#he's going to use this as his introduction to everyone he meets in teyvat | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

aetheternity · 2 years ago

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Synopsis: Just headcanons for Scaramouche with an S/O that has a similar personality to his. (Cause I think it'd be funny).

A/N: Happy birthday to our favorite baby girl Wanderer/Kuni/Scaramouche. When I tell you writing this took every ounce of energy right outta me so everyone better enjoy it.

CW: small mentions of blood / torture and abuse. Otherwise fluffy scenarios. No gender specified.

Introduction

Your boss had worked alongside the Fatui for the entirety of his adult life. Getting them information on people around Teyvat, hosting events for new recruiters and even paying for their weapons on occasion. He'd taken you in after you'd been abandoned only a year prior by your parents. You were too destructive for the rich, privileged lifestyle you'd been born into, he'd explained.

You hadn't seen them since your boss had taken you in. You soon found out later that they'd suffered an early demise. Eventually you discovered that you weren't completely human, his research coming across at least three different traces of elemental energy within your body. You didn't use a vision nor did you need one. However you had no idea how to go about using all the elemental power stored within you.

So for many years to come he extracted your blood for testing. Hooked you up to more machines than you could remember in the hopes you would find a way to focus the energy and use the elements currently dormant within you. The experiments did have a slightly positive effect. To some degree these new powers were active and you managed to use them on occasion just not for too long and not without intense strain on your body.

On the last day you'd seen him was the first day you'd truly experienced what you imagined freedom to be. He'd released you from the lab. Sent you off to what he'd described as one of the recruitment meetings he went to every few months. He'd told you today would be your first time leading the meeting but before you'd even arrived you were attacked.

It didn't take long for your powers to fail and you were bruised, beaten and nearly killed by Fatui members. Just before you'd truly blacked out you heard retreating footsteps followed by a voice you could barely register as the world turned cold.

☆

The bed you awoke in was warm as was the light that stretched across your face from the curtains you couldn't recognize. You glanced to your left confused by the glass of water by the bedside table you'd never seen in the lab before. You sat up stretching a hand out to touch your forehead confused by the bandage covering it.

Before you could say a word a woman you didn't recognize peeked her head in. Her eyes growing wide before she shut the door exiting the room. When she returned you noticed a man standing behind her. His red hair tucked into a ponytail. He slipped past the maid and with a nod she left.

"You look well. Surprising for what occurred only the night before."

"What is this? Who are you?"

"This is hospitality, welcome to the Dawn Winery. I hope we can get to know each other a bit more while you stay."

That was only the beginning. The time before you'd discovered the truth about your parents. The untimely death they'd shared at the hands of your former boss and how he'd almost done the same to you after finding your talents too costly to continue funding.

For three years after you'd been attacked on the streets you spent your life under the watchful eye of Master Diluc and the staff of Dawn Winery. He'd helped you obtain all the information you desired about your past and allowed you to train your skills as much as you could until the day you chose to part from his care for good.

"Stay safe then. If you need help in the future Dawn Winery will be here." You exhaled sharply not being able to stop yourself from latching onto him. You heard him chuckle and felt his chin against the top of your head. His arms around your shoulders.

Someday you'd find a way to properly repay him and someday you would be the hand that ended your former boss' life. Until then you would take time for yourself and properly experience the world you'd never saw.

☆

You realized how little you'd learned about mora management when you traveled into Sumeru nearly flat broke. Your time in Liyue well spent (literally). So to keep from starving to death you took up odd jobs in the Grand Bazaar. The hustle and bustle was quite hard to adapt to and interacting with customers had been more than a bit of a learning experience. But you'd succeeded with flying colors.

It wasn't a bad gig either. You could watch the performances of Nilou and some of the other dancers when your boss left the stall up to you. Your new boss being quite different from your first one as he was closer to you in age and quite understanding.

In your time working you helped many repeat customers but one in particular had caught your eye. He wasn't dressed like a Sumeru resident and he always wore that ridiculously big hat atop his head.

"Just some Sunsettias, thanks." He always ordered fruit from you. While he didn't come around everyday or anything you still found yourself looking out for him on occasion. You told yourself it was simply because you enjoyed the jokes that rapid fired in your mind regarding his hat but after a while..

"Ah, don't tell me you're looking out for your favorite customer." Your boss chuckled

"And how do you figure that, Rainer?"

"You never wanna leave the stand anymore. You must have at least one favorite customer you absolutely have to see." Rainer scoffed, shouldering the heavy crate he'd mentioned to you only minutes before.

"Interesting that your assumption is that I have a favorite customer and not that I just don't care to lift crates all day." You accentuate your point with a 'hmph'

"Sure, I'll take your word for it, Name. I hope he comes for your sake."

"You're so annoying." You sigh

He didn't come that day however. Actually you were starting to believe your mysteriously dressed customer had finally moved nations. That was until you peeked across the Bazaar one day to see him drifting between stalls. He'd stopped at one just across from you and you stared. You blinked harder as if you were somehow conjuring him in a dream and blinking would awaken you.

He only spoke with the carpet salesman for a couple minutes before he was turning around and heading toward you. You willed yourself to react normally however all you could competently do was stare near dumbfounded at him.

"Hello?" He said, his tone a bit harsh

"Yeah, what do you need?" You find your voice.

"I was asking for my normal order." He replied quickly

"Sure I can get that for you."

The normal silence you've grown accustomed to in this stranger gave you an odd feeling this time. As though there were a sort of topic hanging loosely in the air. This interaction didn't have nearly the same emotions that all the previous ones brought upon you. You didn't make a single joke in your head as you piled fruits into a bag before handing it to him and he didn't immediately rush off after giving a short, firm thanks.

"There's this.. spot in Gandharva Ville.. you can see the entire forest from this tree it's the tallest one there. If you're interested in a quiet place to do your writing." He points to the notebook placed atop the counter. Before you could say a word he tossed some mora down, grabbing his bag and quickly heading off.

For a second you stand there purely lost on how to react any further. Your notebook? How'd he even know you enjoyed writing in it?

"You are going right?" You flip around to see Rainer stood just behind you his hands on his hips.

"Why would you care?"

"He's probably going to be waiting for you there, you should go."

"He's just a random customer, it was just a suggestion. Doesn't mean I have to take it."

"A suggestion that would ease your life. He's been watching you I just know it!"

You scoff, banging your hand against the table in front of you. "What will get you to stop talking the fastest?"

"If you agree to go obviously."

"You seriously need a date or something." You grumble, he crosses his arms with a silent glare. "What? I was just joking."

☆

The tree is far better looking than you could've imagined. With a view that seemed as though it could truly never end. The climb had grown rougher as you reached the tops of the branches. The foliage thicker and harder to see through. You find yourself nearly stunned from the branch you'd grabbed, grappling onto a foot you hadn't seen.

Before you could fully let go an arm stretched out to tug you up atop the same branch you'd almost latched onto before. Finally you were met with the same customer you'd been fixated on for who even knows how long now.

"Told you." He says simply, pointing out at the landscape. "No need to thank me, you were always scribbling like the noisy Bazaar bugged you. Well, there isn't much of that out here."

"So you have been watching me?"

"Don't flatter yourself I merely noticed you." He'd replied folding his arms and returning his attention back to the scenery.

"I'd only be flattered if you were someone important. Seems that big hat is carrying a bit of ego too."

He smirks with a scoff, "It's a long way down you know. I suggest you maintain a level of respect especially since you wouldn't have known about this place if not for me."

You huff proudly, "And here I was thinking you didn't want bragging rights."

The first time the two of you eat together

"What are you eating for lunch today?" Wanderer asks as he pays his mora for his usual order.

"I don't know." You shrug

Wanderer had started stopping by a bit more frequently per week. Twice a week now as opposed to the four times a month he'd been doing before. It'd started after you'd climbed the tree to meet him in Gandharva Ville. He'd stayed with you the entire time as you scribbled down notes. Notes regarding your latest performance with the training you did outside of work. He hadn't said too much as you wrote, didn't even say much in the coming days when he'd returned to your stall.

Today however, "There's an eatery nearby. I've never eaten there but I'm going today."

You tilt your head a bit. Slowly muddling over his words. "You're inviting me to join you?"

"I'd have no other reason to bring it up." He crosses his arms.

"Oh, do you plan on getting me whatever I want?" You tease

"Don't be ridiculous I just meant we should go there not that it was some sort of gesture of affection."

"Silly me, I could've sworn in all of your returns to my stall and almost exclusively mine that you'd been looking for someone to hold at night."

He clicks, his teeth with a long exhale. "Forget that I even asked." And with that he high tailed it away. You weren't sure if you'd seen it correctly but you could've sworn you noticed a light pink bloom along his cheeks.

"Seriously?" Rainer huffed smacking the broom he was holding against the floor with a hand positioned on his hip. You merely sighed rolling your eyes and choosing not to engage. Thankful when he didn't push the topic further and just began sweeping again.

☆

Once your break actually did begin you found yourself taking a walk down Treasures street. Your shoes clicking along as you peer between the buildings and around the recreational spaces. Until you'd strolled into the Tavern at the end of the street. Your senses soon greeted by the warmth of the atmosphere and the scent of grilled meat and Charcoal cakes.

You turned to seat yourself at the table in the farthest corner when you saw something that peaked your interest instead. Unconsciously your lips upturned and you headed in the direction of his table seating yourself in front of him.

He doesn't say a word, just glares a bit but you decide to pay it no mind, grabbing your book from your satchel to begin your normal day to day scribbles. You flip to the page before it and read over the notes you'd take the day before only to be interrupted as you scan.

"What are you always scribbling in that book?"

"My progress." You remark without looking up.

Wanderer simply sighs, "Do you want the rest of this? It's not bitter enough for my taste." He slides his plate across the table to you setting his elbows onto the wood.

You take up his offer, taking a quick bite before returning to your book. Though you quickly look up again to see him staring back at you. "Thanks for the food." You say with a smile. He blinks down at your book instead of answering. "It's just notes based on my training regimen. Everyday that I push myself past my previous limit I write down how well I succeeded and how much of my powers I can use currently without fainting or feeling weak."

"How well does it normally work?"

"In the last week I've made no progress." You sigh with a shake of your head, jotting down the hours you spent hitting targets you'd set up with bolts of lightning. "Happens pretty regularly though, sometimes I can go two to three weeks without progress."

He grows silent laying his back against the wall behind his chair. You find yourself thoroughly enjoying the silence however as you'd never experienced enjoyment in being around anyone like this before. Rainer never shut up, always feeling as though he had to keep things from getting too silent. And you definitely couldn't tell him anything because of how loud he talked.

"Your spelling is atrocious and so is your handwriting in general." He randomly butt in.

"Oh, so we're telling the truth now?" You sit up, slapping your pen down on the table.

"You're the one that sat here. You could've gone anywhere else." He pulls the pen from where you'd laid it down taking your notebook as well. A bit forcefully.

"Hey." You grumble walking around the table as he begins to write in your book. When you peek over his shoulder, you notice him slowly correcting your spelling, crossing words out and rewriting them. "Who said you could write in my book?"

"Did no one every teach you how to write? Seriously.. your spelling, the way your words dip down the page. You must go through twenty pages in a week and a half."

"I never asked for your opinion." You grumble, though it doesn't have the bite you'd like.

He slides the chair next to him out and points to it without looking up. "Hurry up and sit I'm going to show you proper spelling and punctuation."

When you get into a fight.

You felt particularly pumped today so when a group of eremites bugged you while you took your normal walk up to Gandharva Ville, you didn't mind settling the score with them. It'd been fairly easy to beat them down though you did feel a bit fatigued by the time the last one fell. You heard the click of shoes and as you turned around you saw the one and only Wanderer walking up the path.

He slid a heel into an unexpectant eremites chest causing the poor sucker to wheeze before flopping against the ground.

"So these guys were your doing, huh." He kicked up some dirt stopping in front of you.

"Yeah, I nailed it. I think that was the best I've ever fought." You pant, trying your hardest to catch your breath.

"And yet you seem-" A yell makes the two of you turn and before you can properly make out the new group of eremites jogging your way. Wanderer shoves you back. "Get out of here, now."

"I don't need help, I can take them!" You grunt, you launch yourself at one, electricity surging in your fist but it quickly dies away. "Ugh!" Suddenly your collar is snatched and you feel warm arms around you. For just a couple seconds you peer back at Wanderer as he holds onto you, a large slender staff coming down against his back. He grunts angrily and then the warmth is ripped away and you're being shoved again.

"Fuck off already!" This time you actually do leave, hightail it all the way into the forest and beneath a tree as the sounds of shouts die down.

You try once more to conjure literally any of the elements you wield but soon find yourself frustrated and a bit dizzy. When you flop to the ground, your journal flips open, colliding with the mud. You shake the gross substance off with a grunt and as you do the pages flip open a smidgen. Along the margins are tiny words. You recognize Wanderer's handwriting. Snarky comments and tiny arrows he'd drawn to indicate things that needed to be fixed.

You gulped reading it all over again. You slide your back up the tree edging yourself forward to head back but before you can you're greeted with a dejected Wanderer. He rubs his elbow with a deep sigh and when you approach he puts a hand out taking a step back but you ignore it.

Your arm slides warmly around to his back and you can feel the scratches where his clothing was ripped. He doesn't acknowledge your affection nor does he embrace you back. Opting to stand still as you hold him.

"You're warm.. but.."

"I'm not human.." He says as though he'd guessed your thought process. You can't quite tell how he's feeling from his words alone. You let him go and he staggers back a bit.

"Let me.. take care of your wounds at least."

"Don't bother." He shakes his head but he doesn't leave. You almost want to kick him for how stubborn he's being.

"It's my fault you got injured just let me take care of it. Consider it payment in some way for the time you wasted teaching me how to spell."

He doesn't reply for a minute you think he's going to turn around and walk away. His eyes shifting back up the path but instead he takes a seat where he's stood. Your eyes grow wide and you rush to his side quickly realizing you don't have much to patch him up with and instead just work to clean his injuries.

"Well if you're not human, what are you then?" You ask as you rub a thin scratch along his back with alcohol rub. He doesn't speak and for a second you think he's ignoring you but his words soon come. Mumbled and low as he says the words,

"I'm a puppet."

What the masses think of your relationship

Nahida had immediately been over the moon to meet you. Though she didn't understand the kind of relationship you two had because Wanderer simply introduced you by name and nothing more.

"Welcome welcome! Wanderer hasn't told me very much about you but I'm grateful that you could stop by. He's been out almost everyday since the date I perceived a change in his behavior. I assumed he'd made a friend but I wasn't sure he'd introduce me."

You cross your arms over your chest sending a glare Wanderer's way. He shifts his gaze away with a tiny smirk.

"Ah, I apologize did I misconstrue your relationship?"

"I'm his partner." You say matter a factly

"Please refrain from making a big deal of it." Wanderer sighs, nearly staring daggers into Nahida.

"Aww even better!" Nahida giggles with a clap of her hands. "I hadn't imagined you'd socialize enough with anyone to achieve a relationship like this. You must be quite special to him."

"Buer.."

"Oh? Is the reserved and distant Wanderer a little embarrassed?" You tease, sticking your tongue out with a small giggle.

"Name.." He grunts

"There's no need to be embarrassed about this Wanderer. I'm thankful that you trust in me enough to share such an intimate chapter in your life and I'm also thankful that you chose to create new bonds after the chaos your life has previously thrown at you. You're doing so well now."

"The sooner you both stop talking the happier I'll be." He says tugging the brim of his hat down to hide his face.

"Though perhaps I should've guessed. He was always buying all that fruit and never eating it. He's not particularly fond of Sunsettias as you've probably realized."

You could see Wanderer in the corner of your eye grinding his teeth in disgust but the only word you could manage was, "Oh."

Oh..

☆

With Traveler however it's a bit more straightforward.

The two of you had just been enjoying a meal when the Traveler and Paimon had walked up immediately acknowledging Wanderer.

"Hey, since when do you go to lunch with people?" Paimon asked turning to look at you. Traveler turned as well with a simple hello.

"This is Name, my partner." Wanderer replies

"Wait what?! Partner as in?? Romantically partner?? Or partner as in organized crime?"

"Take a wild guess." You smile menacingly, folding your fingers and leaning toward the pair in front of you.

"Obviously romantic." Wanderer scoffs in irritation.

"No, no way. You in a relationship with someone?! That's impossible! You're.. you're.. you!"

"Well, wilder things have happened." Traveler finally comments

"Whether or not you believe me is something I care very little about especially since you've interrupted the quiet atmosphere. I'd suggest you both refrain from sticking around here any longer. This is a private gathering" He said, eyes dark almost piercing.

The traveler soon shooed his companion away with a small apology as they both exited the recreational area. Allowing the two of you to have your time again.

"How does the Traveler deal with that.. floating thing? Does it have some sort of off switch?" You ask once it's just the two of you again.

"Ignore that, we were discussing something more important."

☆

The next time the two of you meet Traveler and Paimon it ends up being a bit different.

"Ugh, fine fine Paimon owes the two of you an apology for how she acted before. It was rude of Paimon to say those things about your relationship. Paimon is sorry."

"So you never use the word I? You just repeat your name constantly to refer to yourself?" You question with a raise of your brow.

"Hey! Paimon is trying to apologize. The least you can do is pay attention!"

You turn to Wanderer, "Wow that gets old quick."

"Hey!"

Traveler crosses their arms, "We just thought you two could use an apology."

"Save it. We didn't exactly lose any sleep from our previous encounter. It doesn't matter one way or the other." Wanderer replied

"Ugh you two were made for each other you're both annoying to talk to!" Paimon stomped

"Ditto." You say with a wave as the two leave.

He soon becomes your most important person

"What do you plan to do if they return?"

Wanderer had helped you set up the few belongings you owned in a tiny cabin far far off the beaten path. The dark forest atmosphere perfectly secluding this once abandoned eremite cabin.

"I'll be fine if they come back but if you're that worried why don't you stay with me for a while?" You watch as he rolls his eyes, heading to the corner to place his hat on the dusty desk, clearing away a bit of the dirt first.

"You should heed my warnings instead of brushing them off with one of your snarky comments. Especially when you still have problems controlling your strength or using too much of it and becoming a target

"Whatever, I'll be fine."

You flip yourself around, tugging the pillow you'd gotten from Rainer into your chest.

"Don't tell me your feelings are hurt."

"Just leave already. I'll be fine for the night."

You hear the click of Wanderer's heels against the ground but instead of leaving he stops just behind you. Tugging the pillow from your grasp. You hear it hit the floor but you don't turn around. You feel the bed shift and hear its creaking as he takes the pillows space, pulling you into his arms. You don't say a word and for a while you don't even reciprocate the affection.

"Quit being a brat." He whispers and it lacks all the bite Wanderer normally has towards everyone he interacts with.

"I'm going to get stronger." You whisper into his chest. Fist clenched as you hold a fist full of his shirt. "I'm going to kick my former boss' ass someday. I'm going to be strong. I am."

He tugs you in tighter, his chin resting on the crown of your head. "Train with me for now. I'll make sure you're prepared when that day comes."

Your arms meld around his waist tugging him in closer and the two of you quickly fall into comfortable silence. Before you could even realize it yourself, you were drifting off to sleep. Face flush against Wanderer's soft chest.

His voiceline about you

Sighs. Name is beyond reckless. Takes on unneeded fights with such blatant disregard for the harm it could do. Heads off and just disappears for hours on end. It's all so irritating to put up with. Sometimes I think I'm the most mature one in this relationship. That can't possibly be a good sign. What? You think this is funny? What do you mean irony??

#genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #genshin fluff #genshin x reader fluff #genshin impact x reader fluff #scaramouche x reader #scaramouche fluff #wanderer x reader #wanderer x y/n #wanderer fluff #a little Paimon slander for the soul

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natsumi-no-hotaru · 3 years ago

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There and back again: a megane-ko’s adventure

Part 2: Romance of the Rock

AKA. My love letter to Ningguang, Zhongli, and all that Geo goodness.

[Previously: Part 1 - I went back to make some changes, mostly at the beginning to give non-GI gamers some information about the game’s premise - the Traveler’s backstory]

[Spoiler warning for the Liyue Archon story line and relevant character stories. Also, I may use “he/him” when referring to the Traveler simply for convenience’s sake, as I picked Aether as my protagonist.]

It is now late of June, with barely 10 days left. Soon enough, 8 months will have passed since I took the first step (and fall) in Teyvat. It’s absolutely absurd (and come on, kinda hilarious too, right?) to think that right now GI is a quarter of the way through patch 1.6, and I have yet to recount the best part of my patch 1.1 experience! I could give a slew of reasons as excuses for my slowpoke writing but the fact remains that I really, really need to catch up on my storytelling, before forgetting at which point in the story I have stopped like Tea Master Liu Su, or being too busy to explore the new region coming in patch 2.0 to even go on tumblr to write! And I would hate it to still tell stories of my Liyue adventure when everyone else is going gaga over the new land of Inazuma, especially when I hold many Liyue characters dear to my heart - most of all, my ever-reliable and wonder duo of Ningguang and Zhongli. So without further ado, dear readers, allow me to pick up from where I left off…

A panorama of Liyue city and harbor, as viewed from a nearby peak

*clears throat*

Having just recently arrived in Liyue, our Traveler was immediately embroiled in a most serious and dreadful matter - the deicide of Rex Lapis, Liyue’s archon of many epithets. To clear his name from being a suspect of this gravest crime, the Traveler reluctantly accepted the help of Childe, a smooth-talking Harbinger of the antagonist Fatui. Childe advised him to get his story straight with the adepti, enlightened beings in the departed archon’s service, and arranged a meeting with the person who could give him the opportunity to see the archon’s vessel. After Childe’s interestingly-worded introduction about his associate’s work in-the-shadows (that totally misled Paimon into thinking that they were to meet an assassin), this was revealed to be Zhongli-sensei, a consultant working for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Since the Geo Archon was essentially the first adeptus, he was to receive a memorial service in his honor, and there was no better candidate for the job than the very organization versed in performing send-off ceremonies for the adepti for ages. As access to the divine vessel was barred to all by orders of Ningguang, the Tianquan of the Qixing and de facto leader of Liyue, Zhongli-sensei invited the Traveler to join him in the preparations for the Rite of Parting.

A view of the harbor at dawn

While accompanying Zhongli-sensei on a glorified shopping tour for necessary items, the Traveler was immersed in the customs, culture and way of life in Liyue. Commerce and fair trade are at the heart of Liyue and it was no other than the God of Geo who laid down the bedrock of her prosperity through the minting of Mora (the currency of Teyvat, named after Rex Lapis’ actual name, Morax) and the long cultivation of respect for contractual obligations in all forms. In return, the people of Liyue show deep reverence towards Rex Lapis, who, as the God of Contracts, had always held up his end by protecting their safety and supporting their livelihood. For this reason, while the savvy merchants and craft artists were all keen on driving hard bargains, they quickly gave the Traveler and co. a discount (or even gave away their goods) upon learning about the intended use of their products - their tribute to the departed God and their oldest patron.

My two favorite claymore users, Razor and Chongyun, by the busy shops and food stalls of Liyue

The preparations for the Rite of Parting also offered many windows into the fascinating character of Zhongli-sensei, the Traveler’s Liyue tour guide. From the beginning, he showed himself to be single-mindedly bent on ensuring that Rex Lapis would receive a farewell proportionate to the grandeur bestowed upon him in life. Since the Liyue Qixing was occupied with finding the killer and thus less than interested, Zhongli-sensei had to look for funding from elsewheree, which was how Childe came to have a role. As long as Liyue’s thousands-year-old traditions lived on, Zhongli-sensei had no reservation about involving the Fatui, despite their tense relations with Liyue’s ruling elite and ulterior motives.

Zhongli-sensei by the stall selling kites, an item on the shopping list

Yet, sensei was no snobbish stickler for traditions, even while conducting himself as an erudite gentleman who asked for quality goods but somehow had not a single Mora in his pocket (and always forgot about it at payment). Indeed, great care and thought went into the preparations, for every item in the shopping list harkened back to the profound historical, cultural and even personal bonds between Rex Lapis and the land, adepti and people of Liyue. The Noctilucous Jade was top at the list because the departed archon hewed Liyue from the rocks and stones over which he held command. Next up are the perfumes freshly decocted from three varieties of Silk Flowers, a traditional offering to Rex Lapis but now long-forgotten, the Cleansing Bell obtained from the adeptal realm contained in an innocuous teapot, the kites decorated with symbols of the Seven, and the Everlasting Incense obtained after a hilariously failed peer-to-peer transaction with Qiqi. At every turn, the Traveler was intrigued by Zhongli-sensei’s wealth of knowledge and experience, his curious adeptal connection, and most of all, his lack of familiarity with spending money given his gentile background, and bargaining despite his “poverty”.

Childe: I see Mr. Zhongli’s the same as ever. When paying— Well, when getting others to pay for him, he neither looks at the price tag nor his wallet. He knows a great deal about money, and about the trials of the common man. He just doesn’t consider poverty to be something that could ever happen to him. Or perhaps you could say that he cannot imagine himself lacking money.

Zhongli-sensei at the Third-Round Knock-out, being regaled with stories about Liyue past and living legends

As the Rite of Parting preparations were more or less in place, it was time to turn to the tug of war between the Fatui and the Qixing, and subsequently, the tug of power between the Qixing and the adepti. On the Fatui’s side, Childe needed information to make his next move. Cautious as the Traveler was to not provide him with any ammunition, “the walls have ears” and word about the Qixing’s deployment of additional security to the Golden House, the one and only mint of Teyvat, still got out to Childe. Being no fool, he quickly figured out that only the guarding of Rex Lapis’ vessel would warrant such forces.

Keqing: The time of the adepti has long passed. If even the Liyue Qixing don’t want to face that truth, then what future is there for Liyue?

In the meantime, it was the Qixing’s turn to make a move. An invitation from Ningguang to the Jade Chamber was delivered to the Traveler, just as he was to partake in a meal at Zhongli-sensei’s treat (the one time sensei actually brought mora, too!). On their way, the Traveler and Paimon encountered Keqing, the 2nd most important person in the Qixing, who gave them the directions that Ganyu, the emissary, accidentally forgot. She helpfully informed them of Ningguang’s intention, that is to request the “savior of Mondstadt” to take a more neutral stance. Interestingly enough, Keqing made no mention of the Fatui and chose to voice her discontent with the adepti’s condescension towards the humans under their protection, including the Qixing. Her belief in self-reliance over dependence on Rex Lapis and the adepti, left a strong impression on the Traveler, who made his way through this world without a Vision - the Archon’s blessing that allows wielder to use an elemental power.

Ningguang: The departure of Rex Lapis will be no small test for both the Qixing and the city of Liyue. Seldom has any matter kept me tossing and turning at night like recent events. Nevertheless, I shall not lose sight of my goal. There will come a day when the shadow cast by the Jade Chamber reaches every end of Teyvat.

The Traveler, after painstakingly preparing a Sugar-frosted Slime, a greeting gift that is totally “boom shaka-laka“ in Paimon’s words, finally ascended to the Jade Chamber. It was a veritable palace, floating higher than all the peaks of Liyue, from which one could look at the entire land of Geo. Greeting them cordially, the Lady told them of the laborious construction of the Jade Chamber and her ambition for it to “overshadow” the whole of Teyvat. She had heard quite a bit of the Traveler, from her eyes and ears at Wangshu Inn where he met an adeptus, to her communications with Jean, the Acting Grand Master of Favonius Knights. Seeking to gain the Traveler’s support, she began by dispelling all notions of the Qixing plotting Rex Lapis’ death in an attempt at usurpation. Referring back to how Archons fought the long and bloody war to maintain their dominion and become one of the Seven, she spoke of the Qixing’s concern over the scenario of Liyue being up for grab by another Archon, and what it might mean for the former subjects of Rex Lapis. To root out chaos and defend Liyue, hiding the Rex Lapis’ vessel was a bid to gain control of the situation, while allowing the Rite of Parting would give the Qixing more time to act. She then deftly turned the Traveler’s attention to the enemy long hidden in the harbor, a “him” that could have meant no one else but Childe. The difference between her take on the situation and Keqing’s became quite apparent- her concern lied with the Fatui’s maneuvering, not the adepti’s lack of recognition of humanity’s strength.

View from the Yujing Terrace

Iron Tongue Tian: The saying goes, the rarest treasures in the land are the words brought by the paper snow. For the words of the Tianquan have the power to move mountains and all throughout the land know it. These are but scraps of paper, and yet they guide Lady Ningguang’s hand — such is their value.

Hospitality and food for though were not the only things that their eloquent and charming host offered. Upon Paimon’s point-blank inquiry after a present in return for the greeting gift, Ningguang laughed in genuine amusement and invited them to take any object in the Jade Chamber. True to her materialistic tendency, Paimon asked for a piece of paper from the legendary wall containing intelligence documents collected for Ningguang’s deliberation on important mercantile and state affairs. The papers on this wall made for a famous sight in Liyue, for after Ningguang made her decision, they would be shredded and scattered in the air, resulting in a “paper snow”, and no merchant would not pay a fortune to know what the Tianquan had in mind. It was no coincidence, as the Traveler conjectured, that the paper they chose had information on the Sigils of Permission, the very same talisman Childe gave them for passage into Jueyun Karst, the adepti’s land. It was time to learn the truth for themselves.

After verifying the suspicious activities of the Fatui, the Traveler and Paimon went to meet Zhongli-sensei at Dihua Marsh for the final addition to the Rite of Parting - fresh wild Glaze Lilies. The pair shared their impressions of Ningguang, with Paimon liberally praising her kindness and generosity, and the Traveler taking a more skeptical view of her “friendliness” while noting her intelligence and ambition. Zhongli-sensei agreed that contrary to the bold and frank Keqing, Ningguang was a self-made businesswoman at heart, whose true intention was harder to discern. After advising the pair to exercise caution toward the Fatui, Zhongli-sensei showed them the tradition of picking Glaze Lilies - singing to the flowers to release their fragrance. Their exploration of the marsh was not very productive, but serendipitously, they met with a grieving Ganyu, now the Qixing Secretary, who gave them the flowers in honor of the ancient lord she served.

The Dihua Marsh

At the city, the situation rapidly took a turn for the worse. The adepti had arrived at the outskirts of Liyue and some of the Qixing went to meet them, in fact to stall them outside the city, as the adepti did not recognize the Qixing’s authority and chose to act on the basis of their contracts with the Geo Archon. Meanwhile, the Millelith was given orders to rein in the Fatui. Before leaving to check on Wangsheng, Zhongli-sensei advised the Traveler and Paimon to find the fuse first if they wished to help defuse the situation. And the fuse could be nothing else but the divine vessel and no one was more interested in it than Childe.

The pair arrived at the Golden House, where the vessel is kept, only to find the guards all unconscious and Childe up to no good. Like the previous time with Barbatos, the Anemo Archon of Mondstadt, Childe acted under the order of the Tsaritsa, the Cryo Archon, to steal the Gnosis, the source of an archon’s divinity. The Traveler crossed swords against Childe, who momentarily outwitted him to get at the vessel, only to find out that the Gnosis was no longer there. Believing that the Traveler got it before him, the enraged Childe brought out his ace card.

Childe: The battle has already left me satisfied. Anyone who strives as I do to grow stronger shall be called a friend, even if our friendship can only be shown in battle against one another.

After an arduous battle (but seriously fun and adrenaline-pumping), the Traveler defeated Childe in his Delusion form. Childe, while acknowledging the Traveler’s strength, still had a mission to do. Since the Gnosis was not in the vessel, the only explanation possible was that the corpse was faked, and a certain god might not really dead. Desperate times called for drastic measures: if the god had not deigned to make an appearance yet, then it was time to up the stakes. And Childe had one more trick up his sleeve for that - the Sigils of Permission, conduits of divine power once used by the adepti and Rex Lapis himself. Combined with the power bestowed by the Tsaritsa, he would be able to briefly release an old enemy of Rex Lapis, Osial, Overlord of Vortex, from the seal imprisoning him in the Guyun Stone Forest, thus allowing Osial to unleash his anger upon the entire population of Liyue. And so thwarted mayhem and mischief were taken up several notches to reach mass murder and destruction.

The Guyun Stone Forest are but the remnants of the stone spears thrown by Rex Lapis to subdue an ancient god…

Lost as to what to do, the Traveler and Paimon came upon the Jade Chamber flying by the Golden House and reunited with the adepti and the Qixing. Facing the dire threat of Osial, the two parties called a truce and pooled their power in defense of Liyue. It was on the Jade Chamber where they made their stand against the Overlord of Vortex, and where one got a glimpse of the full extent of Ningguang’s power. Through a series of hand commands, the Tianquan used her Geo power to raise a translucent platform of light, on which the Guizhong ballista, offensive adeptal mechanisms, were mounted and manned by the adepti present. The ballista quickly launched a volley of attacks on Osial, but came under attack themselves when waves of Fatui teleported onto the platform. Blessed by the adepti with enhanced offense, survival capability, and speed, the Traveler fought alongside Keqing and the Millelith in getting rid of the Fatui, while evading attacks from Osial himself. Just when the adepti could finally focus on raining fire on Osial without the meddling Fatui, the Overlord concentrated his attacks and took out all the ballista, along with the platform.

The Lady Ningguang activating the platform mechanism, turning her Chamber into a veritable flying fortress.

The loss of the ballista may well have spelled instant defeat for the Qixing and the adepti, had not been for Ningguang’s quick thinking and unwavering will. As the fate of Liyue was hanging by a thread, Ningguang, with not an ounce of hesitation, decided to sacrifice the Jade Chamber, the fruit of her tireless efforts and symbol of her power. All took to evacuation, while the Chamber flew closer to the ancient god, plummeted and exploded upon collision.

Madame Ping: I’ve heard that when Ningguang began learning to do business, she had already started setting aside part of her then-limited income in preparation for building the Jade Chamber. At first, it was only the size of a small room. But with continued expansion, it has become the palace that lies before you now.

Now that the immediate threat was done and dusted, it was time to get back to the Qixing vs. adepti debate - who should take over control over Liyue, now that Rex Lapis was no longer in charge. Among the adepti, Madame Ping, who kept the Cleansing Bell earlier, was the only one who still lived among the people of Liyue and had the most balanced perspective of the Qixing and their efforts. After all, it was no small feat for Ningguang to sacrifice the achievement of her mortal lifetime in a blink of an eye, and still retain much collectedness to make her case to the adepti in a courteous yet unyielding manner. While recognizing the extraordinary contributions of the adepti in upholding their contract with Rex Lapis to protect Liyue from all foreign, often godly, threats, for thousands of years, she gently but firmly reminded them that Liyue and its lands, while still immovable as stone, had changed much since its founding, and so should the approach to and means of protection. Some adepti took offense at what they saw as a criticism of their way of doing things and scoffed at Ningguang’s request for the adepti to see the Qixing as their inheritors. Yet, once again, Ningguang’s power of persuasion prevailed, this time not via a show of power, but a confession of heartfelt humility.

Ningguang: In the dream, I yearned to tell him that we Qixing, though mortal, are equally bound to the contract. Each passing generation of the Qixing leaves many things of value to be inherited by the next generation.

I also thought to tell him how the past generations of Qixing had strove under his rule to survive in our mortal world, establishing a network of contracts which has since come to be known as “trade.“

But I dared not speak. I could only gaze at him in silence until the moment I awoke.

Skeptics of Ningguang’s sincerity might argue that her words were well-aimed manipulation in the guise of modesty, that she knew how to best sell herself and give way when needed, as befitting of a self-made businesswoman. Perhaps. But since they were her final words on the matter, one can give her some benefit of the doubt. As a holder of a Geo vision, how could Ningguang not appreciate and be awed by all that Rex Lapid did for Liyue? Her silence, in dream as in reality, spoke louder than words, than any promise she could have made.

Liyue from above

The power struggle between the Qixing and the adepti came to a conclusion with the Traveler’s remarks on the importance of harmony between a land’s guardians and those under such protection, in light of Mondstadt’s recent painful lesson. Further reparation to the ties between the adepti and people of Liyue came in the form of the debt of gratitude expressed by the Millelith for the adepti’s grace and strength, and the joy of innocent children upon seeing the legendary heroes who saved the day. Realizing how out of place and out of time they are in the modern Liyue, the adepti bid their farewell and left their beloved land of Geo in the hands of the Qixing and mortals.

Paimon: Yeah, you don’t think you went a little bit too far with that whole fake death thing!? Everyone was preparing the ceremony for you when splat, this big dragon falls out of the sky and all of Liyue goes into an uproar. Talk about a disaster!

All was well that ended well at the harbor but the Traveler and Paimon still needed answers as to a certain archon’s death. So to the Northland Bank they went to find Zhongli-sensei. In addition to the expected sight of Childe, there was another unexpected familiar face - Signora, the Fatui Harbinger who stole the Anemo archon’s Gnosis. While there was no love lost between the Traveler and Signora, Childe still hoped to stay on the Traveler’s good side, and quickly pointed to his “colleague” and Zhongli-sensei as the true masters of deception. Without further ado, the Traveler became a witness to fulfilment of the “contract to end all contracts”, as Zhongli-sensei handed over the Gnosis to Signora, the Cryo archon’s emissary. While the revelation of Zhongli-sensei as the earthly vessel of Rex Lapis was shocking enough, to see him giving away the Gnosis, even for some yet-to-be-revealed super mysterious benefit in return, was outta this world, even for the Traveler (pardon my pun). And as Paimon put it very eloquently, the Geo archon (more like ex-archon now) had quite a lot of explaining to do with the funeral drama he directed, gathered the cast, and played a role himself.

Zhongli: I stood motionless among the crowds, asking myself, "Have I already finished my duties?”

Being the oldest archon of the current Seven and the one watching over Liyue for millennia, he had never thought to take a break from his divine role. Until one day, while visiting the harbor incognito, he heard an employer telling his worker to rest up after a day of work and the question started haunting his thoughts. Yet, it was no easy thing to just relinquish his role, for the road to the present Liyue of incomparable peace and prosperity was lined with blood, sweat and toil. A test was needed to make sure that Liyue’s guardians and inhabitants were ready to take on the mantle in his absence, with the Gnosis that he held on till the last minute as insurance. The script unfolded more or less to his expectations, with the ancient adepti doing their best to adapt to the changing times and people, and the Tsaritsa’s emissary Signora keeping his plan under wraps and far from the prying Childe. The one plot twist that surprised and pleased Zhongli the most was the Qixing’s bold and decisive move to gain complete control over Liyue, in place of her adeptal protectors. After all, it was the time for mortals to take over the contract of Liyue and what could be a better parting gift for the ex-archon than the Qixing’s tried and tested readiness to lead them in the new era?

Ningguang: Now that we have awoken from our dream, we must learn to say farewell.

The Rite of Parting finally arrived, amidst much speculation about Rex Lapis’ death, the Fatui’s involvement and the now-twice-defeated Osial. To the Traveler’s and Paimon’s great surprise, the Qixing announced that Rex Lapis was not murdered but died after failing a divine trial. The pair then deduced that since the Qixing dropped the search for the murder, the truth about the God of Geo’s departure was somehow made known to them. After the ceremony, the Traveler and Paimon got to bid a personal farewell to the ex-archon himself, who was very much enjoying his life as the mortal Zhongli. While adjusting to being no longer able to make Mora whenever and wherever continued to be a work in progress for the ex-archon, he considered it as part and parcel of living a mortal life and thus tried to “rehearse” for it during his journey with the Traveler, with shall we say, limited success, given his access to Childe, the Northland Bank ATM. The Traveler’s conversation with Zhongli confirmed his suspicion of the Qixing’s knowledge of the truth to their Archon’s death and revealed Zhongli’s high regard of Ningguang’s ambition to govern Liyue and Keqing’s likely role as the person who advised the seizure of power. As the end of one journey opens another, it was only a matter of time that the Traveler would need to leave Liyue to other lands in search of his lost sister. But that is a story for another time…

(even though it is already the first week of August as I’m writing these lines, and parts of Inazuma have already been opened for exploration.)

*put down the fan*

Now that I have finished playing Tea Master Liu Su, it truly amazed me how long it took to recount the story, despite my best effort to be as succinct as possible. There was so much to unpack in this chapter of the Archon storyline and there were things that only after revisiting the text did I pick up on. Notable is its cyclical nature: the story ended at the same place where it began. The Traveler’s journey began with Zhongli-sensei’s question as to which place he preferred more - Mondstadt with the prone-to-absent Barbatos or Liyue under the more involved Rex Lapis. Regardless of which answer the Traveler gave, Zhongli-sensei would remark on Liyue’s rich and millennia-long history as an experience that the Traveler should not miss. And if the Traveler was to talk to people in Liyue around this time, most of them could not imagine living under an absent Archon for as long as Mondstadt did. In the end, Liyue ends up not so different from Mondstadt now - both are now archon-less lands, both led by strong female leaders (who stay in regular contact with one another no less). The conclusion of Liyue’s chapter more or less mirrored that of Mondstadt’s chapter (the Prologue). And if one is to go back a little further, the cyclical nature would become even more apparent - this chapter began with the Rite of Descension at the Yuijing Terrace, and ended with the Rite of Parting, carried out at the very same place.

I feel like this would be my fellow bookworm’s favorite place in Mondstadt, should he ever come by to visit the land of Wind.

I’m sure if you are patient enough to read this far, the question that you must be burning to ask will be why I devoted so much time to telling the Archon storyline in Liyue, when I didn’t delve much into it in my previous post on Mondstadt, and more importantly, what’s the point of doing so?

The reason for my going to such length is to remind you (or immerse you in, if you are new to GI) of the circumstances and events through which we get to meet the cast of Liyue and I fall head over heels for Ningguang and Zhongli. I could just launch into tirades upon tirades of how awesome they are but that would not be quite as persuasive as leading you into making them yourself, right? I think this archon quest is a good starting point to understand and dig deep into their character and motivations, all the more so with Ningguang, since that is the most that we’ll see of her thus far.

[the following was written prior to the Moonchase festival]

The moonlight pales in comparison to the radiance of My Lady Ningguang

It’s easy to misconceive Ningguang as purely a ruthless, manipulative, Mora-loving businesswoman, whose only ambition is personal aggrandizement. And while she exhibits these qualities, she is so much more than this simplistic understanding, which disregards the complexity and nuances of her character.

Undoubtedly, she is ruthless in dealing with the threat posed by the Fatui’s schemes, as evidenced by her swift and unforgiving declaration to make all Snezhnayan diplomats answer for the Fatui agents’ attack upon Childe’s orders after the summon of Osial (and My Lady kept her word). Such relentless pursuit stems from the fierce competitive spirit that defines her approach to business and enables her to triumph in the harsh mercantile world. Yet, it is this very ruthlessness, business- and politics-wise, that brings wealth and prosperity to Liyue, and more importantly, defends her shores against those who seek to bring her people to their knees. As a savvy businesswoman and the powerful Tianquan, she is well aware of how prosperity can only last with peace and order, and the benefits of aligning her interests with those of Liyue.

Zhongli… Of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. He’s very versed in a great deal of affairs. Although… such excellent pawns are of no use to me until I know their weaknesses.

[Ningguang, “On Zhongli”]

Manipulation is certainly one of the tools that My Lady uses to great effect. Her mastery of it is showcased at the meeting with the Traveler at the Jade Chamber - how she skillfully convinced him of the Qixing’s innocence in the death of Rex Lapis and well-meaning intentions, then redirected his attention to the real foe, and even roped him into finding out about the Fatui’s scheme on the Sigils of Permission. Though the Traveler saw her friendliness as part of her subtle maneuvering to get him on the Qixing’s side, after her earlier persecution of him no less, he did not begrudge it and even helped to reconcile the adepti to the Qixing’s vision for the future of Liyue. All things considered, subterfuge is not part of her arsenal, given her willingness to tell the Traveler straight up how she gathered information about him, and mutual benefit is her go-to motto.

SImilar rocks with green plaustrite ores were used to keep the Jade Chamber afloat in mid-air.

Ningguang’s first and foremost love of Mora is well-noted by other characters, not least Zhongli himself. One of the in-game character briefs (Story 3, to be exact) speaks of her glee in winning over wealthy merchants, despite how rich she is already. To use her own words, “Vast wealth is a wonderful thing. Adding another Mora to the pot can hardly make it any less wonderful, now, can it?” After all, given her modest beginning, every Mora she earns is a credit to her industriousness and business acumen, a testament to how far she had come since the days of collecting shells on the Yaoguang shoal, as recalled by Zhongli. Nonetheless, her limitless passion for Mora does not blind her from doing what’s needed for the common good. After 2 and a half Archon quests (yes, counting the ongoing one in Inazuma), nothing has yet moved me as much as Ningguang’s resolved visage to sacrifice the Jade Chamber, the ultimate manifestation of her lifelong toil and triumph, in exchange for the safety of Liyue and all her people. Certainly, not all of her wealth went along with the Chamber but her readiness to give up what she held so dear is just inspirational.

By the Yaoguang Shoal of her earlier days of entrepreneurship

While the archon quest chose to highlight Ningguang’s unshakeable resolve, acute mind, and tremendous power and ambition, there’s still much about her that only comes to one’s notice through better acquaintance with her and finer grasp of her background. Perhaps one of the most surprising and striking traits of Ningguang is her intolerance of pretentiousness. This down-to-earth approach (no pun intended) is likely rooted in her humble background, which she does not shy away from or conceal beneath a veneer of grandeur. Her status and position make her a frequent customer at the fancy restaurants of Liyue, but she has no qualm about preferring a simpler fare. To her, there’s no sense in making a show of wealth by demanding Golden Crab everyday, when staple dishes like “a slow-boiled soup of leftover chicken and pork bones drenched over some cabbage leaves“ are more to her taste.

Here at Aocang Mountain the Traveler came upon the adeptal abode of Cloud Retainer and learned the recipe of Mora Meat, a common offering to adepti in the old days of yore. It bears the association to Morax, and to Mora, his “flesh and blood” manifested as currency, and the “guarantor of the people’s hard work, wisdom, and future”. What significance does this dish indicate, as the Tianquan’s specialty?

Even her specialty dish, the Qiankun Mora Meat, harkens to a time of more modest means, when it’s important to have a filling meal that does not take her away long from work. True to its name, it’s a round-shaped, Mora-stamped pastry filled with minced meat that you can conveniently eat without cutlery like a burger, and eating it is like making a wish for fortune. I can’t help smiling on thinking how Ningguang would make one of these lovely pastries after a long day of work to “revive” herself and become even more driven in her pursuits. A delicious Mora Meat is said to be so good that not even Mora placed in front of you can distract you from enjoying it, thus making this meaty saucy sizzling bun the perfect food for the hardworking Tianquan.

Ningguang complimenting on how much the “Glittering Street” furniture set (in the Traveler’s teapot realm) resembles the streets of Liyue and embodies their “lack of discord”. I’d like to think that her eye for such meticulous details comes from a place of devotion to Liyue and all its people, regardless of background.

Her aversion to displays of snobbery makes her approachable to the common folk in Liyue. As shown in the cutscene after Osial is defeated, a little girl named Changchang cheerfully approached the heroes who saved the day, with little care for etiquette, even toward the powerful Tianquan. To the children at the harbor, Ningguang is but a kind and friendly “big-sister”. Of course, her attention to children can be read as a kind of manipulation, for she does give them treats in exchange for their information on all goings-on in Liyue. They are Ningguang’s eyes and ears, and between them and other sources of intelligence, there’s little that could evade her. Indeed, there is always some benefit to her in keeping relations with a certain party, but it is a two-way road and does not necessarily exclude genuine feelings on her part. Personally speaking, I choose to take a leap of faith in her fondness for children’s smiles, regardless.

I presume you mean the girl whom Ganyu has taken under her wing. Do not worry, I have no plans to make this matter public. I am content to extend some leniency to the odd bit of mischievous maneuvering by that boat captain. One thing, though — Yaoyao seems to have become somewhat enamored with seafood lately. You should try to convince her to include some more fruits and vegetables in her diet.

[Ningguang, “On Yaoyao”]

On her peers and notable residents of Liyue, Ningguang’s opinions (as voiced to the Traveler) are often more revealing about herself than about a particular character or the nature of her relations with them. The lesser the acquaintance, the franker she is in voicing her thoughts. With Xingqiu and Xiangling, who are clearly not very fond of her, she finds it perfectly fine to live and let live, despite their differences. Since Xingqiu’s chivalric ideals of justice are irreconcilable with her material approach, she simply accepts that their personalities do not work well together and moves on. Xiangling’s “suspicion” and wariness is no secret to Ninggguang, but that has no bearing on her willingness to financially support Wanmin Restaurant. A good deal is a good deal, and she does enjoy a good rivalry (and even finds ways to gain from it), as proven by her assessment of Yanfei’s deftness in making use of legal loopholes in her client’s interest. She values Ganyu’s indispensable work but that does not mean she is going to leave all her affairs in the hands of her very capable secretary.

An off-the-record meeting between two formidable women of Liyue?

I absolutely love that Ningguang’s most fleshed-out relations are with powerful, independent and opinionated women - Beidou the larger-than-life Captain of the Crux Fleet, slayer of the sea beast Haishan, and Keqing, the uber-efficient, pragmatic workaholic Yuheng of the Qixing, who’s in charge of the administrative and civil side of things. From Ningguang’s side, her voiceovers barely let on about the extent of their relations. Beidou seems to be no more than a thorn in her eye, given her proclivity to break rules (especially when the one makes them now is Ningguang herself) and her popularity with the common folk, to the point that she asks for Beidou to be kept out of her sight, as if she couldn’t care less. However, reality is more nuanced than that, as Beidou’s story would tell us. Whether Ningguang is actually Beidou’s boss or not is up for debate, it’s clear that they do have a partnership that works well on a personal basis, regardless of either character’s affiliation. Beidou is trusted by Ningguang to do the so-called “dirty work” for her, in spite of their personality clash. She called Beidou the “most reliable person in Liyue”, in response to her advisers’ comments on Beidou’s unpredictability, even saying that this is always the case as long as Beidou is given the whole picture and made known of the benefits for her. Even Beidou appreciates Ningguang’s rarely-seen frank side, be it her direct criticism or explicit trust, and praises for her good work in the Qixing.

Keqing recounting her blunt reply to a person’s inquiry on “gift suggestions for Lady Ningguang”

While there is much more to say about Ningguang and Beidou, let me quickly jump over to the less discussed relations between Ningguang and Keqing, which is not easy to do as there are much less materials to go on. Nonetheless, as they are incredibly key members of the Qixing and run into each other often enough in their work, their relationship certainly deserves a mention. Ningguang is purposefully vague when speaking about the Yuheng. Remarking on Keqing’s recent change, she wonders if they are better off with the new Keqing or her old self. While this doesn’t give us much to work with, it’s noteworthy that she picked up on Keqing’s newfound appreciation and respect for Rex Lapis. As shown in the archon quest, Keqing has always been a bold, self-assured person, openly skeptic of the idea that the gods have all the right answers. After the Qixing officially took over Liyue and she took on management of more Liyue’s affairs, it dawned on her that she could learn much from Rex Lapis’ hard work over the last millennium. And such appreciation is further extended to Ningguang, who Keqing has very strong opinions about; she’s the sole person with 3 voice-overs about Ningguang! She used to be much more disparaging about the Tianquan, deeming profit to be the Tianquan’s only principle. That is now changed, since the departure of Rex Lapis. She is now more aware of the common grounds they have and how she was too judgmental of Ningguang, even going so far as to call her a “comrade in arm”. This kind of growth in their relations is nothing short of amazing, all the more so given the intra-competition in the Qixing, their personality clash, and the occasional stepping-on-each-other’s-toes.

“Ningguang” means “condensation of light”, which is such a poetic way of describing precious stones and their sparkle. Her name is even more apt, considering her attack is literally a barrage of Star Jades, rocks that resemble light condensed by her Geo power.

Like a well-cut gem, Ningguang is a lady of many facets, of which most people are only privileged to a glimpse. This is not the case for the Traveler, who is given the opportunity to learn how to “observe” and invited to “observe [her] right down to [her] very core”. More importantly, she expects him to form his own judgement, free from the influence of rumors and hearsay. With his deeper understanding and changing impressions of her come the revisions in her view of the Traveler’s role. She deems it right to forego “pretentious formalities” - the cordial facade she adopted in their early acquaintance, for he is now a “[partner] bound by contract”. While others can hardly discern her true intentions, there is a distinct sense of openness and lack of reservation in her voiceovers with the Traveler. She prefers asking him directly for worthwhile intelligence as the kind she would get from the kids at the harbor, rather than mincing her words about it. Just when it seems like the Traveler’s relations with the Tianquan would only go far as a mutual benefit deal, granted with both sides growing more appreciative of one another’s capabilities, the Lady surprises me with how “invested” she is in the Traveler and what it truly means to gain her trust.

An environment can't be judged purely on its size or opulence. I sense the time and effort that you have put into this place, which reminds me of the time and effort when constructing the Jade Chamber.

[ Ningguang, in a conversation about the Traveler’s own adeptal realm]

With every friendship level gained, Ningguang pays greater and greater attention to the Traveler, wishing to gain further insight into him, in a way that far exceeds a mere transactional partnership. She shows herself to be fully aware of the fact that as much as she invests in her relations with the Traveler, so does he in return (well, if a player is fond of her enough), especially to aid the growth and ascension of her combative power. Despite her initial disdain for using violence (when Mora is at disposal), she soon grew intrigued by the potential of “cashing in time and mora for power”, and even more by “what [the Traveler holds] so dear” that makes him so “persistent” in this pursuit. What is so noteworthy about her interest in the Traveler’s motivation is her earnest desire to find it out on her own, not by hearing it from him. To have a lady like Ningguang asking to “give her more time to understand you better” is one hell of a boost to your ego and self-esteem, and it really goes to show that Ningguang considers the Traveler a partner on equal footing. It seems only fair that she would put in her own work to understand the Traveler, after she asked him to do the same through his own observations.

You can learn from me, and use Mora to make things a little easier on yourself. But remember, relationships built on Mora can only be relied on for a time. Hehe... And that is why I have never brought Mora into our relationship.

[More about Ningguang: IV]

Together with her growing desire to learn more about the Traveler and count on his insights, Ningguang also seeks a relationship rooted in genuine fondness and familiarity. Much as she loves the infinitude of Mora, she well understands its limits in forging meaningful personal connection. It is precisely why the companionship she enjoys with the Traveler is so precious, for it is “something that Mora cannot buy”, to use her very same words. Unlike the merchants and bigshots seeking an audience with her only to further their interest and influence, the Traveler has no such ulterior motive in asking for “a simple chat” on anything that she likes. It would not be an exaggeration to say that his offering of "a carefree, honest chat” truly moves her, as keen as she is to ask him to stay and talk with her about the “simpler things in life”. And in return, getting to see her in the rare moment of letting her guard down, to see her as just Ningguang, and not the mighty Tianquan, makes one feel so special in a way that no amount of Mora can compare.

Doesn’t My Lady look like she is covering her yawn here? eheheheh *squee*

After many an adventure, one would achieve the much coveted pinnacle of friendship with Ningguang, that is to merit her full and complete trust. For a self-made woman who has built everything up from scratch and still prefers to take a hands-on approach in her career, it makes sense that she would find it hard to trust someone, immersed as she in the battleground of commerce and politics. Yet, she finds herself placing her trust in this mysterious outlander who she has not known for long, happily convinced that she has made "put [her] money” aka. her time, “on the right person”. While her language of friendship and partnership is shaped by mercantile vocabulary, it does not mean that she treasures the Traveler in any way less profound than others would. Her material greed does not blind her to his true value and what he means to her, on a personal level.

...You’ve done splendidly. If only I had more like you... No, perhaps you alone are enough.

[Feelings about Ascension: Conclusion]

To hear that you are so indispensable to someone else (hopefully in a non-creepy, non-obsessive, and non-stalker kind of way) is often enough a lovely thing, but to hear such an admission from My Lady is incredibly rewarding, for lack of a better word to describe that sensation of being validated in all the right ways. As an equal partner in important decision-making, the Traveler has proven himself to her and is asked to stand beside her and share in her dream - her raison d’être. Her offer is not phrased as a sort of honor to be bestowed on a worthy person, simply a demonstration of her confidence in the Traveler and admiration for all that he is now and to be. For when Liyue is “due another paper snowstorm”, the Traveler will be the one to cause it.

When the time comes that [the Jade Chamber] hangs above all of the seven nations, you shall stand by my side on that day too.

[About Us: Jade Chamber]

And while my Lady’s birthday was already some moons past (aye, it’s already the beginning of October...), let me gush about her wonderful message to the Traveler on this occasion. It is so heartwarming to read because it is literally the best of her condensed in less than 100 words, and unapologetically so. I absolutely adore that she decided to do away with all the nonsense of hosting guests (most are just suck-ups anyway) and goes for what she really wants - “simple” time with “one or two of [her] best friends”. Her preference for the little pleasures of life shine through, in the way she gifts the Traveler with her homemade Mora Meat and shares with him the blessings of her promenade outside the city - the blooms she dearly loves. There’s something earnest, and dare I say it, even awkwardly endearing, in her slightly roundabout way of showing appreciation for the Traveler. You may chalk it up to just my wishful reading (and the translation from Chinese to English); nonetheless, the succinct words of the first two paragraphs are exchanged for the more drawn-out language of narration, as she took a little longer to arrive at the key message. A hefty sum may come from selling the wild Glaze Lilies, handpicked by the Tianquan no less, but the value that the Traveler holds as her “good friend” trumps any material gain. And you might brush it off as common sense, perhaps with a dismissive “only Ningguang may consider otherwise”, but for someone so knowledgeable in all the ways to turn profit to show high regard for a friend, not just in word but also in action, it does matter.

Last but not least, if all of these reasons have yet to inspire love or admiration from you for My Lady, all I can say is *cough* legs *cough*.

Ahem. Inappropriate ogling aside, I must confess that it was her on-point design that got me so attached to her right off the bat. From the way she looks, how she moves and conducts herself (aka her idle animation), to her combat style and moves, everything about her exudes effortless grace and understated elegance. From the first glance, her sumptuous patterned-silk robe, a stylized version of cheongsam, immediately draws one’s attention, with its long brownish-black sleeves and gold-ivory body trimmed with thick curlicues, a bold fan-like decoration bearing her Geo vision and attached at her left hip which highlights her hourglass figure, and a white fur collar that both imbues the outfit with class and gives Ningguang that commanding air, even while at rest. Upon a closer look, the cut of the sleeves, front skirt, and flared back skirt is meant to evoke the image of a bird’s wings and tail, which is perfect for Ningguang, who’s often compared to a phoenix herself, having remade herself into the Tianquan of present days.

Ningguang in motion is truly a vision in every shot. When she walks, her long white hair, demurely secured by the hairpin adorned with gingko leaf charms, softly flutters in the wind along with her robe’s sleeves and back skirt. The high slit of her robe on the left side that I used to find so scandalous (and yet could never take my eyes off) would ride up a little, giving teasing views of the kickass dark red dragon tattoo winding up her thigh. When not in combat, Ningguang would balance the long pipe on her gloved fingers, making a show of examining the antique, or twirl little star jades on her palm, perhaps wondering why this power was bestowed on her or how it would be of use to her. There is literally nothing in her design that is out of place, not even her rather plain black shoes whose simplicity serves to draw attention to the golden bands decorating her lovely calves. It’s truly no exaggeration at all for fans to lovingly dub her as the Geo Goddess.

Now that I have more or less done singing praise of My Lady, it’s good time to move to the next part, my shipping manifesto for Zhongguang.

I’m joking. Okay, no, I am going to talk about Zhongguang but it’s not gonna be that long. I hope.

So, why Zhongguang, right? A cursory glance at Zhongguang would immediately let you know how this is far from the most apparent of ships. Story-wise, there’s barely any material for one to draw from because Zhongli and Ningguang have never personally talked or interacted with one another onscreen thus far. Digging a little deeper, you may come across the wishful theory of Ningguang being the reincarnate of Guizhong, the Archon of Dust, Zhongli’s trusted friend and long-time ally who perished in the devastating Archon War. As fascinating as this theory is (and I will speak more of it later), it was not what drew me to this ship in the first place, nor what kept me being an ardent fan of Zhongguang ever since.

Instead, shipping Zhongguang came to me as natural as twirling Star Jades to My Lady - no exertion is necessary, no intricate case is required. How is this possible? It all began with aesthetics.

Or to put it more colloquially, they just look damn good together. Standing side by side, their outfits are a perfect match in both style and palette. Decked out in formal wear, they are dressed to impress in sumptuous shades of gold, ivory, burnished bronze and onyx. Bold decorative motifs highlighted their association to oft-paired mythical creatures. If Ningguang’s robe gives off the impression of a soaring phoenix, the patterns on Zhongli’s long jacket call to mind his adeptal dragon form and command over Geo. Subtle but no less striking is the similarity in their silhouettes, created by the cinching of their robes at the waist. All in all, as two characters from Liyue and both Geo wielders, their visual designs complement one another so seamlessly to the point that speaking from a purely aesthetic perspective, they are just made to be together.

Already off to a good start, it’s on the field that Zhongguang press the advantage and show their complementarity to the fullest. No longer just aesthetically pleasing, their chemistry takes on a whole new dimension in combat and transforms them into a veritable tour de brute force. Their mechanic is incredibly simple (aye, perfect for a dummy like me), comfortable and hassle-free, partly because Geo does not involve any reactions besides the Crystallize shields, to the point of that some would call it braindead. But to me, it is the epitome of ruthless elegance and stone-cold efficiency. Allow me to give you a play-by-play breakdown. First, Geoda- I mean, Zhongli would take out his Jade Shield and ere- plant his pillar. Next, Ningguang would use her E (elemental skill) to put up the Jade Screen for blocking projectiles if needed, but more importantly, for her to pass through and gain that lovely 12% Geo damage bonus. She would then fling her rocks gems at enemies, gaining Star Jades for charged attack and generating energy for both her and Zhongli’s Q (ultimate attack). At full energy, switch to Zhongli, walk him through the Screen and let him throw his meteor (Planet Befall) to petrify enemies (literally turning them into stone). Lastly, switch back to Ningguang, use her Q (Star Shatter) which would collapse the Screen and give her extra Star Jades. Rinse and repeat.

For a duo that does not have any reaction to augment their attacks, Zhongguang still deals a staggering amount of damage, all the more so after the buff to Zhongli’s shield and multipliers, and changes to the Geo resonance that give bonus to both damage and shield strength. While the recent rise of enemies with elemental shields does reduce my use of this duo (as well as new additions to the roster), Zhongguang still is my go-to team when it comes to weekly bosses (okay, except for Azhdaha). It feels darn satisfying to hurl bunches of rocks Star Jades at Signora’s condescending face every single time, lemme tell you. All in all, Zhongli and Ningguang go so well together, especially by the way their attacks are designed, visually and combatively speaking. I absolutely love that they share the same modus operandi of throwing things at opponents and both of them excel at making it look so effortless. Even the names of their Geo constructs and talents mirror each other: Jade Shield/ Jade Screen, Rain of Stone / Sparkling Scatter (normal attack), Planet Befall/ Star Shatter.

Only after Zhongguang won me over with their visual chemistry and combat synergy, did the little pieces of lore hold real appeal to me. Most fascinating is certainly the significance that Glaze Lilies hold for both of them. In her birthday message, the lady spoke at length about her fondness for wild Glaze Lilies - not those cultivated in mass at Yuijing Terrace. Valuable as this rare gift is in material terms, it pales in comparison to the friendship offered by the Traveler. This night-blooming flower is popular enough as a present choice, considering that Zhongli also gifted the Traveler a dried Glaze Lily that bloomed on the latter’s birthday. It conveys Zhongli’s blessing, for the people of yore believe the flower to “bear the weight of the beautiful memories and prayers of the land”. Perhaps the gift is also to remind the Traveler of the painstaking search in Dihua Marsh for these same blooms, of the memories they share in preparing for the Rite of Parting.

You may pass this off as me reading too deeply into this but it can’t be mere coincidence that Zhongli and Ningguang choose the same flower to show how much they treasure the Traveler. The Glaze Lily symbolizes a lasting, intergenerational link with people, be they alive or dearly departed, and by the same reasoning, it serves as a connection between Zhongli and Ningguang, two people who have never spoken to one another but are intimately associated with this blossom.

Essential as these flowers are to Ningguang in the form of ascension materials, they, more importantly, are a poignant evocation of Zhongli’s ancient past, as recounted in the lore of the Memory of Dust catalyst. It was at a field of wild Glaze Lilies where he met Guizhong, the young Archon of Dust and later his partner, for the first time. These delicate flowers were in bloom when Guizhong presented Morax with a stone dumbbell with all her wisdom locked inside, as both a challenge to him, the mighty God of War, and as a token of their “pledge” of partnership for the sake of their people. Together they oversaw the rise of Guili civilization (a portmanteau of their names) with the adepti, protected their people and fought in the Archon War. With her brain and his brawn, they had a good long run until Guizhong was slain during the Archon War, the Guili Assembly falling into ruin, and Morax leading the survivors down south to found the present-day Liyue. The story and alliance of the 2 Archons ended where it began - among the wild Glaze Lilies.

"If you can unlock it—" Many years passed, and he was never able to unlock that dumbbell, nor would he ever learn what might have followed that sentence. Over the years, the wild Glaze Lilies, too, dwindled till they were no more.

It is hard to tell with any measure of certainty what Guizhong meant to Zhongli from such a brief account. Doubtless, she is a close and valued ally of Morax, as evidenced by the stone seats with their names inscribed at the stone table on top of the Aocang Mountain, where they partook of offerings with the adepti, with Mora Meat (remember Ningguang’s specialty dish?) being part of the usual fare. However, the wistful tone of the narrative and Zhongli’s attachment to the Glaze Lilies after all these years (for them to feature in his own Rite of Parting) hint at Guizhong being more than just a partner in nation-building to him. In one of his idle animations, Zhongli strikes a pensive pose with crossed arms and eyes closed, while a flying object that looks very similar to the Memory of Dust circles around him. Perchance he is lost in thought, trying to unlock the dumbbell Guizhong left behind? It seems that whoever Guizhong might be to him, she was nevertheless someone he truly cared for.

Could there be any kind of connection between Guizhong and Ningguang, something that might suggest that the latter is the former’s reincarnate? Frankly speaking, it’s a lot more conjecture and linking the dots than clear evidence. Both of them have meaningful connections to the Glaze Lilies - for Guizhong, they bear the memories of her time with Zhongli and the civilization that they gave rise to; for Ningguang, they symbolize the treasures that no Mora can buy - friendship and genuine connection. Memory of Dust, the stone dumbbell of Guizhong, is now a weapon/catalyst that Ningguang can make put to good use, despite not being her best-in-slot. Its amber and gold tones also go exceptionally well with Ningguang’s outfit, making it almost worth getting, if only for fashion’s sake. Both ladies enjoy close ties with the adepti. Guizhong, when alive, took her meals with Morax and the adepti at Mount Aocang and collaborating with Cloud Retainer in the construction of the Guizhong Ballista (later mounted on the Jade Chamber platform in the fight against Osial - how propitious, right?). My Lady Ningguang of course can’t run Liyue without the help of Ganyu, her adeptal secretary, relishes her professional rivalry with the half-adeptal legal advisor Yanfei, and gains the recognition of Madam Ping, Cloud Retainer, Mountain Shaper and Xiao after dropping the Jade Chamber on Osial. One should also not forget how the Wangshu Inn was founded to support Xiao in his duty to subdue evil, and is run by 2 agents reporting directly to Ningguang. Last but certainly not least, if the dissolution of Guizhong’s form into the “finest dust” equates to her death, then why not the one and only phoenix of Liyue, aka. my Lady Ningguang, be her return to life?

There’s nothing that confirms Ningguang as the reincarnate of Guizhong but there’s naught that wholly rejects it. I am quite fond of this theory and the rich lore behind it, but candidly speaking, it is a little too wishful. In the end, this life matters more than any previous life. Considering Zhongli’s decision to let go of his Gnosis (souvenir from his Morax days) and live like a human instead, I don’t think it’s a terribly great loss if the 2 ladies are revealed to have no connection whatsoever down the line. Ningguang does not need to be Guizhong reincarnated for her to be special to Zhongli. To him, she is already a “rare gem” purely by virtue of her tenacity and drive to “press on”, albeit the “multitude of affairs” she handles. He has watched over her for a long time, ever since her days of walking barefoot and hawking wares from the Yaoguang Shoal to the south wharf, and for some reason, has quite the knowledge about her teacup collection (check Sal Flore’s 2nd part - Vortex’s Wake), despite not having much contact with her.

Okay *haha* maybe the latter is more the result of deduction than actual knowledge, as the teacup is found close to the Jade Chamber’s ground zero and Zhongli’s expertise in antiques would allow him to distinguish between the real ancient stuff and the more recent ones. Nonetheless, this seemingly insignificant detail reinforces the continuity between the 2 story lines: the Archon quest that culminated with Ningguang’s defense of Liyue and Zhongli’s own character quest, and in turn, gives prominence to the threads that tie the two characters. Ningguang’s act of bringing down the Jade Chamber upon Osial is not just a case of “history repeats”, but more significantly, also is a perfect mirror of Morax’s hurling of stone spears to seal the same enemy. The eroded remains of the spears then became the Guyun Stone Forest, the place where Ningguang’s teacup was incidentally found, making this circle, millennia-in-the making, finally complete.

Beautifully matched in aesthetics and combat, intricately linked by the Glaze Lilies and a deep love for Liyue, Zhongguang is truly a kick-ass ship to die for (and yes I am strapping myself to it, come Osial or new lore revelation). With all that transpired during the Archon quest - Morax’s visitation on the Tianquan in her dream, her contribution to subduing Osial, and the aftermath of said battle, Ningguang is set to be the inheritor of Zhongli’s will. And that for me, is the sweetest thing about this ship. Regardless of their completely different and, for the most part, unrelated lives, they are bound by the same dream, same vision. Who knows, Zhongli may end up being a consultant for the Tianquan on a certain matter, and they may have their first on-screen interaction for us thirsty Zhongguang shippers? I’ll live in hope, at least for them lol.

To bring this long-winded love letter to an end, there’s something about the element of Geo and Geo characters that I can’t help but being drawn to. They are reliable in both personality and combat, often portrayed as incredibly driven and persevering in their convictions. They take great pride in their work and pursuits - like Noelle with her maid duties and quest to become a knight, Albedo with his alchemy, Gorou with his duties as Kokomi’s General and side gig as Ms. Hina, and Itto with his earnest desire to promote respect for Oni (and in playing with children lol). Their mechanics are also on the easier side so they are wonderfully friendly to new players. I absolutely adore them all and can’t wait to get them all -- please come home soon, Gorou!!! Itto is waiting for youu and so am I, so come home, Gorou!!!

And so here concludes part 2. I really thought I could get this one out at least a month earlier and way before Christmas, but truly man proposes, God disposes. I still have so much to say about my dear Geo characters, especially the storylines of patch 2.3 aka. Geo Impact, but alas, that will have to wait. Next up is a bit of a late anniversary post for GI and more importantly, a tribute to last winter - and yes, definitely to the Samaritan in the snow. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone! Thanks for reading and don’t hesitate to message me about anything on this tumblr!

#genshin impact #zhongguang #geomanifesto #zhongli #Ningguang #natsumi rants

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