Zhongli, Ningguang, and Tartaglia arrived at Fu Ning's residence.
"Hmm? What's that smell?" Tartaglia sniffed the air, catching the scent of something unexpectedly delightful.
Zhongli and Ningguang also seemed intrigued.
Ningguang had already ordered all the nearby Qianyan soldiers to clear the area. The three of them pushed open the door—and were immediately stunned by the scene inside.
The room wasn't large, but it was comfortably furnished for one person. Now, however, it was overflowing with desserts and drinks. Every piece of furniture Ningguang had thoughtfully provided was now piled with pastries.
Fu Ning was sitting on the only patch of clear floor near the stove, carefully baking a cake.
Several kitchen utensils—some of which Ningguang had never seen in all of Liyue—were strewn across the room. There were also raw ingredients everywhere, and the floor was dusted in flour. The entire space was saturated with the warm, sweet aroma of fresh confections.
Fu Ning turned his head and immediately locked eyes with Zhongli.
"Well, you've finally arrived, haven't you?"
He picked up a small cake from beside him and took a bite.
Hm… still not quite like the cakes Fu Fu can eat.
But not bad either.
You had to understand—Fu Fu's palate was extremely picky. Anything that could please Fu Fu would be considered exquisite anywhere else.
Fu Ning still had a bit of a gap to close.
After all, cooking wasn't one of his innate talents.
Ningguang: "…"
"Mr. Fu Ning," she began hesitantly, "what exactly are you doing?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Fu Ning replied casually. "I'm honing my cooking skills. My goal is to create pastries that can satisfy Lady Furina."
"You locked me up here, and I had nothing better to do—so I practiced."
Ningguang was momentarily speechless.
Four years ago, Fu Ning had stirred up chaos in Fontaine for reasons still unclear.
In under a minute, he'd triggered simultaneous riots in a jewelry store and a flower shop.
It was said that Fontaine's Chief Justice, Neuvillette, often reprimanded him over that incident.
But gossip aside, the important fact was this: the top authorities across several nations had become aware that Fu Ning possessed an interdimensional storage space.
No one knew exactly how vast it was, but it was certainly no ordinary pouch. Ningguang had once assumed it was filled with weapons and tactical gear.
Who would have thought… it was stocked with kitchen tools and ingredients.
Unbelievable.
According to the intel, Fu Ning was romantically involved with the Hydro Archon.
As expected—people in love really did behave irrationally.
Even demon gods.
Tartaglia picked up a cookie from a nearby tray and popped it into his mouth.
His eyes lit up. "Hey, not bad! Fu Ning, I didn't know you had this kind of talent."
Fu Ning waved his hand, and all the desserts in the room vanished into a black hole.
He glanced at Ningguang. "It's fortunate that I have a good temperament. If you'd locked up another Demon God, Liyue would've fallen countless times without the Geo Archon's protection."
He deliberately emphasized the words "without the Geo Archon."
Ningguang felt as though Fu Ning was warning her—hinting that Liyue's defenses alone weren't enough, and that she should tread carefully.
Tartaglia, meanwhile, was too busy marveling at Fu Ning's cooking and strategizing how to bring some back for his younger siblings.
Only Zhongli understood what Fu Ning truly meant.
He turned his head slightly, avoiding Fu Ning's eyes.
Fu Ning then brushed his sleeves and walked out—deliberately brushing past Zhongli as he did so.
Zhongli: -1 HP
"Hey! Wait, Fu Ning!" Tartaglia called out. "Mind giving me some of those cookies? I want to bring some back for my siblings to try. I mean, these are top-tier treats—even in Snezhnaya."
"You're giving them to your siblings?" Fu Ning raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "Seems you're still a decent older brother."
He casually pulled a bag from his storage space, filled it with biscuits and cakes, and handed it over.
"These are yours. I'll drop off another batch at the Northland Bank for mailing."
"Haha, thanks a ton, Mr. Fu Ning!" Tartaglia grinned. "You'll definitely get VIP treatment at the Bank—I guarantee it."
His siblings did love sweets.
Fu Ning waved him off. "No need. Fontaine has its own banks."
Zhongli later promised Tartaglia that they'd spar in a few days.
He then took Fu Ning to the Liuli Pavilion, one of Liyue's most prestigious restaurants.
Tartaglia agreed to Zhongli's request, saying he'd go pick up two friends to meet with them.
Inside, a grand meal was already laid out.
"You're dead," Fu Ning said casually.
Zhongli: "…"
"As you can see, I'm not."
Fu Ning picked up a bite of food with his chopsticks, tasted it, and nodded. "Not bad. Better than what I made."
Zhongli replied with a faint smile. "Naturally. Liuli Pavilion is among the most renowned establishments in Liyue. The chefs here are second to none—though even they may one day be surpassed by Mr. Fu Ning."
Fu Ning eyed the feast. "Who are we waiting for?"
Zhongli nodded. "Three important guests. One of them is someone you already know—Tartaglia. The other two are the Traveler and Paimon, who once resolved the dragon crisis in Mondstadt."
Fu Ning leaned back in his chair. "Let's not talk about that for now. To be honest, this visit to Liyue has left me with a very bad impression."
"You died without warning, and I was locked up as a suspect."
"In Fontaine, I'd have enough evidence to press charges."
"You owe me an explanation."
"As I said," Fu Ning added, narrowing his eyes, "it's fortunate that I'm a calm guy. If it were any other Demon God, Liyue would've fallen long ago without the Geo Archon's protection."
He leaned forward, arms on the table, eyes sharp and dangerous.
"As a Demon God who has lived over 6,000 years, surely you've figured out Neuvillette's true identity."
"Even so, I'm still recognized as the strongest warrior in Fontaine. Ever wonder why?"
Zhongli calmly sipped his tea, unshaken.
Of course he knew Neuvillette's true form—the Hydro Sovereign, the Dragon of Justice.
His power was akin to Azhdaha's, if not greater.
"We made a contract. I promised to tell you everything when the time was right."
"Besides…" he added, "Isn't savoring the slow reveal part of Fontaine's dramatic flair?"
At the entrance to the Liuli Pavilion
Tartaglia greeted Lumine and Paimon warmly.
"Hey, you made it."
"The deal's in place. I've brought two people who can help."
"Help with what?" Paimon asked, hands on her hips.
"With uncovering the truth behind the Geo Archon's supposed 'immortality' being hidden by the Liyue Qixing."
"They're inside?"
Tartaglia nodded. "If I'm right, they're already waiting in a private room. Come with me."
"I even prepared a… well, a 'meeting gift.' In this country, it's called a banquet."
Together, Tartaglia, Lumine, and Paimon arrived at the entrance.
A well-dressed receptionist bowed respectfully to Tartaglia.
"We're honored by your presence, sir. Your private room is ready. Mr. Zhongli and a distinguished guest await you inside."