A lively figure entered his field of view—reddish-brown twin tails, a red-brown Oriental-style outfit with hibiscus embroidery, and a distinctive hat bearing the Tai Gua hexagram. Her plum blossom-shaped pupils were bright and mischievous, and she walked down the street cheerfully, hands clasped behind her back, paying no attention to the stares around her.
Upon spotting a familiar face, she waved enthusiastically and skipped over.
"Ayaya! Isn't this Brother Noah? Long time no see!"
Noah smiled at the cheerful Hu Tao and greeted her: "Yo~ Director Hu, it's been a while. I didn't expect to run into you here."
Hu Tao responded cheekily, "Brother Noah, you were probably about to ask—this grand event is for Upper Gods only, so what's a humble Middle God like me doing here, right?"
Noah shrugged. "I wasn't thinking that. Sumeru isn't a closed nation—anyone can come to travel or trade."
Hu Tao gave him a thumbs-up. "As expected of someone who gets my vibe, Brother Noah. Yup, I'm just here sightseeing, hehe."
She then looked at the girl standing beside Noah. "Brother Noah, and this is?"
Nilou quickly introduced herself: "I'm Nilou."
Hu Tao's eyes lit up. She immediately got friendly. "Nilou! That's a lovely name. I can already tell we'll be friends. I'm Hu Tao, 77th Director of Liyue's Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. I just became a Middle God two days ago."
Nilou was slightly surprised by Hu Tao's fiery enthusiasm, but followed along eagerly: "I'm a dancer from Sumeru City's Zubayr Theater. I recently ascended to become the Goddess of Dance."
Hu Tao nodded appreciatively. "Goddess of Dance? Then Nilou must be incredible at performing. By the way—" she suddenly shifted topics—"Miss Nilou, would you be interested in Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's services?"
Nilou blinked in confusion. "Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?" She wasn't sure what kind of relationship Miss Hu Tao had with Lord Noah, but clearly it was close.
Hu Tao grinned, summoning a business card into her hand. "Here, here, this was custom-printed by a Fontaine press. Right now, Wangsheng's got a special promotion: mortals get a 'buy one, get one free' deal, and gods get a second headstone at half price. Guaranteed value!"
Noah raised a brow. "Director Hu, you do realize gods are immortal, right? Are you sure this 'second headstone half-price' deal will even be needed in their lifetime?"
Nilou's expression froze. So the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor handled funerals? Was Miss Hu Tao suggesting something…?
Hu Tao puffed her chest proudly. "Ah, Brother Noah, gods may be immortal—but not invincible. Accidents happen! Just look at Liyue's Archon War. Even gods and evil deities died, didn't they?"
"And when gods die, they leave behind corrupted land and creatures. With Wangsheng's professional services, we'll clean up every last remnant, build a luxury tomb, and even draft your will if you're afraid of your assets getting lost."
"We'll handle your afterlife with absolute care."
She stood tall with pride—though even as a goddess, her chest didn't stand up quite so much.
Nilou blinked thoughtfully. "When you put it that way… Miss Hu Tao, it does sound practical."
Hu Tao gave her a thumbs-up. "Knew you were sharp! This new business plan took me ages to come up with."
Noah stroked his chin. "Makes sense... a divine funeral industry..."
With so many gods now, had a true "divine society" begun to form?
A structured organization like Wangsheng Funeral Parlor—clear duties, defined contracts… wasn't this the exact model of a "Community" from the Little Garden world?
Divine organizations dedicated to commerce became known as "commercial-type communities," while those centered around contests and competitions were "player-type communities"—which, put in modern terms, were akin to teams or clubs in professional leagues like the NBA.
Noah chuckled to himself. "Heh… how interesting."
Even without intentionally guiding things in this direction, the system had naturally evolved this way.
Each Primary God now led a divine pantheon, and within each pantheon, gods had begun to operate their own "businesses." Those who ran such ventures formed what could only be called "communities."
And as divine beings, they inevitably attracted followers, who then created smaller ecosystems within those communities.
Much like a company—where the god was the boss.
With a single thought, Noah summoned a vision of the divine ecosystem now unfolding across the Teyvat Universe.
In Mondstadt:
Diluc, who had taken over the wine industry, had joined forces with Dionna the Wine God and several Lower Gods to form the "Dawn Winery Trade Alliance"—a textbook commercial-type community.
The Knights of Favonius themselves had become a "Knight Order-type community," dedicated to protecting the Mondstadt Pantheon.
In Liyue, the range of communities was even broader:
The Liyue Qixing, the Eight Trades, the Feiyun Commerce Guild, the Yunhan Opera Troupe, Beidou's Crux Fleet, and numerous cultivation sects with Lower and Middle Gods among their ranks—all counted as communities.
Even Xiangling, as the Food God, had transformed Wanmin Restaurant into a powerful culinary community.
In Sumeru:
Zubayr Theater, Aaru Village, the various Akademiya Darshans, and even the Eremites—each with its own divine leader.
In Fontaine:
Meropide Fortress, the Steambird, and the Spina di Rosula.
In Snezhnaya:
The Northland Bank and the Adventurers' Guild.
And it wasn't just the nations of the main world. New god systems had readily adapted to this divine ecosystem and were preparing to establish their own nations in the main world.
Noah grinned. "This is getting more and more interesting… No, this is what makes it truly interesting."
Hu Tao mistook his amusement for praise about her new business idea, putting her hands on her hips proudly.
"Heh, Brother Noah sure has good taste. Since you think it's interesting, why not sign up for our deluxe package? I'll even do a buy-one-get-two deal for you, because we're such good friends!"
Noah froze, nearly breaking his composure. He flicked her forehead.
"Ouch!" Hu Tao clutched her head and crouched down, teary-eyed. "Why'd you do that?! That hurt!"
Noah shrugged. "Buy-one-get-two? You trying to jinx me into an early grave?"
Hu Tao rubbed her forehead, blinking innocently. She leaned in closer and whispered.
"Brother Noah, there's something I've been meaning to ask… but I'm not sure I should. Just promise me first—if I say something wrong, pretend I'm just spouting nonsense, okay?"
Noah's gaze sharpened slightly, intrigued. "Oh? What does Director Hu want to ask?"
"Come on, promise me first, then I'll ask."
Noah smirked. "You little trickster… fine, I promise."
Hu Tao's plum-blossom eyes flickered, her voice careful, hesitant.
"Are you… the one from above?"
Ever since her beloved "Consultant Zhongli" revealed his true identity, Hu Tao had been carefully re-evaluating all the people he associated with closely. Perhaps among them hid another god?
After much thought, the most unusual one remained Brother Noah.
If she hadn't known that Zhongli was the Sovereign Rex Lapis, then it wouldn't be so odd. But now that she did, thinking deeper was almost terrifying.
For Rex Lapis to show such deference and even reverence to someone—what kind of identity could that person possibly hold?
Another nation's Primary God? Unlikely. Rex Lapis wouldn't act so respectfully toward a peer.
A Supreme God? That didn't seem quite right either. Even when facing the Abyss Monarch, Rex Lapis hadn't behaved so deferentially.
Then there were only two possibilities left: the elusive Holy Gods or the Heavenly Principle.
The two known Holy Gods were female, and Hu Tao had glimpsed one of their silhouettes during the campaign in the other world.
She also happened to catch a glance of the Heavenly Principle's face while in the divine realm… and it looked exactly like Brother Noah. But it was so divine, so awe-inspiring, she had instinctively rejected the idea.
But when all illusions are stripped away, however improbable it may seem, what remains must be the truth.
The moment that idea first crossed her mind, it had startled her.
But after calming down, she realized—didn't Rex Lapis himself roam the world in mortal guise? Then why couldn't the Heavenly Principle do the same?
Besides, she'd spent so much time with Brother Noah. He wasn't scary at all.
He was the one who wrote the rules of the world. What was there to fear?
Noah looked at the girl who—true to her nature—wasn't particularly emotional even in this moment. He smiled.
Instead of answering, he said, "Director Hu, how could I refuse such a stroll with an old friend? After all, when friends meet, they must spend time together."
"But today, I'm just a traveler visiting Sumeru."
Hu Tao, sharp as ever, immediately understood his meaning. She playfully stuck out her tongue and made a silly face. "Then today's treat is on me! Anything we eat, I'll pay for!"
Nilou quickly interjected, "Wait, I…"
Hu Tao waved her off, cutting in, "Don't be shy! You're my new friend, after all. And I'll need your help to pick out Sumeru's local specialties."
Nilou was a bit overwhelmed by Hu Tao's blazing energy and looked to Noah for help.
Noah chuckled, "Come on, let's enjoy the festivities. On a day like this, you should celebrate to the fullest."
Hu Tao had clearly guessed his identity, and while he hadn't denied it, he hadn't confirmed it either.
Anyone clever would understand: he didn't want to shatter the delicate veil of secrecy. Once that was gone, the entire atmosphere would change.
And Hu Tao, with her personality and insight, was far from ordinary.
As the three walked through the bustling streets of Sumeru, the sprightly, oddball girl could often be seen hopping from stall to stall, buying snacks and knickknacks.
Every now and then they'd bump into familiar faces.
These "people" were, in fact, gods.
Gods who didn't reveal themselves were indistinguishable from mortals. Only other gods could recognize them.
Sumeru City now housed over ten million people. Even with many gods visiting, they blended in effortlessly.
Only when the ceremony began and it was time to offer blessings would the gods reveal themselves.
Newly joined divine systems from other worlds came to Sumeru City, and were astounded by what they saw.
They hadn't realized god systems could operate like this—building nations, establishing divine businesses. Those who remained isolated and self-important would eventually be left behind.
In the taverns, the Norse gods had become drunken fools, with Valkyries trying in vain to drag them out.
In the Zubayr Theater, the Olympian gods were thoroughly engrossed in a stage play.
In every corner of the bustling city, gods from various pantheons were joyfully partaking in games and festivities.
Reporters from Fontaine's "Steambird" held up the latest version of the Kamera and began their live broadcast.
"Greetings to all viewers from across the universe! Welcome to the live segment brought to you by Steambird . Thank you for purchasing your 'Transmission Viewer'—tune in and enjoy!"
"What you see here is the divine nation of the Sumeru Pantheon—Sumeru City! The Supreme Archon of Sumeru is about to ascend to the throne of a Supreme God… blah blah blah…"
Television broadcasts had long existed in the human world.
Gods weren't fools; naturally, they sought ways to replicate such effective tools.
Fontaine, ever the mechanically inclined, was the first to use divine energy to create a "divine version" of the television. Liyue and Snezhnaya were researching similar technologies.
While Mondstadt and Sumeru had tried to apply conventional scientific methods, the thick concentration of energy in the Main World rendered electromagnetic waves far less efficient than in the lower realms.
Once this was realized, those trying to copy science directly simply gave up.
Sumeru's festivities reached a fever pitch as the sun reached its zenith.
Citizens and gods alike turned their eyes to the palace atop Sumeru City.
"It's time!"
"It's beginning!"
Noah, holding a skewer like a common traveler, looked every bit the casual tourist. To his right, Hu Tao was clutching multiple skewers, her face smeared with grease. To his left, Nilou gracefully held a glass of juice.
"How will the celebration start?"
"How will the gods offer their blessings? I can't wait!" Hu Tao said, eyes sparkling.
Noah chuckled, stroking his chin. "Probably something like the Goddess of Flowers Festival from three thousand years ago."
Hu Tao's eyes lit up. "The Goddess of Flowers Festival?"
Nilou opened her mouth to explain. "The Goddess of Flowers Festival is…"
But she suddenly stopped.
Her eyes widened in astonishment as she scanned the surroundings.
In an instant, the city transformed into a world of blossoms. Sumeru's colossal tree erupted in full bloom, and flowers sprouted from every patch of soil.
Sumeru City had become an ocean of flowers.
Noah smiled as he looked toward the distance.
"The flower cart sways and glides—the Goddess of Flowers arrives from afar, offering a sea of flowers to honor the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. Petal spirits build the flower cart and guide it to her."
A path made of flowers stretched across the sky, and a grand flower cart composed of thousands of blossoms drifted toward the Sanctuary of Surasthana, driven by floral spirits.
At the left front of the cart was none other than the Goddess of Flowers, Malikata.
Buer looked at the sea of blossoms and the floral parade float in surprise, then smiled.
Memories from three thousand years ago surfaced in her mind.
"Thank you, Malikata—my dear friend."
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