Outside, the live broadcast of the battle had come to an end, leaving everyone craving more. The thrilling combat lingered in their minds, unforgettable in its intensity. Some marveled at the formidable might of Chen Guo and other legends, their own longing for such power growing.
"Legends like them are simply in a different league from us!"
"Absolutely. Forget Boss Guangcheng for a moment; just one Fire Escape technique from the Shan Brothers could incinerate hordes of us ordinary trial challengers!"
"Having strength is such an advantage. We need to step up our game, push our limits. Maybe we'll stumble upon a stroke of luck that catapults us forward!"
"Plioya Country is bound to lay low for a bit. Boss Guangcheng alone can deter an entire nation—now that's commanding respect!"
"I was hurling insults at that Tianzhao brat earlier, and not a single Plioyain dared to talk back. They must have been truly intimidated by Boss Guangcheng!"
Envy was widespread for Chen Guo's ability to single-handedly subdue a nation, leaving them too frightened to even peep. And the envy didn't stop there—many coveted the position of the Jade Void Temple members in the Beginner Village.
"The folks at 996 Beginner Village are on the fast track to success. Having Boss Guangcheng on their side has propelled them to the top ranks of Beginner Villages!"
"Now that 996 Beginner Village has opened recruitment for new villagers, with 2500 spots available, I'm definitely signing up!"
"Count me in for the 996 Beginner Village too. To be close to Boss Guangcheng, my idol—I'd do anything for Boss Guangcheng, even bear his children!"
The desire to join the 996 Beginner Village was widespread among the trial challengers, with its bright future evident to all.
Within the 996 Beginner Village, Zhou Tao's gratitude towards Chen Guo knew no bounds. "Boss Guangcheng, without you, we wouldn't have achieved such progress, and we might not have even survived. You are truly our benefactor!"
"Boss Guangcheng, thank you!"
"Thank you, Boss Guangcheng!"
Led by Zhou Tao, all the trial challengers in the 996 Beginner Village poured out their thanks to Chen Guo.
Chen Guo was never one for such spectacles, shaking his head as he said, "Your efforts are inseparable from this success. I must be going now. Let's keep in touch for the future! Take good care of the Jade Void Temple—I'll be needing it down the line."
With those words, Chen Guo invoked the Flying Thunder God Art and vanished before the astonished crowd.
Chen Guo's departure stemmed not from a desire to avoid socializing or any eccentricity in his character, but from a discomfort with the intense scrutiny. It was as though he was stripped of any semblance of privacy.
"Boss Guangcheng never changes... always one of a kind!" Zhou Tao, long accustomed to Chen Guo's distinctive ways, took it in stride. "If Boss Guangcheng wants us to manage the Jade Void Temple well, then that's exactly what we'll do. Let's start by bringing in 2,500 elites to our 996 Beginner Village!"
Seizing the moment, Zhou Tao rallied the Jade Void Temple faithful, broadcasting across the regional channel to attract elite members to the 996 Beginner Village.
The Beginner Village's renown had soared after two wars, and with Chen Guo's influence, many trial challengers yearned to join.
Zhou Tao's recruitment drive was a resounding success. In a region with two billion people, selecting 2,500 elites was like picking out bundles of cash from a bank vault.
The power of both the Beginner Village and the Jade Void Temple was growing by leaps and bounds.
But soon after, the system issued a new announcement:
"After 84 hours of the Whole Heaven Battlefield being active, the Sector Channel will now merge into the World Channel, allowing trial challengers from across the globe to communicate freely."
"Prepare for the upcoming merger of the various Beginner Villages..."
As shock rippled through the crowd, the Sector Channel transformed into the World Channel, which quickly descended into chaos.
The World Channel buzzed with activity as trial challengers from around the world poured out their emotions.
Language barriers had once existed, but within the Whole Heaven Battlefield, everyone could understand each other perfectly, leading to unimpeded communication.
Ironically, this ease of communication turned the World Channel into a chaotic stew.
And through it all, Chen Guo remained uninvolved.
Chen Guo wasn't one to get caught up in the hustle and bustle, only tuning in when it concerned his own interests. But now, he found himself in a bind. With his alias Guangcheng Zi gaining too much fame, it was becoming a hindrance to his own movements. "It's time to unveil my second persona!"
Among the plethora of rewards Chen Guo had received was the skin of another character. Amidst the clutter of items, skins weren't the most critical, so he didn't pay them much mind. The new skins he acquired weren't gold but purple. He had two purple skins in total: one of the gallant Jiang Hu hero, Lee Xiaoyao, and the other of the notorious Young Master Yu.
Lee Xiaoyao's skin was striking, radiating a noble charm with a hint of cunning, a spitting image of the legendary Sword God. Young Master Yu, on the other hand, was the quintessential villain—handsome, yes, but with an aura of danger that warned others to stay away.
"Should I go with Lee Xiaoyao or Young Master Yu?" Chen Guo pondered for quite some time before settling on Lee Xiaoyao's skin. It wasn't out of any particular fondness for the character, but rather because Young Master Yu's villainous appearance could complicate his upcoming mission.
Indeed, Chen Guo had a new mission. He had used the Flying Thunder God Art to make his exit, not just to avoid attention—people from the Jade Void Temple had been overwhelming, swarming him like overzealous fans of a pop idol, their effusive praise making his skin crawl—but also because he had been assigned a professional task.
Every trial challenger at level 19 received this professional mission. "Ding! You have transcended the ordinary and reached level 19. It's time to select your profession! Please proceed to the Crimson Zone, seek out the enigmatic job mentors, earn their approval, and unlock your profession!" That was the mission.
The system provided scant details, merely highlighting the Crimson Zone on the map. This perilous area lay a hundred miles east of Doonatel, deeper into the map and fraught with danger.
Despite the risks, Chen Guo chose to proceed on his own.
Now donning the guise of Lee Xiaoyao, he glanced at the leaderboard and, as expected, found no changes—it remained unchanged.
This reassured Chen Guo.
Having morphed into a dashing young man, he employed the Flying Thunder God Art and, in an instant, found himself in the crimson zone.
"Warning, warning, danger zone!"
"Warning, warning, danger zone!"
"Warning, warning, danger zone!"