He changed Tiwat

His unparalleled figure and resolute face evoke images of the infamous Rock King Emperor from 3,700 years ago, a ruler known for his boundless ruthlessness.

Finally, Zhongli is about to make his move! Han Fulai is extremely excited, like he's watching his idol's live concert. His mind is filled with the sound effects of "dokidoki, wakuwaku". If conditions allow, he even hopes to have the background music of "The Listener" playing.

Those fearless aquatic shapeshifters had no idea that they were facing the strongest daemon on the continent of Teyvat. One aquatic crab charged forward headfirst.

With a flick of his wrist, Zhongli's spear vanished. The next second, the spearhead pierced the crab's hard shell, pinning it firmly to the ground. The illusory crab couldn't even struggle before it disappeared without a trace.

Even without relying on elemental reactions, Zhongli can defeat enemies with a single blow using only normal attacks; this is the strength of the Liyue War God!

At this moment, a giant phantom boar and a phantom crane taking flight, one on the ground and the other in the sky, charged at Zhongli from two different directions.

Zhong Li spun around and kicked out, landing a kick squarely on the butt of the spear.

The spear spun in the air like a flying tumbleweed, and as if it had eyes, it chased after the illusory crane and cleaved it in two.

Wow! Zhongli kicks a gun!

Han Fulai couldn't help but shout his approval.

However, Zhongli's movements were even faster than his voice!

Suddenly, Zhongli appeared in mid-air, holding a long spear, pointing it down at the still charging wild boar, and uttered a low shout, "Yan Yu".

Gunshots rained down like raindrops, and in the blink of an eye, Zhongli had already unleashed a six-hit combo!

The enormous shapeshifting boar didn't even have time to let out a mournful cry before it turned into a puddle of water.

Zhongli stood proudly with a gun behind his back.

This set of movements was so graceful and elegant that Han Fulai couldn't find any other adjective besides "handsome".

Now, only a few wispy blue phantom creatures remain, gathered around the Demon God's relic, slowly wriggling towards Zhongli.

Han Fulai thought the battle would be over in a few seconds, but Zhongli... Zhongli suddenly ran back to him.

Han Fulai looked at Zhongli with a questioning gaze.

"...Young friend Han, the rest is up to you."

Zhongli forcefully shoved the black-tasseled spear into his hand.

Chapter 75 Zhongli shook his head in fear

Holding the black-tasseled spear that Zhongli had handed him, Han Fulai felt completely at a loss.

"Uh... Mr. Zhongli, as you know, without the ability to use immortal power, I'm no different from an ordinary person, and I might not be able to beat him..." Han Fulai said to Zhongli somewhat awkwardly.

"...Those things move slowly, just stab them a few more times."

Zhongli patted his shoulder hard, as if to encourage him.

"So why don't you stab them a few times yourself?" Han Fulai asked Zhong Li with his eyes.

"...How should I put it, the slippery feel, the fishy smell that can't be washed off... Sigh, I guess I just have a good memory."

This was the first time Han Fulai had seen Zhongli's gaze wander while he was speaking.

He carefully examined the enemies that even the invincible Liyue War Gods had to avoid—these shapeshifting beasts were soft-bodied creatures with smooth, supple skin, two tentacles, and moved slowly, leaving shimmering trails in their wake on the ground…

It's a slug.

It's that kind of creature commonly known as a "slug," which resembles a snail without a shell.

It doesn't look very impressive.

He had fought against demon gods' followers and demon god remnants before, so he wasn't afraid of shapeshifting beasts. Moreover, Zhongli assured Han Fulai that he could handle these shapeshifting beasts.

Of course, we still need to maintain a certain level of caution.

Han Fulai, carrying his gun, cautiously approached the shapeshifting beasts.

The slugs seemed to sense the approaching enemy and suddenly raised their heads, preparing to launch an attack.

"Watch out!" Zhongli shouted a warning from behind him.

Han Fulai was startled and quickly jumped to the side.

The slug spat out a glob of sticky, wet liquid from what appeared to be its mouth, tracing a soft parabola about knee-high before landing with a soft "plop." There was no explosion or acid corrosion; the soil remained intact.

This thing looks like... saliva?

Zhongli's voice came at just the right moment: "Their phlegm... is very dirty!"

...Uh, that's it? Don't you have any more powerful moves?

Han Fulai turned around and looked at Zhongli blankly, while Zhongli had a serious expression on her face.

Okay, be careful not to get sprayed with their saliva... Han Fulai became more vigilant, took a few more steps forward, and slowly approached the group of slugs.

"Stop! Stop now!" Zhongli's voice rang out again.

Coach Zhong Lizhong's voice from the sidelines was clearly urgent. Han Fulai immediately stopped, staring intently at the slugs, not daring to look away, and asked, "Mr. Zhong Li, what will happen if we get close to them?"

“It will pick up their scent!” Zhongli answered without hesitation.

"Even the smell is unacceptable?" Han Fulai was taken aback. What kind of smell could be so potent?

Zhongli shook his head solemnly, "No, it feels disgusting."

Han Fulai's lips twitched. He finally understood what Zhongli wanted him to do. To draw an analogy...

—It was probably when Ms. Zhong Li saw a slug on the road, let out a soft moan, and threw herself into his arms: "Slugs are disgusting, please help me get rid of them!"

Hmm, so even the Rock King Emperor has creatures he struggles with. Thinking about it, he even finds Zhongli kind of cute...

No, no, no, this is disrespectful to the immortal master! Han Fulai quickly shook off the strange thoughts in his mind and, following Zhongli's instructions, raised his spear from a distance and, while ensuring that he did not come into contact with the slugs' saliva and smell, pierced them one by one until they burst.

Speaking of which... the way these slugs looked when they were poked and popped, like a sticky mess of snot stuck to the ground, was indeed a bit disgusting. Fortunately, they were shapeshifting creatures and quickly turned into water and disappeared.

"call……"

Han Fulai heard Zhongli sigh with relief.

He stepped forward and picked up the "relic of the demon god" that the shapeshifting creatures were surrounding. It was a stone slab with a unique pattern of three leaves surrounded by waves.

Han Fulai handed the stone slab and the black-tasseled spear back to Zhongli.

Zhongli accepted the stone slab, but refused the spear.

"This gun... is for you."

The expression Han Fulai saw on Zhong Li's face was one of disgust.

Although the Black Tassel Spear was bestowed upon me by the Rock King, making it a "divine weapon" in every sense, well...

Han Fulai gave a wry smile: "Mr. Zhongli, even if you gave me the gun, I wouldn't have anywhere to put it..."

He wasn't a possessor of the Eye of God, so he couldn't embed weapons into it like those who did. He couldn't just wander around carrying that black-tasseled spear, could he?

Fortunately, Zhongli was a very generous deity.

He flipped his hand, and a blank God's Eye appeared in his palm—of course, it was essentially just a glass bead.

“I expanded the space of this object with my ‘Outer View’ ability, and it can hold items the size of a carriage. You can use your immortal power to activate the ‘Outer View’ of this ornament to store and retrieve items.” Zhongli said, handing the blank glass bead shaped like the Eye of God to Han Fulai.

Han Fulai quickly thanked Zhongli and accepted the magic treasure bestowed by the Emperor—this was a spatial storage magic treasure!

Han Fulai had only popped a few slugs, yet he received two divine artifacts bestowed by the Emperor. No matter how he thought about it, it was like a pie falling from the sky!

But is it really possible for something to fall from the sky like this? Zhongli is the "God of Contracts," so would taking his favors mean doing something incredibly difficult?

Thinking of this, Han Fulai couldn't help but feel uneasy. He tentatively asked, "Won't it be inconvenient for Mr. Zhongli to give me the weapon?"

"It's alright," Zhongli replied calmly. "This gun was purchased in bulk by our master when he was practicing his spear skills. There are quite a few more in the Rebirth Hall. We can just take another one when needed."

So this black-tasseled spear isn't a divine weapon after all! The debt is still being recorded in the Rebirth Hall's accounts!

Han Fulai sighed inwardly, "You really are still the same Zhongli."

He then asked about something he was curious about: "Why does Mr. Zhongli hate those... uh, slugs so much?"

Zhongli looked bitter, as if the memory alone was unbearable for him.

"That was during the Demon God War. Back then, every corner of Teyvat was engulfed in flames. The war wasn't just between the Demon Gods; countless evil creatures also tried to take advantage of the chaos to expand their territory. Among them was a type of monster that emerged from the deep sea and invaded Liyue Harbor. They were very similar to... these slugs, with soft skin and scales. They could survive even if their tentacles were severed, and they would spit out sticky, wet saliva..."

"...And they are very small, yet they are everywhere. Tables and chairs, door cracks and window frames, curtain folds, even teacups, books and pen holders... Can you imagine the feeling of reaching out and possibly touching something cold, sticky, and wet? Now imagine waking up in the morning and finding something rustling and crawling on your face, and when you reach out and touch it, it's covered in that shiny, sticky fluid..."

What kind of seafood hell is this?! Just imagining it makes Han Fulai's sanity plummet, and he deeply understands Zhongli's feelings.

"At the request of the residents of Liyue, I waged a hard-fought battle against these evil creatures. Because they coexisted with Liyue Harbor, I couldn't even throw rock spears to smash them and the earth together like I would on a battlefield. I could only pull them out of the houses one by one... I remember the stench of these things, which lingered in Liyue Harbor for almost half a month afterward."

"But ever since then, I've tried to avoid contact with any wriggling seafood..."

Han Fulai said nothing, but patted Zhongli's shoulder reassuringly, telling himself to remember that if he had the chance to invite Zhongli to dinner in the future, he should not choose Xinyuexuan—because Xinyuexuan specializes in seafood.

Chapter Seventy-Six: The Seal Opens for You

When the appointed time arrived, the two groups met again at the previous location.

When Zhongli and Han Fu arrived, Clement was arguing loudly with Wanyan.

"...You call yourself an archaeologist?! You can't tell anything from this, you don't recognize anything from that, are you even qualified?!"

"Isn't it normal for people to have their own area of ​​expertise? I've already tried my best to explain!"

"Please calm down, what happened?" Zhongli said gently, stopping the two from arguing further.

"This guy keeps calling himself an archaeologist, but he knows absolutely nothing about the ruins around here! I know less than he does! Sigh, what a waste of time!" Clement said with a look of disdain.

"I... I've been studying the 'Salt Demon God' all along, so it's normal that I don't understand things in the sea!" Wan Yan retorted loudly, hands on her hips. "But you, you keep asking me how much Mora this is worth, how much Mora that is worth! Is the value of cultural relics just Mora?!"

Sigh, this Wan Yan, she doesn't even realize she's been exposed. What kind of archaeologist is she, knowing absolutely nothing? Han Fulai shook his head.

Wanyan's true identity is not that of an archaeologist, but rather a member of the Silver Plains Bureau, one of the Eight Gates of Liyue, in charge of the salt industry, and a devout follower of the "Salt Demon God" Heuria. She insisted on traveling with Zhongli this time because she had heard of his extensive knowledge and hoped to use him to find the secrets hidden within the "Salt Demon God's" ruins.

Clement was unaware of this, and only lamented that he had brought a woman who was a hindrance on the treasure hunt.

"Isn't measuring the value of artifacts in Mora the most straightforward way? It also aligns with Liyue's tradition!"

He ignored Wanyan and took out several collected items from his pocket, handing them to Zhongli for appraisal.

“I can only rely on my intuition… I mean, experience, which brought back something that seems to be of value.”

He collected mostly broken tea sets or tableware—they didn't look like relics of a demon god at all.

Zhongli carefully examined those items.

"It's a pity that the things you brought back, although they were indeed washed ashore by the waves, have nothing to do with the demon god. They just came from the nearby sea."

“In comparison, the stone slab we found is more valuable for research.” Zhongli took out the stone slab with the peculiar pattern they found. “It has mysterious patterns on its surface and contains traces of demonic power, which may be helpful for archaeological research.”

"Ah, with this, our trip wasn't entirely fruitless. The power of the Demon God, hmph, this is the real treasure..." Clement was overjoyed.

"It seems Mr. Clement is quite interested in the power of the demon god?" Han Fulai said with a smile.

Clement realized he'd let something slip and quickly coughed twice: "Ahem, I mean, these things should still be worth a couple of bucks, enough to cover the cost of hiring the consultants—they're all mine!"

As he spoke, he took Zhongli's stone slab and the pile of tableware and teacups into his possession.

Wan Yan scoffed dismissively, "Superficial! We study history because it tells the story of culture and faith... Unlike him, who is ignorant and incompetent, just trying to make money under the guise of archaeology!"

“Nonsense! I am a professional archaeological researcher from the Kingdom of Winter, the real deal! I have a certificate!” Clement retorted angrily.

Watching the two bicker again, Han Fulai helplessly twitched the corners of his mouth, thinking to himself, "What's the use of a certificate? I still have Fontaine's birth record! But I'm not even a Teyvat..."

As for you two, one is a "researcher" who knows nothing about archaeology, yet he pretends to be a money-grubber and is clearly collecting things related to the power of the demon god for the Fools; the other knows nothing except the "Salt Demon God" and keeps saying that studying history is for the sake of culture and faith... With the acting skills of this pair of brilliant strategists, where do they get the confidence to show off in front of me and Zhongli?

He now feels like he doesn't want to waste time with these two anymore.

Zhong Li, however, remained calm and said, "Mr. Clement, I suggest you give those teacups and plates to Vice Minister Han to handle."

"Huh? Why?" Clement asked, puzzled.

"Because that's not something from ancient times, but rather a collection of Ningguang from Tianquan Star. It fell from the Qunyu Pavilion during the battle with the Demon God Oser. If you don't want to anger the Seven Stars... you should ask Vice Minister Han to return it on your behalf."

"Ah... well, I clearly thought the quality was pretty good... what a pity..."

Clement grumbled as he took out the tea set and handed it to Han Fulai.

While marveling at Zhongli's excellent eyesight and memory, which allowed him to clearly see everything that had fallen from the Jade Pavilion, Han Fulai stored these items into his Empty Divine Eye.

However, he's no longer someone who can freely visit Ningguang's Jade Pavilion. He should find an opportunity to give these things to Ningguang's secretaries.

Wan Yan and Klement began a new round of sharp exchanges.

"See, you really only care about selling these things for money!"

"So what! Isn't it better to do both research and make money? Why be so rigid in your thinking!"