Chapter 333

"A-Ping!"

Seeing that hunched figure, Luo Li let out a faint sigh of emotion.

Seeming to hear someone calling her, the figure stirred, turning around to look behind her in confusion.

The moment she saw Luo Li clearly, the eyes of the old woman named A-Ping, which had been slightly clouded, became clear, as if the grime assimilated by the mortal world had been washed away anew.

"Your Highness?!"

Granny Ping was extremely surprised; she had been immersed in the mortal world for quite some time and was completely unaware of the news that Luo Li had returned to Liyue.

Now, seeing that peerlessly elegant and handsome young man once more, a smile bloomed in her eyes, causing the wrinkles at their corners to fold.

She stopped watering the plants, slowly shuffled over to Luo Li’s side, looked up at him slightly, and first performed a dignified salute.

"I did not know Your Highness had come from afar, and failed to welcome you; please forgive this old woman."

Gazing at the old woman before him, Luo Li waved a hand to signal her to rise.

"There is no need for this; Zhongli and I are no longer the gods of Liyue."

"Hehe, even so, Your Highness and the Geo Archon remain the main gods in our hearts who swept away the eight wildernesses and six directions."

"You didn't like to use such polite formalities in the past."

Looking over the aged woman before him, Luo Li felt a bit conflicted.

He still remembered that back then, the young girl named A-Ping was also peerlessly elegant, with a dignified appearance and powerful strength—a beauty rarely seen.

It was a pity that, to this day, she had voluntarily abandoned the appearance of her youth, choosing to become an old woman and live a simple, ordinary life.

"People change, even immortals," Granny Ping replied with a kind smile. "Otherwise, the Geo Archon would not have chosen to retire after his success, and Your Highness would not have lingered overseas, unknown for a thousand years."

Luo Li was silent, not refuting her words.

"Is this your choice, then—to become an ordinary old woman in the mortal world, A-Ping?"

With an immortal's abilities, a mere thousand years would never be enough to age one to this extent; if Granny Ping wanted to, she could completely restore the appearance of her youth.

But her choice had left the other immortals astonished.

"Youth fades easily, and the physical shell is but passing smoke and clouds. It is not as carefree as Your Highness and the Geo Archon, who remain as elegant as ever after thousands of years. Having seen through the mortal world, there is no longer much meaning in it," Granny Ping said with indifference.

"Having seen through the red dust, perhaps what you have now is the return to simplicity that mortals crave most."

"Your Highness, please do not mock this old woman."

Luo Li could not help but laugh out loud.

Although the two had known each other for a long time, they had not chatted much in private.

The reason for this was likely that the A-Ping of the past felt somewhat inferior to the match made in heaven that was Guizhong and Luo Li.

Even immortals could harbor naive feelings, but unfortunately, the seed buried in the soil was strangled in the cradle before it could sprout.

At that time, upon learning of Guizhong's fall, A-Ping felt a glimmer of hope amidst her sorrow, but unfortunately, Luo Li disappeared from Liyue without a trace after that.

It was not until several hundred years later that he appeared again, and by that time, standing beside him was the Raiden Shogun, the God of Inazuma, Baal.

From that moment on, A-Ping abandoned all fantasies—or rather, being timid, she simply dared not pursue the hope in her heart.

Time passed, until this very day.

The dreams of her youth had already shattered, and all that remained were faint sadness and some regrets.

Clearing the many memories from her mind, Granny Ping admitted that these were her most precious memories, but memories were, after all, just memories; they could never become reality again.

Or rather, the A-Ping of today had long since abandoned unrealistic fantasies.

"Let us not speak of these things. Your Highness must not have come to find this old woman just to joke around."

Hiding all the longing and admiration in her eyes, Granny Ping asked with a smile.

Luo Li nodded and said, "I have come for Guizhong's final relics. I remember leaving in such a hurry that I entrusted many things to you to pack up, and I never asked you about them afterward."

"So you have come for the relics of Lady Guizhong."

Granny Ping’s expression did not change as she chuckled, "Back then, Your Highness left this place of sorrow too quickly, perhaps without the heart to organize things. This old woman, being more meticulous, did indeed take the liberty of organizing some things for Lady Guizhong."

"If Your Highness needs them, this old woman will hand them over now. I wonder, Your Highness..."

"That would be excellent."

The so-called handover of relics was naturally not as troublesome as it would be for mortals. Once Granny Ping received the affirmative answer, she immediately opened the path to the Serenitea Pot.

The so-called Serenitea Pot is a secret realm similar to an immortal's abode, only it can be carried on one's person, and the space inside is relatively small, not as vast as an immortal's true dwelling.

The transfer of relics did not take long; in just over ten minutes, everything had been handed over.

Luo Li looked through them carefully; most of Guizhong's relics were intact.

But there was one item that was missing from the collection.

"Where is the Taiwei Instrument?"

Luo Li looked around, but could not find this item among them.

The so-called Taiwei Instrument was a treasure Luo Li had obtained through check-in and given to Guizhong to protect her life.

Within it, time and space were inverted, forming a world of its own—exquisite beyond compare.

0 .... 0

It contained the concept of a "Buddha's kingdom in the palm"; if an ordinary person were trapped inside, they would never get out without the owner's permission.

Even a god who fell into it would be unable to escape.

This was the final insurance Luo Li had given Guizhong; if she encountered danger, even if she were outmatched, she could escape into it and remain safe and sound.

But during that tragic Archon War, Guizhong had handed the Taiwei Instrument to the immortals, letting them use it to protect the people of Guili Assembly.

To her, every citizen of the Guili Assembly, which she and Luo Li had built together, was like their own child.

As long as the children were safe, she could be at peace regardless of her own fate.

And so, in the end, not a single citizen of the Guili Assembly was lost, while Guizhong herself fell in that war.

The cycle of karma is truly sigh-worthy.

Seeing Luo Li slightly lost in thought, Granny Ping showed a look of hesitation, and after a long moment, she finally told the truth: "I beg Your Highness's forgiveness. Five hundred years ago, when the Abyss disaster struck, this old woman lent the Taiwei Instrument to the Yakshas and human mages; perhaps it was lost in The Chasm."

"The Chasm?"

Waking from his memories, Luo Li murmured the name.

It seemed he would have to make a personal trip to The Chasm after all.

To think he had refused the invitation from Lumine and Paimon—this was truly... interesting.

"It seems I have no choice but to be a free bodyguard for once."

Luo Li clicked his tongue softly, sighing at the good luck of Lumine and Paimon.

— Author's Notes —

·· ·Seeking flowers· ·······