"You make it sound like I can't conduct experiments under normal circumstances," Lucas said with a helpless smile. "Unfortunately, today, I can't afford to waste any more of my 'seeds' on you."
"Waste?" The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles seemed displeased, her voice icy. "Your pitiful seeds daring to touch my fertile soil is already an act of great presumption. It's just that the weak vitality of your seeds can't take root and sprout in my land."
"That's a rather novel way of putting it," Lucas shook his head. "But I still believe it's more likely due to reproductive isolation. However, over the past decade, the experience I've accumulated from you, while it may not be enough to create a new Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, should at least have a success rate of over ten percent for creating a new god."
"W-wait a minute!" The Tsaritsa's expression turned panicked. "What... what are you two talking about?"
"You'll find out soon enough," the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles sneered. "How pitiful. Both of us are beings of a higher dimension, yet now we're being humiliated by a old bald man."
"To be precise, this isn't humiliation," Lucas retorted. "If I really wanted to humiliate you, I have plenty of methods. For example, I could hang you on the Cloud-Viewing Platform of the Jade Chamber and let the people of the seven nations admire your disgrace. But instead, I chose the gentlest method, even... giving you the freedom to choose your position."
"Enough!" The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles stood up, snorting coldly. "In that case, I won't disturb your experiments anymore."
Damn it!
What's going on?
Logically, she should be vehemently opposed to such humiliating acts.
Yet, for some reason, when she saw Lucas preparing to shift the experiments from her to the Tsaritsa, the Sustainer felt an inexplicable sense of irritation.
When had she started developing these unnecessary emotions?
Had she been "eroded" by too much exposure to human things?
As the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles turned to leave, Lucas suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"What are you doing?" the Sustainer frowned. "Didn't you say you didn't want to waste your seeds on me?"
"I just thought of something. This might be a good opportunity for a comparative experiment," Lucas's grip was like an iron shackle, rendering the Sustainer completely immobile. "After all, the Tsaritsa's soil can't accommodate all the seeds."
"I refuse!" the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles said angrily. "Having me serve alongside the Tsaritsa… it's as absurd as a human being forced to serve an ant together with a cat."
To the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, humans and gods were both lowly beings, albeit to varying degrees.
"You should know that, given your current position, you don't have the right to refuse me," Lucas said indifferently. "But out of personal respect for you, if you agree, I can have my secretary procure more Inazuma light novels for you tomorrow."
The Sustainer hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Do you have Volume 7 of Summoning King?"
"If you want it, I can get you the uncensored version by Teacher Fukumoto," Lucas nodded. "Including the latest card packs."
"Tch..." the Sustainer clicked her tongue. "Deal."
The scene before the Tsaritsa was almost too much to believe.
That was the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles! A being who stood above the Seven Archons!
And she had been turned into a shut-in otaku by Lucas?
To be honest, even Lucas hadn't expected the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles to end up like this.
It just goes to show how much environment and time can change a person.
Now, aside from cooperating with Lucas's experiments, the Sustainer spent her days reading light novels, watching the latest films, or pestering Lucas to play Genius Invokation TCG with her.
"Let's begin," Lucas casually removed his shirt, revealing his well-defined muscles, and turned to the Tsaritsa. "Would you prefer to do it yourself, or shall I help you?"
"W-what are you planning to do?!" The Tsaritsa took two steps back, her back hitting the wall, her eyes filled with panic. "This is blasphemy!"
"Such nostalgic lines," the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles said indifferently. "By the way, how many times have you blasphemed against me?"
"Three thousand, seven hundred, and sixty-nine times," Lucas answered without hesitation.
The Sustainer had only asked casually, but she hadn't expected Lucas to provide such an exact number. She couldn't help but feel puzzled. "How do you remember so clearly?"
"Because I've meticulously analyzed and recorded every single experiment," Lucas said nonchalantly. "After I die, those records will become invaluable resources for future generations."
"Destroy those things immediately!" The Sustainer's face flushed with rare embarrassment.
After all, those so-called "records" were essentially a chronicle of her humiliation.
"Don't worry, I'll probably live for a long time yet," Lucas directed. "It seems she's not going to cooperate willingly. Go help me hold her hands."
"Why should I be your accomplice?" the Sustainer grumbled, but she still walked over to the Tsaritsa, saying calmly, "Cryo Archon, you'd better resign yourself to your fate. Even I can't do anything against this guy, let alone you."
Perhaps because her spirit had been shattered, or perhaps because she had finally realized the vast gap in power between herself and Lucas, the Tsaritsa ultimately lowered her proud head.
Her exquisite crown fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.
And so, the seeds of Liyue were finally sown into the fertile soil of Snezhnaya's northern lands. Of course, the process was anything but easy.
First, the unyielding Geo spear had to break through the ice that had remained untouched for millennia. After countless strikes, cracks finally appeared in the icy surface.
Clear, icy water seeped out from the cracks, staining the Geo spear red as it pierced the ice. Finally, the rich soil was exposed to the light of day.
However, the newly thawed soil was still too fragile to sustain life. Thus, the foreign sower, wielding his Geo spear, began to plow the Tsaritsa's land like a diligent ox.