The Inside Story

"Do you remember that Intermediate mission I told you about before? To be honest, I need this money so that after 'that matter' begins, I can issue follow-up missions to other people."

"I still want to know what this matter is." Since Yun Xi had already made her choice, she would not hesitate.

"Mm, sure. I can tell you the basic information needed to trigger the mission for free. However, I also have some insider information related to this mission. Would you like to buy it?"

"I guarantee that my insider information is 100% accurate, and it will be extremely beneficial to you in completing the mission. If you don't believe me, we can sign a purchase contract first."

"If I participate in this mission, won't we become competitors? Why are you still willing to sell me the insider information?" Yun Xi was puzzled.

"No. My goal isn't to complete the mission myself, but to have someone else complete it. As long as someone can complete the mission, I can regain my freedom."

Yun Xi understood. The Alchemist was no longer considering the mission rewards. What he wanted most was freedom.

"The price of this information isn't high—only 500 Green Crystals. I guarantee that it will be worth far more than the price. What do you think? Do you want to buy it?"

"How about 200 Green Crystals? I just paid off a loan, so I really have no money left." Yun Xi naturally had to bargain.

As for whether his information would truly be worth far more than the price, the purchase contract would give her the answer.

"Fine. Two hundred Green Crystals it is."

"To show my sincerity, I'll tell you the most important piece of information first. The Goddess of Freedom has already fallen and become a specter."

Upon hearing this, Yun Xi no longer knew how to react.

There was no need to explain what it meant for a deity to become a specter.

A specter above LV40?

As the auction officially began, the Alchemist sat beside Yun Xi and began revealing one piece of insider information after another without the slightest hesitation.

"It is known that the Goddess of Freedom spent 1,500 years in the Shuyu Plains. Adding the time she needed to cultivate before becoming a god, she is at least 3,000 years old."

"Demigods between LV41 and LV50 have a lifespan of only 2,000 years, so we can rule out her being within this strength range."

"Lesser Deities between LV51 and LV60 have a lifespan of 5,000 years. The Goddess of Freedom may be within this level range."

"In the worst-case scenario, the Goddess of Freedom is an Intermediate Deity between LV61 and LV70, or perhaps a deity of an even higher level."

Yun Xi...

The money she had spent was not wasted at all. Aside from learning the Goddess of Freedom's approximate level, she had also learned the level divisions above LV40 from the Alchemist himself.

Demigods, Lesser Deities, Intermediate Deities... Did that mean there were also Higher Deities and deities of even higher levels?

"Although the Goddess of Freedom's level is very high, I assume that mission won't require us to confront her directly, right?"

"That's right. The Goddess of Freedom won't participate directly in that mission.

In this region, the divine ancestors of the Three Grand Duchies once established a restrictive formation. Any specter above LV40 will be immediately expelled, and her true body isn't here."

"But the danger... won't be reduced by much because of that. At most, it means you won't die instantly."

"Correspondingly, the mission rewards are also extremely high. They are an exclusive inheritance established by the Goddess of Freedom with the last trace of clarity she possessed before becoming a specter."

"Originally, after becoming a specter, the Goddess of Freedom would no longer care about matters from when she was alive. The problem is that she left something behind here."

At this point, the Alchemist's voice paused for a moment.

Then, a system notification sounded beside Yun Xi's ear.

[Special Mission: The Wish of the Goddess of Freedom (Specter).

Mission Objective: Go to the Goddess of Freedom (Deity)'s inheritance site at coordinates (***542, ***649), bring out the Heart of Freedom, and give it to the Goddess of Freedom (Specter).

Mission Time Limit: None.

Mission Hint: 63 days remain until the inheritance site opens again.

Mission Completion Reward: The Goddess of Freedom (Deity)'s inheritance or the Goddess of Freedom (Specter)'s inheritance.

Mission Failure Penalty: Determined according to the actual circumstances.]

After receiving this mission notification, what surprised Yun Xi most was that it had actually been issued by the Goddess of Freedom after she became a specter.

Considering the Alchemist's reference to her "time alive," could it mean what Yun Xi thought it meant? Did deities fall and become specters after dying?

"Your mission should have been activated, right?"

"There's no need for me to say anything more about what happens next. I accepted the mission once before, but after failing, I lost my freedom. That was the punishment imposed on me by the Goddess of Freedom (Specter).

"Furthermore, this punishment is permanent. Unless my strength surpasses that of the Goddess of Freedom (Specter), I cannot regain my freedom, unless someone fulfills her wish."

"After failing, can you still participate in this mission?"

"Yes. The mission has no time limit. Although I've lost my freedom, the Goddess of Freedom's inheritance site isn't far from here, and it is barely within the range of my movements."

"Is there any more insider information?"

"Mm... Apart from the two of us, there should be many other favored geniuses coming here. You can prepare in advance."

"Oh, right. There's one more thing. The Goddess of Freedom's inheritance is limited to professionals under the age of 100. You aren't over 100, are you?"

Yun Xi shook her head.

"Good. There are still two months before the inheritance site opens again. Prepare more during that time. Investigation-type resources are indispensable. Do you need me to craft an investigation-type piece of equipment for you?"

"Is it expensive?"

"Not expensive. A friendship price—around 100 Green Crystals for a high-grade piece of equipment."

It really wasn't expensive. Under normal circumstances, a high-grade piece of equipment would sell for at least several hundred Green Crystals.

Although she really wanted it, she had spent too much money just now. Buying anything else would be unreasonable.

"Can I reserve one, then? My living expenses will be deposited next month." Yun Xi deliberately said this to make it seem as though she had someone backing her.

"Sure. Crafting it will take some time anyway. May I ask which city you're from? Did you happen to come to Qinglan Town?"

The Alchemist was puzzled about Yun Xi's mission from the Goddess of Freedom (Specter). Could she really be a young lady who had merely come here by chance to gain experience?

An investigating look appeared in the Alchemist's eyes.

He had not learned Appraisal Skill, nor had he used an investigation-type piece of equipment to casually probe other people's circumstances. Therefore, when Yun Xi had met him the previous time, even though she had not yet put on the Black Mist Stone Earring, he had not realized that Yun Xi was actually just an adventurer.

"I'm not from the Shuyu Plains. Even if I told you, you wouldn't know the place. Traveling far away to gain experience is a tradition in my family."

Yun Xi was not lying. She really had come from far away, and the members of the Yun Family now logged in every day to travel to different regions of the Godfall Continent to gain experience. How could she say it was not a "tradition"?