Lu Bu, the Thunder General, is my adoptive father in Genshin Impact.

The long-hidden Sara, along with her soldiers, rushed out and surrounded Takatsukasa Susumu. Although the Tenryo Magistrate was jointly managed by the Kujo and Takatsukasa families, the situation was now quite clear.

Although the samurai were loyal to General Raiden, they also trusted Kujo Sara, believing that Lord Kujo's help to Narukamiko was definitely meaningful, and that the "Imperial Decree to Suppress the Traitor" was indeed written by the general himself. Moreover, Inazuma was about to face a great calamity and needed divine intervention to resolve it...

In conclusion, the samurai are temporarily loyal to the new god.

Takatsukasa Susumu was led away cursing, while several heavyweights carried the coffin and steadily left the speaking stage via the stairs.

Xiao Yi was in a panic. If anyone accidentally dropped the coffin and overturned it, things would get out of control.

Fortunately, everyone's hands were steady, and they successfully carried the coffin back to the castle tower.

Xiao Yi wiped his eyes and continued to announce, "Actually, I am also very sad right now. After all, he is my godfather, a godfather who is more than family to me than blood relatives. Even so, I have no time to grieve. I must go and punish the source of all evil!"

"Fox, come here!"

Lightning flashed above the castle tower as a giant pink object, like a meteorite, flew thousands of meters from the tower and landed on the arena in front of the Raijin statue, creating a striking crack.

Xiao Yi flipped himself onto the fox, summoned the Fangtian Halberd that had just slain the god, and looked righteous and awe-inspiring.

The giant fox took off on all fours, transforming into a pink gust of wind as it rushed out of Inazuma Castle and headed towards Hachiun Island, where the giant serpent's remains were located. Its surging momentum surpassed that of any steed.

Chapter 81 Narukami's Taunt

Xiao Yi rode the pink fox and charged towards Bayun Island. Of course, he didn't immediately seek out the evil spirit to fight, because the Eightfold Divine Child told him that if the great serpent was stimulated, it would immediately revive.

The preparation time of more than a day is more like the evil spirit adapting to the body, which does not mean that it cannot give up some control and let the empty shell of the demon god go berserk.

The defenses of Inazuma Castle are not yet in place, and a sudden attack would surely result in heavy losses. The same applies to the evil spirits, who want to completely control the remains of Orobas. So the two sides can remain at peace for the time being until the decisive battle tonight.

Xiao Yi's reason for heading towards Bayun Island was simply to investigate the location of the remains and, incidentally, to make a few sarcastic remarks to the evil spirit.

Of course, Xiao Yi was no idle fellow; his sarcasm was purposeful.

As he passed by the vicinity of the Shadow Furnace, Xiao Yi saw several abandoned cannons. He had noticed these heavy weapons when he came here to wipe out the War Maniacs before, but since cannons were not suitable for guerrilla warfare, he did not pay much attention to them.

"These are remnants from the war between the Shogunate and the Coral Palace, right?" Xiao Yi asked the pink giant fox. "They should be cannons capable of firing lightning."

“That’s right, it’s more than enough to bombard humans, but using it to attack demons would probably only invite merciless ridicule,” Yae no Miko said frankly. “However, it would be good to have a few gates installed in Inazuma Castle to buy some time.”

The lightning cannon, a weapon despised by the demon god... Xiao Yi suddenly thought of a brilliant plan.

“No, cannons are not useless.” Xiao Yi revealed a meaningful smile. “I think the cannon’s ammunition does not necessarily have to be lightning element; it can shoot other things.”

The fox was puzzled, but did not ask any further questions.

Before long, the man and the fox arrived at the border of Bayun Island. Before them was a thick miasma, like a sandstorm, with occasional flashes of red lightning.

Xiao Yi gripped his halberd tightly, wary of anything emerging from the thick fog. He hadn't come to fight the evil spirits, so he didn't rush into the island's black fog.

"Are these all the resentment of demons and gods?" Xiao Yi muttered to himself. "Thanks to the Divine Cherry Blossom, it didn't spread to densely populated areas like Narukami Island."

(Miyajiro: Tsubasa has done something great! If only it were a good deed that would be remembered for generations, but unfortunately it's a heinous act that will be remembered for eternity. Will the history books include me in that story?)

(Note: Generally speaking, historical records would not go into detail about this; at most, they would just mention it briefly.)

(Xiao Yi: If I can't protect Daoqi, then I'll be infamous for eternity. The name of regicide, plus a bunch of debuffs, will be pinned on my head.)

Xiao Yi raised his head and looked straight at the black mist. Using his lightning powers to simulate an electronic megaphone, he shouted, "Sui, I know you're in there! You'd better surrender now, release the souls of those you've killed, and then obediently await your slaughter!!!"

The sound was far louder than thunder on flat ground, shaking the surrounding weeds so much that even Narukami Island could hear the commotion, and the fox even used its two tails to plug its ears.

Hearing the anger of Thor's successor, the black mist replied in a deep but not slow voice.

Why are you yelling so loudly?!

Xiao Yi had come to declare war and taunt, and there was no reason for him to coexist peacefully with the other party. He went even further, saying, "So what if I yelled at you? Go ahead and tell my godfather if you dare! I bet you'll recover by midnight tonight, then I'll send you to see my godfather!"

The evil spirit in the black mist retorted, "You keep calling me a villain, but I didn't kill you in the end. You, on the other hand, killed your own adoptive father without hesitation. You are the real villain who is disloyal and unjust!"

Hearing this, Xiao Yi was overjoyed, but he forced himself not to show his emotions: It seemed that the evil spirit had already seen his live broadcast of filial piety in Inazuma City through the miasma...

Plans are in place!

Xiao Yikong brandished his Thunder Halberd: "I'll mercifully tell you, after I acknowledge a master, if that master dies, I can gain all the power. Brother Miyamoto's death granted me spear skills and wind manipulation, and the Thunder God's death granted me a great deal of divine power..."

"I am now the true ultimate life form, you're dead, you know that!"

To prove his point, Xiao Yi deliberately freed his left hand to summon wind elements, forming a small tornado that swirled in his palm.

Chong continued staring at the matter of killing the god, saying, "So that's how it is. You coveted my brother's power, so you gave him the bomb to kill me and me. You coveted your godfather's power, so you attacked him from behind to seize power and the elements. You're a power-hungry bastard!"

(Xiao Yi: How can you say such a thing so matter-of-factly? Even if what I did was true, it was for the people of Inazuma, which is still better than indiscriminately killing people!)

(Miyajiro: Tsubasa has never had a sense of right and wrong since she was little, or rather, she doesn't accept the world's sense of right and wrong. Don't think you can communicate with her, just scold her and that will be the end of it.)

(Video: Why does the conversation between the god and the great demon sound like two children arguing?)

Xiao Yi had considered Miyamoto's suggestion. He was quite good at cursing, as the place where he lived before his transmigration had a rich variety of cursing skills.

They can insult directly, indirectly, name names, or use sarcastic remarks... There's nothing these trolls won't do.

However, most of the most offensive insults are related to relatives, so they are easy to insult the spirit while accidentally hurting the elder brother. After thinking it over, Xiao Yi decided to be more civilized.

After all, he only came to confirm whether Chong knew that he had stabbed Thor to death. Now that he could confirm that the guy knew very well, he could rest assured.

Moreover, if they go too far and anger the evil spirit, it might directly break off relations and let the giant snake do whatever it wants, then all their hard-earned plans would be ruined.

"I'll be waiting for you at the location of Tasha Sand. Come and cut me if you dare," Xiao Yi said with a crooked mouth. "But since you've merged with the giant snake, you can't cut people down now, can you?"

This sarcastic remark hit Miyamoto Tsubasa's sore spot. He originally thought that he would absorb the energy from the outbreak of the evil spirit's pollution and evolve, thereby gaining the ability to control the evil spirit's power. As for the Orochi's remains, even if they were resurrected, they would just be a harmless save point.

As a result, Xiao Yi destroyed the Yu Ying Furnace Heart when he killed it. The evil spirit tried to return to the location of the demon god's remains to be reborn, but it happened to encounter the reborn serpent and the two merged into one.

The evil spirit was furious but helpless. It thought Xiao Yi was forcing it to fight against the odds, so it suppressed its anger and continued to accumulate power until it could fully control the remains of the giant snake, then kill the guy who was against it and find a way to recover.

This was exactly what Xiao Yi wanted.

By using reverse psychology to force Chongjing to stay on Bayun Island and not cause trouble before fully controlling the remains of the demon god, Xiao Yi will have enough time to set up defenses.

He patted the fox on the back, indicating that it was time to go back, and the fox immediately ran back.

Xiao Yi clearly remembered what the evil spirit had said: if it did not perish, the souls of the creatures it killed would be forever trapped in the filthy solvent that was the evil spirit.

Please wait a little longer, everyone in the expeditionary force, everything will be over tonight!

Chapter 82 Lei Dapao

Upon returning to Inazuma Castle, Xiao Yi realized that Yae no Miko's mission was complete. He also didn't want to ride a fox and fight the evil spirits during the final battle, so he figured it would be safer to go into battle alone.

Exhausted from a long day, the shrine maiden returned to Narukami Shrine. What happened next was none of her concern. All she could do was bathe, change her clothes, and sit quietly in front of the sacred cherry blossoms to await the outcome.

Under the command of the magistrate, the people of Inazuma are now orderly gathering in the evacuation area, while the magistrate of the heavens is setting up defensive facilities. Although obstacles and technology are of little use to the demons, fighting to the end is a sign of respect for the people, Narukami, and the deceased Raijin.

After the war, the abandoned cannons were also brought out. There were a total of eight cannons, which were placed deep in the city in areas that were not easy to destroy but were convenient for firing at large targets.

One of the doors, as ordered by Narukamiko, was placed at the very top of the castle tower.

Because the energy released when Thor was assassinated cleared away the miasma around the city, and the purification effect of the Divine Cherry prevented the subsequent miasma from getting close, the evil spirit did not know the exact location of these lightning element cannons. If Xiao Yi failed, they could launch a surprise ambush.

Nevertheless, its actual effect is still limited, probably only delaying things for a few seconds.

After the cannons at the castle tower were installed, Xiao Yi went to inspect them. He found Xin Hai standing next to the cannons, looking up at the sky with a solemn expression.

Xiao Yi followed her gaze and saw a hollow space flashing with lightning—the scar left on the nation by the death of Inazuma Narukami.

Even after the crisis caused by the evil spirits subsides, the sky above Narukami Island will likely remain dark and gloomy, forever shrouded in the shadow of Raijin's death, much like the island of Seirai where the great bird fell.

"I hope everything goes well," Xin Hai murmured.

"I am very grateful for your visit to Narukami Island to deliver the message and for all the help you have provided since then," Xiao Yi said sincerely. Then he changed the subject, "But is Haiqi Island alright? Perhaps Orochi will not attack here, but will instead bring the corrupted spirit to your territory."

Coral Palace Heart Sea smiled and said, "No problem. Sea Spirit Island is not like Narukami Island. It has already gone through countless days and nights without gods. We have special countermeasures for special situations. It is impossible for Sea Spirit Island to fall before Narukami Island falls."

"In comparison, Narukami Island and the Shogunate, which rely on the gods for survival, are the ones we should be worried about."

Xiao Yi could see confidence in the eyes of this strategist girl, not the kind of blind confidence, but a strategic and well-prepared attitude. Presumably, she had set out to help after arranging the defensive rituals to consolidate the stability of Haiqi Island.

Perhaps Xin Hai had other ways to deal with the evil spirits, but upon hearing of her own plan, she changed her approach and proceeded with the current method. Either she had great faith in herself, or she wasn't satisfied with the original method and thought her own plan was better.

In any case, the play has already gone this far and must continue—now all we can do is wait for the Great Serpent to attack.

"Tonight at midnight?" Xiao Yi muttered to himself, "There are still eight hours left."

"By the way, how's the renovation of the castle tower going?" Xiao Yi suddenly remembered a crucial factor. "We need to make sure that as soon as my battle with Orochi begins, we can get the 'special shells' to the cannon and give that bastard, Sui, a big surprise!"

Shinkai answered confidently, "The blueprints for the mechanism were provided by Lord Yaegami, and the design was supervised by Goro and the eldest daughter of the Kamisato family. It will be completed in an hour. All I have to do is spray water into the inlet, and the hydraulic system will transport the 'special shell' from the first floor to the top of the castle tower."

"Thank you for your trouble," Xiao Yi said.

Like a mischievous child, he approached the cannon directly in front, poked his head into the barrel to examine it closely, scrutinizing every corner he could see, to confirm that the internal structure had not been damaged during transport—at least the inner wall of the barrel was undamaged.

In the decisive battle eight hours later, the importance of the Thunder Cannon in the castle tower is equal to that of Xiao Yi, who is facing Orochi head-on.

The problem wasn't with the cannon itself, but with the ammunition...

“Fate is truly unfathomable.” Xin Hai smiled, then suddenly sighed, “Just a few months ago, the Coral Palace and the Shogunate were locked in a fierce battle, but now I have to help the Shogunate ward off disaster, and the Thunder God of this time is not the same as before…”

Xiao Yi removed his head from the cannon muzzle and said with mixed feelings, "Yes, a few dozen days ago I was a ronin, then I became a guest elder of the Coral Palace, and then you sent me to Narugami Island as a senior agent. Not long after, I was promoted to Narugami-ko, who was second only to the emperor. Until today, I am no longer even second only to the emperor... But this is all temporary. After this is over, I will no longer be the Thunder God."

"So, after giving up your identity as the God of Thunder, would you be interested in spending a few days on Umijima Island?" Shinkai suddenly suggested. "I guess that although your body is in the Shogunate, your heart doesn't belong to any organization. If Umijima Island asks you for help, you would agree, wouldn't you?"

"You just want to use me as a free tool, right? But I refuse!" Xiao Yi said with feigned seriousness and determination, then his expression relaxed slightly. "I'm thinking of going to other countries to see what they're like. With my current status, the lockdown order can't hold me back."

"For example, Mondstadt seems to be holding a hot spring festival recently. I'm getting a bit tired of soaking in the hot springs in Inazuma, so experiencing the atmosphere of a foreign land would be nice."

"You're from Liyue, right? Don't you want to go home and visit?" Xin Hai asked curiously.

“A Liyue person? I’m actually homeless, just like my deceased older brother.” Xiao Yi frowned slightly, but quickly regained his relaxed expression. “But to be honest, Liyue does feel more like home. I’ll go there when I have time.”

(Miyajiro: 'My deceased elder brother'? Don't say such unlucky things.)

Xiao Yi and Xin Hai fell silent, quietly observing the scenery.

Coral Palace's inner sea was looking towards Haiqi Island, but it was blocked by the miasma of Bayun Island in the middle, so it couldn't see anything; Xiao Yi was looking towards Liyue, but all he could see were Yingxiang Mountain and the sea, and even his near-divine vision couldn't help him.

Time passed by, and Inazuma Castle was ready. The streets were deserted, like a ghost town where all the residents had left.

Looking at the empty shops and stalls, Xiao Yi vowed to restore this place to its former prosperity.

……

Midnight.

A tremor, as if turning the island upside down, came, indicating that the Divine Cherry Tree was once again on the verge of collapse, and at the same time, the enormous creature in the miasma was about to revive.