Though it was his first time in Liyue, Arataki Itto had heard legends of Xiao and Qiqi back in Inazuma. One was a meter and a half tall, the other a meter and a quarter—both about the same height as Sayu. How could they possibly be a match for Arataki Itto? He could take them down with one punch each.
The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't help but laugh. Not only would he conquer the streets of Inazuma, but now that he had come to Liyue, he would conquer all the children here too. He would become the king of all the kids in Liyue, making Xiao, Qiqi, and all the other little ones his underlings.
As he walked, he turned back to brag to Paimon about his grand plan. But when he looked behind him, they weren't following.
"Hey, Traveler, Little Paimon, why aren't you following me? Hey, hey, wait up for me!"
Paimon: "Idiot, you're going the wrong way. We're not following you."
Lumine sighed. "I have a feeling that when Itto meets those adepti, he's going to get a beating."
Paimon: "I figured that out already. He's so dumb—of course he's going to get beaten up."
…
As the Traveler, Paimon, and Arataki Itto set foot once more on Liyue's soil, heading for Wangshu Inn, inside the inn, Li Mo saw the crowd quiet down and set down his teacup to continue.
As he spoke, the Electro energy above the inn formed new projections.
In the images, it was already evening. Little Hu Tao was standing on her head against the wall, reciting poetry in a singsong voice. She had not only memorized all of her grandfather's poems but had also started composing her own verses from time to time.
Her grandfather watched her and smiled. "You little rascal, you always recite your poems standing on your head. Does that help you remember them?"
Hu Tao flipped down, dusted off her hands, and said confidently, "Of course it helps. Think about it, Grandfather—even though ordinary people like us can't use elemental power, we still have elemental energy inside us. When you stand on your head, that energy sinks and gathers in your head. It's great for memory."
Of course, these theories were just Hu Tao's own fanciful ideas, never proven. Her grandfather chuckled at her reasoning.
"I see. So that's how it works."
As the sky darkened, her grandfather smiled. "Go play. I'll make dinner."
Hu Tao tugged at his sleeve. "No, let's play hide and seek. We haven't played all day."
Her grandfather laughed. "Alright, alright, go hide. I'll find you once I've finished cooking."
Hu Tao beamed. "Okay, Grandfather! I'm going to hide now. Don't forget to come find me!"
With that, she ran to the hall full of coffins, carefully picked one out, climbed inside, and pulled the lid closed, waiting for her grandfather to find her.
…
Meanwhile, in another corner of Liyue, Morax still sat in the teahouse, sipping tea and listening to the stories. Tea cup after tea cup, story after story—from Rex Lapis creating Liyue, to uniting the land and building a great nation, to subduing Azhdaha, to marching against Osial, the Vortex God, and returning victorious.
In every story, Rex Lapis was invincible, single-handedly defeating all the gods and conquering all. But in truth, Morax knew the teahouse storyteller had exaggerated. Though he was strong, every victory in Liyue had been won through the combined efforts of the adepti, the yakshas, and Rex Lapis himself. The storyteller had credited all the glory to the Geo Archon alone.
Though the stories were a bit embellished, Morax found them enjoyable. A smile even crept onto his face.
Before leaving, he called the teahouse owner over. "Do you know where I might be able to buy a thrush?"
Ever since he had seen Hu Tao's grandfather walking his bird, Morax had been thinking about retirement, about taking it easy and walking a bird of his own.
The owner thought for a moment. "In Liyue, thrushes are quite rare. If you'd like, I can make some inquiries for you."
Morax nodded. "I'd appreciate that."
With that, he left the teahouse. Over the next few days, he returned every day to drink tea and listen to stories, and in his free time, he asked the owner about the thrush. But each time, the answer was the same: "Please wait a little longer."
After about a month of inquiries, the owner had asked all his contacts and searched all over Liyue, but found no second thrush. Only Hu Tao's grandfather had one.
The teahouse owner approached Morax cautiously. "Sir, how much Mora would you be willing to spend on a thrush?"
Morax blinked. "How much Mora?"
He had created Mora himself, so he had never had a clear concept of its value or purchasing power. He said casually, "Mora is no object. As long as I can buy a thrush, any amount will do."
The owner's eyes lit up. He knew he had found a true "big spender." "Don't worry—I'll bring you that thrush."
The next day, the owner went to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to visit, and was greeted by little Hu Tao.
"Grandfather! Grandfather! We've got a customer—someone's here!"
Her grandfather came out. "Who's looking to pre‑order a funeral? Today's burials are thirty percent off!"
At the old man's words, the teahouse owner nearly choked. He had only come to visit—when had he become a customer of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?
He smiled at Hu Tao's grandfather. "Old Hu, I'm not here to pre‑order a funeral today. I'm here to discuss a business deal."
Hu Tao's grandfather looked puzzled. "Aside from funeral pre‑orders, what other business could there be?"
The teahouse owner told him about Morax's interest in buying a bird, adding smugly, "That young man is clearly a fool—he's willing to pay a fortune for a mere thrush. Old Hu, this is an opportunity. If you sell the bird, you can hire new staff and revive Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
At the mention of selling his thrush, Hu Tao's grandfather's face turned dark. "Get lost. I'm not selling."