Chapter 500

"King!"

"I'm back. Well then, I'll leave dinner to you, Heulia."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

A sweet smile bloomed on Heulia's beautiful face. She put down the teapot, stepped forward, and as usual, left a sweet kiss on Maria's cheek. Only then did she take the prey to the spring to wash and process it.

Maria hunts, Heulia cooks—the rhythm and atmosphere are perfectly natural, just like in the Salt of the Earth.

The only problem is,

"This is Mount Aozang."

"It's Mount Aozang, so I also prepared portions for you and Shenhe. Is there a problem, Cloud Retainer?"

Maria picked up her teacup, looked at Xianyun with her deep, clear, beautiful eyes, and winked.

Xianyun paused for a moment, then pushed up his glasses and said stiffly:

"It's nothing, I'll go get some seasonings for the Salt God."

Only Guizhong, who was fiddling with the mechanism, saw that when the woman turned around, a blush appeared on her face—she was clearly bewitched.

"Tsk!"

It's no surprise that Maria has this kind of charm; rather, it's the more she has this Guizhong.

However, after that previous act of mutual destruction, it's hard for Xianyun not to associate the seduction with something sinister Guizhong she's bewitched again.

"An immortal, my foot! Is that all the composure you have? Bah!"

Guizhong turned towards the direction Xianyun had gone, pulled up his eyelids, and made a face.

The next moment, he suddenly realized that Maria was right next to him, almost face to face.

Guizhong /(/ / /ω/ / /)/: "What... what are you doing?"

Maria: "Haven't you given me an explanation yet? Why did you disobey me and sneak off to Mount Aozang all by yourself?"

Guizhong: "Hmph! I'll do whatever I want, so what if you can't stand it? Hit me then!"

Little Dust King puffed out his chest arrogantly, but his face was as red as a ripe apple.

Maria raised an eyebrow with interest.

"Then we'll stay here too."

"No!"

He was in a hurry to Guizhong.

She came to Mount Aozang with the resolve to stand with Xianyun through thick and thin. Just as she believed that if Xianyun and the others were in Guili Plains back then, they would have lived and died with her. But she was unwilling for Maria and Heulia to take such a risk together.

Maria ignored Guizhong's urgency and instead reached out to touch the mechanism. Her perfectly sculpted profile held a faint smile, her eyes revealing curiosity, a calm yet unconvincing expression.

Guizhong bit her lip, and after a moment, lowered her head in dejection. Just as Xianyun couldn't persuade her to leave, she couldn't persuade Maria to go either. And with Maria here, Heulia couldn't leave either.

The three of them were one, bound together in life and death. It was all agreed upon back then, but it seems she broke the agreement first.

"Sorry."

"Apologize for what?"

"I made the decision on my own without consulting you."

"Mmm, good girl."

Maria raised her hand and patted Guizhong's head.

Then, "Smack!" he flicked her forehead.

"Ah!"

Guizhong touched his forehead and accused Maria with his teary eyes.

Maria examined the mechanism while patting her head to comfort her.

Before long, the mischievous but gentle girl nestled in Maria's arms, acting coquettishly and affectionately.

At the same time, after a long search and comparison, Zhongli finally found a good stone that matched Azhdaha.

He strolled along the street in a good mood, twirling two stones in his hands.

"Buzz buzz buzz!"

"Azhdaha, can you stop shaking? I know you're happy to be able to move, but it's very uncomfortable for me to turn around when you're shaking like this."

Zhongli tapped the trembling pebble in his hand, his tone both helpless and tolerant, as if speaking to an old friend with a difficult personality but a deep friendship.

"Buzz!!!"

Zhongli still didn't listen to what the stone said.

Because it is indeed a bit dirty.

However, having finally found a matching stone, even with his old friend's lack of cooperation, Zhongli decided to keep turning it around for at least three to five years until he got tired of it.

The weather is lovely today; even the breeze seems fresher than usual. Coupled with the news Maria brought back about the World Tree, it's good news, and we can enjoy some peace for now.

So Zhongli's mood gradually lightened.

"Boss! Make it cheaper, even cheaper! I've come all the way from Mondstadt 'Wolvendom to Liyue Harbor, so how about giving an international friend a little discount?"

"Young man, this isn't even about the discount; who offers discounts that go down to double digits? And are you even an adult? We don't sell alcohol to minors!"

"What kind of ridiculous rule is this? I've been drinking in Mondstadt City for decades and I've never heard of such a rule! How about I play a few tunes for you and use Mondstadt poetry performance as payment for the drinks? Have pity on me, I've come all this way to ask for a favor, I have to bring some souvenirs, otherwise all this journey will have been for nothing!"

"Ah, this..."

At a roadside wine shop, a green-clad bard was pestering a troubled-looking shopkeeper, haggling back and forth over the price, creating quite a lively scene.

Zhongli: "..."

Even the movement of turning the stone paused for a moment.

Zhongli hesitated for a moment, then turned around and decided to walk in another direction.

"Oh dear! This isn't Mora..."

"Ahem! Give him a bottle, put the money on the account of the Wang Sheng Funeral Parlor, thank you."

"Mr. Zhongli, I knew it was you! It's been so long!"

Venti greeted him with a beaming smile.

Zhongli stared blankly at the God of Wind, then let out a sigh of mixed feelings, just like the God of Wind God's retinue.

"Well..."

Let's be lenient with this guy since he doesn't have much time left.

So Venti finally obtained the renowned Liyue Harbor Cellar. He sniffed the strong aroma emanating from the seal, revealing the intoxicated expression characteristic of a seasoned wine connoisseur.

Zhongli walked forward on his own, turning the stone, and said calmly:

"What is it?"

"Hehe, can't you come over to have a drink and catch up with the old man if you have nothing else to do?"

Venti shook the fine wine she had obtained without spending a penny, showing no embarrassment whatsoever.

Zhongli remained silent.

Normally, he would certainly welcome it. But with a Descendant already in the house, it was hard to feel at ease for the God of Wind to come knocking at this time.

'Could it be that Celestia sent him to test something?'

Zhongli narrowed his eyes almost imperceptibly, and his grip on the stone tightened subtly.

It's not that I don't trust Barbatos himself, but once the variable of Celestia is added, the cost of trust becomes too high.