Sleepiness crept over Song Yinjian like a tide. He was just about to doze off when a steady figure blocked the sunlight above him.
The moment Song Yinjian recognized the face, all drowsiness vanished. He sprang up from the lounge chair, plastering on a bright smile.
"My Lord! What brings you here?" Zhongli's lips curled into a cold smile.
"Do you understand the consequences of slandering Rex Lapis?" Song Yinjian spread his hands helplessly, face full of suffering. "My Lord, I had no choice."
"You demanded I restore the people's faith in Tongque, but you refused to pay a single mora." "Even if I'm capable, without mora, this can't be done."
Zhongli's tone eased slightly. "Even so, you shouldn't have written it like that." "I have no such relationship with Tongque."
"And besides—I prefer women."
"Oh?" Song Yinjian's eyes gleamed with gossip. "Then do you like Guizhong?"
At the name Guizhong, a flicker of sorrow passed through Zhongli's eyes—so fast it was almost invisible.
Then he returned to calm. "No."
"Not Guizhong?" Song Yinjian pressed. "Then do you like Azhdaha?" Zhongli very nearly wanted to drop a stone spear on his head.
Grinding his teeth, he said, "No."
Seeing Zhongli's expression darkening, Song Yinjian finally stopped flirting with death and dragged the topic back.
"My Lord, I did it for a reason."
"Tongque's shrine declined because among all the fallen adepti, his image is too… generic." "He's hard to remember."
Zhongli's gaze sharpened. "So that's why you did this."
"Yes. A poetic, carefree, gentle Immortal Lord—people will like that." "But you still dragged Rex Lapis into it."
Song Yinjian lifted his chin. "Then what do you want?"
Zhongli answered evenly, "From now on, my bills go to Xianjia Rites."
Song Yinjian didn't even blink. "Then from now on, you serve as Xianjia Rites' consultant." Zhongli paused, then nodded. "Agreed."
Just like that, the storm dispersed without further ripples.
…
The next day, Keqing—having finally carved out time—dragged Song Yinjian to Mt. Tianheng to choose land for his cemetery.
On the way, she asked with genuine confusion, "Why are you so determined to build a cemetery?"
Song Yinjian's answer was blunt.
"Because I run a full-service funeral business."
"From preparation to burial. Families shouldn't have to worry about anything." Keqing, born of an influential clan, understood the logic quickly.
As society developed and life sped up, ordinary people wouldn't have the energy to handle funeral arrangements.
Full-service funerals were inevitably the future.
By building a cemetery, Song Yinjian was securing the downstream link—burial itself. "If you went into business," Keqing sighed, "you might even surpass Ningguang." Song Yinjian only smiled. "I can't compare to her."
"She's the Tianquan—favored by Rex Lapis." Keqing caught something in his tone immediately.
"From the way you say that… you seem to have an opinion of her." Song Yinjian didn't deny it.
"I do."
"As Tianquan, she should bear more responsibility."
"Liyue grows more prosperous by the day, but the people at the bottom still live in the same poverty as before."
Keqing's expression turned serious. "As the Yuheng, I share responsibility too." Song Yinjian answered casually, "Sure. You share responsibility too."
Keqing's chest tightened with irritation.
She was the Qixing member who cared most for the common folk, and he dismissed it like that? Without another word, she huffed and quickened her pace, stomping ahead.
Song Yinjian watched, baffled. What now?
Was she… on her period?
…
They walked for about half an hour.
Suddenly Keqing stopped dead, staring forward with a darkened expression.
In an open clearing ahead, dozens of people sat in a wide circle. In the center stood a man wearing a demon-god mask.
He danced with exaggerated gestures, chanting nonsense like he was performing some bizarre ritual.
Song Yinjian leaned in, watched a moment, then laughed. He'd thought it might be some evil cult.
Turns out it was just a cheap con—playing at mysticism.
Keqing's eyes turned sharp. She drew her weapon from her Electro Vision—Lion's Roar—and strode forward with killing intent.
Song Yinjian couldn't help a pang of envy.
Vision holders could command elements at will—and even store weapons within their Vision. The masked conman noticed Keqing approaching almost immediately.
Without hesitation, he yanked out a talisman.
With a whoosh, white smoke erupted, swallowing his form. In the blink of an eye, he vanished without a trace.
The people around him erupted into feverish excitement, eyes shining with fanatic devotion. "Lord of Stars has shown himself!"
"Lord of Stars has shown himself!"
The chant echoed across the clearing as if they'd truly witnessed a miracle.
Keqing frowned, sheathed Lion's Roar, and stepped forward to explain patiently—telling them it was only a scam.
But even when she revealed she was one of the Qixing, they ignored her. They even accused her of trying to steal their "adeptal destiny."
Song Yinjian approached with deliberate slowness, his expression stern and authoritative. "Enough!"
"Do not act so recklessly!"
"I am the third disciple under Cloud Retainer—True Lord Yinshui Swordwave!"
As he spoke, his hands formed seals in swift succession. With a small gesture, a talisman appeared in his palm, glowing with ominous brilliance.
Then the light flared—
and a roaring fire dragon burst into the sky.
The crowd went rigid, eyes wide, faces drained of color. Not a single person dared breathe. The fire dragon circled overhead a few times before fading into nothing.
Song Yinjian tucked the talisman away, voice turning cold. "The man just now is a demonic cultivator."
"He intends to make you his blood food."
"Leave this place at once—otherwise he will mark you, and you will become prey on his plate!" The villagers screamed and scattered, fleeing as if their lives depended on it.
They did.