Chapter 322: The Forbidden Land of Divine Sorrow (Part 2)

Everything before them was a vast expanse of snow white. As they stepped forward, the temperature dropped to an alarming level in an instant. The howling wind and snow-covered landscape made Rod and Lucy shiver uncontrollably—it was indeed freezing cold. Could this be the edge of the Forbidden Land of Divine Sorrow? Looking at the drastically different scenery, Rod and Lucy exchanged glances, their eyes filled with awe.

There was a clear boundary between the Death Battlefield and the Forbidden Land of Divine Sorrow. Taking one step forward meant entering the Death Battlefield, where the winter-like cold persisted, filled with an aura of death. But just one step forward here brought a completely different scene—the temperature dropped by twenty to thirty degrees suddenly, the wind howled, yet there wasn’t a trace of gloom or deathly atmosphere, giving off a sense of purity.

The difference was striking. If not seen with their own eyes, no one would believe such a stark contrast existed. “It’s the Forbidden Land of Divine Sorrow!” Lucy said firmly to Rod after recovering from her shock. Indeed, apart from this place, no other location on the continent could compare.

“Yeah, no doubt about it! Let’s get ready; we’ll set off tomorrow,” Rod said, noticing the sky growing darker. Having reached the Forbidden Land of Divine Sorrow, everything had gone surprisingly smoothly, to the point where they both found it hard to believe. Storing away his weapon, Rod gazed at the darkening sky in thought.

Was this still the deadly Death Battlefield? Looking back at it, he realized he hadn’t encountered any danger throughout his journey—something most people would find hard to believe. It wasn’t that the Death Battlefield was undeservedly infamous; on the contrary, Rod sensed at least thirty powerful auras along the way, none weaker than his own. As for those at the Yin Yellow realm, he estimated there were around two hundred of them.

That meant there were over two hundred Yin Yellow realm monsters in this small Death Battlefield! Its strength was evident—being called a “desperate place” was well-deserved. The energy here could destroy anyone.

But why hadn’t they come to trouble him? Rod had no idea. Perhaps something had happened—most likely the emergence of the Wolf Emperor, which might have disrupted the original balance of the Death Battlefield.

But all that was in the past. Now, Rod needed to figure out how to enter the Forbidden Land of Divine Sorrow before him.

The Land of Divine Sobs, one of the two deadly regions on the continent, is known alongside the Source of Darkness as a place of death. Even those from the Source of Darkness consider the Land of Divine Sobs to be more mysterious and dangerous than the Source of Darkness itself—proof that it is nothing ordinary.

It is said that this place was the main battlefield during the war between gods and demons millions of years ago, where the supreme gods and demons fought each other. The death fields of the Source of Darkness were merely sites where mid-level figures and soldiers clashed. The true battlefield of gods and demons was this Land of Divine Sobs. Here, at least eight major figures fell, and the ground was covered in blood. It was named the Land of Divine Sobs because it was a place where countless gods and demons wept.

Countless secrets lie hidden within, and no one has been able to penetrate its deepest depths for thousands of years—not even those from the Source of Darkness. Attempting to enter it is an extremely difficult task.

For some unknown reason after the war between gods and demons, the Land of Divine Sobs did not become as lifeless as the death fields. Instead, it became profoundly sacred. Since then, it has been covered in ice and snow. Some say this was caused by the magical powers used during the war, while others believe it was the work of the Ice Goddess and Snow Demon, who froze this weeping battlefield to prevent people from seeing what lies within.

Whatever the explanation, one thing is certain: the Land of Divine Sobs is the coldest place in the entire continent.

For example, even now, Rod and Lucy, standing only at its edge, could feel the bone-chilling cold. They shivered violently, but fortunately, both of them were strong enough, with their combat energy protecting them. Additionally, Rod had prepared thoroughly before coming, bringing all necessary cold-weather gear, which allowed them to barely cope. The temperature here must be at least twenty degrees below zero.

As for the center, Rod didn’t dare imagine it. Looking at Lucy beside him, he was most worried about her.

At that moment, Lucy wore a white dress, blending seamlessly into the icy landscape like a part of nature—utterly beautiful. Her fair skin appeared even softer, as if it might drip with moisture. Her hunched posture in the cold wind made one want to embrace her!

Rod instinctively pulled her into his arms. The two huddled together, warming each other. In an instant, it seemed as though all the cold had vanished.

As Rod pulled her into his arms, Lucy’s body stiffened slightly, but she soon relaxed. From time to time, she would lift her head to steal glances at Rod. Seeing him lost in thought, she felt a hint of disappointment. Her rosy cheeks only added to her charm.

“Will you be able to hold on when we enter the God’s Lament Forbidden Land tomorrow?” After what seemed like a while, Rod asked Lucy softly.

By now, the two of them had found a cave to shelter in from the cold.

“I can! As long as I’m with Big Brother, Lucy can go anywhere!” Lucy nodded confidently. It had to be said that the journey through the Battlefield of Death had greatly boosted her confidence, and her trust in Rod had reached an unprecedented level.

“Heh, that’s good!” Hearing Lucy’s words, Rod froze for a moment before forcing a smile. Since she said so, it seemed he really couldn’t disappoint her.

Night covered the land in pure white, even more beautiful under the moonlight. The entire scene was clearly visible in the snow, as if it were day. The night view of the God’s Lament Forbidden Land had its own unique charm.

The wind howled and snowflakes drifted, but Rod noticed that no matter how much snow piled up, it never increased the thickness of the snow cover. He was puzzled by this.

At the moment, Rod didn’t want to figure these things out. He wasn’t an expert; he just wanted to get the Rainbow Ice Spirit he needed as soon as possible and leave this hellish place to return to the Source of Darkness. He didn’t know what was happening there now, nor if there was any movement among the pro-war faction! After all this time, especially with the Wolf King away, what kind of reaction would the people of the Source of Darkness have? Had the Wolf Clan regained its former glory?

On the other hand, Rod thought of the Scorpion King’s clan. After coming out of the Netherworld, he had intended to visit them to clarify things, but he hadn’t found the time. It seemed he would have to wait until after this trip to the God’s Lament Forbidden Land. The old man was still alive—that was the best news.

At the same time, Rod had a vague feeling that Nightingale and the others might also be connected to the Scorpion King’s clan. Simply put, that mysterious organization was closely linked to them, just as he had learned in the Netherworld.

In the latter half of the night, the temperature dropped again. Rod couldn’t help but feel a chill. He held Lucy, who was sleeping in his arms, tighter. Looking at the sweet smile on her lips, Rod unknowingly became a bit infatuated.

The beautiful scenery with no one around—heh, perhaps many people dream of such a scene! Rod thought to himself, his gaze toward Lucy once again softening.
When did he start to feel something special for this little girl? When did she take such an important place in his heart? Was it when she resolutely left him to cultivate and help bear all the burdens? Or was it during their time in the Netherworld, or when they faced life and death together on the battlefield of death?
Rod wasn’t sure about any of this. Once it came, it was irresistible—just like him now.
That night seemed unbearably long, with Rod’s heart in constant turmoil. After what felt like an eternity, dawn gradually broke, and the sun rose above the horizon. The heavy snow finally ceased. Without the goose-feather-like flakes, the landscape stretched as far as the eye could see—endless ice and snow, a breathtakingly beautiful sight!
The sunlight hitting the horizon added a layer of rosy hue, as if heaven and earth merged into one at that moment. Watching this rare beauty in silence, Rod felt as if he were seamlessly integrated into the world around him. Unconsciously, his state of mind improved once more.
Turning to look at Lucy beside him, Rod was shocked. She had a faint smile on her lips, her eyes closed, her expression filled with joy. The elemental energies around her were turbulent and powerful, yet near her, they became gentle. All the elements swirled around her joyfully, and Rod could even sense their moods. With his exceptional affinity for elements, he suddenly realized something.
He looked at Lucy with ecstasy—oneness with nature! She had reached such a state. From now on, Lucy would surely undergo a transformative change. At the very least, her path of cultivation would become much smoother, especially for a mage. An improved affinity for elements brought immeasurable benefits—her strength could rise by at least another level.
Sure enough, Rod had experienced this twice before, so he wasn’t mistaken. He waited patiently, waiting for Lucy to wake up.

At this moment, Lucy felt as if she was in a wonderful world, surrounded by elements that were incredibly familiar. She could clearly sense their presence and moods, and communicate with them effortlessly! It seemed as though she had merged into a beautiful world, while her body was also undergoing slight transformation by those elements.
“Elemental Contract!” Feeling all this, Lucy’s face lit up with ecstasy as she murmured to herself. She knew—this was the legendary Elemental Contract. Out of tens of thousands of magicians, only one could achieve it, representing the highest honor and reward for a magician! She was about to sign an Elemental Contract here!
Realizing there was no room for carelessness, she immediately devoted herself wholeheartedly to this state to communicate with the elements.