"Let me think about how to explain this…"
Since the Geo Archon had asked personally, Ningguang naturally answered.
"Well… it started with Yelan putting on an act with Lin Ze, testing whether he really was a Descender."
"Then Lin Ze recognized you immediately."
"At that point, he stopped pretending altogether, exposed your identity on the spot, and even guessed that we already knew."
"And along the way," Ningguang continued carefully,
"he casually mentioned your plan to fake your death and relinquish authority."
"Just a passing remark—no details."
"I later asked him about it, but he didn't elaborate."
Her mind raced as she reconstructed the sequence cleanly—
without mentioning the Diary Replica,
without triggering that familiar wave of dread.
"So afterward, Keqing and I discussed it."
"Even if Your Grace only fakes your death, there will surely be a trial."
"Once it's over, the other gods may infer something—but the people of the Seven Nations won't."
"And the Seven Archons certainly won't announce it."
She paused briefly, then spoke more seriously.
"Looking at Mondstadt… I felt Liyue must possess divine-level deterrence."
"And just then, Lin Ze happened to show off a Gnosis."
"So I thought—why not purchase one?"
"Turn it into a weapon."
"So Liyue doesn't end up like Mondstadt."
"And if possible…" Ningguang hesitated, cheeks faintly reddening,
"perhaps even prompt Your Grace to abandon the false death entirely."
"A miraculous revival… or rebirth would also suffice."
The words flowed more smoothly the longer she spoke,
yet the meaning behind them felt like a child unwilling to let go of a parent.
She knew how it sounded.
Even knowing the Geo Archon would only pretend to die,
acting this way still risked implying that the Qixing couldn't stand without a god.
That embarrassment—
that guilt—
was real.
"My original plan," the Geo Archon said calmly,
"did include a trial."
"After my 'death,' whatever the Qixing chose to do would be acceptable."
"As long as they could continue leading Liyue forward—
as long as they could guide it through adversity—
they would pass."
"And if they failed…"
"Then perhaps I would have acted too early."
"I would have returned through a staged rebirth, reclaiming my divine role."
Perhaps influenced by this female incarnation,
the Geo Archon spoke more than usual—
her tone gentler, explanations offered freely.
"But now," she said,
"the three of you have done very well."
The instant those words landed, all three grew visibly moved.
Ningguang almost blurted out—
"Then does that mean Your Grace won't—"
—but was stopped by a raised hand.
"I will still proceed with the false death."
"Not only for the Qixing's sake—
but for the people of Liyue as well."
"However, the nature of the trial will change."
"And I must also observe Lin Ze more closely."
She shifted topics abruptly.
"Do you know how Lin Ze acquired the Black Flag?"
"No," Ningguang replied.
"It appears he only obtained it after arriving in Teyvat."
"At first, even he didn't realize he possessed such an ability."
"But once he did… he immediately abandoned that opportunity and chose to rely on himself."
"When he first arrived, he was practically naked."
As she spoke, the corner of Ningguang's lips lifted slightly.
She still remembered reading that diary entry—
she had nearly laughed herself breathless.
Descenders weren't unheard of.
The most famous example was Alice.
But among all recorded Descenders,
only Lin Ze's arrival was this awkward.
"As of now," the Geo Archon asked,
"how many in Liyue are like you?"
"And what kind of people are they?"
"Many," Ningguang answered without hesitation.
"it seems most of them are Vision holders.
"All women. No exceptions."
"Ages vary widely."
"Hu Tao. Yanfei. Yaoyao. Granny Ping. Ourselves. Yelan…"
She recited the list Yelan had compiled—
including several without Visions:
Ying'er.
The three sisters of Feiyun Commerce Guild's intelligence network.
The Geo Archon considered it carefully.
No obvious commonality emerged.
"Can you identify what you all share in common?"
"Yes."
"But I cannot say."
"Can that trait be artificially replicated?"
"No."
"Even if I maintain a female incarnation?"
"…Uncertain."
"I see."
With a quiet nod, the Geo Archon vanished from the Jade Chamber.
There were simply too many things Ningguang could not say.
Lin Ze refused to elaborate.
Whatever this "opportunity" was—
obtaining it would be far more difficult than expected.
Tomorrow, she would speak with Lin Ze again.
If answers existed,
they would have to come from the source.
[Sky Island.jpg]
[Most people probably haven't seen Celestia before.
It's actually quite beautiful—just a bit monotonous.
No flowers. No greenery.]
[Didn't they say Vision holders can ascend to godhood?
There were humans who succeeded in Mondstadt's history, right?
So where did all those ascended humans go?]
[Oh? Look what I found—
a paramecium!]
[Paramecium.jpg]
"Are you deliberately insulting me?"
A cold voice rang out.
The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles had appeared,
dark crimson cubes already forming in her grasp.
Calling her a paramecium the moment they met?!
Utter humiliation.
She could face the Seven Archons head-on without fear—
and this man dares reduce her to a microorganism?!
"Oh, you have the Diary too?"
Lin Ze wasn't surprised in the slightest.
"But I'm not insulting you—just a meme."
"I'll update the meme index someday. You'll understand then."
The Sustainer studied him suspiciously.
Still—
She chose to believe him.
For now.
Otherwise, even if she couldn't win,
she would have tested whether Lin Ze was truly invincible.
"Very well."
"Why have you come to Celestia?"
"To meet the Heavenly Principles."
"When I molded a Gnosis by hand, Celestia looked back."
"So I figured we should talk."
He paused, then added casually—
"Oh, and while we're at it—
where did all those ascended humans go?"
The Sustainer's gaze sharpened.
"First," she said slowly,
"you must promise that what you see next—
and what you hear next—
will never be revealed."
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