The Infinite Journey of a Certain Flame

"Let go...let go of me..."

Extremely weak, she reached out and gently pushed Kiana's shoulder, trying to break free from the grasp of this unknown powerful figure.

However, faced with this rude man, she was already exhausted from the previous exchange and could offer very little resistance.

Aside from making Kiana feel like a little black cat is tickling her, it serves no other purpose.

Compared to this weak and powerless resistance, the explosion behind her gradually calming down, and the lightning element going berserk after losing its master's command, were more likely to attract her attention.

"The direction of the lightning elemental surge... is Inazuma Castle. Have Ying and the others left the castle yet? Even if this power can't completely destroy the castle, it could easily destroy seventy or eighty percent of it..."

Kiana didn't know if Kage would go insane if he witnessed his kingdom being destroyed in the aftermath of the battle.

But she knew very well that if Inazuma was killed in this battle, then the main quest given by the system would be a complete failure.

That's 10,000 Herrscher Points...

"We can't delay any longer, otherwise there will be no way to remedy the situation... I've got it, the Conquer Gem might be able to directly control the lightning element."

[Based on estimates, controlling the rampaging lightning elemental power nearby will require 1000 Herrscher Points. Are you willing to spend them, host?]

"Why is it so expensive? It's just for controlling the price!" Kiana, clinging to the shadow, couldn't help but question in her heart.

The world's material composition systems differ, so converting power requires additional points.

"Bah..."

Although the system's handling fee was a bit high, Kiana couldn't care less about that at this critical moment because the situation was too urgent.

With the extravagance of Herrscher Points, the power to conquer gems is unleashed.

Kiana held Shadow with her left arm, forcing the helpless Shadow to resign herself to her fate, while raising the Flame King Sword high in her right hand.

"Ten directions of thunder and lightning, submit to me!"

Almost in a split second, the thunder that had swept across the world fell silent.

The sight was so overwhelming that even the God of Thunder of this world forgot to struggle.

She simply couldn't believe that someone could... exercise God's power on her behalf without her permission!

Song of Flames and Lightning (Genshin Impact Inazuma Main Story): Chapter 52 They Once Existed, They Prayed.

The thunderstorm that swept across the world eventually subsided. This earth-shattering battle happened too suddenly, leaving everyone, from the self-imposed isolation of Kage to the entire Inazuma Kingdom, utterly shocked.

“You have lost, Shadow.” Kiana withdrew her hand and slowly gazed at the god in her arms. “However, your strength is commendable. It is a blessing for the Inatsume people to have such a powerful god protecting them.”

Words of comfort, spoken by the victor, no matter how calm and polite, always carry a sense of belittling.

Ying snapped out of her daze and continued to try to break free from the girl's grasp.

At this moment, she could feel a warm current flowing through her body, as if she were warming herself by a blazing fire, which made her feel somewhat disoriented.

The discomfort caused by this close contact was secondary; she could clearly feel the force with which the other person was using.

It seemed as if they were afraid they would break free...

What exactly is she trying to do?

"I don't understand what you're trying to say. This duel before the emperor... I lost, and I accept it wholeheartedly."

Although it was humiliating and unbelievable, Shadow had to admit that she had lost to Kiana's seemingly divine intervention.

Following the rules of the royal duel, the loser will face the blade of Wuxiang, which means being executed by the god himself, thus demonstrating the majesty of the ruler of the eternal kingdom.

Even if you are the loser, you cannot escape it.

"Let me go, I'll take my own life, this is your honor... Don't use so much force, huff, I can't breathe. Let me go!"

"Don't let it go."

"why?"

"Because I want to protect you." Kiana smiled brightly, then hugged the suicidal god even tighter.

She didn't want her to become despondent because of failure, or to hurt herself because of such a negative thought.

However, the confrontation happened so suddenly that, although she had a lot to say, she was unable to put together a convincing argument.

In the end, Kiana gave up on thinking and telling her story, and simply held Shadow tightly with both hands, forcing him to be unable to break free. Then she began to fly at an extremely fast speed.

Because the lightning elements controlled by the gods were freed and continued to roam time, the previously overcast sky finally cleared up...

The execution took place at dusk, and after the battle, the orange sunset was replaced by a sky full of stars.

Under this sky full of stars, Kiana flew steadfastly. Where did she want to go? Why was she so determined to take this action?

Only she herself knew the truth; Ying, who had lost her freedom, could not fathom it, nor did she want to.

As the Goddess of Thunder who dreams of eternal life and seeks eternity for all her subjects, she meditates quietly in the Pure Land of One Heart, seeking only eternity, but never considering what the future holds.

I remember that country that ran at full speed, which vanished in an instant because of its yearning for the future.

Only by freezing this moment can the light of the rice paddies be preserved forever.

This is the dream she strives to promise her subjects.

However...

The appearance of this white-haired girl completely pulled her out of her rigid self-imposed isolation...

What will happen next?

Shadow tugged at Kiana's arm, feeling a sense of bewilderment she had never experienced before. This bewilderment stemmed not only from the smiling girl but also from a deep-seated fear of the future...

"Don't be afraid, with me here, even the laws of heaven can't do anything to you."

Kiana's tone was so gentle, not at all like that of a condescending victor, but rather like... an old friend she hadn't seen for many years.

"Could she be a survivor of the Demon God War? No... that's absolutely impossible... even a demon god couldn't retain such power after countless ages of wear and tear. Who exactly is she...?"

With these questions in mind, Ying's mood gradually calmed down. She silently gave up struggling and glanced over the familiar yet unfamiliar land.

Despite the passage of time and the changes in people and things, she can still recognize the past appearance of the land, albeit only a trace of it.

But it is enough to prove that that period of history existed, and that those people once lived...

As Kiana flew, their location quickly shifted from the vast sea outside Inazuma Castle to the Kageshiro mountain area.

This place is located in a remote area, far from Narukami Shrine, so even during the day, few people come here to stroll around.

An abandoned shrine, deserted and unvisited; fox statues standing in the wilderness; a stream flowing with purified water.

This desolate place resembles an abandoned cemetery.

However, inside the cave where the roots of the Divine Cherry Tree were intertwined, there was a thriving scene.

Beside the tree roots, where the filth and grime had disappeared, plants emitting a faint glow grew. The land, which had been barren and desolate due to the lightning strike, was now covered with lush green grass, and occasionally one or two bright flower buds could be seen growing tenaciously.

Kiana flew into the cave and then gently landed in front of the tangled tree roots.

"arrive..."

After successfully arriving at her destination, Kiana exhaled a breath of stale air and then released the restraints on Shadow.

"Why did you bring me... to this place? I remember this is... the root system of the Divine Cherry, and there are burn marks on it. Did you do this?"

Ying's question was not answered immediately.

She single-mindedly pursued eternity in the Pure Land of One Heart, seeking the eternal light of rice in this way. Perhaps she never imagined that when the divine cherry blossoms were suffering and about to wither.

The memory of a deceased close friend returns to the world with a defiled mind, and after purifying the seeds of calamity, it also purifies itself.

Kiana looked around and felt incredibly comforted by the thriving scene.

“Shadow… I brought you here for a selfish reason.”

What are you planning to do?

"To make up for a friend's regret," Kiana slowly approached, and under Thor's puzzled gaze, took out the fox mask. "Although the owner of this mask only had a subtle connection with you, do you still remember the priestess named Kitsunemiya who used to be by your side?"

A hint of melancholy flashed in her violet eyes, fleeting but easily caught by Kiana.

"You know her? She's the best shrine maiden I've ever seen, and probably the best shrine maiden in Inazuma. This mask... it brings back memories."

Although her memories were fading, Shadow could still recall the mask, and the prayer a priestess had once made, hoping that she would always believe in her own path...

This body, being the most supreme and noble, should hold supreme power over the world. This body should grant its subjects a dream, an eternal and unchanging destiny for countless generations...

Ying stared silently at the mask, seemingly lost in memories...

In this silent exchange, they listened quietly to each other's heartbeats.

Finally, Kiana spoke:

"I... understand your good intentions, but Ying... perhaps you, in your high position, haven't considered whether your people truly need an eternal dream, or the watchful eye of the gods..."

The Song of Flames and Lightning (Genshin Impact Inazuma Main Story): Chapter 53 Face Wash

Despite Kiana's advice, Kage remained silent, simply watching the girl who had abducted him to this place...

Rulers need to consider the future, even thousands of generations to come.

People need to consider their current lives and how they will spend their lives.

These are two different perspectives. The former is ambitious but prone to being in a high position without caring about the people, while the latter can be described as short-sighted or as pragmatic.

It's hard to say who's right and who's wrong.

Kiana never intended to argue with Shadow about right and wrong; this was a matter for their world, and if it needed to be dealt with, it should be decided by them.

However, there are some things she must say, otherwise the stories that happened here will become unknown to anyone as time goes by.

A resolute glint flashed in Kiana's eyes, and then she stared intently at Shadow's beautiful purple eyes.

"The story I'm about to tell you originates from a traveler in a foreign land, and her travel companion..."

A traveler from a foreign land, with the help of a shrine maiden, cleansed the sacred cherry tree of its accumulated filth over the years.

Logically speaking, this should have been an ordinary task, something that should have brought joy and excitement.

However, it wasn't until the very end of the story that the priestess revealed that her true form was no different from the thing that had been exorcised.

She knew clearly that the only difference between her and them was perhaps that memory belonging to the Fox Palace.