Leaving everything else aside, just this many dragons alone was enough to give any god a headache.
And according to Rosalyne,
Ningguang and the others' initial goal was one thousand dragons—now, they had already achieved one-fifth of that.
Just imagining the scene of a thousand dragons soaring through the skies made the Cryo Archon feel utterly shaken.
"Should we go see the base first, or the technology?"
Ningguang asked softly. Today's purpose in bringing the Cryo Archon here was mainly to let her gain an understanding of the situation.
The Cryo Archon fell silent for a moment before replying quietly:
"Could we first take a look at the new city you've built?"
Ningguang blinked—she hadn't expected the Cryo Archon to be interested in the new city.
But since it wasn't far, she simply took the two of them, mounted a dragon, and flew straight toward the grasslands.
The Cryo Archon showed great interest in the dragon she was riding. Rosalyne, riding at her side, leaned in and whispered:
"Your Majesty, I've kept a few dragon eggs in storage. Later, you can hatch them yourself.
If you stay here for two or three days, that should be enough time to tame and raise one to maturity—then you can take it back with you.
Dragons raised in Teyvat will grow even stronger."
Naturally, the Cryo Archon did not refuse.
While a single dragon might not offer her much in terms of power…
Having one as a mount was still quite useful.
As they soared across the skies, the Cryo Archon grew ever more aware of the boundless vastness and richness of this world.
Clearly, it was a land brimming with resources and vibrant life—yet curiously, no civilization had ever emerged here.
Still, without question, this place was the perfect fallback route.
The new city on the grasslands wasn't far, and at a dragon's speed, they reached it in just a few minutes.
From above, the Cryo Archon gazed upon the brand-new city.
Its exterior was encircled by towering cobblestone walls, with bunkers built at intervals along the ramparts.
Dark gun barrels jutted outward, aimed at the wilderness beyond.
But there weren't many Qianyan troops stationed there.
Most of the army was out exploring; those left behind were all newcomers, numbering barely over a thousand.
Inside the cobblestone walls stretched countless wooden buildings, carrying a distinct Liyuean style.
It was almost like a miniature replica of Liyue Harbor, though far smaller in scale.
According to Ningguang, however, this was only the first phase. Around this city, they planned to build more than a dozen others.
Later, redstone railways and minecarts would link them all together.
This city, then, was essentially the Liyue capital of this world.
The Cryo Archon also knew of Ningguang's plan.
If they could defeat Celestia, all the better. If not, then this place would serve as the perfect retreat, ensuring that every Liyue citizen could safely migrate to this world and survive.
The three dragons descended slowly, landing beside the city at a newly constructed dragon ranch.
Ryen preferred to call it an "airstrip."
Inside the city, construction was bustling with energy.
The main framework was already complete; now came the finer details.
This included carving out the interiors of the various houses—Ningguang had no desire for the city's homes to all look the same.
The streets within the city were broad, with rows of trees dividing the lanes. Here and there, patches of flowers and plants added to the scenery.
In other words, they had already established a greenbelt.
The Qianyan troops were hard at work, yet joy filled every face.
They knew they were part of something monumental.
In this unfamiliar world, they were building a foothold for Liyue.
Ningguang's plan was that even if they managed to defeat Celestia, part of Liyue's population would still migrate here and settle down.
Two worlds supporting each other—that was the most reliable arrangement.
As they walked through the bustling streets and alleys, with construction booming all around, a massive pillar of light rose from the very center, shining brilliantly into the sky.
It was a Beacon.
Its empowering effect might be weaker in this world, but Ningguang and the others intended to treat it as the landmark of the city.
"Residential district, Qianyan Army garrison, commercial district, administrative district…"
The Cryo Archon counted each section of the city's layout in turn.
Tightly organized and meticulously planned—she thought that if Snezhnaya were to build a city here one day, they could just copy Liyue's blueprint directly.
This idea was exactly the same as Jean's.
Among the three nations currently cooperating:
If Snezhnaya's progress was at one, then Mondstadt's was at twenty.
And Liyue… Liyue had already surged far ahead, easily at one hundred or more.
Of course, it was natural—Liyue had joined earliest and was closest to Ryen, making it the nation that had benefited most from this world so far.
But such things could not simply be envied.
After all, Ningguang, Ganyu, and Hu Tao were all Ryen's girlfriends.
That kind of natural advantage was undeniable.
The Cryo Archon sighed inwardly, and almost unconsciously glanced at Rosalyne.
If their relationship could be… closer, perhaps Rosalyne—
She quickly cut off that thought. After all, she was not some cold-blooded tyrant.
Rosalyne might be her subordinate, but she was also her confidante. The Cryo Archon could never ask her to do such a thing.
They walked on, listening as Ningguang explained the different districts of the new city.
With every step, the Cryo Archon's understanding of this world grew clearer.
But just as they reached the central plaza, she suddenly heard a noisy quarrel.
"Skybracer! You idiot! Stop waving yourself in front of me! You're so annoying! Get lost already!"
"Hm? Moon Carver, how did you notice my horns have become shinier and more translucent?"
The Cryo Archon froze, startled. She turned her head toward the distance, her voice filled with disbelief:
"Skybracer, Lord of Heavenly Guidance? Alive?"