Shattering a Divine Throne was no easy feat.
As the foundation of the current Seven Archons' order, a fragment of the Seven Divine Thrones, to maintain their rule, its resilience was unshakeable, even with the power of the Abyss.
And during this process, if Celestia noticed, there would be hell to pay.
Therefore, Focalors had chosen to spend five hundred years accumulating a vast amount of Numina of Justice and Order—this power, converted from the power of belief, was what Celestia demanded to maintain the order of The Seven.
But in reality, even this wasn't enough to shake a Divine Throne.
What truly destroyed the Divine Throne of the Hydro Archon wasn't just the five-hundred-year-old Numina of Justice and Order,
But also…
The life of "Focalors, the Hydro Archon."
As Egeria's successor, although Focalors had never experienced battle, she possessed immense power.
This power wasn't much less than the five-hundred-year-old Numina of Justice and Order.
Using both as bargaining chips, Focalors had embarked on a gamble with an unknown outcome.
Unexpectedly, today,
This desperately sought-after result…
"Crack."
The seemingly indestructible object shattered so easily.
Like a fragile eggshell, crushed between slender fingers.
At this moment,
The consultant of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor in Liyue, the bard outside the tavern in Mondstadt, and even the centuries-old shut-in in Inazuma… those connected to the Divine Thrones, all looked towards Fontaine in surprise.
A fragment of a Divine Throne… had collapsed?!
Iridescent water flowed from the shattered "Throne," converging and flowing towards Neuvillette, who stared at this scene with wide eyes, finding it unbelievable.
"Such abundant power…" Neuvillette clenched his hand, feeling the power filling his body, and murmured in a daze, "The power of the Sovereign dragon… has returned."
"Neuvillette, you are now a complete dragon."
[Furina], having done all this, lowered her hand and asked with a smile, "Hydro Dragon of Teyvat, as you are now, you should be able to understand Fontaine's hidden truth without further explanation, right?"
"…Mmm."
Neuvillette lowered his hand and nodded silently.
Previously, as an incomplete dragon, he naturally couldn't perceive Fontaine's secret. After all, Fontaine's people were created by Egeria—as creations of the Primordial Sea's heart, how could an incomplete elemental dragon perceive the Hydro Archon's handiwork?
But now, it seemed he could obtain the answer without much explanation.
As a complete dragon, Neuvillette could clearly sense the waters of Teyvat, the Oceanid nature of Fontaine's people, and the primordial water within their veins.
Thus, everything in the prophecy instantly became clear to him, the Hydro Dragon.
Of course, he still had questions:
"Was all of this… Egeria's doing?"
"Indeed." As Furina looked at her with surprise, the girl walked onto the stage and clasped her hands together.
"Unlike other nations, Fontaine is a nation of water. There were no humans here from the very beginning."
"There were only Egeria and her Oceanid dependents."
"Oceanids connected Teyvat's waterways, witnessing the Seven Nations. They envied human life and wished to become human."
"As their beloved Archon, Egeria didn't see this as a wrong desire, and she responded to their wishes."
"Unfortunately, Egeria didn't possess the power to create life. She could only compromise, choosing to… borrow from herself, merging primordial water into the Oceanids' veins, fulfilling their wish to become human."
"However, this action was undoubtedly unacceptable to Celestia, who was enraged and imprisoned the Mistress of Many Waters, pronouncing a vicious prophecy—one day, the primordial water will submerge everything, and all Fontaine citizens will dissolve into the sea."
"That Celestia is so mean!" Fairy Ely waved her wand angrily, as if wanting to bash it against Celestia's head. But then she wondered, "But if it wanted to punish the mistress of the Primordial Sea, why not just eliminate Egeria, or destroy Fontaine directly?"
"Teyvat's original Primordial Sea heart was the Hydro Dragon. To control Teyvat's trajectory, the Primordial Sea, capable of spontaneously generating life, was undoubtedly a dissonance within the established order. Therefore, Celestia created Egeria, the heart of the Primordial Sea, to replace the former's function."
"As for the latter, compared to momentary pain, the feeling of knowing that everything will be destroyed, yet being powerless to stop it, is the most agonizing, isn't it?" Hearing this, Furina, shocked by the truth, nodded subconsciously.
Indeed, the feeling of "I can't do anything" was incredibly frustrating!
"Five hundred years ago, during the Kaenri'ah Cataclysm, Egeria went to the battlefield and entrusted her power to me."
Furina grumbled and rolled her eyes.
Wait, are you really getting into character?
This performance… even I almost believed it.
"Now, I return this usurped power to Teyvat's elemental dragon."
"Neuvillette, you've served as my Ludex (Chief Justice) for five hundred years, witnessing this nation's prosperity."
"Please, deliver the most impartial judgment upon Fontaine." The blue and white-haired girl took off her hat, revealing her smooth hair. The moment she removed the hat, [Furina]'s aura seemed to change. She spoke softly, a smile on her face.
Focalors's plan was to have Neuvillette, restored to his complete dragon form, resolve the original sin of Fontaine's people. After all, in this world, besides Celestia, perhaps only Teyvat's original master could do such a thing.
But for the current her, there was no longer a need for this.
If necessary, without even relying on Neuvillette, the complete dragon, the complete Furina, merged with Jiang Qiao, could also use the power of the Sovereign dragon.
And she didn't even need the complete power. Just using half of the power within the Divine Throne, the "complete Furina" could achieve her goal, absolving Fontaine's people of their sin.
After all, when it came to using other people's power, Jiang Qiao was quite experienced.
However, [Furina] still chose to return the power of the Sovereign dragon to Neuvillette.
This was the justice Focalors upheld.
In Focalors's opinion, if Fontaine's people stealing the primordial waters of the Primordial Sea to become human was a sin,
Then wasn't Celestia, who seized the power of the Sovereign dragons, also guilty of a heinous crime?
As the God of Justice, Focalors had no intention of touching this power that already had an owner.
Therefore, to uphold her justice, she returned this power to Neuvillette—and for various reasons, Focalors didn't even use it herself before returning it, but instead gave Neuvillette the right to absolve Fontaine's people of their sin.
To Focalors's surprise, Jiang Qiao didn't mind at all and fully supported her decision, allowing her to do as she pleased. Otherwise, if Jiang Qiao disagreed, even as the true owner of this body, Focalors wouldn't be able to win against him.
"It's alright, if you can't make a decision immediately, you have plenty of time to think."
"There's still time, Neuvillette."
[Furina] smiled, looking at Neuvillette, who remained silent.
Originally, Focalors had used a despicable method akin to "kidnapping," leaving Mr. Hydro Dragon with no choice.
It was like a forced abdication.
Neuvillette, restored to his complete dragon form, had temporarily abandoned the idea of reclaiming the other Sovereign dragons' powers and continued to be a workaholic in Fontaine.
But Focalors had no other choice. After all, Fontaine was in such a state.
If she didn't use some cunning methods to "kidnap" Neuvillette, the Hydro Dragon, setting aside the prophecy, even if they survived the prophecy, if Neuvillette left and Focalors perished, Fontaine's top combat power would be gone.
Although Fontaine's technology was relatively advanced, if something happened, could they really rely on Clorinde and Navia to overcome the difficulties?
As a joke, without Archon-level combat power, those monsters in Fontaine's main and side stories could easily destroy Fontaine.
But now, Focalors, with Jiang Qiao, didn't need to do such "despicable" things.
For the current [Furina],
Even if Neuvillette truly maintained the original judgment on Fontaine's people, after obtaining certain necessary items, she could still solve the problem of Fontaine's people dissolving in water.
In that case, there was no need to force Neuvillette into making a seemingly difficult, but actually single, choice.
"Think slowly, I'll be leaving now."
"Mmm… Furina, can you take Fairy Ely around Fontaine?"
"Eh…?"
"That's not a problem…" Furina, who had originally intended to go with them, was confused and mumbled, "But can't we go together?"
"The place I'm going to might be a bit dangerous, so it's better if I go alone."
[Furina] said without batting an eye.
"Ah… alright then." Furina nodded regretfully.
"Is it really dangerous?"
Fairy Ely, however, seemed to sense something, flying in front of [Furina], her innocent eyes filled with suspicion, as if she had smelled something.
Unfortunately, even after circling him, she could only smell "Furina," no other women.
"Mmm."
"Alright then." Fairy Ely nodded, still half-suspicious.
Thus, Fairy Ely and Furina stayed in Fontaine, while [Furina] took a boat to Sumeru.
Focalors cheered internally at this outcome.
The answer was obvious—it wasn't Jiang Qiao who suggested leaving Fairy Ely and Furina behind, but Focalors!
As for why, was there a need to explain?
Focalors, close to Jiang Qiao, knew very well what Fairy Ely was—a formidable opponent!
Keeping this opponent by her side, what if she discovered something?
They had to be separated!
As for Furina…
Well, although she was her human side, theoretically the same person,
But one Jiang couldn't tolerate two Furinas! Before they merged again, she only needed one Furina clinging to Jiang Qiao in this body!
Besides, Sumeru wasn't a good place.
Especially the place they were going to, it was full of sand. What was so good about eating sand?
Therefore, thinking that Furina had already suffered enough for so many years, and Focalors couldn't bear to see her suffer any more—she would take this unpleasant jour… ahem, this suffering for Furina!
After all, she was also Furina. Who said Focalors wasn't Furina?!
"Don't peek!"
Focalors, noticing something, tried to cover up, her cheeks slightly red.
Jiang Qiao rested his chin in his hand, a helpless expression on his face.
They were currently sharing a body; their thoughts were practically transparent. Even if she deliberately didn't look, it was useless.
It was like trying to hide the sun with one's hand.
However, Jiang Qiao didn't pay much attention to Focalors's little thoughts.
He was focused on familiarizing himself with this body.
His own status and power went without saying. Both Honkai energy and Aeon Pathstrider power were powers from outside this world, no less potent than Teyvat's three elemental forces.
But because this wasn't his own body—or rather, his own body wasn't that strong either,
Jiang Qiao was never strongest when using his own body, but when using others'. Although his body had a complete set of Herrscher powers, because [Jiang Qiao] was human,
[Jiang Qiao]'s state was similar to Elysia's.
Powerful abilities, but limited energy.
This [Furina] body was similar.
Initially, obtaining this body had been a downgrade for Jiang Qiao. Besides allowing him to better access the power of this world, it wasn't even as good as his own body, which at least had complete Herrscher powers.
But after reclaiming Focalors's Gnosis and Archon power, the power within this [Furina] body had instantly become full, like a fully inflated cream puff.
Although Focalors used the relatively low-level elemental power, for Jiang Qiao, who was inherently energy-deficient, this was still a good supplement.
He could even use this as a basis for conversion and refinement,
Improving the quality and density of the elemental power he wielded.
This current vessel was a genuine, top-tier Archon.
Even fighting Celestia, Jiang Qiao wasn't afraid.
Five hundred years of Numina of Justice and Order could last for quite a while.
However, compared to Celestia, who had the entire order of The Seven as an energy source, the current [Furina] was still somewhat lacking.
The power of the Sovereign dragon was a good option, and the compatibility was good.
But unfortunately, it belonged to Mr. Hydro Dragon. Considering that Cryo Dragon had been working for five hundred years and was about to receive his payment, Jiang Qiao couldn't bring himself to steal it.
He had to find another way.
Fortunately, Jiang Qiao had many methods.
Looking at the distant Vourukasha Oasis, [Furina] smiled slightly.
Mmm, the current Hydro Archon's coffers were empty, but there was still the previous Hydro Archon, wasn't there?
Therefore—
Lady Egeria, here I come!