The tour of Liyu Palace's exterior was mostly complete.
As for the interior—there wasn't much to see.
The grand hall followed a classical, ancient aesthetic: carved wooden panels, screens, decorative potted plants, and candle-lit stands.
Zayn had manifested all of this based on the palaces he'd seen in historical dramas—
a mix of Ming, Tang, and Qin architectural features blended together.
Since the hall was the "face" of Liyu Palace, he used the highest level of decoration here.
But neither he nor Morax ever spent much time inside;
It was mostly used only when guests visited.
"Come to think of it, Guizhong-jie, you're actually the very first guest of Liyu Palace!" Zayn said with a grin.
"Truly? I didn't expect to be the first to visit such a beautiful palace! Then I must look very carefully," Guizhong said with a bright smile.
"Please, take your time," Morax replied.
Seeing how naturally Zayn and Guizhong got along…
Morax felt strangely out of place.
Why were these two gods both so lively?
After the main hall, Zayn showed her around his side hall—his personal living quarters.
Just an ordinary traditional-style residence—nothing worth describing.
Once the tour was finished, Zayn, as host, had to properly treat his guest.
When Guizhong heard him claim he would present her with "the most delicious food in the world," she looked to Morax curiously—
and Morax simply gave a mysterious smile.
Soon the three were seated in the pavilion.
Zayn filled a wine jug with grape wine, then activated his Manifestation Authority—
glowing white motes gathered on the table.
"Is Zayn using his divine authority now?"
Guizhong, being a god herself, immediately sensed the divine power within the light,
which then formed into a plate of golden, steaming delicacies.
These were Zayn's favorite—
Golden Silk Shrimp Balls.
Guizhong stared at the dish.
The golden strands, the rich aroma rising from them…
So…
Her gaze drifted to Zayn with an expression that said:
This is how you use such a powerful divine authority?
Well…
It did smell very good.
"Guizhong-jie, you have to try this! I perfected it after hundreds of trials and failures! The one and only in all of Teyvat!"
Completely fabricated, of course.
Zayn had needed maybe two tries.
He wasn't some perfectionist craftsman.
"Is that so? The only one in Teyvat? Then I must try it."
Guizhong lifted one shrimp ball with her chopsticks and placed it into her mouth.
Crunch.
The crisp golden coating broke apart, releasing the tender shrimp inside.
Juices burst out, elevating the flavor even further.
"Mmm!! It's delicious!"
For the first time in her life, her taste buds had encountered such a flavor.
She had never eaten something this good.
So mortals could make such divine food as well!
Her chopsticks didn't stop.
One shrimp ball after another disappeared, straight into her mouth.
It was clear—Guizhong loved this dish.
A god who loves shrimp balls—
What evil could she possibly harbor?
"Slow down, slow down. I can make more anytime," Zayn said with a laugh.
Of course he could conjure infinitely many dishes.
But even he knew moderation.
Too much of the same food spoiled its charm.
After finishing two plates of shrimp balls, Guizhong finally turned her attention to the rest.
A feast covered the table:
Adeptus' Temptation, Almond Tofu, Sweet Flower Chicken, Stir-Fried Meat Slices, Honey-Glazed Carrot Steak, Fried Tofu, Sautéed Offal, Grilled Tiger Fish, Snowmelt Sauerkraut Fish, Dongpo Pork…
Aside from early Liyue cuisine, Zayn had manifested many dishes from his own world.
He'd never tasted the original Liyue dishes, so their flavor was all recreated from imagination.
But the dishes from his home?
Those were accurate.
In this world, these were now called…
The Yu God Cuisine.
After eating and drinking their fill, the three raised their cups together in satisfaction.
Sharing a meal truly brought people closer.
Even Morax, who seldom spoke, began conversing with Guizhong about various topics.
As the conversation shifted toward governance and managing people,
Morax found himself deeply impressed—
Guizhong's wisdom in civil matters far surpassed his own.
Her ideas were sound.
Logical.
Practical.
Every suggestion was something he deemed extremely valuable for Liyue's future.
Even after Guizhong left Liyue,
Morax remained lost in thought, pondering her ideas again and again.
Zayn walked up to him, patting his shoulder with a teasing grin.
"What's wrong? She's gone already and you're still reluctant to let her go?"
"Reluctant? Where did you get that idea? I am contemplating the wisdom in her words. Guizhong possesses remarkable insight. Her methods for governance and development are truly worth learning."
Zayn's eyes sparkled.
"In that case, why don't we just invite Guizhong over and have her help govern our territory? Then I can just—"
…
slack off completely.
Morax slowly turned his head to look at Zayn.
Then he shook it.
Guizhong was the Dust God, a fellow archon with her own people and land.
How could she possibly accept such a ridiculous suggestion?
"Zenos, you must never say such things in front of Guizhong," Morax warned.
"To a god, their territory is sacred. Such words could be taken as an insult."
He knew Zayn's personality—
childish, playful, careless with words—
but Guizhong might not.
Misunderstandings between gods were no small matter.
"Hmph. This stone really doesn't understand anything," Zayn muttered inwardly.
He turned and left Morax, returning to his palace.
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