Chapter 147. Adeptus Shocked! Guizhong Bites Zhongli?
God of Dust — Haagentus, also known as Guizhong.
At this moment, she had truly returned.
The dust that had blanketed the heavens dispersed without a trace, as though the spectacle had been nothing more than a passing illusion. Yet the powerful figures within Liyue Harbor had felt it clearly.
They simply chose not to pursue it.
For Liyue Harbor stood beneath the protection of Rex Lapis. Who would dare stir chaos beneath his gaze?
Within the city, Madam Ping's pupils contracted sharply.
She dropped all pretense.
In a flash of light, her figure vanished from where she stood. She was already moving at full speed toward the epicenter of that divine eruption. Unlike the other Adeptus, she was stationed within Liyue Harbor itself. Of them all, she could arrive the fastest and ascertain the truth firsthand.
But just as she near the place—
A streak of green descended before her, silent and resolute.
"Conqueror of Demons?"
Madam Ping's brows drew together slightly as she looked at the figure who barred her path.
"Why do you stop me?"
The last remaining Yaksha stood firm. Much of his karmic burden had long been cleansed, and with it, his movements had become even swifter than before. It was only natural that he could intercept her.
"Rex Lapis has given an order."
Xiao's voice was calm, without hesitation.
He had received the command. As for the reason—he did not know. But if Rex Lapis had spoken, then that alone was sufficient.
"I see."
Madam Ping said no more.
Her gaze shifted toward the distant mountain peak beyond Liyue Harbor. Doubt flickered in her eyes as unspoken thoughts stirred within her heart.
Elsewhere, Mountain Shaper, Moon Carver, and Cloud Retainer did likewise.
They intercepted the Adeptus who had just emerged from seclusion, delivering the same message.
This was Rex Lapis's order.
The specifics were unknown. All were to remain patient. When the matter reached its conclusion, Rex Lapis would personally explain.
The reactions were much the same.
Frowns.
Silence.
Then acceptance. If Rex Lapis had commanded it, they would wait.
Yet though restrained, whether Xiao, Cloud Retainer, or the others, their gazes all drifted toward that solitary mountain peak.
The divine authority of the God of Dust was no trivial matter. That power stirred memories long buried—
The deity who laughed so freely. Who busied herself with the livelihoods of her people. Who delighted in mechanisms and music. Who had fallen in ages past.
With her divine power once again coursing through Liyue's land, how could the Adeptus not wish to confirm the truth? Was it but a fleeting phenomenon? Had someone inherited her authority? Or perhaps—
—
On the mountain peak. The newly revived Guizhong smiled as she faced Zhongli.
"This humble one, Guizhong, offers her greetings."
Zhongli's lips curved in a faintly helpless smile.
"This junior, Zhongli, greets the God of Dust."
At his words, her smile brightened further. She cast him a sidelong glance—one that clearly conveyed unfinished matters to be discussed later.
Only then did she turn toward Futsu Mitama and the others.
A soft chuckle escaped her.
"This is our first offline meeting. How are you all?"
Futsu Mitama nodded, studying her carefully. For a brief moment, he found her resemblance curiously reminiscent of certain ancestral figures.
"Guizhong, it's good to meet you. How do you feel?"
"Yes, yes," Yae Miko followed smoothly, her eyes keen. "How is your body?"
The special husk doll, in theory, could serve as a god's vessel.
But theory was one thing.
Reality, another.
Zhongli and Albedo could offer no definitive conclusion.
Even Venti, as the Anemo Archon, had only given a passing remark.
This was only natural.
No matter how thorough the research, true understanding could only be forged through practice.
And now—Only Guizhong herself could judge the outcome.
Aila, Kuki Shinobu, and Shenhe all regarded her with unmasked curiosity.
"Mhm~ How about we change our chat location?" Guizhong suggested lightly, clearly unwilling to repeat her explanation twice.
After all, there were still members within the Chat Group who worried for her safety.
She wished to tell them personally. She had truly returned.
"Very well."
Zhongli inclined his head. He did not yet withdraw the grand formation.
For now, Guizhong's condition remained uncertain. Once she finished explaining everything, he would then decide whether the formation could be lifted.
Futsu Mitama and the others raised no objections.
Whether they discussed matters here upon the mountain or within the Chat Group made little difference. With that unspoken consensus, their consciousness shifted.
The familiar interface unfolded before them.
[Guizhong: "Liyue!!! I'm back!!!!"]
The words burst forth with irrepressible vitality.
[Azhdaha: "It worked?!"]
[Raiden Makoto: "It seems it worked."]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "Has she truly been resurrected?"]
[Venti: "Of course! You know, I went through hell and high water to get that condensed resin."]
[Albedo: "Referring to the main ingredient."]
[Venti: "Don't undermine me, Albedo."]
[Klee: "Yay!!! Big Sister Guizhong is okay! Klee is going to sleep!!! No more staying up late!"]
Amid the joy, practicality surfaced.
[Keqing: "That dust cloud above Liyue Harbor just now… could it have been…"]
[Guizhong: "Yes, that was my power—the authority of the God of Dust. I have only just returned. It is only natural that my control is not yet refined. So it spread outward. To put it simply, it was like the Thunderstorm covering Inazuma."]
[Kamisato Ayaka: "I see."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "That comparison is indeed easy to understand. Because of the Thunderstorm, Watatsumi's seafood yield has declined. Only powerful sea beasts remain in those waters."]
[Yae Miko: "Naturally. With the Thunderstorm enveloping Inazuma, the surrounding seas became perilous. Fish would seek safer waters. Some sea beasts, however, fear nothing and linger near Inazuma, attacking passing ships."]
[Yae Miko: "But that aside… how are you now, Guizhong?"]
[Futsu Mitama: "Since we're already here, just tell us directly. My friend Shenhe is quite curious."]
[Shenhe: "Curious."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "+1."]
[Aila: "+2."]
[Guizhong: "Alright, alright~ I won't keep you in suspense. When my soul entered the special husk doll, it was… perfect."]
[Guizhong: "Incomparably smooth. My soul merged with the puppet in an instant, as though it had been crafted solely for me. After that came a process I cannot quite describe. It simply felt like… I had come back to life."]
[Raiden Makoto: "Come back to life?"]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "That sensation is difficult to imagine."]
[Venti: "Like running out of mora for drinks, being chased for it, and escaping by a hair's breadth?"]
[Azhdaha: "Venti, while that technically counts, it is a rather strange comparison."]
[Zhongli: "Do refrain from such analogies."]
[Albedo: "Come back to life…does that resemble the joy of birth?"]
[Guizhong: "Yes. That comparison works quite well."]
[Futsu Mitama: "The joy of birth? So that is what resurrection feels like?"]
[Aila: "I think I can understand. That feeling is…very strange."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "Eh?"]
[Kamisato Ayaka: "What?!"]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "When did that happen???"]
[Aila: "When I was hazy. When Young Master picked me up."]
[Yae Miko: "Let us not dwell on that for now. What happened afterward?"]
[Guizhong: "Afterward, my power returned. To be honest, I had already prepared myself for the loss of my authority."]
[Guizhong: "Yet it came back. That surprised even me."]
[Shenhe: "Logically speaking, a demon god's authority disperses into heaven and earth upon death. Even if resurrected through the special husk doll, a mere remnant soul should not reclaim its authority."]
[Azhdaha: "How much of your strength has recovered? What percentage of your peak?"]
[Raiden Makoto: "She has just returned. Naturally, she would not be at full strength. Azhdaha, your question is rather—"]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "Still, it is a reasonable inquiry."]
[Venti: "If I find the main ingredient, I'll prepare one for myself as well. One never knows when accidents might occur."]
[Albedo: "Though it may not be my place to say so, Anemo Archon Barbatos, you are unlikely to meet with such an accident."]
[Futsu Mitama: "The most cautious amd two faced god is definitely you."]
[Venti: "???"]
[Raiden Makoto: "That assessment is not entirely unfounded."]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "Exaggerated, perhaps. He does step forward when necessary."]
[Azhdaha: "But he certainly avoids trouble whenever possible."]
[Zhongli: "Records do support that conclusion."]
[Kamisato Ayaka: "I dare not speak in this environment."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "+1"]
[Keqing: "+2"]
Guizhong's laughter rang brightly through the thread.
[Guizhong: "As for strength, I have recovered roughly sixty percent of my peak. With the administrator's bonus, it is perhaps closer to fifty percent of my former self."]
[Guizhong: "I will need time to recuperate."]
[Guizhong: "I was not particularly strong during the Archon War. With sixty percent…I wonder if I can endure in this era."]
[Azhdaha: "Your resurrection already stirred your authority. They have likely sensed it. And Morax certainly has. This is no longer the Archon War. You have ample time to recover."]
[Raiden Makoto: "Liyue is stable. Inazuma…is another matter."]
[Yae Miko: "No sighing. We will soon return to Inazuma. Once the Resistance's predicament is resolved, we may advance that plan. Futsu Mitama's strength has surpassed expectations."]
[Raiden Makoto: "Indeed. The Resistance's power may be limited, but it suffices."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Plan? What plan?"]
[Futsu Mitama: "Hmm? Explain yourselves. What plan???"]
Before confusion could deepen, Zhongli judged the time appropriate.
The grand formation dissolved. The mountain breeze returned, carrying with it the scent of stone and sea.
Guizhong stepped to the cliff's edge, eyes shining as she gazed upon Liyue Harbor below.
"So this is Liyue Harbor now—"
Though she had once watched it through the group livestream, no image could compare to seeing it with her own eyes.
The harbor stood prosperous and steadfast. The land she and Morax had once envisioned had taken root.
"Mm." Zhongli's tone remained calm. "This is the present Liyue Harbor. A sanctuary forged by Geo Archon Morax and his many old friends."
Nostalgia flickered in his eyes.
Familiar faces, long departed, surfaced within his memory.
Guizhong noticed. For a fleeting moment, she reached toward him. Yet she felt the gazes behind her. Her hand paused.
Instead, she waved lightly, summoning the Memory of Dust. The golden catalyst circled her obediently.
"I shall visit an old friend first." She smiled playfully at Futsu Mitama and the others. "I will borrow the Memory of Dust for now. I shall return it later."
Futsu Mitama waved dismissively. It had always been hers.
After days of training, he could now invoke Planet Befall without it. Though the power diminished slightly without its augmentation, within Liyue Harbor, there was little cause for concern.
"Well then~ Until later."
With that, Guizhong rode upon swirling sand, departing into the distance.
Zhongli watched in silence. In his current identity, there was little he could say.
"Master will be very happy," Shenhe said quietly, her gaze following the fading figure.
"I have heard Master and the other Adeptus speak of that battle. The situation was dire. A demon god advanced upon Guili Plains. The stronger Adeptus followed Rex Lapis to eliminate external threats."
"Though powerful, the Adeptus could not match a demon god empowered by authority. Even the weakest demon god surpassed ordinary Adeptus. At that time, the Adeptus remaining in Guili Plains could not stop the invasion. So the militarily weaker God of Dust went to battle."
Her voice fell silent.
The Archon War had been merciless. Demon gods were the core of combat power, yet even among them, strength varied. Guizhong, not known for martial might, had given her life to hold the enemy at bay—buying time for Morax and the others to return.
Azhdaha and Marchosius had been at their peak. But in that moment, only Guizhong had remained to guard the rear.
And tragedy followed.
Thousands of years passed. The Archon War ended.
And now, the God of Dust had returned.
A subtle ripple passed through Shenhe's heart.
Aila nodded as well.
During her recent studies under Cloud Retainer and guidance from Mountain Shaper, she had learned much of that brutal era.
Most Adeptus had fallen in battle. Only Guizhong's death left lingering sighs.
She had not been meant to fight on the frontlines. She had been the strategist. The one who oversaw the people's livelihood. Yet when the demon god struck their home, she had stood alone.
Her fall forced Morax to shoulder both war and governance. The Adeptus had once speculated—Had she lived, would Liyue's war have ended sooner?
One civil, one military.
A perfect balance.
"Enough with the sighing." Yae Miko folded her arms. "Guizhong has returned. Lady Makoto has not. Inazuma remains in turmoil."
Kuki Shinobu nodded quietly.
Guizhong's resurrection was cause for celebration.
But their own storm had yet to pass.
Raiden Makoto's resurrection now stood upon the agenda as well.
After all, she had once been the first Raiden Shogun.
According to Yae Miko's rather unapologetic assessment—if Raiden Makoto handled strategy, Raiden Ei commanded the battlefield, and the three of them—herself, Futsu Mitama, and Aila—served as retainers, then Inazuma would regress five hundred years overnight.
And if Sangonomiya Kokomi were added into the equation—one capable of wielding Archon authority—then Inazuma's so-called "Four Heavenly Kings" would be complete.
Though Kokomi was a strategist by nature, the fact that she could temporarily invoke Archon authority elevated her to Adeptus-level combat strength. In the current Resistance, the strongest combatant was not a frontline warrior—but the Divine Priestess who worked herself to the brink of collapse.
"Let's return and rest first." Futsu Mitama had no intention of lingering further. He glanced at Zhongli and asked with deliberate casualness, "Mr. Zhongli, will you head back with us?"
Zhongli shook his head slightly.
"I must tidy up the formation," he said evenly. "You may go ahead. If you see Director Hu, inform her that my business has concluded."
Futsu Mitama was not surprised.
Guizhong's subtle gestures earlier had not escaped him. It was clear she had long recognized Zhongli's true identity.
Within the Chat Group, those who likely knew were few: Venti, Raiden Makoto, Maha Rukkhadevata, Guizhong, and Albedo.
Azhdaha perhaps suspected once, then chose not to pursue the matter.
Zhongli remaining behind likely meant he intended to wait for Guizhong's return—for a conversation that required no witnesses.
Futsu Mitama had no interest in being an obstacle between two ancient beings separated by millennia. He claimed he had drunk too much and required rest, then led the others toward Liyue Harbor.
With the dissolution of the grand formation, the Adeptus began to gather.
Madam Ping. Xiao. Mountain Shaper. Moon Carver. Cloud Retainer.
They spoke in hushed tones, uncertain what Rex Lapis had orchestrated. Yet since his command had been issued, they restrained their curiosity.
Some inquired of Mountain Shaper, as Rex Lapis's eldest disciple.
Some turned to Madam Ping, as the Adeptus closest to Liyue Harbor.
The Adeptus were not relics of stone. They were veterans of the Archon War—decisive, formidable, and possessed of curiosity.
Long seclusion did not dull that. It merely redirected it toward personal pursuits—like Cloud Retainer's mechanisms—until an upheaval worthy of their emergence occurred.
A month ago, the Raiden Shogun's descent upon Mt. Aocang had drawn them out. Now, the reappearance of the God of Dust's authority had done the same.
Mountain Shaper genuinely knew nothing.
Madam Ping knew even less—having been stopped by Xiao.
"Everyone you've all arrived"
The voice rang out.
Familiar. Unfamiliar.
Every Adeptus looked upward. And their pupils contracted.
Guizhong descended upon swirling dust. The God of Dust—who had fallen in the Archon War—stood before them alive.
For any Adeptus who had fought in that war, the sight was nothing short of impossible.
"It seems a few are missing," Guizhong said softly, scanning the gathering. A trace of sorrow flickered through her gaze. "Have they all departed?"
"You… you…?!" Cloud Retainer's feathers bristled. "Guizhong?! What is this state of yours?!"
Mountain Shaper stared in disbelief. Even Rex Lapis had once lamented that he could not overturn death.
Moon Carver remained rigid, as though struck by lightning. This was not akin to Azhdaha regaining sanity. Nor Marchosius reclaiming lost power.
Those beings had still existed.
Guizhong had not.
They had witnessed her departure with their own eyes. Her death had hardened Rex Lapis's resolve. After that day, he donned his stone mask and stepped fully into the Archon War's crucible.
And now—A deceased Archon stood before them, smiling.
"Madam Ping?" Guizhong's gaze settled on the elderly Adeptus. "You've grown old."
Madam Ping could only stare.
When the authority of Dust erupted earlier, she had imagined countless possibilities.
This was not among them.
"To put it simply," Guizhong said with hands on her hips, "I've been resurrected."
The Adeptus fell silent.
They could feel it.
Authority did not lie.
Though weakened, her Archon pressure was unmistakable.
She was Guizhong.
"Guizhong," Cloud Retainer stepped forward, wings folding, eyes bright with restrained emotion. "How were you resurrected?"
All waited.
Guizhong coughed lightly. Whenever she did this, it meant she was organizing her explanation. Even Rex Lapis had once endured such explanations more than once.
"To put it simply—it was the Memory of Dust."
She raised the golden catalyst.
The Adeptus knew it well. A token of alliance she had once offered Rex Lapis.
A vessel said to contain her knowledge. After her death, neither Rex Lapis nor Cloud Retainer had ever sought to unlock it.
It was a relic. A remembrance.
"I left a wisp of my soul within it," Guizhong said lightly. "Originally to frighten Morax a little. He once claimed no riddle could stump him. I intended to surprise him. And then…that wisp waited."
She spread her hands helplessly.
As for her death—she had not even been aware.
A deer-like Adeptus spoke in astonishment. "But your body… your authority… How could a mere wisp—"
Cloud Retainer and Madam Ping exchanged a glance. Rex Lapis had recently traveled to Mondstadt for some undisclosed purpose. Could it be—He had known all along?
Mountain Shaper, Moon Carver, and Xiao remained composed.
If Rex Lapis had intervened, resolution was only natural.
There was little in this world he could not resolve—save erosion itself.
"Mm~ Morax resurrected me," Guizhong said with a smile. "My strength is weak at present. I may require everyone's protection."
The truth of condensed resin, special husk dolls, and the Chat Group was too astonishing. Let Morax bear the omnipotence.
"Rest assured." Mountain Shaper stepped forward solemnly. "If any dare challenge you upon Liyue's soil—"
"They challenge us. And they challenge Liyue."
The other Adeptus' auras surged.
Guizhong had departed once.
They would not allow it again.
"Good!" Guizhong clenched her fists. "Then I'm going to bite Morax. Cover me!"
Silence.
The collective aura faltered. They all knew the nature of her bond with Rex Lapis. Thousands of years ago, she might have succeeded in such mischief.
Now? She would likely be caught instantly.
Cloud Retainer cleared her throat first. "This Adeptus departs. There are mechanisms awaiting refinement."
She paused. "Visit Mt. Aocang when convenient."
A breeze carried her away.
Mountain Shaper followed. "This Adeptus has made progress in sealing arts. I shall not intrude."
One by one, the Adeptus dispersed.
They would not spectate what came next. If Guizhong sought Rex Lapis—
What transpired thereafter was not for observers. Yet within their hearts, a quiet, unspoken hope flickered. If the God of Dust had returned—
Then perhaps Liyue's future would hold something unprecedented.
An heir bearing the blood of Rex Lapis.
Today was merely a greeting.
Guizhong had always disliked solitude. She would visit them again.
They only needed to wait.
The last to depart was Streetward Rambler—Madam Ping. She lingered a moment longer than the others, her aged gaze resting upon the young girl wreathed in drifting dust. Within those eyes passed a thousand years of memory: laughter beneath the sun, arguments over mechanisms, the gentle bustle of Guili Assembly. At last, she smiled faintly and turned away.
Guizhong did not call out to her old friend.
She merely watched her leave, a soft chuckle slipping past her lips. There would be time. Time enough to visit them one by one, to speak of bygone days, to quarrel and to laugh as before.
With a flick of her sleeve, dust gathered beneath her feet. She rose lightly into the air and drifted toward the mountain peak.
Zhongli had already withdrawn the grand formation.
It was no ordinary array. Forged jointly by Rex Lapis and the Adeptus, it was a treasure beyond price—a structure capable of simulating the consciousness space of a god. Such a feat was not trivial. Even Albedo, with alchemy bordering on the miraculous, could only briefly imitate such a domain. This formation, however, could endure for an entire day and night.
"You're back?"
With effortless grace, Zhongli sidestepped Guizhong's sudden lunge. Her attempt to bite him passed through empty air.
"It seems you've already greeted them," he remarked calmly.
Seeing her attack fail, Guizhong puffed her cheeks in displeasure.
"Aren't you merely a consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?" she said with exaggerated innocence. "How can you dodge my attack?"
"Though my strength has yet to fully recover, this is still the strike of a demon god, is it not?"
A trace of helplessness flickered through Zhongli's eyes. Even revived, she had not changed. Mischief still clung to her like dust in sunlight.
On the surface, he was indeed Zhongli, consultant of Wangsheng. But before her—before Venti, Raiden Ei, Albedo—there was no need for such veils. Guizhong had long since recognized Morax beneath the mortal guise.
"You're not pretending anymore either?" Guizhong stepped closer, tilting her head up at him, eyes bright with amusement. "You put quite the effort into this revival."
Zhongli's gaze drifted to Liyue Harbor below.
Whether it had been for her or not, he would have given his all.
It was true he had gone personally to Mondstadt, sought out Venti, and entrusted him with retrieving the Power of Time from the Nameless Island. It was also true that Azhdaha required aid.
But Guizhong had needed it more. Thus, the first condensed resin had been hers.
"It is… wonderful," Guizhong murmured.
She stood beside him, overlooking the harbor bathed in light.
"For a thousand years, you have carried this alone. You've worked hard, Morax."
"Mm." He inclined his head slightly.
"The people of Liyue are close to seizing their own destiny," he said evenly. "I am…somewhat weary. Though condensed resin tempers erosion, it is time for me to step back."
Before her, he did not conceal this fragment of his design.
Guizhong already knew his identity. She was in the Chat Group. There were few matters he could hide from her—unless he abandoned even his name.
"You intend to retire?" Guizhong did not sound surprised.
"When you declared Futsu Mitama your successor, I suspected as much," she said lightly. "Otherwise, that Raiden Shogun Baal would not have ranted so fiercely in the group."
At the Rite of Descension, when Rex Lapis proclaimed he had an heir, Raiden Makoto's outrage had shaken the Chat Group into silence. Even Azhdaha had refrained from comment.
"Mm."
Zhongli nodded once more.
Guizhong frowned at him.
"Why do you always say 'mm'? Can you not say anything else?"
He glanced at her, faintly at a loss.
Should he unveil every plan yet to unfold in Liyue Harbor? That was impossible.
And now that she had returned, his burdens would lighten. Having expended so much to restore her, she would, as their ancient contract once decreed, stand beside him again as an ally.
Guizhong's irritation softened. She sighed and turned her gaze toward the harbor.
"Morax."
"What is it?" This time, he did not answer with a mere hum.
"Thank you."
The words were simple. Earnest.
She had seen the effort he invested, seen it laid bare within the Chat Group.
"It was nothing," Zhongli replied, a faint chuckle in his voice.
Guizhong smiled—a bright, unguarded smile, like sunlight scattering across dust.
For a long moment, neither spoke. Two gods stood in silence, overlooking the harbor shaped by contracts and dreams.
Then—
Guizhong opened her mouth wide and lunged toward his face.
"… "
In the next instant, she found herself suspended midair, caught by the scruff of her neck between Zhongli's fingers.
There remained, after all, a difference between demon gods.
Her strength had not fully recovered. At present, she stood at the pinnacle of an Adeptus, and with her authority restored, she was but a weakened god.
He, meanwhile, was Morax.
"Ah—ah—ah—ah—ah—ah—ah! Morax!" Guizhong wailed indignantly. "What did you do to me, you stone head?!"
Zhongli's lips curved in the faintest smile.
But he said nothing.
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