What was Guizhong's greatest regret upon death? Was it being unable to discuss mechanisms and music with old friends?
Or was it being unable to witness the shining wisdom of humanity, that civilization destined to be brilliantly resplendent?
Or perhaps, merely because she could no longer discuss with her old friends what to eat for dinner.
No one knows what her regret was, but upon seeing this scene, the readers all felt deep regret.
Mondstadters fell silent, Liyue folk shed tears, and Inazumans felt no better either—this story was hard not to empathize with.
Especially Furina and Navia, both very sentimental girls; at this point, they had already started shedding little pearls.
Furina unceremoniously grabbed Lucian's sleeve to wipe her tears—who made you write this story? Even the ahoge wilted from watching.
Wiping away tears to continue reading; flipping the page, the scene pulled back further, this time showing Zhongli and Streetward Rambler's backs, with Cloud Retainer and Moon Carver on the left and right of the scene.
In the distance of the scene, five Yakshas stood atop stone pillars, forming an array to seal the power that erupted from Guizhong upon her death.
The Emperor had changed back into his divine garb, his hair still emanating light; like Streetward Rambler, in the scene only his back was visible, no expression seen, but the thick sense of desolation 'came rushing head-on'.
The sun's light seemed still that evening glow from before, but this time its rays no longer gave a warm feeling.
That girl who would tiptoe to look at oneself was gone; Streetward Rambler lifted her head gazing at the dust and sand in that seal.
Now, it was my turn to look up at you.
This golden seal, who knows where, was Guizhong's 'tomb'.
A solitary grave a thousand miles away, nowhere to speak of the pathos.
Now the readers had no mood for jokes, couldn't help clenching their back teeth to restrain their emotions.
Shikikan ah Shikikan, it's New Year! New Year and you show us this?
["Thereafter, at Streetward Rambler's request, the Geo Archon Emperor handed the Dust-Cleansing Bell to her for safekeeping."]
Seeing this line, readers couldn't help recalling what Granny Ping had said when they first went to her for the Dust-Cleansing Bell.
She had said 'I loved looking pretty when I was young.'
Now they knew, if she really loved looking pretty, she wouldn't have become her current appearance.
["This adeptus also followed the old friend's wish, making slight improvements to her 'Guizhong Contraption' as a way to commemorate..."]
Her 'slight improvements' were still quite up to standard; single-shot changed to semi-automatic.
["Sky lanterns rise and fall several times, people gather and part."]
The scene was sky lanterns dancing everywhere, appearing extremely bright under the night, as if the stars in the sky had risen from the ground.
Streetward Rambler played the qin with eyes closed, just like when she first appeared in the initial scene.
Only the playful girl beside her was no longer there, leaving only a single immortal crane.
The main subjects of the scene were two people, Streetward Rambler and Cloud Retainer, occupying left and right of the scene, leaving an empty space in the middle; the emptied position filled with sky lanterns, as if a bridge connecting the distance.
The two's actions were serene, in this night even more quiet; that atmosphere: seeking and searching, cold and clear, desolate and miserable and pathetic.
But opposite to the two was the scene's background; under those sky lanterns filling the sky seemed one happy smiling face after another, Liyue folk storing their heartfelt beautiful wishes in the sky lanterns, releasing ideals, so lively.
The light of the sky lanterns so bright, making Streetward Rambler, back to the sky lanterns, appear even more desolate.
[Cloud Retainer: "What are you looking at? Guili Plains?"]
The scene to Streetward Rambler's profile, beautiful beyond measure; her gaze looked toward the distant mountains.
The mountain peaks icy cold, but at this time under the adornment of sky lanterns, also added a bit of warmth.
[Streetward Rambler: "Looking at this land and waters."]
She placed her weapon and the Dust-Cleansing Bell together in the house, while she herself descended the mountain.
["People die like lamps extinguished; adepti are the same."]
Still the evening sun, still the mountain path; only this time, the person beside was no longer there.
The joy of ascending the mountain also turned into the silence of descending.
The sunlight sprinkling on the face, now shining on the back, yet seemed a bit too dazzling.
["Perhaps one day, we all must settle into dust."]
Streetward Rambler looked back at the high mountain; this mountain path was the one she had walked together with Guizhong; the mountain still the mountain, the sun also still that sun, but the person was no more.
This glance back, she didn't see that tiptoe-laughing girl.
One glance a myriad years; the scene shifted, Streetward Rambler had already become Granny Ping.
["Return to the red dust."]
The final scene was Granny Ping's back; her figure hunched, completely without the previous beauty.
Readers' hearts already shattered; no intense emotional impact, but this faint yet unending emotional wash brushing everyone's feelings.
This lingering affection, like drizzling fine rain; this quiet sense making emotions low.
The passing of loved ones isn't a storm, but the lifelong lingering fine rain.
[Cloud Retainer sighed with emotion: "This adeptus's nature is indifferent, emotions restrained, and dislikes socializing. The intersection with Guizhong expanded from discussions on mechanism arts."]
["This adeptus is not like Streetward Rambler. Her temperament forthright yet not without delicacy, also eloquent and affable; her friendship with Guizhong, compared to mine, would only increase without decrease..."]
Zhongli shook his head inwardly; this friendship isn't about who heavier who lighter; facing the pain of an old friend's passing, one shouldn't compare who grieves more.
It was clear Cloud Retainer indeed wasn't too skilled at socializing; in her view, since her exchanges with Guizhong weren't as many as Streetward Rambler's, then her feelings for Guizhong weren't as deep as Streetward Rambler's; obviously, it couldn't be compared this way.
Coincidentally, among those present, there was one with similar emotional intelligence to her: Paimon.
[Paimon: "But I see you have quite a few friends and are pretty chatty..."]
Paimon genuinely thought so, because her emotional intelligence wasn't high either; seeing Cloud Retainer talkative, she felt Cloud Retainer was good at chatting.
[Cloud Retainer: "Not showing weakness in front of people doesn't mean this adeptus enjoys making friends! This is called outgoing introversion."]
Readers got it: just tsundere and unyielding, huh; very strong competitive spirit, tsundere bird.
But for the term 'outgoing introversion', everyone still acknowledged it; indeed, there are times when one doesn't want others to see they're not good at something and forces oneself to do it.
But in the end, it was still because Cloud Retainer's competitive spirit was too strong; she didn't want others to see she had things she wasn't good at; the less good at it, the more she had to do it.
The Cloud Retainer in the story also revealed a piece of news: about the Emperor's faked death; actually, the adepti back then had already had an inkling in their hearts, just cooperating with the Emperor.
[Cloud Retainer said: "At that time, upon hearing someone named 'Zhongli' wanted to borrow the bell, Streetward Rambler immediately guessed that person was the Emperor, and had already made a major decision."]
["Over these many years, some things, we still have a measure of each other."]
If nothing else, this group of adepti, when acting, each was an old drama bone.
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Character Voice Lines · Guizhong: About Streetward Rambler Growing Old
"Ever since I awoke, she's been in her youthful appearance... probably to keep me from feeling unfamiliar; I understand."