This alone was enough for all of Liyue to bear hatred toward Celestia.
"Celestia? What kind of thing is that! It dared to strike at the Archon—that's the same as striking at Liyue! We must seek justice for our Lord!"
"What damn Celestia! The sky of Liyue is the real heaven! We're not what we used to be. Does every little dog and cat now dare to scheme against our Liyue?"
"We trust Lady Ningguang and the others. We trust Liyue! We are no longer the weaklings who can only survive under the Archon's protection!"
"Now it's our turn to solve problems for the Archon!"
Zhongli took in the reactions of the Liyue people—truthfully, he felt deeply gratified.
Liyue had grown strong. United as one, its people had now become powerful enough to protect him and the other adepti.
And indeed, the citizens of Liyue genuinely thought this way.
Gods loving humans, and humans loving gods—this was an eternal theme of Teyvat.
It was also the very reason Celestia was destined to be rejected by both humans and gods alike.
She would never understand: to the Archons, their people were more precious than life itself.
From when she forced Teyvat into the Archon War…
To the time she compelled the Seven to destroy Khaenri'ah…
From the moment she schemed to ascend into the Sky Island through the Original God…
Between the Seven and Celestia, only one side could survive.
Ningguang glanced sideways at Zhongli and, seeing his eyes filled with comfort and pride, raised her hand.
The grand plaza of Yujing Terrace quickly fell silent once more.
"People of Liyue," Ningguang spoke clearly, "I must tell you that the Archon is safe and sound. He has successfully passed through the crisis!"
The terrace instantly erupted again in joyous uproar.
Visible happiness lit up the faces of Liyue's citizens.
To them, this was tremendous news.
Even though Liyue was now strong enough to face a god alone, having the Geo Archon and the adepti standing guard made it even more formidable.
"What follows next," Ningguang continued, "will be announced by the Archon himself. Citizens of Liyue, please listen closely—this concerns the future of Liyue for tens of thousands of years!"
With that, she stepped back.
Zhongli stepped forward.
Under the strange stares of Ryen and the others, Zhongli gave a respectful bow to the statue of himself placed on the offering table.
"May the divine spirit of the Geo Archon descend!"
Whether or not Zhongli himself felt awkward, Ryen was certainly cringing hard enough to curl his toes.
The sky burst open in beams of golden light.
A colossal dragon's body once again broke through the clouds and descended.
Zhongli's eyes flashed gold as his consciousness linked with his divine form.
The massive, majestic dragon hovered above the sky, locking its gaze on Yujing Terrace.
Its overwhelming divine presence swept down like a tidal wave.
Yet to the people of Liyue, it was a comforting and familiar aura.
After a moment of silence, Zhongli, in his dragon form, finally spoke:
"People of Liyue, and the Qixing… I witnessed how, in the face of the god's invasion, you stood firm and unshaken."
"I felt the courage and resolve with which you fought to protect your home."
"The current strength of Liyue—I, and the other adepti, have all seen it with our own eyes."
Zhongli paused, meeting the hopeful eyes of the people.
In the end, he could no longer maintain his lofty godly demeanor.
To him, the identity of a god no longer mattered. If possible…
He would rather be the kind father of all of Liyue.
And so, on his majestic dragon face appeared a gentle smile.
"You are all my pride…"
As soon as he said that, countless citizens of Liyue quietly wiped away tears.
Perhaps in other nations, gods were gods—distant and unapproachable, perched high above.
But in Liyue…
But for Liyue, a nation steeped in history…
For Liyue, long ruled in harmony by both gods and mortals…
For a land forged by generations of ancestors fighting side by side with the Geo Archon—
Zhongli was not just a symbol of faith.
He was everyone's guardian—a father figure who protected them and watched them grow.
To be recognized by one's elder…
For the people of Liyue, that was one of the greatest joys in life.
"During this invasion of the god," Zhongli continued,
"I was gravely wounded and could not emerge.
But all of you… relying solely on your own strength… defeated the demon god Osial."
"Liyue has grown to a point where it no longer needs my protection.
And you, the citizens of Liyue… It is time that I let go."
His vast, majestic voice carried a tinge of melancholy and liberation.
As it drifted down, it left many in Liyue dazed and uncertain.
Zhongli paused for a moment, then spoke with solemn clarity:
"In the name of the Geo Archon—Liyue is now strong enough to stand at the very summit of this world, without me."
"With success in both civil and military affairs… with a thriving economy…"
"With the wise governance of the Liyue Qixing, and the unity of its citizens…"
"Liyue is no longer the child that I and the adepti must carefully protect."
And then—he declared:
"From this day forth, the annual Rite of Descension shall be abolished!"
"I, the Geo Archon, Morax, hereby step down from the seat of the Geo God!"
"From now on, may the mountains rise high and the seas stretch far—
Liyue shall forge its own path!"
"Liyue, from this moment on, officially enters the era of human rule!"
"And you—will make this nation eternally great!"
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(Note: Since the chapters have been quite short lately, I'll be posting 2Chps/day. Enjoy ;)
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