"What a great idea!"
Just as Ye Xi and Xiangling were flirting and laughing in the house, Yae Miko interrupted their conversation with a distinctly sour tone.
"Ahem!"
"I just used the door to the sub-space to successfully travel to the Grand Narukami Shrine."
"As I thought, the Realm Within inside the Serenitea Pot is ingeniously connected to the sub-space beneath the Sacred Sakura."
"This will make traveling between Inazuma and Liyue much more convenient."
As she spoke, she squeezed herself right between Xiangling and Ye Xi.
She looked as though nothing were out of the ordinary, but in reality, she was practically pressed against Ye Xi.
Xiangling felt a pang of jealousy seeing this, but she didn't complain. After all, Yae Miko had said before that she had known Ye Xi the longest!
And what about herself? She had only known Ye Xi for three or four days!
If they were already this close after just a few days, then in three or four months, her bond with him would surely be even better than Yae Miko's!
Hearing Yae Miko confirm the connection, Ye Xi let out a sigh of relief. "That's good. This makes it much easier for us to meet."
This was truly a reason to celebrate!
He could now leave Liyue and travel wherever he pleased without worrying about sleeping in the wild. No matter where he went, he could always return to his own little home.
He could even bring Raiden Ei directly to Liyue to eat fresh Lotus Flower Crisps, or take Kamisato Ayaka to see Liyue's Lantern Rite.
When the Inazuma Fireworks Festival came around, he could bring Xiangling and Ganyu along to watch.
Traveling between Inazuma and Liyue usually took a day and a night by boat. With the Serenitea Pot, the "commute" had become trivial!
It was a beautiful prospect!
While he was lost in these thoughts, Xiangling suddenly let out a startled cry. "Ah!"
"What time is it?! Business at Wanmin Restaurant is exploding right now because of the Stir-Fried Fish Noodles!"
"I came out to buy groceries, but I haven't even brought them back yet!"
"Dad must be worried sick! A crowd of customers and no ingredients to cook with!"
The time inside the Serenitea Pot shifted according to Ye Xi's will, so it required a clock to keep track. Ye Xi had made one, and it currently showed that it was already past four in the afternoon!
He hadn't even finished his Daily Commissions today!
He had received a reward of 40 Primogems after eating, but the remaining tasks and daily rewards still held 120 Primogems. He couldn't afford to let those go to waste!
Thus, he suggested, "In that case, let's leave the Serenitea Pot first."
Xiangling was naturally in a hurry to get home, but Yae Miko said, "I'm going to find Ei to show off the clothes you gave me. You two head back to Liyue first."
Saying that, Yae Miko leaned into Ye Xi's ear and whispered, "But you better come back tonight. I'll be waiting for you~"
After speaking, she actually pecked Ye Xi on the cheek.
Xiangling looked like she was about to cry from frustration! She didn't know how far Yae Miko and Ye Xi had gone, but seeing them this intimate, it was definitely more than just a kiss!
What annoyed her most was that Yae Miko shot her a triumphant look, as if she were flaunting her victory.
At that moment, Ye Xi's inner voice echoed in her ears.
[She actually dared to sneak an attack on me? Tonight, I'll have to grab her by the tail and teach her a proper lesson!]
Yae Miko's face flushed red. A single tail popped out and brushed against Ye Xi's backseemingly a provocation.
Seeing this, Xiangling grew even more envious! She felt as though she were being excluded!
And most importantly, she didn't have a tail! If Ye Xi particularly liked tails, what was she supposed to do?
Ye Xi spoke up then. "If you're going to find Ei, remember to give her the Lotus Flower Crisps I bought. If I have time, I'll come look for her."
Yae Miko nodded, waved goodbye to Ye Xi, and left the small western-style house.
Xiangling, filled with curiosity, couldn't help but tug at Ye Xi's sleeve. "Ye Xi, who is this 'Ei'?"
Ye Xi realized he hadn't explained. "Ei is Raiden Ei, the Raiden Shogun of Inazuma."
"Eh?!"
Xiangling was stunned. She pressed further, "Aren't you afraid she'll get angry if you call her that?"
In her heart, the Raiden Shogun was the Electro Archon!
In Liyue, the Geo Archon was Rex Lapis, and everyone held the utmost respect for the old gentleman. Even a more intimate address would be "Lord of Geo"! That was only reasonable!
Calling a god by a nickname like Ye Xi did... it seemed borderline sacrilegious!
Ye Xi gave a faint smile. "Ei isn't as stern as you think. She's just a shut-in who hates leaving the house."
"If she weren't the Electro Archon, she'd probably be begging on the streets because she doesn't have a single Mora to her name."
Since Raiden Ei wasn't here, talking a bit of smack behind her back wouldn't hurt. Besides, he wasn't wrong.
Given Ei's personality, if she were just an ordinary girl, she'd be throwing tantrums for Tricolor Dango, reading light novels all day, and refusing to go to work. A total "NEET."
In his previous world, her parents would have probably beaten some sense into her long ago!
Xiangling's eyes were wide. She said with a strange expression, "Why do you make the Raiden Shogun sound like a hopeless child?"
Ye Xi thought for a moment, and then a flash of inspiration hit him!
He solemnly placed both hands on Xiangling's smooth shoulders and said calmly, "Xiangling, I have a very important favor to ask of you."
The sudden physical contact made Xiangling's heart race. She felt nervous, shy, and excited all at onceso much so that her brain felt dizzy! Hearing that Ye Xi had something "important" to entrust to her, her mind naturally wandered to... that.
Her heart pounded even harder. What should I do?! Should I refuse? Or agree?
But I haven't even showered yet!
I was crawling through the bushes at Mt. Tianheng looking for Slimes earlieram I dirty?
If there's a weird smell on me, it would really ruin the first impression!
While Xiangling's head was filled with wild thoughts, Ye Xi said with total sincerity, "As you can see, Ei is actually quite hopeless. So... could you go and teach her how to cook?"
"If it's you, Xi, then I can... Wait, what?!!"
Xiangling hadn't even processed the first half before the second half registered.
"Teach the Electro Archon how to cook?!"
"Me?"
She was completely dumbfounded.
Teaching someone to cook was one thing, but this was the ruler of Inazuma, one of The Seven Archons, the Raiden Shogun!
How was that possible?
In terms of status or logic, she wasn't qualified at all!!!
That was the all-powerful god who guarded Inazuma!!!
Xiangling frantically shook her head and waved her hands.
"I wouldn't dare! That's a god!"
"I'm just a third-rate little cook from Liyue. How could I possibly give orders to a deity?"
"No, no, no, I can't do it!"
Even though she was usually bold enough to climb trees for bird eggs, poke hornet nests, and crawl on the ground to catch lizards, the idea of instructing a god was terrifying!
Seeing her refusal, Ye Xi let out a helpless sigh.
[A third-rate cook? In the entire continent of Teyvat, is there any chef more skilled than Xiangling?]
[She's beautiful, has a great figure, and such a lively personality.]
[If we're talking about someone who is top-tier in cooking, top-tier in looks, and incredibly likable, there is only one Xiangling!]
[But if she doesn't want to, then forget it.]
However, Xiangling's amber eyes were wide, and they were overflowing with joy and happiness!
Hearing so much praise from Ye Xi's heart, she almost jumped for joy.
The best chef in Teyvat?
Hehe, oh stop, you're making me blush!
She wouldn't deny being pretty, but as for her figure... well, there was still room for growth!
As for her personality...
If Ye Xi liked lively girls, she could be even more lively!
Having been showered with mental praise, Xiangling felt like she was walking on air. Seeing Ye Xi's disappointed look, she immediately grabbed his arm.
"Um... I think... I could give it a try! As long as the Raiden Shogun doesn't yell at me."
Ye Xi was surprised. He didn't know why she had a sudden change of heart, but he immediately promised, "If she dares to say a single mean word to you, I'll beat her up!"
Xiangling felt warm inside.
He said that for her sake, he was even willing to beat up the Electro Archon!
But then, Xiangling suddenly realized something. To be able to joke about the Raiden Shogun like that... didn't that mean they were incredibly close?
She felt conflicted. His words felt like they were protecting her, but also like he was flaunting his friendship with the god.
In any case, she felt that the Raiden Shogun was definitely a girl who had a very good relationship with Ye Xi! She would have to keep a close eye on her!
"Alright, alright, let's head back. My dad's going to hit me in a minute!"
Xiangling felt sorry for her father now. As a restaurant owner, seeing a long queue outside with no ingredients to cook must be enough to drive him crazy!
Ye Xi laughed. "When Chef Mao goes to hit you, just tell him that you're now the cooking teacher for the Raiden Shogun. Your dad will be so happy he'll literally soar!"
Xiangling burst out laughing. "If I say that, Dad will definitely think I've eaten too many Slimes and ruined my brain!"
Ye Xi stopped joking, took Xiangling's soft hand, and led her to the table.
The Serenitea Pot was quite miraculous. On the outside, there was a large pot; opening the lid allowed one to enter the Realm Within. Inside that realm, a smaller pot would appear. Opening the lid of that small pot allowed one to exit the sub-space.
He opened the lid of the small pot. Space distorted, and in an instant, they were outdoors.
"Ye Xi, I'm heading back to Wanmin Restaurant. You have to come find me often, okay?"
Ye Xi gave an affirmative response and waved goodbye.
Xiangling looked back every few steps before finally leaving Yujing Terrace. The happy smile on her face made it clear just how joyful she was.
Watching Xiangling disappear, Ye Xi turned back toward the grassy lawn.
There were many Silk Flowers and Glaze Lilies here. He walked straight to the Silk Flowers.
[Task: Collect Silk Flowers x4]
A single bush of Silk Flowers yielded four blossoms. He simply plucked them, and the task was complete.
[Reward obtained: Primogems x40]
[Rewards being distributed, please check...]
The Silk Flowers were of no further use to him, so he placed them into his spatial backpack. The backpack didn't have much room, but items placed inside wouldn't spoil over time.
Next were the Glaze Lilies.
Thinking of them reminded him of something. Glaze Lilies used to grow in abundance at Dihua Marsh. They were "joyful" flowers that supposedly listened to people's singing. The better the singing, the higher the quality of the Glaze Lily.
While he was hesitating in front of the flowers, a deep voice suddenly came from behind him.
"These Glaze Lilies are merely a cultivated variety. If you seek wild Glaze Lilies, Dihua Marsh would be more appropriate."
Ye Xi found the voice strikingly familiar and turned around.
Not far away stood a man in a long brown coat with an indifferent expression. His gaze was as calm as still water, as if nothing in the world could catch his eye. Or perhaps, having witnessed the shifting of the tides over countless aeons, nothing around him held any meaning anymore.
Ye Xi knew this man.
Rex Lapis, Morax! Liyue's god!
Ye Xi hadn't expected Morax to appear before him so soon. In truth, he had tried to keep as low a profile as possible. He hadn't given the Basalt Pillar to Ningguang precisely because he was worried that being too flashy would attract the attention of the Lord of Geo.
Morax's strength was undoubtedly the greatest among The Seven Archons.
A crucial factor influencing an Archon's power was whether they fulfilled their duties. Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, valued freedom above all else. He was always off drinking and lazily wandering, barely participating in the governance of Mondstadt. Consequently, his divine power had grown weaker and weaker.
But Rex Lapis was different!
He was over 6,000 years old and had been present ever since the founding of Liyue. He had fulfilled his duties for millennia! Therefore, his divine power had reached a terrifying level!
The reason Ye Xi had stayed hidden was the fear that this deity would observe him and deem him a threat to Liyue. If the man actually attacked, Ye Xi wouldn't even have the strength to resist.
So, the moment he saw Morax, Ye Xi panicked slightly.
Before he could speak, Morax stepped forward and said in a measured pace, "The aura upon you is unusual."
"I can see that within you resides a power far beyond that of ordinary men."
He crossed his arms, studying Ye Xi again. "I have seen much upon this land, yet I still cannot see through you."
"In a thousand years, you are the firstand likely the only one."
Ye Xi felt a surge of surprise. Why was Morax exposing his own identity right away? Telling a mortal that he had lived for thousands of years... he was clearly making sure Ye Xi knew he was Rex Lapis!
However, Morax's next words left Ye Xi completely speechless.
"No matter..."
"I care not how you obtained this power. My purpose here today is for the contract that ends all contracts."
"Are you the 8th of the Fatui Harbingers, La Signora?"
Ye Xi: "???"
PS: (I previously mentioned there were twelve Fatui Harbingers. I remembered incorrectly; there are eleven. Correcting that now.)
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