Genshin impact: immortal cultivation in teyvat

25. Ningguang: You Are So Capable—Shall We Cultivate Immortality Together?

The title alone spoke volumes.

Ningguang and the others frowned in confusion.

Cultivation… it likely referred to the pursuit of immortality.

In Liyue, while it was common for ordinary people to seek immortality, high-ranking officials were absolutely forbidden from doing so. Anyone who dared to entertain such thoughts would be scolded by the adepti.

But now, why was Zhongli himself suggesting the idea of cultivating immortality?

Moreover, immortals were beings born from heaven and earth—was it even possible to achieve immortality through cultivation?

Even the adepti were followers of the Geo Archon. Zhongli himself was a being capable of elevating others to that status, but it was not something that could be done casually.

---

"Everyone must have noticed the thunderclouds that covered Liyue earlier this morning," Zhongli said casually.

Ningguang immediately responded, "Yes. Other nations have already contacted the Ministry of Civil Affairs through various secret channels to inquire about what happened."

She paused before adding, "Emperor, that thunderstorm seemed to affect all of Teyvat."

Zhongli nodded slightly, unsurprised by Ningguang's report.

"That is exactly what I want to discuss," he continued.

"Is there a war? Do we need to intervene?" Granny Ping asked naturally.

Despite her appearance as a kind old woman, Granny Ping was one of the most formidable adepti in Liyue. If a battle were truly necessary, she could return to her immortal form at any time.

"War?" Zhongli shook his head gently. "On the contrary, the reason I have summoned you all today is not a calamity, but a great opportunity."

"If handled correctly, this could elevate Liyue beyond merely being a divine kingdom on earth—it could become a land of immortals."

"However, if we fail to handle this matter properly, Liyue could be completely destroyed. At best, we would fade into obscurity and disappear from the world of Teyvat."

"This is not a decision I can make alone. It must be decided collectively."

The room fell into deep silence.

Although still confused, the officials and adepti felt somewhat relieved—it wasn't war, at least.

---

"Liyue's adeptus, Cloud Retainer, will explain," Zhongli said, tapping his fingers lightly on the table.

Cloud Retainer stood up and began her explanation.

"The story begins with an outsider who arrived in Teyvat a hundred days ago. To be precise—an immortal cultivator..."

For the next hour, Cloud Retainer detailed the events of the past hundred days, explaining Jiang Yan's situation in simple terms.

She even repeated what Jiang Yan had said earlier that day, as well as the words exchanged between Zhongli and Alice.

When she finally sat down, her voice hoarse from speaking, the entire Qunyu Pavilion was shrouded in unprecedented silence.

After a long pause, Ningguang pressed her fingers against her temples, feeling a headache coming on.

"If all of this is true, then this event is indeed a turning point—not just for Liyue, but for all of Teyvat."

---

"What do you mean? Are you doubting my words?" Cloud Retainer snapped, clearly irritated.

"Cloud Retainer!" Zhongli's voice carried a rare note of sternness.

"Now is not the time for personal disputes. Besides, this story does sound unbelievable. When you first heard Jiang Yan's words, did you not find them difficult to believe as well?"

Cloud Retainer snorted but sat back down, giving Zhongli some face.

Ningguang, understanding that Cloud Retainer disliked her, did not argue.

Instead, she furrowed her brows and continued, "Since the emperor himself acknowledges it, then there should be no mistake. However… cultivation of immortality..."

She hesitated before asking, "Emperor, I must ask—if you were to fight this 'Mr. Jiang,' what would your chances be?"

This question piqued everyone's curiosity.

Zhongli fell silent for a long moment before sighing.

"Even if all the Demon Gods in Teyvat, along with the original Archons and their followers, were to join forces, we would still not be his match."

"Even I am powerless against him."

"If he truly wished to destroy Teyvat, it would take but a moment."

His words left everyone utterly numb.

"Is… is that really true?" Keqing couldn't help but ask.

She had always doubted Zhongli's continued rule over Liyue, but she had unwavering confidence in his strength.

After all, he was the God of War—the one who single-handedly conquered the land of Liyue.

---

"It is true," Zhongli nodded solemnly.

"He used a technique called 'Ten Thousand Swords' earlier. The mere residual energy from it gave me the unmistakable sense of inevitable death."

"As he said, I am only at the late stage of Qi Refinement and Deification, while the adeptus closest to the Demon God's power—Xiao—is merely at the peak of Qi Refinement."

"Even beings as powerful as Ganyu and Shenhe are only at the mid-stage of Qi Refinement."

"From this, we can infer that most of the original Archons may not have even reached the level of Qi Transformation."

Ningguang felt a suffocating weight settle over her chest.

---

"The first realm…" she murmured.

"The most terrifying thing about cultivators is not just their power," Zhongli added. "It is the fact that they are dedicated to the pursuit of immortality."

"According to Jiang Yan, their path to immortality allows them to avoid erosion entirely. As long as they survive tribulations, they can live eternally."

"Though I did not ask his exact lifespan, based on my deductions, it is likely no less than five thousand years—and possibly tens of thousands."

"And yet, his bone age is only in his early twenties."

Ningguang's hands trembled slightly.

"At the very least, he possesses extraordinary combat power without any erosion, for thousands of years?"

"I'm afraid that won't be his limit," Zhongli said with a rare hint of envy.

"He has the talent to become an immortal. Once he reaches that stage, he will never face the crisis of erosion."

---

"So, the first thing we must consider is not how to cultivate immortality, but this 'Mr. Jiang,'" Ningguang said, rubbing her temples as she struggled to remain calm.

"Though he seems gentle and easy to talk to, his power is… beyond measure."

"He is free to do whatever he pleases. All of Teyvat is nothing more than his personal garden."

"You must never intend harm upon another, but you must always be prepared for the worst."

"I believe Ms. Alice has a point. Cultivators have strange methods and are solely focused on their own path. They may have no sympathy for the mortal world."

"What if Mr. Jiang possesses some method that, as Alice suggested, involves sacrificing the world to strengthen himself?"

"We cannot simply trust that he wouldn't do it."

After all, cultivators were not demons, but neither were they saints.

They were a completely unrestrained and domineering group, acting as they pleased.

Ningguang was unwilling to gamble Liyue's safety on the assumption that Jiang Yan bore no ill intent.

Even if Alice's theory was unreliable, she had already been proven right about 'dual cultivation.'

Who was to say there weren't methods to refine weapons through mass slaughter?

Between trusting another and trusting herself, Ningguang had long made her choice.

If she had ever trusted others blindly, she would have been swallowed whole in Liyue's cutthroat political and economic battles.

---

"Hah! That's easy to say," Cloud Retainer sneered.

"Do you have a way to control him? Through the emperor? Through us? Or through your insignificant political power?"

Her words made the Seven Stars bristle with displeasure.

But as much as they disliked it, they couldn't refute her.

For an existence like Jiang Yan, it was laughable to even think about control.

To try would be to invite their own demise.

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