Chapter 068: The Gods' Scheme

To the west of Guizoli Plains lies the former domain of the God of Swamp, once a unified territory under the rule of four Gods.

During the decisive battle of the past, the God of Swamp expended their core essence to unleash their ultimate move: the Swamp Domain.

At that time, the western region was largely transformed into an expansive swamp under the influence of the God of Swamp's authority.

With the passage of time, nature seems to be slowly healing the damage caused by this authority.

However, such restoration often spans millennia.

Thus, the massive swamp formed under the God of Swamp's rule still exists to the west of Guizoli.

This area remains a barren wasteland.

Since the fall of the God of Swamp, no other God has claimed this inhospitable region.

Moreover, with the Archon War raging, the Gods have shifted their focus from territorial conquests to direct confrontations with each other.

A barren wasteland holds no interest for them.

As such, this region has become an unclaimed no-man's land.

The environment here is extremely harsh, with residual effects of the God of Swamp's authority continuously releasing deadly miasma.

Even powerful yokai avoid lingering here.

In this regard, Guizoli owes a debt of gratitude to the God of Swamp.

Had the God of Swamp not created this vast swamp before their demise, isolating Guizoli's western border from other Gods,

the current buffer zone would not exist.

Otherwise, relying solely on the Tianheng Mountain defensive line might not have sufficed to safeguard the Guizoli Plains.

If that were the case, they might have needed to construct a Great Wall to secure Guizoli's safety.

Such a monumental undertaking would have required generations of labor, spanning centuries, to achieve.

Cough, if it truly came to that, Lin Yu would simply utilize his Manifestation Authority to conjure a Great Wall himself.

After all, personally constructing a Great Wall within Teyvat—it doesn't get cooler than that, does it?

Eh-heh!

Decades pass in the blink of an eye for Gods.

Morax and Guizhong were seated in the Cloud Pavilion, a Go board between them as they engaged in a match.

It was a battle of intellect and strategy, one that both thoroughly enjoyed.

At least, when playing against Guizhong, Morax didn't have to worry about his own pieces betraying him.

"The Archon War has begun. In just over thirty years, fourteen Gods initially encircled our Tianheng Mountain defensive line," Guizhong remarked as she placed her piece on the board.

"Yet, within these thirty years of intensifying battles, four of those Gods have already perished."

One of the fallen included Kart, the God of Plague, whom Lin Yu had dealt with personally.

"Indeed. From that day forward, all Gods have been drawn into this conflict, ourselves included. None can escape the fate of mutual strife," Morax replied, placing a black stone.

"Yes, no God can escape it," Guizhong said with a smile. "But if one ceases to be a God, perhaps they can escape this endless struggle."

Morax understood her implication.

"Let the future take care of itself," he said. "For now, it's evident that the Archon War will persist for a long time."

"True," Guizhong agreed.

From the moment the Archon War began, she had pondered a solution.

If Guizoli were to survive this turmoil, she hoped to avoid a scenario where its people, under some higher command, would turn against one another, reducing Guizoli to a fiery ruin.

Thus, her goal was clear: to relinquish her status as a God and continue living in Teyvat as an adeptus or mortal.

Though blessed with great wisdom and ingenuity, the path to achieving this remains elusive, requiring much thought and time.

Since the start of the Archon War, the clashes between Gods have been relentless, affecting even the secluded adepti of Jueyun Karst.

Though not Gods, and thus not participants in the war, they too were swept into its grand scheme.

From the moment the Archon War began, the heavens and earth became Celestia's chessboard, and all living beings in Teyvat were reduced to mere pieces.

Jueyun Karst was surrounded by eight Gods. The adepti, united and fortified by formations, had achieved strength equivalent to a mid-tier God.

This collective power allowed them to maintain their foothold amidst the eight Gods.

However, the intensifying Archon War led several Gods to seek alliances with the adepti.

The eight Gods were evenly matched in strength, with only minor differences in authority.

This equilibrium created a tense standoff.

The adepti of Jueyun Karst, unaffiliated with any God, were the only wildcard.

Their collective strength, when marshaled through formations, posed a significant threat to the Gods.

Currently, the eight Gods were locked in a delicate balance, where battles occurred frequently, but none could decisively defeat the others.

The adepti's potential alignment with any one God could tip the scales, granting victory to their ally.

In secret, the eight Gods were vying against each other for the allegiance of the Adepti of Jueyun Karst. Each God offered terms so enticing they were difficult to resist.

However, as dignified beings, the Adepti naturally upheld their own principles.

Among the eight Gods, not a single one could convince all the Adepti to join willingly.

Thus, the standoff dragged on. The Adepti refused to pledge allegiance to any of them.

Years passed, with neither side reaching an agreement.

Eventually, the Gods grew restless. The neutral stance of the Jueyun Adepti did not hinder the Gods' current struggle.

But what about the future? Who could guarantee the Adepti wouldn't shift their position later?

The safest solution, the Gods decided, was to unite against the Adepti and eliminate them.

As one God put it:

"Matters between Gods are no business of you Adepti."

Thus, a conspiracy targeting the Adepti began brewing among the eight Gods.

Previously, they had clashed over the limited seats of the Seven, endlessly battling.

But now, shared interests united them. Eliminating this potential threat benefited all of them, so why not cooperate?

After all, with the Gods already entangled in chaos, no new Gods were likely to interfere.

High in Jueyun Karst, the Adepti convened.

"This is outrageous! Just because we refused their terms, they now seek to wage war against us? What a laughable excuse!"

"Hmph! Since when have we Adepti ever feared war? Let them come. We die standing, never bowing!"

"But this time, the eight Gods, led by the God of Leaves, are united in their aim to annihilate us."

"With our current strength, it will be difficult to resist them."

The hall fell into a heavy silence.

Indeed, even if they pooled all their power through formations, they could barely match a mid-level God in strength.

And formations had their weaknesses.

Even without weaknesses, a mid-level God's power alone was insufficient to contend with eight Gods.

This was the stark reality confronting Jueyun Karst.

Among the gathered Adepti, Cloud Retainer flared in anger, her sleeves whipping the air as she exclaimed:

"Hmph! Isn't their ultimate goal to make us submit? Fine then! I'll go pledge allegiance to the God of Geo, Morax, and make sure none of them gains the upper hand!"

Though spoken in frustration, her words sparked serious consideration among the others.

The God of Geo, Morax, had frequently visited Jueyun Karst before the Archon War erupted.

In his interactions, he had never displayed the arrogance typical of Gods.

In stark contrast, the current eight Gods acted haughty, looking down on all beneath them.

Through his visits, the Adepti had become well-acquainted with Morax—his character, virtues, and wisdom.

Many Adepti, over time, even formed close bonds with him.

"Cloud Retainer's words have merit. Given the current situation, aligning with the God of Geo seems the best course," said Ocean Calm.

Mountain Shaper added, "Indeed, Morax is a kind soul. I once sparred with him and, though weaker, received his praise for my techniques."

Lost in fond recollection, he expressed his preference for Morax above all other Gods.

"I've long heard of the splendor of Liyue, Morax's domain. I've always wanted to see its glory firsthand but never had the chance," chimed Sky Builder.

Hearing this, Cloud Retainer was reminded of past events when Morax had visited with the God of Manifestation, Zennos.

The food Zennos created was unforgettable. Since that day, she had often wondered if Zennos would accompany Morax again.

Subtly hinting her interest in Liyue's culinary delights during her conversations with Morax, she suspected he either missed the cues or deliberately ignored them.

What began as an angry remark from Cloud Retainer soon turned into a detailed discussion.

The more they deliberated, the more feasible the plan seemed.

Liyue's renown spread far and wide. It was a haven led by four Gods: the God of Geo, Morax; the God of Manifestation, Zennos; the God of Dust, Haagentus; and the God of the Stove, Machosius.

The power of the first two was legendary.

Morax's strength alone was already well-known in the region.

Zennos, revered for creating suns, had earned the title of Sun God, a testament to his unmatched power.

The strengths of the God of Dust and the God of the Stove remained unknown, but their inclusion in Liyue suggested they were formidable.

With such might, even the combined pressure of the eight Gods would need careful calculation.

While aligning with Liyue might draw danger toward it, the Adepti saw no better alternative.

At last, the Adepti reached a unanimous decision:

They would align themselves with Liyue.