"A storyteller? This is also a part of Shenzhou culture that one must appreciate. miHoYo really knows how to promote culture."
Silver Wolf saw the camera turn to Tian Tiezui striking a pose and knew a cutscene was coming, so she took her hands off the keyboard and quietly waited for the plot to begin.
The storyteller unfolded the folding fan in his hand, and the story unfolded before everyone:
"Everyone knows that above our harbor lies a celestial mansion among the clouds, a palace of mist and clouds."
"What does it mean to have eyes and hands that reach the heavens? Just look—this is what it means to have eyes and hands that reach the heavens. This is the heavenly enterprise established by Lady Ningguang—the Jade Chamber."
"When the sky is clear, looking down from the palace reveals most of Liyue's scenery!"
In the scene, an ancient-style painting scroll suddenly unfurled, revealing the Jade Chamber within it.
Clouds and mist flowed slowly across the sky as the outline of a magnificent palace gradually emerged from the fog.
"It is said that whenever something major happens, Lady Ningguang always comes to this Jade Chamber."
The wooden doors of the palace opened.
Ningguang, dressed in a cheongsam and holding a folding fan that covered the lower half of her face, stood with three secretaries beside her, flipping through documents and organizing paperwork.
"She dismisses everyone else and only brings her three trusted aides."
"What does she bring these three trusted aides for?"
"Ah, it turns out she wants them to organize intelligence and handle documents beside her."
The curtain behind Ningguang was suddenly pulled open, revealing a massive bulletin board.
Once conclusions were reached, the secretaries would paste summaries on the wall, while Ningguang herself would admire the scenery of Liyue and lean against the railing in quiet contemplation.
"…Before this white wall is completely covered, Lady Ningguang will surely make her final decision."
"After the decision is made, she will crush all the documents."
"Swish—she scatters those paper scraps out the window."
Ningguang stood by the window of the Jade Chamber, showing her perfect side profile. She held paper torn into shreds in her hands and blew gently.
The scraps scattered with the wind, falling like fine snow across every corner of Liyue Harbor.
"Goodness."
"Floating and drifting."
"It's like a sudden flurry of broken snow."
"The writing on those paper scraps, in the eyes of every merchant across Liyue."
"Is like ink stains on snow."
"Striking!"
At this moment the scene changed abruptly. Ningguang held the Jade Chamber in one hand, revealing only a single crimson phoenix eye that gazed at the audience in front of the screen.
"There is a poem in praise:
'Drifting and fluttering, like falling snowdust among the clouds. Dense and sparse, each word as precious as a rare treasure. In a single thought, mountains and rivers are swallowed. Everyone knows—Tianquan is supreme!'"
The animation quietly ended.
[The art team went god-tier. And this storytelling segment really has a great feel to it. The writing team scored big.]
[The final shot of Ningguang looks so good. I want to use it as my wallpaper!]
[The scene-setting poem is absolutely superb, especially that last line: 'Everyone knows—Tianquan is supreme.' So domineering. Is this the power of 985 screenwriters?]
[An exclusive animation of this quality, and you're telling me she's only a four-star?]
In the livestream room, the viewers' emotions were stirred up by this cutscene.
Meanwhile, the storyteller's voice had not yet finished.
"Just think about it. Although these are mere paper scraps, the decision-making ideas that Lady Ningguang uses them for—how precious must they be?"
"If you could snatch one or two more sheets, the benefits leaking through Lady Ningguang's fingers would let you get one or two steps ahead of your competitors…"
Only after saying this did the storyteller Tian Tiezui drag out the extended ending tone and step down from the stage.
Paimon's eyes sparkled as she looked at Jun Bai and asked, "Jun Bai, is what that storyteller said true?"
"Which part are you referring to?"
"The part where even a single paper scrap is as precious as a rare treasure." Paimon said excitedly.
"There is some exaggeration, but if the paper scrap really contains important information recorded by Ningguang, then yes, some people would buy it at a high price. However, those insignificant scraps are really just scraps of paper."
Jun Bai looked at Paimon. "Don't tell me you're planning to pick up paper scraps to make money?"
"Hehe, was it that obvious?" Paimon smiled embarrassedly, then turned to Lumine. "Lumine, I think in the future we should pay more attention to those kinds of paper scraps on the road."
"There's no need to do that. If you're short on Mora, you can just tell me." Jun Bai said while washing teacups with hot water.
"Really?"
"Really. I can lend it to you, no interest."
"So it's a loan?"
"Otherwise, did you think Paimon could freeload? That kind of thinking is very bad, you know?"
[Anyone with a brain knows that what the storyteller said couldn't possibly be factual, yet Paimon actually believed it.]
[Very in-character for Paimon.]
[One day when Paimon gets kidnapped I won't be surprised at all.]
[Lending money without interest is already very sincere, yet Paimon is still picky.]
At this moment, a cool and clear voice sounded:
"I've found you—the one who returned from Jueyun Karst."
A young girl with a voluptuous yet slender figure walked over. Her light blue long hair swayed with her steps, revealing dark red horns.
A form-fitting bright black bodysuit outlined the girl's beautiful figure. Her garnet-purple eyes were soft and magnificent. She had an ethereal aura and a serene face.
"I'm very sorry for disturbing you all. I am Ganyu from the Yuehai Pavilion, emissary of the Liyue Qixing. I have come this time to meet the Traveler who returned from Jueyun Karst."
[If my cognition and eyes are not malfunctioning, what Ganyu is wearing is a black bodysuit with stockings, right? (drooling.jpg)]
[This proves that miHoYo understands its players. The new wife has arrived! I will definitely pull when she enters the banner!]
[Different race, animal horns, young girl, and black stockings—I hereby declare that Ganyu is my new wife!]
[Wait, didn't Zhongli and Jun Bai mention Ganyu before? Is there really no one in Liyue that Jun Bai doesn't know?]
"Hey, little Ganyu, long time no see." Jun Bai greeted Ganyu.
"So Senior is here as well. I'm sorry, Ganyu did not recognize you immediately." Ganyu recognized the disguised Jun Bai, a trace of delight flashing in her eyes.
"Handle your official business first, then we can catch up." Jun Bai pointed at Lumine and Paimon beside him.
Ganyu nodded and took out a letter:
"This letter is an official invitation drafted by Lady Ningguang in her capacity as Tianquan."
"It invites you to the palace in the sky—the Jade Chamber."
"Lady Ningguang said she wishes to meet you."
"In the Jade Chamber, she said she will accompany you in cutting the complicated threads of the undercurrents one by one."
Because she was still on duty, Ganyu's attitude toward Lumine was rather respectful, even using honorifics.
Perhaps it was also because Jun Bai was present.
"And this is the method and password to ascend to the Jade Chamber. Please remember them carefully…"
Proximity to vermilion makes one red; proximity to ink makes one black. Unlike the original plot where Ganyu, due to her poor social skills, became a workaholic.
The current Ganyu had followed Phenex since childhood and grown up in the Guili Assembly. Her personality had not changed at all from the original plot, but she was no longer the overtime-obsessed maniac she once was.
Although her workload was still astonishing, it was at least not so overwhelming that she had to stay up all night every day to finish it.
She no longer needed to pull all-nighters and could sleep well every day. Therefore, the plot where she forgot to tell Lumine the method to ascend to the Jade Chamber—causing Lumine and Paimon to run around everywhere—did not occur.
As Ganyu informed Lumine and Paimon of the method and password to ascend to the Jade Chamber, the players' 1.0 main storyline came to an end.