Chapter 351

Hu Tao had carefully thought about the people who had close contact with Zhongli. Was it possible that one of them was some kind of god?

Upon reflection, Brother Takumi seemed very special among them all. It would be fine if one didn't know that 'Zhongli' was the 'Geo Archon,' but knowing it made the situation even more unsettling. What kind of person could earn such respect, perhaps even reverence, from the Geo Archon?

Could he be the "main god" of another nation? It seemed unlikely, as Zhongli wouldn't be reverent towards gods of the same rank as himself. "Supreme God"? That didn't seem quite right either. When Takumi had met the Lord of the Abyss in the Divine Realm, there hadn't been any display of respect.

That left only the "Holy God" and "Heavenly Principle," entities so transcendent that even their backs couldn't be glimpsed. The two current "Holy Gods" were both goddesses, and Hu Tao had seen one of them during an incursion into another world. Additionally, when she had been in the "Divine Realm," she caught a glimpse of the appearance of "Lord Tianli," and he bore an uncanny resemblance to Brother Takumi, although much more divine.

It seemed impossible, but eliminating all other possibilities left her with one shocking thought.

When this idea first entered her mind, Hu Tao was deeply shaken. But after some contemplation, she realized that the Geo Archon also paid private visits in disguise. Perhaps Lord Tianli did the same.

She had been around Brother Takumi many times, and there was nothing terrifying about him. After all, it was "Heavenly Law" that set the rules in the world; there was nothing to be afraid of.

Takumi observed the girl, who showed no drastic emotional changes as usual, and smiled slightly.

Without directly answering her question, he said, "Master Hu, I certainly won't refuse you if you want to go shopping with me. After all, friends must meet up whenever possible.

"However, today I am simply a traveler in Sumeru."

Hu Tao understood what Takumi meant immediately. She stuck her tongue out playfully, pulling a funny face: "That's right, then I'll treat you today."

Nilou quickly intervened, "Wait, I..."

Hu Tao interrupted her: "Oh, no need to be shy. You are my new friend, after all. Of course, I need Nilou's help to explore the traditional specialties of Sumeru."

Nilou seemed a little overwhelmed by Hu Tao's enthusiasm and looked to Takumi for reassurance.

Takumi smiled and said, "Let's go. Today is a festive day, and we should enjoy ourselves."

Hu Tao had deduced Takumi's identity, but she hadn't explicitly said it aloud. Wise individuals knew not to pierce that thin veil, because once it was broken, the dynamic would change completely.

Besides, Hu Tao wasn't an ordinary girl; her personality and worldview were different from most.

Throughout the streets of Sumeru, one could often see the peculiar sight of Hu Tao jumping around in excitement, buying delicious snacks, while occasionally bumping into familiar individuals. These familiar "people" were actually gods. If gods didn't reveal themselves, ordinary folks wouldn't be able to recognize them, and only gods could recognize each other's true identities.

The population of Sumeru City had reached ten million. Though there were many gods visiting Sumeru, they were still a minority among those ten million people. The gods would only make themselves known once the "Grand Ceremony" began, during which they would offer their congratulations.

The gods who had newly joined the "Main World" pantheon had come to Sumeru City to gain more knowledge. They learned that the "god line" could be played in more ways. To build a country, one must establish a country. There was no need for gods to conduct mundane business among themselves. Sooner or later, they would be phased out.

In taverns, the Nordic gods became drunkards, and even the Valkyries were embarrassed by their behavior. At the Zubayr Theater, the gods of Olympus watched stage plays with great interest. Gods from different pantheons enjoyed games in the street venues. Meanwhile, reporters from Fontaine's Steambird Newspaper were broadcasting live with the latest version of the "Camera."

"Dear viewers across the universe, this is the live broadcast segment of Steambird Newspaper. Audiences who have purchased the 'Transmission Machine' are welcome to tune in."

"What you are seeing now is 'Sumeru City,' part of the 'Sumeru God System.' The supreme god of Sumeru will be promoted to the rank of 'Supreme God' today..."

The human world had long since adopted 'live television.' Naturally, gods weren't foolish and found ways to popularize such useful tools.

"Fountain," who liked studying machinery, was the first to use "divine power" to develop "God Realm TV," and "Liyue" and "Snezhnaya" were also researching similar technology. Some people in Mondstadt and Sumeru had intended to directly advance science, leveraging the rich energy of the "main world" to overcome electromagnetic wave propagation limitations in the lower world. Once they realized the challenge, however, countries that intended to replicate science simply gave up.

The festive atmosphere in Sumeru reached its peak as the sun rose directly overhead. At that moment, both the people of Sumeru City and the visiting gods raised their heads to look toward the palace atop Sumeru City.

"It's time!"

"It's starting!"

Takumi held skewers in his hands, appearing like any ordinary traveler. Hu Tao, standing to his right, had her hands full of skewers, her face covered in grease, while Nilou, standing to his left, held a cup with a straw.

"How will the celebration begin?" Hu Tao asked, her eyes shining with curiosity. "How will the gods offer their congratulations? I can't wait to see!"

Takumi touched his chin and smiled: "It'll probably be similar to the 'Flower God's Birthday Festival' three thousand years ago."

Hu Tao's eyes sparkled: "The Flower God's Birthday Festival?"

Nilou began to explain: "The Flower God's Birthday Festival is..."

But before she could finish, she abruptly stopped, her eyes widening as she quickly scanned her surroundings.

What she saw was a world filled with flowers. The giant trees in Sumeru City had bloomed in an instant, and flowers blossomed from every patch of soil. In an instant, Sumeru City transformed into a sea of flowers.

Takumi gazed into the distance, smiling.

"The float is swaying, swaying\~ The Flower God comes from afar, offering a sea of flowers to the Great Dendro Archon. The flower sprites built the float and delivered it to the Great Dendro Archon."

The sky was covered with a road made of flowers, and a float made from thousands of blooms was driven by the "flower spirits" to the front of Rakashushan Palace.

Leading the float at the front left was Maricata, the Goddess of Flowers.

Buyer gazed at the sea of flowers in the sky and the float, stunned for a moment before smiling. Memories from three thousand years ago surfaced in his mind.

"Thank you, Maricata, my friend."