"What?"
Li Ang raised the short sword and saw that there were indeed two inconspicuous symbols on the spine of the sword.
They were imprinted very shallowly and not colored, almost blending with the silver blade, not noticeable unless examined closely.
They were two identical symbols side by side, which in Nebis Language represented the initials of "Alaphia Alma," roughly equivalent to "A·A" in Earth language.
"What kind of eyesight is that, to notice such a thing?"
"Not good." Zoe squinted her eyes. "There’s a smell of a sneaky cat here."
"Where did you hear that from?"
Her words were very stiff, clearly from some strange book she read.
"It fits quite well here, doesn’t it?" After speaking, Zoe rolled her eyes, also uncertain.
"I read in a book that when giving a ring, you should engrave your name on it. Doing so makes the other person think of you all the time."
Li Ang wanted to say that this wasn’t a ring, but since the lady had indeed etched her name on it, he was at a loss for words.
She pursued further, "Who was it that gave you the sword? That little girl, how could she be so powerful at such a young age?"
"That’s just how her race grows; she’s much older and more composed than you."
Li Ang glanced at the Earth Serpent beside him.
"Did you see everything I experienced from Xiaohan?"
Zoe nodded.
"No way! Is that even possible?"
Dorothy looked at the golden serpent, falling into brief contemplation, her alluring face burning redder.
"Keep that snake further away in the future!" the Lady exclaimed, somewhat beside herself.
"However, Xiaohan is still very young. It can only grasp the general idea and often doesn’t know what you all are saying; I just saw disjointed images," Zoe explained.
Dorothy let out a sigh of relief.
Zoe stared at Li Ang back and forth, then jumped in place to hang onto him again.
"I want to leave a mark on you too!"
"Down, down. Lady Eden hasn’t finished speaking yet!"
Eden slightly bowed to the side, "I trouble you, Lord Li Ang, to enter the Star Palace upon arriving on the island. There are indeed other important matters to discuss."
The announcement of Zoe gaining growth here was the first thing, and Li Ang could sense that she had more to say.
Seeing this, Zoe did not make further fuss and obediently jumped down. But her eyes conveyed a steadfast intention to remember this matter.
"As the Divine Child just stated, her path forward still requires the power of other Star Souls."
Eden extended both hands, using magic to condense frost on the Star Crystal ground. These white frosts formed lines, sketching out several regions.
This was an overview of the major Aerial Realms.
Eden first used the frost to draw an island located in the northernmost area, clearly Frost Heaven Island based on its position.
"We are currently here."
She identified several islands in a few other Aerial Realms.
"These are the islands I know of where other members of my kind reside."
Are there so many Star Souls? Li Ang compared each of these islands with the maps in his memory.
It seemed like there could be more, but she only marked these.
"They are all like me, eagerly awaiting the appearance of an ancient opportunity. If they encounter the power of the Divine Child and me, they will actively provide assistance."
"Do you want us to visit these islands?" Li Ang asked.
Seeing Eden nod, he understood the situation in his heart.
In gaming terms, Zoe and Eden leaving Satus Island and falling into the Aomori Islands would undoubtedly lead to a period of battles and trials against demons.
Afterwards, they should arrive at Frost Heaven Island.
Here, Eden would teach Zoe how to control her powers, and she would receive her first significant advancement. These past two days and the events that just occurred were originally meant to happen during this phase.
Judging by the timeline, these events should have occurred later, but the previous sequence had been skipped due to Li Ang’s intervention.
According to the standard game plot design, next the main storyline should be revealed.
Without Li Ang, Zoe would likely have obediently visited each island Eden mentioned, following the main storyline.
"Lupus Ancient Country, Volcano and Inner Sea Island, Molten Mountain Star Soul Residence. Located in Ignis Aerial Realm."
"Mengze Island, Wetland and Cloudfall Island, Creation Tree Star Soul Residence. Located in Flos Sky Realm."
"Wotam Theocracy, Land of Unceasing Thunder, Thunderstorm Star Soul Residence. Located in Salem Sky Realm."
Eden listed more than three islands, but after these three locations, she paused for a moment.
"These three islands are relatively calm, and unlikely to cause unexpected harm to the Divine Child."
It seems that this is the island Zoe first went to in the storyline. It looks like "Nebis Fantasy" has left some degree of freedom to decide where to go first.
"Makena Island Country, Magic Capital Thousand Tower City, and Dusk Night Island, these three places are complicated. I haven’t exchanged information with my fellow race there for many years. Please take the Divine Child there after she has grown a bit more, Li Ang."
Li Ang silently noted these locations, then asked, "Aren’t you planning to come along with us?"
The implication in Eden’s words was for Li Ang’s group to go on their own.
"I cannot leave for a long time."
Zoe frowned and ran over to Eden’s side, "Is it because of the Light of the Star Soul? But wasn’t it said that with me, it will gradually get better?"
Eden shook her head, "Not true. This involves the essence of my race."
She then apologized to Li Ang courteously, "I apologize for hiding some things from you earlier. At that time, I wasn’t sure if your interests aligned with the Divine Child."
Eden led the three deeper into the Star Palace, where at the deepest point, there was a cavernous space allowing them to see the wind and snow beyond the mountain.
"Have we reached the back of Frost Heaven Island?" Dorothy guessed.
A platform was built before the cave, where snowflakes, accompanied by the cold wind from the mountain peaks, drifted inside.
Eden raised her hand, pointing into the distance.
The Frost Tower Church was originally at the highest point, and from here the view was unobstructed, but she wasn’t pointing at the island, but far beyond the horizon.
In the wind and snow canopy of the Gorasis Sky Realm, scattered and shattered islands floated sporadically. Some looked like icebergs, others like pieces of Earth covered in snow and ice. The common point was that no humans could live there, and perhaps not even demons.
Frost Heaven Island already marked the northernmost boundary of civilization. Li Ang recalled that further north, there was only one inhabited island; the others were havens for demons.
Eden spoke, "North of Frost Heaven Island was originally a chain of mountains frozen in ice, howling with wind and snow.
"My race was deliberately guided and formed from certain natural elements.
"The fragmented floating islands you see were once part of me."
Li Ang said, "Are you saying you are the glacier north of Frost Heaven Island?"
Eden nodded.
Looking at her panel, Li Ang saw she had a skill called [Wind and Snow Birth (Pseudo)]. It’s analogous to the Earth’s Favor [Grafting] skill on the Earth Serpent, indicating her origins.
[Skill: Wind and Snow Birth (Pseudo)]
[Activation Method: Passive]
[In the blowing and freezing of endless wind and snow, the frost elf is thus born. She naturally possesses the power to control the cold, and ice and snow are extensions of her will. As a power falsified by stealing from a frost elf, she does not receive the favor of ice and snow; thus, the cold wind and ice do not protect or nourish her body.]
Her own understanding is that she is an incarnation of a glacier, similar to an elemental spirit, but she wasn’t naturally born; instead, she was created by a mechanism of the Divine People.
Eden continued to explain, "The natural cycle initially achieved a balance, but the birth of my race intercepted a link from it. Hence, if I leave for too long, the natural balance of the Gorasis Sky Realm will begin to fall into disorder starting from Frost Heaven Island."
"What will happen?" Dorothy blinked her rainbow-colored eyes, utterly confused.
"A magical disaster," Li Ang explained, "Although the Material Dimension and the Magic Power Dimension are not interconnected, they are closely linked, as if compressing against each other. If a link is missing in the Material World, the influence of the Magic World will seep into this side.
"Vast amounts of disorderly magic power interfering with nature will trigger disasters known as magical disasters."
Dorothy shrank her neck, "I know of the Demon Disaster Realm."
"That’s where the world’s instability forms it. Small magical disasters are akin to ordinary natural disasters or cause some species of demons to emerge. Large magical disasters are either cataclysmic or will usher in super demons that could topple civilizations."
Although it still felt strange that Eden couldn’t leave Frost Heaven Island, Li Ang couldn’t pinpoint any issue for the time being.
"Since you guys can’t go with Zoe, she still can’t receive your direct help in the future."
"Once the Divine Child’s power further improves, my race can be summoned remotely to the location of the Divine Child. Her interior is connected to a vast domain, which is also the source of her power."
After finishing, Li Ang understood what Zoe originally had to do in the early stages of the game.
In short, it’s about visiting each island to find the Star Souls, obtain the Purest Star Crystal, and unlock different forms.
"But wait." Zoe touched the Diamond Snake Scale on the Earth Serpent beside her and wondered, "When Xiaohan was born, it didn’t turn the entire small island into it?"
Eden replied, "The nurturing of the Earth Star Soul was already more than halfway completed in ancient times. The object that was guiding it accidentally broke, prolonging its birth significantly. The Earth that was originally providing it strength has already perished."
As the Wolf Maiden mentioned this, Li Ang thought of Zoe’s father’s notes, in which the man seemed to express that in addition to the accidentally encountered Earth Serpent, there were many other places with Star Souls, and the couple couldn’t avoid them.
Excluding Eden herself, she only knew of six Star Souls.
Li Ang looked at Zoe, hoping she would grow up soon.
"Got it. I’ll include these islands in the future plans. Luckily, there are places we must visit anyway."
"Are those islands fun?" Zoe’s point of interest was simple.
"Some of them are fun."
"Yay!"
With Eden’s matters concluded, she led the three out of the Star Palace to the prepared resting rooms in the church, lavishly equipped with all necessary food and bathing facilities.
At the dining table, as the three ate, Zoe suddenly spoke up, "Li Ang, I have something to tell you."
"What is it?"
"The duel we agreed on earlier, I’d like to postpone it a bit."

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