Chương 1: Chapter 1: The Geo Archon Doesn’t Understand People
In Liyue Harbor, at the storytelling stall of Tian Tiezui, a young man dressed in unusual clothing took over Tian's usual place and began recounting a story about the Geo Archon.
"Before Rex Lapis led the adepti into battle, the god Guizhong came to bid him farewell."
"Faced with Rex Lapis' usual stoicism, Guizhong smiled as always. She thought, as usual, that he would swiftly defeat the invading gods and return triumphantly. However, this time, something was different—she said one more thing at their parting."
"'Morax, I have a gift for you when you return.'"
"Rex Lapis didn't think much of a friend's promise of a gift, so he simply smiled and nodded, believing this battle would end like all the others, with his swift return."
"But shortly after Rex Lapis led the adepti into battle, Guizhong was attacked by other gods. Though not skilled in combat, Guizhong fought to protect her people. When Rex Lapis learned of the assault, he rushed back with all his might. Unfortunately, by the time he reached Guili Plains, Guizhong had already fallen, turning into dust. Beside her lay only a strange lock."
"To prevent the remaining power of the fallen god from causing further destruction, the adepti sealed Guizhong's body, and Rex Lapis picked up the strange lock."
"'Morax, I have sealed all my secrets within this lock. If you open it, you will see everything I've kept hidden.'"
"Guizhong sealed everything in that lock, intending to give it to Rex Lapis upon his return. But it was too late. She never saw him again, nor did she get to say the words she had prepared. All she left behind was the lock."
"And that is the origin of the Lock of Dust."
The young man finished his story and stepped down from the platform, sitting at a nearby table. He drank the remaining tea in his cup while the audience, still immersed in the story, murmured amongst themselves.
"So that's how the Lock of Dust came to be. Who would have thought?"
At the table, a young woman dressed in a purple dress, her long hair styled into cat-ear-like points, couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. After expressing her thoughts, she turned to a distinguished young man seated nearby.
"Mr. Zhongli, you are very knowledgeable. Do you know anything about the Lock of Dust?"
The young man thought for a moment before replying.
"As far as I know, the Lock of Dust was indeed created by Guizhong. But whether or not there are any secrets sealed within, I am not sure."
"However, from a rational standpoint, as a god, it's unlikely she would have sealed any personal secrets inside, nor would she have said such a thing."
"Zhongli, that's where you're wrong."
The storyteller set down his teacup and refuted the man's claim.
"Oh? Why do you say that?"
"Because no one understands Guizhong better than I do!"
The young man spread his arms wide, making an "OK" sign with one hand while pointing to the sky with the other.
"The things you know come from the official historical records, most of which were written by Rex Lapis, the God of History. But what does he know? Even if Rex Lapis were here right now, he wouldn't understand Guizhong as well as I do! He's just a rock—he only knows how to fight and completely misses the emotions that Guizhong wanted to convey. He probably thought she was just being friendly!"
Hearing this, the young man beside him twitched slightly at the corner of his mouth but chose to stay silent. The purple-haired girl, on the other hand, couldn't help but comment.
"People say I'm disrespectful to the Archon, but I think you, Li Yue, are even worse. Calling Rex Lapis a 'rock'—if the people of Liyue heard you, they'd probably have you thrown to the Qianyan Army right away."
"In front of other people, that might indeed happen. But in front of you and Zhongli, there's nothing to worry about."
Li Yue, looking very relaxed, spread his arms again, pointing one finger at the purple-haired girl.
"Keqing, the Yuheng of Liyue's Qixing, who publicly questioned Rex Lapis at last year's Rite of Descension, is secretly known as an Archon critic."
Then he pointed at the young man.
"And Zhongli, a consultant at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, a man of vast knowledge who always finds ways to dispute Rex Lapis' stories—he's the chief of the Archon critics in Liyue!"
"You two are Liyue's very own Crouching Dragon and Phoenix Chick!"
As Li Yue said, the three people at the table had rather unique roles. One was Keqing, the Yuheng of the Qixing, known for her skepticism of divine rule and for criticizing Rex Lapis, earning her the label of an Archon critic. The other was Zhongli, a consultant at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, famous for contradicting stories about Rex Lapis and regarded as the chief of the critics. And then there was Li Yue himself, a mere time-traveling prankster from the 21st century, fully aware that Zhongli was actually Rex Lapis but still daring to poke fun at him for amusement. A true prankster, or as they say, a "leisurely troublemaker."
Hearing this, both Keqing and Zhongli twitched involuntarily.
As the rest of the audience began to emerge from the Lock of Dust story, someone couldn't help but ask Li Yue.
"Mr. Li Yue, since you claim that the Lock of Dust contains Guizhong's secrets, did Rex Lapis ever open it?"
"No!" Li Yue responded firmly.
"With his power, Rex Lapis could have easily opened the lock. But after obtaining it, he chose not to and instead kept it as a memento of Guizhong, to remember his old friend. For him, it's a form of grief."
"He didn't open it…" Keqing said, sounding disappointed. She had been curious about Guizhong's secret.
Zhongli, however, nodded in agreement.
"For Rex Lapis, the loss of an old friend is indeed a heavy burden."
"I knew you'd say that, Zhongli."
Li Yue shook his head in mock disappointment.
"Oh?"
Zhongli looked at Li Yue curiously.
"Because you have a rock's personality too."
Zhongli fell silent. Could they stop with the rock comments already?
Not just that. Because Rex Lapis never opened the Lock of Dust, he remained unaware of Guizhong's feelings, and that led to great disappointment for their mutual friend, Cloud Retainer, who chose to live in seclusion."
"Cloud Retainer?" Keqing was surprised. She had heard of this adeptus, though her legend wasn't very prominent in Liyue.
"Yes. She was an adeptus from ancient Liyue, and unlike the other adepti, she grew distant from Rex Lapis after Guizhong's death. Before she left, she said one final thing."
"What did she say?"
Everyone, including Zhongli, was curious.
"'The Geo Archon does not understand people.'"
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