I, from the Celestial Empire, have parachuted into Teyvat.

In Liyue, the immortals live in seclusion year-round, and the divine majesty of the Emperor is unattainable. For ordinary people, who else besides the Seven Stars can be considered a great figure?

But coincidentally, Ivan had the same idea.

In order to establish a good relationship between China and Liyue, a meeting with the Liyue Seven Stars, the rulers of Liyue, is essential.

Song Ke's Thousand Rock Army squad is a detachment that patrols Liyue on a daily basis, usually on a three-day cycle. They were about to leave Wangshu Inn and return to Liyue Harbor after lunch, so Ivan and the others decided to travel with Song Ke.

Around 1 p.m., Ivan and his group officially set off. At this time, Xiao was sitting on the trunk of a giant tree that surrounded Wangshu Inn, watching Ivan and his group ride in the Thousand Rock Army's carriage and head further and further away towards Liyue Harbor.

Xiao chuckled softly and muttered to himself, "I wonder if their arrival will be the fuse that ignites the undercurrents in Liyue Harbor... Well, it's none of my business anyway."

Liyue's territory is much larger than Mondstadt's. Although everyone has already entered Liyue, the journey from Wangshu Inn to Liyue Harbor is not short and will take almost half a day. Along the way, they will pass through Liyue's largest plain, called Guili Plain.

Guili Plains is rich in ancient ruins. You can find an ancient Liyue site or stone carving every few steps. This can be regarded as a microcosm of Liyue's long history.

Along the way, Ivan and his companions encountered many checkpoints set up by the Thousand Rock Army, many of which were built directly next to the ruins, which Xiang Feng found somewhat magical.

"Commander Yi, are there really that many ruins in Liyue? Even the sentry towers are built directly on top of the ruins?"

Ivan smiled and introduced, "The Geo Archon of Liyue is the oldest living god in Teyvat. At the same time, Liyue is also the oldest existing country on the Teyvat continent. There are countless ruins within its borders. You can basically encounter a ruin every few steps, and dig a well and you can find a bunch of antiques. If you stay in Liyue for a while, you will gradually get used to it."

Xiang Feng exclaimed "Whoa!"

"If Grandpa Li Wenliang came to Liyue, wouldn't he be ecstatic?"

Ivan smiled. For Professor Li, who loved historical research as much as a lover, it was indeed possible.

It was around five or six o'clock in the afternoon, which was already close to evening.

After traveling for four or five hours, Ivan and his companions finally saw a narrow canyon with a sliver of sky above it, and scattered farmhouses and houses appeared below the canyon.

Once you get here, you won't be far from Liyue Harbor.

The group stopped here and rested for a while at a roadside tea stall.

Ivan and the others sat down and chatted about the scenery around them.

At that moment, Xiang Feng's gaze was suddenly drawn to a statue standing by the roadside in the distance.

“Commander, look, there’s a statue over there that looks a lot like the Anemo statue we saw in Mondstadt.”

Ivan looked up and saw a statue with a base similar to the Mondstadt Aeolus, but with a completely different figure. It was a man in a cloak sitting on a throne made of rock, solemn and majestic.

Ivan laughed and said, "That's a statue of the Liyue god, the Geo Archon."

Actually, this wasn't the first Geo Archon statue that Ivan and his companions encountered after entering Liyue. There was another one in Dihua Marsh, but they were too busy traveling to observe it closely at the time.

Xiang Feng nodded and said, "So this is the Geo Archon that the people of Liyue talk about. But why can't we see his face clearly, just like the Anemo statue?"

Just then, Song Ke walked over with two cups of tea and placed them in front of Ivan and Xiang Feng, saying with a smile, "The Rock King is the spiritual totem in the hearts of us Liyue people. No matter what he looks like, he is incredibly sacred in our hearts. Please have some tea."

"Thank you."

Ivan and his companion accepted the tea, and Song Ke sat down opposite them, saying, "We'll soon reach Liyue Harbor. What brings you Chinese envoys to Liyue Harbor?"

Ivan said, "Naturally, we hope to establish good diplomatic relations with Liyue."

"I see."

At this point, Song Ke's expression suddenly changed, becoming somewhat mysterious. He lowered his voice and said, "However, everyone, I, Old Song, must give you a heads-up."

Ivan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Oh? What's wrong?"

Song Ke said, "When you come to Liyue to establish diplomatic relations with us, you will definitely meet the Liyue Seven Stars, and you may even meet the immortals. My advice to you is that no matter who you meet, you should observe and listen carefully."

Ivan and Xiang Feng exchanged a glance, sensing something unusual in Song Ke's words.

Ivan said, "Brother Song, what exactly happened? There's no fourth person here. Please tell us in detail."

Song Ke sighed and said, "As the leader of the Thousand Rock Army, I can actually hear some of the rumors from above. Don't be fooled by the current peace and tranquility of Liyue Harbor; undercurrents are surging. The Liyue Seven Stars and the Immortals have many disagreements on the philosophy of governing Liyue. Moreover, I've heard that there are also differences of opinion among the Seven Stars and among the Immortals themselves. I can't say much more, but in short, it's a complete mess."

Ivan raised an eyebrow, somewhat shocked, with a feeling that was both unexpected and yet reasonable.

Back when he was still on Earth, the game's storyline reached the Liyue arc, and the situation was similar to what Song Ke was saying now. The Seven Stars' governing philosophy for Liyue clashed with the existence of the Immortals. However, the conflict in the original game storyline was far less intense and complex than in reality, which is why Ivan was somewhat shocked.

According to Song Ke's description, the entire Liyue region is currently in the midst of a massive political vortex, and if they are not careful, they could be swept up in it.

Ivan clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Brother Song."

"No need to thank me. I'm telling you all this for Liyue's own good. I'm afraid you'll be taken advantage of and have everything exposed, which would throw the whole Liyue Harbor into chaos. Be careful."

After saying that, Song Ke left.

Xiang Feng said helplessly, "Commander Yi, it seems our trip to Liyue this time might not be so easy."

Ivan said, "We'll deal with whatever comes our way, let's get to Liyue Harbor first."

After resting, everyone set off again for Liyue Harbor.

Half an hour later, the group walked out of the narrow passage through the pipe.

In an instant, a breathtaking scene appeared before everyone's eyes.

At first glance, one can see a huge, well-arranged ancient Chinese-style city port located at the foot of the distant cliffs and on the coast.

The sky had darkened, and lights began to twinkle in Liyue Harbor, gradually illuminating the vast city.

On the harbor, countless ships of all sizes with sails unfurled come and go, carrying countless goods in and out.

Along the coastline, Liyue's night market has already set up. Countless residents who have finished their meals have all taken to the streets to enjoy the beauty of life. The elderly are strolling, children are playing, and young men and women are walking hand in hand in the bustling market. Occasionally, a few lanterns float into the air, and a strong sense of human warmth and life is palpable. It's quite lively.

It was absolutely beautiful and incredibly prosperous.

This sudden realization was quite different from when I first saw the Dihuazhou marshland in Shimen.

The feeling at Shimen was one of surprise, like "the mountains and rivers seem to block the way, but then a village appears amidst the willows and flowers."

The first glimpse of Liyue Harbor is more like a stunning paradise, described as "At first, it was extremely narrow, barely wide enough for one person to pass through. After walking a few dozen steps, it suddenly opened up into a bright and spacious place."

Moreover, it was an incomparably prosperous paradise.

Faced with such a magnificent sight, Ivan breathed a sigh of relief and revealed a confident smile.

"Liyue Harbor, here I come!"

Chapter 93 Liyue Culture

"Take a look! Freshly baked Liyue Mora meat, fragrant, tender and incredibly delicious."

"Ring toss game, win a prize if you ring it! Would you like to play a round, sir?"

"Sir, please buy a fresh glass lily. This beautiful flower is a perfect match for the beautiful lady beside you."

"I'm selling antiques! All sorts of precious cultural relics and ornaments, including rare artifacts from the ancient Kingdom of Kanria. Oh, my friend, I see you have a full forehead and a square jaw, a sign of great wealth and nobility. You must have a discerning eye. Would you like to take a look?"

"Miss, according to your palm reading, your destiny is stable, but you may encounter trouble recently, specifically related to matters of the heart..."

"Sir, would you like to buy a hair clip? It would be a perfect gift for your sweetheart."

"Sorry, no thanks."

Ivan declined the offer of a small trinkets vendor nearby and stretched.

Upon entering Liyue Harbor, Song Ke and the others parted ways with Ivan, who then entered the lively night market of Liyue Harbor.

Looking at everything around them, the group marveled. Coupled with the ancient Chinese attire of the surrounding people and the numerous buildings resembling ancient China, Ivan and the others felt as if they had traveled back to ancient China.

"Street vendors selling snacks, trinkets, flowers, antiques, ring toss games, and wow, even palm readers."

Xiang Feng smacked his lips twice and exclaimed, "Commander Yi, Liyue Harbor is so lively!"

Ivan nodded and smiled, "As expected of the most bustling commercial port in all of Teyvat, the atmosphere here is no less than that of the night markets in some of China's major cities. Let's go take a look over there."

After entering Liyue Harbor, Ivan and his companions did not rush, but instead strolled around the night market.

The Seven Stars of Liyue have extensive connections in Liyue, and they must already know that Ivan and his group have entered Liyue Harbor. Since it was the Seven Stars of Liyue who took the initiative to invite Ivan to meet them, Ivan only needs to wait for them to come to him.

Moreover, while the other side hasn't searched yet, Ivan and his group can experience the charm of Liyue and observe its market, which can be considered as conducting preliminary research for future trade between China and Liyue.

The group walked along the night market along the coastline, enjoying the surrounding night scenery, until they arrived at the entrance to the main road of Liyue Harbor.

Xiang Feng exclaimed "Wow!" and exclaimed, "What a magnificent archway!"

At the entrance to the main road of Liyue Harbor, there is a huge archway, tens of meters high, with three large characters written on it – Crimson Cloud Slope, which is the name of the main road of Liyue.

Ivan waved his hand and said, "Let's go, let's take a look around the city."

The group turned into Liyue's main street. As the city center of Liyue, it was naturally bustling with activity, even more so than the night markets on the outskirts.

Walking along the main road, Ivan suddenly became very interested and began to explain the history and culture of Liyue to everyone.

"When talking about Liyue, we can't leave out the food. Just like in China, Liyue is very particular about food."

"There are two famous cuisines in Liyue: 'Liyue cuisine' and 'Liyue cuisine'."

Xiang Feng raised an eyebrow and said, "Just like the eight major cuisines of China?"

Ivan nodded: "It's similar in meaning, but it's different from the eight major cuisines of China. The eight major cuisines of China basically have all kinds of dishes, but the two major cuisines of Liyue are different. Liyue cuisine specializes in mountain delicacies, while Liyue cuisine specializes in seafood. Over the years, these two have dominated half of the food industry in Liyue."

At this point, Ivan pointed to a magnificent building next door.

"That is Liyue Rina's most famous restaurant, called Ruri-tei."

Xiang Feng asked in surprise, "Judging by this scale, you must be making a lot of money. What about the monthly vegetables?"

This time, Ivan pointed to the other side of the street, where there was also a huge, elegant building. However, compared to the magnificent Glazed Pavilion, this building seemed somewhat ethereal and otherworldly.

"Look, the most famous restaurant of Yuecai is right there, called Shingetsuken."

Xiang Feng raised an eyebrow: "Opened across the street? It gives off a McDonald's or KFC vibe?"

Ivan said, "They're basically the same. For years, these two have been vying for the title of the best cuisine in Liyue, constantly building up their own following. At first, things were fine, but gradually things changed. Over the years, it evolved from a battle over who made the best dish to a price war that disregarded taste. This 'culinary war' has directly led to the monopolization of rare ingredients in Liyue Harbor. Precious mountain delicacies have been seized by Liyue cuisine, and rare seafood has been monopolized by Yue cuisine. Mountain and seafood delicacies are difficult to blend, and the diversity of ingredients has been almost artificially disrupted. This is actually very detrimental to the development of Liyue cuisine."

Xiang Feng said, "So, Liyue cuisine is currently in trouble?"

Ivan smiled and said, "There is no dawn without hardship. Although the established pattern is set, there are many new and young brands that are gradually breaking this pattern, advocating innovation and taste, and offering affordable prices. Wanmintang is the biggest representative of these brands."

Xiang Feng said in surprise, "I remember that Xiangling, the little girl apprentice you took in Qingquan Town, is the head chef of Wanmintang, right? No wonder she's been looking for new ingredients."

Ivan said, "Xiangling's greatest passion is finding new ingredients and new dishes, and it's also her way of contributing to the Liyue cuisine. I admire her spirit. With Xiangling's efforts, Wanmintang might just become the biggest variable in breaking through the constraints of the two major Liyue cuisines."

Just then, a somewhat magnetic voice, which Ivan found strangely familiar, suddenly rang out from behind him.

"I agree with your point of view. Generally speaking, the current rivalry between Rina and Tsuki is indeed limiting the development of the Liyue cuisine."

Ivan paused for a moment, then turned around abruptly and saw a tall, elegant man standing behind them, dressed in a brown Liyue-style suit, with short black hair and a long braid at the back of his head.