Genshin Impact: I, Heavenly Principle, Will Make Teyvat Supreme

Inside the Cryo Archon's palace, Noah sat on her throne, his golden eyes filled with cold indifference, reminiscent of the first time he had encountered Asmoday.

His aura alone was enough. As the Heavenly Principle, Noah embodied the essence of every being in Teyvat. The supreme aura he exuded was merely the summation of Teyvat's existence. Facing him was akin to facing the entire world itself.

Would anyone dare to challenge the entire world of Teyvat?

The Cryo Archon, Tsaritsa, knelt in the grand hall, as if a minister being scrutinized by her sovereign. She understood fully that everything she had done—or even merely planned—was already clear to the Heavenly Principle. That was why he had prepared to unleash the Divine Nail on Snezhnaya.

"Lord Heavenly Principle, all of this is under my command. Whether it was appointing the Harbingers to sow discord among nations or gathering the Gnosis from the Archons, it was all my decision."

"All actions taken by the people of Snezhnaya were under the influence of my will."

"I accept death without regret, and I implore the Lord Heavenly Principle to spare the people of this land from punishment."

Tsaritsa lowered her head until her forehead touched the icy ground, her gaze resolute and devoid of fear, filled instead with an unyielding will to accept death.

Behind her knelt Pulcinella, his tear-filled eyes reflecting his silent grief and sorrow. Yet in the presence of this supreme aura filling the chamber, he could not utter a single word. His despair could only remain silent.

Noah observed the Cryo Archon's plea for death with detached calmness and spoke coldly:

"Do you think taking all the sins of your people upon yourself will erase Snezhnaya's crimes?"

How much suffering had the Fatui wrought across Teyvat?

In Inazuma, they colluded with the aristocracy to destroy the Mikage Furnace, leading to the corruption of Yashiori Island by the resentment of fallen gods. Though they had not directly committed the act, their machinations had induced it.

In Sumeru, they had worked hand-in-hand with the Akademiya, abducting innocent civilians and children for experiments. These acts were no longer clandestine—they were carried out openly.

Hearing these words, Tsaritsa was overwhelmed with despair as images flashed before her—undeniable evidence of the atrocities committed by the Fatui and Snezhnayan merchants across Teyvat.

Her expression sank further into hopelessness, but she refused to give up on the people of Snezhnaya.

"Lord Heavenly Principle, the sins of a small portion of Snezhnaya's people cannot represent the whole. The majority of our citizens are innocent. I beg you to grant them one chance."

She could feel the will of the Heavenly Principles towards humanity—a will that refused to tolerate the darkness in human nature. Under this will, only those whose virtues outweighed their sins could be spared. Those deemed sinners would be swept away like refuse.

Noah watched the Cryo Archon's desperate plea and said:

"I want to hear from your own lips the reason you chose to oppose the Heavenly Principles. I will give you one chance. If you utter even a single falsehood, Snezhnaya will have no reason to exist."

Tsaritsa raised her head to look at Noah, whose majestic golden eyes stared at her with cold detachment.

At that moment, she found a strange calm within herself. The Lord Heavenly Principle was willing to listen to her explanation? As long as she did not lie, the people of Snezhnaya might be spared from being swept away as remnants of Teyvat.

She knew her death was certain, but perhaps her people could live.

Pressing her lips tightly together, Tsaritsa spoke with determination.

"Because I want to protect the people of Snezhnaya."

"After returning from the battlefield of Khaenri'ah five hundred years ago, I feared that the people of Snezhnaya would suffer the same fate as Khaenri'ah—destroyed by the Heavenly Principles."

"From the ancient ruins I brought back from Khaenri'ah, I found hints that ancient human civilizations were destroyed under similar circumstances."

"In eras long past, when human technology reached a level comparable to that of Khaenri'ah, destruction inevitably followed."

"Snezhnaya's technological development is the most advanced among the Seven Nations. I fear that when our technology reaches a certain threshold, we too will face judgment from the Heavenly Principles."

"I also learned from the findings in Khaenri'ah that the Gnoses are made from the remains of the Second Throne. Thus, I sought to gather the Gnoses to gain the strength to resist judgment."

"I sheltered powerful individuals from the Six Nations in hopes of deciphering a method to counter the impending judgment."

"This is the entirety of my thoughts, Lord Heavenly Principle."

Having spoken, Tsaritsa prepared herself for the judgment of death.

Her intentions were, at their core, a complete defiance of the Heavenly Principles. She harbored no illusions of survival.

Noah rested his cheek against his hand and sighed as he gazed at the Cryo Archon awaiting death.

"Gods must love their people. This was a rule decreed by Phanes for all Archons."

"This rule was sound during the natural course of a world's development. But when human curiosity grows large enough to threaten the world's balance, such a rule becomes harmful—especially in a fractured world like Teyvat."

"Even for the sake of their beloved people, gods are willing to defy their creator."

Hearing his words, Tsaritsa showed no confusion. She understood clearly that the being before her was not Phanes.

Yet regardless of who he truly was, he was the Heavenly Principle and thus the creator of the Archons.

Noah understood Tsaritsa's fear.

The hints she had uncovered in Khaenri'ah pointed to ancient human civilizations destroyed by Phanes. Parts of Khaenri'ah's technology had also originated from these ancient civilizations.

These events dated back to an era long before the First Era, when Phanes first descended on Teyvat.

During that time, humanity, guided by the Seelies, rapidly acquired knowledge. Within centuries, they began to comprehend the workings of the world, developing technology comparable to modern Khaenri'ah.

At such a stage, without divine guidance, humanity became arrogant, believing themselves omnipotent. Their hubris led them to attempt to reach the mysteries of Celestia.

They constructed towering edifices, hoping to ascend to the heavenly realm, reminiscent of the tale of Babel from Earth's mythology.

To Phanes, such actions were an affront to her role as the Creator.

Enraged, she delivered judgment, reducing human civilization to its primal Stone Age, forcing humanity to restart from their most innocent and ignorant beginnings.

This cycle had repeated multiple times. For instance, the human civilization predating Fontaine was similarly destroyed for comparable reasons, though not by Phanes's hand.

Noah turned his cold gaze toward the Cryo Archon, who had acted out of love for her people, and said:

"Tsaritsa, I am not Phanes, and you understand my will. While your defiance was directed at Phanes and not me, it still constitutes a rebellion against the Heavenly Principles."

"You seek death, hoping to take the sins of Snezhnaya with you. That is nothing more than a naïve delusion."

"I will give you one chance. If you cannot meet my demands, you, the Cryo Archon, will be replaced. And Snezhnaya will cease to exist."

Tsaritsa raised her head, staring in disbelief at the Heavenly Principle seated on the throne.

She had defied the Heavenly Principles, yet she had not been sentenced to death?

As the thought crossed her mind, she felt the Heavenly Principle's will, and in an instant, she understood.

The former Creator, Phanes, was no more. The one before her was a new Descender.

Her rebellion had been against Phanes, not this new Heavenly Principle, leaving room for reprieve.

Had her defiance been directed at him, he would have eradicated her without hesitation.

Through his will, she perceived his intent.

This new Heavenly Principle was not a cold, unfeeling throne like Phanes. As long as no rebellion occurred and the nation did not become a land of sin, he would forgive all else.

Her defiance of the Heavenly Principle had stemmed from fear that Snezhnaya's people might one day suffer the same fate as Khaenri'ah.

Noah looked at the Cryo Archon, Tsaritsa, and said, "Sinners must face judgment. You understand my will. I give you three days to rid Snezhnaya of all sinners."

"Listen to the voices of your people. Let the god permit their deeds, acknowledge their desires, judge their sins, and define what is right and wrong."

"The wishes of the majority shall dictate what you allow."

Tsaritsa wept with joy, tears shimmering in her eyes as she knelt before Noah. "Yes, Lord Heavenly Principle."

The will of the Heavenly Principle aligned with her own. Ordinary people were not to blame.

Noah stepped down from the throne and stood before Tsaritsa, his golden eyes glinting momentarily. "You now have the right to know these truths. Once you have dealt with this matter, await further orders."

"Remember, I will only give you one chance. There will be no second."

"I will not tolerate a repeat of the farce of welcoming betrayal thrice over."

With those words, Noah's figure vanished from Tsaritsa's sight.

Her expression froze.

Suddenly, a torrent of information flooded her mind.

The World Assimilation Plan, the New Teyvat, the Teyvat Pantheon…

As Tsaritsa processed the influx of knowledge, her expression shifted from stunned disbelief to shock, and finally, to awe.

Phanes was gone, and the Fifth Descender had taken the throne as the new ruler of Teyvat.

In just two months, unbeknownst to her, the Heavenly Principle had cleansed Teyvat of all its ailments and transformed it into an eternal, indestructible world.

He had already annexed two worlds.

The Heavenly Principle's plan was to create a vast pantheon of gods and an idyllic Teyvat where its inhabitants lived in peace, like a fairy tale.

What a magnificent power. What an extraordinary vision.

Tsaritsa, overwhelmed, knelt once more before the place where Noah had vanished.

"Lord Heavenly Principle, your will is my will."

Behind her, Pulcinella finally found himself able to speak again. Tears streamed down his face. "Your Majesty…"

Only he knew how close Snezhnaya had come to annihilation under the judgment of the Heavenly Principle.

The Empress had been willing to bear all sin and accept death to spare Snezhnaya from its impending doom.

The Empress has sacrificed so much for Snezhnaya.

Boom—

The thunder and lightning roared, but the spinning sky gradually came to a halt. The icy winds that had swept across the land from the heavens slowly subsided.

The Divine Nail at the center of the vortex also began to disintegrate.

As the phenomenon disappeared, the people of Snezhnaya resumed their busy lives as if nothing had happened.

With the oppressive aura in the sky dissipating, Tsaritsa finally let out a long sigh of relief. Beads of cold sweat trailed down her temples, sliding down her cheeks to the ground, where they froze into tiny ice crystals.

She understood well: if this had been the former Heavenly Principle, Phanes, and not the new one, she wouldn't have been given any opportunity to plead her case.

That Divine Nail would have fallen at an indeterminate moment, ending all life and activity in Snezhnaya.

Without comparison, there is no harm.

In Tsaritsa's heart, the contrast between Phanes's methods and Noah's approach elevated the latter immeasurably in her esteem.

Rising from the ground, Tsaritsa brushed away the remnants of tears in her eyes with a gentle motion, then turned to her loyal Fatui Harbinger, Pulcinella.

"Pulcinella, I hereby announce my decree."

Pulcinella snapped back to attention, knowing full well that Snezhnaya was on the brink of an unprecedented upheaval.

The Heavenly Principle had only granted Snezhnaya three days. If they failed, destruction was inevitable.

Even as a seasoned elder, the thought ignited a deep sense of resolve and ruthlessness within him.

Snezhnaya's fate didn't matter much to him personally. But if the Empress had been willing to sacrifice herself for the nation, why should those who caused the nation's sins be allowed to live?

Tsaritsa's typically gentle expression hardened into something cold and merciless.

"From this moment forward, any Fatui Harbinger who has acted against my will and committed evil shall be stripped of their position."

"The Second Seat, the Sixth Seat, and Khaenri'ah Court Mage Pierro are all to be listed as fugitives. The rest of the Harbingers are to be hunted down."

"Furthermore, any members who have committed crimes in the other six nations are to be apprehended and judged. Those who have committed heinous acts are to be executed on the spot."

Tsaritsa issued decree after decree in accordance with the will of the Heavenly Principle.

The city hall of Snezhnaya was shaken to its core, and the administrative and judicial offices in Fontaine began systematically capturing and judging criminals within the nation.

For ordinary citizens, this sweeping upheaval had no negative impact on their daily lives. In fact, the populace cheered and celebrated.

While Snezhnaya trembled under the weight of these changes, the loyal Harbingers of the Empress had been summoned.

Even those Harbingers who weren't truly loyal to her but had refrained from committing egregious acts were required to attend.

After all, the Empress was Snezhnaya's god, and her authority was absolute.

The headquarters of the Fatui resembled a grand temple, second only to the city hall in prominence.

The Harbingers arrived wearing their signature thick cloaks. While the clothing might appear suited to Snezhnaya's frigid climate, for these powerful individuals, such attire was more a mark of status than a necessity for warmth.

Pulcinella, gripping his staff, surveyed the gathered Harbingers and began speaking.

"Everyone is here. I will now read the decree from Her Majesty, the Empress."

From his place in the corner, leaning against a stone pillar with his arms crossed, the Eleventh Harbinger, Childe (Tartaglia), lazily scanned the room. Then he spoke up, puzzled.

"That's odd, Mr. Mayor. You said everyone is here? Then where are the Jester, the Second Harbinger, the Doctor, the Third Harbinger, Damselette, and the Sixth Harbinger, the Wanderer?"

"Her Majesty's decree is an important matter, yet they're absent. Don't you think that's a bit too casual of them?"

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