Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Isn’t a mountain made of snow just considered a giant popsicle?”

“Hu Tao I’m not going to gobble an entire mountain’s worth of ice.”

“Who said anything about you gobbling it?”

“…Hu Tao I’m not going to let you gobble an entire mountain’s worth of ice.”

The funeral parlor master pouted, rubbing her hands against each other and warming up against the campfire. The exorcist on the other hand was casually leaning against the cavern wall, licking a cyan popsicle. The two of them had taken shelter in an indent in the mountain’s rocky wall, not big enough to be a cavern but not small enough to be called a pit. The scent of smoke from the campfire was a welcome one, better than inhaling the chilling air, at least for the pyro user.

Hu Tao, watching Chongyun enjoying such a frosty treat while she was nearly freezing to death mere moments ago, groaned.

“I know your condition lets you get away with that sort of thing and all…but could you just not?”

The exorcist stared at the pyro user for a moment, contemplating his response. Chongyun then proceeded to chomp on his popsicle, obliterating a large chunk of the frozen treat, slowly chewing and swallowing the delicacy, much to Hu Tao’s frustration, before he finally replied,

“…No.”

“That’s kinda rude, you know that?”

“And following me halfway across the nation just to get me a scare isn’t it?”

“Hey, I didn’t follow you, per se.” Hu Tao said with a shrug. “I just happened to be going to Dragonspine myself, and found an opportunity to have a little fun.” Chongyun blinked.

“You mean freezing in Dragonspine waters-“

“Shaddap.” The funeral parlor master interjected. “Why does your ice bridge melt so fast? You’d think a cryo user would be able to keep it up for longer, cloud.” The exorcist rolled his eyes.

“If I knew you were behind me at all, I would’ve. Couldn’t you just have talked to me instead of going for a spook?”

“Now where’s the fun in that?” Hu Tao argued back. The cryo let out a light hum.

“Well, I saw you fall into freezing waters, shivering and panicking like a cat that couldn’t swim for a few seconds, so I guess there’s that.” The pyro user pouted, a spirit blob quickly blowing a raspberry for her. “Are you gonna answer my question or not?” The exorcist pressed on, earning a smirk from the funeral parlor master.

“Well if you’re just dying to know, a client of mine requested for a special dish to be served during their requested funeral.” Chongyun inquisitively raised an eyebrow.

“A special dish?”

“Yep. I had to collaborate with the Wanmin Restaurant for this one since the client wanted a huge meal for their funeral request.” Hu Tao elaborated.  “Xiangling said she was going to need some sort of special meat to cook her meals.”

“Special meat?”

“She and the blondie found a boar a couple hundred years old in Mondstadt, and its flavor somehow retained over the years. Guoba girl found a way to replicate its taste and added it to the menu too.” The pyro user said. “She heard a rumor that there might be more frozen boars up here on Dragonspine, and so, here I am.” She shrugged, patting her spirit blob with a finger as the exorcist let out a sigh.

“Definitely sounds like Xiangling. First thing that comes to mind when coming across something that’s hundreds of years old is whether or not it’s edible.” Chongyun deadpanned, before giving the brunette a curious stare. “Why’d you come back here if she could just replicate the taste though?”

“It wouldn’t be genuine.” The funeral parlor master answered in a solemn tone, surprising the exorcist. “If it truly is impossible, then I’ll have no choice but to settle for replication, but up until I’ve tried to fulfill my client’s wish to the best of my abilities, I don’t see why I should.” She stated, a much more courtly tone filling her words. The exorcist let out a surprised hum.

“It’s impressive that you keep your client’s wishes to heart like that. Not many others in Liyue would go to this extent for a client.” The pyro user clicked her tongue, a light frown touching her face.

“As much as I adore the praise, it’s only natural that I would.” Hu Tao said, pressing a palm onto her chest. “Death is a matter to be respected; it is the inevitable outcome out of everything given life after all. You and I should understand that better than most.” The exorcist was taken back by that reply, timidly scratching the back of his neck.

“Er, right, sorry,” Chongyun replied, a bit bashful. “Not many people ever willingly talk about death in the open.”

“It’s not common to talk about it, it’s a bad omen after all. I guess people with duties like you and me are exceptions.” Hu Tao shrugged. “To preserve the life that belongs, and to bring peace to the spirits that their end prolongs.” The exorcist nodded, crossing his arms.

“The heaven that lies beyond bears no concern, as a life of mortal virtue is simple to discern.” At the sound of that statement, Hu Tao turned to the exorcist with a cheeky smile.

“The remedy for dirt is soap and water,” The funeral parlor master began.

“…The remedy for dying is living.” The exorcist finished, earning a snicker from the brunette.

“Forced to memorize the proverbs too?”

“One of the first things we’re taught.” Chongyun said. “Couldn’t Mr. Zhongli have come with you? He seems to know a little bit of everything, and with a place as big as Dragonspine that knowledge could be useful.” Hu Tao shrugged.

“Probably, but he made off with his blonde friend, said something about taking a break and traveling to Mondstadt for a while. And I, as generous as I am, obliged.” She remarked. Chongyun narrowed his eyes.

“…What was the catch?”

————————

Back in the land of the free, right in front of their Archon’s statue, where the sun’s shade perfectly aligned, a certain funeral parlor consultant was-

“Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!” Zhongli announced to the people of Mondstadt, particles of geo energy crackling around him like fireworks, attracting the attention of the citizens and earning cheers from his current audience. Soon after, the geo user materialized a glittering spear, attracting another roar from his audience.

“We are the best in Teyvat. Our services are second-to-none!” The consultant then proceeded to twirl, spin, and jab the spear in place, smoothly intertwining each move with the next, a hypnotic, elegant dance, further supported by the flow of his ombre hair and coat.

“It’s a buy 1 get 1 free service!” Zhongli shouted as the crowd watched in awe, not understanding what that kind of deal meant for a funeral parlor. A pillar of geo suddenly formed behind him, pulsating even more geo energy into the air around him as he twirled his spear.

“Visit Wangsheng Funeral Parlor for-“

Meanwhile, another archon, emergency food, and traveller watched from the sidelines.

“Hehe…Mr. Zhongli really does take his contracts seriously, huh?” Paimon noted, watching as the former archon kicked his spear into the air. The bard among them snickered.

“It seems as though that Zhongli has remained a blockhead as usual-“

A bundle of posters with the words “Wangsheng Funeral Parlor! The only thing we bury other than bodies is your money!” splattered across them were suddenly shoved into Venti’s hands. The bard raised an eyebrow at the traveller.

“Shut up and help me hang these flyers.” The traveller mumbled, earning a light eye roll from the bard.

“Ah, I do wish a certain Adepti could see this…”

“We put the fun in funeral-!”

————————

“I merely saw a business opportunity, and I took it.” Hu Tao stated proudly, twirling a portion of her cinnamon hair around a finger. “The more people that know of my family’s business, the more souls will find rest. It’s a win-win really.”

“…Only you would do something like that.” Chongyun stated in an almost tired tone, struggling to imagine Mr. Zhongli as a walking advertisement. “Still, did you have to come up here alone? You couldn’t even have had someone from Liyue’s Adventurer’s Guild come with you?”

“Eh, waiting for someone to take a commission to Dragonspine would’ve taken too long.” Hu Tao reasoned. “The funeral is a priority, after all, can’t waste too much time now.”

“I see…” Chongyun said. “I was originally just coming up here to meditate, but I can tag along with you if you want me to.” Hu Tao tilted her head.

“You really traveled all the way here just to meditate?” She questioned, her eyes half-open. “Isn’t there anything else you can besides train 24/7? Sounds boring.” Chongyun sighed, pressing a pair of fingers against his eyes.

“Do you want me to tag along or not?” The funeral parlor master hummed at the offer, pressing a finger against her lip.

“Hm…Well, I’m guessing you probably know more about Dragonspine’s landscape than I do.” Hu Tao acknowledged, picking herself back up. She let out a mocking sigh, as though she was being forced to take care of a cyan-colored stray cat.

“Well, as much as it pains me-“

“Feeling’s mutual on that one.”

“-I, from the bottom of my generous soul, shall allow thee to become the Seelie that guides me to the treasure I seek.” She said, finishing with a wide smile. The exorcist felt his eyebrow twitch.

“So I’ve been downgraded to a Seelie?”

“I’d consider it an upgrade from an exorcist actually.” The funeral parlor master cheekily replied.  Chongyun pinched the bridge of his nose, resisting the urge to start an argument/punt the pyro user in the face.

 “Welp, any ideas where to start? You ever encounter a frozen boar somewhere along here?” Hu Tao asked with a seemingly innocent expression. Chongyun let out a breath, attempting to cease his frustration.

“Well, I do remember-“

“Or do we have to,” Hu Tao immediately interjected, an even wider smirk on her face. “Reach for the clouds first?”

…

“I do remember that there are some frozen boars near the base of the mountain, though I’ve never had the means to thaw them out before.” ‘Cloud’ completely ignored, earning a pout from the funeral parlor master.

“Once again, my genius goes ignored by the plebeians of this world, oh woe is me…” She lamented mockingly, pressing the back of her palm against her forehead. The exorcist sighed.

“You’re not in a poetry duel with Xingqiu right now. And even if you were, there wouldn’t be a crowd to watch in a place as cold as Dragonspine.” He remarked, earning a long hum from the funeral parlor master.

“We should really get some better judges. I feel like you’re just a tad bit biased against me, you know?” Hu Tao observed, pressing her thumb and index together. The exorcist simply gave her a dead stare.

“You do realize you won the last duel, right?” Chongyun reminded. “That I decided?”

“…Oh, right.” Hu Tao hummed, before quickly letting out a haughty laugh. “Hah! The Versmonger of the Darkest Alleys is truly superior against the Weaver of Verses! Dun dun dun~!” She cheered, twirling in place, her long hair spiraling with her.

“Debatable…” Chongyun drawled, a finger tapping against his inner arm. “Though…personally speaking, I guess Xingqiu’s poems were a little too wordy for me last time.”

————————

Halfway across the nation, the second son of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, unbeknownst as to why, felt his soul get ripped in half.

—————————

“Are we setting off yet? You’ll need a torch to stay warm through the mountain though.” Chongyun noted, eyeing the pyro user, whom was in her usual black and red-themed attire, even the shorts. “Couldn’t you have worn something thicker?”

“Why not? I thought to myself that if I really am going through Dragonspine, I want to experience the entirety of its cold myself.” Hu Tao shrugged off. “Besides, not like you changed clothes either, Mr. Walking-Cryo-Whopperflower.”

“That’s because I won’t freeze to death.” Chongyun deadpanned, ignoring his new nickname as he shuffled through his pack. “I should have a torch in my bag, so just-“

“Nah, no need for a torch.” Hu Tao interrupted.“Lemme show you a magic trick, just watch.”

The brunette’s palms clasped against each other, and the funeral parlor master took a deep breath. Pyro energy suddenly began accumulating within her palms, which were also closing in on the sphere. The exorcist narrowed his eyes, up until the point the sphere of pyro was no longer visible.

“I don’t see anything…” He drawled, taking several steps closer to the girl.

“Look closer…”  Hu Tao encouraged, slowly bringing the clasped palms to Chongyun’s fac-

“BOO!”

A pair of pyro wings suddenly engulfed the exorcist’s face.

Chongyun let out a loud yelp at that, immediately backing away and shaking his head off of whatever Hu Tao did to him. Once he had recovered from his shocked state, he let out a deep breath, pressing a hand against his chest. Right in front of him was the brunette cackling in place, one hand on her stomach and the other raising a shaky finger at him.

“Oh my-that expression is just…” Whatever words she attempted to say were cut off by her mad laughter, nearly tumbling down. As the funeral parlor master clutched her stomach and recoiled back and forth, Chongyun groaned, peeved that he was surprised like that. Considering who his traveling companion was, he should’ve seen it coming.

The cryo user raised his head, focusing on whatever Hu Tao had suddenly conjured, his eyes widened, watching tiny, blazing wings crackle the air above them.

“Hah…Good stuff.” Hu Tao breathed out, taking another deep breath and wiping a tear away from her eye. “Good stuff…anyways, like my trick?” She asked, noting the exorcist’s focus on her winged creation.

“A butterfly?” Chongyun said, watching the insect of flames hover over their heads.

“Pretty isn’t it?” She stated. The pyro butterfly rotated around both of their heads once, before finally finding its place right atop of its creator’s hexagram hat. Chongyun let out a surprised hum.

“That’s an impressive technique.” The exorcist admitted, unable to let his eyes off the pyro insect. “The ability to create a form of life…it isn’t something you see everyday.” The funeral parlor master let out a chuckle. As if to show off, two more flared to life at Hu Tao’s command, orbiting around the funeral parlor master.

“Hah! Cooler than an exorcist’s talents, am I right?” At the sight of her nonchalant summoning, Chongyun blinked.

“So there was no need for that ‘look closer’ shtick at all.”

“Yep!” The brunette happily nodded, not an ounce of shame on her expression. “Guess it takes that long for a stupid exorcist to catch on.” She jeered. Chongyun didn’t retort to that, not willing to start an argument, choosing instead to focus on Hu Tao’s new creations. Flaming wings trailed the air around them with embers; the exorcist was glad that he was in Dragonspine, otherwise he wasn’t sure if his condition could take walking around with three flying heaters.

“Butterfly…A symbol of immortality?” Chongyun wondered out loud. Hu Tao’s eyes seemed to widen for a brief moment before she let out an affirmative hum.

“Well, if we’re going by its meaning most closely related to death and rituals, you’re right.” The funeral parlor master said. “There are plenty of other meanings beyond that though.” She added, her eyes intently focused on the butterfly flapping its minute yet heated wings around the cave.

“Really? Like what?”

“Eh, figure it out for yourself.” The funeral parlor master remarked with a smug shrug. “Wanna touch it?” The exorcist winced at the prospect.

“We both know I don’t deal well with heat.”

“Come on! It’s just a touch.”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

—————————

“Please?”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“Plea-“

“Hu Tao ask one more time and I’m throwing you off the edge.” The brunette blew a raspberry.

“Hah! You couldn’t even drop me in an empty cavern, you really think you can threaten me with that?”

“…Sweet Rex Lapis…” Chongyun groaned, aware that any further threat he gave would be unfortunately hollow.

Chongyun and Hu Tao’s search had led them to near the base of the mountain. The breeze was light at best near the base, nowhere near to the absurd snow storms higher above in the mountain. Their feet crunched against the thick snow as they explored the frost-colored air and snowy terrain, all the while snowflakes lightly tapped against their heads.

A pyro butterfly began hovering in front of the exorcist, eliciting a flinch from him.

“I’m still not touching them.” Chongyun said, watching as the single pyro butterfly returned to its owner, a multitude of them surrounding Hu Tao, effectively making her a walking heater.

“But they’re so pretty…” Hu Tao gushed, letting one of the insects land on her finger. “I’d name them, but I don’t think I’d be able to tell the difference between them.” Chongyun sighed.  

“Come on, just once?”

“You already know why I can’t.” The cryo user said, earning a grunt from the funeral parlor master. Hu tao rested her hands on her hip, letting out a tired sigh with a shake of her head like a disappointed parent.

“How many things are you going to use your condition as an excuse for?” The exorcist raised an eyebrow at that statement.

“What exactly do you mean by ‘excuse’?”

“Is there some other definition of excuse I don’t know about?” Hu Tao teased with a grin. “It means exactly what it means. ‘Oh I can’t go to Xinyan’s concert otherwise I’ll go crazy’, ‘Oh I can’t eat try Xiangling’s new dish otherwise I’ll go crazy’, ‘Oh! I can’t go outside because the dang sun’s apparently at the wrong angle today!’”

“Are you done yet?” The exorcist snarled, eyes twitching at the funeral parlor master. “ The brunette hummed, tapping a finger against her chin.

“Hm…for now. You get my point though.” Chongyun shook his head.

“I really don’t. And even if I were to go do those kinds of things, if my condition does trigger, I won’t even remember what happens.”

“So?”

At that, Hu Tao suddenly stepped in front of the exorcist, halting him in his tracks. The pyro user hummed, tilting her head in a peculiar fashion at the cyan-haired boy.

“Why let your condition limit what you can do? Sounds like a boring way to live your life.” Chongyun defensively crossed his arms.

“Because if I let myself get out of control, someone’s either gonna get hurt, or I’ll do something I’ll regret.”

“Still sounds like an excuse to me.” Hu Tao said, her tone somehow a mix of solemnity and mischeviousness at the same time. “Are you really just that scared of your condition?”

“Scared?” Chongyun questioned incredulously, eyebrow raised. The smile on the pyro user’s expression widened, the pyro butterflies around her suddenly quietly resting on her hexagram hat.

“Of course!” Hu Tao beamed. “Here you are, halfway across the nation and your friends, all the way back in an area where your condition is literally impossible to trigger on its own.” She snickered. “If that doesn’t sound like being scared to you, then you really must be an absolute idiot.”

“We all have different ways of living contently.” Chongyun retorted rather quickly. “Mine just so happens to be training as much as I can. Dragonspine just so happened to an effective place to train, pure coincidence.”

“Uh-huh.” The pyro user said, unconvinced. She tilted herself at the exorcist distinctively, almost completely staring at him upside-down. “And are you?” The cryo user raised an eyebrow.

“Am I what?”

“Content living like this?” Chongyun blinked, taken back by the question.

“Of course I am.” Hu Tao let out an unconvinced hum.

“Content to living by using your condition as an excuse for every opportunity life throws at you?” She claimed, crossing her arms. “To respect death is to respect the life everything is given. Do you think you’ve done enough to justify the life you’ve lived?” Before the exorcist could respond, Hu Tao spoke again, leaning in closer.

“Doesn’t it get tiring limiting how you express yourself so much? Tiring to be bound to that?” The funeral parlor master questioned inquisitively, a smile still evident on her expression.

…

After several moments of nothing, the exorcist sighed, walking past the funeral parlor master.

“Hey, just some friendly advice from your neighborhood corpse cremator.” Hu Tao shrugged. “If you want to keep living your boring life, be my guest!”  Chongyun didn’t reply to that, instead silently trekking through the snowy landscape.

…

“We’re here.” The exorcists suddenly spoke. He gestured to the wide clearing in front of them covered in snow. “There should be some frozen boars around this area.” Hu Tao hopped in place.

“Okie-dokie cloud!” ‘Cloud’ sighed.

“Whatever, walnut.”

—————————

True to the exorcist’s words, there were in fact several frozen boars, waiting for their meat to be turned into glorious dishes.

Of course, being frozen for several years still meant that they had a sense of consciousness, and their motor muscles were preserved rather well.

So as Hu Tao melted the frozen chamber of one of the boars they had found…it immediately ran off…right into Chongyun.

The boar rammed itself right into the exorcist and threw him into the air, as though he was as light as a cloud, and causing him to land right on a pile of snow against his back. The boar’s assault had yet finished; in its haste to rush away, heavy hooves trampled over Chongyun’s body, one particular step nailing him in the stomach as the boar ran.

Naturally, Hu Tao had the same reaction to this as anyone else would.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH-!”

“Dear Rex Lapis why…” Chongyun groaned, emerging from his chilly prison. He half-wished that he was back in the snow pile when Hu Tao’s cackling had become clearer to hear.

“T-that’s PRICELESS!” The brunette stammered, once again clutching her stomach, much to the annoyance of the exorcist.

A snowball punted her in the face.

“Just shut up.” Chongyun groaned, pouting to himself. “There are a few more boars here, let’s not lose those.” Hu Tao, still bearing a ludicrous smile on her face, positioned two fingers in her mouth and whistled.

“Come, my pretties!” The pyro butterflies orbiting around her suddenly flew onto the next frozen boar, thawing it out within seconds. The exorcist’s eyes widened.

“Wait no-“

Of course, the boar Hu Tao had just unfrozen was also conveniently right next to the exorcist, allowing history to repeat itself.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH-!”

…

“OKAY!” Chongyun huffed out, a more than exasperated expression on his face. “That’s 4 boars that have slammed and tossed me. Is that enough?” He groaned, crossing his arms at the brunette. Hu Tao let out a hum as she cut off the last section of meat from the boar she deemed useable.

“Hm…I dunno…” A snide smirk emerged on her expression. “Maaaayyybe just one more-“

A bellowing roar suddenly reverberated through the mountain. Small pits of snow fell from the cliff hanging over the duo’s heads as the ground below them violently trembled. Chongyun and Hu Tao blinked.

“…Was that your stomach?”

“…No, Hu Tao. Surprisingly, the sound that shook the literal mountain was not my stomach.”

They both turned towards the cavern indented into the mountain. How either of them had missed the massive gaping hole in the mountain neither questioned as the mountain quaked once more. The leaves and greenery around them shook and quivered with each tremor of the mountain, and the little life that managed to live in such a cold environment had scattered, snow ferrets and foxes rapidly making their way out of the cavern they came from.

It was not long until it had emerged from the cave. In front of the duo lied a monarch, a ruler, a king.

The Great Snowboar King towered over the pyro and cryo duo, nearly triple their heights. Its eyes (?) lingered through the corpses of its brethren, and then turned back to face their killers.

Hu Tao acted accordingly.

“Hah! Its nose looks like the head of a cockroach.”

The king could not understand their words, but the king did understand the smug energy emanating from the girl.

It mocked him.

“Hu Tao why-“

The Boar King let out a booming roar, shaking the trees and catalyzing snowfalls all around the mountain. The king would not let this walking popsicle interrupt his onslaught; his people would be avenged. The king’s hooves grind against the snow, a puff of chilled air emerging from its nostrils.

Hu Tao hummed.

“Welp, now I’ve seen everything.” The brunette remarked in nonchalance as the Boar King charged and Chongyun screamed.

——————————

Chongyun was on the ground beside the king’s corpse, panting heavily, barely standing upright, and resting on his claymore.

“Fuck…” Hu Tao, on the other hand, was climbing its humongous body, clutching at its fur as she reached the top of its fallen corpse. Grasping whatever strength she had left, she jabbed her spear into the body, as though a final message to the Boar King’s spirit. “You…”

——————————

The duo mutually agreed that taking a sample of their bounty would only be fair, and thus the two had settled in the boar king’s prior home, resting on the cavern’s wall as a campfire was lit up in the middle.

“Mmmmm…!” Hu Tao hummed in delight, blissfully indulging in Goulash the exorcist had whipped up. “So warm…so this is what Goulash tastes like.”

“Got the recipe from some Mondstadt adventurers that got lost once.” Chongyun said, slurping on his meal. Instead of the enticing warm Goulash, the exorcist had instead cooked up his specialty for himself; cold noodles with mountain delicacies, using the chilled meat of the fallen king.

To most this was probably enough to cause their brain to freeze over the next hundred years, but to Chongyun, the dish was extravagant; it burst with a unique flavor, and with someone whose tastes were as bound as the exorcist’s, it was a more than welcome change of taste.

“Archons this tastes good…” He commented, a small smile on his face. A trail of sweat rolled down Hu Tao as she deadpanned at the exorcist.

“Are you really eating cold noodles now?”

“Yep,” Chongyun replied simply. “If the snow becomes thick enough, as long as you avoid the yellow snow, you can eat that too.” The pyro user raised an eyebrow.

“Who the heck would willingly eat snow off a mountain?”

——————————

At the Wangshuu Inn, where the anemo Adepti and Conquerer of Demons stood guard, his clothing and hair flowing in the breeze, Xiao sneezed.

“Odd.” He immediately noted, pressing a pair of fingers against his nose. “I was not aware this body was capable of that.”

——————————

“Dang, I’m empty.” Hu Tao noted, her bowl devoid of soup, carrots, or tomatoes, in other words, empty. “You got any more ingredients on you?” The exorcist shook his head.

“Not enough to make another Goulash. Didn’t plan on making any after all, just picked those up in Liyue along the path to Dragonspine.” Chongyun let out a hum, turning to stare at a rock formation just outside the cave, covered in snow.

“I think if you head right of that, you should find a couple of mints if you can make use of them somehow.  The brunette let out a surprised hum.

“You can tell that just by looking at the snow? Are you sure you don’t live here?” Hu Tao noted with a cheeky smile. “You seem to know this place awfully well. Are you a caveman?” Chongyun sighed, ignoring that remark.

“I travel Dragonspine while looking after Qiqi occasionally, so I’ve been helping her write down some of the herbs in her notebook, since it is technically a part of Liyue.” He explained. At the mention of the zombie, Hu Tao blinked, surprise gracing her expression.

“Qiqi?”

“The one you want to bury, in case you’ve forgotten.” Chongyun deadpanned. Hu Tao clicked her tongue, snapping a finger at the exorcist.

“Hey, I’ll have you know I’m a changed funeral parlor owner.” She claimed, a spirit blob suddenly applauding her. Before Chongyun could reply with sarcastic disbelief, the funeral parlor master suddenly deflated, bending over and scratching the back of her neck.

“Hehe…Normally I’d be joking about that, but I do regret trying to…you know…” She admitted, a trace of remorse glazing her expression as she brought her knees closer to her chest, her eyes focused intently on the stone ground. The exorcist widened his eyes at that.

“You actually don’t anymore?” Hu Tao let out a tired sigh, resting a hand on her knee and letting a pyro butterfly land on her pale finger.

“I looked into her history and found out about how her nature as a zombie came to be. According to her circumstances, she should be treated as an exception to the rule of life and death.” She explained, letting the butterfly take flight once more. “It’s only through her sheer willpower that she’s able to go on after all, what right would I have to take that away from her?”

“Huh. That’s quite the change of heart of yours.” Chongyun commented, still in slight disbelief. Hu Tao puffed out her cheeks.

“Hey, I can admit when I’m in the wrong…usually.” Hu Tao’s shrugged, staring off at some nondescript direction. “Though I guess Qiqi doesn’t accept it. She still keeps telling me to die every time she sees me, even when I try pampering her she just keeps ignoring me.” 

“Well, you did attempt to kidnap and cremate her for a majority of the time you’ve known her.” The exorcist pointed out. Hu Tao clicked her tongue again.

“No need to remind me.” She pouted. “How did you first learn of her story anyway? I had to dig deep to find any information about her.” Chongyun hummed lightly, gazing at the sky as he recalled.

“Dr. Baizhu knows I’m well versed in Liyue’s landscape, so he commissioned me once to tag along with Qiqi to explore some of the more dangerous areas around the Harbor.”  The funeral parlor master raised an eyebrow.

“Isn’t Qiqi filled with an Adepti energy? I don’t think she needed babysitting from an exorcist.” Hu Tao snickered. “If anything she was probably worried you were going to bury her too! The big mean scary exorcist out to bury a child.”

“Haha.” Chongyun rolled his eyes. “I’m not entirely sure why he asked me why either, but I suppose Dr. Baizhu just wanted to make sure someone kept an eye on her because of her poor memory. Qiqi’s an overall nice girl, and she’s fond of popsicles too.” Hu Tao blinked.

“Popsicles?” Chongyun nodded.

“Even if she couldn’t taste anything, she said she enjoyed the cold sensation of it. I guess that between the herb-gathering and popsicles, I somehow left her with enough of an impression to remember me when I next visited the Bubu Pharmacy.” The exorcist answered, a faint smile on his lips.

“I still travel with her now and then to help her record some herbs in her notebook, like in Dragonspine.”

“So the doc was the one who told you about Qiqi?”

“Yeah. He figured that I was well acquainted enough with her to know what I was getting myself into.” Chongyun shrugged. Hu Tao clicked her tongue, pressing a finger against her lips in thought. A silence had fallen between the two, no sound but the campfire crackling and the gentle breeze idling in the air around them.

….

“…Popsicles…” Hu Tao suddenly mumbled out, almost inaudible. “Wonder if that would be enough to…” She drawled out distractedly, enough for the exorcist to make an inference to what she meant.

“It’s possible.” Chongyun put bluntly, resulting in a flinch from the pyro user. “Would probably take a while, but she’ll come around eventually I think.” Before Hu Tao could make a reply, the exorcist stood up, dusting himself off.

“Come on, we should get going. Best to get back before night falls.”

———————————

“Falling in Sunlight, Descending in Moonlight. Dancing down the air, Spreading its blood everywhere.”

Hu Tao sang, making up the beat as she went along, her pyro butterflies seemingly flying in tune to her beat. Her spirit friend had also ‘grooved’ to the tempo, or as much as a limbless blob could.

“That’s one way to describe snowflakes.” Chongyun noted, continuing to lead the pyro user down the snowy path. Despite the ruthless reputation of the mountain and the unique beauty of its never-ending snowfall, it was desolate to look at. Everywhere the two explored seemed almost the same as every other part of the mountain.

“Well, I need to release my creative pension somehow. Poetry is a stream that never stops after all, one merely picks it apart at the best time.” Hu Tao hummed. “You ever try channeling your creativity, cloud?”

“Hm…I suppose the things that come to mind would be my sketching and creating designs from cryo.”

“You sketch?” The brunette asked, before shaking her head. “Wait, creating designs from cryo? What’s that? Sounds more interesting than your exorcisms.”

“You always just have to find some way to insert that, don’t you?” Chongyun sighed. “It’s exactly as it sounds, it’s the same way I make my talismans.” He faced the funeral parlor master as he casually held out an open palm at Hu Tao.

Cryo energy began to accumulate over Chongyun’s palm. Flashes of cerulean gathered over his hand before it rapidly crystallized. A snowflake, as large as his palm and as thin as a sheet of paper, hovered over his hand, waves, unique shapes, and lines delicately lining its symmetrical design.

“Ooooooh~” Hu Tao exclaimed, leaning in closer to the cyan snowflake, face mere inches away from it. “Not gonna lie, for a silly exorcist this is-“

The snowflake suddenly dispersed its energy, instantly covering the funeral parlor master’s expression with a thin, white powder.

…

Hu Tao slowly lifted her arm, quickly sweeping away the powdered snow on her face. Her head slowly turned towards the exorcist; a smug smirk had graced his expression, an odd aura of pride exuding from its bearer.

Before the pyro user could properly respond, the exorcist had suddenly continued walking, leaving her shocked in place, mouth half-open in the process of making a response.

…

“You know what? Well played, well played.” The funeral parlor master slow clapped as she hastily followed behind. “You win this round, cloud.” A white spirit blob appeared beside her, clapping(?) alongside the pyro user. Chongyun let out a sigh.

“Why is that my nickname? For all your creativity, using the connotation of my name isn’t all that original.” Hu Tao clicked her tongue, waving a finger at the exorcist.

“A raven doth not mock a dove for being a bird.” She chided. “Isn’t that the same reasoning why you call me walnut?”

“That’s because you started it.” Hu Tao clicked her tongue again.

“A raven doth not mock a dove for being a bird~!” She repeated in a sing-song tune, earning another groan.

…

The two continued trailing along the mountain path, right up until-

“Haaaaaang on a moment there cloud.” The pyro user said, grabbing his shoulder and turning the exorcist around to face her. Chongyun let out an annoyed hum.

“What do you want now, walnut?” He heaved, crossing his arms. Hu Tao merely pointed towards the side, gesturing towards the lake, which had completely frozen over, a thick layer of ice formed above the water.

Without saying a word, Hu Tao sat back down and pulled out her backpack, quickly shuffling its insides. The exorcist rested against a nearby boulder formation while waiting for whatever the funeral parlor master was about to do.

“Found it!”

Chongyun wasn’t sure what he was expecting for her to pull out, but…

“You…brought ice skates to Dragonspine?”

“Yep! Never ice skated before, and these are an import all the way from Schneznaya too.” Hu Tao replied, not seeing a single problem with what she was doing. The cryo user deadpanned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Why would you try ice skating here of all places?”

“Well, where else could I try?” Hu Tao retorted. “Liyue’s too warm for ice to reliably form anyways.”

“What happened to making the funeral a priority?”

“I am.” She quickly stated. “At the same time, I see an opportunity to take, an opportunity for a new experience. Life is something to not be taken for granted, so why shouldn’t I take it?” Chongyun blinked at that reply.

“You really do have an interesting perspective on that.” He drawled, earning a shrug.

“I just want to live my life fully without regrets.” Hu Tao stated.“Like grandpapa.” The exorcist raised an eyebrow at the sat down brunette.

“Your grandfather?”

“Yep!” The funeral parlor master suddenly beamed. “He’s the best.”

With an odd expression on her face, she patted the snow right beside her, staring at the exorcist. Chongyun dumbly stared at the patted snow for a moment, before curiously taking a seat on the white snow, his hand casually resting on his knee. Upon a closer look, Hu Tao’s flower-shaped eyes seemed to shine brighter than usual.

“He was the 75th master of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. He’d always scold me for a bunch of things. Hand-standing while trying to read, skipping classes, and for falling asleep in coffins all the time.” She reminisced.

“Hard to imagine you getting scolded and enjoying it if I’m being honest.” Chongyun shrugged, earning an authentic, light-hearted chuckle from Hu Tao, which surprised the exorcist.

“Yep. Got mad at him for that before, I didn’t like living with restrictions like that after all…now though, I guess it’s easier to appreciate what he did for me.” The pyro user breathed out, a relaxed smile on her face. “It’s a lot easier to appreciate things when you’re restricted by something after all. Harder to take for granted.”

An air of wistfulness trailed her words, and a feeling close to regret seemed to linger in her tone. Chongyun hummed.

“He sounds like he was a great man.”

“He is.” Hu Tao is, greatly emphasizing the present tense. “He always made me steamed fish growing up. He said he was sorry he couldn’t give me anything luxurious, as he was trying to save money for some parlor repairs at the time, but the fish he cooked was- is, so good, I that never minded.” The pyro user snickered, holding a hand over her lips.

“And, and, he also-“

As Hu Tao told her story, Chongyun saw her expression…change. From her usual trickster self, Hu Tao suddenly turned contemplative, her eyes softer than usual, head tilted lower than he was used to. The funeral parlor master, for all the valor she was telling of her grandpa and the excitement on her face, exuded an aura of melancholy, a pensive grief that seemed unwilling to release.

“Ooh ooh! was also this one time, when I dropped a doll I was playing with into the river stream. I cried a lot, which is kinda funny thinking back on it now, but it was only an hour later that my grandpapa found it! And-!”

Chongyun didn’t dare interrupt Hu Tao’s praises about her grandpa though, and simply listened to her, the funeral parlor master’s eyes dazzling with stars all the while. Heck, at some point the exorcist only realized that Hu Tao had stood up, excitedly and frantically gesturing with her hands like a toddler opening up their birthday present.

“Heck, he even thought me how to tie my hair into twintails!” She exclaimed. “Most probably think it would’ve been my mom, but-“

Chongyun felt a light smile on his face, listening to her tales, watching her frantic motions to herself. Though he was reluctant to admit it, the funeral parlor master, ironically, always made things livelier when she was around.

A sudden thought crossed his mind.

‘There’s no way the bane of my existence can be this adorable.’

He then had another thought, milliseconds after.

‘Chongyun what the fuck-‘

“And, well…” Hu Tao breathed out, tired from her frantic gesturing. She sat back down beside the exorcist, a pensive sigh leaving her. “I guess that made it all the harder when his last wish was for me to direct his funeral.” Chongyun’s eyes widened.

“You…held his funeral?” Hu Tao stared at him.

“It was his last wish.” She said, a now blank expression on her face. “The funeral lasted a few days, and I did fumble a bit. It was my first one after all, and I guess being thirteen didn’t really help at all much with that.” Chongyun physically recoiled at that.

Her first funeral? At that age? For her grandfather?

“Seriously, I wonder how Qiqi does it at her age, I could barely hold a sword back then…” She grumbled.

“Sometimes I wonder if I could’ve done a better job of hosting it. “Hu Tao said, before releasing a relaxed sigh. She stared at the arctic sky above as if expecting to see something there.

“But in the end, I’m glad that I sent him off in a way that left him without regrets.” The funeral parlor master breathed out, before turning back to face the exorcist.

“So I…just wanna try living like him.”

“Living like him?” Chongyun questioned.

“Grandpapa had a saying he always quoted at me.” Hu Tao said, raising a single finger at the exorcist like she was a parent imparting a life lesson towards their children.

“Live in life, die in death. Follow your heart, do what you can.” She quoted in an almost sing-song tune, a wide, distinct smile on her face. To Chongyun, it was the most genuine smile he’d ever seen on the funeral parlor master’s expression, yet at the same time, it exuded an ambiance of somberness from her in a way he didn’t think he’d ever seen from her before.

“Death is unprecedented, sudden, and sad. I simply believe that were I to face death down one day, I would want to walk it down without regrets, and without worries.” She finished. The cryo user blinked, his thoughts jumbling around his head for a reply.

“How…how are you so sure he died without regrets? You seem absolute about it.” Chongyun asked. The funeral parlor master’s expression dropped for only a second; long enough for the cryo user to regret asking.

“I have my ways.” Hu Tao cheekily replied, an evidently forced smile on her face. The exorcist winced, mentally berating himself for asking the question in the first place.

“I’m…sorry for prying.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“What about you, Chongyun?” The pyro user suddenly asked, staring right at the cryo user’s cat-like eyes.

“Eh?” Chongyun blinked. Hu Tao’s expression was melancholic, an honest face of curiosity as she further clarified for the exorcist.

“Do you think you’ll be able to die without regrets?”

“I…” Chongyun paused. How was he supposed to answer that? Yes? No?  Maybe? Hu Tao let out a hum at his silence.

“What exactly do you plan to do after all your exorcisms are said and done?” She questioned

“Well…I…” He drawled off, unable to come up with such a response on the spot. It wasn’t the first time he’d been asked the question, but it didn’t mean he had an answer prepared either. The pyro user leaned back, retracting herself as she let out a sigh.

“Come on cloud, there’s a lot more to do in life than just exorcisms you know.” Hu Tao stated. She went back to her boots, swiftly taking them off and equipping her feet with ice skates. On her first attempt to stand, she nearly fell face-first to the snow.

“Woah-“ Chongyun hurriedly stood up, letting the pyro user rest on his shoulder before impact.

“Phew. Close one, thanks.” The funeral parlor master said as she let go of the exorcist and rested a hand against the rock formation they sat against earlier. She gave the exorcist a light smile.

“Wanna join?” Chongyun raised an eyebrow.

“Do I look like I have a convenient pair of ice skates on me?” Hu Tao blew a raspberry, waving his concern off with her free hand.

“Just use your bare feet! Can’t be that hard.” She said as her spirit blob further supported her, nodding its (body?) head at the exorcist, eliciting another sigh.

“I’m pretty sure that’s not how it works…” Chongyun deadpanned.

“Well, won’t know until you try, right?” Hu Tao countered, balancing herself off of the stone wall. “One day, when both the light of sun and moon are no longer a guiding light, what path would we walk then?

“…” The exorcist had no retort to that poetic statement, prompting a snicker from the pyro user.

“Come on, you chicken?” Chongyun’s expression hardened.

“I’m not chicken.” Hu Tao’s expression only grew even more smug, her spirit mimicking her’s.

“Prove it.”

——————————

What do you get when you take two people who’ve never ice skated before, one of which is wearing nothing but their bare feet, attempt to ice skate over a frozen lake lying in an environment cold enough to turn flowing water into ice?

A lot of accidents,

“Hey-“

Hu Tao attempted to stop herself, but then slipped and faceplanted right into the ice, her face dragging across the frozen lake.

A lot of ‘accidents’,

“AHH-“

Chongyun screamed as Hu Tao used her leg to sweep the exorcist off of their feet, before suddenly remembering she was on thin ice and quickly losing her own balance, collapsing alongside her victim.

Complaining,

“Why are your hands so cold?”

“…Where do you think we are??”

Pain,

Such as when Hu Tao attempted to sprint across the lake, only to remember she had skates on and crashed her face right into the ice,

Or when Chongyun considered using his claymore for balance and then proceeded to not only drive the blade through the ice, but also his head,

Or when Hu Tao had the same idea with her spear, but then accidentally triggered a flame, immediately melting the lake and submerging her into the water,

Or when they attempted a fistfight with each other, only to repeatedly fail at getting back up after slipping over, and over, and over, leading them to repeatedly smash their head into the other’s body in their attempts to stand back up.

“Ow…ow…ow…ow-“

“COULD YOU PLEASE JUST STOP-“

And, oddly enough, laughter.

Sure there was an immense amount of pain being dealt to every bone of their body every two seconds as Chongyun attempted his claymore strategy again, only for the claymore’s hilt to bonk right onto his head, but as far as the two were concerned, it was a surprisingly fun experience in one of the deadest, coldest regions of Teyvat.

“IT’S OVER EXORCIST!” Hu Tao screeched, a mad expression plastered on her face.

“I HAVE THE HIGH GROUND!” She screamed as she drove her polearm into the ground and hung off the handle of her weapon, staring down the cryo user from her elevated state, her feet precariously balancing on its side.

“…Okay.” To which Chongyun responded by crushing the ice underneath her with his claymore, greatly underestimating the ice’s stability and submerging the both of them into the freezing waters again.

It was stupid, but it was a cathartic kind of stupid.

“F-fuck…” Hu Tao shivered out, pulling herself back onto snow shore, which was not any less cold. The funeral parlor master, somehow, drew out the willpower to pull out a certain finger at the exorcist.

“Y-you…” A smug smirk graced the cryo user’s expression.

“Feeling’s mutual.” Chongyun replied without a shiver, casually pulling himself back onto land and drying himself off.

A snowball punted him in the face.

—————————

“This was stupid.” Chongyun remarked, staring at what was once a frozen layer of ice now turned into mere shards and fragments after what they’ve done.

“Fun though.” Hu Tao brought up, conjuring up several pyro butterflies to orbit around her, her feet no longer equipped with ice skates. “Come on, you gotta admit that was fun at least.” A mischievous smile plastered itself on the pyro user’s face as she elbowed the exorcist. He sighed, though a light smile graced his expression.

“Well…I can’t disagree…” Chongyun shrugged, earning a snicker from Hu Tao.

“That’s the,” She clicked her tongue, a wide smile on her face. She snapped a pair of finger guns at the exorcist.

“Spirit!” On cue, the white blob itself showed up, a wide smile on its face/body.

…

“Archons I wanna throw you back in the water.” Chongyun heaved, prompting another laugh from the brunette. Hu Tao, turning back to the shattered lake, a wide grin still on her face.

“There’ve been rumors that the natural ice never melts here, but I guess we proved them wrong.” She shrugged. Chongyun raised an eyebrow.

“Didn’t we already prove that wrong when you thawed the boars?”

“Eh, boars have internal heat, so I still kept hope. Ah, a shame, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.” She said. The cryo user let out a hum at that, wondering if such a thing existed.

Interjecting his thoughts, a pyro butterfly suddenly began orbiting the exorcist. Chongyun blinked, his stare entirely focused on the insect.

…

Absentmindedly, the exorcist reached a finger out, allowing the pyro life form to rest on it, something he immediately regretted.

“W-warm-!” He gaped immediately, before quickly coming to his senses and shaking the insect off of his finger. Hu Tao snickered, fingers grazing her lips.

“Hm…progress.” She shrugged as the exorcist pressing his rubbed the hot finger with his clothes.

“How are you able to deal with that? A touch from one of those is enough to melt ice.”The funeral parlor master just hummed.

“Uh, pyro vision, duh.” She jeered. Before Chongyun could make a retort, she spoke again,  “You never did answer my question by the way.” The cyan-haired boy raised an eyebrow.

“What question?”

“What are you going to do when all your exorcisms are said and done?” She repeated, curiously tilting her head. The exorcist stared back at the funeral parlor master’s eyes for a moment in silent contemplation.

“…Xingqiu asked me that question once. I…still don’t have a complete answer if I’m being honest.” Chongyun shrugged, averting his gaze. “But I guess, if there really were no more spirits to exorcise, then I’d…try some new things, I guess…”

“Like?” Hu Tao prodded, leaning in closer to the exorcist, prompting Chongyun to take a small step back. With a sigh, the exorcist scratched the back of his neck.

“I…always wondered what it’d be like to bathe in a hot spring.” He admitted.

“A hot spring?” Hu Tao tilted her head with a confused expression. “You mean just relaxing in hot waters? That’s your big end goal?”

“Oh shut up. Bathing in hot waters for 10 minutes sounds worse than freezing in Dragonspine waters for half a day.” Chongyun groaned, before bashfully scratching the back of his neck.

“I guess…my answer to what I would do once all my exorcisms are over is to simply deal with my condition. It’s still a weakness I have to overcome for myself, even after all of the exorcisms are said and done.” He answered, unsure why even he felt his answer was incomplete.

…

The pyro user let out an unsatisfied hum at his answer.

“There’s a lot more to a person than what they’re bound to, you know.” Hu Tao remarked ominously, an almost sad expression on her face. Chongyun flinched.

“What…?” The funeral parlor master let out a contemplative hum, crossing her arms.

“Everyone and everything is bound to death, but it’s not something we limit nor restrict ourselves to. Death is death, and life is life, neither should be something to fear, rather, they’re both things to make the most out of.” She noted, tilting her head as pyro butterflies orbited her, giving the funeral parlor master a sudden increase of pressure in her presence.

“How did that one proverb go again? All of life is a dream walking…” Chongyun blinked.

“…All of death is a going home.” He finished.

“Mhmm.” Hu Tao hummed affirmably, bearing a solemn expression. “So, dear Chongyun,” she said, imitating the way a certain Feiyun Son would to the exorcist. Hu Tao leaned in on the exorcist, scarlet flower-shaped eyes meeting periwinkle catlike eyes, expressions mere inches apart.

“Are you going to waste your walking dream?”

…

“Why are you telling me this?” Chongyun asked. Hu Tao retracted herself from him and let out a hum. Her answer came quickly.

“I think I’d regret it if I didn’t.”

…

“Well whatever,” The funeral parlor master waved off. “Maybe you’ll learn something someday. As it is now, your life seems a little dumb and maybe boring to me, but hey, you do you.” She said, gazing back at the cerulean atmosphere. The sudden change of mood left the exorcist stunned.

“Hey-!“

“Actually, I do have one more thing I need to do on this mountain before I go.” Hu Tao interjected quickly. Chongyun weakly raised a hand in protest and lowered it just as slow. As much as he tried, keeping up with the brunette’s thought process was almost impossible for him.

“What is it?”

“Hm…” Hu Tao let out a contemplative hum. “You wouldn’t happen to know if there’s a shrine or ancient temple anywhere around here, would you?”

“Ancient temple?”

“Anywhere surging with spiritual energy.” The pyro user snickered. “Then again, asking you of all people’s probably a terrible idea.” Chongyun, for what felt like the 100th time that day, sighed.

————————

“This is the first place that comes to mind.”

“What is this place?”

“I’m not entirely sure myself, though if I had to guess, it’s a remnant of the temples from the civilization that once lived here. It’s where I found the claymore I use now.”

Ignoring the fact that physical damage % was terrible on Chongyun ( D:  ), Chongyun had lead Hu Tao back up the mountain, and after trekking through hills of snow and working through the harsh snow, ended up in a certain cavern right by the mountain.

Ancient illustrations lined all four walls of the tiny room, depicting beings praising some sort of incomprehensible light above their heads. Four torches in each corner imbuing the room in a warm, yellow hue. The funeral parlor master traced a finger on the unique engraving on the floor; cold to the touch, and as dusty one would expect in a such a ruin.

“This place will do.” Hu Tao stated, wiping the dust off her finger and prompting a raised eyebrow from Chongyun.

“Do for what?”

“Hm…To skip the longer terms, let’s just call it a short funeral ritual.” Hu Tao dubbed. The funeral parlor master pulled out a set of candles, incenses, and ores from her backpack. “Many souls are unrestful on this mountain. Not enough to warrant an exorcism, but enough that it’s not personally giving me any peace of mind.” She explained in a solemn tome, analyzing the dimensions of the tiny room.

“Ah, I see…” Chongyun nodded. “I’m guessing you need me to leave for a while?”

“Hm? Oh, yep!” A snide expression loomed over. “Ah, what a shame, here I am about to do and see the one thing you’re not able to, and you’ll be forced to sit right outside. Are you mad?”

“Oh bite me you walnut.” The exorcist heaved. “I’ll be outside. I know how long these kind of things can take, so I’ll just wait for you outside.”

“So you do have a brain in there.” Hu Tao noted with a smirk. “Do me a favor actually.” From her backpack, the funeral parlor master brought out a long white sheet; how she managed to fit it in there Chongyun didn’t question.

“Hang this outside the cavern somehow, preferably beside the entrance.” She instructed as the exorcist took the sheet into his hands.

“…White, the color used to signify the passing of someone.” Chongyun observed. The sheet itself was made from silk. Based on the texture it was not a cheap variant either; only the best for the dead it seemed.

And here it was, about to be used in a desolate ruin in one of the coldest regions of Teyvat, purely to the dead that most wouldn’t even think twice about.

The cryo user lifted his eyes at Hu Tao, whom was already setting candles around the room, delicately aligning them with each other. Although it was easy to forget, she was the funeral parlor master for a good reason.

Chongyun, reluctance as he was, could admire that aspect of her.

————————

The exorcist calmly meditated in place, leaning against the rocky walls outside of the cavern, completely ignoring the raging snowfall around him. The white sheet was outside the cavern by cryo energy, freezing the corners of it in place.

Chongyun’s thoughts kept lingering back to Hu Tao’s words from earlier.

‘All of life is a dream walking.’

‘…All of death is a going home.’

The exorcist let out a long sigh, unable to focus on meditating. What was he supposed to do with that kind of information?

‘Doesn’t it get tiring limiting how you express yourself so much? Tiring to be bound to that?’

“…Archons damn it Hu Tao.” He seethed to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. Hu Tao, for all her annoying tendencies and tricks, wasn’t entirely just messing with him. Was he really just acting in fear of his condition? Did he really revolve everything he did around that damned condition? It had to just be some nonsense, right?

…

As if to distract himself from those thoughts, his mind lingered on Hu Tao’s rambles about her grandpa. It was difficult for the exorcist to forget the light in Hu Tao’s eyes when she told him tales about her grandfather; it was one of the few times Hu Tao seemed ecstatic to talk about something, and the only other time the exorcist could think of with excitement that matched was her poetry, and even that seemed dim compared to when she talked about her grandfather.

He felt an odd weight on his shoulders, recalling the melancholic aura Hu Tao had. Though the praises she sang of her grandpa were high and the actions she expressed were jovial, the faint trace of pent up anguish leaked narrowly from her stories.

It was…discomforting, imagining Hu Tao like that. It bothered him that the reason Hu Tao changed her expression like that was because of something, as his best guess, was for his sake. He’d much rather see Hu Tao smile cheekily than to be so somber about that.

Ignoring the odd rush he felt at that last thought he let out a reflective hum, wondering what he should do about both things on his mind.

…

From the corner of his eye, the exorcist caught a glimpse of a sparkle. Curiosity peaked, Chongyun following its trail until it reached a decent pile of frost crystals emerging on the ground. Based on its position, it seemed to have fallen from the cliff right above them.

Suddenly, a pyro butterfly brushed past the exorcist’s cheek. Chongyun was startled enough to take a step back from the sudden heat; Hu Tao never did disperse them as of yet. The insect of flames casually landed against the icicles, its natural warmth melting the icicles…

Or it should have. Instead, it stayed frozen, not even a simmer of vapor trickling from it. Chongyun’s eyes widened. The exorcist curiously approached the crystal. Laying a finger on it, it was as he expected; it was completely dry, not even a drop of water from its direct contact with the pyro insect.

‘There’ve been rumors that the ice never melts here, but I guess we just proved them wrong.’

“Ice that never melts…” Chongyun breathed out, once again grazing his hands against the chill of the fallen icicle.

The exorcist blinked, a sudden, obscure idea crossing his mind.

…

‘Live in life, die in death. Follow your heart, do what you can.’

“…Follow your heart, she says.” Chongyun grumbled to himself, bringing out his claymore.

—————————

It would be 4 hours until Hu Tao finally exited the cavern, and it would be another 3 hours until they managed to travel all the way back to the point where Liyue could be seen in the distance. At this point, it was nearing midnight, and the only sound that lingered in the air was the crickets and their shoes patting against the dirt path.

“Silly-churl, billy-churl, silly-billy hilichurl. Frily-churl, willy-churl, frilly-willy hilichurl~” Hu Tao sang, her steps timed accordingly to the beat of her tune. Chongyun let out a hum, following behind the pyro user.

“You really like that tune of yours, don’t you?”

“Yep!” Hu Tao beamed. “Don’t worry though, the tune you sang with Xinyan once isn’t the worst thing I’ve ever heard either!” The exorcist sighed.

“Could you please stop bringing that up?”

“Let me think…nope!”

...

Eventually, the two had ventured far enough that the wooden bridge to Liyue’s entrance was within sight. At that, the exorcist informed the pyro user he was heading a different way.

“Eh? You’re going that way?” Hu Tao asked. “Don’t you live in an inn or something?”

“…I’m not going to question how you know about me living in an inn.” Chongyun felt his eyebrow twitch. “My clan’s home resides in the mountains just west of here, and I figured it would be nice to check up on them for a bit.“

The funeral parlor master clicked her tongue and snapped her fingers at that statement.

“Hah! You just gave me a hint as to where you live.” Hu Tao remarked. proudly resting her hands on her hips. “I am now one step closer to breaking into your home and leaving a field of ramen bowls on your floor.”

“…Why?”

“I think it would be funny.”

…

With no retort to that absurd notion, the exorcist just sighed as Hu Tao cheekily laughed to herself. The pyro user turned around, gazing at the lit-up Liyue. Despite how unique of an experience Dragonspine was, it was good to see a familiar sight.

“Hey,” Chongyun began. “Hu Tao?”

“Hm?”

Hu Tao turned towards Chongyun, half-expecting the cryo user to bonk her in the head. Instead, Chongyun slowly raised his hand out, grasping…

“Is this…a silk flower?” The funeral parlor master blinked. “…Made of ice?”

Within Chongyun’s fingers was an azure stem, lapis leaves sprouting from its sides right up until it reached its top; a cerulean silk flower design, delicately crafted. Each frozen petal design seemed to shine on its own, each emitting a different shade of blue. It looked just like the ones found outside of Liyue, save for the blue tone and shine it reflected.

“It’s beautiful…” She breathed out absentmindedly, eyes sparkling at the flower. “When did you make this?”

“While you were doing your ritual to the spirits.” Chongyun answered with a shrug. Hu Tao blinked.

“You did this in just a few hours…?”

“Well, it’s not the first ice flower I’ve made.” The cryo user said, before growing a soft expression. “You really cherish your grandpa, right?” The funeral parlor master flinched, nearly taking a step back. Chongyun hummed.

“You said before that silk flowers are used in funerals, and that the longer it takes to deteriorate, the more fortune is passed on from the spirit.” He recalled, eyes trailing towards the flower. “It’s a silk flower is made up of from special icicles from Dragonspine, so it won’t thaw, melt, or deteriorate as silk would.” The exorcist forced his eyes to look elsewhere, still holding out the gift.

“I…just thought it’d be a good gift, is all. For your grandfather.”

Hu Tao’s eyes reflected the light radiating off of the flower, and she gently took the gift in her hands.

Silently, Hu Tao gently took it between her hands as though it were made of fragile glass. Her flower-shaped eyes sparkled at the reflected moonlight of the flower.

Her fingers delicately traced along its smooth, cold stem. Just as Chongyun said, despite the flower being made of ice, it hadn’t melted at all; it was completely dry on the outside. Even from merely the light of the moon above them, it still shined as though it laid in a field of a hundred lit candles.

“It won’t melt…?” She breathed out, to which the exorcist gave a light nod, still attempting to look away.

As if to test his theory, Hu Tao gently held the gift, and slowly accumulated a fire around its stem, engulfing the gift in a searing flame. True to his word, the cryo flower endured it, and the light of the fire had only made its beauty shine more.

Hu Tao ceased the flame, adoring the cryo flower once more, before finally raising her head at the exorcist.

“Um…” Hu Tao drawled, almost nervous. “What’s with the gift?” She asked, authentic confusion in her voice. The exorcist let out a cough, attempting to lock eye contact with her.

“I…I’m limited in how I can express myself, but like you said, I’ve just been using that as an excuse, so…I hope I can convince you that I’m…trying, at least.” Chongyun explained. “Despite my personal feelings about you, I do admire what you do and your passion for it, and if I can’t express that well enough, I hope this flower will do. Think of it as thanks for most of today, I guess.” The brunette tilted her head.

“Thanks?”

“For helping me…do a bit of self-reflection.” Chongyun smiled widely, something that earned another flinch from Hu Tao. The brunette's stare trailed back to the flower, then to the exorcist, then to the flower again.

…

“Eh,” The pyro user snickered, lifting her stare back at Chongyun. “I think a Qingxin would’ve been more appropriate. We were up high in the mountains for most of the trip. Kinda a stupid choice if you ask me.” Chongyun rolled his eyes, a light smile on his face.

“Oh, right, sorry about that. Lemme just go walk back over there for another 5 hours and grab some more icicles to make more to satisfy your picky taste in flowers.” Hu Tao snickered, gently grasping the flower again.

“Ah well, whatever…” She sighed with a smile, observing the frozen flower again.

“…Thank you.” She breathed out, this time earning a flinch from the exorcist. She clutched the flower close to her chest. “This means a lot.” Once the shock had passed, Chongyun nodded, a gentle look of relief on his face.

“Thanks to you as well for today. Give your grandfather my best regards, walnut.” Hu Tao quickly blew a raspberry, supported by her spirit.

“Hah! I’ll tell him you drowned me in freezing waters twice today, cloud.”

“Let it go won’t you?”

“No.”

With a roll of the eyes from the exorcist and a stuck-out tongue from the funeral parlor master, Chongyun waved goodbye to Hu Tao, ascending into the mountains back to his clan’s home.

————————

Lying in Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was a private room, a room only the funeral parlor master knew about. Objectively and economically speaking, this room should’ve been repurposed already, its small size would be perfect for a small storage or even a decent lounge for the sake of the parlor…

But a part of Hu Tao was still never able to let go, especially when she, whatever she did, lacked closure…So, if her world was truly going to purely revolve around the parlor, she allowed herself a single luxury within it.

Surrounded by shards and jewelry of Cor Lapis, Noctilicous Jade, the finest of crystals, and bouquets of flowers, was a simple, reliable altar made of wood. A circle of incense laid beside a simple sketch portraying an old man carrying a young girl on her back.

“Hey, grandpapa.” Hu Tao greeted with a bright smile and a wave, proceeding to bow at the altar. The funeral parlor master took a glance around the room, and let out a reminiscing sigh. She placed a small, simple ceramic pot beside the sketch, carefully positioning it to look in line with the sketch and incense. She eventually found a position that satisfied her after several attempts and let out a low hum.

“I know you prefer simple designs and all, but…” In her hand, she delicately clutched the cryo flower, delicately designed and crafted.

“I think there’s an exception to be made this one time.”

With that, she gently set the stem of the cryo flower in the pot, residing eternally beside the sketch atop the altar.

With a content nod to herself, Hu Tao sat down on her legs in front of the altar, praying for his soul.