"She's slowly absorbing the memories within the Ley Lines."
"She'll appear soon."
This process couldn't be completed in an instant. Rowan didn't have a Noble Phantasm for resurrection.
And Teyvat's Ley Lines were "dead"—they couldn't immediately extract everything related to Bonanus all at once.
It needed time.
As long as they waited a little longer, Bonanus would fully return.
An hour passed.
Within the magic circle that had been empty all this time, a deep-blue phantom slowly began to form.
The moment Xiao saw that figure—so familiar it haunted his dreams—his eyes could no longer hold back.
They reddened instantly, tears threatening to spill.
He had lost count of how many times he'd dreamed of the four of them.
But every time he woke up, everything became a fleeting illusion—vanishing like bubbles.
He couldn't remember how many times he'd dreamed of them, but every time… he couldn't stop himself from crying.
And now, he was finally going to see them again.
Even if it was only one of them…
That was enough.
"Haah…"
Zhongli saw his "good son's" reaction clearly.
He couldn't help but sigh softly.
Back then, Liyue had been the center of the Archon War, enduring pain the other six nations could never bear.
Countless adepti died in battle. Many gods fell.
Even Morax… couldn't protect his closest friend.
In the end, she died to protect Guili Plains—and the aftershock of her death…
Left Guili Plains abandoned to this day. The resentment left behind by a fallen god simply wouldn't allow humans to live there.
That was also why the Salt Flats and Guili Plains had never truly been developed.
The godly resentment lingering there was far too heavy. Even after Xiao had cleansed it thousands—tens of thousands—of times, burdening himself with karma…
It still couldn't be completely erased.
Because that place had once been the very heart of the war, the most polluted battlefield of all.
If Rowan could bring Guizhong back…
Then perhaps Zhongli's reaction wouldn't be any calmer than Xiao's.
There wasn't romance between him and Guizhong—only the deep mutual understanding of true friends.
But as someone whose standing once matched his, and who understood him better than anyone…
Morax still looked forward to her return.
The only question was the cost.
Thinking of that, Zhongli glanced at Rowan and asked,
"If I wanted to revive a god… what would the price be?"
"I'm not sure," Rowan shrugged. "With my current strength, I probably can't revive one."
This was only a Yaksha—at most, an adeptus at the peak.
Not even a god—just a Yaksha—and it had already consumed half of Rowan's magic power.
If he tried to revive a god…
Rowan might be drained completely.
So he really couldn't say.
But how to become stronger was simple.
Keep extracting Heroic Spirits.
As long as he obtained all kinds of Heroic Spirits, his power could keep stacking endlessly.
Until one day, his magic reserves would be enough to withstand the cost of reviving a god.
Of course, some items could also achieve this.
For example—one of the most important things in Fate: the Holy Grail.
The Holy Grail was praised as a wish-granting device that could realize "infinite magic power."
Especially since Fate also had the Five Magics.
The Third Magic was the materialization of the soul—Heaven's Feel.
Turning the soul into matter could truly achieve eternal youth and immortality, and because the soul became perpetual motion, it could also grant endless magic power.
In the original story, the Einzbern family had inherited that Magic—Alice was created through that method.
So if Rowan ever extracted a Holy Grail…
He could reach the Third Magic.
A true perpetual-motion magic engine.
But when he'd be lucky enough to draw it—Rowan had no idea.
"So that's how it is…"
"Then forget it. When you have the strength to do it, I'll come to you again."
"Right—there's something else."
"I want to sign a contract with you!"
Seeing Rowan wasn't certain either, Zhongli didn't press.
Then he remembered tomorrow's Rite of Descension.
If Rowan hadn't come to Liyue, fine.
But since he was here, Zhongli absolutely had to bind him with a contract.
Otherwise, with Rowan's help, Zhongli's plan to test the people of Liyue would collapse.
Truthfully, the moment he learned Ningguang had invited Rowan to attend the Rite of Descension, he knew things were going to be troublesome.
That was why he had to intercept Rowan before he entered Liyue—and make him sign a contract first.
This trial… Zhongli needed to see, clearly, whether Liyue could withstand Osial's threat without him.
He also had his own worries—about what Liyue would become if it truly lost him.
Liyue had rested and recovered for nearly five hundred years, long accustomed to peace and comfort.
And the more it settled into comfort…
The heavier Zhongli's unease grew.
He feared that if Liyue remained this comfortable…
It would become like the neighboring Mondstadt once was.
That was why he chose to let go—so humans could witness the cruelty of Teyvat, and then, like the Yuheng, strive forward with all their strength.
Otherwise, it would become Mondstadt all over again.
Even though Mondstadt had risen now—
That was Rowan's credit as the Knight King.
Without him, who knew what Mondstadt would've turned into?
Sure, that drunkard god wouldn't have sat by and done nothing…
But he definitely wouldn't have done as much as Rowan did.
And Zhongli wasn't even sure he could continue watching over Liyue forever.
What if one day, like that old friend of his, he fell into madness from erosion?
Could Liyue withstand his power then?
So he had to set down the burden.
Let Liyue's people walk forward on their own.
For Liyue's sake, Zhongli had already made his decision.
Just as the Yuheng said—humans could stand on their own. Humans didn't need to rely on gods.
So he would let go.
And the biggest variable now… was Rowan's arrival.
"You want me not to interfere with what's about to happen in Liyue?"
"Fine."
Rowan already knew Zhongli would never let him stroll into Liyue unchecked.
Liyue was a powder keg now—one spark was all it took.
And Rex Lapis's "death" was the perfect opening act.
The only question was…
Now that Ningguang had an external ally like Rowan, would she choose to call for help?
What a headache.
(End of Chapter)
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