In the bookstore, Kenshin Zhou and his female deskmate were deep in discussion about Liyue's Floating World Amid a Thousand Rocks, completely absorbed and unaware of Lu Chen's gaze.
It was Zen Zhang, ever perceptive, who first noticed him.
"Huh?"
"Boss! What are you doing here?"
With that, he rushed over excitedly.
Kenshin Zhou turned in surprise too, then smiled and asked, "Long time no see! Why haven't you been at school lately? Don't tell me... you actually went off to save the world?"
"Save the world?" Lu Chen raised an eyebrow and looked at Zen Zhang skeptically.
Zen Zhang scratched his head and gave an awkward grin.
Lu Chen shrugged. "Well, yeah. I went to save the world."
"See?! What did I tell you!" Zen Zhang nudged Kenshin Zhou hard with his elbow. "I said Boss went to save the world—you didn't believe me!"
"Uh... alright then."
Kenshin Zhou figured Lu Chen was just joking around again, but Zen Zhang, who knew how capable he really was, instantly filled in the blanks...
The strange weather recently, the sudden large-scale withering of plants across the region—it had to be the result of some sinister plot. And their Boss must be investigating the mastermind behind it, about to face off in an epic battle between good and evil...
He edged closer, eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Boss, I've made real progress with the sword skills you taught me. Next time you go save the world, take me with you, okay?"
Lu Chen sized him up. He was noticeably more solid than before, and in terms of overall strength, already well above an average person—an amateur martial artist under Lu Chen's guidance.
But if it came to facing monsters from the other side of the Gate of Teyvat, he'd be more of a liability than help.
Zen Zhang locked onto Lu Chen's expression, clasped his hands together, and pleaded,
"Please, Boss! Master! My god!"
"My dream of becoming a great hero is in your hands!!"
Lu Chen, not wanting to crush his enthusiasm, replied with a perfunctory, "Next time for sure."
"Awesome!!" Zen Zhang clenched his fists in triumph.
Nahida, who had been quietly listening beside them, tugged Lu Chen's sleeve and asked curiously, "Are these... your followers here?"
"No..." Lu Chen shook his head. There was no way his followers would be this weak. Though Zen Zhang often called himself his top disciple, Lu Chen had never officially acknowledged it.
"Oh..." Nahida nodded, though she still seemed curious. If they weren't his followers, why was he teaching them martial arts?
Right after she spoke, the atmosphere suddenly turned quiet.
She looked up to find the three young people—two boys and one girl—staring straight at her.
"Um..." Nahida gave a sweet, polite greeting. "Hello!"
Her adorable appearance and soft voice instantly melted the hearts of all three students.
"She's so cute and pretty!" the girl's eyes sparkled with admiration.
"Ahhhh! A real-life loli!" Kenshin Zhou wailed dramatically. Seeing a girl this cute, straight out of an anime, in real life—he glanced at Lu Chen with nothing but pure, burning envy.
"Unfair!"
Only Zen Zhang stayed relatively composed. He looked at Nahida curiously. "Boss? Is this another one of your little cousins from the countryside?"
Lu Chen nodded.
Kenshin Zhou and the girl exchanged baffled glances. Just what kind of magical countryside was this? How could it keep producing such impossibly beautiful girls?
"Uh..." Kenshin Zhou chuckled awkwardly. "Lu Chen, does your village need any help? I could pull weeds or carry water or something. Nothing shady—just trying to help!"
Lu Chen shook his head. "That countryside is a mysterious and dangerous place, crawling with monsters and terrifying beings from other worlds. Go in unprepared, and you'll die."
Rejected, Kenshin Zhou sighed. "Meeting a loli this cute... I'd die happy."
"Um..." Nahida looked awkwardly at Lu Chen. His friends were... definitely a bit odd.
"They're my classmates from Haizhou," Lu Chen explained briefly.
"Oh." Nahida nodded.
After some idle school talk, Lu Chen finally got to the point. He pointed at the book in Kenshin Zhou and the girl's hands.
"You two like Liyue's Floating World Amid a Thousand Rocks?"
"Yes!"
"What do you like about it?"
"Everything!" they said in unison.
Lu Chen blinked at their enthusiasm. "You don't have any... constructive feedback?"
The two exchanged blank looks. "Uh... what do you mean, constructive feedback?"
Nahida chuckled and tugged at Lu Chen's hand. He leaned down knowingly.
With a sly smile, she whispered in his ear, "You didn't come all the way here just to hear them gush about your novel, did you?"
"Not this time..." Lu Chen admitted. Sure, he enjoyed the praise, but this visit wasn't about that.
"Oh?" Nahida tilted her head in confusion.
Lu Chen turned to the pair, who still looked clueless. "The book's main character is the Geo Archon. I bet that's what drew you in."
Kenshin Zhou immediately replied, "Totally! The Geo Archon is so cool! He punches and kicks his way through enemy Archons, and with just a wave, all the Adepti bow down to him. And that's not even the best part..."
Nahida couldn't help but giggle.
She leaned over and whispered, "Why'd you write Zhongli like that? He's clearly not that flashy in real life."
"That's not the point!" Lu Chen shot her a look. "And who knows the Geo Archon better—you or me?"
Nahida covered her mouth, laughing. "You, of course."
"There you go!" Lu Chen shrugged. "The old man used to be a real powerhouse in his youth!"
Judging from their reactions, Lu Chen's portrayal of Zhongli as the lead in Liyue was a hit.
Kenshin Zhou, ever the idealistic youth, loved the all-powerful strategist type. His deskmate leaned more toward the relationship dynamics—she adored the vivid characterizations and emotional depth. Thanks to the boost from his "Popular Novelist's Soul," Lu Chen had practically brought the entire cast to life.
Especially Zhongli, who had clearly gained a following far beyond Teyvat's borders.
"I came to confirm something," Lu Chen said next, his tone suddenly serious as he turned to Nahida.
"What is it?"
Lu Chen began recounting recent events at the seaside villa. Ever since Zhongli was transported over, he'd ended up in a few fights alongside Lu Chen—against things like the Primordial Geovishap, the Oceanid, and various elemental creatures.
Zhongli had told him something surprising—his power was actually growing.
"Growing stronger?" Nahida was startled. She knew this world's elemental energy was weak, which made beings like them far less powerful here.
"That's right. Stronger," Lu Chen said firmly.
"Could it be..." Nahida frowned slightly. "That elemental energy here is gradually recovering?"
"That's what I thought at first," Lu Chen replied, shaking his head. "But then I realized—he really is getting stronger. Just like he said. His recovery is way faster than Venti or Ei's. What's more, he claims he's already back to his peak, maybe even as strong as he was during the Archon War!"