The next morning, the sun was just peeking over the horizon.
Stretching lazily, Ryen got out of bed, washed up, and stepped into the courtyard.
There, he spotted Keqing and Ganyu examining the vegetable patch.
After signing the initial contract and enjoying their al the previous night, neither of them had returned ho. With little on their schedules for the next few days—and given the significance of exploring an entirely new world—they had decided to stay.
The villa was spacious enough, with plenty of guest rooms to accommodate everyone. Ningguang and Zhongli, however, had left after dinner.
Zhongli had assured them that once the final agreent was signed with Ningguang today, Xiao would personally accompany Ryen and the others to the new world. His reasons were twofold: to conduct an on-site assessnt and to see if Xiao might find a way to alleviate the karmic debt weighing on him.
Ningguang had also expressed her intent to join the field exploration today.
"Good morning, Ryen!" Ganyu greeted him with a cheerful wave when she noticed him. "There's so congee in the main hall—it should still be warm. You should have so while it's hot."
Keqing straightened up and chid in, "Ryen, when are we heading to the other world today?"
Ryen chuckled, amused. "Why do I feel like you're more impatient than I am?"
Keqing crossed her arms and sighed dramatically. "Of course I'm impatient! I want to see more of the wonders from that world."
"If it weren't for yesterday's all-day eting, I would've gone with you. I still can't believe I missed whatever you built yesterday—it's such a sha!"
Ryen grinned. "Soon. We'll leave once Xiao and Ningguang arrive. After signing the final agreent, we'll head out together."
As if on cue, the courtyard gate creaked open.
Ningguang entered first, dressed in the sa elegant qipao she had worn the day before. On closer inspection, though, it seed slightly different—likely part of an extensive wardrobe tailored to that specific style.
She was followed by Xiao, and behind him was another familiar figure.
Zhongli.
Ryen couldn't help but smirk inwardly. He had suspected Zhongli wouldn't miss the chance to explore this new world firsthand.
"Good morning, Ryen," Ningguang greeted with a small smile. "I heard you ntion —am I late?"
"Not at all," Ryen replied, shaking his head. "You're right on ti. I've only just woken up. But…" He glanced pointedly at Zhongli, feigning curiosity. "And who might this be?"
The glimr of amusent in Ryen's eyes didn't escape Zhongli, who could only sigh inwardly. He had anticipated that Ryen would see through his pretense instantly.
Before Zhongli could respond, Xiao stepped forward and offered an explanation.
"This is Mr. Zhongli," Xiao said with a straight face. "I happened to et him this morning. He's exceptionally knowledgeable—versed in both celestial and earthly matters. I hold him in great esteem."
"Considering the importance of this exploration, I thought having Mr. Zhongli with us would be beneficial. I sought the Emperor's approval, and he permitted to bring Mr. Zhongli along."
There was a brief, awkward silence as everyone exchanged glances.
Zhongli's gaze flickered away, a rare hint of discomfort crossing his face.
Ryen suppressed a laugh, thoroughly entertained. Xiao was clearly doing his best to sell the story, but subtlety wasn't his strong suit. His overly enthusiastic praise for Zhongli was painfully transparent.
Sensing the need to diffuse the tension, Zhongli spoke up in a calm, asured tone.
"Pleased to et you, Mr. Ryen. My na is Zhongli. I'm a consultant for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. I was invited to join this expedition and assist with the exploration."
Pleased to et ? Ryen thought with an internal eye-roll. Zhongli was truly adept at playing dual roles—effortlessly slipping into his facade.
Still, Ryen saw no reason to expose him. That would ruin the fun. Besides, Zhongli's subtle glances practically begged him to go along with the act.
"Nice to et you, Mr. Zhongli. You can just call Ryen," he said, smiling as he gestured toward the main hall. "Co in. Once the agreent is signed, we'll set off."
The group followed Ryen to the sitting room.
Ningguang handed him the agreent while chatting with Keqing and Ganyu about precautions for traveling to the new world.
Ryen, anwhile, ate his breakfast as he reviewed the contract. Ningguang had done an exceptional job drafting it, leaving nothing to nitpick. There were no hidden clauses or traps; everything was straightforward and ticulously outlined.
After a quick scan, Ryen signed his na, finishing his al before handing the agreent back to Ningguang.
Her expression softened as she extended a hand. "A pleasure working with you, Ryen. Once we return later, I'll have this agreent copied and sent to you."
Ryen shook her hand with a smile. "Likewise. If everyone's ready, we can set off."
Keqing nodded eagerly. "We're ready! Let's get going, Ryen!"
Chuckling, Ryen tapped her forehead lightly. "You're always so impatient…"
With that, he activated the system in his mind, summoning the dual portal.
Once again, specks of starlight gathered in mid-air, forming a grand doorway like the night before. Through the glimring threshold, faint sounds of chirping insects and birdsong could be heard from the other side.
Before stepping through, Ryen turned to remind the group.
"Once we're in the new world, don't wander off. Your abilities won't work the sa there."
Even as he spoke, his gaze landed on Zhongli. "Even you, Morax. Without respecting the world's laws, you'll be in danger."
Zhongli inclined his head slightly, acknowledging the warning without objection.
"I'll share so of my unique traits with you after we cross over," Ryen continued. "Your powers will increase dramatically, but don't be alard—it's normal. Also, rember: the people in that world are not like us. They might look human, but we are fundantally different creatures. Treat them accordingly."
"Keqing, did you ntion the monsters in that world to everyone yesterday?"
At this, Ningguang frowned slightly, her confusion evident.
Great, Ryen thought with a sigh. Clearly, Keqing had forgotten to bring it up.
"You can rely on to keep everyone safe," Xiao interjected solemnly.
Ryen waved dismissively. "Even you will find your powers severely restricted in this world, so don't overexert yourself. And the most important rule—never jump higher than three ters. You will get hurt if you do."
Xiao's brow furrowed. "What about flying?"
That question caught Ryen off guard. Right—Xiao could fly.
Flying, in theory, should work within the world's rules. Probably.
"I'm not entirely sure," Ryen admitted after a mont's thought. "You can test it once we're in, but keep your altitude under three ters at first. If you can fly, that would be a huge help."
He glanced enviously at Xiao. To fly freely… what a luxury.
Of course, Ryen wasn't entirely grounded himself. His Phantom Blade had teleportation capabilities, and once he unlocked the Blade Mod, he could create swords specifically designed for flight. If nothing else, jetpacks from other mods—or the Elytra paired with fireworks—would do the trick.
As they chatted, the portal stabilized, its shimring surface fully ford.
Ryen gestured toward it with a grin. "Ready to witness a whole new world?"
Keqing nodded enthusiastically. "I've been waiting for this! Let's go, Ryen!"
Laughing, Ryen shook his head. "We're not mining today, though."
Keqing blinked in surprise. "Not mining?"
Ganyu, following close behind Ryen into the portal, tilted her head curiously. "If we're not mining, then what are we doing?"
As they stepped into the familiar cubic landscape of the blocky world, Ganyu couldn't help but feel that the surroundings looked subtly different from the last ti.
Ryen turned to check on the others. Ningguang and the rest were gazing around in wonder, clearly fascinated by their new environnt.
Suppressing a chuckle, Ryen pointed toward a structure in the distance.
"Today," he declared, "we're building a floating island base!"
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