After Keqing left, Smith had dinner delivered to his residence. Ningguang was very thoughtful in this regard. Understanding that Smith preferred minimal intrusion into his personal space, she arranged for someone to clean his place daily and have meals delivered directly from the restaurant.
These meals were not from Liuli Pavilion or Xinyuexuan but were prepared by Ningguang's private chefs. Their culinary skills were no less refined than those of the most prestigious restaurants in Liyue. Because of this, Smith was able to enjoy the hospitality of top-tier chefs almost every day.
As he indulged in the delicious food, Smith shifted his attention to the guild's chat room.
Ningguang: "The Wood Release Ninjutsu Encyclopedia has been purchased. Was it the Emperor who bought it?"
Zhongli: "No, it wasn't me. It was the president."
Ningguang: "The president? That's not surprising."
Zhongli: "The hybrid rice technology has been handed over to Lishui Dieshan Zhenjun. He has a talent for this kind of work. Perhaps, it won't take long before he successfully develops hybrid rice."
Smith: "The immortals are indeed powerful. Entrusting them with certain tasks is a good idea. After all, they often have little else to do."
Zhongli: "That is true. I have already taught them the Meditation and Spirit Cultivation Technique. Many immortals have fought numerous battles over the centuries, and their bodies have suffered wear and tear.
By practicing this method, they can gradually repair the damage. It might take me a hundred years to fully restore myself. For the other immortals, even if their wear and tear are not as severe as mine, they will still need decades of cultivation.
Still, for us, this is already a fortunate outcome. We no longer need to worry about the inevitable decline caused by wear and tear, and we now have a way to restore what has already been lost."
Despite this progress, Zhongli couldn't help but feel helpless about one particular case—his old friend, the Ruotu Dragon King. The dragon's mind had deteriorated to the point where he no longer recognized himself. Teaching him the Meditation and Spirit Cultivation Technique was nearly impossible. A different solution was needed to address his wear and tear.
Smith: "That's good news for you and for Liyue."
Jean: "By the way, Smith, the acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, will be visiting Liyue in the coming days. Would you like to meet her?"
Smith: "Jean is coming to Liyue? I didn't expect her to make the trip at a time like this. She must be struggling.
With the Knights of Favonius' main force out on an expedition, Mondstadt has been left vulnerable. The Wind God, Barbatos, is missing. His follower, Dvalin, has lost control. The Fatui from Snezhnaya are watching closely, waiting for an opportunity.
On top of all that, Mondstadt itself is in disarray. They constantly preach about freedom, but in the end, too much freedom will lead to chaos."
Smith understood the nature of unrestrained freedom all too well. While Mondstadt had a seemingly ideal existence in the game, reality told a different story.
Keqing: "Is the situation in Mondstadt really that bad? I always thought they were doing well.
Their environment is excellent, and they have abundant food without needing extensive farming. More than 60% of Liyue's wine and beverages are imported from Mondstadt, and nearly 70% of Liyue's imported meat comes from there."
Zhongli: "Barbatos has used a significant amount of divine power to keep the northern snowstorms at bay and to maintain Mondstadt's current climate.
That guy may seem carefree—drinking, singing, and wandering about—but when it comes to serious matters, he is surprisingly reliable. However, I suspect he is currently in a deep slumber to counteract his wear and tear."
Keqing: "If that's the case, then Barbatos truly is a god worthy of respect."
Zhongli had previously explained the concept of wear and tear to them. For immortal beings, the more they used their divine power, the more their bodies deteriorated.
Barbatos and Morax were among the first generation of the Seven Archons. The toll on their bodies was undoubtedly immense.
Even so, Barbatos had chosen to fall into a deep sleep while still maintaining Mondstadt's environment and climate. That kind of dedication made him a great god, despite his seemingly irresponsible nature.
Smith: "That's true. Even though he's a riddle of a man—always drinking and playing around—he is, at his core, a good god."
Ningguang: "President, do you plan to invite Jean into the chat group?
If she joins, it could help her, and she could also provide valuable assistance in the future."
Smith: "We'll see.
I respect Jean, but she still hasn't fully realized the difference between being just another Knight of Favonius and being the acting Grand Master.
She meets the qualifications to join the guild, but her position as the acting leader of Mondstadt's knights could actually become a hindrance to us."
Ningguang: "I see.
But right now, the guild has a maximum limit of 15 members, yet we only have 7. Shouldn't we consider adding more?"
Smith: "For now, it's better to keep the numbers low. New members will join in due time, but I need to strengthen myself first.
Moreover, upgrading the guild is no easy feat. We managed to level up quickly thanks to Morax completing two major tasks back-to-back. Under normal circumstances, the process isn't that fast.
As time goes on, upgrades will become slower. We need to be prepared for that."
Zhongli: "Dvalin should be waking up soon. Perhaps we'll be able to communicate with him when that happens."
Smith: "That would be ideal. If the opportunity arises, we might take a trip to Mondstadt. There are some interesting individuals there worth meeting."
---
The next morning, Keqing arrived at Smith's residence for their usual sword training. However, Smith noticed a change in her demeanor—she seemed much more relaxed than in the previous days.
Even when he accidentally brushed against places he probably shouldn't have, she simply turned a blind eye.
Since Keqing was in a good mood, Smith felt at ease as well. Despite this, he was not the type to take advantage of such situations. Instead, he focused on helping her improve her swordsmanship.
After a particularly intense sparring session, Keqing was panting heavily. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and complained, "Huff… I feel like you're getting stronger every day! Is this the benefit of becoming a god?"
Smith chuckled and spread his hands. "There's no helping it. Even when I sleep, my strength continues to grow."
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