While I was in Mondstadt, I never imagined becoming a god.

Yan Fei closed the file, looked up, and said in a much more sincere tone than Hu Tao: "The General Affairs Department is taking this matter very seriously."

"The household registration records have begun to be retrieved, and the relevant documents are in the process of being processed."

"I will let you know as soon as I have any news."

"As expected of Liyue's top legal consultant," Xu Chuan praised sincerely. "Truly reliable."

Hu Tao's smile faded, and she glanced over with an unfriendly look.

Xu Chuan coughed lightly and added, "Of course, this is also inseparable from the efforts of the Hall Master."

Hu Tao withdrew her gaze and nodded in satisfaction.

"Thank you both for your hard work." Xu Chuan handed over two strings of candied hawthorns.

"I'll treat you to candied hawthorns."

Hu Tao took it, took a bite, and her eyes curved into crescent moons.

Yan Fei accepted it, thanked her, and ate it in small bites.

Xu Chuan put the rest into his spatial ring.

The moment the candied hawthorn disappeared from her hand, Yan Fei's gaze froze.

She blinked, then blinked again, her gaze fixed on the dark ring on Xu Chuan's right ring finger, her eyes fixed on it.

"This is... the Dust Song Pot?"

Yan Fei's tone was uncertain, but her shock was real.

Such magical artifacts, capable of containing external objects and containing inner sanctum, are extremely rare even in Liyue.

In the entire Liyue region, only the immortals can craft it.

She was quite certain that Xu Chuan didn't have this thing a few days ago.

"Grandma also said she was going to prepare a surprise to repay you."

Yan Fei sighed, her tone complicated, "I didn't expect..."

"Looks like I missed out on a great gift."

Xu Chuan smiled nonchalantly.

The thing that Grandma Ping prepared was the Chenge Pot that Xu Chuan had been longing for.

However, the spatial ring crafted by Zhongli is far superior to the Dust Song Pot.

Yan Fei glanced at Xu Chuan and shook her head.

This guy always manages to surprise people.

Perhaps Grandma was right; Xu Chuan's connection to the immortals was profound.

No, perhaps it should be described as unfathomable.

Hu Tao, unusually, didn't interrupt.

She stood to the side, biting into a candied hawthorn, her gaze fixed on the unremarkable ring in Xu Chuan's hand.

The dark ring, under the lantern light, gleamed with a faint metallic sheen, without any superfluous decoration.

Although she was a little curious, Hu Tao restrained herself.

After all, everyone has their own little secrets, right?

"Let's go," Hu Tao clapped her hands. "Let's go back for dinner."

The three walked back along the long street in front of the General Affairs Department.

Hu Tao walked at the front, her steps light and quick, the plum blossom on her hat swaying with her movements.

Chapter 141 Sending Immortals and Delivering Letters

It's easier said than done.

However, it is extremely difficult to truly implement it.

For several days in a row, Xu Chuan followed Hu Tao around, busy with various tasks, leaving early and returning late.

Sometimes, just as I pick up my rice bowl, a message comes in, and I have to put down my chopsticks and go out again.

Fortunately, the effort paid off.

Thanks to the joint efforts of the Rebirth Hall and the General Affairs Department, most of the letters from the Thousand Rock Army soldiers that Xu Chuan brought out from the Layered Rock Abyss have found their homes.

One by one, yellowed letters emerged from dusty archives, were handed out by Xu Chuan, and fell into the palms of his descendants.

Every suicide note sent out marks the end of an era.

Although nothing in this world is ever perfect, at least it provides an explanation.

Xu Chuan looked at the few remaining suicide notes on the table and sighed softly.

These people are no longer accepted by any of their relatives.

The family name was lost, the family genealogy was lost, and the old house was demolished and rebuilt, then demolished again.

Five hundred years have passed, and no trace has been left.

"Why are you sighing?"

Hu Tao leaned against the table, arms crossed, and shook her head with an air of maturity. "The result is already quite good."

Xu Chuan knew she was right.

After five hundred years of erosion, dust returns to dust, and ashes to ashes; this is the normal state of human life.

Some things are ultimately beyond human control.

But he still couldn't help feeling a little regretful.

"In the Hall of Rebirth, what is least lacking is the separation of life and death."

"Being sentimental is no good. Come on, give this master a smile."

"The esteemed leader's optimistic nature is indeed something worth learning from."

Zhongli walked over unnoticed, holding a cup of tea, his tone indifferent.

“Great minds think alike.” Hu Tao proudly raised her chin.

Xu Chuan ignored that question and turned to Zhong Li: "How is the ceremony for sending off the immortals, Mr. Zhong Li, going?"

To be able to see him off without any reaction was something Xu Chuan considered unique.

The new business proposed by Hu Tao is comparable in scale.

It's true what they say, "Birds of a feather flock together."

"Thanks to the help of a kind person."

Zhongli took a sip of tea and said unhurriedly, "Preparations are complete, we are just waiting for the auspicious time tomorrow."

Hu Tao tiptoed and patted Zhong Li's shoulder with her pretty hand, her face full of appreciation for her subordinate's reliable work.

"As expected of a guest advisor, I trust you to handle things."

Xu Chuan thought to himself, "It's fortunate that Hu Tao doesn't know the true identity of Old Master Zhongli."

Otherwise, he would never have witnessed the famous scene of Xiao Zhong toasting the immortal Xiao.

He plans to set up several phonograph machines to record everything.

As for the young master who funded the ceremonial ceremony, he was indeed a kind-hearted person.

However, this kind-hearted person is not currently living a comfortable life.

With both Liyue and Mondstadt targeting the Fatui, he and the lady had no choice but to leave Liyue by boat.

The young master sat at the stern of the boat, holding a fishing rod in his hand. He cast and reeled in the line repeatedly, but each time he caught nothing.

This seems to confirm that his trip to Liyue was as fruitless as it is now.

"At this point, you shouldn't be hiding anything from me, right?"

The young master kept his eyes fixed on the float and said without turning his head.

"What, are you scared?"

“Fear: Since my childhood experiences, there have been very few things that can frighten me.”

The woman naturally disregarded her colleague's past and gave a cold snort.

However, the young master clearly had no intention of stopping there and continued speaking.

"You seem to have become a bit strange since our trip to Mondstadt."

"Isn't it you who's really scared?"

The woman seemed to have been struck by something; her face immediately darkened, and she turned and left.

……

The next day, Yujingtai.

The Emperor died here not long ago, and now we are seeing him off here.

The morning light spilled up from behind the eastern mountain ridge, bathing the entire Yujingtai in a pale golden glow.

The wisps of smoke rising from the incense burner, mingling with the morning mist, shrouded the distant mountains and buildings in a hazy glow.

The people of Liyue have a genuine love and respect for the Geo Archon.

They still found it hard to accept this drastic change from the god who had protected Liyue for thousands of years.

As the ceremonies for sending off the immortals proceeded smoothly, many people couldn't help but shed tears.

The grief spread rapidly, causing the people of Liyue gathered there to grieve.

Now, the god who protected Liyue is gone.

Xu Chuan stood at the edge of the crowd, his gaze passing over the throng of heads and landing on Zhong Li.

Zhongli stood at the highest point of Yujing Terrace, dressed in a dark robe, his face calm.

His gaze swept over everyone present, but his face showed little emotion.

As the ceremony ended, the crowd gradually dispersed.

The crying faded into the distance, as did the footsteps.

In the end, only the sound of the wind blowing the curtains and the faint sound of incense smoke rising from the incense burner remained.

Xu Chuan didn't leave. He stood at the edge of Yujingtai, watching Zhong Li's back.

Zhongli stood there, his hands behind his back, gazing at Liyue Harbor.

His face showed no relief, only calmness.

A tranquility that has settled over six thousand years after witnessing the vicissitudes of life.

Then, Zhong Li spoke.

"On a drizzly day."

His voice was low, as if he were talking to himself.

"I was strolling in the harbor when I heard a businessman say to his subordinate: You have done your job. Now, go and rest."

“At that time, I stood in the crowd for a long time, constantly asking myself questions.” He turned his head and looked at Xu Chuan.

"Have I fulfilled my duties?"

Xu Chuan smiled and said, "This reminds me of Wendy. Given his personality, he might make the same choice."

Zhongli nodded slightly: "From a purely rational point of view, that bard did indeed hand over Mondstadt to the Mondstadt people long ago."

Xu Chuan looked puzzled.

A mortal ruler entrusts the kingdom to ordinary people.

Another earthly ruler also handed over the kingdom to mortals.

Two retired old men, one playing music and drinking wine in Mondstadt, the other drinking tea and listening to storytelling in Liyue Harbor.