Chapter 345: The Method of Condensing the Ice and Snow Divinity

“It wasn’t until later that I learned through Underworld channels – Zhu Xiao never loved me. Never loved anyone. Dating me was just to grind proficiency for some game task. We were all props for his game character conquest!”

“My parents died for this stupid reason.”

“Four family members!”

“Doesn’t he deserve death?”

Memories of hatred made Guo Fengjiao forget both the Divine Miracle Society’s fierce reputation and the Great Sage’s terror.

‘Pathetic creature.’

Zuo Meng shot her a pitying glance.

This tragic fate fit perfectly for some female side character tangled in the protagonist’s drama. Soon there’d be some “true mastermind” reveal, her redemption arc, then teaming up against the final boss. Classic plotline – he’d scripted similar nonsense when manipulating fates in the Dream Realm. What seemed clever then felt painfully cliché when actually living through it.

“After this, the Zhu family tried to eliminate me completely. But heaven never seals all exits…”

Guo Fengjiao kept recounting her misery until interrupted.

“Enough. I know how this goes.”

Near-death encounters, shady organizations, corrupted innocence. Power gained through control, darkness yearning for light. Predictable tropes.

Zuo Meng cut to the chase.

“Stop there.”

The woman’s initial fear had faded into calculation. Discovering the Great Sage wasn’t the murderous lunatic from rumors, she now sought patronage.

The Divine Miracle Society’s Great Sage outclassed any cybernetic being as a potential backer.

“Take me as your disciple.”

“No.”

Flat refusal. He came to exploit this Origin World, not play nanny.

“I’ll join the Divine Miracle Society! I’ll handle all the dirty work others refuse!” She assumed Zuo Meng headed the organization, that every powerful leader needed deniable assets.

Typical mortal logic – surely no faction leader would neglect his own group.

Foolish. The Divine Miracle Society meant nothing to him. Worldly factions? Ephemeral as morning dew. Why care about what vanishes after napping through eras?

Your society membership means less than nothing to me.

But he played along.

“Here’s a map. Whether you survive its trials matters not to me.”

Post versions 1.0 and 2.0, he’d changed tactics. Spoon-feeding followers like Yu Mo and Yan Kuan bred suspicion. Better bury cultivation methods in deadly ruins – let fools risk their lives for “treasures.” More efficient, less whining.

“This…”

Guo Fengjiao accepted the stone. Parchment required preparation; any roadside rock became a “treasure map” when imprinted with information.

“The Ice-Snow Divinity Condensation Method?!!”

Upon receiving the stone, Guo Fengjiao immediately sensed the information flowing from within and glimpsed its general contents.

Though she’d never heard of Divinity before, its name alone sounded impressive enough!

“I obtained this from ancient ruins years ago. I couldn’t verify its authenticity, but feel free to risk your life trying it.” The vaguer the statement, the truer it appeared.

Rumors worked that way – the more mysterious, the more credible. He’d perfected this tactic through practice.

“I’m not afraid!”

Determination flashed in Guo Fengjiao’s eyes. She would claim this Frost Divinity, whether real or fake. This was her only chance to outdo Zhu Xiao.

“Thank you, Sir Sage.”

“Address me as Principal. I lead Bell Tower University.”

Zuo Meng valued his academic title. Compared to terrorist leader, ‘educator’ sounded nobler and helped when deceiving people. Weren’t all those success gurus called Teacher So-and-So? Being principal placed him higher anyway!

“Thank you, Principal Zuo.”

Guo Fengjiao hastily corrected herself. However eccentric, this scholar had genuinely aided her.

“Enough chatter. I won’t escort you out.”

Zuo Meng waved dismissively, resuming his trek toward Snowstorm City’s isolation zone. He wondered how Murong Wenbo fared after weeks without supervision. Hopefully the man hadn’t starved.

Within moments, Zuo Meng vanished into the urban crowds, his peculiar dog disappearing with him. Guo Fengjiao stood alone at the city gates.

“Pure altruism? Even gifting such valuable maps?”

It took minutes for reality to sink in. The infamous terrorist leader had actually spared her.

“The Great Sage’s reputation equals madness? Clearly slander from the Zhu family and Congress!”

Perspective shifts bred whitewashing instincts.

“I too believed the Great Sage a bloodthirsty lunatic. Now I see his true nobility.” Hunted by major factions and controlled by the Mechanical Alliance, Guo Fengjiao dwelled in perpetual darkness. Zuo Meng’s selfless aid instantly created a towering image in her mind.

“The Divine Miracle Society must also be maligned. With the Great Sage guiding it, how could they be bad? Supporting the weak, overthrowing corrupt powers – this is my true path.”

Her original suicide-after-revenge plan transformed. Now she’d join the Divine Miracle Society post-vengeance, devoting herself to their cause.

“But first, I must strengthen myself…”