He changed Tiwat

What's even more infuriating is Han Fulai's expression! He just stared right at Ningguang, as if his eyes couldn't hold anyone else...

Is there really such a thing as "retribution" in this world? Because she was in front of Shen He yesterday... so it's her turn today...?

And it just so happens to be Ningguang?

This is absolutely... outrageous!

what about me?

...Yes, he wasn't conscious at that time and didn't know what happened... But even so, in his heart, who am I...?

She suddenly understood Shen He's feelings in his "dream" yesterday.

Ke Qing's jaw clenched so tightly it made a grinding sound.

In reality, she only spent a maximum of ten minutes from falling asleep to waking up—she fell asleep because of Ningguang's magic. After Ningguang was subdued by Han Fulai in the outer space, the magic lost Ningguang's control and naturally could not continue. Moreover, Keqing was, after all, the holder of the Eye of God, and naturally had a very high resistance to magic. When Ningguang's magic lost its maintenance, she woke up.

At that time, Ningguang's outdoor space also disappeared.

—But neither Ningguang nor Han Fulai, immersed in their mutual affection, noticed this.

Someone should have been there to remind her. However, Tianyi, disguised as the Eye of God, was currently trying her best to eliminate her presence. As a "highly intelligent assistant unit," she was quite certain that she didn't have the function of being a "third wheel"...

When Ke Qing woke up, she found that Han Fulai had disappeared. Of course, she quickly went to look for this seriously injured man. As a result, she spotted two figures in the distance. When she got closer, she saw a scene that made her question her life.

These two people, who seemed like sworn enemies on Guili Plain, with Han Fulai even expressing his distrust to Ningguang to her face... but in the blink of an eye...

What exactly happened while she was asleep?

It was the first time I had someone I liked, and the first time I kissed someone I liked.

These should clearly be two happy things, right? These two kinds of happiness should bring her even more joy... If the intimate contact on Guili Plain was a dream, now it should be her dream coming true.

But why did it turn out this way?

She suddenly remembered what Shen He had said in her dream: "I came at the wrong time."

Ke Qing silently turned and left.

Just then, someone hugged her from behind.

“Sister Qing, you’ve come at just the right time.”

It was actually condensed light.

Keqing's cat ears were all standing up straight.

Who called her "Sister A-Qing"? Was it Ningguang?

She, she, she actually hugged me?

It's a Stand attack! This Ningguang is fake, I'm sure of it! Where's my sword?!

Keqing frantically searched for her weapon, while Ningguang whispered something in her ear.

She said, "He knows everything you've done."

Ke Qing's face flushed red instantly.

"While you were asleep, he risked serious injury to protect you and stood in front of you, even trying to attack me... Oh, I'm a little envious of you."

Ke Qing's face turned into a ripe apple.

"Then, what's going on between you two?" Ke Qing asked hesitantly, voicing the question that concerned her most.

“Look, I’m Xiao Han’s ‘older sister,’ right? He’s injured, so of course I should take care of him. And also… have a heart-to-heart talk. The misunderstanding between us has been cleared up, and from now on, we’re all family,” Ningguang said.

"Oh……"

So that's how it is. Because Ningguang acknowledged him and herself, and felt they were family... So Ningguang called her "Aqing Sister" because she was the "older sister"? Hmm, that seems... that makes sense?

—Wait a minute, what siblings are all lovey-dovey like that! And why is Ningguang acting like a "parent"? A voice inside Keqing reminded her that she couldn't just trust this female fox.

Ke Qing quickly shook her head.

With this shake of the head, one could see Ningguang's pale pink lips, and also, the teeth marks on her lips.

“…You must have done something that a ‘sister’ shouldn’t do to a ‘brother’ just now, right?” Ke Qing glared fiercely at Ning Guang.

Ningguang looked aggrieved: "No, he scolded me for your sake, and I was so angry that I bit my lip until it bled..."

As she spoke, she gently bit her lip to show Ke Qing, and the teeth marks matched perfectly.

"Hmm..." Keqing tried her best not to show a smug expression, but the way she raised her chin was so much like a cat eating a dried fish that Ningguang couldn't help but raise her hand and scratch her.

“Anyway, from now on we’re best friends,” Ningguang added.

Ke Qing blinked and whispered, "Why did you suddenly change your personality?"

Ning Guangming is clearly a hateful woman who can sparks fly when she looks into her eyes, so why has she suddenly become so obedient?

Ningguang smiled and replied, "He told me that our 'paths' may not conflict, and as long as we 'don't compete for the path,' we can walk side by side. I thought about it, and it's true, so... I'll put aside our differences and work together with you now."

"...?"

Before Ke Qing could figure out what Ning Guang was talking about, Ning Guang forced her to turn around and face Han Fulai.

Han Fulai was embarrassed because Keqing had caught him and Ningguang having a good time. But Ningguang just went up to Keqing and hugged her. With just a few words, she managed to win Keqing back.

How could Han Fulai not seize such a golden opportunity?

He walked forward with a smile and extended a hand to both Keqing and Ningguang.

"My lords, the return journey is muddy. I would be willing to walk hand in hand with you."

Keqing and Ningguang exchanged a glance and both took his hand.

Two new guests arrived at Qingyun Peak.

To be precise, it's one person plus one.

Grandma Ping brought Guoba to the top of Qingyun Mountain.

Four antique-style cups were already set on the round table in front of Zhongli, emitting a fragrant aroma of wine.

Guoba hopped and skipped onto the table, grabbed a wine glass, and drank it down in one gulp.

"Pfft... It's been so long since I've had such good wine."

Guoba shook his head and commented, his two round eyes turning into circles.

Grandma Ping smiled and scolded, "Marcus, drink slowly, no one's going to take it from you."

Zhongli also laughed and said, "When old friends gather, wine is a homophone for both 'old' and 'long-standing,' so it's worth drinking more."

He raised his glass: "Grateful for the kindness of old friends, inheriting the affection of past acquaintances, pursuing the sentiments of the ages, and circling the city through the ages. Gentlemen, join me in drinking this glass to the brim."

The melodious tune of the Cleansing Bell lingers, and immortals and gods raise their cups in a toast.

Only after finishing her drink did Granny Ping speak again: "Why does Your Majesty have such a refined interest today? Last time you said we would drink together on the 'Moon Festival,' but there's still some time to go..."

Zhongli smiled and said, "I was thinking of an old friend today, and I had originally prepared a portion of this wine for her as well."

All three of them focused their attention on the cup on the table.

—Yes, thousands of years ago, there was an old friend of theirs sitting there, named Gui Zhong.

Grandma Ping lowered her head.

"If only we could have gone back a little faster back then..."

Marcius gently patted Grandma Ping's shoulder without saying a word.

"In the end, although she is no longer here, her will still live on in Liyue."

Zhongli faced the direction of Guiliyuan, paying homage from afar.

"Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. The meaning of returning to the end symbolizes life returning to dust—at the same time, it is also the creation of life."

In the history of Liyue, there are actually three historical accounts with subtle differences regarding the finality of the Dust Demon.

Although the name Gui Zhong is no longer used in Liyue, historians can still deduce the existence of this demon god from fragments of ancient inscriptions.

The Liyue historians' definitive history is called the Stone Book Collection.

This is a history book compiled by the ancient historian Zichang, who translated and edited the stone inscriptions that recorded the history of Liyue. It contains many brief and fragmented historical events.

A few lines of names in the annals of history, countless desolate mounds of desolation—the records left to posterity by the primal gods who once founded Liyue are but a few lines in the annals of history:

There was a demon god named Gui Zhong, who was on good terms with the Rock King. He set up powerful crossbows to protect Tianheng, calling them the Gui Zhong Machines. He also led his people to live north of Tianheng, where they farmed for a living. At its peak, the fields and towns stretched as far as Shimen. Gui Zhong once said to the Rock King, "Now that my people are all living in peace and prosperity, almost like returning home, let us name this place Guiliyuan (Returning to Separation Plain)." The Rock King agreed. Thus, Guiliyuan got its name.

(Note: Later, the demons and gods plotted for power, and great chaos ensued. Although the immortals fought valiantly to protect it, the war was chaotic, and Guili Plain suffered greatly from the fighting. The god of dust, Gui Zhong, also perished in the chaos. Therefore, the Rock King Emperor moved its people to the south of Tianheng, and Guili Plain was abandoned from then on, never to regain its former prosperity.)

The people of Liyue know less than two hundred words about this Dust God.

In the "Stone Book Collection" featuring the Rock King Emperor, the name Guiliyuan means "returning home," while Guizhong is a demon god who sought refuge with the Emperor.

If one is fortunate enough to see the ruins of Guili Plain and unearth the ancient stone tablet of "Guili Collection", one will know that the Dust God was the original owner of Guili Plain. Liyue was once ruled by two gods, and the name Guili was formed by taking one character from each of their names.

As for Gui Zhong's final fate, the record is similar to that in the "Shi Shu Ji Lu," both stating that Gui Zhong died in battle.

However, in the memories of the immortals who have lived through the long years, there are some additions to the story of Gui Zhong.

She did not turn directly into dust as the popular stories say.

In the past, when the demons and gods fought, the flames of war broke out repeatedly in Guili Plain. Gui was ultimately no match for the invaders and passed away in the battle.

When the immortals arrived to the rescue, the remains of their deceased friends could still be seen amidst the ruins.

To prevent the remnants of the demon god from leaking out and turning Guili Plain into a boundless Gobi Desert, the Rock King Emperor, who arrived first, joined forces with five Yaksha generals to seal away the remains of Guizhong's god.

Grandma Ping and the others only had time to see this last time.

Back then, the young and graceful Grandma Ping would stand on the summit of Tianheng Mountain for entire nights, paying homage to her deceased friends towards Guili Plain.

She also remembered that later, True Lord Liuyun Jiefeng, worried that she was too heartbroken, came to talk to her.

"What are you looking at? Guiliyuan?" Liu Yun asked her at that time.

She replied, "I'm looking at this landscape. When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out; even immortals are no exception. Perhaps one day, we will all settle down and return to the mortal world."

Later, the mountains and forests lost a fairy, but at the same time, the mortal world gained a mentor.

It is called "Song and Dust Market".

When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out; dust returns to dust, and ashes return to ashes.

But the demon god is immortal.

“Your Majesty means…” Granny Ping’s hand trembled slightly.

Neither in Liyue's history nor in the memories of the immortals is there any record of Zhongli and Guizhong's last meeting.

No one knew that Gui Zhong had left a will for Zhong Li, except for Zhong Li, who had a very good memory.

Zhongli didn't answer the question directly, but instead talked about something else: "I went to Mondstadt a while ago. In Mondstadt, I met a young man named Abedo. Ping'er, and in his hands, I witnessed the highest achievement of alchemy—the creation of life."

The art of alchemy has a long history, but it has been severely lost.

Nowadays, the well-known alchemical techniques are only good enough to piece together fragments of objects, and serve to save on glue costs.

Of course, if they heard others say that, alchemists would certainly shout, "This field of study is not so terrible!"

Unfortunately, in the eyes of the people of Mondstadt, this is pretty much the essence of alchemy.

Until the genius alchemist Abedor suddenly appeared and settled in Mondstadt.

This young man, with his astonishing skills, revealed the true realm of alchemy to everyone. He eloquently explained a vast system of knowledge that even the Sumeru Cult had failed to grasp.

"The universe—is an inverted heaven. The earth's strata—are dreams that time has forgotten."

Zhongli recounted what he had seen and heard in Mondstadt.

To prove this miraculous claim to his guests, Abedo picked up the ashes from the burning flowers on the grass slime's head.

A few seconds later, Zhongli saw a Cecilia flower bloom from the pile of ash in Abedo's hand.

“This is a new beginning,” Abedo said.

“Gray—is the simplest state of life’s complex structure,” Zhongli said.

—In Mongolian, ash is called "dust." The Lord of Dust is the "Demon of Ash."

“Our old friend has returned to ‘simplicity,’ but who knows if this represents a new beginning? I think her final experiment may not have been a failure.”

"In this world, there are three realms: the Realm of Light, the Realm of Emptiness, and the Realm of Man. All things in this world exist within these three realms. We immortals possess the power of two realms... yet no one has ever received the power of all three. Our Liyue Immortal Path says, 'The interplay of Yin and Yang constitutes the Dao.'"

Zhongli waved his hand, and a rotating Tai Chi Yin-Yang fish, one black and one white, appeared in the void.