"What are you all looking at me for?"
Hu Tao glanced around at the group with an odd expression before muttering, "You guys don't actually think I'd be against the Totem of Undying, do you? Even though this Hall Master is incredibly powerful, I certainly wouldn't mind having another life-saving treasure in my possession."
Ganyu pursed her lips and asked curiously, "But, Hall Master Hu... this is a Totem of Undying farm we're talking about..."
"Isn't that even better? If everyone can have plenty of Totems of Undying, then wouldn't that make things much safer?" Hu Tao responded with a matter-of-fact tone. She thought for a moment before suddenly realizing something and saying, "Oh, I see! You guys are worried that the existence of Totems of Undying might affect the business of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, and that's why you're afraid I'd be upset?"
"Hehe, then you all are seriously underestimating this Hall Master!"
She puffed out her chest proudly.
"To be honest, when I first learned about the Totem of Undying's effects, I was a little displeased."
"But this Hall Master is brilliant and clever, so I figured it out quickly!"
"The Totem of Undying may seem like it's going against the natural order of life and death, but even the Geo Archon himself has never fully comprehended the mysteries of life and death."
"So how can we be certain that the Totem of Undying isn't also a part of the cycle of reincarnation?"
"Besides, maintaining the balance of life and death is the principle that the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor abides by, and it's also the lifelong creed I uphold."
"But while the cycle of life and death is important, and while granting the deceased their final rest is important, isn't life itself the most precious and worthy thing to protect?"
"If the Totem of Undying can prevent countless people from meeting untimely ends, then why should I dwell on it?"
"At the end of the day, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is only responsible for Liyue's departed souls. My grandfather never taught me that I should sit back and watch the people of Liyue die just to ensure the business thrives."
Hu Tao's words left everyone deep in thought.
Indeed, as someone who wandered the boundary between life and death, she had long since seen through the deeper truths of the world.
Just like how she had accepted the use of bone meal in farming, Hu Tao was willing to acknowledge and respect any rules that governed life and death.
She might not fully understand them, but that didn't stop her from accepting them.
As she had said, the mysteries of life and death were an eternal enigma. If one couldn't comprehend them, then simply embracing them with an open heart was also a form of wisdom.
Of course, if Ryen were to say that the Totem of Undying could resurrect every deceased person in Liyue—
Or if he claimed that the Totem of Undying could bring back her grandfather—
Then no matter what, Hu Tao would never accept it.
That would be a true violation of the balance between life and death—an act that would trample upon both her beliefs and the sacred principles that the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had upheld for thousands of years.
Just as everyone was feeling a surge of emotions, Hu Tao suddenly blinked and said,
"Of course, the most important reason is..."
"The Totem of Undying only prevents someone from dying due to external forces. If someone passes away naturally, it doesn't do anything, right?"
"In that case, what effect would it have on the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's business? Hehe, do you all really think I enjoy sending young people off to the afterlife?"
"They are all pitiful souls who should have had the chance to live longer, to experience more of life's beauty."
"Every time I go out to collect a body, I always feel a deep sense of regret."
Hu Tao spoke in a lighthearted tone, but anyone could hear the weight behind her words.
Despite her young age, she bore the heavy responsibility of overseeing matters of life and death.
Even though the people of Liyue respected her, human nature made it inevitable that they would also keep their distance.
She spent her days traveling through the wild, gathering the remains of those who had died in unfortunate circumstances, ensuring that they could at least rest in peace.
For a girl like her to still maintain such a carefree attitude… it was truly remarkable.
"Besides... the Totem of Undying is such a rare treasure. Even if we do build a farm, we wouldn't be able to supply all of Liyue Harbor with them, right?"
"If this Hall Master isn't worried, then what are you all stressing over?"
Hearing this, everyone exchanged glances and finally smiled.
Ningguang adjusted her composure.
Hu Tao didn't need their support.
Ever since the day she personally sent her grandfather to the afterlife, Hu Tao had already become someone who could bear the weight of life and death.
In contrast, as a Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, Ningguang often found herself learning from Hu Tao's perspective, gaining valuable insights from her open-mindedness.
Hu Tao didn't need protection or sympathy.
She was capable of doing things that others couldn't even imagine.
"Ryen, how do we build the Totem of Undying farm? What materials do we need?"
Hearing this, Ryen thought for a moment before replying,
"The materials aren't an issue—we already have everything we need, including villagers and redstone components."
Everyone exchanged knowing smiles.
Villager-based technology had become an essential part of their survival here.
At first, they had struggled to accept it, but now…
Their only problem was that they didn't have enough villagers to go around.
If they had more, they would have already built automated farms and an iron golem factory.
Come to think of it, when Hu Tao first saw the villagers, she had enthusiastically tried to sell them Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's burial services.
But after realizing that villagers only vanished into a puff of smoke when they died, she had given up with an annoyed pout.
"The foundation of the Totem of Undying farm is a Pillager Outpost."
"In essence, the mechanics are similar to a raid."
Ryen paused briefly before continuing,
"A Pillager Outpost constantly spawns pillagers and occasionally generates Illager patrols. Defeating an Illager patrol triggers the Bad Omen effect."
"Once someone with the Bad Omen effect enters a village, it triggers a raid. The raiding enemies will spawn in a controlled environment, just like a mob farm."
"By efficiently eliminating these enemies, we can ensure a steady supply of Evokers, which in turn means a steady supply of Totems of Undying."
"In short, we're going to build a Pillager farm—a Totem of Undying farm."
"Right now, we have all the necessary materials. The only thing we're missing is a Pillager Outpost."
At this, everyone let out a small sigh of disappointment.
If it were just a matter of gathering materials, they wouldn't hesitate to travel to the End if necessary.
But locating a specific structure…
They were still unfamiliar with this world's geography, so they had no idea where to find one.
"It seems the best plan for now is to have the Millelith scouts venture out and search for an Illager patrol. If they spot one, they should defeat them and return immediately."
Ningguang quickly devised a temporary solution.
Ryen nodded in approval, but then shook his head and said,
"The situation isn't that complicated."
"Since we've already encountered an Illager patrol near the base, it means that a Pillager Outpost can't be too far away."
"And since we're planning to leave this place soon to explore other regions anyway, we can simply keep an eye out for an outpost along the way."
The prospect of finally exploring the world beyond thrilled everyone.
Although they had been here for nearly a month—
The area they had actually explored was only within a twenty-kilometer radius.
They had all been waiting for an opportunity like this.
"Keqing should be returning soon. We should bring her along, or else she'll sulk."
Ningguang chuckled before adding,
"What should we prepare? Do we need to bring anything special?"
Ryen stowed away the two Totems of Undying and replied,
"Not much. Just food and weapons for now."
"If we find a Pillager Outpost, we'll need to return here to gather villagers and some Millelith soldiers to establish an outpost there."
"Now, the real question is—who wants to stay behind and guard this place?"
As soon as he asked, everyone suddenly looked away, feigning deep contemplation.
This was their chance to embark on an adventure—it was practically a spring outing!
No one wanted to be left behind.
After a long silence, Cloud Retainer sighed and shook her head.
"Fine, this Adeptus will remain. I still need to finish reshaping the mountain behind the estate."
At that, everyone exhaled in relief.
"Thank you, Cloud Retainer."
Ryen smiled approvingly.
"You should remember how to contact us. If anything comes up, just let us know—we can teleport back to the manor instantly."
Cloud Retainer gave a slight nod before adding, "Before you leave, make sure to set up a mountain-clearing cannon for me. Also, leave some Redstone behind—I want to conduct some research of my own."
That was a simple enough request, but Ryen still gave her a word of caution.
"I'd advise against messing with Redstone TNT and similar experiments. If anything goes wrong, it could be disastrous."
"Of course."
After getting her assurance, Ryen turned his gaze toward the horizon.
The sun had risen, casting a golden glow over the world. Everything felt vibrant and full of life.
The development of this Minecraft-like world was accelerating at an astonishing rate. What had once seemed like long-term goals, requiring immense effort and patience, were now becoming reality with surprising ease.
A surge of exhilaration welled up in Ryen's heart.
After a long pause, he spoke with a faint smile.
"Well then, let's wrap it up for today. We'll rest for now—there's no urgent need to deal with Phantoms just yet."
"This evening, we'll prepare some alchemy potions, organize our weapons and enchantments, and ensure everything is in order."
Then, Ryen turned to the group, his voice carrying a trace of excitement.
"The day after tomorrow, at dawn, we set off—to explore the unknown reaches of this world!"
…
Ryen and those who had accompanied him to the Nether returned to Teyvat.
As for Xiao and Cloud Retainer, they remained behind.
After all, staying awake for a single night wouldn't spawn Phantoms for them.
Besides, Xiao had other duties—he needed to oversee the spoils from the raid and ensure the mining operations continued.
The Millelith and miners were about to switch shifts soon. If the haul was too small, it wouldn't be acceptable.
Back in Liyue, Ningguang and the others were somewhat exhausted from their trip. Without much chatter, they each returned to their homes for some well-deserved rest.
The only exception was Ganyu—she stayed behind at Ryen's place.
She claimed it was to take care of Nahida.
But really, did Nahida need anyone to take care of her?
After all, she had already slept for five hundred years. If anything, she had no intention of going back to sleep anytime soon.
She'd much rather have Ryen tell her stories!
Unfortunately, Hu Tao seemed to have caught on to something.
Before Nahida could even voice her request, Hu Tao had already whisked her away into Liyue Harbor, insisting on showing her the city's most unique attractions.
Before leaving, Hu Tao even shot Ryen a knowing look.
Ryen had no idea what it meant.
But Ganyu?
Her face turned redder than a sunset.
Shaking his head, Ryen stepped into his courtyard.
After being away for several days, he expected to find dust everywhere, but surprisingly, the place was spotless.
It seemed that Baiwen and the others had been coming by to clean.
With his collaboration with Liyue deepening, this small courtyard had officially been transferred into his name under Keqing's arrangements.
Ryen didn't particularly care. He wasn't here often anyway, only stopping by occasionally for a change of scenery.
Ever since his manor was completed, he usually teleported everyone back home while he himself remained there, making improvements or simply resting.
Perhaps due to the nature of the world, whenever he slept in the Minecraft realm, he rarely dreamed.
It was always deep, undisturbed rest.
After taking a quick look around, Ryen exchanged a few words with Ganyu before heading to his room.
Physically, he wasn't tired at all.
But today had been eventful.
Bringing Nahida back from Sumeru, encountering a sudden raid, building the Redstone cannon, crafting alchemy potions…
And now, the discovery of the Totem of Undying.
Not to mention, he had just finalized plans to explore uncharted lands.
Thinking back, everything that had happened today was actually good news.
As he pondered this, Ryen casually removed his clothes and prepared to sleep.
But then—
The door behind him creaked open.
"…Ryen…"
Ganyu stood at the doorway, her head lowered, her hands gripping the hem of her dress tightly.
Her usually composed demeanor was nowhere to be found.
Her ears and the back of her neck burned crimson, the blush spreading down her delicate skin.
Ryen was momentarily stunned.
He wasn't an idiot.
Thinking back to Hu Tao's gaze earlier, to Ganyu's flustered reactions throughout the day—
The answer was obvious.
Tonight…
It seemed he was in for a feast.
~~----------------------
To read 30 future chapters head over to patreon:
patreon.com/Dreamer20