Walnut used me to boost her sales performance.

He was somewhat concerned about what Jiang Bai had just said. "Is what you just said true?"

Jiang Bai nodded. "To protect the dignity of the Wind God, I didn't mention this before, but it is indeed true. The Wind God has taken human form and now makes a living by singing in Mondstadt. The [Lady] mocked him for giving up ruling Mondstadt, which is why his divine power is weak. Seeing how the Wind God couldn't even fight back, I think what she said might be true."

Zhongli lowered his eyes, seemingly lost in thought, and remained silent.

After a long while, he served tea to see the guest off.

"It's late, go back and rest."

"Oh." Jiang Bai took two steps, then turned back. "So, are you still going to accept me or not?"

"The people of Liyue are in turmoil right now. The glass lilies that can sense the unrest will not bloom. Only when this matter is resolved will they have a chance to bloom."

"Then I'll collect the dew after it blooms. If it doesn't bloom for half a month or half a year, will the dew from the sweet flower be okay?"

Zhongli stared at him expressionlessly, while Jiang Bai chuckled awkwardly and fled as if his life depended on it.

Only after Jiang Bai's figure completely disappeared did Xiao's figure reappear.

“Your Majesty…” Xiao’s feelings were very complicated.

The Emperor suddenly wants to take on disciples, and then he hears that the Wind God next door has had his divine heart ripped out...

The news I heard that night was incredibly exciting.

"You...really want to take him as your apprentice?"

"If this matter is resolved and Qixing can shoulder the responsibility of protecting Liyue, then I will no longer be the Geo Archon. If Qixing cannot pass my test, then my identity as the mortal Zhongli will come to an end."

Xiao understands.

He was merely taking on disciples as a mortal, not as the Rock King Emperor training a successor for Liyue.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

The thought that Jiang Bai would take advantage of him even more after learning that he had become a disciple of the Rock God filled him with dread.

Thank goodness...

He felt no jealousy or disappointment. The Emperor had already shown him great kindness by rescuing him from the demon who had enslaved him. He had never asked for anything in return, so naturally he would not feel jealous of anyone the Emperor had chosen.

"Wind God, really..." Xiao wanted to ask about this, but he couldn't bring himself to say the rest.

"Given his personality, he probably did it on purpose."

Zhongli swirled the teacup in his hand, looked at the bamboo forest under the moonlight, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"However, the Fools have indeed become somewhat presumptuous..."

Chapter 274 Zhongli, the Immortal Who Lives in Seclusion in the Mortal Realm (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Jiang Bai took the lotus flowers and leaves he had picked and went to Hu Tao's yard.

It was already very late at night, and I wondered if Hu Tao was asleep.

He climbed over the courtyard wall, poked his head out, and looked into Hu Tao's bedroom.

The light was still on in Hu Tao's bedroom. Judging from the shadow cast by the window, Hu Tao was sitting by the window, propping her head up with her hand, lost in thought.

Jiang Bai knew that the death of the Rock King Emperor had upset her, but she didn't expect that she was still awake so late.

He knew that Hu Tao usually seemed carefree and sentimental, but she was also very restrained in not investing too much emotion in certain people or things.

Being used to separation doesn't mean you can tolerate it.

Just like she used to be friends with the stone lions... Stone lions are inanimate objects, so there's no such thing as distinction.

By not investing too much emotion, one won't be too heartbroken when it's time to part ways.

He crouched on the wall, deliberately peeking out, "Master, are you asleep yet?"

Hu Tao, who was lost in thought, looked up when she heard the sound, opened the window, and stuck her head out.

Seeing Jiang Bai cheered her up considerably.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you asleep so late?"

"Hehe, I brought you something."

Jiang Bai mysteriously climbed into Hu Tao's yard, then walked to the window and, under Hu Tao's questioning gaze, pulled out a large handful of lotus pods from behind his back.

"I went to Mount Aozang specifically to pick them; they're so tender and sweet."

Hu Tao's eyes lit up, and she braced herself against the windowsill, flipping herself out of the window.

She peeled open a lotus seed, removed the gall bladder, and popped it into her mouth. The tender lotus seed was indeed as he had described—tender and sweet.

“It’s not just lotus seeds.” Jiang Bai stuffed the lotus pods into Hu Tao’s hand, then took out a large handful of blooming lotus flowers.

The night was dark, the moon was hidden behind the clouds, and only the light coming through the window illuminated the small area in front of it.

The warm light fell on the lotus leaves and on Jiang Bai's face. He looked at Hu Tao with sparkling eyes, his face nestled among the blooming lotus flowers, and his smile was exceptionally radiant.

He handed her the lotus flower, as if he were presenting her with a carefully prepared gift.

Hu Tao felt her heart pounding uncontrollably. She held the lotus pod in one hand and took the lotus flower in the other, feeling like she could barely hold it all.

Hu Tao's gaze fell on the mud on his pants. "You didn't pick all the lotus flowers over there, did you?"

"What does it matter? It's a remote place, usually deserted. Besides lotus flowers, I also dug up lotus roots."

As he spoke, Jiang Bai used rock elements to create a permanent large vat by the window of the walnut tree. He put the lotus root with mud, lotus leaves, and lotus flowers into it, and then ran to the backyard to fetch two buckets of water and poured them into the vat.

The lotus leaves, which had been somewhat droopy due to dehydration, quickly regained their vitality after coming into contact with water.

"Ta-da! How about it! Isn't it beautiful?" Jiang Bai pointed at the lotus leaf bonsai with two fingers, showing off proudly.

Hu Tao, holding lotus pods and lotus flowers, watched him work while eating lotus seeds. "Not bad, not bad!"

"I still have quite a few lotus roots in my Sanqingling. I'll take them to the kitchen later so Uncle Ge can cook them tomorrow."

"Weren't you supposed to be helping the old man prepare for his apprenticeship? Why did you run off to such a far place?"

"Time to find the apprenticeship gift."

"The old man wants to take you in?" Hu Tao was even more surprised.

"Well, but we have to finish the apprenticeship tea first." Jiang Bai didn't rule out any possibility.

"Given Grandpa Zhong's fussy habits, there must be a lot more to this apprenticeship tea ceremony than meets the eye."

"Yes, we collect dew from the glass lilies every morning for seven days, and then we pick the tender leaves from the tea ancestor's branches..."

Seeing Jiang Bai's exhausted expression, Hu Tao leaned close to his ear and whispered mysteriously, "I'll tell you a secret, our Grandpa Zhong isn't just any ordinary person..."

The warm breath sprayed against Jiang Bai's ear, making it tickle and turn a little red, so much so that he didn't pay much attention to what Hu Tao was saying.

"...He is actually an immortal residing in the mortal world. If you become his disciple, you will be an immortal's apprentice..."

"Huh?" Jiang Bai didn't react for a moment.

Zhongli, a hermit immortal living in seclusion among mortals?

"How did you know, Master?"

“He’s been in the Hall of Rebirth for so long, how could I not know?” Hu Tao looked at Jiang Bai with an expression that said, “How could you be so stupid?”

"When he drank from that wine vessel last time, didn't he lament that the taste of the past could never be relived? He's clearly an immortal who once drank with the Emperor. According to the ancient books I found, there's more than one wine vessel. The Emperor made seven back then, just to drink with his friends. The one you're given is just one of them..."

Hu Tao freed one hand to pat his shoulder. "Several immortals have passed away, and Lord Yi Xiaodao even sacrificed himself to save the people of Liyue during the Demon God War. Several other immortals also perished in the process, so this wine vessel gradually fell into the hands of the common people. Zhongli didn't want to keep it and only add to the sorrow. Now even the Emperor..."

Hu Tao's mood clearly dropped as she spoke.

"Sigh, you'd better keep this safe."

Jiang Bai nodded, "I will keep it safe."

Seeing that Hu Tao was in low spirits when this was mentioned, Jiang Bai deliberately made an exaggerated expression, "I didn't expect that you, Hall Master, would know so much. I thought Mr. Zhongli was just an ordinary person who lived a long life..."

Jiang Bai's praise improved Hu Tao's mood considerably. "It's normal that you don't know. The Hall of Rebirth has a history of over three thousand years. It has a lot of ancient books, and I've found quite a few these past few days. I even came across records about the [Sending Immortals Ritual].

"A ceremony to send off immortals? I only know about a ceremony to invite immortals. Does Prince Yan need a ceremony to send off immortals when he leaves?"

“No.” Hu Tao shook her head and sat down on the stone bench in the courtyard.

"The Sending-Off Ceremony for Immortals is a ritual held when immortals depart from this world, sending them back to the heavens. Because each Sending-Off Ceremony spans a very long period and is held very infrequently, even within the Hall of Rebirth, records of it are only found in ancient texts. Even I, as the head of the hall, cannot guarantee that I can successfully conduct the Sending-Off Ceremony for the Emperor..."

Hu Tao looked somewhat downcast.

Although death is a common occurrence for her, the passing of loved ones inevitably causes her pain.

Although the Geo Archon is not a relative, he is no different from a family member in the hearts of the people of Liyue.

She wasn't wearing a hat at the moment, and her hair was disheveled down her back, making her look like a wounded kitten with its head hanging low.

"It's alright, we still have Mr. Zhongli. He is knowledgeable in ancient and modern times and is also an immortal, so it's best for him to handle it. Although I'm not good at organizing funerals, I can still be of help."

Jiang Bai reached out and touched the top of her head, speaking to her as he comforted her.

A warm sensation came from the top of my head, as if a force was being transmitted to me.

"I think so too."

Hu Tao smiled, put on the airs of a hall master, and patted Jiang Bai on the shoulder: "This hall master has high hopes for you. When it comes to the ceremonial ceremony, work hard with the old man and give Prince Yan a proper send-off!"

Jiang Bai's eyes crinkled into a smile. "Mmm!"

Chapter 275 Sending Immortal Ritual Gifts, I'll Help Too

Kong's journey to find the immortal was quite smooth. Although the process was a bit tortuous, he eventually met the immortal and explained the reason for his visit and what had happened.

The reactions of the various immortals differed, but they all expressed extreme shock and anger at the Emperor's murder.

They said they would investigate the truth of the matter carefully and, after discussion, would travel to Liyue Harbor together.

After completing the mission, Kong took Paimon back to Liyue Harbor via the Ley Line Anchorage.

He didn't go to the young master to report and collect his reward immediately, mainly because the young master hadn't told him where to find him after completing the task, so he simply went to the Hall of Rebirth to find Jiang Bai.

I wonder if anything happened in Liyue Harbor while he was in the mountains looking for the immortals.

Practice makes perfect. On their second visit to the Hall of Rebirth, Kong and Paimeng were much bolder walking around. The ubiquitous incense, candles, paper money, and coffins didn't seem so scary anymore.

Hu Tao and Jiang Bai are currently in Zhong Li's courtyard discussing the ceremony for sending off the immortals with Zhong Li.

"...Speaking of which, if I hadn't reminded her a few days ago, Ningguang would have almost forgotten that we still had to hold a farewell ceremony for the Emperor." Hu Tao sat at the table, propping her head up with her hands and swinging her legs. "It's understandable that Ningguang didn't know this, but I didn't expect even Gan Yu to forget..."

Gan Yu is a half-immortal beast who has served as the secretary of Moonsea Pavilion since the founding of Liyue Harbor. She has witnessed every farewell ceremony for immortals, but she has completely forgotten to hold the farewell ceremony for the Emperor.

"Perhaps it's because of the Emperor's passing that Miss Gan Yu isn't in a good state either."

Jiang Bai wasn't too surprised.

Even Hu Tao wasn't in a good mood recently, let alone Gan Yu, who has followed the Emperor for thousands of years.

Yi Guan escorted the two to the courtyard gate and then left. Hearing the sounds coming from inside the courtyard, Kong stepped inside.

"You were just talking about the 'Sending Off Immortals Ceremony'? What's that?" Paimon flew over directly.

Upon seeing them arrive, Zhongli took out two new cups and poured tea into them.

"The Farewell Ceremony is a grand memorial ceremony held when an immortal passes away; it's a tradition of Liyue. Although the Geo Archon is the progenitor of all immortals, he is still one of them, so his passing naturally warrants a Farewell Ceremony..."

“We have already informed the immortals, and they said they will come together. Then we will know why the Rock King Emperor passed away.”

Paimon took his own cup, held it up with his two little hands, took a sip of hot tea, and felt much of the fatigue from days of traveling ease.

"You've worked hard. Here, have some sweet flower cookies." Jiang Bai took out two sweet flower-shaped cookies and handed them to Paimon and Kong.

This was made with sweet flowers; it's not particularly special, just very sweet.

It has the aroma of cookies and the sweetness of sweetflowers, but most people might not be able to handle this level of sweetness.

Paimon, completely unaware of the danger, took a bite of the cookie. Before long, her face turned bitter, and she had to force herself not to spit it out.

"This is so sweet!"

She felt her teeth were about to hurt!

Seeing Paimon's attitude, Kong, who was about to eat, quietly put down the biscuits and started drinking tea instead.

"I think it's just right." Jiang Bai tossed the cookie into his mouth, eating with exceptional happiness.

"This guy's perception of sweetness is a bit different from normal people." Hu Tao was very satisfied with Paimon's reaction. She remembered that when she ate it, it almost ruined her teeth from the sweetness.