Though the Points required for the Immortal Slaying Flying Dagger were slightly lower than the Haotian Tower, its destructive potential was equally terrifying. At their peak, both were weapons that could rewrite the laws of existence.
Hanachirusato voiced the doubt lingering in everyone's mind: "Why is a single flying dagger ranked alongside the ten great artifacts of the Heaven's Scar world? Logically, the materials and legends of those artifacts should far surpass a simple set of throwing blades, right?"
The veterans of the group nodded. One was a set of legendary pillars of a world; the other was "merely" a high-level immortal weapon. There should be a chasm between them.
Su Han leaned back, his expression grave. "You're overlooking a crucial concept: the Hierarchy of Worlds. In the world of Heaven's Scar, the Haotian Tower is supreme. Thus, its 15-million-point price reflects that. But the world the Flying Dagger originates from..."
"You mean the 'most dangerous world'?" the Raiden Shogun interjected, her instincts sharp.
Just then, a playful breeze swirled into the room. Venti manifested in his seat, grinning at the serious faces. "What most dangerous world? I saw the new loot in the shop. Is something wrong?"
"Venti... in the world I'm talking about, a single mid-level immortal could likely erase the entire Heaven's Scar reality with a flick of their sleeve," Su Han said.
The room fell into a stunned silence. Beidou gasped, "That strong?"
"I find that hard to believe," Diluc muttered.
Su Han looked at the description of the Flying Dagger. "The owner of this treasure is Daoist Lu Ya, a son of the ancient Celestial Emperor. To give you context, in his world, there was a war so vast that one participant's death literally became the cycle of reincarnation for all souls."
[The Legend of the Primordial Chaos]
"What world is this?" Ningguang asked.
"It is the Prehistoric (Honghuang) world," Yae Miko realized, pulling a leather-bound book from her robes—a collection of notes Su Han had once dictated to her. "The world of Pangu's creation. A place where there were three thousand chaos demons before the world even began."
She passed the notes around. The descriptions of Lu Ya, the rainbow-transformation arts, and the Curse of the Seven Nailhead Arrows left the members pale. A world where "immortals" were common and "gods" were mere foot soldiers. It was no wonder Su Han looked so grim.
Hu Tao broke the heavy atmosphere with a laugh. "Oh, stop worrying! If we get missions in that world, we'll just get stronger rewards. We're in Teyvat, and our timeline is our own. Besides, the shop says the dagger is from a 'shattered' world. If even that terrifying place broke apart, it means we have a chance to surpass it eventually!"
Her optimism acted like a balm. The group relaxed, and Ningguang nodded. "Hu Tao is right. We have too much to do today to worry about a world we haven't even visited. Meeting adjourned. Everyone, prepare for tomorrow's rollouts!"
[The Next Morning: The New Era]
The next day, Teyvat woke up to a flurry of announcements.
In Liyue Harbor, the news of the "Spirit Grain" caused a literal stampede at the kiosks. "A grain that makes you stronger just by eating it? Is this real?"
"Look at the seals! The Geo, Anemo, and Electro Archons have all stamped it, along with Lord Su Han's personal signet. It's as real as the Mora in your pocket!"
Simultaneously, the second teaser for the Immortal Trace Mountain movie was released. The dialogue was unlike anything Teyvat had ever heard:
"You want to break our engagement?"
"So what?! The man I love has a Vision. You... are just a talentless waste. I'm sorry, but we aren't from the same world."
"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west! Do not treat a youth as poor forever! One day, I will return as an Immortal and walk through your sect's front gates!"
The "underdog" theme resonated instantly with the common folk. Thousands of men who had never held a sword felt a fire ignite in their chests.
[The Knave's Shock]
Arlecchino sat in a high-end Liyue tea house, feeling completely overwhelmed. The political and social climate of Liyue changed by the hour. But as she watched the crowds, a figure caught her eye.
A woman with silver-white hair and a commanding, aristocratic posture walked past the window. Arlecchino froze. That silhouette... that gait...
Rosalyne?
She didn't dare follow or stare directly—she knew the Sovereign's inner circle had terrifying perception. But she was certain. The woman walking through the streets of Liyue, followed by servants and given a wide berth by the populace out of sheer respect, was none other than The Fair Lady, a "dead" Fatui Harbinger.
Arlecchino took a slow breath, steadying her racing heart. Su Han... you really are hiding a Goddess and a Harbinger in plain sight.
[The First Harvest]
On the Weather Island, the Lower-Tier Elves had worked through the night. Six shifts of sprites had rotated out, exhausted from catalyzing the Spirit Grain.
Sucrose oversaw the collection. Ten thousand pounds of the first harvest sat in heavy crates. When the first bowls of the grain—cooked into a simple white porridge—were served to Su Han and the core team, the room went silent.
Su Han took a bite. The "Spirit Grain" didn't just taste better; it released a steady stream of pure energy that felt like five minutes of intense meditation in a single mouthful.
"This is a strategic treasure," Ningguang said, her eyes sharp. "We cannot allow a single seed to leave our borders. If Snezhnaya gets even one grain, they'll reverse-engineer a demographic shift in their army."
"Agreed," Su Han said. "We will limit sales to those with valid IDs. Priority goes to military families. And for general exports... all grain must be sterilized (deactivated) before it leaves the processing center. We sell the food, but we keep the life-blood."
Sugar (Sucrose) nodded, already noting the sterilization protocols. Teyvat's economy was about to be rewritten, and the "Spirit Grain" was the first stroke of the pen.
100+ chapters are available now and daily updates! @patreon.com/Zefyrus