Xiangling and Guoba

"To receive such praise from you, Mr. Qiu Bai, makes all the effort I put into building the Jade Chamber worthwhile."

Ningguang smiled as she spoke to the somewhat astonished Qiu Bai.

"You're too modest, Miss Ningguang."

With that, Qiu Bai followed Ningguang into the Jade Chamber.

The first thing he saw was a structure in the center built in the traditional Liyue style, surrounded by guest rooms. The place felt elegant and grand, with an unfamiliar incense scent drifting through it.

To rise from a little barefoot girl to her current position was no easy feat. Qiu Bai truly admired Ningguang. After all, a human life lasted only a fleeting hundred years.

Ningguang was now standing before Qiu Bai.

A smile shone in her pale yellow eyes as she said to him, "Mr. Qiu Bai, please follow me."

"Just call me Qiu Bai, Miss Ningguang. There's no need to be so formal."

Qiu Bai smiled and waved a hand, then entered Ningguang's office.

The room was relatively simply furnished. Beside the window stood an enormous frame holding a large blackboard.

Various sheets of paper hung on the blackboard, bearing Liyue Harbor's commercial secrets and plans for the future.

Only now did Qiu Bai take a closer look at Ningguang, the Tianquan, as she poured tea into the cups.

Her long platinum-blond hair was pinned up with a black-and-gold hairpin, and the vermilion tassel hanging over her forehead complemented the color of her eyes.

She wore black sleeves on her arms and golden finger guards, with the long, wide sleeve ends hanging naturally.

A white fur collar encircled her neck, and she wore a gold, white, and black qipao with a Geo Vision hanging from it as a pendant, leaving her legs exposed.

Ningguang bent slightly with the teapot in her hand, exuding an indescribable elegance.

"Mr. Qiu Bai, please sit."

Ningguang set down the teapot and smiled at Qiu Bai.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

At her invitation, Qiu Bai sat down without hesitation.

"So, Mr. Qiu Bai, have you given the matter some thought?"

Ningguang looked at Qiu Bai with a smile as she asked.

Qiu Bai lifted the lid of his teacup, blew gently over the tea, then took a small sip.

"This really is excellent tea. Far better than what I had at Liuli Pavilion."

"But I doubt you invited me here for that matter, Miss Ningguang."

Qiu Bai set down his cup and smiled at Ningguang as he spoke.

Ningguang was inwardly surprised. She had not expected Qiu Bai to see through her intentions.

"Mr. Qiu Bai, do you know why I invited you here?"

Ningguang asked in surprise.

"Of course I do. Otherwise, why would an idler like me come here to take up a post?"

Qiu Bai smiled at the surprise in Ningguang's eyes.

"All I can say, Miss Ningguang, is that everything you've done so far has been right."

"I can't speak for the other Adepti, but I'm quite satisfied."

With those words, Qiu Bai had openly declared himself an Adeptus.

He had not said which Adeptus he was, however. There were, after all, many Adepti in Liyue.

"Everything I've done so far has been right?"

Ningguang murmured softly.

"Please don't reveal my identity to anyone, Miss Ningguang."

"That includes the Adepti. I'll explain when the time is right."

Qiu Bai spoke slowly as he watched Ningguang ponder.

Earlier, the Fatui had used the death of the Lord of Geo as a pretext for far too many covert operations that crossed diplomatic boundaries.

To stabilize the situation for the time being and prevent a repeat of La Signora's seizure of Barbatos's Gnosis, Ningguang had ordered the news suppressed and the Lord of Geo's divine body hidden.

The public explanation was that, until the true culprit was found, no one would be permitted to view the Exuvia.

Meanwhile, Zhongli played his part, concerning himself only with Liyue's traditions and buying the Liyue Qixing time to take full control of Liyue.

The Liyue Qixing had also tacitly approved preparations for the Rite of Parting and told Zhongli that the Exuvia would be kept at the Golden House until the ceremony.

"Then should I call you Mr. Qiu Bai, or address you as an Adeptus?"

Ningguang looked at Qiu Bai with a slight smile.

She had intended to probe him for information, only for Qiu Bai to reveal it himself.

"My way of thinking isn't like that of those old, staid Adepti."

"Just treat me as one of you. Calling me Qiu Bai will do, Miss Ningguang."

Qiu Bai smiled as he explained.

"Still, I do have a question."

"Mr. Qiu Bai, when you said everything I've done so far has been right..."

"What did you mean?"

Ningguang asked, puzzled. Was it right even for the Liyue Qixing to seize this opportunity to take the god's place?

Zhongli: "Right. Absolutely right."

"I meant exactly what I said. From the moment you began observing the Traveler when he first entered Liyue..."

"Everything you've done up to now has been right."

Qiu Bai took a sip of tea, then looked at Ningguang as he spoke.

"But Liyue as a whole has yet to deliver a satisfactory answer."

Liyue as a whole included more than just the Liyue Qixing. Its people and the Adepti were included as well.

"I understand. Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Mr. Qiu Bai."

"I'll keep what happened today confidential. I won't tell anyone."

Ningguang spoke to Qiu Bai in surprise. Did this Adeptus know everything, from her observation of the Traveler to everything she had done afterward?

Qiu Bai nodded slightly, then vanished.

Ningguang was left sitting alone, lost in thought.

Afterward, Ningguang summoned Baiwen, Baishi, and Bai Xiao and gave the three of them an order: find information on the Fatui's last Harbinger.

Qiu Bai had just appeared on the outskirts of Liyue.

He immediately sensed what seemed to be a battle ahead. A sweep of his divine sense revealed Xiangling and Guoba fighting three Rock Hilichurl Kings.

At the battlefield, Xiangling's Pyro had burned the grass into a patch of scorched earth, and the flames were still spreading.

Yanfei: "Setting a mountain on fire is against the law!"

Qiu Bai teleported straight in front of Xiangling and Guoba.

"Ah!"

"It's you, Mr. Qiu Bai! You startled me."

Xiangling held her left hand to her chest, with Dragon's Bane in her right. Her expression made it clear that Qiu Bai's sudden appearance had frightened her.

"Mr. Qiu Bai, get out of the way! Don't get caught in the attack!"

No sooner had Xiangling spoken than a Rock Hilichurl King nearby launched itself into a crushing meteor-like plunge toward her and Qiu Bai!

"No need to panic."

Qiu Bai spoke calmly, looked at the Hilichurl in midair, and casually extended a finger.

An eerie black aura emanated from his finger as he pointed it at the Rock Hilichurl King.

The black aura instantly immobilized the Rock Hilichurl King in midair.

Then Qiu Bai closed his hand, and the Rock Hilichurl King dissolved into faint motes of black light that scattered through the air.

The other two Rock Hilichurl Kings could not escape Qiu Bai's finger either. One after another, they turned into motes of black light and vanished.

Qiu Bai looked at the scorched ground and pointed again, this time releasing a snow-white aura.

Emerald shoots rapidly burst from the soil. In mere moments, the surrounding scorched earth had returned to the lush green grassland it had been before.