"Fu… Your Majesty?"
Clorinde looked at Furina before her. Her aura seemed no different from before, yet the will of kings radiated unmistakably from her.
For a moment, Clorinde didn't know how to address her.
Fortunately, Furina, though walking the king's path, hadn't abandoned her true self.
With a bright smile, she patted Clorinde lightly.
"No need to be nervous, Clorinde. Just call me the same as before."
Clorinde froze.
Such simple words, which once would have stirred no reaction, now carried the sense of royal grace and magnanimity.
At once, she nodded solemnly.
"Yes, Lady Furina!"
The others, after a short pause, also adjusted to Furina's subtle yet profound change in presence.
They quickly gathered around. Hu Tao, brimming with excitement, asked:
"Furina, you were so cool just now! So imposing! What did you get?
"And also—why did it vanish into your body? Aren't jade slips supposed to be reusable?"
Furina thought for a moment and shook her head.
"My technique seems… unusual. It says it chooses only one master. That is, unless I die, it will never reappear."
Alhaitham, avoiding the glare of royal will in her eyes, nodded thoughtfully.
"So—it has uniqueness."
"Something like that."
Furina sighed softly.
"This cultivation method is strange. I'll need to show it to the Sect Master."
At the mention of Jiang Yan, a trace of joy flickered in her heart.
Finally, a proper excuse to see him again.
"What a shame. Such a strong technique—I was hoping to find it next week."
Tartaglia sighed, but Hu Tao rolled her eyes.
"Didn't you hear? It's a king's path technique. Only someone with the destiny to be king can learn it.
"You planning to seize the throne in Snezhnaya?"
Tartaglia quickly raised his hands.
"I never said that! Just a thought, that's all."
"So, what exactly is it…?"
Clorinde pressed her lips together but asked the question everyone wanted to know.
"The Heavenly Mandate: God-Sealing Art. It… has no rank."
"No rank? That's impossible!"
Baiwen and the others stared at Furina in disbelief.
"Aren't all techniques supposed to have a grade?"
Furina shook her head.
"I don't know. That's why I need the Sect Master. All I know is this: its lower limit is beneath even the Yellow rank, but its upper limit…"
"The slip said—beyond even immortality."
Envy lit the crowd's eyes red.
For the first time, their own finds suddenly seemed much less dazzling.
"So in short, Furina's found an incredibly powerful method!"
Hu Tao scratched her cheek.
"Then can we leave now? I've got a few questions for the Sect Master too."
"Wait—Clorinde hasn't found hers yet, right?"
Furina looked over. Clorinde nodded with a wry smile.
"I still don't feel any calling. Lady Furina, you can go ahead first."
"No need—I'll help you!"
Furina raised her hand eagerly, her face turning solemn as the weight of kingship spread outward.
At once, Clorinde's knees felt weak again.
For Fontaine natives, it seemed their king's aura was irresistible.
"Ten thousand techniques—heed the king's command!"
Her voice rang across the entire first floor of the Sutra Pavilion.
In an instant, the flow of jade slips was thrown into chaos.
A faintly glowing golden slip ripped through space, landing before Clorinde.
Everyone froze in shock.
"You've got to be kidding! You can command techniques with kingly will?"
Beidou's eyes widened in disbelief.
Furina tilted her chin proudly.
"Hmph! The king commands—all under heaven obey!
"Clorinde, check it! I can feel it—this is linked to the Heavenly Mandate: God-Sealing Art. Earlier, it must have been suppressed, so you couldn't sense it."
Clorinde steadied herself, then nodded.
"Yes, Lady Furina."
She reached out, and at once, a flood of information surged into her mind.
"Yellow-Rank Supreme Technique: The Royal Qi Spirit Invocation."
"Learn the arts of war and governance—sell them only to the house of kings."
"This art is a companion to the Heavenly Mandate: God-Sealing Art. The cultivator must swear eternal loyalty, never to defy its master.
"Though binding, it has great potential.
"The stronger the Heavenly Mandate's Art, the stronger the Invocation.
"By drawing upon royal qi, the king's spirit descends. When defending the king's path, its might grows boundless."
Compared to other arts, it was both strong and restrictive.
To many cultivators, being forever bound to another was intolerable. Freedom was their creed.
Even if Zhongli himself mastered the Heavenly Mandate's Art, few would willingly take its companion.
But for Clorinde, this was perfect.
She already swore unwavering loyalty to Furina, especially after seeing her destiny: her vow to protect Fontaine and lead it to glory.
Having witnessed her unparalleled talent, her inevitable rise to greatness—Clorinde had already sworn that anyone who tried to harm her would have to step over her corpse first.
For her, the binding wasn't a chain, but a blessing.
And as a companion art to something beyond immortality—at minimum, it could grow to Heaven-rank.
An absolute bargain.
Clorinde's eyes opened, shimmering with resolve.
"How is it, Clorinde? Strong?"
Furina leaned forward expectantly, practically begging for praise.
Clorinde smiled faintly. Though Furina bore the makings of a king, her demeanor was still a little childish. Someday, she would grow into it.
"Thank you, Lady Furina. It's very powerful."
At once, Furina puffed her chest proudly.
"See! I knew my judgment was flawless! So—what kind is it?"
Clorinde hesitated briefly, but explained.
The group's expressions turned odd.
Yes, strong—but to bind oneself for life? Not worth it.
Cultivators craved freedom above all.
Even Furina faltered, then suggested softly:
"Clorinde… maybe let it go. Find another. This one… isn't the best."
But Clorinde shook her head with a calm smile.
"No need. For me, this is the strongest art.
"Lady Furina, I am already bound to you in loyalty. Even without this art, I would never waver.
"To me, its restriction does not exist. In fact—it's like gaining power for free.
"So I won't give it up. But it means, from now on, I must remind you constantly—Fontaine needs you to become a supreme king."
Furina's eyes grew misty. She turned aside, wiping quickly.
"Hmph! Sweet talker! Fine… if that's how you feel, so be it!"
Clorinde bowed her head with a smile.
"Lady Furina, a king must not weep."
"I wasn't crying!"
Furina puffed up, glaring at her.
"I am the Hydro Archon! Future supreme ruler of Fontaine!
"Tears? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
But her reddened eyes made her look more like a pitiful rabbit than a king.
Clorinde sighed quietly.
Furina's road as a king would be long.
Someday she would command without question—but for now, she had far to go.
Clorinde's heart blazed with resolve.
She would make sure Furina became the perfect king as soon as possible.
So that in Fontaine, at least—Furina's word would outweigh even the laws of heaven.
And when that day came—what prophecy crisis could stand?
If Furina willed it, the very heavens of Fontaine would bend.
Now that even Clorinde had chosen, Hu Tao clapped her hands.
"Can we go now? I've got questions for the Sect Master!"
Beidou raised an eyebrow, watching her knowingly.
"Seems like your technique has some story behind it, Hu Tao."
Hu Tao stiffened, looking away nervously.
"What story? I don't know what you're talking about!
"My art is just a simple, ordinary one. I just want to ask a few cultivation questions, that's all!"
Beidou only smiled, making Hu Tao squirm harder.
Her face flushed red as she snapped:
"So what if my technique has… a teensy little issue?
"Senior Lisa practices demonic arts, and the Sect Master doesn't mind!
"As long as it's in the Sutra Pavilion, it's legal!
"There's no problem with mine at all!"
Tartaglia and Yelan both nodded in firm agreement.
Seeing this, Tighnari and the others exchanged glances.
At last, they understood—this group of disciples… every single one had chosen something unusual.
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