Chapter 13: Keqing's Determination
"He truly is the most powerful entity…
"I think I've been underestimating you all this time."
After absorbing the knowledge Zhongli had shared, Aiden looked at him with a complicated expression. "I thought my strength was impressive, but compared to you, the gap is overwhelming.
"To be honest, I might not even be able to defeat the current Dendro Archon."
Zhongli raised an eyebrow. "The new Dendro Archon?
"I haven't heard much about her in the last five hundred years. The last I knew, she was studying in the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
"However, as the incarnation of the Irminsul Tree, she was born with immense power—far beyond that of an ordinary deity.
"In that sense, she is similar to you now. After five centuries of study, I have no doubt that her strength surpasses yours at this moment."
Aiden felt a metaphorical arrow pierce his heart at Zhongli's remark.
He was being looked down on.
But this was Nahida he was being compared to…
Was he really weaker than her right now?
Clearly, he still had a long way to go before he reached the pinnacle of power.
"You didn't know that the Dendro Archon was imprisoned by the Akademiya?" Aiden asked with a strange expression.
Zhongli frowned. "Impossible. The Dendro Archon, no matter how gentle, could not be imprisoned by mere mortals."
"She allowed it to happen," Aiden replied. "She believed she wasn't a worthy god. The sages of the Akademiya took advantage of her self-doubt, stripping her of authority and keeping her hidden from the people of Sumeru.
"As long as she remained in the shadows, the Akademiya could rule Sumeru unchallenged."
Zhongli sighed heavily. "Such is the nature of humanity…"
Even he, after thousands of years of experience, had underestimated the selfishness and ambitions of mortal men.
Zhongli had planned his own retreat carefully, leaving Liyue's future to its people. But seeing what had happened in Sumeru, he realized how fragile divine authority truly was.
As for Nahida's situation, Zhongli didn't doubt that Aiden would intervene.
After all, Aiden had already expressed his disdain for the sages.
And when the time came, Zhongli had no doubt that the Akademiya's rule would come to a swift and merciless end.
---
Qingce Pavilion – The Dawn of an Idea
"Ningguang, look at the new knowledge that was just uploaded to the chat group!"
Keqing's voice was filled with excitement as she checked the new information on the special interface in her mind.
She and Ningguang had been discussing ways to modernize Liyue when the update arrived.
"Hm? How to make cement?" Ningguang read the description aloud, her breath quickening.
"It only costs five hundred points, and… I see! Cement can be used to construct roads and buildings.
"We must obtain this."
Keqing's eyes burned with determination. "And not just that. If we combine cement with our newfound ability to purify the lingering resentment of dead gods…
"We might be able to rebuild Guili Plains."
Ningguang's expression shifted. "Rebuild Guili Plains?"
She was intrigued.
Compared to Liyue Harbor, Guili Plains was the most ideal place for Liyue's continued growth.
It was, after all, where Liyue had originally been founded.
But during the Archon War, countless gods had perished there. The land had been tainted with the lingering hatred of fallen deities, forcing Morax to relocate the people to what would later become Liyue Harbor.
Thousands of years had passed since then.
Liyue Harbor had flourished, but its land was now stretched to its limits. Expansion was nearly impossible.
If the resentment in Guili Plains could be purified, it would become the perfect solution for Liyue's development.
"Yes." Keqing nodded firmly. "We can start by building a settlement there. We don't need to announce that we're 'rebuilding Guili Plains.' If we frame it as constructing a small town, we have the authority to make decisions without consulting the full Liyue Qixing."
Ningguang listened intently.
"If we use this time to purify the lingering hatred in the land, we'll be prepared when the time is right," Keqing continued.
"Of course, we can't do it alone. We'll need help from Aiden and Zhongli.
"But this is about the future of Liyue. I'm sure they won't refuse."
Ningguang fell silent for a moment.
Unlike Keqing, who was fiercely idealistic, Ningguang was a realist.
Logically speaking, Keqing was correct—they had the authority to construct a new town without needing full approval from the Qixing.
And with her resources, Ningguang could ensure everything remained under their control.
It was risky, but…
The potential rewards were enormous.
After some thought, she spoke again.
"Keqing, have you ever considered who created this chat group?
"And why?"
Keqing froze for a moment before answering. "I don't know who did it. But isn't its existence a good thing for us?"
She continued, "If not for the chat group, we wouldn't have a way to cleanse the corruption of dead gods or the Abyssal filth. Even the Geo Archon could only seal it away.
"The chat group provides a solution.
"If its creator wanted to harm us, we'd already be dead.
"As for whether they're trying to manipulate us into turning against Liyue… That's ridiculous. Everything we do is for the good of Liyue."
Despite her confident words, Keqing kept one thought to herself:
I'm almost certain Aiden is the one behind this.
She had no concrete proof. It was just… a gut feeling.
At first, she had been angry—furious, even—at the circumstances of how she received the chat group's invitation.
But after analyzing the situation, she chose to remain silent about her suspicions.
According to her investigation, both she and Ningguang had gained access to the chat group at nearly the same time.
However, Ningguang had received it slightly earlier than her.
And when she was invited… something had gone wrong.
Whoever had sent the invitation hadn't anticipated her exact location at that moment.
Because she had been bathing.
That meant it had been an accident.
Keqing still felt incredibly annoyed by the whole ordeal, but she couldn't deny the truth—this opportunity was a gift.
The chance to make Liyue stronger far outweighed her personal grievances.
Still, deep down, she made a decision:
I'll keep a close eye on Aiden.
If he was truly reliable, she would hold him accountable for what had happened.
But if he was dangerous…
Then she would be the one to stop him.
And she would make sure that no other women fell victim to his schemes.
---
This version keeps the original intent while refining the dialogue, making it more immersive and fitting the Genshin Impact world. It also enhances characterization—especially for Keqing and Ningguang—while fixing mistranslations and improving the flow of the story.