Liyue! Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!
When consciousness returned, Luo Chen found that everything around him had changed completely.
Opening his eyes, he was no longer in the desert, bidding farewell to the Flower God and the Great Sage Tree King. Instead, he was back in his guest quarters at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
The divinity in his eyes couldn't be contained for a moment. After a thousand years, he had developed a stoic demeanor, a resilience born from witnessing the passage of time, the rise and fall of fortunes, and the ebb and flow of emotions.
“Whew... it's already dawn.”
Taking a deep breath, he found himself in a dark room illuminated only by the cold moonlight. Closing his eyes, Luo Chen still couldn't fully extricate himself from the simulation.
Although it was a simulation, his true self had actually spent a thousand years in the Divine Era. Those memories were deeply engraved in his mind.
The genuine emotions he felt for the two Gods, witnessing the Red King's self-destruction, everything remained intact.
“Marikatta, Buer… ”
Muttering the names of his companions and confidantes, Luo Chen looked towards the direction of the chasm of the Geo Archon.
Beyond that lay the land of Sumeru.
Based on the timeline, he had traversed at least a thousand years, maybe more. Whether it was a thousand, two thousand, or even longer, he couldn't pinpoint the exact period.
Perhaps only by finding ancient records and documents could he determine the temporal scale between the Divine Era and the present day.
“I wonder if you two survived the darkness.”
As his thoughts swirled, the only thing Luo Chen could confirm was the Great Sage Tree King's safety.
Protected by the Saint Sword's scabbard, she would only fall into slumber, temporarily losing consciousness. There was no need to worry about her life.
The only thing Luo Chen couldn't confirm was the Flower God's whereabouts.
Did his former companion heed his advice and sleep in the Eternal Oasis, or did she perish under the sky's malice?
“Even if I desperately want to know their news, I can't search for them right now.”
Luo Chen glanced at the two prominent panels on the simulator.
【Divine Template: Unlocking Fusion (29 Days 23 Hours 59 Minutes)】
【Talent: Wisdom of the Arcane Realm, Dual Gods of Guns and Swords, Divine Judgment - Unlocking Fusion (29 Days 23 Hours 59 Minutes)】
After each simulation, the duration of the achievement unlock was determined by its difficulty.
This one could be considered a leap from carp to dragon. It was expected that it would take a month to digest.
Although the simulation was a personal experience, it didn't involve fully integrating the template into that era, it was borrowed power.
In the past, it only took about a week for the Sword Saint template.
“No rush. A thousand years have passed, a month is just a blink of an eye. Soon, I'll come for you.”
He forced himself to calm down. After a thousand years of being a god, Luo Chen was very good at controlling his emotions, suppressing those excited thoughts.
After all, even if he went to Sumeru now, without the fully fused Divine Template, he wouldn't be able to find the Flower God and the Great Sage Tree King.
Without the power of a god, he could only reach the divine realm in combat, other aspects were lacking.
Simply put, he wasn't omnipotent.
“Right, under my guidance, did Sumeru's history change in some way? I can ask around during the day to confirm this.”
Logically speaking, starting from the Divine Era, he didn't change much. He had always been guided by the responsibilities of a god in the simulated life. But there must have been something he changed.
For example, the Saint Spear and its scabbard left in the Divine Era, the butterfly effect caused by this would likely have created numerous changes.
Thinking of the Saint Spear, Luo Chen closed his eyes and tried to sense it. Since his talent hadn't fully fused yet, he could only vaguely perceive his own Saint Spear, deep in the earth, slightly vibrating.
The golden white tower that anchored the Star Anchor had been fulfilling its duty for thousands of years, anchoring the "eggshell" that enveloped Teyvat.
“I hope everything goes as I plan.”
With a sigh, Luo Chen patiently waited for dawn to arrive.
…………
As the morning light shone on the sparkling Yunlai Sea, with the waves crashing against the shore, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was just about to close for the day.
Handling the business of the dead, inevitably leads to a gloomy atmosphere, even their work hours reflect this.
“Well, I'll take my leave now. Please come to collect the body later this afternoon.”
At the entrance, the ceremonial official who was responsible for reception was politely sending off the last guest.
Seeing the guest's hunched figure, the obvious grief masked by a forced smile, the ceremonial official who had witnessed countless such scenes was no longer moved.
“Of course, please rest assured, we will be there on time.”
Watching the guest leave slowly with heavy steps, the ceremonial official shook his head slightly.
“Another case of a parent mourning the loss of their child.”
He was about to close the door when he was interrupted by a noisy sound coming from afar.
“Don't close the door! This Director hasn't arrived yet!”
A lively figure was shouting, quickly rounding the corner from the foot of the city, revealing a distinctive Tang dynasty tunic.
As she bounced along, the plum blossom branch on her hat also swayed precariously, making people constantly worry about whether it would fall off.
“Director?”
The ceremonial official was stunned. In a blink of an eye, Hu Tao, who was called Director, was already at the door.
Wiping the sweat from her forehead, ignoring the fatigue from rushing all the way from Wuwang Hill, the mischievous girl peeked inside and asked:
“Where's that Luo Chen guy? He's still not up for work?!”
“Probably… ”
“Forget it, move aside! This Director will go see for myself!”
Before the ceremonial official could give a definite answer, she rushed into the parlor, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“Hmph, you dared to play tricks on this Director yesterday and even disobey your superiors!”
Muttering to herself, the girl with a strong sense of revenge quickly went to the backyard, where the employees and guest quarters were located.
Usually, at this time, that guy wouldn't have gotten up yet.
The two laziest dogs in Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had become infamous within the organization.
One who worked from nine to five and never overtime, the other was a street urchin who was mostly nowhere to be found. It could be said that they were both outstanding individuals in their own way.
Moments later, standing in front of Luo Chen's room, Hu Tao tiptoed and pushed open the door, only peering inside with her little head.
The next moment, her neck was caught by a big hand and lifted up, like a cat being toyed with by a hand.
“What are you sneaking into my room for?”
Hu Tao froze, cautiously lifting her head, meeting Luo Chen's narrowed eyes, then quickly hid the water cup she was holding behind her back.
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