Liyue Harbor, Wangshu Inn.
The storyteller, wearing a bamboo hat, spoke in a hoarse voice, weaving tales of Teyvat:
"Let us continue from where we left off!"
"In ancient times, the land of Teyvat was overrun with gods and demons, and chaos reigned!"
"Back then, Mondstadt was nothing but a frozen wasteland, and Liyue Harbor was merely a desolate coastline… but we shall set that aside for now."
"The story of the Electro Archon I tell today takes place three thousand years ago in the land of Inazuma."
"The world knows only that the twin Electro Archons were unmatched in battle, yet none know how they came to wield such terrifying power…"
...
Li Mo sat upon the elevated stage, his voice low and raspy beneath his bamboo hat.
He was a traveler from another world.
He had already lived ninety-nine lifetimes in the world of Genshin Impact, completing ninety-nine arduous missions.
If he could complete one hundred missions, he would be granted ten wishes.
His hundredth life's mission: become a storyteller in Liyue and make Hu Tao cry, make Qiqi cry, make the Raiden Shogun cry… and even make the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya cry.
Making them cry? That should be simple enough.
He didn't need to fabricate a single thing. All he had to do was share the bittersweet experiences he had gathered over ninety-nine lifetimes.
He was certain that everyone would be moved to tears.
The first story he would tell was that of the Raiden Shogun from the ancient era.
As Li Mo spoke…
Above Wangshu Inn, a surge of elemental energy suddenly gathered, forming exquisite, lifelike projections in the air.
What appeared before the audience was none other than the very story Li Mo was telling.
There were colossal ape-like demons that moved mountains and crushed the earth to ruins; the great Tengu clan hunted down wicked demon gods, demon gods who reveled in slaughter.
Scene after scene unfolded before their eyes, as vivid as if they were happening in that very moment.
Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.
"Sister Ningguang is my family—money's no object. I'll tip as the master tells his tale!"
"I can't believe I've been listening for two hours already. So the story has reached the Raiden Shogun?"
"Telling a story about Inazuma's Shogun right here in Liyue Harbor? Bold move… Lord Rex Lapis approves!"
"To project scenes from a thousand years ago using elemental energy while storytelling… the master's strength must rival that of the Qixing."
"Excuse me, when will you tell the story of Lord Rex Lapis and Xiao?"
"When will you tell Qiqi's story? I want to know how such a sweet girl like Qiqi became a zombie."
The audience listened intently, daring only to whisper among themselves or ask quick questions once a section of the story came to a close.
Even so, those nearby shot them fierce glares, afraid their murmurs might disrupt the storyteller's rhythm.
Wangshu Inn, usually quiet and empty, was now packed to the brim.
Any latecomers hoping to listen in could only clutch their cups of tea and stand quietly against the walls.
At this moment…
Around a spacious table in the corner of the inn sat three women, each with her own distinct style.
One woman had long purple hair cascading down her shoulders and a sword at her side. She was Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing.
Another woman carried a polearm on her back, her bearing as elegant as an adeptus'. She was Shenhe, a disciple of the adepti.
The last was a peculiar young girl. Her face was pale as paper, and a string of prayer beads hung around her neck. She alternated between sitting and performing simple, childlike stretches.
A soft murmur escaped her lips: "One, two, Qiqi… two, two, Qiqi…"
While doing her exercise routine, she also held up a stalk of Qixing Flower and tried to offer it to Keqing.
"Eat… medicine…"
Keqing was left utterly speechless.
Based on past experience, Qiqi was having one of her episodes again… she had triggered some strange, forbidden command.
Unless Keqing ate the Qixing Flower she was holding, Qiqi would keep mumbling and pestering her endlessly. Only once the flower was consumed would Qiqi finally flash a satisfied smile.
Resigned, Keqing placed the herb in her mouth.
The strong medicinal taste wasn't entirely unpleasant…
Keqing turned to Shenhe beside her and remarked, "This storyteller has quite the nerve. Instead of recounting the glorious deeds of Lord Rex Lapis here in Liyue Harbor, he dares to sing the praises of Inazuma's Electro Archon."
"If his story weren't at least somewhat interesting, I'd make sure he paid for his insolence."
With that, Keqing slapped her sword down onto the table with a sharp clang.
Her code of conduct was that simple: if she believed something was right, she would do it without hesitation.
Beside her, Shenhe sat with a cool, aloof expression. After a moment's hesitation, she said:
"Inazuma is currently sealed off by thunderstorms."
"Learning about Inazuma's past might prove useful in opening up trade with them."
Liyue had risen to power through commerce, and its people relied on trade for their livelihoods. To achieve even greater prosperity, they would need to expand their commercial reach into the land of Inazuma.
Keqing's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "What a great idea!"
"Isn't that called 'know your enemy and you'll never lose a battle'?"
Shenhe replied calmly, "Indeed."
"Only… don't you find his stories rather interesting?"
With that said, Shenhe fixed her gaze intently on Li Mo upon the stage. Her expression remained composed, yet her heart was filled with confusion.
Why…
When she looked at the figure on stage, why did she feel a sense of familiarity?
Why did her heart ache for no reason?
Could it be that she had seen this storyteller somewhere before?
Beside her, Qiqi once again produced a stalk of Qixing Flower and tried to stuff it into Keqing's mouth. "Keqing… eat medicine… get better…"
Keqing grimaced. "Please stop giving me those. I'm completely full… and I'm not sick."
"Give some to Shenhe instead…"
Shenhe responded flatly, "I don't like Qixing Flower…"
...
In another corner of Wangshu Inn sat a handsome young man holding a thrush cage, occupying an entire table by himself.
"Waiter! Tea! Food!"
The waiter hurried over. "Master Zhongli, it is truly an honor that you enjoy our food and drink."
"But… you've already run up a debt of a thousand Mora here."
"If you don't pay soon, we'll go out of business!"
A thousand Mora.
Even in prosperous Liyue Harbor, that was no small sum.
Zhongli did not take offense at the waiter's words. His demeanor remained as elegant as ever. "I am a consultant for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Please put it on the parlor's tab. Someone will reimburse me."
The waiter hesitated. "Well… Director Hu Tao said yesterday that she will no longer cover a single Mora of your expenses."
"She also instructed me to ensure you don't incur any more debts."
Still unruffled, Zhongli offered a graceful smile. "Very well then. I'll pay in cash this time… one Mora."
"And remember, the finest tea and the finest dishes."
Savoring the delicacies of Wangshu Inn while listening to the captivating tales on stage—truly one of life's greatest pleasures.
With a casual flick of his hand, Zhongli produced a single Mora from somewhere and tossed it to the waiter.
The waiter beamed. "Right away!"
"Please enjoy the storytelling, Master Zhongli. Your tea and dishes will be served shortly."
...
At that moment, atop the elevated stage of Wangshu Inn, Li Mo began to recall the story of the Raiden Shogun and her sister from his very first lifetime. His emotions grew heavy, and he nearly lost himself in the memories of that life.
After gathering his feelings, he continued:
"The world knows only that the twin Electro Archons were unmatched in wisdom and valor, yet none know how they came to inherit such terrifying power…"
"The story dates back three thousand years, to the early days of the Archon War."
"In those days, Inazuma was just like Liyue—occupied by countless gods and demons, with humans able to survive only by attaching themselves to a god's protection."
"If a god fell in battle, the humans under their protection would be doomed as well."
"In the chaos of war, a weak and unfortunate god was slain. The lands under their protection were invaded and destroyed by a wicked demon god. Under the setting sun, blood stained the village red, and fire consumed the earth."
"In a cellar, a young boy cradled two infant girls, trembling."
"Flames from above reached down into the cellar. The boy shielded the infants with his own body… blades and spears pierced through wooden planks into the cellar, and the boy gritted his teeth against the pain."