"... Auntie Ping, I know the 'celestial' in the 'Celestial-Demon War' refers to Celestials, but what about the 'demon'? Is it a monster?"
After listening to Qiqi's past, Ryan was silent for a moment, then, gathering his spirits, he asked another question.
He had been curious about this ever since Granny Ping first started telling the story.
"Not monsters; they are fiends, demon-fiends."
"Although Celestials and demon-fiends are both cultivators, unlike the Celestials of Jueyun Karst who were taught by the Geo Archon, fiends who strayed without guidance are called demon-fiends. They were once the retainers of other Gods on the land of Liyue, and after the God War, they still hid in Liyue, secretly recovering their strength."
"However, since the Celestial-Demon War, no traces of demon-fiends have been seen within Liyue. You don't need to worry too much."
Granny Ping explained the identity of the other side in the Celestial-Demon War to Ryan, and at the same time, reassured him.
In her impression, Ryan was a timid fox.
"Wow... Auntie Ping, do you think it's still not too late if I start eating vegetarian from today?"
Hearing that fiends who strayed would become demon-fiends, Ryan immediately shrank his neck.
"Hehehe, eating a little meat won't turn you into a demon-fiend. Plus, Cloud Retainer has taught you since you were young; I believe you won't disappoint her. After all, she's very good at being a master."
Ryan's worry made Granny Ping chuckle, and she gently patted his hand to comfort him.
"..."
'The matter of eating Ganyu senior sister's child, it seems, absolutely cannot be mentioned...'
Thinking of that Qilin Pill, which looked very much like a young Ganyu and seemed to be alive, Ryan couldn't help but feel a little guilty... Then, Ryan chatted with Granny Ping for a while longer, and also helped her water the glaze lilies and silk flowers.
Finally, Ryan took his leave.
"Hmm, come visit Auntie more often when you have time. It's a pity that Yaoyao isn't here today; she really likes you, her senior brother."
Granny Ping didn't try to make him stay further, only giving a few more instructions before he left.
She and Cloud Retainer were of the same generation, so Ryan and her disciple, Yaoyao, were also of the same generation of senior and junior siblings.
"Okay, Auntie Ping, I'll come often to have tea with you."
Ryan replied earnestly, then, after bidding farewell to Granny Ping, he descended Yujing Terrace.
However, he did not head to Bubu Pharmacy, which was opposite Yujing Terrace, but instead planned to go to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to find Hu Tao first.
After all, it was she who had asked him to inquire about Qiqi's background.
Thinking of this, Ryan took out the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor discount coupon.
"It's near Chihuo Rock, at the edge of the bustling Feiyun Slope..."
Ryan carefully looked at the address on it, muttering as he walked in that direction.
Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was quite famous in Liyue Harbor. Although not all of Liyue's funerals were handled by Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, whenever a funeral organization was mentioned, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor would inevitably be brought up.
Therefore, Ryan simply asked a passerby and learned of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's location, quickly arriving outside.
Wangsheng Funeral Parlor did not open for business during the day, nor did it open at night.
Perhaps it was a taboo, like "opening the door means welcoming guests"... However, at night, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor would be brightly lit, and there would be undertakers in Wangsheng Funeral Parlor uniforms outside the door, letting people know it was open for business.
Of course, funeral activities were not all held at night; evenings were mostly for rituals, and many burials took place during the day.
So, if one were to knock on the door, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was also open for business during the day.
"Thump, thump-thump!"
Ryan stepped forward and knocked on the door.
"Who are you looking for?"
A voice suddenly asked from inside the door.
"I'm here to see Director Hu, is she in?"
Ryan replied, but he always felt that the voice from inside the door was a bit eerie, though he didn't know if it was his imagination.
"Looking for This Master? Quick, quick, open the door and welcome the guest!"
Just then, Hu Tao's urging voice sounded from inside the door.
Subsequently, the main door of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was opened by an undertaker in a Wangsheng Funeral Parlor uniform, and Hu Tao then came up from behind.
"Here, here, it's Ryan! Come in, come in and sit. Sister Dudu, please bring me the Guest Elder's tea leaves from last time."
Seeing Ryan, Hu Tao enthusiastically pulled him into Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Although Ryan felt that Hu Tao's enthusiasm seemed a bit off, he subconsciously surveyed Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Aside from some paper-mache items and funeral supplies, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was not as gloomy and terrifying as he had imagined.
And even though it was daytime, he could see several Wangsheng Funeral Parlor employees busy in the hall, but they didn't pay attention to Ryan's side.
Because according to the customs of Liyue Harbor, people would try to avoid communicating with the disciples of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, and the people of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor were used to this, not talking to outsiders during work, even if they were visiting guests.
Ryan was thus pulled by Hu Tao to sit in the living room, and the undertaker from earlier also went to fetch the tea leaves.
"Director Hu, actually, I'm not here to order Wangsheng Funeral Parlor services..."
Seeing Hu Tao start to brew tea, Ryan quickly clarified the matter.
Ryan's words made Hu Tao pause her tea-brewing motion.
Then she opened the teapot in her hand, grabbed another handful of tea leaves, and started brewing again.
Next, she poured out the first cup of tea, as diluted as water, that she had just brewed.
"Since you're not here for Wangsheng Funeral Parlor services, then the matter This Master asked you to do must have been resolved, right? That's wonderful, Ryan, please have some tea."
Having re-brewed the tea, Hu Tao pushed the teacup towards Ryan.
"Yes."
Ryan nodded in confirmation, but looking at the teacup in front of him, he felt a headache coming on.
He had already drunk a belly full of tea at Granny Ping's place!
What kind of fox gets full from drinking tea?
Thinking of this, Ryan held the teacup but did not drink the tea. Instead, he began to relay what he had found out to Hu Tao, regarding Qiqi's background.
Upon learning of Qiqi's accidental experience, how she gained a Vision due to her desire to live, and was then resurrected by Celestials, Hu Tao's expression changed slightly.
"Qiqi wants to live so much, it seems I can't just bury her..."
Qiqi's story touched Hu Tao's heart, and she couldn't help but mutter.
Her original idea was to help Qiqi fulfill her desire so she could pass on peacefully, but now Qiqi's desire was to live, and she had no choice but to change her mind.
"In that case, Qiqi can only be treated as a once-in-a-lifetime exception..."
Thinking of this, Hu Tao muttered, making this decision.
"But speaking of which, Ryan, you were able to find out so much, and you're very familiar with Lady Ganyu, and you don't look like a mortal... Could you be a Celestial?"
After making her decision, Hu Tao suddenly asked Ryan with some curiosity.
"Cough, cough, I wouldn't dare say so; I'm just Ganyu's junior brother."
Ryan quickly waved his hand.
After telling Hu Tao about Qiqi's background for a while, he felt a bit thirsty, so he took a sip of the tea in his hand.
Heh... it seems the taste isn't worse than Granny Ping's tea... "Oh my! So Ryan, you're a Celestial's disciple!"
"That's wonderful! A Celestial's disciple gracing us with his presence simply brings immense glory to everyone at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor! This Master will gather everyone from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to offer you tea right away!"
Hu Tao's eyes lit up upon learning Ryan's identity, and she immediately suggested this.
"Cough, cough, cough?! No, no, no!"
Upon hearing this, Ryan almost choked on his tea and hurriedly stopped Hu Tao...