Chapter 21: Difference Between a Pavilion and a Guild-1

As Darius continued speaking with Shen and finalized the mission registration process, Moon stood silently at the side, still feeling as though the Angel of Death had personally glanced at his soul earlier.

Cold sweat remained on his back even now.

’I... I should be grateful he showed mercy.’

Moon inwardly sighed in relief.

For a brief moment, he genuinely wanted to leave the Pavilion immediately.

Unfortunately, his mission prevented him from doing so.

At the same time, however, he silently thanked God that Elder Albreto had chosen to approach Darius peacefully instead of attempting to pressure or threaten him.

If today’s mission had involved testing Darius’ strength directly...

Moon felt certain his corpse would already be lying on the ground.

Meanwhile, at the receptionist desk, Shen blinked in confusion.

"Pavilion Member?" He scratched his head, "What exactly does that mean? Is this supposed to be an adventurer organization? Or some kind of guild?"

Shen genuinely could not understand this point as he was regustring to become one in order to take the mission.

He naturally knew about guilds.

In fact, he himself had planned to join one eventually after reaching the Eighth Layer.

However, he had deliberately delayed doing so because he feared becoming cannon fodder for larger factions before obtaining sufficient strength.

As for cultivation resources, Shen could still barely support himself during the early realms due to his talent.

He had even repeatedly warned Any against joining a guild too early as well.

Especially considering her beauty.

If Luke alone already caused endless problems for her...Then Shen could not even imagine what would happen if she entered one of those massive organizations that controlled huge portions of both Earth and the Sanctuary.

Darius faintly smiled after hearing Shen’s question.

Truthfully, he expected to answer this same question many times in the future, so he prepared this answer from the first night after briefly conversing with the system and gaining a general idea.

"Not exactly."

Darius calmly folded his arms.

"Adventurers spend their lives endlessly fighting and completing missions simply to survive and slowly get stronger. Food, resources, cultivation, equipment... everything depends on constantly risking their lives."

He slightly shook his head.

"People call adventurers free, but honestly? I’ve always found that amusing."

"In my eyes, most adventurers are simply laborers with more freedom than ordinary people."

"They fight endlessly because if they stop accepting missions... they stop progressing."

Darius casually waved his hand dismissively.

"That kind of life may sound exciting at first, but eventually it becomes repetitive. Even adventurers themselves eventually seek something greater."

Shen slowly nodded.

As a child, he too had once dreamed of becoming a legendary adventurer who roamed the world hunting demons freely.

However, after growing older, he realized reality differed greatly from those heroic stories.

Modern guilds had essentially replaced traditional adventurer groups.

Only...

Guilds offered far better benefits.

Protection.

Resources.

Cultivation techniques.

Weapons.

Status.

All in exchange for contributions and merit.

Still, Shen remained confused.

"I understand your point, Pavilion Master."

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"But what exactly makes Pavilion members different from guild members?"

The moment those words were spoken, Darius’ eyes lit up faintly.

This...

This was the true point he had been waiting to explain.

Because, although the Pavilion initially appeared similar to the new guild system in this world that replaced the adventurer guild...

The difference between the two was actually enormous.

"Alright."

Darius leaned back calmly.

"I’ll simplify it for you." He paused for a moment before continuing, "In this world, cultivators leave Earth and enter the Sanctuary to fight for resources, authority, territory, and survival itself."

"The government, guilds, and the Demon Suppression Office all provide systems for growth and rewards."

He paused briefly.

"But the foundation itself is flawed."

Even Darius himself felt slight pressure while saying these words.

Originally, he too had not fully understood the difference.

However, after hearing the system’s explanations, he finally understood why no organization on Earth consistently produced large numbers of true top-tier experts.

The answer was simple.

Greed.

More specifically...

The monopolization of resources.

Shen’s eyes narrowed slightly as he subconsciously spoke.

"You mean... the limitation of resources?"

"Exactly."

Darius lightly clapped his hands.

He was slightly surprised Shen grasped the concept so quickly.

"The Pavilion changes that."

Darius pointed toward the cultivation rooms at the far end of the Pavilion.

"A Pavilion member officially registers beneath the Pavilion’s banner."

"The Pavilion records your achievements, evaluates your strength, and allows you to accept missions according to your ability."

"But... doesn’t that still sound similar to a guild?" Shen asked hesitantly.

"On the surface, yes."Darius nodded calmly."But only if you focus solely on the mission aspect."

He then pointed directly toward the cultivation rooms once more.

"That service alone already breaks the limitations most organizations place on cultivators."

At this point, even Moon had temporarily forgotten the fear he previously felt.

Without realizing it, he had become fully absorbed in the conversation.

Truthfully, even he found the concept of the Pavilion extremely interesting.

"How?" Shen frowned in confusion.

Then suddenly, realization flashed across his eyes.

"Wait... do you mean..."

"Correct."

Darius immediately interrupted him before he could finish.

"This is the fundamental difference."

"Guilds distribute resources according to merit contribution."

"If you want a better cultivation room, you need enough merit."

"If you want stronger martial arts, you need enough merit."

"If you want higher-grade elixirs or equipment, once again, you need enough merit."

Darius calmly spread his hands.

"But the Pavilion is different."

"As long as you become a member and can afford the cost, you gain access."

"Naturally, certain time limitations still exist."

"However..."

Darius faintly smiled.

"It is still vastly superior to waiting months for permission to enter a high-grade cultivation room or endlessly competing for limited resources."

Truthfully, Darius himself did not fully understand the exact resource structure of this world.

The system had refused to explain many details.

Thus, he could only rely on the inherited memories of this body and general cultivation logic to continue the conversation naturally.

Hiss...

Shen involuntarily inhaled sharply as even his heartbeat accelerated wildly. Because at this point, he finally understood that the Pavilion’s true terrifying point was not merely the missions...

But its accessibility.

Before Shen could ask another question...

Moon, who had remained silent the entire time, suddenly spoke first.

Unable to suppress his curiosity any longer, he stared directly at Darius.