For Lumine, Mu Yang did not conceal the truth about that final sword strike.
He explained the entire sequence of events in detail.
Lumine and Paimon listened, utterly stunned.
"So, you're saying the thing we picked up in the mountains was actually a part of you?!"
Regarding this, Mu Yang didn't give a direct answer.
He only said it was still under investigation.
But he was certain that once Lumine broke through the seal and emerged from the depths,
he would be able to gather enough strength, relying on the fragments in Lumine's backpack to fully recover.
The current outcome was exactly as Mu Yang had anticipated.
"The situation was critical at the time, and there wasn't a chance to explain in detail. But I wouldn't deceive you."
He knew his limits and wouldn't make unnecessary sacrifices.
Lumine thought about it and still felt a lingering fear.
She told Mu Yang that next time he made such a decision, it would be better to explain it more thoroughly.
Mu Yang nodded in agreement.
Seeing him nod, Lumine didn't dwell on it further. Mu Yang's voice had also returned to normal,
indicating he was truly fine and would recover fully with a bit more time.
Paimon, curious, asked, "So, was there something like that in the Chasm too?"
"You know, that shiny thing."
The little one was convinced she hadn't seen it wrong.
Mu Yang told her there was indeed something, and she hadn't been mistaken.
But it had already been absorbed by him.
"There were too many people around at the time, and I haven't fully investigated some things myself, so it wasn't convenient to say more."
Lumine expressed her understanding.
After all, Arataki Itto and Kuki Shinobu, who were present, weren't close to Mu Yang.
And Yelan, at a glance, was clearly no ordinary person, so it was natural for Mu Yang to be cautious.
"So, you came to investigate that shiny thing from the start? I thought you were like Xiao."
"I didn't know Bosacius would fall there in the end," Mu Yang paused.
"I also didn't expect that bowl of wine would be our final farewell…"
[Knife keeps slashing]
[Needle keeps stabbing]
[Mu Yang keeps stabbing me]
[I'm already thoroughly dead, mihoyo, let me go!]
Paimon, under Lumine's reproachful gaze, felt a bit embarrassed.
She didn't mean to bring it up. For now, she could only activate her passive skill: eating!
"Anyway, the matter's resolved. Let's head back. I'm starving…"
"Then let's go back. Right now… I could use a drink."
The three soon returned to Chihu Rock.
Not far from [Three Bowls Won't Cross the Harbor].
Paimon pointed at the storyteller's spot, "Uh… doesn't that person look a bit familiar?"
Lumine and Mu Yang followed her direction, and indeed, the figure was all too familiar.
Especially after [Three Bowls Won't Cross the Harbor] started offering him free meals…
"Hey—! Zhongli!"
Zhongli turned at the call, feigning surprise, "Oh? It's you three."
He glanced at Mu Yang's new attire.
Without commenting much, he continued to play the role of the ordinary Zhongli.
Paimon put her hands on her hips, "You! How did you get back to the city so fast? That's some terrifying speed…"
Mu Yang's eyes flickered slightly as he asked, "Paimon, you knew Zhongli was at the scene too?"
Paimon scratched her head, "I didn't see him in person, but when Xiao came up, I sensed a familiar Geo elemental power. It was probably him, right?"
At this point, Mu Yang didn't press further.
The little one had fully slipped into her segmented state, making it nearly impossible to get straight answers.
——————
Guinaifen, though unaware of the deeper meaning behind Mu Yang's question,
lacked Silver Wolf's ability to connect the dots.
She couldn't link the fragments under the Nail of the Cold Sky to Paimon's possible identity.
She simply opened the map quietly.
Looking at the distance between the Chasm and Liyue Harbor,
"So, the old man, after saving Xiao, immediately started running nonstop back to Liyue Harbor."
"And now he's acting like it's none of his business, huh? Hahaha…"
[Tartaglia escapes, Mona Mona E]
[Be brave, my friend!]
[Power up, adrenaline maxed out]
[Even an Archon should have some shame, right? I bet he flew back on a stone pillar]
[Damn, I can already feel the flood of memes coming tomorrow]
——————
The players were buzzing with discussion.
Back in Teyvat,
Mu Yang and the others joined Zhongli at his table.
After ordering food and drinks, they started chatting.
Paimon, naturally, spoke first, "What were you and Storyteller Tian talking about just now, Zhongli?"
The food hadn't arrived yet, so it was a good time to chat. Once the dishes came, she'd be silent, fully focused on eating.
Zhongli recounted what had happened before the three arrived.
After the Chasm opened, some patrons wanted to hear stories about it.
So, Storyteller Tian came to consult Zhongli.
His focus was on Liyue's two most popular figures: Rex Lapis and the Dragon Azhdaha.
The Chasm was an ancient battlefield, but who exactly fought there was lost to history.
Naturally, the story would feature whoever was more popular…
However, Zhongli pointed out a flaw in the story.
If Rex Lapis had sealed Azhdaha beneath the Chasm,
wouldn't the constant mining by workers disturb the Dragon every other day?
Wouldn't that make Rex Lapis seem careless?
So, Storyteller Tian had to shelve the idea for now.
Mu Yang thought to himself: Why is the ultimate hater suddenly defending Rex Lapis today?
[Didn't Azhdaha go mad because of the Chasm? Sealing him there must've been some serious grudge.]
[Before the Chasm opened: Going crazy over some mining? Azhdaha's so petty.]
[After the Chasm opened: Only going crazy after all these years? Azhdaha's got some patience.]
[They drained his entire home and pierced through the ley lines, didn't they?]
[Morax! Get rekt!]
Since the topic had shifted to the Chasm,
Lumine spoke directly.
"Zhongli, in that final moment, it was you who saved everyone, wasn't it? Thank you."
"Xiao also said that if you hadn't deliberately stepped in, he might not have escaped."
Zhongli's expression remained neutral, but his tone carried a hint of surprise.
"He said that?"
After a pause, he continued, "Time flies, and he's become more straightforward."
Paimon pressed, "So why were you at the Chasm?"
Zhongli, with a serious face, replied, "Hm? What's that? This is the first I've heard of it."
Paimon stomped her foot in the air, as if he was treating them like fools!
Zhongli lifted his teacup and said softly,
"…I'm just an idle man. Wandering around is only natural, and whatever I encounter along the way is simply fate."
"Rather, the world is vast. Wandering far and wide, seeing more, allows one to cherish memories."
Lumine poured herself a cup of tea, "Do you miss the past a lot?"
"How could I? I'm human now, and humans live in the present."
Mu Yang felt that Zhongli glanced at him while saying this.
Looking back, Zhongli had already started reciting poetry.
"A dragon soars through the clouds, roaming freely, with lofty ambitions and boundless spirit… Quite reasonable."
"North, south, east, west—where can one not find joy? The mountains and seas of the world are full of wonders."
"In the future, when there's time, I should travel more."
Zhongli let out a sigh.
The food and drinks were nearly all served by now.
Mu Yang ordered a very ordinary wine, commonly found in Liyue.
Instead of fine porcelain cups, he had the waiter bring large bowls.
Lumine and Paimon had already thrown themselves into their battle with the food.
Mu Yang didn't speak, pouring two large bowls full of wine.
Zhongli, seeing this, didn't drink right away but said,
"Brother Mu, pour me a bowl too."
The players' final scene froze on a fleeting memory of Mu Yang's.
A white-haired youth drinking with a four-armed Yaksha in a pavilion.
In the end, the two stood to part ways.
The youth returned to Chenyu Vale.
The Yaksha headed toward the Chasm…
——————
Absolute Cinema!