Chapter 34

With the major details sorted out, I left Cloud Retainer and Ningguang to continue their private meeting as Cloud Retainer said she would direct her disciples to help me on my journey when they got there. 

Either way I went back to Keqing and sat down beside her on an ornate couch with her giving me an amused eye roll as I shamelessly dropped my head into her lap. "So, how did the meeting go?" She asked as she began mindlessly threading a hand through my hair.

I couldn't help a small chuckle as I saw a couple of passing cultivators look in utter 'disgust' at our publically affectionate forms but my cheeky chuckle earned a sniff from Keqing who pouted and pinched my cheek with her free hand.

"Alright alright, yeah the meeting went well. Cloud Retainer sold me some puppets that can take care of the day-to-day work the first factory needs so Yelan isn't skimming thousands of Spirt Stones as day as her 'wages'." I said making finger quotations as I said wages as I was well aware that will how shameless Yelan was...

She was going to milk her stay there as hard and long as she could to say the least.

My lips twitched as I gave Keqing a look as I considered something. The whole Cloud Retainer thinking about playing matchmaker for her adopted daughters bit... Should I tell her or just try to leave that behind?

But at the thought of Cloud Retainer's disciples bringing it up as a taunt, or merely as conversation about what 'could have been' I decided to come clean as it was for the best as should Keqing find out later that I just glossed over it, it would likely make her mad.

So with my head still in her lap I asked her quietly. "Do you have a way to isolate sound Keqing?" 

She raised an eyebrow and then I felt her Ki rise as she projected it outwards in a thin invisible bubble around us with her saying. "Alright go ahead, Jake. Was there some issue during the meeting?" 

My lips twitched at the serious way she said that and for a moment I wondered how to say it before I just let it all out. "Well... Cloud Retainer was rather." I chewed on the word before saying. "Old fashioned, she tried to play matchmaker between me and one of her adopted daughters/disciples." 

Keqing went silent for a moment before she snorted making my eyes widen as her snort turned into a helpless giggle as she gave a wry smile and began shaking her head with exasperation clear on her face. "Hmph, that old crone doesn't even let young grass escape her, does she... Do not worry Jake, I honestly... Kinda expected it to be honest, she has been noted in Liyue's literal history books as trying to have grandchildren since the Celestia War."

My lover's expression was clearly amused as she said helplessly. "But her disciples who are all women are either obsessed with cultivation, martial arts, or are like their adoptive mother in helping her tinker with formations, blacksmithing, and such."

She shook her head again in clear exasperation as she exhaled and said. "Thank you for telling me Jake, I appreciate your honesty... Unless did you agree?" She somewhat teased but I could see she had a kernel of jealousy and anxiousness as any human would.

So being the good boyfriend I was, I took her hand that previously pinched my cheek and kissed the back of it as I stared up into her purple eyes and said. "Nope, I told her that I was with you and even Ningguang backed me up. But anyway, other than her obsession with grandchildren, Cloud Retainer convinced me and bullied Ningguang into having a couple of her disciples come to help me as we start building the next factory after her we finish making the first automated with the puppets."

The Yuhung of Liyue gave a slight hum before she nodded and said frankly. "That is probably for the best. News of your exploits in making a fountain of spirit stones basically has already leaked into the world. Having another Golden Core cultivator or a Xiantian Martial Artist like myself would help keep you alive."

I gave Keqing a wry smile as I asked. "Evil cultivators or something are coming right? Why wouldn't a Nascent Soul old monster come after me?" 

To which Keqing patted my cheek as she said frankly. "A Golden Core is the max level even an old monster would be willing to send after you with their own pride... Someone who isn't even a tier one cultivator and martial artist no matter their level of genius escaping or dealing with a Golden Core or Xiantian? Impossible, their very pride wouldn't allow them to believe such a disparity in strength could lead to them suffering a loss." 

Giving a deadpan stare I said flatly. "Evil cultivators will literally melt a thousand people into a pool of blood and then convert all that blood and vitality into a single pill... You think insane people like that won't just attack me out of pride?" 

Keqing's face twitched as she looked at me with zero hint of her joking as she said flatly. "The more insane and reprehensible an evil cultivator is... The more proud they are of how shameless and evil they are, so yes Jake I am sure. Anyway, here they are." She spoke as she pushed me up from my position of laying down on her lap and from around the bend of the Jade Chamber from another level came two people I recognized.

Two ladies wearing tight-fitting body gloves that clung to their curves while wearing ornate dress pieces that covered up the more private parts of their body, with both ladies wearing a number of ornaments and beautiful bits and bobs that added their outfits.

One was shorter with dark blue hair and soft orange and blue-tinged eyes that scanned my form that I recognized as Ganyu. The other was taller with long silver hair and iridescent colored eyes that was seemingly scanning around for threats and was clearly a bit on edge reminding me of Cloud Retainer who wanted them both to have a sort of vacation 'guarding' and helping me.

I stood up and then bowed my head slightly in greeting and said. "Hello, my name is Jake Bariss. I assume you two are Lady Cloud Retainer's disciples?" 

To which Ganyu gave a slight smile and cupped her fist towards me as she inclined her head and spoke in a gentle voice. "That would be correct young man. Now is there anything you would like to discuss before we leave the Jade Chamber and make way to your workshops?" 

I gave a mental hum as I realized that Ganyu seemed to be more formal due to having spent her life alongside Cloud Retainer instead of living within Liyue... And it was certainly fair for her to call me a young man with how she was a Qilin with more than a couple thousand fucking years on me in age.

After a moment I shook my head and said. "No, I think that will be all... Well we can talk more about how we can work together to make more resources on the trip to my first workshop." I finished as I held Keqing's hand as we left the Jade Chamber.

Though... As I was walking, I could feel Shenhe's gaze upon me become heavier for some reason which made me feel a little weird but I tried to put it out of my mind as we exited the Jade Chamber in an open stone platform where we could summon a Pelican from one of our spare spatial rings to fly off towards my first factory.