He changed Tiwat

“Then my ‘investment’ won’t have been in vain.” Zhong Li smiled. “As the ‘God of Business,’ I have always been confident in my investment acumen.”

"I also trust Mr. Zhongli's judgment," Han Fulai replied with a smile.

“As I said before, I opened this ruin for the sake of fairness. The situation is now fair,” Zhongli said.

Han Fulai nodded silently.

As Zhongli said, before entering this salt god's ruins, he was probably at a disadvantage in terms of information, strength, and mentality.

But now, he has stepped into the realm of thought of the Seven Rulers of the Mortal World, standing at a new starting point.

As the successor to the Seven Rulers of the Mortal Realm, this new starting point is extremely high, and the potential for advancement is immense. However, the higher one climbs, the colder it gets; a fall from that height will shatter one's life.

Zhongli had previously asked him whether he wanted the broken sword that killed Heuria as a warning or as a source of power.

This actually gave him a choice, a chance to back down.

This may be considered Zhongli's last act of tenderness as the "God of Contracts".

Choosing the former means he'll remain the same secretary to Yuehai Pavilion, a diligent civil servant, with the title of "successor of the Emperor" being merely an empty name. If the sky falls, Zhongli, being taller, will naturally hold it up.

The reason is simple: he doesn't have enough power, and many things aren't his responsibility. As the saying goes, "Those who aren't in a position shouldn't meddle in its affairs," meaning employees shouldn't worry about what their bosses are thinking.

But by choosing power, one bears the responsibilities that come with that power. This is the essence of the saying "one should not shirk one's duty."

In fact, he has always been very clear about what he should do.

During his battle with Clement, facing Clement's "Six-Star Slaying Formation" activated by the Evil Eye, he saw a fork in the road.

He faced two paths: either kill him outright, or... be strong enough to hold back.

He decided to become stronger.

His past experiences taught him that many regrets occurred because he was not strong enough.

"There is no benefit in believing in a god who has passed away—whether it is belief in Heureia or belief in Morax, it is the same. I will be leaving for a while, and the rest is up to you."

Zhongli looked at him and slowly said, "In the past, it was the times that created heroes; now, it is heroes who create the times. I look forward to the 'times' you will create."

From the times creating heroes to heroes creating the times.

From secretary of Yuehai Pavilion to "successor of the Emperor".

The challenges are great, but the opportunities are equally great.

Han Fulai pondered for a moment, then replied with two lines of poetry from Zhongli—

"His spirit still shakes a hundred cities, his eyes are like stars and his tongue like lightning. The Crouching Dragon has been visited three times since ancient times, and the great bird will sing one year."

“Good answer.” Zhongli nodded. “I’m going to Guyun Pavilion to dispose of Heulia’s two relics. It’s a long way, so I won’t take up any more of your time. I believe you know that you have a lot to do right now.”

Han Fulai stood up.

He knew that this "archaeological journey" was about to end here.

Zhongli has her own things to do, and he has his own things to do. Neither of them has much time.

Zhongli turned around, put his hands behind his back, and walked towards the exit.

Upon reaching the door, Zhongli suddenly stopped.

"I remember many years ago, Gu Hua once recited two lines of poetry to me—'The clouds and mist pass by, but you and I are true friends in this world'... Young friend Han, do you remember what the last two lines were?"

Han Fulai had also read this poem. He quickly provided an answer.

"The last two lines should be... People are sick, does Heaven know?"

"Yes. When people are sick, does God know?"

Zhongli raised his head and looked at the ceiling of the ruins.

The ceiling features salt stalactites, ancient patterns, spiderweb-like cracks, and thousands of years of weathering.

But Zhongli wasn't looking at the ceiling. His gaze seemed to pierce through the ceiling of the ruins, through the layers of the ground above the ceiling, and through the floating clouds in the sky, looking towards the Sky Island above the clouds.

Do those beings high above, who truly know the suffering of humankind?

"Let's leave the sequel to that fictional story for when we meet again. That is, if... you can win."

Zhongli took another step.

Han Fulai placed his hand on his chest and bowed to Zhongli's retreating figure.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Chapter Ninety-Two: The Historical Turning Point of Han Fulai

Upon returning to Liyue Harbor, Han Fulai immediately threw himself into his work.

Unlike before, this time, he was working for himself.

Previously, he worked as the "Secretary of Yuehai Pavilion," but now he will begin to work as the "Successor of the Seven Rulers of the Mortal World" and the "Successor of the Rock King Emperor."

In other words, he is about to begin "governing".

Han Fulai did indeed accomplish many great things in the past, from assisting the Emperor in his retirement and defeating Oser, to the reform of Moonsea Pavilion, the creation of Liyue currency and the reform of the Thousand Rock Army... But apart from saving Shenhe, which was his own personal desire, almost everything else, including the transformation of the Ancient Hua faction, was for official business.

If these things are considered "political achievements," then appointing him as one of the Seven Stars of Liyue wouldn't be modest at all.

However, Han Fulai was also well aware that he was not entirely able to accomplish these things on his own. Rather, in most cases, he relied on the power of the Emperor, the immortals, and Ningguang.

As Zhongli said, "In the past, it was the times that created heroes."

He was also quite sensible, ceding the credit for defeating Oser to the Celestials and the Seven Stars government, thus transforming it into political capital for Ganyu to control the Moonlit Pavilion. The official announcements also attributed the issuance of Liyue coins and the reform of the Thousand Rock Army to Ningguang and Keqing. As for the hero known to the world for defeating Bach, it was Shenhe who froze a thousand-meter-long tsunami with a single step.

Just like his position as "secretary," the things he did were basically "staff" and "assistant"—at least that's how it appears to the world.

Unfortunately, the current situation no longer allows him to quietly play a support role.

Zhongli made it very clear that he wanted to see "heroes creating the times".

This can be considered a test left to him by Zhongli, a very difficult test.

The difficulty of this problem was so great that Zhongli had to open the Salt God Ruins, grant him the remnants of the demon god left by Heuria to modify his body and enhance his strength, and also guide him into the realm of thought of the Seven Rulers of the Mortal World, allowing him to see the chessboard that spanned the continent of Teyvat.

As a result, his knowledge and strength have improved by leaps and bounds. Now that he possesses the power of the demon god's remnants, he no longer suffers from power depletion with even slight consumption. He is now essentially equipped with a "Heureia nuclear reactor" within his body. As long as he does not exceed the energy limit provided by the demon god's remnants, his immortal power is virtually inexhaustible. In terms of the sheer amount of immortal power he possesses, he is already equivalent to a true immortal.

According to Han Fulai's recent experiments, his Jade Shield has not only become stronger, but also more durable. Previously, he could not withstand Ba Che's attacks for more than five minutes before his immortal power was exhausted and the shield broke. Now, he can withstand it for at least fifteen minutes, and can even take the hits while mocking Ba Che for not having eaten enough.

—This is the data obtained after the female warrior Shenhe defeated Ba Che after a 15-minute test (beating).

As for why Han Fulai couldn't last sixteen minutes, it was because he became overconfident and told Shen He to "go harder." Later, he learned the lesson that even if he became stronger, he shouldn't provoke Shen He, as evidenced by the human-shaped depression near the foot of Tianheng Mountain.

He also obtained another set of data: his resilience and recovery abilities had indeed improved to a level approaching that of True Monarch Liuyun… Well, that was Shen He's exact words. As for what happened when Shen He and True Monarch Liuyun sparred on the mountain before, Han Fulai didn't dare to ask.

In addition, when Zhongli transferred the energy of the Salt God's remnants, he also imparted a portion of the Salt God's power to him. He can now use the Salt God's authority to create salt. Although the amount of salt he can create is affected by the energy of the demon god's remnants within him and is not unlimited like a "perpetual motion machine," it is more than enough to replicate the power he displayed in his battle with Clement.

To outsiders, this would be an extraordinary encounter, something only a protagonist in a martial arts novel could achieve by jumping off a cliff, but...

Judging from Zhong Li's repeated emphasis on "fairness," Han Fulai is now barely on the same starting line as his opponents.

Zhongli's final words to him, "provided...you can win," already hinted at this—his opponent was very strong, even the current Han Fulai might not be able to win.

Zhongli's gift only helped him quickly close the gap between himself and his opponent.

This is a challenge, but more importantly, it's a competition.

A contest to seize the highest power in Liyue!

In fact, Zhongli had already hinted at it quite clearly during those two days of "archaeological journey".

Zhongli knew that the Rouran of Tianji Star were colluding with the Fools, and he also knew the ambition of Ningguang of Tianquan Star, but he did not take any action, which in itself was a sign.

After the Rock King Emperor retires, who can fill the power vacuum left by the Emperor?

Will the interest group composed of several stars who are in cahoots with the Fools and control Liyue's military industry and people's livelihood prevail?

Or is it Ningguang, who holds the power to interpret Liyue's laws and intelligence system, is the chairperson of the Liyue National Bank, and is Liyue's richest person?

Or perhaps, he, the "successor of the Emperor," will prevail?

Zhongli made it very clear that he would be leaving Liyue Harbor temporarily, and from now on, he would have to rely on Han Fulai.

This means that the Emperor won't particularly protect him, nor will he force him to become the ruler of Liyue; he will simply wait silently for the outcome to be decided. Zhongli doesn't really care who wins. He cares more about the abilities of this new leader of Liyue.

On this ever-changing continent of Teyvat, Liyue needs the most capable "successor to the Emperor," and this person doesn't necessarily have to be Han Fulai.

On Zhongli's chessboard, only one most powerful piece is needed.

Whoever wins will be the true "successor of the emperor." Even if Zhongli didn't say it, others would praise the victor—this is what is meant by "after entering the pass, great Confucian scholars will debate the classics for you."

Zhongli gave him power to compensate for his weaknesses. His opponents were either ancient and deeply rooted families, or the powerful and wealthy rulers of Liyue, and even the Foolish Fools of Winterfell who were eager to make their move.

He was merely a secretary who relied on Yue Haiting's power, and had neither money nor manpower.

Therefore, Zhongli gave him the power to protect himself and suggested that he cultivate his own political influence.

The salt god's power he possesses is an investment Zhongli gave him; it all depends on how he uses it.

Zhongli has already helped him enough. If he can't win this match, then for Zhongli, his abilities are limited to this.

Therefore, Han Fulai immediately began working upon returning to Liyue Harbor, strategizing to create his own power base. How could someone who couldn't even handle the affairs of the mere kingdom of Liyue be qualified to join the chess game of the Seven Kingdoms? Their opponent in that game was the lofty Sky Isles!

This is a challenge, but also an opportunity.

If you were to ask Han Fulai what he was feeling at this moment, it would probably be... excitement.

As a man, who hasn't fantasized about "wielding power over the world while awake and resting on the lap of a beautiful woman while drunk"?

Chapter Ninety-Three: Who are our enemies, and who are our friends?

For Han Fulai, the most important thing he had to confirm was "who are our enemies and who are our friends".

To build one's own political power, one must first understand what kind of support one can gain in the political arena and who can be one's allies.

As the saying goes, "You can't see the true face of Mount Lu because you are in the mountain itself," it wasn't until he parted ways with Ningguang that Han Fulai truly realized how powerful an ally Ningguang was... and how formidable an opponent she was.

The saying among Liyue storytellers, "Everyone knows that Heaven's authority is supreme," is by no means unfounded.

From the day he passed the Liyue Civil Service Exam, his life trajectory became deeply intertwined with Ningguang's.

Ningguang was the chief examiner for the Liyue civil service examination who made an exception and approved Han Fulai's personnel appointment.

It was Ningguang who, in his most humble moment, paraded him through the streets with the highest honor of Tianquan and invited him to the Qunyu Pavilion for a chat.

Ningguang was the one who sent people to help him deal with Xu Cheng, the "Friend of Liyue Women," who falsely accused him, after he had a dispute with the young master of the Grand Palace.

When he was still ignorant and naive, it was Ningguang who led him into the realm of the Seven Rulers of the Mortal World for the first time.

The one who resolutely believed that this foreigner with no real achievements was Ningguang, who handed over the command of the Jade Pavilion to him in front of Oser.

Ningguang was the one who promulgated the "Liyue Strategic Material Embargo Law" in conjunction with the reform plan of the Moonlit Pavilion.

Ningguang was the one who persuaded the Seven Stars Council to establish the Liyue National Bank and implement Liyue currency.

The one who entrusted him with command of the "Southern Cross" fleet of the Big Dipper, and who accompanied him through the raging storms with the Jade Pavilion, was Ningguang.

Ningguang was the one who funded the reform of the Thousand Rock Army and strongly supported the development of the Liyue Army, Navy, and Air Force.

There may have been a lot of self-interest involved, but the help Ningguang provided to him was not fake.

Looking back now, Han Fulai realized that without the help of "Sister Ningguang," there would be no him as he is today... nor would there be the Liyue of today.

However, they are now rivals.

From the perspective of the opponent, Ningguang is the most successful businesswoman in Liyue, possessing immense economic power; Ningguang is the most astute politician among the Seven Stars, possessing wisdom and courage approaching that of a god; Ningguang is the architect of Liyue's laws and the intelligence hub, possessing the right to interpret the rules and an all-pervasive source of intelligence; more importantly, Ningguang is the most prestigious among the Seven Stars of Liyue. If you ask the residents of Liyue who can inherit the Emperor's will and rule Liyue, ten out of ten, even nine out of ten, would say Ningguang.

Furthermore, Ningguang possesses a vast network of connections throughout Liyue, ranging from wealthy foreign merchants and noble families of Jade Peak to the noblemen pursuing her, and even ordinary people and street urchins—everyone could potentially be Ningguang's informant and ally. Moreover, the battles of Ocel and Barcha, and even the covert struggles during the Lantern Festival, demonstrate that Ningguang has indeed gained control of the Thousand Rock Army.

In other words, Ningguang controls a large amount of Liyue's human resources, including its military force.

As for Han Fulai, the immortals have no intention of getting involved in Liyue's political infighting and will undoubtedly remain on the sidelines. Zhongli has not approached the immortals to insist on making him their successor. The reason he was able to mobilize the immortals' help in the past was mainly because of Zhongli's influence as the Geo Archon. To the immortals who have lived for thousands of years, he is still just a junior.

He had always participated in politics on the Jade Capital Terrace as a representative of the immortal faction. Without the assistance of the immortals, compared with Ningguang, he was almost a lone figure in the political arena.

On the other hand, the interest group composed of Tianji, Tianxuan, and Kaiyang controls a large number of departments and industries, including the Liyue Eight Gates, and has a profound foundation from a thousand-year-old family. It is a behemoth that can rival Ningguang. Kaiyang, who is in charge of the logistics of the Thousand Rock Army, has been cultivating his influence in the military for many years and also has considerable influence. When necessary, he can also lead the Thousand Rock Army.

Rouran's clandestine identity as the leader of the Salt God's followers gives him a trump card that could instigate internal strife in Liyue at any time. Coupled with the backing of the Fatui, this elegant young nobleman on the "Pearl-Inlaid Boat" is like a time bomb that could explode at any moment, and the extent of the damage he could cause is unpredictable.

The most crucial point is that, from Han Fulai's perspective, he needs to prevent internal strife in Liyue. The Fatui are still watching with predatory eyes; if Liyue falls into chaos, allowing the Fatui to take advantage of the situation, or if they were to fight the four Stars to the death, damaging the Star government's prestige and Liyue's livelihood and industries… even if he ultimately gains power built on devastation, he will have lost this game.

This is a crucial period for Liyue's reforms aimed at enriching the nation and strengthening its military. Liyue cannot afford the upheaval of losing four Stars at once. For one thing, with Ningguang gone, who can replace her in promoting Liyue currency and reforming the Thousand Rock Army? And who will take over the businesses under the other three Stars?

Zhongli couldn't possibly unleash a divine intervention on Yujing Terrace to cleanse the court of corrupt officials. In other words, if Zhongli wanted to resolve the matter by force, he could have done it himself. Why would he need Han Fu?

Therefore, the test Zhongli gave him was quite difficult—he was asked to take the stand of the Seven Rulers of the Mortal Realm and complete the transfer of power while maintaining the prosperity and stability of Liyue.

Or rather, only those who can complete this difficult test are worthy to stand with Zhongli on the chessboard against the laws of nature.