Original God Zhongli BG Xiao Qinglong traveled through time

The morning light wasn't piercing, but rather like a gentle spring, quietly flowing over the undulating ridges of Tianheng Mountain, saturating the awakening contours of Liyue Harbor. Lin Huan stood by the window of the small courtyard, his fingertips brushing the cool, still-dry night dew on the lattice. Last year's withered osmanthus petals had long since fallen into the mud. Only a faint, sweet fragrance of the past lingered in the cracks between the bluestones, intertwined with the aroma of freshly simmered rice porridge in the stove today, creating a strange sense of tranquility.

Behind her, the traces of yesterday's revelry had not yet fully faded. On the stone table, a ceramic cup painted with a crooked little sparrow (Xiangling had brought it, presumably Yaoyao's masterpiece) stood quietly. Nearby, scattered a few glittering candy wrappers, playfully reflecting the morning light. This somewhat chaotic burst of life, for the first time, gave this dusty courtyard, sealed for months, a genuine sense of home.

It was in this silence that there was a knock on the door.

It was not hurried, nor hesitant, but three clear, steady knocks with a certain metal and stone texture, like jade hitting each other, which not only showed the extraordinary identity of the visitor, but also revealed a restrained respect.

Lin Huan turned around, walked silently across the courtyard, and opened the wooden door that she had pushed open with her own hands last night.

Outside the door, Yuhengxing Keqing was standing quietly in the flowing morning light.

She wasn't wearing the ornate attire of the Seven Star Council, but rather a comfortable, dark purple outfit. The cuffs and hem were embroidered with fine cloud patterns in silver thread, a sophisticated yet elegant look. The morning breeze blew past, lifting a few strands of her dark purple hair and causing the Eye of the Thunder Elemental God at her waist, a symbol of her status and power, to glow with a sharp, purple radiance.

"Excuse me, Miss Lin Huan," Keqing said, her voice clear and melodious, like the sound of a mountain stream hitting rocks. Her amethyst eyes remained sharp, but as she met Lin Huan's gaze, they subdued their usual edge, imbued with the respect due to an immortal elder and a subtle caution about treading into someone else's private space.

"Yu Hengxing's presence brings glory to my humble abode." Lin Huan leaned aside and made an elegant gesture, "Please come in."

Keqing stepped inside, her gaze sweeping across the courtyard quickly and discreetly. She took in the ceramic cups and candy wrappers on the stone table, the freshly turned, damp earth in the corner, and the main house, its windows clean and dust-free. These details caught her eye, and the corners of her lips softened slightly. The abode of this returned immortal was more... worldly than she had imagined.

"I've just returned to my humble home, and it's still not in order. Jade Star will laugh at me." Lin Huan led Keqing to a seat at the stone table in the courtyard. With his bare hands, he scooped up the boiling mountain spring water from the stove and poured it into the white porcelain teacup that had been prepared long ago. The warm steam, carrying the fragrance of the tea, rose in curls, blurring the air between them.

"It's my fault for coming so presumptuously." Keqing took the teacup with both hands, feeling the perfect warmth from the porcelain between her fingers. "I heard that the young lady just returned yesterday, so I shouldn't have disturbed you right away. However, the matter of the Layered Abyss concerns the very foundation of Liyue's people. The Seven Stars Council has already made a decision, and I dare not delay."

The four words "layers of rocks and huge abyss" were like a stone thrown into a quiet lake, creating a circle of silent ripples in Lin Huan's heart.

Her hand holding the teapot was as steady as a rock, not even the slightest tremor. But in that moment of steam, a fleeting moment of trance crossed her emerald eyes, reflecting the light of the sky and the shadows of the clouds. It was as if, through the lingering tea smoke, she could see the sky drenched in blood and smoke five hundred years ago, hear the earth-shaking roars of her comrades, and feel the soul-rending heaviness of her palm as the seal fell.

But this strange feeling was only a fleeting glimpse, fleeting. Her eyes settled again, even more serene than before, like a bottomless ancient pond.

"It's okay." She put down the teapot, her voice calm. "Since it concerns Liyue, you can talk about it."

Keqing keenly caught the fleeting glimpse of something strange. She understood the tragic memory that the Layered Rocks held for this witness. She straightened her posture, her tone growing more serious.

"According to multiple surveys and assessments by the General Affairs Department and the Adventurers' Guild, the geological structure of the outer regions of the Layered Chasm has stabilized, and the signs of erosion have significantly subsided. Liyue's mining industry and emerging industries are experiencing a growing demand for energy. While the lower layers of the Chasm remain restricted, the mineral resources and geographical information contained within its outer regions are crucial to Liyue's development."

Her words were clear and logical, and her data was concise, which was a typical Yuhengxing style.

"Therefore, following the joint resolution of the Seven Stars and with the tacit approval of... the Emperor," she said, pausing briefly as if weighing her words. "We plan to gradually and limitedly unlock the outer areas of the Stratum Abyss, ensuring all safety precautions are met. We will establish outposts and conduct controlled exploration and mining."

Lin Huan listened quietly, her fingertips unconsciously caressing the warm wall of the cup. The sunlight slowly moved, casting a small fan-shaped shadow on her drooping eyelashes.

"This isn't a rash move," Keqing continued, a subtle reassurance in her tone. "We've formulated a thorough contingency plan, including deploying elite Thousand Rocks troops for garrison duty, setting up multiple elemental sensing barriers, and strictly limiting the depth and scope of exploration. Safety is our top priority in all operations."

After she finished speaking, she paused, giving Lin Huan time to digest the information. For a moment, the only sounds in the courtyard were the rustling of leaves in the wind and the faint hustle and bustle of the harbor in the distance, the beginning of a new day.

After a long pause, Lin Huan slowly raised her eyes and looked at Keqing. Her gaze seemed to pass through the girl before her and land on a more distant time and space.

"The seal to the southeast," she began, her voice calm with the calm of someone who had experienced many hardships, "is located at an ancient leyline node, shaped like a crouching tiger on a rock. Breaking it forcibly could cause minor disturbances in the leylines and disturb the dormant elemental spirits within. You can try to resonate with the rock element and slowly loosen it naturally."

She spoke slowly, and each word seemed to carry the weight of time.

"There's a secret mine tunnel in the northwest. The entrance is mostly buried by fallen rocks, but the internal structure is still intact. It was dug by former miners and leads directly to the outer rich mining area. When cleaning, be careful of the top rock layer, as there used to be cracks..."

She spoke eloquently, as if unfolding a dusty map, pointing out details known only to those who had experienced it firsthand. Her tone remained calm, as if she were recounting a past event that had nothing to do with her.

Until the end, her voice became almost inaudible, with an almost gentle sadness.

"And... the Thousand Rocks Army memorial stone." She paused, as if the name itself carried a thousand pounds of weight. "If it's still there... please, preserve it properly and don't disturb the heroic souls resting within."

Keqing listened quietly, her heart trembling. This information was far more precious and weighty than any exploration report. It wasn't just cold data, but the memory of an era, lessons and paths carved in blood and fire. She looked at the indelible weariness and sadness on Lin Huan's calm face, and finally understood why the Emperor had said, "This matter requires her understanding."

"We understand." Keqing's voice unconsciously became softer and slower, filled with respect. "All actions will be conducted with the utmost reverence. The General Affairs Department has ordered that the area around the memorial stone be designated a 100-foot radius as a permanent silent zone. Any form of engineering disturbance is prohibited."

Lin Huan nodded gently and said no more. She picked up the slightly cool tea and took a sip, as if to suppress the emotions surging in her throat.

Keqing looked at her, hesitated for a moment, then spoke the words she had prepared long ago: "Ms. Lin Huan, we know what that place means to you... If you don't want to set foot there again, we completely understand. Qixing will handle the follow-up matters."

This is the maximum consideration and respect that Qixing can give.

Lin Huan slowly shook her head upon hearing this. She raised her eyes and gazed towards the clear blue sky above the courtyard. Her gaze was far-reaching, as if she could penetrate the clouds and see the huge scar on the other side of Tianheng Mountain that had been dormant for five hundred years.

The sunlight fell on her, outlining her slender yet straight back.

"It's okay." She repeated the words again, this time with a completely different kind of strength. It wasn't forced strength, but a sense of relief and responsibility that grew from the depths of her soul after a period of cleansing.

“Some roads must eventually be walked again by someone else, leading those who come after them.”

The corners of her lips curled up into a very faint but extremely real arc, a mixture of sadness and a new kind of determination.

"Now that I have returned, I will not be absent."

She turned around and looked at Keqing, her eyes clear and warm.

"I'll be here. If you need me."

Keqing was stunned. Seeing the glimmer in the eyes of this returning immortal, etched with five hundred years of vicissitudes yet still willing to work for Liyue's future, the Yuheng Star's perseverance and responsibility within her heart seemed to be infused with an even older, deeper power.

She stood up and bowed to Lin Huan very solemnly, no longer out of courtesy, but out of heartfelt admiration.

"Liyue...thank you very much."

The morning light grew brighter, illuminating the courtyard with a clear, luminous glow. The aroma of tea still lingered, and in this tranquility, a connection between history and the future quietly took place. A mountain breeze blew past, bringing the scent of new growth and the direction of the stratified rocks, a silent call that had been awaited for five hundred years.