He changed Tiwat

The title of Demon God was merely a "work permit" for him as a "civil servant of Sky Island," and his ability to fill the vacancy on Sky Island was half due to the remnants of the Salt God within his body.

He had none of the power of transformation that demon gods possessed, which allowed them to take on countless forms. What he wanted to "ascend to godhood" was merely the "qualification" for demon gods to absorb "wishes"—only by becoming the "Salt King Emperor" could he truly implement his "Teyvat Community of Destiny" plan, absorb the "wishes" of the seven kingdoms, and ultimately allow him to gather the power of the human world to replace the laws of heaven.

Therefore, even after he "ascended to godhood," he never put on airs of a demon god. He always saw himself as "a human who possessed the status of a demon god," only with slightly greater power.

Therefore, when he interacts with the people around him, he is still the same as before, without any awareness of "I am already a demon god"... Well, Zhongli who wanders in the mortal world, Wendy who drinks and sings, and even Aying who eats dumplings and reads light novels, none of them usually put on the airs of a demon god, right?

The demons he knew were mostly people like "street hustlers," "drunkards," and "country bumpkins"... To outsiders, he was probably just a "workaholic" or a "working stiff"...

This cognitive misalignment also caused him to overlook the fact that he possessed a "celestial body".

The "Heaven and Earth Cage Test" that Zhongli and Guizhong organized together was not a simple secret realm instance; it contained the ambition of "creation".

The "Ancestor of All Immortals" enlightened the immortals, creating a new kind of life—a life with a long lifespan, capable of changing into various forms, able to fly and escape into the earth, and whose personal power rivals that of the gods!

If Gui Zhong hadn't passed away midway through, and Zhong Li hadn't closed the "Heaven and Earth Cage Test," Liyue might have truly become a kingdom where everyone could fly on a sword.

Han Fulai inherited the immortal power of the Emperor, and successively cultivated with Shen He and Ye Lan. He also received the "Bai Chen Blood" from the Divine Child. Now he has achieved the "Golden Core" and possesses an "Immortal Body".

This immortal body isn't just for saving on medical expenses and bathwater; it's a genuine transformation, a complete metamorphosis.

During the last Lantern Festival, Grandma Ping mentioned her old friend, "Yixiao Daotian Zhenjun," who is said to have supported the collapsing Tianheng Mountain with his antlers, and whose blood transformed into the Azure River that flows through the entire Liyue region...

Even if Granny Ping's words contained exaggerated descriptions of Ke Qing and the others, the power of a celestial body should far exceed the imagination of mortals.

So, Xingqiu's coma was really... uh, because of "eating bird's nest dry" leading to "indigestion"?

The goddess smiled and leaned close to his ear, whispering, "So, how many times did you feed this little chick last night, God?"

"..."

Han Fulai covered his face and held up three fingers.

The divine child's smile widened: "Oh, it seems she'll be sleeping for at least three months... Ah, that's a good thing. Lying down for three months will allow her to gain a foundation of immortal power. Once the news gets out, girls will be flocking to you seeking immortality. Hmm, maybe even boys..."

Han Fulai shook his head in alarm: "Please don't say anything nonsense!"

Anyone with a brain knows that if this got out, he'd probably end up like that Tang Sanzang...

The goddess smiled and nibbled at his ear: "Don't worry, I don't want those little demons to steal my meat."

"If you want her to wake up quickly, there are ways. One way is for you to perform dual cultivation with her right here and now, guiding the energy within her body, and she will wake up very soon..."

Han Fu glanced at the unconscious Xingqiu and shook his head again.

Even if he and Xingqiu were mutually in love, he couldn't do such a thing while the other person was unconscious. Although Shenhe and Yelan seemed to be... well, that was because they were trying to save him, not in that situation now.

The divine child blinked.

“Then we’ll have to choose another method.” She pointed to the tip of her nose. “I can also use my Heavenly Fox Divine Power to help her regulate her meridians… But why would I help a bad rabbit who’s stealing my food?”

Han Fulai sighed resignedly, "Lord Gongsi, please state your terms."

The divine child smiled slyly: "No matter how much she eats, I'll take double!"

Chapter 374 They ate especially well today

The nights in Yingxiangshan are always very peaceful.

The shadow sat alone in a quiet room, cross-legged and floating in mid-air, eyes closed, hands resting on his knees in a mudra.

This is her usual meditation posture.

She had spent hundreds of years alone in the "Pure Land of One Mind" facing the wall, reaching a state of "no thought and no desire." Logically, she should have been able to enter a meditative state very quickly.

But this time, she couldn't calm down.

"Ying, your heart is restless. Is it because of that person?"

—The general's criticism was spot on.

Although Narukami Shrine is not as pure as her own sacred land, and there are some noises such as human voices and birdsong, these minor noises should not be able to disturb the shadow.

In the past, even in the midst of a brutal battlefield where flesh and blood were flying, she could have maintained a calm and composed mind, and would never have been filled with such distracting thoughts as she is now.

Ultimately, it was that person who disturbed her heart.

Ying instinctively wanted to deny it, but quickly realized that lying to "himself" was pointless, and finally admitted: "Yes, I am very curious about his current situation."

Even when she was alone in a secluded, quiet room, the image of that person would involuntarily float into her mind—

He raised his spear to her and said, "There will always be creatures on earth who dare to face the might of thunder."

When he reached out his hand to her and said, "If you're willing to believe me, please hold my hand,"

He promised his sister that he would protect her for life, and that he would "devote himself to her until his dying breath";

Of course, there was also the time when he proposed marriage to her...

Those past moments kept flashing before her eyes.

In fact, during the time he and the Divine Child went to the Abyss Palace, Shadow was always on the top of the Tenshukaku, gazing in the direction of the Sea God Island.

She knew this was very unlike herself.

Shadow's explanation for this is anger towards the "traitor".

One of those two was her "ally," and the other was her "family member," yet they deliberately bypassed her to form a "family member contract." Wasn't this just poaching her men?

Not only that, the two of them even went to their "private time" without a care in the world, doing shameless things in front of her statue... Ying felt she had every reason to strike them with lightning.

Well, no need for thunder, a knife will do.

After the divine child said to her, "A scholar should be looked at with new eyes after three days of separation," her desire to kill someone intensified.

So she attributed her unease to a strong desire to "defeat that guy with her own hands"—she had lost to him once, so there was nothing wrong with wanting to win back, right?

Furthermore, given that person actually ascended to godhood in just a few days and became the second "original god" in history, it's only natural that she wanted to see what changes he had undergone.

The general then said, "If you want to see him, go to the consciousness space. Why stay here and keep to yourself, only to cause yourself more trouble?"

Ying was silent for a moment, then shook his head and said, "The Divine Child said that he is currently cultivating in the consciousness space in preparation for his battle with me, studying the ancient martial arts of Liyue. If I go to see him now, it would be suspected of 'peeping into someone's teachings,' which would violate the way of a martial artist."

Her words were indeed high-sounding. Whether it was Liyue or Inazuma, the essence of each sect's martial arts was based on the principle of "the secrets must not be passed on to six ears." If you were not a disciple but went to steal a look at another sect's martial arts, it was no different from burglary, and if you were discovered, you would have a legitimate reason to draw your sword and kill me.

Given Lei's pride, he would certainly disdain being a "thief," and would not even want to be associated with it, even if it was just a "suspect."

Therefore, after the Divine Child told her that the person was cultivating in the consciousness space, she consciously avoided lingering near the Divine Cherry Tree. In the past two days, she even actively blocked her connection with the Inazuma ley lines, for fear that the Divine Child would say that she was spying on the person's cultivation and that her victory was not honorable.

...But this is just a "high-sounding reason".

The general knew Ying's true thoughts—nothing more than "feeling apprehensive about returning home."

She clearly wanted to see him, but was afraid she would lose her composure if she did, so she simply chose to avoid seeing him altogether... just like how she had retreated into "Pure Land of One Heart" back then.

Even though she has completed the divine power left by Raiden Shin and become a true "Eternal God", she is still the same Kage, and her personality has not changed at all.

As someone who knows Ying best, the general knows that complaining is useless, so he simply saves his breath and asks directly: "Do you... think you might lose?"

The general could actually sense the unease hidden deep in his heart, but he just hadn't said it out loud.

The last defeat could be attributed to the "wishes" of the Inazuma people, but there are no excuses this time.

If Ying were to be defeated fair and square by that person even in his most prized martial arts, how would he face himself afterward?

...The duel is tomorrow, and the general thinks it's best to clarify things beforehand.

Shadow was taken aback at first, then flew into a rage. Electricity surged within the quiet room, shining like the light of rice paddies: "If I lose, I will jump off the top of the castle tower... no, I will jump off this mountain from here!"

"..."

The general wanted to say that no matter where you jump from, I'll be the one who breaks my leg... but she wisely kept her mouth shut.

At that moment, the fox spirit priest of Narukami Shrine pushed open the door carrying a plate of tricolor dumplings and immediately saw the furious figure.

"Aying, what's wrong? Who made you angry?"

Shadow glared at the innocent-looking culprit, secretly deciding that after winning the duel tomorrow, he would teach this traitorous pink-haired fox a lesson as well.

Speaking of which, they had originally planned to admire the flowers and drink together today, but the goddess received a summons from someone early this morning and has not been seen all day... The only person who would dare to stand up General Thunder is this stinky fox.

The divine child stared at the shadow with wide eyes, then quickly smiled apologetically and presented the dumpling: "Oh dear, you can't blame me for this. There was a reason for it. I was just trying to save people."

Ying raised an eyebrow and asked, "Save someone? Who?"

The goddess tilted her head: "So, she's...his sister?"

"younger sister?"

Ying was even more puzzled. So that person, like Ying, also had blood relatives in the world? Could it be that all these "descenders" descended in pairs?

The divine child smiled, not intending to explain to Ying that Han's "good little sister" would probably increase over time. Instead, she transformed into a fox, jumped onto Ying's lap, and opened her mouth to wait to be fed.

Ying, both amused and exasperated, picked up a string of dumplings and stuffed them into the pink-haired fox's mouth.

The fox smacked its lips, rolled over comfortably on Ying's lap, and wagged its tail, indicating that Ying should rub its belly—this was their daily routine five hundred years ago, when the little fox, still a "hand warmer," would always jump into her arms like this, asking for a pat.

Since taking over the position of palace priest, the divine child has not transformed into fox form to act coquettishly with her like this for many years. The five hundred years in the Pure Land were undoubtedly a high wall between the two of them... But the divine child now seems to be willing to make up for the past estrangement with her.

This is all thanks to that person... If it weren't for that person, they might never have had the chance to get along like this again.

Ying's heart softened a little, and she reached out her fingertips to gently comb the fur on the fox's belly.

The pink fox's fur is glossy and smooth, and feels exceptionally comfortable to the touch, making Ying's little temper disappear without a trace.

As she combed her hair, Ying suddenly frowned. She remembered that the Divine Child's fur had never been this shiny before... The Divine Child had been working very hard lately. Not long ago, she even risked her life to merge with the Divine Cherry Tree to suppress the "Evil Radiance." Even the "White Star Blood" left behind by the Imperial Palace could not make up for the previous depletion.

But now it seems that the pink fox has not only recovered its original appearance, but has even improved.

"Divine Child, you seem to be looking better than before?" Shadow asked.

The pink fox squinted, her face full of smugness: "Oh, you could tell? Hehe, I ate especially well today."

Ying turned to look at the tricolor dumplings on her plate, wondering: The dumplings taste the same as before?

Chapter 375 Martial Arts Contest for Marriage and the Crooked Referee

Han Fulai, who had paid the "medical fee" to the palace chief three times a day, realized that this "immortal body" was truly extraordinary.

Previously, he had to rely on the dual cultivation method of the "Wuzhen Pian" to defeat the fox spirit with the innate immortal body, but now he can fight against the divine child with his own physical strength.

No wonder everyone knows that immortals are good; they are truly powerful.

Thanks to this immortal body, he was able to continue cultivating with vigor and vitality after feeding the fox these past few days, and made great progress in martial arts.

Moreover, the Divine Child's visit wasn't just for her own benefit. Besides diligently helping Xing Qiu clear the stagnant immortal power within him, she also specially prepared a "Special Training for the Anti-Lightning General" for him.

Now he is even more confident of winning this duel.

Time flew by in the "Mental Time Chamber." By the time the Divine Child left, the three-day period had ended, and he had cultivated in the consciousness space for a full month.

On the last night before the duel, he silently practiced his self-created spear technique in the training ground, and then returned to Xingqiu's bedroom to massage her body to improve blood circulation—people who are bedridden for a long time are prone to poor blood flow, so they need massage to relieve it.

The attending physician, Lady Miyaji, said she had no desire to be a massage maid for the little girl, so she assigned the job to Han Fulai.

Han Fulai naturally understood that this was the Divine Child's good intention. Besides, it was originally his fault that Xingqiu turned into "Sleeping Beauty," so he had to take responsibility for it himself. Therefore, for the past ten days or so, he had to perform a blood-circulating massage on Xingqiu every night. With the Palace Master's guidance and personal experience, his massage skills became more and more proficient, no less than those of the Dream Eater Master in the bathhouse.

Well, the "life secretary" has gained another skill.

While massaging him, he could also feel the changes in Xingqiu's body—in order to adapt to the immortal power remaining in his body, Xingqiu's body was also undergoing the kind of "Marrow Cleansing" that he had experienced before.

In places unseen by the naked eye, Xingqiu's meridians are quietly widening, becoming more adaptable to the flow of immortal energy within his body. In the parlance of fantasy novels, Xingqiu has acquired a "spiritual root."

The Yellow Court Classic states: "Above is the Yellow Court, below is the Guanyuan, behind is the Youque, in front is the Mingmen. Breathing between the breaths enters the Dantian, the clear water of the Jade Pool nourishes the spiritual root. If one can cultivate this repeatedly, one can live forever."

Xingqiu's "spiritual root" was nurtured by his "jade pool water".

According to the divine child, Xingqiu will wake up in about a week.

Once she awakens, she will likely be able to embark on the path to immortality through martial arts.

Xingqiu's family does not support her learning martial arts, but no Liyue person would refuse a "fate to immortality," which is an extremely rare opportunity that is hard to come by. Many seekers of immortality have spent their entire lives searching in Jueyun Karst and still cannot gain entry!

If Xingqiu goes back and tells President Yun and the others that she has a foundation in immortal power and may be able to attain immortality in the future, her father will probably go and kowtow to the statue of the Emperor on the spot to thank the Rock King for his blessing—well, although it was the "Salt King Emperor" who blessed Xingqiu...

The immortal power within Xingqiu's body is the essence he produced after obtaining an immortal body and achieving the "Golden Core," and it comes entirely from his own body... This should be a "mark" that is deeper than any lip print, right?

Recalling the way Xingqiu begged him to leave his "mark" in the middle of the bath that night, Han Fulai couldn't help but smile and gently stroked Xingqiu's long hair.

After obtaining the foundation of immortal power, Xingqiu's biggest change was her hair—her original short hair had grown into a waterfall of long hair, which lay flat on the pillow, giving her a "Sleeping Beauty" feel.

Hmm, she looks like she'd look good with a ponytail.

After imagining the dashing figure of the ponytail heroine, Han Fulai tucked Xingqiu in and then sat down at her desk.

The new issue of "The Record of Shen Qiu Picking Up the Sword" is not yet finished, but he can get a sneak peek now. He has been busy cultivating these days and has not had much time to do this "dedicated editor".

The eve of a duel is the perfect time to read and change your mood.