Alice's mention of clearing out the Extinction brought them back to a core issue.
Normally, Riku's operations would yield a return of one plus one equals ten. A tenfold return was the absolute limit. So, why was he able to get a hundredfold return? It was entirely because this universe was exceptionally, undeniably, and incredibly special.
Evil Gods, destruction, the Abyss, decay... the list went on.
Generally speaking, if a universe was heading toward Extinction, having one or two triggers was already significant. But not this universe. This broken reality had at least dozens of triggers for its Extinction. Moreover, many of them looked hauntingly familiar to Riku.
Furthermore, while Alice was immensely powerful and known as the "Great Adventurer of the Realms," that reputation was confined to the planets within the Teyvat Universe. She had never directly crossed between universes. Yet, two hundred years ago, Alice had arrived in this universe.
Connecting the cause and effect, Riku had formed some theories and began his research. Now, he had finally produced results.
"Quick, quick, quick! Let me see!" Alice was already brimming with excitement, jumping up and down, eager to take a look.
What could Riku do? She was his wife, and he could only dote on her.
"Take a look."
He held up his hand, and a translucent, hollow, ghostly blue gate—resembling a memorial archway or a torii—emerged from his palm.
It had a more accurate name: Myōjinmon.
"A torii?" Alice blurted out, then immediately clutched her forehead with an "Ouch."
Riku tapped her head and smiled. "Based on my origins, it should be called a 'Myōjinmon.'"
"Is that what they call it in Liyue?" Alice did not dwell on it, asking even more curiously, "Darling, with this, can we travel across universes for adventures?"
"In theory, yes. However, it is not fully perfected yet. It will probably take another year or so." Riku nodded first, then changed his tone, his voice carrying a mysterious hint.
Alice immediately puffed out her cheeks, crossing her arms over her slender waist. "I know, I know! Do you think I would not pay attention to our daughter?"
Riku smiled but said nothing. Alice immediately became dissatisfied.
But Alice was Alice. Her moods shifted quickly, and she soon stopped fussing over it. "Darling, can you tell what kind of world is on the other side?" she asked curiously.
Riku shook his head. "I am not sure. Crossing universes is extremely difficult. I am relying on the unique characteristics of the [Longhuang Universe]."
[Longhuang Universe]. This was the name Riku had given his universe. Whether as a memorial or out of nostalgia, it was a fitting name.
Originally, Riku quite liked names like Huanglong, Liyue, Xianzhou, Donghuang, or Yan Country. But after discovering the universe's characteristics... forget it. He did not want to end up in a situation where it turned out his origins belonged to someone else. After all, he was the Lord of the Universe. Wouldn't that be too embarrassing?
As for the characteristics of the [Longhuang Universe] itself? It was simple. This universe was like a sieve. People, things, and energy from other universes could all fall into it. This was how Alice had managed to cross over from the Teyvat Universe. Similarly, this was also the reason for all the chaotic forms of Extinction within the [Longhuang Universe].
Riku had essentially worked backward to develop this method of inter-universal travel. Otherwise, trying to cross the Crystal Wall System and the Crystal Wall Sea, well, he would use those names since they seemed appropriate, would be fundamentally impossible. Generally, a universe could not achieve such a feat until it had completed three or four evolutions.
"What are you thinking about?" Riku asked curiously, watching his wife tilt her head as if deep in thought.
And then... Riku fell silent.
Alice began listing her ideas to him. Things like farming, mining, breeding... and once they reached a certain age, they could start generating power. If that did not work anymore, they could...
"Stop, stop, stop!" Riku quickly cut off Alice's wild ideas, unable to resist complaining, "Alice, are you actually a war criminal?"
"What war criminal? I haven't lost, so why call me a war criminal?" Alice replied with her head held high.
Riku remained silent but still put a stop to his wife's bold suggestions. It was not for any other reason than the fact that her methods were too wasteful—the ultimate waste. Regarding how to obtain Universe Energy from other universes, he had already formulated a "comprehensive management plan."
Alice was instantly intrigued, her eyes shining like spotlights. "Quick! Tell me, darling! Let me hear what is going on!"
Riku did not hide anything and gave her a brief explanation.
"Darling, *you* are the war criminal. You should be put on..." Alice blurted out.
Riku instinctively retorted, "What war criminal? I haven't lost, so why call me a war criminal?"
"..."
"Hehehe..."
The two of them fell silent at the same time, looked at each other, and finally burst into laughter together.
It could only be said that birds of a feather flock together. The fact that Riku could be pestered by Alice, and that Alice chose to pester Riku in the first place, proved that these two were truly cut from the same cloth.
After some fooling around, Alice thought back to the "Extinction" and asked with a hint of seriousness, "Darling, if that is the case, can the Extinction of the [Longhuang Universe] be resolved soon?"
"It is hard to say. Extinction is both destruction and rebirth." Riku was not sure either, so he continued explaining to his wife.
Extinction brings destruction, but it also brings rebirth. If a civilization can withstand Extinction, it will undergo a transformation, and the universe will be reborn. Well, that path was already blocked. No sane person could possibly withstand dozens of types of Extinction to achieve rebirth.
Using vast amounts of Universe Energy to completely wipe out the Extinction can also make the universe stronger. This was actually a variation of the first path; the difference was sacrificing civilization and directly injecting massive amounts of Universe Energy.
As for the last method, it was even simpler: find the core of the Extinction and destroy it.
The problem was that Riku, the Lord of the Universe, could only use the second method. This was just ridiculous.
Regarding the first method—if he had not arrived to extend its life, this universe would have long since called "GG." Life and civilization would have been finished long ago.
As for the third method, Riku had checked over and over again, only to make the bizarre discovery that this broken universe's Extinction did not even have a core.
If Riku had not researched and developed a way to travel between universes, then... he would have just turned around and left. Sacrificing his origin would be better than staying here half-dead, waiting for the end, would it not?