Liyue - the city of business, trade and bygone gods. It has buildings painted in a stunning red, with lanterns lining the streets and many vendors selling their wares. Merchants came using ships and they were all parked by the harbor. The group entered through a large archway guarded by Millileth soldiers. They weren't exactly as tall and well-built as Beelzebub or Lucifer but the more they looked around, the more soldiers could be spotted. The people here were dressed in traditional clothes, some were simple while others looked exquisite. They crossed a long wooden bridge and finally, into the main part of town. It was surrounded by tall buildings and restaurants. Beel sniffed the air and he beamed, knowing that there was food nearby.
"Look at this place, it's amazing!" Asmodeus gasped. "There are so many fine looking people here, I can't wait to meet them!"
"I wonder how much that vase of flowers would cost." Mammon observed from the sides, gazing at a vendor. "They look expensive, maybe I could try stealing one of it. "
"I smell food, where's it coming from? I'm dead starving. " Beel mumbled.
Lucifer gave one hard swipe at all three of them, shutting them up. His expression clearly was annoyed and the three brothers shivered as they looked at him. "Have you really no sense of awareness at all? Please refrain from doing anything unnecessary unless you want me to hang you on that archway and leave you for dead?"
"No sir." The trio softly murmured and Lucifer groaned. They decided to look around and explore Liyue, being amazed by every single thing. Lucifer and Barbatos lingered by each other's sides and went ahead to find the commission center in Liyue. It wasn't hard to find it and they finally found the guy they needed.
As they approached the man, he spoke up first. "Ah, there you are! You must be travelers from afar, I reckon? We were expecting your arrival!" Lucifer and Barbatos were confused. They exchanged glances but the man added, "Oh, there's no need to worry. Someone had managed to sense your presence from miles away. They have kindly requested that you and your companions meet him in Liuli Pavilion this moment. "
"Wait, does that mean that he wants to meet us now?" Barbatos asked. Could it be Leviathan? Have they managed to find him that fast? Lucifer called for his brothers and the man showed them the way to the pavilion. They were all excited, being invited guests sure felt different in this world. They walked down a couple more buildings and stopped at a particular spot near the corner that led down to the fishing harbor. There were two people at the sides of the doors. As the group headed up, they were immediately welcomed inside.
In the center of the pavilion was a man dressed in the most finest of outfits. He had dark brown hair that seemed to fade at the tip. He has brilliant golden eyes that shone like crystal ores and he was gracefully drinking tea. There were food freshly cooked on the table. Looking up, he gestured to the empty seats and smiled warmly.
"So you're the one that wanted to see us, dang I thought you were-" Mammon was cut off by Lucifer, not wanting him to spill too much information. Mammon winced and glared back as they all took their seats.
Zhongli chuckled deeply, "I'm afraid I have to disappoint you if I was not the person you'd been thinking about. But my name is Zhongli and I am a consultant at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
"Funeral parlor? You work for burials?" Satan noted, picking up his chopsticks.
"Indeed. I have sensed your arrival and was highly intrigued by wanting to meet you all. I have heard that you have come in search of a lost sibling, no?" Zhongli responded and the whole table fell silent. A bunch of shocked eyes stared back and Barbatos coughed, breaking the tension.
"Correct, yes. But as of right now, we do not have a clue where he is." He explained on behalf of everyone. "Nor do we know anything about this strange world we're living in. How did you know about that, may I ask? "
Zhongli sighed, leaning back against his chair. "The wonders of this world cannot be comprehended by mere mortals. But my intuition tells me that you belong to a species not of human or adepti. I have taken the liberty of my powers in order to learn who you are without pressing in too deep than it is necessary. And I was right, you are all travelers from afar. "
"Then have you seen where our lost sibling is?" Belphie asked. "He looks like us with blue hair and has a strange obsession with useless junk. "
Zhongli hummed, thinking deep before he shook his head. "No, I know not of such a person. Perhaps it is better that we seek out to find them once you have all settled down to rest. Traveling can be incredibly harsh if you are not prepared for it. "
Lucifer nodded, "You do have a point there. "
Zhongli then spoke, "Feel free to enjoy this delicious meal that I had wanted to prepare for you. I hope it is to your taste. " They were about to dig in when they noticed Beel that's already finished with his portion. They quickly chowed down before he had the chance to steal more food.
~
Right after lunch, they followed Zhongli outside, who led them away from the harbor. They were a little curious but Zhongli explained that the Wangshu Inn was perfect for travelers who do not wish to have a permanent place to stay during adventures. The innkeeper receives many different types of people and hopefully this time, there will be enough rooms for all of them. Zhongli then said that the journey from Liyue harbor to Wangshu Inn might be long so by the time they arrive, it should be perfect for dinner. He was also happy to let them run around and explore the grassy plains of Liyue, while helping them avoid monsters and treasure hoarder campsites.
"Long long ago, during the reign of Rex Lapis, he and his adepti scoured the mountains and hunted for glaze lilies. " Zhongli spoke, telling them stories of the archons. "These flowers are incredibly precious and rare, growing like wildflowers back in ancient times. But during the archon war, there was a huge flood that swept across the land and washed away most of the glaze lilies. Now, they are almost gone from existence. "
"I've seen these flowers before when we entered the harbor, they're indeed beautiful. " Barbatos complimented. "Maybe we can try planting and preserving them in a greenhouse where people are able to tend to it."
"Greenhouse? Hmm, that might just work. " Zhongli thought. "But keep in mind that glaze lilies that are planted by human hands instead of naturally grown do not have the same aura of uniqueness and authenticity. It's growth might also be different, depending on it's environment."
"Huh, didn't know it was so high maintenance. " Mammon chipped in.
Asmodeus then asked, "Could they be turned into perfume?"
Zhongli chuckled and nodded, "Yes of course. Glaze Lily perfumes are really sought out among the women here and they could also sometimes be used for rituals or offerings. Despite it's popularity, glaze lily perfumes are also rare since the flowers are hard to care for so the perfume itself could cost a fortune. " Mammon's eyes gleamed at the last sentence but Lucifer immediately bonked his head to stop any of his nasty schemes. The group trekked down further into Liyue and arrived at a resting spot near Qingce Village.
It was a humble village with some wooden houses here and there. This place seemed pretty friendly and there were children running around happily as well. The group walked in and found a small hut with some chairs. They went in and took shelter from the blazing sun, sighing in relief. Man, even a ten-hour workout session with Beel is nothing compared to this, they've been walking for a long time now. As they slowly regained energy, Zhongli left for a short while and returned with some freshly plucked apples and sunsettias. They stared at the bright orange fruit hesitantly.
"What kind of fruit is that?" Mammon asked.
"Looks like a pear but it's pink? Kinda pretty, I'd say. " Asmo replied. "Is it really edible? Do you think it's bitter?"
"How am I suppose to know that? Why don't you take a bite?" Satan teased. "See? Beel is already chomping away and he doesn't seem to mind. "
"He always eats anything that's edible but if I get food poisoning, I'm gonna file a lawsuit on you." Mammon snapped, taking the fruit and biting down. He then gasped at the sweet flavor of it. "Holy crap, this is actually good. " The brothers who began to eat the apples and sunsettias strongly agreed as well. The sweet and citrus taste of the fruits freshened them up right away and it also boosted their energies by the mile. Zhongli watched them happily as he, too, took a bite of the apples.
"They're a lively bunch, it seems. " Zhongli mused and Lucifer groaned, standing beside him.
"Tell me about it, " He answered, his face tinged with annoyance as he watched his brothers acting like children. "You're lucky you don't have to deal with them, Mr.Zhongli, it can be real hard work. "
~
The group resumed their journey and soon, they finally arrived at Wangshu Inn. Zhongli pointed it out to them, towards the inn that was built around a thick massive tree in the distance. There was a path leading towards the main entrance and that's where they will go now. Walking down from a steep hill down to the rocky ground below, the group tried to explore and memorize everything they saw. Has Levi been here already? Where could he possibly be? They followed Zhongli who entered the inn and stopped by a large box that looked like an elevator. He stated that the people that visit would either use the stairs or the elevator, although the second option is usually chosen the most. He took them all up and went to meet Verr Goldet who welcomed them happily. It was a miracle when she said that Wangshu Inn has been really quiet in recent days so there's plenty of rooms open for the time being. Zhongli helped them check in and they each got their own rooms, except Beel and Belphie who wanted to share. Verr Goldet told the brothers that the kitchen is always open and if they were hungry, they could also use the ingredients there to cook. After that, Zhongli left the brothers alone and went to search for someone else.
Mammon was really curious about Zhongli so he decided to tag along closely behind him, wanting to learn more. As he left the inn, he realized that Zhongli might be returning to Liyue Harbor. Another long journey? If that's the case, will I be able to see Zhongli again? Mammon sighed to himself but soon stopped when he saw Zhongli speaking with another man. This stranger had short orange hair and wore a grey uniform, a red scarf dangling on his shoulder. This man also had a red mask on his head. Who is he? What are they talking about? Mammon hid behind a tree and watched as the two men talked and laughed like old friends. Just then, the ginger reach into his pocket and handed Zhongli a bag of money. Mammon's eyes grew wide in shock. Is Zhongli doing business with the ginger? Does that mean he's loaded? Wait, he's coming this way. Mammon tried to hide again but Zhongli's sharp eyes spotted him instantly.
"Ah, there you are. I have gotten something for you and your brothers to aid in your travels. " Zhongli handed Mammon the bag of mora. "You can use this to purchase food or any other necessary items that you might need. I will not always be by your side to help but I hope this can be of great use to all of you. "
Mammon blinked, "Ah, alright, thank you. I'll let them know about this. "
"Very well then. I shall be on my way now, may your adventures be smooth traveler. " Zhongli answered and with a friendly wave, turned and walked away, disappearing into the night. Mammon was left speechless, standing like an idiot all alone outside.
- Mondstadt -
"And that's the last of them, now all of these power sources have been destroyed. " Kaeya said, dusting his hands. "Nice work you got there, traveler. "
Levi smirked as he answered, "Nothing much, really. I just try my best. " He sheathed his sword and dusted his clothes. Those monsters were a little violent but a few simple hits, kicks and punches sent them meeting their deaths. It might be easy, at least for now.
The captain chuckled. "You already have the modesty of a knight, I see, not bad at all. You can go ahead now, I'll take it from here. "
"You sure about that?" Levi hesitated. "Those abyss mages might pop up again."
Kaeya waved at him dismissively, "You far underestimate my abilities traveler. If I am unable to handle a few simple mages, I do not have the right to call myself the cavalry captain anymore. "
"Hmm, in that case, we'll head out now, bye Kaeya!" Paimon cried as she and Levi leaves the temple. Kaeya watched them leave in silence, thinking to himself. Levi was about to take out his map to teleport when suddenly, flames shoot past his and he cried. Levi dodged just in time, burning a few inches of his hair. A tall man in a dark cloak ran past Levi and leapt into the air. Levi watched as the man completely obliterated an abyss mage that appeared in front of Kaeya. Who was that? He looked familiar but....I can't quite remember his name. His flames melted the cryo shield and the abyss mage fell to the ground, disintegrating into ashes.
The man stood up and growled angrily at Kaeya, "Knights of Favonius, always so inefficient. "
Kaeya did a slow clap, turning to face his brother. "Agree to disagree. But your involvement here just made things a whole lot more interesting. "