Chapter 237: It Definitely Won't Be That Simple (6k, Happy Winter Solstice)

Clack, clack, clack…

The thundering of the warhorse's hooves drew closer and closer, echoing fiercely through the silent mountain range, causing the expressions of the gathered priests to shift slightly.

"This…"

To dare gallop wildly in a divine forbidden zone like this — what an arrogant way to make an entrance.

"They're here!"

Beneath that oppressive tension, Joanna sensed a faint unease and ordered the others in a low voice.

"Everyone, be careful!"

The other party had come with ill intent — clearly intending to give them a show of force right off the bat.

Heh.

But the other side had miscalculated. As servants of the Goddess, they naturally would not be intimidated by anyone else.

"Stay calm! Do not disgrace the Goddess!"

They represented the Church, and even more so the Goddess herself — they absolutely could not be cowed by the other's presence.

Not to mention, there was an even more exalted being mixed in with their group right now; they must not, under any circumstances, disappoint Her.

The Ice-Snow Goddess was nominally a subordinate of the Winter Goddess, but in truth she could be said to be in a kept (sponsored) state.

Once kept, one naturally couldn't come and go freely, and of course couldn't speak of any independent will.

In fact, if a clergy member under the Ice-Snow Goddess performed outstandingly, there was a chance of being "transferred by the parent company" — an opportunity to become a member of the Winter Goddess Church…

Most of the divine favorites the Winter Goddess had previously incarnated as and played were, after being "favored" by Her, snatched away.

Mm, I snatch myself.

Although the Ice-Snow Goddess had verbally protested, in the end she was all talk and no resistance — she never dared to stand up to the Winter Goddess, and tacitly approved of the other's banditry.

And this, in fact, meant — now was the chance!

The real big boss was personally on the scene watching our performance!

But among those present, only Joanna had noticed the clue, and even she was only guessing, not daring to fully pin down the other's identity.

To be safe, Joanna hesitated, then quietly said to the "weak" divine favorite: "Lord Yuniel, the other's attitude is unclear — please take shelter behind me."

Yuniel shook her head, gazing at the churning mist that seemed to harbor some great beast charging through, and said with a light laugh: "No, that won't be necessary. The other party likely means no harm."

Joanna hesitated for a moment, but still decided to follow her arrangement.

"Understood."

Can't be too obsequious.

Under the silent gaze of the Ice-Snow Goddess's priests, the hoofbeats stopped, and the warhorse seemed to leap high right before their eyes.

Whoosh—

The next instant, a tall, heroic-looking centaur burst out of the mist, carrying a howling gale with her.

Her lithe form twisted and leapt through the air, stepping on nothing, then came to an abrupt halt — and plunged straight down toward the ground before the group.

Boom!

Yet the violent landing stirred up only a gust of air, leaving no impact on the ground.

The centaur warrior woman carried a massive war bow on her back, gripped a long spear in her hand, and regarded the priestly party before her with a proud gaze.

After sweeping her eyes across them once, she slightly curled her lip and let out a near-scornful snort from her nose.

Hmph.

!!!

Her gesture carried a hidden contempt, and the priests, who had originally been stunned by her entrance, slightly furrowed their brows and looked back with unfriendly expressions.

"…"

But as the leader, Joanna's reaction was not as sensitive as the others'.

She watched the imposing centaur, her eyes narrowing slightly as she noticed an unusual detail.

Legendary.

Judging from the aura emanating from her, this was a Legendary-rank powerhouse — and not a newly advanced one, but a powerful Legendary with considerable strength.

And that was not the most important thing.

What truly shocked Joanna was the other's identity.

Heroic Spirit.

This was actually a Legendary Heroic Spirit!!?

After ascertaining the other's identity, Joanna secretly thought, as expected.

As expected — this special mission was not merely a whim of the Goddess, but one that would involve another deity!

Although her own Goddess wasn't very bright and often got lost and had to be brought back… She wasn't stupid.

Truly not stupid.

She was very good at seeking advantage and avoiding harm, and generally wouldn't run off to such a dangerous place.

If She insisted on going, there was probably some good thing attracting Her.

Either a rare treasure, or a peerless powerhouse, or… mm, simply a bout of madness.

Mm, can't put it that way. According to the canon — one should say the Goddess foresaw some future and, after personally intervening, erased that possibility.

But even a bout of madness generally wouldn't involve such great risk.

Joanna had discussed it with Leila before, guessing that this mission would very likely involve another deity.

Her own Goddess and another deity had made some discovery, and wanted to extend their reach into the Misty Mountains!

It was very risky — one might even call it courting death.

But if they truly succeeded, they might also gain enormous profit.

Perhaps, this could truly allow the Snow Goddess to fulfill her long-held wish and successfully break free from her "Mother's" embrace.

The Goddess's decision is not something Joanna, a priestess, has the right to interfere with.

Even if this is extremely dangerous, she, as the Goddess's servant, would not choose to flee.

All she can do is serve Him with all her heart and soul, completing the tasks He has laid out.

To exhaust oneself utterly, until death—that is all.

But the current unfolding left her with a slight doubt, unable to guess the nature of the Goddess's alliance with the other party.

Any alliance, by definition, lacks perfect equality; there will always be hierarchy and dominance.

This may not be evident on the surface, but it will surely manifest in the details.

One could already discern something from this first meeting.

Is it pressure? Or reverence?

But looking at the cold-faced Legendary Spirit before her, Joanna felt confused.

She truly could not tell whether the other's attitude was disdain or respect.

The deity had sent a Legendary Spirit to greet them… this…

As a member of the divine church system, she understood better than outsiders the status of the person before her.

A Legendary Spirit on the verge of becoming a Holy Spirit—his status was certainly far higher than that of any mortal bishop.

Even if it had been Laila, this Centaur Spirit was more than sufficient to receive them.

After all, even a Legendary-level bishop must die and ascend one rank further to stand on equal footing with him.

Among their group, only Eunil, the Divine Chosen, had the status worthy of such reception—but the Divine Chosen's travels are secret.

Even within the team, only she knew this; the others believed Eunil was merely a newly appointed priestess.

"…"

The other's attitude was somewhat arrogant, but the identity of the one who appeared well-compensated for it.

While Joanna hesitated for several seconds, Sophya had already taken her stance under the priests' gazes, slightly lifting her chin.

The proud Centaur woman stared at the ten before her and asked coldly: "You are the envoys my Lord spoke of?"

In fact, Joanna misunderstood one thing.

Sophya was not deliberately displaying arrogance—she was nervous.

"This is the first task my Lord has given me! I absolutely cannot disappoint him! I absolutely cannot fail!"

"Huh! Huh! Must not fail!"

She forced her face to remain still, trying to appear calm.

But because of her martial appearance, this reaction came across as nothing but sternness.

Sophya was not unaware of the oddness; to avoid looking too stiff, she tried hard to force a kind smile.

Yet, being extremely inept at smiling, this awkward grin looked distinctly "nuclear-kind."

Joanna raised an eyebrow at that smile, now even more convinced the other looked down on them, and her own face hardened.

"If the person you're waiting for is a priestess of the Xuenushen Sect, then it is us."

"Only you? You're the guide assigned to lead us?"

Since the other was cold and hard, her response must not appear overly courteous—she must make clear her sect's stance.

But Sophya paid little heed to Joanna's tone; once she confirmed she had not mistaken the guests, she exhaled in relief.

Good!

Got the right people!

"Yes, I am here to greet you."

Sophya nodded stiffly at them and began reciting the words Herbert had taught her.

"Priestesses of the Lady of Snow, are you prepared?"

Her gaze slowly swept over each priestess's face, observing their reactions.

"Beyond this point, you will formally enter the Mist Mountains, enveloped in thick fog."

"For a long time ahead, you will be unable to leave, unable to contact the outside world in any way, utterly severed from the world."

"No one will know if you live or die, nor will you know the fate of those beyond…"

"Are you truly prepared?"

"Now is your final chance to withdraw; beyond this, there will be no turning back."

This was the final ultimatum.

Withdraw? Or stay?

Sophya's words caused subtle shifts in the priestesses' expressions, stirring faint doubts within them.

Had they truly prepared themselves?

"Your Excellency, we are prepared."

Joanna stepped forward and spoke first: "You need not doubt our loyalty to the Goddess."

"We all volunteered for this mission; no one will regret it now."

As leader, Joanna stepped forward to set the tone, giving their answer.

Regret?

Now?

If anyone truly regretted it now, the one who would be humiliated would not be her—but the Snow Goddess.

That would be a blatant slap in the face!

The Goddess chose these people, and now, after arriving here, they would run away?

What are you joking about!

Sophia stared at the serious-looking half-elf and slowly nodded: "Half-elf, what is your name?"

"Joanna."

Joanna lifted her head proudly, meeting the half-horse spirit's gaze, and said seriously: "Servant of the Ice Goddess."

Sophia nodded slowly: "I am Sophia, the most devoted servant of my Lord."

"Since you are all ready, follow me."

After speaking with a "cold" expression, Sophia turned around, preparing to leap into the air again—but remembered these people's abilities, and walked steadily on the ground instead.

"Hm?"

Not hearing footsteps behind her, Sophia turned back to look at the group, her brow slightly furrowed.

"Come on, what are you waiting for?"

You lot don't actually expect me to carry you, do you?

That's not allowed!

Only my Lord may ride upon my back!

"Hmph!"

She thought this, letting out a soft huff—the reaction made Joanna's brow furrow again.

Such an arrogant creature.

"..."

Aware of the power gap between herself and the other, Joanna suppressed her anger and quietly asked Eunil: "My Lord Eunil, what do you think?"

Though nominally their leader, it was this hidden "Divine Chosen" who truly made decisions.

"Follow her. We've already come this far—why leave now?" Eunil chuckled lightly and stepped forward to follow Sophia.

Seeing her decision made, Joanna no longer hesitated. She nodded to the group and softly encouraged:

"Sisters, for the glory of the Goddess."

"Let us set out to meet this challenge!"

Entering the Mist Mountains recklessly is extremely dangerous; they had prepared for all kinds of perils.

But the rest of the journey was unexpectedly quiet.

They carefully followed behind the half-horse spirit, moving slowly through the mist thick with eerie energy—and truly encountered no danger at all.

Not entirely without incident, though.

As the surroundings grew increasingly dark and terrifying, they saw countless demonic corpses and chaotic footprints.

Demonic corpses lay scattered in all directions; aside from a few wolf remains still bearing patches of flesh, most had been completely devoured, leaving only bleached skeletons.

These remains were distributed without pattern, as if they had endured brutal battles or some crazed plundering.

Occasionally, distant, chilling wolf howls echoed—as if countless ferocious wolves lurked in the shadows, yet not a single one could be seen.

Are demonic wolf packs migrating?

This thought tightened the priests' hearts.

If these were large-scale demonic migrations, the situation within the Mist Mountains might be far more dangerous than they'd imagined!

"Don't overthink it."

As the group's anchor, Joanna constantly worked to calm the others.

Yet only one person in the entire group never worried.

The Divine Chosen Eunil bounced along beside Sophia, constantly chatting with her and trying to climb onto her horseback—each attempt rejected.

"Huh? Just let me sit for a moment~"

"No."

"Just for a moment, just once!"

"No."

After repeatedly asking several times, Eunil finally accepted reality and reluctantly gave up.

"Fine, you stingy thing."

"..."

She pouted, glaring at the legendary spirit before her, her mind racing with thoughts.

"This spirit carries none of the familiar energies... Who is her master?"

"On the contrary, her body is saturated with mist energy—nearly ninety-nine percent of her soul is tainted."

"To reach this level, how long must she have been immersed in the Mist Mountains... Has the other's scheme been in motion for years?"

Joanna felt the act of sending a spirit showed great respect for them.

But to Eunil—in the eyes of the Winter Goddess—she perceived far more detail.

Different identities, different statuses, different perspectives.

To Her, the other (the hidden deity) showed not just sincerity, but primarily a warning.

The one behind the scenes was no ordinary being.

And they had hidden themselves perfectly, leaving not a trace of energy—impossible to deduce their identity.

She strongly suspected her little kitten was being toyed with.

If before she had merely suspected, now the Winter Goddess was ninety-nine percent certain.

Bawling!

With the intelligence of my child—who'd help someone count money after being cheated—she's definitely been deceived!

That's why the Goddess of Winter disguised herself as a Divine Favored and infiltrated this mission.

I'll save my little kitten myself!

But even though she now harbors doubts, she cannot fully confirm it—she cannot find the other's motive.

"But what purpose is there in deceiving Hecatias? Did they take Him as a Sacrifice? Yet they never let His true form descend here…"

This is the point that most confuses the Goddess of Winter—what exactly does the other want?

No money, no power; the only thing of value is the Divine Church.

Then, do they seek to seize His divine office?

The primary divine office of the Ice and Snow Goddess is only 【Ice and Snow】, which was split off from the Goddess of Winter's domain.

A divine office rendered weak and worthless by being under someone else's control is not coveted by many.

Gaining the Ice and Snow Goddess's divine office brings little benefit, yet demands a great cost.

Everyone knows that if they do this, they will surely face the most furious revenge of the Winter.

That's why the Goddess of Winter could so calmly allow the Ice and Snow Goddess to wander outside.

The Goddess of Winter does not believe that one capable of manipulating Legendary Spirits would covet a low-tier divine power.

Carrying these questions, she did not act rashly, but prepared to observe further.

She would see what the other intended to do!

It couldn't possibly be just an alliance—helping a weak human establish a territory?

She doesn't believe it.

There must be a conspiracy behind this!

…

Under Sophya's leadership, some people quickly passed through layers of mist.

Walking through the mist, it felt like a curtain separating the world—each step required great courage.

But when they passed through the final layer of mist, everything before them opened up, as if entering an entirely different world.

"Wow…"

This sigh slipped from someone's lips, voicing the sentiment of them all—what lay before them was nothing like they had imagined.

Before arriving here, they had already prepared for the worst, ready to endure any harsh environment.

Yet now, the scene before them clashed utterly with everything they had anticipated.

Deep within the mist, a breathtaking scroll unfurled before them, depicting a paradise beyond the world!

Flowers bloomed in profusion, colorful petals competing to open… and somehow, a patch of ground shaped like a human figure remained bare.

The grass was lush and green, like the finest silk carpet spread out, each blade swaying gently in the wind, welcoming their arrival.

At the center stood a wooden stake emitting a radiant Jin Guang, like a torch or a lighthouse, illuminating all around.

As they stood in daze, a beautiful melody reached their ears—the harp's notes soft, like a river flowing into their minds.

"... Am I still in the Mist Mountains?"

Yes.

Is this truly the Mist Mountains!?

After taking in their stunned expressions, Sophya lifted her head proudly and finally spoke:

"Ladies, welcome to the Elde Domain!"

While other priests were awed by the beautiful scene, Joanna was struck even harder.

"This place…"

In her eyes, it seemed ordinary, yet concealed mysteries everywhere!

At first glance, it appeared plain, like any common paradise beyond the world.

But upon closer inspection, she realized it was far more extravagant than she had imagined.

The emerald grass beneath her feet was not naturally grown, but created by powerful magic—each blade seemed infused with mysterious power.

The stakes that dispelled the mist were no ordinary objects; she could feel sacred radiance emanating from them, as if sacred blood flowed slowly within.

Gulp.

Joanna couldn't help swallowing hard, her mind numbed by awe.

Others merely sighed in wonder, but only she sensed the overwhelming quantity of sacred blood hidden here.

How many people had to be drained dry to gather this much sacred blood!!?

The clear, bottomless spring at the center flowed gently, its aura pulsing with Legendary magic, brimming with boundless vitality.

"Sacred Spring…"

But what shocked Joanna most was what she found within the Sacred Spring.

A mermaid lounged lazily by the spring, idly flicking the water with her tail, while her fingers gently plucked the harp strings.

Her beautiful scales shimmered with enchanting light under the dim glow, each scale like a masterpiece of art.

Sea Witch.

That was a Legendary Sea Witch!?

Ting-ting-ting~

A clear chime rang out; the Sea Witch turned her head, nodded slowly toward them, then returned her gaze, continuing to play and splash.

To Joanna, this place felt less like a paradise and more like the legendary realm of a god.

She had never seen a god's realm before—only after death could one enter such a mysterious land…

Also, if possible, she would rather go to the Goddess of Winter's divine realm.

Joanna swallowed hard, finally suppressing her inner awe, and asked with greater reverence: "Lady Sophya, is this where we will reside from now on?"

Sophia nodded: "Mm, my Lord said you may choose your own location, as long as you don't pull out the Holy Blood Stake."

"We…"

Just as Joanna was about to ask for more details, a howl suddenly came from behind.

"Awoo— woo—"

!!!

"What!?"

She turned her head to look back in the direction they had come from, her pupils contracting.

Behind them, what seemed like endless shadows were slowly pressing toward this place.

Not good!

Those hordes of demons are going to reach here!!?

But just as she was about to tell her companions to prepare to resist and flee… Sophia spoke.

She said:

"My Lord has returned!"

Joanna:???

Compared to other questions, the first thing that flashed through the half-elf priestess's mind was only one question.

Wait…

The deity you serve—has He also descended in incarnate form?

(End of this chapter)