"The aura is so strong!" Furina exclaimed.
The little Vermilion Bird's body was still just as small, but the aura she carried now made even Furina's heart tremble.
"I feel so full of power now!" the little Vermilion Bird declared, her voice resonant.
This power was immense.
Her eyes shimmered with flowing flame-light, her feathers seemed sharper, like steel needles, and the flames burning around her distorted the very space.
The leap in her strength was simply too vast.
It was as if she had gone from the Foundation Establishment stage to the late Golden Core stage in an instant.
This increase, potentially a hundredfold or more, made her tremble with excitement.
This is what it means to grow stronger?
It feels incredible!
She felt that with just a little effort, she could shatter heaven and earth!
"You must learn to restrain your power." The Lord God Dendro's voice drifted over calmly.
The little Vermilion Bird snapped back to reality.
Remembering that the Dendro Archon had a task for her, she quickly asked, "Master, what was it you needed me to do before?" Her face was full of eagerness.
"I was planning to have you go to the desert to... chat with a dragon," the Dendro Archon said.
"Is it the Grass Dragon Apep?" the Vermilion Bird asked, her enthusiasm undimmed. "No problem! Master, if you want me to eat it like a worm, I can do that too!"
Was the little one this inflated with confidence?
But considering her bloodline, the Dendro Archon understood.
She was the Vermilion Bird!
A sacred beast born of auspiciousness, accompanied by the South Ming Lihuo flames, and wielding the power of the constellations.
Her realm had reached a rating of fifty-eight, but her true combat power was likely far beyond that!
Fighting above one's level wasn't just the domain of prodigies; the divine beast bloodlines native to this world possessed the same capability!
As a divine beast, the Vermilion Bird didn't really need to be taught how to cultivate.
Her bloodline contained genetic information, like DNA.
It was as if the ancestral progenitor of her lineage had imprinted the cultivation methods, unique racial techniques, and other knowledge directly into their genes, passing it down through the generations.
And the little Vermilion Bird's bloodline was pure!
Now that her strength and realm had reached this level, all the secrets within her bloodline had been unlocked.
It was fair to say that, aside from a lack of practical combat experience, she had mastered numerous secret Vermilion Bird arts!
Whatever the ancestors knew, she knew. What the ancestors didn't know... she could learn!
Because she was less than a year old, her mind was still young and flexible!
The Dendro Archon shook her head. "It's not necessarily to make an enemy of it. If possible, it's best to turn hostility into friendship, though this isn't a strict requirement."
If Apep's injuries were healed, its combat power would also be considerable.
The best outcome the Dendro Archon hoped for was Apep's submission, but the likelihood of that was small.
The next best outcome would be for Apep, once healed, to find a place to stay quietly and abandon any fantasies of destroying The Seven.
The worst outcome would simply be to subdue and slay it on the spot.
The Dendro Archon didn't wish for the worst outcome, but not wishing for it didn't mean she would hesitate if it came to that.
She was gentle, but that didn't mean she would concede, nor did it mean she lacked the resolve to suppress dissent.
"If it proves too stubborn... try not to burn it to ashes completely." The Dendro Archon had already begun considering how to repurpose Apep's remains.
It was, after all, an ancient dragon.
Its sinews could be extracted for bowstrings, its bones fashioned into spears, its claws sharpened into swords...
Ah?
The Dendro Archon felt she shouldn't continue this line of thought.
Otherwise, Sumeru might witness the following result:
-1 Apep.
+10 Tier 5 materials.
The idea was too ruthless.
If Apep knew, it would probably surrender immediately!
Resist?
How many lives did it have to dare resist the Vermilion Bird?
"Then I'll go right now!"
The Vermilion Bird was brimming with motivation.
Mainly, her strength had just surged, and she was burning to know exactly how powerful she had become.
With so many powerful secret techniques from her bloodline inheritance, she really wanted to try them out and show them off!
Apep, you'd better be stubborn!
The little Vermilion Bird didn't even bother with the teleportation gate.
She flapped her wings and leaped from Furina's hands, transforming into a streak of fire that shot out of the shop.
Then, a pillar of flame erupted, reaching the sky in an instant.
The Vermilion Bird's size also changed in that moment.
Her wings spread out, blotting out the sun and sky.
Amidst the endless flames, it seemed as if a second sun had been born in the heavens!
The Vermilion Bird soared across the sky, swirling waves of fire rolling off her form. Vast stretches of the sky twisted in the fiery light, like an oil painting.
Since his birth into this world, Neuvillette had rarely felt anxious about his strength, because he was of the noble ancient dragon bloodline.
But now, Neuvillette had to admit, he was feeling a bit of that anxiety.
Since the card shop appeared, powerful beings had been emerging one after another!
Watching the fiery divine bird flying towards Sumeru, Neuvillette fell into deep thought.
With his current strength, was he truly capable of protecting Fontaine?
Protecting the Court of Fontaine didn't seem to rely solely on him now, as there were also Furina and Focalors, both backed by Lu Heng.
Neuvillette considered a different angle.
Could he protect the Melusines well?
He hadn't thought about it much before, but now, considering it, Neuvillette felt even more anxious.
That feeling of internal urgency made Neuvillette feel he had matured.
But did it have to be this kind of growth?
His heart was truly tied in knots!
"I should have negotiated a higher salary for myself back then!" Neuvillette felt some regret.
If he had a higher salary, the solution would be simple.
After thinking it over, Neuvillette relaxed a little.
Many Melusines held positions within the Court of Fontaine and were part of the administrative system anyway. It would probably be fine.
His anxiety lessened somewhat, but the young Dragon Sovereign's heart had planted a seed of determination to grow stronger.
—I will protect the world's finest Melusines! (Resonant)
Photos of the Vermilion Bird appearing over Fontaine caused an immediate stir online.
After learning about the divine beast Zhu Que, the people of Teyvat felt their horizons had broadened.
"Seriously? How does a celestial race like this even exist in the world?" Azhdaha expressed his disbelief.
It was one thing to be powerful, but the ability to grant longevity? Was that fair?
If it were a rule specific to some world, Azhdaha wouldn't be so astonished. Some worlds did have unique aspects, like Teyvat's elemental energy, or the spiritual energy found in stories.
But the Vermilion Bird's ability wasn't world-dependent!
It was purely a power it possessed inherently, and one that worked across all realms!
Even someone as steady as Zhongli evaluated it as 'defying the heavens'.
"This is just absurd!"
Hu Tao, finally taking a break at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, offered her own assessment.
The Vermilion Bird's power seemed a bit over the top—exceeding Teyvat's usual understanding of strength.
Take Morax, for example, widely known as powerful, right?
But he didn't have the ability to grant others longevity!
Extending lifespan was one thing, but achieving true, lasting immortality was incredibly difficult, barring specific, rare opportunities.
"Judging by the pressure emanating from that photo, you've got a rival," Azhdaha said, patting Zhongli on the shoulder.
"Why does it have to be me who has a rival?" Zhongli didn't quite understand.
He was starting to realize that nowadays, the name 'Morax' was most frequently used... for comparisons!
Compared to this, compared to that.
It was as if he had become a unit of measurement.
How rude!
Wasn't that a bit presumptuous?!
Seeing his expression, Azhdaha laughed heartily, then, stifling his amusement, consoled him, "It's fine! It just proves you're strong enough! So strong you've become the standard for a certain level of power!"
Zhongli was too weary to retort.
"Alright, enough of that," Hu Tao interjected, waving her hand. Her lively face turned serious as she fixed her plum-blossom eyes on the two men. "Since you haven't resigned, shouldn't you be working?"
Azhdaha's smile vanished instantly.
Damn it! A mighty dragon sovereign, reduced to handing out flyers!
"Don't even think about running away! You might not be a consultant for the Wangsheng Parlor, but I haven't charged you for lodging yet!" Hu Tao's gaze pinned Azhdaha in place.
What could Azhdaha do?
Submit.
After all, he really was living at Hu Tao's place and eating her food.
Clearly, no meal was truly free!
"Holy crap!" Childe exclaimed in shock. "Ribbit! You're no longer Teyvat's strongest pet card! Tragic!"
The Scarlet Calamity Frog: "Ribbit..."
The man and frog looked at each other, seeing a burning desire to compete in each other's eyes.
Of course, neither was foolish enough to challenge the Vermilion Bird directly. Instead, they thought of improvement!
Pet cards had a marvelous advantage: they could Breakthrough, much like people!
Strictly speaking, they had no upper limit!
But objectively speaking, the resources required to Breakthrough a pet card's limits... to put it bluntly, were a bottomless pit!
Childe had at least some brains, and his bond with the Scarlet Calamity Frog had grown strong; they were like brothers-in-arms.
If he ascended, could he leave his brother behind in the lower world as a mere native?
Anyone who could do such a thing wasn't worth commenting on!
Childe valued loyalty. He wanted to 'ascend' together with his froggy brother.
So the question arose again.
Childe scrolled through his contacts, his eyes landing on the entry labeled 'Older Brother'.
His expression shifted complicatedly. After a long moment, he sighed. "We just got some Mora from Older Brother. Ribbit, we'll have to hold off asking for more for a while. Otherwise, his scolding could probably reach us through the phone itself."
"Ribbit!" The Scarlet Calamity Frog nodded in agreement.
"Let's go, we need to get to Sumeru ASAP!"
Childe hadn't forgotten that part of the Mora he carried was meant for the Dendro Archon.
He was already two days late for the agreed time, which was bad enough. Delaying further would be downright rude.
The Great Red Sand, Deep Underground
Deep beneath the scorching desert, the ancient dragon Apep lay hidden.
Why was the powerful Grass Dragon so severely afflicted by the Forbidden Knowledge?
This hearkened back to ancient times.
During the war between the Dragon Sovereign and the Heavenly Principles, Apep had already come into contact with the Forbidden Knowledge. Back then, they believed it was the only power that could lead them to victory.
Even after the Dragon Sovereign fell, Apep never gave up searching for a way to reverse their fate.
It ventured to the crumbling edges of the world, seeking more of the Forbidden Knowledge, but was struck down by a nail cast down by the Heavenly Principles.
Defeated, it had no choice but to return home.
But when it finally returned to its territory, Sumeru had been completely transformed.
It had left when things were fine, only to return and find its home changed beyond recognition!
Apep realized the era of dragons was over, but it refused to accept it!
It was then that an ambitious young man appeared.
In Apep's eyes, that fellow named Ahem, or Al-Ahmar, the Scarlet King, was... unscrupulous!
This kid actually wanted to come into contact with the Forbidden Knowledge!
Was this its chance?
Apep made a deal with Al-Ahmar.
It would allow Al-Ahmar to establish a mighty kingdom on its land.
Though it looked down on this ambitious youth, Apep tacitly permitted his actions and struck a deal.
The terms were: Upon Al-Ahmar's death, all the knowledge he possessed would belong to Apep!
Al-Ahmar agreed without hesitation.
Wasn't this also a perfect opportunity for him?
The Forbidden Knowledge was called 'forbidden' for a reason—it was definitely not a good thing.
Al-Ahmar also held grievances against the heavens. Even knowing the Forbidden Knowledge was dangerous, his ambition drove him to research it.
And that research led to catastrophe.
The Goddess of Flowers perished!
The Forbidden Knowledge began to corrupt the land, and living beings turned to withering zombies!
Al-Ahmar, at his wit's end, used every means possible to try and salvage the situation. In the end, it took the combined efforts of the Dendro Archon to barely halt the further spread of the corruption, managing to resolve the crisis.
During this period, Al-Ahmar finally realized just how dangerous the knowledge he held was, and he awakened to the truth.
Then, he remembered his deal with the Grass Dragon Apep.
The Grass Dragon was the best at adapting to its environment!
It had experience with the Forbidden Knowledge; it couldn't be killed by it!
And his own body had become a source of pollution... So, that's how it was. Al-Ahmar's divine body was devoured by Apep.
Whenever Apep recalled this experience, it cursed inwardly.
That little brat!
Turning himself into a viral source before having me eat him?!
The Forbidden Knowledge indeed couldn't kill Apep, but it made its life utterly miserable.
That feeling of a bone stuck in the throat, a thorn piercing its stomach... it was intensely unpleasant.
After nursing its injuries for millennia, Apep was still not fully recovered!
It seemed the Scarlet King, in his final moments, had played a cruel trick, leaving Apep to hide deep underground, secretly recuperating.
But recently, things had been unsettled.
That day, the presence of a higher-order being, though it only appeared for a brief moment...
Apep fell silent. The sheer terror of that entity, capable of crushing Teyvat with one hand, instilled a sense of awe and fear in its heart.
It was an ancient dragon that didn't even fear the Heavenly Principles!!
But to be honest, Apep was truly frightened.
People said, "Where there's life, there's hope." But damn, if the mountain itself is about to be flattened, what hope is there to play for?
Apep abandoned all thought of resistance. It would hide obediently!
Then, a few days ago, Apep sensed a power that did not belong to Teyvat!
The distance was too great, and coupled with its injuries, Apep's perception was unclear.
Had the outside world changed again?
Had the Heavenly Principles been overthrown?
But the Archon system didn't seem to have been shaken...
Apep was confused.
But today!
Apep could feel it—a terrifying aura from the northern sky was rapidly approaching its location!
That aura...
Blazing like the scorching sun!
Majestic as a sacred divinity!
Apep couldn't see it, but it could feel the sensation of rolling heat waves crashing towards it, as if it were standing in the midst of an apocalypse.
Coming for me?!
Apep was bewildered.
It believed it had hidden well deep underground for millennia. Whether it had been discovered or not was unclear, but it never went out!
Such a powerful being had no reason to come directly for it, right?
Their auras were completely unfamiliar; there couldn't possibly be any conflict between them?!
But Apep didn't think it was mistaken, because the other party's energy had already locked onto it.
It was certain—it was the target.
What did I ever do to you?!
Rage rose in Apep's heart.
It was still an ancient dragon. Facing the Heavenly Principles, even if it couldn't win, it was a being that had put up a fight!
BOOM!
The sea of sand shook violently.
The massive form of the ancient dragon surged forth as if breaking through the surface of water, sending ripples through the heavy sands.
Amidst the sky-full of yellow sand, Apep prepared itself for battle.
Though injured, it would never allow itself to be slaughtered without a fight!
"Screech—!"
A divine cry pierced the air.
Those who heard it felt their evil thoughts burned away by an inner fire, their very souls trembling like candles in the wind. The monsters wandering the land curled up, shivering in fear.
Apep abruptly looked up.
It saw the crimson divine bird spreading its fiery wings, its instantaneous appearance like a blazing sun descending upon it!
The magnificent heavenly might it carried was unstoppable!
A sacred aura permeated the surroundings, pressuring all living beings!
The South Ming Lihuo flames scorched and distorted space, setting the sky ablaze.
Gulp...
Fight a creature like this?
Will I win?
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T/N:
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