"Looking for Ping?"
"Hehe... that works well too."
Cloud Retainer looked at Qiu Bai beside her and nodded with a smile.
"Mm..."
Hearing this, Qiu Bai nodded and instantly brought everyone to Liyue Harbor.
It was still that familiar corner, that deserted corner where no one went.
Then everyone slowly walked toward Yujing Terrace.
"Madame Ping~"
Paimon saw Madame Ping on Yujing Terrace and greeted her with a smile.
"Hahaha... oh my, what a wonderful day this is."
"Everyone came to visit this old woman..."
Madame Ping clasped her hands behind her back, looking at everyone approaching and said happily.
"Immortal Lord, you also have time to come visit me."
"And Ganyu and Cloud Retainer, I'm truly delighted."
Madame Ping looked at the several people before her and said with a smile.
"Well, it's the festival season."
"We came to take a stroll."
Qiu Bai looked at Madame Ping before him and said with a light laugh.
"But this adorable little fellow on your shoulder..."
"I've lived for so long, yet I've never seen one like this before."
Madame Ping looked at the round, plump creature on Qiu Bai shoulder and said with some surprise.
Although it looked quite similar to Guoba, the colors were different, and the body size was also quite different.
Guoba body was obviously much larger than this black and white little fellow.
"Crane lady... you haven't told her yet?"
Paimon looked at the human-form Cloud Retainer beside her and reminded her.
"Tell what? Why should this adeptus be the one to tell?"
Cloud Retainer looked at Paimon beside her and said with a proud expression.
"You've spent the longest time with Madame Ping, haven't you!"
Paimon looked at Cloud Retainer beside her and asked softly.
"Uh..."
"Dust... hmph, no... I should call you Ping to suit your preference."
After hesitating for a while, Cloud Retainer looked at Madame Ping before her and spoke.
"Hehe... Cloud Retainer, why is even your way of speaking..."
"More polite by several degrees today."
Madame Ping looked at Cloud Retainer before her and asked with a smile.
"This... uh, mm..."
"It happens to be Lantern Rite, the weather in the city is quite nice and there's a floral fragrance in the wind..."
Cloud Retainer looked at Madame Ping before her, stammering for a long time before managing to squeeze out this sentence.
"Hahaha..."
"Alright, don't make Cloud Retainer speak anymore. Ganyu, you tell her."
Qiu Bai crossed his arms over his chest, looked at Ganyu nearby and said with a smile.
"Eh?!"
"I should tell her? alright then."
Hearing this, Ganyu nodded.
"The cause was that we were helping Mr. Dvorak."
"Search for the adeptus who once saved his ancestor."
Ganyu recounted the story she had heard to Madame Ping.
"Ah... let me think..."
"Mm, there was indeed such a thing."
Madame Ping looked at everyone before her and said with a smile.
"After such a long time, it's remarkable that Cloud Retainer still remembers."
"What's even more precious is that despite mortals short lifespans, the past events can continue to be passed down to today in this form."
Madame Ping clasped her hands behind her back, looked at everyone before her, and said with a smile.
"Hehe... that fellow was right again."
Madame Ping turned around, looked at the lotus pond below, and murmured.
"That fellow?"
Paimon asked with some confusion.
"We like to call her Guizhong."
"Looking at Cloud Retainer expression, she's already told you about her, hasn't she?"
Madame Ping looked at Cloud Retainer before her and nodded with a smile.
"Sigh~ This adeptus wasn't the one who wanted to bring her up."
Cloud Retainer quickly shook her head.
"Oh?"
"If not Cloud Retainer, then could it be Immortal Lord?"
Madame Ping looked at Qiu Bai before her and asked with a smile.
"Hehe..."
"It wasn't me either. I know very little about that Guizhong."
Qiu Bai chuckled lightly upon hearing this.
"No matter..."
"Lantern Rite is truly meant to commemorate these heroes who protected Liyue."
Madame Ping turned around, looked at the azure sky, and slowly spoke.
"Guizhong... though she has no chance to see today's magnificent scene."
"She is still worthy of the title of hero."
Madame Ping looked at everyone before her and slowly said.
"So what exactly did Guizhong say?"
"All this way, you've really piqued my curiosity."
Qiu Bai looked at Madame Ping before him and asked with a light laugh.
"Initially, she told me that humans are weak creatures."
"But she had wisdom and wanted to protect them."
Madame Ping looked at everyone before her and said with a smile.
"After having more contact with humans, her thoughts changed too."
"She often sighed about how delicate and intricate human hearts are, and how their wisdom and efforts shine so brightly."
Madame Ping gestured as she spoke to everyone before her.
"She also said never to underestimate human potential..."
"With just a little guidance, they would burst forth with incredibly powerful strength."
Madame Ping turned around, looked at the azure sky and said with some nostalgia.
"By then, she and they might be evenly matched."
"They should learn from each other and serve as examples for one another."
Madame Ping turned around, looked at Lumine before her and said with a smile.
"Hmph, she certainly had a way with words."
"Her mechanical arts could beat mine, but wasn't that half due to her silver tongue?"
Cloud Retainer looked at Madame Ping before her, crossed her arms over her chest and snorted lightly.
"Mm... Guizhong."
Qiu Bai stroked his chin and murmured.
He could still revive gods now if he wanted to.
By normal logic, he could revive three demon gods.
However, the fall of Osial and Beisht had increased this number to five.
But...
Thinking of this, Qiu Bai shifted his gaze to Celestia.
Reviving gods would have an extremely high probability of being detected.
Even though the Heavenly Principles were severely wounded and dying and two of the Four Shades had already died, his current strength still couldn't handle them.
Having seen that scene and hearing what Ping and Cloud Retainer said.
This Guizhong must also have been a kind, loving, lively, and adorable person.
"Mm..."
Qiu Bai crossed his arms over his chest, closed his eyes slightly and pondered.
Seeing this, Lumine nearby also frowned as she looked at Qiu Bai.
She was thinking that after Madame Ping and Cloud Retainer finished their conversation, she would tell Qiu Bai everything she had just seen.
"Guizhong told me that all the little plants and trees gathered together make up our homeland."
"...just like this Liyue before our eyes."
Madame Ping looked down at Liyue Harbor below, with people coming and going in harmony, and said with emotion.
"Madame Ping seems quite moved..."
Paimon looked at Lumine beside her and said softly.
"After all, they experienced so much together..."
Lumine looked at Paimon beside her and nodded.
"Sigh... among us, she was the one who loved these lively and grand occasions the most."
"Oh right and Immortal Lord too."
Madame Ping looked at Qiu Bai before her and said with a smile.
"Hehe... speaking of which, the Immortal Lord can quite easily blend into the mortal world."
"Whether with you all or with the people of Liyue Harbor, he can fit right in."
Madame Ping looked at Qiu Bai, then at Lumine and Paimon and said with a smile.
"Indeed."
"Although Qiu Bai is a divine being, he feels just like a friend to me."
Paimon spread her small hands, looked at Madame Ping before her and said with a smile.
(T/N: Like the story fellow daoist? Now you can read 30 chapters ahead on my P@treon [[email protected]/DaoistRongyi] Thanks for your support! 😊)