CHAPTER 41: CHAPTER 40: DESTINED MENTOR

"Hidden danger?"

"When the Divine Child is not in a resonance state, it’s feared that she cannot freely harness the power of the Star Soul within."

Zoe indeed cannot utilize the Earth Serpent’s power in her normal state.

Eden means that this situation is not as it should be.

"The ancient opportunity has emerged; we have waited long, willing to offer all our power for the Divine Child’s use.

"If power can only be used during resonance, then only one Star Soul’s power can be harnessed.

"Moreover, the Earth Star Soul is merely temporarily calm; without guidance, she remains in ignorance and will unknowingly absorb the Divine Child’s power, thus weakening the Divine Child over time."

Li Ang pondered while patting Zoe’s head.

Past doubts about her opening plot as the "world’s female lead" were beginning to clear up.

The Eden before him should be Zoe’s true beginner’s guide, her destined mentor.

It seems that Nebis Fantasy’s original plot involved the Earth Serpent’s awakening. Eden noticed this, and upon discovering Zoe as the "Star Soul Greenhouse," decided to take her off the island.

He vaguely remembers that the game’s design philosophy involves a grand objective driving the protagonist to visit various islands. Thus, it might be a mission Eden gave to Zoe or the now forgotten Aidan,

Additionally, concerning the Earth Serpent issue, Li Ang suddenly realized—the serpent might not be the starter village boss but a mid-game boss. Zoe might have returned to the island after realizing her true fate to face it.

But now, everything is different; she tamed it early and can go anywhere freely.

Yet how did she originally trust Eden in the plot? Perhaps the game’s storyline wasn’t that complex? Unhighlighted health bars can’t be attacked, but highlighted ones can be.

Li Ang looked at the young girl: "What do you think?"

"Me? I don’t know."

Zoe quietly hugged Li Ang’s waist: "Didn’t we agree to adventure together? That big sister doesn’t seem like a bad person, but we just met her."

"See."

Li Ang said to Eden: "If she really is your Divine Child, shouldn’t her will be respected? She still doesn’t understand this world. Perhaps after exploring a bit, she can make a better decision."

Eden looked at Zoe and then at Li Ang: "The Divine Child presently has strong ties with you. Matters of mortal love are beyond our comprehension, and I won’t interfere. My intention is to take her away, not separate her from you.

"You are welcome to visit my Star Palace anytime and accompany the Divine Child. It is located in Refusing Winter City on Frost Heaven Island."

"Refusing Winter City? I have friends there."

Li Ang smiled as he recalled some people he met during his early adventuring days living there, such as the old leader of the Soul Apex. Retired, he mentioned being busy with his daughter’s schooling, and he wonders how they are now.

Friends say it’s a wonderful place. Though the island is shrouded in frost and snow, the city has a vast heating magic array system beneath it. The Frost Tower Church maintains the array, mining minerals from the island’s mountains to power the heating array, keeping snow out of the city for millennia.

"No wonder the patterns on your robe seemed familiar; it’s from the Frost Tower Church. It’s been so long though."

Eden smiled and lowered her head: "I’m honored to serve as the sect leader."

Refusing Winter City’s citizens have always said the sect leader’s identity is mysterious, always wearing a veil, and no one knows her true identity.

Li Ang shook his head: "Just right, I can verify with the island’s customs."

"Please."

"Which is the more casual restaurant, Snow Appreciation Platform or Spring Garden?"

"The latter."

"The church’s commission time and pay for the mining team?"

"At the end of the third week each month, the pay is thirty thousand Adventurer Coins."

"What are the island’s three specialties?"

"Frozen Spring Shrimp, Non-melting Ice, and Snow Rabbit Beast."

"Alright, that’ll do for now."

Since he knows a bit of the plot, he grasps some meta elements, and coupled with his real-world experience, he decides not to doubt her just yet.

Li Ang asked Zoe: "Would you like to check it out?"

"If going there makes me stronger and helps Li Ang, and if it doesn’t separate me from him, then, well, it’s okay."

"There are delicious and fun things there."

The young girl’s eyes lit up: "Like what?"

"Shrimp and fish in icy water are very fresh, and you can ski and make snow sculptures."

"I want to go."

Though her expression showed she only understood half of it, she grasped the joy within.

Frost Heaven Island also has a Knight Guild, where you can register a team. It would be a chance to visit the old leader, kind of like setting out again from the starting point.

"Wonderful." Eden smiled: "The sooner the Divine Child masters her powers, the better she’ll be prepared for any impending calamity."

"Calamity? What’s that?"

Eden remained silent.

"Why is she your opportunity? What is Star Soul? Since you know so much, why not tell me? I could seek help through the guild."

Li Ang pointed to himself: "You are humanoid and live within the aerial realm; it’s likely you know a lot. The Sky Knight Guild is the one who establishes order in this sky.

"My name is Li Ang, ranked 233rd Great Knight in the sky, quite significant amidst millions of adventurers."

In the past, for team matters, Li Ang did not pursue individual ranking, notably not striving to break into the top hundred to receive the Holy Knight title.

"Guild, Great Knight... Excuse me, no wonder you could subdue the nascent Star Soul."

Eden bowed and then shook her head: "However, precisely because of this, I cannot disclose everything to you."

"For thousands of years, mortals were once content to live in isolation, never seeking the secrets they shouldn’t know. But ever since the guild emerged three hundred years ago, it broke barriers, and mortals... Sky Knights have intruded into those unknown forbidden lands time and again.

"Recently, even Moonlit Island has..."

"Has what?"

Moonlit Island, the site of the Dark Night Ancient City, is a place Li Ang just returned from, though he wouldn’t be foolish to mention this now. He wanted to see if he could hear any information from Eden that "mortals" supposedly didn’t know.

"With the Demon’s leader gone, mortals began their explorations, possibly bringing things that should have remained hidden back into the world."

Eden shook her head: "In any case, the guild wants to unlock all the aerial realm’s secrets, but it’s too soon. I cannot understand mortals’ obsession with this; some secrets are best left in the dark forever.

She glanced at Zoe: "If the sky continues as it is now, the ancient bond remains silent, and mortals fully dominate everything, perhaps that would be the best future.

"I simply hope that if the destined moment arrives, the Divine Child will be prepared in advance."

"...I didn’t understand a word." Zoe muttered softly.

Eden was unwilling to specifically talk about the "calamity," believing that others besides Zoe, if they sought deeper secrets, might instead bring their own demise.

She believes the "Star Soul Greenhouse" will face calamity and preparations must be made early, even though Eden herself doesn’t wish the calamity to come.

Those ancient secrets, according to Eden, should be known when Zoe faces her destined calamity.

Yet Li Ang knows Zoe’s fate begins to turn at this moment, and calamity may follow swiftly.

From this perspective, learning to control Star Soul power now is beneficial.

Li Ang said: "We can take a Contan Helm boat, transfer across different routes to reach Frost Heaven Island."

Eden shook her head, turning to gaze outside towards the Satus Island sky.

The four warships from earlier still floated, encircling the island.

"They won’t let us leave easily."

Li Ang said: "You can take human form and travel with us. My VIP status allows me to bring three people free of charge. Contan Helm is a guild-affiliated shipping company, protected by guild law, and these armies have no right to board and investigate."

"Their target isn’t me."

Eden’s amber eyes were quite profound: "Their goal is this island, and I simply happened to be traveling with it, thus attacked."

As she finished speaking, explosions reverberated across the island.

Li Ang stepped outside the house to see on the island’s backside, the recently arrived Contan Helm airship was engulfed in blazing fire under the bombardment of magic-guided shells.

Attacked, it could no longer land on Satus Island and had to turn back. The crew battled the fire while counterattacking with the magic cannons, flying farther and farther away.