Chapter 377

Apep, a veteran actor.

No one knew what promise Nadixa had given her, but she again took up the role she had when Xiao ascended to godhood, once again playing the major villain.

When Apep appeared, especially when her eyes, larger than a house, stared over.

Originally bustling Sumeru Cheng was instantly filled with screams and panic.

People fled in all directions, looking for places to hide; even with the new Sumeru army and the order of the desert guard organization led by Kantisi, they could not stop the chaos caused by Apep.

Just then.

Nadixa's firm voice echoed in the minds of all Sumeru citizens.

"Evil dragon, do not harm the people of Sumeru!"

At the same time.

The Great Merciful Tree King, fully immersed in the role of the Flower God, stood together with Nadixa, facing Apep side by side, and likewise shouted sternly: "Evil dragon, retreat at once!"

These two voices, for the Sumeru people fleeing in all directions, were like a drowning person grabbing a life-saving straw; although their fleeing speed didn't change, they couldn't help but look at the two deities standing side by side against the terrifying dragon.

In the city.

The only ones going against the flow, Ying and Paimon, upon hearing Nadixa and the Great Merciful Tree King's voices, involuntarily stopped their steps, opened their mouths wide, and looked at the dragon that Apep had transformed into.

"Ying, it's her! I won't mistake her!"

Paimon said firmly: "This guy is the Grass Dragon King from Liyue back then!"

Back when Xiao ascended to godhood.

Ying and Paimon were right there on the scene.

Back then they also didn't know that Apep was an actor hired by Luo De; they just rushed straight up, and as a result were directly beaten to the point of losing their bearings, nearly getting lost in the sea.

Such a painful experience.

It was the worst beating Ying had suffered since being captured alive by the Maintainer of Heavenly Principle back then.

So Apep's aura and appearance were carved into Ying's memory like axe and chisel blows.

This time Ying didn't even need Paimon's reminder.

Although Ying had originally been eager to help, she instantly recognized that the incoming guy was again that veteran actor, the Grass Dragon King Apep.

"No wonder that guy said that during the Flower God's birthday festival, no matter what happens, don't worry—just eat, drink, and play."

Ying muttered under her breath.

After returning from the Sweet Dew Flower Sea, having eaten sand in the desert for a long time, Ying and Paimon just played in Sumeru Cheng every day, either eating or playing; as for foreign envoys and foreign gods coming, it had nothing to do with her, so she just greeted the few friends she knew, toured Sumeru Cheng together, and that was it.

After all, Ying's current identity is merely that of an adventurer, while the friends she knows are almost all high-ranking figures from various nations; at this important time of the Flower God's birthday festival, they are all busy running around, so hardly anyone is as idle as she is.

After playing like this for a little over a month.

Luo De, who had also been missing for a long time, suddenly appeared before her.

Upon seeing each other.

He just passed on to her those earlier words.

As for the reason,

He didn't explain, just telling Ying not to ask or interfere, lest something bad happen later.

Back then Ying was annoyed for a long time by his evasiveness.

Only today did she understand what Luo De meant.

"That guy is going to stir up trouble in Liyue again."

Having learned Luo De's intention, Ying and Paimon calmly returned to the tavern where they had been watching the livestream, continued eating what they hadn't finished, and meanwhile kept watching the livestream that was still on.

Yes, that's right.

The livestream on the Void Terminal was also not turned off.

It was still broadcasting live the scene of Nadixa and the Great Merciful Tree King confronting Apep together.

Those who had finally found a safe spot among the Sumeru people also discovered this.

"Look, it's the projection from the Void Terminal."

"Lord Dendro Archon and Lady Flower God are battling the evil dragon!"

"Go, Lord Dendro Archon! Go, Lady Flower God!"

"Damn evil dragon! How dare it come to ruin the Dendro Archon's birthday celebration! Lord Dendro Archon, Lady Flower God, be sure to tear out its tendons and strip its skin!!"

These voices rose and fell from every corner of Sumeru Cheng, instantly gathering into an invisible current that continually flowed into Nadixa.

In the Pure Virtue Palace.

Seeing this, the gods not only had no impulse to rescue, but also began to praise it one after another.

"As expected of the Wisdom God, to think of using this method to gather faith power to make up for oneself."

The speaker was Mavika.

At first.

She had wanted to go help.

But after realizing that the so‑called evil dragon was Apep, she gave up that idea.

Everyone knows.

This mother dragon, which claims it can never reconcile with humanity, has in fact long become a part of Sumeru.

Moreover, she knows that the Seven Sovereigns have all come to Sumeru Cheng.

If she were still the Grass Dragon King capable of fighting Heavenly Principle, the Seven Archons might still have to be wary of her.

But with her current power,

even if she were given more courage, she would absolutely not dare to openly attack Sumeru Cheng in front of so many gods.

Then the reason Apep appears here in this way is obvious.

I suppose that bastard came up with this stupid idea again.

Hmph—

That actually fits his style quite well.

The Ice Empress also chimed in from the side.

She saw right through Luo De's little trick completely.

She was present back when this happened in Liyue.

It was quite clear what Luo De had done back then.

But I never thought this guy would reuse the same old trick—don't the Liyue folks who went through this suspect something?

Huh?

Huh?

What's happening?

Compared to those gods with smug expressions of having everything under control, Furina couldn't figure out what was going on at all.

To be honest.

If it weren't for Egeria holding her back just now, she would have even wanted to run away.

The thing that came to attack Sumeru Cheng was a huge dragon!

A dragon bigger than Sumeru Cheng! Furina didn't know if Weilai Te could protect himself from that dragon's attack.

She only knew.

If that dragon wanted to kill him, it wouldn't even need to lift a finger—just a breath would do.

And he couldn't die!

At least not now! Furina, whose fear grew stronger, would have shown a terrified look if she hadn't seen the other gods all calm.

But even so.

Her hands and feet were still trembling slightly without anyone noticing.

Such a performance also made her dare not stand calmly by the railing and stare at that terrifying dragon like Weilai Te did.

"Don't worry, that's someone Mr. Luo De invited to help."

Egeria whispered, comforting the nearly terrified Furina: "Moreover, you've seen her before—she's in this palace."

Ah?

"Have I seen her?" Egeria's method of diverting attention worked well, and Furina's focus immediately shifted to when she had seen this dragon.

However, she racked her brain but could never remember where she had seen Apep.

Egeria gave her a hint.

"Back then she wasn't in dragon form, but in human form."

Upon hearing that,

Furina, with her excellent memory, immediately thought of that tall woman dressed all in green.

"Is it... that one, that one, what's her name again?"

Furina, who hadn't paid much attention to Apep, thought for a while before realizing: "Apep! Is that the name?"

Right.

"That's Miss Apep."

"She's the Grass Dragon King of Sumeru, an old acquaintance of Mr. Luo De, and she's come this time by appointment to help him."

Egeria looked out the window.

Nadixa, the Great Merciful Tree King, and Apep have already started fighting.

This certainly isn't a real fight.

Thus the battle between the two gods and the dragon king was extraordinarily beautiful, with various shining elemental energies flying everywhere; although it caused no harm whatsoever below, it allowed the spectators to clearly sense Apep's power and the intensity of the fight.

But Furina just couldn't understand it.

With her eyesight, she couldn't tell at all whether the fight outside was real or fake.

Yet she kept forcing herself to stay strong, trying to make her expression look as calm as possible.

In order to show she wasn't really afraid of the Apep outside.

Furina suppressed her inner fear, feigning calm as she asked Eula: "Is this the help you talked about? I think this is more like hindering help. Such a fine Flower Goddess Birth Festival has been ruined by this dragon."

Furina did not realize that the more she acted this way, the more Eula felt pity for her.

As the former Hydro Archon of Fontaine.

Eula was all too aware of what kind of mess she had left for Fukalos.

So whenever she saw Furina, she would unconsciously place herself in Fukalos's position, asking herself if she could persist as Furina did, keeping her original heart unchanged for five hundred years, tormenting herself and Furina day after day.

If placed back in the time when she was imprisoned by the Heavenly Principles.

Then Eula would surely say that she could do it too.

But now she just couldn't bring herself to say those words.

"Ah—"

"After letting out a soft sigh in her heart, Eula explained to Furina: 'Miss Apepu is just here for show; she won't really destroy Sumeru Cheng. That's also why the gods haven't taken any action.'"

"Oh?"

"Then what is the purpose of doing this?"

Furina raised an eyebrow slightly and continued to ask.

The battle outside grew fiercer and fiercer; a draconic breath even brushed past the windows of the Palace of Purification.

This drew the gods to murmur in amazement, and Venti even clapped loudly, cheering for Nadixa and the Great Merciful Tree King, showing no semblance of a deity at all.

Furina also wanted to be like them.

But in reality her leg had gone numb, she couldn't move at all, and even trying to pretend was impossible.

Egeliya stepped forward considerately, using her two wings to gently rub Furina's calf, and continued to say to her: "The Dendro Archon was once imprisoned by the rebels of the Academy for five hundred years; during that time those rebels deliberately erased her existence, causing her to receive no divine power for five hundred years."

"The Flower God had slept for a thousand years before waking up."

"Such a long time has passed that the desert she once ruled has long since changed, and even her faithful followers are now few; looking at the scenery, she is actually utterly weak."

"So Mr. Luo De came up with this idea."

"First, by using the Flower God's birth festival of unprecedented scale to attract all the Sumeru people to come and participate in the celebration, then letting the Flower God formally return, and next, by using the panic brought by Miss Apep, who had never before appeared in her true form before the Sumeru people, letting the Sumeru people renew their faith in the Dendro Archon and the Flower God, thus, in reconstructing the faith system of the Dendro Archon and the Flower God, the Sumeru could also gain stronger divine protection."

Egeliya said all that in one breath, and told Furina everything about Luo De's arrangements and plans.

Although she didn't know much about divine matters.

But Furina still sat up straight, she wasn't as afraid anymore, and even her tone could be calm as she said: "This Luo De is indeed a smart person; no wonder Nawailate invited him to be a guest in Fontaine."

"Mr. Luo De is indeed the smartest and strongest person I have ever seen."

Egeliya gave Luo De a little praise.

However, there was one thing she didn't say.

That Luo De would no longer be human right away.

The Flower God's divinity plus the Red King's false divinity could let him in this plan become one of the strongest deities in the world in one fell swoop.

"It's a pity that such a person wasn't born in Fontaine, but in Sumeru."

After feeling a little regret in her heart, Egeliya then asked: "Would you like to go and watch together with the other few deities?"

In Egeliya's view,

Furina's disguise is still somewhat lacking; it's easy for people to see through the flaw.

Especially, the more she hides like this, the more likely she is to arouse suspicion from other deities.

No matter what.

The fact that she lacks divine power and aura is real; as long as one pays a little attention, someone will notice this.

Nobody asks.

That's also just because each deity has their own secrets.

And the act of probing into others' secrets

is really too impolite.

But for safety's sake,

Egeliya still suggested that Furina go and watch together with the other deities the true 'climactic show' arranged by Luo De.

Regarding this proposal,

After hesitating a little while,

Furina nodded and said: "Okay, I'm going over now."

The leg that Egeliya had rubbed using the power of the flower spirit no longer felt numb and unable to move.

Furina stood up, gave it a try, and then went to Nawailate's side.

Seeing that she had finally come over,

Nawailate glanced at her, then withdrew his gaze and said: "Miss Furina, I thought you wouldn't come over."

"Hmph——"

"How could such a splendid climactic show be without my viewing as the Hydro Archon Fukaluos?"

Furina stood with her hands on her hips, showing no sign of panic or fear on her face; instead, she wore a proud smile and the expression of someone watching a show.

"Oh, then you come over here; this spot is better."

Nawailate made space for her, and he himself stood to the side.

Just as Furina arrived at that better viewing spot, the loud dragon roar echoed again through Sumeru Cheng, and the entire Phantasmal Hall instantly collapsed in that sound, revealing the true outside appearance.

Before panic could begin to spread again,

A strong, firm voice rang out from the heavens, making one feel as if there was something to rely on behind them.

"Evil dragon!"

"Do not disturb the Sumeru citizens!"

Accompanied by a shout like thunderclaps, the fully armed Luo De appeared in the sight of the Sumeru citizens.

Gazing at his wolf-headed, golden-armored figure wielding the divine artifact Red Sand Staff.

Nobody knew who shouted 'Long live the Red King!'—immediately,

Such a cry spread from one to ten, ten to a hundred, and in the blink of an eye it became a chorus!

At this moment,

These Sumeru citizens, gazing longingly, seemed to truly see the Red King, who had vanished a thousand years ago, once again reign over the Sumeru land! (End of chapter)