Keqing

At that moment, in Liyue Harbor.

Qiu Bai was drinking tea and listening to a storyteller with Zhongli. His thoughts drifted to the Archon War.

The so-called Archon War was nothing more than a game in which a group of Demon Gods fought over the seven Archon seats. All seven Demon Gods possessed tremendous power.

By Qiu Bai's own reckoning, gods could be divided into upper-rank Archons, mid-rank Archons, and lower-rank Archons. He and Zhongli should currently belong to the upper rank.

Before his power had increased, he should have been a mid-rank Archon himself. Someone at Osial's level probably belonged to that rank too, even while sealed beneath the sea, pinned down by a stone spear.

Even the combined power of the adepti and the Jade Chamber had only forced Osial back into the sea. The power of a Demon God was not something mortals could match.

I can feel the power inside me slowly growing, Qiu Bai murmured inwardly.

Is it because I'm immune to Erosion?

Qiu Bai set down his teacup and looked at Zhongli.

"Zhongli, were you stronger during the Archon War, or are you stronger now?"

Qiu Bai regarded Zhongli thoughtfully.

"I was stronger during the Archon War."

Zhongli looked at Qiu Bai, unsure why he was asking.

"If you weren't subjected to the Erosion imposed by the Heavenly Principles..."

"Would your strength grow or decline?"

Qiu Bai soundproofed the area around them as he spoke to Zhongli.

"Grow."

Zhongli answered without hesitation.

"So that's how it works?"

"Looks like being immune to Erosion is a good thing, too."

Tian Tie Zui watched the two of them apparently speaking in silence.

"How strange. They're talking, but there's no sound?"

"What a pair of oddballs."

Tian Tie Zui withdrew his gaze and continued his storytelling.

Just then, a girl with cat-ear-shaped hair buns approached, dressed in purple with an Electro Vision hanging at her back.

Her shapely legs were clad in black stockings patterned with ornate designs, giving her an air of nobility and elegance.

The girl walked toward Zhongli and Qiu Bai.

Holy crap, Liyue's Electro Archon?

Watching Keqing stride toward them, Qiu Bai couldn't help exclaiming inwardly. Still, this wasn't a game, and he had to admit it.

Keqing really was an absolute beauty, and those cat-ear buns made her all the cuter.

"Have either of you seen the Immortal Lord in this picture?"

Keqing asked with a frown.

She looked at the two handsome young men before her, Qiu Bai and Zhongli, with some puzzlement.

She did know Mr. Zhongli from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. He was learned and seemed to know everything.

"And you are?"

Keqing looked at Qiu Bai as she asked.

"Lady Yuheng, he is an old friend of mine."

"He made a special trip back to Liyue to attend the Rite of Descension."

Zhongli introduced him to Keqing, the Yuheng standing before them.

"So you're Lady Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing."

"I've heard so much about you."

Qiu Bai extended his hand to shake Keqing's. Come on, with such a beauty standing right in front of him, how could he pass up a chance to touch her hand?

Looking at the young man, who seemed to have stepped out of a painting, Keqing couldn't help extending her own hand.

Normally, if a strange man wanted to shake hands with her, she would never have agreed.

Such a warm, soft little hand.

Qiu Bai couldn't help marveling. It had been a thousand years since he'd last touched a girl's hand.

Keqing blushed too, quickly withdrawing her hand and lowering her head.

"I haven't seen the Immortal Lord you mentioned, Miss Keqing."

"I imagine Zhongli hasn't either."

Qiu Bai shook his head at Keqing, indicating that neither he nor Zhongli knew.

Yeah, right. As if I'd tell you the Immortal Lord you're looking for is standing right in front of you.

"Then I'm sorry to have disturbed you."

Keqing smiled and waved before heading farther into Liyue Harbor.

"Immortal Lord, where could you be?"

"I'll find you, I promise!"

Keqing gazed up at the sky, her cheeks slightly flushed and her hands clasped before her chest.

"So she's one of this generation's Liyue Qixing?"

Qiu Bai looked at Zhongli and asked.

"Heh."

"She is the least reverent toward the gods among the Liyue Qixing."

"It is precisely because Liyue has people like her that I am considering retirement."

Zhongli couldn't help chuckling as he explained to Qiu Bai.

Irreverent? Oh, give me a break. Who knows how many figurines of you Kitty Keqing has secretly collected?

How did that saying go? In Liyue, there are only Rex Lapis fans and twisted Rex Lapis fans.

"Pfft!"

Qiu Bai couldn't hold back his laughter.

"What are you laughing at, Qiu Bai?"

Zhongli was a little puzzled.

"I remembered something happy."

"What happy thing?"

"My wife had a baby."

"..."

After they finished listening to the story, Zhongli bid Qiu Bai farewell and headed back to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.

Qiu Bai wandered aimlessly through Liyue's streets, winning over a whole crowd of female admirers.

"Hey, look at that gentleman. He's so handsome."

Two pretty young women were discussing him.

"Isn't he? I heard he's a consultant at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."

"A consultant? Isn't Mr. Zhongli one too?"

The woman spoke with flushed cheeks as she watched Qiu Bai.

"Do you think the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor keeps pretty boys? They're all so handsome."

"No way. Hu Tao is still so young."

"She's not that young."

The woman couldn't quite keep the jealousy out of her voice.

Listening to the conversations around him, Qiu Bai felt like laughing. The director certainly was small-and flat, too.

"I should find somewhere quiet, away from everyone. There's a good show coming tomorrow."

"That guy Morax is going to fake his death tomorrow. I'm definitely helping the director carry his coffin."

"Hahahahaha."

Qiu Bai nearly laughed aloud. Leaving Liyue Harbor, he teleported to a bridge in Jueyun Karst.

"Oh? There's even a fishing rod here?"

"Time to do some fishing. What a leisurely life."

Meanwhile, in the Jade Chamber.

Ningguang looked at the wall covered in documents and intelligence reports, murmuring to herself.

"A Fatui Harbinger."

"The Traveler, and the Immortal Lord."

"The Rite of Descension."

Ningguang rested her chin on one hand, troubled by it all. What else could she do right now but take things one step at a time?

"That's right. The Rite of Descension is tomorrow. I can simply ask Rex Lapis."

"As for the Fatui, I hardly consider them a threat."

A cold glint appeared in Ningguang's eyes. She knew the Fatui had already seized the Gnosis of Mondstadt's Anemo Archon.

Their Geo Archon might well be next. But how many powers in this world could possibly assassinate Rex Lapis?

With that thought, Ningguang instructed Baishi and Baiwen to organize all the documents. She needed to compose herself for tomorrow's Rite of Descension.

Night fell.

Qiu Bai surveyed the results of half a day's fishing: just one fish.

Looking at the schools of fat fish in the river, then at the single fish he had caught, Qiu Bai lost his composure.

"Oh, so you won't bite?"

"Sorry, fish bros, but if you won't bite, you leave me no choice."

Qiu Bai used his divine power to haul every fish out of the river.

The fish: "Seriously? You sneaky bastard."

"But doing this defeats the whole purpose of fishing. I need to calm my mind."

The corner of Qiu Bai's mouth twitched, and he put the fish back.

The fish: "Are you out of your mind?"

"Sigh. Let's call it a day."

"Time to build a fire. I've still got one fish, don't I?"

Holding that fish by its tail, Qiu Bai felt his appetite stirring. He built a fire and began roasting it.