*Ningguang's Perspective*
In the Jade Chamber...
The soft rays of sunlight filtered through the windows as I meticulously reviewed financial reports, accompanied by my two loyal secretaries. Numbers danced before my eyes, painting an exceptionally promising picture.
(A 15% increase in just one month... Not bad at all.)
Looking up, I offered Baiwen a satisfied smile.
"Excellent work. These results surpass even our initial projections. It seems the new business method has borne fruit."
Before I could continue analyzing the records, a chill ran down my spine. An indescribable presence—ancient as Liyue's mountains—permeated the room.
(This energy...)
Without hesitation, I bowed slightly in respect.
"Lord Geo."
Then, like a whisper resonating from the depths of the earth, a solemn voice echoed in my mind:
"Gather the Liyue Qixing."
As suddenly as it came, the presence vanished, leaving behind a heavy silence.
(If Morax himself is intervening... something significant approaches.)
With a composed gesture, I turned to Baishi and issued a clear command:
"Baishi, notify all sectors. Lord Geo has summoned the Qixing. No delays will be tolerated."
*****
*Zhongli's Perspective*
(The osmanthus wine tastes as I remember... But where are those I once shared it with?)
That question, like a persistent shadow, surfaced in my mind whenever I gazed at the horizon. For one who has lived centuries, memory is not a gift but an unbreakable law: the names of every fallen foe, the dates each ship departed the harbor since the docks were built... Only such a memory could retain every clause of every contract ever written.
(But memory doesn't only preserve wisdom... it also hoards bitterness.)
Now, standing in the imposing conference hall of the Jade Chamber, I observed the current Tianquan, Ningguang.
(Even burdened with a thousand duties, she never falters. That tenacity... is rare in this era. It reminds me of when I saw her years ago, walking barefoot from Yaoguang Shoal to the southern docks, carrying her wares with hands roughened by toil. Sigh... Time spares no mortal.)
"We pay our respects to Lord Geo," declared Ningguang, bowing alongside the rest of the Qixing.
"Rise," I responded, letting my voice—steady as the earth itself—resonate through the hall. "Today, I bring an important message."
My amber eyes swept over each attendee before I announced:
"I have appointed a new Adeptus. I expect Liyue to prepare a celebration worthy of this honor."
A hushed murmur of astonishment spread among them. Ningguang, ever quick, stepped forward.
"As you command, Lord Geo," she said with that calculated elegance unique to her. "My secretaries will arrange suitable accommodations. But if I may..." She paused, her scarlet eyes gleaming shrewdly, "could you describe their appearance? So we may welcome them as they deserve."
"I shall permit it. After this conference, I will provide it to you personally."
Then, her scarlet eyes gleamed with calculated shrewdness as she posed her question:
"Lord Geo, if I may be so bold... why was Miss Ganyu not summoned to this meeting?"
(Ah, Ganyu...)
A soft sigh escaped my lips before I calmly replied:
"Cloud Retainer will relay the information to her."
(Before departing, that old friend was quite insistent: "My disciple's first impression of that young man is crucial, Morax! Let it be through the letter I meticulously prepared." As if six thousand years of history weren't testament enough to my judgment...)
Ningguang, sensing the matter was closed, pressed no further.
It was then that Keqing, the current Yuheng, crossed her arms and fixed me with a direct gaze from her place in the hall:
"Lord Morax, does this new Adeptus intend to meddle in Liyue's politics?"
Her tone, as always, carried that characteristic fire of one who questions even the gods.
"He comes only to acquaint himself with modern Liyue," I explained, maintaining the serenity of the mountains. "After his long seclusion in cultivation, he wishes to understand how the city he swore to protect has evolved. He will not interfere in your decisions... though," I added with a slight arch of my brow, "he may offer counsel. As always, it will be your choice whether to heed it."
A collective sigh rippled through the hall at my words, though I couldn't help but notice the disapproving glances shot at Keqing for her blunt tone. (Mortals—always so concerned with protocol... though her frankness is refreshing in this era of calculated diplomacy.)
Raising my voice slightly to command silence, I declared:
"Though the details must remain veiled for now, I will reveal this: the new Adeptus, known as 'Imbibitor Lunae,' will be pivotal to Liyue's future prosperity. I expect you to receive him with the respect his station demands."
With a final glance at the assembly, I solemnly concluded
Before they could ask further questions, my form dissolved into fine Geo particles, leaving behind only the faint scent of osmanthus.
******
High above Liyue...
I reappeared at my favorite vantage point, gazing upon the city I had protected for centuries.
(I can only hope everything proceeds as planned... That young man's purification power—not even the Heavenly Principles' Sustainer possesses such a gift. That is why I showed such deference during our first meeting.)
The wind brushed against my face as I recalled the overwhelming energy radiating from Dan Heng. (He won't merely be important to Liyue... his very existence could alter the fate of all Teyvat. And that power he harbors,vast as the ocean, ancient as the stars,has only just begun to awaken.)
✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦
Author's Note
Do you have any idea how hard it is to write a 6,000-year-old man who talks like he's reciting poetry at a fancy dinner party?.
Me: "Zhongli, what do you think about this situation?"
Zhongli in my brain: "Like the tides that kiss the shore, this conflict is fleeting yet profound."
Me: "...Can't you just say 'yeah, it's messy'?"
But NO! Mr. Wallet demands elegance, so here I am, chugging imaginary tea while Googling synonyms to avoid sounding like a peasant.
I even tried to get someone to pay for my food to channel his "vibe of a gentleman who never carries mora"… but all I got was my friend going: "Dude, maybe order something cheap?". Total failure.
Anyway, if Zhongli ever sounds a bit "Uh… I give up", remember: even Archons aren't perfect (and neither is their writer, who sometimes just wants to type "bruh" and call it a day).