Rumble!
The situation at Jingshan Palace caught the attention of nearly everyone in Xumi City.
Azar and his associates, upon witnessing the towering wooden figure smashing through the Jingshan Palace, felt their legs tremble. That was the Great Compassion Tree King—there was no mistaking it.
It had to be the Great Compassion Tree King.
The Church of the Order still had a portrait of the Great Compassion Tree King, after all.
However, despite the return of such a powerful figure, Azar and his colleagues didn't feel relief or joy. They didn't rejoice, even though they often claimed to miss the Great Compassion Tree King, stating that the Little Auspicious Grass King was inferior and comparing her to the Great Compassion Tree King to belittle her.
Their true motivations were no secret. Even a god like the Great Compassion Tree King was not someone they truly wanted back.
If the Great Compassion Tree King returned, how would they continue their lives as they had now? Would the Great Compassion Tree King hold them accountable for their actions?
What they needed was a god who would listen to them, a god who would protect their interests—not a god who would lead them and hold them to higher standards.
The Church of the Order had decayed over the past five hundred years, and now, facing the possible return of the Great Compassion Tree King, they had no choice but to prepare for the worst. If the Great Compassion Tree King truly returned, they could only show him respect.
For years, they had been flaunting the greatness of the Great Compassion Tree King to suppress the Little Auspicious Grass King. Nashida was always seen as a pale imitation compared to the Great Compassion Tree King.
Now, most of the people in Xumi believed in the Great Compassion Tree King.
At this point, if they tried to deny the return of the Great Compassion Tree King, the people of Xumi would turn against them, and they'd be torn apart without mercy.
"Don't worry. This is not the Great Compassion Tree King," a cold voice suddenly spoke next to Azar.
Azar immediately recognized the voice. It belonged to none other than the second executive officer of the Fatui.
The two sides had been preparing for further cooperation, with the shared goal of creating gods, but there was still much to be done.
"Not the Great Compassion Tree King?" Azar breathed a sigh of relief. He pointed at the enormous wooden figure that had come to a halt in the distance. "But that looks like the Great Compassion Tree King!"
"It's indeed the divinity of the Grass God. But do you really think there would be two Grass Gods in all of Teyvat?" The Doctor looked at Azar with an incredulous expression, clearly unimpressed by his ignorance.
After so many years, Azar and his associates had shown themselves to be nothing more than incapable fools. If it weren't for Azar's good family background, the Doctor wouldn't even have deigned to speak to him.
"Then what is this...?" Azar hesitated, glancing again at the figure in the distance.
The Doctor stared at the wooden man, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "I've heard that the Great Compassion Tree King is the incarnation of the World Tree. If the World Tree truly falls, the entire continent of Teyvat could collapse. It seems the legend of the Little Auspicious Grass King being the reincarnation of the Great Compassion Tree King is true. She may have regained her former memories or some of her powers, and now she has left."
As for why the Little Auspicious Grass King left, the Doctor had his suspicions. It was likely due to him.
The Doctor didn't believe that his existence could go unnoticed by the Little Auspicious Grass King, who was the incarnation of the World Tree.
She probably feared him, wanting to restore her strength.
The God of Wisdom, Nashida, would likely observe the situation in Xumi from the shadows. If nothing unexpected happened, she might begin to quietly plan how to deal with Azar and his people—not by using brute force, but by turning his friends and family against him.
The Doctor looked forward to that. It seemed his own plans would soon change as well. His goal had always been the Heart of God. How he obtained it and from whom didn't really matter. Whether Azar lived or died was of no concern to him. He wouldn't admit it, but the true reason he disliked Azar and his family was because of how his ancestors had driven him out of the Church of the Order.
He, Duotolei, had never been a person to dwell on petty grievances.
"Let's see your methods, God of Wisdom," the Doctor muttered, "Let me, your former believer, witness your abilities."
Azar's heart sank as he realized the gravity of the situation. The return of the Great Compassion Tree King was a complex issue, but the departure of the Little Auspicious Grass King was equally troublesome.
No, the plan had to move faster.
Azar knew that over the years, they had controlled the people of Xumi by holding the Grass God hostage. However, if the Grass God escaped, the people would quickly rally behind the Little Auspicious Grass King. What were they supposed to do then?
---
Meanwhile, high atop Tianheng Mountain, Nashida looked down at Liyue Port in the distance, her eyes filled with wonder.
"Is this Liyue?" Nashida whispered softly. "I've been imprisoned my entire life. I haven't even finished exploring Xumi, so how did I end up here in Liyue?"
She marveled at the sight of the bustling port, with hundreds of boats fighting for space on the waters. "This place is truly remarkable. It's the country ruled by Morax."
"Yes, this is Liyue," Smith replied softly. "It's a great country. While it does have its problems, it's relatively the most stable and prosperous nation on Teyvat."
Nashida nodded thoughtfully, still trying to absorb everything she was seeing. "So, after coming to Teyvat, your first choice was to ally with Morax?"
"Exactly," Smith said. "When I arrived, I saw Morax as a figure worth cooperating with. His wisdom and power are unparalleled."
"Are you from outside the Teyvat continent?" Nashida asked, her curiosity piqued. She had always been isolated and had no real knowledge of the world beyond.
Smith nodded. "Yes, I am. But that's not the point. The point is that I want to help you truly understand yourself and the world around you."
He paused for a moment, his expression growing more serious. "I can help you become a real god, Nashida. And in the future, we can also help you solve the problem of the Xumi Death Zone."
"Understand the world outside? Taboo knowledge?" Nashida's pupils contracted. The mere mention of taboo knowledge made her uneasy. The Great Compassion Tree King had fallen to such knowledge. Could she survive it?
"Who told you that knowledge outside the world is taboo?" Smith smiled and patted her head gently. "After all, the original Great Compassion Tree King also came from outside Teyvat."
Smith turned his gaze towards Sky Island. With his increasing power, he could now sense its location.
Nashida seemed to understand, her thoughts racing. She had already suspected that things weren't as simple as they seemed, and it seemed her suspicions were right. Perhaps this new path wasn't entirely impossible after all.
---
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