"Boss, I'll take it all."
"Excellent! Sir, I can tell you're a man of distinction—what generosity—"
Su Mo: "...."
Watching Zhongli spend so lavishly beside him, Su Mo didn't know what to say.
After all, they were using the Young Master's money.
After the earlier discussion they had split tasks: one route would be mostly covered by the Young Master's funds, and the other was handled by Zhongli and Su Mo. Now the two of them were buying a key item—noctilucous stones.
"Mr. Zhongli, do we really need to buy all of these? Even if the Young Master's money is enough and he's covering most items for the funeral rites, isn't this a bit wasteful of Mora?"
As the seller began packaging the noctilucous stones, Su Mo hurriedly asked.
"Hmm… there's some truth to that, but if every action must be weighed against Mora, then we are letting Mora bind our hands."
Hearing this, Zhongli nodded in agreement, though he still said the same.
Su Mo wondered if Zhongli was secretly wealthy, or if the Young Master was actually his patron—using a hidden identity to get closer to others. Seeing Zhongli treat the Young Master's money as if it were his own and remembering earlier bills sent to various banks, Su Mo couldn't help but speculate.
"Uh… that might be possible…"
With that hunch he fell silent; seeing Zhongli use the funds so freely only strengthened his suspicion.
"All right. We've bought the noctilucous stones. I'll go arrange the incense and ointments. Su Mo, please borrow the Dust-Cleansing Bell for me."
After paying, Zhongli assigned the next tasks. He knew the Young Master would quickly prepare the remaining items, so they had to speed up. The patience of Heaven's Order (the "Divine") was unknown—better to finish quickly. Still, he worried: without his protection, could Liyue stand against those threats alone? If yes, the Divine would see the people's reaction; if no, he would act—though that might cause the Divine to form other opinions. He could only do what he could.
"No problem. Tell me the location and who to borrow it from; I'll fetch it right away."
Su Mo agreed without hesitation.
"Any luck checking the sea? Was the maid telling the truth?"
Keqing, who had spent the night sifting through records, came to the Jade Chamber at dawn to ask Ningguang about sea investigations. After receiving Rita's tip, Ningguang had dispatched Beidou to scout the nearby waters and personally checked Guyun Stone Forest's records. Keqing had been up all night and arrived early, hoping Ningguang might bring good news—Keqing had yet to find a lead. She had cross-checked several noble families as possible culprits and placed watchers on them, but that needed time. For now, she pinned her hopes on Ningguang's findings.
"Well… good news is Beidou and I found no abnormality at sea; the bad news is that we can't confirm whether Miss Rita's claims are true."
Ningguang pushed a cup of wakefulness tea over to Keqing—she'd also been up all night. Beidou's inquiry had cost a fortune: Ningguang had hired Beidou's fleet and had them search every nearby sea region painstakingly, even dispatching dives at night. Despite a night of searching, nothing turned up. The cost had been huge, but Ningguang felt it necessary—money can be earned back; Liyue cannot.
"I think that woman is up to no good. Next time we must capture her and interrogate her properly. She's pretty, but such an aggravating personality—hmph."
Relieved by the lack of sea evidence for now, Keqing still fumed at the maid's attitude. Ningguang smiled faintly and murmured, "Time will tell. Miss Rita—if you're lying, I won't be easy to deal with."
Keqing pressed the issue: "What next?"
"We will hold the funeral rites for the Archon. Zhongli of the Funeral Parlor is already making arrangements. The Archon has left us; we must see him off properly. These rites are important—they also serve to pass authority from the Archon to us. Ceremony matters."
"Mr. Zhongli, Young Master?"
Holding the Dust-Cleansing Bell, Su Mo arrived at the Seven-Day Statues to find Zhongli and the Young Master already there.
"Su Mo, thank you. With this, we have all items needed for the funeral rites. Next we begin the ceremony."
Zhongli confirmed they had everything.
"Where then is the Archon's mortal shell? For the funeral, we must surely present his body."
The Young Master was impatient.
"It's at the Golden House. The Seven Stars temporarily keep the Archon's shell there."
Zhongli answered, then added, "But there's no need to rush. Tomorrow is more appropriate for the rites—return for now."
"Is that so? Shall we rest at the teahouse?"
Su Mo wanted a rest, but Zhongli shook his head: "No. Su Mo, your help is required tomorrow. Rituals are elaborate—please cleanse and fast tonight and be ready tomorrow."
"Ah—so we must prepare properly," Su Mo muttered, surprised.
The Young Master, eager, wanted to leave at once to pursue his plan.
"We'll meet at Jade Capital Terrace tomorrow. Prepare yourselves."
Tomorrow the funeral rites will be held. Su Mo wondered if the system's warned conspirator against Liyue would act then, why the Fatui would imitate the Archon's seals, and whether there was a connection between the sealed sea demon and these seals. The Archon had forged the No-Taboo Talisman and had once suppressed a whirlpool demon—could they be related? If the seal is broken, could the talisman be the key?
Su Mo stopped walking: a possible breakthrough. If the No-Taboo Talisman could unseal something, then the Fatui imitating the talismans would be alarming. They might be the agents to break the seal.
He considered asking Keqing and Ningguang about which families in Liyue might be implicated.
[Task updated: Host, using the Cobalt Knight — Moonspirit character card, head to the Golden House to stop the Young Master from seizing the Archon's Divine Heart!]
System alert—Su Mo was stunned. The Young Master? Was he Fatui? But the Divine Heart was with Su Mo… besides him and Morax, no one knew. The system transmission continued:
[System: Send me the target location. Also, provide cover—I'm transforming. HENSHIN!]
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