"This bard fell onto my roof at the crack of dawn, broke a few tiles, and claimed he was looking for you." Zhongli casually invented a reason for his appearance.
Jiang Bai, Aether, and Paimon all turned to look at Venti.
"So you really are here!" Venti's expression was bright with surprise. He hardly needed Zhongli's cover—he naturally went along with the story.
"I had Dvalin bring me over, but the moment we flew above Liyue Harbor, he tossed me off. I thought I'd never find you, then—boom—landed right on Mr. Zhongli's roof!"
"…What a coincidence." Jiang Bai and Aether were both doubtful, but when they glanced up, there were indeed a few broken tiles.
A platform of stone lifted Jiang Bai upward; he stepped onto the roof and replaced the shattered tiles, grumbling as he worked. "Mr. Zhongli, why do your roof tiles always break?"
He had just replaced them once before—and now more had broken.
Was Zhongli's roof cursed?
"I am not sure myself. Perhaps the quality was poor. Another day, I should replace them all with glazed tiles carved with glaze lilies—the sort popular in the market these days."
Jiang Bai instantly regretted saying anything. With one careless remark, another expense had been added.
Venti clapped him on the shoulder once he climbed back down. "Ehe~ I came here by invitation, you know. My meals and drinks are on you!"
"The Rite of Parting hasn't even started yet. Isn't this a bit early?" Jiang Bai was gaining a new understanding of this irresponsible Anemo Archon.
"What does it matter? Perfect chance to have the erudite Mr. Zhongli show me the sights of Liyue."
"But Zhongli still has to take us to find wild glaze lilies," Paimon cut in.
"That is simple enough. Plucking wild glaze lilies requires only that you mind a few particulars." Zhongli explained in detail the lilies' growth environment and the singing one must do when harvesting them.
"Good. Go on, then. After picking them, crush the petals and place them into the censer with the everlasting incense. That will complete the preparations for the Rite of Parting."
Walking out of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, the three exchanged looks.
"…Just us going to find them?"
"Seems so."
Watching them leave the city toward Dihua Marsh, Childe frowned.
He had not managed to extract from them even a hint of where the exuvia might be hidden. For now he could only wait to see if the Fatui uncovered anything unusual.
"Any signs of anomalies in Liyue?" he asked the subordinate behind him.
The man bowed slightly and reported the intelligence gathered in recent days.
"In this period, the Golden House has increased its guards. Blackcliff Forge and the Chasm also have had Qianyan troops reinforced. Aside from that, patrols in the harbor itself have increased greatly, especially near the docks and Yujing Terrace."
Childe propped his chin in one hand, murmuring lowly. "The Golden House is Teyvat's greatest mint. With the Geo Archon dead, increased guard is understandable. Blackcliff Forge and the Chasm are both strategic sites, so reinforcements there also make sense."
The exuvia could not have been moved too far—it could only be in or near Liyue Harbor.
The Chasm could be ruled out immediately.
The exuvia was far too large. Blackcliff Forge was too crowded, too many eyes. Liyue Harbor itself was too exposed. That left the Golden House as the most fitting place.
And perhaps… also there.
Childe lifted his gaze skyward, toward the floating Jade Chamber.
That, too, would be a fine place to store the exuvia.
But right now Liyue's defenses were tight. If he forced his way into either, he would immediately be buried beneath thousands of troops. He could only wait for the right moment.
Rubbing his aching head, he muttered, "Sigh. Thinking really isn't my strong suit. Those adepti are too slow—why haven't they come yet?"
...
Near the waypoint outside Liyue Harbor, Paimon suddenly stopped.
"So tired… let's just teleport straight to Dihua Marsh."
Jiang Bai flicked her little crown. "Tired? You haven't even set foot on the ground!"
"Flying is tiring too!" Paimon clutched her crown, indignant.
"If we teleport, that leaves only Jiang Bai traveling on foot." Aether also wanted to teleport, but he had to consider Jiang Bai's feelings.
Jiang Bai felt challenged—as if anyone thought he couldn't teleport.
He knew Aether well enough now, sure they posed no threat to him. Whether or not he revealed himself as a Descender didn't matter much.
But as the senior, he had to show a little style.
With a mysterious smile, he placed his hand on the waypoint. "See you in a moment."
The next instant, Aether and Paimon saw him vanish right before their eyes.
Paimon rubbed her eyes. "Huh? Where'd he go? Don't tell me he teleported?"
Aether muttered softly, "So he can teleport too… So this is how it looks to others, when one teleports away."
"Hmph! Then let's go too—can't let him get ahead!" Paimon planted fists on her hips, her cape scattering starlight, and vanished.
Aether nodded, touched the waypoint, and disappeared.
By the waypoint near Wangshu Inn, Jiang Bai leaned against the railing, looking at them with teasing amusement. "Bit slow, aren't you?"
"Hmph!" Paimon appeared at Aether's side, arms akimbo, very put out.
"Why can you teleport too?"
"Why not? Only you're allowed to teleport?" Jiang Bai countered.
Aether glanced at Paimon. He himself didn't even know why he could teleport, only that Paimon had explained it to him.
At Jiang Bai's retort, Paimon had no comeback.
"Forget it! I won't argue with you!"
Jiang Bai didn't bother to argue either. Unfurling his wind glider, he leapt down. "Come on—let's find the glaze lily! Just one last thing left!"
"Hmph! We'll follow—you're not hogging the glory!"
Before the Archon War, Dihua Marsh was not the watery land it is now, but dry ground.
Later, the war brought landslides, flooding the place, turning it into wetlands—and the glaze lilies that had once grown here were nearly wiped out.
Jiang Bai crouched, a bamboo pole he'd picked up in hand, poking through thick water grass in search of wild glaze lilies.
As he searched, he suddenly spotted a figure that seemed oddly familiar.
"Huh? Someone's there—with horns on her head." Paimon noticed the stranger too.
"Don't shout. That's an important figure in Liyue. Offend her, and you won't be able to stay here." Jiang Bai flicked her crown again, motioning her to quiet down.
But his warning came too late. Ganyu turned, and her gaze fell upon them.
---
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