"Teyvat, I have returned!"
As this dialogue with the world was uttered, the entire world began to respond to Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's return.
The first to react was the Irminsul.
In the Sanctuary of Surasthana, under Nahida's bewildered gaze, the Irminsul, which previously had a faint connection with her, instantly erupted with its fundamental power, deeply hidden within its core.
For a moment,
even the forbidden power of corruption was shaken by this force and temporarily forced to retreat.
Let alone Nahida, the Lesser Lord Kusanali; her connection was instantly severed.
Although Nahida is Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's half-self, her connection to the Irminsul is far less intimate than Buyer's.
After all, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and the Irminsul were born as one.
The next moment,
a terrifying power, immeasurably vaster than the entire mass of Teyvat, appeared out of thin air from within the Irminsul.
Forbidden power?
Abyssal corruption?
Facing this extremely terrifying power, it had no time to resist and was directly submerged and crushed, unable to stir up even a ripple... Mondstadt.
Angel's Share tavern.
"As expected of the treasured top-grade Dandelion Wine, this crisp mellow fragrance..."
The green bard, with blurred, drunken eyes, savored the rare fine wine before him, not showing his usual playful attitude towards the puzzled red-haired man.
"Barbatos, what's going on? Has Stormterror's matter not been resolved? Why do you seem less happy than I imagined?"
Diluc frowned, carefully considering if there was something he hadn't noticed.
However, no matter how much Diluc pondered, he could never guess what the Anemo Archon was thinking at this moment.
Sometimes, the perspectives of humans and gods are entirely different.
In Diluc's view, Mondstadt had already weathered the Stormterror disaster, and the matter had temporarily concluded, so there should be no immediate issues.
However, the Anemo Archon's thoughts were quite the opposite.
With the emergence of the Descender Lumine, the Anemo Archon Barbatos keenly sensed the surging tide of a new era.
If everything went smoothly, that would be for the best, but if the Heavenly Principles' plan failed... it was likely that not only Mondstadt would be no more, but whether Teyvat itself could even continue to exist would be another matter.
As for the Tsaritsa's plan?
Barbatos and Morax, these two most ancient Archons, were purely indifferent observers, or rather, they both knew that all of this was likely within the Heavenly Principles' chessboard.
Barnabas's every move was probably also within the Heavenly Principles' expectations.
Therefore, when Snezhnaya sent someone to retrieve the Gnosis, Barbatos simply went along with the flow and gave it up.
No one understood what kind of existence the Heavenly Principles truly were better than Barbatos and Morax, these two ancient Archons.
Just as Barbatos was in a complicated mood, his expression suddenly changed drastically.
His previously half-closed pale green eyes now widened abruptly.
"This is... such a familiar sound!"
Then, under Diluc's strange gaze, the Anemo Archon directly transformed into wind and departed, abandoning even the fine wine he had only half-drunk.
"Has something happened that I don't know about?"
Frowning deeply, although Diluc was a top-tier Archon, he found it difficult to hear Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's dialogue with the world... "How could Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, who fell centuries ago, suddenly return? And at this time?"
Not only that, the moment Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's voice rang out, Celestia, which had been silent for a long time, also seemed to become active.
It was as if the long-vacant throne had finally welcomed back its true owner.
And with Celestia's activity, this throne of Teyvat directly issued a summons to all the Archons.
Was it the Heavenly Principles' awakening?
Or had Greater Lord Rukkhadevata done something?
The previously playful bard Venti went offline, and the Anemo Archon Barbatos's expression became calm, his eyes shimmering with the light of wisdom.
"Let's go to Celestia first. Perhaps Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's sudden return can bring new hope?"
Although the Heavenly Principles were powerful and domineering, with a very self-important air.
But to say Barbatos was afraid?
That might not be true; at most, it was just falling.
Constantly eroded by erosion, if Barbatos hadn't been unable to let go of Mondstadt, he would have long since fallen into self-slumber, awaiting the moment of annihilation.
If he wasn't afraid of falling, what was there to fear from the Heavenly Principles?
... Liyue.
Yun-Han Opera Troupe.
"Alas—the autumn red is broken, hard to be whole again; the infatuated are consumed by resentful madness."
Yun Jin, the head of the Yun-Han Opera Troupe, sang with a clear and sweet voice, her flexible and varied tones lingering in the ear, captivating listeners and drawing them into the story she performed, unwilling to awaken.
Zhongli, the young man with a calm and mountain-like demeanor, lightly sipped the good tea in his cup, nodding in approval from time to time.
"Lady Yun Jin's skill seems to have reached a new level..."
Just then, Zhongli paused slightly, and the teacup in his hand, along with the tea inside, was directly petrified into an amber color.
But even with such a lapse, Zhongli remained lost in thought for a long time.
"Old friend, why have you suddenly returned? And why, upon your return, have you caused such a tempest?"
Zhongli, or rather Morax, his power was still above Barbatos's.
Barbatos could only subtly sense that with Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's return, the entire Teyvat World underwent subtle changes.
But Morax could clearly perceive Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's figure, more dazzling than the sun in the sky.
Merely standing there, she seemed to be the center of the world, the source of all things!
The world was calling for the return of this incarnation of the Irminsul.
The world was responding to the dialogue of Sumeru's Mahakusaladhamma Great Lord of Wisdom.
And as Greater Lord Rukkhadevata stepped onto the ground of Celestia, the world continuously cheered and rejoiced.
But.
How was this possible?
As the most ancient Archon, Morax understood the current state of Teyvat all too well.
The War of the Second Throne had already severely damaged the world's essence.
The Khaenriah cataclysm that year even pushed Teyvat further down the path of destruction... How could the Teyvat World still have the strength to respond to Greater Lord Rukkhadevata?
In silence, Zhongli returned to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
He needed some time to calm the complex thoughts triggered by the sudden change.
"Oh ~ Consultant, why does your face look strange? Could it be that something good you had your eye on was acquired by Tianquan Ningguang again?"
Lost in thought, Zhongli didn't even notice the Funeral Parlor Director, who was already close by.
"Director, I'm afraid I need to go out for a while to visit an old friend."
"Go, go, but remember not to send so many bills again! A few more big ones, and the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor will be over budget this year!"
Hu Tao, hearing this, pulled at her stiff face and warned him.
Her consultant was good in every way, learned and knowledgeable, and his money-making ability was top-notch.
But the key was, he earned money fast, but spent it even more extravagantly!
Only hearing Hu Tao's agreement, Zhongli didn't listen to her subsequent words, and his figure instantly vanished from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
"He's leaving so fast, it seems the matter is indeed urgent..."
Hu Tao wasn't surprised by her consultant's extraordinary nature, casually revealed. She wasn't a fool; someone who had raised her and whose appearance remained unchanged clearly wasn't an ordinary person, and without a doubt, was an adeptus-level existence.