Didn't you go to Teyvat to earn money to support me?

But Shen Liang was faster; before she could react, he had already appeared in front of her and subdued her with one hand.

“You know perfectly well that you cannot escape from the one who wields the power of time.” Shen Liang lowered his head, looking at the girl with sorrow in her eyes, and gently patted the ice membrane that had formed on her body. “You cannot stop me, Empress… In fact, even without the Heart of God, I can still carry out this plan. I do not fear the laws of heaven, but I just want an extra layer of protection. If you are unwilling, I will not force you. I know you are a wise ruler. Even without my reminder, you would not have attacked Inazuma when its defenses were completely compromised, right?”

“Ishtar’s power…” the girl gritted her teeth, “You’ve already fused with Ishtar’s power? You’re a monster! Just for your goals, you’re willing to trample on the hearts of one woman after another? There are so many people in the world who depend on you, and none of them can stop you from changing history!”

Shen Liang didn't want to explain anymore. He hugged the girl tightly, and the Ice Queen cried silently.

"This is my lifelong wish, and I must fulfill it." Shen Liang kissed her lips, and countless icicles rose from his back, forming ice spikes with sharp points pointing directly at his back. But Shen Liang only kissed this gentle girl, gently licking away her tears. This scene was extremely beautiful, like a pure white snow princess expressing her love to an equally holy snow queen.

The Empress's hand trembled, and in the end, the ice spike failed to pierce Shen Liang's body. She knew Shen Liang wouldn't dodge; with her abilities, even if she couldn't threaten him, she could genuinely and severely injure him, inflicting extreme frostbite that even the Time Power couldn't withstand. That way, she could imprison Shen Liang in her palace, preventing him from carrying out her plans.

But in the end, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She cried and was angry, but she still couldn't bring herself to do it.

As their lips parted, Shen Liang gently bit off a piece of the Heart of God, which resembled a chess piece, from the tip of her tongue, and swallowed it without hesitation.

The safest way to preserve the Heart of God is to keep it within one's own body. The Queen possesses the last Heart of God; she has already collected them all.

Even in the end, the gentle Ice Queen never truly rejected him.

"Get out." The queen turned her face away and refused to look at him again.

This was the first time she had used such a forceful tone. Shen Liang remained silent for a few seconds, then said nothing more. With a turn, her body transformed into a bolt of ethereal lightning and vanished.

----------

Inazuma Castle in winter.

Dull and chilly.

November 1st is the annual memorial service.

The first day of winter is used to commemorate the million shogunate soldiers who died in the Battle of Kanria. To celebrate the final victory over this dark calamity a century ago, people sing and dance, decorate the city with lanterns and colorful decorations, drink and eat meat, and laugh and sing.

On this day, Shen Liang also gave himself a long holiday. He and his close ministers, or rather his harem, feasted day and night, indulging in absurd and chaotic behavior, their laughter echoing throughout the Heavenly Keep.

11 month 3 day.

Envoys from various countries came to congratulate Emperor Ruori on his 140th anniversary of his accession to the throne.

This did nothing to stop people from continuing to wave carp streamers through the streets and alleys, nor could it stop folk musicians from singing and playing music along the streets to welcome the delegations that were always inexplicably composed of various beautiful young women.

On this day, the castle tower hosted a banquet for the entire city, the national treasury was opened, and fresh beef and mutton, as well as fine wines and spirits, were provided free of charge, bringing the people's celebratory atmosphere to a climax.

11 month 4 day.

Shen Liang planted a cherry tree seed on the back mountain of Narukami Shrine. He sat alone on the grass for a long time, and no one knew what he was thinking.

He didn't leave until dusk, but when he left, he left behind his ever-present sword, a symbol of his unwavering dream.

The knife stuck next to the seed makes one think about many years later.

Many years later, the tree and the knife will become one.

11 month 5 day.

Shen Liang entered the inner palace to seek an audience with Lei Yingdian.

But all that could be seen was the taciturn general and the powerless Yae no Miko.

He hadn't seen Lei Yingdian for a very long time. Since his death, Lei Yingdian had entrusted his physical body to the general and all political affairs to Shen Liang.

She never cared about politics, and now she doesn't even care about the principles of martial arts anymore.

Meeting outsiders only brings more trouble, just as Shen Liang didn't want to see her either. Her appearance was exactly the same as Lei Dianzhen's, and she was addressed as "Empress Dowager" in the same way. It was all too familiar... It just tormented both of their hearts again and again.

Shen Liang knew that Lei Yingdian harbored resentment towards him, and towards herself.

She stubbornly believed that she had willingly sacrificed herself for Shen Liang's future, to prevent her from going to the meat grinder that was Kanria. She felt sorrow and resentment, but had nowhere to vent her anger. Unable to punish Shen Liang, she could only imprison herself, punishing herself.

The general and the divine child have become Shen Liang's right-hand men. They have been childhood sweethearts since they were young, and even after Shen Liang ascended the throne, his two younger sisters are still the people he trusts the most.

Some things are best kept secret, but everyone in the shogunate knows: the two women beside the young emperor, though the high priestess and the supreme commander, are also his wives with whom he shares a bed every day. Although some are curious about the general's striking resemblance to the former thunder god, the puppet general is no secret. However, some people have reservations about the fact that the thunder god is hidden inside the general, and that the general and the young emperor are intimate...

But it's harmless.

The shogunate's grand ceremony even suggested, on the centenary of Shen Liang's coronation, that the young emperor, the great priestess, and the supreme commander, all of whom were now adults, should choose an auspicious day to arrange their marriage. However, all three rejected this suggestion in succession.

A meaningless wedding is better off not having one at all.

11 month 6 day.

Shen Liang returned to the Witches' Guild and secluded himself with the witches.

11 month 7 day.

Shen Liang and the witches stayed indoors and did not go out.

……

11 month 15 day.

"Snow? It's snowing! It's snowing in Inazuma Castle! Get up and look, the snow is so beautiful~"

Such sounds of delight echoed through the streets and alleys. In the Teyvat belief, the main city didn't actually have four seasons. The gods protected the city, even the weather; all climatic influences were excluded. Often, sunshine, rain, and cloudy days only fell when necessary, and Inazuma City hadn't seen snow for many years.

Countless people stepped out of their homes, gazing with delight at the beautiful world now covered in silvery white, and cheered.

Snow seems to always bring more joy than sorrow. The children started having snowball fights and building snowmen. The adults occasionally scolded their children for getting their clothes wet, while enjoying the gentle snowy scenery, drinking, eating, and chatting.

When they saw the woman walking out of the castle tower, they immediately bowed their heads respectfully.

General Raiden, dressed in a magnificent purple kimono, spread her arms wide, feeling the cold snow. Her eyes were slightly dazed, so she didn't care about the people's admiring gazes.

She was just suddenly curious as to why it was snowing.

She couldn't recall when she had used her power to change the weather, or rather... when she hadn't controlled the weather at all.

Yes, it's normal for Inazuma Castle to snow in winter, but it's always blocked by the snow. Why did it snow this year? Didn't it block the cold air this year?

The general stared blankly at the snowflakes, and for some reason, she didn't want to immediately cleave the clouds and blow away the heavy snow.

But seeing the city filled with joy, she suddenly felt a little sad.

……

"Indeed, the world has changed."

Yae no Miko stroked the cherry tree that had just sprouted. For some reason, the cherry tree was very strong, and even in such a cold season, it was still growing and taking root, refusing to give up.

She looked at the old katana beside the cherry tree and let out a sigh that was barely noticeable.

“Such peculiar traces, yet I have no memory of them, which shows that I have truly forgotten them all.” After saying this, Yae no Miko looked up at the heavy snowfall in the sky.

"Is it a god, erasing its own existence... Is it a god? The gods of the past have vanished, their ability to control the climate is gone, that's why these snowflakes are falling." Yae no Miko smiled slightly. "What a clumsy modification. Is this the World Tree? The World Tree that can't even fool me... who else can it fool?"

She didn't turn her head, but said calmly, "So, you are the backup plan He left behind? Don't underestimate me just because I'm a little fox. I have a very keen sense of smell... I can smell the same scent on you as I do."

"Prophet" Nico stepped forward, remained silent for a long time, and then gave a soft, bitter smile. "I've thought about taking revenge on that tyrannical ruler countless times, but I never imagined that in the end, I would still have to work for him."

"You can't tell me how to make changes, right?"

“You’re very clever. Sure enough, Master knew you were one of those who would notice,” Nico said softly.

"Master? The Witch Society, which dares to defy even the gods, would recognize anyone as its master?"

“Our master has shown us the way to unlock the truth of the world. How can we give up on him? Now that he has succeeded, the fate that has been suppressing his brilliance has finally disappeared, and he can truly die.”

"I do not understand."

"It's alright, you'll understand in the future. Don't worry, sooner or later, Master will return to us, and his starlight will shine brighter than the entire starry sky!"

……

Sumeru, Buyer stared intently at the World Tree. Even though the forbidden knowledge within her body tormented her to the point that she could barely maintain her form, leaving only a faint wisp of her soul, she still stared intently at the World Tree.

"My...my..." The Tree King girl gently clutched her heart, bewildered and at a loss.

An unknown force was still repairing her broken body, and golden, warm blood was flowing in her veins.

In her memory, if it weren't for this healing power, she might not have been able to withstand the onslaught of forbidden knowledge after the Red King's defeat. But she couldn't remember where this power came from, and now, she didn't even have the strength to touch the World Tree to seek the truth.

Someone is protecting her.

She didn't know who it was, but the strength of this person who protected her in the shadows without saying a word was reassuring.

"Remember, please remember...remember!" Bouyer hugged forward, not knowing what she was holding, just burying her head deep in the void.

"Why……"

A glimmer of light flickered in the corner of his eye.

"Why... I don't know who you are..."

Glistening water droplets slid down along the illusory image.

“I don’t know you…I’ve never seen you before…I can’t even remember your face…But why…why…”

The tears vanished into nothingness, leaving only the spirit of the girl who could only communicate with the World Tree and perceive the world, and she wept bitterly.

"I'm so...sad..."

No one could answer the question posed by the god of wisdom; the world remained silent.

Chapter Thirty-Three: Earth! The Battlefield Princess of the Kaslana Family!

Meanwhile, on the continent of Teyvat, countless people raised their heads and subconsciously looked towards the far east.