"It really worked."
Shi Feng watched as the key's azure glow flowed into the golden gate. The gate immediately burst forth with streams of golden light, illuminating the entire Eternal Courtyard like the sun itself.
With a grinding groan, the golden gate slowly opened. Immediately, a wave of bone-chilling cold surged from within. Shi Feng reacted swiftly, leaping backward. However, being in water slowed his retreat. The frigid aura still brushed against his body.
Shi Feng felt a sharp, cutting pain, instantly losing 2,000 health points.
"The cold here is intense."
He checked his health bar. Fortunately, his Ice Resistance was high enough; otherwise, that single touch would have killed him. He quickly took a mid-grade recovery potion from his inventory and downed it in one gulp, restoring a significant portion of his health.
For him to lose 2,000 health instantly with 60 Ice Resistance, the cold inside the golden gate must have been unimaginable.
Thankfully, once the gate was fully open, the chill dispersed, and the interior was no longer freezing.
Stepping inside, Shi Feng saw the hall filled with various golden sculptures, all depicting ancient gods.
Among them, one statue was particularly striking: a heroic man raising a high sword. The figure stood proudly in the center of the hall, surrounded by countless swords thrust into the ground—a quick glance revealed there were at least a thousand. All these swords seemed to bow in submission before the man.
Even Shi Feng's Magic Artifact, the Abyssal, trembled faintly in his grasp, yearning to fly over and submit at the statue's feet.
Shi Feng found it incredible.
It was just a statue. Yet it could make the powerful Abyssal, which even he found formidable, want to submit. How strong had this man been in life?
At the base of the statue sat a deep blue crystal ball, radiating a shocking level of cold.
Seeing it, Shi Feng instantly understood.
This was the source of the entire pond's freezing temperature.
This made his heart race with desire. To chill such a vast pond to this degree, it had to be a treasure.
He quickly swam over to the deep blue crystal ball and tried to see if he could take it. His hand hadn't even touched it when a piercing pain shot through his finger, and 1,000 points of damage popped up above his head. He was forced to back off.
Seeing such a powerful treasure right there, yet unable to claim it, Shi Feng felt a pang of regret.
Just as he was about to look for other treasures, a system notification sounded.
System: The will of the ancient gods permeates the Eternal Hall. Do you submit to this will?
Before Shi Feng could process what was happening, a majestic, commanding voice echoed repeatedly in his mind.
"Submit to me, and I will grant you unparalleled power, power that will make even gods tremble. From this day forth, you will be the strongest in this world!"
"Submit to me, and you shall gain eternal life, becoming the eternal ruler of this world!"
...
Listening to the tempting, honeyed words filling his mind, Shi Feng began to waver, on the verge of choosing to submit to this will.
Just as he was about to speak...
Suddenly, memories of his past life flooded his mind.
In his previous life, he hadn't submitted to Xiong Ba Tianxia. Because of that, he was expelled from the Divine Realm by the Shadow Guild, yet he still hadn't yielded. He had prepared to start all over again.
In this life, when facing the Martial Alliance, Dark Star, the Underworld... if he had chosen to submit, his life would have been easier. But he hadn't.
All because he refused to be controlled by others, to have his fate dictated by someone else, becoming a mere puppet.
And now they wanted him to submit?
Just as Shi Feng was about to refuse, the majestic voice once again tempted him: "Do you not wish to become the ruler of this world? Submit to me, and I will give you everything you desire!"
"Since that's the case, all I want is the ability to say 'no.' Can you grant that?" With that, Shi Feng chose to refuse submission.
"Stupid mortal!"