I'm in the Teyvat running group

Yunxiu felt an immense sense of security and couldn't help but feel happy. For a newbie, what could be more exciting than finding a powerful backer?

This is the Geo Archon! And it seems even more powerful than the one in the game!

The sense of security you give me is less than one ten-thousandth of what he gives me.

"So this is what it feels like to feel a thousand times safe!" Yunxiu, who had casually made a comment, actually started toasting Zhongli. Zhongli wasn't angry at all. Instead, he elegantly picked up some food while chatting with Yunxiu about what had happened that day. He even asked Yunxiu what her plans were like next, like an old father.

Yunxiu hesitated for a while before saying shyly, "Actually, I wanted to go to Mondstadt to train first, become stronger as soon as possible, and then participate in the storm that the 'Fourth Adventists' are about to unleash."

The choice of Mondstadt was a decision Yunxiu made after careful consideration. Putting aside the fact that Inazuma would require crossing the ocean, going to the Winter Isles in the current weather would be tantamount to suicide, and Sumeru is separated by a massive abyss of rock, with no idea how long it would take to reach it easily. As for taking a boat to Ormus Harbor or Hellion Island, the time wasted on the way might be too late. Only going to Mondstadt was the best choice. Along the way, they could fight monsters and level up, and perhaps even encounter a few different adventures.

Thinking of this, Yunxiu suddenly became curious: "Speaking of which, Your Majesty, what exactly is this 'contract to end everything' that you signed with the 'Ice Queen'?"

He was very excited to ask this question. This topic had been an unsolved mystery in the world of original studies for many years, with not a single word about it from the game's launch until the Nordkalai version. The exact nature of the contracts Zhongli signed was essentially one of the three great mysteries of original studies, alongside the whereabouts of the Thunder Dragon King and the identity of the Ruler of Heaven. These were all topics that were difficult to uncover, with no clues whatsoever. Only the identity of the Ruler of Heaven finally received some news in the Nordkalai version, while the contracts Zhongli signed and the Thunder Dragon King seemed to have been deleted from the entire world, leaving no information whatsoever.

If you could get some information out of someone, that would be amazing!

Unexpectedly, Zhongli shook his head, unwilling to reveal any information. Seeing Yunxiu's frustrated expression, Zhongli pretended to sigh helplessly before casually saying, "This contract is witnessed by Barbatos."

what?

Wind God? That's incredibly powerful? Then why was his Divine Heart stolen...?

Damn! Yunxiu suddenly realized that with Barbatos's later demonstrated power and strength, if he didn't want the Fatui to get involved in Mondstadt's affairs, then as long as he stirred up a "storm" for a few months at the border between Mondstadt and Winter Solstice, even if the Lady could get through, the other Fatui wouldn't be able to get through at all! Taking other routes would mean encountering the main force of the Mondstadt Knights on a large-scale attack. If the Lady entered Mondstadt alone without her own people and troops, she probably wouldn't be able to defeat any of Jean, Diluc, or Abelard. If she were unlucky enough to run into Iris while she was shopping with her daughter, the effect would be even more outstanding.

He could have easily blown the lady out of the timeline with just a gentle whistle, possibly even banishing her to thousands of years ago! After all, this ruthless character, who could blow the Abyss War Ruins of the Silent Sea out of the timeline in one breath five hundred years ago, would be someone even a master of at least level 7 couldn't possibly stop...

"Life is like a play, it all depends on acting skills!" Yunxiu sighed. "I'm still just a sixteen-year-old kid!"

Judging from all the subsequent plot developments, Barbatos's act of sending away the Heart of God was not only intentional, but his own abilities were also incredibly strong. At least by the Nata version, he had contacted all his former "comrades-in-arms" and personally went to talk to Rock, Lightning, and Vulcan about something. With this level of activity, it's impossible that he was really weak...

While lost in thought and chatting with the Emperor, the meal was finally finished. Zhongli took a sip of tea, flicked his finger to withdraw his skill, then called the waiter to remove the dishes and bring two new pots of fine tea. Only then did he take out a strange talisman and solemnly say, "This is the most ancient talisman without taboos, containing the power of the remnants of a demon god."

Seeing Yunxiu's surprised expression, Zhongli said seriously, "I only have these three pieces, and this is one of them."

“The last one.” He tapped the talisman and gently pushed it to Yunxiu.

"Really?"

"Of course." After finishing the last sip of tea, Zhongli said earnestly to Yunxiu, "Go on your way. When you reach the top of the next mountain, I will have something to ask of you. At that time... I hope you will not refuse."

Yunxiu accepted the Unfettered Talisman with both hands and nodded seriously.

Seeing that Yunxiu agreed, Zhongli nodded, got up, put his hands behind his back, and left.

As Zhongli reached the door, he didn't turn around, but a smile appeared on his lips: "The contract is complete. Those who break their word shall be punished by eating the rocks."

He paused and then said, "Remember to pay the bill."

"This old man clearly remembers to pay the bill, but he just doesn't want to spend his own money!" He reached out and pulled the bell on the table, and in less than two minutes, a pretty young lady walked in with a bill.

Looking at the enormous figure of 28500 Mora on the bill, Yunxiu felt a headache coming on.

"Why does this tea cost 4000 yuan a pot?!"

"Sir, this tea is this year's pre-rain Longjing from Chenyu Valley. It was picked by a young girl who is proficient in grass elemental power and then roasted with fire elemental power. One pound of tea costs 100,000 Mora, but this pot is only 4,000 for you. This is already a discount from our shopkeeper because of Mr. Zhongli."

So, the reason I was able to spend only 28500 was because I used Zhong Li's face...

Yunxiu patted her pockets and only managed to scrape together 322 Mora, not even enough for change. Just as she was about to argue with the waiter and then use her privileged background to pay on credit, she suddenly heard laughter coming from the doorway:

"We are honored to have you all grace us with your presence today, and the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce would like to express our sincere gratitude. We entrust the sale of 'Stone Amber' and 'Night-Stabilizing Stone' to you all from now on..."

"No problem!"

"Of course, of course!"

"If the second young master discusses it, we all have to give him face!"

A savior has arrived! Yunxiu ran out with the bill and saw the other member of the five children, Xingqiu, the second young master of the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce, who had just seen off the last customer.

Yunxiu excitedly went up to him: "Aqiu, lend me some money!"

"Huh?" Seemingly surprised by Yunxiu's appearance, "Axiu, you also have times when you're short of money?"

"Thank you very much anyway." Standing at the entrance of Liuli Pavilion, Yunxiu looked at Xingqiu, who had just casually paid his bill, with a fawning expression: "Luckily, your Feiyun Chamber of Commerce often holds banquets at Liuli Pavilion, otherwise I would probably have had to leave my father's name here and then have someone send money over."

"Ah Xiu, since you're the young master of Tian Shu Star, you should carry more money with you when you go out! Everyone has times when things aren't convenient. What if you meet a girl you like someday and you treat her to a meal at Liuli Pavilion?"

Xingqiu, who had just finished entertaining his guests and was signing the bill at the door when Yunxiu grabbed him to borrow money, smiled teasingly and made fun of Yunxiu.

Yunxiu scratched her head: "I don't really have any girls I like." Seeing Xingqiu's mischievous expression, she continued: "Of course, I don't have any boys I like either. As for food, I ate both meals at Wanmintang today. I helped Xiangling with odd jobs and got a free meal, so I even saved on my wages."

"Why don't you just become a live-in son-in-law of Wanmintang?" Xingqiu laughed and scolded, "Living in Wanmintang would save you from running back and forth from Yujingtai every day."

"My feelings for Xiangling haven't changed yet..."

"And then what?"

Aren't you afraid that I'll turn against you first in the future?

They joked and chatted about their recent situations as they walked. When they reached the vicinity of the Yanshang Tea House, Xingqiu saw the Feiyun Merchant Guild's carriage arrive. So Xingqiu waved his hand and jumped onto the Feiyun Merchant Guild's carriage: "If we have time to meet again someday, you can return it to me!"

"no problem!"

However, going home is really too far for me now. My physical condition isn't at the level of a Teyvat superhuman who can run from the south of the city to the north in two hours.

How about we hitch a ride with Dad or my sister?

Anyway, they should be off work by now. If I go to Yujingtai, I might just run into that legendary Liyue Chief Secretary...

Chapter 7 Meeting Lin at Yuehai Pavilion

While inwardly complaining, he walked towards Yujingtai.

Walking further from the Crystal Pavilion, less than 25 minutes away is Jade Peak. As one of the most prestigious restaurants in Liyue, Crescent Moon Inn and Crystal Pavilion are both located near Jade Peak. However, there are many shops around Jade Peak that have been passed down since ancient times. Some of these shops even existed before Liyue was established and before it moved from Guili Village to Liyue Harbor. The Hu Tao family's Hall of Rebirth is also located nearby. Walking in another direction for 20 minutes will take you to the Hall of Rebirth's shop, which is now in its 77th generation.

The flagship stores of established shops like Feiyun Merchant Guild, Mingxingzhai, and Wanwenjishe are all located nearby, along with Bubulu, which is not far away. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the essence of Liyue over thousands of years is concentrated here.

So every time Yunxiu walks this path, she has a very peculiar feeling. It's not because she hasn't seen similar architecture in her past life. As a native of China, she knows that many tourist attractions in China can achieve similar effects. For example, many newly built palaces are not much different from those in Liyue in terms of height and grandeur. Even the giant nine-story tower building like the Adventurers' Guild has comparable counterparts.

But the architecture of Liyue is different, and in a profound sense. Perhaps it's because some buildings have indeed existed for 3,700 years, constantly under the guidance and protection of the Emperor, with technology and culture continuously evolving. Many buildings retain their ancient appearance while incorporating a variety of trendy and unique features. Many have even begun to "radiate brilliance" thanks to new technologies introduced from Fontaine and Winterfall. During Yunxiu's recent visit, she even saw several shops researching Sumeru's plant technology for landscaping, even creating houses that "grow" from buildings – truly fascinating.

This is what makes Liyue even more appealing in reality: on the one hand, it far surpasses the game in scale, and on the other hand, it is constantly being updated almost every day.

This vibrant atmosphere, imbued with a profound sense of history, was a feeling Yunxiu had never experienced in any game or fantasy story; at least, he fell in love with it the first time he came.

The closer you get to Jade Peak, the more pronounced this feeling becomes, because Liyue's style, full of historical charm and progress, was pioneered by Jade Peak. The largest palace complex on this continent not only boasts the most magnificent scenery but also the most trendy, advanced, and forward-thinking design concepts.

Further along the edge of Yujingtai, ordinary shops begin to decrease, replaced by various government agencies and departments.

The Liyue Kingdom, a powerful center of power spanning the four seas from south to north, is naturally not as small as the game's depiction of a few individuals. The Seven Stars are divided into eight departments, in addition to forty-two offices that oversee all affairs, large and small. There is also the Welcoming Terrace, responsible for diplomacy; the Panlu Pavilion, the highest judicial body; the Reverence Terrace, responsible for all matters concerning the gods; and the Thousand Rock Army, which is independent of all functional departments and directly subordinate to the Seven Stars.

This constitutes the governing structure of Liyue.

The General Affairs Department, which players have heard the most about, is actually just one of the 42 departments that is mainly responsible for a large number of civil affairs. It is mainly responsible for a series of functions closely related to the public, such as social assistance, policy and regulations, social services, and document processing. That's why it seems so powerful. In fact, it is not ranked among the top functional departments in Liyue, and its main office is not even located in Yujingtai.

At the foot of Yujingtai Mountain, a string of six oddly shaped buildings are the embassies of various countries managed by Yingxiantai. Each of the six embassies has its own unique national style.

Of course, even the Inazuma embassy, ​​which Yunxiu believes is still "closed off" at present, is open as usual. Judging from the flags hanging at the entrance, the company's magistrate is currently handling Inazuma's foreign affairs.

However, the real person in charge is actually the powerful figure behind the company magistrate, Yae no Miko!

What's even more amusing is that, besides various slogans and Inazuma-style architecture and decorations, the entrance to the Inazuma Embassy also prominently displays promotional pages for Volume 8 of "Reincarnated as the Thunder God, and Then Invincible Under Heaven" and Volume 5 of "Too Many Loser Shrine Maidens!"

“That fox who uses his position for personal gain…” Shaking her head, Yunxiu suddenly realized that, according to the timeline, it was probably already time when the Fools entered Inazuma to build the Evil Eye Factory, and the Eighth God Child began to wait for the arrival of the key figure who would break the deadlock.

Poor traveler, judging from the plot, losing the Eye of God seems to have nothing to do with one's own condition. If one's will is strong enough, it is even possible to lose the Eye of God without any impact.

From setting foot on Inazuma to meeting Thomas...

No, it should be that the moment the traveler saw Hokuto and Manyo, an invisible thread led him all the way to the general...

Liyue smuggled weapons to Haiqi Island, and even personally intervened. The Traveler was led to the Thunder General by the people of the Society, but ultimately fled to Haiqi. Later, he collapsed in the Evil Eye Factory with Yae no Miko following him.

The poor traveler was truly being played by the fox!

As I walked along, lost in thought, I passed through a huge square and finally arrived at the entrance of Yujingtai. The magnificent Yujingtai was built at the foot of Tianheng Mountain, nestled against the mountain and beside the water, and was incredibly beautiful.

There are 365 steps at the entrance without any auxiliary facilities. Even if the Seven Stars were to come, they would have to walk up step by step on their own. Although it is unknown why the True Lord of the Moon-Cut Sun who was in charge of building the Jade Capital Platform designed it this way, even after the "elevator" that could "take off and land" was developed using floating stones, no one ever suggested installing one for the Jade Capital Platform.

No need to enter the gate; just looking at the enormous palace complex, with its diverse styles yet perfectly integrated, varying in size and height yet connected as a whole, is enough to know just how breathtaking this massive building truly is.

It truly covered over three hundred li, blocking out the sun and sky. Mount Heng stretched northward and then turned westward, its peaks rising straight into the clouds.

The massive palace complex, however, is characterized by its diverse and ingenious internal structures. With a building every five steps and a pavilion every ten, winding corridors, soaring eaves, and each building embracing its own terrain, it is a complex and interconnected structure, resembling a honeycomb or whirlpool, with countless buildings standing tall. It truly presents a magnificent scene of a prosperous era!

The scene that I could only imagine in textbooks in my past life has been perfectly built in reality! Perhaps the only difference is that this huge building was built more than 3,700 years ago, built and planned bit by bit, and maintained and expanded by generations of Liyue people until it is what it is today?

After all, Liyue is truly the richest country on the Teyvat continent!

This abundance extends beyond natural resources and trade; it also encompasses social and administrative resources. Liyue is a place where, no matter what happens to a citizen, if they seek help from the authorities, someone will always be there to assist them. Even the Thousand Rock Army occasionally acts as social workers, delivering necessities to the children of their old comrades, helping children find their parents, and even mediating relationship disputes—though most Thousand Rock Army members don't have wives...

This directly leads to enormous difficulties in national management. After all, the deployment of such a large number of people is a problem. If you want to send troops from Liyue Harbor to support the Laminariat, it will take more than half a month for them to travel. Even if you have Liyue's magic to build teleportation arrays, the huge cost means that you can only deploy them in strategic locations.

Even with the physical prowess of the Teyvat superhumans, it would take them at least two months to travel from the deepest Jade Valley all the way to Liyue Harbor, traversing mountains and rivers, covering a vast area of ​​more than ten thousand miles!

The sheer size of Liyue, coupled with its massive population, has created an enormous yet still insufficient administrative scale. If it weren't for the presence of numerous powerful immortals and Vision holders holding key positions in the central hub of the Jade Palace, even the Geo Archon would likely struggle to keep this system running.

Yunxiu could empathize deeply with this.

Her older sister Huixin and father Tianshu are both members of this huge system. Yunxiu's most direct experience is that she probably eats with Xiangling more often than with them...

"arrive."

Upon arriving at the Yuehaiting Secretariat, Yunxiu explained her purpose to Qianyanjun on duty, verified her identity, filled out a registration form, and then leisurely walked into the office building of the Yuehaiting Secretariat.

This six-story building is a rare example of a building that is not a tower, but rather shaped like the Chinese character "回" (hui). A central courtyard runs through all six floors, and a huge broad-leaved sand tree grows in the very center. Now is the time when the leaves are changing color, and the golden-red leaves are scattered all over the ground, creating a strange scene with the yellow and red buildings.

"I remember it was the third office on the sixth floor..." Yunxiu casually picked up a few leaves and played with them as she walked to the sixth floor.

As soon as I reached the door of the first office, I heard the older sister talking to other people inside.

"Senior Gan Yu, you've accumulated forty-seven days of vacation this year, and the Immortal Invitation Ceremony is just a few months away. Don't you really want to take a break now that you have less to do?"

"Huh? But what if Your Majesty thinks I haven't done enough..."

Yunxiu looked into the office and saw her older sister, Huixin, chatting with Ganyu while reporting on her work. Ganyu was rapidly approving documents while contemplating whether she should take a vacation, and even the jade ornament with a unicorn in its mouth was making a crisp sound as it clattered against the horn.

Today she was wearing a moon-white flowing dress with a simple belt of the same color tied around her waist, forming a neat knot at the back. A light blue tassel hung down from the middle of the belt, with a small jade ring at the end, which made a "tinkling" sound as she swayed her waist.

Even the chime bells-shaped ritual objects around her neck have been replaced with a jade pendant with a qilin pattern made of mutton-fat white jade.

"I knew it, they'd definitely have to do laundry in the game..."

She mentally complained to herself, then knocked on the door. Huixin looked up and saw Yunxiu. Surprised and delighted, she asked, "What brings you here?"