Genshin Impact: Starting with Jing Yuan's Character Card

"Where I come from?" Yun Fan was momentarily stunned before regaining his composure. It wasn't that his will was weak, but the impact of Zhongli riding a pillar was too overwhelming. He had only seen such things in fan creations, and back then, he had just laughed it off. But when such a scene truly appeared before his eyes, it was a completely different feeling—a feeling of absurdity!

"I come from… the Xianzhou Luofu!" Yun Fan replied, only to realize he had misspoken. Perhaps it was the influence of having just fused with the character card. But since he had already said it, he might as well go with it.

"Xianzhou Luofu?" Zhongli murmured, searching his memory for any information about the Xianzhou Luofu. Unfortunately, he found nothing. In his thousands of years of experience, he had never heard of such a faction. Moreover, with a name like "Xianzhou," its overall strength should not be underestimated.

"It seems I am uninformed. Could you enlighten me, friend?"

"Well, the Xianzhou Luofu doesn't belong to Teyvat. It exists in another world…" Yun Fan didn't see any reason to hide this. After all, travelers from other worlds weren't unheard of in Teyvat, so it wasn't particularly strange.

"I see. A traveler from another world. It's getting late, and it's not safe to be alone in the wilderness. Would you like to accompany me back to Liyue Harbor as my guest?" As a visitor from another world, Zhongli couldn't quite gauge Yun Fan's exact strength due to the differences in their world's systems. However, he could sense that this power posed a threat to him.

"I…" Yun Fan was about to decline when he suddenly remembered that it was still three years before the main story began. That bard probably hadn't even woken up from his slumber yet.

If he went to Mondstadt now, he would just be living there for a few years. It might be better to follow Zhongli to Liyue. After all, the man before him was the Geo Archon, Morax, who had lived for over a tenth of the age of the Divine Land of Liyue. He was Teyvat's foremost martial god. Perhaps he could learn some combat techniques from him.

"Then I'll gladly accept your offer. Thank you, Mr. Zhongli." Yun Fan imitated the ancient etiquette, cupping his hands in a salute, though his gesture seemed slightly off.

"No need for formalities." Zhongli's eye twitched slightly as he noticed Yun Fan's right hand was placed above his left. It must be a difference in etiquette between worlds, he thought.

Zhongli's invitation for Yun Fan to visit Liyue Harbor was not without consideration. After all, someone of unknown strength couldn't be left to wander freely in Liyue without a contract. He couldn't allow an unstable element to roam around unchecked. What if some Treasure Hoarders or Fatui agents provoked him…

Zhongli rubbed his temples. The last time he had such a headache was with Alice from the Hexenzirkel. It seemed he needed to retire soon and leave these troublesome matters to the Liyue Qixing.

"So this is Liyue Harbor? It's truly extraordinary." Yun Fan couldn't help but praise. The real Liyue Harbor was nothing like the small area depicted in the game. Rows of traditional-style buildings exuded a unique aesthetic.

Just the Wanmin Restaurant before him covered over a thousand square meters, with three floors of dining space. Though not as luxurious as Liuli Pavilion or Xinyue Kiosk, its simple architectural style and traditional decor gave it a more vibrant, lively atmosphere. The aroma of meat and wine wafting from the restaurant made Yun Fan's stomach growl—he hadn't eaten since arriving in Teyvat.

Having finally arrived in Teyvat, how could he not try the local delicacies?

"Mr. Zhongli, as the Geo Archon Morax, you must be quite wealthy in Liyue, right? How about we sit down at Wanmin Restaurant and have a good chat?" Yun Fan smiled, keeping an eye on Zhongli to see if his expression would change when mentioning his wealth.

"That sounds good." Zhongli nodded, showing no particular reaction, which disappointed Yun Fan slightly. "However, I am currently walking the mortal world under the name Zhongli. It would be best if you refrained from using my divine name in public."

"No problem, Mr. Zhongli. You can call me Yun Fan. 'Friend' feels a bit too formal." Yun Fan nodded in response. He wasn't the type to blabber, and he certainly wouldn't go around spreading the fact that Zhongli was Morax. Even if he did, who would believe him?

A 'grandpa' who spent his days strolling, bird-watching, and drinking tea—claiming he was the Geo Archon who had protected Liyue for over three thousand years? The people of Liyue would probably call you a fool. If you ran into a die-hard fan, they might even challenge you to a fight.

"Chef Mao, a pot of good tea and a few of Wanmin Restaurant's signature dishes, please." As they entered Wanmin Restaurant, Zhongli called out to the owner, Chef Mao. In reality, Wanmin Restaurant was much larger than in the game, and Chef Mao couldn't possibly handle all the cooking alone—it would be impossible to keep up. In reality, Chef Mao managed the accounts and hired a team of chefs to handle the cooking. He only stepped into the kitchen occasionally when regular customers visited.

As for the little chef Xiangling, Yun Fan didn't see her. She might be in the kitchen cooking or out gathering ingredients.

"Coming right up!" Chef Mao replied with a smile. Zhongli was a regular here. Although this 'grandpa' never paid with Mora, he was backed by the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, which handled nearly all of Liyue Harbor's funeral affairs. They were quite well-off.

"Mr. Yun Fan, this way, please." Zhongli led them to a private room, as they would be discussing topics not suitable for ordinary ears.

Swish, swish, swish…

Zhongli skillfully poured two cups of tea and placed one by Yun Fan's right hand. The emerald-green tea, mixed with its fragrant aroma, had a tea stem standing upright in the center of the cup. Hmm… what was the principle behind that?

"Good tea." Yun Fan was someone who only drank soda and didn't understand tea, but that didn't stop him from complimenting it. After all, Zhongli wouldn't order cheap tea.

"Mr. Yun Fan has a good eye. This is premium Spring Green tea. Its leaves are tender and covered in fine hairs, the tea soup is refreshing with a strong, fresh taste, and the flavor is mellow…"

Stop, I don't understand any of this! Seeing Zhongli explaining incessantly, Yun Fan regretted commenting on the tea. Why did I have to open my mouth?

"It will take some time for the dishes to be served. Mr. Yun Fan, could you tell me about your world?" Finally, the topic changed. But how should he explain? Yun Fan wasn't sure where to start. When he transmigrated, Honkai: Star Rail hadn't even been released yet, and he hadn't managed to get into the beta test. He didn't know much about the world of Honkai: Star Rail.

He had only watched all the character ultimate skill effects on a certain video platform and knew that Auntie Himeko had continued in a different form in Honkai: Star Rail. As for the story of Honkai: Star Rail and the so-called Aeons, he wasn't very familiar with them.

"My apologies, Mr. Yun Fan. Please don't take it to heart." Seeing Yun Fan remain silent, Zhongli thought he might have some reservations and quickly broke the silence.

This made Yun Fan feel a bit embarrassed, as it was ultimately his own fault.

"How about this, Mr. Zhongli? Let me tell you about a world governed by humans that I once traveled to." Yes, Yun Fan planned to tell him the story of That Rabbit. This happened to be exactly what Zhongli needed right now.

"A world governed by humans? I'd love to hear it." Zhongli showed a look of interest. He had been wavering about whether to hand over his power. On one hand, the erosion was worsening, and the times were changing. He wanted to relinquish his authority and let humans govern their own nation. On the other hand, he was worried about Liyue—his child. He wasn't sure if the current Liyue Qixing and the people were capable of governing Liyue well, or where Liyue's future would lead.

"Under the rule of a dynasty, the people lived in extreme suffering, facing internal and external troubles… A great organization was formed, leading the people to drive out foreign invaders and achieve national unity… A new nation was established, and the people began to live as masters of their own destiny…"