"Then… Xingqiu, let's wait outside," Keqing said.
"All right." Xingqiu nodded.
After Keqing and Xingqiu left the courtyard, Ryou looked at Moon Carver. "Moon Carver, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"Last time, you gave both myself and Mountain Shaper a great deal of adeptal tea. I…" Moon Carver hesitated, unsure how to continue.
Ryou seemed to understand what he meant. "Moon Carver, if you need more adeptal tea, I can give you another two hundred pounds."
"That is not the issue," Moon Carver said. "The problem is… when I visited the other adepti, they ended up taking quite a lot of my tea. And I was careless with my words, so the matter spread."
"Yesterday, I sensed several auras entering Liyue Harbor. I suspect the other adepti may have arrived there."
"They are likely looking for you to ask for adeptal tea. This is my fault, and I owe you an apology."
Ryou's expression turned serious when he thought about several adepti entering Liyue Harbor at once.
Among Liyue's Mighty and Illuminated Adepti, he only knew a few of them. As for the others, he had no idea what they were like or how they handled things.
If any of them tried to force the matter, things could get troublesome fast.
"But the adepti protect Liyue Harbor. They shouldn't cause trouble there, right?" Ryou looked at Moon Carver. "Besides, Rex Lapis is still in Liyue Harbor."
"That is not quite true," Moon Carver said. "If they truly would not cause trouble, I would not be worried. But a few of them do not have the best tempers. If they take offense, it may bring you trouble."
Only after saying that did Moon Carver suddenly realize something.
He had been worrying about Ryou this whole time, but then he remembered the battle against the gods not long ago.
Back then, he, Cloud Retainer, Mountain Shaper, the Conqueror of Demons, and the others had fought those gods with ease.
But Ryou had used one Buddha Palm strike and crushed a god to death.
Three slaps. Three dead gods.
Compared with Liyue's adepti, Ryou's strength was probably no weaker. If anything, it might be stronger.
Once Moon Carver remembered that overwhelming power, he relaxed a little.
He thought highly of Ryou, but when he remembered how Ryou had killed three gods at the Jade Chamber with three palm strikes, he still felt fear deep in his heart.
That power was terrifying. Moon Carver was not even sure he could defeat Ryou himself.
If those adepti really dared to cause trouble, perhaps he should be worried for them instead.
Moon Carver suddenly felt his face heat up. He had just spent all that time worrying for Ryou for nothing.
"I was foolish," Moon Carver said. "I let concern cloud my judgment."
"I don't blame you," Ryou said. "If they come to Liyue Harbor, I'll deal with the situation as it comes."
"Good. When the time comes, I hope you will show mercy," Moon Carver said after a moment's hesitation.
He truly hoped Ryou would spare those adepti if things came to that.
Ryou felt a headache coming on at the thought of dealing with more adepti.
Many of them were ancient, stubborn figures. If things could not be explained clearly, trouble would be easy to stir up.
Still, Zhongli was there, so they probably would not go too far.
"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
Ryou took out a one-pound package of adeptal tea and placed it on the table. "Moon Carver, please accept this as a small gift from me."
"This…" Moon Carver glanced at the tea and immediately shook his head. "I meant well but caused trouble instead. How could I accept a gift from you?"
"Just take it," Ryou said.
Ryou did not care too much about the adeptal tea. Building a good relationship with the adepti was not a bad thing.
That connection might become useful one day.
Besides, the Ministry of Civil Affairs was still hiring. Who knew? Maybe this adeptus could be drawn in someday.
Unfortunately, because of several limits, Ryou could only keep the tea's quality at +2.
If he could raise it to +3, the taste and quality would improve by a lot.
But for now, that was hard for him to do.
Even if he managed it, it would only last one or two hours.
"Then… thank you," Moon Carver said.
After that, Moon Carver left.
Ryou sat in the courtyard, thinking things over. Before long, his mind drifted to his Mouth entering Darkened Mode.
He looked over the reward carefully. His Mouth could breathe out three wisps of energy.
Ryou discovered that the energy could turn into physical objects, and it could even become almost anything.
As long as he kept feeding it mental strength, those forms could be maintained.
He breathed out one wisp of energy and shaped it into a teapot.
[Adeptal Energy Teapot]
[Effect: Any tea brewed with it receives a fluctuating quality boost of +1 to +3.]
[Duration: One day!]
Ryou looked at the Adeptal Energy Teapot in his hand and put tea leaves inside.
A short while later, a rich tea fragrance drifted out.
Ryou could even see three layers of mist forming around the courtyard.
Just smelling the tea was enough to clear the mind and make the whole body feel refreshed.
Then he heard footsteps. Keqing and Xingqiu were coming back in from outside.
Ryou also saw Moon Carver, who had supposedly left earlier.
Somehow, he had come back.
Moon Carver was staring straight at the Adeptal Energy Teapot. When he noticed Ryou looking at him, he seemed a little embarrassed.
He wanted to turn away, but he clearly could not bear to leave. At the same time, he did not seem to know whether he should stay.
Moon Carver was deeply envious.
He had thought getting adeptal tea was already good enough, but after smelling this tea fragrance, his envy returned in full force.
Just from the aroma alone, he could tell the tea would taste incredible.
Suddenly, the adeptal tea in his own hands no longer felt as special.
He was an adeptus, yet he could not even drink a cup of tea this good. Meanwhile, Ryou could enjoy it so casually.
How could Moon Carver not be jealous?
He stood at the doorway, unable to decide whether to leave or stay.
"Come in," Ryou said. "I'll pour tea for everyone."
"Thank you, Cousin." Xingqiu swallowed hard.
"Thank you, Ryou," Keqing said.
Ryou glanced at the three of them, lifted the Adeptal Energy Teapot, and poured each of them a cup.
[Mid-Grade Adeptal Tea]
[Quality: +5, enhanced by the Adeptal Energy Teapot]
[Effect: Focuses the mind, calms the heart, extends lifespan, and has a small chance to increase all attributes by 1% to 5%.]
Ryou smiled when he saw the effects of the mid-grade adeptal tea.
At quality +2, it was only low-grade adeptal tea. At +5, it had reached mid-grade.
If it went above +7, it should become high-grade adeptal tea.
The effect surprised him.
A 1% to 5% increase to all attributes was incredibly strong, especially since it included lifespan.
As long as the effect triggered even once, it could extend someone's life. This tea truly deserved to be called adeptal tea.
Now he was curious what effects high-grade adeptal tea would have.
Ryou looked at the teapot with a little more anticipation.
Moon Carver noticed Ryou looking at the teapot and followed his gaze.
The moment he saw it clearly, Moon Carver was shocked.
This teapot was not simple at all. It had been formed from Adeptal energy.
It had no real physical body, yet in Ryou's hands, it could still brew tea.
Moon Carver could tell at a glance that the Adeptal Energy Teapot was extraordinary.
The adeptal tea's incredible quality was likely tied to this teapot.
Moon Carver truly envied Ryou. How did he have so many good things?
As one of the Mighty and Illuminated Adepti, Moon Carver believed he owned plenty of treasures, but compared with Ryou, he looked almost poor.
Adeptal tea, an Adeptal Energy Teapot, Adeptal energy fruit… all of it made Moon Carver jealous.
Ryou was practically more adeptus than the adepti themselves.
Moon Carver lifted his cup and slowly savored the tea without saying a word, as if he had sunk completely into its flavor.
Ryou looked at Keqing and Xingqiu. They were both staring into their teacups in silence, as if lost in thought.
Just then—
[Ding! Moon Carver has reached the fifth stage of the Supreme Fortune Trial!]
Ryou turned toward Moon Carver and saw a brilliant light spreading from his body.
In an instant, a wave of adeptal power covered all of Qingce Village.
Ryou looked around and saw the entire village transform before his eyes.
It no longer looked like an ordinary village. It had become a paradise touched by adeptal power.
Mist drifted through all of Qingce Village, making the whole place look ethereal.
Ryou stared at the scene in surprise.
Then Moon Carver said, "I only took one sip of tea, yet my cultivation improved by this much."
"If Mountain Shaper and Cloud Retainer saw this, they would likely go mad with envy."
Moon Carver rose to his feet. "This cup of tea has spared me hundreds, perhaps even a thousand years of cultivation."
"Ryou, please accept this bow from me."
Keqing and Xingqiu could hardly believe it.
Moon Carver was bowing to Ryou?
He was one of the Mighty and Illuminated Adepti.
Keqing looked at Ryou with pride in her eyes.
This man was her husband. Even an adeptus admired him this much.
"No, please don't." Ryou quickly helped Moon Carver up.
"This is only right," Moon Carver said. "I will remember this kindness. If you ever need help, send word to me, and I will act."
"Please accept this piece of jade."
"Take it," Moon Carver said.
"All right." Ryou nodded and put the jade away. Then he asked, "Will this condition in Qingce Village fade later?"
"My adeptal power surged and spread outward. Even if I draw it back in, it will take time," Moon Carver said. "Rather than absorbing it all, I may as well let Qingce Village keep a little beauty."
"A scene like this is no worse than an adeptal paradise. Is that not a good thing?" Moon Carver smiled.
"That's true." Ryou nodded.
"What… what happened?" Ryou's father walked out from inside.
Uncle He felt refreshed just from the fragrance. When he saw the scene around them, he was stunned. "How did Qingce Village turn into a paradise? Did an adeptus come?"
"Uncle He, this is Moon Carver," Xingqiu said.
"Moon Carver?"
"Hiss! Greetings, adeptus!" Uncle He and Ryou's father quickly said.
Both of them had once served among the Liyue Qixing, so of course they knew of Moon Carver.
They knew he was one of the Mighty and Illuminated Adepti. They just never expected to meet him here.
"I originally came to Qingce Village only to visit an old friend," Moon Carver said. "I did not expect such an unexpected blessing."
"Thank you." Moon Carver turned to Ryou.
"If you need help in the future, come find me. I still have matters to attend to, so I will take my leave."
As soon as Moon Carver finished speaking, he turned into a stream of mist and drifted away.
[End of chapter]
[200 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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