Chapter 360

Luo De left quickly, and came back quickly.

After using his own divine sense to replace Egeriya's divine sense, he walked out of the core of the Myriad Mother Tree in just a few steps.

The outside world was also pouring down a torrential rain.

The Myriad Mother Tree, which the Great Merciful Tree King had failed to fully awaken despite using all his strength, was now in full bloom, with fresh flowers and green leaves, and had returned to this small world that had previously been gradually consumed by death.

The holy rainwater from the Myriad Mother Tree.

It excited Silusha to pull Paimon into a spinning dance in the rain.

Even the veteran flower spirit Zu'erwan could not contain the excitement, tilting their head up to gaze high at the dark heavenly phenomena fading in the sky.

Only the Great Merciful Tree King and Ying saw Luo De walk out of the Myriad Mother Tree.

"How is she?"

Egeriya was one of the Great Merciful Tree King's closest friends; without her help back then, Ximoge would not have successfully evolved its spiritual light, thereby protecting the Sumeru lands.

But times have changed.

The Great Merciful Tree King, who once died at the hands of the Black Abyss, has now reformed his body, while his old comrade's fate remains unknown.

Consequently, the Great Merciful Tree King's face showed a hint of anxiety, wishing he could immediately obtain from Luo De some uplifting good news.

"It's a pity."

"Her divine sense seems to have left nothing behind."

Luo De took out the crystal coffin storing Egeriya's divine sense.

That's also strange.

The coffin, which was over a person tall inside the Myriad Mother Tree, is now only palm-sized, and Egeriya's divine sense inside has regressed from the form of a young girl to that of a curled-up infant.

Luo De recounted his experiences in the Myriad Mother Tree to the Great Merciful Tree King and Ying.

Although when preparing to open the crystal coffin, Egeriya had once warned Luo De not to act rashly, lest her divine sense completely dissipate and render the Myriad Mother Tree useless.

But combined with the silence of Egeriya's divine sense before and after.

Luo De still tended to believe that the sound he heard then was merely Egeriya's automatic defense, like the blue light that resisted the dark corruption.

The true Egeriya.

Probably no trace of her divine sense remained.

The Great Merciful Tree King held the crystal coffin, silent.

Ying sensed the mood, knowing it wasn't a good time to disturb her, so Ying pulled Luo De aside and whispered: "What exactly is going on with you now?"

She had been holding back this question for several days.

A friend who once drank and chatted with me suddenly became the Flower God of Teyvat.

Especially Luo De still carried the identity of a Descender.

How exactly did he become the new Flower God?

However I asked Luo De before, his answers were always vague, making Ying's heart itch, and she wanted to quickly figure this out.

"This one."

"There's a lot to say about that."

Luo De stroked his chin, pondered a bit, and began speaking from the Flower God's past layout.

This story is very long.

Luo De took a while; by the time the heavy rain brought by the Myriad Mother Tree had finished, he finally finished recounting everything.

"Flower God, Nabu·Maliyata"

Ying softly recited that name once.

During her travels in Sumeru, she had heard this name many times.

Although she had always wondered why this name was exactly the same as the Great Merciful Tree King's mortal name.

But she really hadn't thought about it deeply.

Until a few days ago, she learned from Luo De and the flower spirits that her friend who shared the Flower God's name was actually the previous Dendro Archon of Sumeru.

And now.

She also learned that the Great Merciful Tree King could be resurrected, Luo De had played a major role, and the Flower God who had died even longer ago was the mastermind behind all of this.

"That time she used her authority on you, uh, it was probably that kind of authority similar to psychological suggestion, making everyone who came into contact with her believe she was my sister."

Luo De spread his hands: "Looks like, even someone like you, a descendant, can't resist the authority of the gods."

"Hmph—"

Ying pouted.

Today's influx of information was a bit much; she hasn't had time to worry about this yet.

Just then.

Paimon, who had been having fun playing with Rosaria, also returned, curiously asking: "What are you talking about?"

As she said that, she saw the Great Merciful Tree King's crystal coffin, flew over immediately, and brought her eyes close, saying: "Huh, why is there a little child here?"

It was unclear whether Paimon's action was too sudden, or the Great Merciful Tree King was too immersed in sorrow.

In short.

When Paimon's voice suddenly sounded in the Great Merciful Tree King's ear.

She seemed to be frightened, her hand trembling, and she actually failed to hold onto the crystal coffin, watching it drop straight down.

"Oh no!"

The Great Merciful Tree King exclaimed.

On the other side, Luo De heard the sound, turned his head, and with a gust of wind beneath his feet, he shot forward like lightning to the Great Merciful Tree King's side, snatching the crystal coffin before it hit the ground and gripping it firmly in his hand.

Crack—

With a crisp sound, the few who had just breathed a sigh of relief instantly changed their faces.

This crystal coffin is too fragile.

Even though Luo De had been careful to hold back his strength beforehand, he still accidentally squeezed a crack into the coffin.

Knowing that if the crystal coffin were destroyed, Egeliya's divine sense would completely dissipate.

Luo De quickly thought of a solution in a flash.

He then turned into lightning again, heading straight for the sweet dew living water, and invoked the water authority he had gained from Olympus' remains, which he had named the Water of All Life, to completely cover the crystal coffin, hoping to slow the dissipation of Egeliya's divine sense as much as possible.

Before the Great Merciful Tree King and the others had recovered.

Luo De rushed to the sweet dew living water at his fastest speed, first cutting his finger and smearing his blood on the crystal coffin, then immediately throwing it into the pool, hoping that Egeliya's divine sense and body might recombine and produce some miracle.

Wait a moment.

Only then did the Great Merciful Tree King and Ying hurry over.

As soon as they saw Luo De standing solemnly by the pool, they immediately understood what he had done, and the Great Merciful Tree King directly asked, 'How is it?'

Luo De remained silent, merely pursing his lips toward the pool.

He also had no confidence in his heart.

He didn't know whether relying solely on this sweet dew living water could possibly rescue Egeliya's divine sense.

'Yes, I'm sorry, waa waa waa.'

Paimon, who had just made a mistake, saw everyone's expressions grow increasingly solemn and was on the verge of tears.

'It's not your fault.'

'It's my own fault for not paying attention and letting it slip.'

The Great Merciful Tree King let out a sorrowful sigh.

No matter what.

She is a deity, yet Paimon startled her into dropping her.

No matter what excuse is used, the fault lies with her, and it cannot possibly be blamed on Paimon.

Faced with this situation.

Ying also didn't know what to say, so she could only comfort Paimon, whose eyes were brimming with tears, while looking at Luo De for guidance.

Only just now had she fully learned from Luo De about the past of the Great Merciful Tree King and Egeliya.

Ying knew very well that the current Great Merciful Tree King was absolutely very sad and distressed.

If Egeliya's divine sense were truly dissipated completely because of Paimon's mistake, then Paimon would really have no way to escape blame.

But just as Luo De was about to say something.

A strong sense of familiarity suddenly surged up from the pool.

This feeling made him involuntarily shake off his earlier gloom, his expression brightening as he said, 'It really works!'

Those who felt the same as Luo De.

Also the Great Merciful Tree King, Zu Erwan, and Si Lu Sha.

As for Ying and Paimon.

The two of them noticed nothing, looking with puzzled expressions at the intensely reacting Luo De and the others.

This is quite normal.

Because what Luo De and the others sensed was a brand-new flower spirit gestating in the sweet dew living water.

This was also the only method Luo De had thought of in that brief moment that might be useful.

Back when Egeliya passed away.

The Myriad Kind Mother Tree blossomed in full, and myriad rays of light scattered across the vast desert.

Since then.

All flower spirits are born from the sweet dew living water.

These are the products of the Flower God's divine light combining with the Hydro Archon's sweet dew living water.

Using this principle.

Luo De used his own blood as a medium to combine with the sweet dew living water, attempting to give birth to a new flower spirit so that the remnants of Egeliya's divine sense would have a vessel.

Originally this was merely a bold attempt.

But the faint new consciousness and life force just born from the sweet dew living water made Luo De and the others, whose essence is closely tied to the sweet dew living water and flower spirits, realize that Egeliya's divine sense had truly been preserved.

Immediately afterward.

In Ying and Paimon's astonished gaze, a brand-new flower spirit, its whole body lake-blue, slowly emerged from the sweet dew living water, showing its head.

However, her eyes were tightly shut.

Just like Egeliya had been in the crystal coffin before.

Although she possessed a vibrant life force, she showed no trace of outward consciousness; aside from gaining a body, she looked exactly as she had in the coffin.

'Master of Pure Water!!'

Si Lu Sha did not know Egeliya, but Zu Erwan did.

She was among the first batch of flower spirits, and also the first to be born from the sweet dew living water.

At that time, Egeliya still had a faint remnant of consciousness.

Thus Zu Erwan was well aware.

The newborn before them, whose appearance and color differed greatly from ordinary flower spirits, was the Master of Pure Water, the previous Hydro Archon Egeliya.

It seemed to have heard Zu Erwan's voice.

Although Egeliya showed no outward consciousness, her eyelid twitched slightly.

Such small movements naturally could not escape the notice of the keen-eyed Luo De and the Great Merciful Tree King.

The two exchanged a glance, and each saw delight in the other's eyes.

Afterward, they focused all their attention on Egeria's changes, silently praying in their hearts that she would recover as soon as possible.

Under the expectant gaze of the Six Paths.

The extent to which Egeria's eyelids opened grew larger and larger.

Although it was very strenuous.

But it could be seen that she was making a great effort to open her eyes.

After struggling like this for a while.

Egeria's eyes finally opened.

At the same time.

With the aid of her intact new body, her consciousness, which seemed to have long since dissipated, began to gradually coalesce.

Soon.

Luo De and the others then realized.

This was not an illusion.

Egeria's consciousness was indeed slowly recovering.

"Is that coffin a seal?"

Luo De speculated: "Or perhaps it's an execution procedure?"

"Probably."

The Great Merciful Tree King also did not fully understand the process by which Egeria sealed her own divine consciousness, and likewise speculated: "She may have sealed her personal consciousness in the coffin to prevent it from interfering with her mission to banish the Abyss, setting all her actions to serve solely the purpose of banishing the Deep Abyss."

"Is she afraid that she herself will be afraid?"

Ying also interjected from the side.

"No, she is very brave and will not feel fear because she has to oppose the Abyss."

The Great Merciful Tree King shook his head, his expression inscrutable, and said: "She sealed her consciousness because she was worried about something else."

As for what that matter is,

The Great Merciful Tree King hinted at it and stopped there, refusing to say more, which made Pai Meng beside him stamp his foot in frustration.

Among those present,

only Luo De knew what those unsaid words actually were.

This matter must begin with the prophecy of Fontaine.

It is a very complicated matter.

It cannot be made clear in a few words.

The only thing that needs to be known

is that Egeria at that time indeed decided to sacrifice herself in order to smoothly pass on her divine position to the current Hydro Archon, Fukalos.

Sealing her personal consciousness.

It was also likely to ensure that her record in the Heavenly Principles showed a true death state, so that a faint remnant of consciousness would not cause the succession of her divine position to fail.

"Yes, it's you."

Just as the Great Merciful Tree King was explaining Egeria's divine consciousness issue to Ying and the others, a faint voice drifted out from the center of the pool.

"Egeria, you, you have remembered!"

The long-lost voice of an old friend rang out again, and the Great Merciful Tree King, unable to contain his excitement, asked eagerly.

Soon.

The second wave of response came.

"I, I remember you."

"You are, the Great Merciful Tree King."

Egeria's voice grew stronger, and consequently the water level of the Sweet Dew Living Water visibly dropped.

However, this does not greatly affect the current Sweet Dew Flower Sea.

The Myriad Species Mother Tree has now fully recovered, its ability to suppress the Deep Abyss having successfully returned to its peak from five hundred years ago; moreover, with Luo De's residual divine consciousness, these are sufficient to ensure that the Mother Tree's operation will encounter no further problems.

Under such circumstances,

The importance of the Sweet Dew Living Water can no longer be compared to what it was before.

Even if the Sweet Dew Living Water is completely exhausted.

As long as it can allow the master of pure water, Egeria, to return to the world, that is enough! However, Egeria also did not completely exhaust the Sweet Dew Living Water.

When the pool water had dwindled to just a thin layer at the bottom, the former Hydro Archon who had sacrificed herself to save Teyvat successfully regained her full consciousness and came before the Great Merciful Tree King, joyfully gazing at her old friend from afar.

(End of chapter)