Chapter 1 A Silent, Broken Hall

Inside the silent, broken hall, the members of the Bai Family Dynasty finally reacted as Shi Feng and the others entered the first floor of the Ice-Snow Ruins.

"So strong! To be able to easily enter even when facing the berserk Ice Ape Chieftain, no wonder they could advance all the way to the third floor."

"Why are they back again? Didn't they just go back to rest?"

"The leader seems to be the head of the Asura Adventurer Team! It looks like the Asura Adventurer Team intends to fully conquer the Ice-Snow Ruins this time."

"This is going to be interesting. I heard that Hecate is also starting to fully conquer the Ice-Snow Ruins. They've already reached the fourth floor. I wonder how far the Asura Adventurer Team can go."

"Although the Asura Adventurer Team is powerful, this is the Ice-Snow Ruins, where teamwork matters most. I heard that Hecate sent many experts from headquarters to ensure they take the Ice-Snow Ruins. The Asura Adventurer Team is far behind in terms of overall strength. They’ll quickly be surpassed in progress, so it will be difficult for the Asura Adventurer Team to save face this time."

"Indeed, the difficulty increases exponentially with each floor of the Ice-Snow Ruins. The Asura Adventurer Team has been stuck on the third floor for so long. Even with their leader directing the battle, I’m afraid it’s impossible for them to get past the floor's Guardian Boss."

...

The members of the Bai Family Dynasty discussed amongst themselves as they watched Shi Feng and the others leave. Although the Asura Adventurer Team demonstrated impressive strength, an adventurer team is just an adventurer team, unable to compare to the deeply rooted Hecate.

"Are they preparing to compete with Hecate for first place?" Ba Dao Changkong watched Shi Feng and the others disappear, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "It seems our Bai Family Dynasty can reap the benefits this time."

Regarding the battle between Hecate and the Asura Adventurer Team for the first clear of the Ice-Snow Ruins, he also didn't think the Asura Adventurer Team could beat Hecate, because he had internal intelligence and knew very well how strong Hecate currently was. They had a full nineteen Tier 2 classes alone, which could be said to be a concentration of most of Hecate's power.

The Asura Adventurer Team only had thirteen members at most, three of whom had just been promoted. Just in terms of Tier 2 classes, Hecate had a significant lead, not to mention the difference in strength among the other members of the team.

It could be said that the Asura Adventurer Team had no way to catch up with Hecate.

But it wasn’t impossible to catch up with Hecate. They just needed to increase the number of Tier 2 experts. However, the Asura Adventurer Team couldn't increase the number of Tier 2 experts in a short period. The only way was to seek outside help, and the guild with the most Tier 2 experts in Hanfeng City was their Bai Family Dynasty, with a full three. As for the other adventurer teams and guilds, they didn't even have half a Tier 2 expert.

When the time came, the Asura Adventurer Team would definitely seek cooperation with him to make up for the difference in the number of Tier 2 classes. At the same time, Hecate would also look for him. After all, adding three Tier 2 classes and some powerful experts to the Asura Adventurer Team would be a significant threat.

On the other side, as the Asura Adventurer Team entered the first floor of the Ice-Snow Ruins, Hecate's Vice-Guild Leader Bloodlight, on the fourth floor, also received news of the Asura Adventurer Team.

"The guild leader personally leading the team to fully conquer and regain face?" Bloodlight looked at the information sent by his subordinate, smiling faintly. "Unfortunately, the Asura Adventurer Team no longer has a chance. Hecate is destined to take the first clear of the Ice-Snow Ruins!"

Conquering the Ice-Snow Ruins was not easy, because each floor's situation was different, requiring different approaches. Moreover, as they got closer to the bottom floor, not only would the Bosses become stronger and stronger, but the respawn time after the Bosses were defeated would also become longer and longer.

The respawn time for the first and second floors was still short, only about one hour and two hours, but the third floor was four hours. As for the fourth floor, it was only one floor away from the final fifth floor. Passing the fourth floor meant they could directly face the final Boss, so the respawn time was as long as forty-eight hours.

The main reason was to prevent other teams of players from disturbing the conquering team. In addition, conquering the final Boss was too difficult and required enough time.

They had already reduced half of the final fourth floor Guardian Boss's health. Taking down the fourth floor Boss and entering the fifth floor could be said to be a sure thing.

Even if the Asura Adventurer Team came to the fourth floor, it would only be a waste of time. Not only would they not get the fourth floor Boss's information, but they would also waste a whole day. During that day, they could thoroughly study how to deal with the final Boss and make full preparations.

In other words, the Asura Adventurer Team's progress was more than two days behind them, and that gap was not easy to make up, especially for Hecate. During these two days, the few experts who had gone to advance to Tier 2 classes would be able to complete their advancement quests and return. At that time, their Tier 2 combat power would be even greater.

In the teleportation hall of the first floor of the Ice-Snow Ruins, Shi Feng and the others were already standing in the teleportation magic array.

"Honorable adventurers, some of you have the mark of the third floor, so you can be directly teleported to the third floor. However, the guardian of the third floor has not yet appeared. Do you still want to go to the third floor?" asked a translucent soul elder next to the teleportation magic array, looking at Shi Feng and the others.

"It hasn't respawned yet?" Shi Feng pondered slightly, then said, "Then let's teleport directly to the Hero Mode of the third floor!"

As Shi Feng's voice fell, the members of the Asura Adventurer Team on the scene were stunned.

"Guild Leader, that's Hero Mode!" Jing Wuming looked at Shi Feng choosing Hero Mode, immediately horrified.

The Ice-Snow Ruins was a special region dungeon, divided into Normal and Hero difficulties, which were independent of each other. It was like a team dungeon, entering another space. But as long as they could clear Normal Mode first, they could go directly to other regions. Even if Hero Mode was cleared, other than better drops, there was no difference from Normal Mode, but the difficulty was much higher. The mode couldn't be changed within a large cooldown period, and a region dungeon's large cooldown period only refreshed once a week...

Before the members of the Asura Adventurer Team could persuade him, Shi Feng had already confirmed the teleportation to the third floor of Hero Mode.

Everyone only felt a flash before their eyes, and they arrived on the third floor of the Hero Mode.

They saw that there were no roaming monsters on the third floor. Only a giant ape with a height of eight meters and six arms was standing quietly in the center of the hall, each hand holding a long sword. The door leading to the fourth floor was completely sealed off by a magic barrier. The situation was completely different from Normal Mode.

Ice Ape Warlord, humanoid creature, specialized Archaic Species, High Grand Lord, Level 63, HP 160 million.

Everyone gasped as they looked at the Ice Ape Warlord's stats.

These stats were more than a little stronger than Normal Mode. Before, it was just a Level 62 Archaic Species with 120 million HP and four arms, but now it was a specialized Archaic Species with six arms and 160 million HP...

Only Shi Feng was very calm.

Others might think the Hero Mode of the region dungeon was very powerful, but Shi Feng, who had experienced the Hero region dungeon in another world, knew that Hero Mode was not much more difficult than Normal Mode. The combat power increase was only about 20% to 30%, and the HP would also increase by 30% to 50%.

This was not unattainable for them, whose team's base attributes had increased by at least 15%, and his original goal was Hero Mode. It was just a little earlier.

"Specialized Archaic Species?" Shi Feng glanced at the Ice Ape Warlord, then took out weapons from his backpack and handed them to everyone. "From now on, everyone will use the weapons I give them, and follow my command. If anyone doesn't follow my command and uses weapons at will, I will kick them out of the adventurer team!"

Everyone's heart tightened when they heard this.

But after receiving the weapons, everyone except Jing Wuming and the others were stunned, because the weapons in their hands were too powerful. Compared to the weapons they had used before, there was a world of difference.

Seeing the weapons given by Shi Feng, Jing Wuming and the others, who were still very worried, smiled at this time.

Others might not know how powerful the weapons Shi Feng took out were, but they were very clear that these magic weapons could greatly improve their combat power and exert the power of fighting beyond their level. Not to mention the current specialized Archaic Species, they dared to touch even Legendary monsters.

However, magic weapons were not durable. They would be consumed as long as they were used, so they could not be used casually.

"Okay, everyone has received the weapons." Shi Feng saw that everyone had magic weapons, then ordered, "Then we can start! Jiu Ji, go pull the monster!"

"Alright!"

Gu Jiu Ji licked his lips and rushed excitedly towards the Ice Ape Warlord.