Chapter 1082: Weng Falos 3.1 (128)

Genshin.

Above Teyvat's lofty heavens lies a tranquil realm that even the wind cannot reach. Here time does not pass, only the silent circulation of rules.

"Oh, you regard your own 'immortality' as a curse?" Lein Dote examined Wandi with keen interest, a rare spark of curiosity flashing in his heterochromatic pupils. "Has he tried to explore the 'boundaries' of his immortality? Has the Divine Insight Tree Court never considered studying him? Such a rare specimen…"

As soon as the words fell, a light screen sprang up beside Lein Dote, displaying a face identical to hers—a golden‑haired woman smiling faintly, but with a completely different tone: "Dear Lein Dote, are you once again planning to use my power to satisfy your curiosity?"

Lein Dote tilted her face slightly, the smile at her mouth deepening: "Miss Nabe, I will never conduct an experiment to create 'undying life' that has no extensibility. The beast I created, named Bakuna Wa, possesses endless vitality and has already provided the answer I seek."

"Wandi's immortality seems to have brushed against Weng Falos's 'rules'." Ruona Wa said as she emerged slowly from the darkness, shifting her gaze from Lein Dote's face to glance at the golden‑haired youth in the sky. "The Underworld River… perhaps he is the one most deeply linked to the Death Titan."

"The Death Titan can accept death, and can also reject death. Perhaps, like me, it can arbitrarily define the 'form of death'."

"Oh?" Lein Dote felt a hint of novelty. "It sounds as if, Ruona Wa, you are also interested in the Death Titan?"

"Because we are both deities wielding the authority of 'death', I am only slightly interested in it."

Ruona Wa frowned slightly and turned to look at Yisi Talu—since the sky curtain appeared, she had spent almost all her time on this, and even during her conversation with Lein Dote, she made no attempt to interject.

"Yisi Talu, I think we still shouldn't devote too much energy to this; after all, it has nothing to do with Teyvat. Our immediate priority is to locate Asmoday."

"…But there's no sign of her anywhere," Yisi Talu sat on the steps, lazily cradling her knees with both hands.

"Then she won't appear in Weng Falos," Ruona Wa said coldly. "…This planet hosts three Archon‑level beings; as long as their power doesn't affect Teyvat, we shouldn't invest much attention here."

"Mother clearly threw it into the Underworld Sea…"

Hatuonus said word for word: "Salvaging took a long time. We were lucky, we."

Wandi said gratefully: "We needed to retrieve a tiny seal ring from the Underworld Sea; I can't imagine how much patience and courage it required. I owe you a favor."

"Thank you, no need. I will repay your lifesaving grace. Question, you brought it here. Speak, now."

Wandi closed his eyes, a rare bewildered expression appearing on his face: "The destiny I have always denied has finally come knocking. I should assume the authority of 'Conflict'. In doing so, everyone will be satisfied: the Golden Descendants, the Senate, the Xuanfeng people, and the bards who compose poetry…"

"But you still hesitate, young king. Why are you wavering?"

Wandi said slowly: "…because of my people. Men, women, elders, children… the Xuanfeng people's yearning to return home runs deep; they have been waiting for this day, hoping for the king's return."

"Thus, the subjects of Conflict could return home, embrace tradition— even if most of them have only heard of that 'tradition' in epics— and then they could gather around the king and throw themselves into battle."

"That's not a good thing, you think."

Wandi nodded: "…For the past millennium, the Xuanfeng people have lived in a bloody cycle—revenge, war, prosperity, decline… In that history, how many innocents were poured into the Underworld River, how many needless sacrifices could have been avoided?"

"If I must accept this destiny, become the totem of 'Conflict', and lead my people to repeat the past… then I would indeed feel fear, fear of 'becoming king'."

"..."

Hatuonus was silent for a long while, then slowly spoke: "Different Xuanfeng people, you truly…"

Naruto.

"This child…" Zhu Jian looked up at the sky curtain, a hint of approval and regret in his eyes. "His idea is good. He hasn't been blinded by the power the Titan might bring; this desire for cease‑fire is the same as my original intention when I founded Konoha."

"But that's only his unilateral thought." Fei Jian beside him snorted. "If true peace is desired, the best way is to have him lead his people back to Xuanfengcheng, separated from the Aohema people. Or carve out a district within Aohema for the Xuanfeng people to move into."

"In short, establish an orderly, isolated nation, using systems and strength to restrain internal conflicts and repel external threats. That is the only practicable peace."

Zhu Jian furrowed his brows upon hearing that, turned to Fei Jian: "Fei Jian, you're being wary of others again." He sighed deeply, his tone tinged with helplessness. "When even basic trust cannot be discussed, how can peace ever truly arrive? You treat everyone as a potential enemy, thinking that high walls will solve everything. That approach only breeds more suspicion and hatred."

"You're wrong, big brother; trust must be directed." Fei Jian crossed his arms, shook his head coldly. "I'm not wary of everyone, only of the Uchiha clan. If I stood on the Aohema Senate's side, I would also be wary of the Xuanfeng clan. Moreover, big brother, look—Kelatus himself proves that the Xuanfeng people are unstable. When one person emerges from the water, there are countless Xuanfeng people beneath, harboring hatred toward Aohema and the Golden Descendants."

"The Xuanfeng people are the root of Conflict—unless they cease to be Xuanfeng people," Fei Jian sneered. "But that cannot change. If Wandi truly seeks peace, why not let them establish a city‑state of their own, govern themselves, and uphold the ideal of peace… that is the best choice."

"Mom, Mom! I had a dream last night."

"Oh? What did you dream? Tili Xibei Osi, my good girl?"

The beautiful red‑haired lady cradled the girl in her arms, gently stroking her hair.

"I dreamed I became countless versions of myself! We used the moon as a ship, the stars as sails, drifting across the sea. Wherever the wind blew, we drifted there!"