CHAPTER 924: SOMEONE FROM THE FOUR GOD NATION

Something about the mountain was off. There were no beast tracks, no ambient calls of monsters that should have roamed such a resource-rich area. It was silent—too silent—and that silence only deepened the sense of danger. Yet, the cold smoke and powerful ice attribute energy all originated here, and Max wasn’t about to leave without uncovering its source.

"Buzz..."

A sudden pulse of even stronger cold erupted from the mountain, sweeping across the valley like an arctic storm. Grass and trees in its path froze solid in an instant, turning into brittle statues of ice.

Max reacted immediately, channeling the power of his fire element through his body, forming a thin layer of black flames to protect himself from the overwhelming chill. With each step forward, he carefully scaled the mountain, his body wrapped in faint red flames that sizzled as they came into contact with the icy mist.

After several tense minutes of climbing, the dense jungle ahead gave way to a wide open space, several hundred feet in radius. It was like stepping into another world—the ground was bare and coated in slick ice, the boulders all frosted over, and the air itself felt sharp enough to cut skin.

At the center of this clearing lay a pool, no more than ten feet across, its water unnaturally still and radiating a chilling aura that froze everything within its immediate range. From this cold pond, the mist poured out in ceaseless waves, its temperature so frigid that even the rocks nearby were cracked with frost lines.

Just as Max approached, the pond stirred violently.

"Quack..."

The sound, strange and guttural, echoed eerily through the clearing, its tone carrying an unmistakable hint of power. Before Max could fully react, the surface of the cold pond exploded, sending shards of ice and freezing water into the air.

From the surge leapt a massive white shadow, easily ten feet in length, its movements deceptively graceful despite its size.

Max’s eyes locked onto it, his pupils narrowing. The creature landed heavily on the icy surface, and its appearance was now fully visible. It was shaped like a toad, but its body was entirely snow-white, sleek yet muscular, and glistened like sculpted ice under the pale light.

Its eyes were a piercing silver-white, glowing faintly as a visible chill radiated from its body. Frost formed wherever it stepped, and the temperature dropped even lower just from its presence alone.

"Ice Toad?" Max muttered in surprise, instantly recognizing the beast. This wasn’t just any spirit beast—it was one of the rarest and most dangerous ice-type creatures, rarely seen even in extreme northern regions. Its core alone was known to be an invaluable treasure for ice attribute experts.

What shocked him even more was the power it exuded. Its aura was solid, refined, and suffocating—it had the strength of a 6th level Legend Rank beast.

Max’s eyes narrowed slightly; even among top-tier beasts, this level of raw strength combined with its inherent ice abilities made it notoriously difficult to deal with. Peak Legend Rank experts often avoided provoking one because its frost attacks could freeze opponents’ energy flow, crippling them mid-battle.

"You are Max?"

The sudden voice made Max turn sharply. Standing before him was a woman dressed entirely in white, her long white hair cascading down her back like a waterfall of snow. She looked to be in her early twenties, her face exquisitely beautiful, the kind of beauty that could make people pause involuntarily.

Yet what made Max frown was not her beauty but the feeling she gave him—an overwhelming sense of danger that prickled at his instincts. Her aura was strong, refined, and carried a sharp edge, one that could only belong to someone at the peak of the Legend Rank.

"You don’t seem worthy enough for Little Sister Alice." Her voice was calm yet laced with open disdain, her clear eyes sweeping over Max as though assessing a piece of flawed merchandise.

Max raised an eyebrow, momentarily stunned. "You know Alice? Are you someone from the Four God Nation?" His tone carried faint surprise, his mind quickly rushing with various thoughts.

"I wonder what Little Sister Alice sees in you." The woman’s lips curved slightly in what might have been a smirk, but there was no warmth in her expression, only cold arrogance. "Peak of Master Rank... this bit of strength isn’t enough to survive in the secret domain. How did you make it this far?"

Max inhaled deeply, letting her words pass without an immediate reaction. He steadied himself, his expression growing calm and firm. "I have my own means." Then, without warning, he released his full power, revealing all four of his comprehended concepts—sword, flame, lightning, and space—each one at level two.

The space around him vibrated violently, currents of power intertwining as raw energy distorted the air itself. The ground trembled faintly, small cracks appearing under the pressure of his aura.

"What...? Four different concepts at level two? How is this even possible?" For the first time, the white-haired woman lost her composure, her proud demeanor faltering.

As a princess of the White Tiger Nation, one of the Four God Nations, her knowledge was extensive. She understood exactly what it meant to grasp even two concepts at level two, let alone four. And yet here stood Max, not even beyond the Master Rank, showing something that shouldn’t even exist. ’What a monster...’ she thought, unable to suppress her shock.

Max’s voice was calm, but there was a sharp undertone as he said, "You should know that all those before you who saw me unleash all four concepts... ended up dead."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously, her earlier shock giving way to irritation. "Are you threatening me?"

Max shook his head slowly, his expression steady. "No. On the contrary, I’m showing you that I trust you enough to reveal my full strength without fear."

A flicker of realization crossed the woman’s face, and she tilted her head slightly, studying him. "Are you doing this because you want me to tell you about Alice? About how she’s doing?" Her voice carried a hint of understanding now, her sharp tone softening just slightly.

Max nodded. "From your tone, it sounds like you don’t have a bad relationship with Alice."

"Indeed," she said, her lips forming a small, genuine smile for the first time. "Alice is like my little sister. She’s spoken about you more than once."

The woman’s eyes softened momentarily, but then returned to their usual cold sharpness. "But if you want me to tell you about Alice... then you’ll have to help me with something first."

Max’s brows furrowed. "What is it?"

"Come, follow me." The white-haired woman didn’t elaborate, simply turning gracefully and flying deeper into the icy region, her white figure blending with the snowy mist around them.

Max hesitated only for a heartbeat, then took off after her, his form slicing through the frigid air as he followed her deeper into the mysterious ice domain.