The Finishing Touch! A Diplomatic Request from Snezhnaya!

Zhongli was momentarily stunned by Lin Yuan's request. He hadn't expected Lin Yuan to leave the final, crucial step to him. However, he had no reason to refuse.

Since Lin Yuan was willing, Zhongli had no objections.

"If you don't mind, then I certainly have no issue with it." Zhongli collected himself and replied calmly.

"Great!" Lin Yuan exclaimed, waving his right claw. Golden divine energy, under his control, began to swirl around Zhongli. Since Zhongli no longer had his original divine power, Lin Yuan's strength was necessary to assist in the final step.

Though Zhongli had lost his godly power, his precise control remained. Under his deft manipulation, Lin Yuan's golden energy shot towards Ruo Tuo's eyes, painting two glowing golden pupils.

The finishing touch!

At the moment the pupils were drawn, it was as if the entire world froze.

Everything went silent. Then, the stone beast released a blinding light, and time seemed to flow again. The radiance was so intense that it was impossible to keep one's eyes open. Even the surrounding cliffs of Fuao Valley began to crack and tremble from the shockwaves.

"What's happening?" one of the Qianyan Army soldiers asked, confused.

"With the Dragon Sovereign here, there's nothing to worry about. Our job is to maintain vigilance and ensure no one else enters the valley." The squad leader of the Qianyan Army rebuked the panicked soldiers.

Clearly, the Dragon Sovereign was doing something within Fuao Valley. The disturbance was large enough to attract attention, and it was essential to prevent anyone from interfering, especially any who might seek to take advantage of the Emperor's absence!

However, that bright light was only the beginning. Following the light, even greater movements occurred within the valley!

The elemental energy within Fuao Valley, which had been cut off by Lin Yuan's divine power, began to change. Despite Lin Yuan's efforts to isolate it, the stone beast Ruo Tuo, now awakened, exerted an irresistible pull on the elemental forces around it.

Lin Yuan smiled as he observed this development.

"It seems Ruo Tuo is doing well, beginning to absorb the elemental power on its own."

With that, Lin Yuan released his control over the elemental energies within Fuao Valley.

Boom!

In an instant, an immense suction force erupted. The four elements—Geo, Hydro, Pyro, and Electro—were drawn toward the stone at the valley's center. A massive vortex, large enough to cover most of the valley, appeared. The excess elemental energy that wasn't immediately absorbed collided violently, triggering deafening explosions.

"So powerful!" Lottie gasped in awe.

The explosion rocked the entire Fuao Valley, causing previously weakened fissures to crumble further. The ground shook, and even outside the valley, the Qianyan Army struggled to remain standing amidst the tremors.

The squad leader, now visibly nervous, muttered, "Could it be that the evil dragon has returned?"

One of the soldiers, clearly frightened, voiced what everyone was thinking. As they stared at the giant fissure within the valley, their hearts filled with dread. If such a power was involved, their current strength wouldn't even qualify them to be cannon fodder. They would only be a burden, forcing the Dragon Sovereign to protect them.

"Expand the perimeter! Push the security line outward!" the squad leader commanded. Whatever was happening inside, they could only get in the way.

This order not only helped avoid the dangers in Fuao Valley but also expanded the security perimeter, ensuring that any onlookers drawn by the disturbance would be kept at an even greater distance.

At the center of the explosion, Ruo Tuo remained completely unharmed, absorbing the elemental reactions effortlessly! Even Lin Yuan and his companions could feel a wave of joy emanating from the dragon-shaped stone.

"It seems that Ruo Tuo's rebirth may be even more extraordinary than we anticipated!" Zhongli, witnessing the significant movement from Ruo Tuo, appeared visibly surprised.

Previously, Zhongli had believed that, after Lin Yuan's divine power merged with Ruo Tuo's will, the resulting stone had the potential to grow into a top-tier Archon-level being. However, seeing the current developments, he began to think that Ruo Tuo's potential might exceed even that, perhaps reaching beyond the level of Archons!

Zhongli pondered this deeply.

"It certainly feels much stronger than before. Old man, in your view, what's the reason for this?" Lin Yuan rubbed his dragon chin with a claw, asking while contemplating possible causes. Could it be that Ruo Tuo had absorbed more of his divine power over the time it was by his side?

Zhongli's guess aligned with Lin Yuan's thoughts.

"It's possible that during the time it spent enveloped in your divine energy, its potential was greatly enhanced," Zhongli speculated. The current behavior of Ruo Tuo was beyond his knowledge, and all of this was happening because of Lin Yuan, a being who should not have existed in Teyvat in the first place.

"Perhaps you could try increasing Ruo Tuo's elemental capacity," Zhongli suggested as he observed Ruo Tuo drawing in elemental energy.

Hmm?

Lin Yuan was momentarily confused but quickly understood. The elements he controlled with his Dragon Sovereign form carried traces of his divine power. Since Ruo Tuo was entirely shaped by his divine energy, it was inherently connected to him. Simply absorbing ordinary elemental energy would indeed be wasting its potential.

Realizing this, Lin Yuan unleashed a dragon breath upon Ruo Tuo.

As expected, despite the immense destructive power of his breath, it didn't harm Ruo Tuo. Instead, the stone dragon began to slowly absorb Lin Yuan's draconic energy!

"Ruo Tuo seems even happier now!" Lottie exclaimed in surprise. The sense of joy radiating from Ruo Tuo was now unmistakable and much more apparent to all three of them.

"What a curious creature. Even before fully taking form, it already has such spirit!" Zhongli marveled. Back when he had carved Ruo Tuo, it had never shown such liveliness.

The elements continued to swirl around, but Ruo Tuo's absorption seemed limited to four elements—Geo, Hydro, Pyro, and Electro—unable to take in Anemo, Dendro, or any additional Geo energy. Perhaps there was a natural incompatibility with those elements?

Still, four elements were more than enough. These weren't just ordinary elemental forces—Ruo Tuo now possessed the strength of a top-tier Archon!

And its path forward was still wide open.

As time passed, the elemental forces in Fuao Valley were completely absorbed by Ruo Tuo, along with the energy Lin Yuan had infused into it.

At the center of the valley, the radiant light of the stone reached its peak, surpassing anything before. In this brilliant glow, the stone that was once only the size of a fist began to grow. The rebirth of Ruotuo was imminent!

Meanwhile, at Jade Chamber.

The Jade Chamber had now been rebuilt for the third time. Only someone as incredibly wealthy as Ningguang could afford to rebuild such a grand structure three times! Today, the Jade Chamber was receiving two unexpected guests.

On the external platform, several Qianyan soldiers gripped their spears tightly, staring intently at the young man standing at the center of the square. With orange hair, silver combat gear, and a red cape draped over his back, this man was none other than Childe Tartaglia, the Twelfth Harbinger of the Fatui.

"Hey, hey, hey, no need to look at me like that. I'm not here to fight today!" Tartaglia spread his hands, showing his empty, gloved hands, indicating he wasn't carrying any weapons. However, the Qianyan soldiers didn't relax and remained on high alert.

Previously, when Osial was released, the Fatui were heavily involved, forcing Ningguang to sacrifice the entire Jade Chamber to seal the god. Now, though Tartaglia claimed this was a simple visit, the soldiers couldn't help but feel like a wolf was coming to visit the chicken coop.

"Alright, so when is the Qixing planning to meet with me? Is this how Liyue treats its guests?" Tartaglia grinned and addressed Baiwen, who stood behind the soldiers. According to the Fatui's intelligence, Baiwen was one of the three secretaries most trusted by Ningguang, the Tianquan of Liyue Qixing.

Before Baiwen could answer, the voice of Ningguang came from behind her. She immediately stepped aside to make way.

"Forgive me for the delay, we've been quite busy," Ningguang said as she elegantly stepped forward, smiling. Though she harbored deep resentment toward the Fatui, she maintained her polite demeanor.

Tartaglia smiled and returned the gesture. Even though he didn't enjoy such diplomatic niceties, he wasn't opposed to using them when necessary.

Ningguang led Tartaglia into the Jade Chamber. Inside, the entire Qixing had already gathered. Earlier, the Qixing had been discussing Liyue's future when they received an official diplomatic request from Snezhnaya. Curious about the Fatui's intentions, they decided to meet with the harbinger themselves.

"Heh, quite the reception!" Tartaglia was slightly surprised to see all seven members of the Qixing present. Still, he maintained his composed demeanor.

"Though most of you are likely familiar with me, allow me to introduce myself formally," he began with a smile. "I am Tartaglia, the Twelfth Harbinger of the Fatui. I come here under the orders of the Tsaritsa, to discuss the possibility of an alliance with Liyue."

With the Liyuean etiquette he had recently learned from Zhongli, Tartaglia bowed respectfully before continuing.

Indeed, just a few days ago, Tartaglia received word from Snezhnaya that his mission had been changed. Instead of capturing the young dragon god, his new objective was to establish an alliance with Liyue. If possible, he was also tasked with meeting the Dragon Lord in person.

This change of plans allowed Tartaglia to feel much more at ease, no longer burdened by the challenge of capturing a god. Although he was somewhat disappointed that he wouldn't get the chance to battle the Dragon Lord, the prospect of forging an alliance was still exciting in its own way.

After all, Tartaglia had personally witnessed Lin Yuan effortlessly crushing Azdaha in battle and knew full well that he was no match for Lin Yuan at present. Yet, his heart still brimmed with fighting spirit. If the opportunity arose, he would still hope to face strong opponents in the future.

Alliance?

The Liyue Qixing were somewhat taken aback, even a little indignant. After all the chaos the Fatui had caused in Liyue, for Snezhnaya to suddenly propose an alliance now seemed audacious. Though they harbored deep resentment toward the Fatui, the Qixing kept their emotions well in check, maintaining calm expressions.

After a brief, subtle exchange of glances among them, Keqing was the first to speak up. As the youngest of the Qixing, it was more appropriate for her to voice certain opinions. After all, it's only natural for younger individuals to be more outspoken, and a more direct tone from her would be understandable.

"With all due respect, I don't believe the current conditions between Liyue and Snezhnaya are conducive to forming an alliance," Keqing said bluntly, essentially stating outright that Liyue did not trust Snezhnaya. More importantly, Liyue had no pressing need to form an alliance with Snezhnaya.

The new Geo Archon had already ascended, and upon his arrival, he resolved the twin crises posed by Ruotuo and Azdaha, which had threatened Liyue. The people of Liyue still basked in the sense of security brought by the emergence of the new God, and unity and progress thrived across the land. Furthermore, based on Ningguang and Keqing's interactions with the Dragon Lord, the new Archon was clearly dedicated to Liyue and had no qualms about delegating governance to the Qixing.

Liyue was thriving, with no real need for an alliance with Snezhnaya.

"Haha, nations always have interests to exchange," Tartaglia responded with a smile. "Snezhnaya can assist Liyue with the Chasm problem and...," he continued, knowing full well that Liyue harbored grievances against the Fatui. Still, diplomacy was driven by mutual benefit.

This time, Snezhnaya wasn't just offering a meaningless alliance treaty. The instructions Tartaglia received from the Tsaritsa's court outlined real benefits that could be exchanged, making the alliance genuinely worthwhile. When Tartaglia laid out the benefits Snezhnaya was willing to offer, the Qixing couldn't help but take notice.

The Qixing exchanged another round of glances. If Snezhnaya was prepared to offer such substantial benefits, then perhaps an alliance was worth considering.

"Hmph, such generous terms—surely you're not offering this just to sign an alliance? There must be more to it," Ningguang said, looking at Tartaglia.

It seemed they were open to negotiation. Tartaglia once again flashed his signature broad smile and outlined what Snezhnaya sought in return. Of course, this was merely a preliminary framework, meant to exchange ideas and establish mutual understanding. The specifics of any alliance treaty would be hammered out in future negotiations.

Tartaglia wasn't particularly skilled in diplomacy—everything he said so far had been directly from his mission brief, which he had simply memorized. As for the final condition, Tartaglia delivered it with a confident grin.

"Additionally, Snezhnaya wishes to meet with the Dragon Lord in person, to seal the alliance in a gesture of friendship between our two nations."

Meet Lin Yuan?

Given that Liyue's new god had only recently ascended, it was understandable that other nations would want to understand this new deity's stance. However, given the Fatui's previous actions in Liyue, the Qixing were wary.

Their hearts skipped a beat. Could the Fatui be planning something again? Though initially filled with anger, after a moment of reflection, the Qixing realized this was unlikely.

They had all witnessed Lin Yuan's overwhelming power firsthand. Tartaglia wouldn't stand a chance against him, and given Lin Yuan's strength, the Fatui would have no ability to harm him or achieve anything significant through trickery.

In the face of absolute power, schemes hold no meaning, as any calculations will ultimately lead to the need to confront that power directly. Although Ningguang knew that Tartaglia wouldn't be able to harm Lin Yuan, she still kept her guard up, testing Snezhnaya's level of urgency regarding a meeting with the Archon.

Was this merely a probe, or was there a genuine urgency behind the desire to meet the Archon?

"The Archon is currently away and is not in Liyue Harbor.Keqing can handle all matters in his absence," Ningguang firmly stated, rejecting Tartaglia's request. "Any issues can be addressed directly with the Qixing."

Tartaglia fell silent for a moment. The Qixing's refusal had been anticipated. Once they denied his request to meet the Dragon Lord, he brought up another matter.

"It's not that I doubt your abilities, but this matter is significant, and it's more appropriate to communicate directly with the Dragon Lord," he replied to the seated Qixing. After a brief pause, he continued, "The external crisis facing Liyue has not yet been resolved!"

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T/N:

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