Genshin Impact: I am the Great General of Liyue

"Since you can fly, your feet aren't that necessary, are they?"

Seeing Xingqiu's fierce gaze, Paimon teleported and hid behind Ying.

"Waaaah! Traveler, help me! His eyes are serious!"

Ying stared at Paimon speechlessly.

"I'm obviously teasing you... Are you really reading martial arts novels?"

Huiyuan walked over to Paimon, hugged him, rubbed his head, and comforted him.

Seeing that Paimon had calmed down, Xingqiu continued speaking.

"Enough with the jokes. Thank you all so much for your help this time. I also thoroughly enjoyed this copy of 'The Record of the Broken Halberd of Shenxiao.' Please return it to Master Chang for me."

Hearing this, Ying said with some dissatisfaction, "Are we being made to run errands again?"

Xingqiu scratched his head sheepishly.

"Since I didn't actually do anything, I shouldn't accept your thanks. On the contrary, you all had nothing to do with this matter, yet you helped in the end. I am already very satisfied to have met such chivalrous friends."

Ah Xu interrupted at this point.

"Young Master, I apologize for interrupting you, but what about the Master..."

"Regarding this, please pass on a message to my father: I've calmed things down this time and even made a lot of money."

Xingqiu gazed at the sky, imagining his father speaking right in front of him.

"I wonder if I could atone for my mistakes and earn a few more days of freedom? The 'Records of the Broken Halberd of Shenxiao' mentions a secret realm, and I'd like to explore it..."

Paimon started complaining.

"You make it sound so nice, but the truth is you just don't want to go!"

"Hehe, if you ask me, Master Chang Jiu will not only express his gratitude, but also give me a gift."

"A thank-you gift! Well... that's acceptable..."

Ah Xu rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

"Alas, it seems that no matter what I say, I'm afraid I won't be able to keep you here, young master..."

"We should have told you sooner that Xingqiu is your young master..."

Ying looked at Axu speechlessly.

Ah Xu looked at Ying and Paimon, at a loss.

"I... I didn't expect you guys wouldn't know..."

With Huiyuan standing next to Ying and Paimon, no matter how much Ah Xu thought about it, he would never have imagined that a friend of the young master's friend would not know the young master's true identity.

Xingqiu glanced at Huiyuan's expression.

(It seems Sister Lingling has no objections...)

"Then I'll leave the matter of returning the book to you all. Xingqiu takes his leave now, and we'll meet again in the martial world if fate allows."

Ever since Xingqiu realized that Lingling might be an immortal, he frequently focused his attention on Huiyuan, asking if she had any objections. But Huiyuan had no idea why Xingqiu kept staring at her, so she could only look back at him.

After looking it over, Xingqiu took it as consent.

(Sister Lingling, being an immortal, is actually willing to run errands for me...)

......

The day after Ah Xu and Xing Qiu left, Hui Yuan arrived at Master Chang's residence with Ying and Pai Meng.

Upon seeing the visitor, Master Chang beamed with joy.

"You've finally arrived! This morning, the pawnshop staff returned all my books! You must have helped with all of this, thank you so much, thank you so much!"

"You're welcome. I'm glad I was able to help."

After Ying finished speaking, Paimon nodded.

"Oh dear, please don't say that. This matter is really important to me."

Master Chang deliberately emphasized the word "really" to express his gratitude.

“Alas… The Chang family was originally a prominent family in Liyue, but unfortunately, when I was the young head of the family, the business suffered many setbacks, which squandered the family’s wealth… I have accumulated wealth over the years, hoping to restore the family’s glory… This batch of amber is my hope, which I have staked everything on. If it weren’t for you, I would probably be buried in this desolate wilderness.”

After listening to Master Chang's complaints, Paimon muttered under his breath:

"I didn't expect you to be a 'young master' too..."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Seeing that Master Chang had heard what he said, Pai Meng quickly waved his hand.

"Oh, it's nothing! By the way, we're here to return a book!"

"Oh, oh! The Record of the Broken Halberd of Shenxiao! I was wondering why that kid from the Guhua Sect suddenly disappeared. I thought he was just a petty thief!"

"Is the Guhua faction really that unpopular?"

After Paimon finished asking his question, Master Chang began to explain.

"This sect has a history of several hundred years and was once glorious, but now it has declined to a state of disrepair. To revitalize the sect, we need fresh blood, but if it continues to decline, it will never attract talent, which is a vicious cycle. The young people of the Guhua Sect now... take that kid for example, he said he wanted to repay a debt of gratitude, but he is far less responsible than you."

(Hey... how about letting Xingqiu revive the Guhua Sect and teach the cats martial arts while he's at it? Let's set up the new Guhua Sect near the cave of Liuyun Jiefeng Zhenjun, so if anyone with ill intentions comes along, Liuyun Jiefeng Zhenjun can help them in time. Tole can also easily learn mechanical arts.)

While thinking about her plan, Huiyuan listened to what Master Chang Jiu was saying.

"Oh, it doesn't matter. Oh, right, you're looking for the Liyue section of the 'Teyvat Travel Guide,' right? I've already prepared it for you. Here, take it; no need to return it. Also, as a token of my deepest gratitude, I have a small gift to thank you for..."

After presenting the thank-you gift, Master Chang couldn't help but sigh.

"The mine has been sold, and the precious book has returned. This is truly..."

After receiving the copy of "The Record of the Broken Halberd of Shenxiao" from Ying, Master Chang stroked it affectionately.

As I was touching it, a bookmark fell out of the book.

"what?"

Master Chang glanced at the bookmark.

The bookmark features a flying cloud pattern, a design exclusive to the Flying Cloud Merchant Guild.

"What's wrong? I think something fell out."

Paimon looked at Master Chang with a strange expression.

"It's nothing, it's nothing..."

Master Chang frowned, realizing something.

(Could it be... that petty thief... is...?)

After saying goodbye to Master Chang, the group returned to Liyue Harbor.

After saying goodbye to Ying and Paimeng, Huiyuan arrived at the place where Tian Tiezui was telling stories.

"Mr. Zhongli, you're listening to a storybook again."

Zhongli saw Lingling arrive and invited her:

"Young friend, please sit down."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Zhongli."

Huiyuan sat down to Zhongli's side and took a sip of tea, saying:

"Even after losing the Geo Archon, the people of Liyue have maintained order as usual. They should have passed this first test, right?"

"Hmm. What are your thoughts on the second test, young friend?"

The two were not able to hear each other because Huiyuan had activated the soundproof barrier she had just learned.

"If the one in heaven is determined, it is not impossible to overcome this second test."

The one in the sky refers, of course, to Ningguang in the Jade Pavilion.

There's no doubt that Liyue now possesses power comparable to a Demon God. The key lies in whether Ningguang of Tianquan is determined to abandon the Jade Pavilion.

Zhongli silently took a sip of tea, and just then, Huiyuan spotted a familiar figure.