Aaaaaah!
Jiang Bai was absolutely livid.
How could anyone in this world be so shameless?
And Zhongli even used Hu Tao as leverage against him!
What made it worse was that it actually worked.
Jiang Bai inwardly screamed in frustration.
"I trust in your sincerity. You should be able to gather the six ceremonial offerings before the Traveler returns. As for the ceremonial tea, there's no hurry—we can wait until this matter is settled," Zhongli spoke unhurriedly, each calm word making Jiang Bai grit his teeth harder.
Jiang Bai: No! Absolutely not!
He quickly regained his composure, analyzing Zhongli's intentions.
"You're just trying to send me away so you can secretly make your next move, aren't you?" Jiang Bai declared confidently, certain he'd grasped the core of Zhongli's plot.
"You misunderstand. You already know the greatest secret; what purpose would there be in hiding minor details from you now?" Zhongli chuckled faintly.
Indeed, everything had already been carefully arranged. All he needed now was for the actors to take their places on stage.
Jiang Bai crossed his arms defiantly, turning his head away. "Hmph! As if I'd believe you!"
Though he said that aloud, inwardly he began to calculate.
Today was the third day since Rex Lapis's assassination. Given Aether's speed, by now he should've already arrived at Wangshu Inn to meet the adeptus Xiao. After another two days, Aether would reach Jueyun Karst, and then two more days traveling to Mt. Aocang and Mt. Hulao. Factoring in rest, finding the adepti, and explanations, Jiang Bai estimated he had roughly five days to gather all the required offerings.
Although some items were out of season or impossible to find naturally right now, he could easily purchase good-quality substitutes with Mora in Liyue Harbor. Zhongli's main intention was clearly just to keep him busy, so he likely wouldn't inspect the offerings too closely.
Only the lotus seeds from Mt. Aocang had to be picked personally. But with the Teleport Waypoints, he could quickly return by tomorrow morning, causing minimal delay.
With that realization, the task seemed suddenly less daunting.
Moreover, this man would soon become the next Geo Archon. Having the title "Disciple of the Geo Archon" wouldn't actually be bad at all. In fact, Jiang Bai secretly felt quite pleased at the thought.
"Don't even think about causing trouble while I'm away! I'll ask the Director to keep a close eye on you!" Jiang Bai threatened boldly, chin raised in defiance, before turning and marching off in exaggerated triumph.
Watching Jiang Bai's dramatic exit, Zhongli smiled in quiet amusement and drained the last of his tea.
Not long after Jiang Bai left, Childe took a seat opposite Zhongli.
"Mr. Zhongli seems to be in high spirits today."
"I encountered something rather amusing."
"Oh? Mind sharing?" Childe asked curiously.
He'd met Zhongli numerous times, and usually, the man was calm and emotionally detached. It was rare to see him express such obvious enjoyment. Naturally, Childe's curiosity was piqued.
Zhongli simply smiled slightly, not planning to explain further.
"To what do I owe the pleasure today, Childe?"
"I simply wanted to hear your opinion on the Qixing's recent actions," Childe said straightforwardly.
"And what actions are those?" Zhongli asked calmly, pretending ignorance.
"They've sealed off the news of Rex Lapis's assassination. I wonder if this is Tianquan Ningguang's individual decision, or a unified consensus among all the Qixing…"
"And does it make a difference whether it's her individual decision or a group consensus?"
"If it's solely Tianquan Ningguang's decision, that would mean her power has reached unprecedented heights. None of the other Qixing can oppose her decisions. With Rex Lapis gone, the Qixing have become the highest authority in Liyue, and Ningguang herself stands to benefit the most from this assassination," Childe explained carefully. "And frankly, this entire incident seems clearly orchestrated to place Ningguang at the pinnacle of Liyue's power."
Zhongli listened quietly, finding it quite amusing. Only moments ago, Jiang Bai had vehemently accused Zhongli himself of being the culprit. Now Childe was confidently insisting it was Ningguang.
The contrast was rather entertaining.
Zhongli didn't deny Childe's speculation. "From a purely logical standpoint, the greatest beneficiary would indeed be the prime suspect. But I wonder, how could a mere mortal assassinate a god?"
"One can never be too sure," Childe said, lips curling into a mysterious smile. "Does Mr. Zhongli know how we Fatui Harbingers are ranked?"
Zhongli shook his head calmly. "I do not."
"Our rankings are determined purely by strength. And among the top three Harbingers, each one possesses power capable of rivaling even gods themselves," Childe declared proudly.
Only Snezhnaya held such formidable might. Even Liyue, with its many adepti, fell short in comparison—after all, not every adeptus excelled in combat, and very few could match the sheer power of a true Archon.
Following his logic, Zhongli offered thoughtfully, "Are you suggesting Ningguang might be hiding her true strength, which has already reached a godly level?"
"It's not impossible," Childe affirmed confidently.
Zhongli suddenly laughed quietly, a mysterious, unreadable expression on his face.
"What's so amusing, Mr. Zhongli?" Childe asked, perplexed. Was his speculation really that funny?
Zhongli merely shook his head lightly, not answering.
He truly wished Jiang Bai had been here to hear Childe's theory. This is how a normal person reasons.
"If Ningguang truly possesses such strength, then her becoming the next Geo Archon wouldn't be impossible," Zhongli said lightly.
Childe stared at Zhongli, genuinely surprised. "Mr. Zhongli, you'd support her?"
"My only wish is for Liyue to remain peaceful."
---
Meanwhile, Aether and Paimon stood atop Wangshu Inn, overlooking the magnificent vista that stretched endlessly before them.
"Wooow!" Both of them sighed appreciatively at the view.
"But… the map says there should be an adeptus here, so where are they?" Paimon wondered, shading her eyes with her hands as she scanned the surroundings.
"According to the innkeeper, the adeptus here enjoys almond tofu. Let's place the fresh almond tofu as an offering," Aether said, carefully setting down the tofu alongside one of his own specialty dishes. He then pulled out the Sigil of Permission.
"Adeptus, we have urgent news. Please show yourself."
Xiao's figure appeared quietly by the table, his eyes briefly lingering on the almond tofu before shifting to the [Sigil of Permission], and finally settling on the two unfamiliar figures.
"What urgent matter do you bring?"
"Rex Lapis was assassinated during the Rite of Descension!" Aether announced solemnly.
Xiao froze for a brief instant, before quickly concealing his reaction and pretending ignorance.
"Rex Lapis… assassinated…? This—I can hardly believe it…"
"We can't confirm exactly how he died," Aether continued seriously. "Some suggest he reached the natural end of his lifespan; others believe he was murdered. The situation also implicates the Qixing and the Fatui—there are countless theories. We're hoping the adepti might investigate the truth."
Seeing that this adeptus seemed surprisingly cooperative, Paimon eagerly added more details.
"I understand," Xiao answered briefly. "Inform the other adepti as well."
He turned his gaze toward the distant mountains, seemingly seeing all the way to Liyue Harbor.
"Human souls are too fragile, and my karmic debt runs deep. Unless absolutely necessary, I shall not enter Liyue Harbor."