Didn't you go to Teyvat to earn money to support me?

Then she handed me a wet wipe.

Alice, feeling a little embarrassed, took out her hand that had been hidden under the table, took the wet wipe, and was about to wipe it when she saw the aloof, emotionless loli grab her hand.

Alice was taken aback.

The general lowered his head.

"Eh eh eh woo eh—" Alice was shocked beyond words. Her palms were itchy, and the sensation of being licked by the general's little tongue was extremely clear in her senses!

“No, that would be a waste.” The general looked up and said calmly, “Ms. Alice, you can continue cleaning.”

Alice watched the general calmly return to his room. This time, when she thought of Shen Liang's smile when he completely indulged her, she was speechless.

"Are young people these days really like this?"

------------

The morning classes were over, and the afternoon was for physical education, which was scheduled for Yingda, so Shen Liang didn't plan to attend.

Anyway, the lightning did teach him a lot, and it didn't say he had to learn any combat skills. Besides, even if he did learn how to fight, the only one qualified to teach him was the Rock King Emperor himself. After all, he was a little demon god who possessed the three great powers of lightning, fleeting moments, and eternity. If it really came down to a fight, those yakshas might not be his match.

Even if he's highly skilled in martial arts, it doesn't matter. He learned martial arts just as well as the Yasha from Lei Dianying and Hu Chiyo.

Having skipped class, Shen Liang strolled through the main campus of the Gewu Academy, carrying a coffin on her back. Three months had passed since the Spring Festival, and now was the most vibrant season of the year. Pear blossoms filled the Ji Palace, turning everything white. Young people in moon-white Liyuefeng school uniforms ran around among the pear blossoms. When they saw Shen Liang, they wouldn't exclaim "Princess!" as they had at the beginning of the semester. Instead, they would tease her, saying, "Little Prince, you skipped class again? I heard Marshal Fushe is looking for you, saying he's going to beat you to death."

Shen Liang blinked and put on a pitiful look, saying, "Okay, brother, please don't tell anyone I'm here." The senior was charmed by her cute appearance and smiled in agreement, unaware that Shen Liang said the same thing to everyone who greeted her.

Of course, he might know, but what does it matter? Being begged by the beautiful, supposedly willful, white-haired loli princess is a wonderful thing in itself, so why bother whether Shen Liang is just being perfunctory?

Therefore, Shen Liang was rarely caught skipping classes by Fu She.

"I'm craving caviar." Mistelin walked side by side with Shen Liang, her hands behind her back, admiring the pear blossoms fluttering like snow.

Caviar is high in protein and contains numerous antioxidants and collagen-boosting components. For women, it can help reduce wrinkles, and it's also rich in vitamins, which can slow down aging.

"Actually, soybeans are also rich in the things you mentioned, and their effects are basically the same," Shen Liang said.

But I want to eat caviar.

Shen Liang laughed.

In reality, caviar, soybeans, and yellow soybeans all have roughly the same effects. Most so-called nutritious and expensive ingredients in the world vary in price by tens of thousands of times, but the difference in nutritional value and taste is not that significant. For example, abalone with four heads can cost tens of thousands of molars per kilogram, but everyone knows that it doesn't provide the same health benefits as boiled eggs.

In fact, there are very few foods in the world that are more nourishing or nutritious than milk and boiled eggs. It's illogical to say you should eat this or that based on "nutritional value"; you might as well just say, "I want to eat that."

The desire to eat is the biggest thing.

"I'll buy some salmon," Shen Liang said to Mistelin. "But Sister Yu Tu, you just mentioned slowing down aging, but eating caviar is impossible. As for vitamins and collagen, according to the common sense you explained to me, these nutrients can't slow down metabolism... In fact, slowing down metabolism isn't a good thing for people."

I was just saying.

"But absorbing vital essence might allow one to achieve immortality and maintain longevity," Shen Liang suddenly said. "Sister Yu Tu, do you think the cultivation method of 'zombies' is an opportunity?"

Mistelin remained silent for a moment.

Then she shook her head. "Honey, you've been thinking about this the whole way, haven't you? You asked so many questions about Qiqi, did you think this kind of thing could be applied to me?"

[The Savior of Suffering and Calamity, Qiqi, was resurrected as a zombie due to his overwhelming unwillingness to accept death after his passing. He was then protected by the immortals, retaining his consciousness and achieving an immortal body.] Shen Liang said, [Qiqi still needs to cultivate for a while before becoming a true immortal who doesn't need to absorb human essence. But we don't need to become true immortals, Sister Yutu. You can also walk freely in the sunlight.]

Mistelin was a little upset. She sighed and said, "Baby, do you think there's something wrong with me following you like this? Do I have to revive my physical body to be with you? If... if becoming a zombie is risky, I'd rather not choose this path. I'm very satisfied with my life now. I... even just talking to you makes me happy. It doesn't necessarily have to be..."

"But I'm not happy." Shen Liang pointed to herself, her expression somewhat aggrieved.

"Baby..." Mistelin stopped speaking instinctively.

"Compared to Sister Yu Tu, whom only I can see, I still want to see Sister Yu Tu walk out of the coffin." Shen Liang stroked the coffin lid for a long time, his tone somewhat unfocused, "That way, Sister Yu Tu can hold me, hold me in front of Mother and Sister Ying, and tell them that you are real, not something I imagined, and that you have always been my best friend all these years."

Mistelin didn't know how to respond.

Then she gritted her teeth, resuming her usual casual and flippant expression. She walked over and shook Shen Liang's arm, laughing, "Oh, baby, you're so mushy. Okay, fine, if that's how it is, how should we do it?"

"Didn't Sister Gan Yu say that zombies need to be crafted with talismans and then absorb essence to maintain their sanity?" Shen Liang pointed to himself, his expression delighted. "I'm a demon god, you know! Just absorb my essence; it's definitely equivalent to the power of a hundred people! That way, you can revive as a zombie, living forever, and even immortal. And, you'll stay young forever! Sister Yu Tu is already incredibly beautiful; she'll never age!"

Mistelin chuckled, "Do you even know what essence is? You want to support your sister, huh?"

"It's quite simple. Every living being possesses essence, which essentially describes a state of being alive. We gain it from eating and drinking. For example, young people have abundant essence, but as they age, the daily replenishment of essence cannot compensate for the loss, leading to death," Shen Liang said. "Therefore, essence is a living being's life force. It can be explained in many ways, but it's not easy to explain… For instance, Sister Ying used a portion of her own life force to create the General. So naturally, I can share my life force with your body, nurturing you into an immortal true immortal."

"Nonsense! How could immortality be achieved so easily? Darling, do you know your immortality comes from the mighty Mei..." Mistilen hesitated, then changed the subject. "Besides, what is life force? An electrocardiogram number? Only the backward civilizations of Teyvat would believe such nonsense."

[Essence is everywhere in the body. If you really want to know, it's usually in bodily fluids, such as saliva and blood, and even in excrement. However, the essence in excrement is impure and diluted. Think about it carefully; Sister Ying was created from a portion of her heart's essence.] Shen Liang actually had some disagreements with Mistelin, so he could only patiently explain.

Mistelin claims her logic comes from "science," and that the scientific worldview doesn't include anything like "vitality." Whether a person's life is declining depends on whether their various physical indicators are normal, such as the heart's blood supply capacity, oxygenation capacity, brain processing speed, and metabolic indicators.

Shen Liang believed Gan Yu's explanation of "essence".

Komistelin would never believe that these vital signs could be extracted in a "physical" form, that having essence could prolong life and rejuvenate an old tree, while lacking essence would accelerate aging and lead to rapid death.

This unscientific.

Moreover, Mistelin felt that her darling was being indecent.

"Now you've finally revealed your true colors!" Mistelin said angrily. "You want me to absorb your essence? I can't exactly drink your blood, can I? Then... then I'll just have to drink your saliva, right?"

[Sister Yu Tu doesn't want to?] Shen Liang's expression was a little disappointed.

So the white-haired young lady was conflicted again.

It's not that I'm completely unwilling... but it still feels a bit disgusting to pour it into the cup.

There's no need to pour it into a cup.

Mistelin glared at the innocent-looking but incredibly wicked boy.

—Not pour it into a cup? Then under what circumstances can I drink your saliva? There's only one way!

—After all that beating around the bush, you just want to kiss me, right?

—I really don't want to call you "baby" anymore! You've become such a jerk that you're completely oblivious to it!

--But……

—But there's nothing that can be done about these things, right? These things just happen naturally. Didn't I already expect it? My darling wants to revive me, but he can't possibly really have such pure thoughts as me being his best friend or soulmate, can he? He's a boy, and he's been treated like a harem of three thousand great demons since he was little, a seductive and shameless thing who's been worshipped as the "Demon Lord" by those great female demons since childhood.

—You say he cares about me so much only for my soul, not to eat me…that doesn’t seem very likely.

Mistelin bit her lip.

—Just like this, on any random day, in a school filled with pear blossoms, Shen Liang only needs to naturally turn around and look at her with expectant eyes, like a kitten begging for a gift, and then stand on tiptoe. Wouldn't she be forced to suppress any reserve and joyfully let him kiss her?

—Is this the first kiss of… the will of the Stigmata? Even if it's not even human, just a will, does it deserve such a kiss?

Mistelin suddenly realized what was happening and broke out in a cold sweat.

She suddenly realized that she seemed to have been impersonating the woman in the coffin for too long. If she were to truly awaken, it wouldn't be her; the awakened woman would simply replace her. Because her responsibility was only to protect Shen Liang before that woman awoke! The Holy Maiden—once the Holy Maiden awakened, all her petty, secret thoughts… would be utterly crushed.

The only time she could maintain such a close and loving relationship with Shen Liang, like soulmates, was when Cecilia was asleep. How could this ugly woman, who stole Shen Liang's respect and love for Cecilia and twisted it into her own love, possibly be compared to Cecilia?

Moreover, the reason why Shen Liang is so obsessed with reviving his physical body is essentially because of the obsession he held before losing all his memories. Even after being reborn, this obsession has not diminished in the slightest.

He thought he was working for Misterine, but Misterine knew he was working for Cecilia.

—What should I do, baby?

—What am I supposed to do with you?

Chapter Seventy-Five: The End, The End

At nightfall, at the summit of Mount Aozang, in front of the cave of the True Lord of Clouds and Wind, lies a vast, still lake.

"Picking lotus, picking lotus, the lotus leaves are lush and green."

Riverbank flowers and reeds, shimmering on the water.

As the night breeze swirled, Rosalin's melodious yet somewhat peculiar singing took on many turns, accompanied by Gan Yu playing the pipa. Their clear, cool, and rhythmic voices made one feel as if ripples were being stirred across the lake in one's heart.

Shen Liang sat on the stone table in the middle of the lake. This was Liu Yun's table, and it even had names engraved on it. Ancient Li Yue phrases were written in different places: "Here Liu Yun resides," "Here he sits to return to his final resting place," and "Here he borrows the Emperor's favor." It seems that long ago, three people sat here, and the evening breeze fluttered their robes.

Shen Liang didn't know who Gui Zhong was, but he knew Liu Yun Jie Feng Zhenjun and Yan Wang Dijun very well, so out of politeness, he sat in Gui Zhong's seat.

[Polite, but not often.] That's how Mistelin described her.

Shen Liang sprawled casually on the table, listening to the songs and pipa music from the small boats on the lake. Liu Yun's cave dwelling was ideally located; this small lake was perfect for a nighttime boat trip. However, it was still early spring, March, and the night breeze was cool, making it a bit chilly. He turned to look at the girls on the small awning boat. Gan Yu, draped in a thin fox fur coat, played her instrument, the silvery moonlight shining on her thighs, which were covered in black cotton stockings, like a splash of clear water.

He thought of Inazuma at this moment. Inazuma and Liyue were in different locations and had different geographical factors, but their climates were actually quite similar. Both were in the spring of March. At this time, Inazuma should be covered with elegant and delicate pink cherry blossoms, even in the streets and palaces. In contrast, the mountains of Liyue were covered with a light green layer and pear trees as beautiful as snow.

In truth, spring in Liyue is a time of vibrant blossoms, unlike Inazuma's exclusive preference for cherry blossoms; it's just that pear blossoms bloom everywhere in Jigsang. Shen Liang, ultimately accustomed to cherry blossoms, also finds himself drawn to the pear blossoms in Jigsang. The two are quite similar, evoking a sense of familiarity. He's been here for over three months. Initially, he happily enjoyed Liyue's convenience and openness, finding Inazuma's city so feudal and cramped. He loves Liyue's cuisine, preparing a variety of delicious meals daily to satisfy his and the girls' palates. He tries to earn money by customizing clothing for the students in Jigsang, then designs even prettier dresses and stockings for the General and the Divine Child.

He loved the intricately decorated houses with their dougong brackets and upturned eaves in Jigong, the girl with the oil-paper umbrella emerging from the Immortal's Cave, and the ever-flowing lights of Liyue Harbor even after nightfall. These were all beautiful things, things Inazuma didn't have. He even grew to love many songs. Rosalind sang Mondstadt songs to him, their melodies fresh and melodious, carrying the scent of wind and grasslands. Now Rosalind had also learned Liyue folk songs, though she didn't yet know the ancient language of Liyue, so her singing sounded strange. But Gan Yu, now having some free time, liked to teach her, and also had Shen Liang teach him the fingering techniques for the pipa and guzheng.

Sometimes Shen Liang felt he might be better suited to be a Liyue citizen. His days in the Combat Department weren't just about learning how to fight; graduates of the Combat Department were all-rounders, top-tier agents carefully cultivated by Liyue. They needed to be proficient in more than just fighting; for example, you couldn't be a socially awkward person while on a mission. Therefore, he also frequently received cultural education from the teachers at Jigong, learning Liyue's history and the royal lineages of the Northern Continent nations, constantly reciting classical Chinese phrases.

Bored, Shen Liang drank another cup of cold rice wine.

But as expected, no one is immune to homesickness.

When things quiet down a bit, and the mind goes blank for a moment, one starts thinking about things that have been forgotten. The quiet nights in Inazuma, the tatami mats smelling of dried straw, the small courtyard covered with white sand and the edge that you can run barefoot through, and that gentle woman who always kneels in the moonlight in an elegant kimono, eyes closed in contemplation, making you want to just silently watch her back forever.

"Mother..." Shen Liang exhaled a breath of alcohol, then simply kicked off her shoes, stepping barefoot on the sand, and casually untied her long, white hair, which cascaded down like a waterfall.

Then, following the steps from his memory, Shen Liang began to dance the Kagura dance offered to the gods by the Inazuma people, albeit with unsteady steps. Since there was singing in the background, Shen Liang didn't see anything wrong with it. The Inazuma Kagura dance was a dance performed only by the most beautiful and pure shrine maidens for the gods, but Raiden Makoto loved watching it, while Kitsunemiya didn't particularly enjoy dancing it. So, Shen Liang took the initiative to learn it to make Raiden Makoto happy for a while.

Every night when the moonlight shines down, and the mood strikes, Shen Liang performs a solo dance for Raiden Shin. The gentle yet powerful God of Thunder always wears an encouraging and expectant smile, even though Shen Liang, being a man, isn't particularly skilled at it. His Kagura dance as a man is criticized by Raiden for lacking the purity of a shrine maiden, while Fox Palace laughs and says he's gained a touch of allure and strength, making him seem less like someone offering himself to a god and more like someone actively seducing him.

Shen Liang didn't care about other people's opinions. He learned Kagura dance simply because Raiden really liked watching it, and that reason was enough for him to stick with it for a lifetime.

The girls on the boat, who were always watching Shen Liang, smiled knowingly. As Shen Liang got drunk and started dancing wildly, the girls spontaneously played their pipa louder and sang more tenderly to match the boy's dance steps.