Chapter 304: To Prevent the World from Being Destroyed

Blue Star Blue Star→: ibiquges

One by one, night lanterns rose slowly, carrying memories of the past and hopes for the future.

The moon hung above the tree tops, lights shimmered in brilliant hues, swaying gently with the evening breeze, their rippling glimmers spreading out. Children chased each other, holding snacks; travelers occasionally paused at street stalls, where melodious operas unfolded in rhythm with the instruments, telling stories passed down through generations.

The endless, bustling prosperity of the mortal world evoked a sense of grandeur in this golden age.

At the top level of Liu Li Ting, Su Lin gently fanned himself with a round fan, his white hair bound by an exquisite dragon-patterned jade crown, wearing the splendid purple-and-blue Tianhe battle robe on his physical form to prevent Heaven's Principle from acting dishonorably.

Their group now sat on the balcony, enjoying tea and Liyue snacks.

Song Shuhang was not here; he and Bai Zunzhe were touring Liyue with the cultivators invited to the Jiuzhou No. 1 group.

Although publicly explained as a planet under the control of the Immortal Court's master, to prevent certain "Kuangdao Sanlang, Kuangdao Sanlang, and still Kuangdao Sanlang" reckless cultivators from running amok, the task of 24-hour personal supervision fell upon Song Shuhang.

Boom—

The wooden door was pushed open; footsteps came from behind.

"As the morning sun reddens the Hongmen, Su Tower changes hands, yet Long Lin's charm remains undiminished."

Su Lin raised a cup of emerald jade tea toward the sky, his back turned to Zhongli, Windy, Kong, Paimon, and Dvalin as they walked toward the balcony, reciting his poetic incantation.

"Purple-gold flute, white jade zither, palace lanterns glow bright as tanhua blooms in full splendor—let us drink together in eternal ease."

As he spoke, righteous qi spread widely, purple aura drifted faintly—this was the Confucian power he had simulated through preliminary absorption of the Eternal Origin.

Ugh.

Miss Kelaien, closest to Su Lin, gagged, and seeing Su Lin's murderous gaze, said: "Sorry, perhaps the chi-hu fish I bought on the street wasn't sanitary."

"Is that so? I thought you stole Star's trash bag." Su Lin put away his props and advised: "Why not stock up more? Food that affects mythic beings can be used for poisoning."

Star hadn't swallowed his lotus seed cake yet; he glared at Miss Kelaien, then realized and frowned: "Don't poke."

"Thank you, I have historical projections," Miss Kelaien said politely. "May I ask whose poem you stole this time?"

Su Lin glared fiercely and shouted: "How dare you slander my reputation?!"

Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan: "Heh."

Lu Mingfei: "Heh."

Ye Fan reached over to pick up a Moon Egg for Xiao Nannan, whose arms were too short, and placed it on a porcelain plate: "You're a repeat offender."

Behind them, Dvalin sensed the aura radiating from the other man, towering like a mountain peak, and instinctively stirred with battle lust—he struggled to suppress the urge to challenge him now.

"I heard there's wine brewed by immortals tonight—how exciting," Windy said lazily, paying no attention to the earlier exchange.

"Strange, why has Su Lin's hair turned white in just one day?" Paimon asked curiously.

Kong shook his head.

"This?" Su Lin pointed to his hair and said: "I thought this hair color would grant me a Geo Vision, but it hasn't arrived yet."

Zhongli: "."

Where did this rumor come from?

Dvalin stepped forward.

"You must be Mr. Su Lin. Hello everyone, I am the Eleventh Executive of the Fatui, codenamed Young Master—you may call me Dvalin," Dvalin smiled slightly. "This aura—may I ask which immortal stands before me?"

As he spoke, he scanned the assembled group. He recognized Su Lin because Fatui intelligence agents had spotted him the previous night when the Qianyan Army arrested him and delivered him to Xin Yue Xuan.

As for the others, their depths were unreadable, but his instinct told him none here were ordinary—after all, they were guests specially invited by Morax.

"This is Su Lin," Zhongli introduced to Dvalin. "The God of Light."

Dvalin: "."

Su Lin nodded and introduced to Dvalin: "The one beside me is the Fool, the Evil God."

Miss Kelaien: "."

Inside a private room at Xin Yue Xuan.

While waiting for Hu Tao, Chongyun, and others to arrive, Dvalin maintained a stiff smile; now, more than eating, he wanted to return and report.

Since the terrifying force that affected all Teyvat last appeared in Liyue, the Empress ordered him to closely monitor Morax's movements and any changes within Liyue.

According to leaked intelligence, all remnants of the Archons had been completely purified—the mastermind must be Morax, who publicly "returned to the High Heavens."

Before learning this news, Dvalin had wondered why the Northland Bank's reimbursement bills had suddenly dropped—now he understood: Zhongli had been absent for some time.

The guest of the Wangsheng Hall, Zhongli, vanished for many days; upon returning, he brought a group of immortals back to Liyue, then hosted a banquet for two deities whose names were unheard of.

"The Fool? The God of Light?" Paimon asked, puzzled. "Are they friends of Zhongli's from the Archon War? Windy, you're the Wind God—you know them?"

"Hey, what's with 'you're the Wind God, anyway'?" Windy shook his head, curious. "I met them for the first time yesterday."

"Zhongli asked us to wait a bit—he'll explain," Kong said, genuinely concerned—he didn't know if these two deities had any news of his sister.

"Excuse me," Dvalin's eye twitched. "Is this the one from Mondstadt?"

"You don't know?" Kong asked. "Didn't the Dame tell you?"

"I'm not on good terms with her. I only care whether the mission succeeds; details don't concern me," Dvalin suddenly felt a headache, smiled awkwardly, and added pointedly: "Four gods at one banquet? That feels ominous."

"Who knows?" Windy said, slightly expectant.

"Looks like our tables are separate—maybe the old man wants to come out of retirement and unify Teyvat? Hmm, I'll surrender first—I'll help persuade Mondstadt."

"I have something to attend to," Dvalin said, rising to leave—when Zhongli pushed the door open.

"Apologies," Zhongli looked at those in the room. "I kept you waiting. Before preparations are complete on the other side, let my avatar accompany you."

Kong and Paimon exclaimed: "Avatar?!"

"Is there some important topic we're not allowed to hear?" Windy joked. "Don't worry—I've got a tight mouth."

Zhongli smiled slightly and said:

"First, to look after Madame Hu and Xingqiu and others. Second, for your safety—on the other side, they're reinforcing sealing techniques and mechanical traps. Once you go, you won't be able to leave easily tonight, and your lives may be in danger."

"Seal... sealing?!" Paimon cried out. "Zhongli! Are you planning to fight them?!"

Dvalin's eyes sharpened—was this a trap set by Morax against other Archons?

"Not quite." Zhongli shook his head solemnly.

"I'm just afraid that after they get drunk later."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to stop them."

"The array patterns added should be enough." Ye Fan, watching Hei Huang and Duan De carve, said with lingering unease: "This time, they shouldn't run out again like last time."

"What if Su Lin starts cheating later?" Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan asked uneasily: "I don't think our barrier can take as much punishment as the Fallen Mother Goddess."

"Then we can only rely on the saying: Don't look down on the poor youth." Ye Fan replied: "Why worry so much? If anything goes wrong, Su Lin takes full responsibility."

"Why are you doing all this while preparing for a celebration feast?" Xing felt something was off—these people were still making all kinds of preparations before eating.

"To prevent the world from being destroyed, to uphold cosmic peace." Lu Mingfei, alongside Lao Tang, buried the alchemical matrix; the highest-level alchemy could open space: "Please step aside, construction is about to begin."

"Resurrection spell is ready. Should we add a binding spell?" Su Lin unfolded his divine realm within this newly opened space, achieving the effect of a miniature world:

"Seems sufficient. Honestly, I think you're worrying over nothing. After a few more cups, you'll all be passed out—how are you going to cause trouble?"

Times are different now. Su Lin, even if he hasn't achieved system financial freedom, has at least achieved snack freedom; under current population limits, his purchasing power remains considerable.

Moreover, after just spending a million, he's currently in a "generous mood."

"Who are you looking down on?" Ye Fan pulled out the Cauldron of the Mother of All Things, his eyes gleaming: "Can you fill it to the brim this time?"

Su Lin: "Shut up."

Of course, the Dream-Drunk Wine and the Vatican Holy Cake were a given—these would be served. This time, he added a bit of science and ruthless ingenuity.

Price points:

Dream-Drunk Wine (50 jin): Produced by Douglas Industries, a cellular enhancement serum. To meet the increasingly complex and changing market, it combines soy-scented technology, grinding and infusing meteor-grade Lei Ting beast cores—highly sought after in the advanced psychic market, but unavailable even at high prices. (Though entirely science and ruthless ingenuity, it excels at strengthening the physical body.)

Price: 777 points:

Fifth-Generation Hybrid Pantao (one): A fifth-generation hybrid of Pantao and Earth-Origin Peach, solving the long cycle of blooming every three thousand years, fruiting every three thousand years, and ripening every three thousand years. Though reduced to one harvest per year, it no longer grants instant ascension, but retains the original Pantao's flavor. (Side effect: Due to retaining 100% taste experience and still preserving trace amounts of immortal qi, mortals who consume it feel they have become immortals.)

Science Achieves Pantao Freedom—Suspected of Disrupting the Nine Heavens Market, Resisting Law, Sentenced to 500 Years: Sun Wukong

Some other scattered snacks were added—this banquet was undeniably lavish.

The preliminary budget was roughly three times the last one. Though Dream-Drunk Wine doesn't boost cultivation as intensely as Dream-Immortal Wine, it makes up for it in sheer volume and abundance.

"For now, this will do." Su Lin's main body nodded, instructing his Light God avatar to retrieve the Dream-Immortal Wine and other items from the Veil of History.

Meanwhile, Zhongli's avatar in the private room told Kong and the newly arrived Hu Tao and others: "After you're seated, I suggest you eat the dishes first."

Why eat the dishes first?

Naturally, because

"Slurp—slurp—"

Xing Qiu and several cultivators collapsed after two or three cups.

"Generally, I wouldn't recommend drinking—it harms the body," Zhongli told Kong: "But this Dream-Immortal Wine isn't alcohol—it's immortal energy inducing intoxication. Drinking it benefits your bodies."

"I feel it." Kong's face was flushed; his inner power was growing, yet his body urged him to fall asleep.

Paimon, after eating her fill, puffed out her belly, took a sip of wine, and fell asleep, lying in an empty plate, pulling a lettuce leaf over herself as a blanket, snoring soundly.

"Is this the power you spoke of, Mr. Zhongli? You truly keep your word—excellent!" After eating the peach and downing another cup, Dvalin felt invincible: "Comrade, let's fight!"

Trembling!

"You can't even hold your chopsticks steady," Kong said, seeing double images of Dvalin before him.

"No problem!" Dvalin gritted his teeth: "Don't underestimate the drinking capacity of Fontaine!"

At this moment, Su Lin walked over and said: "Come, let me toast one more round with all of you from Liyue."

Su Lin raised his cup and clinked it against Dvalin's.

"..." Dvalin glanced at Hu Tao, Chongyun, and other Liyue people already passed out, then at the cup clinking with his own: "I'm from Fontaine."

"Didn't you leave Fontaine forever?" Su Lin laughed heartily, wine fumes spreading as he slapped Dvalin's shoulder: "Come on, drain it!"

Dvalin's half-clouded mind reasoned: The Fatui are also diplomatic envoys—the deity himself is toasting. Must drink.

Crash—

Another one down.

"Still holding up, huh?" Su Lin looked at Kong: "How many layers of your former power have returned?"

Hearing this, Kong urgently asked: "You know me and my sister, don't you?!"

Su Lin glanced at the people sprawled on the table, smiled, and cast a soundproof spell.

"I know them." Su Lin's lips curled slightly: "But I knew them in another world."

"Another world?!" Kong's hazy consciousness sharpened slightly.

"They're like you—not from this world," Zhongli said, sitting beside Windblume, glancing at the seemingly drunk Wind God of Mondstadt: "I invited them from beyond this world."

"So that's how it is. Do you know anything about her?" Kong was stunned—this world had so many arrivals. Zhongli had hidden far more than he imagined.

"About your sister, I know little," Su Lin said, picking up Kong's cup and pouring pure holy light into it before returning it: "But at the end of your journey, you will reunite. No need to rush."

A clear clink rang out as Su Lin raised his own cup: "As long as you don't lose your nobility, the entire world will open for you."

The light in his cup rippled like emerald waves. Kong froze, then, guided by instinct, without hesitation, tilted his head back and drank it all.

"I still want to ask—"

Before the words finished, a warm sensation spread through his body, as if returning to a bright afternoon. Kong vaguely saw a golden-haired girl flying with him through the sky.

"Xing"

The glowing, warm Kong collapsed onto the table. When he awoke, a new elemental power would reside within him.

Since you're here anyway, why not add a trivial variable to this world?

Su Lin smiled, picked up the half-empty bottle of Dream-Immortal Wine, shook it, and said: "One holy light seed saved at least 300 milliliters of Dream-Immortal Wine—profitable."

"You'd have had the aura of a master imparting wisdom if you hadn't said that last line," Zhang Chu'ar said, gnawing on a peach bigger than his head.

"Do you think I'd make a losing deal?" Su Lin picked up the jade bottle to leave, but found it unusually heavy: "Baba Tusi, aren't you drunk?"

"I'm the god of wine in Mondstadt!" Venti stared hungrily at the jade bottle in Su Lin's hand. "Everyone else is drunk—only I'm left at this table! This is even better than Diluc's grandfather's wine!"

"Aren't you the Anemoi God?" Su Lin shook his head, picked up the jade bottle, and returned with Bartos to their group's table.

Clear radiance scattered everywhere; the bright moon hung high in the night sky—a gentle breeze, perfect for gathering.

This beautiful scene invites all my friends to enjoy it together.

When Song Shuhang came to his senses, a roaring wind howled in his ears, stars blanketed the sky above, and an airplane flew past not far away.

"Strange."

Cold wind whipped fiercely, waves of air slammed against his body.

"Why am I..."

Above him, a deep blue portal opened.

"Here."

He quickly patted his storage pouch—but found he was wearing nothing but a pair of shorts.

"I can't fly!!!"

(End of Chapter)