Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

In the hidden underground stone hall.

Famas ignored Zhiyi's impeccable praise, his crimson eyes fixed on Zhiyi's flawless exterior, and spoke directly:
"Have you tested me enough, Zhiyi?"

FAMAS's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a cold, hard quality, like the scraping of metal, instantly freezing the last remaining polite atmosphere in the stone chamber.

"Save your tricks. I'm not your master, Uncle Tian. No matter how well you pretend, I can't directly pass on the location of Tian Shu Star to you."

Upon hearing Famas's slightly sarcastic words, the gentle and proper smile on Zhiyi's face froze as if frozen at the corner of his mouth.

But he quickly recovered and explained to Famas in a righteous and righteous manner:

"Please be careful with your words. I regard Uncle Tian as my teacher and father, and I have absolutely no intention of coveting the position of Tian Shu Star."

Zhiyi's eyes narrowed slightly, and he subconsciously wanted to pour himself another cup of tea to cover up his reaction. His fingertips had just touched the warm teapot handle when he was frozen in place by Famas's suddenly raised voice:

"Fine, fine, go ahead and pretend if you want... But do you want to work with me?"

FAMAS uttered the word "cooperation" clearly and concisely, like two pebbles thrown into a deep pool.

Zhiyi's heart sank suddenly, but a perfectly timed look of bewilderment quickly appeared on his face.

He tilted his head slightly, a look of confusion on his face:
"Cooperation? Lord Famas, forgive my ignorance, but I do not know what you mean by cooperation. I am merely an ordinary student of Liyue; what qualifications do I have to discuss cooperation with you?"

"Students?"

Famas let out a short, mocking laugh, as if he had heard something utterly ridiculous.

He leaned forward, his arms casually resting on the rough table, his gaze fixed intently on Zhiyi.

"You brought me to this secluded and hidden place beneath Qingce Manor, to this meeting place that has been carefully prepared for distinguished guests... Zhiyi, do you really think I'm blind?"

The faint smell of sulfur emanating from the coal pile in the corner of the stone chamber smelled particularly pungent at this moment.

"You want to sit in the position of Tian Shu Star."

Famas spoke in a declarative tone, each word carrying undeniable weight.

"Tian Shu Star is getting old. Many families in Liyue are eyeing this position. Many people want to pull the aging Uncle Tian down and trample on him."

"And you, Zhiyi, you're just a poor student from Liyue. Relying on yourself and those shady associates behind you, even if you really become the next Tian Shu Star, how long can you hold onto that position?"

As he listened to Famas's words, Zhiyi's knuckles clenched quietly under the stone table.

His throat bobbed as he forcibly suppressed his turbulent emotions and maintained a calm demeanor, but the fleeting tremor deep in his eyes did not escape Famas's notice.

Zhiyi had to admit that Famas had a very clear understanding of the situation in Liyue.

Even if Zhiyi had schemed and plotted to eliminate the current Celestial Star with the help of the Fatui, and then silenced the Fatui's henchmen to successfully take the position of Celestial Star, it was only the beginning of Liyue's path to power.

The powerful clans of Liyue Harbor, those behemoths with ancient bloodlines and vast wealth and resources, would never sit idly by while a poor student of humble origins and no background sits comfortably on the throne of the Seven Stars of Liyue.

They will swarm him from all directions like sharks smelling blood, using both open and covert attacks and schemes to keep this newly promoted Tian Shu Star busy. Any slight oversight could become the opening that tears him into the abyss.

In the story of Liyue, Ningguang is enough to tell the legend of rising from humble beginnings to the top.

Zhiyi's thoughts drifted uncontrollably to the lofty Tianquan Star. Ningguang, too, had started out barefoot, selling fruit on Yaoguang Beach, and gradually climbed to the pinnacle of power.

Her story has inspired countless underprivileged students like Zhiyi, but Zhiyi knows that Ningguang's success is by no means solely due to her personal talent and skills.

The changing of the seven stars in Liyue has always been a major national event. Whenever the seven stars rotate, incense must be burned and a memorial presented to the Geo Archon.

Legend has it that on the day Tianquan Star changed hands, the sky above Liyue Harbor was ablaze with color, and a golden dragon shadow appeared in the clouds.

That was the Emperor himself coming to inquire and ultimately approve Ningguang's succession.

The Emperor's approval is the most unbreakable foundation for Ningguang to firmly sit on the throne of Tianquan Star.

Even though she stumbled when she first took power, and even though she didn't have the support of a centuries-old clan, as long as the Emperor's golden words still echoed in her ears, no one in the entire Liyue Harbor dared to truly challenge Ningguang's authority.

Those powerful clans that had held sway for millennia could only sheathe their fangs and bow down in submission under the emperor's supreme majesty.

Ningguang, who appears to stand alone at the summit, is backed by the god of Liyue, Morax, the Geo Archon.

Unless Ningguang commits treason, no one can shake her in the slightest.

Of course, no one could have foreseen that the Geo Archon, who had protected Liyue for thousands of years like the towering Lonely Cloud Pavilion, would suddenly fall in front of everyone.

That's a story for another time. If the Rock God hadn't fallen, Zhiyi wouldn't have dared to come up with the plan to poison Tian Shu Star and then succeed to the throne.

Zhiyi's fingertips unconsciously scratched the rough texture of the stone table, leaving a few shallow marks.

Ningguang has the Emperor's backing, which is like wearing indestructible golden armor, but what does he know about Yi?
Only through cunning schemes lurking in the shadows and a foolish pact to manipulate the powerful, will Zhiyi, once he sits on the throne of Tian Shu, immediately become the fattest and most vulnerable prey in the eyes of the Liyue Clan. They will swarm him like hyenas smelling blood, tearing him and his fragile power to shreds.

The cooperation offered by FAMAS, while seemingly tempting, is actually more like a vine hanging over an abyss.

Grab it, and you might be able to climb the cliff, but it also means handing yourself over to this boy of unknown identity and ulterior motives.

At this moment, FAMAS leaned back in his chair, his posture becoming relaxed and even somewhat languid again.

"I can help you."

FAMAS's voice returned to its previous calmness, yet it contained an even deeper allure.

"I'll help you secure your position on Tian Shu Star, ensuring that covetous eyes and lurking arrows can't harm you in the slightest."

Famas paused for a moment, watching Zhiyi's pupils contract slightly, before slowly uttering the second half of his sentence.

"In return, once you've secured your position on Tian Shu Star... do me a favor, something that only someone in that position can best do."

It wasn't until FAMAS presented these naked terms of the deal in such a straightforward manner that Zhiyi felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him, and a chill ran through every pore of his body.

The other party not only saw through his ambition, but also understood the trajectory of all his actions and the hidden worries behind them. This was clearly not a random guess, but a complete grasp of the situation.

Whether the FAMAS before us is a hidden Liyue immortal or a foreign Genshin Impact possessing terrifying power, the conclusion is already quite clear.

Zhiyi had little room to resist.

Even so, Zhiyi still had one last test regarding Famas's identity. (End of Chapter)