We traveled through time together, but I'm the only dragon? The others are all beautiful girls?

Contracts and words are ultimately just appearances that maintain a fragile order. In this world, the only eternal and unchanging truth is absolute power.

The Fools' power mainly revolves around the Heart of God. He made this request simply because he didn't want these annoying insects buzzing around his territory.

"So, how exactly did that street performer get chased and beaten by a mere executor of the Fools?"

Rejuvenated, Paimon flew onto Akalion's shoulder. With the dragon's backing, she was now completely unafraid of this lazy wind god and brazenly called him by the nickname she had given him.

"At your speed, that woman has no chance of catching up, right?"

“The Fatui Enforcers are no match for me. The top seats all possess Demon God-level power. Although the lady doesn't, I didn't expect her to hunt me down to this extent.” Wendy smiled helplessly, not angry at all, but his smile carried a hint of weariness that even he himself didn't realize. “The connection between the Heart of God and my soul is far deeper than I imagined. Its loss has consequences far beyond what I expected.”

"What exactly was lost?"

Akalion turned his dragon head, his grey-white dragon eyes scrutinizing Venti. He could sense that the massive ritual of the "Great Symphony of the Millennium," which sustained the entire climate of Mondstadt, was still operating steadily, showing no signs of weakening.

"Is it out of guilt towards Rosalyn?"

“No, not that—the dragon scourge of Mondstadt five hundred years ago was ultimately because I returned too late.” Wendy shook his head, a fleeting sadness flashing in his emerald eyes. He seemed unwilling to dwell on the topic any longer. “By the way, I heard you’re going to the badminton festival. How about you do me a favor and take me to the big tree in Windrise?”

With that, he nimbly leaped and unceremoniously sat on Akalion's back.

"For the poetry competition, I, the 'best bard in the world,' can be your helper!"

“I don’t need it.” Akalion refused without hesitation. However, he did not kick Wendy off the plane. Instead, he flapped his dragon wings and slowly took off with the three people on his back.

"Don't say that! The champion gets to enjoy free food, clothing, and lodging in Mondstadt for a whole year! Plus, a unique trophy and medal!" Wendy stroked Akalion's smooth, cool, jade-like scales, speaking in a seductive tone, "Most importantly, the champion can also designate the venue for next year's Windflower Festival! That should be a considerable income for your new city, right?"

"Hmm?" Akalion remained noncommittal. Leaving aside how far his city would develop next year, even in a world of magic and wonders, construction takes time to complete.

Can Wendy really win the poetry competition?

Given the bard's income level, it's hard to believe.

“Luminous, we—” Paimon stared at Luminous with pleading eyes. When Luminous also looked at the back of Akalion’s head, she immediately put on a pitiful expression and gently shook Akalion’s dragon horns.

"Whether it's me or Ying, in the realm of Mondstadt poetry—wait a minute." Akalion suddenly turned to Wendy and asked, "How many days does the badminton festival last?"

"A total of twenty-one days."

"Huh?" Akalion suddenly twisted his entire dragon head around while flying, his face filled with disbelief. "No, it's this long?!"

“After all, it’s Mondstadt’s founding anniversary. The Geo Archon of Liyue celebrates the city’s founding anniversary, which is the beginning of the new year, with a celebration that lasts for twenty-seven days, doesn’t he?” Venti couldn’t help but chuckle at Akalion’s surprise. “Fontaine’s celebration is even more exaggerated. When that water god is in a good mood, he can have a holiday that lasts for more than two months.”

“…” Akalion shook his head silently. It seemed that bringing the people of Eldra to the celebration to win the championship was completely a pipe dream, and the Golden Realm could only last for three days.

"Hey, hey, can you have a little faith in the 'best poet in the world'?!" Seeing Akalion's undisguised skepticism, Wendy patted his chest in annoyance and assured him, "With me here, the championship is within our grasp!"

“Singing for money…” Paimon looked at Wendy and couldn’t help but sigh. “Are you really capable?”

“Of course!” Wendy took the Sky Harp from her back and gently brushed her fingertips across the strings. “I’ll show you what the true skill of the best bard in the world is.”

A melodious, ancient tune flowed from the strings, intertwining with Wendy's ethereal voice, echoing across the dragon's back. The song was like the whisper of the wind, a poem of freedom, and for a moment, even Paimon was captivated, forgetting all his complaints.

Only Ying noticed that slight sense of disharmony and incongruity.

“That singing voice… Wendy, are you really not a woman disguised as a man?” She stared at Wendy, her golden eyes filled with pure suspicion.

"Cough—" Upon hearing this, Wendy almost choked on his breath. He immediately looked up at the sky and said confidently, "Of course I am male, ever since I was a wind spirit."

As he spoke, he looked at the back of Akalion's head.

“Doesn’t Akalion, who bathed in the hot springs with me, know this best?”

Akalion recalled the misty scene. Come to think of it, Wendy seemed to be wearing a towel the whole time, but judging from her flat chest and body shape, she was definitely male.

He had already confirmed it repeatedly during the previous acting.

"probably."

But in the end, he uttered such an ambiguous statement. Perhaps, in some corner of his heart, he still stubbornly retained a sliver of unrealistic fantasy.

"Hey!" Wendy gave Akalion's hard dragon scales a light tap. "What do you mean 'probably'? I'm a guy!"

“So, the busker really is a woman.” Paimon seemed to have reached a final conclusion. She flew up to Wendy, abruptly reached out her little hand, and poked his chest.

"It is indeed soft."

“?” Wendy looked at Paimon helplessly and said, “Even men, if they haven’t exercised or have been doing manual labor for a long time, will have soft chest muscles.”

“Even the Geo Archon of Liyue once walked the world in the guise of a woman.” Paimon leaned close to Venti and said confidently, “Don’t be embarrassed, we all know what it’s like to be a street performer.”

"I didn't—never mind."

Wendy weakly retorted, and so they continued until they reached the big tree where the wind rose.

He leaned against the trunk of the ancient tree at the place where the wind rose and closed his eyes. A vast faith, like a gentle stream, flowed from this ancient giant tree, slowly filling the void of divine power in him caused by the loss of his divine heart. Now he was going to transform his faith into divine power himself.

A moment later, Wendy opened her eyes, and the emerald green light in her eyes rekindled.

"Alright, I'm back to normal." Wendy flashed a bright smile, as if her earlier weakness was just a harmless joke. "You don't need to worry."

“I’m not worried about you.” Akalion’s dragon eyes glanced at him coldly, his tone completely indifferent. “This is just an exchange of equal interests.”

“Savior Dragon, don’t say such hypocritical things at a time like this.” Paimon flew forward, looking at him with the kind of doting expression one would give a child who doesn’t understand. “You were clearly worried about Wendy, which is why you rushed here with him. Otherwise, given your self-serving nature, why would you have agreed to his conditions and allowed him to ride on your back?”

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Huh? Did I say something wrong?" Paimon looked at the three who had suddenly fallen silent, his face full of confusion. "But that's just how Akalion is, textbook tsundere..."

“No.” Ying shook her head, interrupting Paimon’s rambling. “You’re right, but don’t say it again.”

"Hehe!" Wendy tapped her head cutely and leaped lightly to her feet. "Well then, I'm off to continue my great work as the world's finest bard! See you next time!"

After saying that, his figure transformed into an invisible breeze and disappeared under the shade of the trees where the wind rose, as if he had never existed.

“At this time…” Ying looked up at the bright moon hanging high in the sky, and turned to Akalion and said, “Master Zhongli should be drinking tea and listening to storytelling at Three Bowls of Tea. We can just go there and find Tian Tiezui’s open-air tea stall.”

“Come on up.” Akalion glanced at Paimon, who was suddenly clutching his stomach, looking like he was starving. “Perfect, this will solve our dinner problem. How about Wanmin Hall this time?”

"Yay!" Paimon's eyes lit up instantly, and she pressed herself against Akalion's warm dragon scales. "Xiangling, the head chef of the Hall of Ten Thousand People, her reputation is renowned throughout Teyvat! Her food must be delicious!"

Akalion took flight once more. This time, without the anxiety of rescuing Wendy, his flight was composed and dignified, like that of a traveling tourist.

Liyue Harbor is undoubtedly the largest city on the Teyvat continent. Its bustling area covers thousands of square kilometers, and the golden light from thousands of lights can illuminate the night sky as bright as day.

As they were about to arrive, Ying held Akalion, who had transformed into human form, while Akalion held Paimon. They spread their wings of wind high in the sky and slowly descended like feathers.

Just as Ying had predicted, Zhongli was sitting quietly in front of the tea stall, listening to Tian Tiezui recount the ancient story of "The Rock King Emperor's Battle Against the Mountain Demon," a tale that had been performed countless times.

“You’ve arrived.” Zhongli’s gaze shifted from the storyteller to the three of them. “Why don’t you sit down and listen with me to these stories that have been polished by time? Although Tian Tiezui has exaggerated and adapted some parts, his core is still reasonable compared to the others.”

As he spoke, he glanced at Paimon, who was staring longingly at the food on the table.

"Wanmintang is packed with people today, and there are no seats available. The other restaurants are in the same situation, so you might as well have some tea and snacks to tide you over."

"Hey! Zhongli, you're so kind!" Paimon's eyes lit up as he looked at the simple yet enormous pastries on the table. "Then I won't be polite!"

“It’s alright, I’ll ask for more if it’s not enough.” Zhongli picked up a snow-white pastry and brought it to his mouth to savor it. “The tea and pastries here are the best among the many open-air tea stalls and teahouses in Liyue, especially this pastry called Rock Harbor Tea Break, which is sweet but not greasy, and tastes even better with the tea.”

“Master, the seal on the demon god in Qiongji Field can now be broken.” Akalion poured himself and Ying a cup of tea, and then refilled Zhongli’s cup. “I want to solve the remaining problems of the Salt Demon God Heulia first.”

"Is it that one?" Zhongli picked up his teacup, the rising steam blurring a hint of reminiscence in his eyes. "The Great Sage Who Subdues Demons will assist you. If possible, please also see if you can find a way to alleviate His karmic burdens."

"The resentment of those demonic remnants has long been intertwined with His inner demons, transforming into a deadly poison that corrodes His soul. Even I don't have a good solution."

He put down his teacup, his voice low and solemn.

"The power of the natural order is eternal and indestructible. If it cannot be overcome, it is not a problem. What troubles the Great Sage Who Subdues Demons is ultimately his own heart. This is why the remnants of the demon god found a loophole. During this long period of time, we have lost far too many familiar things."

“If I can, I will do my best,” Akalion replied in a deep voice. His psionic level had already reached the sixth ring, and his ability to interfere with the mind had further increased.

"But Master Zhongli, could you also help me solve a... small problem?"

As he spoke, he quietly established a mental connection with Master Zhongli using [Mind Link]. To say such a thing in public would require too much shamelessness from Akalion, a level he had not yet reached.

Lately, I've been finding it difficult to control my desires.

Unlike the gentle, caressing feeling when linking with Wendy, Akalion felt as if he were being firmly protected by a thick layer of armor the moment he connected with Master Zhongli, without the slightest flaw.

Volume 1 Snowfield Dragon Lord: Chapter 105. The Maintenance of Fairy Power and Walnut

This force...

For the first time, an undisguised look of surprise appeared on Zhongli's eternally unchanging face. It did not stem from the difference in the intensity of their power, but from their completely different 'essence'.

What's wrong, Master?

Akalion immediately put down his teacup, his grey-white dragon eyes fixed on Zhongli, fearing that something irreparable might have gone wrong with his condition.

"...It's alright. The difference between your 'spiritual energy' and 'celestial power' is just like the difference between 'fate' and 'nature.'" After a long while, Zhongli's calm and collected voice slowly resounded in the mental link: "What is destined to be yours will be yours, and what is not, you cannot force."

【? 】

A huge question mark appeared in Akalion's mind. He knew that celestial power and psychic energy were two sides of the same coin, but this idea was really new.

"As your immortal power improves, you will understand." Zhongli picked up his teacup again, took a small sip, as if savoring a long period of time. "You only need to remember to keep your immortal power circulating at all times, and you can restrain that impulse. For living beings, immortal power is 'nature,' the root of the primordial spirit, the source of the self, and the manifestation of the spiritual light of all beings. You have now reached the 'Purple Mansion' realm, and your 'nature' is already abundant. If you do not actively guide it, it will follow your heart and reveal the purest and most primal thoughts within you."

【…】

These words made Akalion's face flush slightly.

The implication of these words is that he is a complete lecher at heart.

Although… he didn't really have much of a reason to refute it. After all, he had already been reborn as a dragon, and what was the essence of dragonhood? Need I even say it?

Being pointed out so bluntly to his face made him feel a little... Fortunately, no one else heard the conversation.

So, psychic energy is 'fate'. And what is the specific explanation of this 'fate'?

"Fate is the foundation of your soul, the source of your true self, and the origin of your spiritual light. It inherently possesses the power to interfere with the world and reverse reality." Zhongli slowly explained: "The beings of this world—including the primordial one—do not inherently possess the power to directly interfere with the reality of the world through their origin of spiritual light."

If He possessed such power, neither the power of the Light Realm nor the power of the Void Realm would pose a threat to Him. The current order of Teyvat would not be what it is today, and He would not need to anchor this illusory universe using the "Seats" of all beings.

Simply put, the relationship between 'fate' and 'nature' can be understood as the sun and its light. Some suns are born different from others. They can reclaim their own light, control their own light, and even transform into this cake, yet still radiate light.

This is what makes you stand out.

However, this also means that your 'sunlight' needs an incredibly long time to nourish the 'sun' and make it even stronger.

"In other words, I'll be staying at the Purple Mansion realm for a very long time." Akalion accurately grasped the key point.

From a generally rational perspective, this is indeed the case.

Just then, Tian Tiezui's storytelling reached a climax, drawing cheers from the surrounding tea drinkers, and Zhongli clapped his hands in praise.

However, there are always exceptions. If one's 'fate' is strong enough, their 'nature' will also undergo a qualitative change.

The essence of the immortal path I created is to use the 'nature' of mortals to complete the foundation of their 'destiny,' until one day, their spiritual light reaches the strength of the principles of Heaven.

[Your 'fate' is already strong enough; there's no need to replenish it. Just let nature take its course. In terms of your current total immortal power, even some immortals in Liyue are far inferior to you.]

【So I can have the title of 'True Lord' now?】 Akalion picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and fed it to Ying, who was snuggling up to him.

"It's best not to for now." Zhongli's gaze subtly swept over Paimon. "We can discuss it again after my plan is complete."

"Are you sure this is really possible?" Akalion spread his psionic energy, transmitting the bustling yet orderly scene of Liyue Harbor within a six-kilometer radius to Zhongli's mind via [Mind Link]. "To completely entrust the governance of Liyue to human hands?"

[As things stand, they've done a great job. Liyue Harbor's current prosperity isn't solely due to sound governance.]

Zhongli put down his teacup and stared blankly at the storyteller who was talking non-stop. In his golden eyes, he revealed a weariness that was almost impossible to hide.

...And I'm already exhausted. It's time to give myself a long vacation.

The exhaustion that emanated from their mental connection, almost tangible, made Akalion want to fall asleep right then and there.

The atmosphere had become very cold and desolate ever since he and Zhongli established a spiritual connection, and it has become even quieter now.

Despite the bustling atmosphere of the tea stall, this place felt like an isolated world.

Paimon broke the silence.

Her small body seemed to be able to hold no more worries. She picked up a piece of Yan Gang tea snack that was as clear as snow-white ice crystals and exuded a sweet rice aroma. She took a small bite carefully and squinted her eyes happily.

"Mmm...so delicious! Sweet but not cloying, melts in your mouth! And has a light floral fragrance!" She swung her little feet contentedly, then picked up two more pieces and held them up in front of Ying. "Ying, you should try some too! Zhongli's recommendations are always delicious!"

"it is good."

Ying smiled and accepted the pastry Paimon offered. She held the pastry gently to Akalion's lips.

"Ah~"

Akalion instinctively and obediently opened his mouth and put the pastry in his mouth. The sweet taste melted on his taste buds. He reached out and took another pastry from Ying's hand, placing it near her mouth.