Chapter 255: Ask and Answer, Apep

Since starting to recover Geo Authority with Apep,

Luo De had never encountered this situation before.

Previously, the process was him first resonating with the Geo Dragon Crown, then searching for scattered Geo Authority fragments, using the Dragon Crown's resonance to store the fragments within it.

After digging up so many Archons' tombs, there had never been an accident.

So when recovering the Return to End Authority, Luo De didn't pay special attention, still following the same procedure as before.

However, the accident came just as suddenly.

The Return to End Authority ignored the Geo Dragon Crown's resonance, chose to merge into Luo De, and no matter how he drove the Geo Dragon Crown trying to communicate with it, there was no response at all.

"This"

Although it's good that the Authority belongs to himself, Luo De still couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth, turning his gaze to the old-god-like Apep.

He didn't want to make random guesses.

Yet what happened before his eyes still made him inevitably associate this matter with Apep.

Upon further reflection, Apep inexplicably found him to recover these scattered Geo Authorities.

Indeed, no matter how he thought about it, it seemed a bit strange.

Back when the Archon War ended.

The Archons reduced to remnants by Apep suffered heavy casualties; aside from the few Archons like Osiel sealed by Zhongli in Yunjhai Sea, the Archons remaining on the Teyvat continent were hardly any, and on the surface only the seven Archons governing the seven nations remained.

The true purpose of this war.

Was not the selection of the seven worldly Archons as rumored among Teyvat's populace.

Luo De knew.

It was because the Heavenly Principle, after suffering heavy damage in its battle with the Nibelung Dragon King, could no longer maintain the order it had established in Teyvat.

To continue this order.

She together with someone created the Gnosis, and using the authority of the Elemental Dragon King in her hand, forged seven Divine Thrones, giving the Thrones and the Gnosis to the seven victors of the Archon War, thereby reconstructing another form of the seven-element order.

The Vision also came into being this way.

After knowing these things, looking again at Apep's act of recovering Geo Authority, it was obviously not that simple.

Because compared to a Dragon King, a worldly Archon, the Authority Luo De and Apep had been busy recovering these past few days was truly too scattered.

This question arose from the very beginning when recovering Hecatia's Authority.

When Luo De handled the Salt Authority, he was indeed drawn away by this ownerless Authority.

But afterwards he quickly realized.

Given Apep's pride, if she truly had some ulterior motive, or had reached some agreement with the Rathalos Dragon King.

Then she would go find those powerful Archons to recover Authority, or simply help the Rathalos Dragon King and Zhongli fight, snatching the strongest Geo Authority from Zhongli's hands.

Yet the fact is that Apep chose to recover only those scattered Authorities that, compared to Zhongli and the Rathalos Dragon King, were not worth mentioning; even gathering them together would not be enough for the two to even glance at.

Why would Apep bother with this?

Luo De roughly understood now.

Perhaps she was just trying to stuff these Authorities into him.

Weak, though weak a bit.

But as previously said.

Borrowed Authority ultimately does not belong to one's own Authority.

Luo De could clearly feel.

When this dust-god Authority belonged to him, the Geo affinity he originally needed the Geo Dragon Crown to obtain naturally transformed into a sensation similar to instinct.

And not only that.

The description of Return to End in Liyue's records is "skillfully raising dust, covering the sky for unknown thousands of li."

Although this scattered Authority could never reach the peak of Return to End, it also gave Luo De an extra effortless feeling when manipulating dust.

"Looks not bad."

Apep, whose mouth corners curled up, finally gave Luo De an answer at this moment.

This indirectly confirmed that she was indeed helping Luo De seize the Geo Authority.

I don't know why.

Seeing her smile, Luo De felt the urge to throw the Geo Dragon Crown in his hand at her face.

It's a pity.

He can't do that.

No way, if you can't beat them, you can't beat them.

Even though Luo De now possesses Authority under his own control, before Apep he is still like a toddler learning to walk.

"Sigh—"

As for this, Luo De could only sigh, silently accepting the fact that he no longer needs the Geo Vision.

Yes.

The essence of the Vision is a fragment of divine Authority; compared to it, the dust-god Authority fragments Luo De controls are far weaker.

Therefore he also has no need to worry about the Geo Vision anymore.

If we calculate.

When the Sumeru Great Merciful Tree King was revived, Apep pulled off one of his shackles, then Luo De added one himself, and as a result, under Apep's scheming, another Geo Authority without a shackle appeared now.

Adding up.

Now only lacking a Hydro element, he would have collected all seven elements of Teyvat.

Among them, the Dendro and Geo elements can be used without a Vision; speaking of which, this later-acquired Geo Authority is even stronger than the previously obtained Dendro Authority.

The true divine authority of unlimited conditions.

This is no joke.

Come on, let's move on to the next.

Seeing Luo De's reception of the Dust God's authority go extremely smoothly, Apep was in high spirits and was about to take him to the next location.

This time.

Luo De no longer let her have her way as before; even though the strength disparity was like a heavenly chasm, he still gritted his teeth and refused, saying, "I'm not going."

Oh?

How? Do you think I'm scheming against you?

Hah—

Apep didn't get angry, but snorted, "Do you have a bit of an inflated self-image?"

Luo De remained silent, neck stiff, staring at her, with the air of "even if you forcibly drag me away, I won't yield."

Tsk.

It seems you might have some misunderstanding about me.

To Luo De's surprise, Apep actually patiently explained her unexplained kindness toward him.

Just the first thing she said.

It almost made Luo De lose his composure.

I'm helping you because I see the shadow of the Nibelung Root King in you.

Apep crossed her arms, calm: "I once swore to follow the Nibelung Root King for life, until my death; now the Nibelung Root King has passed, his dragon kings either died or are crippled, and worse, some abandoned his dream and chose to submit to our mortal enemy—how tragic."

I know you're worried I'll drive you to fight against that one.

Glancing at Luo De's reaction, Apep gave a cold snort: "Don't rush to deny; someone already told me everything, otherwise you wouldn't think I'd come here so smoothly?"

Luo De, who had been preparing to argue, had nothing to say, muttering, "They say everything."

If things aren't made clear, misunderstandings easily arise.

Apep said lightly: "You should understand these human natures better than I do."

A dignified dragon king chatting about human nature with a human.

Have to say.

A bit fantastical.

Luo De thought and still asked: "Then what do you think?"

How do you want me to think?

Apep suddenly laughed and threw the question back at Luo De.

How should this be answered?

Luo De furrowed his brows, hesitated a long time, then said: "As long as you don't interfere in my daily life, that's fine."

Pfft—

Hahaha—

Luo De's answer made Apep burst out laughing: "Exactly the same as what those two guys said."

The Great Merciful Tree King and Nadixa also said that to her.

It's understandable.

Not at all surprising.

Luo De shrugged; Apep's unexpected amiability also eased his tense emotions a bit.

As the laughter faded.

Apep once again restored her previous indifferent expression, raised an eyebrow: "I won't interfere in your personal life; I'm helping you only because I saw the shadow of the Nibelung Root King in you. How about it? Satisfied?"

I still have a question.

With Apep's personal promise, satisfaction was assured; since Luo De still had something to ask, taking advantage of her good mood, he directly said: "I want to know, what exactly did you tear apart that day?"

This matter is very important.

Luo De has always thought he got the Vision because he was bound by shackles from Sky Island.

But this cannot be completely confirmed to be the case.

Right before him is someone willing to tell him the truth.

Luo De doesn't want to miss this good opportunity.

As expected.

Apep didn't evade, answering directly: "Don't you know your body is a remnant of that called Nabu? She once was the Dendro Archon, didn't you know?"

Huh?

Luo De tilted his head.

This answer partly relates to his previous speculation, but not entirely.

Apep patiently continued: "What I tore apart was your connection to the Dendro Archon's throne; after that, the throne belongs solely to them, with no further relation to you."

Wait.

Isn't that thing the shackles that Sky Island used to bind me?

Only then did Luo De realize what Apep meant, hurriedly grasping the key point and asking.

Shackles?

What does it lock on you?

Are you afraid you won't be able to become a Descender?

Apep chuckled, as if understanding something: "Oh, no wonder you rushed to Liyue in a panic, borrowing Morax's Gnosis, wanting to use the power of the Gnosis to obtain a Vision—so that's what you're thinking."

"No, isn't it?"

Luo De was left dazed by the words, unable to say anything else for a while.

"The Vision of Sky Island isn't a shackle; what is it? Apep was referring to the relationship between himself and the Dendro Archon's throne."

There's too much information.

Luo De needs a moment to sort everything out properly.

Looking at his furrowed brow and deep thought.

Apep laughed again: "Although I don't get along with that guy up there, I still know one thing: that guy won't hinder any Descender."

"Won't hinder?"

Luo De thought of Kong and Ying, uncertainly saying, "It's not like that, right?"

The fact that Kong and Ying were intercepted and captured alive by the sustainers of Heavenly Principle is why Luo De has always believed that Heavenly Principle doesn't want a new Descendant to appear on the Teyvat continent.

But we can see that from Apep's words.

The truth doesn't seem to be that way, does it?

"I don't know where you got that information that makes you so certain about this."

"But when it comes to dealing with that guy..."

"I know more about him than you do."

Apep appears not to know about Ying and Kong; she merely inferred from Luo De's words that Luo De must have drawn this conclusion from some matters.

Immediately after.

Then she continued: "It's a simple principle—let alone you, a half-finished Descendant; even I, a Dragon King who has twice defied that guy, have not been purged. What reason does she have to target you, a half-finished one? Is it because she fears you?"

Luo De was instantly left speechless.

The principle is indeed like that.

The Dragon Kings of Teyvat have been defying Heavenly Principle for more than a day or two; just take the Apep before us as an example.

This Grass Dragon King truly fought Heavenly Principle twice; after Nibelung fled the first time, she and the other surviving Dragon Kings remained on the Teyvat continent, seeking ways to defy Heavenly Principle, but Heavenly Principle ignored them. When Nibelung returned, she immediately allied with other Dragon Kings intent on resistance, following Nibelung to fight Heavenly Principle again; in that battle they were defeated, Nibelung died, and the Dragon Kings were utterly scattered. After the war, Apep remained unconvinced, still searching the continent for ways to defy Heavenly Principle, even wanting to emulate Nibelung by wielding the power of the Abyss to continue opposing Heavenly Principle.

So what happened?

Heavenly Principle still didn't bother her.

Until Apep truly found the power of the Abyss, she then suffered a strike of the Heavenly Nail of Cold Sky, being smashed by the Heavenly Nail from a verdant Grass Dragon King into her present miserable, earth-yellow appearance.

If we put it that way.

As long as one does not attempt to misuse the power of the Abyss, they will not touch Heavenly Principle's reverse scale; no matter how they toss and turn, Heavenly Principle will not have an extreme reaction.

Having figured that out.

Luo De also understood what Apep said.

With his current state, he truly doesn't deserve to be targeted by Heavenly Principle.

"Then why do I have so many Visions?"

There's still one last question; Luo De simply asked it all at once.

"You're asking about this."

The previously forthright Apep shook her head on this question: "I don't know either; the Vision system was established during the Archon War, I didn't participate, I don't even understand how this thing works, so how could I know why you can obtain so many Visions?"

"If you insist I explain."

"It's probably because you're a half-finished product, not a true Descendant? Having Teyvat's bloodline but not leaving a mark on the World Tree, perhaps such a special identity receives some special treatment in the Vision system."

"Beyond that, I don't know either."

"You'd better go ask someone else capable."

(End of chapter)