Genshin Impact: The God Incarnate

Now came another pressing question: how could Vorthis persuade Morax to lead the people of Liyue to relocate to Guili Plains?

Shaking his head, Vorthis wondered if he was thinking too far ahead.

During his time outside, Morax and Guizhong had delved deeply into discussions on governance, exchanging valuable insights. What Vorthis thought would be a brief conversation stretched into an entire afternoon and evening.

By the time Morax emerged, it was already morning.

If Vorthis hadn't known better, he might have suspected that the two of them were up to something dubious in all that time. But he reminded himself that Morax, emotionally speaking, was as impenetrable as a rock—just like his true form.

When Morax and Guizhong finally stepped out of the palace, both wore apologetic expressions.

Immersed in the sea of knowledge, they had lost themselves entirely, forgetting about Vorthis. However, such behavior wasn't unusual for gods. With their eternal lifespans, a day or two could pass without notice.

Vorthis, of course, wasn't foolish enough to simply wait idly outside the palace.

Instead, he used his Manifestation Authority to construct a temporary pavilion. During this time, he created something remarkable.

In front of Vorthis stood what appeared to be an ordinary Go board.

But only Vorthis knew the truth: this board was anything but ordinary.

Using his Manifestation Authority, Vorthis imbued the board with functionality akin to an AI program. It could automatically control and move the pieces while calculating its moves.

The left side of the board featured three buttons labeled Easy, Medium, and Hell.

Creating this intelligent Go board filled Vorthis with immense pride.

Behold the proper use of Manifestation Authority!

"My apologies, Zennos," Morax said earnestly. "Guizhong and I became so engrossed in our conversation that we forgot you were waiting."

Guizhong echoed his sentiment. "Vorthis, I'm so sorry! By the way, what is that?"

Guizhong's gaze was drawn to the board in front of Vorthis.

Vorthis placed a black stone on the board. A faint blue light emanated from it, guiding a white stone to its position.

The magical mechanism immediately captivated Guizhong.

At the moment, Vorthis was entirely absorbed in the critical stage of his match. He didn't notice Morax and Guizhong's presence.

Seeing Vorthis preoccupied, Morax took it upon himself to explain.

"This is called Go," Morax said. "It's a board game invented by Zennos. It contains numerous rules and profound principles. I haven't fully grasped its mysteries myself."

Guizhong nodded. "So… can this Go board play by itself?"

Morax hesitated before answering.

"Well… traditionally, Go cannot play itself."

"But considering Zennos is behind this, it makes perfect sense. It's likely another creation born from his Manifestation Authority."

"Wait… his Manifestation Authority is used for things like this?"

Guizhong fell into thought. Yet, the more she considered it, the more reasonable it seemed.

"I've won!"

Vorthis' exclamation broke the silence. With the placement of his final piece, he secured victory over the board.

A bright grin spread across his face.

As expected, he was a Go prodigy!

On the side of the board, the Easy difficulty button glowed faintly.

Looking up, Vorthis noticed Morax and Guizhong for the first time.

"Oh, you're finally done!" he remarked.

"Morax, Guizhong, come take a look at my latest invention—the Intelligent Go Board!"

"With this, even when alone, one can still enjoy a match! Plus, it has three difficulty settings: Easy, Medium, and Hell. Care to give it a try, Morax?"

Vorthis grinned at Morax.

After all, Morax never held back during their games, consistently defeating him without mercy.

Now, Vorthis planned to let the Intelligent Go Board handle Morax.

Morax's curiosity was piqued.

It had been ages since he encountered an opponent capable of matching his skills in Go.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder: would this board mimic Vorthis' unpredictable and frustrating strategies?

"Since it's your creation, Zennos, I must give it a try," Morax said, nodding.

"Great! I'm sure someone of your skill can defeat it!" Vorthis said with a sly smile.

As Morax sat down, Vorthis discreetly pressed the Hell difficulty button.

"Vorthis, can you explain Go to me?" Guizhong asked, her interest piqued.

Even Morax found the game's intricacies fascinating, so a wisdom-focused god like Guizhong was naturally intrigued.

Vorthis happily obliged, launching into an explanation.

"Go is usually played on a 19×19 grid. Players alternate placing black and white stones on the board, aiming to claim more territory or capture their opponent's pieces by surrounding them."

"Though the rules are simple, the possibilities are endless. It's a game of infinite complexity."

"Guizhong, I'm sure you'd pick it up quickly—and perhaps even surpass Morax!"

Vorthis' excitement grew as he spoke.

He resolved to teach Guizhong Go, envisioning her as his champion against Morax.

If he couldn't win himself, he'd train someone else to do it!

Guizhong quickly grasped the basics, her interest deepening.

Meanwhile, she and Vorthis watched Morax's match against the Intelligent Go Board unfold.

As time passed, Guizhong's understanding of Go evolved, and she began to appreciate its nuances.

Within the confines of the 19×19 grid lay a boundless universe.

With each move, the board grew more crowded, and the space for both sides dwindled.

Morax, to his surprise, began to fall into a disadvantageous position.

Watching this, Vorthis—the mastermind behind it all—couldn't help but chuckle quietly to himself.