"Lady Ningguang, why are you just like Miss Yelan, so prejudiced against a foreigner like me? Liyue is a very open city, with countless foreign merchants and factions coming and going. Why must you be so wary of a law-abiding resident of Liyue like me?"
"If you were merely an ordinary citizen of Inazuma, I would naturally welcome you. But how long has it been since you arrived in Liyue? You've already come into contact with Qiqi, the zombie adeptus child at Bubu Pharmacy; Ganyu, the half-adeptal beast at the Liyue Ministry of Civil Affairs; Xiao, the Conqueror of Demons at Wangshu Inn; and Shenhe, Cloud Retainer's beloved disciple from Jueyun Karst. You've even obtained a treasure belonging to the Sea of Clouds, Sea of Moonlight Adeptus.
"Did you come to Inazuma just to make friends with adepti? Will you be cozying up to Rex Lapis in another little while?"
Uh, you're a little late. I already have...
Still, Ningguang's reminder made Yucheng realize that he really did have an affinity with adepti. In all his time in Liyue, seemingly everyone he had met had some connection to them. Oh, Xiangling from Wanmin Restaurant was Madame Ping's disciple, and Hu Tao from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was Rex Lapis's wallet. That settled it. There really was no explaining this.
Yucheng scratched his head awkwardly and said sheepishly, "That does seem to be the case. Does that count as proof that I have an affinity with adepti? Still, I don't seem to have broken any of Liyue's laws, have I?"
The corners of Ningguang's eyes creased involuntarily. She was very dissatisfied with that answer, but a ruler of her standing possessed truly first-rate composure. Without any change in her expression, she said:
"Of course you haven't broken the law. Otherwise, I wouldn't have asked Yelan to invite you to the Jade Chamber. I would have sent the Millelith straight to your door to arrest you and throw you in prison. I'm simply curious and wanted to ask you to clear up a few questions for me."
At those words, both Yucheng and Yelan looked somewhat awkward. Yelan, in particular, even flushed faintly. As though she had suddenly remembered something, she shot Yucheng a vicious glare.
Ningguang understood at once. Something must have happened between Yelan and Yucheng. Considering the delay in Yelan bringing Yucheng to the Jade Chamber, it was quite likely that Yelan had not been slacking off, but had instead gotten the worse of an encounter with Yucheng.
The people capable of getting the better of Yelan could be counted on one hand. The Fatui Harbinger Pantalone had been one of them back then.
During that operation, Yelan had lost one of her Mysterious Wristlet bracelets, but had also obtained a cloak made from the hide of an exotic magical beast, intended as an offering to the Tsaritsa. Yelan had fashioned it into a new-style white ramie and flowing silk shawl-the very cape she now wore on her back.
Strictly speaking, Yelan could not really be said to have lost out in that encounter. This time, however, Ningguang felt that Yelan had suffered a substantial loss with nothing to show for it, because she had never seen her behave this way before. It seemed she would have to ask her exactly what had happened later.
"All right, Lady Ningguang. Ask away. If it's something I can answer, I'll tell you everything I know."
"Then let's start at the beginning. Your dealings with Qiqi."
"That's simple. Qiqi saved me, and then I spent half a month bedridden at Bubu Pharmacy without a mora to my name, running up a medical bill. After that, Baizhu had Qiqi take me along to gather herbs to pay off my debt."
"That sounds reasonable enough. What about Ganyu? According to her, something someone said to her led her to start working nine to five, taking two days off a week, and even asking for wages. Honestly, when she asked for three thousand years' worth of wages all at once, I was startled. I'm not sure whether it was because of what she said and did, or the astonishing expense of paying her."
"Oh, that. Ganyu said that because of her adeptal beast bloodline, she'd never been able to truly fit into Liyue Harbor. I suggested that she shouldn't just look human, but should act human too. Only then did I discover that you'd been exploiting her for over three thousand years, making her do the work of more than a dozen people all by herself. That's completely outrageous."
"Ahem, ahem. That was indeed an oversight on our part. We took Ganyu's contributions for granted. She certainly fits into Liyue Harbor better now. What about the Conqueror of Demons?"
Those two coughs from Ningguang were quite inspired. She moved the conversation right along in an instant. That ability to change the subject without batting an eye was truly admirable.
"That was even simpler. I held up a plate of almond tofu, and he appeared. But the moment he did, I could already tell he didn't have long to live, so I recommended that he go to Mondstadt for treatment."
"Wait, the Conqueror of Demons doesn't have long to live? What's going on?"
"Hey, what's wrong with you people? The Archon War in Liyue was the most brutal of all. Nine great gods fought in a chaotic struggle, and in the end, only Rex Lapis remained. Of the others, some died, some were sealed away, and some sacrificed themselves. The archon residue left by the dead gods turned into powerful resentment, spawning countless demons and evil spirits.
"Seeing this, Rex Lapis specifically dispatched five yakshas skilled in combat to clear out these demons and evil spirits. Unfortunately, once the resentment produced by this archon residue took hold, even adepti weren't immune. In the end, of the five yakshas, only the Conqueror of Demons remained.
"But he's also been deeply corroded by the gods' resentment. If he doesn't receive treatment, I'm afraid he won't be able to hold on much longer."
"So that's what happened. Why hasn't Rex Lapis mentioned any of this to us? Our Millelith could help shoulder the burden too."
"The constitution of a yaksha is beyond that of an ordinary human. They can endure the corrosion of resentment for over a thousand years, but if humans come into contact with archon residue, they'll soon go mad, lose their reason, and eventually die.
"If the Millelith had been involved as well, who knows how many people would have died over the centuries? Rex Lapis presumably considered that too, trading the lives of the five Yaksha Generals he trusted most for the lives of countless ordinary humans."
Everyone present fell silent at once, their expressions downcast. There was no telling what they were thinking.
"Wait, treatment? Mondstadt? Could that be why Rex Lapis arranged for the adepti to visit Mondstadt this time? No wonder he had Moon Carver accompany the Conqueror of Demons. Then the one they're seeking help from must be the Anemo Archon, correct?"
"You're truly exceptionally perceptive, Lady Ningguang. You've hit the nail on the head."
"Then I noticed Shenhe's name on the delegation's list as well. What's her situation?"
"She's in the same situation as the Conqueror of Demons."
"What? She's been contaminated by archon residue too? Didn't you just say that humans who come into contact with archon residue can't even last a few months?"
"Shenhe is an exception. Mountain Shaper performed the Red Cord Soul-Binding Method on her, sealing away her emotions and desires and leaving her without feelings of her own. The gods' resentment requires negative emotions to trigger an outbreak. Without emotions, that resentment has no trigger, and that's how Shenhe was able to grow up safely."
"So sealing away one's emotions and desires is the only way to prevent the gods' resentment from flaring up? That truly leaves ordinary people with no solution. No, never mind ordinary people-even adepti can't avoid it."
"All right, as for the remaining matter of the Sea of Clouds, Sea of Moonlight Adeptus's abode, just take it that I discovered it through a fortunate coincidence. That Mingxia Floating Life Stone came from there too, and I'm living in his abode now. Any other questions?"
Before you continue