"Ganyu already left with that little fox?"
"Yes, they just headed out."
"So, the Narukami's retainer from Inazuma has arrived, hm…"
"And I doubt she'll be the only Narukami retainer coming from Inazuma."
"Those damned Fatui."
"It was bound to happen. Even without the Fatui, word would have spread sooner or later. It's not as if we're used to covering things up. What happened with Guizhong is hardly something no one could discover."
"So, how do we handle things next?"
The adepti glanced at one another and collectively fell silent.
Everyone knew this was impossible to hide.
They simply hadn't expected the Fatui to be so brazen as to broadcast it across the whole continent.
Now, all of Teyvat knew.
"As of today, counting both northern and southern harbors, and excluding normal trade routes, a total of thirteen ships have arrived from the seven nations. Every one of them carries a special mission."
Minu flipped through the report in his hand and spoke in a low voice.
"Of them, only one came with a formal diplomatic delegation. That one's from Mondstadt."
"Mondstadt sent an embassy too?"
Guizhong rubbed her chin, speaking softly.
"Mondstadt can proceed with normal diplomacy. Barbatos is an old friend. No need to worry there—the Qixing can handle it."
"Right. What about the situation with Snezhnaya?"
"Snezhnaya…"
Minu frowned.
"The main body of their diplomatic mission has already completed a full withdrawal. The only Fatui forces still openly remaining within Liyue's borders are five advance squads in the Chasm."
"Abandoned pieces, then."
Cloud Retainer shook her head.
"Send someone to approach them."
"Ask what they intend to do. If their hands are clean and they want to stay, we can treat them as ordinary foreign guests. If they prefer not to remain, send people to escort them back to their homeland."
"I've already dispatched people to make contact," Minu replied quietly, then continued his report.
"In addition…"
"In just four days, twelve different waves of agents from various nations and factions have infiltrated Liyue Harbor through different means."
"For now they're relatively quiet, not causing trouble, but most of them are collecting information on everyone here."
"Mainly on Mr. Taro."
"Oh, and there's also an official letter from the Sumeru Akademiya. In essence, they're inviting Mr. Taro to Sumeru City to attend an academic conference."
"The Sumeru Akademiya?"
"An academic conference?"
"That's not for us to decide."
Guizhong narrowed her eyes and shook her head.
"Leave it to Fanan. Mr. Taro will make his own choice; we're only responsible for passing the invitation along."
They could not make decisions for Taro.
That had been clear from the very beginning.
"City of Wisdom? More like city of nonsense."
Cloud Retainer slammed a hand onto the table.
"And those 'sages'? Ungrateful, heartless, shameless beasts."
"The God of Wisdom, Rukkhadevata, founded and sheltered Sumeru."
"And that's how they treat her successor?"
"They all deserve to be chopped up and thrown to the dogs."
"Cloud Retainer, that's a bit much…"
Madame Ping shook her head lightly.
"What did the dogs ever do wrong, that they should have to eat such rotten filth?"
"Burning them would pollute the air."
"They should be sealed in a bronze coffin, pinned down with a formation, and suppressed in the latrine for thirty thousand years."
"Mm…"
Mountain Shaper and Moon Carver exchanged a glance and nodded in unison.
"That sounds reasonable. Fitting, even."
"Everyone, you're getting off topic~"
Skyfaring Hermit sighed helplessly.
"That's Sumeru, not Liyue."
"We can't exactly march in and suppress them in broad daylight, can we?"
"That would cause diplomatic problems."
"At the very least we'd need to be subtle about it."
"For example, we could assume a different identity, disguise ourselves with arts and illusions, slip in quietly and settle the matter. We should at least make sure not even the gods or ghosts know we were there."
"…"
Skyfaring Hermit really was ruthless.
Handle the whole thing quietly in the dark, and leave no handle for anyone to grab.
When his blood ran hot, he was truly hot-blooded.
When he went shady… he was a terrifying schemer.
"Cultivation is about keeping a clear and open heart."
Skyfaring Hermit narrowed his eyes.
"I've only just awakened and there are only a handful of people who even know I'm back. If this weighs on your minds, why not leave it to me?"
As the ancestor of the adepti, Morax's first disciple—
He absolutely could not stomach this.
Imprisoning a god?
What unimaginable gall.
To be honest, when they first saw the intelligence Fanan had sent, every adeptus present had worn a rather complicated expression.
Then, after a brief attempt at putting themselves in that archon's place, their tempers had exploded.
It was a good thing this had happened in another nation.
If it had been in Liyue—if someone had dared do this to Morax's or Guizhong's successor (even though that was basically impossible)—
They would have had their soul pulled out, refined into oil, and used as a lamp.
How brazen would you have to be to try such a thing?
And yet, Sumeru had really done it.
As if that weren't enough, word was that Inazuma's Raiden Shogun had been sidelined as well, turned into a mascot and a blade.
The whole country was being hollowed out until it shook on the brink of collapse.
What a world.
They were starting to feel like they didn't understand it anymore.
"Alright, alright~"
Guizhong clapped her hands lightly and smiled.
"Affairs in foreign lands aren't ours to control."
"…Let's focus on the present and govern Liyue well first."
"Morax has handed this burden to me. I need to see it safely through this transition."
"This shift in guardianship—we have to stand this watch properly."
"…"
The adepti fell quiet, each lost in their own thoughts.
"This particular watch will be the hardest of all."
Mountain Shaper chuckled and shook his head.
"Still, I have no regrets now."
"Wandering the mountains with everyone, carefree and at ease…"
"There's a certain joy to it."
"Not necessarily," Moon Carver disagreed.
"Humanity always needs a sword hanging over its head."
"The histories of every nation over the past millennia are all warnings."
"Without limits, one careless step and they fall straight into the abyss."
"Liyue must not repeat their mistakes."
The Mondstadt of the past.
The Fontaine of the past.
And now Sumeru.
And now Inazuma.
The same situations kept playing out.
Over and over again.
What was that saying?
There is nothing new under the sun.
It's always old wine in new bottles.
What has been will be again; what has been done will be done again.
History is a cycle that never truly breaks.
Humans live at most a hundred years; it's hard for them to see the patterns.
But for adepti, every change unfolded clearly before their eyes.
Old wine, new bottle?
They'd like to see someone try.
So the offender could learn that in this little patch of land called Liyue—
within three feet of a clenched fist, there is a god watching.
Try it once, and you'll die once.
"…"
Guizhong puffed out her cheeks and sighed.
"No wonder Morax ran off so fast."
"So he dumped all the problems on me."
"I'm furious."
"…"
Cloud Retainer coughed lightly.
"The Geo Lord also has his difficulties."
"He's been exhausted for a long time. Taking a rest is normal."
"Besides, Pangu is still in Liyue as well."
"If trouble truly comes, he will not stand idle."
"…"
A fallback, then?
Strolling around, walking birds, drinking tea and listening to music?
Even the old horse spirit was being led astray by Taro's influence.
"Ahem."
Minu cleared his throat.
"Dust King, the Qixing suggest choosing an auspicious date for a formal succession ceremony."
"What do you think?"
"…"
Guizhong's eyes went wide.
A succession ceremony?
Did they think she wasn't busy enough already?
"Tell them to shove it. We haven't even finished planning the Lantern Rite yet. To the Void with their ceremony."
"Have them bring their focus back where it belongs."
"Less time dreaming up pointless rituals."
"…"
(End of Chapter)
[100 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter]
[Check out my Patreon to read more!]
[[email protected]/Zukooo]
[Thanks for your support!]