I, the Geo Archon Morax with 2.1 Billion Mora, Have Joined a Chat Group [102]

Yujing Terrace

As he crushed the hourglass in his hand, the falling grains of dust slipping through his fingers, Zhongli slowly opened his eyes.

The crowd of ordinary citizens who had been gathered before him fled in panic the moment the winds carrying dust began sweeping through the area.

Ding… ding… ding...

The fourth chime of the bell rang out, and the distant storm of sand and wind surged outward.

In mere moments, it had expanded from the far-off Guyun Stone Forest to cover the skies over all of Liyue Harbor.

The storm intensified, thick clouds of sand transforming into a raging tempest that slowly descended, enveloping the entire city.

The people of Liyue Harbor, unaccustomed to such phenomena in their thousand-year history, responded in chaos.

Some rushed toward the city gates, desperate to flee.
Others barricaded themselves in their homes, praying for Rex Lapis' protection.
Still others sought refuge at the Millelith barracks, hoping for the military's protection.

Panic began to take hold of the city.

This moment marked another critical crossroads in Liyue's history.

Today would undoubtedly go down as the longest day in the annals of Liyue Harbor.

For Zhongli, however, his plans, expectations, and every thought he had ever harbored had finally reached their conclusion.

He exhaled slowly, a measured breath, and brought his other hand forward from behind his back.

In his palm floated a luminous pearl, spinning endlessly.

“QIngyun…” he murmured to the pearl. “Perhaps soon, we will meet again.”

Within the pearl, the slumbering form of a pale-gold dragon lay dormant, its body flickering faintly with light.

The time was almost ripe.

Zhongli lightly pinched the pearl—QIngyun’s only remaining relic.

Crack… crack…

Faint fissures began to spread across the pearl’s surface.

“Rex Lapis!”

A familiar voice rang out, cutting through the roaring storm to reach Zhongli’s ears.

“Ganyu…” Zhongli looked up, seeing two figures approaching rapidly through the swirling sands: Ganyu, her horns faintly glowing, and the Traveler, Lumine.

As they drew closer, their eyes fell on the pearl in Zhongli’s hand and the three glowing sacrificial relics in the sky.

“Rex Lapis,” Ganyu asked softly, “is that… the Dragon Pearl of Lord QIngyun?”

“Yes.” Zhongli nodded slightly.

The pearl, now marked with fine cracks, continued to flicker and glow in his palm.

“Are you… planning to destroy it?” Ganyu’s voice trembled with uncertainty. “You’re not… going to revive Lord QIngyun?”

“Back then, you told us yourself that this pearl was the key to his resurrection. What are you doing now?”

“Ganyu…” Zhongli gazed at her with calm eyes, as steady as they had been through the millennia they had shared. “Do you trust me?”

Ganyu knelt on one knee, bowing her head with reverence. “I have always been your most loyal servant, and I hold absolute trust in you. It was under your leadership that we defeated countless gods, subdued sea beasts, and ensured peace in Liyue. Your unwavering protection of Liyue remains etched in my memory, and even as my body decays and my memories fade, I will never forget.”

“Good… Then stand behind me.” Zhongli’s voice was soft but resolute. “When all of this is over, I will give you an answer. I will explain everything—the pact I made with the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya, the awakening of the Vortex God and the God of Dust. You will know it all.”

“Rex Lapis…” Ganyu raised her head, her voice quivering. “You must have your reasons. But did the attack on Liyue Harbor today… was that also part of your plan?”

“And if it was?” Zhongli replied, his tone even. “And if it wasn’t?”

“Rex Lapis… I…” Tears welled in the corner of her eyes, tracing down her cheeks. “Your decisions have always brought prosperity to the majority in Liyue. I admire that. I’ve always tried to follow in your footsteps, but… the more I try, the more mistakes I seem to make."

“That’s why I’ve spent so much time… tried to understand more, to work harder… to catch up to you.”

“You… You…”

“Hah…” Zhongli exhaled deeply, then sighed. “Yes, this is all part of my plan.”

“...I understand.” Ganyu closed her eyes. “Rex Lapis… the attack on the adepti—was that you as well?”

“Yes, it was me.” Zhongli’s answer was firm, decisive. “From sowing discord between the adepti and the Qixing to influencing the Fatui to release the God of Dust, all of it was my doing.”

“I understand you, Rex Lapis.” Ganyu bowed her head again. “This was your way of testing Liyue after your departure, wasn’t it?”

“Perhaps. Or perhaps not. The answer lies in your heart.” Zhongli turned, his gaze fixed on Guyun Stone Forest in the distance.

The robed goddess stood atop the eight-headed serpent, steadily advancing toward Liyue Harbor.

The storm she commanded grew fiercer by the moment, while the serpent’s thrashing waves caused the ships surrounding the harbor to list dangerously.

The gods’ power was drawing ever closer to the port city.

Watching the scene unfold, Zhongli’s expression flickered briefly, though his tone remained steady. “A test must be grounded in the possibility of success."

“In this era, after my departure, the adepti cannot hope to withstand the combined might of the Vortex God and the God of Dust."

“Even if we added you, the entire Qixing, and every Vision bearer in Liyue, it would still be impossible."

“When a task is impossible, it ceases to be a test.”

Turning back toward them, Zhongli’s black eyes now gleamed faintly with golden light, piercing through the storm.

“I am not testing anyone. I am inviting chaos and disorder to this land of Liyue, which has grown complacent in its peace."

“Because only through this chaos…"

“Can I resurrect the one person I hold most dear.”

“Resurrect?” Lumine, silent until now, suddenly interjected.

“Resurrect?!”

“Yes.” Zhongli met her gaze. “To pull someone lost from the river of time itself… and bring her back to life.

“That is my purpose.”

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T/N: get yourself a man who would go as far as zhongli, speaking of which... wait i'm not into men LMAOOO

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