Lecture Hall, and the Discipline Office, arranged from left to right.

The Administration Office handled temple affairs; this was where players accepted class entry quests. The Lecture Hall was where players learned cultivation techniques and combat skills, and it also had private training rooms. The Discipline Office dealt with rule violations. The middle section contained the Scripture Library, the Spirit Officer Hall, and the Bell and Drum Hall. The rear section was where temple members ate and slept, an NPC-only area that players could not yet enter.

From a distance, the buildings rose in orderly tiers, their eaves sharp and cold, the halls grand and ancient. The Spirit Officer Hall in the middle section was where the branch's head resided, and that was Yang Fan's destination. After wandering through the temple for a while, he finally found the Spirit Officer Hall and walked straight in.