The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, a place that symbolized death and parting, always seemed quiet on ordinary days, no matter how lively the festival outside was.
Only when Director Hu stood at the entrance drumming up business did it become a little livelier.
Many people would stop to watch the spectacle.
But today, Director Hu wasn't outside calling out to customers or recruiting people on the street.
Instead, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor itself became lively.
Ningguang, the most well-known of the Qixing.
Ganyu, the Qixing's secretary and a half-adeptus.
And three true immortals from high above Jueyun Karst.
How could a lineup like this not draw a crowd?
Especially since Ningguang hadn't arranged for the Millelith to block the area.
"May I ask what brings everyone to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?"
Doing his best to keep the corner of his eye from twitching, Zhongli looked at the group in front of him in confusion.
Before he had even finished speaking, Levi dropped to his knees and slid across the ground until he reached Zhongli. Wearing a respectful expression, he shouted, "Rex Lapis!"
"?!"
"Wrong, wrong!"
Cloud Retainer flapped her wings and reminded him, signaling that Levi had gotten it wrong.
After hearing that, Zhongli came back to himself and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"My friend must be joking. I'm only an ordinary consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. How could I possibly be the Geo Archon who governs Liyue?"
"Besides, the Geo Archon was only just assassinated this morning. The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is considering holding the Rite of Parting, but to hold it immediately after the Geo Archon's assassination would be somewhat inappropriate."
As he spoke, he looked toward Ningguang. She was looking at him as well.
The two seemed to be discussing something.
Ningguang's gaze examined him.
She nodded. "That is indeed the case."
If they held the Rite of Parting now, the people of Liyue would definitely be dissatisfied.
It would be better to wait for a while before holding it.
At that moment, Levi climbed to his feet. As Zhongli looked at him, he unconsciously took a step back.
Looking at him, Levi scratched his head awkwardly. "Sorry, I got it wrong."
Hearing those words, Zhongli finally relaxed a little.
'So close. Just that little bit away!'
His retirement plan had almost been cut short.
Fortunately, his disguise was convincing enough that even old friends like Cloud Retainer couldn't see through it.
'But who exactly is this fellow?'
'Why has he come to Liyue Harbor together with Cloud Retainer and the others?'
'And what's their purpose in coming?'
Judging from how peacefully they were standing together with Ningguang, they didn't seem to have come to demand an explanation.
"Then I'll do it again."
Levi's voice pulled Zhongli out of his thoughts.
Watching him move away, Zhongli couldn't understand what he meant by doing it again.
Screech!
Right in front of the crowd, Levi performed another knee slide, gliding all the way from the entrance of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor straight to Zhongli.
He shouted, "Greetings, Little Rex Lapis!"
His voice was filled with respect.
At that moment, the three adepti behind him moved as well. They bowed to Zhongli together and shouted the same words as Levi.
"Greetings, Little Rex Lapis!"
"Huh?"
Seeing the scene before her, Ganyu's little mouth fell open, letting out a cute sound.
She looked completely stunned.
Seeing her master like this, she hesitated for a moment before bowing to Zhongli as well.
"Greetings... Little Rex Lapis."
Zhongli fell silent.
Looking at the scene before him, the corner of his eye twitched even harder than before.
The words growing in his throat refused to come out.
What in the world was "Little Rex Lapis"?
But this wasn't the time to think about that.
The situation before him was extremely unfavorable. If he slipped up even a little, his true identity might be exposed.
At that point, his retirement plan really would be over.
And from what he had observed, these people still couldn't truly confirm his identity.
Perhaps the title "Little Rex Lapis" was only meant to test him.
So at a time like this, he absolutely couldn't reveal any flaws. At the same time, he had to find a way to dispel their suspicions.
He forced himself to stay calm and said, "I believe you immortals must have mistaken me for someone else. I am Zhongli, a consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. As an ordinary mortal, how could I be this 'Little Rex Lapis' you speak of?"
"Besides... I have studied history extensively, yet I have never heard of any figure called 'Little Rex Lapis' in Liyue..."
After hearing this, the onlookers, who had also been shocked, began whispering among themselves.
"Right? I've only heard of Rex Lapis, never Little Rex Lapis."
"Could these immortals have made a mistake?"
"I watched Zhongli grow up. How could he be this so-called 'Little Rex Lapis'..."
"..."
The corner of Zhongli's mouth twitched.
Someone had actually said they watched him grow up.
Although this identity was indeed the one he used while walking among mortals, that didn't mean he had started maintaining it since childhood.
So when someone said, "I watched him grow up," he almost couldn't hold it together.
What a completely fabricated story.
But he obviously couldn't respond to it. The moment he did, he would expose himself completely.
His retirement plan would be declared bankrupt on the spot.
Bang!
Levi slapped the ground hard.
No one saw how he got to his feet. In the blink of an eye, he was already standing.
His face was red as he angrily rebuked them.
"Do you understand Rex Lapis, or do I understand Rex Lapis?!"
"We immortals have followed Rex Lapis for a thousand years..."
Cloud Retainer tilted her head.
'Why do these words sound a little familiar?'
"We lived and died alongside him. We prospered together and suffered together!" Levi declared with all his might, his face and neck flushed red. "Though we were ruler and subjects, there was never any barrier between ruler and subject!
"Our relationship with Rex Lapis is like the moon and the stars, the sea breeze and the waves, poetry and melody..."
"?"
Question marks seemed to appear over Cloud Retainer and the other two adepti as they stared blankly at the increasingly excited Levi.
The more they listened, the stranger it sounded.
Zhongli no longer had the energy to care about any of that.
If this continued, even if he wasn't Little Rex Lapis, he would end up becoming Little Rex Lapis.
The bystanders had already begun discussing Levi's words.
"As the Geo Archon's close friends, the immortals certainly know more than we do."
"Maybe Little Rex Lapis really does exist. It's just that he wasn't recorded in the history books. Perhaps it was for protection?"
"..."
Just as Zhongli was about to speak, Levi's voice rang out again.
"Little Rex Lapis! Uncle Levi is begging you here!"
Cloud Retainer and the other two immortals instantly widened their eyes.
'Un... Uncle Levi?'
If this weren't such an inappropriate moment, Cloud Retainer would have pecked two holes into his head.
'This is utter disrespect!'
If Xiao had been here, he probably would have already pulled out his spear and put on his yaksha mask.
After hearing this, Zhongli's mouth twitched again. He had already lost count of how many times he had been rendered speechless in this short span of time.
Levi paid no attention to any of that. Looking at him, he sighed.
"Even if you're dissatisfied with Rex Lapis, he's still your... father?"
Levi found himself conflicted over whether it should be father or mother.
In Liyue's history, Morax had taken both male and female forms, so either father or mother would technically be correct.
"Uh... no matter what, Rex Lapis is your parent."
After thinking it over, Levi chose a compromise, taking the first character from each.
"Now that Rex Lapis has passed away, I ask that you please carry out his final wishes and stop throwing a tantrum."
"Otherwise, Uncle Levi, Aunt Xianyun, and the other... two uncles will have a hard time."
Ignoring the icy look Cloud Retainer shot at him, Levi put on the air of an elder and tried to persuade Zhongli to let go of his "grudge" with both emotion and reason.