manynovel Chapter 856 Moving
Chapter 856 Moving
Jun Bai lay quietly on the bed, his gaze drifting leisurely to the ceiling that was all too familiar to him.
The dappled light and shadows slowly shifted across the wall, as if time itself had slowed down at that moment.
Lying flat is indeed a peaceful and enjoyable experience.
With your body relaxed and your thoughts drifting away, all the stress and distractions are shut out.
Perhaps that's why occasional laziness is so precious—it's not slacking off, but a gentle comfort to the soul.
However, this comfort lasted too long, so long that even comfort began to breed weariness.
Jun Bai gradually felt a sense of fatigue, not from physical exhaustion, but from an emptiness in his heart.
He sighed softly, and said to himself with a self-deprecating smile, "Sure enough, once a person has nothing to do, their thoughts grow wildly like weeds, and they always want to find something to do."
A thought quietly surfaced, like a night breeze rippling across a lake—
"With nothing to do, why not listen to music at a brothel?"
The moment the idea popped into his head, he burst out laughing.
He immediately shook his head in rejection: Well, he was ultimately not that kind of womanizer, much less that kind of dissolute persona. Those glitz and glamour, those vulgar songs and dances, were nothing but fleeting shadows to him, utterly unappealing.
As a time traveler, his greatest advantage is his pioneering thinking that transcends his era;
After becoming a demon god, his vision was completely broadened, allowing him to glimpse the mysteries of heaven and earth that mortals could not access.
Having experienced countless storms and witnessed the rise and fall of the world, his mindset has long transcended the ordinary.
To put it bluntly—
What time travel gave him was boundless imagination;
His identity as a demon god gave him the ability to realize these fantastic ideas one by one.
But whenever he actually accomplishes something, he always falls into an indescribable sense of loss.
The feeling is like climbing to the top of a mountain with all your might, only to find that the scenery in front of you is far from what you imagined, leaving only desolation.
For example, building a harem, unifying the world... these grand ambitions that countless people in the mortal world dream of are nothing more than trivial matters that he can achieve with a wave of his hand.
But when it comes to actually doing it, it feels utterly boring, as if everything is just so-so.
This state of mind is probably like—
Duanmu Yan rode her tricycle through the streets and alleys, persistently searching for Oukeser's figure, but in the end she couldn't even see a shadow of him.
It wasn't because I was lost or confused, nor because I was frustrated by setbacks; it was simply because I felt that all of this was meaningless.
Jun Bai was never one to indulge in women.
Otherwise, given his current strength, status, and significant influence in Liyue, wouldn't he be surrounded by someone? He would probably already have a large harem and a bustling household.
Moreover, his environment was so special—everyone around him was exceptionally beautiful and had an extraordinary temperament. There was no need for him to deliberately seek out beauties.
Why go to such a faraway place? And why step into such a noisy place?
Besides... where in Liyue is there a "brothel"?
This is not modern society. Here, the Thousand Rocks Army guards order, the Seven Stars wield power, immortals live in seclusion in the mountains and forests, and the Three Gods look down upon the mortal world.
The power of contracts sustains the operation of this land, and any business that violates the rules will find it difficult to survive for long.
Such a place is destined to be impossible to exist in Liyue.
And so, that fleeting thought ultimately turned into a soft laugh and dissipated in the silent room.
But in doing so, everything comes back to the original problem.
If you want to find something to do, what should you do?
Jun Bai remained silent, a thoughtful expression appearing between his brows.
He slowly looked around—this Fengdeng Tower, so familiar it was almost etched into his bones, every eave and every corridor bore the traces of his past and the passage of time.
Suddenly, a thought, like a glimmer of light in the morning mist, quietly surfaced in my mind:
"In the end, there is the Dust King's Mansion, and Zhongli can reside in the Hall of Rebirth..."
"And me? I live in Fengdeng Tower every day, eating and drinking for free, living a carefree life."
Admittedly, there is nothing wrong with this kind of life.
After all, Fengdeng Tower was built because of him and for him.
It was only natural for him to reside here, and no one dared to utter a single word of dissent. In fact, everyone in the building considered it an honor to see the Marshal's face.
For them, this is not only an honor, but also a silent protection and a source of pride.
But a sense of unease crept into Junbai's heart.
Living alone here is perfectly fine.
This place is a magnificent palace, filled with delicacies, and has everything that ordinary people need, enough to comfort his body and soul.
But Junbai knew that he would not be alone forever.
If, on his wedding day, he still lives here with his new bride, relying on others for support and eating and drinking for free every day...
Even though everyone in Fengdeng Tower was overjoyed and had no complaints, and even felt honored, how could he, as a husband and as a commander of an army, feel at ease?
Thinking of this, Jun Bai sighed softly.
He suddenly realized that perhaps he, too, should have a place that truly belonged to him.
Like Gui Zhong in the Dust King's Mansion, or Zhong Li in the Hall of Rebirth, they do not need to depend on others or reside elsewhere, but rather possess their own world to settle their bodies and their future.
"A fixed address... I think I did have one."
He muttered to himself, his gaze involuntarily drifting into the distance—
That ancient palace, nestled deep within Guili Village, hidden amidst the mountains and clouds.
That was originally the palace where Gui Zhong lived alone, quiet and elegant, containing the lingering charm of an ancient demon god.
In those days, the three gods formed an alliance to fight against foreign enemies. In the end, to show their sincerity, they personally gifted their palace to Morax.
From then on, that palace became one of the residences of the Rock King Emperor.
After the Demon God War ended, Morax, in order to govern Liyue Harbor and reside permanently in Liyue New City, bestowed this old palace upon Junbai.
At that time, Jun Bai had already moved into Fengdeng Tower and did not think much about the empty bedroom, letting it stand quietly in the passage of time, gradually becoming covered in dust.
Later, Morax faked his death and retired, traveling the world under the alias Zhongli. The ownership of the palace was officially settled under Jun Bai's name, and there was no more dispute.
Looking back now, that long-silent palace may have been the most suitable place for him to rest.
However, due to years of neglect, weeds have grown rampant, and although the houses still exist, they have lost their human warmth and vitality.
If you want to move back in, some renovations and furnishings will be necessary.
Add a few lamps, plant a few flowers, hang a painting, place a zither... let that desolate hall regain its vitality and become a true "home".
Jun Bai gazed into the distance, a slight ripple rising in his eyes.
That tranquil palace seemed to be waiting for his return to begin a new era.
Once a thought arises, it spreads like wildfire and can no longer be contained.
So, Junbai slowly walked to the window, lightly touched the window frame with his fingertips, and then pushed it open.
Behind him, fiery wings quietly unfolded, their crimson feathers shimmering in the twilight.
The next instant, he vanished into the room with the wind.
Only the gently swaying curtains remain, telling the story of that extraordinary moment.
Liyue Harbor, Moonsea Pavilion.
Gan Yu, who had just returned from the Flower Goddess's birthday festival, was writing furiously at her desk, her slender fingers gripping the pen and moving back and forth between the pages.
She was focused and serious, unaware that fine beads of sweat were forming on her forehead.
To make up for the work that had piled up during her leave, she had to work through the night—even with the ten rotating secretaries sharing the workload, a large number of tasks still could not be completed on time.
It may be hard to believe, but Gan Yu is nominally just the secretary of the Seven Stars of Liyue. However, in terms of actual importance to the daily operation of Liyue Harbor, her weight is in no way inferior to that of the Seven Stars themselves.
Countless government orders were sorted, checked, and archived under her supervision;
Every contract, official document, and diplomatic correspondence must be reviewed by her before it can take effect.
She is a silent cog in the machine behind this bustling port, a silent guardian of order.
Just then, a gentle breeze swept by, the window opened unexpectedly, and the pages fluttered like butterflies.
Gan Yu frowned slightly, about to get up and close the window, when she suddenly looked up—
A figure stood quietly on the windowsill, with snow-white hair and fiery eyes. His clothes fluttered gently in the night breeze, like a visitor from a painting.
It was Jun Bai.
"Hello, senior." Her eyes lit up, and a sweet smile naturally appeared on her lips. Her voice was as soft as the first ripples of spring water.
Jun Bai's gaze swept over the mountain of documents piled up on her desk, and he asked with a hint of teasing, "Busy?"
Gan Yu nodded almost instinctively, then immediately realized something and quickly waved her hand to explain:
"Senior, please let me explain! This really wasn't overtime... I was just catching up on the work I missed during the Flower Goddess Festival..."
Before she could finish speaking, Jun Bai was already at a loss for words, raising his hand to stop her from launching into a long explanation: "In my eyes, do I really look like a supervisor who came here specifically to check up on things?"
Gan Yu lowered her head slightly, her gaze falling on her feet, which barely revealed the tips of her shoes, and her voice lowered a few decibels: "No...isn't that right..."
“Stereotypes are unacceptable.” Jun Bai sighed softly, gently touching her brow with his fingertip, the movement gentle and casual.
He then leaped into the air, landing lightly, and casually closed the window with a soft "click".
After looking around, he asked, "How much longer will this work? Do you need me to help you with some of the work?"
Gan Yu shook her head, her tone firm and grateful: "No need, thank you for your kindness, senior. There's only a little bit left, it will be finished soon."
She looked up at him, a hint of doubt and concern flashing in her eyes: "Senior... is there something important you need to discuss with me?"
Jun Bai paused for a moment, as if considering his words, and then slowly said, "There is indeed something I would like to ask you for help with—but it's not particularly important."
"I'm planning to move soon and would like to ask you to come with me to buy some daily necessities."
"Oh~" Gan Yu nodded subconsciously, her tone gentle, "What do you need to add, senior?"
Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly realized what she was talking about, and her eyes snapped to attention: "...Moving?"