A few more days passed, and Rover had already grown familiar with the power of Geo. Just as they pushed the door open, they heard a lively commotion downstairs.
Listening carefully, wasn't that Paimon's boisterous voice?
Following the sound, Rover spotted Zhongli speaking with Aether. Shortly after, Aether noticed Rover as well.
"Brother Rover! It's such a relief to see you're okay!"
Aether waved excitedly at Rover, while Paimon crossed her arms with a smug expression.
"Aether rushed the whole way here, worried you might have run into trouble."
Hearing Paimon's words, Aether froze for a moment before hurriedly covering her mouth. Rover simply chuckled, assuring them that nothing had happened.
After everyone exchanged information, Rover learned about Aether's recent journey.
It turned out that Aether had used the Sigil of Permission given by Childe to seek out the adepti. They first met the adepti—Mountain Shaper, Moon Carver, and Cloud Retainer—all of whom expressed grief over the assassination of Rex Lapis. They were even more furious that the Liyue Qixing had pinned the blame on others without evidence.
In their eyes, this was a clear sign of the Liyue Qixing's incompetence.
Finally, Cloud Retainer advised them to seek out the last adeptus—the Vigilant Yaksha, Xiao, who resided at Wangshu Inn. That was why Aether had come here.
"With that in mind, the warrant for your arrest in Liyue should be temporarily lifted under the adepti's pressure," Zhongli analyzed the situation before turning to Rover, who nodded in agreement.
"Then, it's time to return to Liyue."
...
"Hey, I've been waiting for you all for a while now."
Following the agreed-upon meeting spot, Aether led the group to reunite with Childe. Along the way, Rover also learned about the deal between Aether and Childe.
After listening to Aether recount their experiences, Childe nodded thoughtfully before speaking up.
"Hmm... These adepti have never been recorded in the Fatui's intelligence network. Anyway, since this is a transaction, I won't let you lose out. As a gesture of goodwill, I'll exchange the intelligence the Fatui have gathered during this time."
Childe handed a dossier to Aether, and Rover's group gathered around to review the Fatui's analysis of Liyue's current situation.
Meanwhile, Childe calmly explained the recent developments in Liyue.
"The Liyue Qixing's reaction to the death of their god is... quite intriguing. Under pressure from the adepti, they've revoked your arrest warrants. Publicly, they claim that since the true culprit hasn't been found, no one is allowed to pay respects to the Exuvia. They've even tried to suppress the news."
Paimon stroked her chin and asked Childe in confusion,
"Why do the adepti have so much authority in Liyue?"
Zhongli stepped forward to explain to Paimon and the puzzled group.
"Allow me to clarify. By Liyue's common understanding, both Rex Lapis and the adepti are referred to as 'immortals.' The Geo Archon is the God of Contracts, also known as the Prime of the Adepti. All adepti now abide by the contract to watch over Liyue.
"They bear both the responsibility and the right—should the Liyue Qixing fail in their governance, the adepti have the authority to hold them accountable."
Childe looked at Zhongli and clapped his hands.
"I've long heard of Mr. Zhongli's vast knowledge, and today, I see it's truly extraordinary. I originally intended to act as a liaison for you all, but it seems you've already connected."
Paimon was even more baffled, but Rover reminded her,
"Remember Zhongli's identity when we first met him?"
Paimon thought for a moment.
"The consultant of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor... So what?"
Even Aether understood. He knocked lightly on Paimon's head and sighed.
"Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is a professional funeral service. Naturally, Rex Lapis's funeral would fall under their purview. So, Mr. Zhongli must be overseeing this matter. Therefore, if we want to see the Geo Archon's remains, we'll have to work with Mr. Zhongli to arrange the funeral. Right?"
Hearing this, Paimon finally pieced everything together.
"Ah, dealing with smart people really saves time. Please, I've already prepared a banquet at Liuli Pavilion... Uh, it seems to be a cultural tradition here. In Liyue, the best place to discuss matters is over a meal."
Childe scratched his head. As a Snezhnayan, he often found Liyue's customs hard to grasp, leaving him dizzy.
At the dining table, the three parties reached an agreement without any obstacles.
Zhongli: I will prepare the ceremonial artifacts required.
Aether & Rover: We'll assist Zhongli in purchasing and gathering the necessary items.
Childe: Uh... I'll provide the funds?
Just like that, before Childe could react, the others unanimously settled the matter. Soon after, everyone dispersed, leaving Childe still clutching his chopsticks, struggling to learn how to use them.
....
"This is the first installment of funds from Childe. If it runs out, we can always request additional reimbursement from him later."
Zhongli weighed the heavy pouch of Mora in his hand, looking quite satisfied.
"Wow, Childe is really rich!"
Paimon's eyes sparkled as she stared at the Mora pouch, already imagining if there'd be any leftover after buying what they needed...
"Now, the first step is to purchase the highest-quality Noctilucous Jade."
Arriving at Jueyun Shop, the owner, Stone, was loudly enticing tourists to try their luck with ore gambling. Seeing Rover's group approach, he quickly called his assistant to unveil the ores.
Rover immediately recognized that the owner was trying to scam tourists during the Rite of Descension.
"We're not here for ore gambling, boss. We're here to buy Noctilucous Jade of the 'Candlelight' grade."
Zhongli succinctly stated their purpose.
"Oh! Here to buy Noctilucous Jade, eh? Come, come! Our Jueyun Shop is an old, reputable brand. Look at this quality! Absolutely top-tier—the kind even Rex Lapis would praise!"
Paimon flew around, examining the Noctilucous Jade on display. The pieces were indeed beautiful, gleaming with a rich luster.
Hearing Stone's words, Rover's lips twitched as they glanced at Zhongli, who remained unfazed.
"Mr. Zhongli, in your opinion, which type should we choose?"
Rover asked, while Aether and Paimon also looked at Zhongli for guidance.
Zhongli nodded. Stepping forward calmly, he smiled faintly and uttered just six words to the shopkeeper:
"Boss, I'll take it all."
Everyone was stunned—even Stone's eyes widened in shock, his voice trembling slightly.
"Y-You're serious?"
Zhongli replied with a composed affirmation, as if the Mora being spent wasn't his own.
"Yes, boss. I'll take all of this Noctilucous Jade."