Zhongli, "His Gnosis... Why Would It Be in the Jade Chamber?"

Liyue Harbor, Liuli Pavilion, rear courtyard.

A figure dressed in elegant, vintage formalwear mainly in dark brown and black, accented with exquisite off-white and gilded line patterns, gently sipped his tea. As if by chance, he raised his head and looked toward the Jade Chamber, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

His neat, short, deep-black hair had crisp layers and sharp, upturned styling at the ends and across the bangs at his forehead. Every strand had been meticulously arranged, giving him an overall air that was steady yet striking. His complexion was fair and gentle, his eyes a warm, deep brown-gold amber. Their shape was long and proper, his gaze calm and restrained, his bearing composed and dignified.

Of course, what surprised people most was that though he clearly looked no more than twenty-something, he carried the mature, steady presence of an elder.

Especially.

With his upright posture and calm, indifferent expression, he naturally possessed a poise like that of an ancient god, composed, steady, and elegantly aloof. His seated posture was refined and proper, and he carried an aura that was both warm and dignified.

But at this moment.

After seeing the Jade Chamber in the sky, confusion flickered in his eyes. "That fellow's Gnosis—why would it be in the Jade Chamber?"

He remembered.

Hadn't it been agreed that the Gnosis would be given to that person—

Then what was this—the outlander on the Jade Chamber could not be that person's envoy, could they?

As he was thinking.

He suddenly seemed to see something, surprise entering his gaze, and rose to walk out of Liuli Pavilion.

At this moment.

Baizhu was carrying Qiqi down from the Jade Chamber's passageway, preparing to return to the medicinal hut, Bubu Pharmacy. Unexpectedly, someone walked out of Liuli Pavilion and came straight toward him.

He raised his head and looked carefully, then froze for a moment before smiling. "So it is Mr. Zhongli of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Is something the matter?"

"Nothing. I merely feel that this child's complexion seems brighter and clearer today than in the past."

Baizhu paused, glanced at Qiqi, and nodded as well. "Yes. It's all thanks to that outlander."

"Outlander?"

"Yesterday, Qiqi disappeared while gathering herbs. I sent people to look for her, but they didn't find her."

After a pause, Baizhu said, "It was that outlander who found Qiqi outside the city last night, just as she was nearly buried by Director Hu Tao, and thankfully saved her—"

Zhongli froze. Director Hu Tao?

How had this gotten connected to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor too?

As if sensing something, he glanced toward a certain corner, but did not expose it. Instead, he looked at Baizhu. "Mr. Baizhu, are you saying that this outlander possesses certain unknown methods of treatment?"

"Perhaps."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Baizhu left with Qiqi in his arms, leaving only Zhongli sunk in thought.

He was also clear on Qiqi's condition.

After severing the Three Corpses, only an incomplete corpse-god remained inside her body, but because her divine soul had been lost, she suffered from forgetfulness.

And through his observations of the outlanders during this time.

Zhongli had also discovered that these outlanders seemed to possess some peculiar methods. According to his speculation, these methods were even more harmful to the people of Teyvat in a state of lost divine soul. If one were even slightly careless in dealing with them, one might fall into a state of divine-soul shutdown, with eyes vacant and dull.

In other words.

In Zhongli's view, Qiqi at this moment should have initially had her already-lost divine soul struck by someone using that peculiar method, thereby causing it to fall into a self-defensive shutdown state. Afterward, however, it had been repaired through certain means, allowing Qiqi's lost divine soul, while in that shutdown state, to develop in a direction more stable than before.

Once the shutdown state ended, Qiqi would naturally possess some immunity to that peculiar attack method, as well as—perhaps a slight reduction in her original forgetfulness?

"These outlanders' methods require further study—"