Original God, I am the only designated Red King God Envoy of Xumi

Amber smiled and rubbed Nashida's head. She explained to her, "These are 'jokes'. They are harmless lies told between friends. Sometimes both of them know what's going on, but they deliberately create a tacit understanding. Sometimes they do it to express something else."

"For example, let's say I'm someone who cares a lot about my birthday, and Nashida is my best friend. I've been anticipating what kind of gift Nashida will give me on my birthday for a month, and then on my birthday, Nashida comes to my house."

"I asked Nashida what gift she had prepared for me, but she just scratched her head and said she had forgotten. Just when I was feeling sad, she suddenly pulled out a gift from behind and gave it to me, saying she had just tricked me. Actions like this are just 'jokes' between friends."

"Hmm..." Nashida fell into deep thought after hearing this. "So, a little lie like this between friends will not only not damage the relationship, but will make both of them happy?"

"Not entirely. Some people don't care about these little jokes, and some people don't like being joked about. It's better not to joke with those who don't like being joked about - this is also a kind of 'respect', and respect is often the most important thing in a friendship." After Amber explained, she turned her gaze to Ying and Paimon, and she quickly gave a reason.

"Nashida is the daughter of an old friend of mine. She used to be so frail that she couldn't leave the house. But recently, she's gotten better, so I've been taking her out to see the world. It's not surprising that she would ask such a question."

"Ah...! You haven't been able to go out since you were a child, how pitiful..." As she spoke, a look of confusion flashed across Paimon's face. After a fierce ideological struggle, she took out a candy from her pocket and put it in Nashida's hand.

"This is my treasured triple-sweet candy! There are only five of them. Give one to Nashida!" Paimon's eyes were full of reluctance. She gritted her teeth and turned her head away sharply, as if she had made a great decision.

Chapter 30: Sage

"Ah... If it's such an important thing, Paimon should just keep it for himself." Nashida put the candy back on the table. She looked at Amber, her eyes as gentle as a breeze.

"That's all in the past. Now I'm so happy to have Amber taking me on this journey." Nashida's smile was soft, like the mottled sunlight under the trees on an early spring afternoon. "I feel like my heart is filled to the brim. I think—this is probably what 'happiness' is?"

"..." Amber lowered her head and looked at Nashida. She had to admit that at that moment, her heart was hit. For a moment, it seemed as if her heart stopped beating for a moment, and even her brain was dizzy.

She subconsciously placed her hand on Nashida's head and gently stroked it, unconsciously revealing a gentle smile from the heart.

"That's great! Although she had a hard time in the past, Nashida looks very happy now." Paimon stuffed the triple sweet candy on the table into his mouth, feeling the sweetness that was too sweet for ordinary people filling his mouth. Looking at Nashida's happy smile in front of him, Paimon felt that he was much happier too.

"...Yes." Ying seemed to be struck as well, and it took her a moment to recover. The corners of her mouth rose slightly, and she was sincerely happy about the scene before her.

Probably because of the ceremony of inviting the immortals, so many people came to Wangshu Inn to rest. In such a noisy atmosphere, several people chatted about various things. In the end, Amber paid for the meal as a treat. After that, Ying and Paimon, who were very tired after running around all day, returned to the room to rest first, while Amber took Nashida for a leisurely walk.

They walked along the gravel road to the stone bridge and finally stood at the bridgehead. The rushing water flowed under the bridge, and the perfect evening breeze also passed by.

"What are you thinking about?" Amber leaned on the stone railing at the end of the bridge, slightly turned her head to look at Nashida beside her. Nashida stood in front of the stone railing with only her head barely visible - perhaps Amber should have made it taller.

Nashida was thinking about something after leaving the dinner table. Amber didn't intend to ask more questions at first, but now seeing that Nashida hadn't figured it out yet, she spoke.

"Ah... I was thinking about the story you told me at the dinner table." Nashida stood on tiptoe and placed her hands on the stone railing. The moonlight tonight was quite bright, shining on the river surface and flickering with the flow of water. Frogs croaked under the bridge, and birds chirped from time to time not far away. Together with the passers-by gathered under the Wangshu Inn to eat, the place seemed to be full of life.

"Actually... I asked you to bring me to Liyue because I wanted to meet its gods." Nashida looked at the shimmering river, a hint of confusion in her words. "He is the oldest and most experienced demon god among the Seven Rulings. I want to ask him what I should do to become a qualified god."

Amber smiled gently when she heard that. She didn't say anything, but just gently stroked Nashida's head and listened to Nashida's words as a listener.

"But after you told that story, I suddenly realized that perhaps this ancient rock god wasn't so good in some areas. This isn't meant to belittle him, but I suddenly realized that he wasn't perfect either."

"I've been keeping an eye on the caravans coming and going from the Wangshu Inn. Most of them are rushing to Liyue to attend the Immortal Ceremony. The poor among them hope to ride the wave of the Rock God Oracle and soar to great heights, earning a fortune in Mora, while the wealthy hope that this turmoil won't affect them, so that they won't suffer too much loss."

Nashida would think about the news she had heard from the merchants gathered around before having dinner with Ying and her group. The news was easy to find out, as they were all talking about this matter.

"This is clearly a matter concerning their own future. Most people would want to control it as much as possible. However, in Liyue, these merchants are completely dependent on the Rock God. It's like they're dreaming an unrealistic dream, just like the spoiled children in your story."

"Seeing this... I'm always reminded of the Sand People I met in the desert. There's no god protecting them right now, but they've transformed the environment with their own hands, built windbreaks, and are now even building city-states brick by brick. Comparing these two, which one is truly superior?"

Nashida's words were full of distress. She had wanted to use the most wise God of Rock in the eyes of ordinary people as a reference, but now the more she thought about it, the more confused she became. Upon hearing this, Amber rubbed Nashida's head a little harder to bring her thoughts back.

"First, no one, whether gods or humans, can be perfect—Nashida should understand this best. For example, the Rock King is considered the wisest god by most people, but these problems undoubtedly exist. In comparison, the Wind God of Mondstadt may be even better. The freedom he advocates has enabled Mondstadt to truly achieve self-government among its people."

"But is Mondstadt really that good? Not entirely. Too much freedom often leads to chaos. This is reflected in many details. Barbatos isn't perfect either."

"There's an old saying in Liyue: 'Take the essence and discard the dross.' It means learning the good and discarding the bad. Nashida, don't worry about this. You must not rush into things like this. Just slowly learn what you think is good. One day, you too will become a qualified god."

Amber squatted down, bringing her eyes level with Nashida's. There was an infinite tenderness in her eyes. "After all, I'm still by your side. I'll accompany you on this journey. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask. Even if I don't know, we can still find the answer together."

"...Yeah." Nashida nodded. She looked at Amber's gentle eyes and suddenly wanted to dodge. She didn't know why she had such an idea. She just felt her heart beating a little faster and her cheeks a little hot.

"And, Narcida." Amber placed her palm on Narcida's cheek and tucked her hair behind her ears. The body temperature of this doll was slightly low and it felt cool to the touch. Amber's body temperature was transferred from her palm to Narcida's cheek.

"—You have a quality that no other god possesses, and that is kindness."

"This compassionate heart allows you to empathize with people more than any god. You can understand the sorrows and joys of ordinary people. You will feel genuine heartache for the tragic plight of ordinary people, and you will also feel sincere joy for the good fortune of ordinary people."

"Barbatos was a poet, a wanderer, always at the forefront. Mondstadt was at best just following in Barbatos' footsteps, while the Geolord was a watcher. He created the 'Contract,' whose original intention was fairness and justice. The vast Liyue Harbor was built on this contract."

"Inazuma's Thunder God is a warrior, a general. She probably doesn't know how to govern a country. The people's expectations don't reach her ears, and the people's demands are not in her eyes. She is too far away from the people."

"But you are different, Nashida—you are different from all these gods. It's true that you are the youngest, the most immature, and the weakest, but you are also the most human. If I had to say who is most likely to understand humans, then that person is you, Nashida."

"This kindness is your greatest asset, but it is also a double-edged sword. But there is no need to worry. There is a long way to go. Nashida can learn slowly. Until then, I will be your most capable assistant."

Amber's words made Nashida unable to calm down for a long time. She opened her eyes wide and looked at Amber. She felt her heart beating very fast, but at the same time, a warmth spread through her body - this was "peace of mind", Nashida was so sure of it.

Amber probably has a kind of magical power. She is like an unshakable mountain. She is the most reliable existence and a totem that gives people infinite confidence as long as she stands in place. It seems that as long as she is there, the problem is no longer a problem, as if as long as she is there, there is nothing to be afraid of.

"...The rainforest of Xumi didn't exist from the beginning. Long, long ago, the rainforest and the desert were both deserts. It was the Great Compassionate Tree King who established the first rainforest. During this process and even afterwards, the followers who followed her were the first 'sages'."

Nashida's voice was very soft, like a floating dandelion, flowing into Amber's ears along with the gentle night breeze.

"Compared to the Great Compassion Tree King, I am still very immature and weak, an unqualified god. Perhaps that is why the sages of the Order of the Lord want to create a new god."

Nashida spoke quietly, and Amber listened quietly. There was no sadness in Nashida's words. Amber had already told Nashida the information about the god-making plan, and Nashida knew the reason in her heart.

"Huh..." Nashida placed her hand over her heart and took a deep breath to calm her surging emotions. "I don't blame those sages. While other countries have powerful gods, the God of Xumi is a weak being like me. It's understandable that they seek other solutions."

"Narcida..." Amber frowned slightly. She didn't want to hear Nacida belittle herself like that. Anyway, it was not Nacida's fault.

"-I'm not belittling myself, Amber. These are real problems I have, but I already know what the most important treasure I have is, and I also know what I should do next." Nashida's tone was soft, and her eyes were full of determination.

"From a small sapling that needs care to a towering tree that can protect the land and water, I still have a long way to go. I have to witness everything in this world with my own eyes and turn it into nutrients for my growth."

"...This is a request from an immature god." Nashida extended her hand to Amber. "Are you willing to become a sage of God?"

"Become a sage of Buyel, the god of Sumeru wisdom—become the first sage of the Little Auspicious Grass King."

"Huh..." Amber closed her eyes and her expression relaxed. After a moment, she opened her eyes again and showed a sincere smile. Looking at the hand that Nashida extended, Amber shook it firmly.

"my pleasure."

Chapter 31: A New Chapter for Travelers

"Sister Amber is such a good person~" Paimon said this when the blond traveler and the white guide walked through Guiliyuan. Originally, such words seemed more like something Ying would say, but now they came from Paimon's mouth.

At this point, the two had been separated from Amber for more than a day. Amber had planned to take Nashida to stay outside for a while before going to Liyue Harbor - after all, there were still more than ten days before the Summoning Immortal Ceremony began. However, Ying and Paimon were afraid that something might go wrong, so they had to get to Liyue Harbor first before they could feel at ease, so they parted ways for the time being.

Before leaving, Amber gave Paimon a lot of date palm candies. These candies, which were a little too sweet for adults, were very much to Paimon's taste. Even though she ate one at a time, she had only eaten a little bit so far.

"You're really not afraid of getting your teeth damaged by eating so much." Ying grabbed Paimon who was flying beside her and rubbed Paimon's little fat face hard. Paimon made a whimpering sound and looked at Ying angrily after he finally broke free.

"I won't get cavities! How could Paimon be troubled by cavities?"

Ying waved her hand when she heard this and did not refute anything. She signaled Paimon to follow closely and speed up.

Starting from Wangshu Inn and heading south along the main road, you will reach Guiliyuan. If you continue south, you will reach the territory of Tianheng Mountain. The entire Liyue Harbor is backed by Tianheng Mountain and is next to an entire ocean. This is also the next destination of Ying and Paimon.

They walked for a long time and saw many people heading towards Liyue Port along the way. Most of them were business-minded and were just waiting for the Emperor to show his power so that they could take advantage of the opportunity and make a fortune.

"But relying entirely on the oracle of the Rock King - this is obviously an important matter concerning my future, but I completely rely on the guidance of the gods. Doesn't this feel a little unreliable?" Ying recalled what Amber had told her before. She didn't feel much about these things before, but now she really understands the problem.

It is amazing that these people are more inclined to "faith-based investment" than considering economic development.

"Hey, what are you talking about?" The thin man in a long robe waved the folding fan in his hand. If a local of Liyue said such a thing, he would probably roll his eyes, but considering that the person coming this time was a foreigner, the man not only did not get angry but instead introduced himself.

This is also a common feature of many Liyue people. When facing foreigners, they are more willing to show their good side. On the one hand, it is a matter of hospitality and face. On the other hand, they do not want others to think of Liyue people in a bad way and leave a bad impression. Liyue people usually have a very high sense of identity and pride in Liyue.

"Liyue's history, calculated from the present, is already over three thousand years old. This is the limit of Liyue, not the limit of the Emperor himself. According to many legends, he is conservatively estimated to be over six thousand years old."

The man waved his fan. "Can you imagine how long that is? A human lifespan of a hundred years at most is like a mortal insect to the Emperor. The Emperor has protected Liyue since time immemorial. His divine power is immense. What's wrong with us ordinary people wanting to rely on his light?"

After the man finished speaking, Ying frowned slightly. From an ordinary person's perspective, this might not be a big deal, but Ying inexplicably felt that this was not good, but she didn't know what to say for a moment.

"This must be your first time in Liyue, right? How about I tell you the story of the Emperor?" The man unfolded his folding fan and showed great interest. Ying didn't refuse. She needed some time to sort out her thoughts, and she was indeed curious about what the God of Rock looked like in the eyes of ordinary people.

The man cleared his throat and began to tell the legend of the Emperor. He was obviously very experienced in storytelling and knew where to put his strengths. Occasionally, when he came to the exciting part, he would sing a few lines in an operatic voice. For a moment, even the passers-by around were attracted and slowed down to listen to a few more lines before leaving.

"The Emperor has been watching over Liyue for more than three thousand years. Liyue has relied on his light to achieve what it is today. This is something that no god from any other country can compare to!" The man's words were full of complacency, and for a moment his back straightened a little.

Ying finally grasped something. She looked at the complacent man and slowly asked her final question: "But what if the gods are no longer willing to fulfill this responsibility? Then where will humans go?"

"...What do you mean?" The man's face changed and became a little ugly when he heard this. Ying realized that some of the words she said caused the man's disgust, but Ying had a good brain and she responded quickly.

"Don't get me wrong. Before I came to Liyue, I was in Mondstadt. You should know that Barbatos, the God of Wind, doesn't directly lead Mondstadt. This Kingdom of Wind relies entirely on the Mondstadt people themselves to govern themselves."

"Oh! I see." The man pretended to understand something, his expression relaxed again. "No wonder you think so. How can Mondstadt compare to Liyue? The people of Liyue can rely on the Emperor, but can they rely on Barbatos?"

"In my opinion, this is a blessing for the people of Liyue. If there is a next life, I will still be a Liyue person!" The man's words were full of complacency. He did not directly answer Ying's question, but his words explained everything.

They are like children who demand unlimited things from their parents and have taken it for granted. They even think that other children whose parents don't take care of them as well, that is, the Mond people, are inferior to themselves. Ying doesn't think it is a good thing to feel complacent about this behavior.

However, her previous words had caused such a strong reaction from this person, and Ying did not intend to continue to offend him. She used her foreign identity as a cover, and once or twice, she could be ignored, but it would not work if it happened too many times.

It was probably because the first god Ying met was Wendy, and the impression Wendy left on Ying was not very reliable - although she was unusually serious about big things, her casual personality was really... That's why Ying tended to doubt God.

If the first god she met was the extremely reliable and wise God, the situation might have been different.

Ying didn't ask any risky questions on the rest of the journey, but just chatted casually. They set out in the morning, walked until noon, took a break, and arrived at Liyue Harbor just before dusk. The stone gate, which was more than ten meters high, looked majestic, and behind the stone gate was an arch bridge that was no less powerful than the Mondstadt Bridge.

After receiving verbal verification from the gatekeeper Qianyan Army, the two were allowed to enter Liyue Port. However, because their identities had not been registered in Liyue, they had to report to the department in charge of foreign personnel in Yujingtai within three working days for verification.

"Wow... Liyue is so lively." Walking on the bridge, Paimon sighed as he looked at the bustling market. The market in Liyue Harbor was already bustling, and it was even more lively at the moment when the ceremony of inviting the immortals was in preparation. This kind of liveliness was so lively that it made people feel overwhelmed at first glance - there were simply too many people.

"You're a guide, Paimon, but you look so ignorant now... Does this mean you're disqualified as a guide?" Ying was troubled by the crowded situation. She tried to ease the situation by teasing Paimon, and Paimon gave an amusing reaction as expected.

"No! I know Liyue is very lively, but... I'm sure I'll be scared if I actually see it..." Paimon used both hands to draw a big circle. "After all, there are so many people!"

"Has Paimon figured out how to squeeze through all these people and find a place to stay?" Ying asked this soul-searching question. At this moment, Paimon's brain suddenly became useful. She blinked her eyes and said, "I can fly. I can fly over there!"

After he finished speaking, Paimon accelerated and flew over the crowd, leaving Ying, who was not only not relieved but also angry, with only a sentence "I'll wait for you up there!"

In the end, Ying took a lot of effort to get through the crowd, and spent a lot of time finding a suitable inn. After doing all this, she was exhausted both physically and mentally. She quickly had dinner and fell asleep, planning to postpone the reporting to the next day. Compared to the busy Ying, Amber was much more leisurely.

The two came to the west of Qingce Village, where there were many bamboos. After parting with Ying, they headed north and took a detour when they were near Wuwangpo - the yin energy there was too heavy, and Amber really didn't want to go there unless it was necessary.

Amber had plenty of free time before the ceremony of inviting the immortals began, so she brought Nashida here with a traveling attitude. It takes an ordinary person a whole morning to walk here from Qingce Village, but because the scenery is so beautiful, some hermits live here.

There are not many bamboos in Teyvat, and they are only common here. Apart from artificially planted bamboos in other places, there are very few wild bamboos. Therefore, bamboo shoots have become a scarce food outside Liyue. Amber specially selected the best bamboo shoots here, and paired them with a wild beast hunted on the way here, and made pickled pork with preserved vegetables according to the method mentioned by Zhongli before.

Premium bamboo shoots, delicious ham slices, and fresh pork belly, simmered over low heat, give off a rich aroma - of course, this can hardly compare to Zhongli's, who is very particular about many things. If he were to make this, he would definitely use the best and freshest ingredients, but the pickled pork with preserved vegetables in the pot right now tastes pretty good too.

Nashida used some of her divine power to make two mushrooms that could be used for sitting grow on the flat ground. This was one of the three living things of the Great Kindness Tree King in the legend of Xumi. It was a mushroom with strange elasticity and was quite comfortable to sit on. As for the other two, they were vines that could lift huge stones and mushrooms that could emit poisonous gas.

In order not to affect the local ecology, the two mushrooms created by Nashida do not have the ability to reproduce and will naturally wither after a day or two. Although this puppet body is not as good as her original body, it can also use considerable divine power. In addition, Amber deliberately spent some time to increase the output of this body to twice that of a young and strong man, which often seems quite useful.

At this moment, Nashida was promoting the growth of vines to reinforce the main support of the hut. The raw materials for building the hut were also created by Nashida.

They would stay here for three to five days at most. They had originally planned to make do with what they had, or go directly to the nearby Qingce Village to stay, but Amber thought about it and decided to go camping, even if it was only for three to five days, so the two of them started building a small house.

——It’s not the hut itself that’s important, but the process of building it that fascinates Nashida.

Chapter 32: Slowing Down Time

The hut is more of a Sumeru style. The roof is not in the shape of a "human" as is common in Liyue, but a cone with a slightly gentler slope. The main body of the hut is not square but cylindrical - this is probably not very practical, but it fits the dreamy atmosphere better, and Nashida also likes it.

There is hay piled up on the roof, vines wrapped around the walls, and some common wild flowers on the land next to the walls. The whole house does not seem to be in harmony with the surrounding environment, but it is beautiful enough.

"Okay, the pickled pork with preserved vegetables is almost ready. Nashida, come and sit down." Amber used her walking stick to move the stove - or rather the fragments of the sun - a few times to straighten it out. In order to make it convenient to use fire anytime and anywhere in the wild, she made a portable stove that can adjust the flame to a certain extent, with the fragments of the sun as the core.

"Yeah!" The smile on Nashida's face has hardly disappeared from morning till now. There are many new things in the land of Liyue, and Nashida is curious about all kinds of things like a child. She is holding a bamboo whistle in her hand. This is a small toy that Amber made for Nashida.

Nashida sat on another mushroom. As Amber lifted the lid of the pot, a rich aroma wafted out. The soup in the pot was now bubbling with steam. The pork belly, bacon, bamboo shoots and other red and green ingredients complemented each other in color, which was very beautiful.

Amber turned down the heat and handed Nashida a pair of bamboo chopsticks and a bamboo tube that was just big enough for Nashida to hold with one hand. She had also carved these bamboo tubes earlier. She used the chopsticks to pick up the pickled pork with preserved vegetables and used the bamboo tube as a bowl. For a moment, the atmosphere of camping became even stronger.

Nashida put a piece of pork belly into her mouth to taste it. The pork belly was stewed to perfection after being simmered over low heat and was not difficult to chew. However, the other ingredient, bacon, was much tougher, but had a unique flavor. The bamboo shoots absorbed the broth from the stewed meat, and their crisp texture made them absolutely wonderful.

Nashida picked up a spoon and scooped some broth, then held the bamboo tube with both hands and took a small sip. The hot soup absorbed the flavors of pork belly, bacon, bamboo shoots and even some auxiliary ingredients. It can be said that it concentrated all the ingredients. The taste made Nashida breathe a sigh of relief, and her body felt warm as the hot soup went down her throat.

"How does it feel?" Amber asked with a smile, picking up a piece of bamboo shoot from the pot. Nashida thought for a moment and carefully considered her words. "It feels like tasting candy for the first time. The taste of sweetness spreads in my mouth, completely drawing me in in an instant."

"And after drinking the soup, it feels like sitting by a fire in winter, your body is warm and you feel safe."

"As long as Nashida likes it, I'm glad. During my time in Liyue, I saw many other dishes. Add to that the Sumeru dishes I already know, some Mondstadt dishes, and a little Fontaineland. Nashida didn't have the time to sit down and savor them before, but now that we have the time, how about just trying them all?"

"Okay." Nashida's smile was infinitely gentle. She picked up another piece of bamboo shoot, with a genuine happiness in her eyes. She walked with Amber on the land outside Sumeru, learned about the stories outside Sumeru, and tasted delicacies different from Sumeru. All kinds of new things filled Nashida. She had never been so happy and relaxed.

Such a leisurely yet fun-filled life is like a dream, and the most reassuring thing is that this dream is actually continuing and seems to last for a very long time.

After the pleasant meal, Amber washed the dishes. Looking at the sky, it seemed to be around 10 or 11 o'clock, but neither of them was in a hurry to rest. They sat on a big rock by the river and watched the river flow slowly under the moonlight.

Everything was quiet. Amber didn't speak, and neither did Nashida. Nashida leaned on Amber's body, looking at everything in front of her. She was just sitting there quietly, but she still made people so happy.