Ch 33

Upon hearing this, Zhong Li showed a pensive expression.

"Mora... hmm..."

"Yes, indeed, I didn't think about this aspect just now. It was my oversight."

"Huh? How can you not consider Mora when buying things?"

Paimon cast a questioning look at Zhong Li.

In response, Zhong Li had his own theory.

"If we have to consider Mora in everything, it's equivalent to being bound by Mora in everything."

"Mora is naturally currency, but currency is not inherently Mora."

These words left Paimon full of question marks, but Keqing seemed deep in thought.

"Economic theories, huh..."

As a member of the Yuheng Star, Keqing naturally had knowledge in this area. She didn't expect Mr. Zhong Li to be knowledgeable in this field as well.

In the following scenes, Zhong Li revealed a secret knowledge about identifying the quality of jade stones.

"High-quality Noctilucous Jade will have better affinity with Pyro elements, which means that under high temperatures, the shinier and bluer the ore appears, the better the quality."

This method of identifying jade stones was unheard of even to Keqing. In the jade industry, this knowledge was likely worth a fortune, and Zhong Li generously shared it with the Traveler.

With Zhong Li's method, the Traveler and Paimon successfully selected the highest-quality Noctilucous Jade.

"A box of Noctilucous Jade of the third type, please."

"Sure thing!" The owner of Juecui Jewelry Shop readily agreed.

"By the way... don't mind me being nosy, I'm just curious. What do you gentlemen need so much high-quality Noctilucous Jade for?"

"Well, it's for crafting the instruments used in the Rite of Descension for the Adepti."

"For the Adepti? So, that means... the Lord of Geo, he really..."

Upon learning this fact, the owner of Juecui Jewelry Shop couldn't help but show a mournful expression.

"Sigh... it's unbelievable. Although Juecui has declined somewhat, it owes its prosperity over the generations to the protection of the Lord of Geo."

"Since it's for bidding farewell to the Lord of Geo, then let's charge only half the price for this Noctilucous Jade."

"Oh, can you really do that? The owner was quite stingy before, you know." Paimon blurted out.

The owner of Juecui Jewelry Shop didn't mind Paimon's comment. Instead, he sighed and said, "Without the Lord of Geo's blessings, how could I make money as a merchant?"

"Well... Sir, your kindness will surely be conveyed to the Lord of Geo," Zhong Li nodded in agreement. "With the combined efforts of the Seven Stars and diligent merchants like you, I believe Liyue will continue to prosper as always."

"Alright... thank you, sirs. Hmm, what's come over me, crying like this? My luck might slip away. Haha."

Seeing this, Keqing's heart was filled with mixed emotions. She had some criticisms of the Lord of Geo's management style. She hoped that Liyue could enter an era of self-governance, where humans no longer relied on divine beings but used their own strength to make the city prosper. However, she now gradually realized that people's belief in the Lord of Geo was not just blind worship, but rather a deep respect for the Lord's creation and protection of Liyue Harbor. It was a kind of spiritual contract.

"Now that we've made our selection, let's take the Noctilucous Jade and..."

"Hey, wait a minute! Just because it's half-price doesn't mean we don't have to pay!" Paimon reminded.

"Oh, my apologies, I forgot about the payment again. Let me take a look..."

"Hmm... indeed... I forgot to bring Mora, how embarrassing, another oversight."

"To think there are Liyue residents who don't prioritize money," the Traveler quipped.

In the process of selecting perfumes that followed, Zhong Li once again exhibited this peculiar characteristic. Faced with three different varieties of glaze Lily, Zhong Li's choice remained the same: "I'll take all of them, please."

This time, it wasn't based on Zhong Li's life principles but rather to make three different perfumes from the different glaze Lilies to offer them one by one for the Lord of Geo's selection. It was an ancient tradition that had been simplified over time, but as one of the Seven, for the Adepti, Zhong Li felt it was better to adhere to tradition.

However, just as Zhong Li finished explaining and prepared to pay, he suddenly turned stiff.

"Well, do you guys have money?"

The Traveler and Paimon: "..."

Even through the screen, Keqing felt a wave of awkwardness. But at the same time, she had a suspicion about Zhong Li's strange behavior. Zhong Li seemed to have a subtle detachment from ordinary people...

After going through the "training" by the shop assistant at Chenxiang place, the Traveler successfully crafted three perfumes. Upon arriving at the Seven-Tiered Pagoda, Zhong Li was already there, ready to begin the offering process.

When they offered the third perfume, the Seven-Tiered Pagoda reacted.

"Could it be that the Lord of Geo is actually a big sister?" Paimon exclaimed in surprise because the third perfume, "Adeptus' Dream," was the type preferred by mature women.

Zhong Li responded, "Who knows? Because the Lord of Geo has countless incarnations, perhaps there really is such an image."

With the Noctilucous Jade and perfumes confirmed, next was the "Cleansing Bell."

"Now, a friend of mine, Madame Ping, is in charge of the 'Cleansing Bell.' She's located near the Jade Chamber. If you ask her, she'll know."

"Alright, but Mr. Zhong Li, are you not coming with us this time?"

"Well, I have some inconveniences that make it difficult for me to show up in person. I'll trouble you both."

Madame Ping...? Keqing stroked her chin. When she worked at the Jade Chamber, she seemed to have heard of such a person. And the so-called "Cleansing Bell" didn't seem like an ordinary item.

Following the mission guidance, they quickly found Madame Ping at a certain location in the Jade Chamber. The Traveler explained their purpose.

Madame Ping nodded and said, "This bell originally wasn't mine; it was a little trinket my old friend brought with him. When I was young and loved beauty, I liked that bell, so I pestered him for it."

"He couldn't resist my request, so he gave me the bell. But he told me that if someone came to borrow the bell in the future, I shouldn't be reluctant."

Then, Madame Ping looked at the teapot on the stone table in front of her.

"All my belongings are inside."

"All your belongings...?" Paimon clearly couldn't comprehend. "Do you mean you put the keys to your house in there?"

But seeing this, Keqing had a feeling based on Madame Ping's meaningful words.

This elderly-looking woman seemed to be no ordinary mortal!

That teapot was definitely not as simple as it seemed. So, Keqing chose the 0.3 option for the third dialogue.

"Paimon, go inside the teapot and take a look."

Upon hearing this, Paimon was immediately furious, stomping her foot in mid-air.

"I can't go in! No matter how hard I try, I can't go in, can I? And why do you want me to go in? Just lift the lid and take a look!"

After persecuting Paimon for a while, the Traveler approached the stone table and tried to touch the teapot's surface. In the moment of contact, a sparkling radiance emerged from the teapot's spout. Immediately, a strange force pulled both the Traveler and Paimon into the teapot.

...

"Wow! The space in here is so vast!" Paimon exclaimed.

Not only was it vast, but it was filled with Adepti mechanisms and spells.

At this moment, Keqing's gaze sharpened. Just as she had suspected, Madame Ping was not an ordinary person, and there was a high probability that she was an Adeptus who walked among mortals.

Zhong Li had mentioned that Madame Ping was his friend, and combined with what Madame Ping had said earlier...

In Keqing's mind, there was a sudden realization.

Zhong Li was definitely not an ordinary person either. He possessed a deep knowledge of various aspects of high society, and he had unique perspectives on business and money.

Could it be...

...

Could it be...

The Lord of Geo... in mortal form!

After deducing this fact, even Keqing herself was startled. When combined with Zhong Li's various unusual behaviors in previous events, it seemed to continuously affirm this possibility.

However, a paradox arose at this moment. If Zhong Li truly was the Lord of Geo, what was the meaning of the events at the Adepti ceremony? Could it be... some special arrangement by the Lord? Or perhaps, was she just overthinking things?

Taking a sip of the hot tea on the table, Keqing gradually calmed her mood. Confirming this speculation would be simple enough; she just needed to continue watching the unfolding events.

The last two items for the Adepti ceremony were a kite and the Eternal Incense. At Aunt Ashan's toy stall, Zhong Li had already pre-ordered seven kites, each symbolizing one of the Seven and their governing ideals.

"The thunder pattern on this kite... Hmm, the spiraling sensation is well captured, just as the Thunder God desires 'eternity.'"

"The leafy pattern symbolizing 'wisdom,' the silver wood rings... they are cleverly integrated into the kite's frame, truly commendable."

"The balanced 'justice' like the surface of water, the fiery 'war,' and even the details of the Ice God's... Hmm, they are all well done."

As Zhong Li inspected the goods, he praised them.

"So, Aunt Ashan, I'll take these pre-ordered items now. As for the remaining payment..."

Oh no! The Traveler and Paimon both held their heads, expecting to hear the phrase "Did you bring money?"

Just then, a familiar voice chimed in.

"For the remaining payment, let me cover it."

Tartaglia casually walked over, claiming he happened to be passing by and noticed Zhong Li was short on funds, so he decided to help out. Then, he handed the Traveler and Paimon a money pouch, perfectly assuming the role of a wallet.

However, as the Traveler and Zhong Li departed, the focus shifted to Tartaglia.

"Hmm... I arrived a bit late; it seems I missed some interesting news."

"Next time, try to appear at a more appropriate moment."

Indeed, the plot hinted at Childe's ulterior motives. Keqing had long known that everything Childe did was to obtain the Lord of Geo's Gnosis. If not for the appearance of the Traveler's party, revealing the Fatui's intentions would have come at a cost. They wouldn't have divulged their plans so easily.

However, the Fatui was equally interested in this game. To achieve their goals, they must have other hidden methods. Keqing figured that Ningguang had discovered an important clue, prompting her to act immediately.

After a brief rest, Keqing continued with the unfolding plot. After hiring workers at the dock, only one step remained for the "Adepti Offering" ceremony. But before that, they needed to return the remaining money to Childe.

"Oh? Everything is settled, no need to return the remaining money. Take it for yourselves. Those who work for the Fatui will never lose out," Childe said with a smile.

"Hmph, do you think we can be bought with such crumbs?" Paimon crossed her arms, showing a disdainful expression.

But in the next moment, she inadvertently revealed her true intentions.

"When will you give us the next installment of funds?"

"Haha, I have some information. If you can tell me that, I'll open the vault of the Northland Bank for half an hour for you."

"What information?!" Paimon's eyes widened.

However, the Traveler didn't hesitate and refused, "No."

"Huh? Do you know what she wants, Traveler?"

"What else could the Fatui want? In Mondstadt..." Paimon was suddenly enlightened.

"Ah! In Mondstadt, the lady from the Fatui..."

Childe's expression suddenly turned cold and sharp, a stark contrast to his previous amiability.

However, this expression only lasted for a moment.

"All right, all right, seriously, what's the Traveler saying?"

"What's going on with us? The atmosphere just got so weird."

At this moment, Zhong Li came over to join them.

"Next, for the Eternal Incense, we need to make a trip to Bubu Pharmacy. It's the most famous pharmacy in Liyue Harbor... Huh? What's going on with you guys?"

Zhong Li also sensed that something was off with the atmosphere.

"Heh... it's nothing. I was just telling them they don't need to return the remaining money."

"Well then, let's part ways here," Childe said without further ado, and Zhong Li didn't press further.

But Paimon couldn't help but whisper to the Traveler, "Sigh... just now, Paimon definitely felt something very scary..."

...

Arriving at Bubu Pharmacy, the group found that there was no one at the counter, but they could hear someone speaking.

"Welcome."

"Uh, who's talking?"

Paimon looked left and right but didn't see anyone. She clung to the Traveler, looking a little scared.

"Did you guys hear where the voice was coming from?"

"It seems to be coming from behind the counter," Zhong Li replied.

"In that case... Traveler, why don't you go and take a look first?"

The Traveler approached the counter slowly and suddenly, half a head popped up from underneath the counter. The figure wore a birthday hat and had talismans stuck to their forehead.

A zombie!?

However, when they saw the full appearance of this figure, the eerie atmosphere instantly turned into something entirely different.

"So, you were here! The counter isn't very tall!"

Paimon couldn't help but complain.

"Well, when it comes to height, Paimon is..."

"Hey! I can fly, so height doesn't matter!"

Facing the Traveler and Paimon's arrival, the little zombie spoke expressionlessly, "Welcome to Bubu Pharmacy. I am Qiqi."

"Qiqi has... died once before, then was saved by an Adeptus, so now she's... a zombie."

"Stating such an incredible fact so matter-of-factly..."

"No wonder Liyue is known as the 'Land of the Divine.' Anything can happen here..."

Keqing smiled faintly.

Although she was a zombie, Qiqi's adorable appearance was... kind of cute. When other players reached this point in the storyline, they would probably all be clamoring to pull a Qiqi from the standard banner.

"This... young lady, may I ask if the pharmacy sells the 'Eternal Incense'?" Zhong Li asked.

"May I ask... if you have a prescription, please provide the prescription," Qiqi replied in her usual indifferent tone.

"Well... for buying 'Eternal Incense,' you don't need a prescription, right? It's not related to treatment."

"If there's a prescription, Qiqi can... help prepare the medicine. This is... a 'decree' that Qiqi has given to herself."

"A 'decree'?"

"Zombies need decrees to act, but for some reason, this young lady is in a state of self-issuing orders," Zhong Li explained.

"Qiqi, young lady, we don't have a prescription, but we hope you can help us find the Eternal Incense."

"Okay."

"Huh? Why all of a sudden?"

"But you must also help Qiqi in return. That's only fair."

"Please, go to Tianheng Mountain and use the 'Return of the Jade Chamber' to help me hunt 'Coconut Sheep.'"

Coconut Sheep?

What kind of creature is that?

Not only the Traveler, even Zhong Li admitted that he had never heard of it.

But they had no choice. In order to obtain the Eternal Incense, they decided to go near the Return of the Jade Chamber to see if there were any clues.

...

Arriving at Tianheng Mountain, they found the remnants of the Return of the Jade Chamber. With Zhong Li's assistance, the Traveler obtained the materials and repaired it. Just as they were using the Return of the Jade Chamber's long-range function to try and locate the Coconut Sheep, several members of the Treasure Hoarders appeared on the screen.

They claimed to be big shots in the Treasure Hoarders and were frustrated that they had finally managed to damage the Return of the Jade Chamber, only for the Traveler and their group to repair it. In response, the Treasure Hoarders wanted to teach the Traveler and Zhong Li a lesson.

However, when they heard that it was the Treasure Hoarders who had damaged the Return of the Jade Chamber, Zhong Li showed an unusual display of anger.

"Hmph, tarnishing the wisdom of the Adepti for your own selfish desires."

"You should be the ones who need a lesson."

...

Dealing with this ragtag group was effortless.

"Dealing with people like them is not worth tarnishing our mood; let's return to our contract with Qiqi."

Although they hadn't found the Coconut Sheep, the Traveler and their group had done their best. They returned to Bubu Pharmacy and informed Qiqi of the situation.

"Ah, very disappointed. It's okay, but very disappointed," Qiqi said expressionlessly.

"Ugh—seeing Qiqi like this, why do I suddenly feel an overwhelming sense of guilt?" Paimon tapped her head.

"What does Qiqi want with Coconut Sheep?"

"Well... Coconut Sheep's milk is delicious, much better than regular sheep's milk, so they must be semi-Adepti creatures."

"I'm sorry, my memory is not good, so I wrote down the name of that kind of milk. Let me look... Ah, that's right, it's this one, delicious milk called 'coconut milk.'"

Hearing Qiqi's response, all three present were stunned.

"What....." They had been fooled...