"Let me introduce it."
The Childe pulled out a chair and spoke with a smile.
"This is Mr. Zhongli, a guest elder of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is the organization in Liyue that oversees funeral rites.
"With the passing of the Rex Lapis, a proper and dignified Rite of Parting must be held. No one in Liyue understands this better than Mr. Zhongli."
Zhongli's gaze slowly swept across the table.
He first nodded slightly to Ying, then his gaze fell on Bai You and Varesa.
His movements paused almost imperceptibly.
"Two young ladies."
He spoke, his voice low and gentle, revealing nothing unusual.
Ying and Paimon were taken aback.
"Do you know each other?"
"On the stage at the dock," Zhongli said calmly, "I've heard a play performed there."
"This young lady understands opera."
Mr. Zhongli.
"We meet again."
Mr.
The Childe keenly sensed something.
His gaze swept between Bai You and Zhongli, a hint of inquiry flashing in his eyes.
"Oh?"
"That's quite a coincidence."
He didn't ask any further questions, but simply smiled and invited everyone to sit down.
"Sit down, and let's eat and talk."
During the meal, Zhongli finally revealed his purpose.
" The Liyue Qixing held Rite of Descension for the Rex Lapis, but not Rite of Parting."
He put down his teacup, his tone calm.
"Regardless of the cause of the Rex Lapis's death, departing from his long-deceased body is an indispensable custom."
"This is a thousand-year-old tradition of Liyue."
"If you all wish, I can preside over this Rite of Parting."
"During the preparation of the ceremony, according to custom, it is necessary to pay homage to the immortal body again, and to cleanse and encoffin the Rex Lapis."
Ying's eyes lit up.
"So, as long as we help you prepare the Rite of Parting, we can see the Rex Lapis's immortal body?"
"That's right."
Zhongli nodded.
The ceremony required numerous items, including Noctilucous Jade, Silk Flower, perfumed ointments, Everlasting Incense, and Cleansing Bell —none could be omitted.
"I can accompany you and prepare everything."
Ying nodded.
Bai You sat quietly to the side, listening.
Looking at Zhongli's composed face, she couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart.
A god who is already dead is sitting opposite her, in the guise of another person, personally arranging his own "afterlife."
He spoke so earnestly and meticulously, as if he were truly just a guest minister who understood ancient etiquette.
But Bai You knew that he had arranged more than just a ceremony.
He was using this ceremony to observe the people of Liyue.
Look at the immortals, look at the Liyue Qixing, look at the people of this city.
Let's see if they can hold on on their own in the absence of God.
He was putting on this show for everyone, and also for himself.
As Bai You was thinking, Zhongli's gaze suddenly fell on her.
"This young lady..."
"Hmm?"
"That day at the opera, you asked me a question."
Zhongli looked at her, his golden-brown eyes unfathomable.
"You ask, what should I do if a contract has been dragging on for too long?"
Bai You's heart skipped a beat.
She hadn't expected that he would still remember.
"I said, the contract has come to an end, and I'd like to go and experience life in the human world."
Zhongli's voice was very soft.
"Now, I want to ask the girl one more question."
The girl wondered, should someone who has carried on for too long let go?
He wanted to know whether, in the eyes of an "outsider," his choice was right or wrong.
Bai You looked at him and remained silent for a long time.
Then she spoke.
"That."
She only said one word.
A faint, almost relieved light flashed in Zhongli's eyes.
Why?
"Because..."
Bai You thought about the plot for a moment, then answered in a soft but steady voice.
"Those who bear it for too long forget why they were bearing it in the first place."
"But those who were protected have not forgotten."
"They can walk on their own now."
"Let them walk their own path; it's not that you don't love them."
"It's because you finally believe they can make it through."
Zhongli watched her quietly.
After a long while, he picked up his teacup and offered a toast to Bai You from afar.
"I've learned a lot."
He only said three words.
But Bai You noticed that this god, who had lived for 3,700 years, loosened his grip on the teacup slightly, almost imperceptibly.
The items for the Rite of Parting were to be procured starting the next day.
Ying and Zhongli ran around doing errands, and Bai You and Varesa followed them.
Bai You couldn't explain why.
She knew perfectly well that it was all fake, that there was nothing inside the Rex Lapis's immortal body, and that this ceremony was ultimately just a farewell for the people of Liyue.
But she still wanted to go, so Varesa went along too.
The first one is the Noctilucous Jade.
Noctilucous Jade is a specialty of Liyue. It emits a faint blue glow at night and is Rite of Parting.
The group went to Jade Mystery.
The owner was a businessman named Shi Shitou), and his shop displayed several grades of Noctilucous Jade.
Zhongli looked around and chose the one with the highest grade.
He recounted the origins of Noctilucous Jade, from the formation of the veins to the rules governing the mining of Noctilucous Jade by the people of Liyue.
Then, when discussing its usage in the Rite of Parting throughout history, the speaker cited numerous classical texts and presented it in a very logical and eloquent manner.
The Shitou boss nodded repeatedly, his face full of admiration.
Ying was stunned.
"This gentleman, how does he know everything...?"
Paimon leaned close to Bai You's ear and whispered.
Bai You smiled but didn't reply.
What could she say?
She couldn't very well say that he had personally set all these rules.
After selecting the Noctilucous Jade, Zhongli had to pay.
He reached into his sleeve, then stopped in his tracks.
Then, he calmly withdrew his hand and turned to look at the Childe.
"Ah," he said calmly, "I left in a hurry today and didn't bring Mora. Did you bring Mora?"
The Childe, with an expression of "I knew it," sighed helplessly and paid the bill for him.
Bai You couldn't help but smile.
She remembered that in the game, this Rex Lapis was just like that.
He was incredibly knowledgeable and omniscient, yet he had no habit of carrying money.
He created Mora, Morax, but he often didn't have a single Mora in his own pocket.
I used the money from the online game's advertising platform to get the screen repaired ahead of time. I'll try to update more tomorrow... hehe.
Thank you everyone for the gifts! つ♡⊂