Chapter 336

Compared to the time when the Great Merciful Tree King recovered.

Leidian Zhen's current aura is much smaller.

Although a terrifying thunderbolt and dark clouds appeared, they lasted only an instant before vanishing, leaving the city's residents tense for a moment.

At Luo De's home.

Leidian Zhen, who had regained her body, raised her arms, looked left and right, spun her body twice, then nodded satisfied: "What a good body."

"Mm, indeed it looks good."

"I didn't expect the little one to have such ability."

Yae Miko laughed so hard beside her that her eyes disappeared.

She last saw Leidian Zhen in this form.

Or five hundred years ago.

At that time, she was merely a little fox who hadn't yet grown up, constantly held in Leidian Zhen's arms to warm her hands and feet.

Times have changed.

Now she has become a great demon capable of ruling a region, while Leidian Zhen is no longer the awe-inspiring Electro Archon of old.

"Compared to a true divine body, the gap is still large."

Regarding the praise from Yae Miko and Leidian Zhen, Luo De is still quite self-aware.

Not to mention comparing it to the divine body the doctor is constructing from various precious materials, this doll body he made.

Except for the Source of the Oasis, which can be praised as a good thing, everything else is only precious; even the various precious materials Zhongli prepared for the floating pavilion cannot compare.

"How is it?"

"Can it?"

Luo De's current concern is simple: whether Leidian Zhen can, as she previously said, exert divine-level power with this rather ordinary body.

Pa—

Leidian Zhen's answer was a finger snap she learned from Luo De.

With a crisp sound.

Purple lightning coiled and hissed around her hand.

From Luo De's perception.

The intensity isn't very great.

But this lightning gave him a feeling of trembling from deep within his soul, as if touching it would cause him to be annihilated by this seemingly weak lightning.

"Is this an authority?"

Luo De blinked his eyes, realizing why such an abnormal situation had occurred.

"That's right."

Yae Miko answered for Leidian Zhen, and sighed: "Oh dear, it's been so long since I've seen this, Zhan Wu Bu Duan."

"Zhan Wu Bu Duan?"

"Is this the name of the lightning authority?"

Luo De was not familiar with lightning authority; only now did he learn that among the lightning authorities there is a branch of killing power brought to the extreme.

No wonder Leidian Zhen's sword is the unbladed "Dream of One Heart".

Originally Luo De thought that sword was merely a symbol of her identity as the Electro Archon.

After all, anyone who knows the relationship between Leidian Zhen and Leidian Ying knows that Leidian Ying is the ferocious war god from Teyvat legend who slaughtered Inazuma.

And Leidian Zhen is merely a god who is not skilled at combat.

But from this authority.

Luo De couldn't help but develop some doubt about these legends.

This authority named 'Zhan Wu Bu Duan' gives him the feeling of being a conceptual authority; even without weapons, even if Leidian Zhen's divine power is indeed weak, even if her current body is utterly unworthy of the title 'god,' as long as she possesses this authority, even Luo De must be careful not to be struck by her lightning.

"Too bad, I can't give it to you."

Leidian Zhen retracted the lightning from her hand, spread her hands and said: "My authority is very special; it appeared with me at my birth; even during the several hundred years I was dead, no one could inherit my authority."

"That doesn't matter."

Luo De doesn't really care about this authority; as long as the upcoming ritual to cleanse Ke Lai of the Archon's resentment proceeds normally, that's fine.

Now Leidian Zhen's recovery.

This means everything is ready.

It can start at any time.

"I'll go inform Nadixa."

After saying that, Luo De flashed away, leaving space for Yae Miko and Leidian Zhen for a while, and then went to call Cyno as well.

One day later.

Nadixa rushed to Hope City.

Leidian Zhen, Yae Miko, and Cyno were all fully prepared.

As for Dixiya and them.

Luo De did not let them come over.

Nothing else.

Indeed, because cleansing the Archon's resentment is not very safe; once the Archon's resentment leaks, they would all be unable to resist.

Only the few gods present and those who wield Archon power can handle it safely.

"How is it? Are you afraid?"

While Yae Miko and Cyno were still setting up the magic circle needed for the ritual, Luo De bent down and asked the somewhat nervous Ke Lai.

"Afraid."

Ke Lai honestly spoke her true thoughts.

How could one not be afraid?

Luo De that day explained to her all the possible consequences if the ritual failed.

No matter how firm Ke Lai's will is.

But the instinctive fear still made her voice tremble a little at this moment.

"I've summoned both the Electro Archon and the Dendro Archon."

"Your teacher, I, am only one step away from becoming a new god."

"With our three powers, we can definitely protect you."

"Wait a moment, you must firmly guard your mind and spirit; absolutely do not let your emotions be entangled by those noisy resentments."

Luo De for the first time acknowledged his current strength in front of others, and also revealed the titles of the two gods.

And this also slightly relaxed Ke Lai's nervous mood, while she looked at Luo De doubtfully and said: "Teacher, are you also about to become a god?"

"That's right."

"Don't judge by the fact that your teacher usually keeps a low profile; I'm actually quite formidable."

Luo De gave a hehe smile, stroked Ke Lai's head, extended his pinky, and said: "Trust the teacher, everything will be fine."

"Hmm."

Ke Lai nodded heavily, then hooked fingers with Luo De, together reciting the pinky promise Luo De taught her: "Pinky swear, hang oneself, not allowed to change for a hundred years."

"Hahaha—"

After the pinky swear, Luo De burst out laughing loudly.

Yae Miko and Sai No's hands and feet were still very nimble.

They didn't waste too much time.

They finished preparing both the seal-breaking ritual and the spirit-gathering prayer ritual.

According to the prior plan.

Before Ke Lai stepped into the formation, Nadixa first used Thousand Leaves Floating Dream to grant her the blessing of the Dendro Archon.

This blessing is a kind of blessing that uses the Dendro Archon's authority to protect consciousness.

As long as the Archon's resentment within Ke Lai's body does not surpass Nadixa's divine power in intensity, it can protect Ke Lai temporarily from being assimilated. Immediately after.

Lei Dian Zhen then also granted Ke Lai the blessing of the Electro Archon.

This is a protective effect forged using the Authority of Uninterrupted Slash, intended to, when the Archon's remnants and resentment simultaneously assimilate Ke Lai's body, preemptively sever the connection between the Archon's remnants and Ke Lai's body.

This is the meaning of Uninterrupted Slash.

Luo De felt fine at that time.

This authority is indeed one that can be called a conceptual authority.

Simply put.

The wielder of this authority, Lei Dian Zhen, can use it to cut anything she believes can be cut.

Of course.

If the opponent's conceptual weapon is stronger than hers, it still cannot be cut.

Moreover, this authority heavily depends on the user's subconscious and instinctive thoughts.

For example, in Lei Dian Zhen's consciousness, she believes that the Electro Archon's accessory blade, the Pheasant Grass Naginata, cannot be cut by herself; thus Uninterrupted Slash would have no effect on the Pheasant Grass Naginata.

So, although strong, there are still limiting conditions.

And the blessings now placed on Ke Lai's body.

Lei Dian Zhen's will left upon it is to not harm Ke Lai's body, but to slay and divide the Archon's resentment within her body.

The dual blessings protect her.

Ke Lai, bearing a faint green glow and a somewhat clear purple light, took a deep breath and stepped into the dual formation set up by Yae Miko and Sai No together.

Luo De served as the guardian.

Upon seeing Ke Lai enter the formation, he immediately focused all his attention on the surroundings.

Because exorcising the Archon's resentment is extremely dangerous.

Luo De and the others did not choose to conduct the ritual in Hope City; instead, they did so on a desolate wilderness outside the city where no one dwells.

The surroundings had long been cleared.

They confirmed that no monsters would roam here, nor would anyone intrude.

"It's a pity that Zhongli cannot come."

This is the only regrettable thing.

Luo De let out a slight sigh.

Sumeru currently has five gods; among them, the Electro Archon and the Great Merciful Tree King went to establish the Void Network to find the hidden Evil Eye factory in the desert, while Lei Dian Zhen and Nadixa can only be considered half-sovereigns: one lacks a complete divine form, the other has weak divine power; both belong to the type that wields functional authority but lacks combat power.

Among the five gods, only one can be considered a full sovereign.

That one is Zhongli alone.

But there's nothing we can do.

Zhongli's task is more important than anyone's.

He must watch over the ongoing God‑crafting Project, which is also the most powerful Fatui slice.

Moreover, Nadixa is absent.

He also needs to help check on Zandik's whereabouts, to prevent that guy from doing something while Nadixa and Luo De are away.

So Luo De may say so, but he has never actually asked Zhongli for help.

Soon.

Under Luo De's gaze.

Cyno first began the operation to undo the Hermanubis seal.

Just hearing him chant the ancient desert language from his mouth, his hands constantly shifting into special gestures.

As the chant reached its end.

Ke Lai's body suddenly burst with purplish-black light.

Just a moment.

Her emerald-green hair turned purplish-black, the scales that had already dissipated on her arms reappeared, and in the blink of an eye they covered her whole body like armor.

The black flame that Luo De had seen before also shot out at this moment, spreading black flames over his body, and soon coalesced into a huge serpent roaring toward the sky.

All of this happened so quickly.

Almost at the same moment the seal was undone, the Archon's resentment and remnants, suppressed for many years, simultaneously erupted with a powerful assimilative ability, in the swiftness of thunder before one could cover their ears, directly pulling Ke Lai's body into an assimilated state.

It was clear that Ke Lai's spiritual consciousness was about to be breached.

In the midst of the thick mist and rolling black flame.

The blessing from Leidian Zhen took effect first.

The momentum of the black-flame serpent's roar was instantly interrupted by purple lightning; with the crackling thunder, the armor-like purplish-black scales immediately withered, as if about to be stripped away and collapse.

Just as the two were deadlocked.

The blessing from Nadixa also took effect.

Compared to Leidian Zhen, who lacks divine power and authority, Nadixa is a complete deity; even if her strength is weak, her authority can be exerted to the utmost.

Under the brilliant sway of the azure-green light.

Ke Lai's eyes, corroded by the black flame, gradually regained clarity, and the black flames on her body's surface reappeared in a suppressed state.

After about two or three breaths.

The black mist could no longer completely cover Ke Lai's body, revealing her frail figure beneath the mist.

"Miko, quick."

Seeing this, Leidian Zhen immediately reminded Yae Miko.

"Hmm."

Yae Miko responded, and immediately a purple kagura bell appeared in her hand; she softly chanted a spell known only to spirits, aided by a shrine maiden's ritual dance, first activating the spirit-gathering ceremony.

"Ah—!"

At the moment the spirit-gathering ceremony was activated, the previously silent Ke Lai let out a piercing shriek, her features painfully contorted together, her body trembling violently.

"Ke Lai."

Luo De watched, heartbroken, but forced himself to stop.

This is the most crucial purification process; no one can stop it.

Yae Miko did not stop the spirit-gathering ceremony because of Ke Lai's shriek; instead, she continued her dance and incantation, continually intensifying the ceremony's strength.

Thus they remained deadlocked for a while.

The purplish-black flames on Ke Lai's body could no longer hold; they were slowly drawn out of her body in visible form, unwillingly pulled by the spirit-gathering ceremony, and condensed into a black flame the size of a fist.

This was not the end.

Yae Miko multitasked, taking out a gohei in her left hand; both hands simultaneously made different ritual gestures, and her mouth, as if split, chanted different spells.

As the spirit-gathering ceremony took effect, the spirit-pacifying ceremony was also activated.

Under the spirit-gathering ceremony, the black flame gradually turned into a fireball; when it expanded to its limit, the spirit-pacifying ceremony drew it away, and under that ceremony's influence, it gradually purified the violent Archon resentment within the black flame.

This process was not as swift as Luo De imagined; rather, it proceeded very slowly.

Ke Lai's shrieks did not stop either.

Due to long-term coexistence with the Archon's remnants and resentment.

She had long been entangled with these resentments and remnants.

Thus, the pain of having the Archon's resentment drawn from her body was like being cut bit by bit with a knife on both spirit and flesh.

This made the barely teenage Ke Lai naturally unable to endure; she could only try to ease the bodily pain by crying out loud.

And such pain.

It lasted from when the sun was at its highest until the sky was full of stars, before finally being completely drawn out.

Exhausted, Ke Lai could no longer hold herself up; she tilted her head and fell into Luo De's arms.

On the other side.

Yae Miko, who had been fully focused on the dual ceremonies the whole time, was also nearing exhaustion, but she still mustered her spirit, smiled at Luo De, and said, "Little guy, I no longer owe you."

(End of chapter)