Yes, Lady Funina!

Richard closed his eyes and assessed his current state. It was almost too good. Before, when typing "Lady," he needed to move his fingers, but now he probably wouldn't even need to move his fingers.

Besides, Richard discovered that his other elemental powers, apart from his Void Force, remained largely unchanged. They were exactly the same as before he ate the fish, except that Richard's physical attributes had been enhanced, making his output even more powerful than before.

The key lies in this power of the illusory realm. The reason Richard can now be called the 'Complete Dragon' is because he has completed this power.

"Sigh, I've always been upright and honest in my actions, so why does the power I wield seem so villainous?"

Richard stretched out his hand, and a jet-black crystal appeared in his palm, surrounded by black stardust. Although the color scheme leaned towards a dark style, it was still very beautiful.

Moreover, it's not just good-looking; it's also incredibly powerful. Richard felt that the crystal he had in his hand was probably an enhanced version of an activated primordial mineral.

Edwin's previous experiment destroyed two-thirds of the Fontaine Academy of Sciences, and Richard's experiment is estimated to be more powerful than Edwin's.

Two-thirds of Fontainebleau.

This was just a illusory crystal he casually conjured, and the power he used was only a small part of it, and it was the kind that could be restored. Basically, the power had already been almost fully restored since it was conjured.

Is this the power of complete authority? Richard couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement. Although he was a peace-loving person, when he actually had such powerful power in his hands, he couldn't help but feel a desire to destroy it with all his might.

Perhaps this is what happens when someone possesses a powerful weapon and the desire to kill arises spontaneously?

Although this is the authority of the Void Realm, the 'Void Realm Power' itself is a very broad concept. Its position in the Teyvat power system is very special because it is not a power native to Teyvat.

All the power originating from the "real world" outside the Teyvat eggshell is collectively referred to as 'Virtual Force'.

In other words, the Void Force in Richard's hand actually represents the power of a certain authority outside of Teyvat, and Richard feels that the authority he possesses is somewhat similar to the Shadow's 'eternity'.

However, it is not 'eternal', but 'immortal'.

Moreover, Li realized that although this authority was complete, it gave him room to continue to grow, and after reaching a certain level, he himself would undergo a strange change.

But according to Richard's estimate, it would take several thousand years for him to grow to that level, which is too far in time and not something he should be considering now.

The so-called 'possession' or 'memory contamination of personality' that Richard had previously worried about did not occur when he was completing his own reincarnation. In fact, he did not receive any memories of his predecessor. It seems that he died quite cleanly in his previous life.

He wasn't left any inheritance, but Richard didn't need it anyway. On the contrary, the current situation was perfect. The power was in his own hands, there was no destiny, and no one was forcing him to do anything.

Once he gets out, he can go back to his old life. Richard is quite satisfied with his current life.

Most importantly, with the power of 'immortality,' Richard no longer needed to worry about his lifespan. While he couldn't be said to be immortal, he had essentially eliminated the possibility of dying of old age.

Similarly, he doesn't need to worry about wear and tear, and can even help others repair wear and tear and extend their lifespan, making him exceptionally powerful.

While Richard was still savoring the power he had just acquired inside the Star-Devouring Whale, the "Young Master" outside was somewhat bewildered.

The Star-Devouring Whale was perfectly fine before it went out; I could hit it like it was nothing. But after returning from that spatial rift, the whole fish seemed off.

Why did it shrink while swimming?

While swimming does help with weight loss, your results are a bit too good!

It's not even a reduction; it's a complete regression.

The previous Sky-Swallowing Whale truly deserved the description of "covering up the sky and blotting out the sun," but after shrinking, it is now about the same size as an ordinary whale, or perhaps even larger, given its inherent racial advantages.

Although the Star-Devouring Whale is a whale, it lives in the sea of ​​stars. Although both the ocean and the sea of ​​stars are seas, there are still some differences between them.

Looking at the seemingly lifeless, star-devouring whale before him, Tartaglia was unsure whether to continue his attack.

However, before Tartaglia could make a decision, the Whale Devourer spat out a person.

"Richard?" D'Artagnan hadn't expected to run into Richard here. Since Richard had been spat out, that meant...

The Star-Devouring Whale broke through the void earlier, ran out, swallowed Richard, and then came back.

"Young master, have you enjoyed your time in the Primordial Sea of ​​Fetal Development these past few days?" Richard smiled kindly at Daliyah, seeing that he wasn't embarrassed at all.

"What are you doing here?" The moment D'Artagnan saw Richard, he did have an urge to attack him.

After all, the other party had played him quite well before, but thinking about it carefully, the reason why the other party targeted him so much and was not surprised at all when they saw him was as if they already knew about his original primordial sea.

This inevitably made the young master think of something. Could it be that this guy knew something and deliberately sent him into the Mello Petersburg?

Located deep in the ocean, Melo Petersburg is even more likely to hear the 'call' of the Star-Devouring Whale. [Young Master] now strongly suspects that Richard deliberately threw him into Melo Petersburg so that he could enter the Primordial Womb Sea.

As for what benefits this would bring to Richard, D'Artagnan didn't know, but he did know that Richard was very strong now, almost excessively so.

The oppressive aura emanating from the other party was unmatched, even by his master or by the Empress far away in winter.

The moment their eyes met, the young master felt as if he were being watched by a terrifying force. His hair stood on end, and his biological instincts told him not to move. If he angered the man in front of him, he would die, he would definitely die.

“As you can see, I was attending a ceremony in Mello Petersburg when suddenly a whale appeared out of thin air and swallowed me whole. When it spat me out, I was right here,” Richard replied.

Swallowed by the Star-Devouring Whale?

If it were someone else, D'Artagnan might have believed it, but it was Richard who said it. With Richard's strength, while he might not be able to easily defeat the Star-Devouring Whale, it would be very easy for him to avoid being swallowed by it.

Unless it was intentional, the young master couldn't think of any reason why Richard could be swallowed by the star-devouring whale.

Moreover, judging from the current situation, this star-devouring whale has been quite exhausted by Richard, as if Richard has drained its energy and spirit, leaving it listless and paralyzed on the surface of the primordial womb.

If it weren't for the fact that this star-devouring whale was still shedding tears, Tartaglia would have thought that this cosmic behemoth was about to die.

To be honest, for the Star-Devouring Whale, after painstakingly eating and drinking seawater for so long, to lose everything overnight just because it ate the wrong person is unbearable. Even a human would find it hard to accept such a blow, let alone a fish.

Of course, the efforts of the Star-Devouring Whale were not without reward; at least it got the opportunity to become Richard's pet, and after spending more time together, it might even have the chance to become his companion.

It can be said that it has both development potential and promising prospects.

Moreover, this time it was because the Star-Devouring Whale had offended (or been targeted) first, so Richard confiscated its illegal gains over the years. In the future, it will use the privateering license given to it by Richard to go out hunting.

Richard wouldn't take all of the prey he obtained; he would leave him 30%.

"you……"

"Let's catch up later, I have things to do right now." Richard didn't have time to chat with [Young Master] here. He sealed the Star-Devouring Whale, which was lying on the side questioning its existence, into the illusory crystal he had just created, and prepared to leave the Primordial Embryonic Sea.

After all, Funina and the others are still waiting for him outside!

Also, he went out to check if Fukaros was alright. Richard had protected Fukaros largely because of Furina.

Because of Fukaros's curse, Funinna is able to maintain her youth and have an extraordinary lifespan. As long as Fukaros lives, Funinna will remain young forever. Therefore, Richard tries his best to save Fukaros's life.

It's also possible that Richard wanted to experience double the happiness.

Richard raised his right hand and looked at the seal of the contract on his hand. It seemed that Fukaros was probably alright, or if something had happened, it had probably been stopped by his backup plan.

Thinking of this, Richard couldn't help but touch the mark on his hand. He now had a feeling that he could easily break free from the constraints of this contract mark.

After all, although this contract is the underlying rule of the world, Richard possesses the power to contend with an entire world, and a single world rule is not enough for him.

However, Richard did not break free of the seal of the contract. There was no particular reason; he simply felt it was unnecessary.

Moreover, this mark is also evidence of his connection with Funina; its symbolic meaning has surpassed its practical meaning, and it has become something akin to a wedding ring.

Leaving your own unique mark on each other sounds pretty romantic, doesn't it?

Richard also decided that he might have to get a set for Ying and the others in the future.

"?" The young master slowly typed a question mark, looking at Richard who suddenly disappeared in front of him. He didn't even have time to stop him.

[Young Master] intended to chase after him to find out the truth, but discovered that the spatial rift opened by the Star-Devouring Whale had already repaired itself due to the disappearance of its power, and now only [Young Master] remained in the vast Primordial Sea.

And he... seemed unable to find his way out.

Clearly, with his current strength, the young master does not possess the ability to shatter the void.

Fortunately, there is always a way out. Not long after Richard left, another rift opened, and a white-haired, red-eyed girl with butterfly-shaped hair ornaments emerged from it.

She has a somewhat aloof demeanor, and her small face has a touch of baby fat.

“Master?” D'Artagnan was surprised that his master, whom he hadn’t seen for many years, would come.

To D'Artagnan's utter surprise, the first thing his master did upon seeing him wasn't to ask about his injuries, but rather to ask, "Where's that pet?"

Chapter 164: Funina's Battle Against the Star-Devouring Whale - So Exciting!

Richard, who had already left the Primordial Sea of ​​the Whale, was naturally unaware that the moment he left, the disciple of the master of the Star-Devouring Whale came knocking on his door.

Even if Richard comes knocking on the door, he won't return the Star-Devouring Whale. Just because you say it's yours doesn't mean it is.

Why don't you ask the Star-Devouring Whale for its opinion? Do you see it respond when you call its name?

They have absolutely no respect for fish rights.

Moreover, the Star-Devouring Whale caused such a huge mess that it almost flooded Fontaine. If it weren't for Master Li's tall and strong body, Fontaine might have been destroyed.

Having caused such a huge disaster, it's already a bargain for this little whale to be Master Li's mount for thousands of years, not to mention that Richard even pays it a salary!

As the spatial rift created by the Star-Devouring Whale gradually closed, and Richard was still nowhere to be seen, Fulina grew anxious.

Regardless of whether Richard is alright or not, even if he is alright, once this spatial rift closes, wouldn't that mean Richard will never be able to come back?

Meanwhile, Fukaros remained calm and composed. She had already decided that Richard's success would be the best outcome.

But if I fail, it's not a big deal. I'll just wait for the Ice God's power to dissipate, then die once more, so that Vilet can become the perfect dragon and forgive the original sin of the Fontaine people.

When Navelette becomes a complete dragon, she will be able to open the path to the Primordial Sea of ​​the Womb and rescue Richard.

At that time, this five-hundred-year-long drama will finally come to an end in the most appropriate way, which can be considered as not failing Egolia's entrustment and the suffering that Frynn has endured over the years.

Fukaros felt that being able to talk to Funina for so long was already an unexpected joy, and he would have no regrets even if he were to die now.

No, there is still a regret, namely that she was unable to meet Funina's beloved in person.

It's better not to meet. What if she meets them and they ask about the location of the Contract Seal?

Better to die.

As Fukaros was thinking this, she didn't notice a figure quietly appearing beside her.

"Richard?! You're back!" Fulina noticed Richard almost the moment he appeared.

The moment she saw Richard, all the worry in her eyes vanished, replaced by surprise.

She took a few steps forward, seemingly wanting to hug Richard directly, but when she got closer she realized there were so many people watching. In the end, she didn't hug Richard directly, but only reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

Yes, she was reserved, but not completely reserved.

"Yes, I'm sorry to have worried you, Lady Funina." Richard nodded. Indeed, just as [Young Master] thought, he could have easily taken Funina with him when he ran away. If Richard hadn't wanted to, even if he couldn't defeat the Star-Devouring Whale, he was unlikely to have been swallowed.

The Star-Devouring Whale, having absorbed a large amount of primordial seawater, is indeed quite powerful, but if Richard were to actually face it, it's highly likely that neither side would be able to defeat the other.

However, the Whale that Devours Planet made a fatal mistake: it ate something it shouldn't have, which resulted in its home being stolen and Richard unilaterally taking it as a pet.

“The floodwaters outside have started to recede slowly, it seems you have resolved the flood crisis,” Navelette said.

The reason why the sea level in Fontainebleau is rising is because the Star-Devouring Whale has been continuously consuming the primordial seawater over the years, causing its body to grow larger and larger. This is the main reason for the rising sea level in Fontainebleau.

After Richard plundered all the energy from the Star-Devouring Whale, it was unable to maintain its enormous size, and the water level naturally dropped somewhat.

Richard shook his head. "Not yet. Although the water level has gone down, the concentration of primordial seawater in the ocean is still very high, which is still deadly for the Fontaines."

“Unless the people of Fontainebleau never come into contact with seawater again, otherwise…” Richard didn’t finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant.

Fontaine is a land of water, and as children of water, how could they not be in contact with the sea? Fishing has always been a pillar industry in Fontaine. Because Fontaine's terrain is mostly mountainous and oceanic, its agriculture is not very developed. It can barely even be self-sufficient, and most of its food needs to be imported from Liyue...

If the original sins of the Fontainebleau people are not thoroughly cleansed, they will not only be unable to come into contact with seawater, but they will also be unable to eat seafood, because over time, a certain amount of original seawater will accumulate in seafood.

For the people of Fontainebleau, these seafood products, which have accumulated the primordial seawater, are like scythes that take their lives...

“And the only way I know of to cleanse the people of Fontainebleau from their original sin is to make Vilet a complete water elemental dragon king,” Fukaros said.

She looked at Richard with eyes that were exactly the same as Funina's and said, "Only by completely shattering the throne of the water god and freeing the great power of water from its restraints will the elemental dragon king of Teyvat take control."

Upon hearing Fucarus's words, Furina hurriedly said, "Wait, if the throne of the water god is broken, what about you? Aren't you the water god? If the throne is shattered, what will happen to you..."

"I will die too."

“How…could this be…” Fryna had never imagined that saving the Fontaines would mean that Fukalos would have to sacrifice himself.

"But don't worry, even if I die, you won't be affected, Funina. At that time, you can become a free human and enjoy the happiness that only humans can experience."

"That's not what I meant." If Funina only cared about herself, she wouldn't have been able to persist for so long.

She just felt that Fukalos shouldn't have died like that, even if it was to save the Fontaines.

After a moment's hesitation, Funina said to Fucaros, "Fucaros, you actually want to become human too, don't you?"

Fukalos was taken aback, a captivating smile appearing on her beautiful face. She nodded without hesitation and said softly, "Yes, I dream about it."

“But… sometimes dreams don’t have to be realized by oneself. For example, right now, Funina, you are the most ideal human being in my heart.” Fukaros paused. “If it were you, you would definitely be able to share my share…”

“Actually, there’s no need to be so pessimistic.” Richard interrupted Fucarus’s deathbed speech. “I have a clue about how to separate the throne from the power.”

"Really?" It wasn't that Fukaros didn't believe Richard, but what Richard said seemed like a fantasy to Fukaros.