Liyue, Jueyun Karst.
Paimon and Lumine stared wide-eyed at Cloud Retainer.
"Wait—wait a minute! What do you mean by suppressing Liyue Harbor? Are you planning to destroy the entire city?!"
Cloud Retainer regarded them with a calm, indifferent expression.
"As long as we take decisive action, we can prevent further chaos."
"B-But you're one of the Adepti! You're supposed to protect Liyue!"
Paimon looked at Cloud Retainer in disbelief.
"Indeed. We have followed the Lord of Geo's decree, protecting Liyue for over 3,700 years. But now, with evildoers in power, we have no choice but to take extraordinary measures."
"Wait! I have something to say!"
Qiu Bai, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke up.
"Adeptus, we came here to ask for your protection over Liyue Harbor—not for you to suppress it."
"At the very least, shouldn't you listen to what the people have to say?"
"The people's opinions?"
Cloud Retainer turned toward Water and Mountain Shaper and Moon Carver.
"You two old-timers, any thoughts?"
Moon Carver glanced at Water and Mountain Shaper, then at Cloud Retainer, before speaking in an even tone.
"This matter requires careful deliberation."
Then, he turned to Lumine, Qiu Bai, and Paimon.
"Traveler, take the 'Warding Talisman' and seek out the Vigilant Yaksha. Inform him of everything that has transpired."
"We must remain here for the time being. You should take your leave."
With that, the three Adepti ascended into the sky, disappearing into the clouds. Cloud Retainer, however, took one last lingering glance at Qiu Bai before departing.
Qiu Bai turned to Lumine.
"So, where do we go now?"
"That Adeptus mentioned finding someone called the Vigilant Yaksha," Paimon mused.
"Why don't we look for him first?"
Lumine nodded in agreement.
"But… do we even know where to find him?"
Qiu Bai clasped his hands behind his back, his tone casual.
"The Three-Eyed Five-Manifestation Adeptus, Xiao… or, as some call him, the 'Three-and-a-Half-Inch Adeptus.'"
Lumine, who had just started walking, suddenly stopped.
"Oh. Right."
She scratched her head, realization dawning.
"That Adeptus didn't actually say where to find him."
Paimon turned to Qiu Bai, confused.
"No problem. I know where he is. We're heading to Wangshu Inn."
Qiu Bai glanced at Paimon with a faint smile. Xiao… It's been a thousand years. The weight of karmic burdens on him must be heavier than ever.
Once this is all over, I should help him cleanse it.
"You knew this whole time and still asked us?!"
Paimon huffed, crossing her arms and glaring at Qiu Bai.
And so, the group set off toward Wangshu Inn, bickering along the way.
…
"Hmm… This is taking too long."
After walking for a while, Qiu Bai suddenly halted and turned to look at Lumine and Paimon.
"Hold onto me, Lumine. Paimon."
Although they were a bit confused, they still grabbed onto Qiu Bai's sleeve.
The next moment, the world spun around them—
And when the dizziness subsided, they found themselves standing in front of Wangshu Inn.
Qiu Bai gazed up at the inn's towering structure. The evening sky was painted in hues of orange and violet, the lights flickering warmly from the windows. In the distance, the golden fields of Dihua Marsh stretched toward the horizon.
Wangshu Inn, huh?
It's been a long time since I last came here.
So much has changed.
A thousand years ago, this place had been teeming with demons. Many remnants of fallen gods had landed here, leaving behind heavy karmic corruption.
And yet, Xiao alone had managed to cleanse most of it.
That couldn't have been easy.
Qiu Bai sighed at the thought.
…
Behind him, Lumine and Paimon stood frozen, staring at the inn in stunned silence.
Then, slowly, they turned to Qiu Bai.
"You—you—what kind of Adepti magic was that?!"
Paimon folded her arms, pouting as she glared at him.
"A walking Statue of The Seven!"
That was the only explanation Lumine could come up with.
Qiu Bai chuckled at Paimon's expression.
"This really isn't any kind of Adepti magic, little Paimon."
"But since we're here, let's go find the Vigilant Yaksha."
Hearing this, Paimon stomped her foot in frustration.
"Stop changing the subject!"
"You're so annoying!"
Lumine gently patted Paimon's head, her voice soft.
"Paimon, everyone has their secrets, don't they?"
"It's not polite to keep prying."
At Lumine's words, Paimon turned her head away with a small huff.
…
"Okay, I won't ask anymore."
"But is this really Wangshu Inn? The view here is amazing."
Paimon suddenly seemed to remember something. Her eyes lit up, and she stomped her foot in excitement before turning to Qiu Bai and Lumine with a big grin.
"Since it's an inn, that means there's food, right? We haven't eaten all day—let's go check it out!"
Food?
Grrr~~~
The sound of a stomach growling broke the silence.
Lumine's face instantly flushed with embarrassment as her own stomach betrayed her.
Qiu Bai chuckled at the sight of her reaction. "Come on, I'll treat you to a meal."
An Archon's body didn't experience hunger, but that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate a good meal.
As soon as he said that, Paimon's face lit up with excitement, unable to contain her joy.
"Yes! Qiu Bai, you're the best!"
Lumine also smiled. After spending so much time traveling and camping out in the wilderness, having a proper meal was a rare luxury.
Unlike before, she no longer had the Serenitea Pot that Madame Ping had once given her.
"Thank you, Qiu Bai."
Qiu Bai simply waved it off.
"Hey, no need to be so polite."
"We're all friends. Let's go—I'm treating today, so eat as much as you want!"
With that, the group headed inside Wangshu Inn.
...
"Before we eat, there's somewhere we need to go first," Qiu Bai suddenly said, glancing up at the higher floors of the inn.
"Where?"
Paimon tilted her head, puzzled. Wasn't food the priority?
Lumine sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead.
"Paimon, did you forget why we came to Wangshu Inn in the first place?"
"Oh, right!"
"We're here to find the Vigilant Yaksha!"
Paimon slapped her forehead, realizing that in her excitement over food, she had nearly forgotten their main objective.
Pfft—
Qiu Bai covered his mouth, stifling a laugh.
"Hey! If you're gonna laugh, at least don't let me hear it!"
"I need food—otherwise, my brain doesn't work properly!"
Paimon pouted and glared at Qiu Bai, who was still grinning beside her.
Qiu Bai shook his head, suppressing his amusement. "Alright, alright. Let's go find him."
Lumine and Paimon nodded, following Qiu Bai as they ascended the stairs toward the terrace.
...
"So this is the terrace? The view really is amazing! You can see everything from up here!"
Paimon floated around excitedly, taking in the sight of the vast landscape stretching beyond the inn.
"But… where's the Adeptus?"
Lumine curiously stepped forward, resting her hands on the railing as she gazed out at the distant scenery.
Qiu Bai followed her, the gentle evening breeze brushing against his face.
This place was quiet, peaceful. With such a breathtaking view, it was truly a rare and serene spot.
A faint smile tugged at Qiu Bai's lips.
But it looks like an old friend is about to arrive.
...
"The eyes of mortals cannot always see the truth."
A quiet yet firm voice suddenly spoke right beside Lumine.
Paimon yelped in surprise.
Lumine instinctively turned toward the sound, her hand clutching her chest—clearly startled as well.
…