Kairo stayed by Zhongli's side to complete the mission and obtain the option reward—Lightning-Lord.
He was traveling with Zhongli.
So if Zhongli didn't go to Granny Ping, Kairo wouldn't go see Granny Ping either.
Besides, it wasn't as if he'd never meet Granny Ping again—there would be plenty of chances later.
"Because some things… the Traveler must experience personally."
Zhongli spoke softly. "As for more—by contract, I cannot say."
"Contract…"
Kairo narrowed his eyes.
A contract with the Tsaritsa.
It really was… intriguing.
Soon, time slipped by.
Lumine and Paimon returned.
"Kairo, Zhongli!"
Paimon waved. "We got it!"
"Barbara and Fischl ran into Acting Grand Master Jean, and they're with her, so they didn't come back with us."
"No matter," Kairo said, not particularly concerned.
Zhongli examined what Lumine brought out and nodded. "Good. This is indeed the Cleansing Bell… and it's been well kept."
"Oh right—Granny Ping asked us to bring you a message."
Paimon hurriedly added, imitating the tone:
"If you have time, come drink tea too. This old woman doesn't have much, but at least I still have a teapot."
Zhongli burst into a hearty laugh. "That tone doesn't suit you. But her teapot is indeed excellent—perfect for brewing tea."
"When the time is right, I'll naturally bring good tea… to see her."
"So what's the next thing we need to prepare?" Lumine asked.
"A kite," Zhongli said as he set down the Cleansing Bell. "Though kites are children's toys, in Liyue's rituals they carry other symbolic meanings."
"There's a meaning like that too?" Paimon looked suspicious.
"But if we needed a kite, we ran into an old lady selling kites down at the plaza earlier. Why didn't you say so? We could've bought one on the spot."
"No."
Zhongli shook his head. "What's being sold wouldn't be the kite I need."
"I pre-ordered it yesterday. Today we'll go pick it up."
As he spoke, Zhongli walked down from Yujing Terrace.
Soon, Zhongli brought Kairo, Lumine, and Paimon to a small stall.
An elderly vendor greeted Zhongli with a smile. "You're here? The seven kites you ordered are all finished. Picking them up now?"
"Yes. Thank you for your trouble."
"Not many customers buy this style of kite anymore," the old man sighed as he took them out. "Back in the old days, all kinds of folks used them…"
Paimon scratched her head. "Zhongli's a Wangsheng consultant, so I guess he understands all those 'rules' people play by…"
"And during this trip, the things we've chatted about with Zhongli are way more than that…"
Lumine looked at Zhongli strangely. "He knows clothing customs, daily life etiquette, gems, jade, porcelain…"
"Yeah, yeah!"
Paimon nodded like a pecking chick. "Tea, spices, flowers, bugs, birds… it's like he knows everything!"
"He can even keep up with Liyue people's favorite finance and politics topics—but he seems to enjoy talking about all the 'useless' knowledge more."
Zhongli smiled faintly. "Because I prefer sharing these little amusements with you."
The old man laughed. "A child's toy is always interesting. And besides… I still have other thoughts."
"Delicate things always make children happy. But that delicacy is also the accumulation of thousands of years—there's meaning behind it."
"I've made kites in Liyue for forty years. I know the ancestral patterns like the back of my hand. The seven kites this guest ordered—those meanings are not ordinary."
"Correct," Zhongli said, nodding. "They are ornaments for the Rite of Parting. Seven kites… symbolize the Seven Archons."
The old man chuckled. "For the Anemo Archon pattern, I even painted the colors freely—past the boundary."
"And for the Geo Archon, of course I followed the contract precisely. These patterns are ancient. You can find them in the Golden House too."
As he spoke, he handed the kites to Zhongli.
Zhongli examined them and praised, "This kite's electro pattern… the sense of rotation is well-grasped, just like the Raiden Shogun's ideal of eternity."
"The dendro leaf patterns and silver-tree rings… cleverly integrated into the kite frame. Truly admirable."
"The water's balanced justice, the fire's blazing war, and the Cryo Archon's once—"
Zhongli paused slightly. "Mm. The details are all very well done."
Kairo: "?"
He caught that.
The Cryo Archon's once… what?
He'd been hoping to hear some hidden secrets from Zhongli.
The old man laughed. "It's always a pleasure to hear a knowledgeable guest praise my work."
Zhongli nodded. "Then, Granny Shan, I'll take the goods I ordered."
He took the kites and instructed Lumine and Paimon:
"Next, we're going to Liyue Harbor."
"The Rite of Parting needs materials—and people. Near the docks, we can hire good helpers."
"Got it," Lumine and Paimon nodded.
They went to Liyue Harbor and hired a few helpers.
After that, Zhongli led Kairo, Lumine, and Paimon toward Yujing Terrace again.
Paimon blinked. "We're going back to Yujing Terrace again?"
"No," Zhongli said, shaking his head. "To Bubu Pharmacy."
"Only Bubu Pharmacy has Everlasting Incense. It's the most famous herb house in Liyue Harbor."
"Everlasting Incense?" Paimon scratched her head, confused.
Still, she followed Zhongli.
Bubu Pharmacy was in the Yujing Terrace direction, but it stood quietly in a corner of Liyue Harbor—completely out of place amid the bustling streets.
The wooden plaque had yellowed with age. The words "Bubu Pharmacy" were carved in an ancient style, the strokes vigorous, carrying the weight of years.
The scent of medicinal herbs lingered in the air—but today, that familiar fragrance carried an odd stillness and oppression.
Kairo, Lumine, Paimon, and Zhongli stepped inside.
The moment they crossed the threshold, it felt like entering a different world.
The interior was dimly lit. Only a few everlasting lamps burned in the corners, casting wavering shadows.
The wooden counter was empty. The shelves of herbs were still tidy—
Yet the air was filled with a strange silence, as if the place had been forgotten by time.
"…What's going on?"
Paimon muttered softly, rubbing her arms. "Why does it feel… weird? There's nobody at the counter?"
Paimon floated closer, craning her neck.
On the desk, unorganized medicinal herbs still lay there, as if the owner had stepped away briefly.
Yet the entire pharmacy felt empty.
"Welcome."
Just as Paimon was looking around, a weak, slow, flat voice came from behind the counter.
Like a breeze's sigh, it made Paimon freeze.
"Huh? Where'd that voice come from?"
It was quiet—like it came from a corner, or like it was swallowed by the heavy cabinets behind the counter.
Paimon drifted closer, cautiously peeking—
Then—
"Wah!"
Paimon jolted backward in fright, wearing a "saw-a-ghost" expression.
From behind the counter, a small figure slowly rose into view.
Soft purple hair swayed gently.
A yellowing talisman was stuck to her forehead, bobbing slightly. Pink eyes looked blank and dull, as if she didn't quite understand what was happening.
She was so small she didn't even clear the counter's height—only a tiny head visible.
Paimon's yelp made her blink, as if startled.
But soon she returned to that indifferent, mechanical expression and said in a flat, reciting tone:
"I am… Qiqi."
"Qiqi?"
Paimon patted her chest, steadying herself as she examined the little girl.
Qiqi had soft purple hair braided neatly down toward her thigh.
She wore a purple Taoist cap with an icy-blue Vision embedded at the brim.
The talisman on her forehead swayed. Mysterious characters were written upon it.
A coin-like charm was pinned into her hair as well, ancient and eerie.
Her outfit was unique too: a purple short top with light sleeves, a string of teal prayer beads at her collar, pale shorts, and white long socks wrapped in layered patterns like bandages.
A talisman was also pasted on her left calf, like some kind of seal.
She stood there quietly, ribbons fluttering. Two small yin-yang ornaments hung and clinked softly.
"…Qiqi?"
Paimon repeated the name again, still uncertain.
"Mm."
Qiqi nodded, voice still flat and slow, like repeating memorized words.
"Qiqi has… died once."
She paused, lifted her head slightly, pink pupils reflecting the people at the counter.
Then she added slowly:
"Later, an adeptus saved me. So I am… a zombie."
The air froze.
Paimon: "..."
Lumine: "..."
Zhongli's brows lifted slightly, as if recalling something.
Qiqi remained expressionless, as if what she'd said was perfectly ordinary—like "dying once" was a normal life experience.
"Z-zombie?!"
Paimon stumbled back a step, staring nervously. "You mean… you already died?!"
Qiqi nodded, calm as ever. "Yes. I am a zombie."
Paimon's mouth twitched. She hid behind Lumine and whispered, "Liyue's pharmacy… also raises zombies?!"
Lumine sighed. "Saying something unbelievable in such a calm tone… It really is a land of gods…"
Zhongli gave a light sigh. "Though she is indeed a zombie, she bears no malice. You needn't fear."
Then he asked politely, "Little one—may I ask if you sell Everlasting Incense here?"
"Do you have… a prescription?" Qiqi asked.
"…Buying Everlasting Incense doesn't need a prescription, right? It's not for treating an illness…" Paimon muttered.
"If you have a prescription, Qiqi can… grab medicine. This is… Qiqi's self-issued… order."
"Order?"
Lumine frowned and whispered, "This is going to be hard to communicate."
"Zombies need orders to act," Zhongli explained softly. "But for some reason, this little one is in a state of giving orders to herself."
He looked at Qiqi. "Qiqi, we don't have a prescription, but we hope you can help us find Everlasting Incense."
"Okay."
Qiqi nodded. "But you must help Qiqi too. That's fair."
Paimon looked speechless. "A clerk helping customers… is 'unfair'?!"
Zhongli chuckled. "No matter. A relationship of equal exchange is also good. In Liyue, the art of trade is empathy and position-switching."
"Then please go to Mt. Tianheng."
Qiqi spoke softly. "Use the Guizhong Ballista… and help me hunt Cocogoat."
…At the moment Qiqi said that—
Lines of text appeared before Kairo's eyes.
[Because you cooperated and communicated with Jing Yuan, you reminded Jing Yuan that the Artisanship Commission's Furnace of Creation was damaged, and the Heliobi would certainly escape—preparations must be made early.]
[Jing Yuan ordered the Ten-Lords Commission to send someone, but because the judges are all burdened with multiple duties, they could not come personally. They could only send a trainee judge.]
[You met HuoHuo. When HuoHuo learned she must cooperate with the order—establishing a "Binding Evil-Subduing Formation" before the furnace repairs are complete to capture the Heliobi and first secure their positions—]
[Upon learning she must confirm many Heliobi locations, the terrified HuoHuo said she didn't dare.]
[If you want her to act, you must first help her establish the Binding Evil-Subduing Formation—only then will she dare to work.]
[Faced with HuoHuo's timid condition, you choose…]
Option 1: Agree gladly.
You know why HuoHuo is scared, and you understand her timidity. Compared to persuading a timid trainee judge, it's better to directly make the environment feel safe—efficiency will be much higher.
Reward: HuoHuo's Path-power branch skill — "Dread Fiend Suppression." When activated, it can frighten nearby enemies and inflict "Soul-Scattered." Enemies in Soul-Scattered will flee away from you for 10 seconds. If you enter combat with a Soul-Scattered enemy, there is a 100% chance to cause the enemy's attack to be reduced by [value unclear in source] each time they attack.
Option 2: Refuse decisively.
Tracking mere Heliobi traces needs extra formation prep? A waste of time that delays action. With the Luofu in crisis, the mission comes first—there's no time to indulge HuoHuo's fear. Make her solve it herself, or find another way.
Reward:Calming Mantra. Recite its formula to forcibly still and stabilize the mind.
Option 3: Rebuke them and demand a replacement.
The Ten-Lords Commission sent a timid trainee judge for such an important task? Absurd! If HuoHuo can't do it, reassign a more reliable judge to ensure success.
Reward:Everlife Sprout. A new bud from an ancient divine relic, the source of the Xianzhou long-life species' endless lifespan—residual traces of the Abundance's miracle. Countless ages ago, an emperor's obsession with immortality led the Xianzhou fleet to sail beyond the stars in search of an elixir…
"…So it's HuoHuo."
Seeing the options, Kairo looked at Qiqi and rubbed his chin, falling into thought.
So Qiqi corresponds to HuoHuo?
In his original guess, he'd thought HuoHuo would correspond to Sucrose.
After all, HuoHuo and Sucrose both had similar green hair and animal-like ears…
Their hats and clothing styles were similar too, and they were both "wind" aligned (even if it wasn't the same kind of "wind")…
And they even shared a similarly timid personality…
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