Chapter 69
As it turned out, Sui was arrogant and foolish. He was sealed in darkness.
Within the tomb, he swallowed the humiliation he had sown. Afterwards, his power split into twelve fragments. Each fragment possessed its own independent consciousness.
At Firstborn, the twelve fragments had no distinction of age. Perhaps due to their excessive malevolence, they began fighting for no reason as soon as they awoke, yet they could not kill each other.
They fought for many years. Some got tired of fighting, some got scared of fighting, and some got fed up with fighting. In short, they gradually couldn't fight anymore, and none of them wanted to be trapped in this cycle forever.
Later, they discussed how to rank the twelve as eldest brothers and sisters. Ultimately, they decided that whoever first obtained the answer to that question from heaven and earth would be ranked higher.
Shi Lei had been reading many books lately, including one on the mythology of the Yan. It mentioned the Sui Beast, but not its twelve fragments.
"What's the problem?"
"To put it simply, it boils down to three words: 'Who am I?' The twelve fragments possess endless time, each figuring things out from their own interests and hobbies. Some progress quickly, some slowly, thus determining their respective sibling rankings."
Some fragments linger in the human world, some hide in paintings, and some sink into dreams, each undisturbed by the other.
Until one day, one of the fragments died. To be precise, it lost its independent consciousness. Only then did the other fragments realize that Sui might use this opportunity to awaken and return to this land.
One fragment, ranking relatively low, had slumbered for centuries out of boredom. When she most recently awoke, she discovered that the world had undergone a complete transformation.
The world has become filled with so many new and wonderful things. She hadn't eaten enough, drunk enough, or played enough. But because her brother might awaken at any moment, anywhere from a few decades to a few centuries later, she feared for her brothers and sisters' safety and had to search everywhere for a way to avert disaster.
Some things happened too long ago, and no one can be certain. Will the weaknesses from before the age of 18 still be effective after awakening? If it were you, what do you think this lower-ranking fragment should do?
"Forehead..."
The final question of the year gave him a very strong sense of déjà vu. It was like someone coming to the Doctor, who first recounted a long list of friends' relationship experiences, saying they were troubled by love and had to give counseling every night to alleviate their distress. Then, suddenly, the doctor abruptly changed the subject and asked this friend what to do about kidney deficiency.
Shi Lei's expression was strange, but he gradually realized what was going on. He stared at Nian in front of him and asked:
"Ahem, this fragment you're talking about... it wouldn't happen to be you, would it?"
Are you going to hit me again?. jpg
111 Storyteller
That last sentence contained a lot of information.
She mentioned the birth of civilization on the Terra, the predicament of the Yan in its early days, and the important role of 'Sui' after the founding of the kingdom. This part wasn't mentioned much in the history books Shi Lei had read. It was mostly just glossed over, as if there were some taboo surrounding it.
As for the later "Great Beast Hunt" where humans turned against the gods and lured them in to kill them, many books mention it, but in a different version.
The story goes that many years ago, the Great Yan Empire possessed vast territory and was inhabited by deities. The emperor at the time, the "Great Yan True Dragon," discovered that these high and mighty gods were unwilling to heed the wishes of the Great Yan people or protect their land. Therefore, he mobilized the entire nation and personally led an expedition. Countless extraordinary figures and righteous heroes from the martial world joined this earth-shattering hunt. No one knows the price the Great Yan True Dragon paid, but it unexpectedly caused the Great Beast 'Sui' to betray its own kind.
After this hunt, the Great Yan Dynasty slew many gods who had angered the Great Yan True Dragon banished all beings unwilling to submit to it. From then on, the fate of the Great Yan rested solely in the hands of the Great Yan True Dragon and its people.
Shi Lei had read all the books that recorded this event, and they all emphasized the decisive role played by the Great Yan True Dragon. They used a great deal of ink to praise the righteousness of the nation, portraying the Great Beast who betrayed his race as an arrogant and ignorant clown.
The leader deserves all the credit, those who know, know.
It's understandable for authors to embellish and artistically embellish their work to get the book published. The actual truth, however, has been gradually forgotten over time. The Great Beast that was branded a traitor was likely Sui. After being sealed away, its power fragmented into twelve pieces.
The fact that someone could describe the order and age of the twelve fragments suggests that they were likely referring to one of the fragments.
In fact, as early as the Penguin Logistics team building trip, which was to the Ursus Hot Spring Hotel, Shi Lei realized that this world possessed extraordinary power.
The Emperor survived being stabbed with a lightsaber by Texas; all it took was a band-aid. This seemed so abnormal that it immediately aroused his suspicion.
Later, when he went to the library, Shi Lei preferred reading history books and various unofficial histories, as well as content related to immortality and supernatural powers.
Hearing him directly expose Fragment's identity, Nian looked somewhat flustered. She hadn't shown such an expression in a long time; the last time was in front of her older siblings.
"No, no, I was just talking about a legendary myth. Please don't misunderstand."
Mythology? Bullshit!
It was barely tolerable that she could pull out Bronze Sword from under her Qipao, but pulling out an iron table for playing mahjong was just too outrageous. It simply wouldn't make sense if she didn't possess some kind of time-space ability.
Shi Lei has never seen anyone else possess such an ability to transcend the Physical Laws. Even Chen with Dragon Horn and Lee cannot do this.
Texas and the others probably guessed Nian's true identity but chose to keep quiet. It was only because they lacked sufficient understanding of many things that they were almost deceived.
Compared to his current location on Terra, Shi Lei has a much better understanding of the Genshin Impact game's world. He just doesn't know if the Great Beast and the demon gods are the same thing.
The fragments born after being sealed away at the age of 18 are somewhat like projections of consciousness. For example, the consciousness of the Dragon King Tuo once possessed the body of a blacksmith's descendant. And these twelve fragments seem to have their own independent bodies and consciousness.
The reason she contacted me privately tonight was because she was afraid that she would disappear after I awakened. Perhaps because certain information needed to be kept secret, she couldn't be too direct. So she used a mythological story as a pretext to ask for help.
So how should I respond?
Also, telling stories?
In a flash, a familiar thought crossed Shi Lei's mind, and he blurted out:
"You say it's a myth, so be it. Perfect, I'd like to tell you a myth too."
???
Year's pupils dilated, thinking he was about to tell the story of the Dragon King's true form. After all, there were no legends of the Dragon King on Terra, so it was very likely that His existence predated 'Year'.
Shi Lei cleared his throat and said loudly:
"Long, long ago, a nation similar to the Great Yan was born on this land, called Liyue. At that time, Liyue was plagued by great demons in the sea and Evil Chi dwelling in the mountains. The people of Liyue were often harassed and harmed by these demons, living in constant fear. The Rex Lapis summoned all the immortals to restore a bright and clear world to the land."
The short passage left Nian speechless.
A country similar to the Great Yan?
What about the common people?
Oh, I see, it's a pre-human civilization!
This is similar to the environment when the Great Yan Kingdom was founded, where in addition to the Great Beast that were called gods, there were also great demons.
It is speculated that the Great Demon was also Great Beast. It was only because it was hostile to humans that it was given such an unpleasant name.
"Legend has it that when the Rex Lapis went to war, he said: 'In this world, demons and gods have risen up. Although I have no intention of competing for supremacy, I know the suffering of the common people. I only wish to cleanse the four directions and protect a corner of this floating world.'"
Shi Lei deliberately slowed down his speech when recounting this. Because learning the classic lines of the Rex Lapis only grants one set of Roleplay Value; it cannot be repeated.
Normally, when I'm just slacking off, I only learn the essence, not the form. Now that I'm deliberately learning the form, I naturally want to emulate the original form. With my hands behind my back, it's as if I'm looking down on the world from a high platform.
"One day, the Rex Lapis was traveling alone in the mountains when he heard an ancient, unheard-of sound from a crevice in the earth. It was the sound of ancient Geo-elemental creature living beneath Liyue, most of whom were blind. They had lived underground for thousands of years, never seeing the sunlight."
The sound was sometimes mournful like a song, sometimes terrifying like thunder. The Rex Lapis the sound and found a strange stone within the rock strata. Granting the stone's wish, he brought it back to the surface. He cherished the stone's spirit and prepared to personally perform the work. Using his finger as a brush, he would add the finishing touch to the stone. In the blink of an eye, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and a true dragon was born from the sky!
Dragon?
Nian was adept at identifying keywords, and his eyes lit up upon hearing this. Could Shi Lei be referring to the origin of the Dragon King?
For some reason, hearing this made her tremble uncontrollably. It was an era far removed from 'years', a true legend!
I never expected Shi Lei's true background to be so powerful! And that Rex Lapis must be an even more powerful being.
"The Rex Lapis not only brought it back to the surface, but also granted it the ability to see clearly. He made a three-point agreement with the Stone Dragon, allowing it to coexist peacefully with humans on the surface. If the Stone Dragon ever disrupted the order, it would be sealed back into the darkness. From then on, the dragon often accompanied the Rex Lapis, fighting alongside him in battles across the north and south..."
Stone Dragon that has received enlightenment will certainly be able to wield abilities related to stone. Shi Lei's abilities are also related to rocks, rock pillars, and shields. Furthermore, his name happens to contain four characters with the character 'stone'.
Nian's purple eyes widened, and she instantly understood.
Oh, I get it, Shi Lei is a fragment of Stone Dragon!
112 I will take action.
Nian's face was filled with shock, completely unlike her usual self. After sleeping for hundreds of years and then traveling through the human world for hundreds of years, she should have been able to take most things in stride.
However, the ancient legends that were not passed down to the world made it difficult for Nian to remain calm, and he couldn't help but ask:
"What's the name of that Stone Dragon?"
"Dragon King Tuo".
See? I told you he was a fragment of the Dragon King.
Nian felt secretly pleased, as if she had expected this answer. It was like guessing the murderer in a detective novel beforehand and feeling extremely satisfied after confirming the answer.
Shi Lei noticed something amiss in her expression and decided to speed things up. He glossed over the Erosion, the Black Calamity, and other details to avoid interrupting her every now and then to seek explanations.
"The people of Liyue engaged in rampant mining, polluting the underground and gradually encroaching on the habitat of the Dragon King Tuo. Coupled with the passage of time causing its memories to fade, it became increasingly irritable and restless. Ultimately, it broke the pact it had signed and attacked the Chasm under Liyue's rule. Finally, it was forced to engage in a great battle with the Rex Lapis. Relying on its remaining sanity, it pleaded with the Geo Archon to seal it away, ending this catastrophe."
To resolve a disaster, one must first have the capacity to resolve it. If, in the myth you mentioned, the creature suddenly awakens, as a fragment, it certainly has no chance of resistance. Therefore, there's no need for excessive anxiety or worry. Even if the sky falls, there will be others with greater power to hold it up, don't you think?
After thinking about it briefly, I realized it made a lot of sense.
Nowadays, the Great Yan Dynasty is full of talented people. It's rare to encounter someone like her Sui Beast Fragment.
There are quite a few talented people who can be touched.
Aside from the few fragments they were, the person 'Sui' cared about most when he awoke was probably the Great Yan Emperor.
For the sake of the Great Yan dynasty and its people, he would stop at nothing to prevent Sui's awakening. After all, the fragments originated from the original body, making them difficult to resist. Having them monitor and prevent it was indeed more reliable than seeking help from his brothers and sisters.
Since they value the awakening of the Sui Beast just as much as they value their own, there's no point in worrying about when it will awaken. It's better to live each day to the fullest.
The problem that had troubled her for years was solved by him with just a few words. This made her white dragon tail sway lazily, and she felt completely relaxed.
Do you have any weapons you'd like to forge?
Shi Lei remembered that he had refused the last time he was asked, and he didn't understand why he was being asked again now.
"I can make my own suitable weapons without needing to forge them."
"What about the armor?"
He immediately cast a shield on himself and retorted:
Do I look like someone who needs armor?
The smile in Nian's eyes deepened, and he walked over and gently touched the surface of the Jade Shield:
"Then let me make you a few sets of furniture, like tables, chairs, and cabinets, that's no problem."
Facing the fragrant breeze, Shi Lei raised his hands to show his innocence. He glanced down at the railing, then looked away and asked:
"Miss Nian, is there anything else? If not, I'll be leaving now."
She stuck ten needles to the Jade Shield and moved them back and forth like rolling balls on a cutting board. Experiencing this ancient power up close, she hoped to gain some insight.
"Don't rush, what kind of metal furniture do you like? I'll make two sets for you later."
We already have a lot of wooden furniture at home, so it would look very out of place to force in metal furniture.
Shi Lei preferred to politely decline, saying he would wait until he had saved up some money before going with Texas to choose furniture in the same color scheme.
"I haven't done anything to deserve this. I haven't helped you, so why do you have to give me something?"
"Why not?"
Nian squatted down at his feet and poked at the shield, seemingly trying to figure out its operating principles and mechanisms:
"You've helped me a lot."
Shi Lei looked down at her, not wanting to say anything directly:
"You told a legend, and I told a legend. What help did we get? Also, get up quickly. Being seen like this could easily cause misunderstandings."
"Don't worry, you won't see it. I want to try and see if I can learn anything from it, to add another trump card to my defense."
As a fragment of consciousness that has emerged from the past, it is perfectly normal for the year to fear the awakening of the year.
With the system at his side, Shi Lei was completely fearless.
At the current rate of guaranteed 5 Roleplay Value per day, it will only take 100 days to reach the Archon Realm, 200 days to reach the Seven Archons Realm, and 340 days to reach the True God Realm.
Even without any other Roleplay Value- based income, he could become invincible in the world in less than two years.
The year is still several decades away from awakening. What's there to be afraid of after such a long time? With hundreds or thousands of years of cultivation by then, no one will know how to lose.
If Sui truly awakens, he will take action.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Shi Lei was utterly speechless at Nian's behavior. Even the Jade Shield wasn't a product of Terra; even if she wore it down to its patina, she wouldn't understand how to use it.
"Get up quickly, I really need to go down."
Hearing him urge her again, Nian got up as instructed.
She deliberately chose to touch the area below her calves when she stroked the Jade Shield to avoid causing any misunderstanding.