Chapter 19

What a shame not to have captured such a beautiful sight on camera!

Little did he know that Keqing was quietly muttering to herself at that very moment — this was the guy who had been up all night with Xiangling? He looked so refined and gentlemanly. Could he really be that impressive?

No, no, no — Keqing, what are you even thinking?! Have you no shame!

"What a pleasure to meet you. Miss Keqing, what brings you to Cuijue Slope?" Lu Lin casually brought up a topic to make small talk.

Keqing couldn't help but groan inwardly. Isn't it obvious? I was drawn over by the commotion you two were making.

Of course, she couldn't say that out loud. Instead, she replied, "I've been clearing out monsters all the way from Qingce Village. Even though you two dealt with the source, there are still scattered stragglers that need to be cleaned up."

"I see. You've worked hard, Miss Keqing. We're heading back to Liyue Harbor — would you like to join us?"

"Right! Tomorrow is the Rite of the Descension, Keqing. Do you want to head back to Liyue Harbor and take a look?"

"The monster sweep is finished, so I was planning to head back to Liyue Harbor anyway. As for the Rite of the Descension, Ningguang is in charge this year, so I won't be getting involved."

"Then let's travel together!" Xiangling was even more enthusiastic than Lu Lin had expected.

She might not be the sharpest mind around, but she was no fool either. The look on Keqing's face at the valley entrance had said more than enough — and yet Xiangling didn't feel the least bit awkward about it?

Another one with nerves of steel. I love it!

Lu Lin greatly appreciated Xiangling's easygoing boldness. The more enthusiastic and proactive everyone was, the easier it would be to welcome more sisters into the fold!

Keqing, however, hesitated. She didn't particularly want to travel with Lu Lin.

Her feelings toward him right now were complicated.

In her mind, anyone who spent a whole night out in the wilderness with Xiangling doing who-knows-what was clearly a lecherous scoundrel — and yet this very same scoundrel had somehow witnessed her most mortifying moment today.

He did seem like a proper gentleman, eyes forward, manner impeccable...

But the moment she thought about him and Xiangling going at it half the night, with herself standing guard outside like some unwitting accomplice, only to then be seen in her most humiliating state — her whole body crawled with discomfort. She wanted to dig a hole in the ground and build a house in it!

Travel back to Liyue with him? Pure torture!

But Xiangling was her good friend, and turning down such a warm invitation would be terribly rude.

Ugh, she never should have mentioned she was heading back to Liyue Harbor!

"Come on, come on, stop dithering! If we dawdle any longer, it'll be dark by the time we reach Liyue Harbor!" Xiangling paid no mind to any of that, cheerfully grabbing Keqing by the arm and marching her forward.

"Hey, slow down! It's not like I'm going to run away~" Keqing ultimately couldn't resist Xiangling's pull and gave in.

This was exactly why Lu Lin liked girls like Xiangling — warm, proactive, and full of energy. Her offhand actions could produce unexpected results, naturally creating opportunities for him to spend time with other girls.

And so the three of them set off together on the road back to Liyue Harbor.

"Miss Keqing, it seems like you have your own thoughts on the Rite of the Descension?" Since they were traveling together, it was only natural to find something to talk about — relationships are built through conversation, after all.

Xiangling joining the Serenitea Pot was a foregone conclusion, but the System would certainly have more residency missions ahead. Keqing would be his next invitation target, so he needed to seize this chance to start building a connection.

That said, after the morning's incident, Keqing probably didn't have a great impression of him. Building that connection wouldn't be easy.

Lu Lin wasn't worried, though. He had the advantage of information.

He knew Keqing's personality well — what topics she liked, what made her tick. All he had to do was tailor his approach accordingly.

Right now, for instance, Keqing didn't really want to talk to Lu Lin. She was too embarrassed and just wanted to get back to Liyue Harbor as fast as possible so they could all go their separate ways and let time wash the whole thing away.

But the topic Lu Lin had raised genuinely struck a nerve.

It touched on something she cared deeply about.

"What makes you say that, Mr. Lu?" She responded with a simple question — polite on the surface, but also a probe to see whether he shared her views.

Lu Lin smiled and said, "I'm not from Liyue, but ever since I arrived, everything I've seen and heard tells me that the people of Liyue hold the Geo Archon in near-fanatical reverence and devotion.

From the streets and alleys of Liyue Harbor to the remote wilds of Cuijue Slope, wherever people have set foot, the Rex Lapis is held in the highest esteem. Having even a passing connection to the Rex Lapis is something families boast about for a thousand years.

And the Rite of the Descension is Liyue Harbor's annual tradition — the Geo Archon bestows divine guidance at this time, charting the course for Liyue Harbor's development over the coming year. It's undeniably a ceremony that every person in Liyue takes very seriously.

Yet just now, Miss Keqing, your tone suggested you had... reservations about the Rite of the Descension?"

"It's not that I have reservations about the Rite of the Descension itself. It's more that..." Keqing shifted course and asked instead, "Mr. Lu, what is your view of the Rex Lapis and the adepti?"

What's my view? One of my wives is an adeptal beast. Of course I'd look at her without a stitch of clothing.

He kept that thought firmly to himself, maintaining his smile. "The Rex Lapis is truly the pillar that holds up Liyue's sky and the golden beam that spans its seas. And yet..."

"And yet what?" Keqing stopped walking and turned to look at him.

She had a doll-like face, paired with her signature cat-ear twin-tail hairstyle, which was actually quite adorable. Right now, however, that cute face wore an expression of complete seriousness — serious, with just a hint of quiet anticipation.

"And yet Liyue is, at its heart, a nation of people. Whether binding it so deeply to a divine being like the Rex Lapis is truly a good thing... that's still very hard to say." Lu Lin let out a soft sigh, a trace of worry crossing his brow.

A spark of light flashed in Keqing's eyes!

She felt like she'd found a kindred spirit!

"Oh? Mr. Lu, you actually think that way? Please, elaborate." She suppressed the excitement welling up inside her and pressed further.

Lu Lin watched as she seemed to transform entirely — the awkward, reluctant-to-communicate version of her from moments ago had completely vanished. He couldn't help but laugh inwardly.

Find the right topic. Talk. It really is that simple.

Then let me give you a little more to think about.

He gathered his thoughts and spoke in an unhurried manner. "Compared to the Anemo Archon next door in Mondstadt, who plays the role of a completely hands-off landlord, the Geo Archon has always been the one steering Liyue's development — quite diligent, one might say.

But this also creates a problem. Liyue's prosperity was built by the Rex Lapis. So what happens if the Rex Lapis one day stops guiding Liyue?

Forgive me — this line of thinking might be a little disrespectful toward the Rex Lapis."

"No, you're absolutely right. This is precisely the question the people of Liyue should be asking." Keqing's rosy eyes shimmered brightly, and she felt an instant sense of kinship.

"The people of Liyue rely far too heavily on the Rex Lapis's guidance. But if one day the Rex Lapis were gone — could the people of Liyue govern this nation by their own strength? That's a question I think about often." A shadow of worry crossed the young woman's face.

She shook her head with a wry smile. "I've brought this up with many people, and they all think I'm worrying needlessly. How could the Rex Lapis ever be gone? You're the only person I've ever met who shares the same thought as me."

Keqing was a woman of action with a sharp sense of crisis — she never settled for complacency. She had keenly identified the hidden vulnerability in Liyue's current state.

Liyue Harbor's present prosperity was like a magnificent sandcastle on the beach — one wave and it would crumble. But who controlled the tides was not humanity itself.

At last year's Rite of the Descension, she had asked the Geo Archon: "The Rex Lapis has protected Liyue for a thousand years — but will the next thousand years, the next ten thousand, the next hundred thousand, be the same?"

The Rex Lapis had not answered directly. He had only left behind a meaningful smile.

"Has Miss Keqing ever considered — if the Rex Lapis were to stop guiding Liyue, how should Liyue continue to function and develop?" Lu Lin's question wasn't meant to challenge her view, but to guide her thinking.

After all, Lu Lin knew that the Geo Archon had already begun arranging his own retirement. The time left for the people of Liyue was running short.

"I've thought about these things too..." Finding a true kindred spirit who shared her convictions was rare. Keqing had already pushed the morning's embarrassment completely out of her mind and began earnestly discussing the matter with Lu Lin.

Lu Lin genuinely had something to offer. He possessed a vast information advantage, along with a perspective that transcended this world — his thinking was not confined to any single nation or household. Many things that seemed self-evident to him were, to Keqing, revelatory insights.

From the broad strokes of national governance to the specific ripple effects of a single policy, Lu Lin could engage on every point with clarity and coherence.

After all, back in his old world, he had been a formidable keyboard warrior — capable of winning any argument with nothing but his fingertips.

Xiangling had no interest in matters of state. Her mind was occupied with finding new ingredients, developing new dishes — and now, a new addition to that list: being with Lu Lin.

But that didn't stop her from admiring him. In her eyes, the Liyue Qixing were already incredibly impressive figures, and the fact that Lu Lin could chat with one of them so easily — even earning Keqing's genuine respect — made him seem absolutely amazing!

As Keqing's good friend, she knew better than anyone just how high Keqing's standards were.

And so the three of them traveled on — two deep in conversation, one listening along — trekking across the land until they finally arrived back at Liyue Harbor just before nightfall.

"Mr. Lu, you said Liyue is currently in the midst of a once-in-a-millennium upheaval — what do you mean by that?"

"Just a guess, really. You mentioned that last year at the Rite of the Descension, you asked the Rex Lapis that question, and he didn't answer directly — is that right?"

"That's correct."

"Is it possible that this was the divine being's way of acknowledging you? Your question, while disrespectful to a god in the eyes of others — rebellious, even — perhaps the Rex Lapis didn't see it that way.

Perhaps he too knows that he cannot protect Liyue forever. Liyue is a nation of people, and ultimately it must be governed by people.

Your question told the Rex Lapis that the people of Liyue have already begun thinking this way — and that is enormous progress. But whether humanity can govern Liyue well is a question no one can answer yet. It requires practice to find out."

"The Rex Lapis... would he really think that?" Keqing seemed momentarily lost.

"Regardless, you need to start preparing — to be ready to face whatever challenges may come~"

Lu Lin had already revealed quite a few key pieces of information to her. She hadn't yet grasped the full weight of what he'd said, but she straightened her expression and replied earnestly:

"This conversation with Mr. Lu has been tremendously enlightening. I had intended to treat you to a meal today, but I still need to report to Ningguang about the monster sweep — so that will have to wait for another time."

"No worries at all. As they say, good food is worth waiting for. Miss Keqing's dedication to duty is truly admirable. Once you're done with everything, let's get together properly!"

The three exchanged a few more pleasantries before Keqing took her leave.

"You were listening to us talk the whole way — were you a little bored?" Lu Lin cupped Xiangling's adorable little face in his hands and gave her cheeks a gentle squeeze.

"Not at all! Lu Lin, you're really amazing, you know. Even someone as impressive as Keqing admires you so much — hearing that made me really happy too."

"Is that so? But I still prefer the way you praised me last night, Xiangling."

"Mmm~ Well, not at home though — we'd need to find somewhere quieter. Otherwise, if I get too loud..." Even the bold and uninhibited Xiangling turned a little red at that.

She wasn't dense — she'd already figured out that Keqing had been drawn over last night by the sounds she'd been making. It was just... not something that was easy to control.

Seeing Lu Lin respond to her words with nothing but a sly grin, she lowered her voice and said, "Should I try to keep it down a bit?"

"No, no, no — if you want to be loud, be loud. Don't hold yourself back. I'll take you somewhere good."

Lu Lin stopped teasing her and led her to a quiet corner, where he activated the mark and stepped into the Serenitea Pot.

"Wow! What a beautiful place — where is this?"

"This is my Serenitea Pot."

"The Serenitea Pot? Did my Grand Master make this?"

Xiangling was a disciple of Granny Ping, and Granny Ping was an expert in crafting Serenitea Pots.

"The name is the same, but this Serenitea Pot wasn't made by Granny Ping. Its functions are also quite different from hers..."

Lu Lin led Xiangling by the hand, showing her around while explaining the various features of the Serenitea Pot — and along the way, completed her residency and granted her an entry and exit mark.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, on successfully inviting four members to reside. Rewards: 2,000,000 Mora, 1,000 Points, 1,000 EXP, and a Random Host Entry: Nimble Hands.]

[Nimble Hands]: All life-skill talents are enhanced, and manual dexterity talents are greatly amplified.

This entry looked incredibly powerful at a glance. Combined with the [Keen Intellect] entry he'd already obtained, applying it to studying Guizhong's mechanical arts would produce results beyond imagination.

And it wasn't just mechanical arts — culinary skills, farming, Artifact Forging... all manner of life skills would see a massive boost in talent. And then there was the manual dexterity aspect...

All he could say was that Ganyu and the others were in for a treat.

Just as he'd anticipated, after completing the milestone of inviting four members to reside, a new residency mission had arrived.

[Mission: Reach 8 Residents (4/8)]

[Mission Rewards: 2,000,000 Mora, 1,000 Points, 1,000 EXP, and one Random Host Entry]

Lu Lin calculated his progress. Things had gone quite well with Keqing today — there was real hope of inviting her in the future. He would also be meeting Lumine soon, and she was another target he had his sights on.

As for the others, he'd have to let fate take its course. There were still plenty of characters he liked that he hadn't encountered yet.

Perhaps he could also visit other nations — Mondstadt, Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine... every nation had characters he adored.

The road ahead was long, and the mission was great!

With Xiangling successfully moved in, she now had her own panel.

[Resident: Xiangling]

[Age: 18]

[Greatness Grade: A]

[Elemental Attribute: Pyro]

[Signature Weapon: Engulfing Lightning... (Mouun's Moon)]

[Entries: None]

[Conquest Progress: 100%]