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

In the dock area, he tried it on a stray dog ​​when Walnut wasn't looking.

Touching the dog's body felt like hitting an invisible wall.

It doesn't bounce off, it slides off.

Within that frail, fleshy body, there seemed to be something on the level of rules that was blocking his power from the outside.

The physical body is a barrier to the soul; a living body is an insurmountable barrier.

Cannons don't have living bodies.

He has the shell of a puppet and a core.

Just as Xu Chuan was puzzled.

"Xu Keqing".

A very familiar voice came from not far away.

This pulled Xu Chuan out of his reverie and made him look up.

Zhongli was sitting near the railing, with a pot of tea and a cup in front of him.

The banners for "Three Bowls and You Can't Cross the Hill" fluttered against the bamboo poles in the evening breeze, and Tian Tiezui's storytelling voice came from under the banners.

The tea was freshly brewed; steam rose from the spout and dissipated in the breeze.

He nodded to Xu Chuan.

Xu Chuan only heard what Qing Tian Tiezui was saying when he got closer.

The Rock King Emperor used his divine sword to cleave the mountain peak and suppress the demon god beneath Lonely Cloud Reef.

The tide did not recede for three days. The Emperor stood on the reef, one hand on his sword and the other pointing to the sky, and commanded the tide to recede and the sky to clear.

Tian Tiezui slammed his gavel on the table, causing the teacup to bounce.

Xu Chuan sat down opposite Zhong Li.

Tian Tiezui struck the gavel again and began to tell the story of how the Emperor disguised himself in countless forms and made an incognito visit to Liyue Harbor.

It tells how he disguised himself as a fishmonger, how he drank with fishermen at the dock, and how he saw through the evil spirits hiding in the city at a glance.

Several longtime Liyue residents were among the audience, nodding in agreement as if they had stood on that dock and drunk that bowl of wine back then.

An elderly man with white hair even wiped away tears, saying that his greatest regret in life was never having seen the Emperor in person.

Zhongli picked up the teacup and took a sip.

His gaze remained fixed on the tea, the corners of his mouth maintaining the same angle throughout.

The real Rock King Emperor is sitting here drinking tea.

He listened to his own unofficial history without changing his expression.

Xu Chuan turned his face to the other side.

He was afraid he wouldn't be able to hold back.

If it were him, he would definitely burst out laughing.

It's not that the anecdotal history is funny, it's that the scene is hilarious.

On stage, Tian Tiezui spoke animatedly about how the Emperor had acted back then.

The Emperor himself listened intently from below the stage, holding a teacup, occasionally nodding slightly as if acknowledging one of the storyteller's statements.

How did this person manage to do that?

Did he spend all six thousand years of cultivation on facial paralysis?

"Have you gotten used to life at the mortuary these past few days?"

Zhongli put down his teacup and asked.

"Busy than I imagined," Xu Chuan replied truthfully.

In his eyes, Hu Tao is very cute, but she would be even cuter if he could take a few days off.

Zhongli nodded, as if he had expected this answer.

"The head of the hall is unconventional, but she is decisive in her work. She is personally mentoring you because she has high hopes for you."

He picked up the teapot and poured a cup for Xu Chuan as well.

The sound of tea falling into the cup was crisp and pleasant, just like his words; every movement he made was perfectly measured.

"It's a good thing for young people to spend more time with other young people."

Zhong Li pushed the teacup in front of Xu Chuan, "When I was your age, I also liked to be alone."

"I only realized later that it is really rare to have someone by your side who you can talk to."

His tone of voice was like that of an elder giving instructions to a younger person.

Xu Chuan held the teacup, unsure how to accept it.

There's nothing wrong with that statement itself.

The problem is that these words came from Zhongli's mouth.

What do you mean by "when you were my age"?

His so-called "going it alone" probably refers to suppressing a certain demon god single-handedly.

As for having someone to talk to, does that mean Gui Zhong and those like-minded friends?

Xu Chuan didn't press the matter further. Some things can be joked about, but some things can't.

Zhongli was willing to speak to him in this tone because she considered him one of her own.

"Walnuts are indeed reliable."

Xu Chuan steered the conversation back on track, "I just didn't expect that being a guest elder of the Hall of Rebirth would be more tiring than being an honorary knight of the Knights of Favonius."

The curve of Zhong Li's lips finally changed a little.

The change was extremely subtle, like an almost invisible texture appearing on the rock.

But Xu Chuan noticed that the Rock Prince was smiling.

"Life is not just about work; a proper balance between work and rest is also essential. I'll remind the leader about that later."

Zhongli's tone carried a hint of knowing wisdom from someone who had been through it all.

"In the past, the head of the hall had to shoulder many things on her own, but now that you are sharing the burden, she is much more relaxed."

“The things that Wangsheng Hall does are special, and there are very few people of the same age as the hall master. Now that you are here, it is indeed very different.”

If Hu Tao's grandfather and father had not passed away, she would not have had to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the Hall of Rebirth at such a young age.

Perhaps I can have a very happy childhood.

After thinking about all this, Xu Chuan fell silent for a moment.

He picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

Putting aside his identity as the Rock King Emperor, he felt that Zhongli seemed to be playing the role of a father to Hu Tao.

Xu Chuan suddenly felt that there was a connection between him and this Lord Yan that Hu Tao would never understand.

"By the way," Zhongli put down his teacup, changing the subject, "I heard you recently acquired a new nickname in Liyue Harbor."

Xu Chuan couldn't help but laugh out loud. Paimeng hadn't even had a chance to give him a nickname yet, but someone else had already given him one.

"Netherworld Envoy, I wonder who called out first."

"The name is given by others, but the deeds are done by oneself."

Zhongli looked at him, the light of the lantern reflected in her amber eyes.

"You have built a bridge between the realms of Yin and Yang."

"This bridge used to be built only by the Hall of Rebirth, but now you are one of the additions."

Whether it's good or bad, it's not about the name, it's about you.

Tian Tiezui happened to be talking about the two characters "contract" handwritten by the Emperor, saying that those two characters were carved on the rock wall and were still clearly visible after a thousand years of wind and rain.

Zhongli did not turn to look at the storyteller's platform.

He looked at Xu Chuan and said, "Once the contract is made, it must be kept to the end."

These words were said to him.

Xu Chuan understood.

He picked up his teacup and clinked it against Zhongli's.

Chapter Ninety-Four: The Protection of the Rock King Emperor

Tian Tiezui struck the gavel again.

"On that day, the Emperor stood on Lonely Cloud Reef, one hand on his sword, the other pointing to the sky..."

His voice came from under the banners, cut into segments by the evening breeze.

The tea in the teacup was shaken by the gavel, creating fine ripples.

It must be said that Tian Tiezui's storytelling is indeed quite good.

Even though Xu Chuan knew that what he was saying was all fake, he couldn't help but immerse himself in the story.

As the storyteller drew to a close, Xu Chuan finished his last sip of tea.

At the same time, Zhongli had already stood up.

His movement to stand up was subtle; the hem of his robe brushed against the stool leg, making a very soft rubbing sound.

Mora was pinned under the teapot, just enough to cover the cost of two cups of tea.

Xu Chuan glanced at it, then couldn't help but blink, wondering if he had opened his eyes incorrectly.

This scene had a tremendous impact on him.

After all, this is quite unbelievable.

Am I dreaming, or is the person in front of me a fake?

Good heavens, have they finally seen the light?

I actually managed to see Grandpa Zhongli with Mora.

“Let’s go,” Zhongli said.

Xu Chuan finally managed to tear his gaze away from the Mora in the teacup and then followed.

The two left Sanwanbugugang and walked along the stone-paved road toward the dock.

The lantern light cast their shadows, sometimes long, sometimes short. Da Pao followed three steps behind, his footsteps landing in perfect sync with Xu Chuan's.

The night in Liyue Harbor has just begun.

The night market at Chihuyan is bustling with activity, the shouts of the vendors rising in waves.

An old man selling grilled tigerfish recognized Xu Chuan and called out to him, "Lord Netherworld Envoy."

Xu Chuan suddenly felt completely disoriented and quickened his pace.

Zhongli did not walk fast.

But as he passed a stall selling amber, his gaze lingered on the orange-yellow minerals for half a second.

Passing by an antique shop, he slowed his pace slightly before resuming his original speed.

Xu Chuan saw all of this, but he himself had not achieved Mora's freedom.

He was ready to say the sentence about recording it in the account of the Shengtang at any time.

When there were no people around, Xu Chuan spoke.

"Mr. Zhongli."

"Ah."

"What are your thoughts on the passing of the Rock King Emperor?"