Mr. Zhongli, we can't slack off anymore!

The fissures in the mountains expanded vertically until they swallowed the demon's enormous body and several mountain peaks.

The demon wriggled its body and fled frantically towards the ground.

Four square pillars descended from the sky, suppressing it into an unfathomable abyss.

When the demon was suppressed, the cracks contracted and merged, the earth shook, dust flew, and birds and beasts fled.

The traveler witnessed firsthand the suppression of the demon god; the scene was absolutely breathtaking. Large-scale events are truly something else; all those 4D, 5D, and 7D movies in theaters pale in comparison!

This old man keeps saying that he's just a human now, and his strength isn't what it used to be, but isn't he still pretty good at fighting?

"Did it succeed?" the traveler asked Zhongli excitedly.

He did not answer, but focused his gaze on the traveler's face.

The traveler felt a little guilty, even though nothing had happened.

What's going on? Why are you so serious when we just met?

Interrogate the prisoner!

"Is there...something wrong, Mr. Zhongli?" The traveler looked away, not daring to meet his gaze.

"It's nothing, let's go eat." That was all he said.

"Then... put me down first." It's safer on land.

Although I know it's impossible, what if... If he gets angry, he might bury me too, and I'll have to spend the rest of my life with that long worm underground.

"Ah."

In the blink of an eye, the two were back on the ground.

The traveler landed, walked a few steps away from him, patted the dirt off his clothes, and calmed his excitement.

It's been a long time, I don't know what to say.

"By the way, after I returned to my world..." The traveler had just finished thinking about what to chat about when he turned around and almost bumped into him. When did he get here? Why is he so close?

"And then?" he asked when the traveler stopped talking.

"After that... I met many people like me..." Before she could finish her sentence, the traveler saw Zhongli reach out his hand to her.

What is he doing reaching out his hand again?

"Use magic to return to Liyue, what's wrong?" He answered the traveler's question.

"Should we not use teleportation anchors? Hahahaha..."

She rejected his confession, and now they're always hugging and cuddling, it's not good.

Don't even think about seducing me!

I am now an inspirational girl dedicated to saving the world.

Men will only slow down my speed of drawing my sword!

“Using magic will be faster. The anchor points are too scattered, and it would probably take us quite a while to walk there,” he explained.

"Too scattered... Hey? There seems to be one over there!" The traveler looked around and spotted an unactivated teleportation point, pointing it out to Zhongli.

Zhongli glanced at the spot the traveler was pointing to and said decisively, "That one is broken."

"How did it break? Mr. Zhongli, how did you know?" the traveler asked.

He wouldn't be lying to me, would he...?

"I accidentally affected the demon god while suppressing it." He spoke with such seriousness that it was impossible to tell he was talking nonsense.

"Then it must really be broken..." The old man was sharp-eared and sharp-eyed; he said that if he saw it, he couldn't be wrong.

What benefit would he gain from lying to me?

"It's getting late, it's time to set off."

*

They appeared in a sparsely populated area of ​​Liyue Harbor, and no one noticed that the two had quietly returned to Liyue.

Passing through a small alley leads to Liyue's most bustling commercial street.

"It's Mr. Zhongli!"

"Mr. Zhongli is back?"

"It's been a long time, Mr. Zhongli."

"Mr. Zhongli, we've received some new and interesting items. We're just waiting for you to visit us when you have some free time."

Well, the GDP of half a street is just him standing here.

"I've been busy lately, but I'll definitely visit when I have some free time," Zhongli replied.

If one day he leaves Liyue, the person who will miss him the most is probably the owner of the antique shop.

"Traveler? Mr. Zhongli, you two have made up?" Xiangling from Wanmintang happened to see the two of them.

"Xiangling! It's been so long...so long since I ate with him. Is there a seat available?" The traveler realized that it had been a long time since she had returned to Teyvat; to the people here, she was still here yesterday.

"Yes, yes, yes, if you come, I will definitely save you a seat. Please come in, both of you." Xiangling warmly welcomed them.

"Hehe, I've got connections now. If Mr. Zhongli wants a good seat at Wanmin Hall in the future, just come and ask me for help." The traveler said smugly, hands on his hips.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Miss Traveler."

*

After we were seated, the waiter poured us the tea.

The traveler recounted everything that had happened since returning to reality to Zhongli.

She also told him about the things in the higher world.

"I see. You've also gone through many hardships along the way." Zhongli blew away the steam from the cup and took a small sip.

"You don't seem surprised."

"what?"

"The fact that I come from the higher world."

"Oh, I had already guessed something about this. I was prepared."

"Then the world will be destroyed..."

"Every kind of life in the world will eventually come to an end. It's just a matter of time."

"So you knew all along." The traveler had prepared for the journey before finally organizing his thoughts to say this to him.

"There's something I'm really curious about. It's something I didn't foresee."

"what?"

"I didn't expect you to come back."

"Ok?"

“You come from a higher position, yet you care so much about the creatures of Teyvat.”

“There are too many people like this in my world…any one of them, if brought into this world, would probably care more than I do.” At this point, the traveler couldn’t help but complain: “…It’s all my fault for trusting you too much.”

Then you'll have them completely fooled.

He concealed too many things, weaving an incredibly beautiful dream for the traveler.

“Hmm.” He didn’t deny it: “But I don’t think my actions have harmed you.”

“You made the decision for me without my consent. Doesn’t Mr. Zhongli think this is inappropriate?”

Although I didn't have much of a say, I took it upon myself to make the decision for Navilette.

"Miss Traveler, do you know that there was once a Salt God in the land of Liyue?"

"I know. I've already heard your explanation."

"At that time, the gods and demons of Liyue rose up together. The Salt God hid everywhere and eventually died by the sword of the people he protected."

"I'm not the Salt Demon God."

Why are people still using historical allusions to refer to me?

I'm just not very skilled yet, but I have a lot of potential, okay?

“I once took her as a warning, but after meeting you, I have different thoughts. If I were to take the initiative to form a bond with her, what impact would it have on Liyue at this time?”

"..."

Please, no riddles...

"Therefore, I have decided to take appropriate measures based on your behavior. In the end, I have decided to send you away."

He believed I couldn't survive in a world where the demons had returned, but instead of ignoring me, he protected me and sent me home.

"I'm different now than I used to be."

"Miss Traveler, unlike last time, I have no time for speculation this time. So, I'll just ask you one question: Is this world worth saving with your life?"