Chapter 370

Finally.

Luo De, who had originally planned to go to Fontaine, still did not give Navia a definite answer, merely saying he would consider it carefully.

Even though Navia had offered a generous reward.

He also did not immediately agree.

After Navia left.

Luo De immediately set out to find Eula, who had been staying with Dixiya and the Great Merciful Tree King.

When initially planning the Flower Goddess Festival.

Luo De had anticipated that many troubles would arise during this period.

But he had not expected.

That the trouble would be this thorny.

Others are still manageable.

Besides Dottore possibly causing trouble from the shadows, no matter how much they cause a ruckus, they won't stir up anything serious.

But Apep is different.

Even if she does not cause trouble.

Her identity as the Primordial Grass Dragon King alone is enough to make people wary.

Still the same saying.

The uncontrollable Apep, even if she no longer shows hostility toward Xu Mi Cheng, remains utterly untrustworthy to Luo De and Nadixa.

Who knows when this guy will stir up some earth-shattering, heaven-defying grand deed.

And now.

This fictional scenario has become reality.

Apep has really pulled off another grand deed.

This guy actually seeks the ancient dragon authority of the Water Dragon, and it's the complete Water Dragon authority.

Moreover, she is not colluding with Furina; instead, relying on her age and having lived through the era of Heaven's Principles' creation, she knows the secrets of the ancient dragon authority, as well as what the original sin of the Fontaine people is and how to eliminate it.

Thus, their proposal just happened to clash.

Originally, all these plans were well laid out.

Only after Luo De attained the godhood of the Scarlet King could he go to Fontaine to fulfill Eula's promise.

But Navia promised Apep the Dragon King's Crown in exchange for the Fontaine people to be freed from language, which instantly put Luo De in a dilemma.

After weighing the pros and cons.

He still decided to first go find Eula to confirm the matter of the Water Dragon authority.

After all, this former Hydro Archon of Fontaine once controlled part of the Water Dragon authority, so she should have some insight into whether other Dragon Kings can apply such privilege.

Luo De's residence in Xu Mi Cheng is a three-story house near the Academy.

This was not given to him by Nadixa.

It was given by Dolly.

As the openly acknowledged best partner of Sangonomiya Mikoshi, Dolly has never been stingy in courting Luo De—she gives enough money, provides sufficient supplies, and whenever Luo De needs support, she is the first to step forward, regardless of others' attitudes; anyway, she agrees first and speaks later.

With her strong support.

Luo De owns a property in every major city in Xu Mi, ensuring he always has a comfortable place to stay wherever he goes.

The people Luo De brought from Hope Town all live in this house.

Compared to the Academy, whose threshold is almost worn thin from constant foot traffic.

Luo De's residence has never been open to the outside, thus appearing very quiet.

With his abilities.

As long as he does not wish it, no one can detect his whereabouts when he returns home.

The house is quite lively.

After spending a few days touring Xu Mi Cheng, Dixiya and her group are at home today, and Xinghai and Paimon, who had disappeared for a few days, have come to visit following the address Luo De gave.

This time, under the guidance of the Great Merciful Tree King.

Everyone is busy learning outdoor survival training taught by Xinghai and Dixiya, from recognizing monster types to how to process monsters for emergency food, to how to collect fresh water and find safe dwelling places.

Everyone is fully focused, and even Eula, who has been floating nearby, does not know when Luo De took her away.

Luo De, who has already confirmed that Eula's existence has been erased from the World Tree.

This time, he did not go to Nadixa's dedicated shielded quiet room.

Instead, he stayed at home, found the quietest spot, and directly said: "Can the Grass Dragon King use the ancient dragon authority of the Water Dragon King?"

"Grass Dragon King?"

"You mean, that Apep?"

Eula did not participate in the Seven Archons' gathering and does not know Apep is still active in Xu Mi, but she still knows the name Apep.

She is the fetal sea heart used by Heaven's Principles to replace the Water Dragon King.

She experienced the era when that Dragon King rebelled against Heaven's Principles.

However, due to her original sin being punished by Heaven's Principles early on, she did not witness the second rebellion of Nibelung against Heaven's Principles.

Therefore, regarding the name Apep.

She is familiar with it, yet not completely familiar.

"Hmm."

"It's her."

"You once controlled the ancient dragon authority of the Water Dragon King, so do you know if this can be transferred? Especially whether it can be transferred to other Dragon Kings?"

Luo De's words were very clear.

There was no need to elaborate further.

Egeleya understood what he meant.

"You mean the Grass Dragon King is seeking the ancient dragon authority of Neuvillette?"

Egeleya pondered for a moment, then gave an answer: "As ancient dragons, theoretically, it's not possible."

"Theoretically not possible?"

Luo De's eyes lit up; having finally received good news, he breathed a sigh of relief and continued: "So even if Apep obtained the ancient dragon authority of the Water Dragon King, he still couldn't wield the power of both dragon kings?"

"You may not understand ancient dragons."

"Before Teyvat established its new elemental system after the Archon War, the Seven Dragon Kings and the Dragon King of Nibelung were the embodiment of Teyvat's order."

"Just as I am the heart of the fetal sea, and Biyeer is the embodiment of the World Tree."

"Each of them wields not merely elemental power or authority."

"But what is called order."

"That is what you refer to as ancient dragon authority."

Egeleya explained in great detail: "According to Focalors' plan, when Neuvillette regains his authority and completes himself, what he holds will be the entire ancient dragon order of Teyvat, not a water elemental order reconstructed from partial ancient dragon authority. In this case, it is destined that the power of the Seven Dragon Kings cannot be mutually compatible, unless it is the Nibelung Dragon King."

"The Nibelung Dragon King?"

Luo De knew this name.

Before the Heavenly Principles arrived, the true master of the Teyvat continent, recognized as sovereign by the Seven Dragon Kings, was the true Dragon King.

"You mean."

Luo De asked: "Does he have the ability to control multiple elemental orders?"

"I have never seen the Nibelung Dragon King."

"I don't know if the rumors are true."

"But the Water Dragon King's memories do indeed contain similar records."

Egeleya mentioned the Water Dragon King's memories.

Luo De tilted his head: "Do you have the Water Dragon King's memories?"

"Yes." "Actually, to be precise, it comes from the memories of the fetal sea."

"After the primordial Dragon King was slain, his memories and obsessions have always stirred in the fetal sea, causing the entire fetal sea to lose control."

"The Heavenly Principles were helpless."

"They could only dispatch the Executor of Life to create me, and transfer the primordial Water Dragon King's memories entirely to me, thus deceiving the fetal sea into recognizing me as the newborn Water Dragon King, thereby calming it down."

Coming to ask Egeleya was the correct choice.

With her answer.

Luo De no longer worried that Apep would completely lose control, even dragging Sumeru into the bottomless abyss.

As for the Nibelung Dragon King.

I don't know why.

Luo De suddenly thought of that dismembered descender.

Then, thinking of the Ice Queen's actions in collecting Gnoses, he asked again: "Does the primordial Water Dragon King's memory contain anything about the Nibelung Dragon King? That Dragon King—did he die or not?"

"Unclear."

Egeleya shook her head: "The memories he left only go up to the moment before his death; the Nibelung Dragon King was not yet dead at that time, merely fleeing beyond the heavens."

"Ah, I see."

Luo De stroked his chin, beginning to ponder.

In his speculation.

The Nibelung Dragon King is likely already dead.

The dismembered descender is very likely him.

Although he is a native Dragon King.

But who says Teyvat's dragon order must necessarily be a native, primordial order?

Moreover, when the Nibelung Dragon King returned to Teyvat in the past, he could actually control the power of the Abyss.

This is something a Dragon King at the pinnacle of light-world power could not do.

Apep is a good example.

We are all primordial Dragon Kings.

After Apep obtained Abyss power from the Red King, what he gained was not a simple stacking of power, but an extreme conflict between the light-world power constituting his body and the void-world power within the Abyss power, causing him not only to fail to gain the ability to oppose the Heavenly Principles like the Nibelung Dragon King, but instead to suffer a major decline in strength, constantly struggling in pain; even though his body could endure the nails of cold heaven, he had no means against Abyss power, and nearly perished under its torment.

So why, as the embodiment of light-world power and the strongest Dragon King, can the Nibelung Dragon King withstand the offset of two powers and even master them? If explained by his great strength.

It doesn't hold up.

It's still that question.

The primordial Dragon King himself is the embodiment of dragon order, and also the original elemental power, i. e., the embodiment of light-world power.

This very nature makes the primordial Dragon King and Abyss power inherently opposed; no matter how strong, one cannot even dream of resisting this fundamental conflict.

It's like conflicting底层 code—no matter how you build上层 instructions, problems will eventually arise.

Moreover, Egeleya confirmed that the Nibelung Dragon King is a super Dragon King capable of mastering multiple elemental powers.

That is to say.

The Nibelung Dragon King, who established Teyvat's initial dragon order, is himself a descender; after suffering two defeats at the hands of the Heavenly Principles, he was dismembered by them, and his bones were used to create a Gnosis capable of containing elemental power.

Luo De speculated.

The Ice Queen's widespread collection of Gnoses may well be to gather Nibelung's remains, thereby obtaining the power of the strongest descender in history, and then using that power to gain the ability to oppose the Heavenly Principles—or, to let Teyvat break free from the cycle of fate and enter the power of true strength.

That is the true meaning of burning the old world.

Thinking about this, Luo De had another idea: "Is it possible that Apep preserved the corpse of Nibelung in her hands, and could she gain the ability to command the water dragon by using the Nibelung corpse?"

"From the information you gave me."

"Impossible."

Egeria didn't even think about it, directly rejecting Luo De's guess.

"Huh?"

"So certain?"

Luo De was somewhat puzzled.

Egeria had never seen Apep before, how could she be so certain?

"You're usually quite smart, why can't you even figure out such a simple thing?"

Egeria sighed: "You told me before that Apep was once tormented by abyssal power to the brink of death, so tell me, if she had a Nibelung corpse compatible with abyssal power, how could she have been tormented to that extent by abyssal power?"

"That's true too"

Luo De scratched his head.

This was indeed a detail he overlooked.

Luo De had witnessed Apep's confrontation with abyssal power at the time, and she indeed did not look like someone holding a Nibelung corpse.

"Then why does she want the ancient dragon authority of Vennessa?"

Luo De became even more confused.

Apep had no trump cards in her hands, just a body not yet fully recovered, and even her own authority was incomplete.

In such a state.

Why would she insist on a water dragon authority she couldn't control?

"I don't know about this."

Egeria also couldn't make sense of the logic here.

No matter from what angle one looks at this matter.

Apep's demand is pure nonsense, of no benefit to her at all, and on the contrary, Fontaine would lose its god and ancient dragon authority, thus losing the supply of desert blaze energy, leading to an uncontrollable and comprehensive degradation of its original industry.

From a rational standpoint.

Egeria absolutely does not want to see this situation.

Fontaine's development to this point has not been easy.

If technology regresses.

People not having enough to eat would be a good outcome, but civilizational regression is the most terrifying end.

At this moment.

Luo De comforted her: "Actually, you don't need to worry so much, did you forget the materials we brought back from the Sumeru Black Abyss?"

"You mean."

"The Asmoday substance and perpetual motion device?"

Egeria lifted her head, light flashing in her eyes.

"Yes."

"That thing was originally discovered by your Fontaine Academy of Sciences."

"But later they had an accident, and we took it over."

Luo De laughed: "When the Academy researches results, Sumeru and Fontaine can completely share the technology, after all, we are neighboring countries, and there is no communication barrier."

With that said.

Egeria's pent-up frustration instantly vanished, and she agreed to this matter on behalf of Furina and Furkalos.

"Then you must never regret it in the future."

"Certainly."

Luo De replied with a laugh.

Desert blaze technology is powerful, but relying too much on gods is indeed a fact.

Compared to the perpetual motion device and Asmoday substance refinement achievable by human effort.

The disadvantage is very obvious.

And now with Luo De's promise, even if Vennessa fulfills her contract with Apep and hands over her ancient dragon authority, having a new technological substitute, even if there is technological regression, it will not cause particularly serious impact on Fontaine's future development.

(End of chapter)