"Next… I hope the two of you can help me borrow the Cleansing Bell."
Zhongli said to Lumine and Paimon.
"The Cleansing Bell?"
Paimon tilted her head curiously.
"At present, the Cleansing Bell is in the care of an old friend of mine, Granny Ping."
"She usually stays near Yujing Terrace. If you ask around for her, people will know who she is."
Zhongli explained calmly.
"Alright… but…"
"This time, Mr. Zhongli isn't coming with us?"
Paimon asked.
"Yes. There are certain reasons why it would be inconvenient for me to appear."
"I'll have to trouble you two."
Zhongli placed a hand over his chest and nodded.
"Huh… Mr. Zhongli is acting kind of mysterious this time."
Paimon said with her hands on her hips.
Because if he went with you, his identity would be exposed.
Qiu Nian smiled inwardly.
"I'll go with them."
After thinking for a moment, Qiu Nian spoke.
It would be a good chance to see an old friend.
Thinking about it carefully, he hadn't seen Streetward Rambler for nearly three thousand years.
In his memories, she had once been a graceful and beautiful adeptus.
But knowing the game's story, he also knew that after certain events she had taken on the appearance of an old woman.
"Hmm…"
Zhongli stroked his chin and pondered briefly.
Then he nodded slightly.
Soon afterward, the three of them headed toward Liyue Harbor.
Along the way, Lumine and Paimon chatted with Qiu Nian from time to time.
Compared with Zhongli and all his refined knowledge of high society, Qiu Nian was far easier to talk to.
By noon, they arrived in Liyue Harbor.
Near Yujing Terrace, they spotted a hunched old woman with white hair.
The three walked up behind her.
She was standing before a cluster of Glaze Lilies, shaking her head while murmuring to herself.
"Such are the changes of the world… such are the changes…"
Her voice carried both sorrow and reflection.
Lumine politely spoke.
"Hello there."
"Young ones, have you come to admire the flowers?"
The old woman turned around.
"Unfortunately, you've come at the wrong time…"
"These Glaze Lilies are almost finished blooming."
Granny Ping said as her gaze swept over Lumine and Paimon.
"Why are they all wilting?"
Paimon asked.
"In my younger days, people used to say that Glaze Lilies could understand human emotions."
"If they heard beautiful sounds—laughter, singing—they would flourish."
"But if they heard too many unpleasant sounds… rumors and gossip…"
"They would wither very quickly."
Granny Ping explained softly.
"…So the situation in Liyue Harbor right now…"
"The flowers can feel it too?"
Paimon quickly connected the explanation to the current turmoil.
"Yes."
"The rumors of Rex Lapis' death are no small matter."
"Every street corner is filled with speculation."
"Some say it was a Fatui conspiracy."
"Others say something in the sea is breaking free."
"And some say the Qixing staged the entire thing themselves…"
Granny Ping sighed.
"This harbor is like a pile of dry firewood."
"All it takes is a single spark for the flames to rage out of control."
Then she lifted her head—
And looked toward the handsome young man standing beside Lumine and Paimon.
At first, she had only thought he looked familiar.
But when she examined the robe he wore more carefully, her pupils contracted slightly.
In that instant, countless memories flashed through her mind.
After a moment of stunned silence, she looked at his face.
And froze.
"So… you've returned as well."
"Liyue Harbor is certainly lively these days."
Granny Ping smiled warmly and nodded at Qiu Nian.
"Wait… Granny Ping looked so sad just now."
"But as soon as she saw Qiu Nian, she started smiling."
Paimon looked back and forth between them, confused.
"It has been a long time."
"Granny Ping."
Qiu Nian looked at the old woman, a trace of emotion appearing in his eyes.
"Haha… even you call me that now."
"It seems I really have grown old."
Granny Ping laughed and shook her head.
Hearing those words, Qiu Nian sighed softly.
For some reason, his heart felt slightly heavy.
"Some people say that that one assassinated Rex Lapis."
"They say only he had the power to do it…"
"But I do not believe it."
"How could he ever assassinate Rex Lapis?"
"He was such a gentle and powerful god."
After saying this, Granny Ping kept her eyes fixed on Qiu Nian's expression—
As if searching for an answer.
When Qiu Nian heard the words gentle and powerful, his gaze lowered briefly.
"I do not believe it either."
Then he looked at Granny Ping and smiled faintly.
"Is that so…"
"It seems that after all these years, you haven't changed at all."
"As for me… I'm quite different from the past."
Granny Ping nodded knowingly, as if she had just received the answer she wanted.
"Qiu Nian, you know Granny Ping?"
Lumine asked, bewildered by their cryptic conversation.
"Long ago, I met Granny Ping in Jueyun Karst."
Qiu Nian nodded.
"I simply didn't expect that the Granny Ping you mentioned…"
"Would be the very same one I knew."
He turned toward her with a light smile.
Meanwhile, the viewers in Xuehua's livestream felt something was off—but couldn't quite explain it.
Why did Granny Ping know about that one?
Weren't only a few people supposed to know about it right now?
However, the players who had already finished the closed beta storyline had begun forming their own suspicions.
They knew that Granny Ping herself was an adeptus.
So could Qiu Nian also be some kind of adeptus?
And earlier, when Granny Ping said only that one possessed the power to assassinate Rex Lapis—
She had looked directly at Qiu Nian.
But Qiu Nian had clearly asked Zhongli about that one not long ago.
Could it be…
That Qiu Nian himself was the outer god?!