Zhongli, at least, could be considered a prominent figure in Liyue, not only learned and exceptionally charismatic but also incredibly generous.
While he had the minor quirk of never carrying Mora, it was definitely a minor flaw that didn't overshadow his virtues.
Recently, Liyue merchants were surprised to find that Mr. Zhongli's bills were no longer sent to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor but to Tartaglia of the Northland Bank.
Not only that, people often saw a follower appear behind Mr. Zhongli, specifically tasked with paying for him, essentially a walking wallet.
As one of the very few foreigners aware of Lord Rex Lapis's identity, Tartaglia was extremely solicitous towards Zhongli, not just hoping to find a way to ease relations between their two nations from him.
More importantly, Tartaglia had an almost pathological obsession with strong individuals.
The person before him was Lord Morax, the Geo Archon, reputed to be the oldest and most powerful God of Geo.
If he could build a good relationship with him, he might be able to learn a few moves from Zhongli.
For Tartaglia, a martial arts enthusiast, this was an irresistible temptation.
With this new "wallet," Hall Master Hu of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had a rare, brilliant smile on her face.
She looked upon Tartaglia, this generous benefactor, with increasing favor.
Where could she find such a good client?
However, all of this no longer concerned Yuto.
At this moment, he and Shenhe had already embarked on their journey to Mondstadt.
In fact, after signing the diplomatic documents with Liyue, the Inazuma Delegation had already submitted an entry application to Mondstadt.
The few days they spent in Liyue were actually spent waiting for Mondstadt's reply.
After all, they were a legitimate official delegation, so naturally, they had to visit Mondstadt through official channels.
This also served to give Mondstadt time to prepare.
Just yesterday, the Inazuma Delegation officially received entry permission from Mondstadt.
Thus, the next day, the Inazuma Delegation set off on their journey to Mondstadt.
There are generally two routes from Liyue to Mondstadt.
One is by land, following Dihua Marsh to Stone Gate, then passing through Dawn Winery, traversing the center of the world, Springvale, and finally arriving at Mondstadt City.
This land route is also the main trade route between Liyue and Mondstadt.
The journey is long, the mountain roads are rugged, there are many small paths, and Treasure Hoarders frequently attempt to rob travelers.
The other option is by sea, departing from Liyue Harbor by boat and heading north.
After reaching Mondstadt's Stone Gate, they would then transfer to Mondstadt City.
Compared to the land route, the sea route is clearly safer and more convenient, and it allows for greater cargo capacity.
However, unlike Liyue, Stone Gate is merely a port city and not the political center of Mondstadt; there is still a considerable distance from Stone Gate to Mondstadt City.
Regarding these two methods, Yuto and the Inazuma Delegation had a difference of opinion.
Aside from Arataki Itto, almost everyone chose to travel by sea.
After all, the ship they used to come to Liyue was still docked at Liyue Harbor; they couldn't just abandon it, could they?
Furthermore, they had many gains from establishing diplomatic relations with Liyue this time.
If they took the land route, they would have to purchase additional horses to transport their luggage, which wasn't worth it.
But Yuto specifically chose to take the land route for a simple reason: Shenhe was also accompanying him, and he didn't want to waste so much time on a voyage with so many extra people.
Ultimately, Yuto communicated with the delegation and decided that he and Shenhe would travel by land alone, while the others would go by sea, only needing to arrive in Mondstadt City within a week.
Although the delegation members subconsciously wanted to refuse Yuto on the grounds of safety, they thought about their Regent's terrifying strength.
Not to mention others robbing him, it would be good if the two of them didn't rob anyone else.
The members of the Inazuma Delegation couldn't help but mourn for the Treasure Hoarders along the way, hoping they would be smart enough not to provoke these two formidable individuals.
And so, Yuto and Shenhe traveled light, embarking on their journey to Mondstadt.
Compared to the grand Inazuma Delegation, Yuto and Shenhe's combination was extremely low-key.
If it weren't for those who knew them, it would be impossible to imagine that the dignified Regent of a nation and the head envoy of the Inazuma Delegation would travel so discreetly; it was truly unbelievable.
Originally, Yuto could have used divine power to quicken their pace, but both Yuto and Shenhe rejected this method.
Measuring the vastness of Teyvat with their own feet and witnessing its customs and scenery firsthand was the most important thing.
Besides, what would they gain by arriving early?
This was a rare moment of solitude for the two of them, like a honeymoon trip.
As long as they arrived in Mondstadt City by the agreed time, everything else was minor.
Thus, Yuto and Shenhe enjoyed the scenery and traveled at their leisure.
They only needed to know where their destination was; as for the path to get there, they didn't care.
However, as both had spent a considerable amount of time in Liyue, even the most beautiful scenery could lead to aesthetic fatigue.
Thus, the two very decisively abandoned their original route to Stone Gate, and with a tacit understanding, turned their heads to look at the towering white peak, Mondstadt's Dragonspine.
Dragonspine is now a mountain in Mondstadt perpetually covered in ice and snow.
The biting blizzards coupled with unusually low temperatures make the snowy mountains rarely visited, with only those keen on exploration or with specific objectives choosing to come here.
But Dragonspine wasn't always like this.
Thousands of years ago, it was once a rare treasure land in Mondstadt, with four seasons like spring.
A group of refugees, fleeing King Deshret's royal city of Decarabian, arrived in this area to escape the ice and conflict, establishing a new nation called [Sal Vindagnyr].
Beneath Teyvat exists a conceptual network called the Ley Lines.
It not only records everything that happens in the world but also holds powerful forces that can reverse the rise and fall of nations.
Fortunately, [Sal Vindagnyr] happened to possess a silvery-white ancient tree connected to the Ley Lines.
Relying on the power of the silvery-white ancient tree, Vindagnyr rapidly rose.
Unfortunately, this prosperity only lasted for a little over a decade.
One day, the Heavenly Principles brought divine punishment upon Vindagnyr.
A Skyfrost Nail, capable of freezing the world, suddenly fell from the sky.
The power of the Skyfrost Nail not only transformed the once prosperous kingdom into a snowy mountain but also utterly shattered the silvery-white ancient tree that Vindagnyr relied on for survival.
Deprived of the silvery-white ancient tree's power, Vindagnyr collapsed under the multiple torments of cold and helplessness.
Even when Lord Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, ascended to his divine seat later and used his divine power to blow away the ice and snow from most areas of Mondstadt, he was still powerless against Dragonspine, even as the God of Wind.
However, the existence of Dragonspine also, to some extent, served as a natural barrier between Liyue and Mondstadt.
While it restricted communication between the two nations, it also protected Mondstadt to a certain degree, so it could be said to have both advantages and disadvantages.
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