On the main streets of Heaven Dou City.
"Good morning, Uncle Alsa!"
"Good morning, Paimon!"
"Good morning, Miss Lina!"
"Good morning, Paimon!"
As long as she had met someone even once, Paimon could call them by name without fail.
With that skill alone, calling her the ultimate guide wouldn't be an exaggeration.
As for Paimon—the talking, unidentified flying creature—everyone had already grown used to her.
At first, there was some surprise, of course.
But this was the Douluo Continent, after all.
A Martial Soul being an unidentified flying object wasn't impossible.
If it couldn't be explained—mutated Martial Soul explained everything.
After confirming that this world was indeed the Douluo Continent, Zhongli turned his gaze toward the still-dazed Paimon beside him.
After coaxing and—ahem—persuading her…
With Paimon's consent, the two of them signed a contract:Paimon would exist in this world in the form of Zhongli's Martial Soul.
Of course, this was merely a cover story for outsiders.Paimon wasn't actually being turned into a Martial Soul.
"I really don't know whether Zhongli is lucky… or unlucky."
"To awaken such a strange being—and one with only a quarter of a wild boar's combat power."
"Calling it a Martial Soul is generous. It's more like raising a daughter early."
After learning about Zhongli's situation, people couldn't help but sigh.
Paimon was adorable and likable. Everyone liked her—even though she had no real strength.
For Soul Masters, nearly all their power lay in their Martial Souls.Someone like Zhongli… was basically considered crippled.
But unlike ordinary people with no soul power, Zhongli's "Martial Soul" could stay with him—talk to him, keep him company…
Watching Paimon greet everyone she met, Zhongli's once-unshaken heart finally stirred slightly.
She called him street loafer, useless freeloader…
Yet when addressing others, it was always uncle, sir, miss, big sister, big brother…
"…Hah."
Letting out a slow breath, Zhongli turned his head away, no longer looking at that "godly mouth."
Now, he finally understood the joy of that "blonde lady."
With Paimon acting as his mouthpiece, he barely needed to speak at all.
"Good morning, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
"Good morning—"
"…?"
"Xue Qinghe" reflexively returned the greeting.By the time he snapped back to his senses, Zhongli and Paimon were already dozens of meters away.
Wait a second—these two?!
His fists clenched.
Seeing the Crown Prince, they had merely greeted him—like he was just another civilian.
Shouldn't they at least exchange a few pleasantries?
Xue Qinghe was still troubled by last night's dream.
This visit was precisely to see Zhongli and Paimon again—
To probe them.To see whether he really was that Geo Archon!
Glancing at Zhongli's slow, elderly-man-like gait, Qian Renxue shook her head inwardly.
What am I thinking?
How could this street loafer possibly be the Geo Archon?
His Martial Soul is just a strange flying creature—without any combat power at all.
Xue Qinghe had met Paimon before; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to call out his "profession" so accurately.
This all traced back to the day Zhongli and Paimon first arrived in Heaven Dou City.
Such a bizarre "Martial Soul" naturally caught Xue Qinghe's attention, and he deliberately arranged a chance encounter that very day to befriend one man and one flying creature.
After a brief moment of thought, Xue Qinghe quickened his pace and caught up to them.
"Hmm? Does Your Highness need something?"Paimon asked curiously—they were on their way to eat tofu pudding, after all. Delays were unacceptable.
Zhongli didn't speak at all, standing there silently like a mute as he watched Paimon and Xue Qinghe.
"Little Paimon, what are you two heading off to do?"Xue Qinghe asked with a gentle smile, sounding as friendly as if he were an old acquaintance.
It didn't feel forced at all.
"Zhongli and I are going to eat tofu pudding! Want to come with us, Your Highness?"
"Sure. I haven't had breakfast yet either."
"…?!"
Paimon's tiny head filled with huge question marks.
He actually agreed?!
She had only asked out of politeness!
"Uh… well…"
Paimon looked awkward.Their money… seemed to be running low.
She shot Zhongli a resentful glance.
Morax with no Mora—after crossing worlds, he was still thinking of freeloading!
His knowledge wasn't something people in this world would pay for!
Unfortunately, Paimon didn't know that Zhongli understood this world's knowledge better than most people—甚至 than many gods.
After all, he was a transmigrator.
Xue Qinghe's eyelid twitched—but he quickly regained his composure.
So… they really were broke.
What a waste of that handsome face.
"Little Paimon, meeting is fate. This meal's on me."
Xue Qinghe's generosity left Paimon stunned.
Were there really so many suckers in the world?
That old man Dugu Bo counted as one.And this Crown Prince… counted too.
"Thank you, Your Highness! Hehe."
Paimon laughed a little shyly.
Back when she traveled with the Traveler, they'd also been short on Mora early on.
After reaching Liyue, though, money was never much of a problem.
Okay—fine—it was all the Traveler's earnings.
But without her cheering and guiding along the way, could the Traveler have earned that much?
"Zhongli, get your act together! Earn some money! One day we'll treat His Highness to a grand feast too!"
Zhongli: "..."
Xue Qinghe: "..."
Such a magical "Martial Soul"—she had never even heard of one like this before.
Treat Qian Renxue to a feast?
If that ever happened, Zhongli would probably have to cook it himself.
On the Douluo Continent, there was no luxurious banquet Qian Renxue hadn't tasted.
Even without her identity as Crown Prince, she was still the Saintess of Spirit Hall.
Anything that could be bought with gold soul coins held no appeal to her.
"Sorry, Your Highness—Zhongli isn't very talkative!"
"Come on, let's go eat tofu pudding! Paimon loves sweet tofu pudding!"
"Not like some useless freeloader who actually thinks savory tastes better!"
As she spoke, Paimon shot Zhongli a fierce glare.Who she meant was obvious.
Hearing this, Xue Qinghe was completely stunned.
A Martial Soul that openly calls its host a useless freeloader?
One of a kind. Absolutely terrifying.
Thinking about it, since Paimon was Zhongli's Martial Soul, Zhongli couldn't grow stronger because of her—
And because of Zhongli, Paimon also couldn't absorb spirit rings and grow stronger.
Their situation was… strangely unique.
And wait—
Zhongli thought savory tofu pudding tasted better?
Heresy.