Faced with so many curious, gossipy gazes, Zhongli spoke calmly.
"These many rumors and biographies have all been layered with embellishnts upon embellishnts. Ordinary folk can no longer discern the original truth within them. Even if each retelling changed but a single word, after countless retellings the tale has already beco sothing else entirely."
"If one was not a witness, the truth is already far distant from us."
As he spoke, Zhongli lightly tapped the lid of his teacup, utterly composed.
He had heard such stories more tis than he could count, and had been asked about them just as many.
After all, every tale and record was polished—so more, so less—but all had lost any real authenticity.
And this was Liyue. The worshipers of Rex Lapis were beyond number, and so their embellishnts were especially excessive.
So went so far as to say he ranked first among all the leaders of the Divine Collectives, and that even if other leaders joined forces, they could not defeat him.
So braggarts even claid he was sworn brothers with Lord Heavenly Principle himself.
Absurd! Utterly heretical.
But all this was nothing more than idle boasting—hardly worth taking seriously.
"Mr. Zhongli, your learning truly does shake the cosmos. But I am dull-witted and could not fully follow. So I only wish to know—is it true or false?"
Zhongli rose calmly to his feet, addressing everyone present: "Whether true or false still requires careful examination. But as for Mister Tian’s storytelling, in Liyue it does hold so asure of credibility."
"Today’s performance has been enough for . At this mont my six viscera feel a hint of hunger. I shall take my leave, and I hope all of you find satisfaction in your travels through Liyue."
With that, he departed—one hand holding his teacup, the other clasped behind his back—ambling along like an old man strolling the streets.
Iron Tongue Tian quickly bowed: "Many thanks for your praise today, Mr. Zhongli. Safe journey." His heart swelled with joy. Today, his new tale had been praised by Mr. Zhongli—what an honor!
Though Liyue’s original form had long since vanished, many of those who had stepped upon the divine path still remained.
In the eyes of ancient Liyue’s people, Mr. Zhongli was a true titan, a paragon. Countless great gods had once received his guidance—his students spread across the cosmos and myriad worlds.
Such connections... unimaginable!
It was even said that he had ties, however slight, with the once Liyue Qixing—now exalted ruling gods.
Though Mr. Zhongli’s aptitude was poor, in terms of wisdom even True Gods who claid dominion over knowledge blushed with sha before him.
"No wonder he is the fad Mr. Zhongli. His bearing is flawless."
"Indeed. In my holand I am myself a high-ranking god, yet before Mr. Zhongli I feel nothing but humility."
"Tch, what would country gods like you know of the life of a figure such as Mr. Zhongli?"
"What of it? Do country gods eat your grain?"
"Exactly. Don’t insult another’s holand. Speak of your own rits if you have them."
Among the ordinary gods of the Supre Divine Domain, there was always pride toward those not of the Main Universe. Sequence universes were dismissed as small places, and the Endless Planes derided as countryside.
After leaving Third-Round Knockout, Zhongli strolled leisurely back to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Leisurely though he seed, even stellar distances took him less than two minutes.
By now, the Funeral Parlor Community had beco the residence of many cave-heaven communities.
But ever since Hu Tao beca Underworld Heaven’s Lord, leader of the Liyue Divine Collective, she too had co to share Rex Lapis’ woes.
She was too famous. Wherever she went, crowds knelt, or worship grew suffocating. Her forr life had been entirely disrupted.
Thus, she created a small universe of her own, attached to the Liyue Divine Domain, and made it her residence. She announced publicly that the headquarters of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had been relocated to the heavens.
She even created a new star, second only to the Jade Star in size, and placed the gateway to her small universe there.
The original Wangsheng Funeral Parlor beca but a branch.
Everyone assud that a god-leader like Underworld Heaven’s Lord would never descend to a city like Liyue Harbor, where ordinary gods dwelt.
But in truth, Hu Tao, like Zhongli, disguised herself as an ordinary god and lived among them as one of their own.
Hu Tao was long accustod to such a bustling life. She could never adapt to the lifestyle of those ancient gods, cooped up in cave-heavens cultivating for millennia...
Her appearance, of course, had not changed. She rely altered her divine aura, making herself appear as a high god like Zhongli.
To others, she naturally introduced herself as so distant descendant of the Divine Collective’s Lord, with a trace of diluted bloodline.
And since she bore a slight resemblance to the great Underworld Heaven’s Lord, everyone believed it. After all, how could the leader of a Divine Collective possibly dwell in a re branch office of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?
Not only Hu Tao and Zhongli—the entire upper echelon of the Liyue Collective lived in this way.
Only a select few great gods knew the truth.
Other Collectives often mocked Liyue’s habit of going among the people incognito.
After all, a god visiting Liyue might, by sheer chance, bump into one of these disguised old schers.
Humming softly to himself, Zhongli stepped through the gates of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Any mber of the Funeral Parlor he passed, or any guest of Liyue who recognized him, greeted him warmly, and he would give a symbolic nod in return.
"Bring osmanthus wine while the blossoms are still fresh~ For the joys of youth will never return~"
A gruff voice broke in with a complaint.
"Why always those sa few lines? I’m sick of hearing it."
A burly blue-skinned man stood there, holding a space-barrel filled with fish, each the size of a planet five tis over. In his other hand he carried a fishing rod, a toothpick clamped between his teeth.
It was none other than Osial, the Overlord of the Vortex, now ascended to Supre God.
These days, once his primary duties were done, he spent his ti supplying Wangsheng Funeral Parlor with seafood—caught personally.
Zhongli cast a cool glance at the barrel. "Mm. No octopus this ti. Fish soup will do."
With that, he slowly bypassed Osial and made his way into the inner courtyard.
Osial was dumbfounded. "Fish soup? Has Morax changed his ways?"
Shaking his head, he muttered, "Forget it. Not my business. Ti to make the soup."
As Zhongli stepped into the courtyard, he was t by one of the only two leaders of the Liyue Collective.
"Well now, Zhongli—you’ve co back rather early today. We’re having Osial’s catch for dinner. I thought you’d already be at Wanmin Hall before returning."
Hu Tao skipped happily over to Zhongli, a skewer of candied senfruit in her mouth, and asked playfully: "Let’s be clear first—today’s al is seafood, your least favorite."
"After all, you know that every few days of the standard cosmic calendar, Osial cos back with his catch."
As one of the only two leaders of the Liyue Divine Collective, even this little Wangsheng Funeral Parlor of hers carried the presence of many powerful figures.
But because Liyue had long nurtured a culture of harmony, outside of official identities, those who knew each other usually beca friends, treating one another as equals regardless of rank.
At present, Hu Tao’s circle of friends was mostly still the sa as before, though there were so less familiar faces. After all, a friend of a friend was still a friend.
For Hu Tao, the more friends, the better.
Zhongli looked at her, now capable of managing the Collective with order and clarity, and felt gratified—like an old father watching his daughter finally grow up.
After all, for nearly ten thousand years he had guided her hand in hand.
But from Hu Tao’s perspective, Rex Lapis had simply dumped his responsibilities onto her shoulders, then leisurely gone off to watch plays, drink tea, raise birds, and admire flowers.
"No matter. It is not that I dislike seafood. If it is soup or atballs, I too can savor the delicacy."
Hu Tao blinked her plum blossom eyes in surprise at his faint smile: "Eh~ Zhongli, you don’t hate seafood anymore? Now that’s rare as the sun rising in the west."
"Tsk tsk, could it be you recently dug up an antique from ancient Liyue? Or is it because you felt happy hearing the people praise you today?"
The smile faded instantly from Zhongli’s face. With helplessness, he said: "Director Hu, you overthink."
Ah, this child—even after ten thousand years, she still hadn’t fully adapted.
Hu Tao nodded quickly and said: "It’s nearly alti now. Everyone will be arriving soon. We had planned to eat together at Wanmin Hall, since it’s been so long, but Guoba said the matter is rather important, so it’s better to et at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
"So I had no choice but to prepare the dishes myself. But Xiangling is coming too, so you don’t need to worry—it won’t all be seafood."
The faint furrow in Zhongli’s brow eased. "That is good. Since this concerns matters of the Collective, it is indeed better to et here. Wanmin Hall is far too public. Better safe than sorry."
As the saying goes, small or middling matters required the full assembly of the Liyue Collective. But when it touched on higher powers, doors must be shut, and a private eting held.
For matters above the Collective, the gods below could not be expected to contribute.
"Co then, co. Guoba and Xiangling have likely finished cooking."
Hu Tao swung her twin ponytails, waving her arms as she bounced lively and mischievous toward the inner courtyard.
The inner courtyard was no larger than an ordinary manor, yet it was shrouded in the power of the Pseudo Star Map Creation, hidden from all.
Even those who had worked at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor for millennia had no knowledge of it. Even if they passed by, they would not perceive it. A cognitive barrier had been laid here—unless one was likewise a wielder of Pseudo Star Map Creation, it could not be broken.
Within the pavilion sat only a simple stone table, and upon it, steaming dishes of rare delicacies.
"Zhongli, Hu Tao, co and taste! I adjusted the proportions of the ingredients a little—see how it differs from before," Xiangling waved eagerly as she saw them approach.
Hu Tao’s eyes shone, her arm wiping away a droplet of drool at her lips: "Wow! It slls amazing—the aroma alone makes it impossible not to drool."
"No need to taste it. Just from the fragrance, I can tell Xiangling’s cooking has climbed yet another step!"
Zhongli was slightly taken aback, then nodded: "Indeed. A single dish filling half a standard universe with its aroma... It seems the quality of Xiangling’s Law of Cuisine is nearing a critical threshold."
Xiangling bead: "Yes, yes! I feel I’ve reached the end of the culinary path. The rule itself is rising toward a higher tier—I think it’s called philosophy."
Though not much concerned with the outside world, she had already broken through to Primordial God, standing at the pinnacle of all Teyvat’s culinary arts.
In the eyes of chefs, culinary gods, and other professionals of the trade, Xiangling was without question the end point—the undisputed Goddess of Cuisine, even cuisine itself.
The very concept of food had broken past its original boundaries.
Now, a single dish she created could raise a God-King, perhaps even a Supre God.
Her dream now was to shape cuisine into the likeness of the universe itself—so that to eat her dish would be to consu an entire cosmos.
"Hahaha, Zhongli, I knew you’d be shocked. How about it? Xiangling will surely ascend to Almighty God through cuisine. And who knows, perhaps she might even receive the favor of Principle itself in all things related to cuisine."
A brown, doll-like chubby bear waddled over, its face comical but its voice rough and booming, filled with pride.
The aura it emitted had reached single-universe level, and it carried traces of Human Principle. On top of that, the scent of faith and incense was beginning to spread from it.
Zhongli’s golden eyes widened slightly: "Marchosius! You’ve ascended to Almighty God? When did this happen? Why have I not received any feedback?"
Hu Tao too leapt up in shock: "Yes, yes! How is this possible? Last ti we t, Guoba, you were only at weak single-universe!"
As leaders of the Divine Collective, they could normally sense such matters. But Zhongli and Hu Tao had never been so idle as to monitor their high-ranking gods constantly—especially not their friends.
Marchosius scratched his head awkwardly, still a bit embarrassed by the nickna "Guoba." After all, he was among the foremost gods of the Collective. But when it ca to these children, he could never bring himself to forbid it, lest it sour their bond.
"Well... it’s thanks to the Sacred Fla. Since I manage this fire of Human Principle, my strength has grown alongside the flourishing of civilizations across the worlds Liyue governs in Pan-Human History."
As the God of the Hearth, tied inseparably to human civilization, and guardian of fire—the very key to the rise of humanity—his power had risen sharply.
In the Liyue Collective, this was called the Sacred Fla. In the Greek Collective, it was known as the Eternal Fla, presided over by Hestia, Goddess of Hearth and Ho.
Every Collective possessed its own Sacred Fla of civilization, each managed by a god tied closely to humanity. Their strength rose with civilization’s prosperity, and waned with its decline.
Just then, a lively girl in a flowing white-and-blue patterned Liuyun dress skipped over.
"Hehehe, Morax, we’ve known about this for a long ti. Director Hu is just too busy to notice everyone’s strength."
"But you—you’re like an old grandpa. Always watching plays and raising birds. If no one told you directly, how could you possibly notice?"
"To put it bluntly, in all of Liyue, you’re the only old man who spends every day slacking off."
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