[A huge fire crystal is generated on the field at this moment.]
[Speaking of which, this seems to be the Geo Archon Morax. Brothers, don't you guys think this person looks a bit familiar?]
[It's more than just familiar. We were just watching this person's character demo in the preview livestream earlier.]
[Rex Lapis is Zhongli? Then what's with the corpse on the Jade Chamber?]
"Zhongli is the Geo Archon, so the Geo Archon actually didn't pass away…"
Stelle proudly raised her head and began "debating the scholars" in the livestream chat: "I told you my guess was correct. Where are all those people who kept saying I was guessing randomly in my livestream? Come out and speak…"
Kafka covered Stelle's mouth and patiently coaxed her: "Alright, baby. You're not a child anymore, so stop arguing all day with people who don't like you."
"People who don't like you won't like you no matter what you do."
"Mom—" Stelle pounced into Kafka's arms. "They're bullying me."
"Okay, Mommy will have the super admins kick them out."
As expected, when it came to her own daughter, Kafka's patience was even better than during her usual livestreams.
Kafka looked at little Jun Bai in the animation, pinched Stelle's little face, and said: "Little Jun Bai is just as cute as you were when you were little."
"Was I this cute when I was little?" Stelle looked at the delicate little figure in the animation and asked in confusion.
"Who are you?" Little Jun Bai asked with his arms crossed over his chest.
"God, Morax. May I know this little friend's name?"
"God, Phenex."
[Phenex? Oh right, Venti mentioned this name back then.]
[I've been calling him Jun Bai the whole time and almost forgot Jun Bai also has a god name.]
"Lord Phenex, this is Cloud Retainer, an old friend of mine. I wonder how she offended you that you would go so far as to try to kill her?"
Little Jun Bai kept his arms crossed, looked toward Cloud Retainer, puffed up his little face, and said: "She stole my prey."
[Ah! Baby is really so cute.]
[The usually mature Marshal was actually this childish when he was little. Such a huge contrast, so adorable!]
Upon hearing this, both Morax and Cloud Retainer were stunned. Then they heard Ganyu's aggrieved voice:
"That's why I said… I'm not food…"
Morax didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "So it was all just a misunderstanding…"
After learning that it was his own misunderstanding, little Jun Bai apologized to Ganyu and Cloud Retainer.
However, the look in his eyes when he gazed at Ganyu was somewhat meaningful.
[That look… it feels like little Jun Bai still hasn't given up on tasting Ganyu.]
[Little Jun Bai: So you really aren't a sheep.]
[But it still feels like you can be eaten. I wonder if immortal beasts taste better.]
[All of you stay away from my underage wife Ganyu!]
Morax walked in front of Phenex, squatted down, and asked: "Gods do not need to eat. So does Your Excellency need food to support your followers?"
"Followers? I don't have anything like that." Little Jun Bai denied it. "I look for food simply because I want to eat."
[Little Jun Bai is just as honest as Boss Jun.]
[Little Jun Bai who just came into the world is like a blank sheet of paper. I really want to take him home and raise him as a little loli!]
"Want to eat…"
"In that case…"
Morax pondered: "This area is territory under my management. Since Your Excellency wishes to taste fine food, why not come back with me? Allow me to play the role of host and treat you properly. How about it?"
[Hm? This development feels a bit off.]
[Morax, you're trying to kidnap my baby! This is illegal!]
[Morax, open the door! Knights of Favonius!]
"Baby, if anyone uses this kind of rhetoric to get you to go with them in the future, you must never agree." Kafka said.
"Mom, didn't you just say I'm not a child anymore?"
"You're still a child in certain aspects."
Stelle tilted her head, not understanding Kafka's words.
[Stelle has a kind of purity untouched by knowledge.]
[This is clearly just basic human nature.]
[Is no one paying attention to the video? My baby is about to be kidnapped by a weird uncle!]
"Sure." Little Jun Bai agreed, then flew up on his own initiative.
After Morax and Cloud Retainer discussed little Jun Bai's situation for a while, one took Ganyu toward Jueyun Karst, while the other led little Jun Bai flying toward the Guili Assembly.
Soon, the Guili Assembly, which looked like a small village at the time, appeared on the screen.
The Guili Assembly back then was not as prosperous as it is now. It was primitive and ancient. Everyone's faces showed distress because of the arriving drought.
Morax paused slightly, his gaze falling on the Guili Assembly.
But He did not linger long. In the next moment, He landed in front of His own palace.
Little Jun Bai noticed this and, imitating Morax, looked toward the people in the Guili Assembly.
The distressed expressions of the common people fell into little Jun Bai's eyes. Those clear crimson pupils did not ripple in the slightest.
[The Guili Assembly at this time feels so difficult.]
[I feel like there's a sense of powerlessness in Morax's eyes. What's going on?]
[The plot seems to have mentioned that the Guili Assembly in history suffered years of continuous drought, and it was only resolved after Morax found the newly born Jun Bai.]
[Looks like this is exactly that part of the story. All the details match perfectly.]
[It's just a drought. Couldn't Morax and Guizhong, two gods, solve it?]
[Maybe it's a matter of expertise. Drought should be handled by a Hydro god, but the two gods currently in the Guili Assembly are both Geo.]
"That doesn't add up either." Stelle, who was massaging Kafka's shoulders, said, "If two Geo gods couldn't do it, how would finding Jun Bai, a single Pyro god, make any difference?"
"Apparently it does." Kafka said thoughtfully.
In the animation, little Jun Bai decided to stay in the Guili Assembly after Morax's warm hospitality.
Every day, Morax would use his authority to create Mora for little Jun Bai. Little Jun Bai would then take the Mora to the streets every day to buy things that interested him.
Most of them were food, but occasionally he would also buy some interesting little trinkets.
After spending all the Mora, little Jun Bai would bring back a full day's harvest and share it with Morax.
Sometimes the people of the Guili Assembly would see how cute little Jun Bai was and give him a free stick of candied haws or a small dish. Little Jun Bai never refused and would then help those who gave him snacks with their business for free.
With little Jun Bai around, business would become unusually good.
Most people in the Guili Assembly would involuntarily smile when they saw little Jun Bai, as if the drought had never happened.
A small portion of people saw that little Jun Bai took out large amounts of Mora every day and developed improper thoughts.
But after being taught a lesson by little Jun Bai, no one had such ideas anymore.
[Morax really went all out to win over little Jun Bai. He spends so lavishly every day. It's really hard to imagine he's the same Zhongli who has no Mora.]
[Little Jun Bai sharing with Morax is also so cute. Morax is really living the good life.]
[As soon as little Jun Bai appears, the originally gloomy color tone of the Guili Assembly brightens up. Sure enough, seeing something cute makes one's mood improve involuntarily.]
In the Guili Assembly, little Jun Bai was very happy.
And this happiness lasted until his favorite restaurant closed down due to food shortages caused by the drought.
The naturally born god with white hair and red pupils stood in front of the closed restaurant doors and once again looked toward the people of the Guili Assembly.
Those clear crimson eyes reflected the distressed expressions of the common people. Little Jun Bai simply stood there quietly watching the Guili Assembly without speaking.
Little Jun Bai returned to Morax's palace in silence.
[This glance echoes the one when he first arrived at the Guili Assembly.]
[The artist is invincible! It's clearly the same pair of eyes, but the feeling of this glance right now hits completely different.]
[Let me build up some emotions. I feel like there's going to be sand in my eyes soon.]
The screen darkened, leaving only the sound of little Jun Bai and Morax's conversation:
"Morax, do you know of any land nearby suitable for growing crops?"
"You want to grow crops?"
"Mhm."
"There has been continuous severe drought these past years. Crops will find it very difficult to survive."
"I know. I'm just giving it a try. If it doesn't work, I'll give up."
"…I understand. Follow me."
When color returned to the screen, it showed Morax and Guizhong discussing heading south.
From their conversation, the audience learned that little Jun Bai had already left the Guili Assembly for four months.
Then, little Jun Bai returned to the Guili Assembly and brought Morax good news.
After that, everyone saw the vast fields of abundant harvest stretching across the mountains and plains.