Jiang Chen stroked his chin in response to the old man's question.
His goal?
"To take Liyue away from Teyvat and journey into the stars!"
"Not the false sky outside, but the true cosmos."
"Do you know? Teyvat is just an insignificant little world beneath the Imaginary Tree."
"Beyond the Imaginary Tree, there are countless worlds, and the most spectacular of them all is the one at the very top."
"There, you can traverse the sea of stars, traveling from one world to another. Teyvat is simply too small."
This was the first time Jiang Chen had openly voiced his ambitions.
Everyone present was stunned.
Leaving Teyvat? Traveling to other worlds?
Damn!
Only Liyue's people were present, and none had expected Jiang Chen to harbor such grand aspirations.
"There are even some factions out there that closely resemble our Liyue."
"They're strikingly similar in many ways, and they're incredibly powerful."
"In the future, when Liyue leaves Teyvat, perhaps our starship can be called the 'Xianzhou-Liyue'!"
At this, Jiang Chen grinned.
If they really made it to Honkai: Star Rail, having no identity would be troublesome.
So, becoming one of the Xianzhou ships would undoubtedly be the best choice, right?
The Xianzhou Alliance was the perfect option.
If they claimed shared roots, it wouldn't be far-fetched—maybe they could even secure official recognition.
Like long-lost relatives from the countryside!
Just look at how Liyue's culture mirrored theirs—surely the Xianzhou natives would nod in agreement.
They'd definitely say it was a match!
Of course, leaving Teyvat was still a long way off. For now, the priority was developing Liyue. The rest could wait.
"A faction… similar to Liyue?"
Zhongli was surprised.
Come to think of it, how did Jiang Chen know so much about that place?
Could it be that Jiang Chen was originally from there?
"Exactly. Extremely similar."
"Especially in terms of culture."
Jiang Chen shared some details about the Xianzhou.
Unbeknownst to him, Zhongli had already begun suspecting that Jiang Chen was from that world.
After hearing Jiang Chen's explanation, Zhongli grew even more intrigued by the Xianzhou.
A civilization so culturally akin to Liyue—how could one not feel a sense of kinship?
As Jiang Chen elaborated, everyone present couldn't help but notice the many parallels between the Xianzhou and Liyue.
"But talking about it now is pointless. First, we must develop Liyue in all aspects, especially technology."
At this, Jiang Chen sighed.
Leaving Teyvat was a monumental task.
Right now, Teyvat didn't even possess the capability to depart.
They hadn't even cleared the first hurdle.
So, for now, steady progress was key.
"I, for one, am eager to reach such a realm. From now on, no matter what you do, you'll have my unconditional support."
"Go forth without hesitation!"
Now that he understood Jiang Chen's ambitions, Zhongli made his decision.
He would support Jiang Chen unreservedly, no matter what he planned to do.
Because he, too, longed to see the sights beyond this world.
To take his beloved Liyue on a journey across the stars.
The thought alone stirred rare excitement in Zhongli.
Guizhong, witnessing this, nodded enthusiastically.
"I support you as well! A place where we can sail the sea of stars—how could anyone not be excited?"
Massive battleships the size of entire worlds—some even larger than Teyvat itself.
How were such vessels even constructed?
Without a doubt, Guizhong was equally fascinated.
Hearing this, Jiang Chen smiled.
Zhongli's words were all the assurance he needed.
From now on, he would focus on improving Liyue's living standards.
They couldn't possibly leave Teyvat while their people still lacked proper housing and transportation, could they?
Setting off with Liyue in its current state? That would be embarrassing.
Other areas needed development too.
After spending some time together, everyone eventually went their separate ways.
Zhongli did not return to Liyue Harbor, instead heading toward Wangshu Inn.
Meanwhile, Jiang Chen, Guizhong, and Havria returned to his office in Mingyun Village.
Keqing was already there, having received the terminal Jiang Chen had given her.
She was currently using it to issue orders.
When she saw Jiang Chen and the others return, she glanced at them before refocusing on her work.
This terminal was far more convenient than a walkie-talkie.
If they'd had this earlier, many of her tasks would've been much simpler.
Now, she could send messages to Liyue Harbor anytime, anywhere.
After handling some paperwork in his office, Jiang Chen left and headed to Albedo's alchemy workshop.
Albedo was also studying the Akasha Terminal.
Originally, he had been researching next-generation communication devices, but Jiang Chen had brought back this thing, instantly rendering his project obsolete.
After all, what communication device could possibly surpass a product of Irminsul?
Certainly not his.
This was the ultimate form.
Jiang Chen approached Albedo and said without preamble:
"Albedo, from now on, focus on studying Irminsul programming."
He handed Albedo the foundational materials on Irminsul-based coding compiled by the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
After all, they'd need plenty of programmers in the future.
Albedo had to step up.
Hearing this, Albedo froze.
Then, he saw the files Jiang Chen had sent him.
"These are the most basic programming guides compiled by the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata."
"You'll need to learn how to develop software. Liyue's future network will depend on your leadership."
Albedo's curiosity was piqued.
He opened the files and began skimming through them.
The documents taught one how to become a great programmer.
Jiang Chen hadn't read them himself, so he wasn't sure if the Greater Lord had included tips on preserving one's hair.
After all, programming was a notoriously follicle-destroying profession.
One misstep, and baldness was inevitable.
Jiang Chen glanced at Albedo's lush locks.
It probably wouldn't be a problem. Even if he went bald, it wouldn't be a big deal.
Besides, Albedo was skilled in alchemy—he could probably whip up a hair-loss prevention potion.
Alchemy was miraculous like that.
Perhaps Albedo was a born programmer, because the moment he started reading the materials, he became completely absorbed.
He dove deep into research.
Seeing this, Jiang Chen quietly left without disturbing him.
Exiting Albedo's workshop, Jiang Chen began contemplating his next steps.
Though leaving Teyvat was still a distant dream, he couldn't help but wonder—once they reached Honkai: Star Rail, could he seek out relics of the Aeons and summon them?
The thought alone excited him.
"What if I used the Astral Express itself as a catalyst?"