Jueyun Karst – In Front of Qiu Bai Cave Abode
A large crane stood before the cave mansion, staring in shock at the now-broken seal.
"Where is the Immortal Lord?!"
"A great Adepti like that, could someone with ill intentions have stolen him away?"
This crane was none other than Cloud Retainer, who now gawked at the shattered seal, frozen in disbelief.
"Moon Carver! Mountain Shaper!"
"You two old geezers, get out here at once! The Immortal Lord has been stolen!"
Hearing this urgent transmission, Mountain Shaper and Moon Carver hurried out of the cave.
"Who did this?!"
"Outrageous! Someone actually dared to steal the Immortal Lord while he was in slumber?!"
The two Adepti were furious, their expressions filled with disbelief.
"Master? What's going on? And why are all the Adepti so alarmed?"
A calm, composed female voice rang out from behind them.
The newcomer was dressed in a black, form-fitting outfit, accentuating her graceful yet powerful presence. Her pure white hair flowed gently in the wind, adorned with a Glaze Lily-shaped ornament.
At first glance, she exuded the aura of a cold and untouchable beauty.
This woman was none other than Shenhe.
She furrowed her brows slightly, puzzled by the situation.
Cloud Retainer turned to Shenhe, her tone urgent.
"Shenhe, head down to Liyue Harbor at once. Find the current Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing!"
"Tell them that an Adeptus has mysteriously vanished and order them to send people to search immediately!"
Shenhe nodded without hesitation.
"Understood, Master."
Without another word, she turned and began making her way down the mountain toward Liyue Harbor.
Meanwhile, in Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao was growing impatient.
"Ugh! That guy Zhongli still isn't back yet?!"
She sighed in frustration before shrugging to herself.
"Forget it! I'll just go eat by myself."
With that, she left the funeral parlor and headed toward Wanmin Restaurant.
Qiu Bai glanced at Zhongli.
"So, you're planning to fake your death the day after tomorrow just to see how the Liyue Qixing will react?"
Zhongli gave a faint smile.
"Precisely. I've also heard that a traveler from Mondstadt is on their way."
"Perhaps they will play a crucial role in this Rite of Descension."
Unlike with mortals, Zhongli had no reason to hide his plans from Qiu Bai.
After all, this was the only old friend left in the world with whom he could still speak freely, his most trusted companion.
Qiu Bai chuckled softly.
"Morax, no matter what you decide, I will support you."
"After all, Liyue needs to grow. The people must learn how to move forward without the gods."
Even though Qiubai already knew how the events would unfold, he still wanted to witness it all firsthand.
After all, he had ruled alongside Zhongli for several decades, aiding in Liyue's governance.
The people still remembered him fondly, respectfully referring to him as an Adeptus.
Whether it was his time spent in ancient Liyue or simply his deep love for classical Chinese culture, Liyue had always been his favorite place even back when he was merely a player in the game.
"However, now that you've awakened, if the people of Liyue find out, my plan might become difficult to carry out."
"After all, you are an Adeptus whose name stands alongside the Geo Archon himself. I'll have to think of a solution."
Zhongli sighed, already feeling a headache coming on.
Qiu Bai chuckled and reassured him.
"Morax, when I left my cave, no one noticed me."
"Besides, I've changed my attire. In today's Liyue, I doubt many people would still remember my face."
Zhongli let out a soft laugh.
"Haha, is that so?"
"But if Cloud Retainer and the others realize you're missing, they'll probably panic."
Still smiling, Zhongli led Qiu Bai toward Wanmin Restaurant.
As soon as they arrived, a familiar voice rang out.
"Zhongli! Where did you go?"
Hu Tao pouted as she scolded him.
"I just asked you to bring some food, and you took forever!"
However, her complaints came to a sudden halt when she noticed the handsome man standing beside Zhongli.
His appearance was just as striking as Zhongli's, if not even more so.
Hu Tao's phoenix-like eyes sparkled with curiosity as she beamed at Qiu Bai.
"Oh my, Zhongli, this must be that old friend of yours, right?"
"Have you eaten yet? Xiangling's on duty today, why don't you join us for a meal?"
Her enthusiasm was infectious, and Qiu Bai found it difficult to refuse.
Besides, he hadn't eaten anything in a thousand years.
As they took their seats, Zhongli turned to Qiu Bai with a slight smile.
"I forgot to mention, I'm now a consultant for Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and this is its current director, Hu Tao."
Qiu Bai nodded politely.
"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Hu. I am Qiu Bai."
His eyes lingered on her for a moment.
Teyvat's number one Pyro DPS—who wouldn't recognize her?
But now, seeing her up close, he had to admit she was even more stunning than in the game.
Zhongli then turned to Hu Tao.
"Hu Tao, my friend here has no fixed residence. Would it be possible for him to stay at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor for the time being?"
"His knowledge is no less than mine. I'm sure he could be of great help to you."
Zhongli's words were no exaggeration.
Qiu Bai had once drunk tea with him, attended the Rite of Descension, and played a crucial role in Liyue's development.
His insights into governance, city planning, and diplomacy were unmatched.
Hu Tao rested her chin on her hand, gazing at Qiu Bai thoughtfully.
"Huh, I never expected you to have a friend like this, Zhongli."
Then, with a playful smile, she made her decision.
"Alright then! Let's make Qiu Bai a guest consultant at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor too!"
Hu Tao observed Qiu Bai graceful demeanor, even while eating.
His mannerisms, the way he carried himself it was eerily similar to Zhongli.
Though he looked younger, his aura held the same depth.
Still, having two handsome men around every day didn't seem like a bad thing, right?
Qiu Bai chuckled softly.
"Thank you, Lady Hu. I do happen to have some knowledge of the mystical arts and the balance of yin and yang."
"I should be able to assist the Hall Master quite a bit."
Qiu Bai set down his chopsticks and smiled at Hu Tao.
"Huh? Mastery of yin and yang? You mean that literally?!"
Hu Tao suddenly sat up in shock, then walked over to Qiu Bai. She leaned in so close that their faces were nearly touching.
Qiu Bai remained unfazed, meeting her gaze calmly.
"Yes, I mean it literally. I have some understanding of the power of Yin and Yang."
Hah, as if my title "The Yin-Yang Immortal" was for nothing.
Internally, Qiu Bai was feeling a bit proud of himself.
Spending too much time around Morax had affected him, though his way of speaking had become eerily similar to the Geo Archon's.
Over the passage of time, he was no longer the same Qiu Bai from the past.
"My old friend is being humble."
Zhongli put down his chopsticks as well, smiling slightly. My old friend is not just knowledgeable, he is a true god of Yin and Yang. From the moment of his birth, his mastery of this art was already at its peak.
Hu Tao clapped her hands together, looking absolutely delighted.
"Wow, Zhongli, you really found me an incredible assistant!"
She patted Qiu Bai on the shoulder and let out a small yawn.
"Alright then, Qiu Bai, tonight you're coming with me to Wuwang Hill."
Stretching lazily, Hu Tao turned to leave.
"I'm full, so I'm heading back for an afternoon nap. I'll come find you tonight, Qiu Bai."
"Understood, Director."
Qiu Bai responded as he watched Hu Tao walk away, heading toward Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Zhongli and Qiu Bai remained seated, quietly sipping their tea as they watched the lively streets of Liyue.
Qiu Bai chuckled, swirling the tea in his cup.
"She's certainly an enthusiastic girl."
Zhongli took a sip of his tea as well, a small smile forming on his lips.
"This child… I can't handle her."
Qiu Bai raised an eyebrow, amused.
"Oh? You, of all people, can't handle someone?"
Just then, a girl emerged from Wanmin Restaurant carrying a plate of food.
Trailing behind her was a small, odd-looking creature.
She approached Zhongli's table, placing the dish down.
"Mr. Zhongli! Your Jueyun Guoba is ready!"
The girl Xiangling, the Six-Star True God of Liyue's Culinary Arts beamed cheerfully.
As she placed the dish on the table, her eyes landed on Qiu Bai.
She tilted her head slightly, looking puzzled.
"Huh? Is this Mr. Zhongli Friend? I don't think I've seen him before."
Before she could think too much about it, she turned to head back inside.
"Guoba, let's go!"
She called out to her little companion.
But Guoba didn't move.
The tiny creature stood frozen, eyes wide with shock, staring intensely at both Qiu Bai and Zhongli.
"Lulululu—(ΩДΩ)!!!"