Chapter 264

After Ying was slapped by Apep, she had no idea where she was sent flying.

Xiao also finally came to his senses.

According to the original plan.

This time he made no oversight whatsoever, exerting great divine power to drive away the dragon that came to attack during the transition of the divine position and the turmoil in Liyue.

Although the new Geo Archon was also blown away in the midst of it.

But then the new Geo Archon's counterattack completely calmed the originally panicked Liyue people.

The newly appointed Geo Archon still possesses the same formidable power as the old Geo Archon to protect Liyue.

The faint gloom that had lingered over the Liyue people also completely vanished after Apep, howling, stealthily returned to Yunlai Sea.

No matter what one says.

One's own safety is always the primary concern of the Liyue people.

The Liyue people will wholeheartedly revere the Geo Archon.

A considerable part of this is due to the Geo Archon's great achievements in expanding territory and protecting the people.

But similarly.

Some also believe that the deity they worship is the oldest deity in Teyvat, sufficient to give the Liyue people an innate, lasting peace across generations.

From this perspective.

The panic caused by the Geo Archon's abdication among the Liyue people is easy to imagine.

Now it's fine.

The newly appointed Geo Archon is capable of driving away that dragon that could easily destroy Liyue, which has restored the Liyue people's confidence once again.

The specific manifestation is as follows.

After Xiao and Apep's figures completely disappeared, cheers and shouts of celebration could be heard everywhere in Liyue's streets and alleys.

Of course.

There are also some mournful voices over the Geo Archon's departure mixed in.

But overall.

The effect of this show was very good, able to satisfy people.

As for Xiao, who drove away Apep, after finishing the show he immediately, as if teleporting, suddenly appeared in the teahouse where Zhongli and the others were.

However, Luo De is not here at the moment.

He went to rescue people.

Fu She has already truly awakened now, so there's no need for him to stay there.

So he now needs to check on Ying's condition after being slapped away by Apep.

This is not only Luo De's intention, but also Zhongli's.

No one had anticipated this beforehand.

Ying would suddenly appear during the confrontation and performance between Apep and Xiao.

She would even recklessly swing her sword at Apep.

Although her courage is commendable.

But this courage is misplaced.

She is no longer the powerful incarnate capable of exchanging a few moves with the maintainer of heavenly principles.

She is merely someone whose power is sealed, able to use only two elemental forces, roughly speaking a bit stronger than Tartaglia.

Facing a dragon king who, even with greatly reduced strength, still belongs to the top tier of Teyvat.

She actually dares to swing her sword!!!

It must be said.

If it weren't for her body being roughly at the level of fleshly sanctity, even if Apep held back his strength, a single slap could probably smack her into a wall, impossible to dig out.

「You said that person is a friend you know? 」

Dixiya, who went with Luo De to fish people out of Yunlai Sea, had a shocked expression.

Luo De left early.

Part of the reason is that Dixiya felt utterly uncomfortable in that teahouse.

Letting a mortal mingle in a place where everyone is either a god or an immortal, even if no one shows her any malice, she still feels an intangible pressure in her heart.

So even without this sudden accident involving Xingyun.

Luo De would also leave early.

「Hmm. 」

Yujing Terrace is a bit far from the Yunlai Sea where Xingyun fell; not wanting to be conspicuous, Luo De could only pull Dixiya and rush there as fast as possible, meanwhile on the way recounting to her the whole story of how he and Xingyun once beat up the Wind God's retinue together in Mondstadt.

Speaking of this matter.

Luo De also didn't know what tone to use to evaluate Xingyun.

After all, in Mondstadt she is just that reckless.

At the time, when Dvalin went berserk and attacked Mondstadt City, she could only use wind elemental energy, yet she dared to confront Dvalin head-on.

However, at that time Luo De was the main force.

Thus he never got the impression that Xingyun is actually a reckless person by nature.

As a result, the scene that just happened.

It made Luo De inevitably recall Xingyun's character, which could be called a paradigmatic example of courting death.

Badmouthing the Wind God, mooching off the Geo Archon's meals, and fighting the Electro Archon.

If it were an ordinary person, by now the grass on their grave would be taller than Mount Heng, needless to say.

She is truly brave!

After listening, Dixiya also fell into a long silence.

After a long while.

She finally managed to say: "How about staying away from her in the future?"

When saying this.

Dixiya is very serious.

No other meaning.

Simply because she thinks Ying is a very dangerous person; being too close to her easily gets one dragged into trouble's vortex.

This is Dixiya's first impression of Ying.

In the thinking of desert people.

Like Ying's reckless character, the possible harm to those around is no less than a sand scorpion hidden in the sand that could pop out and ambush people at any time.

Desert people are practical, speaking straight without beating around the bush.

You should know in the desert.

The most dangerous is never the visible beasts and demons.

Those hidden monsters, whether demons or people, are what need to be guarded against most.

Reckless character.

In a sense, it's this kind of person who drags others into trouble.

Regarding Dixiya's statement.

Luo De laughed: "Actually she isn't that fond of causing trouble for people; many times she's used to going solo, and, how to put it, such courage to draw a sword against the gods, you probably won't find a second one in the whole Teyvat continent."

"Indeed, you can't find a second one."

Dixiya muttered a sentence.

Anyway she definitely wouldn't dare.

Survival supreme.

This is the desert people's way of survival.

For survival.

Not to mention facing such a huge terror-level danger, many people can even abandon their own siblings and beloved kin.

Seeing Dixiya still somewhat wanting to advise herself.

Luo De then laughed and interrupted her: "Let's first meet her; maybe then you'll change your stereotypical impression."

"Tsk—"

"Okay."

Relying on leg strength, Luo De's speed was slow, but he still reached an isolated island east of Liyue Harbor not long after.

He remembers very clearly.

The place where Ying fell into the water is nearby.

Probably Apep feared striking too hard and killing the person.

So he deliberately sent the person into the deep sea far from Liyue Harbor.

That place has water buffering; death is impossible, at most a bit embarrassed.

As for the surroundings of the landing point, only this small island can detain people.

Ying likely would rest on this island.

When Luo De and Dixiya arrived.

Coincidentally they saw Ying cooking by the fire on the shore.

Paimon, with tear marks still on her face, was there snifflingly adding firewood to the bonfire.

However, the scene when the few people first met was a bit awkward.

Because Luo De never imagined Ying would take off her clothes and put them on the fire to roast.

Fortunately she still had spare clothes, so it wasn't more embarrassing.

But after all, the clothes hung there to roast still had underwear in them.

Luo De didn't even have time to greet, he turned his head awkwardly to the side.

He never expected someone would run to such a deserted island.

"Turn your head to the side."

After a brief stunned moment, Dixiya gave a soft reprimand and hurried forward to help Ying gather her clothes.

After a while of fumbling, Luo De walked over amidst Paimon's shouting while pulling her hair, with an embarrassed expression.

"Cough—"

Ying, with her facial flush not yet gone, feigned calm and cleared her throat: "How did you find this place?"

"Seeing you get hit by Apep."

"Wanting to come see how you're doing."

Luo De scratched his head and explained.

As he thought.

Ying was indeed unharmed.

Even the clothing just placed on the fire to roast suffered no damage.

"Flesh sanctified, terrifying indeed."

Although confident that taking a light slap from Apep wouldn't cause injury, Luo De still let out such a sentence.

"Apep?"

"You mean that dragon?"

Hearing Luo De blurt out Apep's name, Ying asked, somewhat surprised.

"Hmm."

"Her name is Apep."

"Yes."

Luo De spread his hands and spoke frankly: "He's an actor invited by Mr. Zhongli."

"An actor!?"

Before Ying could react, Paimon let out a sharp cry.

"Yeah, exactly an actor."

Luo De pursed his lips: "She was invited by Zhongli to help Xiao establish his prestige, but I didn't expect someone like you to show up halfway."

"What do you mean 'I didn't expect'!!!"

"You guys!"

"You know how terrifying that guy is!"

"She's this big!!"

Paimon tried to measure it with both hands.

However, given her height, her hands are still too short.

Even if she exerted all her strength, this gesturing looks funny enough to make people laugh.

"You guys——"

"Oh dear——"

"You're making me furious!!!"

"I'm ignoring you!!!"

Paimon, stamping her feet in anger at the merciless laughter, pouted and flew to the back of Ying, who was similarly the only one not laughing, crossed her arms and fell silent.

"Alright, alright, sorry."

"It's my fault."

"Once we're back in Liyue Harbor, I'll treat you to something delicious, let you eat your fill—how about that?"

Luo De tried his best to suppress his smile, solemnly promising Paimon.

"Really?"

"Mm, no, no."

"Just one meal definitely won't do."

"How about this: three meals!!"

"If you treat me to three delicious meals, I won't be mad anymore~~~"

Upon mentioning food, Paimon's eyes lit up.

Luo De also had no intention of haggling with her; after promising to treat her and Ying to three meals, he continued the previous topic: "Mr. Zhongli also wanted me to apologize to you; he didn't expect you to appear there, causing this accident, and he feels sorry as well."

Zhongli indeed said that.

The Thousand Rock Army of Liyue Harbor and the Yunlai Sea Fleet attacking Apep was already arranged beforehand.

Apep wouldn't overreact to their long-range attacks either.

But who could have imagined that someone would directly leap up to Apep to attack?

Thus the accident happened just like that.

These explanations are still quite useful.

At least Ying is no longer surprised and unhappy as she was at first.

"Hmph——"

"Your courage is really big, huh."

"Aren't you afraid that big guy might accidentally destroy part of Liyue Harbor?"

Ying can accept this fact, but it doesn't mean Paimon feels comfortable inside.

She still holds a grudge over Ying being slapped by Apep and flown ten-some kilometers away.

In her words.

Fortunately, the one who got hit was Ying, not her; otherwise she would have been killed by a single slap from Apep.

That's true.

Just hearing it feels a bit awkward.

Especially since she later stated the potential harms this deal could bring.

That is, if Apep didn't hold back its strength, such a huge dragon could, with just a careless moment, destroy part of Liyue Harbor; did Zhongli consider this beforehand?

If so, wouldn't that be excessively neglectful of his own people!!

Paimon's reasonable, well-founded questioning coincidentally matched Luo De's earlier question to Zhongli.

"'Not just a foodie, either.'"

After muttering a small complaint, Luo De began to explain on Zhongli's behalf.

This was originally Zhongli's answer.

Luo De is at most just a repeater now.

In short.

It is because the god succession ceremony is underway.

Most of the residents of Liyue Harbor had gathered near the Jade Capital Terrace, and the place where Apep appeared actually had few people.

Regarding the attack of the Stone Guard Army and the Cloud Come Sea Fleet.

This couldn't break Apep's defense.

She simply ignored it.

After all this fuss, at most it would just destroy some houses.

By then, the Liyue authorities would naturally pay for the repairs, so those people wouldn't suffer too much loss.

The only unexpected thing.

It was that Xiao, while performing halfway, suddenly got distracted, and Apep, catching him off guard, flung him to Heavenly Balance Mountain; if it weren't for Xiao's quick reflexes, he would hardly have been able to continue the performance.

Ah——

Ying never interrupted Luo De's narration the whole time, and also covered Paimon's mouth to stop her from speaking nonsense there.

Things have come to this.

One could only consider oneself unlucky to have coincidentally bumped into such a big show.

Hmph, let Zhongli also treat us to a good meal!

It's all his fault.

Paimon, who had finally managed to break free, opened her mouth and immediately demanded that Zhongli treat them.

Haha——

You have to go tell him yourself; I don't have the authority to help him make that decision.

Luo De also threw in a complaint in passing.

Ask Zhongli to have a meal.

Who knows who will be treating whom?

At this teahouse visit to the Jade Capital Terrace, he again overdrew his salary, and the tea money was all advanced by the immortals' pooled funds.

It can be said that Zhongli is now so poor that he's jingling.

Every day he's at the level of having to beg for food.

Let him treat?

He wouldn't refuse, but when the time comes to pay, he'll surely say again, 'Do you have money?'

After badmouthing Zhongli a few sentences behind his back.

Amid Paimon's voice demanding Luo De fulfill his promise, the four of them hurried back toward Liyue Harbor.

Along the way.

The topic of conversation became Dixiya and Ying.

Those two, coming from all corners of the world, can chat about any topic for a couple of sentences.

Dixiya, who originally had a not-so-good impression of Ying, also gradually became much more cordial in her speech, no longer harboring the considerable doubt she had at first.

However, when the four arrived at the newly reopened Wanmin Hall, they were just about to order.

Two uninvited guests came to their table.

No.

They are also not uninvited guests.

Luo De still knows them.

Kamisato Ayato and Thoma of the Kamisato clan from Inazuma.

(End of chapter)