At Zhongli's level—standing at the very peak of combat strength in Teyvat—taking even a single step further was harder than ascending the heavens themselves. Worse still, he had to constantly guard against the erosion imposed by the Heavenly Principles. Possessing an immeasurably long lifespan did not mean peace; it meant living with perpetual caution.
Yet today, the guidance of the Prince of Snezhnaya had opened a new window within his long-silent heart.
From that window flowed the radiance of wisdom, surging with a grander, more profound divine power. What remained for him was to push it open—to welcome a renewed, stronger self.
As the Geo Archon, the God of Contracts, Zhongli had once wielded divine authority with boundless confidence. He had believed himself flawless, never realizing that he lacked something essential—emotion.
For a god, this was extraordinarily dangerous.
He loved Liyue's land and its people deeply, yet he could not perceive the love others held for him. He only gave, endlessly, without receiving any spiritual response in return. Over time, this imbalance would corrode the mind—causing doubt in the very meaning of protection, leading to numbness, confusion, and eventual madness.
This was a subtle, nearly invisible form of erosion—the most insidious kind.
History recorded many benevolent gods who suddenly became cold and ruthless, abandoning their homelands without warning, even destroying the very territories they once protected. The root cause was often the same: the absence of emotional resonance.
Severin had removed an existential threat from Zhongli's path.
Because of this, Zhongli believed the Prince of Snezhnaya was not only his benefactor—but also a benefactor to all of Liyue.
"Heaven is fair to all," Zhongli said slowly.
"It granted me immense divine power, yet denied me emotional communion. My life may seem endless, yet it may not rival the brilliance of a human's fleeting decades. Prince of Snezhnaya—allow me to express my gratitude once more."
Holding his teacup with both hands, Zhongli raised it toward Severin.
"It's nothing," Severin replied.
"I differ from you gods. At my core, I am human—so I noticed what you overlooked."
"Among the Liyue Qixing and Eight Bureaus, there are adepti who married humans. Yet none perceived my flaw as you did. This is not merely because you are human, but because your wisdom is unparalleled. What surprises me even more is that with a mortal body, you stand on equal footing with gods."
Now that identities were laid bare, Severin no longer concealed his strength. A vast surge of Cryo elemental power spread outward—power comparable to that of the Cryo Archon herself.
Zhongli finally gained a clear sense of the Prince of Snezhnaya's true might, and his respect deepened.
For a mortal to reach the realm of gods was vastly more difficult than for a god to be born as one.
"I merely followed the current," Severin said calmly.
"The key lies with you. Morax, I told you before—when you reburied the Dust of Realms Lock in Guili Plains and chose to live as Zhongli, consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, you had already begun to grasp Guizhong's true intent. You were only hesitant."
"Now that you understand the lock's meaning, it no longer needs to remain by your side. Let it return to the mortal world. As Guizhong's relic circulates among humans, her legacy will endure in another form."
"And besides—you don't have nearly enough Mora to participate in the bidding. These are my reasons for advising you to withdraw."
Zhongli accepted Severin's reasoning. He too believed the Dust of Realms Lock belonged among humans.
Measuring such a relic in Mora felt crude—but perhaps that was Guizhong's wish.
The warmth of mortal life soothes the human heart.
"Liyue cannot remain forever under my protection," Zhongli said solemnly.
"It cannot depend endlessly on my personal power. After this auction, I will disappear for a time—to carefully consider Liyue's future, and my own path."
"When I have reached clarity, I will return authority to the people, step down from the seat of Geo Archon, and wander freely—among mountains, rivers, and the countless lives of the mortal world."
The former confidence and pride returned to Zhongli's bearing.
Severin was about to ask about the Gnosis when sudden uproar erupted in the auction hall.
The Dust of Realms Lock had sold for an astonishing five billion Mora, shattering Wanwen Bookhouse's auction record.
The final buyer was none other than Baishi, secretary to Ningguang.
Though Baishi had made bids without speaking to anyone, everyone present understood—she represented Ningguang.
Ningguang was Liyue's wealthiest individual, one of Teyvat's foremost tycoons. Once she set her sights on something, no one could compete with her financially.
And once again, reality proved it true.
"Good judgment, Morax," Severin remarked lightly.
Baishi had not been present when the auction began. She arrived midway—clearly dispatched after Ningguang received word of the item.
Ningguang enjoyed collecting valuable artifacts, reselling them later for profit. Yet the Dust of Realms Lock was worth at most three billion Mora—lacking any divine power, it was little more than a collector's piece.
Paying five billion could only mean one thing.
She was currying favor with Zhongli.
Buying the lock was secondary. What she truly sought was the Geo Archon's trust and attention.
"Compared to Keqing—who speaks her mind without restraint—Ningguang is far more the archetypal merchant," Severin said calmly.
"She's friendly, but you can never be certain how sincere she truly is."
Zhongli remained indifferent.
"In that case," Severin added casually,
"why not appoint Keqing as the Tianquan instead?"
He genuinely wanted to see Ningguang's reaction if that happened.
During Severin's diplomatic mission, Ningguang had ordered Beidou to fire a warning shot at the Snezhnayan fleet. Even after arrival, she had not personally greeted him.
Such petty displays might impress others—but to the Prince of Snezhnaya, they were transparent.
"I will give it serious consideration," Zhongli replied without hesitation.
His relationship with Severin was no longer ordinary. There was a sense of meeting a kindred spirit too late in life—Severin's words carried immense weight.
With all eight items auctioned off, Severin headed backstage to settle payment and collect his purchases.
Ji Fang greeted him warmly.
"Mr. Severin, the Ruin Serpent sold for fifty million Mora, and the Tsurumi Island murals for five million. The total comes to fifty-five million Mora."
Zhongli spoke up from the side.
"Boss Ji, the raw stone I entrusted your auction house sold for fifty million Mora. There's no need to pay me—apply it toward my friend's purchase of the Ruin Serpent. Deduct the service fees from my lecture wages. If that's still not enough, I can escort your auction expeditions in the future…"
"That's more than enough!" Ji Fang said hurriedly.
"With Mr. Zhongli's knowledge and strength, we're the ones benefiting. Mr. Severin, you'll only need to pay five million Mora."
"Card," Severin said simply.
He took out a bank card.
At first, Ji Fang assumed it was a standard Liyue savings card—but the golden snowflake emblem and the insignia of the Northland Bank told a very different story.
Her expression changed instantly.
"I… I heard from a Northland Bank clerk just days ago," she blurted out,
"that the bank's headquarters issued a Supreme Gold Card exclusively for the Prince of Snezhnaya. Mr. Severin—are you… the Prince of Snezhnaya?"
When Severin nodded, Ji Fang's face flushed with embarrassment.
She had once assumed he was merely the descendant of some great figure from one of the Seven Nations—
She could not have been more wrong.
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