Genshin Impact: I, the Winter's Executor, am forced to work.

here...

The vow the three made amidst the sea of ​​glass lilies remains unforgettable, and they dare not forget it.

Qin Ye's words echoed in his mind once again.

The Rock King Emperor has already experienced such a past, must Zhongli also accept such imperfection?

The figure of a woman in a wide-sleeved robe gradually came into view, seemingly both a memory and reality.

As the ashes of the lock of the mortal world rose, the woman in my memory seemed to gradually disappear from above my head.

"...Do not."

Qin Ye precisely caught the murmur: "The Rock King has been selfless for a thousand years, and the mortal Zhongli is the same?"

Zhongli picked up the Lock of the Mortal World, his eyes filled with mixed emotions: "If Gui Zhong does not wish to be resurrected, I will naturally respect her choice, but even so..."

He paused, his voice tinged with self-mockery: "If possible, at least let her see Liyue as it is today, and let her answer for herself, Lord Geo... has Zhongli fulfilled his duty and kept our contract?"

"Of course."

A gentle female voice came from the lock of the mortal world. The figure outlined before my eyes gradually solidified, and light shone forth. The lock itself turned to ashes.

Some barren grasslands suddenly came to life, and glass lilies bloomed under the moon, overlapping with memories from a thousand years ago.

The woman stood quietly amidst the sea of ​​flowers, a smile playing on her lips: "Long time no see, Morax."

"It's been a long time. It's a pity that I'm no longer the Morax I used to be."

Zhong Li raised the corners of her mouth, feeling a sudden sense of relief.

"hehe."

Gui Zhong revealed a sweet smile: "Judging from your untimely answer, it must be Morax himself."

Her wide sleeves came together in front of her, and she bowed slightly: "The Demon God of Dust has returned, fulfilling his contract with the Emperor. Today I return to be by your side."

"Zhongli," Qin Ye whispered a reminder.

Zhongli crossed his arms and nodded in agreement: "In that case, the contract is complete."

Gui Zhong walked gracefully towards the two of them, saying, "Morax, you have indeed matured a lot and become much more reserved. It's quite hard to imagine that you are like this together."

"..." Qin Ye's lips twitched: "It wasn't just unimaginable before, it was like the heavens and earth were in turmoil."

"Hehe, that makes sense, that's true."

Gui Zhong blinked: "Oh my, isn't this Qin Ye? So you're here."

"...What, you're already sending us away after just meeting? Did I interrupt your date? Just now..."

"Come over here for a moment."

The woman quickly interrupted Qin Ye, pulled him aside, and confirmed that Zhong Li could no longer hear their conversation.

"What are you trying to say, kid?"

Qin Ye's expression was sarcastic: "I really didn't expect that your view of existence would lead Zhong Li to acknowledge your existence."

"Heh, these past years within the Lock of the Mortal World, though somewhat dazed, I've still been aware of the outside world. Zhongli... he truly is a qualified leader. But now that he's abdicated, what can I, resurrected, do? Assist him in regaining power?"

Gui Zhong's words sounded sincere, but Qin Ye saw through them at a glance: "Come on, you've been planning this since the day you sacrificed yourself, haven't you?"

"...It's not good to expose someone like that, Qin Ye. How about I teach Columbia a couple of her signature moves later?"

"Stop for a moment."

“I just wanted to test him. If he doesn’t care about me, then he might as well leave. Why bother coming back?” Gui Zhong shook his head with a wry smile. “Thank you for your help just now. It made me realize that Morax is not heartless.”

"You'd better keep an eye on him from now on. If he finds out I just gave him some hints, it'll be troublesome if he comes to challenge me to a duel." Qin Ye shrugged, glancing at Zhong Li out of the corner of his eye, silently praying for him.

Brother Zhongli, you must stand up for yourself and learn from me. I'm never controlled by my wife.

"But you'll have to put in a lot of effort later. It's easy for a woman to pursue a man, but the problem is that he himself is as difficult as Mount Heng."

"It's alright. With enough practice..."

"That's true. Maybe if the Great Sage were suppressed for another five thousand years, he would just pop out on his own."

"What Great Sage?"

"nothing."

Gui Zhong felt helpless. Sometimes she still couldn't fully understand what Qin Ye was saying: "I still have a lot of time. Even if it can only be like this, as long as I can continue to be by his side, that's enough."

"What you say is quite righteous... In terms of PUA, I, Qin Ye, would call you the strongest."

He turned to Zhongli, nodded and smiled: "I won't disturb you any longer. Go and catch up. We still have plenty of time to reminisce. Now that you've been resurrected, just do what you most want to do."

"Ah."

Looking at Gui Zhong and Zhong Li standing side by side, Qin Ye put his hands behind his back and merged his power into the earth: "I didn't expect that this sea of ​​glass lilies would be briefly revived because of your power. Since that's the case, let's not let them be just a fleeting moment."

Over thousands of years, everything has undergone changes and transformations.

Liyue is like a child who can already support himself. Gui and Zhongli can no longer carry the burden. Perhaps sweeping away the world with one's own strength is the most triumphant moment for the Emperor, but peace is the most difficult to find.

Bringing this peace and happiness to everyone is also his duty as a guardian of the world.

May time be gentle and the years peaceful.

Chapter 307 Side Story: The Demon-Slaying Nuo Dance (1)

The top floor of Wangshu Inn.

Qin Ye sat at the familiar table, holding a white wine cup in his hand. He simply observed the wine inside quietly, holding it for a long time without drinking it.

Strangely, his hand was unusually steady, and the wine in the cup did not even ripple. The surface of the wine reflected the sunlight shining through the leaves, making the whole thing look like a still painting.

"Hey..."

Qin Ye sighed deeply.

They finally managed to get Gui Zhong and that other guy together, but in the blink of an eye, they don't even recognize me as their good brother anymore.

Of course, to be precise, it can't be considered a grouping together; it just made Zhongli realize that Guizhong actually held a position in his heart far beyond what he had realized.

As for when the stone will bloom, that depends on the seed's perseverance and vitality.

He happened to have some important things to finish up, so he made a special trip to Wangshu Inn to wait for a friend.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

The flow of wind elements became somewhat turbulent, not because the user was suppressing anger, but because he was slightly anxious.

"Why are you suddenly so respectful? Just treat me like the Qin Ye you used to be. Are you off dealing with some remaining karmic debts?"

Qin Ye put down his wine glass and immediately began to chat. He had originally wanted to share this wonderful time with his friends, have a get-together, and chat, but now it seemed like the timing wasn't quite right.

"this..."

Xiao removed the Nuo mask, his expression unusually conflicted and troubled.

He had once felt a sense of familiarity with Qin Ye, but he didn't know where to begin until recently when he learned about the story from the Emperor.

Only then did he realize that the man who had freed the Yaksha from the demon god's control and called himself the Rock King Emperor was actually the... True Lord Master before him.

This sense of familiarity comes from a mark left deep in my memory from back then.

At least in Xiao's view, the more he learns about and comes into contact with things, the more he understands the importance of this kindness.

They were being restrained and even forced to massacre unrelated civilians.

How pathetic it is to live a life devoid of freedom and autonomy, drifting aimlessly, stained with blood.

Later, under the command of the Rock King, he came to realize that even among the Yakshas, ​​there is familial affection, as well as responsibilities and goals.

Therefore, dealing with karmic obstacles was simply his duty, a responsibility he fulfilled without complaint.

Even if we take a step back and assume there is the slightest bit of resentment, compared to a thousand years ago, isn't this a kind of happiness?

Unfortunately...

When you're alone, can this kind of happiness still be considered happiness?

Xiao shook his head twice. How could he have been so distracted when one of his benefactors was right in front of him?

"Sir, I'm so sorry, just now... Ugh, uh!!!"

He covered his face with his hands, and you could clearly see his palms pressing down hard. His head was also shaking slightly, as if he was resisting and expelling something.

"I apologize for the somewhat brutal methods we used during the Demon God War, which caused you Yakshas so much trouble."

Qin Ye stood up, wanting to walk closer to Xiao, but saw the other suddenly kneel down, cover his head with his hands, and endure the pain.

A crimson hue seeped into his eyes, his fierce gaze radiating malevolence as he slowly looked at Qin Ye approaching.

The spear flashed into his hand and went straight for Qin Ye's throat.

Wait... no...

His reason had not been completely extinguished. He watched helplessly as the unstoppable action continued, the sharp tip of the spear aimed at his benefactor's vitals, while all he could do was pray bitterly in his heart.

"Don't worry."

Qin Ye smiled and shook his head. The spear gradually stopped in front of him, then turned into light and dissipated.

He reached out and pulled Xiao into his arms: "Are today's karmic obstacles a bit too difficult to deal with?"

A gentle power flowed from Qin Ye's palm, slowly merging into Xiao's body with each gentle pat.

"I..."

Xiao quickly stood up, his expression somewhat frightened. He clenched his fists, and his pupils conveyed the shock he felt at that moment.

The karmic obstacles in his body had been completely cleared away, and for the first time in a thousand years, he felt his body and mind so relaxed.

Even so, he chose to suppress his doubts and answer Qin Ye's question first.

“You’re right. Today’s karmic obstacles are much more dangerous than usual, and dealing with them requires more effort. That’s why I wasted a lot of time before coming to see you.”

"Yes, because I have driven them out of the ley lines."

Qin Ye reassured the other party that one of his purposes in coming here was to resolve Li Yue's karmic issues.

He originally said he would come here first to inform Xiao, but unexpectedly, this person was really dedicated and handled part of the karmic obstacles without complaining at all.