"We just got a sum of money from Childe, and before we even started preparing, we ran into you, Qingge. Since you're also involved in preparing the Rite of Parting, what stage are you at now?"
Mu Qingge took out the Noctilucous Jade she carried with her, and as she opened it, she said,
"Sorry, I've also just started preparing. So far, I've only prepared this piece of Noctilucous Jade."
"Mr. Zhongli is knowledgeable about ancient and modern times, and I heard he has a great deal of research on stones. This piece of Noctilucous Jade was something I collected before; I only knew it was brighter. For its quality, I'll have to consult an expert like Mr. Zhongli."
"Oh, it's nothing, Zhongli only knows a little."
Zhongli took the Noctilucous Jade from Mu Qingge's hand, and with a careful look, he knew the result.
"The quality of this Noctilucous Jade far exceeds what's circulated on the market. It should have been mined from the bottom of the Chasm and is well-preserved. Generally speaking, it's perfectly suitable as a raw material for the Rite of Parting."
Mu Qingge seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
Although she knew the process, it would be too disrespectful to the God if she made a mistake in the first step of material preparation.
"Since that's the case, I'll first go to a jeweler to hand over the matter of making the vessel as soon as possible. I remember the next step is to make the incense paste, right? You all can go ahead and purchase the raw materials; I'll catch up shortly."
Zhongli suddenly called out to Mu Qingge,
"Perhaps it's a bit presumptuous, but I still want to ask, this vessel that needs to be made…"
Mu Qingge knew what Zhongli meant. She smiled slightly and spoke the information she had found in ancient texts.
Zhongli nodded in satisfaction.
Lumine quickly ran to Mu Qingge's side and took out a bag of Mora: "This is the funding from Childe. We'll use this to pay the merchant later."
But to her surprise, Mu Qingge pushed it away.
"Thank you, but there's no need. I still have some savings and want to contribute to this Rite of Parting. Keep this money; there will be many more places to spend it later."
Lumine helplessly patted her head and retreated to Zhongli's side.
Zhongli chuckled: "The current Kaiyang's personality is like this; there's no need to mind it."
Lumine shook her head, indicating that she didn't mind. Not only did she not mind, she even found such a personality quite endearing; she liked it a lot anyway.
"Mr. Zhongli seems to know Qingge very well. Could you tell us about her?"
On the way to buy flowers, Lumine still couldn't help but ask.
"Yeah, yeah, Paimon is also very curious."
Zhongli pondered for a while and said,
"The current Kaiyang, Mu Qingge, has a good reputation in Liyue Harbor. Like the Yuheng, she was elected as one of the Liyue Qixing at a young age. In Liyue Harbor, you could probably randomly pick anyone, and they could tell you her story."
"She obtained a Geo Vision at the age of three, and from a young age, she displayed extraordinary wisdom and talent. From childhood to adulthood, she excelled in every skill she learned; no one could surpass her…"
"Three years old?!"
Paimon's eyes widened, and he exclaimed.
Obtained a Vision at three years old?!
Lumine also found it incredible:
"I remember the way to obtain a Vision is very strict. It seems that only when a person's wish reaches a certain level will the gods cast their gaze. But Qingge at three… What kind of strong wish could such a young child have to attract the attention of the gods?"
A thought suddenly popped into Paimon's head: "This is the Geo God's nation; could it be that the Geo Archon saw her talent when Mu Qingge was still a child, and that's why he made an exception and gave her a Vision?"
While Lumine was still pondering the possibility, Zhongli spoke:
"No, as far as I know, the power to grant Visions is not in the hands of the Seven Archons. The God might also be puzzled by this."
"Oh~" Paimon responded dully.
Zhongli continued the previous discussion:
"At a Rite of Parting four years ago, she received a blessing from the God. The God even bestowed his own weapon upon her, and it was on that day that she joined the Millelith."
"I'm not too clear about what happened afterward, I only know that she performed exceptionally well in the army, achieved many remarkable feats, and conquered the entire camp."
"In the last rotation of the Qixing, she was elected Kaiyang Star at less than sixteen years old. Since then, she has never made a mistake in her position, and the Millelith has also grown stronger under her leadership."
---
Player World.
: "Oh my god, someone else's child!"
: "Ahem, wife, if you're too excellent, you'll lose me!"
: "I knew it. As soon as I saw Qingge, I knew she was very powerful, extremely extraordinary. That face, she's the type of super-capable, high-cold beauty that only appears in my dreams."
: "Yuheng, I used the twenty pulls Qingge gave me plus what I saved up to try for A Farewell to Snezhnaya—Tartaglia, but I got Yuheng Keqing instead! She's a cat-eared, black-stockinged girl!"
: "Keqing's are just hair accessories, not cat ears! Damn it, why can't I pull her? I got the big brother-in-law instead. Although the big brother-in-law is good too, the Yuheng is prettier!"
: "So, the weapon Qingge uses is the one the Geo Archon once used, right?"
: "It seems the Geo God really values Mu Qingge!"
: "Sigh, what a pity, if only the Geo Archon hadn't died…"
: "Even after seeing this, I'm still confused. Did the Geo Archon die too suddenly? How exactly did he die? There are no clues from the gods yet. Did the Qixing really do it?!"
---
After Mu Qingge handled the matter of the vessel, she went to the Wanmin Restaurant to purchase the incense paste for the Rite of Parting. This was the best place.
As soon as she arrived, Zhongli and the other two had already negotiated the price with the owner and were discussing further arrangements.
Paimon's eyes lit up instantly when she saw Mu Qingge:
"Qingge, over here, come quickly!"
Once Mu Qingge approached, Paimon continued: "We were just discussing who to ask to help make the incense paste. We were about to go find those fragrant young ladies on the street. How about it, do you want to join us?"
"Fragrant? How are you going to find them?"
Lumine suddenly sniffed forward, then as if she had found some treasure: "Qingge, you smell fragrant! Do you know how to make incense paste?"
Mu Qingge was a little surprised by Lumine's nose; her own scent didn't seem very strong…
A Kaiyang had many duties, and Mu Qingge often used incense, but only in her room. It had a calming effect, helping her fall asleep quickly.
"I don't know how to make incense paste, but I know someone… a bit special… a friend, I suppose. She knows a lot about these things. Perhaps we can ask her for help."
"Then, without further ado, let's go quickly!"
Zhongli shook his head:
"I'll wait for you all near the Statue of the Seven. Once the incense paste is made, let's meet there."
---
After bidding farewell to Zhongli, Mu Qingge took Lumine and Paimon to Ying'er's shop.
"I'll stay here. You two go ask her for help; I won't go in."
"Qingge, aren't you coming with us?"
"No, I… don't get along very well with that friend. You two… never mind, I'll wait for you here. No rush, just take your time."
Mu Qingge didn't plan to go in. It was fine for Ying'er and the two Travelers to go by themselves.
That Ying'er, who knows what outrageous things she'd say if she saw her? She, couldn't handle it.
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