"Glaze Lilies… this should be the place."
Following Elliot's instructions, Morax traveled north-northeast of Tianheng Mountain and found a vast grassland blanketed with blooming Glaze Lilies.
The place was tranquil and serene, like a hidden paradise untouched by the chaos of war.
Puzzled, Morax ventured deeper into the meadow and soon spotted several dwellings.
Just then, a woman appeared, walking slowly toward him. Her features were gentle and sweet, her attire reminiscent of Hanfu.
"Human…?"
Morax instinctively thought so, for he sensed no hostility from her at all.
But as she drew closer, he finally perceived it—a faint aura of god power emanating from her.
"An god!"
Startled, Morax instantly drew his spear, leveling it at the woman with lightning speed.
"Halt! Do not come any closer!"
The moment he realized she was an god, Morax donned his mask, his spear held firm as a warning.
The woman paused briefly, then smiled kindly. Instead of stopping, she walked right up to the tip of his spear.
"You won't strike."
She stood calmly before him. One thrust forward and Morax could have killed her on the spot.
"I won't strike? And why do you say that?"
Her words piqued Morax's curiosity.
"I know you. You're Liyue's guardian. I've seen you fight other gods," she said, as if she understood him completely.
"And so?"
"I understand you."
She took another step closer.
The spear was about to pierce her throat, but Morax flinched in alarm, pulling back half a step and drawing the weapon slightly away.
"See? I told you—you wouldn't strike."
She covered her mouth and laughed softly, as if she had proven her point.
Morax was utterly at a loss.
The gods he had faced before always carried hostility toward him. They came to invade Liyue and seize its land, and so he had no hesitation in cutting them down.
But this woman… from her, he sensed not the slightest hint of malice. None at all.
It was as if she didn't belong to the Archon War, like a bystander completely detached from the invasions raging across the land.
Morax stared blankly at her cheerful smile, his mind filled with questions.
"I've often seen you fight. Every time, you only attack after your opponent makes the first move," she said, her smile growing brighter at his confusion.
"And just because of that, you've decided I won't strike you?" Morax found it absurd.
"Exactly. See? I was right."
Her smile unsettled him, leaving his thoughts tangled and restless.
She kept walking toward him, and Morax quickly came to his senses, tightening his grip on his spear.
For every step she took forward, he retreated a step back. The scene was almost comical.
"Aren't you going to put that away?" she asked, pointing at his spear.
"No." Morax shook his head.
"Then why hold it if you won't attack?"
"None of your business. For all I know, you're just pretending to be nice, waiting for me to lower my guard before stabbing me in the back," Morax said warily.
The woman froze for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing.
"Pfft…"
She covered her mouth, giggling as if she were looking at a fool.
"What are you laughing at!" Morax barked, feeling insulted as her laughter went on without pause.
"I suspect your head is full of rocks too," she said between laughs.
"What do you mean?"
"You should be able to sense how faint my god aura is. I'm not like those battle-hardened gods you fight—I don't have that kind of overwhelming power."
"And if you're really wary of me, you should be using your golden shield, not that spear."
Her words made Morax freeze again.
She was right—her strange demeanor had distracted him so much that he had forgotten he could even summon a shield.
At last, he sheathed his spear and wrapped himself in his thick Geo shield, wary of this seemingly harmless god stabbing him when he least expected it.
"Hello. Let's introduce ourselves properly. I am Guizhong, the Dust God. Welcome."
Guizhong stood smiling in front of him, her voice warm and gentle.
A soft breeze drifted across the meadow, setting her long hair and the field of Glaze Lilies swaying lightly together.