Genshin Impact: I'm The Envoy of Snezhnaya

"Sir, it's just a few bowls of tea. It's no big deal," Uncle Zhou said.

When he heard Zhongli asking Bai Luo to pay the tea debt—dating back to his grandfather's generation—Uncle Zhou immediately realized this man's identity was anything but ordinary.

Though he wouldn't dare assume Zhongli was the Geo Archon himself, he figured he must be some kind of Adeptus from a mountain.

For a tea capable of enticing an Adeptus to come down from the mountain, its value was already a great honor. Asking for money was completely out of the question.

"Relax. For this amount, Childe can handle it," Bai Luo said boldly, exuding a magnanimous aura that would make anyone envious.

Though, his words... left something to be desired.

"How do you want to fight? A friendly spar? Or a duel to the death?"

Zhongli's tone was utterly calm, as if the words duel to the death were no different from casually discussing lunch plans. The chilling calmness sent shivers down Bai Luo's spine.

"Deal!"

Draining the large bowl of tea in front of him, a row of "+1" seemed to float over Bai Luo's head as he declared, brimming with confidence.

"A spar, we'll stop before it gets dangerous. But since I'm the junior here, could you give me a bit of a handicap?"

When Bai Luo enthusiastically shouted "Deal!" Everyone thought he had accepted the life-or-death duel. Zhongli even began to consider whether he should hold back during the fight.

Then came Bai Luo's next line, so... deflating.

To say the boldest words with the most cowardly intent—this must be the very definition of it.

"Then how about I let you have three moves?"

In his millennia of life, Zhongli had encountered countless orderly and rule-abiding individuals in Liyue. Yet in modern times, a new generation of remarkable young talents had emerged.

Take Yuheng from the Liyue Qixing, for example. She often spoke of reform and was like a sharp blade of the new era, much to the dismay of many traditionalists.

Tianquan was another such figure. Though subtler than Yuheng, the ever-floating Jade Chamber symbolized her immense ambition and vision.

Especially its defensive formation: while ostensibly designed to keep the Jade Chamber afloat, Zhongli knew better than anyone that, in critical moments, its power could rival that of an Archon.

Times were changing. A new era was ushering in a wave of youthful talent. Even Snezhnaya had individuals like Childe and Bai Luo who could stand out. In this grand stage of Teyvat, surely they would claim their places.

If given the chance, anyone would want to contend for the position of the player, for not everyone was content to be a mere chess piece.

Zhongli glanced up at the Skyfrost Nail in the heavens, a contemplative look appearing on his face.

He thought back to the contract brought by the Fatui Harbinger Pulcinella, drafted personally by the Tsaritsa.

By common logic, the terms were far from fair. The price he would pay was not equivalent to what she offered in return.

But... from another perspective, if a mere Gnosis could be exchanged for what she was offering, perhaps it wasn't such a bad deal after all.

Just a little longer... If Tianquan and Yuheng could truly win the hearts of the people and secure the authority of governance, he might consider signing that final contract—a contract to end all contracts.

When that time came, after a thousand years of toil, perhaps he could finally rest.

"Once a contract is made, it is set in stone. Those who break it shall suffer the penalty of the rock."

Bai Luo, of course, had no idea how much Zhongli had contemplated in that brief moment. He only knew that Zhongli had agreed to let him have three moves, and that was all that mattered.

Three moves might not mean much to others, but for Bai Luo, it was more than enough to unleash something like Kuzu-Ryu-Sen.

"Very well, I accept your terms," Bai Luo said.

"Shall we go up there?"

With Zhongli's acknowledgment, Bai Luo finally felt at ease.

Bai Luo's confidence in challenging Zhongli wasn't just because of his inherent affinity for Liyue; the most critical reason was the assurance provided by Morax's unwavering adherence to contracts.

As the God of Contracts, Morax held the sanctity of agreements above all else. He would never break a contract, let alone strike Bai Luo from behind after promising to let him leave freely.

"Wuwang Hill? That works."

If any place was suited for a fight, Wuwang Hill was certainly among them. The area was desolate, devoid of living inhabitants, and therefore free from the risk of collateral damage.

Wuwang Hill was one of the most mysterious regions in Liyue. It was overrun by monsters and haunted by ghostly shadows, with eerie will-o'-wisps flickering across the landscape. Even the sky seemed darker upon approach.

Judging by the ruins scattered about, the area had once been inhabited, though it was long since abandoned—perhaps due to its oppressive atmosphere.

Most notably, the area was said to have real ghosts, and rumors suggested that members of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor often frequented the vicinity because of a gateway to the afterlife located there.

In truth, the reality was much simpler. 

The energy of the ley lines in this area was unusually chaotic, which gave rise to phenomena beyond ordinary comprehension. 

The so-called "ghosts" were ancient memories manifested under the influence of ley line energy.

After Bai Luo and Zhongli stood, the soldiers of Bai Luo's Ninth Company instinctively followed suit, as though prepared to accompany him to Wuwang Hill.

"Katarina, stay here with the others and take care of my slimes."

"Understood."

Although Katarina was eager to accompany Bai Luo—especially given how extraordinary this "Zhongli" appeared—she knew the Ninth Company prided itself on strict discipline. 

With Bai Luo's explicit order to remain behind, they had no choice but to obey. All they could do was stay behind and silently root for their Harbinger.

Guided by Zhongli, Bai Luo stepped onto Wuwang Hill—a place he'd visited countless times in the game. 

It wasn't because he had a peculiar fixation on it but rather because he had spent countless hours farming the domain here for an ideal set of Crimson Witch of Flames artifacts for his Klee. 

The grind had been grueling.

Zhongli was exceedingly familiar with Wuwang Hill. He moved effortlessly through both paths and trackless terrain, showing no signs of hesitation or need to orient himself. It seemed as though he could navigate the place blindfolded.

Bai Luo, however, appeared distracted, as though waiting for something that had yet to appear.

The two eventually arrived at a small clearing with a water pool, where Zhongli finally stopped. 

He turned to face Bai Luo, his elegant formal robes transforming into a blend of a Zhongshan suit and Western attire—exactly as Bai Luo remembered.

This wasn't Zhongli's true divine attire, of course. 

Fighting a Harbinger didn't warrant such measures. 

This battle-ready form was more than sufficient.

"Three moves. Don't go back on your word."

Seeing Zhongli standing calmly, not even bothering to draw a weapon, Bai Luo couldn't help but remind him again.

"Rest assured. Those who break their word shall suffer the punishment of the rock. I said it myself, and I never go back on my word."

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