Hearing Zhong Baiye recommend the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Xiao said thoughtfully, "The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor? I met their Parlor Director once five hundred years ago, but mortals and adepti walk different paths. There is no need to trouble them."
Zhong Baiye still couldn't think of a good way to meet the other adepti. Xiao seemed to be in a good mood and would probably be easy to talk to, so he promptly asked.
"Conqueror of Demons, is there any way to meet the other adepti? Moon Carver said we could meet them if fate allowed it, but that's far too vague."
Xiao thought for a moment, glanced at the strong half-adeptus aura surrounding Zhong Baiye, and spoke.
"There is a way, but nothing comes without a price. You must do something for me first."
Zhong Baiye didn't want to try his luck in Jueyun Karst, so he immediately agreed to Xiao's request.
According to Xiao, he had a friend who had been tormented to death by karmic debt long ago. The temple dedicated to this friend had since fallen into disrepair. All they needed to do was help restore it.
That sounded familiar to Zhong Baiye, but he couldn't remember which storyline it was.
After stating his request, Xiao vanished.
"If you wish to find me, come here and call for the Conqueror of Demons."
It was as though the Conqueror of Demons had never been there. Only the empty plates suggested that an adeptus who loved good food had just visited.
Zhong Baiye looked at Keqing and Lumine.
"Let's go restore the temple the Conqueror of Demons mentioned first."
"I'll follow your lead, big brother."
Lumine still looked every bit Zhong Baiye's devoted fangirl.
"That works. Then we'll know how to find the other adepti."
Keqing considered it and decided that restoring the temple didn't conflict with finding the adepti, so she agreed to go along.
Soon, Zhong Baiye and the others arrived at the location Xiao had described.
But there wasn't a trace of a temple. Weeds covered the ground, with no sign that a building had ever stood there.
"Boss, this bronze sparrow must be worth a fortune!"
Suddenly, Zhong Baiye and the others heard someone speaking nearby.
They looked toward the voice and saw several people dressed like Treasure Hoarders carrying a bronze sparrow almost as large as a person.
Keqing examined the ground and noticed that a pedestal had once stood there. Something must have rested on it.
Connecting that with the bronze sparrow the Treasure Hoarders were carrying, she immediately realized they must have stolen it.
Keqing then shared her suspicions with Zhong Baiye and the others.
"What are we waiting for? Let's hurry and take that bronze sparrow back!"
As soon as Keqing finished, Paimon shouted and charged toward the Treasure Hoarders.
Before Zhong Baiye and the others could react, Paimon flew back with her hands over her head.
"Help! Traveler, Zhong Baiye, save me! The Treasure Hoarders are terrifying!"
Several Treasure Hoarders wielding shovels and crossbows were pursuing her.
Left with no choice, the others rushed forward to fight the Treasure Hoarders.
The Traveler used Anemo to gather the Treasure Hoarders together, Zhong Baiye created a cage, and Keqing knocked them all unconscious.
"Let's put this bronze sparrow back."
With the Treasure Hoarders dealt with, Zhong Baiye made his suggestion.
Then Zhong Baiye carried the bronze sparrow back onto the pedestal by himself.
Crack!
The moment the bronze sparrow returned to the pedestal, it seemed to trigger some mechanism. A stone tablet slowly rose from the thick weeds.
Weeds were tangled around the stone tablet.
"Hah!"
Keqing used Electro to burn the weeds on the stone tablet to ash.
Everyone gathered to read the inscription.
The stone tablet told of an adeptus who had honored a contract and protected Liyue for a very, very long time... until the resentment of fallen gods had tormented her to death.
The people of Liyue had built this temple in her memory.
They looked at the inscription, then at the surroundings, where not a trace of the temple remained.
Everyone knew that the people of Liyue had long since forgotten this adeptus who had risked her life to protect them.
At that thought, tears suddenly ran down Keqing's face.
"So I was wrong."
Knowing Keqing's personality, Zhong Baiye understood exactly why she said she had been wrong.
Keqing had always disliked the adepti, believing they hindered Liyue's development.
Only now did she realize how great a price the adepti had paid for Liyue.
People said the adepti secluded themselves from the world, refusing to mingle with mortals.
It wasn't that they didn't want to. Rather, time subjected the adepti to Erosion, and the more they experienced, the more damage that Erosion did to them.
In the end, most adepti had no choice but to live in remote, uninhabited places so they could continue protecting Liyue.
Seeing Keqing cry, Zhong Baiye immediately wielded his Geo power. Before long, a fully restored temple stood before them.
"The adepti have protected Liyue long enough. From now on, let us mortals protect it."
Hearing Zhong Baiye's words, Keqing looked at the temple before her again.
"Yes, that's right. I am the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing. Protecting Liyue is my responsibility."
Her eyes now shone with resolve and conviction.
Keqing wiped the tears from her face and thanked Zhong Baiye.
"Thank you. I'm all right now."
Seeing that Keqing had regained her composure, Lumine offered a suggestion.
"Now that we've restored this place, let's hurry back and find the Conqueror of Demons."
The group then returned to Wangshu Inn together.
No one knew that when Zhong Baiye created the temple, the expression on the bronze sparrow statue had actually changed.
"My old friend, this day has finally come. I hope you can find yourself again soon."
"Conqueror of Demons, are you there? We've fulfilled your request."
Zhong Baiye shouted across the empty rooftop terrace.
"Next time, just call me Xiao."
Xiao suddenly appeared behind them again.
"Whoa... You scared me! Conqueror of Demons, could you stop appearing out of nowhere and frightening people?"
Paimon jumped in fright, then immediately complained angrily to Xiao.
"To find Mountain Shaper, go to Hulao Mountain. There are many giant pieces of amber there. Break them, and he will appear soon enough. But make sure you take out the Sigil of Permission first, or I cannot guarantee he won't attack you."
Ignoring Paimon's fussing, Xiao went straight into explaining to Zhong Baiye how to find the adepti.
"As for Cloud Retainer, she lives at the summit of Mt. Aocang. Go there and prepare something delicious for her, and you will be able to meet her."
Beside them, Keqing immediately took out a pen and wrote down these methods.
"You jerk! How dare you ignore me!"
Paimon was furious and wanted to challenge Xiao to a duel, but there was no longer any sign of the Conqueror of Demons.
After explaining these methods, Xiao vanished just as suddenly as he had appeared.
Before you continue