"Honored guests, Adeptus Xiao has invited you!"
"He has already permitted you to dine on the top floor. Please!"
Just as Istaroth was hugging Rowan's arm, smiling sweetly while watching Paimon and Lumine go at it, Verr Goldet came back not long after, looking completely stunned.
She hadn't expected that Xiao—who was usually so indifferent—wouldn't get angry after hearing Rowan's words, and would instead agree to his request.
Could it be that this Knight King and the Vigilant Yaksha General knew each other?
Verr Goldet had known Xiao's identity like the back of her hand ever since she joined Wangshu Inn.
On the surface, Wangshu Inn existed to accommodate merchants traveling far and wide.
In truth, the entire inn existed to serve a single person: Xiao.
It was just that Xiao was aloof by nature and had no demands of Wangshu Inn.
He only liked one dish—Almond Tofu.
And before Verr Goldet returned, Rowan had already ordered the food.
He'd basically ordered everything that should be ordered—especially the final dish: Almond Tofu.
That was Wangshu Inn's signature dish, the one that could satisfy Xiao.
So, to properly taste this delicacy, Rowan ordered three servings.
One serving was for Xiao as well—an offering to an adeptus.
As the Vigilant Yaksha General, Xiao had spent ten years as always at Wangshu Inn, constantly helping passing merchants deal with monsters.
It was only right that Rowan show him respect.
Not to mention, this land of Liyue was practically identical to Rowan's homeland.
The only pity was that his homeland had no adepti, no gods—only themselves.
They could only rely on their own hands to bring about change.
That was also why so many people criticized Zhongli's choice of "rule by humans."
Because they'd already seen the consequences of human governance—five thousand years of lessons were laid out plainly.
Even if the current era was already at the peak of the world, and no one could bully them as recklessly as they did a hundred years ago…
There were still people who weren't satisfied, who felt that the moon outside was rounder and the air was fresher.
That's humanity—never satisfied, never learning from past lessons.
So yes, the dangers of human rule were indeed huge.
Zhongli's approach was a bit too radical.
But did that have anything to do with him?
Sorry—no.
If Zhongli wanted to retire, then retire. It had nothing to do with Rowan.
Because Rowan was the Knight King of Mondstadt now. Managing Mondstadt alone was tiring enough.
He absolutely did not want to take on another Liyue.
Otherwise, if he talked too much, Zhongli might end up just like Venti, that drunken layabout, and dump Liyue onto him.
Wouldn't that be completely screwed?
If anything, Zhongli could do it even more ruthlessly than Venti.
He could straight up pass the position to Rowan and make him the second Geo Archon—since Zhongli already didn't want to do the job anymore.
So Rowan wasn't going to waste time preaching about how human rule was bad. Let nature take its course.
What Liyue became later had nothing to do with Zhongli.
And it also had nothing to do with Rowan.
He only needed to manage his own little patch of land.
That was the bone-deep instinct carved into them over five thousand years.
A moment later.
The group of four, plus one floating pet in the air, arrived at Wangshu Inn's top floor.
It was an open-air balcony.
Wangshu Inn was built atop a massive rock, with an ancient giant tree behind it acting as support.
You could even say Wangshu Inn was built on a giant tree—and you wouldn't be wrong.
"Wow, it's so beautiful up here!"
"And you can see all the scenery around us!"
The moment Paimon and Lumine came up, they were full of wonder.
Even though they'd already seen the surrounding beauty from the Golden Vessel…
Viewing it from Wangshu Inn's highest level was a completely different flavor.
It was just too beautiful.
No wonder Rowan insisted on coming up here.
It really was gorgeous.
From here, they could look straight out toward Guili Plains, and also see Yaoguang Shoal and Dihua Marsh in the distance.
You could say that from Wangshu Inn's top floor alone, you could take in all the surrounding landscapes in one glance.
That was exactly why Wangshu Inn had been built here.
It connected in all directions—if not here, then where?
Especially back when Mingyun Village hadn't completely fallen into ruin and the bridge nearby was still intact.
Merchants from Mondstadt came in countless numbers and would always stop here to rest.
Istaroth, too, excitedly pulled Rowan over to the railing, admiring the surrounding scenery with him.
In the shadows.
Xiao silently watched these people.
Among them, there was only one person he could see through—like himself, a woman who used Anemo.
He seemed to recognize her: Mondstadt's Acting Grand Master.
She had apparently met the Liyue Qixing before.
As for the others, he couldn't see through a single one.
Lumine was one half of the twins of fate. Xiao had once encountered her brother while out cleansing demons.
But after the other party glanced at him, he rationally chose to retreat and didn't start a fight.
That little flying thing and the silver-haired woman were the hardest for him to read.
It was as if both of them came from that place.
But what about that man?
Xiao's gaze settled on Rowan.
Some time ago, the Geo Archon had come to Wangshu Inn and lavishly praised Mondstadt's Knight King—so this must be him.
He had even said that if Rowan had descended in Liyue back then…
Then Liyue would belong under his governance now, and the Geo Archon could have become an idle wanderer—a mere ordinary person.
What a pity…
When Xiao heard those words back then, his emotions were indescribable.
Anger, jealousy, resentment?
All of it.
You could say that since he began following Morax, it was the first time he'd heard anyone receive such praise from the Geo Archon.
And that made Xiao—who prided himself as the strongest combat force under the Geo Archon—itch to go to Mondstadt and fight Rowan on the spot.
But reason told him he shouldn't.
It would only spark a war between two nations, with no benefit whatsoever.
It would also give opportunists a chance to exploit the chaos.
So he suppressed his urge and continued hunting monsters around Dihua Marsh.
Who would've thought that today, Rowan would arrive at Wangshu Inn in such a high-profile manner?
And even call him out by name, saying he came specifically to find him.
That made the ripples in Xiao's heart—already calmed—surge again.
Maybe today… he could finally have a satisfying fight?
"Sir, are you not coming out?"
"General Golden-Winged?"
(End of Chapter)
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