"Cough~"
Xiaoyue cleared her throat.
"That matter of succession to the divine seat… it's not so urgent. For now, Li Shui and I still need to gather rare relics for the revival of Lord Mountaineer, Guide of the Heavens. Meanwhile, Yingda and Liuyun will be responsible for what's needed to revive the other Yakshas."
"Indeed, indeed!"
Li Shui was the first to respond:
"To bring you back, Guizhong, Madame Ping and the Lord Rex Lapis bore the heaviest costs. The price to revive the rest of our fellow immortals and Yakshas cannot all be left for the Lord alone to bear."
"In the coming days, we will have to search far and wide for ways to gather more resources."
"That's true."
Liuyun frowned:
"Not long ago, this immortal still thought her treasury quite abundant, so much so that I even grew lazy to count it. Who would have thought that within a few days I would feel like I'm already stretched thin? At this moment I regret not having hoarded more treasures before…"
The cost of reviving Guizhong, none of them truly knew.
That price had been negotiated between Taro and Zhongli.
Madame Ping's entire fortune, in the end, had only been a token offering.
Though no more gods would need reviving, the number of immortals and Yakshas still to be brought back was daunting.
The total cost would certainly be anything but small.
These past few days they had worried endlessly over it.
"Indeed…"
Guizhong also frowned slightly.
"Sigh… looks like I will have to learn step by step on my own."
All things in this world come with a price.
For her revival, Zhongli and the other immortals must have paid dearly.
Now they still had to struggle to bring back the rest of their kin.
At such a time, she couldn't become a burden.
Perhaps even Zhongli's plan to abdicate was partially to relieve the burden of finding resources.
As for her… she possessed nothing, so she could hardly offer material help.
"So be it. I shall try."
Guizhong nodded heavily, then turned her gaze toward Ganyu.
"Then, from now on, I'll be relying on you, little Ganyu."
"Yes, Lady Guizhong."
Ganyu placed her hand to her chest, her expression solemn.
"There's no need to be so tense."
Guizhong smiled gently.
"You, you've always been so stiff and proper since you were small. You must learn to smile more."
"Mm…"
Ganyu nodded lightly, and in her heart she felt a small weight lift.
She was half-adeptus, half-human.
Among immortals, she was an oddity.
Among mortals, she was still an oddity.
No one ever treated her differently, yet she herself always minded.
In vast Liyue Harbor, being neither wholly human nor wholly adeptus, she often felt isolated… lonely.
"Ganyu-sis~"
Yingda giggled as she wrapped herself around Ganyu's arm and shook it playfully.
"I'll help you, okay? And once the others come back, we'll all help too."
"Mm, thank you." Ganyu smiled softly.
That heavy feeling of being out of place, of not belonging anywhere, faded just a little.
Watching this, Liuyun felt gratified, yet sighed inwardly.
Ganyu was obedient, gentle, always keeping everything bottled up inside—painfully so.
Though her demeanor seemed mature, in her heart there was always a hole.
A hole left by the absence of peers to share her youth.
Liuyun had long sought ways to change that, but with little success.
Hopefully, the return of the Yakshas and other immortals would ease that loneliness.
After all, Liuyun had watched this child grow up.
"After today, we'll all be busy."
Liuyun sighed, but her face still shone with an irrepressible smile.
To be busy with purpose was a blessing.
The only thing to fear was a future without hope.
"Busy is good. Busy is good."
Xiaoyue's gaze turned slowly toward the border of Mt. Tianheng and Guyun Stone Forest.
That place… was where Lord Mountaineer had shed blood in battle.
Even now, one of his antlers still held up half of Mt. Tianheng.
Was it really that the immortals disliked coming to Liyue Harbor?
Or was it just that they couldn't bear the memories?
That place bore too many regrets.
The immortals fell silent.
They waited quietly for the Rite of Descension to conclude.
Then, they would each set out—gathering relics, seeking resources, reviving their friends.
Behind their calm faces, excitement burned.
On Yujing Terrace.
The Geo Archon's oracle descended.
The people listened in breathless excitement—until the words turned strange.
"From this day forth, there shall be no divine oracle at future Rite of Descension ceremonies. From this day forth, the future of Liyue shall be guided by the Liyue Qixing and the Yuehai Pavilion."
Before the crowd could react, another, even heavier decree followed:
The Geo Archon would step down from his divine seat, to be succeeded by the Dust God, Hagenti.
Instantly, the terrace erupted in chaos.
"What?!"
"The Lord Rex Lapis… abdicating?"
"What… what is to become of us now?"
"This cannot be, it cannot!"
"How can the Qixing replace the Lord?"
"Please, Lord, reconsider!"
"It must be the Qixing's trickery, I don't believe it!"
"It's over, it must be that we angered the Lord somehow…"
"What shall we do, what shall we do?!"
It wasn't only the people who panicked.
Even Ningguang, presiding over the ceremony, felt her heartbeat race—not with excitement, but with fear.
She had anticipated many possibilities, but not this.
On the high terrace, Keqing stood dumbstruck, staring at the Archon.
You're… retiring?
No, wait—my Lord, wait!
I just steadied my resolve, determined to learn from you, to broaden my vision and understanding—why abdicate now?
To leave such a burden wholly on the Qixing—was that truly wise?
The rest of the Qixing were equally shocked.
But Zhongli's resolve did not waver.
The ancestral dragon form circled the terrace once, then soared into the skies and vanished.
"..."
"This year, Liyue will face unrest unlike any before."
"We Qixing must prepare quickly."
"Indeed. A full council of the Seven Stars must be convened—this matter is too great."
"Perhaps… we should ask Yuheng Keqing?"
On the dais, Ningguang drew in a long breath, forcing herself calm.
"The Rite of Descension is concluded. Disperse."
"General Yujing Yan—where are you?"
"At your service!"
"Maintain order. Ensure the people leave safely—no trampling, no panic."
"By your command!"
The general struck the ground with his axe.
"Millennial Army! Maintain order—no civilian shall be harmed!"
"Yes, sir!"
The soldiers surged into action, guiding the panicked crowd.
"Eh? It's over already?"
In the crowd, Paimon gaped.
"Wait, why is the Geo Archon abdicating? And who is this 'Dust God Hagenti' supposed to be?"
"Lumine, what do we do now? We didn't even get to ask about your brother yet! What do we do?!"
"..."
Lumine could only sigh.
How could she have expected this?
You ask me what to do?
Who on earth can I ask?
(End of Chapter)
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