Dvalin, I'm Here to Negotiate (Continued)

Upon landing, Zhongli stood with his hands behind his back, exuding a calm and composed demeanor.

Azhdaha shrunk to the size of a palm and stood on Zhongli's shoulder—he had no choice; otherwise, even Xiao would be able to look down on him. Azhdaha, the Dragon King, wasn't so obsessed with saving face, but he wanted to avoid such embarrassing situations as much as possible.

Zhongli glanced sideways and cast a meaningful look at the little turtle on his shoulder.

'Being reduced to such a tiny size, isn't that also a loss of face? It's really not that different, is it? It seems that it's not just mindset that's affected, but also the mind.'

Zhongli kept these words to himself. After all, the group that had gone deeper into the tunnel had already appeared at the entrance, so he should preserve some dignity for his old friend.

Familiar faces appeared one after another, but what ultimately attracted Zhongli and Azhdaha's attention was the four-armed Yaksha who was as tall and strong as an iron tower.

Fushé instantly recognized Morax's true form from the undisguised divine power emanating from Zhongli, and his eyes lit up with excitement:

"Your Majesty!"

"Long time no see, Fushé."

With a warm and gentle smile, Zhongli patted Fushé's arm.

Fushé scratched his head and chuckled, then couldn't help but look up at the azure sky above the layers of rocky paths. He exhaled a long breath and slowly said:

"I'm back, Your Majesty."

"Welcome!"

Zhongli smiled. A thousand words could not express the joy of their smiles at this moment.

Azhdaha waited for a long time, only to see Fushé just grinning foolishly at Zhongli.

"Ahem! Fushé, I am very relieved to see you safe and sound."

"Hmm? Who are you?"

"... I Azhdaha!"

"Ha!?"

During the two weeks he spent in the alternate dimension, Fushé She spent several days recuperating. After that, he was constantly searching for relics, so no one specifically told him about his current situation. Anyway, there would be plenty of time to talk after they got out; there was no need for a long, heart-to-heart talk in that kind of place.

So Fushé was completely bewildered. He rubbed his eyes hard, then pointed at the little alligator snapping turtle on Zhongli's shoulder and said incredulously:

"Are you the Azhdaha?"

"Nonsense! Who else but me would dare stand on Morax's shoulders?"

"But you're not... Oh, right, it's not surprising that the Salt King and the others were able to come back. I was wondering why the Emperor was raising turtles, and with such an air of grandeur, hahaha!"

"Haha! You're still as honest as ever, not bad!"

The alligator snapping turtle immediately jumped onto the Fushé's head.

Fushé was startled for a moment, but then breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that the weight on his head wasn't too heavy.

Soon, the two were laughing and chatting about the past.

Zhongli nodded to the other Yaksha Faction, then approached Maria, who was flanked by two women, and sincerely said:

"Salt King, thank you."

"You're saying unnecessary things again, Morax."

"That makes sense. So what they're carrying are the relics they brought back, right?"

"That's exactly right."

Maria nodded, releasing her Guizhong and Heulia's soft waist. Once they were home, she could hug them however she wanted, but hugging them while talking was a bit inappropriate.

Zhongli glanced at the packages, a hint of tenderness flickering in his usually calm, golden eyes. He nodded, deeply moved, and said:

"Good, it's good that it's been brought back. Salt King, in your opinion, what should be done next?"

"Isn't that your job?"

"That's not right. The Salt King deserves the most credit for this matter, so naturally we should listen to your opinion."

"You're just trying to test me, aren't you?"

Maria shook her head and chuckled, seemingly speechless.

Zhongli smiled without saying a word. Maria was his chosen successor, a fact that the Liyue group was generally aware of, so it was only natural for them to test her occasionally.

Maria didn't refuse; after carefully considering her words, she spoke the truth:

"I think we can hold a big event."

Why?

"First, it's about respecting the heroes and martyrs; they deserve this treatment. Second, Liyue has enjoyed peace for a long time, and the people have become accustomed to tranquility. The higher-ups can understand some of your policies, but spreading a war-preparedness mentality to the people is not something that can be done overnight. And since it involves sensitive issues that cannot be discussed openly, it's even more difficult."

"That makes sense. So, what is the Salt King's brilliant insight?"

Zhongli smiled and agreed, adopting a polite and eager-to-learn demeanor.

Maria shook her head and replied:

"It's nothing special. It's just that by welcoming back the heroes, we can evoke some memories of the past, which can serve as a reminder. When the storm comes, Liyue that is alert is better than Liyue that is complacent and ignorant."

"Then let's do it this way."

Zhongli nodded with satisfaction.

It was just a trivial little test, more like a friendly joke between friends. But what Maria said was exactly Zhongli had planned, which naturally reassured him even more.

Then Maria added naturally:

"It will also bring a big boost to the business of the Wang Sheng Funeral Parlor, so that Hall Master Hu won't complain to me about your excessive spending again."

"Ahem! You may proceed to Lu Hua Garden first. The immortals have prepared a feast and are waiting to welcome you and cleanse your home."

Zhongli changed the subject without changing his expression, but his gaze unconsciously drifted towards the tunnel leading to the depths of the Chongyan Giant Abyss.

Maria glanced back and said:

"And what about you?"

"Me? I'm just revisiting this place. I'll be there shortly."

Zhongli said casually, then started walking straight into the dark tunnel.

Since sealing Azhdaha, Zhongli has rarely ventured deep into the Chongyan Giant Abyss, only entering a few times in the last five hundred years to try and find traces of Fushé. Apart from that, he has ignored the demons in the Chongyan Giant Abyss.

Firstly, due to Erosion, it's important to maintain a calm mind and minimize the consumption of divine power. Secondly, the shallow-level monsters, the Thousand Rock Army, can be dealt with easily, while the deeper-level monsters won't affect Liyue, so there's no need to concern ourselves with them.

But now, one old friend after another is returning, and the Erosion has been smoothed over. Morax suddenly felt great, and a thought struck him, and his long-dormant passion surged forth.

Seeing Zhongli getting further and further away, Azhdaha quickly jumped off Fushé's head and hopped after him.

"Morax, wait for me! I know this place well, I'll lead the way!"

The man and the turtle simply vanished from everyone's sight.

Guizhong tilted his head, puzzled, and asked the question that most people were wondering:

What are they trying to do?

"They're probably reminiscing about their youthful passion. Don't worry about them, they won't get lost anyway. Let's go back, everyone else is waiting."

"Then let's bless the monsters inside."

Guizhong clasped her hands together, looking at the tunnel entrance with pity. She had witnessed Morax's hot-blooded side; he was basically as fierce as Maria. The demons and monsters in the Chongyan Giant Abyss were no match for him.

The good news is that the Chongyan Giant Abyss should be very clean and safe for some time to come.