"Mmm... Akio, as long as you're happy, I'm fine with anything." Yoimiya's face was flushed as she nodded.
However, she was a bit scared. She knew how formidable Akio was in this regard. If she were alone, she might not be able to get out of bed tomorrow...
"Let's go~" Akio held Yoimiya and disappeared from the spot.
---
Outside Tenshukaku, Yae Miko stretched and said, "Ei, let's go inside. Akio is spending the night with Yoimiya. What are you still doing out here?"
"Miko, I've been thinking. What if one day, due to erosion, we lose our rationality and memories, and end up drawing our swords against Akio? What should we do?" Raiden Ei said softly.
"I seek eternity, but even in the Plane of Euthymia, my soul cannot escape the effects of erosion, though it's only a minimal impact." Raiden Ei said.
"I can't bear to imagine..." Raiden Ei said.
"By Akio's side, I've felt a sense of security I haven't experienced in centuries. I think I understand what humans mean by love." Raiden Ei whispered, "So I can't bear to think of that future... a future where my memories don't include him."
"Miko... if it comes to that, what would you do?" Raiden Ei looked at Yae Miko and asked.
"Hmm... if it were me, perhaps before losing my rationality, I would end myself..." Yae Miko pondered for a moment. She couldn't bear to act so disgracefully in front of Akio.
The fox lady had long since fallen deeply in love with Akio. He had become a part of her life. She didn't want to see herself in such a state, nor did she want to raise her sword against the person she loved most.
"Is that so..." Raiden Ei looked at Yae Miko and murmured, "Perhaps my choice would be the same..."
"Ah, why think so far ahead?" Yae Miko suddenly laughed, "You always like to think about things that may never happen. Akio is so powerful, maybe he'll have a solution by then. Let's go, it's time to rest!"
"Miko! I'm just considering a possibility." Raiden Ei said seriously.
"Alright, alright. Akio once said: 'Drink today's wine today, and worry about tomorrow's troubles tomorrow.' Why think so far ahead?" Yae Miko snorted, pushing Raiden Ei into Tenshukaku.
---
Early the next morning, Yoimiya opened her bright eyes, nestled in Akio's arms.
"Akio~" She saw Akio fiddling with a golden cube.
Yoimiya snuggled closer to him and called out softly.
Yoimiya now felt her soul had become ethereal, and all her once blurry memories had become clear.
"My dear, you're awake?" Akio smiled, and the golden cube floating in the air flew into his hand.
"What's this?" Yoimiya looked at the golden cube in Akio's hand curiously. She could sense a trace of divine power from it.
"This is a relic of the Geo Archon, Guizhong, the God of Dust of Liyue. It's called the Memory of Dust." Akio explained with a smile, "I got this from Morax, but I've never unlocked it before."
"It's said to contain the wisdom of Guizhong's entire life."
"Oh?" Yoimiya became interested and asked, "Akio, can I try?"
"Of course." Akio nodded with a smile and handed the Memory of Dust to Yoimiya.
Yoimiya took it and began trying various methods to unlock the Memory of Dust.
Akio watched Yoimiya tinker with the lock, thinking about whether Guizhong's consciousness might be inside. If it was, he could resurrect her.
"Hmm, it's no use. I can't open it. I have no idea how." After a long while, Yoimiya pouted and returned the Memory of Dust to Akio.
Yoimiya sighed. It truly contained the wisdom of an god. She couldn't unlock it.
"Let me try." Akio focused his mind on the Memory of Dust. With a slight application of the Herrscher's power, he instantly understood the entire structure of the lock.
It was the most complex mechanical structure Akio had ever seen. Truly befitting of Guizhong!
But under the power of the Herrscher of Reason, it was nothing.
"Click, click, click..." Countless golden lights burst forth from the Memory of Dust.
"Wow!" Yoimiya's eyes widened as she watched the scene.
However, when the golden light faded, what appeared before them was a small pile of sand.
"Huh?" Yoimiya's eyes widened, "Is this the wisdom of the God of Dust?"
"..." Akio looked at the pile of sand in silence for a long time. He had thought Guizhong might have hidden a trace of her consciousness in the Memory of Dust.
He reached out and grasped the sand, clearly sensing a faint trace of god power within it, though it was almost negligible.
"It was created by Guizhong using her divine power." Akio sighed. Truly Guizhong! She would do something like this.
But now, Akio had no way to resurrect Guizhong! Without a soul, even the power of the Herrscher of Rebirth couldn't bring her back.
"Is there really no way?" Akio frowned slightly. According to the game, Guizhong died in battle, leaving only her divine remains. Now, even those were likely lost.
"Without a soul, even you can't resurrect someone?" Yoimiya naturally knew Akio's power and shook her head in frustration, "If only we could go back in time."
"Go back in time?" Akio pondered for a moment, his eyes lighting up, "That ruler! Istaroth!"
"My dear Yoimiya, you're so clever." Akio happily kissed Yoimiya on the cheek and smiled.
"Huh?" Yoimiya was puzzled.
"Istaroth, the Ruler of Time. With her power, I can go back thousands of years." Akio explained.
"Really? Then where is Istaroth?" Yoimiya asked curiously.
"I don't know." Akio shook his head. After all, there was no information about the mysterious Istaroth in the game.
"But I think she'll know." Akio smiled lightly, looking up. His gaze pierced through the roof, looking toward the island high in the sky.
Akio remembered that he still had one more chance to copy an authority. He could obtain the authority of any being in Teyvat, including Istaroth.
But if he wanted to find Istaroth, he would have to go to Celestia first. The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles would surely know Istaroth's whereabouts.
"Master, if you go back in time, please try not to alter history too drastically." The system's voice suddenly rang out, "With your power, if you change the course of history too severely, it could cause the entire world of Teyvat to collapse. You don't yet possess the power of the Imaginary Tree, and this fragile world might be destroyed!"
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