Genshin Impact, I, Aradaki Ichito, don’t want to be a funny guy!

"You are here."

With a calm, jade-like tone and an overly youthful voice, the man slowly turned around.

He was tall and thin, dressed in an outer garment that resembled a Western-style tailcoat but with the hem of an ancient robe. In the middle was an inner lining that was somewhere between a robe and a long gown, and inside he wore a pure white tie with diamond-shaped gold decorations and diamond-shaped rock crystal symbols printed below.

The clothing is adorned with dragon scales and phoenix feathers, as well as knotted and meander patterns, which retain the elegant and unrestrained style of Liyue while adding a touch of refined and intellectual charm to the wearer.

As for the man himself, he was extremely handsome. His short hair, which was a gradient from black to orange, was tied back with a single strand that reached his waist. His face was square and dignified, retaining both the heroic spirit of a man and a touch of feminine gentleness. Beneath his sword-like eyebrows were bright, golden, diamond-shaped eyes, giving him the appearance of an emperor.

With a gentle yet noble air, such a handsome appearance would surely earn him the title of a dashing gentleman.

Araki Ichito already knew the identity and appearance of the person in front of him.

One of the Seven Rulers of the Mortal Realm, the monarch of Liyue, the progenitor of all immortals, the Geo Archon, and revered by the people of Liyue as the Geo King Morax...

He now disguises himself as a mortal and serves as a guest elder in the Hall of Rebirth, and his name is Zhongli.

Zhongli's scrutinizing gaze lingered on Araki Ichito for a second before he nodded slightly.

“Young friend, I have already learned a little about your name and deeds from True Lord Liuyun. No need for formalities, please take a seat.”

He then looked at Xiao, "Xiao, you too."

The two obediently sat down.

Zhongli remained expressionless and casually pulled up a chair to sit down.

Thus, this small tea table was filled with 95% of Liyue's friendly forces.

Zhongli sat in the main seat, with Xiao and Huanglong Yidou on his left and right sides respectively.

Xiao sat upright with his hands on his knees, while Arataki Ichito had already poured himself a cup of tea.

There was no way around it; he was just too thirsty.

"Your Majesty," Xiao spoke first, his gaze extremely solemn, "Kui has something to report."

"Is the problem with the Layered Rock Abyss?"

Zhongli poured herself a cup of cool tea and began to savor it with elegant movements.

"Yes."

Xiao nodded and reported to the Emperor in detail about his and Ara-taki's encounters and all his experiences after meeting Daiin.

"Such a thing is true..."

Zhongli put down his teacup, his eyes flashing with golden light. "I understand. It seems the danger of the Layered Rock Abyss needs to be reassessed. Thank you for your hard work this time."

"I wouldn't dare. All of this is simply my duty, there's no hardship involved." Xiao's attitude remained respectful.

Zhongli didn't show it on his face, but he sighed inwardly.

If possible, he actually hoped that Xiao could be more cheerful.

He then turned his gaze to Araki Ichito and chuckled, "Speaking of which, you have made a great contribution to the matter of the Layered Rock Abyss. I wonder what your thoughts are on what will happen in the future?"

"Ah I?"

Araki Ichito pointed to himself.

Zhongli nodded, and Xiao, who was standing next to him, also turned his eyes over.

Can I say I'm watching from a seated position?

Araki Kazuto's lips twitched a few times. "I'm sorry, not at all. My only skill is fighting. I'm completely inept at strategizing and such."

Zhongli remained calm. "Well, I have some knowledge of your strength from what the immortals have told me. You fought Chifeng on the Crimson Lookout Platform and defeated an unknown abyss creature deep in the Layered Rock Abyss. You are truly a hero among young people."

"Then let's change the subject. As far as I know, you've been in Liyue for over a month now. I'd like to ask, based on your experiences over this past month, what is your assessment of Liyue?"

Xiao sensed something was wrong. Compared to the matter of the Layered Rock Abyss, the Emperor seemed to care more about Ara-taki Ichidou.

Araki Ichito naturally understood that the old man in front of him had ulterior motives, so he gave a wry smile and cupped his hands in greeting again.

"Your Majesty, stop teasing me. You know I'm not good at this kind of atmosphere. Rather than boring topics, it's better to get straight to the point."

"........."

A silence that wasn't very long...

"In that case, I did lose my composure."

A golden light flashed in Zhongli's eyes, and his slender index finger, clad in a black glove, tapped lightly on the table.

“Xiao,” he said softly, “I would like to speak with you alone for the rest of the conversation. Please excuse me for now.”

"Yes, Emperor."

Xiao rose from the chair, clasped his hands in greeting, and immediately disappeared from the attic.

Arataki Ichito used his Observation Haki to sense the area and found Xiao sitting in a corner a hundred meters away, completely unnoticed.

He looked up. "Your Majesty, something has indeed come up."

Zhongli was about to pour another cup of tea to moisten his throat, but he found that the water in the teapot had already been drunk clean by Huanglong Yidou, so he had no choice but to give up.

"That's right, Liu Yun has already told you, hasn't he? Although Liyue appears peaceful and tranquil on the surface, it is actually already in the eye of the storm."

"Many demons buried in history have been resurrected and are still eyeing this fertile land with covetous intent."

"Although I possess the power to move mountains and overturn seas, one person cannot ultimately protect Liyue completely. If we are not careful, the ancient capital will be destroyed in a single day."

"As the god of Liyue, I will never give up and let Liyue head towards destruction."

"So... do you want me to fight for Liyue?" Arataki Ichito suddenly raised his head.

“Indeed,” Zhongli admitted.

Faced with Liyue's current crisis, every Celestial-level warrior in his hands is of paramount importance, and he is even more unwilling to let go of top-tier warriors like Ara-taki Itto, who is on par with Xiao.

"I don't really care about such things," Araki Ichito shrugged. "But Your Majesty, I have a question. Aren't you afraid that you are no match for those so-called gods? Are you worried that you will be unable to provide timely support during battles because their distribution is so widespread?"

Zhongli nodded; this was exactly what he was worried about.

He didn't take his former defeated opponents seriously at all.

So what if he's a demon god? He's nothing more than a rock spear.

However… if they attacked him together, although he was not afraid, he would have no way to protect the thing behind him.

The battle at Guili Plain was his eternal regret...

"Then why not seek help from other countries? Leaving aside other countries, Mondstadt and Sumeru, as neighboring countries, should also provide assistance."

Araki Ichito frowned and asked.

"So that's what you're wondering about." Zhongli glanced at Arataki Ichito indifferently. "But what if I told you that they can't even protect themselves?"

"Varied……"

Araki Ichito's expression froze for a moment, then he suppressed his inner anxiety. "You mean... that each of their countries has experienced a deadly event that has left everyone struggling to survive?"

“Not necessarily,” Zhongli corrected. “But I can say for sure that the two countries bordering Liyue are also facing a crisis, only their situation is a little better than Liyue’s.”

At this moment, Araki Kazuto recalled the two girls, Ayaka and Ayaka, whom he had parted ways with a month ago.

So neither of the two paths he pointed out before was easy to take?