He changed Tiwat

Although the samurai did not actually swing his sword, the sheer force of his glare was enough to frighten Paimon into hiding behind Ying.

Ying pointed to the remains of the "Beast Hounds" on the ground: "Beasts... do you mean these?"

"Yes, it's them, those wretched beasts!" The samurai gripped his chipped sword tightly. "Beasts are everywhere, and even more terrifying monsters! Inazuma is shrouded in darkness! They have no feelings, they only devour everything in their path... They will devour all proof that we humans ever existed..."

Paimon peeked out from behind Ying: "But there's nothing around."

The samurai's voice grew increasingly anxious: "It's not time yet, but they will definitely come back... Hurry! There's no time! There are shelters in the Desolate Sea Palace, you must go there to take refuge!"

Paimon asked in a low voice, "Then...why didn't you go to seek refuge?"

The samurai shook his head and said, "Now that the general is gone, and Lord Kitsai-no-miya is gone, we can only rely on ourselves. I don't know how long we can hold on, but... if we give up even hope, we will truly have nothing left. I, Kitamura, and my brothers... will absolutely protect Inazuma until the very last moment!"

At this moment, Lei Yingdong walked up to the samurai named Kitamura: "Don't panic, I'm right here."

Kitamura was stunned for a moment, then suddenly overjoyed: "S-General?! You're back! Please, please help us... Please save Inazuma! Without your supreme lightning, there's no way to dispel this darkness. If this continues, the entire Inazuma will become food for wild beasts!"

“Yes, I will definitely dispel the darkness that shrouds this land.” Ray Film raised his hand and gently patted Kitamura’s shoulder. The “memory of the ley lines,” which should have no physical form, was touched by Ray’s hand—

“Kitamura, thank you for helping me protect Inatsuma,” she said.

"General...remember my name...sob..." The warrior, silently weeping, slowly turned into light and disappeared.

Han Fulai had already figured out the origin of that "memory of the earth's veins": "He just mentioned that the General and Lord Fox Palace are both missing... This is a memory from five hundred years ago, about the 'Dark Calamity', right?"

Lei Yingdian nodded: "Yes. That soldier was one of the thousands of victims, and what he was talking about was the disaster that happened in Inazuma five hundred years ago."

"At that time, I left Inazuma for Kanria. Before I left, my friend Kitsuri told me that she would use all the power around her to take on the responsibility of protecting Inazuma and clear my worries. And later... Kitsuri ultimately sacrificed her life to protect the people."

“I couldn’t see her one last time. But I want to believe that she kept her promise to me until the very last moment.”

Han Fulai nodded: "Then, does the 'refuge' that the warrior mentioned earlier—'Desolate Sea Palace'—have a similar barrier that can shield perception?"

"Suppose that five hundred years ago, the Fox Palace set up a refuge for the people underground in the desolate sea, wouldn't she have done her best to hide the refuge from the demons?"

"I suspect that Yaeguji's disappearance and the sudden invasion of the demons are causally related. Could it be that Yaeguji noticed the damage to the barrier of the desolate sea and encountered some unexpected situation when he went to repair it?"

Hearing him say that, Paimon had a strong sense of déjà vu: "Ah, isn't this just like that time in the Abyss of the Rocks!"

Last time they went to the Abyss of Layered Rocks to search for the "Taiwei Instrument Plate," they fell into the underground space and almost never came back... Judging from this, it is very likely that Yae no Miko also encountered a similar experience.

Ying nodded repeatedly: "Yes, now we have a direction. We've just finished clearing out the monsters around here, so let's set off now."

“I don’t think the barrier of the Desolate Sea Palace can block my senses…” Ying hesitated slightly, “but five hundred years is indeed a possibility that the barrier has undergone some unexpected changes… It’s good to go and take a look.”

With their destination set, the group did not linger and headed straight for the desolate sea.

Chapter 218 The Weak General [4k]

The desolate sea is located on the north side of Shadow Mountain, and it is still more than ten miles away from where everyone is now, along a rugged mountain road.

Along the way, the four encountered several more groups of "Beast Hounds" attacking the roots of the Divine Cherry Tree, all of which were killed by Lei Yingdian.

Perhaps because he had just met the samurai named Kitamura, Lei insisted on avenging the victims of five hundred years ago with his own hands and forbade Ying and Han Fulai from taking action.

The two naturally understood that the General wanted to use the blood of demons to commemorate the fallen heroes. However, before the Thunder General's sword light, the "Beast Hounds," which were difficult for mortals to withstand, were nothing but clay chickens and earthen dogs, and there was no way they would need anyone's help.

Anyway, with the invincible general as the main DPS, the other two can just follow behind and cheer.

...Logically, that should be the case.

But after Ray's film eliminated another batch of "Beast Hounds," even Paimon noticed something was amiss.

She couldn't help but whisper to Ying and Han Fulai, "Hmm, have you guys noticed that Ying seems a little off? Is she drawing her sword slower and slower? Usually, she should be able to draw her sword more cleanly and swiftly, shattering them in a 'whoosh', right?"

“Yes, I feel the same way,” Han Fulai agreed.

His own martial arts level was probably only slightly higher than Paimon's, so he shouldn't be qualified to comment on the general's martial arts skills. However, even a layman could see the problem Paimon mentioned.

To describe the difference, when they encountered the "Beast Hounds" before, the General followed the "One-Punch Man" route, regardless of the size or number of opponents, she could kill them all with a single strike of "Unthinking One Slash"; but in the battle just now, Lei Yingdian only used ordinary elemental power and martial arts, and her naginata no longer tore through space, and truly began to bleed... Although the battle still ended quickly, it was ultimately not an "instant kill".

Ying's voice sounded somewhat uncertain: "Maybe I'm just tired...? After all, I've been exorcising those monsters all day. I'd be exhausted too if I were in her shoes..."

In fact, she herself felt that this conjecture was unbelievable.

She does get tired, but Shadow is currently using the body of a puppet general, so the concept of "fatigue" doesn't apply to her. Besides, these "Beast Hounds" are just the lowest-level monsters in the abyss, practically "minor fodder."

It's rather strange that the mighty "Seven Rulers of the Mortal World" are struggling to deal with even the smallest minions.

Hearing their discussion, Ying simply shook her head calmly: "Don't worry, I just want to save some energy. There are many monsters in the desolate sea, and the closer we get, the more likely we are to encounter unexpected dangers... In order to deal with even more powerful monsters, I must be prepared and ensure that I have enough strength to deal with them when the time comes."

"Oh! Shadow truly lives up to his reputation as a seasoned general!" Paimon nodded with admiration.

Neither Ying nor Han Fulai made a sound.

Ying's reasoning seemed reasonable at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it became even stranger—she wasn't playing the "Spiral Abyss" dungeon and needed to build up her ultimate skill energy to deal with the elite boss at the end...

Besides, if you really encounter a powerful enemy that requires a demon god to deal with carefully, what use is the little bit of energy saved when fighting grunts?

At this moment, the roots of the Divine Cherry Tree once again emitted light.

A figure appeared in front of them.

This time, it wasn't a samurai who appeared, but an old man with a hunched back.

The old man had his eyes covered with a black cloth and was holding a bamboo cane; he appeared to be blind.

"You are... Gu Shan?" Lei Yingdian's voice was slightly surprised.

"Hmm?" Gu Shan's ears twitched, and a look of surprise appeared on his face. "It's General? Weren't you supposed to be on the distant battlefield? Why are you back?"

"A distant battlefield? That sounds like something from five hundred years ago..." Paimon said softly.

Lei Yingdong nodded: "Let me introduce you. This is Gushan, the tea master who has always followed me. Gushan is blind, but he has a discerning eye that far surpasses that of ordinary people. The tea he brews is one of the best in Inazuma."

Gu Shan chuckled and waved his hand, "You flatter me. It's just that I'm always by the General's side, and practice makes perfect. It sounds like the General has brought guests with him?"

"...Given the current situation, I'm afraid I can't serve you any decent tea or snacks... But if you don't mind, please sit down and rest for a while. After all, the outside world is in complete chaos, and only this secluded little teahouse hasn't been ravaged by those demons..."

As he spoke, he casually pointed to a spot beside him with his bamboo cane, as if there were a tea table there.

However, in reality, the location he was referring to was actually the carcass of a "beast hound"...

“…What should we do now?” Paimon asked quietly.

Ying replied softly, "Let's just go along with what he says. Maybe, like Kitamura, he can provide some information."

Paimon readily chimed in, "Uh... there are wild beasts outside, it's pitch black, and many people are injured... why are you still staying in the tea room instead of seeking refuge?"

"Hmm? They've already reached this far?" Gu Shan tilted his ear and listened in a certain direction for a while, looking somewhat bewildered, as if he hadn't heard any movement from the demons—of course, the demons had all been killed by the general.

However, since the general's attendant had kindly advised him, he couldn't help but explain: "Most of the residents around here have already fled. They wanted to take me with them, but I felt it was pointless, so I didn't go with them... Now there's even less reason to leave. The general is right here, so I have no reason to run away."

He paused for a moment, then said, "If this is something even the General can't do anything about, where can I run to?"

Han Fulai interjected, "It is truly admirable that Mr. Gushan could be so open-minded about matters of life and death... Is this also part of the tea ceremony?"

Gu Shan chuckled: "General, you've brought an expert with you this time."

"The four principles of tea ceremony are 'harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.' 'Tranquility' is the foundation of tea ceremony, and 'extinction' is the ultimate destination of all things. As the general once said, 'Where there is life, there is death.' Compared with heaven and earth, man is but a tiny thing. Looking at the world, within the sea and sky, is there anything that lives forever? Since this is the case, even if extinction is imminent, how can one corrupt the mind of purity and tranquility?"

Paimon couldn't help but wonder, "Huh? This doesn't sound like something a general would say..."

Koyama laughed again: "That's because you haven't had tea with the General, have you? When the General enjoys tea, she often tells me about her 'dreams.' Listening to her stories, this old man, who has been blind for many years, feels as if he is personally traveling through the most beautiful mountains and seas of Inazuma... Over time, I have gradually come to understand her romantic and dreamy ideas."

"She always said, 'All good things will change and disappear with the passage of time. So we must seize the moment and enjoy life to the fullest, leaving no regrets.' So even if the current situation is bad, I have already experienced countless good things, and I have nothing to be dissatisfied with."

"Running away is for survival. The desire to survive stems from unfinished business in life. But I, an old man, simply didn't have that thought, nor did I leave any regrets."

Ying also looked at Ying. What Gu Shan had just said was completely different from Ying's previous "Eternal Path"—if Ying could have been so open-minded five hundred years ago, there would have been no "Pure Land of One Heart" seclusion for five hundred years, and there would have been no "Eye Hunting Order" and "Lockdown Order".

Ignoring Ying and Paimon's questioning gazes, Ying raised her head and looked towards the top of Yingxiang Mountain, towards the direction of the divine cherry tree.

"...Perhaps, that's true."

Her words didn't seem to be directed at Gu Shan; they sounded more like a conversation with someone who wasn't there.

Hearing Ying's words, Gu Shan's face showed a relieved expression: "Everyone says that Inazuma has turned black, but in my eyes, Inazuma has always been black. After the catastrophe, there will be a new life... I am a little regretful now that I will not be able to see Inazuma rebuilt by the General after this catastrophe... Ha, but even if I survive to that time, I will just be an unromantic old blind man, right?"

"Never mind, I am satisfied that I can spend one last time with you, General. My life is not worth your time, but those people who were taken to the desolate sea by Lord Zhaigong still need your help."

So, farewell.

He bowed deeply to the shadow, then turned his back, leaning on his bamboo cane, and slowly walked towards the tree roots.

Before long, Gu Shan's figure disappeared into the roots of the Divine Cherry Tree.

Ying kept looking in the direction of the Divine Cherry Tree, remaining silent.

After a long silence, she finally spoke: "I know you have many questions for me..."

"Just as you all thought, the 'General' that Gu Shan mentioned is not me."

“I rarely have the opportunity to drink tea, as I spend most of my free time practicing martial arts. Most of the time, Kozan is brewing tea for the former Thunder God, who is also my sister, Raiden Shin. He may have some awareness of the ‘two generals’ matter, but he has always acted as if he knew nothing at all. The philosophy he just mentioned is the view of reality that Shin has always upheld.”

Paimon couldn't help but sigh, "That's so different from what you thought..."

"Yes, this is the most important point of contention between us."

Ying's voice carried a hint of nostalgia. Many years ago, she had argued with Zhen several times about this matter.

Even though five hundred years have passed, the ideological differences between the two sisters have not been eliminated.

until now.

“In her eyes, the most precious thing in the world is ‘dream’—that is, life’s yearning for a better future. When you entered ‘Pure Land of One Heart’, I saw countless stars symbolizing wishes being lit up in the sky from afar, and my heart wavered a little. At that time, I thought to myself, maybe she is right, and I have gone astray.”

“Her interpretation of ‘eternity’ has always been different from mine. What she is concerned with is the driving force that compels humanity to constantly generate new ‘desires’. She believes that this driving force is rooted in human instinct, in other words… it is also a kind of ‘eternity’.”

She looked at Han Fulai.

"Back then, I couldn't understand how everything could maintain eternity while flowing forward. Until that day you told me—human beings have their own inherent qualities...human beings' pursuit and yearning for a better life is also eternal."

“…Really, she thinks further ahead than I did. I used to think that she must have possessed some kind of unfathomable, profound wisdom to say such things…but now I know—she simply understands humanity better than I do, and comprehends your power more.”

“You have witnessed my past views on ‘eternity.’ Now I am no longer attached to what I have lost… Although it is five hundred years late, I think she and I have made peace.”

Paimon clapped his hands and laughed, "That's great! If it weren't for the current situation, I would have suggested that we all go to the 'Wooden Leak Tea House' and have a party to celebrate!"

Han Fulai's expression, however, was not as relaxed as Paimon's. Ying's words had made him realize a problem he hadn't considered before—

"Shadow, are you unable to exert your full power right now, or are you very weak? Is it because... you have changed your 'path'?"

Paimon was immediately shocked: "Huh? You can't use your power right now?"

Ying's expression was also somewhat surprised. Although she knew that Lei's condition was not quite right, she did not expect it to be as serious as the "weak" level.

Ying raised an eyebrow in surprise, then felt relieved—for some reason, this person always seemed to be able to see through her heart.

This was true in the "Pure Land of One Heart," and it is true now...

But since she had been seen through, Ying readily admitted, "Yes, you're right. I'm not in my best condition right now. I lied to you earlier because I didn't want you to worry... I'm sorry."

"Just as I thought..." Han Fulai frowned.

The Book of Changes says: "That which is above form is called the Way."

This statement also applies to the demon gods of Teyvat.

The power of demons comes from their authority, that is, their "Tao".

For example, Zhongli is the "God of Contracts," and Wendy is the "God of Freedom." The powers of these divine offices are their "Tao."

The same goes for Lei's film, this "eternal god".

These metaphysical concepts, for the demons, concern the very essence of existence and possess power akin to "willpower." Just as the humans of Teyvat think of Morax when they hear "contract" and Barbatos when they hear "freedom," in many cases, the existence of the demons is equivalent to their "way."

Han Fulai's actions in "Pure Land of One Heart" recently shook Ying's beliefs, which is equivalent to shaking the very foundation of her existence.

Although he cleverly proposed a new "eternal path" for the Shadow, allowing it to continue to exist as an "eternal god," this shift in ideology inevitably affected the Shadow itself.

To give an analogy, the shadow of the past viewed "eternity" with an isolated, one-sided, and static perspective, while the shadow of the present views "eternity" with a connected, comprehensive, and developmental perspective—equivalent to jumping from classical "metaphysics" to "dialectics".

Although both are "eternal," the different interpretations have completely changed the "definition" of eternity.

Religions on Earth can fight for hundreds of years over different interpretations of scriptures, and Lei's movies are probably in a similar state of "conflict between heaven and man" right now.

In other words, on a spiritual level, Lei's films are actually undergoing a "transformation," and it's normal for them to become weak.

With the sudden disappearance of the Divine Child and Lei Movies at a crucial juncture of transformation, Han Fulai sighed silently. This was truly troublesome.

Chapter 219 Her Guardian [4k]

In Han Fulai's eyes, Inazuma's current situation is actually a huge crisis.

A large number of abyssal monsters suddenly appeared on Narukami Island's mainland for unknown reasons, but it is very likely an omen of some kind of disaster.

The earth vein memories that flowed out from the roots of the Divine Cherry just now were all those who sacrificed themselves in the "Dark Calamity" five hundred years ago... Han Fulai had to consider the worst-case scenario, namely, that the "Dark Calamity" would come again.