(Work and Genshin new story catch my time, so I cant upload daily again. The amount might be same or less and the updated chapters will be released in batches.
Anyway, Ei was soo badass in the new story. She was aura farming so hard, like wow for me)
Chapter 205.
Inside the Golden House, the atmosphere was dense and suffocating.
Futsu Mitama and Ningguang worked in absolute silence, guiding the massive Dragon into the deepest vault of the mint. Using her formidable command over Geo, Ningguang erected multiple layers of ancient, interlocking barriers around the Adeptus body. If anyone dared to tamper with the seals, both she and Futsu Mitama would know instantly.
Futsu Mitama, however, knew perfectly well that Tartaglia was going to come anyway. The Harbinger would inevitably breach the vault, discover that Morax had faked his death, fly into a blind rage, and immediately trigger his doomsday contingency.
Once Tartaglia unleashed Osial, the Overlord of the Vortex, the alarms at the Golden House would be the least of Ningguang's concerns. She would be forced to prioritize the apocalyptic threat bearing down on the harbor, leaving the Golden House entirely unguarded.
The pain of having already read the walkthrough.
Futsu Mitama thought dryly. He stood quietly to the side as Ningguang gave severe, hushed instructions to the Millelith officers, preparing to return to the city.
The guards were visibly terrified. They began patrolling the perimeter with hyper-vigilance, ready to investigate even a shadow shifting out of place.
"Next comes the Qixing Meeting." Ningguang said as they finally exited the Golden House. She looked toward the distant harbor, her tone cold and resolute. "Although we do not yet know who assassinated the Geo Archon, one thing is certain: with his death, the immense burden of this year's Rite of Descension falls entirely upon us."
She paused, her eyes narrowing.
"That is to say, the Qixing have no time to mourn. We must immediately seize control of the divine responsibilities left behind by Rex Lapis."
Ningguang's goal was crystal clear, and it was something ordinary mortals wouldn't dare to even imagine.
Her god had just died, and she already fully intended to usurp the absolute power and authority that had belonged to him for three millennia. If the general public knew her intentions, they would view it as an act of profound rebellion.
But Futsu Mitama, who had actually governed a nation as the Acting Dendro Archon, knew her decision was the only correct one.
There was no time for grief. The Qixing had to fill the vacuum of divine authority immediately.
Governing a nation wasn't simple.
Minor administrative tasks could be delegated to subordinates. But massive, structural decisions—amending national laws, charting Liyue's overarching economic direction for the next year, assessing the transition into the Era of Humans, vetting successors for retiring Qixing members—were all exclusively handled by the Geo Archon during the Rite of Descension.
These tasks had a strict one-year deadline. Now that the Archon was dead, they couldn't just be ignored. If the Qixing didn't instantly seize control, Liyue Harbor would fall into total administrative paralysis.
A day or two was manageable. But a month? Three months? The backlog would crush the nation.
Because Ningguang understood this terrifying reality, she was prepared to seize the throne of governance.
"Good luck."
Futsu Mitama said simply. He had no intention of interfering in Liyue's internal politics. Zhongli had already explicitly warned him to stay out of it.
He could ignore the political maneuvering and the investigation. His time to shine would only come when Osial and Orochi broke free.
Honestly, even if Zhongli hadn't asked him, Futsu Mitama actively wanted to fight the ancient gods. He hadn't gotten a satisfying, drawn-out battle with Scaramouche and Dottore; clashing with primeval Archons was exactly the kind of test he craved.
He claimed to want a peaceful life, but absolute peace was boring.
Much like Saitama, he longed for a battle that would actually make him sweat. Now that he had reached the Demon God Realm on Teyvat, almost nothing could survive a serious slash from his blade—except perhaps Zhongli, Ei, or Venti. Even Shouki no Kami had crumbled under his strikes. He was genuinely excited to see just how strong Osial and Orochi were after millennia of imprisonment.
Hearing his encouragement, a faint, determined smile touched Ningguang's lips.
She kept her gaze fixed on the harbor.
The two set off, moving much faster now that they weren't burdened by the massive dragon corpse. In less than half an hour, they arrived back at Yujing Terrace.
They found Keqing aggressively directing the Millelith.
After rigorous questioning, everyone on the terrace—except the Snezhnayan Delegation—had been successfully cleared of suspicion. The Fatui diplomats had loudly protested their detention, but it was entirely ineffective. As the cleared citizens were escorted off the terrace, many cast hostile, venomous glares at the Snezhnayans.
In the eyes of the Liyue citizens, the Fatui were the obvious culprits. The Qixing and the Millelith wouldn't detain them without reason. To the locals, the detention was proof of guilt!
"You're finally back." Keqing sighed, her tone edged with complaint as she spotted Ningguang. "You certainly left easily. If I had arrived a few minutes later, there would likely have been a full-scale riot here."
Ningguang smiled, shaking her head.
"Even if another hour had passed, there would be no riot. The people here are elite merchants and high-ranking officials. They understand the severity of the situation. If they dared to riot now, they would be thrown in a cell, regardless of their innocence."
Keqing didn't argue, knowing Ningguang was right. She just needed to complain. Ningguang had vanished so decisively, taking the corpse and the Electro Archon's successor straight to the Golden House.
While the group livestream had been cut early, Keqing had instantly deduced their destination. The Golden House was the closest, safest vault available. Keqing genuinely admired Ningguang's ability to calculate that in a split second of absolute panic.
If it were me— Keqing thought dryly, I probably would have just stuffed the corpse into the Chat Group files!
Nothing bad happened when the Tsaritsa's authority was stored there, so the Geo Archon's body should be fine, right?
"Alright, let's go. We will leave this perimeter to Yelan." Ningguang said, glancing at the sky. "Judging by the time, they should be arriving soon."
Keqing nodded, knowing 'they' meant the rest of the Liyue Qixing.
"Futsu Mitama." Keqing suddenly turned to him. "Could you go and comfort Ganyu? She seems entirely unable to accept the situation."
Futsu Mitama blinked, slightly taken aback by the request, but nodded.
"Leave it to me."
He walked toward the far side of the terrace, spotting a distraught Ganyu standing rigidly before the overturned summoning censer.
Yae Miko stood nearby, gently trying to comfort her.
As the Secretary of the Qixing, Ganyu should have been right beside Ningguang and Keqing, coordinating the Millelith, securing the perimeter, and using force to deter chaos if necessary. Instead, she was entirely paralyzed, staring blankly at the shattered stone as if her soul had left her body.
"Ah~"
Yae Miko sighed, looking completely at a loss. Seeing Futsu Mitama approach, her eyes lit up, and she quickly waved him over.
Futsu Mitama walked over silently, standing beside Ganyu.
He honestly didn't know what to say.
He knew Rex Lapis wasn't dead. The 'murder victim' was currently sipping premium tea with his fellow gods in a nearby parlor, enjoying his own self-directed murder mystery. But from Ganyu's perspective, the god she had revered and served for three millennia had just dropped dead in front of her. She hadn't even been able to say goodbye.
Moreover, Ganyu had just secured the Archon's permission to leave Liyue and travel with Futsu Mitama. The very next day, the Archon died.
The psychological whiplash was staggering.
Putting himself in her shoes, Futsu Mitama felt a migraine coming on. This was definitely not the time to offer logical advice. He figured he should just stand there in silent solidarity and let her process it.
"Ahem."
Seeing Futsu Mitama standing there like a mute statue, Yae Miko coughed pointedly, forcing Ganyu to look up.
"Futsu Mitama... you're back." Ganyu said, forcing a fragile, hollow smile. She dragged her gaze away from the broken censer. "I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me. But regarding our travel plans—I'm afraid I will have to postpone them indefinitely."
She took a shaky breath.
"Liyue Harbor still needs me. But... with the Archon gone, my ancient contract should technically be voided... and there are still so many things I haven't transitioned yet... No! Why did the Archon die?! I must investigate this thoroughly! A being as powerful as him could not possibly be assassinated so silently!"
Ganyu was rambling, desperately clutching at straws to find a reason to keep moving forward.
Futsu Mitama watched her carefully.
Her emotional state was dangerously fragile. She was like a drowning victim thrashing for a lifeline. Even if her sudden obsession with investigating the murder kept her moving today, what would happen when the adrenaline faded?
The impact of the fake death was far too severe. In the original timeline, Ganyu had struggled with feelings of isolation, but this was a full-blown mental collapse. Thank the Archons that Xiao wasn't here, or the Yaksha would be suffering a lethal karmic meltdown right now.
Futsu Mitama shot Yae Miko a sharp look, silently signaling her to leave.
He needed to speak to Ganyu alone.
?
Yae Miko raised an eyebrow, silently asking why she had to go.
Futsu Mitama blinked back, signaling that he couldn't speak freely with her eavesdropping.
?
Yae Miko narrowed her eyes, giving him a deeply suspicious, fox-like stare. Futsu Mitama knew that look perfectly.
It meant: You little rascal, you're hiding something!
Ultimately, Yae Miko obediently stepped away. She could sense Ganyu's perilous mental state; if the adeptus wasn't guided properly, she might do something extreme. Yae Miko had already seen Ei lock herself in the Plane of Euthymia after Makoto's death.
She didn't want to see Ganyu spiral into a similar eternity of grief.
Once Miko was gone, Futsu Mitama turned to Ganyu.
"Miss Ganyu, could you come with me for a moment?"
Ganyu nodded silently, expecting words of comfort, and followed him to a deserted corner of the terrace.
"If anyone approaches, please block them."
Futsu Mitama instructed a nearby Millelith squad.
"Yes, Sir!"
The officer immediately formed a perimeter. They recognized the Next Electro Archon and their own Secretary, and given Ganyu's devastated state, they were more than happy to give them privacy.
Once secured in the corner, Futsu Mitama threw the omnipotent brocade pouch Yae Miko had given him straight into the Chat Group files. Then, he cast a dense soundproofing barrier around them.
?
Yae Miko, who had absolutely intended to eavesdrop, pouted as the barrier snapped into place.
So mysterious... what could be so incredibly important?
Miko stroked her chin in thought.
A romantic confession? Not Futsu Mitama's style.
Was he going to declare himself the new Geo Archon and forge a new contract with Ganyu? If he did that, Makoto and Ei would pack him in a crate and drag him back to Inazuma overnight.
Yae Miko knew Ganyu's emotional collapse was largely because the Qixing had systematically taken over her ancient duties. With Rex Lapis dead, her final tether to the harbor was severed. Miko assumed Futsu Mitama was just going to help Ganyu find a new sense of belonging. Still, she resolved to interrogate Ganyu the moment she stepped out.
Inside the barrier, Ganyu kept her head bowed in silence.
"Futsu Mitama—"
Ganyu finally whispered, intending to excuse herself to get back to work.
But Futsu Mitama cut her off.
"Miss Ganyu. You participated in the Archon War, didn't you?"
"Eh?" Ganyu blinked, entirely thrown by the question. "Actually, rather than saying I participated, it's more accurate to say I... experienced it. I only assisted the Archon in the final stages, right as it was ending."
She blushed slightly in embarrassment.
When she was young and inexperienced, she had accidentally been swallowed by a massive beast—and survived only because her plump waistline caused her to get lodged in the monster's throat, choking it to death. Compared to veterans like Cloud Retainer, Azhdaha, and Guizhong, her contributions had been minuscule.
That was precisely why she had volunteered to become the Secretary of the Qixing when Liyue was founded. She wanted to prove her worth, adhering to her contract for three thousand years. But now—the contract was gone.
"So." Futsu Mitama said slowly, watching her carefully. "you know exactly what happens to the environment when a Demon God actually dies, don't you?"
"Eh?" Ganyu blinked again, answering instinctively. "Of course I know. When a Demon God dies, their residual power explodes, unleashing catastrophic disasters upon the land. The stronger the god, the more apocalyptic the fallout. It's the very reason the Yakshas were driven to madness, leaving only the Conqueror of Demons alive. It's why the Archon eventually stopped killing rogue gods and chose to seal them beneath the earth instead—"
Ganyu froze. Her eyes widened, sparkling with a sudden, overwhelming realization.
"Futsu Mitama... do you mean?!"
Ganyu wasn't stupid. She might get stuck in emotional ruts, but she had governed a nation's bureaucracy for millennia. She instantly connected the dots between the pristine, perfectly intact environment of Liyue Harbor, the utter lack of catastrophic divine fallout, and the Fatui's highly suspicious movements.
She didn't know why her Archon was faking his death, but she suddenly knew without a shadow of a doubt that he had orchestrated it.
"I didn't say anything." Futsu Mitama smiled faintly, noting how her devastating sorrow vanished in an instant. "But more importantly, until this matter concludes, absolutely no third party can know."
He knew Ganyu's loyal personality. She would take the secret to her grave until Rex Lapis finished his grand play.
"Mhm! Mhm! Mhm!"
Ganyu nodded vigorously, her mood skyrocketing.
She blushed again, feeling deeply guilty for her own foolishness.
Why hadn't she realized it immediately?
She had genuinely believed that Rex Lapis loved the harbor so much that he had somehow miraculously internalized his explosive death throes to protect the citizens. If Futsu Mitama hadn't explicitly nudged her, she never would have questioned it.
Of course a being as invincible as the Archon couldn't die like that! I was so foolish!
And now, she worried she had carelessly forced Futsu Mitama to expose the grand plan.
What if the Archon blamed him for the leak?
Seeing her fully recovered, Futsu Mitama dispelled the barrier and they walked out together. The Millelith guards noted Ganyu's vastly improved demeanor and returned to their posts with relief.
Yae Miko stared at them in utter shock. She marched right up to them.
"You two were in there for less than half a minute. And she's completely fine?"
She glared at Futsu Mitama suspiciously.
What kind of magic words did you say in thirty seconds to cure a mental breakdown?! Tell me right now, or sleep with one eye open!
Futsu Mitama sweated slightly and lied smoothly.
"Nothing. We just discussed our future travel itinerary."
"Mhm." Ganyu agreed, nodding sharply. "I am going to work now. The Qixing are convening a meeting, and I must be present."
She turned to jog away.
After a few steps, she suddenly stopped, spun around, and yelled loudly.
"Thank you, Futsu Mitama!"
Ignoring the bewildered stares of everyone on the terrace, she sprinted toward the Jade Chamber.
"..."
Aila and Black Aila exchanged a long, intensely thoughtful glance.
Mona and Ayaka leaned their heads together, whispering furiously.
Shinobu and Kokomi watched the scene with profound amusement.
"Something fishy is going on here."
Yae Miko purred. She snapped open a folding fan, hiding the lower half of her face as her piercing eyes locked onto Futsu Mitama.
Futsu Mitama glared right back.
"You know my personality. If I actually had those kinds of intentions, Aila would have been pregnant long ago."
"Perhaps you simply haven't met the right person yet?" Miko teased mercilessly. "Are you interested in Miss Ganyu? Just say the word. Inazuma would be very welcoming to the Secretary of the Qixing~"
Futsu Mitama was done talking. Purple lightning crackled violently in the air beside him, and the hilt of the Seven Thunders of Retribution materialized in his grip.
Keep talking and I will swing this.
"Honestly, you are becoming less and less cute."
Miko sighed, wisely scurrying away. She mentally blamed Raiden Ei; this perfectly lovely young man was picking up all of her terrible, violent habits!
Futsu Mitama lingered on the terrace as the Millelith conducted their screening. Naturally, no guards approached him; they actively gave him a wide berth. Accusing the Next Electro Archon of the murder would inherently implicate the Raiden Shogun, creating an international incident.
Yelan was the only one who approached him.
She sighed, noting that she had originally thought today would be a relaxing festival. Now that the Archon was dead, her workload had increased exponentially. Once the Qixing Meeting concluded, she would likely be buried in covert operations. Futsu Mitama offered her a few words of sympathy before she vanished back to work.
Eventually, a Millelith officer formally dismissed Futsu Mitama's group.
Only the Snezhnayan Delegation was forced to remain on the terrace, as the investigations deemed them the absolute prime suspects. They protested furiously, screaming about Liyue's horrific hospitality.
Yelan coldly informed them that they were free to leave the moment they summoned either Tartaglia or Arlecchino to the terrace for questioning.
That instantly silenced the diplomats. They had emergency protocols to summon the Harbingers, but they were absolutely convinced that their superiors had actually committed the assassination! Summoning them back to a heavily fortified crime scene would be suicidal treason! So, the diplomats shut their mouths, playing dead and pretending they hadn't heard the offer.
With the terrace clearing out, Hu Tao reluctantly bid farewell to Klee and Yoimiya, inviting them to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor when they had free time.
The three explosive enthusiasts eagerly promised to reunite soon to finalize the blueprints for the aerial Jumpy Dumpty.
Had they really already moved to the manufacturing phase?! Futsu Mitama thought, terrified. Is Yoimiya's imagination truly the only thing Klee was missing?!
"Sigh, what a pity. I thought we could have a nice dinner tonight, but now it seems everything will be postponed."
Hu Tao sighed heavily as they left the terrace. She had booked a premium private room at Liuli Pavilion, and now it was ruined.
"Eh? Why???"
Paimon asked, genuinely confused. She was still eagerly anticipating the feast.
"Rex Lapis just died, Paimon." Lumine explained helplessly. "At a time of national mourning, no restaurant in Liyue is going to open its doors tonight."
"And Director Hu will likely be incredibly busy as well."
Shinobu noted thoughtfully.
"Yes. An Archon's passing will inflict a devastating blow on the populace."
Kokomi sighed, foreseeing the societal fallout.
If the Raiden Shogun died, a massive portion of Inazuma's citizenry would likely commit ritual suicide to follow her. In Liyue, the fanaticism for Rex Lapis was unparalleled. He hadn't just ruled them; he had guided every aspect of their civilization. The transition to the Era of Humans had only been accepted because he decreed it.
"Sigh~"
Hu Tao's usual cheerful demeanor vanished entirely. The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was about to be flooded with clients, but she couldn't find any joy in it. The cycle of life and death was natural, but the shock of Rex Lapis's death would undoubtedly cause many of Liyue's fragile elderly citizens to pass away from sheer grief.
She was going to be buried in legitimate funerals.
Futsu Mitama remained silent.
He remembered that in the original plot, Hu Tao never once appeared during the Rite of Parting. She was entirely absent, leaving Zhongli to handle the entire divine funeral alone. It proved just how brutally overworked she was dealing with the mortal fallout of the fake death.
The group walked slowly back to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, surrounded by the chaotic sounds of a city in mourning. Rumors were already spreading wildly—many citizens were loudly convincing themselves that Rex Lapis was merely taking a nap, or recovering from a severe injury. The denial was absolute.
As they approached the parlor's entrance, they stopped dead in their tracks.
Standing right by the front door, looking perfectly casual, was the familiar orange-haired Harbinger.
"Childe?!" Paimon gasped in shock. "Why are you here?!"
Lumine, Aila, Black Aila, Shinobu, and Kokomi all stared at him in utter bewilderment.
Why was Tartaglia here? Didn't he know the Fatui were Liyue's public enemy number one right now? Why would he show up at a funeral parlor instead of hiding in the heavily fortified Northland Bank?
Hearing their voices, Tartaglia turned around, flashing a friendly, easygoing smile.
"Yo! Long time no see. Speaking of which, something truly extraordinary happened today. I just got back from collecting debts outside the city and heard the news. Truly astonishing. I didn't expect Rex Lapis to die."
Paimon puffed her cheeks out, floating right up to his face.
"Are you still going to pretend?! This has to be the Fatui's doing!!!"
"Wait, Paimon, how can you accuse me like that?" Tartaglia sighed, raising his hands in surrender. "I admit I've done a lot of questionable things, but assassinating Rex Lapis wasn't one of them. The Knave didn't do it either. Snezhnaya simply does not possess the capacity to kill Rex Lapis."
He wasn't lying. The Fatui didn't have the power—or the suicidal audacity—to assassinate the War God inside his own borders. Stealing a Gnosis and murdering a god were two entirely different concepts.
"Take your excuses to the Qixing." Hu Tao said coldly, stepping forward to block the entrance. "What brings you to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor? Are you trying to claim the Fatui have business with us?"
She was deeply wary. The prime suspect in the murder of her god was standing on her doorstep.
"You know what? You're exactly right. I am here to deliver a massive piece of business to you." Tartaglia said, his eyes lighting up. "It is an incredibly grand undertaking. I don't know if you can handle it, but the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is the only organization in all of Liyue that has the authority to accept it."
Everyone stared at him.
A grand business undertaking? That only Wangsheng could handle?
"???"
Hu Tao was full of question marks.
"Sigh~ As expected, only Mr. Zhongli truly understands these ancient matters." Tartaglia noted, praising the consultant once again. He looked at Hu Tao seriously. "The Rite of Parting. You know about that, right?"
"The Rite of Parting?? What is that??"
Paimon scratched her head. As Teyvat's best guide, she had memorized every major festival—especially the ones with good food—but this one didn't ring a bell at all.
Lumine, Aila, Shinobu, and Kokomi looked equally confused.
"Ah!"
Hu Tao's expression instantly turned deadly serious.
"You're right. That is indeed a sacred duty that only the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor can perform."
Hu Tao said, her tone dropping all playfulness.
Tartaglia breathed a sigh of relief. He had come specifically to hire Zhongli, but he knew the consultant couldn't accept a national contract without the Director's explicit approval.
"So, as I said, it is a massive job." Tartaglia asked seriously. "Can your parlor handle it?"
"The Rite of Parting is our sacred duty. We will naturally handle it."
Hu Tao said, her plum-blossom eyes narrowing into suspicious slits.
"But why are you the one bringing this up? You don't have some ulterior motive, do you?"
She crossed her arms.
"There are no outsiders here. Speak plainly. This Director is about to be incredibly busy, and I need to prepare in advance."
Everyone's gaze locked onto Tartaglia. What exactly was the Harbinger trying to achieve by funding the funeral of the god he was accused of murdering?