Zhongli stood still, watching Qiu Bai, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, Lumine and Paimon both let out a sigh of relief after seeing that Qiu Bai was unharmed.
"Don't worry, I'm fine for now," Qiu Bai said slowly, addressing Lumine and Paimon.
"For now?"
Paimon looked at Qiu Bai suspiciously.
"You're not just forcing yourself to say you're fine, are you?"
She crossed her arms, her gaze filled with concern.
"Heh, why would I?"
"Maybe I just haven't been sleeping well these past few days."
Qiu Bai chuckled lightly, rubbing his nose as he spoke—Paimon had come surprisingly close to the truth.
"Alright, alright, stop looking at me like that."
"Don't you guys have something important to do?"
Qiu Bai coughed lightly as he noticed Lumine and Paimon eyeing him with suspicion.
"Oh, right! We still have something important to take care of!"
"Traveler, bring out the Cleansing Bell!"
Paimon turned to Lumine.
Lumine, still holding the Cleansing Bell in her arms, seemed momentarily dazed before finally presenting it to Zhongli.
"Not bad, this is indeed the Cleansing Bell… and it has been well kept."
"Let's also take the incense we prepared earlier and offer it properly."
Zhongli spoke steadily as he looked at Lumine and Paimon.
"You know Granny Ping?" Lumine asked, somewhat puzzled.
After all, Granny Ping's techniques seemed to be something only an Adeptus could perform.
And yet, both Zhongli and Qiu Bai gave off an air of mystery that made her feel like there was more to them than they let on.
"...You two seem rather suspicious," Paimon muttered, eyeing them both.
"But if you don't want to talk about it, I won't push for answers."
Zhongli and Granny Ping were old friends. Qiu Bai was Zhongli's old friend.
And then there was that mysterious "Qiu Xue"... The more she thought about it, the more suspicious it all seemed.
Paimon suddenly smacked her forehead, as if she had just remembered something.
"Oh, right! That old lady asked us to pass on a message to you!"
"If you have time, you should drop by for some tea."
"She said, 'This old woman doesn't have much, but I do have a teapot.'"
Paimon tried her best to mimic Granny Ping's tone, puffing out her chubby cheeks in concentration.
"Haha, that voice doesn't really suit you," Zhongli chuckled, unable to hold back his amusement at Paimon's attempt.
"But it's true—her teapot is quite impressive. It's perfect for brewing tea."
Zhongli lifted his gaze slightly, as if recalling an old memory, before turning back to Paimon.
"When the time is right, I will certainly bring some fine tea to visit her."
"And I will bring my old friend as well."
He glanced at Qiu Bai and nodded.
"Wait, does Qiu Bai know Granny Ping too?"
Paimon and Lumine both turned to him in confusion.
"Of course I do. When you visited Granny Ping,
didn't you see a little girl?"
Qiu Bai asked with a knowing smile.
"Oh, yeah! The little girl's name is Qiqi—she's super cute!"
"But… she's a bit timid. Granny Ping said she was brought there by another old friend of hers."
Paimon thought for a moment, still puzzled as to why Qiu Bai would know about the girl.
Then, as if struck by realization, she turned to him with wide eyes.
"Wait… that old friend Granny Ping mentioned—was it you?!"
Qiu Bai nodded. "It was."
Hearing his confirmation, Paimon's previous suspicions immediately returned. She narrowed her eyes at Zhongli and Qiu Bai.
"These two are definitely hiding something…"
Paimon glared at them both.
Qiu Bai, noticing Paimon's scrutinizing gaze, cleared his throat.
"Ahem, aren't you guys supposed to be preparing for the Rite of Parting?"
"I won't keep you—carry on!"
Avoiding further questioning, Qiu Bai quickly turned and dashed away.
Zhongli watched him disappear into the distance, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
Then, turning to Lumine and Paimon, he said,
"Let's go to Yujing Terrace."
"We shall offer the Cleansing Bell and the incense to the Geo Archon."
...
After vanishing from Paimon and Lumine's sight, Qiu Bai teleported to a secluded area.
The abnormality in his body could no longer be suppressed. Dropping to his knees, he clutched his head in agony.
"What... is happening...?"
A glowing mass slowly emerged from within him, forcing its way outward, bringing an unbearable wave of pain. Cold sweat poured down his face.
Just as he was on the verge of losing consciousness, the glowing mass finally left his body and floated into the air.
Through his fading vision, Qiu Bai caught a glimpse of the light transforming into a woman. The sight sent a shockwave through his mind.
Before he could process it, his strength gave out, and he collapsed...
...
The Next Morning, Outside Liyue Harbor
Qiu Bai slowly rose to his feet. Thanks to the continuous balancing of yin and yang energies within him, the pain had completely faded.
"Right... the figure I saw before I blacked out..."
"It was me."
A sweet, bell-like voice rang out.
The gentle tone drew Qiu Bai's gaze toward the source.
Standing before him was a woman clad in an ink-white long dress, around 1.7 meters tall.
Her snow-white legs were held neatly together, and a soft, obedient smile adorned her face. At her waist was a symbol of Yin-Yang.
Her beautiful eyes shimmered with warmth as she gazed at him.
Qiu Bai froze, his expression utterly dumbfounded.
The woman before him—wasn't she his female form, Qiu Xue?!
But something felt... different.
At a glance, she was identical, but there was an inexplicable distinction between them.
Qiu Bai rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn't seeing things.
Once he confirmed she was real, he dashed forward, staring at her in disbelief.
A quick scan of his own strength reassured him—it was as if he had never absorbed that glowing mass in the first place.
With a sigh of relief, he dismissed his concerns. It didn't matter.
He checked his authority over yin and yang—everything was intact. He could still shift into his female form at will.
Besides, his power had never relied on that energy. As someone immune to erosion, his strength would only continue to grow over time.
"...Who exactly are you?"
Qiu Bai narrowed his gaze slightly, looking down at the so-called "Qiu Xue."
"Well... I'm not quite sure myself," she replied, tilting her head playfully.
"When you captured me, I was influenced by your female body."
"That's how I developed a personality and intellect—along with some of your memories."
"But all my power comes from you. By pure coincidence, I ended up like this."
She blinked her captivating eyes, her voice carrying a teasing lilt.
"So, I took on the form of your female self."