Tartaglia focused on the changes in his body, still trying to process what had just happened. He stared blankly at Qiu Yue standing before him.
"Miss Qiu Yue, what is that white light in your hands?"
He looked at the breathtaking woman in front of him with a puzzled expression. He could feel something within him increasing, a comforting sensation—it was definitely not a bad thing.
"This white light increases your lifespan," Qiu Yue replied. "But your body is strange... something is draining your life force."
She smiled as she spoke, unconcerned about revealing this information. Even she found it a bit odd—there seemed to be something siphoning Tartaglia's life energy.
"What?"
Tartaglia scratched his head in confusion, not quite understanding what she meant.
"Just think of it as my sister's way of thanking you."
"This is a gift for you."
Qiu Bai sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead as he glanced at Tartaglia's bewildered expression. He hadn't expected his sister's gratitude to be expressed in such a unique way.
"Looks like I'll have to talk to her about this later," he mused, stroking his chin. "Otherwise, the average lifespan of Teyvat's people might start increasing."
"Uh… I don't really understand what just happened, but I still appreciate it, Miss Qiu Yue."
Before coming to Liyue, he had heard about sorcerers and the like. Though he wasn't sure what had just taken place, he could definitely feel a change in his body. The woman before him, Qiu Yue, was probably some kind of sorcerer.
"Childe, let's head back to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor," Qiu Bai said from nearby.
"Yeah, I still have unfinished business to take care of," Tartaglia replied. "After dinner, I'll have to return."
He glanced at Qiu Bai and Qiu Yue. After all, his intelligence network had reported that tensions between the Liyue Qixing and the Adepti were on the verge of erupting. Meanwhile, the Traveler, acting as a guide, was close to discovering that place.
With that, Tartaglia strode off into the distance. Qiu Yue followed Qiu Bai as they made their way toward the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
…
"Sister, I need to talk to you about something," Qiu Bai said as they walked, his tone calm.
"Sure, Brother," Qiu Yue responded with a curious look. "What is it?"
"Qiu Yue, gods like us are rare in this world now," Qiu Bai said, watching her expression closely. "Under normal circumstances, it's best not to use divine power."
He wasn't wrong. During the Archon War, the gods of Teyvat had slaughtered one another, depleting their strength. Now, only a few remained in the mortal realm, and those that did were either mere remnants, had exhausted their power, or had only recently come into existence.
"Got it, Brother. Qiu Yue understands," she said playfully, acknowledging his reminder.
The siblings arrived at the entrance of the funeral parlor, where Qiu Bai pushed open the door.
Standing at the doorway was a young female attendant.
"Mr. Qiu Bai, and this is…?"
She glanced at the stunning woman beside him, looking a bit puzzled.
"She's my younger sister, Qiu Yue," Qiu Bai explained.
"Oh, so she's your sister, Mr. Qiu Bai," the attendant said, smiling. "Forgive me, I didn't expect your sister to be this beautiful—she looks a lot like you."
After all, given how good-looking Qiu Bai was, it was no surprise that his sister was just as striking.
The attendant then turned toward the upper floor and called out, "Master, Guest Official Qiu Bai has returned!"
As soon as she finished speaking, a figure descended the stairs—it was Hu Tao.
"Qiu Bai, why are you back already?" she asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Where's Zhongli? How did the Rite of Parting go?"
Then, as if suddenly noticing something, she blinked and gasped.
"Wait—who's this absolute beauty standing next to you?!"
Hu Tao rushed over in surprise, her captivating plum blossom eyes fixed on Qiu Yue.
"Master, this is my younger sister."
"Her name is Qiu Yue, and for now, she doesn't have a fixed place to stay."
Qiu Bai paused briefly before glancing at Qiu Yue beside him.
"But, like me, she knows a bit about the ways of yin and yang."
"When I'm not around, she can lend you a hand."
Qiu Bai explained to Hu Tao. After all, his sister, like him, was an Archon of yin and yang, meaning she could be of great help to Hu Tao.
"Like you? She also knows 'a bit' about the ways of yin and yang?"
Hu Tao twitched her lips at that. She was well aware of just how powerful Qiu Bai's so-called "bit" actually was.
Which meant his sister was probably just as formidable. And a beauty to boot.
"Ahem, so that's how it is..."
"I never knew, Qiu Bai, that you had such a gorgeous sister."
Hu Tao studied Qiu Yue with her plum blossom eyes, then grinned. She extended her hand.
"Hello, I'm Hu Tao. Nice to meet you, Qiu Bai's sister."
Hu Tao held out her left hand toward the striking woman before her.
"Hello, Hu Tao. I'm Qiu Yue."
Qiu Yue smiled as she reached out, shaking hands with Hu Tao.
"Alright then, since you're always off somewhere anyway—"
"An extra pair of hands is always welcome."
"In that case, this hall master will gladly take your sister in!"
Hu Tao's smile widened as she sized up Qiu Yue. The more she looked, the more satisfied she felt.
Even though she hadn't seen her in action yet, she had no doubt that Qiu Yue was just as capable as her brother.
Meanwhile, Qiu Bai smirked inwardly—having his sister work in his place meant he could slack off a little more.
"As for why Zhongli hasn't returned yet..."
"Hmm... let me check."
Qiu Bai closed his eyes slightly, using his divine perception to locate Zhongli and the Traveler.
"They're nearly done with the Rite of Parting preparations."
"They're... at the upper right side of Mt. Tianheng."
Qiu Bai slowly opened his eyes and relayed the information to Hu Tao.
And in the process, he overheard something amusing.
"Mr. Zhongli, hurry and use your endless high-society knowledge to figure something out!"
"Er… Why do you make me sound like some idle noble who does nothing but attend operas and stroll around with a pet bird?"
Hearing Paimon and Zhongli's voices in his mind, Qiu Bai couldn't help but chuckle.
"Looks like they've reached the final location."
He suppressed his laughter, stroking his chin in thought.
"Qiu Bai, you and Zhongli are the same—you both act like you have clairvoyance and supernatural hearing."
"The upper right side of Mt. Tianheng—that's so far away!"
Hu Tao muttered in exasperation, looking at Qiu Bai.
After all, unlike in a game, Liyue Harbor was vast in reality. While Mt. Tianheng was technically nearby, it was still quite a distance away.
Plus, Hu Tao had recently noticed more and more Qianyan troops lingering around the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, which struck her as odd.
The number of Fatui operatives in the city also seemed to be increasing.
The entire Liyue Harbor felt tense, like a bomb waiting for its fuse to be lit.
Naturally, she was a little worried about Zhongli's situation.
"Master, Zhongli really is at the upper right side of Mt. Tianheng."
"When I was on my way back, I saw him and the Traveler in that area."
Seeing Hu Tao's skeptical expression, Qiu Bai assumed she didn't believe him—so he made up a reason to convince her.