Liyue Harbor.
Many workers were busy with post-disaster reconstruction. The buildings near the docks had all suffered varying degrees of damage.
Fortunately, no one was injured—when the Archon Osial appeared, everyone had already been evacuated.
"Andrius?"
When Venti saw him, he was momentarily stunned. The appearance was unfamiliar, yet the aura of the Wolf King of the North Wind was one he could never mistake.
"Hiss… you've actually recovered to the same level you had back in the Archon War," he muttered.
"Barbatos?"
Hearing that name, Venti gave a dry laugh.
"No wonder Dvalin used to say you never did any real work."
Andrius frowned. To be wandering the streets in broad daylight—this kind of god really made one pity Dvalin for having such a master.
He had met Venti many times over the years, but never this version of him.
"Hey, Andrius, you know me well enough," Venti said helplessly. "Back then, I never wanted to fight over the title of Anemo Archon in the first place."
If he could have chosen, he would have rather listened to that boy's song forever instead of these two chatting.
"Yeah, who would've thought?" Andrius murmured. "The final candidate for the position of Archon should've been either me or Decarabian—but somehow, you ended up taking it by accident."
Venti stayed silent. All Archons had once been people who loved their own kind.
Even Decarabian—the so-called Tyrant of the Tower—had only been trying to protect humans in the way he thought was right.
Even at the moment of his death, he hadn't unleashed indiscriminate slaughter. If he had wanted to, a top-tier god comparable to Morax could easily have destroyed the mortals along with himself.
"It's all in the past now," Venti said, shaking his head.
"What about you now?"
"I'm one of Koji's retainers," Andrius replied calmly. "As for my former post as the North Wind Guardian, I've already found a replacement. Its strength is about the same as mine was."
Venti nodded and didn't ask further.
Zhongli had also sensed the arrival of another god in Liyue, but since he also felt Venti's presence, he chose not to interfere.
"Zhongli, Venti, both of you—focus!"
Hu Tao's tone was serious as she addressed the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor staff.
To hold a funeral for the Rock King Emperor himself was a tremendous honor. Nothing could be allowed to go wrong.
Koji really was something else. Was he sure this guy wasn't from Inazuma?
She had never expected the "big job" Koji secured to be this big.
Koji: "Zhongli, you don't want the adorable Hall Master Hu Tao to cry, do you?"
Moved by those words, Zhongli had personally entered Ninguang's dream, requesting that the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor be entrusted with arranging the funeral.
With the Emperor's direct decree, Ninguang naturally agreed without hesitation.
Venti stifled his laughter. If he dared to actually laugh right now, that old man would probably hang him upside-down.
That day, the people of Liyue filled the streets on their own accord to bid farewell to the Rock King Emperor.
Such was the reverence he held within their hearts.
"Whatever the Emperor does, he must have his reasons," Xiao muttered, covering his face. He couldn't make sense of it at all—especially since the Emperor was personally seeing himself off.
"That Hall Master Hu Tao," Mooncarver said curiously, "she's the little princess the Emperor dotes on, isn't she?"
"You could say that," someone replied. "The Emperor's working under her now."
The adepti were proud by nature, yet when it came to Hu Tao, none of them dared show even a trace of arrogance.
Even without any bloodline or divine connection, Zhongli truly treated her well.
If not for uncertainty over whether Zhongli planned to name a successor, they might all have supported that mischievous, lovable girl without question.
"Zhongli's reaction is surprisingly normal," Guizhong remarked with a hint of confusion.
"He's already suffered complete social death," Koji said with a grin. "At this point, he's beyond caring."
So much time had passed.
And really, how often does one get to attend one's own funeral?
"Xiao," Koji continued, "your eldest brother, Bosacius, once fought in the depths of the Chasm. You might find traces of him there."
"Brother Bosacius?"
At that, Xiao's expression shifted dramatically.
He had long searched for his fallen siblings—most were confirmed dead—but Bosacius's body had never been found.
"By then, he'd already lost most of his reason," Koji explained. "Instinct drove him to fight alongside the Millelith, and in the end, he fell in the depths of the Chasm."
"Bosacius's final moment… truly sorrowful," sighed one of the Adepti, their three eyes glowing faintly.
Cloud Retainer and the others couldn't help but feel the same.
The Yaksha clan had given everything for Liyue.
Were it not for the Emperor, even Xiao—the last survivor—would have been consumed by his karmic debt.
"I'm going there now," Xiao said, unable to stay still after learning the truth.
"Wait. The trip is dangerous. Andrius, go with him," Zhongli instructed. "Your power should be enough for protection."
Xiao was already restless; only Andrius could accompany him.
The Wolf King nodded. "Understood." He had heard of Bosacius before.
"Andrius?" Cloud Retainer's eyes widened slightly. "The same North Wind Guardian of Mondstadt, one of the top gods of the Archon War?"
"Yes," Andrius replied evenly. "But that was long ago. Now, I am one of Koji's retainers."
The Adepti were even more astonished.
For such a mighty god to serve Koji—it was shocking, yet remembering that single sword strike of his, they realized he was indeed worthy.
"Xiao, if his soul still exists, you can use a vessel to preserve it temporarily," someone reminded him.
Xiao nodded, and together with Andrius, vanished in an instant.
"No wonder we never found any trace of Bosacius all these years," Cloud Retainer murmured.
"When we Adepti traveled outside, we searched too—but there was nothing at all."
"In those days," another added, "the Chasm was crawling with Abyssal monsters. Bosacius must have joined the battle there."
The Yakshas had sacrificed far too much for Liyue. Truly tragic.
At the foot of his own monument, offerings were piled high. Zhongli gazed upon his own memorial stone, a complex expression flickering in his eyes.
"So, old man—how does it feel?"
Venti could barely contain his laughter. The whole situation was absurd.
"Hmm… not bad," Zhongli replied evenly.
A pause.
Yes, that hmm belonged entirely to Morax himself.
As long as he didn't feel embarrassed, that was what mattered.
He might as well embrace it completely.
After the funeral, the people of Liyue gradually dispersed and returned to their homes.
Zhongli stood before his own monument, raised two fingers, and made a peace sign.
Venti, Guizhong, and the others were speechless.
Morax—what a man of terrible taste.
Was he retiring and just letting himself go now?
(End of Chapter)
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