61: Tame the Desert Goddess

"You're telling me this thing is a fortuitous encounter?"

Deep within the Endless Desert,

Su Yan pointed at the storm-ravaged area ahead where sand filled the sky and blotted out the light, his mouth twitching as he asked.

Before coming to this map, he had already done his homework.

So he knew very well that the storm area before him hadn't appeared suddenly; it had always been there.

It was called the Sandstorm Restricted Zone.

For two hundred years,

Human Race Players had constantly tried to enter it to investigate.

But as soon as they entered, they were swallowed by the sand and dust whipped up by the storm.

Players below Rank 1000 would be instantly killed.

Even if a Rank 2000 War God powerhouse came,

they would lose their way due to the severely disrupted magnetic fields and the sun-blocking darkness.

In the end, they still couldn't escape death.

Therefore, the Human Race still knew nothing about this Sandstorm Restricted Zone.

However, later on,

the Sandstorm Restricted Zone was classified as a 'Region of No Research Value' by a certain professor from the Imperial Capital University.

He believed that the existence of the Sandstorm Restricted Zone was merely a decoration for the Endless Desert map.

Like a tree in the Forest Kingdom or a pond in the Novice Map.

Aside from reflecting the cruelty of the desert and the harshness of the environment, it served no other purpose.

Thus, gradually,

the Sandstorm Restricted Zone became ignored, and all high-Rank Human Race Players grew accustomed to its presence.

[Of course it's a fortuitous encounter! Speaking of which, it's been two hundred years; don't you want to see what's inside?]

The Eye of the Gods was tempting Su Yan.

With sand blowing in his face, just standing at the edge of the restricted zone,

he could feel a strong sense of suffocation, as if he could be torn apart by the sand-laden storm at any moment.

Su Yan hesitated for a moment, then nodded solemnly.

"Fine! At worst, it's just death. I'm going in!"

[Remember not to summon that goddess of yours yet; you'll need to rely on her after you get inside.]

"Then how do I get in?"

Without the protection of the Goddess of Dawn's Divine Power,

Su Yan didn't think he could survive for ten seconds inside with his own HP.

[Pop some potions. Are you keeping all those health potions as family heirlooms?]

Su Yan looked at the over two hundred sets of high-grade health potions left by the 'hoarder mouse' in his bag and smiled sheepishly.

True,

it's only a bit over a million gold coins,

your grandpa can afford to chug them!

[Remember to close your eyes once you're inside. No matter what you hear, do not open them. Fly forward according to my instructions; this trip is definitely worth it!]

"I understand."

With the Eye of the Gods' guarantee, Su Yan had no more worries and was eager to try.

He walked quickly to the front of the Sandstorm Restricted Zone and looked up at the terrifying sandstorm that cut off the heavens from the earth.

He took a light breath and then used the Sky Riding Technique to fly into the sky.

He closed his eyes and flew into it!

...As soon as he entered, Su Yan was immediately swallowed by the sandstorm.

The air was full of swirling grit, blotting out the sky and leaving everything dark.

Su Yan kept his eyes tightly shut, covering his face with his hands, and flew quickly according to the Eye of the Gods' prompts.

The violent sandstorm cut into his entire body, and a tearing pain blossomed from every pore.

His Health was decreasing frantically!

"You have consumed a High-Grade Blood Replenishment Potion. Health restored by 50%!" (Used out of combat, no cooldown)

"You have consumed a High-Grade Healing Potion. Health restores by 5% per second for 15 seconds!"

Su Yan was also chugging potions like crazy!

One per second, eating non-stop.

[There's a Hallucinogenic Eye of the Storm ahead. Prepare to turn left. Perfect dodge!]

[Turn right after 2000 meters...]

Fortunately, the Eye of the Gods provided constant prompts.

But what Su Yan didn't know was that,

all around his body, countless undead were drifting in from the sandstorm, gathering in greater and greater numbers.

They let out ear-piercing, shrill howls.

He flew for a full two minutes.

The world suddenly became quiet, and everything vanished without a trace.

[We've arrived. Open your eyes!]

Seeing this prompt from the Eye of the Gods, Su Yan's heart finally settled as he slowly opened his eyes.

The sky was clear and the air was fresh; the sandstorm was gone.

"It's actually a hidden map!"

Su Yan looked at the brand-new map below and immediately realized this.

A look of joy flashed in his eyes as he landed like a cannonball.

This place was like a paradise in the desert; although it wasn't an oasis, it was even better than one.

A dilapidated temple stood ahead, its broken walls and ruins appearing both sacred and desolate.

Su Yan knew that

the fortuitous encounter this time was definitely inside this temple.

"What will be inside?"

His heart couldn't help but burn with anticipation as he cautiously stepped forward.

Rumble!

However, just then, the temple before him suddenly began to shake violently.

Or, strictly speaking, the entire desert was trembling.

"Divine Domain, Mortals are forbidden!"

Immediately after.

An ethereal and majestic voice came from all directions.

The desert beneath his feet suddenly turned into surging waves, overturning heaven and earth.

Su Yan had long been mentally prepared and quickly flew into the high sky upon seeing this.

At this moment, divine light suddenly pierced out from the quicksand, and then a terrifying Divine Power enveloped the world.

In the midst of the sandstorm filling the sky, a long-haired beauty with a human torso and a snake tail flew out from the temple.

"How dare you trespass into my divine Domain? Die!"

Su Yan only had time to see the words "Goddess of the Desert (Fallen God)" above her head before he heard this authoritative shout.

"Holy crap, another god?"

Su Yan was instantly stunned, yet secretly delighted.

This trip is definitely worth it!

In this moment of crisis, he didn't hesitate and immediately used the skill Summon God.

"Save me, Dawn!"

In an instant.

Another Divine Power appeared in the world, and as soon as it emerged, it began to erode the original Divine Power at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The next moment,

a sea of flowers suddenly grew in the desert,

and the Goddess of Dawn appeared, wearing a milky-white dress with silver hair and snow-white skin.

"A mere Fallen God dares to harm my master!"

The Goddess of Dawn opened her golden eyes, her noble face cold and peerless, as she let out this clear shout.

Along with that shout.

The light of dawn shone upon the desert, and the Dawn Divine Power took a clear upper hand.

Gradually taking control of the area, the sound of the Void Realm shattering in the sky rang out like firecrackers.

Within that void, the undead howled miserably and were reduced to ashes.

"You... you are actually a Middle God with a Rank 12 Godhead!"

At this time, the Goddess of the Desert was shocked by the sudden appearance of the Goddess of Dawn.

She didn't expect that the Mortal before her could actually summon a Middle God even stronger than herself!

She had been careless!

"Master, apply the Shackles."

After completely gaining control of this divine Domain, the Goddess of Dawn spoke to remind Su Yan.

"On it!"

Su Yan indicated he had been ready for a long time.

"Mortal, what are you going to do!"

The Goddess of the Desert was restrained by the Dawn Divine Power and could not move.

Seeing Su Yan flying over with an excited look, she immediately scolded him in panic.

"What am I doing? You'll find out soon enough!"

The chains in his palm flickered with light, and Su Yan smiled slightly.

Then he pushed his palm toward the Goddess of the Desert and shouted:

"Shackles!!"

Boom!

In an instant!

Two blood-red chains in a crossed shape flew out from his palm, runes flashing on the chains as they instantly shot toward the Goddess of the Desert.

"Ah!"

The creation rule descended,

and a huge black Lamia phantom appeared behind the Goddess of the Desert. The phantom screamed and struggled as its Divine Power constantly collided with the creation rule.

But it was immediately suppressed.

Swish swish!

The blood-red chains turned into two streaks of red light, locking onto the phantom's left and right wrists and slowly pulling upwards.

Half a minute later.

The black Lamia phantom gradually stopped struggling and became quiet.

[Shackles completed.]

Seeing this prompt,

Su Yan smiled.

The Goddess of Dawn withdrew her Divine Power and floated behind him, her holy divine body dazzling and eye-catching.

Once the phantom disappeared, the Goddess of the Desert's ferocity was gone.

She flew in front of Su Yan, crossed her arms over her chest, and bowed respectfully:

"Please command Misha as you wish, my master!"

...At this moment,

a world announcement suddenly rang out in the sky:

"Player [Demon Slayer] has defeated the Goddess of the Desert—Misha (Fallen God) in the Sandstorm Restricted Zone. The sandstorm has vanished, and the explorable area of the Endless Desert map has doubled!

All Lizardmen, Sandworms, and Snakemen's attributes are reduced by 50%, and experience gain is increased by 20% for 48 hours!"