Chapter 19. Wow! What a Huge Bird!
When Futsu Mitama and the others arrived at the entrance of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, the scene before them immediately made his expression turn a little strange.
At the doorway, Zhongli stood with a faintly helpless look on his face, while Guizhong lounged casually on a chair with her legs crossed, looking completely at ease, as if this were her own courtyard rather than the entrance of a funeral parlor.
"This is…" Futsu Mitama paused slightly, his gaze moving back and forth between the two of them, clearly at a loss for words. In broad daylight, right in front of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor—were they really not even trying to maintain appearances anymore?
The dignified God of Dust sitting like that, and Zhongli standing beside her with that expression—no matter how one looked at it, the atmosphere felt somewhat off.
Beside him, Kuki Shinobu also frowned slightly, her gaze carrying a trace of confusion. She couldn't quite understand what the two of them were doing here. Were they waiting for someone? Or was this simply how they interacted?
At the same time, she instinctively thought of Hu Tao.
Ever since that incident where her cooking had made even Yae Miko see illusions of the past, Shinobu had firmly concluded one thing—Hu Tao was not someone she wanted to provoke under any circumstances.
"Hello." Sangonomiya Kokomi greeted politely, her tone gentle as always.
"Kokomi~" Guizhong immediately sat up as if she had been waiting for this moment. Without paying any further attention to Zhongli, she stepped forward enthusiastically and took Kokomi's hand, her expression bright and full of interest.
"This is our first time meeting, isn't it?"
"Oh my I already knew from the live broadcast that you were cute, but seeing you in person…you're even more adorable than I imagined"
As she spoke, her hands were already moving, lightly touching Kokomi's shoulders and arms, as if examining something carefully. Kokomi's face flushed slightly at the sudden closeness, but she did not resist. She could clearly feel that Guizhong was not acting frivolously, but rather observing her condition.
Ever since her bloodline awakening, there had been many things about her that even she herself did not fully understand. Yae Miko and Raiden Ei had only briefly mentioned it, leaving many details unexplained. Now, being directly examined by Guizhong, Kokomi simply remained still, allowing her to finish.
At the same time, Zhongli had already walked over to Futsu Mitama. His gaze swept over him once, calm yet thorough, before he gave a small nod.
"You've become much stronger."
"Mm."
Futsu Mitama nodded in response, though his expression was slightly complicated. Looking at Zhongli, who appeared refined and almost fragile on the surface, he could not help but twitch slightly inwardly. That so-called "frail" appearance was nothing more than an illusion. If they truly fought, the meaning of the title "War God" would become painfully clear.
Zhongli, however, did not dwell on it. He simply looked at him with a faint trace of approval. In just half a year, Futsu Mitama's growth had once again exceeded expectations. Seeing this, he felt more assured about certain matters that would come later.
"Who are these two?" Paimon finally spoke up, blinking as she looked between Zhongli and Guizhong, completely unaware of the deeper undercurrents.
Lumine, however, reacted differently.
The moment her gaze fell on them, her body instinctively tensed. She did not speak, but her awareness sharpened immediately. For some reason, her intuition told her that these two—especially Zhongli—were even more dangerous than Futsu Mitama. The calm, restrained aura he gave off was not weakness, but something deliberately concealed.
She said nothing, choosing instead to observe quietly.
"This is Mr. Zhongli," Shinobu explained, noticing Lumine's subtle vigilance. "He is the consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
"Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?" Paimon tilted her head in confusion.
Shinobu nodded and gestured toward the sign above. "It deals with matters related to the deceased. Of course, you don't need to worry too much about that. Just remember one thing—pay attention to the director here."
Her tone grew slightly more serious as she said this.
"Pay attention to what?" Paimon asked instinctively, suddenly feeling a bit uneasy.
Shinobu answered without hesitation, her expression completely serious. "Don't eat her cooking."
There was no exaggeration in her tone.
Hu Tao excelled in almost everything—her communication skills, her talisman techniques, her way of handling people. She was, in many ways, nearly flawless. But for some reason… her cooking was an exception that could not be explained.
Even if she were given the best ingredients, even if the presentation looked perfect, the result could still be… dangerous.
"Ah?" Paimon froze, turning to Lumine with a blank expression. Lumine also looked back at her, equally unsure how to react.
Don't eat her cooking?
Was it really that serious?
"And this Mr. Zhongli," Shinobu continued, shifting the topic back, "you should have seen his name in the Chat Group. Although he is just a consultant here, he knows a great deal. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask him."
Her tone was calm, but the implication was clear—
If there was someone who could answer questions about this world without fail, then Zhongli was one of them.
"The number of books Mr. Zhongli has read is unimaginable, and he even knows the hidden secrets of the Archon War."
Hearing this, Paimon's eyes widened instantly, her entire expression filled with disbelief as she stared at Zhongli. "He knows the hidden secrets of the Archon War?! This… this is too amazing?!"
Beside her, Lumine did not react as loudly, but her gaze subtly shifted. A quiet voice within her told her that this was not simply a matter of knowledge. The aura Zhongli carried—the faint, almost imperceptible pressure—was not something that could be faked. It was something that could only come from experience.
Someone who had truly lived through that era.
She did not say it aloud, but her instincts had already reached a conclusion.
"And this one…" Kuki Shinobu glanced toward Guizhong, preparing to continue the introduction.
But before she could speak, Guizhong had already stepped forward with a smile, releasing Sangonomiya Kokomi and turning her attention toward Paimon and Lumine. Her expression was relaxed, yet carried an unmistakable confidence.
"I am the God of Dust—Haagentus. You may call me Guizhong."
She tilted her head slightly, the smile on her lips deepening. "And…Rex Lapis's Dao-companion. If you wish, I can take you to meet the Geo Archon."
The effect of those words was immediate.
Paimon froze.
Lumine's pupils shrank slightly.
The person who had been casually chatting in the group earlier had now appeared in front of them—and her identity was even more shocking than expected.
A Dao-companion of the Geo Archon.
"Sigh~" Zhongli let out a quiet breath beside them, his expression subtly pained, as if he had already anticipated this outcome but could do nothing to stop it.
Futsu Mitama, on the other hand, simply chose not to react. He had already reached the point where Zhongli's "resistance" barely mattered. Guizhong said what she wanted, and Zhongli sighed—this had already become a familiar pattern.
"A…Demon God/Archon?!" Paimon stammered, her voice trembling slightly as she looked at Guizhong. "But… aren't there only Seven Archons in Teyvat?!"
"Huh?" Lumine blinked, clearly hearing this for the first time, her gaze instinctively shifting toward Guizhong for confirmation.
Guizhong maintained her calm smile. "That's correct. So I suppose I would be the second… no, perhaps the third?"
She paused briefly, clearly considering something before casually settling on that answer. It sounded light, almost like a joke, yet the underlying meaning was anything but.
Paimon covered her mouth, her mind spinning. Two Archons were already terrifying enough—now Liyue had three?!
Lumine remained silent, but her gaze once again drifted toward Zhongli. This time, the suspicion in her eyes became even deeper, though she still chose not to voice it.
"Well, compared to that, what are your plans next?"
Guizhong smoothly changed the topic, clearly deciding that continuing down this line of discussion would only cause unnecessary complications. This was still the entrance of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor—no matter how few people passed by, it was not a place for openly discussing matters related to gods.
"Plans?" Paimon immediately perked up, rubbing her chin for a brief moment before answering without hesitation. "We need to eat! I'm starving! We haven't eaten anything since arriving in Liyue Harbor, just kept running around!"
As she spoke, she slumped onto Lumine's shoulder, exaggerating her exhaustion.
"~~~"
Guizhong couldn't help but chuckle softly at the sight.
At that exact moment, the door to Futsu Mitama's residence opened, and Aila and Shenhe stepped out. At the same time, a crane figure appeared atop the roof, its presence elegant yet unmistakably imposing.
"This Adeptus seems to have heard someone mention hunger."
Cloud Retainer spoke calmly as she looked down at the group. "Coincidentally, this Adeptus has brought her newly developed Mechanical Cooking Divine Machine."
"You are fortunate. In matters of mechanical craftsmanship and culinary skill, this Adeptus stands unrivaled."
Paimon's eyes widened as she looked up. "What a big bird—"
"?"
Cloud Retainer's head lifted slightly, her tone immediately turning cold. "Presumptuous. This Adeptus has a name—Cloud Retainer. I am no mere bird. Your words are quite rude."
Her wings spread slightly, the air around her shifting with a subtle pressure.
Lumine stepped forward immediately, her tone calm but sincere. "Please forgive her. Paimon didn't mean any disrespect. She's simply a bit overwhelmed from hunger."
Paimon nodded frantically, clearly realizing her mistake.
Cloud Retainer stared at them for a brief moment before folding her wings again. "Very well. This Adeptus will not pursue the matter."
Then her gaze shifted to Futsu Mitama. "It has been some time."
She studied him briefly before speaking again, her tone carrying a hint of approval. "Aila and Shenhe have gained greatly from their time in Inazuma."
"As their master, I should offer you thanks. However…" she paused slightly, "your current status makes that somewhat difficult."
Futsu Mitama simply smiled. "Then perhaps I could see this Mechanical Cooking Divine Machine instead."
Cloud Retainer immediately understood the implication. A faint chuckle escaped her as she nodded. "Very well."
She turned and entered the courtyard, clearly preparing to set up her creation. Shenhe followed without hesitation.
Aila, meanwhile, returned to Futsu Mitama's side.
"Young Master."
She said little, but the meaning in her eyes was clear.
"Let's talk while we eat," Futsu Mitama replied calmly, lightly patting her head.
A flicker of surprise appeared in Aila's expression, quickly replaced by seriousness. She understood—this meant there was already information regarding Black Aila.
"No need to look like that," Futsu Mitama added. "If nothing unexpected happens, the Fatui will end up working for us this time. They're planning something in The Chasm. Whatever it is, it won't interfere with us."
Aila nodded without hesitation. She trusted him completely.
"Everyone, come in," Futsu Mitama said, turning toward the others.
Kokomi stepped forward first, her curiosity about his residence evident. Zhongli followed calmly.
Behind them, Paimon looked utterly defeated. "It's over… that was an Adeptus…"
Her voice sounded as if her soul had left her body.
Lumine glanced at her, slightly amused. Just moments ago she had been fearless—now she looked like she might collapse at any moment.
"There's no need to worry," Guizhong said with a smile. "Cloud Retainer isn't so petty."
"But remember one thing," she added lightly, "don't casually mention the Chat Group during the meal."
Paimon immediately straightened. "Understood! This is confidential! I won't say a word!"
Shinobu added calmly, "If it gets exposed, Futsu Mitama can remove people from the group."
Paimon's face turned pale instantly.
"Paimon, be careful," Lumine said quietly.
"Eh?! Traveler, you don't trust me?!" Paimon looked aggrieved.
Lumine gave her a subtle look. "I trust you."
She paused.
"But I don't trust your mouth."
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