"This is where I buried my friend. Now that Inazuma has become what he wished for, I believe he would be happy."
Aether stepped forward and handed the dim Vision to Kazuha. Kazuha lowered his gaze, then solemnly placed the Vision atop the small mound of earth before him.
"Let's set off now."
Kazuha stood up, casting a grateful look at the two.
Beidou had long been waiting at the ship's bow for everyone to arrive. As soon as they boarded, the ship set sail.
After the Sakoku Decree was abolished, the thunderstorm that had sealed the seas disappeared. The journey proceeded smoothly, and they soon arrived in Liyue.
At that moment, Beidou gave a sailor a look. The sailor promptly took out a bag of Mora and tossed it into the sea.
"Ah! Why throw Mora into the sea? If you don't want it, you could've given it to me!"
Paimon's heart nearly broke at the sight. Beidou laughed for a good while before pointing at the sea's surface.
Aether followed her finger and squinted into the distance. Not far from Liyue Harbor, there was a massive, swirling vortex. Though the currents weren't particularly fast, ships could still pass through safely with steady navigation.
Merchant ships passing by the vortex would symbolically toss a bag of Mora into it.
Rover could sense that the vortex still carried remnants of temporal energy—meaning it was a result of the excessive force used when defeating Osial.
"After you left, this vortex was discovered almost immediately. The Qixing promptly issued a notice declaring it a symbol of Rover's heroic defeat of the ancient god, an auspicious sign. Over time, it became an unspoken rule: ships entering or leaving Liyue Harbor would toss a bag of Mora into the vortex, praying for the great hero Rover's blessing and a smooth voyage."
Hearing this, Paimon clutched her chest in even greater agony.
"Rover is right here on the ship! If you want his blessing, why not just give the Mora directly to him?!"
Rover was momentarily stunned by Paimon's bizarre logic. But now that he thought about it, it seemed the Liyue Qixing had really publicized his deeds.
Once they disembarked, the group noticed that Liyue Harbor had undergone a dramatic transformation.
"Wow, Liyue Harbor suddenly feels so much livelier!"
Paimon observed that the streets were far more crowded than before. Rover pointed at a notice board nearby.
"Recently, Ningguang announced plans to rebuild the Jade Chamber. It's probably going to be a massive project."
Aether stroked his chin thoughtfully. The next second, Abby popped out from Rover's grasp.
"I smell something delicious!"
Abby immediately pushed Rover toward a shop selling fragrant pastries, where a long line had formed outside.
"But... if we have to queue, it'll take forever..."
Paimon's eyes lit up at first, but seeing the endless line, she helplessly shrugged.
"Are you Lord Rover?"
Rover had been about to leave when a shop attendant promoting the store outside called out to him.
"What is it?"
Rover turned around. The attendant hurriedly fetched a box of pastries from the shop and handed it to him respectfully, explaining to the group:
"Lady Ningguang has stated that you possess unique privileges—no need to queue, no need to pay."
Understanding now, Rover tossed the pastries to Abby, who had been tugging at him eagerly.
"Looks like you can eat without paying now, Rover!"
Paimon remarked from the side. Aether promptly bonked her on the head.
"What do you mean 'eat without paying'? This is Rover's rightful privilege!"
Paimon clutched her head in pain, staring at Aether in disbelief.
"Whose side are you on? I'm supposed to be your best partner!"
Aether twitched his lips, about to retort, when a familiar figure appeared in his line of sight.
"It's been a while, my young friends. I've finally found you."
Zhongli's voice was as composed as ever. Rover nodded in acknowledgment, and the two began walking and chatting.
"Has something happened again?"
Zhongli pondered for a moment before speaking slowly:
"Indeed, another matter has arisen."
For Zhongli to seek out Rover personally, this matter couldn't be trivial. Everyone braced themselves mentally.
Suddenly, Zhongli paused and glanced to the side.
"Recently, Xinyue Kiosk introduced a new dish. By the time I arrived, all the private rooms were fully booked. So, I came looking for you."
Seeing the restaurant's grand promotion of the new dish, the group was rendered speechless.
Paimon, as usual, couldn't resist complaining:
"Come on, what can we do? They're completely booked—"
Then, she abruptly stopped mid-sentence, as if realizing something. Her gaze shifted to Rover, and she muttered in disbelief:
"No way... does this also... work?"
Understanding Zhongli's intent, Rover entered the restaurant and spoke with the owner. To everyone's surprise yet again, the owner immediately vacated a reserved room for Rover without hesitation.
"This is... too unreasonable..."
Even Aether found it hard to believe. Zhongli, however, sat down leisurely, his expression as calm as ever, as if everything had gone exactly as he'd anticipated.
"You underestimate Rover's influence, young Aether. The Liyue Qixing have now positioned Rover as a significant political factor. If he wished to meet Ningguang herself right now, I'm certain she would come without delay."
This was practically imperial treatment.
As the group conversed, Abby had already grabbed the menu, shown it to Rover, and ordered several dishes.
"So, Zhongli, you're here for a free meal?"
Paimon placed her hands on her hips, her eyes filled with the confidence of someone who had seen through everything.
Zhongli nodded graciously, then picked up his chopsticks and placed a piece of meat in his bowl.
"Not just for the meal. While you were away in Inazuma, the Liyue Qixing entrusted me with selecting your new residence. I chose a location next to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor—the feng shui there is excellent, ideal for warding off evil.
"Thus, the Qixing prepared the residence with the highest specifications. I'm here today to take you to see your new home."
Zhongli's words filled the group with anticipation.
"Yay! Finally, we won't have to stay in inns or sleep on the streets!"
Paimon was deeply moved—but soon, she narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Zhongli.
"Living near Wangsheng Funeral Parlor means we'll run into you more often, right? Admit it, you just want to keep freeloading off Rover, don't you?!"
Zhongli took a sip of tea and smiled without a word.