"I only did a few insignificant little things!"
Arataki Itto dashed forward, his white spiky hair held high, his crimson oni horns dazzling to the eye.
Rubbing his hands together with a look of extreme flattery, he began to shower Mr. King with praise:
"Lord, you have no idea how incredible Ambassador Aeval is!"
"She calculates accounts so fast they practically crackle! Those unscrupulous merchants trying to cause trouble were left in a cold sweat after just a few words from her!"
He patted his chest, spittle flying everywhere:
"In this part of Ritou now, who doesn't know Ambassador Aeval's prestigious name? It's truly legendary..."
"Alright, alright."
King's mouth twitched as he raised a hand to interrupt this overly flamboyant flattery.
He looked at Aeval and gave a direct instruction:
"Arrange the best display positions within the cooperation zone for Watatsumi Island's goods, and waive their taxes for the first two years."
"As for the tax rates after that, give them a bit of a discount too."
Aeval stood her small frame perfectly straight, her eyes full of seriousness:
"Yes! Lord King! Aeval has noted it down and will arrange it immediately!"
She thought for a moment and added softly, "The quality of Watatsumi Island's pearls and coral is excellent; they will surely be popular. I will contact the Fontaine merchant guilds I'm familiar with to help them open up sales channels as soon as possible."
Sangonomiya Kokomi took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in her heart, and bowed deeply: "Thank you, Lord King! Thank you, Ambassador Aeval!"
With two years of tax exemption, Watatsumi Island would definitely be able to catch its breath.
King nodded, then turned to look at everyone:
"The matters in Inazuma are mostly settled."
"Get ready; we're heading back to Fontaine."
"Hooray!" Paimon was the first to cheer, spinning excitedly in the air. "I've already started missing Fontaine's desserts!"
Lumine also breathed a sigh of relief, a faint smile appearing on her face.
Although the trip to Inazuma had been full of twists and turns, seeing this land begin to glow with vitality filled her heart with gratification.
Clorinde and Lynette glanced at each other, a hint of relaxation flashing in their eyes.
Finally, they could go home.
Raiden Ei nodded quietly, her purple eyes looking toward Fontaine with a touch of curiosity.
Sangonomiya Kokomi bowed deeply again, her voice choking up: "Thank you, Lord King. Watatsumi Island will never forget your kindness."
Just as everyone was preparing to board the ship—
Zhongli's eyes moved slightly.
His fingers beneath his sleeve formed an ancient seal.
An invisible and intangible wave of Adeptal Energy spread out.
It crossed the vast ocean, racing toward Liyue.
"By the Rex Lapis's decree, transmitted to the Seven Stars and the Adepti—"
"In three days, at noon, at Liyue Harbor, welcome an honored guest."
"The spectacle... may as well be grand."
The justice set sail, cutting through the azure sea and heading toward Fontaine.
Paimon leaned against the deck railing, staring wistfully at the receding Inazuma archipelago, muttering softly:
"Inazuma's Tricolor Dango is pretty tasty too. Who knows when we'll be back next time..."
Lumine gently patted her small head and laughed, "You little glutton. When we get to Fontaine, I'll make you small cakes—as many as you can eat."
"Really? Hooray!" Paimon immediately cast her parting sorrows to the winds... Three days later, at high noon.
The sun was blazing, and the sea was like a mirror.
When the massive silhouette of the justice appeared in the waters outside Liyue Harbor,
The faces of everyone standing on the bridge showed expressions of near-stupefaction.
"What's going on here?"
Liyue Harbor, once busy but orderly, was today decorated with lanterns and streamers, with banners fluttering everywhere!
Starting from the harbor entrance, two rows of Millelith dressed in magnificent ceremonial uniforms stood perfectly straight, their polearms like a forest, reflecting a solemn, cold light in the sun.
Even more exaggeratedly, almost every spot along the harbor where a person could stand was packed with a dense crowd of people!
Merchants, workers, residents, children... countless Liyue citizens stood on tiptoe, craning their necks to look out at the sea, their faces filled with curiosity.
On the pier, a group of elegantly dressed people with extraordinary auras had been waiting for a long time.
At the head was a stunning woman in a luxurious gold and white gown with her hair pinned high. Her temperament was graceful, with both the shrewdness of a merchant and the majesty of a ruler in her brow.
It was the head of the Liyue Qixing—the Tianquan, Ningguang.
Beside her, Keqing stood with her purple hair fluttering, arms crossed, her sharp gaze tinged with curiosity;
Ganyu seemed a bit nervous, her hand unconsciously smoothing her hair at the temples;
The other members of the Qixing also maintained their respective stances.
But without exception, their gazes were focused on the giant ship slowly docking.
Even more shocking was that on the roofs of pavilions and high platforms slightly further behind the Qixing, several figures with transcendent, otherworldly temperaments could be vaguely seen.
Some leaned against railings, some watched with swords in hand, and some were hidden in the mist.
Though they restrained their auras, that feeling of being detached from the world clearly marked them as the Adepti of Liyue!
"Bong, bong, bong—!"
The earth-shaking sound of gongs and drums suddenly rang out. Dozens of large drums on both sides of the pier beat in unison, the sound vibrating through the clouds!
Immediately following, melodious music from string and wind instruments joined in, with the clear chime of bells and the distant resonance of the guqin. A grand and magnificent welcoming movement echoed throughout the entire harbor!
"Welcome the Guardian of Fontaine, Mr. King, to Liyue—!"
Ningguang's clear voice was amplified through a special formation, reaching everyone's ears distinctly.
She took a step forward and, facing the slowly docking justice, led the people behind her in a slight bow.
The movements were elegant, and the etiquette was beyond reproach.
"Welcome, Mr. King—!"
Behind her, the Millelith shouted in unison, their voices rolling like thunder!
The watching citizens also erupted into enthusiastic cheers and applause, and children excitedly waved small flags.
Paimon hid behind King with a "whoosh," only showing half her little head as she stammered:
"Wa-waah! So-so many people! Such a loud noise! Are they welcoming us?"
Lumine was also dumbfounded, her amber eyes wide with surprise.
She had spent a considerable amount of time in Liyue and had seen various grand festivals.
But a welcoming scene like today, with the Qixing gathered, the Adepti appearing, and the entire harbor boiling with excitement... aside from the Rite of Descension, it was truly unprecedented!
Clorinde and Lynette instantly entered a state of alert, hands on their weapons, their sharp eyes scanning every corner of the pier.
Raiden Ei frowned slightly, her shut-in nature acting up.
She looked at the noisy crowd with some discomfort, her whole body feeling itchy.
King stood on the deck, looking at this welcoming scene that was flamboyant to the extreme. He then glanced at Zhongli beside him, who was holding a teacup with a look of "this has nothing to do with me, I'm just an ordinary passenger," and an irritation vein slowly popped on his forehead.
He understood what was going on... The gangway was lowered.
As soon as King stepped onto the pier of Liyue Harbor, Ningguang approached with an elegant and appropriate smile.
"Mr. King, I have long heard of your great name. Seeing you today, you are indeed of extraordinary character."
Her voice was gentle and her manner generous, leaving no room for fault.
"Ningguang, the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, on behalf of all of Liyue Harbor, welcomes your arrival."
Keqing also took a step forward, her tone serious but polite: "I am Keqing, the Yuheng. Mr. King's actions in Inazuma are admirable. Liyue and Fontaine have always been on good terms; we must certainly entertain you all well today."
Behind them, the black-haired woman transformed from Cloud Retainer and the middle-aged scholar transformed from Moon Carver, along with several other Adepti, also nodded in greeting with smiles.
Although they didn't reveal their true forms or speak, their attitude was clearly respectful.
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