Liyue.
Outside the tea house.
Zhongli was listening to the storyteller as usual when he overheard someone nearby ask, "Have you heard of the God of Inazuma?"
Ever since someone smuggled into Liyue from Inazuma a few days ago, the title "God" could often be heard.
According to Zhongli's understanding, at the Grand Narukami Shrine in Inazuma, the one holding a position higher than the shrine maiden is the God.
However, the position of God had always been vacant; it had never even been officially established. Why had a God suddenly appeared?
He asked curiously, "Could you elaborate?"
The storyteller, Tian Tiezui, interjected.
"When it comes to that God, I know him best."
"Hey, on the day he appeared, the sun and moon were turned upside down, the sea evaporated, and all of Inazuma bowed at his feet. Even the arrogant Kitsune and the great witch surrendered to him..."
Before he could finish, a listener interrupted, "Yes, yes, you're exaggerating more and more."
Tian Tiezui said with dissatisfaction, "My lord, I'm not fooling you. This God of Inazuma is mysterious, to begin with. No one knows where he came from, let alone why he stayed in Inazuma. It is said that someone in Inazuma once offended him, and in an instant, Narukami Island turned into an ice field."
"Is that true?"
The guest listening to the story had a doubtful look on his face. "Even our Lord of Geo wouldn't dare claim to be able to freeze Narukami Island in an instant, right?"
Tian Tiezui agreed, "Although he is strong, he cannot compare with our Lord of Geo."
Zhongli was stunned for a moment.
He knew his own strength.
If this person truly possessed such power, I'm afraid...
The guest asked again, "You say he is so powerful, has anyone ever seen him?"
Tian Tiezui shook his head. "I don't know about that."
Just as the words fell, they heard passersby discussing, "Yes, it's the God of Inazuma, who evaporated the entire sea with a wave of his hand."
"?"
Several people exchanged glances.
The guest was even more suspicious. "Tian Tiezui, are you sure you're not making this up?"
Tian Tiezui assured him, "Of course not, how could I talk nonsense about this?"
Zhongli frowned slightly. "Where does this God... come from?"
Inazuma.
Grand Narukami Shrine.
Lin Hao stood under the Sacred Sakura, his gaze sweeping across the mountains of Inazuma and settling on Inazuma City.
There were faint footsteps behind him.
Yae Miko drew closer and said, "Master God, why do you like to stand under the cherry blossoms and look at Inazuma City? Is there something there that attracts you?"
Lin Hao shook his head slightly. "I just miss someone."
"Miss someone?"
Yae Miko grew even more curious.
Three months ago, he had arrived in Inazuma, appearing under the Sacred Sakura. After a brief encounter, she had volunteered to let Lin Hao serve as the God of the Grand Narukami Shrine.
And she was intensely curious about everything concerning Lin Hao.
For example, why could he use elemental power even though he didn't have a Vision?
For instance, why had he stood under this Sacred Sakura for a whole day? What exactly was so special about it?
She wanted to know this man.
To know his past.
To unravel his mystery.
Lin Hao put away his thoughts and said coolly, "It's just some things from the past."
Yae Miko leaned on the railing and said with interest, "That's perfect. The Yae Publishing House needs some material. Many people in other nations also want to know your origins."
Lin Hao was about to speak when the sky over Teyvat underwent a strange transformation.
A crack suddenly appeared in the sky, and a huge screen gradually emerged from within it.
At this moment, no matter where one was in Teyvat, they could clearly see this screen.
Power surged within Lin Hao, and he was about to launch an attack on the sky when a mechanical voice entered the minds of everyone in Teyvat.
[Past Life Exposure System is starting...]
[Beep! System started successfully!]
[Beep! Establishing connection...]
Suddenly, a small panel appeared in front of countless people.
Then…
[Furina]has joined the group chat.
[Venti]has joined the group chat.
[Zhongli]has joined the group chat.
[Yae Miko]has joined the group chat.
[Lin Hao]has joined the group chat.
[Raiden Shogun]has joined the group chat.
[Nahida]has joined the group chat.
…
In an instant, countless people from the Teyvat continent had entered the group chat.
[Furina]: "Hehe? An exposure system? My secrets won't be exposed, will they?"
[Neuvillette]: "Do you have any secrets to hide?"
[Furina]: "Of course not!"
[Zhongli]: "...Logically speaking, we have no secrets to be exposed."
[Venti]: "Oh? →_→ Is that so?"
[Hu Tao]: "Exposing secrets? This is what I'm most interested in!"
[Yae Miko]: "This looks very interesting. It just so happens that I can add another theme to the light novels of the Yae Publishing House."
[Furina]: "So... who are we going to expose?"
At this time, in the chat area, everyone was filled with a mixture of anticipation and fear.
A past life...
It was something one longed to know, yet was afraid to learn.
Yae Miko looked at Lin Hao beside her; she wanted to know everything about him.
It wasn't just her.
Including Zhongli, and everyone else in the chat, the first person they thought of was this mysterious God.
Beep!
The system's voice sounded again.
[The person to be exposed this time is...]
As the sound echoed, everyone looked up at the screen in the sky.
Some hoped it would be them, wanting to see what kind of unparalleled hero they were in their past life.
Others were terrified, worried that their secrets would be exposed.
And this system seemed intent on whetting everyone's appetite.
It did not announce the name directly.
Instead, an image played on the screen.
The picture showed an endless desert wasteland, where a white-haired boy stood, looking into the distance.
Where his eyes met, he saw a blond girl holding a spear.
Their eyes locked.
A fighting spirit erupted!
Terrifying power suddenly burst forth from the young man's body.
In an instant, the entire desert turned into an ice field.
Liyue.
Zhongli stood up abruptly in the tea house, staring intently at the battle on the screen.
A battle of this scale was no less than the Archon War of the past!
No!
It was simply more terrifying than the Archon War.
To freeze an entire desert with just a raise of his hand?
If he had been present then, the war in Guili Plains might have ended in a matter of seconds.
Then his friend would not have died.
Who is he?
Why would a person with such terrifying power suddenly come to Teyvat and hide in Inazuma, willing to be an ordinary God?
Zhongli couldn't understand!