readytorunbook Chapter 332 Memories Sealed in the Past
Chapter 332 Memories Sealed in the Past
"...New and old friends fill the hall, gathering together at this moment!"
As Yun Jin bowed to conclude the performance, the song "The Goddess Splits the Temple" came to an end, and thunderous applause erupted in the Qunyu Pavilion.
Many people have already guessed that the goddess in this song is the ethereal white-haired beauty who recently appeared in Liyue Harbor.
The beautiful woman was sitting next to Xu Ning, somewhat bewildered as she accepted the thanks from many people.
"Thanks to your help the other day, many of us were saved from disaster. On behalf of my brothers, I would like to express our gratitude to you and raise a toast to you."
Shen He explained somewhat awkwardly, "I didn't intend to save you; I only wanted to help Xu Ning."
The soldier named Zhengmao from Qianyan laughed and said, "That's true. I should thank Lord Xu Ning. You were the one who stood there first and held off the waves for us. I should also toast you."
Xu Ning smiled and raised his glass, gesturing to Shen He as well, saying, "Let's drink together, let's drink together."
The three of them downed their drinks together, and Zhengmao left satisfied.
Xu Ning poured Shen He a drink and said with a smile, "How does it feel to be thanked and appreciated?"
Shen He nodded, "It does give me a feeling similar to the hero in Yun Jin's lyrics."
Yun Jin, who had just removed her makeup backstage, happened to walk over and, upon hearing this, laughed, "After that big battle the other day, Shen He, you really are just like this goddess. How was my acting?
Shen He thanked Yun Jin and said, "It was very beautiful, and I should thank you. I think I have found the opportunity to change. Just like Xu Ning told me, and as you sang in your lyrics, perhaps when I make many close friends, that will be the opportunity for me to integrate into Liyue."
Yun Jin clapped her hands gently and smiled, "That's exactly how it should be..."
Just then, a man dressed like a wealthy businessman suddenly stepped between the two, laughing loudly, "Mr. Yun, so you're here! Hmm? And this white-haired girl is quite special, like an immortal. Could she be... could she be the goddess you sang about? It's a rare meeting, we should have a good chat. Would you mind if I brought you a chair? Hahaha..."
Shen He, who was talking to Yun Jin, frowned slightly and said coldly to the person who had suddenly appeared, "If you don't want to finish the rest of the wine with your nose or eyes, you'd better leave quickly..."
The wealthy merchant squinted at him, oblivious to the danger, and retorted, "What? What do you want? Huh?"
Shen He suddenly reached out, grabbed the man by the back of the neck, and slammed his head onto the table with a "bang".
"Bang, bang, bang..."
The drinks spilled all over the table, and the man's entire face was smashed into the liquid, truly living up to Shen He's description of "drinking with his nose and eyes."
Yun Jin, who was standing to the side, was stunned.
She wanted to dissuade Shen He, but inwardly she seemed to be giving Shen He's behavior a huge thumbs up and didn't want her to stop. She was so conflicted that she almost laughed out loud.
In the end, Xu Ning came to the businessman's rescue and had him taken away to sober up.
"Oh, your table is so lively! Would you mind if we added a chair?"
As soon as one person left, another one came to "add a chair".
Shen He turned his head and had just seen the girl who was speaking when Xu Ning stood up.
"Master Hu, it's an honor to have you here. We can even add two more chairs."
Xu Ning laughed heartily and indeed added two chairs next to Yun Jin, inviting the little girl Hu Tao to sit down next to Yun Jin. He then respectfully invited Zhong Li to sit down and sat beside Zhong Li.
"I was planning to visit Mr. Zhongli as soon as I got back, but I received news from Ba Che and missed two days. Now that I have the honor of meeting you, I must punish myself with three cups of wine."
Xu Ning picked up the cup on the table and drank three cups as punishment, then toasted Zhong Li with another cup of wine.
"The merchants have been gradually reporting back to Liyue what you've done in Inazuma. You've done a good job."
Upon hearing Zhongli's words "not bad," Xu Ning felt a surge of joy.
To receive a word of praise from the Emperor himself, it truly makes my many days of travel in Inazuma, hmm, worthwhile.
He quickly picked up the wine gourd in his hand and poured Zhongli a bowl of "Thousand Birds".
"This can be considered a local specialty brought from Inazuma, Mr. Zhongli, please have a taste."
Zhongli stared at the occasional glimmer of purple in the wine before him, as if recalling some past event, and remained silent for a long time.
Only when Xu Ning's heart began to pound with anxiety did Zhong Li finally smile, raise his wine glass, and drink it all in one gulp.
There is an old saying in Liyue: "Courtesy demands reciprocity." It is impolite to give without receiving; it is also impolite to receive without giving in return.
Xu Ning pondered those words twice before realizing that the Emperor was referring to the Thunder God's Eye within his own cave.
Although he didn't obtain this Eye of God from the Divine Child, he accepted such a valuable gift but refused to lend a helping hand to Inazuma in his crisis.
From this perspective, the Emperor did not agree with Xu Ning becoming a hands-off manager.
Xu Ning sighed softly and nodded to Zhong Li, saying, "Xu Ning understands. However, there is still something I don't quite understand, and I hope Mr. Zhong Li can enlighten me."
Zhong Li put down his wine glass and looked at Xu Ning calmly, as if he knew what Xu Ning wanted to ask.
What is life? What is death?
Zhongli said calmly, "It's a bit early to talk about life and death now. Do you remember what I told you?"
Xu Ning said in a low voice, "Of course I remember. To witness and to record."
"That's right. Witnessing and recording allows the world to settle in your eyes. If one day you witness true death, even if I don't say it, you will understand all of this."
"Are you still thinking about that sentence?"
In the room of Beidou in the Qunyu Pavilion.
Xu Ning put his arm around Bei Dou's smooth shoulder and took a sip of wine.
Beidou pulled Xu Ning's hand, took a big sip from the wine bowl, and then pulled Xu Ning's lips close to feed him another sip.
"Why did he suddenly start talking about life and death? Ningguang will probably be scared and won't be able to sleep tonight."
Xu Ning glanced down at the gloating guy in her arms. Doesn't he realize who's keeping her up at night?
"I just felt compelled to say this after hearing so many stories of life and death recently."
Xu Ning didn't want his two confidantes to worry because of his uneasy state of mind. Moreover, if Bei Dou knew that he was actually worried about another white-haired beauty, the little girl would probably be even more dissatisfied.
"His Majesty still insists that I help Inazuma complete the Great Purification Ritual of the Divine Cherry Blossom. After all, I can't just take what belongs to others for nothing. I will return to Inazuma in a couple of days."
Beidou tilted his head and asked, "Are you leaving again so soon?"
Xu Ning nodded, "Since we've decided to do it, we should do it as soon as possible. After all, judging from the fact that Yae no Kami appeared in Liyue to find me, I'm afraid Inazuma's situation is already very dangerous, and perhaps we don't have much time left to wait."
Beidou grunted in response, then suddenly stood up and pressed Xu Ning's shoulder to sit down.
Xu Ning was somewhat taken aback. "You're not planning to sleep tonight?"
Beidou laughed and said, "Since we've decided to do it, we should do it as soon as possible. You're a hero, so don't let your mind wander this time. Focus on your work."
Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Xu Ning stood at the teleportation point of Yujingtai, yawning, and said goodbye to the friends around him.
Belial frowned and glanced at Xu Ning, then asked, "You don't seem to be in good spirits. Why don't you rest for a few more days before you go?"
Ye Lan burst out laughing.
"If he rests for a few more days, I'm afraid he won't even be able to walk anymore."
Ningguang glared at Yelan, then turned to Xu Ning and smiled, "Help as much as you can with Daoqi's matter, but don't push yourself too hard."
Xu Ning nodded. "I know, don't worry, I'll be back soon."
Xu Ning patted the teleportation anchor point, and familiar elemental radiance rushed towards him.
Xu Ning carefully examined and felt it, just like when he first entered this place. In the flow of elements in the earth veins, he still could not see the presence of the wine element.
"Logically speaking, I've left so many traces on this continent that they should all be visible here!"
However, even after Xu Ning emerged from the teleportation point off the island, he couldn't see even a single trace of the wine element in the ley lines.
This puzzled Xu Ning greatly.
This elemental eye of wine looks like something I brought from my previous life.
However, with Qingyi, the timid Goddess of Wine, here, and given that she met the Emperor a long time ago, we can know that the element of wine appeared in this world a long time ago.
But why is it that on this continent of Teyvat, it seems that from ancient times to the present, only I have obtained the Eye of God of the Wine element, and no one else has ever possessed it?
Could it be that this god of wine, Qingyi, has only ever watched over him for a thousand years?
Xu Ning looked at the Dust Concealment Gourd in his hand with a puzzled expression, unable to understand it no matter how hard he tried.
"Forget it, there's no point in thinking about it too much. We've arrived at Inazuma, who wants to come out and take a look around?"
Qingyi and Wendy never responded to Xu Ning's calls. They always acted as if they could live forever by each guarding their own wine pool, and Xu Ning didn't even bother to persuade them.
However, it seems that early grapefruit has recently also shown this tendency.
After all, there was no better place to sleep than his own secluded cave. The little guy would eat his fill and then sleep all day long, then eat a little more after waking up and then sleep again. His already round face seemed to have become even rounder.
If Zaoyou's master knew that the Wuhuliu style might have been destroyed in a wine gourd, he would probably find an opportunity to assassinate her.
Xu Ning thought with some concern.
However, in the end, it was Shen He and Master Ji who came out.
Jifashi got his wish and obtained the "photo taken from the top of the largest and tallest flying pavilion in Liyue". He spent his days hoping that Xu Ning could take him to find more wonders.
Now he almost always responds to calls, and the little guy has gotten used to imitating Aji and following behind Xu Ning like a son.
Although Shen He said that after going down the mountain, he would find an opportunity to integrate into ordinary life in Liyue.
But in reality, she always seemed indifferent and idle.
It's unclear how Ningguang convinced Beidou, but the two of them unanimously suggested that Shenhe go out with Xu Ning to see the outside world, so Xu Ning specially brought her along this time.
"This is an outlying island. It can be considered the trading port of Inazuma. Foreigners usually have to register their stay here after entering. If I remember correctly, it should be done at the Engoku Kanji (Governor of the Far Kingdom).
Xu Ning led Shen He and Master Ji to the Yuan Kingdom Supervisory Office, where they saw the lady in feathered robes standing in the supervisory office from afar.
"Hello, Miss Yuyi. I've brought two people here to register for stay on the island."
Upon hearing the name, the woman in front of him immediately raised her head, and when she saw Xu Ning's face clearly, her expression became even more unpleasant.
However, for the sake of her profession, she forced a smile and said, "This guest must have mistaken me for someone else. My name is Lily, and I don't know any Miss Feather Robe!"
Xu Ning asked in surprise, "Did you change the name back?"
Lily leaned forward slightly, gritted her teeth and said in a low voice, "My lord, you spent a total of three million Mora at the inspection station and here that day, but extorted nearly ten million Mora from the former magistrate of the Imperial Censorate. That magistrate is not one to suffer a loss, he even took my name change fee, so naturally I have to change back to my original name."
Xu Ning scratched his head sheepishly and chuckled, "I just meant to make a joke with Lord Hiiragi, who knew he'd take it so seriously. By the way, I think the name Hagoromo is quite nice. How about we stick to the old price and you change it back?"
Upon hearing this, Lily immediately withdrew without expression. "If you wish to process the island residency permits for these two individuals, please pay a processing fee of five hundred Mora per person, totaling one thousand Mora."
Xu Ning was thoroughly annoyed. "Only five hundred Mora? This kind of righteousness is making me uncomfortable."
After obediently paying the money, Xu Ning led the two of them to the Far Voyage Wind once again.
Since Xu Ning reached a wine supply agreement with the beautiful boss of Far Voyage Wind, he has completely forgotten about her due to being busy with other matters.
It was only after returning to Liyue that Ningguang asked Xu Ning to replenish the almost depleted inventory. That's when she remembered the shop on the outlying island and decided to prepare some goods for Shen He and the others while she was handling their paperwork.
"Lord Xu Ning is truly thoughtful."
Upon hearing Xu Ning's purpose, the beautiful owner of Far Voyage Wind, Capria, said gratefully, "Ever since I heard about Lord Xu Ning's heroic deeds at the Sky Keep, Capria has been wondering when you could come here again."
"Since the Eye Hunting Order was abolished, people's worries about the future have disappeared, and now the sales of alcohol are rising every day."
Xu Ning smiled and said, "That's perfect. I just happened to bring a new wine that's perfect for Inazuma's taste. You can buy it on credit here and pay later when you sell it!"
After Xu Ning left the shop of Far Voyage Wind, Capilia held the bowl of wine that seemed to have magic, took a sip, and experienced the tingling sensation that made her body numb.
"The wines developed by Lord Xu Ning are almost all irresistible. If he were willing, I would be willing to give up the Wind of Voyage as my dowry to enter his family."