Chapter 290: Yae Miko's Request

Thunderbolt General is a puppet manufactured by Lei Dianying to protect eternity.

Although it is a puppet.

But because its raw material is the divine body of the Electro Archon.

Therefore, in terms of authority, she possesses strength not inferior to that of Lei Dianying.

And the anomaly currently appearing with Lei Dianying.

It is precisely because when she had doubts about her own Way of Eternity, the underlying code engraved in the core of the Thunderbolt General's operation began to activate, namely 'She will regard anyone who threatens eternity as an enemy, even if that person is her creator, with no exception.'

Under this unalterable core mindset.

Thunderbolt General cannot determine whether Baerzebu, who appears to have grasped the truth of eternity, has a new idea or has suffered irreparable wear, so she began to resist Lei Dianying's will and refused to let Lei Dianying continue using her body.

The current situation is exactly this.

When Lei Dianying began to waver in her practice of a thousand-year static eternity because of Luo De's words, her body suddenly became stiff, even lifting a weapon became quite difficult.

Because no backdoor for forcibly modifying the program was left when designing the Thunderbolt General.

Thus, they want to regain control of the Thunderbolt General.

Lei Dianying must prove her martial prowess to the Thunderbolt General, demonstrating in a warrior's way that she truly has a new understanding of eternity, rather than a change of thought due to wear.

Time is pressing.

The Thunderbolt General's resistance grew increasingly fierce; Lei Dianying didn't even have time to inform Yae Miko and Luo De before turning into a stream of light and swiftly disappearing before their eyes.

"Eternity ah"

Luo De couldn't clearly see Lei Dianying's trail, but Yae Miko kept staring at a certain direction of Shadow-facing Mountain for a long while before withdrawing her gaze, and she showed no worry on her face; instead, she beamed and said, 'You little brat, you're amazing—just a few words and you've opened the mind of that stubborn Shadow.'

"Eh"

"You flatter me."

Luo De scratched his head, then immediately stretched out his hand and said, 'What about the reward?'

"Tsk, why so impatient?"

Yae Miko chuckled: 'Little brat, I still have something I'd like to ask you to help with.'

"Stop!"

"Halt!"

Luo De immediately made a halt gesture, firmly saying, 'Our cooperation ends here; I've repaid the life-saving favor. If you have anything else, please seek someone more capable.'

Regarding Luo De's such firm refusal.

Yae Miko wasn't angry, still smiling brightly as she said, 'Don't be impatient; it's not too late to hear me out before deciding.'

"Don't listen!"

Luo De definitely won't do this.

Having been schemed by Yae Miko so many times, not teaching her a lesson would really be unacceptable.

"Hmm, then fine."

Yae Miko spread her hands, feigning helplessness as she said, 'Then this Authority fragment taken from the Great Sea Deity, I'll have to give it to someone more capable.'

Orobas's Authority fragment? Luo De's pupils contracted slightly, recalling the Authority that had been excavated by him before his battle with the Doctor's slicing.

At that time, he, who was about to seize the Authority, had his operation interrupted by the Doctor's slicing.

Afterward, it further provoked an attack from the Thunderbolt General.

This led to him having to relinquish that Archon's Authority.

Originally, Luo De had already given up hope.

After all, it was an Archon's Authority discovered within Inazuma, and right before the Thunderbolt General and Yae Miko, there was no chance it would end up in his hands.

Unexpected.

He actually still had a chance to see this again.

Yae Miko wasn't just talking; she really took out that Archon's Authority fragment and displayed it for Luo De to see.

Just like when he saw it at the Snake God's head.

This Authority fragment remained a droplet shape, emitting from inside to outside a soothing, gentle aura that comforts body and mind.

This is in stark contrast to the Archon's resentment that had reached extreme fury on Eight Brew Island.

From this Archon's Authority, Luo De could only feel tranquility and gentleness, just as Orobas once gently treated his people.

The inclusiveness of the water element.

At this moment, it can be said to be displayed in full detail.

To say one isn't tempted is impossible.

How to say a Authority originating from an Archon can still resonate with the Rock Dragon Crown as an ownerless object.

For Luo De.

The temptation of this Authority is not small.

But considering that the one who produced this Authority is Yae Miko.

Luo De forcibly suppressed his greed, struggling not to look at the Archon's Authority in Yae Miko's hand, and shook his head, saying, 'Well, I guess I'll forget it; this thing has no use for me anyway, you can give it to whoever you like.'

However, the more Luo De refused, the more Yae Miko shoved that Archon's Authority in front of his eyes, giggling and drawing out a long tone: 'Is~~~ really~~~~'

"Hiss——"

Luo De's forehead instantly bulged with veins, and his lips involuntarily twitched.

He had to admit.

This Yae Miko truly knows how to play with people's hearts.

Even with Luo De's level of composure, under such temptation he eventually broke through his defenses, hanging his head in dejection and saying, 'I'll first hear what you want me to do; if it's beyond my ability, then no matter what you give me, even if you give me the position of general, I won't agree.'

That's right then~~~

Yae Miko showed a victorious battle expression, happily saying: "Do you know about the Grand Sakura Purification?"

Stop!

I know what you're going to say.

Luo De again reached out to cut off Yae Miko's words, while stroking his chin and beginning to ponder.

He knows about the Grand Sakura Purification.

This is a ceremony held specifically to purify the Sacred Sakura Tree.

And the Sacred Sakura Tree.

It is the massive Electro Sakura Tree planted at Narukami Grand Shrine, possessing the power to purge and cleanse the ley lines; it has a total of five root sections, located at five positions on Narukami Island, purifying the defilement in the ley lines of the Inazuma land that has suffered greatly from the Pitch-Black Disaster.

However, the Sacred Sakura Tree's purifying power is ultimately limited.

Over years of absorption, the several roots that were meant to channel the Pitch-Black pollution will instead suffer reverse erosion from Abyssal power, gradually forming stubborn tumors; if too much defilement accumulates, the Sacred Sakura Tree will thus wither.

Therefore, after a period of time.

Someone must first perform a Lesser Sakura Purification on the five root sections distributed on Narukami Island, establishing a barrier that can grant the roots the power to dispel defilement.

Once enough defilement has accumulated within the barrier, a Grand Sakura Purification must be held to clear all the defilement at once.

However, since that Grand Sakura Purification five hundred years ago.

there has been no further Grand Purification for the Sacred Sakura Tree.

Until today.

The Sacred Sakura Tree has once again reached a critical situation approaching that of the great disaster five hundred years ago.

"Since you know, it's easy to handle."

Yae Miko rarely spoke sincerely: "If we don't hold the Grand Sakura Purification, the Sacred Sakura Tree will wither in a few years, so I can only ask you to help resolve this."

It's obvious. She has taken note of Luo De's special physique that can ignore Abyssal power.

After all, whether conducting the Lesser or Grand Sakura Purification, as the officiant, one's body must inevitably withstand a massive amount of Abyssal power, which not just anyone can endure.

Even for the Lesser Purification, one could try stacking human lives to see if they could endure the ritual.

But for the Grand Purification, there truly is no way.

What the Grand Sakura Purification needs to cleanse is the miasmic tumor tangled beneath the main root, namely the largest accumulation point of Abyssal defilement.

Moreover, the Grand Sakura Purification cannot be interrupted.

Otherwise, if the purification is halted midway, the Abyssal power that could still exist in the form of miasmic tumors will instantly leak out again.

This is also why, as the chief priestess of Narukami Grand Shrine, Yae Miko, despite knowing the condition of the Sacred Sakura Tree, has remained unmoved.

Indeed, there is no one who can perform this ritual.

"Let me ask you a question."

"If neither I nor the Traveler had come here, and the Sacred Sakura Tree had reached its limit, what would you do? Just watch it wither?"

Luo De did not hastily agree to Yae Miko's condition; instead, he asked doubtfully.

Speaking of which.

Luo De has always felt that this is perhaps too coincidental.

According to the original progression.

Because for several hundred years, no one has been able to conduct the Grand Sakura Purification.

Then, just when the Sacred Sakura Tree was about to wither, the Traveler, who is immune to Abyssal erosion, appeared; moreover, the Traveler is a wholeheartedly enthusiastic person, and whenever someone says they need help, she will spare no effort to assist.

So the question arises.

What if such a coincidence didn't happen?

What if the Traveler hadn't appeared when the Sacred Sakura Tree was about to wither?

Would Yae Miko have to watch helplessly as the Sacred Sakura Tree withers, the accumulated Abyssal power of several hundred years erupts again, plunging Inazuma once more into a tumultuous, unsettling pitch-black calamity?

"If such a day truly comes."

"I will personally conduct the Grand Sakura Purification."

Yae Miko gave her answer in a relaxed manner.

Looking at her carefree and relaxed demeanor.

It seems she never even considered putting her own life and death in her heart.

"I understand."

Luo De nodded.

He knew why Yae Miko had been delaying this matter.

Because there was no way.

With Inazuma's current strength, the only person who can withstand the erosion of the Grand Sakura Purification is Yae Miko alone.

And she is the one who absolutely cannot come to harm.

Because she is the last remaining friend of Raiden Shogun.

No exceptions.

Aside from Tengu Sasayuri, who died in the Eastern Invasion of Watatsumi Island, Raiden Shogun's nearly all relatives and friends perished in that Pitch-Black Disaster.

The previous Electro Archon, Raiden Ei, died in the ancient nation of Khaenri'ah.

The former chief priestess of Narukami Grand Shrine, the leader of the White Dawn Fox Clan, Fox Shrine, sacrificed her own dissipation to guard Inazuma until Raiden Shogun's return.

Demon King Tiger Thousand Years, having lost his sanity due to Abyssal defilement, drew his blade against Raiden Shogun upon her return when she battled Abyssal monsters; after Raiden Shogun personally cut off one horn and one arm, he temporarily regained his sanity, but unable to accept the fact that he had swung his blade at Raiden Shogun, he madly rushed into the endless forest, ultimately corrupted by Abyssal defilement into a mindless beast, and was beheaded by his own son, who was unaware of the situation.

After these tragic incidents.

Raiden Shogun then fell into a complete state of seclusion.

Only the little fox Yae Miko, whom her sister had once taken to warm her hands and feet, stayed by her side.

If Yae Miko also left her for some reason,

Then even with closed eyes one could imagine what the Thunderbolt Film would become.

So Yae Miko is not unafraid of death; she simply dares not die.

Unless the situation has reached an irreparable point.

Otherwise.

For the Thunderbolt Film, she would never lightly abandon her life,

"I still have one question."

Luo De had already made up his mind in his heart, but he still asked another question he somewhat couldn't understand: "Why don't you go find the Traveler? She clearly can do it too, and she wouldn't even need payment."

As said before.

The Traveler is a very enthusiastic 'enthusiastic-heart', short for a do-gooder.

She is not like Luo De, who cannot move an inch without benefit.

Although this world has no Primogems, she is no longer that Traveler who could fly across seas and brave any risk for just 20 Primogems.

But due to her overflowing sympathy.

As long as Yae Miko speaks of the harm that even her own predicament and the Divine Cherry Greater Purification cannot resolve, the Traveler will definitely agree to help, and will spare no effort in doing so, absolutely not causing any trouble midway.

And Yae Miko also had no intention of hiding her true thoughts.

Luo De asked, and she spoke frankly: "If possible, I hope you can leave her memories in this world."

While speaking.

Yae Miko raised her hand and pointed.

Following her slender fingers, Luo De craned his neck and looked out the window at the base of the Divine Cherry Tree.

There.

There stood a black-haired shrine maiden in red and white attire, wearing a mask on her face.

Unlike the other hurried shrine maidens each with their own affairs.

This black-haired shrine maiden's hand continually stroked the Divine Cherry Tree, yet the people coming and going around her ignored her presence, no one stopping to speak with her just because she was there, as if they couldn't see her at all.

"Sniff—"

Luo De sniffed.

A very familiar stench.

It wafted from that shrine maiden.

Others couldn't smell it.

But Luo De could.

This is the power of the Abyss.

Judging by the intensity of this smell.

That shrine maiden can be said to be completely an upright-walking humanoid Abyssal being; if not for the talisman suppressing her from behind, given her Abyssal density, even if others couldn't see her, she could invisibly poison half of the Thunder God Grand Shrine's people.

"Her name is Hua Sanli."

When mentioning that name, Yae Miko's face showed a hint of sadness: "She will assist you from carrying out the Divine Cherry Lesser Purification to the Divine Cherry Greater Purification; my request is only one: at the end, if possible, I hope you can preserve her consciousness, even if only a trace."

Yae Miko used a request, not a demand.

At the same time.

This high priestess, who usually roamed the mortal realm and seemed to never know what sorrow was, actually lowered her proud stance and bowed to Luo De in the grand salute of an Inazuma shrine maiden, merely to preserve a fragment of Hua Sanli's lingering soul, so that she would not fall into complete dissipation due to the conduct of the Divine Cherry Greater Purification.

(End of Chapter)