Chapter 252: News of the Divine Succession

Although the insect banquet at the Hall of Ten Thousand People left Ying and Paimon with a deep impression they would likely never forget in their lifetimes.

But they did gain something.

At least.

They found the Geo Archon, got a less-than-ideal answer, and no longer needed to look for a workaround.

"How do you know all these gods?"

The blunt Paimon could only think of this sentence.

When she and Ying were in Mondstadt, Luo De had already met the Wind God before them.

When they arrived in Liyue, Luo De had again met the Geo Archon before them.

Plus Luo De himself is the emissary of the Dendro Archon.

Considering the positional relationship between Liyue and Sumeru.

Ying easily made the decision to change their destination.

"Next stop is Sumeru; it shouldn't trouble you, right?"

A very reasonable decision.

Luo De raised no objection and joked, "If you don't mind possibly having to eat slime and insects later, then there's no problem."

"Um"

Not mentioning it would be fine, but as soon as it was brought up, Ying and Paimon's faces turned ashen.

Actually, with Xiangling's cooking skills.

If appearance is not considered.

The new dish she developed this time still tastes good.

It's better than the previous slime feast.

Moreover, although this insect banquet's appearance isn't great, its nutrition is far superior to that of slimes whose essence is elemental.

The only drawback.

Is that after trying.

The number of edible varieties is still too low.

If it weren't for the tasters' extraordinary physiques, just eating those few poisonous insects would have knocked out several of them.

Tighnari has suffered during this period.

Fortunately, he had once received Nadixa's blessing.

This divine protection, originally bestowed to resist desert sunlight, successfully helped him survive several bouts of food poisoning.

It is precisely by relying on this perseverance.

He successfully compiled a special recipe that could alleviate the desert food crisis.

It includes some Liyue specialty crops he gathered at Guili Assembly, as well as foods like slime that were once considered inedible.

As for insects.

In the desert, people actually do eat this.

Luo De also ate it when he was wandering before.

However, the people of the impoverished desert regions handle insects crudely, usually just roasting or boiling them and eating them outright, without any seasoning.

Food prepared this way naturally has a taste that is hard to describe.

In comparison.

Luo De actually thought this insect banquet was pretty good.

Especially the charcoal-grilled sand worm skin.

The sand worm itself is an important spice ingredient in Sumeru, inherently possessing a strong, spicy flavor.

When the desert folk harvest the spice, they usually discard the skin.

Such waste, unwanted even in the desert.

After Xiangling's method of first marinating then charcoal-grilling, it transforms into a delicacy resembling roasted chicken skin.

If not stated.

Just from texture and appearance, one couldn't even tell it was made from sand worm skin.

Of course.

Luo De being able to enjoy these special ingredients doesn't mean Ying and Paimon can too.

Moreover, it's not just the two of them who can't enjoy it.

Venti and Zhongli, these gods who have lived for thousands of years, ultimately couldn't withstand it either.

Zhongli merely managed to stay composed, while Venti burst into tears after a few bites, refusing to eat another no matter what.

So what started as a lively tasting session with seven people eventually turned into a study meeting among Luo De and his two fellow disciples.

And after the three of them finished tasting the dishes and researching suitable recipes.

Only Paimon and Ying remained waiting at the Hall of Ten Thousand People.

Zhongli and Venti chatted with them about things, then each went their own way.

Considering that Zhongli still hadn't received any news about his older brother.

Although Ying was uneasy about Luo De's description of Sumeru's dark cuisine, she gritted her teeth and said, "Then after the transfer ceremony is finished, we'll go to Sumeru together with you."

The matter of the divine succession.

Zhongli didn't mean to hide it from Ying, and he casually brought it up.

This, while surprising Ying, led her to decide to stay longer in Liyue, observe the divine succession ceremony, then leave.

Coincidentally, Luo De also had to be busy reshaping the body of the Floating Abode during this period.

When the time comes, it would be just right to act as a guide and return to Sumeru together.

Speaking of this handover ceremony.

Seeing few people around, Ying stepped closer and whispered, "Why does Zhongli want to step down? Did something happen?"

Luo De had explained this same question to several people before, so bringing it up again was nothing new for him.

In just a few words, he explained the wear‑and‑tear matter clearly.

This kind of thing, never heard before, also left Ying and Paimon clicking their tongues in amazement.

"Even the gods have such worries."

Ying finished her sigh.

Luo De then corrected her: "The gods have plenty of worries; they just usually don't voice them—take Nadixa, for example."

Next.

Luo De told Ying some of the divine secrets he knew.

Behind Venti's seemingly carefree exterior lies the sorrow of parting with a departed friend; Zhongli has guarded Liyue for over six thousand years through wind and rain, yet must endure the torment of wear and tear; and the newly born Nadixa, imprisoned by the Academy, faces the chaos of Sumeru, powerless to turn the tide.

These are things that would never be written in poems or history books.

Ying listened very attentively.

Paimon, who is usually chatty, also listened earnestly, and from time to time one could hear her soft sobbing there.

Unbeknownst to them.

But by the time Luo De finished speaking, they had already arrived at the most prosperous district of Liyue.

And here.

Luo De spotted a familiar figure.

It was Xiao, whom they hadn't seen in a long time.

At this moment he was trying to imitate Zhongli, attempting to buy an antique at Xigu Ju.

Compared to Zhongli, who holds a carefree, worldly attitude.

Xiao's speech is much more clumsy.

He spent a long time selecting.

When it came to haggling, he stammered and couldn't get a word out.

In the end he had no choice but to buy the hairpin at full price, and only then left Xigu Ju.

Just as he stepped out.

Xiao bumped head‑on into Luo De and the three of them, who were watching a show.

The scene instantly became awkward.

Finally Luo De broke the ice, enthusiastically introducing Xiao to Ying and Paimon beside him: "Xiao, let me introduce you—this is Ying and Paimon, friends I met in Mondstadt; they happen to be traveling in Liyue right now."

"Hello."

"I am Xiao."

While speaking, Xiao subtly hid the box containing the hairpin in his hand.

Such a small movement certainly couldn't escape Luo De, who had been watching outside for a while.

He deliberately puckered his lips toward where Xiao was hiding the hairpin and said, "Who is this gift for?"

Xiao had just bought a somewhat aged hairpin.

He has no use for it himself.

At a glance it's obvious he bought it to give to someone else, or to buy for someone else.

"."

Xiao's expression froze slightly when his small move was exposed, then he said, "True Lord Liuyun asked me to buy it."

"Huh?"

"True Lord Liuyun?"

"Oh, I see."

Upon hearing the name Liuyun, Luo De gave a knowing smile.

No doubt the immortals are again trying to help Xiao integrate into life in Liyue Harbor.

Thus the original trio became a group of four.

With an outsider present, Xiao's words became even fewer, just as they were in the Chasm—only when Luo De prompted him would he speak a sentence; otherwise he stayed silent.

Compared to him, who speaks so little.

Paimon and Ying would often sneak a glance at him when they had nothing else to do.

They knew the name Xiao.

The new Geo Archon appointed by Zhongli.

I never expected to run into him here.

They also didn't interrupt Luo De and Xiao's conversation, as the topics didn't align and there was really nothing to interject.

Until Luo De asked about Xiao's business in the Chasm.

Ying's face suddenly changed; she pricked up her ears, unwilling to miss any information.

The reason was simple.

Because Luo De mentioned a trace of the Abyssal Prince.

Ying knew her brother had become the Abyssal Prince.

Therefore, upon hearing Luo De say that again.

She immediately realized that Kong had once been to the Chasm in Liyue and had done something there.

The ruins you mentioned have been sealed off by the Liyue the Liyue the Liyue Qixing.

The sealing process was very safe.

Those empty shell knights didn't cause any trouble.

Although Xiao said that, under Zhongli's arrangements he didn't need to handle Liyue's political affairs, but he still knows a bit about some minor matters.

Just like the reopening of this underground mining area we're discussing now.

The map drawn by Luo De is very important for Liyue.

It not only marks many hazardous areas, but also deliberately designates restricted zones that should not be approached, to avoid attacks from the monsters that have long lived there.

Also, there's the Zanmara side.

After Liyue here re-verified the effect of the spore liquid sent by this big mushroom and Luo De shared the mushroom samples, the Liyue Huishan Ministry in charge of underground mining area affairs immediately dispatched personnel to contact Zanmara.

According to Xiao.

The talks went well on both sides, and Zanmara is very willing to cooperate with the Geo Archon's people.

Seeing Luo De, they wandered further and further off topic.

Ying couldn't hold back and interjected: "I heard you just say that beneath the Layered Rock Abyss, the Prince of the Abyss has appeared?"

Looking at Ying's face full of expectation.

Luo De first nodded to confirm the truth of the matter, but he didn't say that he had seen Kong; instead, he concealed the truth, saying: "I found some things he left there; at the request of the empty shell knights residing there, I destroyed those devices, so even if you go now, you'd at most find only some scraps."

Oh, like that.

The expectation on Ying's face quickly turned to disappointment, and she sighed: "I thought I could see him."

Don't worry.

You will definitely meet.

Luo De comforted her.

According to the time calculations.

Actually, Ying is indeed approaching the time when she will meet Kong.

Because the current timeline differs greatly from Luo De's memory, he simply cannot determine when Ying will be able to meet that branch-picker who can truly meet Kong.

So he could only temporarily comfort her like this.

However, regarding Ying's matter.

Luo De had already noticed something unusual when he first met her in Mondstadt.

That is, the gods' attitude toward Ying is unusually friendly.

This is very likely related to her being the true fourth Descender as defined in the texts.

Luo De remembers correctly.

Zhongli also once said that Ying is a recorder.

This can be seen from those words.

These gods' friendly attitude toward Ying seems to be related to her identity as a recorder.

【Descenders are not affected by the World Tree, their memories do not change, and their fate is not controlled by Teyvat.】

This is some of the specialness of Descenders known to Luo De.

If we look at it this way.

Has Kong reached some agreement with the Seven Archons? An agreement centered on Ying?

Luo De thinks this possibility still exists.

In short.

That is, among the gods of the Seven Nations, they are a special existence.

But there are too many riddlers.

Besides those involved, nobody knows what schemes they are hatching.

We've gone off track——

Luo De shook his head, gathered his thoughts, and continued the previous topic: "Have you seen your brother lately?"

No.

Ying sighed with a dejected expression.

Her behavior matched Luo De's expectations.

At this point in time.

She has indeed not yet met Dainsleif, and from the two gods she hasn't received much information about Kong, only knowing that her brother went to become the Prince of the Abyss.

Don't lose heart.

Maybe you'll be able to meet soon.

After comforting Ying once more, Luo De changed the subject and started talking about other things.

Even Paimon, who was too intimidated by the gloomy atmosphere to speak, took the opportunity to start chattering.

Xiao wasn't always this silent standing off to the side.

It's not just that the True Lord of Keeping Clouds and Borrowing Wind alone asked him to go out and buy things.

When other immortals ask him to help buy things, he will go forward and carefully select them.

Still the same as usual.

He is not used to bargaining with those shopkeepers.

Luo De seemed to have seen enough of it twice.

He simply stepped forward to help him, and also brought along the talkative Paimon, letting Xiao get a good taste of the joy of bargaining.

The cheerful atmosphere lasted until the night market dispersed.

Only after everyone returned to their respective lodgings in Liyue Harbor did things finally come to an end.

After that, they relaxed for another two days.

Feeling refreshed, Luo De left Liyue Harbor, returned to the Jade Void Immortal's Abode, and resumed work on constructing the floating-shed body.

Only this time, he wasn't doing it alone.

Bored stiff, Ying, after obtaining Luo De and Zhongli's consent, ran to the Jade Void Immortal's Abode together with Paimon to help.

The two of them didn't understand any of the principles.

They simply lent a hand, chatted with Luo De, and in doing so added a bit of cheer to the originally dull abode.

It's just that Paimon can really eat a lot.

The snacks Zhongli had prepared, enough for Luo De to last half a month, were eaten up by her in three days, forcing Ying to go back to Liyue Harbor to buy a large amount more.

That's how it was.

The busy period continued until only the limbs were left to finish.

Luo De stopped again.

But this time it wasn't because he was tired and needed to rest.

But rather, a notice was finally issued within Liyue.

The old Geo Archon was about to abdicate, the new Geo Archon was about to take over, and the divine succession ceremony was set to take place in half a month.

For a moment, all of Liyue was in an uproar.

(End of chapter)