"Akio, Akio! Look, Morax actually sent me an invitation, asking me to visit him!" Guizhong rushed over to Akio, waving the invitation in her hand.
"He probably wants to confirm whether you have any ill intentions," Akio said. "After all, we're now very close to his territory."
"Since he's sent the invitation, it's a good opportunity for us to go directly and save ourselves the trouble," Akio said with a smile.
"Alright~" Guizhong nodded.
Two days later, Guizhong and Akio set off for Morax's territory.
As they approached Morax's tribe, Guizhong was stunned by the size and prosperity of the settlement.
Compared to this bustling place, her own tribe was like a remote backwater!
Indeed, a powerful deity could amass far more resources.
"Who are you two?" As soon as they reached the entrance of the tribe, they were stopped by the guards.
"Hello, I am Guizhong, the God of Dust, and this is my divine messenger. We're here at the invitation of the Lord of Geo," Guizhong explained.
"Ah, Lord of Dust!" The guard quickly saluted. "Please come this way, Lord of Dust. The Lord of Geo has already instructed us to receive you."
The two followed the guard into the tribe. Inside, the houses were neatly arranged, children ran happily along the paths, and elderly men chatted while basking in the sun at their doorsteps.
The young and strong were working in the fields not far away. The entire tribe was orderly, with everyone having their own role.
Akio nodded. This tribe already had the makings of a city. It had to be admitted that Morax, aside from his immense power, was also an exceptional ruler.
Guizhong was practically drooling as she looked at Morax's tribe. She longed for her own people to live such a happy and carefree life.
"Akio, this kind of life looks so wonderful! The people here seem so happy," Guizhong tugged at Akio's sleeve and whispered.
"Yes, don't worry. Your people will have this kind of life too," Akio said after a moment of thought.
According to the course of history, Morax would form an alliance with Guizhong. After Guizhong's fall, the people of dust and stone would unite under Morax's faith, leading to the creation of Liyue. In that sense, Guizhong's people would indeed have a happy life.
Guizhong nodded, her mind filled with the idea of forming an alliance with Morax. However, she was troubled by what to offer as a gift to seal the alliance.
"What could I give to impress the Lord of Geo?" Guizhong wondered.
"Leave that to me," Akio said calmly.
"Mhm, alright," Guizhong nodded, trusting Akio unconditionally.
"Lord of Dust, Divine Messenger, the Lord of Geo is inside," the guard said respectfully as he led them to a room.
Akio and Guizhong nodded, and the guard knocked on the door.
"Lord Rex Lapis, the Lord of Dust and the Divine Messenger are here to see you," the guard announced.
"Come in," Morax said.
"Please enter," the guard said.
Akio and Guizhong pushed the door open and walked in.
Akio surveyed the room. It had to be said that the young Morax knew how to enjoy life.
The room was filled with dazzling gemstones, the kind that could fetch hundreds of millions of Mora in the present day.
As his gaze shifted downward, Akio saw the young Morax. His face lacked the weariness and steadiness of his older self, replaced instead by visible pride and a fierce aura.
It was hard to imagine that what time had worn away was Morax's temper.
Morax studied Guizhong. He sensed no threat from her, only her weakness, which left him somewhat disappointed.
He had thought that someone with a similar authority to his would be stronger.
But when Morax's eyes fell on Akio, his heart tightened. In his perception, Akio's presence was towering and majestic.
The power emanating from this man was even greater than that of the being in the heavens. Even with his own immense strength, Morax felt no desire to oppose him.
"Morax, we'll talk alone later," Akio's low voice echoed in Morax's mind, a clear warning.
"…" Morax nodded. He dared not overstep in the presence of such a powerful being, especially one who surpassed even the Heavenly Principles.
"It seems the timeline hasn't collapsed. As long as Morax knows about me but doesn't spread it, it should be fine," Akio thought.
"Lord Rex Lapis, greetings. I am Guizhong, the God of Dust," Guizhong spoke up.
"Hello, I am Akio, the Divine Messenger of the Lord of Dust," Akio said calmly.
"Greetings," Morax nodded, then looked at Guizhong. "My people reported that a new neighbor has settled nearby. To ensure peaceful coexistence, I thought it best to meet."
"Please rest assured, Lord Rex Lapis, we are peace-loving and have no intention of invading," Guizhong said earnestly. It was laughable—she couldn't possibly defeat Morax, so how could she even think of invading?
…
After talking for a while, Guizhong looked at Morax and said, "Lord Rex Lapis, there's one more thing I'd like to discuss."
"Please speak, Lord of Dust," Morax nodded.
"As you've probably noticed, I'm not skilled in combat, and my people have long suffered from invasions by other deities. Today, I'd like to propose an alliance between our tribes," Guizhong said seriously.
"…" Morax glanced at Akio, his expression somewhat strange.
The man beside you is stronger than the being in the heavens. If he were to act, which deity would dare to invade?
Seeing Morax's gaze, Akio nodded slightly, signaling Morax to agree.
"In this age of chaos, where deities and demons rise, I have no desire to conquer, but I understand the suffering of the people. Lord of Dust, I accept your proposal for an alliance," Morax said. "However, there are many details we'll need to discuss."
"Of course," Guizhong nodded. To seek Morax's protection, she would have to relinquish much of her authority, but she didn't mind. As long as her people were happy and healthy, she would be content.
Moreover, with the burden of power shared, she would have more time to spend with Akio and Yoimiya.
"Akio, what do you think?" Guizhong asked.
"Lord Rex Lapis is benevolent and protects the people. He is truly a hero among heroes. I hope that in the future, the people of stone and dust will be as close as family, working together to create the most beautiful homeland," Akio said with a smile.
"You flatter me, Mr. Akio," Morax shook his head.
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