Takumi got down from Wangshu Inn.
After saying goodbye to Verr Goldet, the owner of Wangshu Inn, he started heading towards Liyue Harbor.
From Wangshu Inn to Liyue Harbor, one must pass through Guili Plains. Walking through the ruins of the once-prosperous city, Takumi was filled with curiosity.
There were many ruins here. It was said that Zhongli had a history here.
The name alone sparked many thoughts.
"Finally... Zhongli."
Returning to the past, finally leaving it behind.
Returning to the origin?
Was this the love story between Zhongli and the God of Dust?
People had wandered through Liyue for thousands of years...
Shaking off these fleeting thoughts, Takumi refocused his mind. Instead of dwelling on history, he decided to study his own abilities while walking.
Ever since he obtained the Eye of God and came into contact with the elements, he had activated a hidden power within himself.
The core of the Herrscher of Reason.
However, in Teyvat, this power was weak. It was difficult to manifest advanced technology due to the lack of sufficient knowledge and research. He had to start from scratch.
Still, the Eye of God was quite useful.
"A Thousand Mile Wall!"
After some thought, Takumi activated his ability.
A thick, yellow rock pillar emerged before him, and at the same time, a shield formed around his body.
The elemental skill was similar to Zhongli's shield. However, the elemental burst ability was different.
"Let's call it the Sword of the Cliff."
"After all, it summons a rock formation from the ground, knocking enemies into the air and dealing massive damage."
Takumi couldn't help but laugh.
This skill was quite similar to a certain flightless bird's ability.
As Takumi walked, he spotted a group of Hilichurls in the distance.
When they noticed him, they immediately charged forward.
"Ah!"
Seeing these familiar creatures, Takumi grinned.
"Let's test it out."
"But before that..."
Takumi focused his thoughts, and suddenly, a one-handed sword materialized in his hand.
A weapon forged from his own knowledge.
It wasn't anything extraordinary—equivalent to a three-star weapon. But for now, it was enough.
"Sword of the Cliff!"
Takumi plunged the sword into the ground.
The power of the Eye of God surged, transmitting energy into the earth through the sword.
A loud boom echoed.
A sharp rock spire, three meters tall, shot up from beneath the Hilichurls, launching them into the air.
Then, they crashed back to the ground, vanishing into puffs of smoke.
Only a few Hilichurl masks remained.
Seeing the result, Takumi felt satisfied.
"This ability is really useful."
He dismissed the weapon in his hand.
"From now on, I'll use a one-handed sword."
Though he wasn't skilled in swordsmanship, he preferred one-handed swords over firearms or greatswords.
A one-handed sword might not be the most powerful, but it looked the coolest.
For Takumi, strength wasn't everything—style mattered.
And when push came to shove, he could always fall back on an AK.
Watching the remains of the Hilichurls dissipate into the earth, Takumi grew thoughtful.
"Is this the power of the ley lines?"
He murmured.
Takumi glanced at the one-handed sword in his hand, then at his Eye of God. He silently stored the sword within the Eye of God.
After all, the Eye of God could store weapons and small items—essentially functioning as a spatial storage device.
With his weapon secured, Takumi retrieved a sturdy rope and tied the Eye of God to his waist.
Wearing modern clothes with an Eye of God dangling at his side, he looked as if he had a bunch of keys hanging from his belt.
It felt a little unimpressive.
But there was no helping it.
He still hadn't changed into the clothing of this world.
"I'll wait until I get to Liyue."
Shaking his head, Takumi pressed onward.
In Teyvat, traveling by foot without a carriage was painfully slow.
The roads were rough, and progress was sluggish.
As he passed through Guili Plains, Takumi pondered over his contract with Zhongli.
He had promised to transform Liyue according to his vision.
But how?
That was the real question.
Liyue was a blend of ancient times and the early Republic era.
Under Zhongli's governance, its citizens enjoyed a high standard of living, and it was one of the richest regions in Teyvat.
However, its urban development was lacking.
Most of the population was concentrated in Liyue Harbor and Qingce Village.
Beyond those settlements, people were scattered throughout Liyue.
Places like Mt. Aozang and Jueyun Karst were inhabited by adepti, completely isolated from humans.
A quick glance at the in-game map revealed the stark reality—most of Liyue remained undeveloped.
Perhaps he should focus on infrastructure first?
It would be too difficult to alter Liyue's existing cities.
Resistance would be immense.
Even if Zhongli ordered it, many Liyue citizens might refuse to cooperate.
After all, Takumi was still an outsider.
"Should I start from scratch?"
"Build a new city?"
"Or develop new territories?"
"Liyue Harbor is already overcrowded."
"It must be difficult for so many people to live in a single city."
"But what can be done?"
"Liyue is, after all, the largest port in Teyvat."
Takumi murmured to himself as he walked.
Along the way, he defeated a few more Hilichurls before continuing his journey.
Despite how small the map appeared in the game, traveling in Teyvat was inconvenient.
Only a select few could use teleportation.
The ley lines were rarely utilized, and most people couldn't activate them.
It would take him several hours to walk from Wangshu Inn to Liyue Harbor.
Meanwhile, in Liyue Harbor, Ganyu was napping when she suddenly heard a voice she hadn't heard in a long time.
"The Emperor?"
She instantly woke up, processing the message from Zhongli in her mind.
Ganyu was shocked.
"How is this possible?"
"The Emperor entrusted Liyue's future to an outsider?"
"And he wishes to return Liyue to its people?"
She could hardly believe it.
Yet Zhongli's message was clear.
It explained everything—Takumi's purpose and, more importantly, the Emperor's intentions.
After her initial shock, Ganyu calmed herself.
"If the Emperor decided this, he must have his reasons."
"Takumi, huh?"
"I understand."
With that, Ganyu—who never neglected her duties—left her post.
After informing the others, she made her way to the entrance of Liyue Harbor to wait.
Meanwhile, other members of the Liyue Qixing were surprised by her sudden departure.
Something big was happening.