"In this world, demons and gods rise together. Though I have no desire to contend for dominion, I know the suffering of the people..."
"My only wish is to cleanse the land and protect a corner of this fleeting world..."
At the Jialing Pass, a battle of three gods raged.
A figure clad in "divine attire" suddenly appeared, His voice resonating across the world.
As His words faded, He raised a hand, then crossed His arms.
"I will have order!"
A massive amber-hued "meteor" descended from the heavens.
Qian Renxue's eyes snapped open.
Her delicate brows were drenched in cold sweat, her clothes soaked through.
The terror in her beautiful eyes gradually subsided, her breathing steadying.
"Jialing Pass… Tang San… Bibi Dong… the Sea God… the Rakshasa God…"
"The Spirit Empire…"
"And… Morax!"
This was not the first time she had this dream. Each time, it was fragmented.
And each time, she would wake just as the "meteor" struck.
"Who… are you?!"
Qian Renxue muttered, her expression grave.
She could no longer distinguish dream from reality.
It felt too real—as if she had truly lived through it.
This time, in that fleeting moment, she had glimpsed His face. That voice… it held a faint trace of familiarity.
A thought flashed through her mind, and she shook her head violently.
"No!"
"Impossible!"
"He's just a street bum, a good-for-nothing social parasite…"
"There's no way he could be the omnipotent Morax!"
In a grand mansion at the northern edge of Heaven Dou City…
"Achoo…"
A strikingly handsome young man sneezed, a flicker of confusion passing through his amber, phoenix-like eyes.
By all common reasoning, he should not be susceptible to illness—let alone catch a mere chill.
"Who's talking about me?"
"Zhongli, what's wrong?"
A small creature, barely over two feet tall, rubbed its bleary eyes.
"Nothing. Just a slight chill."
"...???"
At those words, the drowsy creature jolted awake, floating mid-air with an utterly bewildered expression.
Her mind was flooded with question marks.
Zhongli… caught a chill?
"Paimon, don't overthink it. Get some rest."
Looking at the so-called "Voice of God" before him, Zhongli still hadn't fully processed everything.
Deep down, he carried a secret.
He was a transmigrator.
In his previous life, he had crossed over as the newly born Morax.
However, his memories as a transmigrator only awakened when Morax had already been eroded by time.
By then, it was too late to change the tragedies of the past.
Even the sturdiest stone would eventually wear away.
If even the mighty dragon Azhdaha could not withstand erosion, neither could Morax—nor could he.
Not wishing to bring chaos to Liyue, he settled his affairs and journeyed alone into the Dark Sea.
Along the way, in his delirium, he encountered the "blonde" traveler…
And somehow, Paimon—originally the traveler's companion—ended up crossing worlds with him!
When they first arrived in the Douluo Continent, both Zhongli and Paimon were utterly dumbfounded…
But with this second transmigration, Zhongli's mind gradually cleared. Against all odds, his eroded consciousness miraculously recovered!
This world had no Heavenly Principles, no curse of erosion. As a god, he could live indefinitely without the burden of decay.
With his mind restored, memories of his past life flooded back—vivid, as if they had happened just yesterday.
At first, he wasn't entirely sure what kind of world this was… until one day, he witnessed two soul masters summoning their martial spirits, rings rising beneath their feet.
"Douluo Continent?"
He was slightly surprised. Of all places, he had ended up in this world—the so-called "floor tile" of fantasy settings.
But soon enough, Zhongli accepted reality.
Perhaps transmigrating here was for the best. Had he remained in Teyvat, he might have already succumbed to madness.
Few beings in existence could restrain him once he lost control.
The two of them had arrived in the wilderness between Heaven Dou City and the Sunset Forest.
Just as Zhongli was about to head into the city, he encountered an elderly man with dark green hair.
Seeing that the man was poisoned, Zhongli kindly pointed it out…
"I wonder how the traveler is doing… How can I even sleep?!"
Paimon frowned, her face etched with worry.
She had inexplicably followed this "old fossil" into another world and still had no idea how it happened!
Without her, the traveler would lose their best guide. Without her, the traveler might even save a fortune in Mora… Wait, no—
Hmph!
Did she really eat that much?
Only 300,000 Mora a month!
Within moments, Zhongli watched as Paimon dozed off, a vein throbbing on his forehead.
Who was it that said they couldn't sleep?
And yet, she's out cold in under five minutes?
Shaking his head, he tucked the tiny blanket around Paimon before lying back down, gazing at the moon outside the window.
If his memory served him right, the protagonist's group should be arriving in Heaven Dou City soon.
For "Zhongli," going without sleep for months was trivial.
But for him now, keeping a regular sleep schedule was simply a habit from his past life.
The morning sun bathed the land in gentle light, breathing life into the world.
"Hey, street bum! Wake up!"
Zhongli's eyelid twitched. Paimon's nicknames for him were always… creative.
With a resigned sigh, he opened his eyes, his amber gaze settling on her.
"Paimon, I recall the traveler once called you 'emergency food.'"
"I am NOT emergency food! Paimon is Paimon!"
"The traveler was just joking!"
Paimon flailed indignantly, stomping mid-air with her hands on her hips.
"Alright, I understand."
Zhongli nodded, deciding not to tease her further.
She might have been able to fool the blonde traveler, but did she really think she could deceive him, Morax?
Without her guidance, the traveler might stray from their path—that was likely her real concern.
Then again… perhaps Paimon was simply Paimon.
Paimon, the being who wielded the power of time…
"So, street bum, what's for breakfast today?"
Paimon's temper was as fleeting as ever.
She never held grudges—at least, not for long.
Now, she rubbed her hands together, eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Just moments ago, she had called him a "good-for-nothing social parasite."
And now, she was demanding that same "parasite" treat her to a meal.
If not for Zhongli's "good temper," he might have taught this little creature exactly why flowers bloomed so vibrantly.
"Heaven Dou City boasts a vast variety of breakfast dishes. Even after half a month here, we've yet to sample them all."
"Today, let's try the tofu pudding from the shop in the western district."
Paimon's face lit up instantly.
"Yes! I want sweet tofu pudding!"
"Sweet tofu pudding?"
"Perhaps the savory version would be more refined—"
"No! Sweet! Only sweet!"