Seeing the conversation finally move toward the point she cared about most—
"Brother Taro~"
Madame Ping also spoke up at the right moment:
"Last night I heard from Emp… from Zhongli, that you still have higher-grade resurrection staves in your possession. I wonder if…"
"There are, yes."
Seeing her bring it up, Taro followed along:
"The one I gave Zhongli yesterday was sixth-tier. If I'm not mistaken, its effect caps out below the level of a god.
Based on my estimation, it'd take at least tenth-tier or higher to work on a god.
Of course, that's assuming no higher authority interferes."
His gaze sharpened:
"What you want should be this category, right, Aping?"
"Yes!"
Her voice trembled slightly as she nodded, excitement in her eyes.
"I have an elder sister, Guizhong—the God of Dust. She fell in battle during the Archon War at Guili Plains.
I am willing to offer my entire fortune in exchange for one such staff, to bring my sister back.
Though I don't know if such wealth is worthy of Brother Taro's eyes, if it falls short, then even if I must—"
"Eh~"
Taro waved his hand.
"This isn't something to rush.
The level of a god and that of mortal beings are fundamentally different. Estimates are only estimates—whether it truly works still needs testing.
Below the level of a god, I can guarantee it. Even if the staff fails, I can step in personally to make up the difference.
But above that level… it needs proof.
You wouldn't want to put down your entire fortune, pile on a mountain of conditions, and end up with something useless, right?
Whether you regret it or not, I would feel ashamed.
Cheating customers is beneath me."
The staff worked, that was fact.
But the difference in standing between a god and a mortal was also fact.
This matter might even involve the Primordial One, Phanes.
Even the smallest chance of that meant Taro wouldn't dare boast recklessly.
If Phanes' authority was involved, ordinary resurrection items—even super-tier magic—would fail.
At that point, only world-class artifacts might work.
As for [The Twenty], forget it. Using one meant it vanished, with almost no chance of retrieval.
If it fell into someone else's hands, it'd be catastrophic.
So unless he faced death with no escape, he would never use one lightly.
Ordinary world-class items were possible, but even then, they weren't tools to be thrown around casually.
Compared to a resurrection staff, they weren't even the same order of value.
"This matter must indeed be handled with utmost caution."
Zhongli cut in smoothly:
"If Brother Taro needs to verify its effect, just say the word."
Caution was good. He couldn't agree more.
"It was thoughtless of me."
Aping pressed down her emotions and gave a firm nod.
Uncertainty might have increased.
But because of that, hope now burned brighter.
"As for a test subject…"
Taro turned to Zhongli:
"Anyone in mind? Best if it's someone not too strong, not too aggressive.
Something we could easily suppress.
Ideally, someone we can grab and handle at will."
A test subject shouldn't be some battle-crazed powerhouse.
It had to be a soft persimmon, something easy to pinch.
"There is such a candidate."
Zhongli gave a faint smile.
"During the Archon War, there was one god of gentle, yielding nature, who shunned conflict.
Her name was Havria—the Salt God."
Rock and salt. Same word in Liyue's tongue, yet worlds apart.
One was a War God, who smashed through the central battlefield of Teyvat and cemented Liyue's dominance.
The other was weak, overly yielding, too timid—eventually betrayed and slain by the very people she protected.
Undeniably, she was the softest of the soft persimmons.
A perfect candidate.
"Havria, huh~"
Taro nodded.
"Alright, since you already have a candidate, then let's pick a time and try it.
If it works, everyone will be happy."
"Excellent."
The delight in Zhongli's eyes grew stronger.
"Aping and I are available at any time. So long as Brother Taro has a spare moment, we will guide you there."
For Taro to say it so calmly—surely he was confident.
Hope was right before them. How could they not rejoice?
"But the Rite of Descension is just around the corner. Zhongli, are you sure you're that free?"
Taro gave him a peculiar look.
Did he really plan not to "accidentally drop" his Gnosis-shedding husk onto Yujing Terrace during the ceremony?
Wouldn't that be… awkward?
"Why would you say that, Brother Taro?"
Zhongli looked unruffled, even curious.
As one of those to be "invited" during the Rite, what was there to prepare?
Wait for the time, appear, recite his script, answer a few questions, point the way forward.
That was it. Busy? What busyness?
"Never mind~ maybe I overthought it."
Taro waved it off.
"I thought you were planning to fake your death and step down.
But this works too."
"…?"
At those words, Zhongli's expression grew faintly strange.
Wasn't that exactly the plan he'd been making?
If so, then maybe… perhaps… Brother Taro really did have foresight?
It was possible.
He had been planning to resign from the god-seat, to test whether Liyue was ready to enter an age of self-rule without a god.
Yes, he was weary. But that wasn't the only reason.
The world was dangerous. Humanity looked fine on the surface, but one misstep could bring disaster without end.
And the greatest crisis was already looming closer.
Could he truly let go?
Stepping down, betting on three different paths—that was a desperate compromise.
But now, with this chance… why gamble at all?
If his old friends could return, then there was no need.
But since Brother Taro had raised the point—perhaps…
"Brother Taro, might you have a better idea?"
He asked carefully.
"Not at all."
Taro waved his hand without hesitation.
"I'm just an ordinary traveler. How would I know these things?
But your existence is important."
"Oh?"
Zhongli's eyes gleamed.
"From your words, it seems you don't support mortal rule?"
"I never said that~"
Taro raised a brow.
"It's not that mortals can't rule—it's that they can't rule alone.
In Teyvat, throwing gods away and trying to manage entirely by mortals?
Brother, are you sober?
Without gods' protection, who can stand against dragon sovereigns, or against the Abyss?
Everyone knows what a land without divine shelter looks like.
In a world of the supernatural, raw power is everything.
Without that, all else is just empty talk."
(End of Chapter)
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