Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [361]

In the distance, a twin-tailed girl wearing a black hat came bounding over, her arms wide open in excitement as she called out.

"Hey, hey! Long time no see!"

Gu Sanqiu caught Hu Tao as she leapt into his arms, instinctively giving her a little bounce.

"Have you gained weight?"

…

"I'll bite you, Gu Sanqiu!"

Hu Tao pushed herself out of his arms and landed back on the ground, baring her teeth in mock fury.

"What kind of man says something like that to a girl the moment they meet?!"

Gu Sanqiu silently pointed at himself.

"Hmph! You're just a weirdo," Hu Tao huffed, turning away with her arms crossed, clearly displeased.

"What brings you here?"

"This is one of the last few ley line eruption sites left. Wansheng Funeral Parlor got assigned to handle this one," she explained, finally taking in her surroundings. "Whoa, there's so much Pyro energy! Did you use some big fancy immortal technique?"

"Something like that."

There was no way he was going to mention the Delusion—far too dangerous for her to know about.

Gu Sanqiu rested his hands on Hu Tao's shoulders and glanced meaningfully at the figure approaching slowly behind her.

"Let me ask you something. When did you start dividing up the remaining sites for cleanup?"

"Huh? Why are you asking that?"

Hu Tao turned her head to look at him. "Not long ago. Everyone had nearly finished their assignments, so we split into smaller groups to handle the rest. That way, we could all wrap up and head home for dinner—super convenient!"

"Yeah, very convenient."

Gu Sanqiu pulled a comb out of his pocket, took off Hu Tao's hat, and plopped it onto his own head. He began combing her hair.

"I told you not to run around like a wild child all day. I've never seen a girl with hair this messy. You should learn from Keqing, you know."

His expression turned critical. "Personal grooming and hygiene are important, understand?"

"Ugh, you're so annoying."

Hu Tao tried to shake her head and fend him off with her twin tails, but Gu Sanqiu calmly held her head in place with one hand, as though he were holding a misbehaving kitten by the scruff of its neck.

"Hold still. By the way, is it just you and Zhongli handling this eruption site?"

"There were more people at first, but then Zhongli remembered some ancient texts about ley line eruptions. He had everyone record the details and split up to cover more ground. Knowing more means staying safer, after all."

"Is that so…"

Gu Sanqiu avoided looking directly at Zhongli, who was now standing nearby. He didn't want to risk revealing any of his suspicions.

The Abyss Mage's earlier comment about a "spoiler arriving" implied they had people stationed around. The lack of killing intent in the earlier battle suggested that the Abyss Mage wasn't particularly hostile toward him—at least not yet.

Their presence on the surface likely had two purposes: testing his abilities and gauging whether he could decipher the symbols on that bamboo scroll.

Which I couldn't. It was all incomprehensible gibberish. The art looked like something an Old God would doodle, all eerie and arcane, but beyond recognizing the colors, I couldn't make sense of it.

Just as his attempts at extracting information were progressing nicely, Hu Tao and Zhongli had arrived.

Coincidence? Or was their goal to interrupt and prevent further interaction with the Abyss Order?

Having finished combing Hu Tao's hair, Gu Sanqiu placed her hat back on her head and patted her shoulder.

"All done. Remember to carry a comb with you when you go out and pay more attention to your appearance."

"No way!"

Hu Tao raised her chin defiantly. "You told me to carry one, so I won't! Take that!"

"I was going to have a special comb-shaped artifact crafted for you, but never mind."

"I'll carry it! I'll carry it! Just make sure to deliver the comb to Wansheng Funeral Parlor. If it's not a high-quality weapon, this Hall Master won't accept it!"

"Good."

Gu Sanqiu pocketed his comb and began using Geo energy to extract residual Pyro energy from the ground. If the Delusion's flames were left unchecked, the area would soon become a barren wasteland, potentially affecting the surrounding environment.

The environmental damage was manageable, but if the Abyss Order used the opportunity to stir up more trouble, he'd have to come back. That would be a headache.

"Brother Gu, it's been a while."

Gu Sanqiu looked up with a genial smile. "It has, Brother Zhongli. Been getting any business lately?"

"Business? Does the Gu family ever lack money?"

"No, no, just thought it might be fun to hear about something interesting."

Zhongli stroked his chin thoughtfully. "If it's interesting matters you seek, there is a peculiar new establishment in Liyue that recently caught my attention. Quite unlike anything we've seen before."

"Unseen before?" Gu Sanqiu raised an eyebrow. "What kind of place? A coliseum?"

"Coliseums are not permitted within Liyue Harbor," Zhongli replied. "This establishment seems to be a tea house and dining venue where patrons can also enjoy live performances, occasionally featuring imported foreign music."

...

That didn't sound particularly reputable.

"Zhongli!" Hu Tao exclaimed, baring her teeth again. "Are you trying to tempt Sanqiu into going to a place like that? Don't tell me you're looking for someone to go with you!"

"A place like that?" Gu Sanqiu's expression stiffened. "Is it… improper?"

"Not exactly," Zhongli replied calmly, his demeanor more fitting for an academic giving a lecture. "As younger people might say, it merely skirts the edge of propriety."

Seriously, old man? Do you think I don't know who you really are?

Sweat beaded on Gu Sanqiu's forehead. While this could later serve as blackmail material, he wasn't foolish enough to store Zhongli's "dark history" anywhere.

…Or maybe he was. After all, as a proud Incense Bearer, why shouldn't he dare?

"Brother Zhongli, since you brought up this tea house, I imagine you have some insights into it. What makes you recommend it to me?"

"Merely rumors," Zhongli said, shaking his head. "They say something odd resides within that establishment, but it's all idle gossip. Nothing definitive."

"As an Incense Bearer, Brother Gu, I thought you might find it intriguing."

A tea house Zhongli deems worth mentioning?

Gu Sanqiu mulled it over. Establishments "skirting the edge" weren't unheard of in Liyue, but they usually catered to a niche clientele. For one to operate so openly, it likely had connections or offered dual services: a legitimate exterior and more questionable dealings behind the scenes.

Normally, such matters weren't his concern. But if Zhongli brought it up, it warranted investigation.

Gu Sanqiu nodded solemnly.

This isn't indulgence in worldly pleasures—it's a covert mission under the guidance of a wise elder!