Everyone returned to Liyue Harbor.
They found Childe at the Northland Bank.
Childe: You're finally back! How was your trip to Jueyun Karst?
Lumine explained everything.
Childe: I see...
Moon Carver, Lishui, Cloud Retainer, God Guizhong of Dust, the Great Demon-Conquering Sage...
Some of these names haven't even appeared in the Fatui's intelligence reports.
Childe: As a return favor, I also have some "intelligence" for you.
The Liyue Qixing's reaction to the God's death is quite "intriguing."
They publicly announced that the true culprit has not yet been found, and no one is permitted to view the Exuvia.
They even tried to block the news, but with so many people attending the ceremony, it's inevitable... that some rumors would spread.
Paimon: Exuvia?
Childe: For the people of Liyue, Lord of Geo is also an adeptus.
The Geo God is the God of contracts, and he is also known as the "Ancestor of the Adepti."
The current Three-Eyed and Five-Eyed Adepti all once made a contract to protect Liyue.
Paimon: Oh, I see. No wonder they care so much about Liyue's affairs.
Qixuan: The adepti view Liyue as their faith. They have both the responsibility to protect Liyue and the right to criticize the Qixing's dereliction of duty.
Childe: Miss Qixuan seems to understand quite well. That's right.
Why the Geo God's soul ascended to the heavens, leaving behind a "body" that the Qixing would "hide," is truly suspicious...
Lumine: This is a "huge" problem for me too.
Paimon: Oh, right! We came here to find this God!
If the Liyue Qixing hides the Exuvia...
Then our goal of seeking out the Seven Gods will completely fall through.
Childe: Oh? You are seeking out the Seven Gods?
Why is that?
Lumine: None of your business.
Childe: Heh, good answer.
A knight who is easily tricked into revealing information by the Fatui is not a good knight, right?
Qixuan: So, what's your next plan?
Childe: Give me some time to find someone. I'll find someone to break this "stalemate" for you as soon as possible.
Interesting. The calmer the setup, the greater the chaos when it erupts.
We'll meet again.
A few days later... Lumine received a message from Childe.
So she called Qixuan to go with her.
Paimon: Hmm... The location is... Xinyue Kiosk?
Oh, I've heard of it! Liyue's two major culinary styles, Li Cuisine and Yue Cuisine, have been fighting for hundreds of years, with neither gaining an upper hand.
The highest representative of Li Cuisine is the Xinyue Kiosk restaurant, which opened directly opposite the highest representative of Yue Cuisine, Xinyue Kiosk, competing face-to-face!
Qixuan: Paimon, whenever you talk about food, you turn into "Omniscient Paimon."
Lumine: Can't deny it.
Paimon: You two! Hmph!
Qixuan: All right, all right, let's go quickly.
At the entrance of Xinyue Kiosk.
Childe: Yo, you're here!
The agreement has been fulfilled. I've found someone who can help you resolve the "Qixing's concealment of the Ancestral Adeptus's Exuvia."
Paimon: So, where is this person? Inside Xinyue Kiosk?
Childe: That's right, follow me.
Uh, I've prepared a meeting ceremony, which in this country is called a "dinner party."
Everyone then entered Xinyue Kiosk.
After entering a private room,
Qixuan saw the old man still drinking tea.
(Is it that good? Oh right, he used to often steal my tea leaves.)
So Qixuan looked at Zhongli with some resentment.
Childe: Uh... Miss Qixuan knows Mr. Zhongli?
Qixuan: Not exactly, I've just heard of him.
After taking their seats,
Childe: Allow me to introduce you. This is my "friend from the underworld," Mr. Zhongli, a consultant at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Qixuan: (Just took a sip of water) Pfft... cough, cough.
Childe: ?
Qixuan: It's nothing, nothing. Please continue.
Lumine: A "friend from the underworld"?
Childe: Yes, in Liyue, industries like the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor inevitably deal with some "underworld" business.
And we Fatui always like to deal with these... friends who walk in the shadows.
Paimon: In... in the shadows?
Qixuan took another sip of water.
She said: Paimon, don't you know? The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor does business for the "dead."
Which means they provide a "one-stop service" for funeral rites, burials, and cremations.
Paimon: Whoa...!
Zhongli: It's a pleasure to meet you both. I've heard rumors about you in Mondstadt. As for this... lady,
We've also had a "brief encounter."
Paimon: Oh, so that's how it is.
Lumine, however, was a bit suspicious.
(Qixuan-jie is no ordinary person. A brief encounter?)
Childe: All right, back to the main topic. I brought you to meet Mr. Zhongli because...
Zhongli: Because I have a way for you to see the Ancestral Adeptus's Exuvia.
Paimon: What?!
Childe: Haha, no need to be surprised.
Although the Geo God's Ancestral Adeptus's Exuvia is hidden by the Tianquan, Ningguang,
But first, let's hear what Mr. Zhongli has to say.
Zhongli: Although Lord of Geo is the Ancestor of the Adepti, he is still one of the adepti.
Throughout Liyue's thousands of years of history, adepti have left one after another, and this is an irreversible "trend."
Because times have changed. You must have experienced this in Jueyun Karst.
Lumine: Indeed, the adepti are moving away from Liyue.
Zhongli: As you can see, the era of the adepti is gradually fading, and the era of humans is gradually becoming a reality.
In past years, whenever an adeptus departed, there would be a grand memorial ceremony. This is a tradition of Liyue.
But this time, even the Qixing are "too busy" to attend to this tradition... It's truly unbecoming.
Paimon: Yeah, they haven't even found the real killer yet.
Zhongli: The "strange case" of a God's murder... The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor doesn't care about such things.
What the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor cares about is, if the ceremony for inviting the adepti is so grand,
Is no one going to manage the "Farewell to Sefarer Ritual"?
Zhongli: Traveler, I heard about you from Childe.
Since you have some acquaintance with the God of Wind...
Would you consider preparing a Farewell to Sefarer Ritual for the Geo God with me?
Lumine: I want to think about it.
Paimon: Hmm... Thinking about it, there doesn't seem to be any other way.
Childe: That's right, Tianquan Ningguang is using the Qixing's authority to prevent anyone from approaching the Lord of Geo's remains.
This is the only channel left for your goal of seeking out the Seven Gods.
Zhongli: Exactly. Only by participating in the Farewell to Sefarer Ritual will you be able to see the Geo God's body.
Lumine: It seems there's no other way. Qixuan-jie, what do you think?
Qixuan: You decide, Lumine.
She said, looking at Zhongli.
Mr. Zhongli is knowledgeable and well-informed. I'm sure he wouldn't deceive us, right?
Zhongli: Hmm... Of course. If you've made up your mind, then come with me.
We can discuss the details on the way.
Zhongli finished speaking and left.
Childe: All right, my task of "brokering" is complete.
How is it? Are you satisfied with the result?
Childe: You can leave if you want, don't mind me. I might have a few more drinks here.
And get familiar with using chopsticks here.
After Lumine and the others left Xinyue Kiosk, they found Zhongli at the entrance.
Zhongli: Traveler, after experiencing the "city where the God left," how do you feel about the land with a God?
Lumine: I still think Mondstadt is better.
Zhongli: I see. You are that type of "traveler." That's not bad either.
Zhongli: However, you might not have fully experienced the three thousand seven hundred years of historical depth of the "land with a God."
The process of preparing the Farewell to Sefarer Ritual will also become a part of your journey, broadening your horizons.
Liyue is the most prosperous nation among the Seven Nations of Teyvat. In past years, it was guarded by a God and ruled by the Qixing.
So many of the Fatui's diplomatic methods cannot be implemented in Liyue...
Ningguang, one of the Qixing, has always been wary of the Fatui.
Perhaps this is why Childe wants to use the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to get things done.
Paimon: Hmm... What's in it for Childe if we hold the Farewell to Sefarer Ritual?
Zhongli: I don't know, and I don't want to know. The Fatui are just providing financial support.
I just don't want Liyue's traditions to be "forgotten."
Qixuan: (This old man speaks so nicely. Speaking of which, he's even capable of sending himself off.)
Zhongli: This is the first batch of funds Childe provided for the preparation. If it's not enough, you can ask him for reimbursement later.
Paimon: Wow!
Zhongli: All right, let's go. The first step in preparation is to find enough high-quality Noctilucous Jade to match a God.
The quality must be top-notch.
Paimon: Okay, let's go!