"You said that the sea god, he wouldn't have just appeared out of nowhere... he's been suppressed by the Geo Archon for two thousand years."
"Alas, yes, and it just so happens to be when the Geo Archon had his incident."
"Hey, you think... maybe the one who assassinated the Geo Archon and the one who released the god are the same person?"
"If you put it that way, it's certainly possible, hmm... it makes sense, it makes sense, it all connects! It must be that person colluding with the god to harm the Geo Archon, alas, that scoundrel, what a wicked heart... But who could have such great divine power? In all my years, I've never heard of such a person."
"..."
While Lumine and Paimon were waiting to rendezvous with Zhongli, they overheard the discussions of Liyue's citizens on Jade Chamber, and couldn't help but be a little surprised that their guess about the truth was indeed correct.
Tartaglia, who was then on a ship leaving Liyue, suddenly sneezed, feeling as though someone was gossiping about him behind his back.
Little did he know, within Liyue, a common rumor was spreading: the assassin was a young man from the Fatui, holding a rather high position, known by the moniker 'Childe'!
Upon hearing these discussions, Paimon covered her mouth and chuckled, thinking that Tartaglia was definitely going to take the blame.
Before long, a Millelith soldier, holding a spear and a proclamation, gathered everyone in front of the platform.
"By order of the Liyue Qixing – A Public Announcement –
Let it be known to all: Though dragons soar and kyu-yins are ancient as mountains, all things turn to dust.
The Divine Lord's celestial reign, as eternal as the sun and moon, is subject to the whims of nature, and has faced a heavenly tribulation.
The whispers and rumors in the streets, the various conjectures, that the Divine Lord was assassinated, are not the truth.
The Divine Lord has encountered a heavenly tribulation and his soul has returned to the heavens. Thus, this proclamation is made to Liyue, praying for the people's solace, to prevent undue grief.
Furthermore, cease believing in unfounded rumors and making reckless speculations!"
The Millelith soldier put away the proclamation, pounded his spear on the ground to warn those spreading rumors, and then turned to leave.
"So that's how it is, I knew it. The Divine Lord is so powerful, who could possibly have the strength to harm him?"
"But since the Qixing has said so, then the Divine Lord's passing is as good as confirmed. Alas, the Geo Archon has indeed left this world..."
The assembled citizens began to murmur amongst themselves. Although the Divine Lord had not been assassinated, it was still a great regret for Liyue.
Paimon suddenly pulled Lumine aside to a secluded spot and whispered in her ear:
"Something's not right. Why would the Qixing give up investigating the culprit so quickly? And this reason... it feels like something they came up with on the spot. Could it be that the Qixing already know the Geo Archon isn't actually dead? But Zhongli clearly said that the Qixing and the Adepti don't know..."
Paimon guessed that perhaps Zhongli had secretly told the Qixing after completing the Gnosis transaction.
Lumine felt that this was possible, and it seemed that Paimon had become much smarter after not seeing her for a night.
As noon approached, they met with Zhongli and commenced the final 'Rite of Descension' ceremony.
Zhongli burned incense and lit candles, sending himself off with the highest honors of the Rite of Descension.
But to Paimon, who knew the truth, the scene felt rather awkward.
Fortunately, the Rite of Descension was completed quickly. Zhongli stepped aside, as Ningguang had a few words to convey to the people of Liyue.
"As you all know, as stated in the proclamation, the Divine Lord's return to the heavens signifies the severing of 'contracts' and the end of an era. The people of Liyue were once fortunate, and in their happiness, forgot the cruelty of time. When the dream ends, one learns to bid farewell. After the 'contracts' are re-established, will you—bless the next era?"
Ningguang, accompanied by Keqing and Ganyu, approached the center of the plaza. Looking at the sorrowful citizens of Liyue, she needed to rouse their spirits.
"The Liyue Qixing, under the watchful eyes of the gods and Adepti, will, together with the people of Liyue, forge a brilliant new era. Only then can we be worthy of the grace bestowed by the Divine Lord and all the Adepti..."
After her speech, Ningguang and the others left without delay. There were many more matters awaiting their attention.
"Alas, speaking of which, everyone's feelings right now should be similar to mine... I wonder if souvenirs commemorating the Geo Archon would be the biggest business opportunity of the moment?"
Shi Tou, the owner of Bubu Pharmacy, was preparing to channel his grief into a business opportunity, seizing this chance to make a small profit.
Geo Archon: You are truly filial to death...
"Hey, Zhongli!"
Paimon and Lumine exited the venue and found Zhongli gazing at the mountains below from the railing, contemplating life.
"Look, the people of Liyue all believe they'll never see the Geo Archon again. Look at this atmosphere of remembrance and emotion... why do you, yourself, look so 'relieved'?"
"Hahaha, after shedding a burden of three thousand seven hundred years, wouldn't one feel lighter? By the way, when you two are free, I'll treat you to a meal at 'The Chihsing'."
Zhongli laughed heartily. From now on, his leisurely travels would not be limited to Liyue; he could also visit other places and see old friends he hadn't met in many years.
"Hmph, don't brag, Zhongli. I can believe 'Three-Round Harbor' might be affordable, but 'The Chihsing' charges for even a cup of tea! Can you really afford it?"
Paimon said, hands on her hips. It wasn't that she looked down on Zhongli, but without Childe's wallet, a meal at 'The Chihsing' might bankrupt him.
"Uh... come to think of it, my Mora is indeed insufficient."
Zhongli suddenly remembered that he hadn't paid the bill at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor yet.
To pay off his debt, he had agreed to the Director's request to impersonate the Geo Archon for a promotional event in a few days.
Alas...
He still hadn't memorized the lines the Director had written for him.
It was quite a headache. Next time, it would be more convenient to just borrow some Godly snake gallbladders from an 'old friend' to settle his debts.
"So, why is Morax short of Mora?"
Paimon didn't understand. As the God of Contracts and Mora, couldn't he just snap his fingers and produce a pile of Mora?
"As the Geo Archon, Morax, I can naturally create Mora with ease. However, since I've chosen the mortal identity of 'Zhongli', I must abide by mortal rules..."
If he were to conjure Mora arbitrarily, it would bring temporary relief, but creating excessive Mora without restraint would inevitably have a certain impact on Liyue's market stability. This clearly went against his expectations.
Zhongli was quite satisfied with his current life. Although being in debt was a hassle, in a way, being able to stir his emotions was also a means of alleviating 'erosion'.
"Oh, I get it. So that's why you're freeloading everywhere, getting others to pay, and turning into a social parasite?"