I, the leader of the esoteric sect, am doing great things in the infinite world!

"If it were one of those giant iron men, well, I'd rather just cut myself and die a quick death."

The person speaking was Boss Zhu.

The most famous inn along the road south of Guili Plains and north of Liyue Harbor is undoubtedly Wangshu Inn, a building built against a tree. It is said to be inhabited by immortals, and both the landlady and the cook are highly skilled, welcoming guests from all directions.

Further north lies the border between Liyue and Mondstadt, where there are only small tea stalls run by tea masters. They are not really inns, but they are enough to quench your thirst with a couple of bowls of cool tea.

Logically, this Mr. Zhu should have gone to Guili Plain, or Dihua Island and Wangshu Inn to have some fun, but he chose not to do so. Instead, he opened a small inn on the roadside north of Liyue City, right in front of the Geo Archon statue.

Boss Zhu rubbed his eyes, looked at the Rock King statue leaning against the mountain in the distance with a calm and compassionate gaze, and sighed: "Damn it, why didn't the Rock King bless us to make a fortune?"

Thinking of the several beautiful maids in his household, and then of his parents who were pressuring him to get married, young Boss Zhu was filled with worries and anxieties that flowed endlessly like the rain.

The fine rain pattered against the eaves like a string of beaded curtains.

The more Mr. Zhu looked, the angrier he became. He slammed the teacup in his hand onto the table and shouted towards the second floor of the inn.

"How the hell did I sign that contract with my parents?!"

Lord Yan has an ancient precept: once a contract is made, those who break their word shall be punished by eating the rock. In the context of these powerful families, what exactly is this punishment of eating the rock...? Boss Zhu, who knew the inside story, shuddered in fright.

The beautiful maid, who was reading a novel on the second floor and leaning against the railing listening to the rain, snapped the book shut, twisted her waist, and threw a glare at Boss Zhu, who was calling out incessantly downstairs.

Boss Zhu naturally didn't expect her to say anything meaningful; after all, she was just a little girl who only knew how to fantasize about a prince charming.

Where in the world are there so many immortals riding on colorful auspicious clouds, and where are there so many knights riding white horses?

No matter how much chivalry one has, it all amounts to nothing more than a cup of turbid wine in the end.

Just thinking about how his inn had failed and he would have to go back to inherit the vast family business in Liyue Harbor, never to be free again and never to see this boundless land again, made Boss Zhu sigh again.

"Life is even more lonely, leaning on the railing listening to the sound of rain."

They said they were listening to the sound of rain, but the continuous beaded curtain was broken by two figures.

Boss Zhu's droopy eyelids snapped open instantly. He dabbed some tea on his temples and put on a smile: "Oh, distinguished guests, rare guests—are you two here for a meal or to stay the night?"

"If you're looking for food, our stir-fried pork slices are a delicacy that even the Rock Lord raves about; if you're thirsty, this large bowl of herbal tea is a secret recipe from Liyue Harbor; and if you're in a hurry, we also have freshly made hot Mora meat pies."

As he spoke, Boss Zhu rubbed his hands together, sizing up the two customers in front of him, a man and a woman, who were dressed rather shabbily.

The man was about thirty years old, wearing glasses that were rare in Liyue Harbor, dressed in a shabby blue robe, but his spine was ramrod straight, like a pen.

Although the young woman beside him was made up and looked to be in her early twenties, her figure and mannerisms clearly indicated that she was just getting married. Looking at her gait, Boss Zhu was even more certain that this young woman must be a young lady from Liyue Harbor who had eloped with her lover.

Boss Zhu felt a bit contemptuous, but he didn't show it on his face. He quickly invited the two guests to sit down and called down the lazy little maid from the second floor to serve them tea and water.

The schoolteacher took two Mora from his pocket and placed them on the table, his speech even carrying a touch of scholarly refinement: "Shopkeeper... how much is that stir-fried pork slice?"

Boss Zhu walked around from behind the counter, looked at the two hundred-dollar Mora coins on the table, and his smile didn't fade.

"Sir, our stir-fried pork slices aren't expensive either. A plate costs only 900 Mora, and the portion is generous enough to fill even a big man. If that's too expensive, a Mora meat pie will also satisfy your hunger for only 400 Mora..."

"Shopkeeper, the stir-fried pork slices are extra. I wanted to ask you about something." The schoolteacher, whose temples were slightly gray, shook his head.

"Inquiring about something? No problem, no problem." Boss Zhu swept his sleeve across the table, and the two gleaming gold Mora coins vanished without a trace. "What would you like to ask, sir?"

The schoolteacher hesitated for a moment before speaking: "To be honest, shopkeeper... my wife and I eloped."

"Why--"

The moment the girl beside him spoke, her clear voice gave her away, startling her so much that she immediately covered her mouth and stared wide-eyed at the schoolteacher, wondering why he had chosen to reveal his identity.

The schoolteacher smiled helplessly and patted the girl's hand: "I'm afraid this shopkeeper has a sharp eye and saw through us long ago."

Boss Zhu's smile remained unchanged as he put his hands in his sleeves: "Women are in love, and young men are infatuated. These are all things written in books. I've been running this inn for so long, and I've seen dozens of couples who have run away together... Every time, I have to ask for directions in a roundabout way."

"Then..." the young girl beside the schoolteacher asked timidly, "those couples who ran away, did they end up happy?"

Boss Zhu thought to himself, "I made this up on the spot. How would I know if these people are happy or not?" But he didn't point it out. He just smiled and said, "Look at what you're saying. How can it all work out? It's just that most men and women who run away from home find it hard to understand the word 'love.' If the man doesn't abandon the woman and the woman doesn't betray her in the future, they can naturally form a good marriage."

As Mr. Zhu spoke words of comfort, he dipped his finger in the water from the teacup and sketched a rough map on the table.

"First, follow the official road. When you see those Thousand Rock Army soldiers, turn right to avoid them. Cross a mountain, and then you'll reach the ancient road of Guili Plain. These ancient roads are mostly abandoned, but if you follow the earth vein suppressing stones, the demons won't dare to approach..."

"Of course, the ley line stone can protect travelers from monsters, but it can't stop the big brothers and sisters of the treasure-hunting gangs. If you encounter them, you can give up a few valuables, and these big brothers and sisters of the treasure-hunting gangs might take you all the way to Mondstadt."

"If not, then mention Bao'er's name. In the treasure-hunting group in Liyue, who wouldn't give Bao'er face? But as for the valuables, they will naturally have to be made up for in the future."

After finishing speaking, Boss Zhu stood up with a smile and took a step back: "Well, wasn't it worth spending those two hundred Moira flowers?"

"No injustice, no injustice!" The schoolteacher meticulously memorized the picture, then reached out and wiped it away. He took out a Mora from his sleeve, walked over and placed it on the counter, his voice now carrying a hint of pride. "Shopkeeper, bring a large plate of stir-fried pork slices, less chili, and also five Mora meats, and two bowls of herbal tea."

"Alright, sir, Chen Hui's is four thousand and fifty Mora. We'll round it down to four thousand." Boss Zhu took out forty Mora from the bag, then hurriedly went to the kitchen and instructed the maid to start cooking.

The sound of rain gradually subsided, and the beaded curtain under the eaves fell intermittently.

The teacher returned to his chair, looking at the young woman beside him with a tenderness in his eyes.

"Hua Chu, once we leave Liyue and go to Mondstadt, we will be completely free."

188 Two or three visitors arrived in the rain.

Liyue is a nation of contracts, while Mondstadt is a free city-state.

Legend has it that there are giant dragons that ride the wind, and wind gods who refuse to wear crowns. The people of Mondstadt live freely and love freely. It is a land of wine and poetry.

"Really?" Hua Chu lowered her brows, a glimmer of hope rising in her heart. "I heard that the gods of Mondstadt aren't like Lord Rock..."

“That’s right,” the schoolteacher Jianqiu replied gently. “Mondstadt is a city-state of wind, and they worship a wind god named Barbatos. But Barbatos never deliberately plans the lives of each of his people; he promises the people of Mondstadt to live freely.”

"That's why I'm taking you to Mondstadt. There's no Lord De'an there, no Miss Hua Chu there, no poor schoolteacher Jian Qiu there. There's only the scholar Jian Qiu and his lifelong love, Hua Chu."

"When we get there, the wind will blow away all the mistakes we've made."

"Really?" Hua Chu asked instinctively, "But Prince Yan..."

Jianqiu grasped Huachu's hand, her eyes firm yet gentle: "How could the Rock King, in his busy schedule, possibly come to take care of us? If he were truly like the Thunder God of the neighboring country, claiming to have a thousand hands and a hundred eyes to see all under heaven, how could there be so much injustice in Liyue Harbor?"

"According to this logic, he should first clean up Liyue Harbor."

"Oh, sir, you are mistaken."

The "beaded curtain" hanging in front of the door was lifted once again, and two young men came in together. The one on the left was dressed in a blue knight's robe, and the one on the right was dressed in a pure white Taoist robe. Both of them wore the Eye of God.

The one who spoke was the swordsman in blue, but he was so young that his mature demeanor seemed forced.

"How do you know?" Jianqiu did not refute.

“Well, I think Lord Yan is incredibly powerful. Although he may not always be able to see everything, isn’t that precisely the point of us checking for omissions and filling gaps?” The young swordsman raised his hand and clasped his fist towards Jian Qiu. “I am Xing Qiu of the Gu Hua Sect. This is my friend Chong Yun. We meet by chance. May I ask your name, sir?”

"I am just an ordinary schoolteacher. My name is Jianqiu, and this is my wife."

Xingqiu and Chongyun exchanged a glance, understanding that Jianqiu was not revealing his wife's name, since the couple seemed to be eloping.

Xingqiu and Chongyun chose a table by the window and began to whisper among themselves.

"Guess which family's young lady this is?" Xingqiu nudged Chongyun with his elbow and chuckled mischievously.

"I don't care." Chongyun picked up a chopstick and stretched it out the window. When he brought it back, a crystal-clear icicle had formed on the chopstick. "Anyway, there's nothing evil about these two."

As an exorcist from a family of sorcerers, Chongyun was born with a pure yang body, so much so that countless sorcery techniques could not compare to a single drop of his hot blood.

Simply sitting quietly in the house for half the night is enough to dispel ancient ghosts... This physique, which countless people envy, is a source of trouble for Chongyun.

Why did the magical arts he had painstakingly learned lose their meaning because of his pure yang body? It was precisely for this reason that he and his friend Xingqiu traveled through mountains and seas, just to find the demons they could truly fight—unfortunately, all of these demons vanished under his pure yang body.

Therefore, he only glanced at them before losing interest in the normal Hua Chu and Jian Qiu.

Suddenly, a blazing fire rose outside the door.

"What's going on? What's going on?" Boss Zhu ran out from the kitchen and both of them were stunned when they saw Xing Qiu.

Xingqiu's eyes widened: "Zhu..."

Boss Zhu quickly covered his mouth with his hand: "Shut up, you brat! Or I'll go tell your old man on you."

Are you kidding me? The second young master of the famous Flying Cloud Merchant Guild in Liyue Harbor is actually playing a chivalrous game?

"What you're doing is against the code of honor," Xingqiu said, sounding aggrieved.

"I'm not some江湖人 (jianghu person, a term referring to people from the underworld or gangster world). By the way, it looked like there was a fire outside just now?" Boss Zhu peered out the window. "Did you do this, kid?"

"I don't have that ability. I'm afraid they're up to no good." Xingqiu slowly sipped his cool tea, his hand resting on the longsword at his waist.

The sound of rain stopped, and two people stepped inside.

The former wore a black trench coat and a black top hat; his skin was so white it was almost blinding, but his eyes were as dark as the night.

The latter was dressed in the uniform of a guest of the Hall of Rebirth, with an elegant demeanor, a beautiful jade pendant at his waist, and golden eyes like the sun and clouds.

“This is the Shrinking Earth Technique of the True Lord of Lishui Dieshan,” Zhongli said calmly. “In the past, the True Lord of Lishui Dieshan used the Shrinking Earth Technique to regulate the rampant earth energy of Guili Plain, which completely extinguished the war that had once covered the sky and sun, and buried and resolved the lingering resentment of the defeated demon god, so that the land of Liyue could be at peace.”

However, it is clear that Li Lin's "shrinking earth" technique is merely superficial. This superficiality does not mean that he did not learn the essence, but rather that he replaced the inner essence with something else that is seemingly similar but actually flawed.

The True Lord of Flowing Water and Stacked Mountains merely borrowed the earth's veins, using the "thoughts" of the earth's veins themselves to exercise the power of summoning, while Li Lin used blazing flames to forcibly fill the void of the earth's veins, causing them to fall from the metaphysical realm into the dimension of the mortal world.

In terms that ordinary people can understand, Li Lin used the fire-attribute God's Eye to accomplish something that only the rock attribute could do.

He was not merging with and experiencing the earth, but commanding it.

The earth itself responded to his call, most obviously just now, when he waved his hand outside Liyue City and pulled out the divine forms of Hua Chu and Jian Qiu from the ley lines, watching them hide and stealthily make their way to this inn.

Li Lin did not answer Zhong Li's question. Instead, he walked to Hua Chu and Jian Qiu's table and sat down leisurely. In front of them, he picked up a plate of stir-fried pork slices that didn't have much chili.

"It's a bit bland."