A Single Harmony for an Irreplaceable Soul

A Single Harmony for an Irreplaceable Soul is the second Event Quest during the The Exquisite Night Chimes Event.
==Steps==
# Wait until the appointed time (08:00 – 10:00 two days later)
# Head to Yujing Terrace and talk to Ganyu
# Go to Mt. Aocang
# Swim to the center of the pool
# Follow Shenhe to her cultivation place
# Head to the designated location
# Return to Liyue Harbor and talk to Madame Ping
# Talk to Dvorak
# Go to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor
# Go to Mt. Hulao
# Return to Liyue Harbor
==Gameplay Notes==
* In Step 4, approaching the center of the pool in a different way, such as through freezing the water or Hanega: Song of the Wind, will still trigger Paimon's dialogue even though the character isn't swimming.
==Dialogue==
;(Pass time)
: Paimon: Looks like it's about time for us to meet up with Ganyu! Let's head to Yujing Terrace.
;(Approach Ganyu)
: Ganyu: *yawn* ...Greetings, Traveler and Paimon. Uh... what time is it?
: Paimon: Are you okay, Ganyu? You were nodding off there... Didn't you sleep well last night?
: Ganyu: Ah, I'm fine, don't worry about me. Let's discuss the matter at hand.
: Ganyu: Since last time, I've been thinking a lot about the story Paimon told me.
: Ganyu: In essence, someone rescued a drowning man and performed some music. If that were all there was to it, it could have been many people — human or adeptus.
: Ganyu: But the tune was allegedly so wonderful that the drowning man forgot about everything else, even his own impending death, and only came to his senses after being brought to shore...
: Ganyu: Perhaps there was adeptal power at work in that music that he, as a mortal, could not perceive. Or perhaps he sensed a power surrounding him, but lacked the words to describe it, not knowing where it came from.
: Ganyu: Either way, if this part of the story is true, then the rescuer has to have been an adeptus.
: Paimon: You really think so? But this story's all the way from Fontaine... Isn't this a bit of a long shot?
: Paimon: Also, Paimon's really curious about how people from Fontaine think this fairy lady looked...
: Maybe they imagined her having wings.
:: Paimon: Ooh, like a Crystalfly's wings? That would be pretty cool, but Paimon definitely can't imagine any of the adepti looking like that.
: Maybe they gave her horns.
:: Paimon: Then she'd look just like Ganyu! ...Hmm, guess that does technically make sense.
: Paimon: Actually, Ganyu — if you had to save a drowning person, how would you go about it?
: Ganyu: Huh? Me...?
: Ganyu: Um... well, I'd get them to the shore, and then I'd probably hide behind a tree and watch them for a while...
: Ganyu: Once I was sure that they were going to be okay, I'd slip away without a sound...
: So stealthy...
: So cute...
: Paimon: Got it! So basically, Ganyu's the type of person who doesn't like taking credit for her good deeds.
: Ganyu: No, it's not like that... I'm just not very good at explaining things, and I also find it really awkward accepting other people's gratitude...
: Paimon: Well, what if this adeptus in the story had a similar attitude? That would explain why she just left without saying a word.
: Paimon: She was probably thinking something like... *clears throat* "Hmph! One was merely passing by, and saw fit to address this egregious disruption to one's graceful zithering at once. You may keep your thanks to yourself."
: Ganyu: Haha, that was actually a very good impression of Cloud Retainer, Paimon.
: Ganyu: As far as I'm aware, Cloud Retainer isn't the most musically gifted... Still, we can't completely rule her out just yet.
: Ganyu: Umm... if we set off now, we could head to Mt. Aocang and ask her about it.
: Ganyu: You'll be able to confirm either way if it's her, and I can... um...
: Ganyu: ...I've been in Liyue Harbor for so long now that I'm just not as familiar with the adepti anymore. If there's anything we want to know about them, she's the best person to ask.
: Paimon: Sounds great! And we're pretty close with Cloud Retainer by now, so we probably don't even need to bring her food this time, right?
: Ganyu: I've prepared a gift for her to mark the festival, just in case. However...
: You still have some reservations?
: Ganyu: Um... Cloud Retainer spends most of her days studying mechanisms in her abode. She's on her own so much of the time that the moment she has someone to chat with, she just...
: Ganyu: ...Never mind. I promised I'd help Mr. Dvorak, and now that I've made the contract, I can't be having second thoughts.
: Ganyu: Traveler, Paimon, let's set off for Cloud Retainer's abode.
: Paimon: Seems like this was a tough decision for Ganyu, but she's made up her mind now.
: Paimon: Paimon gets why she'd be so anxious... Okay, how about this: If Cloud Retainer tries to start telling stories about her again this year, we should pipe up and change the topic...
: Paimon: Wait, did she leave already? Hey, Ganyu, wait up!
----
;(Approach the marked area)
: Paimon: Whew... Paimon's so tired from trying to keep up. Don't either of you need to take any breaks? *pant*
: Ganyu: I can't believe it... Cloud Retainer is not here.
: Paimon: Huh? Did we miss her?
: Ganyu: She doesn't like to travel, so in the past, it's always been the other adepti who come to visit her during the festivals...
: Could she be busy with something else right now?
: Could she have run into trouble?
:: Paimon: Somehow Paimon doubts that anything could cause serious trouble for her...
: Ganyu: True... now that I think about it, Cloud Retainer would be quite capable of taking care of anything on her own... there's no need to worry about her.
: Ganyu: Since she's not here... I guess the next step is to check all the other adepti abodes, one by one.
: Paimon: Uh-oh... Will it involve a lot more traveling?
: Paimon: Um... Ummm...
: Paimon: Got it! Paimon has a great idea!
: Ganyu: Please go on, Paimon.
: Paimon: Our goal here is to find the adeptus that helped Dvorak's ancestor, right?
: Paimon: We can't hear any music right now, but if she's really as nice as the story suggests, she'd definitely come to help anyone who was drowning, right?
: Ganyu: Yes, I think that's fair to say...
: Paimon: Sooo, all we have to do is get to pretend to fall into the water, and the adeptus will come to the rescue!
: If you're so sure, why don't you try?
: Paimon: You know perfectly well that Paimon can't swim! Paimon would sink like a rock!
: Hmm, I just think it's a bad idea...
: Ugh, I guess I can give it a try...
: Paimon: Ugh, just trust Paimon! The water's pretty deep over there. Quick, swim to the very center!
;(Approach the center of the lake)
: Paimon: Help! Heeeelp! Someone's drowning!
: Paimon: If only there was a kindhearted adeptus here to save us... Oh no, whatever will a Paimon do?
:
: Xiao: What is going on?
: Shenhe: How do you feel right now?
: ...
: Ganyu: Uh... Shenhe, and the Conqueror of Demons...
: Paimon: Wh—Why don't you say something...? *sigh* Please don't make Paimon explain it...
: Xiao: ...
: Paimon: Okay fine! Paimon will explain.
: Paimon: We're looking for an adeptus who's good at being a lifeguard and playing music.
: Paimon: But if the adepti aren't gonna stay at home, then how are we supposed to find them?
: Xiao: It wasn't me.
: Paimon: Uh, yeah, so this adeptus is most likely a woman...
: Shenhe: And I am not an adeptus. As you both already know, and Paimon.
: Paimon: Heh... Okay, so this is Paimon's fault...
: Paimon: No way Paimon would've suggested this idea if she'd known how awkward this was gonna be...
: I'm fine.
: Sorry for troubling you both.
: Xiao: Glad you're okay.
: You're leaving already?
: Xiao: As far as I know, the one you seek is no yaksha. And one last thing...
: Xiao: ...Your actions here caused others a great deal of worry. Do not repeat them again in the future.
: Shenhe: As ever, the Conqueror of Demons comes and goes just like the wind.
: Ganyu: R—Right... I didn't dare to say a word just now.
: Ganyu: How's your training going, Shenhe? Have you made any plans for Lantern Rite? We could spend it together in Liyue Harbor, if you'd like?
: Shenhe: I had planned to spend the festival with Master this year, however...
: Ganyu: Oh, speaking of Cloud Retainer, when did you see her last?
: Shenhe: Earlier this morning. She set off for Mt. Hulao at dawn.
: Shenhe: I noticed she was using an adeptus art of some kind to protect a mechanism that looked like a boiler. Maybe it was a gift for Mountain Shaper... I did not inquire.
: Ganyu: Ah, so we just missed her...
: Ganyu: Please excuse me for a moment. I think I'll leave the gift in her abode.
: Shenhe: Sure. Thank you.
: Paimon: It sounds like Ganyu and Shenhe have gotten a lot closer recently!
: Shenhe: Yes. During the summer and winter, I continue to train with Master. In the other months of the year, I have been learning to adapt to human life in Liyue Harbor.
: Shenhe: Ganyu arranged accommodations for me in the city, and also recommended several work positions for me...
: Shenhe: But when I try to blend in by referring to her as "Ms. Ganyu" or "Lady Ganyu" like the others, she says I mustn't address her like that.
: Shenhe: Sometimes I'm supposed to copy other people, sometimes I'm not... It's a little difficult to keep track of everything.
: Ganyu just doesn't want you to be too courteous around her.
: Ganyu gets embarrassed when people call her "Lady Ganyu."
: Shenhe: Oh, is that what it is... Noted.
: Shenhe: So, you came looking for Master today because you wanted to ask her about the mystery adeptus, is that right?
: Paimon: Yep.
: Paimon: Oh, speaking of that, have you ever heard any music while out training in the mountains?
: Shenhe: Music...? What is that?
: Paimon: It's... a kind of happy or relaxing sound! Or, uh... a nerve-wracking sound... or even a terrifying one.
: Ganyu: Okay, I'm done. I also left her a note so that she knows where to find us. We won't miss her again.
: Paimon: Yay! That's really helpful, thanks!
: Shenhe: We were just talking about this thing called "music." And based on Paimon's description... I do believe I hear it every day. Please follow me.
: Paimon: Ooh, really? Great, let's go!
----
;(Approach the marked location)
: Shenhe: This is the place. I enjoy training here to the sound of music.
: Paimon: Hmm...
: Paimon: Mm... hmm...?
: Paimon: Ahh, aaah!
: Paimon: Oh no, Paimon's gone deaf! Paimon can't hear anything!
: Me too...
: My condolences, Paimon.
:: Paimon: Oh, phew! Paimon hasn't gone deaf after all! Paimon heard you when you just spoke!
:: Paimon: ...Anyway, uh... where is this music?
: Shenhe: The faint sound of birdsong, the quiet murmur of the streams... These are relaxing sounds. Are they not the music of which you speak?
: Paimon: Oh... heh... Paimon wasn't quite done with the description...
: Paimon: Okay fine, it's all Paimon's fault! What we're looking for are not the sounds of nature, but melodies played on special instruments.
: Shenhe: And a melody is...?
: Go on, Paimon, sing us a nursery rhyme!
:: Paimon: Hey, don't you patronize Paimon! Hmph, let's get one thing straight: Paimon knows plenty of nursery rhymes, but Paimon does not sing on demand! ...Without payment.
: Ganyu, why don't you sing that folk song you sing to Glaze Lilies?
:: Ganyu: Uh... Huh!?
: Paimon: Hey, why don't you just sing that one melody Shenhe's heard before? It'll probably help her to understand what we're talking about...
: Alright.
: Fingers crossed this won't attract any Whopperflowers.
: : ♪♪♪♪♪♪♪... ♪♪♪♪♪♪♪...
: Shenhe: Was that... from the opera that Yun Jin sang?
: Paimon: Mm-hmm! That was a melody, and melodies can be called music!
: Shenhe: ...It felt like I was transported back to the past. In my mind's eye, I could see the Xiao Lanterns lighting up the night sky again...
: Shenhe: ...We're all there, raising our glasses and drinking to our hearts' content on the Jade Chamber...
: Shenhe: As I watched Yun Jin's performance, I felt a warm sensation in my heart... And as the drink reached my stomach, it went from warm to hot...
: Shenhe: When you hummed that melody just now, feelings from a whole year ago came right back to me, as strong as they were on that day.
: Shenhe: ...So that's the power of music.
: Paimon: Wow, Shenhe... that was so deep!
: Paimon: Music definitely has the power to bring up memories. It's like a time capsule with all the special moments from our life squished inside!
: Paimon: What about you, Ganyu? Are there any melodies that have left a deep impression on you?
: Ganyu: Um... I don't remember if my parents ever sang any lullabies to me.
: Ganyu: I know some local folk songs. And a few other things come to mind, too...
: Ganyu: The songs of the sailors down at the docks, the little ditties that the vendors call out in front of their beloved shops, the tunes of folk artists performing on the streets...
: All the sounds of Liyue Harbor...
: Ganyu: Yes, that's right.
: Ganyu: In the past... whenever I heard the sound of those tunes, I always felt that they were worlds apart from me.
: Ganyu: Many in Liyue probably view me as a non-human... and they are right, in the sense that I never could connect with humans' artistic expression and their sentiments. So I haven't been able to integrate into their community, and be a part of their lives.
: Ganyu: At least, that's the view I held in the past. Only more recently did I start to realize that... the only barriers are ones that I have erected with my imagination.
: Ganyu: The way those melodies make me feel isn't all that different from other people after all. They're about mundane details of everyday existence, life's ups and downs, joys and sorrows...
: Ganyu: Even though we come from different backgrounds, and have different stories to tell... when it comes down to the most common things that we see and experience around us each day in the city...
: Ganyu: ...In that sense, we're all the same.
: Paimon: You go, Ganyu! You're really making progress! You have loads of friends in Liyue Harbor when you think about it, like ...Hmm, okay, maybe some of them are more like coworkers and bosses, but at the very least, Keqing and Shenhe are your friends now, right?
: Shenhe: Yes. I am.
: Shenhe: Technically speaking, we should refer to each other by the conventional forms of address used among fellow disciples. But now that I know what constitutes a friendship... I do believe we are more friends than co-disciples.
: Ganyu: ...Thank you, everyone.
: Shenhe: Once the days are warmer, I would like to host you at my home in the city. Please invite Keqing as well.
: Shenhe: I've planted many types of flowers. I'm sure some of them will be to your taste.
: Ganyu: Ah... you are too kind, I couldn't possibly...
: Shenhe: Nonsense. You are my friend.
: Shenhe: I have cultivated and cared for the flowers just as you taught me. Once you've seen them for yourself, I am sure you can advise me how to do an even better job next time.
: Shenhe: I will save some for decoration. We can feast on the rest.
: Ganyu: Then... thank you in advance. Wait, what is that saying again? "If you insist"?
: Shenhe: ...Do people say that? I'm not completely sure, either.
: Paimon: It doesn't matter, okay! You got the point across, no need to split hairs. Paimon's more concerned about your idea of a girls' night out... Eating flowers? Really? ...Does this have anything to do with you both being the disciples of that illuminated bird?
: I doubt Keqing will be munching on any flowers...
: Cloud Retainer: Hmph! Who dares refer to one not by one's adeptus title, but merely as "that illuminated bird"?
: Shenhe: Master.
: Ganyu: Our greetings, Cloud Retainer.
: Paimon: Aaah, there it is! The illuminated bird has landed!
: Cloud Retainer: Double hmph! Now she has the gall to use "it" rather than "she"! Even after being chastised once already! Huh, barely a moment has passed since we last met, and yet your impertinence has reached new heights. Very well, if you refuse to learn your lesson, one shall scold you no further.
: Cloud Retainer: One has received your message from Ganyu. On the matter of the adeptus you seek, one suspects to know their identity.
: Cloud Retainer: Well? Shall one lead the way?
: Yes please, Cloud Retainer.
: Shenhe: I still have to complete my training for today, so I will bid farewell to everyone here.
: Cloud Retainer: Very well. Await my arrival at one's abode later this night. On this special occasion, you should indulge yourself with some savory dishes.
: Happy Lantern Rite, Shenhe.
: Ganyu: If you want to release a Xiao Lantern, come and find us anytime.
: Shenhe: Thank you, everyone. Happy Lantern Rite to you too.
: Shenhe: ♪♪♪♪♪♪♪... ♪♪♪♪♪♪♪...
----
;(Approach the marked location)
: Paimon: Is this... Guili Plains?
: Paimon: Cloud Retainer, why did you bring us here?
: Cloud Retainer: Ganyu is of course familiar with the name "Guizhong," but have you ever heard of her?
: I've definitely heard it somewhere.
: I'm not sure.
: Cloud Retainer: Guizhong is another name of Haagentus, the God of Dust. She was extroverted in nature, and adored social gatherings and inventions alike.
: Cloud Retainer: Long ago, this region was yet a prosperous assembly. Guizhong often invited her friends to visit her home, reserving for us seats around the largest stone table.
: Cloud Retainer: Sea Gazer would always bring out his latest treasure and place it upon the table. *sigh* He could be quite the braggart... Though usually a mild-mannered fellow, when it came to those collectibles he was so fond of, he always loved to show them off.
: Paimon: Paimon remembers that name! So that's what Sea Gazer was like...
: Cloud Retainer: He was an old friend and a former rival. One has many memories of him...
: Cloud Retainer: Once he had brought out the treasure, it would predictably become the center of attention. Neither Guizhong nor one was content to let him just steal the spotlight, so we would then also present our proudest mechanical creations.
: Cloud Retainer: As adepti, we were each gifted in our own ways, and naturally proud of our accomplishments in our respective fields of expertise. As a result, one often quarreled with Sea Gazer.
: Cloud Retainer: His treasures were not even of his own making. He just used his exploration skills to dig them out of the ground! How, pray tell, could he compare to me, when every single one of one's accomplishments was crafted by one's own hand!?
: Ganyu: Cloud Retainer, you are getting competitive again...
: Cloud Retainer: ...Ahem, one digresses. Regardless, every time an argument occurred, Guizhong would come over to watch us during our mutual lambastings. On some occasions, she would join in, and on others, she'd take one of us by the limb, and start uttering the most ridiculous nonsense.
: Paimon: What kind of nonsense?
: Cloud Retainer: No kind of nonsense were we spared. Sometimes, she would brazenly opine "Ahh, why argue between yourselves when neither of you could ever hope to beat me?" Other times, she would make unsolicited suggestions such as "Once you two are done arguing, let's go to the foot of the mountain and grill some meat..."
: Cloud Retainer: She always sought to make everyone happy, and one must say, she had quite the gift for it — no matter what nonsense she said, one never felt bothered or offended.
: Cloud Retainer: ...It also helped that she never referred to one as "that illuminated bird" or "lady bird."
: Paimon: You...! Come on, get over yourself!
: Cloud Retainer: Hah. Anyway, just as our impassioned arguments would reach the apex of acrimony, Marchosius would bring his delectable dishes to the table.
: Cloud Retainer: Who would dare snub the Stove God and his wondrous creations? At the sight of him, we would all immediately drop the argument, and prepare the table for a night of feasting and drinking...
: Cloud Retainer: Heh, back then, one was always bothered by how the cups Rex Lapis brought were always too square for one's taste. Can you see yourselves ever enjoying a drink from a square cup?
: That does sound annoying.
:: Cloud Retainer: Precisely! So as you can see, even one as great as Rex Lapis was not immune to making the occasional blunder.
: I don't think I'd really mind.
:: Cloud Retainer: Then you are most tolerant. But that is its own virtue.
: Cloud Retainer: Even one could never find fault with Marchosius' cooking. As we ate, Guizhong would continue to find topics for conversation, filling the table with humor and laughter.
: Cloud Retainer: Each of those old fossils had their character flaws and points of obstinacy. So why was it that whenever we dined together, we always had a marvelous time?
: Cloud Retainer: We would drink together from a spot high in the mountains, until the moon set and the sun rose, and only then would the banquet finally come to an end.
: Cloud Retainer: Streetward Rambler would often remain to admire the flowers with Guizhong before returning to her own abode. The Glaze Lilies were far more abundant back then... entire fields of them would appear to the eye as a veritable sea of flowers...
: Paimon: Streetward Rambler...?
: Ganyu: That would be Ping. You probably know her as "Madame Ping."
: Paimon: Oh, okay... Wait, this is a lovely story and everything, but didn't we come here to find that adeptus from Mr. Dvorak's story?
: Paimon: Or are you saying that... it was Guizhong? Didn't she, um... already, um...
: Cloud Retainer: Alas... Long has one avoided this place for precisely that reason. The sights here are a reminder of a time long gone, and evoke much sorrow.
: Cloud Retainer: One should have guessed that you would disrupt one's poignant moment of mourning with your incessant questioning!
: Cloud Retainer: No matter... one will share the whole story with you now.
;(A cinematic plays)
::Cloud Retainer: In times gone by, one quarreled oft with Guizhong concerning mechanical principles
::Cloud Retainer: We each had our ideals, and neither would yield
::Cloud Retainer: Under the pretext of a social gathering
::Cloud Retainer: One invited the impartial Rex Lapis
::Cloud Retainer: To judge the quality of our creations...
::Cloud Retainer: But Rex Lapis declared
::Cloud Retainer: That Guizhong's Obscuro Vulpes Mechanism was superior
::Cloud Retainer: Though one was too proud to acknowledge it, in one's heart, one knew
::Cloud Retainer: That Guizhong was indeed the superior talent in the mechanical arts...
::Cloud Retainer: As for the story between Guizhong and Streetward Rambler
::Cloud Retainer: That begins with a certain bell
::Cloud Retainer: In Guizhong's opinion, while mechanisms were no substitute for human composers
::Cloud Retainer: They were yet capable of producing simple but fine melodies
::Cloud Retainer: But Streetward Rambler believed music to be an expression of the soul
::Cloud Retainer: An emotional enterprise that could never hope to be replicated by machinery
::Cloud Retainer: They argued endlessly, until one asked Rex Lapis to intercede
::Cloud Retainer: He confiscated the bell, and designated it for ceremonial use
::Cloud Retainer: Thereafter, one would often find them convening in the mountains
::Cloud Retainer: Discussing music, mechanics, and all the affairs of the mortal world
::Cloud Retainer: But these good times were not to last
::Cloud Retainer: War broke out between the gods, and soon engulfed the Guili Plains
::Cloud Retainer: Guizhong was overpowered by the enemy, and fell in battle
::Cloud Retainer: When Streetward Rambler and I arrived at the scene at long last, all that remained among the ruins... was her lifeless body
::Cloud Retainer: After this, at Streetward Rambler's request
::Cloud Retainer: Rex Lapis granted her the Cleansing Bell for safekeeping
::Cloud Retainer: To honor our friend's memory
::Cloud Retainer: One made a few finishing touches to her ballistic device...
::Cloud Retainer: Many Lantern Rites have passed since then... many greetings and goodbyes
::Cloud Retainer: Upon what do you gaze? The Guili Plains?
::Streetward Rambler: No, it's... everything
::Streetward Rambler: We think of human life as like a lantern that's lit one minute and extinguished the next, but are we adepti so different?
::Streetward Rambler: Perhaps, as dust settles after a storm
::Streetward Rambler: We too must one day return to the world below
:;(Cinematic ends)
: Cloud Retainer: One has always been austere and private by nature, and has never relished socializing. One's dealings with Guizhong were borne out of discussions on the discipline of mechanics.
: Paimon: What? You have loads of friends! And you seem pretty chatty...
: Cloud Retainer: Just because one is not ignorant of social graces does not mean one is fond of them! One is perfectly capable of partaking in conversation despite being introverted.
: Cloud Retainer: But in the end, one is nothing like Streetward Rambler. She is dauntless but thoughtful, not to mention eloquent and wise. Moreover, her friendship with Guizhong was far greater than one's own...
: Cloud Retainer: Back when they were rivals, they would often compete against one another in the realm of musical composition.
: Cloud Retainer: That Cleansing Bell was one of Guizhong's proudest works, having the ability to both compose and perform...
: Paimon: Wait, that's weird. Didn't Madame Ping say she pestered an old friend for that bell?
: Paimon: And she also said something about being a vain beauty when she was young, or something.
: Cloud Retainer: Streetward Rambler, a vain beauty? Hah... My foot.
: Cloud Retainer: That bell has a sad history. Clearly, she refrained from sharing with you the truth of its origins, since the right time had not yet come.
: Cloud Retainer: As for her "old friend"... who else could it be?
: Cloud Retainer: As soon as Streetward Rambler heard that a certain "Zhongli" wished to borrow the Bell, she realized that the man was none other than Rex Lapis, and that he had made an enormous decision.
: Cloud Retainer: After all, we all have known each other for several millennia. Some things between us are implicitly understood.
: Paimon: Whoa, so they were talking in secret code? Paimon did not see that one coming...
: Cloud Retainer: Hmph, enough of your intrusions... Where was one up to? ...Ah, yes. One remembers now.
: Cloud Retainer: The Cleansing Bell is powered by a mechanical art, and can be used to great effect as an accompanying instrument. After the passing of its creator, it was used on numerous occasions during rites of parting.
: Cloud Retainer: But Streetward Rambler did not acquire it from Rex Lapis for the purpose of producing further funerary tunes. No, each time she rang it, it was to play the tune that Guizhong composed on it.
: Cloud Retainer: The two once clashed over their beliefs about the meaning of music. Who would have thought that with Guizhong's passing and Streetward Rambler's mourning, two tunes composed in discord would eventually become one harmonious composition...
: Ganyu: ...
: Cloud Retainer: Once upon a time, Streetward Rambler also loved gatherings, liquor, and music. But after Guizhong passed, she preferred her own company. She could often be found sitting alone at a mountain summit, contemplating and reminiscing with her zither.
: Cloud Retainer: The music would go from mournful, to soothing, to impassioned...
: Cloud Retainer: Many years passed before she finally composed a melody to her satisfaction. In celebration, she played the tune to the clouds. Regrettably, one has only ever heard her play that tune once.
: Cloud Retainer: Which brings one back to the matter you've been investigating... Perhaps it was during that performance that the ancestor of your Fontaine friend fell into the water, and was saved by Streetward Rambler.
: Paimon: But... if she was so happy with the melody, why would she only play it once?
: Cloud Retainer: One was also greatly perplexed by this. After suppressing one's curiosity for a long while, one finally approached her, and asked why she would retire the tune after having spent so long on it.
: Cloud Retainer: In response, she said...
: Cloud Retainer: "Though the strings that played that melody survive, the one who inspired it is gone. Tell me, Cloud Retainer... when the one attuned to my soul is no longer here, who else could hope to understand this tune?"
: Paimon: Aw... Poor Madame Ping...
: Ganyu: I just remember being taken care of by you when I was young. Once the Archon War came to an end, I stayed behind in Liyue Harbor to honor my contract.
: Ganyu: Although I met Guizhong a few times, I never knew anything of this particular story...
: Cloud Retainer: Guizhong was quite the visionary, but tragically passed before her time. Her manuscripts still lie unfinished in the Realm of Clouds... the blank pages give one cause for contemplation on what might have been.
: Cloud Retainer: Had you not decided to search for that mystery adeptus, perhaps these stories, too, would have been lost to the sands of time.
: ...
: Cloud Retainer: As of now, you know the truth: That the adeptus who rescued the drowning man was none other than Streetward Rambler.
: Cloud Retainer: Do you intend to discuss this with her?
: Ganyu: Do you mean... Ping might find the topic too distressing?
: Cloud Retainer: Precisely. The passing of our old friend is a heavy topic that both of us are usually careful to avoid.
: Ganyu: If I may be so bold... Cloud Retainer, could it be that this is just your own personal opinion?
: Cloud Retainer: Oh? How so?
: Ganyu: I've been in Liyue Harbor for quite a long time now, and I've witnessed many farewells along the way. So I, too, am well acquainted with the pain of the passing of a loved one.
: Ganyu: But this doesn't bring the city or its people to a standstill. They have to keep moving forward.
: Ganyu: Someone as perceptive and wise as Ping will surely have come to understand and embrace this.
: Ganyu: Though these immortal mountains have lost an adeptus, the harbor of mortals has gained a wise elder.
: Ganyu: No loss can ever be undone, but there is always much that can still be gained.
: Ganyu: Ping has helped countless people, and will guide many others in the years to come. And all to whom she extends a helping hand become her friends. People she can admire flowers and discuss music with.
: Ganyu: Though it is heartbreaking to lose a kindred spirit, life goes on... because there are new friends waiting for you further down the road.
: Ganyu is right.
: Paimon: We even asked Madame Ping what she thought about adding a music festival to this year's Lantern Rite!
: Paimon: When we get back, why don't we just ask her if she'd like to perform? Maybe we could even get her up on stage!
: Cloud Retainer: ...Hah, you youngsters and your imaginations.
: Ganyu: Why don't you come with us?
: Ganyu: It's been a long time since you last spoke with Ping. And Liyue Harbor is always decorated so beautifully during the festival period...
: Cloud Retainer: Is not every Lantern Rite the same in this regard? Were there ever anything new to discuss, one and Ping could meet any day of the year.
: Ganyu: I disagree. Each new day and each new year is different from those that have come before. How long will you simply let them pass you by?
: If nothing else, do it for Ganyu.
:: Cloud Retainer: ...Hmm, the edibles she brought this time were indeed quite delectable...
: Do it as a favor for me?
: Cloud Retainer: ...Very well.
: Cloud Retainer: Then one will be off. If the other old fossils have sneaked away into the city to amuse themselves, one shall soon find out...
: Ganyu: Alright, we should be getting back to the harbor as well. We don't want to keep her waiting.
: Ganyu: *sigh* Once the Guili Assembly, now the Guili Plains...
: Ganyu: Say... if we planted flowers there and cared for them carefully enough, do you think that one day, we'd be able to recreate the sea of Glaze Lilies?
: Cloud Retainer: Allow one to take back one's praise from a moment prior. You are still far too given to flights of fancy, child.
: Ganyu: What...!? Cloud Retainer? Y—You were still listening?
: Cloud Retainer: One observed that you were making no effort to leave and returned to chasten and hasten you! This time, one is departing in earnest.
----
;(Approach Madame Ping and Cloud Retainer)
: Paimon: Whoa! Madame Ping, and Cloud Retainer...?
: Cloud Retainer: It appears you made haste after all. One arrived but moments before you.
: Madame Ping: Bless my soul, to what do I owe the honor? How nice of you all to come and visit me...
: Paimon: Miss Illuminated Bird, haven't you said anything yet?
: Cloud Retainer: Said what, precisely? And why should one be tasked with saying it?
: Paimon: 'Cause you're the one who's known Madame Ping the longest!
: Cloud Retainer: ...
: Cloud Retainer: Streetward— Ahem, or rather... presumably, you would prefer to be addressed as "Ping"?
: Madame Ping: Ohoho... Cloud Retainer, you are uncommonly polite today.
: Cloud Retainer: One... Uh... Hmm...
: Cloud Retainer: Given that Lantern Rite is almost upon us, the weather in the city is most pleasant, and a sweet floral fragrance lingers in the air...
: Cloud Retainer: Ahem... Ganyu, please continue from here!
: Ganyu: Huh!?
: Ganyu: A—Alright...
: Ganyu: So, this all started because we were trying to help Mr. Dvorak find the adeptus who saved his ancestor's life...
:
: Ganyu: Cloud Retainer informed us that the one who played that melody and rescued the drowning man was none other than yourself.
: Madame Ping: Ah... let me think... Yes, I do believe I recall that encounter...
: Cloud Retainer: ...
: Madame Ping: What a long time ago that was... I'm surprised that you still remember it.
: Madame Ping: Even more astonishing, perhaps, is the fact that this story has survived this long at all, when mortal lives are so very brief...
: Madame Ping: Hehe... It appears that she has proven herself right once again.
: Paimon: Who's "she"...?
: Madame Ping: We like to call her "Guizhong." From the look in Cloud Retainer's eyes, I sense that she has already told you all about her.
: Cloud Retainer: *sigh*... Albeit reluctantly, one might add.
: Madame Ping: Hehe, there is no harm done.
: Madame Ping: After all, Lantern Rite's very purpose is to commemorate the heroes who gave their lives for Liyue.
: Madame Ping: Although Guizhong did not live to see the splendid sights of today, she was as much a hero as any other.
: Paimon: Uh... so how has she proven herself right again, exactly?
: Madame Ping: Once upon a time, she said to me that humans were a weak form of life that she wished to protect with her wisdom.
: Madame Ping: But as she interacted more and more with them, her opinions on them began to change.
: Madame Ping: She marveled at the beautiful complexity of their spirits... the sheer splendor of all they could accomplish through their hard work and intelligence.
: Madame Ping: She told us that to underestimate human potential would be to make a grave mistake...
: Madame Ping: With the smallest amount of guidance, enormous power can be unleashed in them...
: Madame Ping: And a human who has reached their full potential may well be her equal. Someone who could have as much to teach an adeptus as to learn from them.
: Cloud Retainer: Hmph, she always had a way with words.
: Cloud Retainer: That her mechanical accomplishments were judged superior to one's own was, one suspects, in large part due to her sheer eloquence.
: Madame Ping: Speaking of mechanics, Cloud Retainer, do you still remember that potted plant mechanism? The one that the two of you gave me as a gift.
: Cloud Retainer: Of course. Guizhong and one both put an immense amount of effort into that gift. It would be no overstatement to call it a testament to each of our individual technical genius...
: Madame Ping: As Guizhong once said: "It takes every blade of grass and every flower to make a homeland."
: Madame Ping: ...When I see the sight of Liyue Harbor before us today, I am reminded of this.
: Paimon: Madame Ping looks very emotional right now...
: Well, she's been through a lot in her time...
: Madame Ping: *sigh*... Of all of us, it was Guizhong who was the fondest of these grand and exciting occasions.
: Madame Ping: If she were still with us, I'm quite sure she would still be trying to best Cloud Retainer's finest works at every opportunity...
: Cloud Retainer: Liyue Harbor is always filled with the sound of music at this time of the year... If she were here, one is certain that she would seek you out to discuss and debate the virtues of various melodies.
: Paimon: Oh, yeah! Music!
: Paimon: We've been dying to ask: What was the melody that you played back then?
: Paimon: Oh, also, with you being such a music expert and all, why don't you join the concert as a performer?
: Ganyu: I can make arrangements right away!
: Madame Ping: Oho... As much as I don't wish to dampen your enthusiasm...
: Madame Ping: It's been a long time since I played this zither. My fingers don't have the dexterity they once did...
: Madame Ping: And whenever I play that tune... it always reminds me of her. I start wondering what she would think of the changes I've made to her melody...
: Madame Ping: There was a period of time whenever I started strumming, it almost felt like she was back again, sitting right there on the stone stool next to me, chatting away. Skybracer and Sea Gazer, too... looking just like they did in the old days.
: Madame Ping: No matter how much time goes by, the moment that melody starts playing, it transports me right back to that time in my memory...
: Ganyu: So the past still weighs heavily on your heart?
: Madame Ping: I would be lying to myself if I claimed to have completely moved on.
: Madame Ping: But that is not to say that grief doesn't get easier with time.
: Madame Ping: ...Despite the sadness, I have found many things that bring me joy in life. It is simply the nature of the world in which we live that even if one wished to mourn for an eternity, it would be a nigh-impossible feat.
: Madame Ping: Just look at this potted plant. Isn't it stunning?
: Cloud Retainer: It takes an honest and open mind to confront and conquer grief. You have indeed made progress.
: Madame Ping: Hehe...
: Madame Ping: Be that as it may, I shall leave the Lantern Rite stage to the youth of today.
: Paimon: Well, if you're sure...
: Yanfei: Granny!
: Yanfei: Whoa, what's everyone doing here? Did something bad happen?
: Madame Ping: Ah, and now we've spooked Yanfei. No, no, everyone's just here to give me their regards for the holiday...
: Yanfei: Oh? That's wonderful! I'm glad.
: Yanfei: Well, in that case: Happy Lantern Rite everyone.
: Happy Lantern Rite.
: Ganyu: Happy Lantern Rite. Oh! I... I just remembered that I have some, uh... work to do at Yuehai Pavilion that I need to discuss with Yanfei. I haven't been able to find a chance until now...
: Ganyu: I will leave Mr. Dvorak in your capable hands. Cloud Retainer, Ping, we will be off for now.
: Yanfei: Huh? Does it have to be right now? Which case is this again? Hey, Ganyu...
: Madame Ping: Ahh... It seems Ganyu still has much to learn when it comes to the art of deception.
: Cloud Retainer: What a pity... she has learned nothing of one's ability to carry a conversation.
: Madame Ping: Since it's been so long, Cloud Retainer, why don't you stay? I'll make a cup of tea, and we can chat a while.
: Cloud Retainer: Gladly. This was one's intention as well.
: Madame Ping: When you next see the Fontaine musician, please give him my regards. I'd like to wish him the very best with the concert.
: Paimon: You got it, Madame Ping!
: Madame Ping: Thank you all... I think you've listened to enough of my nattering for one day.
: Madame Ping: As for that melody, I will play it for you all another time. Goodness knows I need to practice it first.
: Paimon: Wow, that'd be great! We'll look forward to it!
: Madame Ping: Hehe...
: Madame Ping: When that time comes, wherever her spirit may be among the countless grains of sand and specks of dust between the harbor and the mountains... perhaps she will look at the Liyue of today, and steal a smile when she sees the prosperous land that it has become.
;(After the cutscene)
: Paimon: Alright, let's go tell Mr. Dvorak the news!
;(Talk to Cloud Retainer or Madame Ping, optional)
: Cloud Retainer: Ping, what say you to convening more often in the future?
: Madame Ping: That would be quite wonderful. But I must say, after all this time, I've grown quite accustomed to the harbor... When we are to meet, I shall have to trouble you to make the journey to the city.
: Cloud Retainer: You sound just like Shenhe. The child is constantly telling one all sorts of stories from the city, as if one was partial to them...
: Madame Ping: Have you ever considered moving to the city, Cloud Retainer? There are plenty of people here to talk to. I think you would find it quite the antidote to the monotony of solitude.
: Madame Ping: And if you looked around, I suspect you would find some young minds with an interest in the mechanical arts — some of them even worth training.
: Cloud Retainer: Haha. We shall see.
----
;(Approach Dvorak and Keqing)
: Paimon: Mr. Dvorak!
: Paimon: Ah, and Keqing's here too... Thanks for helping set all of this up.
: Keqing: Welcome back. Did everything go well?
: Paimon: Really, really well! We found the person Mr. Dvorak was looking for!
: Dvorak: A—Are you serious!?
:
: Dvorak: I see... So, the melody my ancestor heard was an adeptus remembering her late friend...
: Dvorak: That certainly explains why it was such a powerful and poignant tune...
: Paimon: Huh. That's a really interesting first reaction. Guess that comes with having a musical mind.
: Dvorak: ...I have to say, though, it's hard to believe that the fairy from the tale is now an elderly granny...
: Paimon: Oh, Paimon knows exactly what you mean! Normally, adepti don't age at all!
: Paimon: But Streetward Rambler, or "Madame Ping" as we know her, probably only became old because it's what she wanted for herself.
: Keqing: Madame Ping possesses vast knowledge and great wisdom. Whatever physical form she may decide to take, her mind and wits are as sharp as they come.
: Paimon: Yep, Keqing summed it up perfectly! That's exactly what Paimon was trying to say.
: Dvorak: I think... Yes, I must thank her in person.
: Dvorak: That can wait until after the concert though. For now, I need to devote all my emotional energy to the performance.
: Paimon: Ah, speaking of, Madame Ping wishes you all the best with the music festival!
: Paimon: Paimon has a sneaking suspicion that she'll stay in her usual spot, but listen to the performances from afar!
: Dvorak: ...Wait, are you serious?
: Dvorak: Huh... Oh no, now I'm starting to get nervous...
: Relax.
: Just treat it like any other performance.
: Dvorak: Okay, alright...
: Dvorak: Nope! Another rehearsal is in order. Please excuse me, everyone...
: Paimon: Mr. Dvorak! ...Ah, he's already gone. Paimon wasn't even finished telling him everything...
: Paimon: Before we set off on our search with Ganyu, he asked us about what music means to people. After our recent adventure, Paimon thinks we have a lot more to say about that now.
: Keqing: Please, share your insights with me.
: Paimon: Uh, well... we found out that music can be used for good, but also for bad.
: Paimon: Um... It can make people happy and moved, but it can also be sad and bittersweet...
: Paimon: And music is like a kind of memory written in people's hearts. It can put you in touch with feelings from a totally different time and place.
: Pretty much. Though there was more to it than that.
: That was a broad summary, but not the most detailed.
: Keqing: It sounds like you had an eventful trip... Don't worry, I'm sure Ganyu will fill me in on all the details shortly.
: Paimon: Wait, does that mean you're gonna carry on working?
: Keqing: Mm-hmm. Just a few things to wrap up. All the groundwork is done.
: Keqing: As long as everyone enjoys the festival activities, all our efforts are worthwhile.
: Happy Lantern Rite.
: Keqing: Happy Lantern Rite to you as well.
: Paimon: Whew... that should be everything taken care of, right? Oh no, wait...
: Paimon: Paimon feels like she's forgetting something... Ugh, what was it? Ugh, it feels like it was a while ago!
: Paimon: Ah, shoot! Latent— Wait, no... anyway, uhh, fancy Bamboo Shoots!
: Bamboozle soup!
: Made from "Nascent Bamboo Shoots"!
: Paimon: Zhongli said he wasn't in a hurry, so if we went now, there's probably still time, right?
: Paimon: Anyway, even if we don't make it, it's not our fault! He could've totally picked them by himself...
: Paimon: Ugh, anyway, let's go check with him at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
----
;(Approach Wangsheng Funeral Parlor)
: Hu Tao: Mm hmm! Da-da, da-da, da-da, da-da.
: Hu Tao: Dah-da-da-dah, dah-da-da-dah, oh!
:
: Yun Jin: Alright, let's take a break here.
: Hu Tao: Oh wow, look who it is! Are you here to hang out with everyone's favorite funeral director?
: Paimon: So you're just... casually practicing your rapping skills at the entrance to your funeral parlor... in broad daylight... Uhh, okay...
: You're, uh... freaking me out a little.
: I... uh... wow.
: Hu Tao: Heheh, after everything we've been through... you don't see me for a hot minute, and you're back to being scared of your own shadow.
: Hu Tao: We have all this open space, a clear view of the mountains behind and the sea in front... not to mention we have several invisible audience members enthusiastically cheering us on! It's the perfect spot to rehearse!
: Paimon: Invisible audience members...?
: Xinyan: Gotta say, it took me a few days to get used to Director Hu's way of talking.
: Yun Jin: Xinyan was pretty spooked too when she first got here! Just like when she sees a frog. But a giant frog. With sharp teeth!
: Xinyan: C'mon, knock it off.
: Hu Tao: What's wrong? I've never seen someone look so confused before. Well, don't worry, because Director Hu's here to explain it all!
: Hu Tao:
::There once was a Fontaine musicianWho went around town on a missionHe came door to doorFor his Iridescence TourLooking for acts to audition
: Hu Tao: With my words, Xinyan's chords, and Yun Jin as our mentor...
: Hu Tao: We'll take the stage by storm, with flames roaring, and the whole audience calling for more!
: Heck yeah!
: Paimon: For sure! The whole dance floor will be yelling "encore, encore"! ...Ugh, now Paimon's rhyming along... Um, but when you say "flames roaring"... are you sure this'll be safe?
: Xinyan: Ah, don't you worry about that! I'm pretty experienced on the stage, and I've already informed the Yuheng of all the pyrotechnics we're planning on using.
: Paimon: Huh... Guess we'll just have to trust Xinyan on this one.
: Have you seen Zhongli, Director Hu?
: Hu Tao: Oh, Zhongli? He took one of those fancy meal boxes and set off for the mountains. Said he wanted to pay a visit to some old friends.
: Yun Jin: It's a real pity that he couldn't be around for this. As well as being a true connoisseur of traditional art forms, he's able to appreciate Xinyan's performances, too...
: Xinyan: Yeah, that's right! Matter of fact, he was the one who first invited me to perform here.
: Xinyan: To tell the truth, though, I never thought I'd really find myself rehearsing here one day...
: Hu Tao: Hehe, well, now you know: The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is a great location! All of you are always welcome to come and hang out here, especially if you're in the mood to try something new!
: Yun Jin: I can speak to that. Hu Tao is always full of fun surprises!
: Xinyan: ...And jump scares.
: Yun Jin: Actually, Xinyan, I have some lyric ideas for your part. Do you wanna go through them together?
: Xinyan: Sure thing! I'm all ears.
: Hu Tao: Oh, and Paimon, I believe Zhongli was heading to Mt. Hulao. So, make sure you're hiking up the right hill!
: Hu Tao: When you see Zhongli, please pass on this message to him: It's up to him whether he wants to support us at the performance tonight... but I expect him to make time for the upcoming banquet we're planning. No excuses!
: Hu Tao: You should join us too! It'll be a riot. If there's one thing I've learned from being a funeral director, it's how to throw a party!
;(Talk to Hu Tao, Xinyan, or Yun Jin, optional)
: Yun Jin: Okay, everyone, I think that's a long-enough break. Let's take it from the top, shall we?
: Hu Tao: Ms. Yun is such a strict mentor! These breaks aren't even long enough to have a sip of tea.
: Yun Jin: Hah, well, you were desperate to get involved, and this is what it takes. If I gave you half the chance, you'd be sipping tea till nightfall.
: Xinyan: Hey, how about I treat us all to some late night snacks once we're done! Hu Tao, whatcha cravin'?
: Hu Tao: Hmm... how about some Stir-Fried Filet with a side of Crab Roe Tofu?
: Xinyan: Hehe... Where are we gonna find Crab Roe Tofu so late at night?
: Hu Tao: We could always just go pester Masterful Chef, Xiangling.
: Hu Tao: Mmm, now I'm hungry. Alright, let's knock this out and then go grab some food!
----
;(Approach Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper)
: Paimon: Paimon sees them! It's Illuminated Deer and Illuminated Bird number two.
: Greetings, everyone. Long time no see.
: Moon Carver: Hmm... A familiar face. Have you come from Liyue Harbor? How is the city nowadays?
: Paimon: Everything's great! But you know, if you're so curious, you can always go and check it out for yourself.
: Zhongli: In fact, Moon Carver has been taking many walks on Mt. Tianheng in recent times. I believe the sights of the city are quite familiar to him.
: Paimon: Zhongli! Here you are. We've brought the Bamboo Shoots you wanted.
: Zhongli: Impeccable timing.
:
: Zhongli: Traditionally, Bamboo Shoot Soup ought to be slow-cooked for many hours on low heat. Using Adeptus Arts to hasten the process is something of a shortcut.
: Paimon: Wait, that mechanism... Is that...
: Zhongli: Indeed. Cloud Retainer kindly lent me her supreme cuisine machine.
: Paimon: Can we not just call it a "cooking machine"? ..Ugh, actually never mind.
: Paimon: She seems to take a lot of pride in her mechanical gizmos, so it's probably best if Paimon doesn't go changing the name willy-nilly.
: Zhongli: I trust that you found the answers you were seeking during your recent journey?
: Yes.
: Zhongli: Excellent.
: Zhongli: The past should be remembered, but not overly dwelt upon. Our journeys should be seen as a means to take on more from the world around us.
: Zhongli: When the Bamboo Shoot Soup is ready, I must insist that you try some for yourself.
: Of course!
: Paimon: Oh, Zhongli, Hu Tao told us to tell you something!
: Paimon: She said: "It's up to him whether he wants to support us at the performance tonight... but I expect him to make time for the upcoming banquet we're planning. No excuses!"
: Paimon: When she says "performance," she must mean the Lantern Rite music festival!
: Paimon: As for the banquet, uh... she didn't tell us anything more about that, but she invited us to come as well.
: Zhongli: As you can see, I have a prior engagement with two adepti friends of mine tonight. Please give Director Hu my best wishes for the performance.
: Zhongli: As for the banquet... Hmm, since the Director insists, far be it from a mere consultant like myself to refuse.
: Paimon: Yay! Then we'll see you there?
: Zhongli: Absolutely.
: Mountain Shaper: Rex Lapis, the Bamboo Shoot Soup is ready.
: Zhongli: Thank you. I will examine it right away.
: Zhongli: The appearance is exquisite, and the aroma rich and intense. The craftsmanship of this machine is commendable indeed.
: Zhongli: Since you came all this way, you should not leave empty-handed. Please take some soup. It tastes most exquisite while still warm.
;(Obtain )
;(Talk to Zhongli again, optional)
: Zhongli: I intend to reminisce with my old friends for a while longer. You ought to get back to Liyue Harbor. There is a performance you do not want to miss.
;(Talk to Moon Carver or Mountain Shaper again, optional)
: Mountain Shaper: Had one known that Cloud Retainer was in possession of such eminently useful devices, one would have sought to borrow one from her long ago...
: Moon Carver: And yet, since you share my lack of enthusiasm for mechanisms and fine dining, it would have become a mere decorative ornament in your abode.
: Mountain Shaper: Not so. Had one had such a device to make up for one's lack of culinary prowess, Shenhe would not have had to rely on flowers and herbs alone for sustenance while under one's care...
: Moon Carver: Hmm... in that case, shall we rendezvous with Cloud Retainer one day soon, and request to borrow one more supreme cuisine machine?
: Mountain Shaper: A fine idea... a fine idea indeed.
----
;(Approach the marked area)
;(A cinematic plays)
::Xinyan: I'm honored to be here on the Iridescence Tour stage!
::Xinyan: Alright, without further ado, I'm Xinyan, this is Hu Tao...
::Xinyan: And this is a li'l something called:
::Xinyan and Hu Tao: "The Blaze Lilies!"
:;(Xiangling, Guoba, Chongyun, Xingqiu joins the crowd)
::Xinyan: I'm up here blazin' trails through the midnight sky, lightin' up the world below
::Xinyan: And when the crowds all hear my voice, they'll meet the spirit of rock n' roll
:;(Xiangling's group waves hello to the Traveler, Paimon and Yun Jin, who were already in the crowd)
::Hu Tao: Let's go! / Hey you, butterfly / You too, buzzin' by / Guidin' your way / To the afterlife
::Hu Tao: Openin' the path without a fright / Oh!
::Hu Tao: I'll light the fire / Watch it blaze / 'cross the universe
::Hu Tao: I'll spit my rhymes / Watch your step / Or you'll get burned
:;(Ningguang, Keqing, Beidou watch from a nearby pavilion)
::Ningguang: Does anyone have any plans tomorrow?
::Ningguang: With another year behind us, I think we deserve a celebration of our own
::Ningguang: My treat, interested?
::Beidou: The Tianquan footing the bill? I can't miss out on that
:;(Yaoyao, Madame Ping, Yanfei, and Ganyu watch from Yujing Terrace)
::Yao Yao: ...
::Yao Yao: Master, Master! Listen!
:;(Zhongli, Moon Carver, and Mountain Shaper celebrate on Mt. Aocang)
::Moon Carver: May the year ahead be a blessed one
::Zhongli: I believe it shall be
:;(Shenhe and Cloud Retainer rest at the entrance of Cloud Retainer's abode)
::Shenhe: Master, the Xiao Lanterns... I...
::Cloud Retainer: Ha!
::Cloud Retainer: Elementary
::Cloud Retainer: One shall fashion for you a Xiao Lantern the likes of which the world has never seen
::Cloud Retainer: Then, you must take it to Liyue Harbor, to display its magnificence for all
:;(Dvorak notices a zither starting to play along and stops conducting)
::Paimon: Listen! That must be Madame Ping!
:;(Cinematic ends)
==Post-Quest Dialogue==
After completing this quest Baizhu, Dvorak, Madame Ping, Qiqi, Xinyan, Yanfei, Yaoyao and Yun Jin can be found in the open world.
===Xinyan and Yun Jin===
;(Talk to Xinyan or Yun Jin near the main stage)
: Xinyan: Okay, now I need to get a move on and write my next song!
: Yun Jin: Listen to you, you only just fulfilled one lifetime dream. Are you really thinking about your next goal already?
: Xinyan: Don't try to tell me you ain't the same way. I bet you've already thought up a name for your next opera, haven't ya?
: Yun Jin: Hehe... You know me too well, Xinyan.
: Yun Jin: "The Adeptus-Seeking Voyage"... How does that sound?
: Xinyan: Aw, man! Yeah, I can already picture it!
: Yun Jin: I've also got just the finishing line for it! I will close with: "And the celestial melody echoed through the clouds forevermore."
NPC 3.4 Event Location Xinyan and Yun Jin.png|Xinyan and Yun Jin's Location
NPC 3.4 Event Location Xinyan and Yun Jin Context.png|Additional Context
===Dvorak===
;(Talk to Dvorak next to the paper theater)
: Dvorak: Magnificent... Absolutely magnificent...
: You mean, the show?
:: Dvorak: Yes... When I heard the music coming from up in the clouds, I was so stunned, I could barely think or move.
:: Dvorak: I felt like it had a special kind of hold over me... Hmm, or maybe it was the adeptal power within the music?
:: Dvorak: And the ensemble at the end was truly sublime! I felt like I would have started to cry if I hadn't been one of the performers on the stage.
: What are your plans for the future?
:: Dvorak: Well, Lady Ningguang, the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, has invited me to visit her again at Yujing Terrace to discuss a long-term collaboration plan.
:: Dvorak: I do hope everything goes well, and that we have more opportunities to collaborate in the future.
:: Dvorak: The next time we have another performance, you'll have to come! I will save the best seat for you.
: About the "fairy lady"...
:: Dvorak: Haha... I have already given her my thanks in person.
:: Dvorak: This is what she said: "It is only natural to lend a hand when we see someone in distress. The wonderful music you brought to Liyue is worth far more than gratitude."
:: Dvorak: Truly, I felt so honored...
:: Dvorak: But I've also made a decision for myself: I will strive to create even more wonderful, original music for this era... our era!
: See ya.
:: Dvorak: We couldn't have accomplished all of this without you, . Please accept my most heartfelt thanks again!
NPC 3.4 Event Location Dvorak.png|Dvorak's Location
NPC 3.4 Event Location Dvorak Context.png|Additional Context
===Baizhu and Qiqi===
;(Talk to Baizhu or Qiqi in the building near the main stage)
: Baizhu: The Lantern Rite celebrations are getting better by the year. Such wonderful music...
: Qiqi: Dr. Baizhu, I've brought the herbs. Who are they for?
: Baizhu: The singers.
: Baizhu: Performing at a music festival is very demanding. Using these herbs in good time will protect their voices from damage.
: Qiqi: Oh... that's why you were preparing them all night.
: Baizhu: Hehe, I dared not neglect the Yuheng's request. Her messenger was quite insistent that it should take top priority.
: Baizhu: Let me double-check again... This one is for...
NPC 3.4 Event Location Baizhu and Qiqi.png|Baizhu and Qiqi's Location
NPC 3.4 Event Location Baizhu and Qiqi Context.png|Additional Context
===Yanfei and Madame Ping===
;(Talk to Yanfei or Madame Ping in Qingce Village)
: Yanfei: Granny, you play so beautifully! Do you think you could teach me?
: Madame Ping: Oh, child, you simply never stop, do you?
: Madame Ping: This festival is a rare chance to rest and relax, but here you are pestering me to teach you this, that, and the other...
: Yanfei: Don't worry, Granny, I'm a fast learner!
: Yanfei: And anyway, the sooner I start learning, the sooner we'll be able to perform a duet together.
: Yanfei: A musical duo is only as good as its weakest link, so you gotta teach me all your secrets, okay?
: Madame Ping: Alright, alright... Well, you can start by making me some more tea, and leaving it to cool on the side.
: Yanfei: Sure, Granny!
NPC 3.4 Event Location Yanfei and Madame Ping.png|Yanfei and Madame Ping's Location
NPC 3.4 Event Location Yanfei and Madame Ping Context.png|Additional Context
===Yaoyao===
;(Talk to Yaoyao in Qingce Village)
: Yaoyao: I'm so happy! And all the grandmas and grandpas in Qingce Village had a great time, too.
: Why Qingce Village?
:: Yaoyao: You mean... what am I doing here? Well, just now, I did a performance for everyone!
:: Yaoyao: Although I can't play an instrument anywhere near as well as Master, I can still sing.
:: Yaoyao: Even Granny Ruoxin said I did a great job. She also gave me some candies, hee-hee!
: About your Master...
:: Yaoyao: Master's told me a lot of stories about the adepti!
:: Yaoyao: There was Skybracer with the giant deer horns, and Sea Gazer who loved to collect treasure...
:: Yaoyao: Sometimes, Master talks and talks for a long time, until her voice starts to sound sad. But then she always breaks into a smile again, and tells me all of the things each of them loved best about Liyue...
:: Yaoyao: I love everything about Liyue!
:: Yaoyao: Some of the adepti are gone now, but it's okay, because I'm gonna help take care of everyone in their stead!
: About Dvorak...
:: Yaoyao: I'm happy that Mr. Dvorak found the fairy lady from his story. And I'm also happy that it turned out it was Master all along.
:: Yaoyao: Also, I helped out this time too, didn't I? So that means I was... paying "ho-ma-ge" to my master?
:: Yaoyao: Oh, oh, also, Mr. Dvorak got one of his friends to bring me a toy from Fontaine! I like it a lot!
:: Yaoyao: At first... I didn't know whether I was supposed to accept it or not... But then Master said it was okay, so I did!
: See you.
:: Yaoyao: See you! Make sure you take good care of Paimon!
:: Yaoyao: Oh, and please come play with me if you ever have the time!
NPC 3.4 Event Location Yaoyao.png|Yaoyao's Location
NPC 3.4 Event Location Yaoyao Context.png|Additional Context
==Soundtracks==
==Trivia==
* Due to an oversight on part of the developers, after completing this quest until the end of this event, Madame Ping can be found in both Qingce Village and Liyue Harbor, with the latter instance having her regular dialogue set.
==Gallery==
Story Teaser- Echoes of the Heart - Genshin Impact
The Exquisite Night Chimes Cutscene Animation- "A Brilliant Banquet of Music" - Genshin Impact
==Other Languages==
==Change History==
pt-br:Uma Única Harmonia Para Uma Alma Insubstituível
ru:Единственная гармония для незаменимой души