Chapter 45: Defying the Frost Goddess
The next step was to push forward.
Before him lay the same endless expanse of white snow.
However, this time Liam spotted a palace in the distance long before he reached it.
The structure was in ruins. It wasn't the castle-style architecture typical of The Western Domains, but rather resembled an ancient temple from The Grand Xia. It was simply far more grand and imposing than any ordinary temple.
He trekked across the wastes until he stood before the palace gates.
Liam’s gaze fell upon the plaque hanging above the entrance. Two bold, powerful characters in traditional script were carved into the wood.
Fortunately, Liam recognized them.
“The Mortal Sanctum.”
It was a strange name. It lacked the overbearing arrogance of most powerful sects, and unlike the typical three-character naming convention of The Grand Xia, it was short and punchy.
As Liam stepped toward the entrance of The Mortal Sanctum, a peculiar ripple of energy washed over him.
The Divine Pressure weighing down on his body suddenly vanished.
While The Deicide Mark ensured Liam wasn't debilitated by the Divine Pressure, it didn't mean the pressure itself had ceased to exist. But here, standing at the threshold, he could clearly feel the Divine Pressure being forcibly repelled.
After a moment of silent deliberation, Liam stepped into The Mortal Sanctum.
The moment he set foot inside, he saw a statue standing in the center of the hall. It wasn't particularly tall, but it depicted a figure clad in armor, radiating the indomitable aura of a warrior from The Grand Xia’s Primordial Vanguard.
Liam’s eyes locked onto the weapon in the figure's hands: a longsword.
The blade was wider than any sword Liam had ever seen. If it weren't for its significant length, he would have mistaken it for a shield.
Flanking the statue were two stone pillars, each inscribed with a line of text.
"The Gods are heartless, the Immortals are graceless; Mortals suffer."
"Wage war against Heaven, slay the Gods to live; forge immortality."
Liam raised an eyebrow. It seemed this member of The Primordial Vanguard was indeed a warrior who had challenged the heavens.
He scanned the room but couldn't find a name for the warrior. At the same time, curiosity piqued within him.
The place seemed devoid of danger. If this followed the pattern of his previous encounters, the real threat would manifest the moment he tried to pass through.
His gut told him that if this was a palace dedicated to a Deicide General, then what lay ahead? The answer was practically screaming at him.
Liam walked past the statue and exited through the rear of The Mortal Sanctum.
Beyond the palace, the world of white snow was gone.
In its place was... magma.
A sea of searing, bubbling lava stretched out as far as the eye could see.
Liam stood there, dumbfounded.
On one side, a world of permafrost; on the other, an endless hellscape of molten rock. The contrast was staggering.
A single path cut through the center of the magma, disappearing into the distant haze. Liam stepped onto the scorched trail, noting the blood-red veins pulsing through the black stone beneath his feet.
He had no idea what was coming next.
Most likely, it would be another monster. The Frost Giant had already possessed a staggering eighty-five million HP. If there were monsters here, how much health would they have?
The corners of Liam’s mouth quirked upward. It looked like he was about to have another field day stacking his own HP.
However, fate seemed intent on disappointing him.
He walked for nearly ten minutes, and not a single monster appeared. It was as if the area were completely deserted.
Then, out of nowhere, a sudden chill swept over him.
"Here we go."
Instead of fear, Liam felt a surge of anticipation. In his memory, there had never been a dungeon that allowed a player to stack HP this maniacally before their Second Advancement. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
A woman draped in robes of frost drifted up from the surrounding magma.
"An Ethereal Form?"
Liam’s brow shifted as he inspected her.
???: ???
HP: ???
Attack: ???
Skills: ???
Nothing but question marks. Not a single stat was visible.
Liam tightened his grip on his longbow, his voice low and steady. "Are you Eira, the Frost Goddess?"
The woman nodded slowly. "Indeed. I am Eira, the Frost Goddess."
Liam’s eyes narrowed. Without a word, he raised his bow and loosed an arrow.
Eira’s brow furrowed slightly. The arrow froze solid mid-air before it could reach her, shattering into a cloud of ice crystals.
"As expected of a Goddess."
Liam wasn't surprised. He had expected something like this, but since he had come this far, a fight was inevitable.
"Adventurer, there is no need for us to be enemies," Eira spoke, her voice calm and ethereal, vibrating with a quality that seemed to pierce through the soul.
"Oh?" Liam looked at her with feigned interest. "No need to be enemies? Does that mean we're going to be friends?"
"Why not?" Eira replied. "If you are willing to help me, I can grant you a kingdom. The Astral Kingdom. Using the wealth of an entire nation to buy your friendship—is my sincerity enough?"
Liam’s breath hitched for a split second.
Compared to the great empires of the outside world, The Astral Kingdom might seem insignificant. But the benefits of owning such a realm were incalculable. Later in the game, players would be able to establish Fiefdoms, but most struggled to even reach the status of a city-state. Developing beyond that was an uphill battle.
However, Liam knew one thing for certain: high rewards always came with high risks.
There was no such thing as a free lunch. When someone dangled a massive carrot in front of your nose, there was usually a giant pit right underneath it.
It was just like those high-paying job scams—you see the salary, but they’re really just eyeing your kidneys. Or your heart, lungs, and corneas.
"Why should I believe you?" Liam asked.
Eira replied with supreme confidence, "I am a Divine. Divines do not lie."
"Cut the crap. Who can prove that? Being a Divine just means you're powerful. And since you’re in an Ethereal Form and likely in a Sealed State, it just proves you used to be powerful. It doesn't prove you aren't a liar."
Liam’s sharp tongue clearly piqued Eira’s ire. To be questioned so brazenly by a mortal was an insult to her godhood.
"Then what will it take for you to believe me?" she demanded.
"I won't make it hard on you. Just give me a few tens of thousands of AP, or maybe a couple of Divine Artifacts and a Divine Art. Then I might consider believing you."
Eira’s face darkened instantly.
A few tens of thousands of AP?
Are you fcking kidding me? she thought. Do you think Attribute Points grow on trees?
And multiple Divine Artifacts? He’d be lucky to see one in his entire lifetime.
"I cannot give you those things. I am currently in a Sealed State. At most, I can grant you a Blessing of the Gods."
"Fine. Give me the Blessing first then."
"Very well. But you must promise to help me."
"Help you with what?" Liam asked.
"Help me destroy The Mortal Sanctum you passed through. Help me break this seal," Eira said. "You needn't worry; there are no powerful guardians left within the Sanctum. You are more than capable of handling it."
Liam nodded. "I see. Well, give me the Blessing of the Gods first."
"Done."
Eira raised a porcelain-white hand, a faint smile touching her lips. A beam of light descended from the heavens, enveloping Liam.
[Ding! Eira, the Frost Goddess is offering you a Divine Blessing. Do you accept?]
"Accept."
[Ding! You have received the Divine Blessing from Eira, the Frost Goddess: Glacial Gaze.]
Glacial Gaze (Passive): Rank 1 Astral.
Effect: Your attacks have a 5% chance to freeze the target. Upon freezing a target, your next attack will shatter the ice, dealing 1.5x damage.
Cost: None.
Cooldown: None.
Mastery: 0/100 (Each trigger grants 1 Mastery point.)
Liam raised an eyebrow. Glacial Gaze actually looked quite decent.
Adding a freeze effect to basic attacks and a damage multiplier for shattering—this was a top-tier skill. It provided both crowd control and burst damage. What more could a player ask for?
The best part was the proc rate. 5% was already high for a Rank 1 Astral skill. What would it look like at Rank 10? A 50% freeze rate with an even higher damage multiplier would make him an absolute juggernaut.
"Adventurer, is it not time for you to fulfill your promise?" Eira asked.
"What promise?"
"To destroy The Mortal Sanctum and release me."
Liam shook his head. "When did I ever promise to destroy it? Besides, you haven't handed over The Astral Kingdom yet."
Eira’s expression turned sinister. "So... you were playing with me?!"
Fury bubbled within her. She didn't care much about a single Blessing, but the fact that a lowly mortal dared to deceive her was an intolerable humiliation.
"I wasn't playing with you. Releasing you for the price of a single Blessing isn't a fair trade. And for the record, I never officially agreed to anything."
Eira took a breath, forcing herself to calm down.
"Adventurer, if you release me, you will become the King of The Astral Kingdom."
[Ding! Eira, the Frost Goddess has issued a Quest. Do you accept?]
[Quest Requirement: Destroy The Mortal Sanctum and break her seal.]
[Penalty: Unknown.]
[Reward: The Astral Kingdom.]
Liam’s eyes flickered. Since it appeared as a system quest, the offer was legitimate. If he broke the seal, the kingdom would truly be his.
However, after a brief moment of thought, he didn't accept.
The Astral Kingdom was a great prize for his current level, but it wasn't his ultimate goal. Or rather, it was only a Second Advancement kingdom. Due to the laws of this world, the NPCs within that kingdom could never exceed the power of a Second Advancement. It was strong for the early game, mediocre for the mid-game, and worthless in the end-game.
More importantly, Liam had realized during his journey that the Primordial Eastern Empire was buried beneath these sands. If he released Eira now, his exploration might come to an abrupt end.
He wanted to see what the Primordial Eastern Empire truly looked like. He even entertained the thought of bringing about its Resurgence.
So, he chose to forfeit the immediate gain for the potential of a much larger hoard.
Liam’s lips curled into a faint, mocking smile.
Whish! Whish! Whish!
He raised his bow. In the blink of an eye, a volley of arrows hissed through the air toward Eira.
"You lowly human! You dare!!" Eira shrieked in rage.
As the arrows neared her, they were instantly encased in ice and shattered.
Liam didn't care. Eira was nowhere near her peak. To be precise, she was already dead; this was merely a lingering Ethereal Form. Furthermore, this dungeon was technically part of The Astral Kingdom—meaning a dead Goddess was still subject to the world's laws. She couldn't possibly exert power beyond the Second Advancement level.
Therefore, Liam didn't believe she could freeze his arrows indefinitely.
He was right.
Liam pushed his Attack Speed to the limit, firing twelve arrows per second. Eira’s Ethereal Form seemed to have a threshold; she could freeze ten arrows per second, but the remaining two slipped through.
-105,025!
-105,025!
Seeing a basic attack deal over a hundred thousand damage left the furious Goddess stunned.
"How... how is this possible?!"
She couldn't comprehend how Liam was outputting such terrifying damage. Even if her current strength was less than a ten-thousandth of her peak, Liam was only Level 1. Even a Level 50 Second Advancement Archer shouldn't be able to shave off 100k HP with a single arrow.
But she didn't have time to think. Liam’s barrage was relentless.
"Lowly human, I will end you!"
Eira let out a piercing scream. Countless ice spikes manifested behind her, raining down on Liam like a localized blizzard. Against an area-of-effect attack like this, simple footwork was useless.
But Liam didn't even try to dodge.
Immune...
Immune...
Thanks to The Deicide Mark, Liam had already gained Frost Immunity. These ice spikes weren't even a nuisance; they were a joke.
"How can this be? Who are you?!" Eira roared.
Her skills were being completely negated.
"Damn it... it must be The Deicide Mark. That madman actually gave it to you!"
Liam didn't answer. Maintaining his calm, mocking smile, he kept up the steady stream of fire.
"Just die already."
"You might be immune to frost, but I refuse to believe you can survive my physical touch!"
Eira lunged, her body turning into a blur of frost as she closed the distance instantly.
Bam!
She slammed a palm into Liam’s chest.
-135,985.
A massive damage number popped up. Liam’s health bar moved... by a tiny, almost imperceptible fraction.
Eira looked like she was about to have a mental breakdown.
"This... this is impossible!!"
She couldn't believe her eyes. She could almost accept that his damage was high, but why, in the name of the Gods, did he have a health bar that looked like a boss's?
The advance reading chapters on have reached 12chapters. Thank you for reading!
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