Genshin Impact: I, the Winter Prince, reign supreme.

In the early and middle stages of the Demon God War, demon gods fell almost every day, and Zhongli was not the most powerful one; there were many opponents who were equally matched with him.

Unable to suppress the other demons on his own, he led the Dragon King Ruotu and a group of immortals and yakshas to fight alongside him in his campaigns.

Zhongli, who was frequently assassinated by enemies, was on high alert at that time. Upon hearing Guizhong's reply, he immediately raised the rock spear in his hand and pointed it at her: "What did you say? Say it again?"

When Gui Zhong saw that Zhongli was serious, he hurriedly cried and explained, "The difference in power between you and me is huge. I can't help you much. I can only do some small things."

"In this era of great strife, you fight almost every day, and your life is in danger at any moment. I hope you don't get hurt, and that you can protect these amazing humans with me."

Zhongli really didn't understand why she was crying, but she finally realized that Gui Zhong was a reliable ally, so she didn't want her to be in any danger.

However, when these thoughts reached his lips, they turned into cold, lifeless words.

"Since you are aware of being a burden, you should keep your distance from me. My mortal enemies will use your life to threaten me because you are a close person to me."

"Hehe, if they dare to use me to threaten you, I'll just kill myself!"

Zhongli uttered "Incomprehensible" and turned to leave.

Later, in a dangerous battle, Zhongli was ambushed by the Ten Demon Gods and seriously injured.

As his life hung in the balance, arrows whistled through the sky, covering his retreat.

Those sharp arrows are the Gui Zhong Machine developed by Gui Zhong.

Together with her friend, Granny Ping, she used these crossbows to successfully help Zhongli escape.

"I have no way to repay your life-saving grace. What do you want?"

Afterwards, Zhongli asked her.

"Don't send me away, let me stay with you forever, okay?"

Zhongli sighed, admitting that he had no way to get rid of Gui Zhong.

Later, as the war between the demon gods came to an end, Morax's name began to resound throughout the land, making him a strong contender for one of the seven ruling powers of the mortal world.

In the most dangerous final battle, on the sea off Guyun Pavilion, Zhongli once again encountered the Ten Demon Gods.

Enemies meeting are bound to be filled with hatred.

Zhongli, together with his friend Ruotu Dragon King, faced a powerful enemy.

The war lasted for an unknown period of time, perhaps a year or five years.

The body of the Naga King Ruoduo collapsed, and his soul was nearly destroyed.

Zhongli was covered in wounds, and his rock god body was reduced to only half.

However, the ten demon gods were defeated and suppressed beneath the sea at Guyun Pavilion.

Before he could even savor the joy of victory, Zhongli learned that Guiliyuan had been attacked by other demons and rushed back to provide support.

Gui Zhong and a group of immortals swore to protect the people of Guiliyuan to the death.

However, he was ultimately not skilled in martial arts and was no match for his attackers, passing away in the battle.

When Zhongli arrived, Guizhong was already on the verge of death. Only with the help of the Yakshas to prolong his life did he barely manage to stay alive, just to wait for Zhongli's safe return.

On his deathbed, Gui Zhong gave a wistful smile and left his final words.

"It seems I still can't walk this path with you..."

"Forget about that lock..."

At that moment, Zhongli suddenly wanted to hug this ally, or even just hold her hand—

In fact, the previous life had told him to learn from humans how to always smile, so he secretly observed the lives of mortals.

It happened to be a funeral; the wife had tragically died in the war, and the husband was embracing her body one last time.

Since Gui Zhong loved, pitied, and admired humanity more than he did, Zhong Li wanted to bid her farewell in a human way.

Gui Zhong's body instantly turned into countless tiny dust particles, scattering across the desolate wilderness of Gui Li Yuan.

That day.

The glass lilies on Guili Plain withered overnight.

After that, they gradually disappeared in Liyue.

……

The scene at the auction.

At this moment, Zhongli leaned forward, staring blankly at the Lock of the Mortal World, the terrifying rock element on his body seemingly about to burst out at any moment.

"Are you planning to rob us outright? The auction contract has been signed, and those who break their word will be punished by being devoured by the rocks."

Noticing his unusual state, Su Yu had to use some of his divine power to warn him that if the Rock King Emperor lost control, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The passing of Guizhong clearly continues to influence Morax more than three thousand years later.

On the surface, he seemed to be leisurely enjoying music, tea, and plays in brothels, but in reality, he was far more troubled and confused than anyone else.

He couldn't unlock the shackles of worldly affairs, didn't understand Gui Zhong's last words, and couldn't comprehend why he still couldn't forget this former ally.

The Geo element that had been flickering in Zhongli's eyes returned to calm, and he sighed, "The contract must never be broken; it is the foundation of Liyue. I almost made a grave mistake!"

"It's alright, Morax. Nobody's perfect."

Su Yu deliberately revealed his identity.

Zhongli took a closer look at the handsome young man before her.

"With just a single sentence, you awakened me from my obsession, and you possess such intense ice elemental power, as well as vision and knowledge no less than mine. Are you the Prince of Winter?"

Su Yu nodded.

Zhongli offered tea as a gesture of respect.

After the previous lectures and this auction, he accepted Su Yu as a friend, and even though Su Yu was a prince of Zhidong, it did not affect this judgment.

At this moment, people at the auction had already started bidding wildly. Faced with the treasured item of the Rock King Emperor, everyone wanted to buy it and enshrine it in their homes to protect their descendants and ensure good fortune.

Zhongli gazed at the "Worldly Lock" on the display stand, and saw that he was preparing to make a bid.

"Morax, I advise you not to buy it back."

Zhongli explained, "Last year during the Lantern Festival, I was lost in thought and sent the shackles of the mortal world back to their original place for burial. Now, I feel regret."

"Morax, you think you've never solved the mystery, have you?"

"But have you ever considered that when you transformed from the Rock King Morax into Zhongli, a guest elder of the Hall of Rebirth, you had already unlocked the secret of the mortal world?"

Chapter 64 The Auction (Part 7)

Zhongli rested his chin on one hand, staring intently at Prince Zhidong before him. His mind raced as he pondered Su Yu's words of advice, which seemed to have suddenly enlightened him, making him see the light.

However, he couldn't quite grasp some of the key points.

"Your Highness, please enlighten me."

Zhongli sat upright, perhaps finding the answer to the question that had troubled him for over three thousand years in Prince Zhidong.

"I wouldn't presume to offer my guidance, but since you consider me a friend, I'm happy to exchange ideas. Consider it a small gift for our first meeting in Liyue."

Zhongli said politely, "The arrival of the Prince brings great honor to Liyue."

"After you met Gui Zhong, did you often feel that she was very different as a demon god, always out of place with you, and often had some ideas that were different from yours?"

"That's true."

Su Yu continued, "Gui Zhong once told his close friend, True Lord Ge Chenlang City, that the human heart is so delicate and ingenious, and their intelligence and efforts are so brilliant. Never underestimate the potential of humans. With just a little guidance, they will unleash incredibly powerful forces. At that time, humans may be able to rival us. We should learn from each other and be role models for one another."

Zhongli replied, "Ge Chenlang City True Lord told me about this later, but I cannot fully understand its meaning."

"Morac, that's because you've always considered yourself a god, while Guizhong considers himself a human. As the Rock Demon God, you've always lacked human emotions, so you don't understand why Guizhong laughs so much. To this day, you still feel distant and estranged from your people, and you often feel lonely and can't find a sense of belonging."

"Human emotions?"

Zhong Li repeated Su Yu's words.

"Gui Zhong saw your shortcomings long ago, and she wanted to help you become more perfect. The secret of the Lock of the Mortal World lies not in its interior, but in its meaning."

"Your Highness, do you mean that the Lock of the Mortal World has no secrets inside, and is actually empty?"

"She gave you the lock of the mortal world so that you would integrate into the mortal world and let the mortal world become your bond. To put it bluntly, she wants you to experience the myriad aspects of life, to have more human emotions and less of the indifference of the gods."

"Only when the Geo Archon loves the mortal realm will she love this world. Her wish is for you to protect the people of Liyue, the humans of Teyvat, and all living beings in the mortal realm. This is the meaning of the World Lock."

After listening to Su Yu's explanation, Zhong Li's expression changed several times in just a few seconds.

The initial confusion and bewilderment in my eyes gradually transformed into a clear pool of water, then became calm and undisturbed.

After Su Yu's guidance, he basically cleared away the fog in his mind.

He possesses the title of "God of War," yet he lacks human emotions, a problem he discovered from the very beginning.

But at that time she was busy with the war, her life hanging by a thread, and she couldn't listen to any advice. In the end, she thought of giving him the lock of the mortal world under the guise of signing a contract, and told him that all her passion and wisdom were hidden in the lock.

What a foolish, yet brilliant, method!

Zhongli's mind was filled with the image of Gui Zhong's voice and smile, the little tagalong who always followed behind and was ridiculed by everyone, as if he had returned to her side.

"Your Highness, I have another question. On the day Gui Zhong signed the contract with me, she said, 'This is a token of the alliance, and also my challenge to you.' She is clearly not good at martial arts, so why did she insist on challenging me?"

"That's Gui Zhong's kindness and gentleness. She's finding an excuse for you to kill her. The war between demon gods is a game where the gods weaken you. In the end, only one demon god from each country can obtain the Heart of God and be crowned as a god. The other demon gods are either killed, suppressed, or exist in a form like the Kitchen God's Rice Crust, where all power has been dissipated."

"Gui Zhong probably anticipated the scene of you confronting her on the day of final victory. She estimated that you would have no mercy on her and find it difficult to kill her, so she challenged you in advance, so that when you kill her, it will be justified."

Zhongli said directly, "When that moment comes, I won't kill her. She can choose to live like Guoba."

Su Yu said helplessly, "Morax, this is why I say you have no feelings. You know very well that the moment a demon loses its power, it also loses its memory. The Kitchen God Guoba is a case in point. And to make Gui Zhong lose her memory, she would rather die under your rock spear."

“Your Highness, I still don’t understand why she would rather die by my hand than lose her memory.”

"To be precise, it's not that she can't lose her memory, but that she can't forget you. In the end, the memories of being with you are the most precious things, more precious than her own life."

Zhongli looked somewhat troubled: "I... don't understand."

Trying to explain love to a deity who has no emotions is like casting pearls before swine.

Ultimately, Zhongli could never understand his admiration, worship, and secret love before he stepped down from his position as emperor and entered the mortal world.

The taciturn Zhongli loves all the people of Liyue, but he can't understand Gui Zhong's feelings for him.