Chapter 365

The urgent matter was to take it one step at a time and prioritize saving up contribution points.

Putting away the Investiture of the Gods and the God-Beating Whip, Jiang Yan looked at Zhongli and said softly:

"First Seat Zhongli, what was the matter you came to find me for just now? You can say it now."

Zhongli, who had been silent, came back to his senses, looked at Jiang Yan, opened his mouth, but hesitated.

He had come over just now to tell Jiang Yan that from then on, he would step down from the position of the Geo Archon and focus wholeheartedly on immortal cultivation.

He had wanted to ask for leave after a while to go out and resolve all matters.

But now...

With the appearance of the Investiture of the Gods and the God-Beating Whip, Zhongli hesitated.

If he stepped down from the position of the Geo Archon, he would not be able to confer gods in the capacity of the Lord of Liyue.

It was no problem to hand over Liyue's affairs to humans, but...

When it came to the major matter of conferring gods, handing this over to the people of Liyue as well seemed a bit...

But Zhongli caught sight of Ningguang and the others out of the corner of his eye, and after hesitating for a moment, he finally made up his mind.

"Reporting to the Sect Master."

Zhongli paused and said softly:

"I just wanted to confirm the matter I mentioned before, regarding me completely stepping down from the duties of the Geo Archon."

Upon hearing this, Liuyun and the others were stunned and suddenly looked up at Zhongli.

They wanted to dissuade him, but remembering the words Zhongli himself had said that day, they couldn't bring themselves to speak.

After thinking it over, they could only remain silent.

"Regarding your abdication, just discuss it with the people of Liyue; there is no need to report to Shushan."

"Shushan will not interfere in the private affairs of Shushan people unless they violate Shushan's precepts."

Jiang Yan replied softly, and Zhongli nodded and looked at Ningguang and the others.

"A month ago, I mentioned that once immortal cultivation was on the right track, after this Rite of Descension, I would completely step down from the position of the Geo Archon."

"From then on, Liyue, which was ruled by gods, will be handed over to humans, and I will stay in Shushan with peace of mind to cultivate and seek the Dao."

"However, because of the Mountain Opening Ceremony, the Rite of Descension was temporarily postponed. Now that the Mountain Opening Ceremony has ended, we can also hold the final Rite of Descension."

Upon hearing this, Ningguang and the others felt complex emotions.

Although everyone tacitly understood Zhongli's abdication and knew that this Rite of Descension would be the last one,

but...

The Mountain Opening Ceremony had just ended today, and the day wasn't even over yet.

Zhongli was in such a hurry to hold the Rite of Descension and abdicate.

It was so rushed...

It looked as if Liyue were a hot potato.

Moreover, with Liyue turning to human rule, they would be the ones busy when the time came.

Who knew, it might waste their time for immortal cultivation.

For a moment, Ningguang and the others didn't know whether to be happy or troubled.

However, considering that it might squeeze their time for immortal cultivation, Ningguang suddenly felt that there didn't seem to be any need to be in such a hurry to resign from the position of the Geo Archon.

After thinking about it, Ningguang was just about to speak, but Keqing spoke first:

"First Seat Zhongli, Liyue is currently in constant turmoil due to the matter of immortal cultivation."

"This is truly not a good time to abdicate."

"Why not wait for a while before abdicating?"

Everyone was stunned.

Such words dissuading Zhongli from retiring actually came from Keqing's mouth?

231. Zhongli: I am definitely going to abdicate, no matter who says otherwise.

Words dissuading Zhongli from abdicating temporarily could come from Ningguang's mouth, or from the mouths of the immortals.

But only... it was very unreasonable for Keqing to say it.

At the Rite of Descension a year ago, Keqing even asked Zhongli in public when he could abdicate.

Keqing had an even deeper obsession with a Liyue ruled by humans.

Now that Zhongli had confirmed he would abdicate immediately, in the past, Keqing should have been jumping with excitement.

But...

Words like letting Zhongli not abdicate temporarily were truly something everyone hadn't expected.

Seeming to see that everyone's gazes were a bit strange, Keqing was also a bit helpless.

Zhongli's abdication was indeed a good thing; Keqing had always hoped for the result of a Liyue ruled by humans.

She also firmly believed that a Liyue ruled by humans could shine far brighter than one ruled by gods.

But...

It just shouldn't be now!

The high-level officials of Liyue, the the Liyue Qixing, had all come to cultivate, and they hadn't even gotten on the right track yet.

Keqing herself also wanted to break through to the late stage of Refinement of Essence into Qi.

Naturally, it would be best if there were no issues in Liyue so she could cultivate properly.

Plus, the matter of immortal cultivation itself had already set off monstrous waves in Liyue.

Now, it was not suitable to have another activity like the Geo Archon's abdication.

Zhongli's abdication, that kind of turmoil in the handover, would always keep them busy to death.

The other the Liyue Qixing who had just started cultivating would also likely be left behind by others. At the critical juncture of spiritual energy recovery in Teyvat, what Liyue needed was not the argument of human rule versus god rule.

It didn't even need a massive army.

It needed top-tier combat power, the kind of combat power sufficient for one person to fight a nation.

Now that the Liyue the Liyue Qixing had finally joined Shushan, they had to seize the time to cultivate.

To become the foundation of the humans of Liyue.

It would be best not to let other matters drag down their cultivation speed.

Based on this, Keqing spoke up to dissuade Zhongli.

However, Keqing probably understood that this matter was something Zhongli had decided long ago.

Moreover, since he had already brought it up in front of Jiang Yan, his mindset must be firm.

Keqing just wanted to try and see if she could temporarily dissuade Zhongli.

But seeing Zhongli's gaze, which was a bit stunned but hadn't changed its will, Keqing understood that her dissuasion was useless.

In other words, after the Rite of Descension, they would be too busy to cultivate for a long time.

Thinking of this, Keqing felt a bit worried.

Sure enough, although Zhongli was a bit caught off guard by Keqing's sudden statement,

he soon shook his head and said:

"The matter of abdication is not a whim; I have already thought it through."

"Moreover, this decision is something I have already told you about before; now, I am just fulfilling this decision."

"My mind is made up. After the Rite of Descension, I will announce to all of Liyue that the Geo Archon has abdicated. From then on, Liyue will enter an era of rule without gods."

Seeing Zhongli speak so firmly, everyone couldn't continue to push back and could only nod in agreement.

Ningguang and the others also began to melancholically think in advance about how to deal with the waves caused by Zhongli's abdication.

As for the disciples who joined today, such as Hu Tao and other Liyue foundations,

although they were a bit confused when they suddenly heard the news of Zhongli's abdication, after thinking about it carefully, there was no problem.

He was just abdicating, not dying.

Stepping down from the position of the Geo Archon to cultivate wholeheartedly was also Zhongli's own consideration.

They had to respect him.

Hu Tao, on the other hand, was a bit confused, always feeling that this day had passed as if it had been several years.

First, she had finally joined Shushan to cultivate, only to become a ghost cultivator.

Now, Zhongli was going to abdicate.

However, Hu Tao thought about it carefully; even if Zhongli abdicated, he was still the Acting First Seat of Shushan's Dragon Head Peak.