We find childe outside northland bank, "Aha you made it." He said.
"As promised I've found someone who can help you. Someone who can solve the mystery of why the Liyue Qixing would hide the geo archon's vessel."
Paimon answers, "So where is he? In Liuli Pavilion?"
Child replies, "he certainly is. Come I'll introduce you. I took the liberty of setting up a business dinner, as per the liyue custom."
We head inside the inn and find Zhongli waiting for us.
Childe introduces us, "Allow me to introduce mr Zhongli, consultant to an organisation known as Wanshang, and a trusted associate of the Fatui."
"associate of the fatui?" Aether asks suspiciously.
Zhongli speaks, "It is an honor to meet you. I've heard tell of you from Mondstadt"
Childe continues, "I any case I brought you to mr zhongli because..."
Zhongli continues his sentence, "Because I can bring you to see Rex Lapis' vessel"
"what?" Paimon gasps.
Zhongli continues, "Rex Lapis may be the prime of adepti, but he is ultimately an adeptus. Many adeptus have left us over the millenia - this is an inexorable trend."
"The times have changed - you must have felt it too when you were at Jueyun karst."
I say, "that's true. The adepti are staying away from liyue."
Aether questions, "Rex Lapis is an adepti?"
Zhongli answers him, "Archons go by many names. The god of contracts, the god of commerce, the warrior god, Morax, Rex Lapis... Is the idea that he also has the title of adeptus so strange?"
"as you have seen the time of the adepti is ending, and the time of mankind is slowly dawning."
"In the years past, Liyue's tradition was that a huge memorial service be held to mark the passing of every adeptus. But this time, the Qixing made no attempt whatsoever to respect this tradition. It is sacrilege."
"The concern of the wangshang funeral parlour is this: When the ritual to recieve this god is so kingly, is it all the more egregious for his final send off to go unattended to."
"Traveler, Childe has told me a lot about you. Since you have had dealings with the Anemo archon, could I ask you to help me prepare the geo archon's last rites.
I respond, "We accept" knowing this is the direction in which the quest must go.
Childe starts, "The tianquan, Ningguang, has forbidden anyone from acessing Rex Lapis' vessel.. Which of course you would need to access if you were to achieve your goal of meeting all the seven."
Zhongli continues, "Precisely. Only by participating in the rite of parting will you be able to see the form of Rex lapis again."
Aether sighs, "looks like there's no other choice."
Zhongli says, "If we are agreed, come with me. We will speak of the detail while we walk."
We go and talk to Zhongli outside while walking to our first stop, "Organizing the rite of passing should prove to be an enlightening part of your travels."
We arrive at our first stop the Jade Mystery, the shop owner greets us cheerfully, "Welcome to the jade mystery good friends."
"we're here for, noctilucuous jade, of radiant grade at the very least" Zhongli said.
The shopkeeper replies, "I have som here for your perusal, what do you think?"
Paimon exclaims, "These three pieces do look really pretty, not the ones you would usually pick up, but how do we pick? Should we just grab one and go?"
I can't seem to pick either so I ask Zhongli, "What do you think Mr Zhongli?"
Zhongli replies, "If it were me the answer would be simple. I'll take them all boss."
Paimon gasps, "wait, wait boss that one didn't count. let's discuss it again."
We figure out that we could expose it to boiling water and the jade of the highest grade would shine brighest. So we ask the shop owner for slivers of jade.
We return to mondstadt and boil the pieces in the huge pot in dadalupa gorge, and deduce the third noctilucuous jade is the highest grade.
We head back to liyue and buy it, but zhongli hasn't brought any mora so we buy it.
We head to the second destination, and buy some silk flowers.
Then we head to the third destination, miss Ying er's homemade perfume.
Once we arrived she immediately greets us with, "well hello... You've found me at last. I've been waiting for you."
"actually I was startign to worry you wouldn't find me, this is the ultimate test of my appeal after all."
We make perfume with Ying er while she says some oddly suspicious things.
Zhongli picks the perfume and we head to the next stop.
We meet madame ping and go inside her teapot, after clearing out her teapot and retrieving the bell she gives us the cleansing bell.
We head to the pavillian and but the cleansing bell and perfume in place.
Zhongli greets us, "Indeed, this is the cleansing bell. Hmm, it's in good condition. Let's place the perfume we have prepared inside."
We ask Zhongli, "Are you also an adeptus."
He replies, "an adeptus..."
Paimon sighs, "that's suspicious but if you don't want to talk about it we won't pry. Oh yes! that old granny told us to tell you something."
"If you have the time you can come over for tea. I don't have much to offer, but you can always cont on an old lady for a pot of tea."
Next we went off to purchase kites.
Granny Shan greets us, "Ah sir you're here. The seven kites you have asked for have been made to order. Would you like to take them now?"
"yes thank you" Zhongli replies.
The granny continues, "I have made kites for forty years, I am intimately familiar with the forms passed down from my ancestors. The meaning of these seven kits is far from banal."
Zhongli nods, "indeed. These decorations are used in the rite of parting. The seven kits represent the seven archons."
We meet tic tac and toe and buy their wares.
Then we meet up with childe and leave to head towards the bubu pharmacy for our last stop.
Paimon speaks up first once we arrives, "huh the reception is deserted. and it seems kind of spooky in here. hello is there anybody there?"
A mysterious voice speaks up, "welcome to bubu pharmacy."
We walk up close to the front desk and peer down seeing Qiqi the little zombie.
Paimon looks relieved, "oh there you are but you can't even reach the counter!"
Aether gasps, "Is she... a zombie!?"
Qiqi speaks, "Welcome to bubu pharmacy. I am Qiqi."
"Once upon a time Qiqi died. Then Qiqi was saved by the adepti. Now Qiqi is a zombie."
I sigh, "such nonchalant delivery for a bombshell revelation."
Qiqi asks for milk from the cocogoat, so we head to the mountains to get it.
We inspect the Guizhong ballista.
Paimon exclaims, "It's huge, Paimon can totally believe it took an adeptus to build this."
Zhongli inspects the device, "hmm it is currently inoperable in any case this device is broken."
We fix the device but treasure hoarder show up about to fight us.
We fight the treasure hoarders, I kick one away, punch another, and use my burst on the rest of the wave.
Traveller slashes down another hoard, and zhongli somehow summons a huge meteor that crushes the last hoard.
We head back to Bubu pharmacy.
Zhongli explains to Qiqi, "we were unable to find a trace of the cocogoat adeptibeast of which you speak."
Qiqi sighs, "what a dissapointment. Don't worry about it. But I feel very disappointed."
"Cocogoat milk is tasty. So tasty. Much better than normal goat milk. Only an adeptibeast could make such tasty milk."
"I'm sorry I have poor memory. I cannot remember the name of the milk. Thats why I wrote it down.. where did i put it?"
"Ah here, the name is coconut milk."
Everyone was shocked, "Ehh?!"
Baizhu arrives, and laughs, he names the price for the incense we need for the rite of descension but it is way too high.
Childe appears, laughing, "Cocogoat! Cocogoa- ahhah ow my sides hurt... Oh my goodness I can't believe you fell for that!"
Childe turns to Baizhu, "Excuse me sir... Dr Baizhu is it? Truly honored, I'm Childe, one of the fatui harbringers. I see many great opportunities for us to collaborate in the future..."
"If Bubu pharmacy needed a stable supply of... say, coconut milk, the fatui could help."
Baizhu offers a small discount on the everlasting incense.
So as that matter was settled we head back to Yujing terrace.
Zhongli treats us to a meal, at third round knockout, "ah you're here there's no need to order, I've already done so."
The story teller at the restuarant continues the tale of Lady Ningguang's jade chamber.
We heard a voice, "At last I have found you, you who have returned from jueyun karst."
"Who's there!" Paimon gasps, I say, "paimon traveler we've to go to!"
Ganyu calls out, "Wait, I'm not with the milleleth, nor am I here to claim your bounty."
"However I am an emissary of the liyue Qixing. My name is Ganyu, secretary at the Yuehai Pavilian, I have come specifically to meet you."
"I have with me a letter from lady Ninguang. She extends a formal invitation to you in her capacity as Tianquan."