"I plan to leave Naruto with Grandma Ping for care. What do you think about that?" Smith turned his gaze toward Zhongli and asked, "Neither Keqing nor I are good at taking care of children, and I don't think Nashida will have much time either."
Not far away, Uchiha Mikoto wanted to speak up, suggesting that she could actually take care of Naruto. She and Uzumaki Kushina had been good friends, but after the Nine-Tails Rebellion, they had kept their distance to avoid drawing attention. Now that Kushina was gone, Mikoto felt a deep desire to care for Naruto, but considering Naruto's status as the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, she chose not to speak up.
"A Ping? She is indeed the most suitable person to take care of children," Zhongli nodded slightly, showing no hesitation. He wasn't worried that those around him would be influenced by the Ashura Chakra. The concept of "understanding each other" in this world was a rather naive idea. He could only wonder what the Six Paths Sage was up to.
"By the way, Smith, here's the seal book you wanted," Hu Tao said, handing Smith a large scroll.
"Thank you, Hu Tao," Smith replied, nodding in satisfaction. Although he wasn't particularly interested in the so-called forbidden techniques, he was curious about whether he could learn the Flying Thunder God Technique. Even if he couldn't master it himself, he planned to help Keqing research a version that suited her needs.
"Hehe, I got the reward anyway, though it was a little less than I hoped," Hu Tao said with a grin, fully aware that her strength might have been insufficient for the mission.
After handing over the Uchiha clan's affairs to Ganyu, Smith didn't head home directly. Instead, he made his way to a mountaintop in Guyun Pavilion, where he made a decisive purchase: his second godhood—the Water God's godhood.
Smith had been hesitant at first about which godhood to buy. It seemed that any godhood would be fine. Even the godhood of the Rock God, an orphaned godhood, was acceptable. He could also learn from Morax, who offered the most traditional teachings. However, after discussing it with Nashida, Smith learned that the Water element was the best choice for him at this point.
As the godhood of the Water God settled into Smith's body, he could clearly feel the connection between his first godhood, the God of Grass, and his newly acquired Water God godhood. The two powers intertwined and merged seamlessly, greatly enhancing his divine power. Smith could feel the surge of strength coursing through him.
Before, the God of Grass had been slowly strengthening his body and generating divine power. If the efficiency had been a rate of 1 per day, now, with the combined influence of both godhoods, that rate had jumped to 5. At the same time, the divine power Smith could harness had increased significantly.
"Your divinity has grown stronger. Have you merged with the godhood of the Water God?" Zhongli appeared beside Smith, his expression subtly surprised. He was puzzled as to why Smith had chosen the Water God godhood over the Rock God. If Smith had chosen the Rock God, Zhongli could have helped guide him to develop that godhood, allowing both of their strengths to grow. But now, with Smith merging the Water God godhood, Zhongli wondered if he could ask Fukaros to help guide Smith in developing the Water God's power.
Previously, Zhongli had even thought that if Smith had chosen the godhood of the Rock God one day, he could step down and let Smith take the throne. It would have been a legitimate succession, after all. But why had Smith chosen the Water God instead?
"Well, according to Nashida, the God of Water and the God of Grass are the best combination," Smith said with a slight nod, a stream of water appearing in his hand. "I'm getting much stronger now. Maybe it won't be long before I can challenge you, the top seven gods."
Zhongli observed Smith silently for a long time before responding, "If it's just divinity, you may already surpass me. There are few people on the continent of Teyvat who could defeat you." He paused, his expression thoughtful. "Of course, this excludes a few extraordinary beings. The seven gods are incredibly strong, and Morax is confident that he could face an ordinary dragon king. But when referring to a dragon king, he means one who has lost much of their power. If he encountered a fully powered dragon king or a maintainer of heaven, you wouldn't stand a chance against them right now... And there are also many powerful beings in the Abyss."
"I understand," Smith replied, his tone calm but confident. "But if I were to head to Sumeru now, even if I faced the Doctor, I should be able to defeat him, right? In fact, I should have been able to defeat him when I mastered Scathach's spearmanship." Smith closed his eyes for a moment, sensing the aura of several demon gods beneath Lord Guyun. "I feel that my life level is no weaker than theirs. Plus, with my gun skills, I should be able to defeat Osel and the others."
"The Doctor? I think you can," Zhongli said thoughtfully. "But even if you could defeat a portion of the Doctor's power, what would be the point? It would certainly make him feel frustrated, but he is cruel both to others and to himself. He has lost his humanity. I've been researching ways to target the Doctor completely, but so far, I've found no solution."
"When I'm in a bad mood, killing a few of the Doctor's minions sounds like a good idea, doesn't it?" Smith chuckled. "It would certainly make him unhappy."
"Well, as long as you're happy," Zhongli replied, taking a moment to consider. He didn't say more. Smith wasn't like him, burdened by too many concerns. At this point, Liyue was also a burden for Zhongli. Although Smith could take action against the Doctor, Zhongli knew that any attack on the Doctor might provoke retaliation that would target the people of Liyue. To Zhongli, the lives of Liyue's citizens were far more important than the Doctor's life.
"You're right," Zhongli added. "If you choose to deal with the Doctor, I'll support you. But I'd prefer to wait until I've found a way to completely eliminate him before making a move. But in the meantime, if you feel the need to take action, do so."
"Alright, after you get the seal book, we'll work together to study its contents and adapt them to fit the continent of Teyvat. We'll ensure that the elemental powers align with our needs. That way, Liyue's strength will grow even further," Zhongli concluded.
"This is what I should do," Smith said with determination.
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