He changed Tiwat

People say she is a "woman of a thousand faces," and that she is as unfathomable and aloof from the masses as the Jade Pavilion.

Until that night, someone spoke to her by the Luhua Pond.

He said that the person who was scheming everything in the Jade Pavilion was Ningguang, the person who played hide-and-seek with the children was also Ningguang, and the person who was good at catching and grilling fish was also Ningguang.

He said that the kind of person you are is the real you, not something defined by others. The same person can have many faces, and this is not contradictory.

He said that even if the expressions on your face are acting, how can you know how much of that acting is genuine?

Only her moonlight could reveal that true radiance.

So she came to see him.

—Because this might be the last time she ever saw her moonlight in her life.

For Han Fulai, it was not difficult to conclude that Ningguang had come here to save him.

He remembered that when he proposed to seal the Water Spirit alone, Ningguang was the first to offer to come with him. Although he didn't trust Ningguang at the time, she might have been sincere when she said she would come with him.

He also knew that if Ningguang wanted to finish them off, that was the perfect opportunity. He could have taken advantage of the moment when Keqing was exhausted and Han Fulai was still unconscious after they reached the shore, launching a surprise attack.

Ningguang is also a holder of the Eye of God, and she once demonstrated the power of "Starry Sky and Celestial Authority" in public. Killing the two exhausted after a long battle should be easy for her. Their deaths can be blamed on the Rouran, since there's no way to prove it anyway.

—Moreover, it's unusual that Keqing is sleeping so soundly that he wasn't awakened when he got up or when he talked to Ningguang.

There were no flowers, birds, insects, or fish around the lake that sealed the pure water spirit, so where did the faint floral fragrance he smelled earlier come from? It came from Ningguang, of course.

Ningguang deliberately made Keqing fall asleep so that she could create an opportunity to talk to him alone.

Therefore, he was willing to believe that Ningguang was telling the truth.

Or rather, even if he hadn't noticed these things, he was willing to believe that Ningguang was telling the truth.

This has nothing to do with rationality.

The lake was calm and still, the previous red miasma had receded, and it was like a bright mirror reflecting the two figures.

On the mirror, a red flower appeared in the white-haired beauty's hand.

It was a glass lily, a red glass lily.

Ningguang handed the glass lily to Han Fulai.

"I came because of this flower you gave me."

Even if Shen He hadn't begged Ning Guang, she would have come even if it was just for this flower.

Han Fulai accepted the flowers, but his face showed confusion: "...The flowers I gave you?"

He didn't remember giving Ningguang flowers.

Ningguang smiled and said, "Well, you don't know, because you planted the flower casually a month ago when you accompanied Keqing to Guili Plain for research."

"...Ah!" Han Fulai suddenly realized.

During that inspection a month ago, in order to test the effectiveness of fertilizer, he buried a seed of a glass lily in front of Ke Qing and Shen He.

After that, he went to the Abyss of Layered Rocks and was busy with many things. He didn't pay attention to the seed, but he never expected that the seed would actually bloom.

As for why Ningguang knew about this—well, she's Lady Ningguang who knows everything.

“It was Keqing’s coachman who mentioned it during a casual chat with my coachman. Don’t underestimate the coachman’s network of connections,” Ningguang laughed again. “He said you once said, ‘I want to make Guili Plain bloom with glass lilies again.’”

"I know you didn't intend to give it to me. But only you can make the glass lilies bloom again in Guili Plain, so I'll take it as a gift from you. Actually... I like glass lilies the most."

"I see..." Han Fu looked at the red glass lily in his hand. This could be considered "unintentional success".

He hadn't seen Ningguang smile like this in a long time.

This reminded him of the days when they were still "siblings".

If I had given her a few of her favorite flowers back then, would things be different now?

Han Fulai knew things wouldn't be that simple, but he couldn't stop thinking about it.

He also knew that deep down he didn't really want to be Ningguang's enemy.

But he had no choice.

“Since you’ve mentioned the Glass Lily, I have a story about it that you won’t find anywhere else. Would you like to hear it?” Ningguang asked.

Han Fulai nodded.

Ningguang turned around and walked along the lake shore again, with Han Fulai following closely behind her, holding flowers.

Surrounded by beautiful lakes and mountains.

It's like a couple going on a spring outing.

"Lilac Lilies are now very rare in Liyue. Apart from the gardens on Jade Palace and a few remote wilderness areas, you can no longer see Lilac Lilies anywhere else."

Ningguang's voice flowed into his ears like a gentle stream as she told him her story.

"If you buy a Glass Lily at a flower shop in Liyue Harbor, the shopkeeper will tell you that the Glass Lily represents nobility and refinement, and is a very delicate plant. It loves water, light, and song. If accompanied by beautiful songs, it will grow exceptionally lush; but if near mourning and strife, it will become weak, withered, and even turn yellow."

"But it wasn't like this before. The glass lily wasn't a rare plant. It was very ordinary and plain, like a girl in a fishing village who made a living by fishing. It was neither noble nor exquisite."

"Liyue once had an era of dual-god rule."

“Long before the war between the demon gods, in the era when immortals and mortals coexisted on the vast continent of Liyue, the Glass Lily once covered the fertile lands of Guili Plain and Dihua Continent. At that time, this delicate and beautiful flower was the favorite of the god of dust, Gui Zhong.”

"The Rock King is the 'God of Contracts,' and under his rule, all laws are cold and indifferent; but the skillful Gui Zhong brought exquisite tools, beautiful paintings, and sweet music to the first people of Gui Li Yuan."

"In order to bring a happy life to the people, when the rules of rights and obligations are fulfilled, the Rock King Emperor will cast a stern gaze; at the same time, Gui Zhong will bring hope and happiness to the fragile mortals with her wisdom."

“In that innocent era, one day, the ever-intelligent Gui Zhong suddenly had a mischievous thought—so she covered the Emperor’s eyes with her hands. As she laughed, she sprinkled shimmering blue seeds from her long sleeves, scattering them across the Gui Li Plain.”

"When the Rock King Emperor opened his eyes, crystal-clear, glass-like blue flowers began to bloom in the countryside."

"Accompanied by the gentle laughter and poetry of the god-kings, the glass lily took root on this vast land."

"The ancestors of the Liyue people once worked, rested, lived, loved, sang, and played in a bright and soft sea of ​​flowers, while the gods they worshipped strolled leisurely among the glass lilies. The Geo Archon would listen to the dust god's childlike joyful words, and over time, even he began to understand the joys and sorrows of the mortal world."

He realized that there was a hidden power in accommodation and tolerance—lighter than dust, yet infinite.

Ningguang turned and glanced at Han Fulai, who looked thoughtful.

Ningguang continued, "The legend about this beautiful plant, that it was born from the frolicking of gods a thousand years ago, is perhaps just a romantic story."

"The Glass Lily is now on the verge of extinction—the reason is undoubtedly the Demon God War many years ago. In that war, these delicate and innocent flowers also turned pale because of the countless tragedies that befell people. Giant waves surged and submerged everything, and the survivors abandoned Guili Plain and began to migrate. But the Glass Lilies were trapped on the fertile land of Guili Plain and remained there forever."

"Also remaining in Guiliyuan with them was Guizhong. In the catastrophic chaos and brutal massacre, even the light and gentle Dust Goddess could not escape misfortune; it is said that she fell on the land where the first immigrants settled and rested in the last cluster of glass lilies."

Ningguang stopped and turned around.

The story ends like this:

"Just as she was about to turn to dust, the Dust King left her beloved friend with one last riddle: 'People often say that the wisdom of dust can soften the heart of rock—even if it takes a thousand years.'"

"The wind carried away the dust god, and the last of the glass lilies on the Guili Plain withered and turned to dust. Hundreds of years passed, and when peace returned, the Rock Lord replanted his old friend's favorite flower in the land of Liyue. He thought that perhaps in another hundred years, this peaceful land would have another sea of ​​glass lilies."

"And as everyone knows, the ending is that Liyue will never again have a sea of ​​Lili flowers."

Han Fulai looked at Ningguang and said softly, "This is a very good story."

"Is that all you feel?" Ningguang's beautiful eyes flickered, seemingly dissatisfied.

Han Fulai lowered his head and sighed.

“Perhaps it would be better if Liyue had always been ruled by two gods. In this story, the former Emperor was cold and ruthless, a god who looked down on everything from a high place. But Gui Zhong brought him down from the throne of the ruler and into the lives of ordinary people, making him a wise ruler who could understand the people’s feelings and share their joys.”

"Just as her title 'Dust Demon God' suggests, the people this deity cared for and loved most were those mortals who were as insignificant as dust before the gods. In the end, she chose to sacrifice herself for her people and return to dust."

"The Rock God and the Dust God are like two sides of strength and gentleness, complementing each other's shortcomings. Just as humans grow because of their past experiences, if demon gods can also grow, then what brought about this current emperor is the end."

“So…” He paused, then looked up and said, “Does Lady Ningguang mean to me that Liyue was once ruled by two gods, so Liyue can be ruled by two gods now?”

Ningguang shook her head.

"No, I wanted to tell you that Morax is the only god left in Liyue's history. Neither Heureia nor Hargentus, those ruthless daemons, survived the Daedric War. You were a good person, so your life was short."

Ningguang removed the Eye of God from her waist.

The Eye of God transformed into a strangely shaped magical artifact with six sides, held in Ningguang's hand—its name was "The Lock of the Mortal World".

Zhongli sat alone in the celestial pavilion atop Qingyun Peak.

When you're high in the clouds, watching the moon set and the sun rise, time itself seems to blur.

He's been sitting here all day.

In front of him was a pot of wine and a bell.

The wine is a divine brew, and the bell is a handmade creation of the gods.

The bell was ringing out the melody left behind by that deceased friend.

His deceased friend left behind two things: one is the "Dust-Cleansing Bell" in front of him, and the other is a stone lock, which he later named "The Lock of the Mortal World".

"This is a token of our covenant, and also my challenge to you."

"All my wisdom is hidden in this stone lock."

He recalled their first meeting, when the girl in the long sleeves of her coat presented the token with a feigned solemnity and joy.

How foolish. There was no formal contract, and we were just acting together on our own... but I still can't help but think of the scene when we met in the field of blooming lilies... and finally, what she said in the lily bushes.

Zhongli raised his cup to the sky and said softly, "I hope that our successors will not repeat our mistakes."

Chapter 416 Positions Changed, Teammates Remain [4k]

Han Fulai unconsciously took a step back.

An indescribable pressure emanated from the magical artifact in Ningguang's hand, instantly cleansing the surrounding space.

The lake is still the same lake, the mountain road is still the same mountain road, but the sky is no longer the same sky.

A fine layer of dust covered the sky, obscuring the sun and turning everything into a dim, yellowish haze.

Centered on Ningguang, a radius of 100 meters is completely obscured by dust and sand.

The moment Ningguang took out the magical artifact, Han Fulai had already triggered the contract mark on the back of his hand, but neither Gan Yu nor Xiao responded—it was "exterior view".

He couldn't help but smile wryly. It seemed that the secret techniques of the Liyue Immortal Clan had become worthless lately, as it appeared that everyone knew them.

Of course, he also knew that it wasn't Ningguang who released the "exterior view," but rather the bright yellow stone lock in her hand.

—The artifact known in the game as "Ningguang's signature weapon," a relic of the Demon God's final moments, "The Lock of the Mortal Realm."

Thinking about it this way, Ningguang never seemed to have used any magical artifacts when she fought enemies in the Qunyu Pavilion. Han Fulai still doesn't know that she actually possesses a divine artifact.

It turns out that the "Chain of the Mortal Realm" had always been disguised as the Eye of God and hung on Ningguang's waist. Speaking of which, Daedric gods like Zhongli and Wendy would also create fake Eyes of God to avoid revealing their identities when using their divine powers. He remembered that Wendy's Eye of God was a transformation of a lyre.

The world generally believes that Ningguang, the Celestial Star, is merely a woman of wealth and power, relying on scheming and manipulation in everything she does, never using her own strength. As the wielder of the Eye of God, Ningguang doesn't venture out into the world like Keqing; people often overlook the fact that she possesses the Eye of God, and this is the impression she gives…

Who would have thought that she had long ago mastered the power left behind by a demon god?

And this power... is very strong.

Because Ningguang was now rising into the air right in front of Han Fulai, her long hair flowing, her two robe sleeves fluttering, and stardust shimmering within her wide sleeves.

It wasn't the wings of wind, nor the magic array, but entirely its own power that allowed it to move freely in the air—like an immortal.

Flying is the boundary between humans and immortals.

Even with the power of the Eye of God, humans cannot fly. Even half-immortals like Gan Yu and Yan Fei, who possess both the Eye of God and the bloodline of immortal beasts, cannot fly, so they cannot be considered "Three-Eyed Five-Manifestation Immortals" and do not have the title of True Lord Immortal.

Could it be... that Ningguang is already an immortal?

A red light flashed in Han Fulai's hand, and the Salt Sorrow Spear reappeared in his palm.

He is currently severely injured and on the way to recovery. His immortal power was exhausted in the battle just now, and he can't even activate his shield. All he can rely on is the power of the Salt Sorrow Spear. Although the Salt Sorrow Spear is also a divine weapon, it is probably no match for Ningguang, who has mastered the Lock of the Mortal World and possesses abundant divine energy.

If Ningguang were to fight, he would have no choice but to risk exploding and absorb the demonic remnants from the Salt Sorrow Spear on the spot, just as he had relied on the restorative power of "Descent of Heavenly Splendor" to absorb the power of the earth's veins.

But then Ningguang, holding the Lock of the Mortal World in her hand, slowly descended and landed in front of Han Fulai once again.

A mischievous smile played on her lips, like a child who had pulled off a prank: "Did I scare you?"

It sounds like Ningguang doesn't have any hostile intentions?

Han Fulai cautiously took another step back, without putting away his gun.

Within just one hour, he had fallen into this trap of cutting off external support twice—in fact, both traps were set by Ningguang.

She just said she was coming to save me, and now she wants to kill me? Is this the fickleness of women?

Han Fulai pursed his lips.