Lumine carefully tucked away the wristguard.
Since it had been crafted to Su Ming's wrist size, it was a bit too loose for her. It wasn't comfortable to wear, and rather than letting it hinder her movements, she decided it was better to keep it stowed away until the moment she truly needed it.
Zhongli spoke up then. "Actually, if you and Shenhe hadn't arrived, I would have already set out for the Jade Chamber by now."
"The details have been finalized. The Rite of Parting can finally be held."
Paimon looked at Zhongli's nonchalant expression and couldn't help but grumble, "Why is it that you gods always seem so... idle?"
"The Anemo Archon spends every day hiding his identity and soaking in a tavern instead of doing anything useful. And then there's you, Zhongli. If it weren't for the important business of these last few days, you'd probably be wandering the streets every single day."
Zhongli chuckled. "Is that not a good thing?"
"When a god has leisure time, it means there are no crises that mortals cannot resolve on their own."
"When a god can live in tranquility, it signifies that the nation is, to a large extent, stable and peaceful."
"For the Seven Archons, this is the best possible outcome."
"Conversely, if there comes a day when my brow is furrowed and I am sternly focused on a task... then it means Liyue is in grave trouble."
Paimon had a sudden realization. "I guess that makes sense! If even a god is at their wit's end, it really would be a massive crisis for a country!"
"Very well. Go inform the Qixing. The Rite of Parting is about to begin."
At noon the following day, the Rite of Parting commenced.
However, this particular ceremony was... unique.
The citizens who had come to observe realized that there were far more guests of honor than usual. On the left side sat the Liyue Qixing, along with representatives from several major industries.
On the right side... sat three Adepti, and Su Ming.
Indeed, Su Ming had been practically dragged to the scene to participate in the Rite of Parting. He had been placed right in the VIP section.
As for why he had been forced to attend? It was because Xiao had slipped away early. Since the seating had already been arranged and couldn't be removed at the last moment, they had hauled him in as a substitute.
According to Ganyu, who had done the dragging, Su Ming's reputation as a "Sword Immortal" in the eyes of Liyue's people carried just as much weight as a true Adeptus.
Once the crowd caught sight of the guests, the atmosphere instantly grew heated. The commoners began to whisper and murmur among themselves, the rustling of voices soon filling the entire square.
"Hey, look, look! Those are the Adepti!"
"I've lived this long and it's the first time I've actually seen an Adeptus! Though, they look a bit different than I imagined..."
"Hah, what do you know? The images you have are just stories made up by storytellers and novelists. Haven't you heard? I've read ancient records that say most Adepti are beast-type, but they have the means to take on human forms!"
"I've learned something new today. Thanks for clearing that up, friend!"
"Forget that, look who's sitting next to those three Adepti!"
"He looks familiar... is he an Adeptus too?"
"Are you blind?! That's the Sword Immortal who suppressed and slew that ancient Demon God at sea the other day!"
"That's the Sword Immortal! Good heavens, it's my first time seeing his face!"
"Hmph, you just have bad luck. In the days right after the battle, the Sword Immortal was seen on the streets buying things quite often. Sometimes he'd even grab a snack and listen to stories over at Third-Round Knockout."
"Really?"
"Of course. But later, the folks over at Chihu Rock got a bit too enthusiastic. They bothered him so much that he hasn't been seen in public since."
"Ah, what a pity! If I hadn't taken that Qixing commission to repair the docks those few days, I would have seen him sooner!"
"No rush, you're seeing him now, aren't you?"
"But is this Sword Immortal truly a human, as the rumors say? Those three sword strikes that day... I saw them clearly even from Feiyun Slope!"
"Indeed. One strike, the Full Moon Sea Suppression; another, the Sword Qi River; and finally, a Roaming Dragon Startles the Heavens. In just three swords, Osial was dead!"
"Not only that, the Qixing sent people out with that Adeptal mechanism, the Guizhong Ballista, and they've been circling the sea for days. Why? Because that ice surface can't be broken by any normal means! Can a mortal truly possess such god-like power?"
The focus of the crowd's discussion quickly shifted from the appearance of the Adepti to Su Ming's actual combat strength. As expected, no matter where you went, "tier-listing" and debating power levels were always hot topics.
However, everyone reached one consensusthe Sword Immortal was definitely stronger than the Adepti sitting beside him. After all, those Adepti had primarily played a support role during the battle against Osial. They had contributed damage, but certainly not nearly as much as him.
Suddenly, the whispers of the crowd died down.
A massive dragon descended from the sky.
The sight of that familiar image caused the onlookers to fall into a stunned silence.
Ever since Zhongli had made his move previously, the people of Liyue Harbor knew that Rex Lapis was not dead. However, seeing his true form once again made many feel as if an age had passed.
Thinking back to a few days ago, the news of the Lord's assassination had spread like wildfire, described with such vivid detail that even the Qixing had begun organizing the Rite of Parting.
Even after knowing he might still be alive, the ceremony hadn't been canceled; instead, they had continued the preparations. This had led some to wonder if the Lord truly had passed away. Otherwise, how could one explain the Qixing's actions?
At this moment, all doubts vanished.
Yet... why would Rex Lapis appear now, at his own "funeral"? Was he here to hold the Qixing accountable?
Just as some people were preparing to watch the drama unfold with a sense of schadenfreude, the Qixing and the Adepti rose as one.
"We welcome the arrival of the Lord's divine form!"
"Rise."
A heavy, magnetic voice emanated from the dragon's head. Then, Zhongli, controlling the draconic vessel, spoke.
"I have sat upon the divine throne for over three thousand and seven hundred years."
"As I protected Liyue through the ages, I constantly wondered... in this land where gods walk with men, would Liyue be ready to face a crisis once the Geo Archon departed?"
"Thus, I staged the ruse of my death, wishing to see what choices Liyue and the Adepti would make."
"And the facts have proven... that your performance has surprised me."
"Whether it was the Tianquan immediately consolidating power to minimize the impact of a god's death, or the Adepti restraining themselves upon arrival and proposing to investigate the truth only after preparing the Rite of Parting... the decisiveness of the Qixing and the restraint of the Adepti have shown me the hope for Liyue's future."
"I have appeared today specifically to announce one thing. Liyue... has passed my trial."
"Therefore, I have made my decision."
"From this day forth, Liyue is entrusted to Rule by Humans."
"The Qixing shall inherit my authority, and the Adepti shall continue their duties as overseers of the Qixing's conduct, continuing to fulfill the contract of old."
"And I... shall step down from my divine throne. I will no longer interfere in the governance of Liyue."
With that, the draconic manifestation of Rex Lapis soared into the clouds high above and vanished.
As soon as he departed, the crowd below erupted into a deafening roar. In truth, the moment Zhongli had mentioned the fake death, the crowd had already been struggling to remain quiet. Now, the discussion exploded.
The voices rose and fell in waves. Some were even panicked, wondering if Rex Lapis had abandoned Liyue and its people.
Amidst this extreme chaos, Ningguang stepped forward. She produced a manuscript she had prepared long ago and, coordinating with her previous arrangements, began to soothe the citizens. Only after she repeatedly explained that the Lord was simply retiring and would still live within Liyue did the commoners finally quiet down.
Su Ming sighed with emotion. "A new era... I wonder if the people of Liyue can get used to this."
"Issuing an abdication decree like this is much more shocking to the people of Liyue than just faking a death to escape."
"And because of this, there are many things you won't be able to stay out of, Zhongli."
"Still, the ones most worried right now must be the Qixing. They're going to have to do a lot of talking to make the people believe that Rex Lapis retired by choice, rather than being forced out."
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