I, the Geo Archon Morax with 2.1 Billion Mora, Have Joined a Chat Group [216]

It was an early spring morning, just after the Lantern Rite Festival. The rising sun cast a soft, golden light, making the day feel even warmer.

Zhongli sat at a short purple birchwood table on the veranda of his room, taking slow bites of the breakfast he had just purchased from Liuli Pavilion.

A plate of fresh pickled bamboo shoots, a bowl of slow-simmered millet and apple porridge, a serving of freshly steamed white mantou, and a basket of delicate soup dumplings—each glistening with a thin, translucent skin, filled with savory broth and tender meat.

Though he no longer needed to eat, indulging in such exquisite meals remained one of his favorite pastimes.

He had always appreciated the most refined aspects of Liyue’s civilization—whether it was the food on the table, the table itself, or even the etiquette observed while dining.

That wasn’t to say he disregarded the more rustic, unpolished elements of culture.

On the contrary, he held a clear and deep fondness for everything Liyue had cultivated—this civilization he had built and guided alongside Qingyun.

After savoring the last spoonful of millet porridge, scraping his enamel bowl clean, Zhongli looked down at the now-empty table, save for the dishes.

With a simple flick of his fingers, the plates sank seamlessly into the wooden surface of the table, disappearing from sight.

Then, almost absentmindedly, he opened his chat group, casually scanning the scattered conversations and occasionally chiming in.

Time passed—two or three hours, perhaps.

Eventually, he stopped engaging in the meaningless chatter.

As he reflected on the recent discussions, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He shook his head slightly.

Reading these conversations gave him a rare sense of nostalgia—like glimpsing a shadow of the life he once lived, six thousand years ago, before his transmigration.

Back then, he too had spent time in online chat groups, passing his days in much the same way.

He had probably been even more naive, even more foolish than most of the people in the group now.

But time had etched its mark upon him. Six thousand years of memories, experiences, and existence had left an indelible imprint—not just in his mind, but deep in his soul.

Even if he wanted to, he could never truly return to who he once was.

Knock, knock, knock—! Knock, knock, knock—!

Before he could dwell on his thoughts any further, a sudden knocking at the door jolted him back to the present.

Even without opening it, Zhongli immediately sensed something unusual.

A girl stood outside—someone who, by all accounts, should not have been able to find this place.

Yet, on second thought, it wasn’t entirely unexpected.

If there was anyone in Liyue Harbor who could track him down, the first candidate would undoubtedly be Ningguang, the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing. With eyes and ears all over the city, she was more than capable. However, she was the type to act only after thorough deliberation—she would never come knocking unannounced.

The second candidate… would be the very girl standing at his door.

The seventy-seventh generation master of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.

His former employer.

Hu Tao.

“Zhongli~~! Zhongli~~~!”

A crisp, melodic voice rang out from beyond the door.

“Ohhh~~~! Great Lord Zhongli, open up already!”

Zhongli pressed a hand to his forehead, sighing.

“Zhongli~~!”

“Open the door, quick!” The lively voice continued, tapping against the wood with an almost rhythmic cadence.

In fact, the knocking had become so measured, so deliberate, that it almost… sounded like a song.

Zhongli hesitated for only a few seconds—just a few seconds too long.

Because by the time he refocused, the mischievous girl outside had already begun to sing.

“Mister Zhongli has fallen~”

“Fallen, fallen~”

“Mister Zhongli has fallen~”

“Oh, my lovely Consultant~”

“Mister Zhongli has fallen~”

“…Enough, enough.” Zhongli sighed, shaking his head. “The door is open. Come in yourself.”

“Then I’m coming in~~!”

Hu Tao’s voice took on an impish lilt, followed by a giggle.

“I’m really coming in now~!”

With that, the door swung open.

A girl—no younger than twenty—skipped inside.

She wore an all-black outfit, the corners of her lips curved into a playful smirk. Upon her head sat a distinctive hat, adorned with a wooden plaque reminiscent of those worn by Liyue’s ancient officials. Two crimson plum blossoms decorated her long, ink-black hair.

With one hand tucked behind her back and the other lifting the brim of her hat, she hopped and twirled toward Zhongli.

“Ohhh~~! Ohhh~~! Mister Zhongli~!”

She beamed.

“Finally found you!”

“Mm. Director Hu, I trust you’ve been well.”

Zhongli gave a slight nod.

“Would you care to sit and talk?”

“No need, no need.”

Hu Tao waved a hand dismissively.

“Consultant Zhongli of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor—or should I say, the one and only Geo Archon, Morax?”

“Morax is dead.”

Zhongli’s tone remained even.

“I conducted the Rite of Parting myself, did I not? Director Hu, you should continue calling me Zhongli.”

As he spoke, he lightly traced his fingers through the air.

Two steaming cups of tea materialized before them.

He made no effort to offer her a cup—he simply lifted his own, taking a slow sip before asking:

“So, what brings you here? You should know that Zhongli no longer has much to do with Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. I shouldn’t be seen there anymore.”

“Oh, I know that.”

Hu Tao let out a small grunt as she hopped onto a chair, crossing her hands before taking a sip of her own tea.

“I just couldn’t let it go.”

“Couldn’t let it go?” Zhongli echoed.

“Of course!”

Hu Tao set down her cup.

“I spent so much time around you, yet I never realized you were the Geo Archon.”

She huffed.

“I’m always the one pulling pranks on others—scaring them for a laugh.”

“But this time…”

She threw her arms wide, exaggerating her expression of shock.

“You scared me this much!”

“With a revelation this big!”

“Our dear consultant, the almighty Lord of Geo who ruled Liyue for three thousand six hundred years? Anyone would be shocked!”

“When I first heard it from Ningguang, I nearly jumped two meters in the air!”

“That’s an exaggeration.”

Zhongli responded with his usual unhurried calm.

“It’s not an exaggeration!”

Hu Tao leaned forward, pressing her small face against the table, eyes gleaming with mischief.

“So, I just had to get even.”

“I wanted to track you down and give you a scare for once!”

She pouted.

“But judging by your reaction… that didn’t work out, huh?”

Hu Tao spread her hands in defeat.

“Well, I guess that’s only natural. You are the Geo Archon, after all.”

“Even so, you still managed to stir something in me.”

Zhongli reached out, ruffling her hat-covered head as he often did in the past.

“I didn’t expect you to be the first to find me.”

He paused, before adding with a rare trace of sentiment:

“Perhaps… this is the fate that binds me to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.”

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T/N: hmm hueheuhe father daughter

This is a fan translation of 我，21亿岩王帝君加入聊天群 by 大一统. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!