"What are you few doing here? What are you doing in front of this immortal's cave dwelling?"
A giant flying bird landed directly on the ground. This was True Lord Liuyun Jiefeng, an immortal who favored mechanical arts. She usually appeared in the form of a celestial beast and rarely showed herself in human form.
"True Lord Jiefeng! We've come to inquire about some information. The situation is this: we are helping someone search for their ancestral origins. This person can play beautiful Guqin melodies and can even save people invisibly. We suspect they might be an immortal, so we've come to you."
Upon hearing the general description, True Lord Liuyun Jiefeng immediately thought of someone: True Lord Ge Chen Lang Shi, who is now Granny Ping. She was indeed an immortal who played the Guqin.
However, due to some issues, she no longer played the Guqin. She had even taken on the form of an old grandmother, living among mortals as an ordinary person rather than a lofty immortal.
"I believe this immortal knows who you are looking for. However, do you wish to hear the story behind it, or do you want to know directly who the person is?"
The question was posed to everyone. Lumine and Ganyu exchanged glances. They were more curious about the story behind it. Simply finding an answer might not be convincing enough.
They also wanted to understand the backstory. Lu Ze, on the other hand, was indifferent. He was just accompanying them this time, so his thoughts didn't matter.
"I want to know. True Lord Jiefeng, please tell me."
Ganyu nodded as well. Seeing that both of them wanted to hear the story, True Lord Liuyun Jiefeng flew high up and declared loudly:
"If you wish to know, then come with this immortal to a place. There, you will learn everything."
Since it was an immortal's request, the two couldn't refuse. Lu Ze glanced at the direction they were flying. Walking there would take too much time.
"Two, how about I take you there? It might be a bit impolite later. Paimon, you can sit on my head. Grab onto my hair. If I fly away, I'm not responsible."
Before the two could agree, he directly scooped one up with each arm. Paimon nimbly leaped onto his head, her feet straddling his shoulders, her small hands grasping his hair.
"Are you ready? If you're ready, we're taking off!"
Lu Ze stomped his right foot forcefully, and he shot into the air rapidly. The two in his arms hadn't fully reacted before they were carried to a great height.
"Lu Ze, you're not even consulting us! Fly slower, I'm afraid of heights!"
Lumine looked down, trembling slightly. Ganyu was doing better, but her hands were on his abdomen, and the physical contact made her face flush slightly red. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Thus, Lu Ze quickly caught up with True Lord Liuyun Jiefeng. Shortly after, they landed smoothly on the beach of Guili Plains.
Paimon, on his head, had her mouth wide open, as if she could fit an apple in it. Perhaps it was due to shock.
True Lord Jiefeng was somewhat surprised by the reactions of the others. She hadn't expected them to catch up so quickly. This person's strength was still outrageously high.
"Do you know where this is?"
It was time for a little lesson. Lu Ze quietly walked to the side, deciding to slack off since it didn't concern him. He suddenly understood why the nearby Anemo Archon loved to slack off so much.
It felt really good.
"This is Guili Plains, a city established during the Archon War. It is also old Liyue."
True Lord Jiefeng nodded upon hearing this answer. Indeed, it was so.
"This was a city established by the Geo Archon and the God of Dust, Havria. She was a cheerful being, loved lively gatherings, and could be considered a kind Archon."
"At that time, I also loved mechanical arts. We would compete in mechanical arts almost all the time, but she always emerged slightly victorious. This immortal admits that her mechanical arts were indeed inferior to hers, but I still wanted to strive for victory."
"I heard that this Lantern Rite is in remembrance of the immortal Ming Hai Qi Xia? Is that correct?"
True Lord Liuyun Jiefeng looked at Ganyu beside her.
The latter nodded and said:
"That's correct, it is True Lord Ming Hai Qi Xia."
Hearing this familiar name, True Lord Jiefeng looked out at the distant sea with some emotion and said:
"That old fellow, whenever there was a gathering, she loved to show off. She would always place her best treasure found recently on a stone table. Everyone would then appraise it and compare it with their own items."
"How could I not participate then? I would always bring out my best mechanical arts to compete. However, I was always defeated by Guizhong. After the competition, the God of the Stove, Marchosius, would bring out steaming hot dishes to the stone table."
"Who would dare refuse the God of the Stove's offer? Everyone would sheepishly pack away their items, making space for the food. At such times, Guizhong was like a unifying agent, slowly mending the rifts caused by the competition."
The more she spoke, the more True Lord Jiefeng reminisced. Thinking back to those days, every single day was filled with joy.
"What does this have to do with what we are looking for? You've been talking for so long, haven't you been speaking in vain?"
Paimon looked at True Lord Jiefeng impatiently. This wasn't the story she wanted to hear.
"You're always the most impatient. Fine, fine, I'll get to the point. Because Guizhong and I often competed in mechanical arts, and she was always slightly better, drawing on countless experiences, she eventually created something like a bell, which she named the Dustless Bell. With a gentle swing, it could emit beautiful singing."
"However, True Lord Ge Chen Lang Shi, who valued music the most, was a little unconvinced. In her opinion, music had a soul and could never be compared to a few mechanical creations."
"When two people with such different beliefs clashed, if not for the intervention of the Geo Archon, it might have escalated beyond control."
"The Geo Archon was also very fair. He confiscated the Dustless Bell and used it as a prop for important celebrations. After that, Guizhong and True Lord Ge Chen Lang Shi often gathered to discuss the mysteries of music."
"And True Lord Ge Chen Lang Shi was determined to create a piece of music that she herself would approve of. But time passed quickly. The Archon War shattered the peace of their lives. When we returned from an outing one day, we saw Guizhong's final moments. That was the last time they saw each other."