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

How could the dignified Princess Shirahime be dragged into other people's conversations, discussing things like "big" or "small," "breasts" and "buttocks"? Why discuss such lewd topics when we meet? And are women only judged by these kinds of things? I am the eldest daughter of the prestigious Kamisato family in Inazuma, the most beloved young lady in all of Inazuma, how could I...

“If you insist that you are not worthy to serve others, then let God Rival do it.”

Ayaka Kamisato silently pressed down on her right hand to prevent herself from drawing her katana.

Chapter 126: The Eightfold Son of God

“Perhaps, Mr. Ryoko, you no longer have any interest in such a grand ambition as saving the world. But Ayaka believes that you, who were able to stand up to the Great Lord for Umijima, must still have a passion that ordinary people don’t have.” Ayaka Kamisato said sincerely, placing her hand on her chest.

"Don't flatter me. If Inazuma is a savior, then it's not me." Shen Liang said coldly. "What, just because I've been one, because I'm a good guy and a hero, does that mean I have to keep being one? Do good guys have to be held at gunpoint? Is there any logic to that?"

"Responsibility is only given to those who are capable. Mr. Ryoko, you are capable."

"The moral dilemma of 'with great power comes great responsibility' has been discussed to death in our world."

"With great power comes great responsibility?" Ayaka Kamisato pondered this statement. "It seems that Ryoko-sensei's world has a very universal approach to philosophical discussions, but what does 'moral blackmail' mean?"

After a moment's thought, Shen Liang said, "Using morality as leverage, one can righteously coerce an individual or a group into doing certain things."

“So that’s what a precise definition means.” Ayaka Kamisato gazed at the boy’s impatient face. “Mr. Ryoko, do you think the Kamisato family is morally blackmailing you to some extent?”

"Isn't it?"

“No,” Ayaka Kamisato said seriously.

"Oh?" Although Shen Liang was in a hurry to find a good place in Yingxiang Mountain to contract with heroic spirits, he was amused by the fact that a native girl named Ayaka Kamisato was so persistent in wanting to debate with him. "I'd like to learn from her."

He didn't give in to Ayaka Kamisato and headed straight for the summit of Mount Kage. Ayaka Kamisato wasn't going to be outdone, and the two of them started climbing the mountain together, arguing along the way.

“Then Ayaka will teach you.” The white egret princess with long silver hair smiled slightly. “The greater the ability, the greater the reward you get from it. Right? For example, Mr. Ryoko, you promoted seawater rice on Umijima Island, benefiting all the people. But you don’t need to work; you’ve become a tycoon just by sharing the profits. Your Mora in one year is comparable to the Kamisato family’s many years of business… Is that your ability?”

"You mean I shouldn't promote seawater rice and shouldn't exploit the people of Haizhi?" Shen Liang laughed.

"That depends on how Mr. Shen understands the word 'ability'. If the emperor of a country has the power to do the most things in the world, then his ability can be understood as being extremely great. But what if he is a foolish ruler who is unwilling to fulfill his responsibilities and only wants to enjoy his abilities? Because he does not fulfill his responsibilities or fails to do so effectively, the world will quickly collapse."

"And is this related to his subjective will? No. Because in a world, some abilities can only be possessed by certain people, just like no one but the emperor can wield absolute power. So the emperor must exercise more responsibility for maintaining the stability of the country, and if he does not fulfill this responsibility, no one else can."

"The emperor himself is worshipped by the people, and he owes the people something."

"But which strong person, which outstanding talent, isn't worshipped by the people? Mr. Ryoko, are you? Or am I?"

Shen Liang was speechless for a moment.

“Mr. Ryoko said that with great power comes great responsibility, which is moral blackmail. But when you gain power, you take on a part of the responsibility of this society and this world. Others cannot take on this kind of responsibility.”

Shen Liang stared at her for a while, then scoffed, "Isn't it all just moral blackmail in the end?"

Ayaka Kamisato looked at him intently, a gaze that made Shen Liang frown.

“Mr. Ryoko said something very interesting just now: ‘Should good people be held at gunpoint?’” Ayaka Kamisato said, emphasizing each word. “That’s not right. It should be said that the strong should be held at gunpoint.”

This statement silenced Shen Liang's earlier attempt at rebuttal.

There's an old saying, "Never speak too intimately with someone you don't know well," but Ayaka Kamisato's words left him momentarily speechless... because he too had grown up receiving that kind of education.

China, Siberia, and even the civilizations of the entire world—all adhere to this principle: whether it's law or morality, its essence is "to restrict the strong and protect the weak."

Because the strong inherently possess advantages in social resources, networks, and power, they are not on the same level as the weak. If laws and morals do not protect the weak, then the weak will be perpetually exploited and will never see hope.

Only by "restricting the strong and protecting the weak" can humanity be considered human and not beasts. Through countless years of evolution, humanity has strived to escape the law of the jungle in addressing social issues, which is the fundamental reason he believes Earth civilization is more advanced and superior to Teyvat civilization.

—I was actually educated on philosophy by a little indigenous girl?

Shen Liang even felt a little embarrassed and angry.

"My dear two children, your discussion on the ethics of strength and weakness has been going on for ten minutes. Such a dispute in front of my house will scare away all the worshippers."

Before they knew it, they had reached the summit of Mount Kagemura. After passing through numerous torii gates, they arrived at the entrance of the shrine. A woman with long, cherry-blossom-colored hair lay lazily on a carpet-covered lawn, basking in the sun with her eyes half-closed, speaking in a flippant tone. Beside her, a little shrine maiden with a ponytail knelt and fed her fried tofu, her face full of apologies.

"You've been in Inazuma for so long, yet you haven't even visited Narukami Shrine. What? Are the shrine maidens at Narukami Shrine less beautiful than those at Sangokami Shrine?" The cherry-haired woman lay on her side, scrutinizing Shen Liang, her beautiful eyes sparkling with amusement. "Or perhaps, you little wolfhound, you truly don't take me seriously?"

Shen Liang was immediately captivated by the words, which had a strong internet slang vibe.

In the context of Chinese internet discourse, terms like "little wolf dog" and "little milk dog" are objectifying and disrespectful nicknames used by women to refer to men. Young, cute, obedient, and easily tamed men are called "little milk dogs," while equally young and cute men who are wickedly charming, arrogant, and controlling are often called "little wolf dogs."

But behind these seemingly affectionate nicknames lies nothing more than a label for a group of incompetent men who can only rely on their looks to get what they want. These terms are often used to refer to popular celebrities, young heartthrobs, or male mistresses who are kept by wealthy women.

Most real men would rather be called "old dog" than anything else.

"Ya...Yae-no-miya-sama, this is so disrespectful to Umi-no-miya-sama! We were trying to make a good impression on Umi-no-miya-sama, but you just opened your mouth and..." The shrine maiden serving her hurriedly tried to apologize to Shen Liang, but the cherry-haired woman stopped her without a care and watched Shen Liang with great interest.

"Leaving a good or bad impression isn't that simple. This is the peerless warrior of the Western Kingdom who wiped out 80,000 of our men in one battle... Hmm, peerless warrior of the Western Kingdom, hehe. I wonder what Ying was thinking back then, that someone so cute was the one who challenged her." Yae no Miko took a bite of fried tofu and grinned mischievously. "Why the grumpy expression? He really is a wolf cub, so fierce at such a young age."

Chapter 127 Feed Me Fried Tofu

Shen Liang had already learned about Narukami Taisha, the largest and most authoritative shrine in Inatsume. The roots of the sacred cherry tree enshrined there spread throughout the Inatsume archipelago, and it is said that all the cherry trees in Inatsume are descendants of the sacred cherry tree at Narukami Taisha.

The priestess here is named Yae no Miko, the head priest of all the shrines in Inazuma, and can be said to be the highest authority in the Inazuma Thunder God worship. She is also a fox who has cultivated herself into human form, and is said to be a member of the Thunder General's retinue.

Shen Liang had always avoided dealing with these supernatural beings; their strength was unfathomable, and their backgrounds were unfathomable. But this time, there was no way to avoid them. The top of Yingxiang Mountain was the Narukami Shrine; if they wanted to encounter you, you couldn't avoid them.

Moreover, Shen Liang didn't intend to avoid it.

"Yae no Miko?" Shen Liang stepped forward and entered the inner courtyard of the shrine. "I happen to have something I want to ask you."

"Those who haven't washed their hands are not allowed to go forward," Yae no Miko said with a smile.

Shen Liang was taken aback, then went to the handwashing station to wash his hands. When in Rome, do as the Romans do; Shen Liang always maintained basic respect for the other party.

"It's for the incense money." Yae no Miko stretched out her hand matter-of-factly.

Shen Liang frowned, feeling that Yae no Miko was deliberately toying with him, which reminded him of Hiiragi Shinsuke, whom he had met before. His tone immediately turned cold: "I didn't bring Mora."

"Oh?" Yae no Miko covered her mouth in surprise. "How can that be? Without donations, the shrine can't offer you any help. Our shrine needs to eat too."

"I'll give it for Mr. Ryoko," Ayaka Kamisato immediately offered. She still had some doubts. Shrines didn't have a tradition of requiring people to give money. After all, it was rare for Yae no Miko to receive guests at shrines, so why would she have this custom? She wondered what she was trying to make things difficult for Shen Liang.

"No, no, this is a young wolfhound coming to me for advice. He should act like he's asking for advice. How can I do it like this?"

"If you want to humiliate me, just say so. Stop beating around the bush!" Shen Liang said impatiently.

"Why do you always think that we have to humiliate you, bully you, and isolate you? You think so badly of us, yet you expect us to do things for you for no reason?" Yae no Miko smiled slightly. "As for the incense money, it's simple. Just feed me a serving of fried tofu and I'll give it to you."

Shen Liang's fierce expression froze for a moment, then he looked at the porcelain bowl next to Yae no Miko with confusion, "You said it."

"Hmm."

Shen Liang walked forward suspiciously, took the porcelain bowl from Daocheng Yingmei, who was serving the fox, and picked up a square piece of fried tofu.

"Don't use chopsticks, feed me with your hands."

Shen Liang had no choice but to put it down, picked up the fried tofu with his fingers, glanced at the pink-furred fox kneeling on the ground with her little face raised and smiling, frowned slightly, and then stuffed the fried tofu directly into her delicate little mouth, immediately trying to pull his hand out.

But the fox reacted faster! It bit his index finger in an instant!

Shen Liang's eyes sharpened instantly. He thought the Eighth Divine Child had suddenly attacked, and he was about to immediately cut off his finger and retreat before using the Transformation of the Sea Moon to revive his finger. But before he could exert any force, he discovered that his finger did not hurt.

He looked over nervously and saw Yae no Miko still smiling at him, then gently sucking on his finger.

A smooth, delicate tongue gently licked and roamed over his knuckles, sending a ticklish, tingling sensation from his fingers all the way to his brain, crystal clear. Shen Liang bit his lip, his expression slightly out of control. He tried hard to hide it from the Eightfold Divine Child, forcing himself to remain calm as he asked, "What are you doing?"

"We can't waste the broth from the fried tofu," Yae Miko mumbled, then reluctantly let go of her lips, licked them, and laughed, "Ah, I feel much better now. The shrine maidens at Coral Palace have never received such treatment, have they? The little wolfhound's first feeding has been accepted by Narukami Taisha."

Shen Liang frowned. "What's the point?"

"Of course there is. Doesn't this slightly pull you back from the Coral Palace's camp to our side? How could I allow such a cute boy to be monopolized by the Coral Palace's priestesses? You know, the position of priestess was passed down from our Narukami Island. They are just imitating it poorly." Yae no Miko said smugly.

“I do not belong to Umijima Island, nor do I favor your shogunate.”

"That's hard to say. For example, you were just looking at me with suspicion, thinking I would harm you, but now you're showing a panicked and shy expression, aren't you?" Yae no Miko sized him up, then looked at Ayaka Kamisato, and laughed. "Little one from the Kamisato family, learn from this: there's no point in reasoning with men. They understand reason better than we do. A woman's advantage is that she doesn't reason. If you were like me, just act cute, be charming, and lick his fingers, he might be so charmed that he'd agree to anything you say. Unfortunately, I'm a fox, and everyone is prepared for a fox's allure, so it's not very effective."

She suddenly leaned close to Shen Liang's ear and said, "Otherwise, you'll be my little wolfhound."

Shen Liang quickly stepped back, his ears turning red even though he was usually aloof.

This fox... is not easy to deal with.

“Look, his hostility has decreased a lot now. Boys, no matter how much resentment they have, will let it all go after being played with by a girl, right?” Yae no Miko lifted Shen Liang’s chin, her smile alluring. “What an easy child to understand.”

Ayaka Kamisato blushed and turned her head away, but her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of Shen Liang, whose face was also flushed...

—Although Lord Kuji's words were quite blunt, their effect seems to be quite remarkable...

Are boys such childish creatures?

"Enough! Let's get back to the point!" Shen Liang shouted, but everyone could see his bravado masking his underlying weakness. "Eightfold Divine Child, you..."

"Just call me Divine Child. Although it might sound like I'm trying to look younger, you probably don't like being called Divine Child-sama, do you?"

Ayaka Kamisato discovered that she had a very clever way of speaking. Even though Shen Liang called her "Yae no Miko", she casually changed it to "Miko-sama", and Shen Liang didn't even notice anything wrong.

“You’re the priest of Narukami Taisha, so you should know a lot about the legendary figures who have lived through the history of Narukami Taisha,” Shen Liang said, not daring to continue arguing with her. “For example, do you know people like ‘Kusai-no-miya’ and ‘Mikoto Chiyo’ who wrote biographies in the history of Narukami Island?”

"Oh? You want to... revive them?" Yae no Miko smiled slightly.

One sentence plunged Shen Liang into an icy abyss.

He had been hiding his ability to revive ley line spirits, a fact known only to Sangoya Ryuka and Sangoya Kokoro.

Most people assumed that his ability to revive Ruka Sangokami was a form of "resurrection of the dead," or something similar to "resurrection of someone who died recently." Many believed that Ruka Sangokami's resurrection was due to him collecting corpses and using a secret method for six months to revive them; few would have considered the possibility that he could revive people from the past.

Even the lady who witnessed the death and resurrection of Ruka Sangomizu did not dare to believe that he could really resurrect people from the past.

This was a rumor that Shen Liang deliberately spread, because if he could only revive those who had just died, it wouldn't be a big problem, since there are gods in Teyvat.