Genshin impact: investing in small Ningguang

Chapter: 88-90

Chapter 88: The Secret of Unlocking the Memories of Dust

When the soul of Azdaha entered the puppet, the puppet gained independent consciousness.

Under the gaze of Amon and Zhongli, the puppet slowly stood up.

At this moment, Azdaha was trying hard to adapt to his new body.

Although he had become a puppet now, the workmanship of the doll was fortunately very delicate.

Whether it was the facial features or the limbs, there was no difference from a normal person.

Just like the puppets made by General Raiden, the only difference was that the body of King Rāshtra housed a unique soul and independent consciousness.

For a moment, Azdaha looked at his hands with an expression of disbelief.

Earlier, he had felt his consciousness gradually blur and his body grow lighter and lighter.

Then a strong and irresistible drowsiness had overtaken him.

Azdaha knew that this was a sign of his departure from the world.

He had accepted death very calmly.

However, this feeling of rising into the air had not lasted long, as Azdaha felt his body sinking rapidly.

Then, he had woken with a start.

When Azdaha opened his eyes again, he found that he had turned into a puppet.

It was... quite incredible.

He had not expected that he could be resurrected again.

Does the continent of Teyvat truly possess such technology?

Azdaha did not know. After all, he had been asleep for a thousand years.

A thousand years can turn a young boy into an adeptus, turn oceans into mulberry fields, and change so much.

Perhaps there really was technology beyond his imagination.

Retracting his thoughts, Azdaha raised his head and looked at Amon with gratitude.

He knew very well that it was Amon who had given him a second life.

At the same time, Azdaha noticed that all his powers had disappeared.

He had lost the Dragon King's unparalleled strength, his indestructible armor, and his might as vast as mountains and seas.

Now, he was just an ordinary Liyue person.

After a brief moment of surprise, Azdaha readily accepted his new identity.

It was good to be an ordinary person.

He had toiled for thousands of years, and it was time for him to return to a simple life.

It would be even better if Morax could retire as well.

Then the two of them could drink tea, walk leisurely, and visit teahouses to listen to storytellers.

It would be a pretty good life.

"I wonder what Morax's intentions are," Azdaha thought.

"I'll find a chance later to see what his attitude is. Retire when you can.

The Liyue of today is no longer the Liyue of old.

Even gods shouldn't have to keep watch over their nations all the time, should they?

Wouldn't it be nice to relax after retirement?"

Zhongli, standing aside, looked at the now-energetic Azdaha, a ripple appearing in his golden eyes.

He hadn't expected the puppet Amon had brought to be so extraordinary.

The soul of Azdaha could be collected and reborn in such a manner.

This stranger named Amon seemed even more mysterious.

Even the Geo Archon found him unfathomable.

Still, besides his surprise, Zhongli felt happiness.

He had witnessed old friends leave one after another, never to return.

He had very few friends left.

Now that Azdaha had returned, Zhongli no longer had to endure the erosion of losing yet another old companion.

At the very least, having an old friend around would make fighting erosion easier.

Zhongli looked at the puppet before him and slowly asked, "Azdaha, how do you feel?"

Azdaha raised his head, chuckled, and replied, "Don't worry, Morax.

I feel fine. If there's anything wrong, it's probably that I'm very hungry. It would be nice to eat something.

After all, the last time I ate was a thousand years ago."

Azdaha joked, though logically, puppets didn't need to eat to maintain their lives.

But Azdaha felt that life would lose much of its joy without food.

Even Morax, a god, pursued delicious cuisine.

Hearing this, Amon couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "He really is a glutton.

Even after being reborn, the first thing he thinks about is eating."

With a smile, Amon said, "There are many more delicious dishes in Liyue these days.

Mr. Zhongli and I can take you to try them."

Azdaha hummed in response, catching a thought.

"Is Morax's name Zhongli in the human world? Then I should have a human name too.

Zhongli, does that mean you intend to leave it all behind?"

"Then my name will be Zhongju. Even if we leave, we will meet again someday."

Azdaha looked up at Zhongli and smiled. "What do you think of the name Zhongju, Morax?"

Zhongli replied calmly, "It's fine; the choice is yours."

Azdaha's smile grew brighter. "Then it's settled."

Seeing the brothers reunited, Amon couldn't help but smile.

He was sincerely happy for Zhongli.

In the original story, Azdaha had bid farewell to Morax and fallen into a deep sleep again.

Morax had endured the erosion alone in silence, feeling indescribably lonely.

When Amon completed Zhongli's mission, he had felt deeply unsettled.

But now, things had changed, and Zhongli had made up for one of his regrets.

However, Amon couldn't help but feel another regret stir within him—the matter of Morax and the Goddess of Dust.

...

Morax and the Goddess of Dust

In the background story, Guizhong is a quirky, naughty, and cute demon god.

She was interested in Morax and repeatedly expressed her admiration for him.

Maybe Morax's heart was as dull as a rock, so he didn't notice it.

Or perhaps Morax had no intention of falling in love at all.

He never responded to Guizhong's implications.

This also caused Guizhong to become angry, and she often said that Morax was a blockhead who didn't understand a girl's feelings.

Although she was angry, she still loved Zhongli.

Guizhong even went so far as to specially create a weapon called Memory of Dust for him.

She claimed that the lock contained all her wisdom and asked Zhongli to try unlocking it.

The little girl's intentions were always so direct, and she tried every possible way to attract Zhongli's attention.

What a pity, though—before Zhongli could unlock the Memory of Dust, Guizhong had already fallen.

The Demon War had claimed her life.

Many players were disappointed with Guizhong's fate and regretted that she could not be with Zhongli.

Most players remain curious about what lies inside the Memory of Dust.

Amon shared this curiosity.

He noticed that the Memory of Dust in his inventory was resonating strongly with the wild Glazed Lilies.

The Memory of Dust flashed with dazzling light and emitted crisp sounds of ding, ding, ding.

Amon decided to test what would happen by bringing the two together.

He observed as a wild Glazed Lily floated above the Memory of Dust without any external force.

The pure white petals quickly peeled off and merged into the Memory of Dust.

After a moment, the patterns on the Memory of Dust subtly changed to include motifs of Glazed Lilies.

But even then, the Memory of Dust was not fully unlocked.

The process stopped, leaving it only a step away from completion.

What exactly was the final step?

At that moment, Amon noticed that the Memory of Dust was resonating with Zhongli.

No, to be precise, it was resonating with the Memory of Dust that Zhongli carried.

Amon immediately realized that the Memory of Dust in his possession was a fragment of the same Memory of Dust given to Zhongli by Guizhong.

The erosion of time corrodes all things, including the shackles of the world.

The lock that Amon had found might be a remnant from the passing of ages.

Without hesitation, Amon took the Memory of Dust from his inventory and walked toward Zhongli.

When Zhongli saw the Memory of Dust in Amon's hand, he was visibly stunned, momentarily surprised.

He recognized it immediately—it was the same Memory of Dust Guizhong had given him.

However, Zhongli did not question why Amon had the same item.

Instead, he watched silently as the Memory of Dust in Amon's hand turned into light and merged with his own.

The three people present observed as the Memory of Dust came alive, glowing brightly.

Then, they heard a distinct click.

The shackles of the world had been unlocked.

A female voice suddenly emanated from the lock.

"Hehe, I didn't expect that even this lock, which Master Guizhong carefully designed, would not pose a challenge for you."

"I underestimated you, Morax."

"I now admit that you are better than me, but that doesn't change the fact that you are a piece of wood!"

The voice was playful and endearing.

It was a final message left behind by the God of Dust before her ultimate death.

Chapter 89: I Want to Make the Glazed Lilies Bloom All Over the Mountains and Fields

Listening to Guizhong's message, Amon raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Was this the so-called wisdom that Guizhong had left for Zhongli?

When Azdaha heard Guizhong's message, the corner of his mouth twitched.

No one in the entire Liyue had ever dared to call Morax a piece of wood.

But that was exactly the girl's personality.

Zhongli remained silent and stood quietly.

He appeared calm and composed, but his golden eyes rippled slightly after hearing Guizhong's voice.

Subconsciously, Zhongli pictured a girl wearing a flowing, big-sleeved coat, with long waist-length hair and eyes that curved when she smiled.

Her voice was soft and pleasant—no matter how many times he heard it, it was always enchanting.

Zhongli looked at the Memory of Dust in his hand and softly said:

"In the end... I haven't heard that girl's voice in so long. Now that I hear it again, it feels different somehow."

The Memory of Dust in Zhongli's hand continued to release messages.

Guizhong's playful yet reproachful voice came through:

"Morax, you can obviously unlock the secret of this lock, so why can't you understand some of my words?"

"I don't know if you're pretending to be stupid or if you're really that dense. I've made it so obvious, but you don't react at all."

"Do you really need me to say it directly before you understand? But as a girl, how can I do that..."

"Morax, you are such a fool! You really piss me off!"

"I honestly don't know why I fell in love with such a blockhead who frustrates me every day."

Her voice paused, and from within the Memory of Dust came the sound of Guizhong breathing heavily, as if pouting in anger.

Just hearing this, it was easy to picture a cute girl puffing her cheeks in frustration.

Guizhong might have been a demon god, but she was also a spirited, quirky girl.

Azdaha felt a bit awkward and conflicted.

Was this something he should even be listening to?

Morax, however, remained silent, his attention fully focused on the Memory of Dust.

Guizhong's message resumed, her voice tinged with exasperation and humor.

"Morax, you're such a bad guy, always teasing me. Fine! You'd better stick to your attitude and never be with me in this life."

"Otherwise, I swear, I'll give birth to eight or ten children for you! Then you'll be too busy raising them to even cry!"

"Hmph! Just thinking about you pretending to be oblivious makes me mad!"

"I'll ignore you for a lifetime... no, maybe five hundred years... hmm, no! I'll ignore you all day! Do you understand how serious this is?"

"Unless... unless you come find me right after hearing this message."

"Otherwise, I'll ignore you for real this time!"

As Zhongli listened to Guizhong's message, old memories he thought had eroded with time suddenly felt vivid again.

He remembered the day Guizhong gave him the Memory of Dust. She had seemed unhappy, pouting and looking displeased.

Back then, he hadn't understood why.

But now he knew.

Her ultimate hope had been for him to seek her out.

The intelligent yet shy Guizhong had left her unspoken words within the lock.

Zhongli thought, if only he had known about the recordings in the Memory of Dust earlier...

Perhaps he would have sought her out.

But life rarely offers second chances.

The message from Guizhong paused momentarily.

When it resumed, her tone was no longer playful but instead filled with longing and earnestness.

The mischievous demon god now sounded solemn.

"I don't know what Liyue will become in the future, but surely the war between gods and demons will end someday, right?"

"Morax, will I be by your side when that happens? Will I still be here?"

"Of course, I'll still be with you. I haven't had the chance to give you children yet. I don't want to leave you."

"I don't care whether you like me or not. I just like you."

"And I want to plant my favorite Glazed Lilies across the mountains and fields."

"When they bloom, I'm sure they'll be breathtakingly beautiful."

"Well then, I've decided—when the Glazed Lilies bloom all over the mountains, I'll tell you my feelings."

"You'd better not reject me then, or I'll cry in front of you!"

Her voice grew faint, accompanied by the crackling static of time's erosion.

The Memory of Dust could no longer preserve all her words.

But Zhongli still heard her final message clearly.

"Morax, don't always wear that stern expression like an old antique. Smile more."

"Even though I know we can't be together..."

"In my heart, I've already married you once."

"And that's enough. I ask for nothing more."

Chapter 90: Guizhong, Long Time No See

This was the end of the final message.

The Memory of Dust dimmed, retracting its light and returning to its original form.

Although everything had calmed, the words Guizhong spoke lingered in Zhongli's mind, echoing without end:

"Morax, you are such a bad guy, always teasing me. You'd better stick to your attitude and never be with me in this life."

"Otherwise, I will definitely give birth to eight or ten children for you. By then, you'll be so busy raising babies that you won't even have time to cry!"

...

"Morax, will I still be by your side after the Demon War ends? Will I be with you? I definitely will!"

"I'm not with you yet; I haven't given birth to your child. I don't want to leave you."

...

"I'm also going to plant my favorite Glazed Lilies all over the mountains!"

"When the flowers bloom, they will surely be beautiful, won't they?"

"Well, I've decided—when the Glazed Lilies bloom across the mountains and fields, this Guizhong will confess her feelings to you."

"You'd better not reject me then, or I'll cry in front of you!"

...

"Morax, don't always have a stern face like an old antique. Smile more."

"Although I know we can't be together..."

"In my heart, I have already married you once."

...

Zhongli held the Memory of Dust silently.

He stood quietly, gazing at the bustling city of Liyue. No one could tell what he was thinking at that moment.

His figure seemed lonely, imbued with an indescribable desolation.

Suddenly, Zhongli's entire body radiated a brilliant golden light.

The immense Geo elemental energy stirred Amon's heart.

Was Morax truly willing to expend his divine power to fulfill Guizhong's regret?

Golden light surged upward, illuminating the fiery sunset clouds with a shimmering golden hue.

The earth trembled slightly under the weight of the powerful divine energy.

In the next moment, Glazed Lilies began sprouting from the ground, blooming rapidly across the mountains.

The blossoms swayed gently in the wind, scattering their pure white petals over all of Liyue.

Liyue remained as lively as ever, with people bustling through the streets.

But now, everyone paused, mesmerized by the sight of Glazed Lilies blanketing the mountains.

The endless sea of flowers stretched beyond the horizon.

For many, it was a sight unlike anything they had ever seen.

Some gasped in awe, while others tightly held the hands of their loved ones, letting the Glazed Lilies bear witness to their love.

Ganyu, busy with her work, paused at the breathtaking sight.

She deliberately slowed her pace.

Work could wait—but missing such beauty would be a regret.

Casually plucking a Glazed Lily, she whispered to herself:

"Who carefully planted all these Glazed Lilies?"

"Who are they for?"

"If that girl saw this, she would definitely be happy, wouldn't she?"

(T/n: Ganyu found herself an infinite food sources)

At the teahouse, Ningguang, Beidou, and Qiqi sat on chairs, their big, curious eyes gazing toward the forested mountains.

They, too, were entranced by the dreamlike sea of flowers.

On the high platform, Tian remarked,

"Let's tell the story of the Glazed Lily next!"

"It is said that a thousand years ago, a kind demon god deeply loved Glazed Lilies..."

...

Zhongli stood amidst the sea of flowers, gazing at the Memory of Dust in his hands.

"In the end, I've done as you wished, covering the mountains with Glazed Lilies," he murmured.

"Now, their fragrance spreads across all of Liyue."

Zhongli paused, a hint of regret in his voice:

"It's a pity you couldn't witness this scene in person."

"If you were here, you'd probably dance like a child, dragging me along to enjoy the flowers, wouldn't you?"

Azhdaha sensed Zhongli's sorrow but could only remain silent.

Meanwhile, Amon suddenly recalled something.

Rummaging through his system backpack, he retrieved a Spirit Lamp.

The lamp was said to guide souls burdened by regret.

Could it possibly summon a soul that had returned to the end?

Amon didn't know, but he had to try.

Placing the Spirit Lamp on the ground, he lit it.

"Guizhong, didn't you have so many regrets in life?"

"Don't you want to see the mountains covered in Glazed Lilies?"

"Don't you want to speak the words you never could?"

"Now you have the chance to resolve your regrets. Wouldn't you seize it?"

Amon prayed silently, hoping the lamp would guide a wandering soul to rest.

The Spirit Lamp, usable only at night, flickered softly.

With the sun now set and the stars beginning to dot the sky, the moment was perfect.

As the lamp glowed, Zhongli quietly asked,

"Guizhong, are you here?"

It seemed Amon's prayers—or Zhongli's voice—had been heard.

A figure began to emerge from the Spirit Lamp's light.

The girl had waist-length green hair and wide, flowing sleeves.

Her delicate, fair skin and bright, lively eyes radiated familiarity.

Before anyone could speak, the girl threw herself into Zhongli's arms.

"Thank you, thank you, Morax," she sobbed.

"I really, really love these Glazed Lilies."

Tears streamed down her face as she clung to him.

She had finally seen the sea of flowers Zhongli had prepared just for her.

Gently wiping her tears, Zhongli smiled warmly.

"Guizhong... long time no see."