"Give me back my bell!"
"It's been thousands of years. Why haven't you given it back?!"
"Oh, I heard you set up some kind of Immortal Court. Impressive!"
Tree shadows swayed in the gentle breeze, and laughter echoed through the quiet night. In the distance, Xiao Lanterns rose into the sky, their glow reflected by a magnificent palace hundreds of meters high.
"Morax—no, I hear you go by Zhongli now."
The girl's gray-green hair was tied in a low ponytail behind her neck with a blue hairpin. Two long locks framed her face, and gradient tassels hung from her interlocking hexagonal headdress.
The petite girl propped her head on her hands, hidden within her sleeves, with her elbows resting on the stone table. "I told you, don't worry about why we're here. If we're in your way, we'll leave~"
Her lively voice drew the eyes of those nearby, and the conversations gradually fell quiet. Mountains and waterways interlaced throughout this Liyue-style immortal retreat, where the fragrance of tea filled the air.
Clouds drifted across the high sky, letting cool moonlight spill down. Beside the stone table under the osmanthus tree, the face of a man quietly sipping tea came into view. His golden eyes reflected the girl and the gathering of old friends behind her.
"There's no need for that," Zhongli said softly.
"Ping and the others have already told us what happened." The girl looked at him and reached a slender hand from the wide sleeve of her star-patterned coat to pick up a fragrant bean cake. She took a small bite. "I don't know whether we're illusions or copies or what. You're all clearheaded, aren't you? When the time comes, don't worry about us. Leave if you need to leave, and do whatever you need to do."
"I