(Art by Tian Kazuki. If he requests me to remove it, I will)

(Quite frankly, one of the best artists I have ever seen. This art is just WOW!)

(A shame the idiots on Twitter and Reddit think differently. Their mindsets are just wow for all the wrong reasons. If I could follow him, I would. His art is awesome)

(And something else I like is how mature Aether looks, if I was a girl and saw this pic of him, I would have fallen for him in a heartbeat cause DAMN! He looks good here!)

(If you don't use Twitter, you can find his art on Danbooru. Very good art. Iwas surprised at how well he turned Furina into a milf )

...Pain.

All I feel is mental anguish and pain from trying to get this chapter done.

But here it is.

Oh, well. At least I got Wriothesley (aka Emergency Ice Bridge #2).

I don't own any of the art that might appear here, they belong to their respective creators.

Enjoy!

"Time for some fun."

Zero smirked.

Sending chills down their spines.

Their version of fun was vastly different than theirs!

Clak, clink

Nobody said anything as they uneasily ate.

"GEEZ!"

Itto shouted.

"Just how bad is their relationship?"

He asked.

From just the tiny bit of the beginning, you can feel the tension!

"You got me."

Sampo shrugged.

"Scorned lover, perhaps?"

He suggested.

*PFT!!*

"SAMPO!!" "OI!" "Isn't that a little too out of there?"

Many people shouted/asked.

"It was just a suggestion!"

Sampo raised his hands in defense.

"One that might make sense."

Navia giggled in amusement.

This was getting more and more exciting!

'The atmosphere is so thick you can cut it with a knife.'

"Understatement."

Qiqi said.

Aether thought to himself.

For some reason, after Childe had introduced Miss Zhongli (M/N) underwent a 180-degree personality swing the moment he saw her.

"Man." Charlotte shook her head in interest. "Just what is their connection?"

The reporter journalist instincts screaming at some juicy tea just waiting to be spilt.

"We'll know when we get there, I guess."

Wriothesley shrugged.

"But when?"

Sigewinne asked.

"...Is there something wrong, my good sir?"

Said woman was bewildered by the male stare.

Had they met before?

"From everything we've seen so far." Elysia spoke up. "That would be a yes."

"Once a blockhead, always a blockhead!"

(Y/N) Kaslana laughed.

'...He's not wrong.'

Those that knew Zhongli thought to themselves.

Zhongli felt pain and betrayal for some reason.

"No." He gritted out. "Nothing is wrong."

"Uh-huh."

Himeko deadpanned.

Her counterpart doing the same.

His strained smile said otherwise.

"He's such a liar."

Luka sweatdropped.

Zhongli was confused.

Why was he treating her like an enemy?

"Ohhhh, I can think of a few reasons."

Drake snickered.

"..."

"..."

"Well?"

Collei spoke.

"Aren't you going to tell us?"

"PFT! Nice try, Collei-flower!"

Drake laughed.

"You're not getting the answer that easily!"

"Damn..."

Collei pouted as Amber snickered.

Did their paths cross? Did she slight his family in some way?

"So..." Paimon butted in, unable to take it anymore. "Who is she, anyways?"

"Thank you, Paimon!"

Lumine shouted in gratitude.

"For once."

Arlecchino added.

"Hey!"

Paimon shouted indignantly.

'Thank you Paimon!'

Childe and Aether thought to themselves.

"That must have been a really tensed and awkward situation."

Luka sweatdropped.

"As I mentioned before, she's an associate of the Fatui."

"...Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?"

Bronya deadpanned as she stared at Childe.

"Meh."

Who just shrugged.

"...Meaning?"

Aether drawled out.

"Wangsheng line of work can be rather...sensitive at times." Zhongli admitted.

???

"Wh-What does that mean?"

March 7th asked a little uneasily.

"You'll see."

Hu Tao chuckled evilly.

Scaring her even more.

"They know the meaning of the 'discrete.'" Childe took over. "And the Fatui have always been friends with those who walk in the shadows."

!?

"Assassins?!"

Yanqing glared at the Director and Consultant.

"Wa-Walk in the shadows?"

Paimon shook.

"It is an honor to meet you." Zhongli spoke, a smirk on her face. "I have heard tell of you from Mondstadt."

"How nice."

Lumine sarcastically said.

"Discretion...shadows." Paimon face grew more and more terrified with each word. "You have some sort of dealing with people?"

The people of Liyue refused to let their expressions show on their faces. It was always amusing when tourists first hear of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. The Liyueans usually just call it Wangsheng when they first talk about it to see the reactions they give.

Here Aether tensed, waiting for her response.

"Oh, boy."

"Indeed, it as you gu-"

"It's a funeral parlor."

*CRASH!!*

"THAT'S IT!?"

March shouted out in shock and disbelief.

All that buildup for a freaking funeral parlor!?

(M/N) interrupted, not in the mood for games.

"...Eh?"

Paimon blinked.

"You can't be serious?"

Aether deadpanned.

"Oh, he is serious all right."

"Why did you have to spoil my fun?"

Zhongli pouted.

"...Ummm..."

Ganyu just stared at the screen.

"I honestly cannot imagine Rex Lapis pouting, regardless of the gender he's in."

"I too, cannot imagine Rex Lapis making such an expression."

Xiao agreed.

"Well, hey!" Childe nervously said. "We couldn't imagine Her Excellency, the Tsaritsa, being able to pout. But she did."

"Still feels weird."

Hu Tao sweatdropped.

What? She's never seen her Consultant make such an expression before!

Zhongli and the Tsaritsa muttered under their breath as many people that knew them nodding and voiced out their agreements.

(M/N) ignored how cute it made her look.

"AWWWW!" (Y/N) Kaslana smiled. "How cute!"

BONK!

"OW!"

(Y/N) shouted as he got hit on the head with a coconut.

???

"The hell did that come from?"

Drake blinked in confusion.

"Look, can you help us or not?"

(M/N) growled.

"Quite impatient, isn't he?"

Kiana sweatdropped.

"You're one to talk."

Mei, Bronya, Himeko, and Theresa all said in unison.

"GAH!!"

Kiana, Small!Kiana, and HOTV Kiana all shouted in unison.

"Yes." Zhongli started. "Even though Rex Lapis is the Lord of Geo, he too is an adeptus. Thus, the Rite of Parting must be prepared for him."

???

"Is that how Rex Lapis is going to be able to help them?"

Yanfei tilted her head in confusion.

"It sounds too easy to get access to the Exuvia."

"Indeed." Ningguang took a long breath of her pipe. "What could Rex Lapis have up her sleeve?"

Here, the Liyueans turned to the Rex Lapis in the theater.

"..."

Who looked away, whistling nonchalantly.

Ignika sweatdropped.

'Hope that counterpart of mine that is the new Geo Archon in that universe is having an easier time with his Zhongli.'

'That's gotta be a new one.' (M/N) deadpanned to himself. 'Holding your own funeral for a not dead guy.'

"...Am I going to be wasting time, money, expenses, and rites for this?"

Hu Tao gave her consultant a dead look in the eyes.

"..."

"...I'm charging you a ridiculous amount of Mora for wasting my time, Zhongli."

Hu Tao deadpanned.

"And you better bring your wallet this time!"

"Noted."

Zhongli said.

???

"What does she mean by that?"

Griseo asked Aponia.

But it was (M/N) who answered.

"The Blockhead has a bad habit of leaving his wallet behind." The Toa of Life explained. "Because he failed to understand the basics of being human when he decided to become Rex 'Incognito' Lapis."

"Ah."

Griseo said as the Teyvatians just gave the Geo Archon a look of pure disbelief.

"What?"

Zhongli asked at the incredulous stares.

"...Yeah, I'm giving you mandatory lessons on how to mingle as a human."

Hu Tao deadpanned.

"As per Liyue tradition." Zhongli continued. "A huge memorial service is held to mark the passing of every adeptus. But in this case, the Liyue Qixing has hidden the Exuvia instead of continuing the tradition."

"Sacrilege this is..."

"You cannot blame them."

Welt Yang spoke up.

"While it is true that it is insulting the long standing traditions that Liyue has held for thousands of years."

"The fact remains that Rex Lapis has died under mysterious and suspicious circumstances that don't truly make sense to anyone."

HSR Welt spoke up.

(Dear God, this is so weird considering they are literally the same person just one in the future and one from the past.)

"And right now, they don't know that their God faked his death instead of actually dying. It has sent the entire chessboard flying with that unexpected twist."

"Just like in a novel where the author creates an unexpected twist that no one saw coming."

Xingqiu quipped.

"Exactly."

"Considering the killer is still on the loose." Aether started. "I can see why."

"Thank the Gods that wasn't the case."

Ignika shook his head.

"Otherwise, you would have to be on the lookout for someone who actually managed to slay one of the strongest Archons in existence."

"...Um..."

"You don't count because you are not that stupid to actually try to strike down a God that is extremely important to the world."

HOTV Kiana deadpanned as she interrupted Columbina.

"You know full well what the repercussions would be if you dared to try to kill Zhongli."

"...But what about when we were dragged here?"

Heizou asked.

"Oh, that?" Zero spoke up. "They were disoriented, confused, probably a bit scared at being dragged into an unknown with no effort and away from whatever secret locations they were in. Plus, I have the power to unravel all their plans and reveal certain truths."

"And our dear Doctor did not want to lose his experiments because not seeing the results is more torturous than never doing them in the first place."

"...That's true."

Dottore admitted.

"Plus." Zero added. "Let's just say I saw some of the things Dottore had done that made me displeased with him as well as some of the actions of certain Fatui members that really pissed me and the other Gods off."

...And there was that too.

"Word of advice." Drake gave them a 'smile'. "You should be mindful of what you do because there are beings that are far more powerful than your Archons and the Gods of Celestia."

...

'And I think I'm starting to see who you are.'

She gave him the same feeling that (M/N) did. In the sense that they were most definitely not human.

"Again." Xinyan groaned. "Who is he?"

"All will be revealed soon enough."

Ei simply said.

*SIGH*

"Saw that coming."

Lynette monotonously said.

"Well."

Lumine spoke up.

"At least Aether really has learned somethings while under (M/N) wing."

"He's much smarter than my brother here, that's for sure."

"HEY!" Aether shouted at her. "Don't forget that your counterpart is basically doing what I'm doing here!"

"I didn't forget." Lumine shrugged uncaringly. "I just get the feeling that she's going to regret ever becoming the Abyss Princess when (M/N) gets a hold of her."

"..."

It was telling when no one could disagree or agree with that.

...And probably why (M/N) was mad at her.

"Well, at least he got a chance to get some nice buns."

Itto said.

"..."

*BAM!*

"OW!!"

"IDIOT ONI!!"

Sara screamed at him as she began hitting him on the head.

"You were doing so well and now you gone and said such a stupid thing!"

"OW! OW! OW!"

Itto shouted repeatedly.

...

'Why was he granted a Geo Vision again?'

Zhongli thought to himself.

"Moving on."

Dan Heng said.

'Then again...' He thought to himself. 'I too would be made if a god 'dead' body fell on me.'

"Only someone who is kinky would enjoy that kind of thing."

Shadow (M/N) deadpanned.

"Ain't that the truth."

March 7th deadpanned.

"Regardless," Zhongli continued. "For the rites of the Geo Archon to be left ignored. Cannot be left alone."

"Travelers, Childe has told me much about your accomplishments. Since you have had dealings with the Lord of Anemo, would you help me prepare the Lord of Geo final rites?"

"I don't get why you would ask them that when you don't even know the full story of what really happened in Mondstadt."

Asta shook her head in bemusement.

"Because Hoyo makes them a bunch of pushovers that can't say no, otherwise the plot won't progress further."

Anakin deadpanned.

"...Say what now?"

Diona looked at them in confusion as they said nothing.

"...Childe says too much."

Aether deadpanned, glaring at the Hydro woman.

"Oh?" Childe drawled out. "Them's fighting words."

"Of course." Arlecchino shook her head. "Always looking for an excuse to fight."

"Heh."

Childe chuckled.

"Maybe for later." Aether waved her off. "For now, give me one good reason why I should agree."

"Yeah!" Paimon nodded in agreement. "Why should we agree to help the Fatui? What have they done for us besides causing trouble and hurting our friends?"

"Eye candy."

Lust said.

"...Is that the only thing they have going for them?"

HSR Seele sweatdropped.

"Pretty much, yeah."

Helga answered.

OUCH!

Right in the kisser.

"...There goes their pride again."

Thoma sweatdropped as the Fatui sat in a corner of darkness and despair.

(Let's face it, there are obviously going to be Pulcinella simps.)

(...Let's just hope they don't go that far in simping for him)

*SIGH*

"Access to Rex Lapis vessel has been forbidden on orders of the Tianquan." Zhongli explained. "And from what I've been told you need to see it in order to achieve your goals."

"How fun."

Kiana sarcastically said.

"Fun, indeed."

Durandal deadpanned.

"Talk about being backed into a corner." Aether grumbled.

"...I'm starting to think that seeing the Archons is becoming to much of a hassle to deal with."

Lumine deadpanned.

"Why the hell am I getting involved in things that don't even concern me when I'm not even a resident of that world!?"

"You tell me."

Shadow shrugged.

"You and your brothers are like Trailblazers in your own way. Getting involved in matters that will decide the fate of the world."

"...We should have never left home."

Was all Lumine said.

"For real."

Aether had to agree.

"..."

That scared the Teyvatians for some reason.

"And how much will we be getting paid?"

"Good idea."

Lumine nodded.

"I'm going to start charging you guys if I have to help fix your damn nations problems for you."

"Traveler!"

Amber shouted, scandalized by Lumine statement.

"Hey! Feeding Paimon is not cheap!"

Lumine shouted.

"If you want me to help, you better help by paying!"

"Why are you insinuating that Paimon is a bottomless pit!?"

"Because you are!!"

Lumine/(Y/N)/Zero/Ei/others shouted in unison.

"ARGGGH!!"

"Aren't you a greedy one?" Childe smiled.

"You're asking me to waste my time with something that technically isn't my problem regardless of my goals." Aether frowned. "So, I better be getting some kind of compensation for this."

"True."

Cecilia nodded.

"You're asking him to waste his time in handling tasks that aren't really related to his problems."

"And there's no guarantee that going to look at Zhongli 'dead body'." Siegfried put on air quotes at that last part. "Is going to help identify if he's the Unknown God in disguise or if he knows where to find his missing sister."

(I was kind of confused about that. How would looking at a dead body have helped the Traveler in locating their missing sibling? Seriously. How?)

"Perhaps they have the ability to see the dead?"

Rita Rossweisse offered.

"Perhaps."

Albedo said in interest.

The twins said nothing.

"Alright, alright." Childe laughed. "We'll discuss this after we finished the rites."

"Ohhhh, there's going to be a lot of 'discussing' going on."

Ivan Ooze chuckled evilly, as did others who knew of a certain event happening soon.

...Why did that scare them?

"...Fine."

Aether twitched.

"If we are all agreed, then let us head off."

"Finally!" Beidou shouted. "We're getting somewhere!"

"Yeeaaaahh, no."

(M/N) interrupted.

"You guys can go on ahead and prepare the rites, I have other things I need to be attending to."

"Wow..." Aloy just looked in amazement. "He really doesn't want to be near her."

"He has his reasons." Nahida said. "But there is also another reason why he's not joining them."

"EH!?" "You're leaving me to deal with this?!" "You really are an interesting person."

"May I ask why?"

Zhongli questioned the male.

While she didn't like to admit it, she was feeling a bit petty and vindictive towards him when he somewhat trash talked Rex Lapis.

?!!?

"So..." Ayato slowly spoke up. "Even the Geo Archon is not above petty revenge."

"You live as long as I have, you take your chances to bring some entertainment in your life."

Zhongli simply said.

"That's for sure."

Kevin Kaslana and (Y/N) Kaslana nodded.

After all, they were both over 50,000 years old in contrast to the Geo Archon 6,000 and something plus years of living.

Sending her 'dead' body at him felt refreshing for some weird reason.

"...Umm."

"Yes, there's a reason why Zhongli felt vindicated." Kunikuzushi interrupted Ganyu. "Of course, she still doesn't know his true identity. She just knows that revenge is sweet when it comes to him."

"Hmm..."

Zhongli pondered that.

Trying to remember which God or divine being did he like getting revenge on.

The Adepti also trying to rack their brains for anyone fitting that bill.

"I got something of great importance that cannot be held off, now that I'm here."

(M/N) simply said, as he began walking to the exit.

"I'll meet up with you guys later."

"Okay!" "See ya."

Paimon and Aether simply said as they turned to Zhongli.

"We should go."

"Indeed."

Zhongli agreed.

"You guys go on ahead." Childe simply said. "I'll just have a few more drinks...and get acquainted with these things called 'chopsticks' in the meantime."

"..."

"My...chopsticks...truly are hard to use..."

"...That's what seriously does you in?"

Scaramouche looked at his fellow Harbinger in disbelief.

"A pair of freaking chopsticks?!"

"..."

"...Pft." Scaramouche could not hold it in. "GAHAHAHAHAH!!"

"What a loser!" He hosuted in disbelief. "I can't believe you can't use a pair of freaking chopsticks!"

"Enlighten me, Fandango boy." Childe deadpanned. "Aren't you still having trouble using them despite being from Inazuma?"

Scaramouche shut up.

"...Where did I go wrong when I created you?"

GI Ei shook her head.

"To not even be able to use chopsticks...shameful."

"Erk!"

Scaramouche was stabbed in the heart at that.

"Well..." Yoimiya nervously sweatdropped. "They can be a little bit difficult to use in the beginning. Even for those that have used them for all their lives will sometimes have a lapse in judgement when using them."

(Poor girl)

-Outside-

"So, what are your thoughts of a nation that has been protected by their god in comparison to the absentee archon nation?"

"Do you really want an answer to that?"

Lumine and Aether deadpanned.

Obviously the locals didn't really endear them to Liyue prosperous history after making side jabs to Mondstadt for not having their God with them.

"For obvious reasons" Aether began, "I prefer the atmosphere of Mondstadt."

"There might be some douchebags, but they are tolerable."

Lumine deadpanned.

Laughing, Zhongli simply said.

"I see, so that's the kind of person you are. Though it's not a bad thing I suppose."

"Give it some time." Zhongli simply said. "And you'll come to see the differences between the two nations."

"Somehow, I doubt that."

Aether deadpanned.

"...We'll see."

Aether said, unconvinced.

"If that's not an indication of major doubt, then I don't know what is."

Elysia shook her head.

After all, he's been to worlds where humans flourished without the aid of the Gods doing everything for them.

"Now, about your companion."

Here, the audience leaned in.

"This should be interesting."

Furina mused.

Zhongli started.

"Yes?"

Aether raised an eyebrow.

"Is he always like that?"

She asked.

"If you mean glaring at you like you killed his pet goldfish, then no." Aether answered. "You're just that special."

"DAMN!!"

Siegfried shouted.

"She really must have pissed him off that badly in the past!"

"Just what it is, is another thing altogether."

Fu Hua shook her head.

"Still wondering what it was."

"Who knows."

Yelan just shrugged, curious herself about what secrets he held in regards to Rex Lapis.

"He just seems to not want to be near her for as necessary as possible."

"Maybe, he's afraid she might realized who he is if he stays for too long around her."

Rahman offered a suggestion.

"That would make sense." Dehya nodded. "He's avoided going to Liyue for as much as he can, only visiting when necessary. And since he seems determined to help Aether find his sister and the Unknown God..."

"He has to go to the one place he would prefer not to."

Cyno finished.

"...Charming."

Zhongli said.

"Paimon thinks we should start our shopping now."

The fairy spoke up.

"True." Zhongli conceded, handing Aether a large bag of mora. "These are the advance funding Childe prepared for us. If we run out, we can just go to her and ask for more."

"More errands?" Lumine sarcastically cheered. "Hooray!"

"Well...at least we'll get paid if we play our cards right?"

Paimon tried to soothe her companion's pain.

Which seemed to work a bit...just a bit since they were technically wasting their time.

"Great." Aether sarcastically said. "Let's just get this over with."

-To our favorite protagonist-

"...Here it is."

(M/N) frowned as he stared at the hidden domain he had made so long ago.

???

"A domain under the sea?" Moon Carver frowned. "Interesting in the fact that I've never seen nor heard of this domain."

"Neither has this one."

Cloud Retainer spoke up.

"Same."

Mountain Shaper said.

"Hmm." Madame Ping pondered. "There is one God of the Sea we do know, but that's impossible since the seal is nigh unbreakable."

"Who else do we know that has connections to the sea?"

"That is a good question, Madame Ping."

Zhongli frowned.

"And is this being really a God connected to the Sea, or a being that created this domain in a place that wouldn't be so easily discovered."

"And is there one in our world as well?"

Xiao frowned, as Ganyu pondered that thought.

"The dangers we face are just going to grow, Aether needs more weapons in his arsenal so that he's not at a disadvantage."

"True."

Lumine looked at her sword.

"This sadly isn't going to cut it, regardless of how durable it is."

She said, missing her old sword.

Sighing, he unsealed the domain and entered it.

Hum!

Grabbing his weapon as he glared at the hilichurls and abyss mages making residency in his domain.

"..."

"Well..." Silver Wolf popped her bubblegum. "They're fucked."

"Understatement."

HSR Seele deadpanned as they watched.

"Fall into the approaching storm!"

Unleashing an unforgiving wave of hydro at the unsuspecting monsters.

"Why didn't he say "I am the storm that is approaching?"

(Y/N) Kaslana asked.

"To avoid copyright issues."

Amagi answered.

"...Sounds about right."

???

"The hell are they talking about?"

Diona asked her father.

"Diona, language!"

Draff shouted at his daughter.

-Aether-

"I still cannot believe Mondstadt has a giant ass pot in the middle of scenic nowhere."

!?!?

"You guys...have a giant ass pot on the plains of Mondstadt!?"

March 7th shouted in shock!

"That's...unexpected."

Xingqiu said.

"Agreed."

Chongyun was in complete disbelief at what he was hearing.

While the other nations were completely and utterly confused on why there was a giant pot in Mondstadt in the first place.

"It would take too effort to move/destroy."

Jean explained.

"And in all honesty, it is out of sight and not really causing that much damage to the environment. Only problem is just the hilichurls that have made that area their home."

"That's something that can easily be taken care of though."

Jing Yuan said.

"For the not so average person, yes." Ei nodded. "But for the everyday citizen...let's not go there."

...

Aether deadpanned as he shredded the monsters into pieces by combining Anemo and Geo.

(And before you guys start saying that the Traveler can only use one at a time. That's just game mechanics. In the cutscenes he can switch between the elements he has. Example: The cutscene where he fights Childe. First it was Anemo, then it switched to Geo to give him an extra boost against Childe)

"Indeed." Zhongli agreed. "But it suits our needs for the time being."

"So long as it's useful."

TeriTeri shook her head.

"Let's get this over with!" Paimon grumbled.

And they did.

-(M/N)-

"Die, you motherfuckers!"

(M/N) unleashed a series of water spikes at the poor monsters.

"EEEEEEKKKKKK!!!!!"

Who screamed in terror and ran like a bunch of wussies.

"..."

"..."

"...We really need to train our mages better."

Aether deadpanned.

"Bunch of wussies."

-Aether-

"...My goodness!" Bolai exclaimed. "This lady is quite the connoisseur! You two must be her servants. Please refrain from any further attempts to contribute."

"EXCUSE ME!?!?"

Lumine and Aether screamed in fury as they glared at the man in question in the theater.

"Did you just call us her servants?!?!"

Lumine roared with murder in her eyes.

"..."

Bolai shivered with terror as the two looked like they were slowly advancing on him.

A result of their auras making them look bigger than they are actually are.

"Never." Aether growled. "EVER! Calls us servants or even treat us like trash just because we don't know something that is common to the locals!"

"...Well, he's dead."

Serval sweatdropped.

"I have to agree, dear sister."

Gepard nodded.

"Deader than dead."

Lynx nodded as well.

"This should be interesting."

Kazuha suddenly said, knowing that the (M/N) in that world has a strong influence on the Traveler.

...Uh-oh.

"He's in trouble."

The thing about (M/N) is that he's a bad (or good, depending on one's view) influence.

"Good, mainly."

Diluc spoke up.

"Too bad others can't say the same."

Ayaka shook her head.

Grip!

!?!?

Aether grabbed Bolai neck, strangling him like the little bitch he is, before yeeting him into the sky.

"O_O"

"Holy shit."

March just said.

"HaHAHa!" (Y/N) just laughed. "Did you see the way his eyes popped out? That was hilarious!"

"Adding to the fact that he literally sent him flying into the atmosphere with just his arm."

Timaeus shook his head.

"Kid is a lot stronger than he looks."

"I thought that was already confirmed."

Luka said.

O_O

Was the reaction of everyone watching that scene.

"(M/N) would be making proud dad noises if he was here."

Paimon said, uncaring that Aether may have killed someone by yeeting them into the stratosphere.

!!!

"Even Paimon rooted for Aether to kill him?!"

Amber shouted in shock as she looked at the fairy in the theater.

"Paimon says he deserves it!" Paimon shouted. "How can you be a businessman and treat your customers so rudely!?"

"You don't." Ignika said. "You just make them regret ever living if they treated you like that."

"MEEP!!"

He had it coming anyways.

"Ouch!" Jack winced. "Got burned by the God that watches over this particular universe!"

-(M/N)-

'For some reason, I'm feeling really proud of Aether right now.'

The confused male thought to himself, as he snapped a pyro abyss mage neck, Darth Vader style.

"Good."

Darth Skywalker nodded in approval.

"Why use your powers when it's far more relaxing to just physically break their necks?"

"..."

*Rustle*

Many people moved away from him.

"Where did I go wrong?"

Obi Wan just sighed.

"You want the short list or the long list."

Satine asked her old flame.

"Oh, haha..."

Obi Wan saracastically replied.

(I think in the opening of A New Hope, Darth Vader was literally strangling the captain of the ship)

-Aether-

"...That woman was creepy and scary."

Aether deadpanned as they left Ying'er perfume shop.

"Whatever do you mean?"

Ying'er asked innocently.

'You make everything an innuendo.'

Those that knew her or knew certain people like her that they can see the similarities between them. Thought to themselves.

(I really am surprised that Timaeus wasn't disturbed by her...use of words, speaking in a rather suggestive manner. Maybe being an alchemist has him seeing things in a different perspective. Eh, at least we get to see some NPCs romance)

"Never doing that again."

"Agreed."

Paimon shivered.

Damn that woman and her innuendos!

-(M/N)-

"Say hello to my little friend!"

"...Why am I suddenly feeling terrified for some reason?"

Gray Serpent spoke up.

"For good reason."

Was all that was said.

RAT-TAT-RATTA-TA!

*Terrified/traumatized monster screams*

"Isn't that line from Scarface?"

Kiana asked Mei.

"I think so, yes."

"Wow."

Bronya said.

-Aether-

"Need a portable house like that."

Aether commented as he and Paimon left Madame Ping.

"Portable house?"

Mobius looked interested in that.

"It's an Adeptus art." Madame Ping explained. "That requires some rather rare materials to make."

"Fascinating."

-(M/N)-

"Finally."

(M/N) sighed as he reached the deepest point of the domain.

There a sword shined as he approached the shrine it was entombed in.

!?

"Isn't that sword?"

Xiao started.

"It is."

Ganyu nodded.

"So..." Zhongli stared. "In that world, he has it for some reason and hid it away where no one would be able to find it."

"Why though?"

GI Nahida asked.

"Who knows."

Venti smiled.

"If I had to hazard a guess, perhaps Morax lost it at one point and our good friend here found and stored it away for safekeeping."

"Hmm."

Shik!

"He better be grateful."

(M/N) grumbled as he left the domain.

"LOL."

Rumble!

Said domain collapsing on itself and disappearing now that its duty was done.

"So, it was only created to hide the sword."

Shadow understood.

"Kind of excessive." Elysia hummed. "But who am I to judge?"

-Aether-

"Take this!"

Aether yelled as he sicked a starfell sword on the treasure hoarders who were whining like a bunch of babies just because Zhongli fixed the Guizhong Ballista.

"Tt." Zhongli frowned at what he just heard/saw. "Intentionally dismantling a piece of history for the sake of greed. They shall feel the Wrath of the Rock if I get my hands on them back home."

That was scary and no one wanted to imagine what an angry Zhongli looked like.

...And only confirmed Aether suspicions on who she was.

The Treasure Hoarders did not like that since they were the ones to have damaged it in the first place. And tried to beat them up in retaliation.

...Only to get their asses violently kicked by Aether and Zhongli.

"Weaklings."

Kunikuzushi and Scaramouche both scoffed at what they had just saw.

Zero and Ei sweatdropped.

'No matter what path they take, Scaramouche will always retain his ego and disdain of weaklings.'

They thought to themselves.

...Well, Albel did make a good uncle/babysitter and that's who they left him with when they wanted some alone time back then.

"No sign of the Adeptibeast"

"Adepti-what?"

Wendy blinked in confusion.

"Adeptibeast?" Ganyu blinked. "I've never heard of such a creature."

"Neither have I."

Xiao added.

"What kind of creature is an Adeptibeast?" Seele asked. "And why are they looking for it?"

Paimon shook her head.

"I suppose this time we will have to return empty handed." Zhongli sighed. "Let's return to Bubu Pharmacy and explained that we could not find a Cocogoat."

"...Coco-WHAT?"

Kujou Sara asked in confusion.

"A...Cocogoat?"

Keqing tilted her head, befuddled at what they had just heard.

"Never in all my years have I heard of such a thing."

Madame Ping was surprised.

"Cocogoat."

Qiqi said.

"Alright."

Paimon and Aether nodded, as they returned to Liyue.

-Liyue-

"Finally, I'm back."

(M/N) sighed, walking into Liyue Harbor.

"Welcome back!"

Xinyan shouted.

'I wonder if they had finished preparations yet?'

"For the most part."

Yea Miko said.

"...Except for this Cocogoat thing." She frowned as she was utterly confused at that. "That's still missing."

"If it even exists."

Azar added.

He thought to himself, before another thought hit him.

'Strange, how the Liyue Qixing hasn't sent out more Millelith out for us.'

It was a bothersome thought, the fact that after venturing into Jueyun Karst that they were left alone.

"Probably because the report they received, terrified them so bad that they didn't dare try again."

Lynette offered up.

Reminding the poor Millelith soldiers of what happened.

'Could us coming back alive, have caused them to back off since the Adepti did not kill us?'

"There is that."

Ignika nodded.

"Regardless of their differing views, the entirety of Liyue holds the Adepti in high regards. If the Adepti have chosen not to pass judgement on them, then that must mean that they weren't the assassins."

"...Or they are looking in the wrong direction."

Adam added.

"There's that too."

Shaking his head, he went off in search of Aether. Using his ability to track them down.

And winding up in front of Bubu Pharmacy.

"Cocogoat milk is tasty." A young(?) voice spoke out. "Much better than normal goat milk. Only an adeptibeast could make such tasty milk."

"..."

People turned their heads to face Qiqi.

"Cocogoat milk?"

Ningguang looked amused yet stumped.

"Very delicious."

Qiqi said.

"But what is a Cocogoat!?"

Kalpas shouted, annoyed that they were not getting the answer.

...Adepti-what now?

'Never heard of that one before.' (M/N) blinked as he continued walking up the stairs.

"...Not even he has heard of it, and he's been around for a long time at least."

Huffman was starting to think that the young girl was either mixing it up with something else entirely...or she had a bad memory and couldn't remember the exact name of the drink.

"Sorry." The girl said. "Qiqi has poor memory, but she wrote it down somewhere."

"...I'm getting the bad feeling that they were just sent on a wild goose chase."

Yanqing sweatdropped

'...Why do I get the feeling that Aether and the Blockhead wasted their time on a wild goose chase?'

"..."

"Well, at least you are on the same wavelength."

General Jing Yuan spoke to his young protégé.

"Here it is, Coconut milk."

*CRASH!!*

"SAY WHAT?!!?"

Many people in the audience shouted in shock!

"???"

Qiqi was confused.

"Had a bit of a similar reaction, myself."

Ignika shook his head, while (Y/N) laughed and Shadow sighed.

And Childe?

"HAHAHAHAHA!!"

The poor man was clenching his sides in laughter after the big revelation.

"Oh my...hahah! My sides, I can't!"

Childe was doubling over in laughter.

"I can't believe you actually thought...!" He continued laughing. "Oh this is gold! The almighty Rex Lapis not realizing that Cocogoat does not even exist even he's been around for over 6,000 years!"

Zhongli had the decency to look embarrassed at that.

Lumine was deciding whether or not to grant Zhongli his wish of being actually dead.

...Crash!

(M/N) slipped and tumbled down the stairs from that unexpected announcement.

"Oooh, that's gotta hurt."

Sampo winced at watching that.

"I'll say."

Dan Heng winced.

"Do it again, I wasn't looking!"

Hook shouted out, causing Natasha to stare at her.

'That's not from goats!' He thought to himself as he got back up and ran to the Pharmacy.

Ignoring the concerned looks he had gotten from that fall.

And seeing the looks of dumbfounded on their faces.

"I-I apologize Aether." Zhongli remorsefully said. In all her years of living, she's never encountered a bizarre situation as this! "I hastily agreed to what seemed like a reasonable agreement with this zombie child without asking for a more descriptive detail about our objective."

"You are an idiot."

Adam facepalmed.

"Why did you accept such a strange request?!" He asked. "Aren't you the Geo Archon, you lived for millennia, and you have never heard of such a thing."

"Why did you go along with it when you should have already known?!"

"..."

Cue the awkward silence because Zhongli didn't really have anything to say to that.

"Bonehead."

Zhongli coughed as he suddenly looked at Lumine way.

Where the girl was, once again, sharpening her heels. Causing the Geo Archon to shake in fear.

"That's for sure."

(M/N) deadpanned getting their attention.

"What the hell's been going on since I left?"

"A lot." Someone said. "And something I don't think you want to know anyways."

"For real."

"Did Qiqi say a bad thing?"

(Qiqi. The zombie that's only interested in Coconut milk, not brains)

???

"What does that mean?"

Amber asked.

"In other worlds."

Theresa began explaining.

"Zombies crave the flesh of the living...and their brains for some reason."

"EH?!"

Many people shouted in shock!

(I don't know if they (Teyvat) know, or if it's just Paimon since she knows of the Traveler secret and has heard stories from the Traveler journey throughout the universe. So, pretend they don't here)

"Except the really stupid ones."

Drake deadpanned.

???

'What does he mean by that?'

Many thought to themselves.

(Oh, nothing really, just those in power and those that control the political board that have me questioning my own intelligence after voting for them and why did I vote for them)

The zombie child tilted her head in confusion.

"Ah-well-you see-ah!" Paimon shouted. "Paimon doesn't have the heart to break it to her. You explain!"

"Dude."

HSR Seele sighed.

"Just explained!"

"But Paimon will be destroying her dream!"

Paimon protested.

"Isn't that a little bit harsh?"

Yoimiya asked, not liking that a child dream was going to get crushed.

"Who cares?"

Shadow deadpanned.

"Her dreams were going to get shattered eventually." He said without remorse said. "Better to rip the bandage off now, then to let it drag on and on."

"But..."

"If it makes you feel better." Ignika spoke up. "I destroyed those kids hopes and dreams of trying to find fairy tale monsters that you helped make stories out of."

!?!?

"They're not real!?"

The kids shouted in shock.

"If they are, they most certainly don't want to kidnap you guys."

Silver Wolf cackled.

"WRRRRRRRRYY!?!?!?"

They cried.

'Great!' Zero twitched. 'Dio is influencing them from wherever he is.'

Sigh!

Aether groaned as he started to talk: "Let me tell you the tragedy of the truth of coconut milk."

"Is that a rip off of 'The Tragedy of Darth Plaegius the Wise?"

Palpatine raised an eyebrow.

"Yes."

Was the blunt reply.

"Oh, Force damnit!"

'Serves you right.'

Anakin, Ventress, Count Dooku, and Maul thought to themselves.

French Narrator: One childhood destroying truth later.

"No..." Qiqi eyes widened. "Impossible."

"Search your feelings."

Lust replied.

"You know it to be true."

"Nooooooooo..."

Qiqi monotonously screamed.

'...How the heck did she make such emotionless sounding scream?'

The crowd thought to themselves.

Because that was impressive.

*Chew*

While munching on a Chibi Kamen Rider that many were still confused on what are they and why were they here.

"..."

"..."

"..."

'I've told Evo countless times NOT to leave the chibis in my theaters!' Zero thought to himself. 'Because of situations like these!'

'What was he thinking!? Putting them in a theater with CERTAIN PARTICULAR PEOPLE IN HERE?!'

This was one of the worst places to put them in!

Paimon is a blackhole that will virtually anything, just like Kirby! Only, she's less of a threat to the universe and more of a threat to your wallet!

Xiangling will cook anything if it's edible! She has an interesting mindset where if it can be eaten, it can be cooked!

Qiqi doesn't have the sensibilities she used to have when she was still alive!

'Evo is lucky they can respawn!'

Zero thought to himself.

'Though whether or not that's a good thing is debatable.'

He thought to himself.

'The trauma is going to be strong in them...so strong that they're going to revolt against Evo for putting them in here!'

Oh well, not his problem. Evo can clean up his own mess.

"No." Qiqi said slowly. "Impossible."

"Search your feelings for you know it to be true!"

Darth Vader wisely said.

"NNOooooooooooo..."

Qiqi monotonously yelled/cried again.

"It's the truth, kid." (M/N) crossed his arms. "Accept it and move forward."

"Ouch!"

Beidou winced at the man no nonsense tone.

"Could have been a little bit more gentle with that."

Yoimiya shook her head sadly.

"He's not that great at trying to be that comforting."

Zero facepalmed.

"Or more that he's not that great at deciding how and what to say that is most needed at that reality shattering truth."

"Haha" A new voice spoke out. "Seems like someone learned a valuable life lesson today, no?"

"And now you show up."

Hu Tao deadpanned, shaking her head at the doctor's convenient timing.

Baizhu just smiled and shook his head in amusement.

Even though HE could not tell her why her great-uncle left the family business to become a doctor. He was pretty sure they would all soon learn the truth of the secret he and his predecessors concealed.

A green haired man walked into the store entrance, with a snake on his shoulders.

"And you are?" Zhongli asked.

"Sus is what he is!"

Hu Tao and Paimon shouted.

(Baizhu the 'sus')

"See!?" Paimon pointed. "Even his title calls him sus!"

"The same can be said for you 'Susmon.'"

Clorinde unexpectedly said.

*CRACK!*

Causing people to snap their necks in her direction in shock!

"You can crack jokes?!"

Many Fontainians (including Furina) shouted in shock.

"No shit, Sherlock."

Clorinde deadpanned.

(Stark and Strange: "Which one?")

"Baizhu." The male introduced himself. "I own Bubu Pharmacy."

"Paimon thought Qiqi was the boss!" Paimon exclaimed. "Instead, it's a weirdo who wears medicine ingredients around his neck!"

"Would you care to be food, flying lunch?"

Said snake threatened.

"AH! IT SPEAKS!!"

(I have no idea if I had Changsheng speak before or not)

"SHE, and of course, I can speak you dimwitted fool."

'Is she Magnificent-I-I mean Maleficent second familiar after Diablo?'

Zero and the others thought to themselves.

"Who are you calling a medicine ingredient, walking food!?"

The snake hissed at her.

"AH! It speaks!"

"How can this be surprising to you?"

Raiden Mei asked.

"You live in a world full of wonder, and you're surprised by the local animal population being able to talk?"

"Paimon never seen a talking snake before!"

'Are you really a part of Teyvat?' Lumine thought to herself. 'For a native, you sure don't seem to know as much as you should about magical creatures speaking.'

'...Then again, maybe she has some form of amnesia?'

It would make sense in a way.

Paimon screamed.

"She, you dimwitted fool who makes Qiqi look like a genius, and I generally don't speak but I must if I don't want to be mistaken as an escapee from the medicine cabinet."

"Hmm."

Xiao looked at Changsheng inquisitively.

"Is something the matter, Conqueror of Demons?"

Changsheng asked, a little intimidated at the Yaksha sharp gaze aimed at her.

"...Nothing." Xiao decided. "I might have mixed you up with someone else that I know."

"Hm."

Changsheng left it at that.

"Now, now Changsheng." Baizhu calmed his companion. "So, what business brings you here?"

"To be bankrupt."

Lumine sighed.

"Oh, come on." Baizhu calmly protested. "Surely, I won't charge you that much."

The mischievous look in his eyes did not assuage her unease/suspicions in any way.

"Do you sell Everlasting Incense in this fine establishment?"

Zhongli got down to business.

"Certainly!"

Baizhu confirmed.

"Great!"

Someone shouted.

"Wait for it."

Blade warned.

"Great!" Paimon shouted. "We're just about do-"

"3 million Mora." Baizhu simply said. "Top quality, guaranteed."

!!!

"NANI!?!?"

The crowd went wild at that ridiculous price!

"3-3-3..." Mona stammered. "3 MILLION MORA!?!?!?!"

The ever-financially struggling Astrologer shouted in pure shock as her heart felt it was about to fail from system overload!

"Are you crazy!?"

Lumine shouted.

"Do we look like we're made out of money!??!"

"With your exotic features, can you blame me?"

Baizhu just smiled.

"Why you little!"

"...And now, despite getting beaten up violently by my sister, I am glad that I'm not the one going on this particular journey."

Aether muttered to himself.

"I might have just said 'fuck it' and thrown myself off the highest cliff in Teyvat."

One journey in Teyvat was enough!

!!!

"THREE MILLION MORA!?"

Paimon screamed.

"Okay." (M/N) glared at the man, causing him to shiver at the not amused look on his face. "THAT is highway robbery and lowering my opinion and respect for LIyue even further down the drain."

"And you guys wonder why and how people don't want to buy from you unless needed."

Drake facepalmed.

Funny as it was, that was seriously no way to do business.

"You might as well rob the Golden House!"

Aether growled.

"Though with security being tightened over there, that would make it impossible."

"Sounds like a challenge."

Silver Wolf smirked.

"If this world exists in our universe, maybe we can make a pit stop."

Kafka mused out loud, an amused look on her face at the Liyueans looks of terror at that.

"Urgh!" Paimon groaned. "Is this the part where we go crawling back to Childe?"

"But of course."

Elysia giggled.

"She is Aether sugar mommy."

*PFT!!*

"MY/HIS WHAT?!?!"

Aether and Lumine shouted in shock!

"So that makes this Childe." Navia pointed to Childe. "Lumine sugar daddy?"

"Yup!"

Elysia nodded.

"WHAT!?!?"

Lumine and Aether shouted in embarrassment (the former) and rage (the latter).

'...And why has Morax not paid?' (M/N) glared at Rex 'incognito' Lapis. 'She is literally Mora itself.'

...

...

"...That is a GOOD point."

Keqing said as they turned their heads to Zhongli.

"...*Nonchalant whistling*"

Only for the man to start whistling away.

"...Die."

Was all Lumine said.

French Narrator: Twenty minutes later

We find Childe doubling over after hearing the entire story.

"Bwahahahahahha!"

Childe laughed her ass off at that.

"Cocogoat! Cocogo-Awhahaow! My sides hurt..." Childe couldn't help it; it was so funny! "Oh, my goodness, I can't BELIEVE you fell for that!"

"Is it really that funny?"

Scaramouche just looked at him in disappointment.

"Well, at least I have a sense of humor!"

Childe retorted.

"You take that back!" Scaramouche yelled. "I do too have a sense of humor!"

(And you wouldn't have?)

"Hey!" Paimon shouted. "Less laughter and more sympathy!"

"HAha!" Childe finally stopped laughing as she looked at them. "I'm almost in tears over here...ah, that was the best laugh I had in ages! In return, I'll be more than happy to fix this mess you're in."

With that said, Childe negotiates with Baizhu and pays him 2,990,000 Mora instead of 3 Mil.

"...You have got to be fucking kidding me."

HSR Seele deadpanned.

"Just a measly 10,000 mora was knocked off?"

Pantalone looked like he was having a heart attack at that.

'Just what the hell is wrong with them!?'

He thought to himself.

The Harbinger could not understand how they could consider that to be successful trading with locals and tourists.

'Then again.' Pantalone thought to himself. 'Liyue always did pride itself on being an economic power. So, maybe there is a reason why they felt like they could charge that kind of price.'

The Harbinger was also of the belief that (M/N) had great self restraint to not flood Liyue then and there for that level of ridiculousness,

They should count themselves lucky.

...

Once everything was said and done, (M/N), Aether, Paimon, and Zhongli headed to Yujing Terrace to prepare the rites.

"Man, those guys are a riot!" Childe laughed. "Cocogoat milk, when was the last time I laughed like that?"

"...What about now?"

Lyney asked.

"Well, when was the last time I've laughed that hard without divine intervention giving us some action packed comedy?"

"Good point."

Lyney nodded.

Sigh...

Her smile took on a more serious expression.

"Oh?" Arlecchino raised an eyebrow. "Seems like you've been up to something."

"Well." Childe shrugged. "Obviously, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get the answers I want easily due to their weariness concerning the Fatui."

"I probably been having someone tail them as much as possible without alerting them to their presence."

"Oh, great."

Lumine groaned.

"I assume you have been fulfilling the task I required of you?"

From behind a wall, Ekaterina appeared.

???

"Isn't that the lady from the bank?"

Ayaka asked.

"Yes, Lady Childe."

"Learn anything?"

"They have mentioned that the Liyue Qixing has taken control of the Golden House."

?!?!

"That's an interesting bit of information."

Ekaterina reported.

"Interesting." Childe smirked. "Now what could Ningguang, and her minions have to hide in the Golden House if they took control over it."

"...If not the Exuvia itself?"

"...You know it really is kind of obvious due to the connections it has with Rex Lapis."

One of Ningguang secretaries said.

"Which is why it was precisely the best place to hide it."

Ningguang answered.

"Smart." Dan Heng nodded. "Hiding it in plain sight. Especially in a place that is well connected to your God that it would be too obvious for them to put it there."

"Well, I guess the Fatui are really living up to their name."

March laughed.

"..."

The Fatui groaned at how obvious it could have been.

Giggling, she smiled a more malicious kind.

"And now, her true nature is showing."

Arlan noted.

"Probably comes with the territory of being crazy."

Ignika shrugged.

"Hey!"

Childe yelled as his fellow Harbingers either laughed or snickered at his expense.

"Sorry, Aether dear. But I did warn you and Lord (M/N) didn't I? "The walls have ears."

Lumine opened her mouth.

"..."

Then shuts it close as she realized that he was right.

'I was too complacent and let my guard down since the Fatui weren't making much of scene like they did back in Mondstadt.'

Lumine realized as she glared at the XI Seat of the XI Harbingers.

"Fine. You win this round." Lumine grumbled. "But mark my words, I won't be fooled twice!"

"And I won't go down that easily!"

"Looking forward to it, girly."

Childe smirked.

Aether twitched.

Everyone sweatdropped at the battle maniacs bloodlust, except for the battle crazed maniacs. '

-After placing the Everlasting Incense in place-

"Almost all the preparations have been done."

Zhonglil spoke.

"How have you been liking our adventures thus far?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"You don't want to know the answer."

Aether deadpanned.

He just wanted answers damnit!

"Can't believe I was going to waste my time on that."

Lumine shook her head.

"I am so glad that now I don't have to do that."

"Saves me from having to chop off some heads."

...MEEP!

Smiling, Zhongli simply said.

"As a reward for your help, how about I treat you all to a meal?"

!?!?

"MY HEART!!"

Many people suddenly clenched their hearts as they literally died of a heart attack.

...Before springing back to life since they were not allowed to die in this theater.

Zhongli twitched.

"Is it really that shocking that I'm offering to pay?"

"YES!!"

Hu Tao and several others shouted.

"Do you want me to go through the list of expenses that you billed to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?!"

Hu Tao shouted.

...What?

The three looked at her like she grew two heads.

Zhongli treating them to a meal? (M/N) hadn't been there for the whole thing, but even he could tell that Morax, for some reason, had no Mora.

"How does the God of Mora have no Mora?"

Diluc shook his head in disbelief.

"Because he's gone senile in his old age."

Rita Rossweisse answered.

"GAH!!"

Why did her words hurt him more than the others?!

"Don't worry." She waved off their concerns. "I'll be sure to bring my wallet."

...Why did they not feel comforted by that?

'Oh, boy.'

Hu Tao felt the desire to shove the Staff of Homa where the sun don't shine.

Zhongli shuddered for some reason.

'Why am I feeling a strange sense of fear?'

He thought to himself.

"Where are we going?"

Aether decided to change the subject.

"To an old hole-in-the-wall, praised throughout Liyue."

"The Third-Round Knockout."

"And how many people have been knocked out at the Knockout restaurant?"

Siegfried asked.

"HEY!"

-Timeskip to restaurant-

"How do you like it?"

"Not bad." "Pretty decent." "They even have a storyteller here!"

"Well..."

Fu Hua slowly said.

"At least they are enjoying themselves for once."

"Just gotta wait for the inevitable."

Serval sighed.

"Don't be so such a downer!"

Dehya spoke up.

"Not every good thing is going to result in a messy situation!"

"Experience says otherwise."

Said storyteller resumes his tale of Lady Ningguang.

"Oh?"

HSR Himeko raised an eyebrow.

"This should be interesting."

She said as she drank her coffee.

(And unbeknownst to them, a horned figure is watching them)

"Now why does that figure look familiar?"

(Y/N) smirked at Ganyu direction.

Said girl turned her head to the side.

"Dear." Mei shook her head. "Don't start teasing the poor girl like that."

"Aw, but it's fun!"

(Y/N) protested.

"You got your own Ganyu back home, silly."

Eden Kaslana shook her head in amusement.

"Don't be greedy."

(Y/N) pouted.

"He's an idiot."

Griseo told Aponia.

"ACK!"

(Y/N) fell down from the betrayal.

"WHY!?"

Iron Tongue Tian: "As you all know, high above the land of Liyue lies a pavilion in the clouds, a palace in the mist... What does it mean to have all seeing eyes? This, my friends: Lady Ningguang's masterwork that bridges earth and sky."

Ningguang raised an eyebrow.

It was always interesting and amusing to her to hear what the people of Liyue had to say about her.

As though she was some omniscient god in human form walking among them.

'Oy vey'

(M/N) groaned, this was going to take a while as he saw the enraptured expressions of his companions.

"Well." Lumine shrugged. "Any information on the big cheese of Liyue will help."

"Imagine. The weather is clear, and you gaze down from the deck on the world below... Behold! The glorious sights of Liyue Harbor, stretching out far and wide! They say that when Lady Ningguang ponders the important affairs, she retreats to her Jade Chamber with none but her three closest confidantes in tow."

Suddenly the scene changes as Ningguang could be seen with her three secretaries behind her.

"What is this?"

Herta deadpanned.

"Some sort of movie theater play?"

"The audience do need a visualization to understand the character."

Screwllum simply stated.

"Well, it's working."

Caelus said as the Astral Express Crew noticed how captivated the GI audience were.

"Probably because it's not something they have yet."

Stelle shrugged.

"Why brings she these trusted three? To sift through sources, dig through documents-looking for information. Piece by piece, facts, and figures paint a picture on the walls of her chamber..."

"Is she even human?"

Rozaliya sweatdropped.

It was kind of reminding her of Matushka.

Cocolia felt both insulted and filled with pride for some reason.

'What a weird sensation.'

She thought to herself.

"However, before the wall is filled, Lady Ningguang mind is already made up. Mind made up, she shreds the documents and fwoosh! She scatters the shavings out her window."

"...Huh?"

Ningguang blows them to the ground below.

"Isn't that littering?"

Cecilia gave the woman a look.

"Just wait." Ningguang chuckled. "I think you'll get it soon enough."

Ah, look at them! How they billow in the wind like a sudden swirling blizzard! As the fragments fall, traces of text flicker before the eyes of Liyue merchants like ink stains in the snow."

"Huh."

Furina looked at the screen.

"They really do look like snow."

Lady Furina, if you attempt to do that back at Fontaine." Monsieur Neuvillette spoke up. "Then no sweets for a month."

!!!

"You wouldn't dare?!"

The Hydro Archon screamed in terror.

"Try me."

Was all the Hydro Dragon said, a taunting smirk on his face.

...Which terrified the residents of Fontaine very much because they have never seen The Judge have an expression like that before.

"I guess even Neuvillette can have playful side to him."

Wriothesley smirked.

"That's good."

Sigewinne smiled.

(Thinking about it. Should I bring Neuvillette old friends back as well?)

Ningguang is now seen smoking her pipe.

"The saying goes, the rarest treasure in the land are the words brought by the paper snow. For the Tianquan words have the power to move mountains and all throughout the land knows it."

Pantalone twitched at that. Knowing there was truth in those words.

After all, that was one of the many reasons he became a successful, wealthy banker who could be on par with Ningguang herself.

Many merchants nodded their heads in agreement.

Ningguang is possibly one of the most terrifying businesswomen ever to walk the earth. Despite still being young, she made a name for herself and had a grasp and perspective of the business world that she alone could see.

Not to mention how easily she could destroy them if she wanted to.

The scene returns to normal focusing on the trio.

"These are but scraps of paper, and yet they guide Lady Ningguang's hand-such is their value. Merely grasping one or two of them will surely gift you a fragment of her wisdom-enough to stay a step or two ahead of your peers."

"So, you're telling me that the bits and pieces of paper you just shredded..."

"Will be picked by the merchants of Liyue?" Ningguang rhetorically asked. "Why yes, indeed. They will be gone in mere seconds before they hit the ground."

"Can't be called littering if it's already gone before actually being litter."

Certain Liyue Vision wielders sweatdropped at that.

Remembering just how vicious the fight for those scraps could be.

CLAP!

Sounds of applause could be heard as the storyteller finished his story.

"Tianquan Ningguang..." Paimon mutters. "Seems like we've been hearing this name a lot."

"Coincidence?"

Luka asked.

"I THINK NOT!"

(Y/N) and Drake shouted in unison!

*Cue the screams from that unexpected response*

"I'll say." (M/N) leaned on the table. "She's certainly an interesting character to be sure."

'And quite an impressive one if her origin story is true.'

(M/N) smirked, his interest growing.

'What is it about Geo woman that attract me so?'

"...Say what now?"

Pela blinked in confusion.

"He has a...thing for sexy Geo women."

Ei snickered.

"And before you asked." Raiden Shogun smiled. "Yes, he and Morax did have thing in the past when Morax decided to be a woman for a while."

!?!?

"But then, why doesn't Zhongli recognize him!?"

Paimon shouted in confusion.

"I wonder why."

Ignika smirked.

"The answer is obvious as it has been mentioned several times, he is using a different form so it's not exactly easy to pinpoint his true identity."

"But there's another reason." Nahida had a mischievous smirk on her face. "And that being that he probably never used a human form in your world."

!!

"You mean...?"

"That most likely you've never seen his human form."

Kunikuzushi easily answered Xiao question.

"..."

"But don't worry."

Amagi smiled.

"In a couple more viewings, you'll learn the truth."

"And it will be just as shocking as what will happen quite soon."

Helga smirked, terrifying them, especially Ningguang for some reason, of what was to come.

He thought to himself.

"The Fatui hate her." Aether summarized. "Locals praise her, and no doubt she is the one who hid the Exuvia."

"Truly a terrifying adversary if you make her your enemy."

"Why do I get the-"

"Aha!" A new voice shouted out. "We finally meet, those who have returned from Jueyun Karst."

"Oh, now you speak!"

HOTV Kiana shouted.

"Was beginning to think you fell asleep again."

"He-Hey!"

Ganyu protested as several people could only nod their heads at that.

!?

"Who's there!?"

Paimon shouted.

"We need to go!"

Aether got up.

"Sit down."

(M/N) leaned back, not startled from the unexpected intrusion.

"And of course, he already knew."

Fu Xuan deadpanned.

"Perhaps you want to acquire him for the Divination Commission."

General Jing Yuan offered.

"I'd be out of a job if I did."

Fu Xuan retorted.

He just chuckled.

The two listened as they sat back down.

"Well, that works."

Natasha sweatdropped.

Wishing she had that kind of power to get Hook and the miscreants to listen.

Those energetic rugrats were going to kill her quicker than the idiots who got themselves injured over stupid reasons.

"What business do you have with us, Ganyu?"

(M/N) opened an eye, as he stared at the Adeptus in question.

(Ganyu the sleepy)

"Wha-I'm not sleepy!!"

Ganyu protested.

"Yes, you are my sweet Cocogoat."

(Y/N) said.

"COCOGOAT!?"

Ganyu yelled in shock and indignation.

"Cocogoat..."

Qiqi pointed at her.

"I'm a half Qilin!" Ganyu shouted, she was not going to be misidentified! "I am part Illuminated Beast! Not a nonexistent Gocogoat!!"

"HUH?!"

Paimon shouted in shock.

"You're half human!?"

"She's an Adeptus as well."

Xiao also added.

"HUH!?"

(God it's been so long that I can't remember if I ever mentioned this. But I don't want to go back and check now that I finally got a move on with this story.)

Paimon yelled.

"Well, that explains her horns."

Lumine shrugged.

Ignoring the other nations' shock (except for a few like the Archons, and those that knew more than the average person did) and surprise at that revelation.

"...I don't get it."

Adam spoke to his parents.

"They live in a fantasy themed world where mystical creatures exist, and human-animal hybrids exist. And they're shocked by an Adeptus living among them?"

"Probably because the Adepti are generally solitary creatures for the most part."

HOTV Kiana shrugged.

"It can't be any more surprising then when you seduce your Ganyu into your bed."

Ignika smirked at the now flustered look on his son face.

"I did not seduce her!"

Adam shouted, face red with embarrassment.

"Then why did we find you two in bed with no clothes with very obvious signs that you two did it?"

Ignika smirked.

"She was tired!" Adam blushed. "And stressed out! I thought a massage would help her!"

"My, my." HOTV Kiana snickered. "Never knew massages were like that now."

"I didn't expect that to happen!"

Adam tail swung back in forth, expressing his growing embarrassment and agitation.

"You definitely got my charisma, besides getting my genes."

Ignika smirked.

"Why just you?" HOTV Kiana raised an eyebrow. "What about my side of the family? Surely, he would have gotten some rizz from there."

"Need I remind that you were a lesbian before we met?" Ignika raised an eyebrow. "It obviously came from me if I was able to make you swing for both sides."

"Stop beating me in everything!"

HOTV Kiana shouted, annoyed that she lost yet again in a battle of wits.

"Face it, cute Tuna." Ignika smirked. "You'll never beat me, no matter how many millennia we live."

"GRRR!!"

While they were having their little spat, they were unaware of the fact that everyone was listening and staring at them in shock, embarrassment and fascination.

Siegfried and Cecelia just wondered what the hell was going to happen in the future for their 'daughter' to act like a weirdo.

Kiana was blushing up a storm.

Bronya had blackmail material.

Raiden Mei just wondered why life couldn't be simple.

TeriTeri and Himeko were a little terrified of their future.

Captain was busy munching on popcorn.

And the others were just wondering if their futures were safe.

Oh, and (Y/N) Kaslana was crying tears of joy at Adam gaining a harem.

Drake was wondering if he could use this for inspiration for 'The Imprisoned'.

Who stared at him in shock.

How did he know who she was!?

"He knows everything."

Kunikuzushi said as his head started rotating around, scaring the audience.

*Terrified whimpering*

Kunikuzushi (Woody voice): "So, play nice."

"AAHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

They screamed and jumped into the ceiling at that.

"(M/N), who is she?"

Aether asked.

"My name is Ganyu." The Adeptus introduced herself. "I am the Secretary for the Yuehai Pavilion, and as of right now an emissary of the Liyue Qixing sent to meet you."

"Go on..."

(M/N) stared at her with half lidded eyes.

"Lady Ningguang extends a formal invitation to the travelers who have ventured into Jueyun Karst and returned."

!?

"Well, that was unexpected."

A member of the Millelith said.

While people started whispering amongst themselves.

"Can you believe it?" "They've been invited to THE JADE CHAMBER." ""Incredible!"

"What's up with them?"

Lumine asked.

"To be invited to the Jade Chamber." Zhongli spoke up. "Is one of the greatest honors throughout all of Teyvat. Not just anyone can enter the Jade Chamber. Ningguang most prized possession."

"It is her pride and joy." Madame Ping spoke up. "Perhaps her greatest achievement."

"Once, it was but a small room." She continued. "Now, it has become a hub of great prestige, power, accomplishment, and achievement."

"Her sanctuary."

"..."

Wow.

"Invitation?"

Paimon blinked.

Nodding her head, Ganyu opens a letter and reads it out loud for them.

"Invite them to come here." She began. "I wish to meet them."

"At the Jade Chamber, together, we shall snit every one of these entwining dark threads."

"Dark threads?"

Ayaka blinked.

"Take a guess."

Diluc deadpanned, it was obvious to him who would be part of the dark threads.

"The Fatui." Chongyun icily deadpanned. "Of course."

The Fatui grumbled at that.

"Well, it's true!"

'Seems like our dear Ningguang is making her move.'

(M/N) thought in amusement.

"This is getting more and more interesting."

He mused.

"Talk about being lucky."

Aether deadpanned.

"An invitation to visit the Jade Chamber." Zhongli mused. "Keep in mind that this is a rare honor, not many can come and go as they please."

After hearing the explanation from before, they believed it.

"AH!" (Y/N) sighed and smiled. "Such good memories. I remembered when I rammed the Hyperion right into the Jade Chamber."

!!!

"YOU WHAT!?!?"

Ningguang shouted.

"Well..." (Y/N) shrugged. "I wanted to 'ram' into you and this was the best way possible. Having your chamber stuck into Hyperion bow."

"...Did he seriously have to make such an obvious innuendo?"

Zero deadpanned as he asked Drake.

But before his fellow author God could respond.

"YES!!"

Deadpool answered the question.

Getting up, she spoke these last words.

"But we are still not done with the Rite of Parting, once you have finished your business at the Jade Chamber. Meet me at Dihua Marsh."

With that said, she left.

"Of course."

The gang deadpanned at Zhongli making a swift exit.

"But where do we go...?"

Turning his head, he realized that Ganyu had already departed to who knows where.

"..."

"..."

"...Aren't you perhaps forgetting something important?"

???

"Noooo...?"

Ganyu said.

"Why phrase that as both an answer and a question?"

Luocha sweatdropped.

"Annnnd, she's gone."

Paimon groaned.

"Is this a test?"

"I'm pretty sure she forgot."

!!!

"OH!" Ganyu finally realized. "Oh...my apologies Traveler."

She bowed to Lumine.

"I forgot to tell you the way to access the Jade Chamber."

"Don't worry about it." Lumine waved it off. "Besides, it hasn't happened here yet and I guess we're going to find out soon enough so it's good."

"To be honest, it's my brother you need to apologize to."

"...He's leading the Abyss Order and trying to kill us all." Ganyu deadpanned. "I'm not apologizing to him."

"OI!!"

Aether shouted in annoyance.

(M/N) sighed.

"No use worrying about it, let's get some sleep."

The trio nodded as they hit the hay for the night.

-The next day-

"Sooo, now that we got the present." Paimon began. "How do we get there?"

"What present?"

Itto blinked.

"A present to suck up to Ningguang so that Paimon can get in her good shoes."

"Now you just realize that?"

(M/N) snarled, pissed that they had to waste their time getting a present so that Paimon could try to butter up Ningguang.

"Knew it."

Asta facepalmed.

"Remind me again why they haven't cooked her yet?"

Sandrone asked her fellow Harbingers.

"Because she is still of use, even if it's questionable."

Columbina pointed out.

"...Yeah, true."

Yeah, a good part of their morning wasted on whatever scheme Emergency Food was planning.

"I'm not Emergency Food!"

Paimon yelled.

"With the rate you're going." Ignika deadpanned, remembering all the times Paimon 'get rich schemes' nearly resulted in them trying to kill her for how pointless and idiotic they were.

Why was she so gullible!?

Ignika could not understand how easily fooled she could be, like with that scumbag back in Fontaine who tried to deceive them all with the promise of treasure!

Apparently Ignika influence paled in comparison to Paimon obsession with treasure...though Lumine and Aether were a little too easily convinced as well.

Was he the only one that knew there was something up with that arrogant buffoon?

(Seriously, I can't remember his name, but I knew the moment he started talking to us that he was suspicious. Didn't help with how he was muttering insults under his breath at us. At least Karma came to him in the form of his associates)

-Flashback-

"You want us to what?"

(M/N) gave the floating pixie a 'you could not be serious' stare.

"What stupidity are you going to drag us into this time, Paimon?

Lumine groaned.

"Hey! Paimon is sure Paimon idea is a good one!"

Paimon protested.

"We should get Ningguang a present as a show of good will!"

Ningguang giggled at that.

It was obvious that she had ulterior motives in mind.

Paimon shouted.

'...Yeah, 'good will' sure.'

Aether and (M/N) were unimpressed.

"In accordance with Liyue traditions." Paimon began in an all knowing voice. "We should give an offering to a person of high standing as Lady Ningguang."

"That's well good and all."

Alhaitham closed his book.

"But it's obvious to even the idiots of the Akademiya."

Here, said idiots squawked at being called idiots.

"Can tell that this is obviously a ploy to get into the Tianquan good grace."

"Aw, come on!"

Paimon shouted.

"Well, it's true." Ignika and (Y/N) deadpanned. "We have a list of all the crazy things you had made us do and it's still growing."

What was scary was how well in sync they were with their commentary.

"...Well, at least Pom-Pom can pull his own weight around."

Shadow groaned.

"Was that a compliment or an insult?" Pom-Pom looked at him. "I can never tell with you."

"HMM."

Was all Shadow said.

"Not doing so, could be seen as an insult to not only Ningguang, but to all of Liyue!"

"She certainly has guts."

Candace shook her head.

"I'll give her that."

"Wonder If her guts are like ours."

Mobius mused.

!

"EEEKKK!!"

Paimon screamed in terror at the morbid fascination the scientist had with her.

Not to say, that Dottere wasn't interested to know either. But his instincts told him to be a little wary of Mobius and that if he lets his guard down while working with her. He might find himself on the table as well.

'That's what my clones are for.'

The Doctor thought to himself.

...(M/N) gave her a piercing stare.

He knew quite well of Liyue traditions, and while there is a salt of truth there. It was obvious that she just wanted to make some quick moola by grabbing one of the fabled papers off of Ningguang board.

"I'd say what a shock."

Beidou could not even try to look smug, but she couldn't. Even she felt exasperation at the pixie attempt at 'following Liyue traditions' to be sad.

"But that was both obvious and sad. Even I could do better than that."

Various nods and agreements could be seen at that.

"GRRAHHH!!"

Paimon screamed at how people could not see the 'brilliance' in her plan!

"So..." Aether decided to just go along with it. "What did you have in mind?"

"Sugar-Frosted Slime!"

???

"...What?"

Kuki and Kujou Sara both stared at the flying fairy.

"What did you say/Did you seriously just say that?"

The two asked.

"What?"

Paimon was confused.

Paimon shouted.

Her companions' reactions.

"...What?"

Was to give her a deadpanned stare.

"Paimon saw it in a dream last night." She explained. "And Paimon thinks for a super rich classy lady like Ningguang, it would be the perfect supper!"

"..."

"..."

"What!?" Paimon shouted at the looks she was getting. "It's brilliant!!!"

"I am amazed that I didn't kill you back then." Ignika just gave her a look of pure exasperation. "How the hell did any of us survived with you?"

"Don't kill her, she's useful." Lumine repeatedly muttered under her breath. "Don't kill her, she's useful. Don't kill her, she's useful. Don't kill her, she's useful. Don't kill her, she's useful."

She was getting more and more agitated as she tried to calm herself down.

"..."

*SHUFFLE*

People moved away from her as a dark aura soon enveloped her.

...Sigh!

"Let's get this over with."

(M/N) groaned.

Thus, the trio went on a mystical journey for a recipe that only existed in Paimon dreams.

"..."

-End Flashback!-

"Sorry!" Paimon bowed in terror. "Paimon didn't think it through!"

"The only thing you can think of is food and how to make mora."

Gorou shook his head.

"Hey!"

"Maybe if we go to the Guizhong Ballista we can find a path?"

Aether offered.

"That's a good idea!" Paimon jumped on that. "And we can tell you what we've been up to yesterday!"

"Beating up bitches, choking and yeeting a bitch, cooking."

Cyno answered.

"Fine by me." (M/N) shrugged. "But before we go..."

?

Flash!

After a brilliant show of lights died down.

In his hand

(Summit Shaper)

"..."

"How does he have that sword?"

Moon Carver wondered.

"That sword been hidden for a long time now."

Mountain Shaper added.

"This world is different from ours, despite how similar it is." Cloud Retainer spoke up. "One believes the variable known as (M/N) (L/N) has an unexpected effect on that world that would alter events that have happened here."

"..."

Just which events were a different matter altogether.

"This is for you." (M/N) handed the sword to Aether. "You are going to need more power than what your current sword can give you."

"Is he going to be giving him a new sword for each nation they visit?"

Aloy asked.

"Well...yes."

Zero shrugged.

"Just not going to be easy due to the fact that Liyue is his home region, and he had that sword in his domain. The others are a little bit harder to find."

"Ah."

"...Thanks."

Aether said as he examined the powerful weapon. He could feel its aura as he swung it a few times.

"..."

Lumine stared at Paimon.

"Wha-What?"

Paimon shuddered, uncomfortable by Lumine gaze.

"Why can't you give me something as useful as that?"

She asked.

"Wha-HEY!" Paimon shouted indignantly. "Paimon can so give you better than a sword!"

"No problem." (M/N) said. "Now let's head to the Guizhong Ballista now."

"Right!"

"And let's take a breather there."

Zero paused the screen.

"And let's get some grub."

People nodded as they left.

"And enjoy it."

He muttered under his breath.

"For things are about to get wild very soon."

With that said, he winked to the audience and left.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Ignoring Evo screams of terror and pain as the Chibi Kamen Riders revolted and began beating him up violently.

A cartoon cloud blocking people's sight from what was happening inside it.

Done!

Finally got this done. I forgot how much of a pain it is when I have long chapters.

Hope you enjoyed it and I'm hoping I can get the chapters of the Liyue Arc done.

Have a good day/night!