Benefits Secured

Under Odin’s order to save Frigga at any cost, Mana Restoration Potions were delivered to Li Feng as if they were free. Li Feng did not stand on ceremony and drank them without restraint.

Only when Li Feng rubbed his round belly and said he could not drink another drop did the Technology Institute, which possessed Asgard’s highest technology, finally live up to expectations and pour a bottle of golden potion into Frigga’s mouth.

Watching Frigga swallow the potion and seeing her formerly pale face regain its rosy color within seconds, Li Feng smacked his lips, gave Thor a thumbs-up, and said, "Amazing. The effect is way too good."

Hearing Li Feng’s praise, Thor was not proud in the slightest. Instead, he felt too embarrassed to show his face.

Asgard was an interstellar civilization, after all. What was so impressive about possessing advanced healing methods?

Besides, his mother was no ordinary person. She was a highly skilled Mage. As long as the potion removed the Cursed Warrior’s energy, Frigga could recover her Stamina Restoration through her own strength alone.

Yet now, Frigga still needed support just to stand steadily after receiving treatment. That was already humiliating enough.

It was all the fault of those old scholars who hid in laboratories all day researching this and that. The Healing Potions they developed were so ineffective. Thor shot the healer beside him an irritated glance, helped the still-weak Frigga up, and said to Li Feng, who was slumped on the floor gasping for breath, as he walked toward the bedroom, "Austin, do you need someone to take you back to your room to rest?"

Li Feng, his face full of exhaustion, weakly waved a hand. "I was just tossed around by having my Mana drained dry one moment and rapidly restored the next. I’ll be able to return on my own after resting here for a few minutes. You should tell His Majesty that the Queen is out of danger. He must be worried right now."

One of the guards suddenly said, "Your Highness, I already sent someone to inform Father God."

The moment the guard finished speaking, hurried footsteps sounded from the entrance to the palace chambers.

There was no need to guess. It was Odin, who had hastily set aside his affairs and rushed to the chambers.

Entering the chambers, Odin saw that although Frigga’s complexion had regained some color, she was still weak enough to require Thor’s support. As he and Thor helped Frigga into the bedroom from either side, he ordered, "Healers, bring the equipment and follow me."

A quarter of an hour later, Li Feng was preparing to get up and return to his room to rest when Odin emerged from the bedroom and gestured for Li Feng to follow him to the balcony.

On the balcony, Odin looked down at the city that had been bombarded by the Dark Elves and asked, "Thor told me that you know Ancient One?"

Li Feng nodded slightly but did not explain anything. He was truly exhausted, and even standing on the balcony made him feel a little dizzy.

"Did Ancient One teach you your Time Spell?" Odin asked, sounding somewhat displeased.

Why do I feel like there’s some resentment in your tone? Are you jealous that I know a Time Spell while you, the All-Father, don’t? Li Feng nodded inwardly with delight. Serves you right for looking down on me. Jealous, aren’t you? Want to learn? Too bad, I’m not teaching you.

Seeing that Li Feng merely nodded without explaining, Odin continued, "You want to go to Xandar?"

Li Feng nodded weakly again.

After asking several questions, Odin waved his hand in frustration, signaling for Li Feng, who would only nod, to go rest.

Watching Li Feng’s exhausted retreating figure, Odin sighed deeply inwardly.

At first, Li Feng saving Jane had nothing to do with Odin. Even after Li Feng specifically identified what was inside Jane as Aether, Odin had settled the matter by opening the library and overlooking the destruction of the Destroyer.

But after Li Feng saved Frigga, if Li Feng insisted that all he needed was to borrow the Bifrost, the reward Odin would have to pay would only become greater.

That was because Odin had publicly shown impatience and contempt toward Li Feng.

If Odin did not provide enough compensation, how would the people of Asgard see him? Would they whisper behind his back that the All-Father had looked down on Li Feng and therefore hastily tossed him a little reward to be done with it?

Odin was old, so old that one foot was already in the grave. He did not want later generations to carve something like "petty and stingy" onto his tombstone.

Even if someone pointed out that the ones who had ultimately saved the Queen were the Technology Institute, would the public see it that way or understand?

They would only say that Li Feng had used precious Eternal Spring and Angel Blood to save the Asgardian Queen, and had bought the Technology Institute time to treat her through his own efforts.

So, in order to silence the masses, Odin not only had to give sufficient compensation, but also had to offer a reward beyond everyone’s imagination to show the public that he regretted previously looking down on Li Feng and to prove that he was a wise ruler.

Originally, Odin had thought that giving the reward was no big deal. There were plenty of greedy people in the world, after all. If someone killed Li Feng for his wealth, Odin would not be surprised in the slightest.

Odin had even thought of how to avenge Li Feng and reclaim the reward afterward. After all, it was compensation for Li Feng. How could outsiders be allowed to touch it?

But now, a Dark Mage who should have been Kamar-Taj’s sworn enemy actually had a good relationship with Ancient One.

Wasn’t that ridiculous?

Yet Li Feng’s Time Spell could not be faked, and time was Ancient One’s greatest specialty.

Now things were troublesome. Ancient One’s existence not only forced Odin to add lavish gifts on top of the original compensation, but also ensured that these treasures would truly end up in Li Feng’s hands.

At the thought of the precious items in the treasury soon falling into Li Feng’s hands for him to play with, Odin felt his chest tighten.

Damn it, I’m going to suffer a huge loss this time.

The next day, Li Feng, who was sprawled across a soft bed snoring, was awakened by Thor’s booming voice outside the door.

"Austin, come quickly and see the gift Father prepared for you."

A gift? Li Feng, who had still been half-asleep, instantly woke up. After throwing off the covers, putting on his clothes, and rubbing his face, he rubbed his excited expression into one of lofty indifference toward money. Then he calmly opened the door and stepped aside to let Thor in. "Morning."

"Good morning." Thor entered the room with several guards carrying silver-black armor. As the guards placed a full suit of armor on the coffee table, Thor shook the matching silver-black armor on his arm and said, "Father knows your physical body is weak, so he found armor made from the same material as mine in the treasury and gave it to you."

Li Feng speechlessly picked up the obviously oversized helmet, which had what looked like beetle horns sticking out of it. Great. The helmet really fits Asgardian tastes, and one glance tells me it’s the type worn by guards. But if I put this thing on, how many years do you think Stark will laugh at me?

And what’s with such a huge helmet? The first impression it gives is that it was converted from a soup pot.

Unaware that Li Feng was frantically mocking him inwardly, Thor saw Li Feng examining the helmet and smiled as he introduced it. "Don’t worry. It may look oversized, but once you put it on, you’ll find that it fits perfectly."

"There’s magic on the armor?" Li Feng casually set down the helmet and said lazily, "I’m a Mage, not a warrior. You should give me a robe instead."

Thor froze for a moment. Thinking that Li Feng did not understand the armor’s powerful defensive capabilities, he was about to explain the benefits of wearing it in detail when he saw Li Feng weigh the breastplate in his hands and say disdainfully, "I’m just a frail little Mage who can’t carry much or lift much. Are you asking me to wear heavy armor all the time to work out? And as for putting it on right before a battle…"

Li Feng pointed at the shoulder bag beside him. "I already think it’s too slow to pull out a weapon from my shoulder bag. You expect me to signal for a pause in the middle of a fight, wait until I put on the armor, and then continue? Do you think any idiot would wait for me to finish putting on armor before fighting?"

Odin obviously gave me something I can only look at but never use, all while silencing public criticism. And he calls himself the All-Father? What a stingy bastard.

"Uh…" Thor scratched his head awkwardly. He truly had never considered whether wearing armor all day was tiring, since he wore armor all the time himself. But Li Feng clearly could not do that. He did not have Thor’s physique.

After thinking for a moment, Thor said, "How about I find Mother and have her teach you a spell to conceal the armor?"

"A spell?" Li Feng’s eyes shifted as he roughly guessed what this so-called armor-concealing spell was.

It was like Loki. He usually wore a suit or robes, but the moment battle came, he could instantly change into gleaming golden armor.

Or like when Thor regained his Divine Power, and armor instantly covered his body.

This should be an application of some kind of Space Spell, right? And this kind of Personal Space can not only conceal armor, but also conceal the Mind Stone. Thinking of this, Li Feng nodded and asked, "Would the Queen agree to teach me the spell?"

Thor gave Li Feng a reassuring look, then turned to the guard beside him. "Go to the Queen. Do you know what to do?"

The guard nodded, saluted, and turned to run toward Frigga’s chambers.

A spell and a suit of armor, both secured. Li Feng laughed madly inwardly, and the corners of his mouth could not help but curve upward slightly.

If the one who had saved Frigga had been an Asgardian, Odin rewarding him with armor made from the same material as Thor’s would have been enough to silence all rumors.

But Li Feng was not an Asgardian, so…

Thor extended a hand for Li Feng to follow him and said, "Father asked me to relay this to you: ‘I allow you to choose one useful treasure from the treasury.’" After pausing, Thor frowned. "Father said that as long as I repeated his exact words to you, you would understand."

After speaking, Thor asked in confusion, "Do you know what Father means?"

Li Feng smiled slightly. I understand. The key phrase is ‘useful.’ I’m not even a demigod right now, so any treasure useful to me would probably be useless junk in your eyes. And since I’m choosing it myself, no one can blame Odin for anything.

Though he understood, Li Feng did not dare say what he was thinking. That would get people killed.

Before long, Thor led Li Feng into the treasury.

The Asgardians had a long history, and the treasures they had collected were dazzlingly varied.

Li Feng strolled leisurely while listening to Thor introduce the various treasures, as well as their functions and flaws.

When they reached a brazier burning with fierce flames despite having no fuel, Li Feng narrowed his eyes and asked, "I can sense that these flames are very powerful."

"Yes." Thor stood beside Li Feng and explained, "This is the source of power of Surtur, the fire giant—the Eternal Fire."

Good stuff. Li Feng rubbed his chin and said, "Can I collect a few flames of Eternal Fire for research?"

Afraid Thor would refuse, Li Feng added, "Even one would be fine. I’m skilled in fire spells, and seeing such an unusual flame without properly researching it would leave me unwilling to accept it."

Thor tilted his head in thought, then asked, "You’ll only collect one?"

He’s going to agree. Li Feng hurriedly nodded and promised, "Just one."

"Fine." Thor nodded. "But you’ll have to figure out how to collect it yourself. I don’t understand spells."