บท 22: The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata—She Has Returned!
"What is this? What on earth is happening?"
Tighnari's heart filled with joy as he saw the incurable affliction of his student's Eleazar showing signs of remission.
"But what exactly is this light? And what's happening in this forest?"
Leaping up to the higher branches of a massive tree, Tighnari's eyes widened as he caught sight of the Seven Statues of The Seven, each emitting towering beams of light that pierced into the heavens.
"That's… the Statues of The Seven! All of them are releasing massive pillars of light. Is this the power of the gods?"
For five hundred years, since the passing of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and the ascension of Lesser Lord Kusanali as Sumeru's Archon, no one had seen any trace of their new deity.
So much so that the people of Sumeru had nearly forgotten that they had a god at all.
Whenever someone inquired about Lesser Lord Kusanali, the sages of the Akademiya would dismissively say, "Her Eminence, Lesser Lord Kusanali, is meditating in seclusion to find a way to eliminate the Withering and cure Eleazar."
"Could it be… that Her Eminence has already found a way to eradicate the Withering and Eleazar?" Tighnari's voice trembled as he gazed up at the sky, illuminated by vibrant auroras.
His heart raced with excitement.
For a thousand years, the people of Sumeru had suffered countless tragedies at the hands of the Withering and Eleazar.
Every time he saw his student hide away in the shadows, trembling in pain from Eleazar's affliction, he had been helpless to do anything.
Sumeru City
Akademiya
Within the halls of the Akademiya, the sages who had been discussing the feasibility of creating an artificial god with the Fatui Harbinger, Dottore, were so startled by the sudden divine phenomenon that they fell from their chairs.
Grand Sage Azar's eyes widened as he stared at the mountain peaks in the distance, where a beam of aurora shot into the heavens from the Statue of The Seven.
"What is happening? How can the Statues of The Seven emit such radiant light?"
As the Grand Sage of Sumeru, Azar was well aware that the Statues of The Seven were man-made constructs designed to channel faith. Only the gods themselves could utilize the faith power gathered by these statues.
And the faith of the people of Sumeru had always been directed toward the deceased Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, not the Lesser Lord Kusanali, who lacked both divine might and majesty.
"Could it be… that Greater Lord Rukkhadevata is still alive? Could it be that she has returned?"
Far from fearful, Azar was instead overcome with excitement and zeal.
"This is wonderful! If the God of Wisdom has returned, all the unsolvable problems we face will be resolved. This is truly excellent news!"
The other sages shared in his fervor, their hearts alight with the same fevered devotion.
From the sidelines, Dottore, the Second Harbinger of the Fatui, observed the scene with a sneer, his uncovered lips twisting into a mocking smile.
To him, these sages were utterly laughable.
Their arrogance toward knowledge and ignorance of the true nature of gods rendered them blind.
Rather than reverence for Greater Lord Rukkhadevata as a divine being, their so-called devotion was nothing more than greed for the knowledge and wisdom she represented.
They worshiped her not as a god, but as a tool—a limitless fountain of answers to fulfill their insatiable desires for knowledge.
Such foolishness.
It was precisely because of this arrogance that, when he proposed the idea of creating an artificial god—a god entirely under their control—these gullible fools had so readily taken the bait.
"Teacher! My Eleazar is gone!"
Amidst the sages' fevered discussions, a young scholar rolled up his sleeve, tears of joy streaming down his face as he showed his now unblemished arm.
His jubilation, however, was met with scornful rebuke.
"Hmph. It's just Eleazar. If the great God of Wisdom has returned, then of course she would have a way to solve it."
From the shadows, Dottore muttered to himself, "It seems the former God of Wisdom truly isn't dead. Perhaps she has merely been recovering somewhere all this time…"
His plan to help Sumeru create an artificial god now seemed unlikely to come to fruition.
The power of the gods of the Seven Nations is immense—I'm fully aware of that. Right now, I have no desire to clash with them.
While the sages were fervently discussing how to bring back the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, Dottore quietly slipped away from the Akademiya without a trace.
In a quiet corner of Sumeru City.
"Lesser Lord Kusanali, is this your power?"
Dina Zed looked at her arm, now with over half of the gray patches from Eleazar gone, and clasped her hands together in prayer, her eyes brimming with emotion.
At the highest point in Sumeru City, within the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
Imprisoned within the meditation device, Nahida, the Lesser Lord Kusanali, opened her eyes.
"This power… it's so strong. Even some of the Forbidden Knowledge has been purified… No, wait. It wasn't just purified. It's as if the world has stopped rejecting it and instead turned it into something beneficial!"
"What exactly is happening? Has something changed in the world?"
Although her body was confined, as a god, her perception remained unbound. She could clearly sense the sweeping changes taking place across Sumeru.
The transformation of the world might confuse any god, but it could never escape the awareness of the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, whose consciousness was tied to the World Tree—a record of the world's very memory.
As the avatar of the World Tree, she was constantly receiving updates about the changes happening in the world.
Apart from the unknown entity known as "Celestia," she was the most knowledgeable god when it came to the workings of Teyvat.
"The new Descender is extraordinary. They've managed to merge another world with Teyvat, extending its lifespan and mending its fractures," mused a young girl who looked exactly like Nahida, leaning against the shimmering trunk of the World Tree, her eyes sparkling with wisdom.
Although she was the embodiment of the World Tree and thus naturally endowed with the knowledge of Teyvat's history, there were still countless mysteries beyond her reach.
The other Seven Archons, the Floating Island of Celestia, and the events preceding the Cataclysm of the "Year of Ashes" were all shrouded from her view.
Unless someone was of equal or greater power and had actively chosen to conceal their past, she could not peer into their histories.
But with the arrival of the Fifth Descender, certain truths had come to light.
Not only that, the merging of the other world into Teyvat as a subordinate realm had connected its world memory to the World Tree as well.
Through the memories of this newly absorbed world, Rukkhadevata had indirectly learned the reasons behind Teyvat's current transformation.
"While the Forbidden Knowledge no longer poses a fatal threat to Teyvat thanks to the intervention of that other world, it remains harmful," she remarked.
Still, the danger was no longer so severe as to necessitate her own sacrifice.
Moreover, with the corrosive influence of Celestia's imposed wear and tear on all life in Teyvat fading, her strength was gradually returning.
"Judging from the thoughts of this new Heavenly Principle… it seems Sumeru might not even be able to assist them in its current state," she sighed.
As the avatar of the World Tree, Rukkhadevata longed to see the world flourish.
But after she had secluded herself within the World Tree to suppress the Forbidden Knowledge, the Akademiya had slowly spiraled into extremes, its pursuit of knowledge becoming corrupted over the past five centuries.
She was acutely aware of everything the Akademiya had done during those years.
The act of imprisoning Nahida, in particular, left her deeply angry.
If Nahida hadn't been confined, the Forbidden Knowledge would have likely been eradicated from Sumeru five centuries ago.
But there was nothing she could have done at the time. She could only hope for Nahida to eventually reach her.
Now, however, things were different.
Under the influence of the new Heavenly Principle' power, the Forbidden Knowledge had been transformed from a lethal poison into a chronic toxin.
This gave her the opportunity to divert some of her strength toward addressing Sumeru's growing corruption.
She understood that if she didn't take action to clean up Sumeru, the new Heavenly Principle would intervene. And when they did, the consequences would likely be catastrophic.
Mondstadt
Under the landmark Windrise Tree, Venti stood beneath the towering beam of light shooting skyward. He gazed toward the Floating Island of Celestia above the heavens.
The auroras that blanketed the sky in vibrant hues of color obscured Celestia from the eyes of ordinary mortals, but Venti knew it was there, hidden just beyond the shimmering veil.
The rainbow-like ring high above was casting streams of new laws into Teyvat, infusing every inch of the world with revitalized order.
"New laws, new vitality… flowing endlessly through the Thousand Winds. This is wonderful~"
Venti stretched his arms wide, breathing in the invigorating breeze that carried this fresh energy. His aqua-colored eyes turned toward Dragonspine, where the once-damaged Ley Lines were now mending at a rapid pace.
The cold winds that had long swept down from the mountain toward Mondstadt were beginning to weaken.
A thousand years ago, Dragonspine had been part of a thriving human nation devoid of divine protection. Its prosperity, however, was built on the reckless exploitation of the Ley Lines. Over time, this unchecked misuse caused irreparable damage to the Ley Lines, forcing Celestia to act.
Celestia's intervention came in the form of a Divine Nail that pinned down the broken Ley Lines, stabilizing them. It wasn't an act of punishment against the people of the nation but rather a necessary measure to protect the Ley Lines.
"Mondstadt's climate is improving so much that I'll only need to use sixty percent of my power to maintain the Thousand Winds," Venti said, his voice filled with delight.
He wasn't as weak as he pretended to be. Although he wasn't as strong as the oldest gods like Morax, among the Seven Archons, Venti was definitely in the top three. After all, of the original Seven Archons, only three remained—himself, Morax, and Beelzebul. The other four Archons' successors were far weaker than their predecessors.
Mondstadt's pleasant climate was not natural. A millennium ago, following the Archon War, Venti had used his divine power to establish the Path of the Thousand Winds across Mondstadt, known today as the Thousand Winds.
Maintaining the Thousand Winds required him to channel more than ninety percent of his divine power constantly. If the hymn faltered, Mondstadt would once again be swept by the harsh, bitter winds of the pre-Archon War era.
"Huh, how unfortunate. It seems the three worlds currently in play all have someone else managing them. I have nothing to do~"
Venti scratched his head in frustration. He longed to explore the other worlds but could only do so through the gateways created by Celestia's Heavenly Principle.
If Celestia discovered he had snuck out for some fun, would they scold him?
Maybe he could ask to tag along with Fontaine's forces when the second world was absorbed?
Fontaine
Within the Court of Fontaine, the highest seat of Fontaine's authority, known as the Palais Mermonia, Neuvillette stood before his desk, his gaze fixed on the aurora-drenched sky outside the window.
"The waters of Fontaine… they've changed. There's something new within them—something I completely fail to understand," Neuvillette murmured, a mix of curiosity and concern in his voice.
He turned back toward Focalors, the true Hydro Archon.
Just days earlier, when 'Furina' appeared before him in her divine form, he had been momentarily stunned.
Only after her explanation did he learn the truth: Furina was also the Hydro Archon, but she had divided her personality and divinity into two separate entities.
It was only now that he understood why Furina had always seemed like an ordinary, playful girl to him.
"So it's true… the new Heavenly Principle, his plan to assimilate other worlds—it's all real," Neuvillette said, finally accepting Focalors's words.
"Of course it's true, Neuvillette," Focalors replied calmly, gazing at the Heavenly Throne hovering in the sky. "What you're witnessing now is the projection of Celestia's work as they merge another world into Teyvat."
"The Heavenly Principle have entrusted Fontaine with the task of handling the second world. We must ensure everything goes flawlessly," she added.
"The second world is not like the first," Focalors continued, her tone heavy with caution. "That world contains godlike beings of immense power. Its complexity far surpasses that of the first world. For this mission, Fontaine must mobilize all its strength to carry out the plan laid forth by the Heavenly Principle."
The first world had been weak—a mere trial for Celestia's plans. The second world, however, would present real challenges.
"Those so-called Teigu, and the Emperor's Divine Mechanism—his Supreme Throne?" Neuvillette said calmly.
Furcalors had already provided him with this information on that day, though he still found it difficult to fully comprehend.
"Teigu are, in some ways, superior to Vision wielders. They even possess the destructive power and authority akin to that of gods," Neuvillette remarked, closing his eyes in thought.
"The Emperor's Teigu reminds me of the massive war machines of Khaenri'ah. Those truly were human creations capable of rivaling Archons."
Furcalors responded sincerely, "Exactly. Neuvillette, Supreme Judge of Fontaine, for the sake of Fontaine and for the betterment of Teyvat, I entrust this to you."
Though Furcalors was the God of Justice, the Queen of Water, and the Arbiter of Laws, she was not as adept at governance as Neuvillette.
Ever since inheriting her divine authority from Egeria, the previous Hydro Archon, Furcalors had devoted herself entirely to unraveling Fontaine's prophecy, leaving her with no time to manage the nation herself.
The second world, however, required the steady hand of someone like Neuvillette, a leader capable of maintaining stability and order.
Neuvillette paused briefly before replying with measured resolve, "For Fontaine… and for Teyvat… your request is one I cannot refuse."
He glanced at Furcalors again and added, "By the way, do you plan to tell Furina the truth? I believe she has the right to know."
Furcalors sighed. "She'll find out eventually. If she asks, feel free to tell her."
With that, Furcalors dissolved into pale blue light, vanishing completely.
"Leave it to fate, then," Neuvillette murmured to himself before returning to his work.
Liyue
At Jueyun Karst, Qingyun Peak.
The remnants of demonic energy lingering across the lands of Liyue were rapidly being purified. The disrupted Ley Lines were healing, growing stronger, and the land itself seemed to thicken, becoming more stable.
Seated in the courtyard of Cloud Retainer's domain, Zhongli sipped his celestial tea. His golden eyes gazed across the mountains, observing the changes as he slowly came to understand the new forces at play.
"Even the starry skies above seem to have regained their former brilliance, as if the world is returning to how it was before the The Great War," he mused.
Teyvat had not always been so fractured. Before the Second Who Came, the world had been whole.
That war, however, had caused the heavens to fall and the earth to shatter. The broken fragments of the land had plunged into the Abyss.
Cloud Retainer exclaimed in wonder, "Truly incredible. It's as though the world has been reborn."
Mountain Shaper added, "Cloud Retainer, your comprehension remains shallow. The weight and essence newly imbued into the mountains and rivers—it's almost dreamlike."
Cloud Retainer snorted. "Hmph, who says I didn't sense it? Clearly, this is the influence of the rules from the merged world."
Proudly, Moon Carver lifted her head. "You two still lack the depth of perception I possess. Look up at the skies—do you notice what's changed?"
Zhongli ignored their competitive banter, his attention instead drawn to the sudden appearance of Xiao.
Xiao lowered his head respectfully. "Rex Lapis."
Zhongli gently set down his tea. "The demonic energy within you has been cleansed by seventy percent under the aurora. That is excellent."
...
While Teyvat underwent immense transformations, the changes in the Demon Slayer world were even more dramatic.
In the Quantum Sea, a massive blue planet was slowly being pulled toward Teyvat by an unparalleled supreme power, out from the cosmic expanse beyond the
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