Genshin Impact: I am the Great General of Liyue

"Such a good thing? Can these flower petals be used in the Immortal Offering Ritual?"

Paimon said in surprise.

Zhongli shook his head and replied, "I'm sorry, I can't."

"Ah, why is this—"

Just as Paimon was complaining, a person walked by.

"Excuse me... are you looking for the Glass Lily?"

The newcomer was none other than Ye Yang and Gan Yu.

Upon seeing the person who had arrived, Paimon exclaimed in surprise, "Ah! It's you! Uh, uh... Oh no, I can't remember your name..."

Ying waved to Gan Yu.

Hello, Wang Xiaomei.

Gan Yu looked at Ying with confusion, and asked, "Wang Xiaomei? Who...who is that? I don't remember a single word about Gan Yu and Wang Xiaomei, right..."

Gan Yu looked visibly tired and didn't realize that Ying was just teasing her.

"...Speaking of which, how did you two feel about your trip to the 'Jade Pavilion'?"

Looking at Ying's sweet smile, Gan Yu asked.

When Gan Yu asked about it, Paimon started complaining.

"Because you didn't tell us how to get up there, it took a lot of effort for us to find the way!"

Gan Yu's eyes widened in shock as she looked at Paimon and exclaimed, "Hey, hey, hey? I... I didn't say that?!"

Paimon stood with his hands on his hips, looking somewhat displeased.

"We found out on our own!"

Ying looked at Gan Yu, whose tone was somewhat weak, and helped her find an excuse.

"Since it's not a secret, I guess I didn't mention it."

Gan Yu awkwardly turned to look at Ying.

"Yes...yes."

Then he held his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

(Oh no, I completely forgot to mention that...)

Paimon began to observe the sweet rain.

"Hmm? Gan Yu's expression seems a bit off. And even her demeanor is different compared to when we first met... She doesn't seem to have that seriousness anymore?"

Gan Yu replied, "Ah...because back then I was the 'Envoy of Tianquan Star,' but now I'm just looking at the flowers."

"Look at the flowers? Why don't you look at them in the city? Why come to a place like this?"

Gan Yu sighed deeply, remained silent for a moment, and then replied, "Yujing Terrace is where the Emperor passed away. Viewing flowers there is very lonely. These past few days, when I've been working near Yujing Terrace, I've kept the windows closed to avoid seeing the scenery outside..."

Paimon noticed a trace of tears in Gan Yu's eyes and belatedly felt guilty.

"Um... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought this up."

Gan Yu shook her head and denied it, saying, "No... it's my own fault for not being able to sort out my feelings. Two thousand years ago, after the war between the demon gods ended, the original seven gods gathered in Liyue and drank with the Emperor... Now the divine positions have changed, and five of the seven gods at the banquet have passed away."

Ying said with slight surprise, "So that means..."

Gan Yu looked at Ying and nodded affirmatively.

"Yes, now that the Emperor has returned to the heavens, of the original seven gods, only Lord Barbatos of Mondstadt remains on earth. The other five, including the Thunder General of Inazuma, are no longer the same people from two thousand years ago. Of the current 'Seven Rulers of the Mortal Realm,' the Grass God of Sumeru is the youngest, only five hundred years old. The Geo Emperor, however, has lived the longest, over six thousand years. Therefore, Liyue, with its three thousand seven hundred years of history, has been ruled by the Emperor since its inception and has never experienced a 'farewell' to the gods..."

Zhongli looked at Gan Yu and asked curiously, "So, what are your thoughts on this 'farewell'?"

"Huh? Why are you asking this all of a sudden? I also..."

After a long silence, Gan Yu finally gave her answer.

"As a 'human,' I still can't imagine what Liyue would become without the Emperor..."

Gan Yu raised her head and looked firmly at Zhong Li.

"But as a 'celestial'... I think I'll eventually have to accept the truth. Now that the Emperor has passed away, the era in which the celestials and Liyue made a 'contract' has effectively come to an end."

"Hmm? You mean... as a 'celestial being'?"

Paimon asked confused.

After hesitating for a moment, Gan Yu told him about herself.

"I...I am a hybrid of human and Qilin, with half immortal blood. During the Demon God War, I also contributed to the Emperor and Liyue. After the war ended, I signed a 'contract' with the Emperor and began serving as the secretary of the Seven Stars, and that's how I've remained until today."

Upon hearing this, Ying exclaimed in surprise, "No wonder you have horns on your head!"

Gan Yu coughed awkwardly a few times and changed the subject.

"Ahem...ahem. Let's talk about something else. You just said you came to see Liuli Baihe..."

Gan Yu smiled, concealing her true feelings, and took out a glass lily.

"I also know where the wild glass lilies are hidden, and I just happened to pick one. If you don't mind, please accept it."

Zhongli accepted the glass lily from Gan Yu and politely thanked her, saying, "Then I'll gladly accept your offer."

Looking at the blooming glass lilies, Paimon asked curiously, "Hey? Did you sing before you picked them?"

"Yes, I am well aware of this tradition. Please rest assured, I am singing a folk song from Liyue."

Huiyuan's ears are already pregnant with the memory of Gan Yu singing.

With the heart of the Wind God, Huiyuan could hear sounds from thousands of miles away clearly. Before Yingheng sang, he had already heard Ganyu singing in the distance.

As for what song Gan Yu is singing, it's a very familiar melody. It's the background music for Liyue, and its name is "Adeptus' Retirement".

Getting back to the main point, after receiving the Glass Lily, Paimon expressed his gratitude to Gan Yu.

"Thank you, Gan Yu!"

"No, I should be thanking you. If it weren't for this chance encounter, I wouldn't have imagined I could offer a token of my appreciation at the 'Farewell to the Departed' ceremony. I should get back to work now; I wish you all the best."

After saying that, Gan Yu turned and left.

After Gan Yu left, Zhong Li pinched his chin, took stock of everything, and then formally announced, "With this, all the preparations needed for the Sending-Off-Immortals Ceremony are basically complete. Picking flowers is convenient in every sense and there are no difficulties in doing it, so we left it for last."

After Zhongli finished speaking, Ying said, "Zhongli's personality is suited for pioneering new lands."

Paimon nodded affirmatively.

"Hmm, if he were to do business in Liyue Harbor, he would probably really enjoy the entrepreneurial life, right?"

Zhongli seemed to recall something and chuckled a few times.

"Haha... I've definitely been through those days. Starting a business, pioneering... everything is difficult at the beginning, and you invest a lot of emotion. Once everything is running smoothly, over time, those emotions gradually 'wear down.' When they've worn down enough, you have to re-examine yourself. If you're not careful, your soul will be cracked, and you can't get it back."