Chapter 363

"You will definitely be able to achieve Apotheosis! As long as I get the Investiture of the Gods, and beat that shut-in guy until he wakes up..."

"I must help her achieve Apotheosis! When that time comes, we can be together again just like before, and you can all accompany me in cultivating immortality forever..."

"Really... I must help you achieve Apotheosis! Wait for me!"

Yae Miko clenched her fists excitedly, her hands trembling slightly.

Having joined Shushan for so long...

She had finally seen a practical way to resurrect her dearest friend.

It was just that...

Thinking that the Investiture of the Gods was, after all, a top-tier spiritual artifact, Yae Miko felt a bit discouraged.

The price of a top-tier spiritual artifact...

She truly couldn't afford it.

"Perhaps..."

Yae Miko quietly raised her eyes, her peripheral vision fixed on Jiang Yan, who sat composed on a meditation cushion, a faint smile on his lips, looking relaxed and free.

"I think I roughly understand the thoughts of Ancestor Su Daji... If it's the Sect Master, then that would truly be a massive bargain..."

Tighnari and Alhaitham exchanged a glance, both thinking of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata at the same time.

But they quickly pushed this thought aside for the moment.

The situation in Sumeru was very complex; they couldn't handle the matter of Apotheosis for now.

Cloud Retainer had received the answer she longed for most.

If they weren't still in the main sect hall and Jiang Yan wasn't present, Cloud Retainer would have likely jumped up and cheered in excitement.

Taking a few deep breaths to stabilize her emotions for the moment, Cloud Retainer looked up at Zhongli.

"Head Seat, this disciple implores you to initiate the Apotheosis as soon as possible to recall our old friends. Their return is not only a joyous occasion for us, but also a major event of great benefit to Liyue."

"Once they achieve Apotheosis, they will certainly be able to manage the heavens and earth of Liyue well and fulfill their duties as the righteous gods protecting the nation."

Ningguang naturally did not object to Cloud Retainer's slightly impulsive words.

If possible, she was also willing to provide support, even if it meant giving away all her contribution points.

Only when the rear of Liyue was stabilized could they cultivate immortality properly without worries.

Contribution points...

If they were gone, they could be earned again!

But unexpectedly...

After a long silence, Zhongli hardened his heart and said:

"Guizhong and our other old friends cannot achieve Apotheosis!"

Immediately, Xiao and the others were stunned.

"Why! Head Seat! The national fortune of Liyue will surely acknowledge Guizhong and the others!"

Cloud Retainer looked at Zhongli with some anxiety.

She didn't understand; Zhongli was clearly the one who longed most to resurrect his old friends, so how could he say such heartless words now?

Ningguang also asked in confusion:

"Head Seat, Liyue was founded by the adepti; the national fortune will absolutely support their Apotheosis."

"If you are worried about the Investiture of the Gods recording their true spirits, the Investiture can be held by you, Head Seat."

"As long as Liyue's Apotheosis is finished and the rear is completely stable, we can also cultivate immortality with peace of mind."

"If you are worried about contribution points, we can explore the Nine Nether Secret Realm later; with the harvest, contribution points won't be a big problem."

Cloud Retainer looked at Ningguang with gratitude; at this moment, she had never felt Ningguang could be so pleasing to the eye.

Zhongli closed his eyes, feeling the confused gazes of Ningguang and the others, and the somewhat sorrowful looks of the adepti.

After a long while, Zhongli said in a deep voice:

"In my view, Guizhong, Bosacius, Pervases, and the others all possess extraordinary aptitude for cultivating immortality."

"Since that is the case, why abandon the root to pursue the trivial and seek Apotheosis?"

"Although the Investiture of the Gods is good, as the Sect Master said, once a true spirit is recorded in the Investiture, they can never cultivate and break through on their own for the rest of their lives."

"I believe they would be willing to be apotheosized, bound to Liyue's national fortune, to live and die with it; if it were me, I would be willing too."

"But now, we are all cultivating immortality, walking toward the Dao of Immortals."

"If we become immortals one day, wouldn't that be another separation from our old friends?"

"When they watch us cultivate on our own, step by step achieving higher realms, won't they feel envious?"

"I cannot, because I want to resurrect them immediately, selfishly lock their future completely into the Investiture of the Gods."

"In my heart, they all have the aptitude to cultivate immortality; why waste that aptitude and turn to the path of Apotheosis, which is destined to have no immortal future?"

These words left Cloud Retainer and the others silent.

Just a moment ago, they only heard Jiang Yan say that the Investiture of the Gods could forcibly recall all the deceased to achieve Apotheosis.

But they had subconsciously ignored the consequences.

Once apotheosized, it is true that one has endless lifespan, and as long as the nation does not perish, the righteous god does not die.

But...

With the true spirit recorded in the Investiture of the Gods, that is the end of the road for this lifetime.

At most, it is only the mid-stage of Refining Qi into Spirit.

Indeed, looking at the mid-stage of Refining Qi into Spirit now, it is very powerful, but what about after some time?

Cloud Retainer and the others were confident that their baseline would be the peak of Refining Qi into Spirit.

Otherwise, why would they have been recruited by Jiang Yan when Shushan was just rebuilt?

By then, if Guizhong and the others were still the same as before, wouldn't that be cruel?

Wouldn't it be depriving them of all their futures because of their own selfishness?

If it were the original Investiture of the Gods, that would be one thing; at the very least, those apotheosized would be Earth Immortals, or even Heaven Immortals or Golden Immortals.

But this is a replica, not even reaching Refining Spirit into Void.

This should not be the inherent immortal cultivation aptitude of Guizhong and the others.

If they were truly apotheosized, wouldn't that be burying their originally more beautiful future?

230. The drawbacks of the Investiture of the Gods, cutting off the path of geniuses.

Zhongli's words also left Ningguang and the others somewhat silent.

Honestly speaking, they actually supported bringing Guizhong and the others back.

Ningguang and the others knew very well what those adepti and Guizhong felt for Liyue.

If those adepti could return and achieve Apotheosis, Liyue would truly be able to rest easy.

But standing from Zhongli's perspective, his thinking was also flawless.

If one can cultivate immortality, why take the path of Apotheosis which has no future?

They were not without the aptitude to cultivate immortality.

Why cut off one's own future because of Apotheosis?

If one said the Investiture of the Gods could resurrect them now, that would indeed be good.

But...

It wasn't as if Zhongli didn't have the ability to resurrect them.

It just required some time.

As long as they waited for some time, they could be resurrected to cultivate immortality; why be so impatient to achieve Apotheosis?

Thinking this through, Ningguang and the others sighed and said nothing more.

Yae Miko also pondered for a moment and temporarily put this idea aside.

If they could cultivate immortality, she naturally hoped most that Ei would return to cultivate with her.

Apotheosis is not a good thing for those with talent.

But Diluc had no such psychological burden.

Zhongli didn't want to achieve Apotheosis because his friends were all adepti and Archons, with a baseline of immortal cultivation aptitude.

Diluc didn't think his father had such aptitude.

Apotheosis was still the best and most suitable path for him.

Although Zhongli had already spoken openly about the reasons for not wanting to achieve Apotheosis, but...