Seeing Luo Li suddenly stop in his tracks, Raiden Makoto followed his gaze.
After scanning the scene for a moment, she took the initiative and suggested,
"There's still plenty of time. Since we have nothing urgent to do, why don't we listen for a bit?"
Eula and Noelle immediately agreed.
Storytelling was something entirely new to them, so naturally, they were eager to experience it.
The four quietly made their way to the outermost tables and chairs set up outside the teahouse and sat down.
Seeing well over a hundred people gathered to listen, Noelle—who insisted on standing slightly behind Luo Li—asked curiously,
"What's he talking about? Why are there so many people?"
"You'll find out soon enough," Luo Li replied.
To him, such a crowd was nothing surprising—it felt entirely natural.
In this era, entertainment for ordinary people was extremely scarce. After finishing work during the day, they would head home in the evening to warm beds, wives, and children.
The only activities that could truly be called leisure were listening to storytellers or watching opera performances.
This was also Raiden Makoto's first time listening to a storyteller.
In the past, Inazuma had kabuki-style performances, but after so many years had passed, even her memories of them had grown hazy.
Once they settled in, they saw that Tian Tiezui, overwhelmed by the crowd's enthusiasm, forced a wry smile and raised his hands to quiet everyone down.
"Alright, alright! Since everyone is so eager, I'll tell another story. But this one won't continue from the last—I'll be speaking of a tale from the distant, ancient past!"
The audience had been ready to protest—what was the point of all that noise if he wasn't continuing the previous story?
But the moment they heard ancient times, their curiosity was instantly hooked. Shouts rang out, urging him to hurry up.
Tian Tiezui smiled leisurely, fanning himself with smug satisfaction, putting on a full performance before finally lowering his voice mysteriously.
"I trust everyone here already knows the story of how the Geo Archon founded Liyue. But what I'm about to tell you took place before the establishment of Liyue."
As soon as those words fell, the crowd erupted into murmurs.
This was truly unfamiliar territory.
The founding of Liyue itself was already unimaginably ancient—let alone events predating it.
"Tian Tiezui, stop teasing us! What exactly happened?"
"Yeah! Don't keep us hanging like this!"
Tian Tiezui hurriedly gestured for calm.
"Everyone, don't rush. Listen carefully, and I'll explain."
"I learned of this matter from a set of damaged ancient texts. Tell me—does anyone here know about the long-abandoned Guili Assembly?"
Seeing the crowd's expressions darken, he didn't wait for an answer and immediately continued.
"Some time ago, people were treasure-hunting at Guili Assembly and happened upon a cache of valuables. By sheer coincidence, I acquired several ancient manuscripts among them—and was astonished to discover records of primeval gods who lived in the same era as the Geo Archon."
Primeval gods?
The crowd pursed their lips in disinterest. Who didn't know about that?
If not for the Geo Archon and the surviving adepti joining forces to protect humanity, Liyue wouldn't exist today.
Many assumed Tian Tiezui was merely recycling old stories under a new pretense, preparing to curse him as they stood to leave.
But Tian Tiezui saw through their thoughts and said smugly,
"May I ask—does anyone here know where the name Guili Assembly comes from?"
Just as he expected, the crowd exchanged glances, none able to answer. The thought of leaving vanished instantly.
After all, ancient history relied heavily on oral transmission, and with time stretching too far back, many legends had long lost their threads.
Even events from five hundred years ago were hazy to modern Liyue citizens—how could they possibly know tales from one or two thousand years past?
"Guili Assembly… could it mean 'the return of those who departed'?"
A clear, youthful voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.
Tian Tiezui looked over and his eyes lit up.
"Isn't that the second young master of the Feiyun Commerce Guild? What brings you to my humble storytelling corner?"
The young man—identified as the Feiyun Commerce Guild's second young master—smiled lightly. Under the gazes around him, he courteously clasped his hands.
"My name is Xingqiu. I happened to be passing by on my way to Wanwen Bookhouse and heard you speak of ancient matters. I have a particular interest in such topics and couldn't help but stop. I hope I'm not being disruptive."
With his slightly androgynous appearance, Xingqiu bowed politely to those present.
As someone who lacked nothing materially, his hobby was reading. He knew things beyond the reach of most people—but precisely because of that, the number of things he didn't understand only grew.
Whenever he encountered something he didn't know yet wished to understand, he would pursue it relentlessly.
"Young Master Xingqiu is too polite," Tian Tiezui said.
"I can't say whether the meaning is 'the return of the departed,' but according to the ancient texts, the characters Gui and Li come from the names of two gods."
He stopped teasing and immediately explained what the manuscripts recorded.
"Oh? So they're derived from divine names."
Xingqiu pondered this quietly. He'd seen fragmented references to ancient legends in old books, but they were so incomplete they were unreadable.
Tian Tiezui said solemnly,
"Indeed. They were known as the God of Dust and the God Luo."
At those words, Luo Li—who had been sipping tea—immediately choked.
Startled, Raiden Makoto reached out to steady him. He waved his hand, indicating he was fine.
The title God Luo genuinely caught him off guard.
Who could have guessed that humans back then would record it using those characters?
Suppressing a wave of mild disbelief, Luo Li took a while to calm down and continued listening as Tian Tiezui recounted the ancient records.
"It is said that when the Archon War had just begun, and to spare her people from suffering, the Dust God—whose strength was lacking—encountered the God Luo north of Mount Tianheng. He had no desire to compete for a divine seat, and she pleaded with him to help shelter her people…"
As soon as the story began, everyone's attention was fully captured—Xingqiu included.
After all, unfamiliar yet fascinating topics naturally stirred boundless curiosity.
And true to his reputation, Tian Tiezui's storytelling was vivid and emotionally charged, drawing listeners in as if they were witnessing the events firsthand.
Listening to events he had personally lived through, Luo Li let out a soft sigh.
Back then, it truly had been Guizhong who first sought him out while he still wandered the land.
She offered her willingness to relinquish her divine seat as part of the pact, asking him to help watch over her people.
At the time, Luo Li had no interest in godhood. With nothing else pressing to occupy him, he accepted her request.
From that moment on, with the assurance of overwhelming strength, Guizhong's people were finally able to settle down—no longer forced to flee endlessly under pressure from other gods.
And later still, the two of them encountered the Morax of that era.
Hmm…
Or, to put it another way
the Geo Archon.