"Uh…"
Venti's expression instantly froze, and he beca very cautious.
"Old man… you said… that one can't wait any longer?"
"Then… exactly which one is it?"
He was still only a Supre God; there was no way he could sense the thoughts from that level above.
The old man had obtained the Pseudo Star Map Creation, possessing power above the gods, so he could naturally sense it.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's special status also allowed her to sense it—it was not surprising.
Of course, that wasn't the main point.
The real question was: which one of them couldn't wait any longer?
Was it Human Principle Phanes, or Lord Heavenly Principle?
Compared to the Lord Heavenly Principle, it was Human Principle that truly made them uneasy.
Besides the Lord Heavenly Principle and Phanes, and the Four Shades, there were three others he was unfamiliar with—he had never been qualified to et them.
He knew that the Sustainers would only ever act according to the Lord Heavenly Principle's will.
So it must be one of the Four Holy Gods.
Three of them had little interest in the gods of the Great Universe. Only Human Principle held the power of life and death over all divine systems.
Zhongli glanced at his usually carefree friend and spoke steadily.
"Naturally, it's that one—Human Principle. To her, our current stalling is only lowering her patience."
"Although she has been quite tolerant, she thinks on the scale of the entire universe. Her perspective is different from ours. When it's of no consequence, we naturally wish to let the people of the divine collectives enjoy more benefits."
Neuvillette said calmly: "Standing at different heights changes the problems one considers."
"Those who have obtained the Pseudo Star Map Creation think far more long-term than before—their horizons have widened."
Raiden Makoto glanced at the peacefully dining Raiden Ei beside her and smiled gently.
"Naturally, Hydro Dragon King."
"Once, we only needed to think about our duties as leaders of our divine collectives. But with a Cosmology, we must consider how to expand the universes that belong to our divine systems."
Focalors looked over curiously. "As the first to obtain the Pseudo Star Map Creation, how fares the Inazuma Universe now?"
Even now, with her own Pseudo Star Map Creation, she still could not see through Raiden Makoto.
That ant Makoto's power, aside from the Pseudo Star Map Creation, far surpassed her.
It also implied that Inazuma's primordial universe had already begun to develop, able to wield cosmic power.
The more developed the primordial universe, the stronger the cosmic power.
Even with the sa Pseudo Star Map Creation, after canceling out each other's cosmologies, what remained was the raw strength of the user—the primordial universe itself.
Only with overwhelming extra power beyond the Pseudo Star Map Creation could one overturn defeat.
Makoto smiled. "At present, my primordial universe has begun birthing stars. But order remains chaotic, with no galactic structure yet—life and civilization are still a very long way off."
Zhongli stayed silent. Liyue's primordial universe was still just chaotic gas. It had only recently ford and needed long effort to grow.
And with less than half of the main universe's great expansion completed, he couldn't spare the ti or energy to develop it.
He could feel the pressing urgency of needing to advance the universe's developnt.
If he felt this way, how much more urgent must it be for the one who sustained the entire universe?
"Ah…"
Aether let out a long sigh, rubbing his forehead.
"A long way off… I feel like I'm the one who's really a long way off…"
"You all have so many divine systems working to expand the main universe, but my Abyss… it's just one system trying to expand the Abyssal Universe."
"When I asked if you could spare so ti to co help in the Abyss, all of you went silent. Plastic friends."
Azhdaha's young, childlike face twitched, and she waved a hand. "Co on, Aether, it's not that we don't want to help—but the laws of your Abyss… even staying there for a few seconds feels like it's going to swallow us whole."
"And the erosion there is billions of tis worse than it ever was before."
"A minute in the Abyss now is like a million years of erosion in the past. Who dares go there?"
Raiden Ei nodded. "That feeling is not one I wish to experience again."
Seeing everyone's looks of distaste, Lumine spread her hands in puzzlent. "Why don't I feel what you're talking about? Sure, there's a bit of a negative effect, but it's nowhere near as terrifying as you say."
Venti's mouth twitched. "You yourself wield Void Realm Force, and you've long since beco the holder of the Abyss' Origin Power. Of course it doesn't affect you."
The Abyssal Princess had now advanced from First God-King to Supre God, and the Abyss' Origin Power naturally conferred certain permissions over the Abyss.
While Aether was the ruler of the Abyss, his potential might not actually surpass Lumine's.
Aether was bound to the Abyss, but Lumine was not—she had more possibilities ahead of her.
At their level, more possibilities ant steadily rising future heights.
Lumine replied in a tone just a bit sour, "That's nothing."
"You all have chances to obtain Pseudo Star Map Creations, while I don't even get the chance."
Her eyes rolled suddenly, and she looked at Furina. Her face blossod into a smile as she moved closer, her tone brimming with warmth.
"Furina~ We've been the best, best of friends since the earliest days on the continent of Teyvat, haven't we?"
Nahida, seeing Lumine's expression, instantly understood what she was scheming. Her small hands laced together, her clover-shaped eyes glinting with a sly, amused look.
Aether's mouth twitched. Really, dear sister? We're not so shaless, are we? You can't just talk your way into sothing like this.
…Actually, maybe you could.
Zhongli couldn't help but smile; the Traveler looked downright childlike at this mont.
Buer's smile was gentle. Venti, Raiden Makoto, and Tsaritsa also smiled sincerely.
It wasn't mocking Lumine for overestimating herself, but rather the way one might find a child's antics endearing.
Furina, of course, knew exactly what Lumine was leading up to, and replied sincerely, "Of course, Lumine—you're naturally my good friend."
Lumine rubbed her hands together with a hehe. "Since we're such good friends, I have… an unwelco request~"
Although Furina already knew what Lumine wanted to say, she still pretended not to understand.
"What sort of unwelco request, Lumine? But let make it clear—if it concerns the Divine Collective, I won't agree."
Lumine's expression collapsed instantly. She gripped Furina's shoulders. "Just give one chance, my very best friend—just one chance, please?"
"No," Furina replied firmly.
This wasn't a matter of giving a chance or not—it concerned the entire Divine Collective.
Though the original gods of Teyvat were all close friends, Divine Collectives and divine systems were lines that could never be crossed.
It was like in the old days of the Seven Nations—you absolutely could not interfere in each other's domains. To do so would be to tear apart the friendship, even becoming outright enemies.
And now, the stakes were far higher than in the days of the Seven Nations.
The Divine Collectives were tied to Pan-Human History itself, and sothing like a Pseudo Star Map could, if mishandled, trigger shifts across all of Pan-Human History.
If that happened, Human Principle Phanes might just swat down the entire collective in one strike.
While a Divine Collective with a Pseudo Star Map would not vanish entirely, its gods could.
And once judged by Human Principle, there would be no possibility of resurrection.
Lumine's eyes dimd, the speed and decisiveness of the refusal hitting her hard.
Well, she hadn't truly expected success—just thought it was worth trying in case it worked.
Aether covered his face, embarrassed on her behalf. "Alright, Lumine—you just want a Pseudo Star Map, don't you?"
A little ahoge popped up on Lumine's head, pointing toward Aether like an antenna. Her expression brightened instantly, and she rubbed her hands together.
"Hehe, Aether, I knew we're the dearest siblings… You'll definitely share your Pseudo Star Map with ."
Aether's face went dark. "In your dreams. Even if we are siblings, we walk completely different Paths. Even if I gave you my Pseudo Star Map, you couldn't use it."
"Besides, a Pseudo Star Map only ever has one master. Raiden Makoto and Raiden Ei are a special case."
"Unless the previous master completely disappears, a Pseudo Star Map will never acknowledge a new master."
"Don't tell , dear sister, that you're scheming to assassinate your own brother in secret?"
Lumine's face went dark as well. "What do you an, assassinate you? Since when did you get so devious, Aether?"
Aether kept a straight face. "Who do you think I learned it from?"
This shaless sister—always eating, taking, and asking for things from him—might as well just take one of his legs ho.
When she wanted sothing, she called him "Brother." Once she got it, it was back to just "Aether."
Lumine pouted, crossing her arms and huffing. She muttered under her breath.
It's just a Pseudo Star Map… What's the big deal…
She wasn't exactly weak. Compared to the highest gods of other divine systems, she was just as overpowered.
She wielded the feared Abyss' Origin Power, creation power reserved for Primordial Gods, allowing her—while still a Supre God—to create ti-space small universes, plus the Death Authority from Paimon that was close to the level of fundantal Law.
But hers was a "small unlock," whereas a Pseudo Star Map was a "major unlock." Small unlocks didn't really count.
Buer saw Lumine's sour, disappointed look and gently comforted her.
"Lumine, you don't need to be so fixated on a Pseudo Star Map. In the future, there may be sothing even better waiting for you."
"Look—our Teyvat Universe is constantly growing and advancing. Now that Pseudo Star Maps have appeared, surely sothing even more powerful will appear in the future."
"And the Heavenly Principle is fair—it may simply be saving you for sothing greater later."
Neuvillette nodded. "The Greater Lord is right, Traveler. You shouldn't force yourself to pursue sothing unattainable. To obsess over one thing you cannot have will only make you lose sothing even more important."
Venti smiled. "Perhaps the Heavenly Principle is watching you, Traveler. The more you chase after sothing, the more fate will lead you away from it."
Lumine waved a hand. "Alright, alright, don't comfort . I know that logic already. I admit it—I'm just envious and jealous."
Her eyes were practically brimming with lemons.
Speaking of the Heavenly Principle, her heart gave a little jolt.
She had t the Heavenly Principle several tis—had even chatted and laughed with them.
And if she had to describe the Heavenly Principle in one word, it would be: shaless.
She could never hope to compare.
Who knew—maybe the Heavenly Principle enjoyed watching her desire sothing she could never have, then spiral into disappointnt, frustration, heartbreak, and resentnt.
After all, wasn't it ultimately the Heavenly Principle that decided who could own a Pseudo Star Map Creation? Even if she begged, it wouldn't matter. If the Heavenly Principle didn't want her to have one, she wouldn't get it.
Furina cut in. "Alright, let's drop the subject."
Ever the conversation switch, Venti chuckled. "Hehe, back to what we were saying before."
"Those of you who already have Pseudo Star Map Creations can sense the will of Pan-Human History. As for those of us who haven't started the Gift Ga yet—there's no point in dragging our feet."
"When I return to Mondstadt, I'll begin awakening my Cosmology."
"I know my priorities."
"Though, Your Majesty, your expectations for this will have to be put on hold." He glanced toward Tsaritsa.
Raiden Ei said bluntly, "Snezhnaya is the weakest among the original Seven Nations. Without you holding it up, Your Majesty, it would be about on par with the Norse pantheon, and weaker than Olympus."
Olympus was the strongest pantheon outside the Seven, with Athena almost certain to obtain a Pseudo Star Map Creation.
Buer shook her head. "Snezhnaya's current state is because it went too far in the past. It was punished by Lord Heavenly Principle, and only forgiven in the era before this one. It's only recently begun to recover."
"Still, it's not too late. Once you awaken your Cosmology, Snezhnaya will naturally recover. But having missed so many ceremonies, your lower gods will inevitably lag behind the rest of us."
Tsaritsa didn't take offense—she accepted the criticism with a smile.
"You're right. I did make mistakes. Our falling behind is deserved. But as long as I'm here, I believe Snezhnaya will eventually catch up."
The tea gathering of the Seven Archons lasted only a few days.
To mortals with lifespans of under a century, that was no short ti. But for even the most ordinary god-level being, it was no more than the ti it took to drink a cup of tea.
When the tea gathering ended, those who had not yet begun their Gift Gas—Venti, Buer, and Tsaritsa—returned imdiately to their nations to summon their gods.
Those who had obtained Pseudo Star Map Creations lingered in Fontaine a while longer.
At that ti, in Fontaine's dueling arena, Noah stretched lazily as he watched the matches.
"Phanes, really… always in such a rush. Pushing the gods along like this."
"This will rob the younger gods of many opportunities for growth."
"Mm… though I suppose it doesn't really matter. Right now, quickly awakening every possible Cosmology is more important."
"At present, there are already more than a dozen awakened or ready to awaken."
"Once Aether gets his hands on the Abyss' Pseudo Star Map Creation, we'll have him prepare a beast tide strong enough to sweep the entire cosmos."
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