He changed Tiwat

With no outsiders around, the two were finally able to discuss some topics that shouldn't be heard by outsiders.

Abedo said that he had conducted many experiments in the snow mountain during this period, and his mastery of alchemy had deepened. At the same time, his "Red Achievement" realm had become more stable. As for the specifics of the experiments, and whether there was a certain Abedo who did not want to reveal his name as a test subject, Abedo did not say, and Han Fulai did not ask.

Han Fulai then told Abedo that he no longer needed to go to the Knights' archives to help him find historical information. A certain wind god named Barbatos, who wished to remain anonymous, had already told him everything he could—the information search was originally a thank-you gift that Abedo had promised him, but since he no longer needed it, the gift had to be replaced.

Although Abedo, as the leader of the Knights' investigation team, cannot easily switch to the "Liyue Academy of Arts," becoming a "visiting professor" or "visiting scholar" would obviously not be a problem.

Abedo readily agreed to Han Fulai's request and became an honorary researcher at the "Liyue Academy of Alchemy." He maintained communication and exchange with Liyue regarding alchemy, sharing resources and expertise. When needed, he could also help Liyue develop alchemy projects.

With the business mostly finished, Han Fulai asked Abedo a question in a seemingly casual tone: "Abedo, do you know who the god who governs 'love' is?"

Chapter 367 Some people are alive, but she is already dead.

Faced with this seemingly casual question, Aberdo did not give a casual answer.

He lowered his head and pondered for a full five seconds before speaking: "I'm not sure."

This answer was unexpected by Han Fulai.

Every alchemist is a naturalist, because they need to understand the countless strange alchemical materials and formulas in the world, and they also need to invent and create many alchemical items. Without a broad knowledge base, one cannot become a qualified alchemist.

Abelardo is the best among them.

Abedo is a replica of the "original man," born with innate wisdom, also known as the "divine wisdom of the man in the bottle"—equivalent to being instilled with a great deal of knowledge during the prenatal education stage, and being able to become a sage in the Institute of the Faith as soon as he opened his eyes in the petri dish.

Furthermore, his mother and mentor was the witch of Kanria, "Golden" Rhinedot. In order to train Abedor, Rhinedot took him on a very long journey across the continent of Teyvat—possibly for hundreds of years.

These experiences taught Abedo a wide range of knowledge and broadened his horizons. In terms of erudition, Abedo was probably no less learned than any god of his time.

The reason Han Fulai specifically asked Abedo this question was because Abedo was a very scholarly person—simply put, he was straightforward and wouldn't be like Zhongli and Wendy who liked to be "riddlers."

If the answer pertains to something that one cannot say even if one knows it, Abedo will honestly tell him, "I do not want to lie, so I will not answer."

Before asking, Han Fulai had considered that Abedo might answer "I don't know," which was normal; no one is omniscient. But this "uncertainty" made his brows furrow more and more.

Because Aberdo's statement is exactly the same as Wendy's...

He was waiting for Aberdo to give him an explanation.

Abedo remained silent for a full five seconds before speaking, "I'm not sure if she's dead. I once traveled with my master to her realm, and many signs indicate that the goddess who governs 'love' has been dead for at least five hundred years; the permafrost is evidence of her death..."

"But she is clearly still alive, living on her frozen throne. Her followers are still fighting for her to this day..."

—Some people are alive, yet she is already dead; some people are dead, yet she is still alive…

Two lines of poetry inexplicably popped into Han Fulai's mind.

He asked again, "The deity you mentioned, is it the 'Ice Queen'?"

Abedo gave him a strange look: "Don't you know? The 'Ice Queen' was known as the 'Goddess of Love' five hundred years ago."

This story begins last night.

Last night, Han Fulai was drinking with Wendy at the "Cat's Tail Tavern," and it wasn't just that he learned a few songs from this drunkard.

Bards and secretaries are probably the two most talkative professions in the world, so when the two of them get together for drinks, they talk a lot.

The two clinked glasses and chatted about culture, poetry, and local customs, eventually leading their conversation to the "Farewell Ceremony" earlier this year—undoubtedly the most representative ceremony of Liyue culture. Furthermore, because Han Fulai had repeatedly thwarted the Fatui executor "The Doctor's" schemes in Mondstadt, Venti was also very interested in how he had teased the little guy called "Choir."

Han Fulai explained to Wendy in detail how he swindled the funds from the "Northern Bank".

Besides flowers and perfumes, there is another interesting and expensive item in the "Sending Off the Immortals Ritual" - kites.

When kites are mentioned, most people would say they are just "childhood memories" or toys.

However, in Liyue, kites have many meanings beyond being toys.

For example, the word "fish" carries connotations of "abundance year after year" and "a bountiful harvest," so fish-patterned kites are often associated with wealth and abundance. Kites made with various patterns of medaka and perch are more sought after by adults in Liyue than by children. Farmers and fishermen often fly a fish-patterned kite before festivals to pray for a good harvest, and often, you even need to pre-order such a kite from a merchant.

Similarly, there is the "Jade Pavilion Kite"—this type of kite has only become popular in recent years. As Ningguang of Tianquan became the richest person in Liyue, the Jade Pavilion where she lived also became one of the symbols of wealth.

Thus, the kite shaped like the Jade Pavilion was named "Prosperous Fortune," and became highly sought after by merchants, with demand exceeding supply. Many even claimed to have seen immortals descend the mountain specifically to buy this kite. (According to Han Fulai's later investigation, this rumor was spread by Ningguang herself, who sold the Jade Pavilion design rights, but the story seems to be true: during the Lantern Festival, two immortals secretly slipped away to Liyue Harbor without informing a certain lonely old man...)

In addition, there are butterfly-shaped kites called "Fluttering Butterflies" and "Everything Goes Smoothly" kites shaped like sly flowers, all of which are ritual items used for blessings. Butterflies have the characteristic of emerging from their cocoons, so flying butterfly kites symbolizes breaking free from constraints and pursuing freedom and happiness, making them very popular among young people, especially couples. Sly flowers, besides being associated with cunning and treachery, also have the meaning of intelligence, alertness, and the ability to foresee danger, which is considered a good omen for miners.

The kites used in the "Sending Off the Immortals Ritual" are different from those commonly found on the market; they are symbols of the "Seven Rulers of the Mortal Realm," representing the seven Teyvat gods.

Such kites, imbued with solemn symbolism, cannot be made by just any shop. In Liyue, the person who can make these kites is called Ashan-po.

Grandma Ashan's toy stall is very famous in Chihuyan, especially for making toys in the shape of the Rock King Emperor, such as dragon horn spinning tops, rock dice, dragon whisker wooden swords, Rock King masks... They are especially popular with children, including a certain Seven Star who does not want to reveal her name, who has collected many of them and keeps them in her boudoir.

Kite making is a family tradition passed down through generations in Ashanpo's family, which has been passed down for nearly twenty generations. In modern terms, she could be considered a "recipient of intangible cultural heritage" in Liyue.

The traditional patterns required for the "Sending Off the Immortals" ceremony, dating back a thousand years, are now only sold by Ashanpo in all of Liyue, and only this veteran craftswoman with over forty years of experience can make them.

Zhong Li commissioned Ah Shan Po to make the kites. As for the price, the seven kites cost more than 500,000 Mora – of course, Zhong Li never bargained.

This is what he said when he introduced the "Seven Gods Kite" to Han Fulai:

“The patterns offered to the wind god are not restricted, so the colors here are painted ‘freely’ outside the boundaries.”

"As for the offerings to the rock god, every stroke must be drawn according to the ancient 'contract,' yes, this is the symbol of the 'Golden House,' and also the symbol of Mora."

"The lightning patterns on this kite... well, the sense of rotation is captured very well, just like the 'eternity' that Thor wanted."

“The grass-leaf patterns and silver wood rings, which are a tribute to ‘wisdom,’ are cleverly integrated into the kite’s frame, which is truly admirable.”

"Justice as balanced as water, war as fierce as fire... Hmm, the details are all done very well."

The very knowledgeable guest of "Wang Sheng Tang" commented on each of Grandma Ashan's works, making her beam with joy. After all, being praised by a guest is a pleasant thing, especially since this person was so generous.

But when it came to the kite symbolizing the "Ice Queen," Zhongli fell silent.

Granny Ashan asked the guest, somewhat puzzled, if there was anything she was dissatisfied with. Zhongli simply shook her head and said, "This is what she used to be like."

At that time, Han Fulai had only recently transmigrated to Liyue, and his relationship with Zhongli wasn't as close as it is now, so he naturally didn't dare to ask too many questions. Now that he thinks about it, since there's an ancient deity right beside him, he could ask what the symbolism of the Ice God is.

So he asked Wendy, "I saw an arrow painted on the kite, but the arrowhead was a five-colored flower. What does that represent?"

Wendy took a sip of her drink and replied with three words: "Represents love."

Chapter 368 Some people died, but she still lives on [4k]

It should be said that Han Fulai deliberately brought up the "Seven Gods Kite" incident while drinking with Wendy, because he had a little ulterior motive.

To put it bluntly, he wanted to get as much information about the Ice Queen as possible from Venti—this drunkard might not be good at fighting, but he was very good at diplomacy, especially when it came to getting free meals and drinks. He was the most qualified to say, "Which country on Teyvat haven't I been to? I've chatted and laughed with the Seven World Rulers."

In addition, as the god who governs all winds, nothing can escape his control, even "rumors"... If we were to say which of the Seven Gods has the most "insider information," it would definitely be Wendy, who makes up stories about the Seven Gods to scam money for drinks.

Anyway, no matter how much or how little Wendy says, we should try to find out as much as we can.

There's a reason why Han Fulai is so concerned about Zhidong's intelligence.

He, or rather Liyue, is now engaged in a fierce conflict with the Fatui, triggered by the previous financial war with the "Northern Bank".

If you include all the Fool's Enforcers he's directly or indirectly dealt with... he's already ruined the plans of at least four Enforcers.

The plans of the four executives, "Young Master," "Rich Man," "Rooster," and "Doctor," and many of their subordinates, have fallen victim to his schemes. Even the subordinates of "Scrap Soldiers," "Lady," and "Servant" have been tricked by him, so they probably don't have any goodwill towards him.

If you do the math, there are eleven executives in the Winter Kingdom, and he has offended more than half of them. In the not-too-distant future, he might have to offend the other half as well—after all, he just ruined a major event for the Fools a few hours ago…

In Liyue and Mondstadt, he has two gods protecting him, but he will have to go to other countries for the "Teyvat Community of Fate" plan in the future. Who will protect him then?

Each of the Fools' Executors is said to have been granted divine authority by the Queen of Winter, gaining power beyond that of mortals. To make an enemy of such a terrifying foe, it is only natural to learn more about them, as the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."

As is well known, the "Seven Earthly Rulers" of Teyvat each have their own symbolism, which represents the essence of that god, or rather, the "Tao".

Understanding a demon god's philosophy is equivalent to understanding that demon god's true nature.

As Zhongli commented on the "Seven Gods Kite," the Wind God represents "freedom," the Rock God represents "contract," the Thunder God represents "eternity," the Grass God represents "wisdom," the Water God represents "justice," the Fire God represents "war," and so on. The seven kingdoms under their rule also practice the path of their rulers.

However, when it came to the question of the Ice God, Zhongli remained vague.

The boss likes to play the riddle-maker, so his underlings have to painstakingly gather intelligence on their own. Ningguang and the Liyue intelligence system under her control have been working on this, but the results have been quite limited—there's plenty of scraps of information, but virtually nothing that touches on the core of Winter.

After all, the Fatui are a very well-organized group, and their expertise in intelligence gathering is among the best in Teyvat. It is very difficult to infiltrate their core.

Therefore, in the previous conflict with the "rich man", Han Fulai cooperated with Uncle Tian and took advantage of Zhiyi's defection to carry out the "willing to take the bait" plan, planting an important undercover agent next to the "rich man".

However, undercover work doesn't yield results so quickly. Just like Zhiyi, Calvin, and Ilock, many times they are just "side moves" that have to be used at crucial moments.

Wendy's answer filled in the gaps in Han Fulai's knowledge of the Ice Queen.

The symbol of the Ice God is "love," which is very important information.

Based on this essence, we can deduce the god's motivations and logic, and thus make some predictions about the actions of the Fools—of course, this requires a more detailed analysis of the nature of the Ice God.

For example, what kind of "love" is this? Is it the "love" of "romantic love"? The "love" of "friendship"? The "love" of "compassion"? Or is it the "universal love" that encompasses everything?

Based on these ideological differences, the Fatui's guiding principles could very well shift from "liberating Teyvat" to "Greater Teyvat coexistence"...

So he continued, "You mean the Ice Goddess can also be called the 'Goddess of Love'? She shoots arrows made of flowers into people's hearts, and those struck by her arrows fall passionately in love?"

This is, of course, Han Fulai making a reference to Cupid, the famous god of love on Earth. When you think of Cupid and arrows, Cupid is the first thing that comes to mind.

The gods on the continent of Teyvat don't seem to care about marriage... at least Han Fulai had never heard of it. Besides, the Ice Queen, who could establish an organization like the Fools to defy the laws of nature, couldn't possibly be running a matchmaking agency. Han Fulai was just joking to lighten the mood.

However, Wendy's expression at the time was anything but relaxed.

“Barnabas was indeed the ‘god of love’... but that was in the past.”

Han Fulai immediately pressed further: "'Once'...does that mean she's no longer the 'Goddess of Love'?"

Wendy nodded somewhat heavily: "Yes, although the relationships between the seven gods are not all very harmonious, I never expected her to become like this—she was once the gentlest and most loving of the seven gods."

"Barnabas in the past... how should I put it?"

There's a story that goes like this: A man's wife had a terminal illness, and the only way to save her was to use his mother's heart as medicine. To save his wife, the man hardened his heart, killed his mother, and took her heart. But in his panic, he tripped and fell, and the heart he was holding rolled to the ground. Suddenly, the heart spoke—it asked, "Child, did you hurt yourself?"

"A mother's love..."

Han Fulai had heard similar stories before on Earth, but a mother's love for her child seems to be the same in every world.

He could already imagine how gentle and loving the former Ice Queen was as a "mother".

Wendy said softly, "...I know 'her from five hundred years ago,' but I'm a complete stranger to 'her now.' After the 'Dark Calamity,' she cut off all communication with me..."

“I’m not even sure if the person sitting in the Winter Palace now… is still her.”

After saying that, Wendy never mentioned Ice God again.

Then he started singing.

Sing that song, "The Past".

The "god of love" that Wendy mentioned made Han Fulai think a lot.

As a time traveler, he remembered the famous game PV "Footprints," in which the narrator, Dainthrei, like a prophet, introduced the seven kingdoms of Teyvat one by one. Dain's explanation was roughly the same as Zhongli's; the symbolic meanings of the first six gods were very clear.

However, when introducing the Kingdom of Winter, there is no description of the Ice God's philosophy.

In that PV, the introduction of the Winter Queen was just this one sentence—

"She is a goddess who will never love again, and a goddess who will never be loved again."

At the time, Han Fulai, as a player, could only speculate based on this introduction. At most, he knew that the Ice God might have violated the principle of "the demon god loving the human" set by the laws of nature... Apart from that, he could not be sure what this god symbolized or what kind of ideology he represented.

Now, the Ice Queen's blurry features have begun to take shape.

He now knew that the Ice Queen's name was Barnabas. Five hundred years ago, she was a very gentle and loving goddess who cared for her people like a mother, and was known as the "Goddess of Love."

He also knew that after the "Dark Calamity" five hundred years ago, she sheltered a portion of the survivors of Kanria and established the Fools, an organization led by Piero, the former court mage of Kanria.

He also knew that the primary task of the Fatui was to help the Ice Queen collect the "Hearts of God" from the other six gods.

As for the Ice Queen's reason for collecting "Hearts of God," Wendy had told him the other day through the witch's "history book"—"The White Princess and the Six Dwarfs":

The "Hearts of God" collected by the Ice Queen are actually the remains of the "Third Adventor." They want to resurrect the "Third Adventor," who possesses the power to change the world and represents the "Prince of Light," a figure of light and hope. The Ice Queen's true identity, however, is very likely the female protagonist of the book, the "White Princess," who may even have been imprisoned and punished by the laws of nature...

So, is her transformation into a "god who can neither love nor be loved" related to the "Night Mother" in the story, or Tianli?

Was Zhongli silent because it involved matters against the natural order?

In addition, there's the matter of the "Time Ruler" disappearing, and the matter of "the future saving the past"... Wendy specifically gave him the power to see the "Seeds of Time" and instructed him to go to Inatsume to find the traces left by the "Time Ruler"...

If we take all of this into account—Wendy says that the Ice God of today is different from the Ice God of five hundred years ago, and the Ice God has specifically severed all ties with Wendy—does this mean that the Ice God has a certain reason for not being able to see Wendy?

Zhongli can at least communicate with the Ice Queen. The Ice Queen even contacted Zhongli specifically and signed a "contract that ends all contracts" with him.

Moreover, Zhongli showed no outward signs of rebellion, yet the rebellious Ice Queen dared to make deals and collude with this most senior "confidant of the court and pillar of the party and state." But towards Wendy, the "traitor" who controlled the gates of the Sky Isles and sheltered the descendants of Kanria and replicas of the "Primals," the Ice Queen completely severed ties...

Is it because if she gets in touch with Wendy and they meet, the "uncertainty" Wendy mentioned will turn into "certainty"?

Wendy, the freest wind god who can roam the world, is clearly worried about his old friend from 500 years ago, yet he doesn't wander to the winter solstice to meet him. Is there some kind of "tacit understanding" behind this?

—Because "some people are alive, but she is already dead; some people are dead, but she is still alive"?

—The Ice Queen sitting in the Winter Palace now is indeed not the Ice Queen of five hundred years ago.