Morax is dead, Liyue will fall into my hands.

Liyue Harbor is a wonderful place, but unfortunately, from guild leaders to ordinary peddlers, there's a possibility that the Liyue Seven Stars have planted their agents everywhere.

Developing a base in Liyue Harbor would be too risky and expose us, so it's better to start from scratch.

Right here in Guili Plains, let's build a city that is richer, more united, and more cohesive than Liyue Harbor!

I've already decided that once this city is built, I'll name it "Spark".

A single spark can start a prairie fire. Let the "spark" burn across Guili Plains and reach every corner except Liyue Harbor.

Even if Liyue Harbor becomes prosperous and powerful by then, it will not be able to withstand the raging wildfire.

"spark"

Zhong Li pondered the name silently before saying, "If Mr. Li wants to build the ideal 'Spark,' I'm afraid it will be difficult to achieve on his own."

Upon hearing this, Li Ye suddenly moved closer to Zhong Li, their eyes meeting at extremely close range. Li Ye's expectant gaze was filled with intense longing: "And what about Mr. Zhong Li?"

Zhongli: "Me?"

Li Ye nodded emphatically, saying with absolute certainty, "Yes, I wonder if Mr. Zhongli would be willing to join me in building our ideal 'Spark' in Guili Plains, so that this wildfire can burn across every corner of Liyue?"

Will we build our ideal city in Guili Plain?

Zhong Li discovered for the first time that Li Ye possessed an irresistible infectiousness, like a plague, and his voice was even more seductive than that of the demon god he had once defeated.

But should I refuse?

Should I really refuse?

What are the reasons for the refusal?

Now that Morax is dead, what excuse is there for Guili Plain to continue to be abandoned?

"So what does Mr. Li plan to do? Building such a city in Guili Plain can't be achieved just by talking, can it?"

Zhong Li neither directly refused nor agreed; he wanted to know Li Ye's plan.

If Li Ye had just said it on a whim, Zhong Li would have refused his invitation without hesitation.

if...

Li Ye returned to his original position, his expression returning to calm. He briefly organized his thoughts and said, "I've heard that a considerable portion of the endless wealth that Tianquan Ningguang has earned has been used to invite top craftsmen to continuously expand the 'Qunyu Pavilion,' a palace that belongs solely to Tianquan Ningguang, making it increasingly grand and magnificent."

Initially, it was only the size of a room, but later it became so large that it could obscure the real silver moon in the sky above Liyue.

In Tianquan Ningguang's vision, one day its shadow would envelop the seven kingdoms.

Zhongli nodded and said, "That's right. However, this palace, which belonged only to Ningguang of Tianquan, was abandoned without hesitation by her in the battle against the Vortex Demon God Oser, just to protect the people of Liyue Harbor."

Li Ye laughed: "Tianquan Ningguang was able to possess endless wealth to build a towering Jade Pavilion, which was eventually thrown into the deep sea by the Liyue people. So why can't I, Li Ye, use the wealth I earn in the future to build a prosperous and powerful city in Guili Plain?"

I, Li Ye, may not be good at making money, but when it comes to the ability to create wealth, I am confident that I am no less capable than Tianquan Ningguang.

I know that a city is not a palace like the Jade Pavilion; a city needs people, and only a city with people can be called a city. To build a prosperous and powerful city, you need not only money but also talented people.

Zhong Li nodded, acknowledging that Li Ye's words made a lot of sense: "So, Mr. Li, how do you plan to fill the city you've built with people?"

Li Ye had never encountered a problem simpler and easier to solve than this. He said, "I will build schools and hospitals for them so that they can afford to study and see a doctor. I will increase their wages."

When they celebrate their child's birthday, they can bring out a gift, perhaps a nice pen, a beautiful backpack, or an interesting book.

They have the means to ensure their elderly parents have meat to eat and no longer fear the cold in winter.

If I can do all this, I believe that millions of Liyue people will choose to gather around me and become the most brilliant sparks in the "Spark."

Zhongli: "What good will doing this do you?"

Upon hearing Zhongli's question, Li Ye frowned slightly and retorted, "Does that mean we can't do it if there's no benefit?"

Long before the Demon God War, Morax, Gui Zhong, and Max Hughes were protecting the people of Liyue, even at the cost of their own lives. Did they ask for anything in return?

If they can do it, why can't I?!

Chapter Twenty-Five: I Want to Build Her into My Hometown

“I’m not from Liyue, but that doesn’t stop me from doing what I believe is right, right?”

Li Ye chuckled again as he said this. He looked down and scratched his hair, seemingly a little embarrassed, which was unusual for him: "Actually, I'm not that noble. I just feel like I can't find any sense of belonging in Liyue. I have an indescribable loneliness and solitude."

So... I thought of building her into the hometown I remember.

Memories are always unconsciously embellished.

Over time, memories eventually turn into dreams, which then sound somewhat unrealistic.

But I think it's good to dream often, so that you don't lose your way on your journey.

As Zhongli listened to Li Ye's story, he could use various data analyses to point out that this dream was unattainable and could not be achieved in just one or two generations.

But at the same time, Zhong Li was also surprised to find that she couldn't find even a single reason to prove that Li Ye's dream was wrong.

"I don't plan to leave Wangshengtang for the time being, but as long as the deal is reasonable, I can provide Mr. Li with some assistance within my capacity."

Zhongli refused Li Ye's invitation again. Having experienced thousands of years ago, he had seen too many young people with dreams ultimately choose to fall into depravity, and he had also seen too many passionate pioneers ultimately choose to drift with the tide.

Even so, Zhongli was still very much looking forward to it, and even hoped that this young man from a foreign land could bring her unexpected surprises.

So Zhongli refused this time, but not completely.

Hearing Zhongli's decisive refusal once again, Li Ye was not disappointed. On the contrary, he was happy that Zhongli was willing to help him through a reasonable deal.

There's no such thing as a free lunch, a free dinner, or a free midnight snack. If you want to use the power of others to achieve your dreams, you have to pay the price they ask for.

This price doesn't necessarily refer to Mora; it could also be freedom, dignity, health, hope, courage, dreams...

......

At dusk, Ningguang, disguised as Boss Ji, sat in a private room on the top floor of the Wangshu Inn, her eyes revealing unease.

She finally understood the source of her "unease" that morning. The people in Wangshu Inn were indeed all hers, but the problem was that there was another person in Wangshu Inn who wasn't human!

Xiao, as the Great Sage Who Subdues Demons, the Guardian Yaksha General, and also the most fervent follower of the Rock King Emperor, also lives in the Wangshu Inn.

Considering that Li Ye is known for his loose tongue, if he's just talking nonsense about the Seven Stars and Eight Gates of Liyue, saying things like "Liyue has fallen into my hands," Xiao probably won't take it seriously. The real fear is that Li Ye, in his excitement, might even use the Rock King and the Celestial Emperor as objects of his jokes.

By then, the "new bank project" will probably truly be Li Ye's last work.

Ningguang was still hoping Li Ye could come up with something for her; she couldn't let Xiao kill her like this.

No, we have to find another place to talk!

But in this desolate wilderness, there was nowhere else to stay besides the Wangshu Inn...

Just then, a familiar voice faintly came from downstairs: "Boss Phil Gaudette, Manager Huai'an, it's been a long time. Come to Jiaxuan Teahouse for tea when you have time."

Ningguang hurried downstairs, and Li Ye greeted Boss Ji as promised, saying, "Sorry to keep Boss Ji waiting."

I had long heard from Chef Xiangling of Wanmin Hall that although Liuli Pavilion and Xinyue Pavilion were the most famous, when it came to culinary skills, Chef Yanxiao of Wangshu Inn was the best in Liyue.

I've always wanted to come and try Master Yanxiao's cooking, but Liyue Harbor is quite far from Wangshu Inn, which is really inconvenient. This time, I'm really going to have a feast!

Still enjoying your meal? Don't eat yourself to death if you keep going!

Just as Ningguang was about to persuade Li Ye to find another place to talk, Yanxiao, the chef who was preparing the food in the kitchen, came out. When she heard Li Ye mention Xiangling from Wanmintang, she immediately smiled and took the initiative to greet him, saying, "Boss, you're joking. Our cooking skills can't compare to Xiangling from Wanmintang."

However, since the customer specifically requested to try our cooking, we certainly can't let them down. Just you wait and see.

Before Li Ye could reply, she suggested, "There are quite a few customers at Wangshu Inn today, and it's not very convenient with so many people talking. Why don't we find another place to talk?"

Master Yanxiao was immediately displeased upon hearing Ningguang's words. He quickly retorted, "Hey, hey, what does this boss mean? Are you worried that our Wangshu Inn's soundproofing isn't good enough?"

Let me tell you, you just don't understand and you're making assumptions.

The walls of our Wangshu Inn are made of a special material. As long as you close the door, no matter how loud the noise you make inside, no one outside can hear it. You absolutely don't have to worry about information being leaked.

No matter how many people are outside, it won't stop you from conducting your business.

Don't blame me for being blunt, but this is the middle of nowhere. If you're worried about leaks, we can postpone the business deal until tomorrow. You can't just run around like a madman because you're afraid of being overheard.

It's getting dark again. Besides our Wangshu Inn, what other shops are there nearby? You can't exactly go out into the wilderness to feed the wolves if you're not going to eat here, can you?

Even if things don't go well, you should at least consider the safety and well-being of this boss, shouldn't you?

The lower echelons of intelligence organizations are often ordinary citizens, precisely because the more intelligence personnel know, the more likely they are to cause trouble.

It's true that everyone at Wangshu Inn is from Ningguang, but the problem is that many people don't even know they're from Ningguang, let alone who Boss Ji is.

All they knew was that they were employees of the Wangshu Inn, the owner was named Phil Gaudette, and the owner's husband was the manager named Huai'an.

As for this Mr. Ji, sorry, I'm really not familiar with him.

Ningguang was speechless after being rebuked by Master Yanxiao, not knowing how to refute him. This was mainly because there were just too many flaws in his words, and she didn't know where to begin her rebuttal.

Li Ye didn't take Ningguang's words to heart. After all, others might worry about too many people talking when they came here to do business, but Wangshu Inn had Ji Laoban secretly invested in it. What information could be leaked on their own turf?

Besides, it was Ningguang who took the initiative to suggest that Wangshu Inn sign a rules and regulations contract, so in Li Ye's opinion, Ningguang was just being polite and shouldn't be taken seriously.

He smiled and said, "Boss Ji, I think Master Yanxiao makes a lot of sense. It's already nightfall, and it's pitch black outside. There are often wild beasts and monsters roaming around, so it's very dangerous."

The owner and manager of Wangshu Inn are regulars at their own Jiaxuan Teahouse, where they drink tea and listen to opera. They're old acquaintances; how could they possibly leave once they've already entered?

Ningguang was utterly speechless: I'm not afraid of you going in and then coming out, I'm afraid you'll go in and then not be able to get out!

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Green-Clad Youth at Wangshu Inn

Ningguang wanted to try persuading him again, but then she thought that since Li Ye had already said so much, it would seem a bit suspicious to talk outside.

Oh well, I'll just have to be more careful then and try my best to stop Li Ye from making careless remarks.

Thinking of this, Ningguang stopped insisting: "Since Mr. Li has said so, then please ask Mr. Philgoldette to help us find a quiet place."

Phil Gaudette immediately understood and said, "Why not arrange it on the top floor of Wangshu Inn? Not only can we enjoy the flowers and the moon, but there won't be any other guests passing by, making it the perfect place to discuss business."

On the second floor of Wangshu Inn, Xiao, who was rarely seen, sensed a familiar presence.

After appearing out of thin air, he stood in front of the stairs and looked down, where he saw Li Ye and Zhong Li standing side by side.

Lord Zhongli!

Many in Liyue know that the Geo Archon did not actually die; for example, Ningguang once received a dream from Morax.

However, not many people know that Zhongli is Morax, including Xiao.

Xiao would even sometimes ask passersby what Zhongli did on a daily basis.

While Xiao was secretly observing, Li Ye patted Zhong Li on the shoulder and introduced him to Ning Guang, saying, "Boss Ji, this is Mr. Zhong Li from the Hall of Rebirth. What do you think? Isn't it better to see him than to hear about him?"

Although Mr. Zhongli still wishes to remain at the Hall of Rebirth, he has also agreed to provide me with some assistance within his capacity through cooperation, making him our long-term partner.