Fantasy AU: Zhongli once was the beloved God of his country, but after a seemingly neverending war, his people sealed him away. The reason: During the final fight, he got poison, which will corrupt him, if it reachs his heart. Feaing the consequences of killing a god and the fear of being killed by their god, his people decided to simple look him away in his palace in the sky.
Many years late Zhongli awakes, still poisoned, from his deep slumber and ever since wachtes the world from above, waiting for the poison to lessen and for his strength to prevail.
With the passing of time, the people forget about their god and only the stories remain as tales and legends. Until a young man, who goes by the name of Childe, from the north comes to meet the oldest god of all in search for help. The tsarista, who has ruled for many centuries, seemed to have been poisoned as well - just like Zhongli all those millenia before.
(Bonus points: Zhongli is actually a woman.)