Genshin Impact: The Road to Reversal

Akano looked at the backs of the people driving away and waved his hands. Although he was reluctant, he still smiled until the off-road vehicle completely disappeared from his sight.

After watching Kailin and the others leave, he stood there with a faint smile, then looked at Zhongli beside him and asked, "Okay, so what are your plans next, Brother Zhongli?"

"Plan? Let me think about it." Zhongli lowered his head and thought for a moment before answering, "Well, as expected, I still want to go to Linglang."

"Oh, do you want to meet that friend of yours?"

Zhongli nodded. "Well, ever since Guizhong's death during the Demon God War, my longing for him has been with me. Now that I've arrived in this world and know his whereabouts, I want to go and find him as soon as possible."

"Really?" Chi Ye folded his arms, then sighed and smiled, "Well, it seems we have to part ways again. However, Linglang is at least thousands of miles away from here. You have no car, no horse, and no money..."

Having said that, Zhongli lowered his head and fell into deep thought.

"Brother Akano, what you said makes sense. But since we're traveling, I'd like to follow the example of my fellow travelers and walk all over the land. Why not take in the scenery along the way? But as for the money..."

He was silent for a moment.

"This is indeed my current distress. The Mora I brought from Liyue is useless here. And if it weren't for Brother Chiye's help these days, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to hold on until now. Hmm... But I do have some valuables on me. If I have to pawn them, perhaps..."

"then!"

Suddenly Chiye threw a dozen purses to Zhongli, and looking at the heavy purses in his hands, Zhongli was stunned.

"This is?"

"A total of 1000 Flame Coins. Consider this as a thank you gift for fulfilling the contract between us, Brother Zhongli." Chiye said, "Although I know this alone is far from enough to repay your kindness."

Zhongli smiled slightly and said, "It's okay. Since it's a kind gesture from Brother Chiye, I will accept it with gratitude."

"Yes." Akano nodded, then took out a travel bag from somewhere and threw it to Zhongli. "The journey is long, and considering that you are new here and don't know the way, here is a map and some daily necessities. I hope it can help you."

Zhongli took the travel bag, opened it and took a look. He found that there was not only a map inside, but also some dry food, clean water, a simple tent and other items necessary for survival in the wild, even a small compass and a detailed travel manual.

At this moment, he was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Brother Chiye is really thoughtful. To be honest, I am really a little flattered."

After hearing this, Chiye lowered his head and pondered, "Is that so? Actually, after spending these few days together, I have come to understand Brother Zhongli's thoughts to some extent. In addition to all this, to avoid the fatigue of the journey, I also specially prepared a carriage for you. However, after hearing what you just said, it seems that these are no longer necessary."

Hearing this, Zhongli was shocked again.

"But it doesn't matter. I wish you a safe journey. Although I don't have the final say in the entire Linhui, the door to Sangangwan will always be open to you from now on." Akano said with a smile, one hand on his waist.

Seeing this, Zhongli smiled and nodded: "Yes, thank you."

"Then it's settled. If you see Guizhong, remember to find a chance to bring her here. After all, we haven't seen each other for hundreds of years, and I miss this friend a lot."

"Well, I'll definitely have a chance." Zhongli said with a smile, "In that case, I'll take my leave."

"I won't send you far."

After he finished speaking, Zhongli put on the backpack given by Chiye, looked at the map, and walked towards the southwest.

Looking at Zhongli's leaving back, Chiye stretched lazily on the spot.

"Okay, then I should get down to business." He folded his arms and said, "Speaking of which, Tianlang and the others are all right, right? Xiao Yang's personality is hard to grasp. If not, I might get turned away. Hmm, it's a headache..."

At this point, he smiled again: "Well, since I don't have much to do lately anyway, I might as well do you a favor and go to Shaling."

(Contract Mission: Might of Flame, End)

……

After leaving Sangang Bay, Zhongli walked for a long time, exposed to the wind and sun all day, but his steps remained steady and powerful. As he walked, he admired the scenery along the way, his heart filled with curiosity and awe for this unknown world, but even more of it was anticipation.

Along the way, he heard many stories, such as the story of General Bai Lie of Sangangwan, who sacrificed his life to protect the people; the story of forester Lan Tianhui, who, to fulfill a promise made to his ancestors, planted saplings and spent his life watching over the growth of the forest; and the story of shepherd Jiang Li, who embarked on a solo journey to avoid any regrets...

Along the way, when he was hungry, he would use the money Chiye gave him to buy some food, and when he was thirsty, he would find a shop along the way and drink some tea. Although it was a bit hard, it was also very comforting.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Zhongli arrived at a broad river. The water was swift and bottomless. Zhongli searched for a way to cross the river. He found a dilapidated wooden bridge, but it was rickety and dangerous.

He stepped cautiously onto the wooden bridge, slowly moving forward. When he reached the middle of the bridge, a sudden gust of wind blew, causing the bridge to sway violently. Zhongli steadied himself and continued forward, finally crossing the river without incident.

After crossing the river, the terrain became increasingly steep, and the mountain road was difficult to walk on. Zhongli's shoes had worn out several times, but he didn't care. When he passed through some small towns, he used the money in the purse given to him by Chiye to buy new shoes and some supplies.

Finally, after more than half a month's journey, he finally arrived in Linglang.

At this moment, he was wearing a simple mountaineering suit and standing on a high rock, looking into the distance. Ahead was a valley, shrouded in mist. He glanced at the map and continued forward with excitement.

Just then, an old man carrying firewood suddenly came towards them.

Seeing this, Zhongli immediately stepped forward and asked, "Hello, old man."

"Oh, hello young man, what can I do for you?" The old man stopped and smiled.

Zhongli lowered his head and thought for a moment before saying, "Hello. I'm a hiker from outside, new here. I heard there's a remarkable woman living in seclusion in this mountain. Is this true?"

Hearing this, the old man put down the firewood and smiled, "Here you are again, young man. You are not here to seek the immortal master and learn the art, are you?"

"Immortal?" Zhongli asked doubtfully.

"Yes, you're not the first person to ask this. I've lived here for most of my life, and almost every day, young people come up here seeking a teacher, only to be turned away. Take my advice: this isn't the place for you."