Genshin Impact's Sweet and Hard Free People

At the end of the Demon God War, she disappeared from the sight of other gods and humans. Some say she perished in the great war, while others say she hid her tracks and transformed into a human living in the forest.

Various rumors followed, but none of them revealed Simon's final fate, and most of the comments pointed to signs of her demise.

Unexpectedly, a statue of Simon would appear here, which means that this hall must be hiding some secret.

Here, Xin Hui's reminder also made Qin Xin tremble. As a member of the Gunnhild family, born into an ancient knight family, she had heard the story of Queen Simon of the Wood Forest.

But... how could that be...?

Apart from the band leader, everyone else paused, seemingly because they had never heard of the name "Simon," and their expressions were full of hesitation.

The entire training ground was separated from the statue by the stone gate. In front of that enormous statue, Xinhui and his group seemed as insignificant as ants. If the power of the gods had not been withheld, they would probably have all prostrated themselves in apology.

When Hu Tao, who was standing next to Xin Hui, saw the statue formed by the wooden vines, she was reminded of the crystal statue of [Yi Meng] in the "Boundary", so she also became very uneasy.

Are you afraid that you'll "abandon" her like you did that time?

That's why I held on tightly to my own hand, not giving myself a chance to escape...

really...

Xin Hui's gaze softened, and this time he took the initiative to stroke Hu Tao's forehead, while his other hand tightly held Hu Tao's slender hand. "Don't worry, I won't abandon you this time."

It wasn't until he spoke these words that the latter felt at ease. In Hu Tao's plum-blossom eyes, there had never been any fear of the statue being in danger; she was only afraid of the possibility that Xin Hui would "abandon" her. This shows how much that incident affected Hu Tao.

"So? Shall we go in?" At this moment, it was the leader of the ensemble who hesitated. Having received knowledge of the Gunnhildr family since childhood, she knew the magical methods of Queen Simon of the Wood Forest. If her statue appeared here, it would mean that her will might exist here.

I just hope that if the will of a demon god exists, it won't turn into mindless remnants of a demon god.

"Go in." Ke Qing released the lightning wedge formed by the surging thunder in her hand, leaving it in place.

She and Qin went ahead to scout the way. If anything unexpected happened, Keqing could use the connection between her and Lei Xie to return safely.

Xinhui and his group could only observe the figures of Commander Qin and Keqing at the stone gate, and whether there would be any changes inside the secret room. However, after observing for a long time, the secret room remained completely silent.

No accidents occurred until Keqing and the others reached the center of the training ground. After confirming that it was safe, Xinhui and the others came from behind Keqing and Qin.

Everyone took a step and moved forward safely.

But just as everyone entered the secret chamber, the seemingly unmovable heavy stone door suddenly slammed shut.

boom!

The sudden loud noise gave them no chance to react. By the time everyone realized what was happening, the only exit from the secret chamber had been closed. Just as they realized something was wrong, a tremor began to emanate from above the training ground.

It was a deep, ancient sound, ethereal and powerless yet penetrating deep into the heart.

I had already granted you a chance to leave, but since you insisted on breaking in, I will surely take your blood and tears as punishment.

Chapter 84 Blasphemy against the Queen

After the ethereal voice echoed from the hollow above the training ground, the wooden vine statue of Simon, which was originally in front of everyone, suddenly extended several wooden vine tentacles!

The tentacles gradually spread across the training ground, until they completely enveloped the entire training ground, forming a structure like a cage.

Everyone stared in disbelief at what was happening. Not only were the wooden vine statues changing, but many leaves were also fluttering around the training ground. Emerald green leaves, along with some red maple leaves, seemed to be drawn together, and within these leaf illusions, ethereal, luminous humanoid figures appeared.

Then, the phantoms gradually solidified, becoming real humanoid figures. About ten of these humanoid phantoms formed wood spirits, and without exception, they all had the appearance of beautiful women.

As the wooden vines spread and these spirits appeared, the entire training ground began to be filled with the power of grass element, its power terrifying!

Xin Hui felt the rich grass elemental energy in the air, which could not be described as pure; it had even reached the ultimate state of grass elemental energy.

This……

Xin Hui's eyes widened in surprise, his golden pupils gleaming with a divine light, his gaze filled with composure and vigilance.

Just then, the waiting wood spirits also moved. They floated about, their long, pointed ears and slender figures seemingly using some kind of penetrating power. With their faint smiles, they made everyone lower their guard, and then came their attack-like movements.

"Watch out!" Xin Hui shouted, and Kaiya and the others came to their senses. They found that a thin wooden vine had somehow wrapped around their necks. With a swing of their longswords, they quickly cut it off.

Judging from the sound of the vine snapping, this seemingly slender vine was actually tough and strong. If it hadn't been for Xin Hui's warning earlier, everyone would probably have lost their heads once it tightened its grip.

As they spoke, two gentle-looking wood spirits attacked Xinhui. Their hands were imbued with grass elemental power and a terrifying killing intent. They arrived beside Xinhui without anyone noticing.

A seemingly gentle palm strike actually conceals deadly intent!

Just as their attack was about to succeed, Gan Yu launched a Frost Arrow from the Brilliant Amos Bow, forcing back one of the Wood Spirits, while the other was fought by Xin Hui's ice-blue longsword.

When Xin Hui fought her, he felt something strange. Even though the [Divine Blessing] had struck her, it had no effect on the wood spirit. Although he had successfully forced her back, she still moved freely, and her faint chuckle was even more chilling.

"Ah Xin!" Gan Yu couldn't help but shout anxiously, worried about whether he was injured.

Xin Hui first waved his hand to indicate that he was alright. Then he reminded the others, "Everyone, please stick together so that everyone can be safe."

After saying this, he moved swiftly towards Keqing and Commander Qin in the center of the training ground. The others naturally followed.

As everyone gathered together despite the interference of the wood spirits, ten figures of wood spirits surrounded them. The witch's laughter above made them seem like hunters, while Xinhui and the others were lambs to the slaughter.

"What should we do? Swords and blades don't seem to be working against them," Ke Qing said gravely, leaning against Xin Hui.

She had tried using the Dragon's Roar from the Box to strike the Wood Spirit multiple times, but the marks left on the latter were like scratches on wood, and those scratches disappeared in no time. Keqing even used her lightning elemental power, but it still had little effect.

“Use fire elemental power. The purer the fire elemental power, the greater the threat it poses to them.” Xin Hui suddenly realized something. Since they were products formed from grass elemental power, using fire elemental power was undoubtedly the best choice.

After these words, the Pyro Visions on Amber, Diluc, and Kurumi flickered, then grew brighter and brighter, and the Pyro elemental power attached to their weapons gradually became richer and purer.

Diluc narrowed his eyes, focused his flames on his weapon, and unleashed a firebird that flew forward. The enormous firebird was enveloped in intense fire elemental power, as if it wanted to devour everything around it with flames.

The female wood spirits, witnessing this scene, scattered in terror. But Amber's Skybow, condensing fire elemental arrows, had been waiting for this very moment.

She fired fire arrows into the sky, and then countless fire arrows fell from the sky, touching the bodies of several wood spirits, who then began to burn fiercely.

Walnut, not to be outdone, spun the shaft of the Homo Staff, and then fire elemental power erupted at the tip of the Homo Staff.

Only an everlasting flame can cleanse the world of its impurities.

This is Walnut's secret technique—the butterfly's guide to rebirth.

The moment the fire elemental power erupted, it seemed as if several pale golden butterflies fluttered out, and the plum blossom pupils in Walnut's eyes became even clearer.

With a slight tap of her spear tip, she swiftly lunged forward, leaving a blood-scented mark on the bodies of her enemies in her path—a mark with a fierce burning effect.

Immediately afterward, just as Bai Ye's soul poked its head out of Hu Tao's body, Hu Tao grabbed its tail, preventing it from escaping.

Due to the influence of fire elemental power, Walnut unleashed her fiery soul, causing the souls of the wood spirits around her to burn.

After being intimidated by the fire elemental power of these people, all the wood spirits were engulfed in flames, then turned back into leaves and disappeared.

They initially thought the wooden vine cage would also be set on fire, but after testing, they discovered that their fire elemental power had absolutely no effect on it, which was rather strange.

Logically speaking, those vines are composed of grass elemental power, so when they encounter Diluc and his group's pure fire elemental power, they should burn like the wood spirits.

Unless, it's not just simple grass elemental power...

Xin Hui had already gotten some clues. He hadn't witnessed the price of blood and tears, but through his battles with these wood spirits, he had learned one thing.

This must be the work of Queen Musen [Simon], meaning that the secret chamber contains the residual power of Queen Musen.

But... where is this power?

Xin Hui's gaze suddenly fell on the huge wooden vine statue over there, as if a flash of inspiration had struck him. He slowly approached, wanting to find out the truth behind his guess, but he had only taken a few steps when a whisper came from behind him.

【Ignorant and insignificant humans, daring to desecrate the glory of the Forest Queen, your sins are truly unforgivable…】

Chapter 85 Let's Have a Good Talk

That was Simon's voice, clear and solemn, possessing both a woman's gentleness and Simon's own unique coolness.

The next moment, Simon's figure descended from the wooden vine statue, a stunningly beautiful figure formed from a pale green cloud of energy.

Compared to the monotonous wooden vine statue, the petite figure descending from the sky perfectly showcased the beauty of Queen Simon of the Wood Forest.

Because she was born as a wood spirit, Simon's appearance retained her long, pointed elven ears, her fair and delicate face, her long, flowing emerald green hair, and the red cherry-like hair ornament on her forehead.

Simone, dressed in a pure white dress, lightly stepped into the air with her slender, jade-like legs. Her jade feet touched the ground, creating ripples where she landed.

When Simon suddenly appeared there, Xin Hui was immediately stunned. Her cold aura was not like the gentle and approachable feeling of Queen Mu Sen.

A pair of bright emerald green eyes seemed to be glaring angrily at Xinhui. If I'm not mistaken, they were warning her of her previous rude behavior, which had dared to offend her statue.

"Who are you? Why don't you heed the advice of the stone tablet?"

Simon's condescending attitude was like questioning the people in the secret chamber, and they were powerless to resist under the aura of a god. A mere wisp of the demon god's will nearly forced them all to prostrate themselves.

Apart from Xinhui, who was still able to withstand the pressure from Simon, everyone else had a flushed face and seemed to be struggling to resist her aura.

"Your Maple Forest Queen, I am the acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius in Mondstadt. We have come here to investigate the anomalies in the Sea of ​​Ashes. We have come here by chance and have no intention of offending you."

Commander Qin planted the Wind Eagle Sword in the ground and straightened up with her hands. Sweat was visible on her face, but she did not bend over again.

As for Ke Qing, she was petite, unlike Commander Qin who was tall and strong, but she never lowered her head from beginning to end, because she saw that Xin Hui in front of her did not back down, so she could not either!

Therefore, Keqing's voice actually carried a somewhat provocative tone, "Queen of Musen, I respect your authority as a 'pillar' god, but you cannot humiliate us like this."

That's right, she just couldn't stand these self-righteous gods, thinking that imprisoning everyone would make them submit?

"To humiliate you?" Simon's dress swayed in the air, like a beautiful sight. "You have trespassed into my slumbering place and dared to blaspheme the glory of the gods. You deserve to be punished."

In Simon's eyes, the pressure she exerted on Keqing and the others was nothing more than a minor punishment.

“However, what surprises me is that someone can remain unmoved in the face of my power.” As she said this, her emerald green eyes glanced at Xin Hui, then her gaze sharpened. “You… there’s a familiar aura about you.”

Xin Hui smiled calmly at this moment, "Is that so? Then, Queen Mu Sen, could you please set aside your powers for a moment? We can have a proper talk. I believe that you, who were revered in that era, will be magnanimous enough to forgive our rudeness."

Xinhui suppressed his impulse and respectfully begged Simon for forgiveness.

He hadn't expected Simon to listen to his request, but to his surprise, the latter agreed immediately: "Alright then."

With her announcement, the overwhelming sense of pressure that had filled the training ground vanished abruptly, and Simon's body slowly descended.

With a light leap, she arrived in front of Xinhui, pressed her ear to his neck and carefully sniffed his scent. Then, Simon licked her red and glossy lips with great interest.

"So that's it. It's you. You've actually fallen to this state..." These were the words Simon whispered in Xin Hui's ear. "No wonder you were so calm. It turns out you were relying on our acquaintance. But don't take chances next time. Not all gods are as magnanimous as I am."

After hearing her words, Xin Hui couldn't help but smile bitterly. Could it be that the will of all demon gods is so different from their original personality? The original [Simon] was such a holy and gentle being, why has he reversed so drastically now?

However, he still had to remind Simon, "Try not to reveal the relationship between us."

Although he didn't want to repeat the experience of erasing the witnesses' memories after encountering [Yi Meng] at the "Border," for most mortals here, sometimes knowing less is better for their own safety.