Genshin Impact: I, Heavenly Principle, Will Make Teyvat Supreme
Chapter 229: Humanity, Do You Have the Courage to Sign This Civilizational Contract?

Chapter 229: Humanity, Do You Have the Courage to Sign This Civilizational Contract?

The migrating humans were gripped with fear as they watched the surreal scene unfold.

For them, safety meant seeing nothing powerful—a truth bought with the lives of countless companions.

"Papa..."

"Don’t be afraid, Nonna. Papa is here."

"Riku, what is that...?"

A girl wrapped tightly in a heavy cloak and headscarf—only a strand of red hair slipping out—stared wide-eyed, her gaze filled with terror.

"That is... a Gift... Game?" Riku snapped out of it, drenched in sweat, heart pounding violently in his chest.

Calm down, calm down...

Ever since that so-called "Voice of the Cosmos" echoed not just in his ears but directly in his mind, a flood of information had emerged.

Glancing around at his fellow humans, all showing fear on their faces, he swallowed hard. They must have heard it too.

There was far too much information.

First, gods from another universe had arrived.

And all intelligent life in this world had been swept into the Gift Game—a game even gods could not defy. Participation was mandatory.

But none of the games led to death. It truly was like a real game.

And humanity’s Gift Game was this one before them: "The Birth of Civilization."

To establish a civilization uniquely human within this world.

Civilization? That word was so distant for humanity. They didn’t even know where tomorrow’s food or water would come from, and now they were supposed to link themselves with such a lofty term?

In their current state, there was no way they could establish a civilization.

That’s why this "game of civilization" required the involvement of gods from the other universe. It was a Gift Game of the gods.

Thump, thump, thump...

Riku’s heartbeat sped up like a drum.

"Game." "Civilization." "Gods." "No death."

After only a few seconds of processing, he understood what this meant:

Opportunity!

A miracle!

A miracle and opportunity just for humanity!

Gulp...

Riku turned to address his still-confused people. Just as he opened his mouth, a gentle golden light appeared in the sky. He quickly looked up.

The others followed, startled. The sparse black ash that had still been drifting down was completely driven away by the golden glow.

That black ash had already diminished greatly after the rainbow auroras, but it had still lingered. The red-black cloud layer had re-covered the sky.

Now, with the appearance of this golden radiance, the clouds above parted at unimaginable speed—as if a pair of colossal hands had torn them open.

A blue sky. Fluffy white clouds. Distant starlight from the cosmos.

These were the sights passed down in human legend—the "azure sky," "white clouds," and "stars as beautiful as pearls."

In the blink of an eye, it felt like they had entered another world.

To tear open the clouds and reshape the sky—this could only be the work of gods.

Seven golden stars descended slowly from the heavens.

Bathe in the gentle golden light, the humans, once paralyzed by fear, found their dread unexpectedly dispelled.

Gods had always been terrifying beings to humans, but now they seemed... comforting.

Even so, human instinct compelled them to huddle together, drenched in cold sweat, staring at the gods descending before them.

Riku breathed heavily. Even without fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and nervousness threatened to split his mind apart.

Seven gods from another universe—for a species that suffered heavy losses even against Werebeasts, the humans trembled instinctively.

As the golden glow faded, the gods’ forms became visible. Aside from their divine garments, their appearance, height, and physique weren’t so different from humans.

Perhaps the only difference was how beautiful and striking they all were.

"This scene... It reminds me of when I first met the early people of Liyue, 3,700 years ago, when they sought my protection," Zhongli said, hands clasped behind his back, looking at the trembling but calmed humans who stared up at him. Their fear had been soothed by his divine presence.

His memory wandered back to ancient Teyvat, before the Archon War began—when the ancestors of Liyue were weak and constantly threatened by beasts and gods.

It was then that the first human settlement came to the land he stood on and pleaded for his protection.

Standing respectfully behind him, Ningguang said, "Indeed. Though I cannot imagine what it looked like back then, I have read glimpses of it in our histories. The people of Liyue will always remember the grace our Sovereign bestowed."

Now an Upper God and the leader of Liyue, Ningguang held a high position in the Liyue Pantheon.

Venti scratched his head and chuckled, "The old man sure gets sentimental. Unlike me... I just want to know if this world’s wine tastes any good."

Behind him stood Jean, leader of the Knights of Favonius and representative of Mondstadt.

The other three were Kamisato Ayato of Inazuma, Kaveh the God of Architecture from Sumeru, and Neuvillette from Fontaine.

The merit of building a new human civilization from scratch was tremendous.

Naturally, every pantheon wanted a piece of it, though the task was daunting. Ultimately, Zhongli earned the lead role through virtue.

Venti was included because Zhongli had tricked him previously and, after much pestering, finally let him join.

As for Inazuma, Sumeru, and Fontaine—they were friendly nations of the original Seven and thus were brought along. After all, when you’re feasting on meat, you ought to share the soup.

Looking at the plight of the humans, Kaveh was overcome with empathy. "Living in this world is too cruel for humans. Not just safety—even drinking clean water is a struggle."

"And they have no gods watching over them."

To the people of Teyvat, every intelligent species was under divine protection.

Neuvillette crossed his arms and sighed, "Each world has different circumstances for human survival. It’s not surprising."

Riku listened carefully, trying to interpret their words.

From what he could gather, these gods sympathized with and pitied humanity—and it seemed they had once protected humans in another universe.

While his thoughts raced, the god who felt like a father stepped up to him. Riku panicked and looked up.

And in that instant, their gazes met—with golden eyes that pulled his consciousness inward.

A flood of visions raced through his mind like a lantern show:

Stories between this god and humans from another world.

Their first encounter. His protection of them. His war against other gods. His triumph over many gods to build a prosperous nation for humanity.

Even after establishing that nation, he continued to shelter humanity—to this very day.

"Humans of this world," the god said. "My true name is Morax. Here, I offer to sign a contract to protect you and help you build your civilization."

"This is both a Gift Game and a Contract. You’ve read the decree."

"Now, do you have the courage to accept this contract?"

His voice, dignified yet gentle, echoed in the ears of every human—like a wise father patiently guiding his children.

Accept this contract...

Riku snapped out of the flood of visions, still overwhelmed by the sheer weight of that grand history.

It wasn’t the similarity between this world and the Archon War in that other universe that struck him most. It was the bond between gods and humans.

Gods who loved humans, who guided them from savagery to civilization, and protected them always.

Gods who loved people—humans were not their creations, yet they treated them as children, as their people.

This truth, this history, shattered Riku’s long-held understanding of the world.

No wonder the gods from the other world did not inspire fear—they inspired peace.

Bathed in that heartfelt warmth, Riku’s eyes instantly welled up. He choked up, unable to control his emotions.

It felt...

Like a wandering child finally finding a parent—a father. Someone to depend on. Someone to weep to.

And this wasn’t just a personal feeling, but a sentiment born from humanity as a whole.

Though he had led humanity through disaster after disaster in this apocalypse, even sacrificing some to save the many—

Though he appeared strong, only he knew how fragile he truly was. He simply couldn’t show it.

If he faltered, the companions who placed their hopes in him would lose their will to live.

He had often wondered: other races had gods who created them. Why didn’t humans?

If only they had one, perhaps things wouldn’t be so difficult.

"Yes. Of course we will. Humanity is willing to sign the contract with you, noble god—Lord Morax."

Riku instinctively fell to his knees. A miracle like this should bring joy, but the tears wouldn’t stop.

He was like a child who had suffered long and hard and finally found shelter in a parent.

And not just Riku—the visions shown through Zhongli’s divine will were partially shared with the other humans.

They hadn’t seen it as clearly, but they understood its meaning.

Each and every one of them—some choking back sobs, others weeping openly, or simply shedding silent tears.

Ningguang, Keqing, Jean, Kaveh, and Neuvillette—though they were newly ascended gods who had experienced grand narratives, they had never witnessed a story of civilizational origin.

They, once human, could still empathize deeply.

Even Kaveh, a grown man, found himself blinking away tears.

Zhongli looked upon the humans who now saw him as a father—just as the early people of Liyue once had. He spoke with emotion:

"In the infinite worlds, most are led by humanity. Humanity is the greatest race."

"To become the greatest race, humans could not have been weak."

"It is because they started weak that they possess greater potential than other races. And that potential is called a miracle."

"Humans are a race of miracles. So do not be ashamed of your current weakness."

"Stand tall, be proud of what you are—a human."

In the Teyvat Universe, the collective human will could pass judgment on the gods. Every god below a Supreme God was subject to the weight of human history.

His fatherly words echoed in their ears, dispelling all inferiority from their hearts.

"Yes, Rex Lapis," Riku responded first.

The rest echoed in unison.

Zhongli nodded. "Then begin now. Build your civilization. I shall pass on the knowledge humanity needs."

"Also, a stable environment is essential for civilization to emerge."

As Zhongli’s voice faded, the land beneath his feet—scorched by black ash and war, where no plant could grow—was transformed by divine power into fertile soil.

The fertile earth spread outward rapidly.

From beneath the revitalized soil, green grass sprouted. Saplings grew at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Grass and trees blossomed with colorful flowers, and sweet fruits ripened on their branches.

In just a blink, the entire world within Riku’s line of sight had turned green.

Blue skies, white clouds, lush grasslands, and crystal-clear rivers reflecting the sky.

He stood frozen.

Not just him—every human stood frozen.

This kind of world was something they had only seen in drawings or heard about from ancestral tales. None could have imagined the true beauty of the world before its fall.

And it wasn’t just this patch of land and sky that had changed.

From space, one could see the entire planet begin to transform from that single point.

The black ash cloaking the world, the ruined land—all changed visibly into a blue-sky-and-white-cloud version of the world. The once crimson planet had turned blue.

Zhongli, having one foot in the Supreme God tier, had mastered over a thousand laws.

A typical Third-tier Primary God could shatter stars. As a quasi-Supreme God, he, like even a First-tier Primary God, could permanently influence a star.

For him, changing an entire planet’s environment was effortless.

All races engaged in Gift Games paused to gaze in awe at the sudden transformation of the planet into such a beautiful world.

"Wow!"

Little Nonna threw off her headscarf, revealing her innocent, lively face. She ran, chasing butterflies, and tumbled joyfully into a field of flowers.

Humans everywhere removed the cloths they’d worn to protect their eyes and skin from the ash. They breathed deeply, inhaling the fresh scent of grass.

"The world... it’s become so beautiful."

Couronne Dola crouched down, picking berries one by one off the ground and popping them into her mouth. The sweetness lit up her face with joy.

Venti summoned a lyre and gently strummed it. "The environment is livable now. That means it’s our turn. Old man, take a rest. Leave the rest to us."

"We’ve passed on knowledge. From here, it’s up to humanity."

Zhongli nodded. "Very well."

The origin of civilization had to be born from humanity itself. The gods would only provide guidance, knowledge, and the means to harness power.

Kaveh scratched his head. "Then, how about I build the first city as the foundation of human civilization? What do you say, Lord Geo Archon?"

With Zhongli’s approval, Kaveh constructed the first city for humanity.

It wasn’t large or small—just enough to house 100,000 people. The rest would be up to humans to build on. He would teach only knowledge.

Keqing taught farming techniques, and humans quickly cultivated vast fields around the city.

Ningguang taught them how to establish order and draft their first laws.

Jean and Neuvillette guided them in unlocking their own powers.

Though humans couldn’t use spirits, they could channel their physical strength and life force into magic and martial energy systems.

They began learning magic, aura, internal force, spiritual energy—everything.

All of Teyvat’s power systems could be trained up to the level of Middle Gods. Ascending to Upper Gods would depend on individual talent.

Of course, not everyone could become a god. Those who did were still only one in a hundred million—or even one in a billion.

Venti shamelessly blended into the humans, singing poetry.

No matter his divine rank, he never forgot his identity as a bard.

Within just one day, the initial structure of the human city-state had taken shape.

Riku was unanimously chosen as humanity’s first king.

In his heart, Riku swore to never let anyone down. He would repay every god who helped humanity, and build a civilization worthy of divine eyes.

Just as he was raised to the throne, a Vision fell from the sky.

With Jean’s explanation, everyone came to understand the significance of a Vision.

Cheers and joy erupted among the people.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world...

Among the Werebeasts, Upper God Yae Miko descended upon the largest tribe.

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