Although they were currently inside a pocket dimension, Lu Heng's gaze pierced through the void and the real world, settling on the Irminsul.
Lu Heng reached out his hand, grasped a branch of the Irminsul, and gently broke it off.
Once separated from the Irminsul, the branch in Lu Heng's hand seemed to lose its vitality.
For the Irminsul, all events recorded in the world served as a kind of "nourishment" to sustain its existence—though this nourishment wasn't directly consumed.
Now that this severed branch had left its main body, it naturally lost some of the Irminsul's abilities.
This process differed from the way the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata created Nahida, as Lu Heng didn't possess the Greater Lord's authority.
However,
He had something far superior.
With a slight flick of his wrist,
The one-foot-long branch suddenly bloomed with pink flowers.
The Art of Creation!
This was nothing like Albedo's Art of Creation, which relied primarily on alchemy.
Lu Heng's method… was a true life-creating spell.
The power of [World-Creation Magic] needed no explanation!
Lu Heng's gaze lingered on the branch.
A thought suddenly crossed his mind.
Nahida had been created in a similar fashion.
In a sense, the Irminsul could even be considered the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's true form.
So, did that mean cutting off a finger and then having that finger regenerate… into a whole new person?
Describing it in human terms made it sound absurd and grotesque.
But the gods of Teyvat… none of them were human!
Even Furina wasn't purely human in the strictest sense—though she was just one step away from being recognized by the corresponding divine principles, making her practically no different from a true human.
Venti was originally a wisp of wind among the thousand winds, later attaining the status of an Archon.
Zhongli's true form was a meteorite.
The Raiden Shogun sisters were manifestations of lightning.
As for Murata… Lu Heng didn't know much about her before crossing over.
In short,
It was best not to view gods through a human lens.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Lu Heng turned to the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and said, "This will be your new body from now on."
"So this is how it's resolved?"
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata suddenly understood.
Focalors, however, was still confused.
"The principle is actually quite simple."
Noticing his wife's puzzlement, Lu Heng explained, "Nothing is more suitable to serve as the Greater Lord's body than the Irminsul itself."
She was already perfectly compatible with the Irminsul.
By breaking off a branch, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata would naturally know how to "regrow" herself.
This "regrowth" was different from what she had originally planned.
Initially, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata intended to return to the Irminsul and, like a seed, begin to "take root and sprout," starting anew.
Now, there was no need to start from scratch—Lu Heng had saved her a tremendous amount of time.
The difference was akin to comparing a seed to a young sprout.
But that wasn't even the most crucial part.
The key lay in the Art of Creation Lu Heng had applied to the branch.
How could a skill attached to a sixth-tier card be anything ordinary?
Of course not!
Though it might seem unremarkable at first glance, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata could clearly sense the terrifying potential within that branch!
Potential was everything.
If Teyvat didn't ascend to a higher plane, the Irminsul would inherently have a ceiling.
No matter how powerful it became, it would always be confined to Teyvat.
But this branch, severed by Lu Heng and imbued with the Art of Creation, had potential surpassing its original form!
Did that make sense?
Perhaps after being shocked so many times today, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata found it perfectly reasonable.
At the very least, anything Lu Heng did seemed plausible.
After all,
When someone was so powerful that they defied all conventional understanding,
They could accomplish anything!
No achievement was too astonishing.
That said, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's heart was far from calm.
She wasn't someone who particularly sought power, but who would complain about having a higher ceiling?
She might not strive to reach that limit, but she couldn't afford not to have it!
"Go ahead and give it a try."
Lu Heng handed the branch to the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
As soon as she took it, the branch merged into her body.
Abstractly speaking, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's soul fused with the branch, which was then planted into the ground. By absorbing nutrients to grow, the result would be her full recovery—and even surpassing her prime.
Those with thinner skin might struggle to accept overwhelming generosity from strangers.
Typically, they'd express gratitude but politely decline, feeling undeserving of such kindness.
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata initially felt the same.
But recalling Focalors' earlier words, she realized she couldn't refuse at all.
There was no room for refusal—only acceptance.
Lu Heng eradicating the forbidden knowledge for her was already an immense favor. Now… she could never repay him!
There was simply no way!
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata hoped that once she fully recovered, she could be of use to Lu Heng… If she couldn't contribute at all… the thought alone filled her with shame.
"How do you feel now?" Lu Heng asked.
Snapping out of her thoughts, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata carefully assessed her current state before nodding. "I feel incredible!"
Lu Heng had only unlocked the branch's potential without altering its essence, so the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, already perfectly attuned to the Irminsul, could adapt seamlessly.
In other words, it was essentially a part of her, now reclaimed.
Whichever way one looked at it, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata was in an unprecedented state of well-being!
Lu Heng observed her for a while.
Since her power hadn't fully recovered, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata remained petite, but given her current progress, it would take at most two weeks for her to return to her prime.
That wasn't slow at all, especially without any additional boosts.
Notably, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's current ceiling was at least sixth-tier!
Lu Heng hadn't intended to make it so exaggerated, but he'd underestimated his own capabilities.
The Art of Creation within sixth-tier World-Creation Magic was also sixth-tier, but not particularly high within that tier.
To put it in gaming terms, the skill's multiplier was average for its rank.
But Lu Heng's stats were off the charts!
Using a mid-tier sixth-tier skill to achieve seventh-tier effects, a casual touch could elevate someone's potential to at least sixth-tier.
Whether others could do the same was unclear.
Lu Heng found it perfectly normal for himself.
Just standard procedure.
With just a slight effort, he'd already reached Teyvat's limits.
The fact that Teyvat couldn't let Lu Heng enjoy himself to the fullest meant it bore full responsibility.
Lu Heng turned to the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and asked, "What are your plans now?"
"Me?"
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata thought for a moment before replying, "Do you have any arrangements for me?"
"Yes, plant yourself in the ground."
"Plant myself in the ground?"
"The energy density in this pocket dimension is higher than Teyvat's. Plant your main body here to recover your strength while your avatar goes out to play. It won't interfere at all," Lu Heng explained.
"I see."
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata immediately understood. "Then I'll be imposing on you both."
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T/N:
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