Under the worried gazes of everyone present.
Su Mu leisurely took a sip of Qingxin tea.
The unique sweetness of Qingxin filled his mouth, making him feel refreshed and invigorated.
Su Mu slowly put down his teacup, his expression playful as he looked at Keqing, a smile playing on his lips.
"Miss Keqing, I'm glad to see your change."
"At least you're no longer harboring those naive ideas like you used to."
"However, as a young lady from a prestigious family, I believe you should understand a simple truth."
"Empty promises that cannot be fulfilled have no appeal."
"Therefore, when making an offer, one should carefully consider what kind of leverage to provide."
"To help Liyue means making enemies of many, yet you haven't offered anything comparable."
Hearing this, Keqing's expression turned slightly awkward.
Upon reflection, she realized that she hadn't provided any concrete compensation.
Su Mu had no obligation to help Liyue, nor any reason to offend Snezhnaya and the Fatui for it.
If one wants something, one must offer a suitable price. Every person in Liyue understands this truth.
"Mr. Su Mu, I apologize."
"Keqing didn't mean to be evasive."
"This crisis happened so suddenly for us."
"Keqing was simply acting hastily and didn't think things through. Please forgive me."
At this moment, Ningguang, standing beside Keqing, stepped forward, sincerely apologizing and explaining the reason.
"Mr. Su Mu's assistance means that you're standing with Liyue in the eyes of outsiders, tying your future to Liyue's."
"This is a heavy price to pay for you."
"Therefore, we know very well that we must offer a corresponding reward."
"For you, wealth, status, and identity are all insignificant external possessions."
"Looking at all of Liyue, there aren't many things that can move you, and I can only think of one possibility."
Su Mu raised an eyebrow, smiling as he said, "I'd like to hear more."
"Mr. Su Mu, please wait a moment." Ningguang bowed and walked into the room.
After a brief moment, she returned, carrying an ancient wooden box, which she placed carefully on the conference table.
The adepti, upon seeing the box, felt a strange sense of familiarity but couldn't recall what it was. They could only watch Ningguang's subsequent actions.
Ningguang swiftly formed a series of hand seals, the seals surrounding the wooden box gradually dissolving, until the last one was broken, all eyes focused on the box.
Ningguang gently opened the box.
Inside, a jade stone of a brilliant emerald green was lying there.
The emerald, carved into the shape of a dragon, symbolized the half-dragon, half-lin Geo Archon.
Seeing this, the adepti couldn't help but widen their eyes: "This is... the Alliance Jade Token? We didn't expect to see it in your possession!"
"Alliance Jade Token? Adepti, what exactly is that?"
Hearing this, Cloud Retainer sighed lightly, slowly standing up to explain:
"The Alliance Jade Token was created by the Geo Archon himself during the Archon War, when he formed an alliance with the Dust King."
"Possession of this token signifies that the holder is Liyue's closest ally, and regardless of what danger they face, Liyue will go to any lengths to rescue them."
"During the war, the Dust King unfortunately perished, and the Alliance Jade Token disappeared."
"We never thought that the Geo Archon had entrusted this token to the Qixing. It's fortunate that the Qixing throughout history haven't given it away."
After hearing the woman's explanation, everyone suddenly understood.
Ningguang nodded slightly, her expression solemn, her tone serious as she said:
"I would like to give this Alliance Jade Token to Mr. Su Mu. Liyue is your most loyal ally."
"Whenever you need anything in the future, simply use the Alliance Jade Token to summon us. All of Liyue will stand unconditionally behind you."
"No matter the reason, no matter right or wrong, we will stand by your side. This is my promise as the Tianquan Star. I hope you will accept this Alliance Jade Token."
The adepti looked at the Alliance Jade Token in Ningguang's hand.
After exchanging glances with each other, they all nodded in unison.
They saw them stand up, respectfully bowing to Su Mu, expressing their stance.
They had tied Liyue's future to Su Mu's, perhaps the biggest gamble they had ever made in thousands of years.
Seeing this, the other members of the Qixing also stood up and bowed respectfully. Although they hadn't interacted with Su Mu before, they understood that he was Liyue's last hope for salvation.
Might makes right.
They didn't feel that this was a shameful act.
In the past, they were protected by the Geo Archon, allowing them to live with their heads held high.
Now, they had lost the Geo Archon, and they no longer had the right to stand tall like they used to.
The strong prey on the weak, it's the way of the world. Only by surviving can one think about other things. In the face of survival, dignity is the cheapest thing.
Su Mu reached out and picked up the Alliance Jade Token from the wooden box. It was a dragon-shaped jade crafted from a precious ore, and he could faintly feel the power contained within it.
Everyone lowered their heads.
They anxiously awaited his answer.
It felt as if the fate of all Liyue rested in Su Mu's hands.
It felt like an eternity had passed, but they finally received a response.
"I can guarantee that Liyue will survive, but how long it will last, and what form it will take, depends on your own efforts."
Hearing this, everyone present couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
It meant that Su Mu had agreed to their request and would lend a hand in the face of life and death.
This was already the best outcome they could have hoped for, since Su Mu had no reason or obligation to risk his life for Liyue.
However, for them, this was enough.
They believed that under the leadership of the adepti, Liyue's future would only get brighter.
"Thank you, Mr. Su Mu. From this day forward, Liyue is your most loyal ally, your strongest support."
Although they didn't know if Su Mu would ever need them, there was no harm in trying to gild the lily, especially since Liyue was considered a powerful nation.
"Now, we have fewer things to worry about."
"We just need to be wary of the Fatui within the city, and be prepared for the army coming from Snezhnaya."
"Oh, about that," said Su Mu, playing with the Alliance Jade Token, casually adding.
"They've already been dealt with."
As soon as these words left his mouth, everyone was stunned, looking at Su Mu dumbly.
Thousands of Fatui? You casually dealt with them like that?
"You're lucky. They messed with the wrong person, so they're gone. Don't worry about them causing any trouble."
Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but twitch their mouths. So that's how they were taken care of? The Fatui are really thick-headed, daring to provoke anyone they want.
"I... I see..."
"Then I'm relieved."
"At least we still have time to prepare our defenses."
Ningguang remained silent for a moment, shaking her head, shaking off her jumbled thoughts.
"Not necessarily." Just as everyone relaxed, a meaningful smile appeared on Su Mu's lips.
As soon as these words were spoken, a sudden change occurred!
The sky had changed in the depths of the distant Ganyu Pavilion!