Original God Zhongli BG Xiao Qinglong traveled through time

The morning light was like melted gold foil, gently flowing through the newly washed green of Tianheng Mountain. Ying and Paimeng sat on the slightly cool bluestone outside the cave of Master Liuyun Jiefeng. Under their feet, the surging sea of clouds was silently swallowing up the remnants of the waves stirred up by last night's trek. Master Liuyun's crane cry carried a solemnity that even the mountain wind could not blow away: "When this immortal first saw the child, she was curled up in the shadow of a cave, holding a rusty dagger in her hand, confronting the terrifying creature transformed from the remnants of the demon god. Most mortal children are like delicate flowers in a greenhouse, relying on their parents for protection. But she is different... This immortal noticed that the evil aura was spreading in the cave. When I went in to check, she had been holding on alone for several days."

"To survive such a dangerous situation, it is not only her willpower that matters. She also has the bloodiness and murderous spirit in her bones." The tip of Zhenjun's wing brushed across a long-faded mark on the stone wall, just like brushing away years of frost and snow. "After I cleaned up the filth, she still refused to let up. The cold light of the dagger pointed directly at me, and she was as vigilant as a young animal. She didn't faint until she was sure that there was no danger. She was exhausted and didn't say a word."

Paimon clutched a corner of Ying's cloak, his face wrinkled: "She...how old was she then?"

"She is only a little over 100 years old." The wind blowing from the depths of the cave, carrying the bitterness of the old talisman ashes, Liu Yun's voice became low, "I felt sorry for her helplessness, so I brought her back to Aozang Mountain and taught her the Qingxin Jue. But she copied the mantra on talisman paper and burned it day and night--" Ying's fingertips unconsciously stroked the cold patterns on the hilt, as if she saw a little silver-haired girl kneeling in silence in the dark stone room, with flames greedily licking the yellow paper full of Qingxin Jue, and the ashes falling silently, covering her thin shoulders, "--not for cultivating her mind, but to use the ashes to fill the bottomless black hole in her fate."

"Until..." True Lord Liuyun's crane eyes cast towards the steaming clouds outside the cave, and his tone was strangely mixed with a hint of warmth, "A certain 'little sister' brought a plate of cold cakes that were so spicy that they could spurt out Samadhi True Fire, and forcibly pried open those tightly closed lips and teeth." The corners of Ying's mouth curled up almost imperceptibly, and the image of Lin Huan gently stroking the food box with his wide sleeves emerged clearly in front of him, with a mischievous smile hidden under his sleeves with flowing rock patterns - and the embarrassed scene of Paimon running around the yard in tears because of the spiciness of the cold cake.

The next day, morning dew condensed into crystal clear crystals on the grass leaves. As Shen He walked along the slightly damp path from the temporary camp of the rebuilt Qun Yu Pavilion to Feiyun Slope, Paimon's exclamation, with full familiarity and a hint of grievance of being "ignored", suddenly broke the tranquility of the early morning:

“Wow! Huanhuan! How…how did you get onto Shenhe’s shoulder?!” The little emergency food stamped its feet in the air anxiously, pointing its finger directly at Shenhe’s shoulder, “It’s been so long since we returned to Liyue Harbor from Inazuma, and you never came out when I asked you to!”

I saw the silver-gray, fluffy ball of fur, like a ball of newly condensed clouds, sitting very comfortably on Shen He's slightly thin shoulders. Xi Zhi's tail lazily passed around her neck, and the iconic silver-gray tip of the tail softly fell in front of her plain white clothes, swaying slightly with her steps, like a bunch of gentle tassels. The little head was intimately pressed against Shen He's cold temples, and the vertical pupils as clear as glass were half-closed comfortably. A low and continuous gurgling sound continued in his throat, as steady as the pulse of the earth when it was sleeping. Facing Paimeng's accusation, it was too lazy to even lift its eyelids, but the tips of its furry ears trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly, as a perfunctory greeting.

Ying's steps only paused slightly, and a knowing smile spread across her lips. She turned her head, her golden eyes full of mischief, and glanced at Paimon meaningfully - that look clearly said: Is there any need to ask this?

Paimeng received the gaze and opened her little mouth to look at Shen He's profile, which was still cold but inexplicably soft because of the warm cloud on his shoulder. She then looked at the furry ball that exuded a lazy and familiar atmosphere. Liu Yun's words "pry open her mouth" and Lin Huan's mischievous smile flashed through her mind. She drew out her voice in sudden realization: "Oh!" Then she puffed up her cheeks unwillingly, "Okay, okay! I finally know that Huan Huan loves Shen He the most! He's partial!" She flew closer and made an exaggerated face at the furry ball.

Ying then walked forward very naturally and stretched out her fingers - with a clear target, she accurately reached into the deepest part of the softest and fluffiest hair behind the ears of the silver-gray ball of fur and scratched it skillfully.

"Meow..." A satisfied whimper escaped, and the purring sound in the cat's throat suddenly became louder, like a low string being plucked. The tip of the silver-gray tail also swung happily, and the fluffy tip accidentally swept across Shen He's graceful jaw, in exchange for an almost imperceptible, almost indulgent subtle pause from the latter.

"Okay, Ningguang's little follower is still waiting," Ying smiled and retracted her hand. Her fingertips seemed to still be lingering with the unique warmth of the fur and the faint rock elemental aura belonging to Lin Huan, clean and warm. "Xizhi will accompany Shen He today, and will also accompany us for a walk." She deliberately used the earthly name "Xizhi" and her eyes swept across Shen He's calm profile. Shen He just nodded slightly, and the cat on her shoulder seemed to understand, and rubbed her white jade earlobe more intimately with its wet and cold nose.

"I know, I know!" Paimeng waved his little hand and flew to the other side of Shenhe, trying to attract the attention of the fur ball. "Huanhuan! When you see Ningguang's little follower later, you have to testify for me! I ate more of the golden shrimp balls last time!" Xizhi Cat made a vague, sleepy gurgling sound from the depths of his throat, which was the most perfunctory response to the noisy little friend. The silver-gray cloud still rested safely on its "mountain", emitting a furry, reassuring warmth in the morning light.