Genshin x Minecraft: Building the Temple of Virtue

Even though Ryen had already guessed that encountering Hu Tao would inevitably lead to her trying to sell him a coffin or funeral services…

He never expected her to be this direct and decisive about it.

Zhongli, standing beside him, looked a bit awkward as well. He took the initiative to speak first:

"Hall Master Hu, this is my friend—one of the most important friends of Liyue. Please, do refrain from selling him a coffin."

"Tch..."

Hu Tao pouted in disappointment, her bright eyes losing the sparkle they had moments ago.

"Zhongli! You! You disappeared from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor for so long without a word—I almost thought you switched jobs!"

"But… after all this time away, you didn't even think to bring in some business for us?"

"Do you have any idea that your bill has once again made the funeral parlor's monthly expenses exceed the budget?!"

Hu Tao didn't question why Zhongli had been with Ningguang and the others in that small courtyard.

She also didn't ask about his claim that Ryen was an important friend of Liyue.

Hu Tao was mischievous and full of quirks, but she knew what she should and shouldn't pry into.

Besides…

Running Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and overseeing the burial affairs of Liyue was already exhausting enough.

She had no interest in meddling in other messy matters.

"Come on in!"

Hu Tao gave Ryen a once-over, then suddenly squinted, her tone turning eerie:

"By the way, handsome stranger… Are you afraid of ghosts?"

"There are quite a few… spooky things lurking inside Wangsheng Funeral Parlor…"

As she spoke, Hu Tao abruptly turned around and made a ghostly face at Ryen.

At the same time, a white spectral figure floated up behind her, the two of them working together to maintain a chilling, sinister expression.

But…

Hu Tao and this little ghost—one was more adorable than the other.

Try as he might, Ryen simply couldn't feel even the slightest fear.

Not to mention… hadn't he slaughtered enough zombies and skeletons in Minecraft?

Ryen stood there with a calm smile, watching Hu Tao.

Seeing his reaction, a trace of appreciation flickered in Hu Tao's eyes. She suddenly jumped up and playfully patted Ryen on the shoulder.

"Not bad! No wonder Zhongli brought you here."

With a flick of her fingers, she recalled the ghost back into the ring on her hand, then turned and continued walking towards Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.

One hand resting behind her back, she raised a finger with the other, her tone taking on an air of seniority:

"But even if you're not afraid of ghosts, and even if you have some strength to back it up, don't go running around inside the funeral parlor."

"Wangsheng Funeral Parlor carries the weight of Liyue's most solemn and sacred funeral rites. There are still many spirits lingering here who have yet to be sent on their way. Be careful not to disturb them."

"Life and death have their own order—this is an absolute taboo, and not something to be joked about."

At this point, though Hu Tao still wore a smile, her tone had turned unusually serious.

Ryen now had a renewed understanding of the person before him—the Hu Tao he had once been so familiar with, his former main DPS.

She was indeed lively and playful, but when it came to her work and the cycle of life and death she was entrusted to oversee…

Hu Tao was someone who would not tolerate even a grain of sand in her eyes.

A girl with a strong sense of principle.

Naturally, with Hu Tao around, Zhongli had no chance to introduce Wangsheng Funeral Parlor himself.

Hu Tao took great pride in Wangsheng Funeral Parlor—whether it was its history or even the very structure of the building, she spoke about it with enthusiasm.

Before long, she led them into the funeral parlor's reception hall.

A middle-aged man in traditional black robes, dressed like a butler, stepped forward to serve them tea before quietly closing the door and leaving.

Hu Tao, of course, had no patience to sit and slowly savor the tea. She downed the entire cup in one go.

Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she suddenly pulled out a small pouch and weighed it in her hand.

"Zhongli, did you piss someone off? Someone actually paid me five hundred thousand Mora to investigate your whereabouts!"

Zhongli took a slow sip of tea and replied calmly:

"From what I understand, your transaction with them should only have been regarding a funeral package. Furthermore…"

"Speaking from a rational perspective, Hall Master Hu, a five-hundred-thousand-Mora package would greatly disrupt the market balance of the funeral industry."

Hu Tao pouted, mumbling:

"You're such a stickler for rules…"

"That guy was a Fatui Harbinger. He overheard my conversation with Yun Jin and tried to trick me into going to that small courtyard at the foot of Mt. Tianheng to find you."

"For someone like that, five hundred thousand Mora is just a lesson for him!"

She tucked the pouch away again and grinned at Zhongli.

"Anyway, I've told you what's going on—what you do with the information is up to you."

"Oh, and if you don't mind, how about I repackage your whereabouts and sell the information back to him?"

"At the very least, it could help cover your expenses for this month."

Zhongli shook his head but didn't say much. After a brief silence, he spoke softly:

"Hall Master Hu, I might need to take an extended leave soon…"

"Extended leave?"

Hu Tao raised an eyebrow, sounding completely unconcerned.

"Your daily life consists of bird-watching, listening to operas, and reading books. How is that any different from being on vacation all the time?"

"…Speaking from a rational perspective—"

Zhongli opened his mouth, but for once, he found himself unable to argue with Hu Tao's logic.

Fortunately, Hu Tao didn't press the issue further. She waved a hand dismissively.

"Alright, alright. You're going on a long trip, right? How long will you be gone?"

"Not that we usually need you anyway… and you constantly put a strain on Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's already pitiful finances…"

"But I do still need you for some of those old ritual procedures."

Zhongli glanced briefly at Ryen before answering thoughtfully:

"The exact duration is uncertain, but I won't be leaving Liyue. There are simply matters I must attend to."

"If something comes up at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor that requires my attention, you can contact the Qixing at the Jade Chamber. I will return upon receiving word."

Hu Tao sized Zhongli up, occasionally stealing glances at Ryen.

Her bright crimson eyes shimmered with contemplation. After a long moment, she mused:

"Looks like something really important is happening in Liyue… Does it have anything to do with you, handsome stranger?"

Ryen met her gaze and answered calmly:

"My name is Ryen."

///

Ryen chuckled lightly and nodded before turning to Zhongli.

"By the way, is there really a need to keep this from Hall Master Hu? No matter how you look at it, this is somewhat of a dereliction of duty, isn't it?"

Zhongli pondered for a moment, took a sip of tea, and responded calmly.

"That decision is yours to make."

Hu Tao blinked in curiosity and turned her gaze toward Ryen.

Ryen took a moment to organize his words before slowly explaining Zhongli's true activities to Hu Tao.

Though Hu Tao had a playful and eccentric nature, she was never careless when it came to serious matters. Moreover, she possessed formidable strength.

As someone who constantly walked the line between life and death, Hu Tao also wielded a power distinct from elemental abilities—

Exorcism. Ghost-hunting.

Ryen was quite curious about how such abilities would manifest in the Minecraft world.

After all, the Nether had Ghasts, the Overworld had Phantoms, and if you thought about it, zombies, skeletons, drowned…

All of those technically fell within Hu Tao's domain of expertise.

Furthermore, with her incredible strength—one of the most powerful individuals in Liyue—having Hu Tao join them would undoubtedly be an enormous advantage.

Now that Liyue's miners were about to settle in and start their operations, Ryen no longer had to worry about securing basic resources.

Even Ningguang and the others would soon be freed from gathering materials.

After that, Ryen was certain he would have to lead everyone into exploring new lands.

At the very least, gathering a hundred diamonds from a single village was far from enough.

To truly explore the world, they needed all the combat power they could muster.

And most importantly—

Hu Tao's lively and mischievous nature would definitely bring a lot of joy to the Minecraft world.

Due to the unique nature of the Minecraft world, simply explaining it verbally wouldn't do it justice.

In fact, if he were to tell someone else, they might think he had lost his mind.

But Hu Tao was someone who never followed conventional paths.

Everything Ryen told her, she absorbed with wide, starry eyes, full of fascination.

Of course, that was just what she outwardly expressed—what she truly thought remained a mystery.

Nevertheless, Hu Tao agreed to join them in their journey to the Minecraft world the next day.

After chatting for a while longer at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, they were soon summoned to the Jade Chamber for a banquet.

Since Hu Tao was now a prospective member of the expedition, Ryen naturally brought her along so she could familiarize herself with the group.

Their ascent to the Jade Chamber was done in plain sight, without any attempt to conceal it from the Fatui.

In fact, Ryen and the others made no effort to be discreet at all.

They were openly led to the floating palace by Baiwen herself, under the watchful eyes of many onlookers.

However, neither Tartaglia nor the Fatui had the luxury to dwell on this development.

Shortly after Ningguang's return to the Jade Chamber, Liyue officially launched its investigation into the Northland Bank—

An investigation that was, in truth, an act of deliberate obstruction against the Fatui.

Determined to make Tartaglia understand that Liyue was no place for the Fatui to run rampant, Ningguang mobilized a considerable amount of resources and personnel.

As a result, the Fatui had no time to concern themselves with anything else.

The once-magnificent Northland Bank was now in utter chaos. It took them until late into the night—at significant cost—to finally appease the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Even the Fatui, notorious for their ruthlessness, were completely exhausted by the ordeal.

Many of them harbored deep resentment, but none dared to act upon it.

Liyue was unlike any other nation…

No one knew how many Adepti lurked within Liyue Harbor.

And then there was Morax himself, the Geo Archon—

A god who stood at the pinnacle of the Archon War, one known as the God of War.

Even Tartaglia had been explicitly warned by the Tsaritsa to keep a low profile when dealing with Liyue.

"Lord Harbinger…"

A debt collector approached Tartaglia, head bowed low, his face half-hidden beneath his hood, yet the hint of fear in his voice was unmistakable.

"About the Hall Master of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor…"

"She didn't go, did she?"

Tartaglia's expression remained unchanged, but in the shadows, his fists clenched tightly.

He had been tricked by that seemingly carefree and naive Hu Tao.

Five hundred thousand Mora—

And all he got was a Liyue-style funeral package?

Suddenly, Tartaglia recalled how some wealthy merchants used to describe the fools they scammed—

Suckers.

A cold glint flickered across his eyes as he remained silent for a long moment before finally speaking in a low voice:

"Pull back all operations. Continue monitoring the situation at Tiger's Maw, and retrieve the Talisman of Unshackled Taboo as soon as possible."

"Understood!"

In the darkness of the night, Tartaglia lifted his gaze toward the glowing Jade Chamber suspended high above the city.

The grand palace was alight with brilliant lanterns, a clear sign that some grand banquet was underway.

After a long pause, Tartaglia sighed, a trace of regret in his voice.

"As I thought, scheming and deception just aren't my style."

"Tch… I'll let that rich bastard deal with the Northland Bank mess."

Slowly raising his hand, he summoned a steady stream of water, shaping it into a gleaming, razor-sharp dagger.

Under the dim light, the contours of his face appeared all the more striking, his expression unreadable.

"Well then… I suppose I'll have to endure this for a little longer."

"But once the time comes…"

"I'll tear this place apart."

"And the powerful foes of this land—"

"They better not disappoint me."

~~----------------------

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