This is naturally the special effect of the Heart of the Earth.
After Bai Luo got his hands on the equipment, he felt a bit itchy to try it out, and the closest person to him happened to be Childe Tartaglia...
The Heart of the Earth deals Pyro damage, not true damage like the Fairy Glitter. This elemental damage can be blocked or even avoided, so even if it hits Childe, it wouldn't cause any serious harm.
However, he didn't realize that Tartaglia was showing off at the mountaintop at that time...
In any case, he gave it a little try.
The last medicinal ingredient, the Juvenile Jade, had been obtained, and Qiqi, following her orders, was planning to return. Bai Luo didn't linger in the mountains either and followed her back to Liyue Harbor.
After all, his original intention was to figure out the reason behind the system's malfunction through Qiqi.
By the time they returned, it was already noon, but the city was even more bustling than usual. The Fairy Glitter from earlier had been too dazzling, and even though the Qixing had issued a gag order, not everyone had kept their mouths shut.
"Luo Bai, I'm heading back."
"Alright, be careful on your way."
Qiqi needed to report back to Bubu Pharmacy, but Bai Luo didn't go with her. Firstly, after the last incident, he had almost become a public enemy there.
Second, after Childe had been tricked by his Heart of the Earth, he had been lingering near Bubu Pharmacy. Bai Luo naturally had no intention of walking into that mess.
So, after avoiding that area, he entered Liyue Harbor.
In Liyue Harbor, the dark clouds that had been dispersed by the Fairy Glitter had gathered once again, hinting at an impending rain.
Many people in the city had taken out their oil-paper umbrellas, creating their own little sheltered worlds.
The rainy scenery of Liyue was beautiful, and the river of oil-paper umbrellas on the streets was even more so. The colorful umbrella canopies looked like blooming flowers, adorning the streets of Liyue under the rain's touch.
After returning, Bai Luo's first stop was a restaurant. During his time in the wild, he had either eaten roasted fowl or vegetable stew, and his taste buds were long craving for something more.
He had already tried Liyue cuisine, sampled Yue cuisine, and even caused a stir at Wanmin Restaurant. Now, it was time to try out a new place.
He had originally wanted to try the much-talked-about internet-famous snack Zhongyuan Chop Suey, but the crowd swept him toward the vicinity of Heyu Tea House.
Initially, Bai Luo hadn't planned to go in, as the tea house's storytellers usually only talked about the legends of the Geo Archon or the old tales of the adepti, which didn't offer much novelty.
"Tonight, Boss Yun is putting on a new play. We must grab a good seat!"
"Absolutely. Who would have thought Boss Yun's talent is so high? They say she's almost as good as her grandfather."
"How so? Could she really be better than that Mr. Yun?"
"Hey, don't doubt it. In the recent performances, Boss Yun has been singing her own operas. Even some of the old-timers' plays are said to be written by her."
"Could it be that even 'Yunhai Opera: The Dragon' is..."
"Exactly. That's why I say she's almost as good as Mr. Yun. It won't be long before Boss Yun becomes a famous star of the Yun-Han Opera Troupe."
Boss Yun?
Hearing this title, Bai Luo's steps, which were about to leave, gradually came to a halt.
Could the Boss Yun these people are talking about be the one he has in mind?
Bai Luo wasn't in a hurry to leave anymore. He put on his mask, flipped open the Fatui insignia on his sleeve, and, holding his oil-paper umbrella, followed the crowd into Heyu Tea House.
Inside the tea house, there was a designated area for people to place their umbrellas. A tea house attendant, noticing Bai Luo's extraordinary presence, bowed and offered to take his umbrella to the designated spot, but Bai Luo refused.
The attendant was about to explain the tea house's rules when, to his surprise, Bai Luo reached behind his waist, and the red oil-paper umbrella emitting a plum blossom fragrance simply vanished.
"A... a deity?"
The attendant had never seen such a trick before and thought it must be the work of a deity. However, someone more knowledgeable nearby recognized it as a trick from an ancient sect in Liyue.
After respectfully guiding Bai Luo into the tea house, the attendant retreated to the side, questioning his life choices, leaving Bai Luo standing in the tea house, looking at a row of the backs of heads and sighing slightly.
Fortunately, his Anemo Vision was fake; otherwise, a real Anemo user might not even see the backs of heads but only a row of broad shoulders.
The Yun-Han Opera Troupe's performances were not only famous in Liyue but also had a fan base in other nations like Fontaine, Sumeru, Inazuma, and Mondstadt.
Unfortunately, Inazuma was currently in a state of isolation, and those well-known fans couldn't often come to Liyue to watch the operas, which was a regret for many opera enthusiasts.
They would have loved to see the foreigners' reactions to the performances, and there were even people who specialized in translating these foreigners' comments, often referred to as "barbecue masters".
Bai Luo casually glanced around the crowd and even spotted a few merchants and Fatui members from Snezhnaya in the front row.
The Fatui member was surrounded by merchants like stars around the moon, with several beauties massaging his back and legs, living a life of luxury.
Seeing this, Bai Luo started squeezing his way toward the Fatui member.
At first, some people were annoyed by Bai Luo, but upon seeing his mask and the Fatui insignia, their expressions changed drastically. They didn't dare to say anything and instinctively made way.
Thus, Bai Luo reached the Fatui member's side faster than expected and flicked his bald head.
"Who the hell are you?!"
The Fatui member slammed his hand on the table, scattering fruits and snacks all over the floor. He stood up, glaring at the person behind him, ready to throw a punch, but then quickly cooled down.
The Fatui Harbingers might not know all their subordinates, but the subordinates certainly knew the Harbingers, as those twelve were the strongest symbols of the Fatui.
The black robe and white mask clearly indicated that this was the Instructor, whom Lord Tartaglia had been desperately pursuing but failing to win over.
"Who the hell are you? No... who the hell am I? No, Instructor, it's you."
This Fatui member, being surrounded by Snezhnayan merchants, likely held a significant position in the Northland Bank. But no matter how high his status, it couldn't surpass that of a Harbinger.
Unless he was the Tsaritsa's lover.
If he really were the Tsaritsa's lover, Bai Luo would have to consider defecting back to Liyue, as the Tsaritsa's taste would be too peculiar.
"Move."
"Right away! Instructor, please take a seat."
The bald Fatui member immediately gave up his seat, allowing Bai Luo to sit there, and the spilled fruits and snacks were quickly replaced by the Heyu Tea House staff.
"What are you all standing around for? Take good care of the Instructor!"
Seeing the Snezhnayan merchants and attendants standing around in confusion, the Fatui member grew anxious. These merchants were usually quite sharp; why were they so clueless at such a critical moment? Couldn't they see how important this person was?
The merchants quickly caught on and started flattering Bai Luo, while the attendants began massaging his shoulders and legs with more enthusiasm.
It wasn't just because of Bai Luo's high status; his slightly handsome appearance after removing his mask also attracted them.
In certain circles, young masters with such looks could have people willing to serve them even if they had to pay, let alone someone who was young, wealthy, and powerful.
It was in this atmosphere that the stars of the Yun-Han Opera Troupe made their entrance.