Original God Zhongli BG Xiao Qinglong traveled through time

The first rays of morning light bathed the courtyard of Kamisato House in a flowing, ink-colored painting. A thin, veiled mist swirled between the intricately carved eaves and the majestic, ancient pines. The water in the pond shimmered, and occasionally, a koi carp leaped out, its tail fins scraping the mirrored surface, creating ripples of golden light and a ethereal sound.

Inside the tea room, light and shadow, filtered by the Japanese paper window lattices, were cast into soft specks, flowing quietly across the spread-out tortoisewood chessboard. Black and white pieces were interspersed, like a star-studded pattern, concealing a hidden meaning. Lin Huan and Kamisato Ayaka sat opposite each other on a futon, separated by curls of tea smoke. She wore a long, rain-soaked Liyue gown, her sleeves flowing wide and embroidered with flowing clouds in silver thread. Her movements seemed to shimmer, adding a touch of ancient elegance and refinement to this exquisitely refined Japanese style.

The only subtle contrast to this tranquil scene was the vibrant blue light at her temples—Tevlin, the East Wind Dragon, shrunken to the size of a hairpin, curled comfortably into an elegant arc, clinging to her jet-black hair. Its crystal scales, covering its body, shimmered in the morning light, a dreamlike luster, sometimes as deep blue as the abyss of the ocean, sometimes as clear as the sky after rain. Its slender tail unconsciously entwined a few strands of black hair, rising and falling ever so slightly with its owner's gentle breathing, like a priceless treasure infused with life and soul.

"Miss Lin Huan's new 'hair ornament,'" Linghua said, picking up the white piece with her slender fingers like jade, she placed it lightly, her voice as gentle as the first melting spring snow. As her eyes passed over the blue, she expressed just the right amount of appreciation. "It has an inherent brilliance, a natural shape, and is truly unique and extraordinary."

Lin Huan held a black bead between her fingers. A gentle, graceful smile played at the corners of her lips, like a breeze across a lotus pond. She subconsciously raised her hand and lightly brushed her temples with her fingertips. Tevarin seemed to enjoy the gentle touch immensely, letting out a barely audible, contented purr from his throat. He even raised his delicate dragon head slightly and rubbed it adoringly against her fingertips.

She was about to respond modestly when a lazy, charming voice, as intoxicating as an aged fine wine, drifted in from outside the corridor, taking the lead.

"It's more than just unique. In my opinion, even the most skilled craftsmen in Inazuma would struggle to carve out even one ten-thousandth of the beauty of such a charming object."

With a soft rustle, the paper door painted with inky bamboo shadows slid open. Yae Shinko strode in, dressed in a pale cherry-colored guest dress that trailed on the ground like a flowing crimson cloud. Beneath the delicate fox-mask headdress at the edge of her bun, her azure eyes shone with a sly yet kind smile that showed a deep understanding of the world. Without a second thought, she took a seat on the cushion beside Lin Huan, her posture as relaxed as if she were returning to her own garden. But her gaze, like the most precise probe, slowly moved from Lin Huan's calm, jade-like profile to the overly vivid scene at her temples.

"Master Palace Master." Lin Huan and Ling Hua nodded almost at the same time, with perfect courtesy.

"Why are you being so polite?" The Son of God waved a hand casually, then picked up the still-warm teapot on the table and poured herself a cup. Her movements were smooth and graceful, yet she carried an undeniable aura of dominance. She took a sip, her eyes resting on Lin Huan again, her smile deepening as if she had discovered some intriguing secret. "Just now, in the corridor, I seemed to hear some subtle noise... Hmm, it sounded like someone's pampered kitten, imitating humming."

Lin Huan's slender fingers holding the chess piece paused slightly, almost imperceptibly, and the black cloud piece paused at her fingertips for a moment.

Linghua elegantly covered her lips with her sleeves, a knowing smile flickering across her eyes. Even Thomas, standing in the corner like a backdrop, gave a subtle shrug of his tall shoulders.

Tevarin seemed to have keenly sensed a breath of "trouble" and immediately raised his small dragon head alertly. His lapis lazuli eyes stared at the Son of God without blinking, and the scales all over his body seemed to tighten a little.

The Goddess seemed oblivious, continuing in her slow, hooked voice, "Speaking of this cat, it reminds me of an old story from Liyue. I hear that long ago, a noble immortal from that country, for some unavoidable reason, transformed himself into a cute, snow-white cat and stayed temporarily at a close friend's house, seeking comfort and relaxation..."

Lin Huan's ears faintly turned a faint crimson at a visible speed. She lowered her eyelashes, her gaze fixed on the longitude and latitude of the chessboard, as if those nineteen lines contained a universal truth that could make one forget the predicament before them.

"The rumors are vivid," the Son of God said, his tone deliberately drawn out, as if unfolding a fascinating scroll. "It's said that the immortal transformed into a cat, with a pure and innocent heart, and especially loved chasing its own fluffy tail. Once, in its playfulness, it became dizzy and fell headfirst into the Duan inkstone on the desk. When it emerged, its silver tips were stained with thick ink, as if it had rolled through a pile of charcoal. Unaware, it leaped onto the desk and, 'pat, pat,' left a series of clear, black plum paw prints on the important document that the friend was about to submit..."

"Pfft..." Linghua couldn't help herself after all, a light laugh escaped her lips, and she hurriedly covered it with her wide sleeves, leaving only a pair of curved eyebrows and eyes.

Thomas had turned completely around, facing the wall, and only the slight twitching of his shoulders revealed the smile he was trying hard to suppress.

Lin Huan felt her cheeks flush, even her fair neck taking on a rosy glow. She tried to maintain a composed expression, but the unconscious pursed lines of her lips and the slight flutter of her long eyelashes betrayed the turmoil within them. These were all trivial, everyday moments she had witnessed by chance (or perhaps not by chance) during her time as "Xizhi," spied on by this fox through unknown means, moments she wished she could bury deep within her heart forever!

"Master Palace Administrator..." Her voice was tinged with a barely perceptible tinge of shyness and helplessness. "Your well-informedness is truly... admirable."

"Alas, it's just some gossip in the marketplace. Don't take it seriously." Shen Zi smiled like a fox that had tasted honey. She leaned closer to Lin Huan and lowered her voice, her breath almost brushing Lin Huan's ear. "I also heard that the little greedy cat has a strong sweet tooth and can't walk when it sees the tri-colored dumplings. One time, in a hurry to try to eat something, the glutinous dumpling got stuck in its teeth. It frantically used its furry claws to pry in vain for a long time. That scene...tsk tsk, it was really pitiful and hilarious."

"..." Lin Huan was completely speechless. He felt his face burning hot and he wished he could turn into a wisp of smoke and disappear in the embarrassing tea fragrance.

At that moment, brisk footsteps were heard outside the door, and Wendy strolled in like a green leaf melting into the wind. He caught the last syllable of the Son of God's words, and his azure eyes immediately sparkled.

"Oh? Such an interesting story?" The bard came forward with great interest, his face filled with a pure desire for "story". "Tell me in detail! What kind of delicious dumplings can have such a charm? Could they be more delicious than the cider in our Mondstadt cellar?"

Seeing a "like-minded" audience, the Son of God smiled even brighter. "The bard is interested in this, too? It's a long story. For example, there was another time when this 'Cat Immortal' nearly pulled down the entire antique display cabinet in order to reach the dried fish collection on top of the cabinet. Fortunately..."

"Master Palace Administrator!" Lin Huan finally couldn't maintain her composure anymore and interrupted, her voice carrying a rare ripple of anger. She raised her eyes, her face flushed, her gaze filled with a helpless, almost pleading look.

Tevarin also sensed his master's state of mind and suddenly flew away from Lin Huan's temples. Hovering in mid-air, he bared his fangs in the direction of Shen Zi and Wendy, emitting a low, warning dragon roar. However, his current form was so small and naive that this display of power had no deterrent effect and instead added a touch of endearment that was hard to resist.

Seeing the opportunity, the Goddess of God decided to withdraw. She unfurled her folding fan, elegantly covering half her face, revealing only a pair of crescent-shaped eyes filled with playful laughter. "Alright, alright, I won't say anything. Look how embarrassed Miss Lin Huan is! It's like we're bullying her." She gracefully sat up again, instantly regaining the dignified, elegant, and superior demeanor of the chief priestess of Naruto-jin Taisha Shrine, as if the one who had just relished discussing others' "dark history" wasn't her true self.

It is precisely this ability to control one's abilities that reveals his superb skills.

The atmosphere in the tea room grew increasingly subtle and lively with this interlude. Linghua considerately refilled Lin Huan's now-cold cup with piping hot tea, the steamy heat obscuring the gentle smile on her lips. Wendy, on the other hand, wore a look of regret at having missed an opportunity, lamenting not having heard the full story.

Lin Huan held the slightly scalding cup of tea, the warm porcelain walls ironing her palms, as if to even subdue the heat on her face. She lowered her eyes to watch the leaf buds bobbing in the cup, feeling a mixture of anger and amusement. A gentle warmth, a sense of being completely understood and accepted by a close friend (even in an embarrassing way), quietly flowed through her.

Yae Shinko's seemingly sharp teasing was, in reality, like the skill of a skilled craftsman, using words as a chisel, delicately and effortlessly prying a tiny crack in Lin Huan's seemingly impenetrable, immortal-like shell. This allowed the unguarded innocence and slightly clumsy endearment, long sealed away by time and unique to "Xizhi," to quietly reveal, adding a touch of authentic, down-to-earth flair to this Inazuma trip.

And she knew very well that in front of this Palace Master whose wisdom was almost demonic, the secrets she wanted to hide in her heart would probably... be difficult to hide anymore.

This seemingly ordinary tea party, for her, was nothing less than a gentle "public execution" interwoven with sweetness and helplessness. The warmer the sun, the more fragrant the tea, and the story has just begun.