The Embers of King's Teyvat Journey

Mondstadt was already bustling with activity in the early morning, with pedestrians coming and going on the streets and vendors hawking their wares, creating a vibrant scene.

Yu Jin looked at the bustling scene before him with a smile, completely ignoring the gazes cast his way.

The people of Mondstadt had gotten used to Ember's strange attire, and now when Ember goes out on the street, he no longer attracts people's attention as much as before.

So why has it changed back to the way it was before? Of course, it's because Ember is now riding Toretto!

Large livestock are scarce in Teyvat, and horses are even rarer! The few remaining horses in Mondstadt have all been taken away on expeditions by the Grand Master, leaving Kaeya, the cavalry captain, with only infantry under his command.

Not to mention that Lance Sanks was leading the horse for Ember. Her beautiful golden vertical pupils, long, gilded dragon horns, and dignified white dress all revealed her extraordinary nature.

"Hey... who's that? She's so pretty."

"Is that her horn a representation of a cow's ancestry? That's so rare."

"Isn't it reversed? Shouldn't the knight be on the bottom and the beauty on top?"

……

Of all the curious and doubtful comments, only the last one reached Yu Jin's ears. He thought about it, and it seemed to be true.

In those plays and novels, it's always the knights leading the way, with beautiful princesses riding on horseback. Where else do you see the reverse—the beautiful woman leading the way, and the knight riding?

Yu Jin looked down at Lance Sanx, who was holding the reins in front of him, and wondered if he should show some chivalry and let Lance Sanx come up and sit down.

He acted on his thought immediately, jumping off Torret and saying to Lance Sanx, "You sit down, I'll lead the way."

However, Lance Sanks shook her head and refused. She looked at Torrett's horse eyes, which were staring intently at her, and said, "I think Torrett will kick me off."

"Then forget it." Yu Jin glanced at Toret's eyes; he knew Toret's personality. Toret wouldn't let anyone he didn't approve of touch a hair on his head.

Ember thought for a moment and decided that it wouldn't be good to attract too much attention, so he blew the Spirit Horse Whistle and sent Torret back into the ring.

"That's amazing, how did they do that?" Amid the exclamations of the crowd, a calm and composed male voice stood out.

Then, a man with short flaxen hair and an open gray-white overcoat stepped out from the crowd.

Abedor, Mondstadt's greatest alchemist and captain of the Knights of Favonius's investigation team. He single-handedly elevated Mondstadt's alchemy to the forefront of the Seven Kingdoms.

“You are…” Yu Jin glanced at Abedo, a guy he didn’t recognize, but judging from his calm demeanor, he must be a formidable individual.

No, what do you mean "should be a powerful guy"? It means "very powerful"! Ember looked at Abedo carefully. A near-perfect artificial life form, truly rare.

“Abedo, I’ve heard so much about you, Mr. Ember.” Abedo stepped forward and carefully examined Ember.

He usually lived a secluded life in the snowy mountains, but even so, the reputation of Yu Jin still reached his ears.

One time it was the blueprints that Sugar brought, and the other time it was the golden sapling that Lisa showed him not long ago.

"Aren't you going to introduce the person next to you, you silly boy?" Lisa's languid voice came, causing Lance Sanx to narrow his eyes slightly.

However, seeing that Yu Jin didn't react, her golden eyes gradually relaxed.

But she quickly lost her composure again when Lance Sanx saw Lisa walking towards him carrying a golden sapling.

"The Golden Tree?!" Lance Sanx exclaimed in disbelief. How could this thing be here?

"Don't worry, I'm here." Ember patted Lance Sanx's excited shoulder and said nonchalantly.

Lance Sanks, hearing Ember's calm voice, immediately realized what was going on. Right, Ember was here, why was she panicking?

The giant golden tree at the border was burned to ashes, so why would we be afraid of this little sapling? It's quite possible that he's the one who created this golden tree sapling.

Lance Sanx only guessed half of it. He did give the seed, but Lisa was responsible for germinating it herself, and it had nothing to do with him.

“Chatting on the street isn’t a good idea. How about we talk in my office at the library?” Lisa suggested, glancing at the passing crowd.

Everyone agreed.

Lisa's office is located on the second floor of the library; it's a quiet little room, quite suitable for research, reading, and chatting.

"Hehe, calling him Wang Xiaobendan, you've hit the jackpot." Lance Sanx glanced at Ember, who had been dragged aside by Abedo, and said to Lisa, who was staring at her from a distance.

"King?" Lisa realized the unusual way Lance Sanx addressed Ember and pondered for a moment.

"Destroying an old world on the verge of collapse naturally leads to the creation of a new world. The one who did all this is naturally the king." Lance Sanks flipped through the book, but still couldn't understand anything, so she gave up.

Lisa glanced at Ember, who was pointing at the Golden Tree, and her understanding of him deepened. However, she quickly turned her head to stare at Lance Sanx's dragon horns and said:

"You're not atavistic, are you?"

Lance Sanks nodded and extended a hand. Under Lisa's gaze, the fair, smooth skin vanished, replaced by a ferocious and terrifying dragon claw.

“I am a dragon,” Lance Sanks explained, then smiled and continued, “and I am also the high priest of the dragon race, in charge of the dragon faith.”

Upon hearing this, Lisa took another closer look at Lance Sanx's attire. This time, her pure white ceremonial robes were adorned with many shadows—beasts, humans, and dragons—all intertwined and reflected each other.

The golden crown on her forehead also seemed to ripple with waves, representing the sun's corona.

However, these scenes vanished in an instant. Nevertheless, Lisa learned a great deal from them.

“Thank you,” Lisa said to Lance Sanx.

"You also need to reflect on this; a short lifespan is not an excuse for forgetting people," Lance Sanx smiled. When it comes to relationships, both sides always need to make some changes.

……

"This golden tree is not just about simple absorption, but also about bestowing blessings, right?" Abedo asked, looking at the swaying golden tree seedling.

After a brief study of the Golden Tree, he discovered its differences; this thing was far more complex than Ember had described.

"Your senses are very sharp." Yu Jin nodded approvingly. As expected of an artificial life form, it always has some special qualities.

However, this is also the difference between artificial and natural life. Man-made objects always strive for uniqueness and perfection, while natural creations are often flawed.

"How should I explain this to you?" Yu Jin tapped his head, took a moment to gather his thoughts, and continued:

"Just think of it this way: there is a world where everything is condensed into something called the 'Dharma Ring'."

"By installing something called 'law' within the legal ring, the world can be made to operate according to the rules of the law."

"And this tree, in a sense, is the operating mechanism of the law, responsible for ensuring that the law functions perfectly."

"Do you understand now?" Yu Jin asked, looking at Abedo who seemed to be deep in thought.

"So, the rules of that world can be changed?" Abedo discovered something deeper in Ember's words.

“Yes.” Yu Jin nodded, then smiled and said, as if he had remembered something, “As long as the law exists, it can be enforced.”

"Water can turn into fire, life and death can be interchanged, and the defilement of the soul can become a supreme blessing. As long as you can put your own laws into the circle of law, the world will operate the way you want it to."

Upon hearing this, Abedo's azure pupils contracted, seemingly stunned by the idea of ​​a world that could be altered at will.

After a long silence, he sighed and said, "The world of the ultimate strong."

“Clever.” Ember did not refute. This was the kind of world the borderlands were. Even with something like “laws” as a facade, it could not conceal its inherent cruelty and bloodshed.

"So, do you still want to plant this tree now?" Yu Jin asked, looking at the golden tree sapling.

Abedo chuckled softly, his eyes revealing a long-lost curiosity and inquisitiveness.

"Plant, of course I'll plant! This amazing thing, I want to see what kind of fruit it can bear in this world."

Chapter 148 The Primal People

2023-09-03

“You seem quite bold, unlike Lisa, who needs guidance before daring to explore knowledge,” Ember said, glancing at Lisa who was talking to Lance Sanx.

“I can’t compare to Abedo. Whether it’s level or ‘quality,’ he’s far superior to me.” Lisa rolled her eyes when she saw Ember mention her.

Abelardo's origins are a mystery; all that Mondstadt knows is that he was highly skilled in alchemy. Little is known about him personally.

However, Lisa still noticed Abelard's difference. As a genius witch who appears only once every two hundred years, although Lisa was not proficient in alchemy, she still had some understanding of its basics.

There are four layers: black soil, chalk, red soil, and gold, each vastly different from the last. Compared to creations of the chalk layer like Abedo, it's like asking for trouble.

"Heh, who said that? You're being too self-deprecating, aren't you?" Yu Jin's gaze swept over Lisa and Abedo, and the two of them immediately felt like they were being scrutinized.

Lisa was aware of Ember's strength, so she didn't find anything unusual. Being watched by a stronger being, especially one so friendly, was a rare experience.

But Abedo thought differently. He had only ever experienced this feeling of being completely seen through by his master.

"You're gold?!" Abedo suddenly became excited, a complete contrast to his previous nonchalant demeanor.

He gripped Ember's arm guards, his eyes fixed on his helmet, trying to get a definite answer from it.

That all-seeing gaze is absolutely precious! Only those who understand and create all things possess such eyes!

In everyone's eyes, Mr. Abedo was omniscient and there was no question he could not answer.

However, Abedo himself knew that his doubts were no less than those of his curious assistant, Sugar.

"Gold? Where's the gold!" Ember leaped back, breaking free from Abedo's grasp. Ember knew that the Supreme Will wouldn't let this go so easily!

He's actually spreading the Golden Law in this world; it seems his blade is about to draw blood again.

Lisa could tell from the way Yu Jin looked around that he and Abedo were definitely not on the same wavelength.

“Silly boy, gold is the highest level of alchemy, not the gold you’re thinking of!” Lisa covered her forehead and explained.

"I see, that scared me to death." Yu Jin patted his chest dramatically. If the Supreme Will really came here, then it seemed he really had no good options other than surrendering like the lady.

"Sorry, I got agitated." Abedo realized his lapse in composure and regained his calm demeanor.

“Tell me about alchemy, I’m very interested.” Ember patted Abedo on the shoulder, showing great interest in this art that could create life.

Of course, it was merely out of interest. The creatures within him were all incredibly powerful. If he were to create life, the Primordial Flame alone would suffice.

However, it seems that only the Primordial Flame can fulfill the function of "creation." The other precious beings are considered to have stopped as long as they haven't destroyed the world.

Abedo looked up at Ember. Based on his reaction just now, Abedo was almost certain that Ember knew nothing about alchemy.

For guys like this, Abedo usually just throws a 400-page book on alchemy at him.

But this approach is clearly not feasible for Ember. Both the golden tree he brought and that all-seeing gaze he just received foreshadow his different nature.

Abedo cleared his throat and said, "Alchemy has four stages: black earth, chalk, red clay, and gold."

"Black soil is the foundation of all alchemy, and the art of creating life is also called the art of black soil."

"Above the black soil lies chalk. Chalk is the advanced form of black soil, the soil without impurities. After chalk comes red clay, but I don't know much about it either. It seems to complement chalk."

"Finally, there is gold, the pinnacle of alchemy. Only one person has ever reached it."

Abedo spoke to Ember about alchemy, focusing primarily on the art of black earth. This was understandable, given the vast differences in skill levels among Teyvat's alchemists.