The moment Alice set foot in Liyue, Zhongli instantly felt the familiar aura.
Even more intense than when Venti had arrived.
Without hesitation, he moved to intercept her as quickly as possible.
By Rex Lapis… this living disaster came again.
Among all the people Liyue least wanted to see, Alice definitely ranked near the top.
Last time she visited, she'd met a stuttering Millelith soldier. Out of "kindness," she gave him some medicine. The man's speech did become fluent—
but he also turned into a perfect repeater, mimicking everyone he talked to.
Even worse, Alice once tried to drain all the underground water in Jueyun Karst—just to "see what would happen."
If Zhongli hadn't shadowed her every step, she might have truly caused a geological catastrophe.
Her imagination had no ceiling—and neither did her chaos.
He'd even heard rumors about what she did in Mondstadt's Stormterror's Lair.
It was better not to recall.
"Oh my, Morax! I didn't expect you to come personally. I'm flattered," Alice said with a grin.
"If it's you, it's worth coming in person," Zhongli replied calmly.
Venti's antics were harmless mischief.
Alice, however, was a walking hazard.
If left unwatched, she could turn half of Liyue into another ruin.
He had no intention of letting her move freely without supervision.
"Alice, you're not supposed to leave the border, are you? Why return to the Seven Nations?" Zhongli asked.
Even Celestia tolerated her border duties only because she was necessary.
"I came to see my precious daughter. And also… that sword strike that split Liyue Harbor in two earlier—it caught even my attention."
Zhongli fell silent. Of course he knew the source of that strike—it was Koji's blade.
"So even the border noticed it. Then Celestia must have as well."
Alice nodded lightly. "Not just Celestia. Even those escaped Evil Gods probably felt it too."
"The sinners of Khaenri'ah?" Zhongli murmured.
He knew of them, though he rarely intervened.
"If they're stupid enough to come for Koji, that will mark their deaths," Zhongli said evenly.
Koji's power had long since surpassed the limits of this world.
"That's for the future," Alice said cheerfully. "For now, I'd like to walk around Liyue Harbor. Any objections?"
"…No."
Zhongli sighed inwardly. He'd rather keep her out entirely, but if Alice had decided to come, there was no stopping her.
Just like the old days—he'd have to follow along to minimize the damage.
"Well then, I'll be off~"
Alice chuckled, tossed a Jumpy Dumpty at the ground, and vanished in a puff of smoke before it even exploded.
Zhongli pressed a hand to his temple. She truly is impossible to handle.
"Koji, your slimes are cheating."
Alice arrived just in time to see one of Koji's slimes soloing a Cryo Regisvine.
It was an Ice Slime.
Fighting a Cryo boss.
And winning.
"This thing's supposed to be immune to its own element!" Alice exclaimed.
What kind of absurd training produced a slime that ignored the game's mechanics?
Koji shrugged. "I never turned the cheats off, so it doesn't count as cheating."
He raised a hand. "Slimes, combine."
Hah!
Seven slimes collided at once. A blinding light engulfed the area.
When it faded, a single creature hovered in midair—its body gleaming white and gold.
The Light Slime.
Seven elements fused into one, reverting to the primordial energy before division: the Light Realm Force.
Koji had spent months researching how to balance those energies—and succeeded.
Alice stared, wide-eyed. "No way. Did it just ascend?"
The Light Slime glowed with sacred radiance. The ripples of power carved glowing sigils across its surface.
Then—
BOOM!
A luminous arrow burst from its body, piercing straight through the Cryo Regisvine's core.
The creature shattered instantly, collapsing in a single blow.
Everyone nearby froze, jaws dropping.
A slime—Teyvat's weakest lifeform—had just one-shotted a regional boss.
"Amazing… a miraculous slime," murmured Albedo, who was documenting everything with scientific glee.
He already had ideas forming. The concept of fusing elemental creatures to access Light Realm energy was revolutionary—but nearly impossible for anyone but Koji.
"Koji," Alice said, astonished, "that slime of yours gives off divine-level resonance."
"It can use Light Realm energy, a primordial force. That alone reaches the level of a god," Koji said proudly.
These were his creations—and they'd only grow stronger.
He purposely kept their size small, because cute things deserved protection.
"They're in the growth phase," he added. "Never underestimate the bond between me and my slimes."
Alice could only sigh. "Future enemies might die of secondhand embarrassment from that bond."
"The Light Realm Slime… so seven elemental powers are useless against it?" Albedo analyzed aloud.
"Right. Only physical attacks can harm it. All elemental energy gets nullified." Koji nodded.
His ultimate goal was to let his slimes shift freely between human and slime forms.
"Koji, Alice is back!"
A gust of wind swept in—Venti materialized beside them, arms crossed, his expression oddly serious.
He'd sensed her the moment she crossed the border and came rushing from Mondstadt before she blew up a mountain.
Then his eyes widened. "Wait… is that Light Realm energy?"
The bard's usual grin faded. Even he couldn't hide his awe.
In this era, Light Realm energy was nearly extinct, overshadowed by the seven elements.
Only a few ancient beings still remembered its true nature.
"Seven slimes fused to trace it back to the source," Koji explained.
Venti nodded. "I see… Normally, Light energy splits into seven elements, but merging them back again—no one's ever succeeded before."
He looked at the glowing creature, eyes soft with wonder. "This slime's potential is limitless."
Slimes—Teyvat's simplest lifeform—contained the purest elemental essence.
And Koji had just proven that even the smallest creatures could reach divine heights.
(End of Chapter)
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