As Shenhe slowly approached, Liuyun's mouth twitched.
She glanced at her disciple's calm expression—Shenhe didn't seem to have done it on purpose. Liuyun knew her well enough to be certain she wasn't the type to scheme against her master… and yet, she had just thrown her under the bus.
"Liuyun! So it was you!"
"I knew it!"
Qiu Bai glared at Liuyun, his anger barely contained as he looked between her and the ever-composed Shenhe.
"So what if it was me?"
"You lying scoundrel."
A faint blush crept onto Liuyun's face as she crossed her arms, her voice lacking its usual confidence.
"No matter what I did to you, that doesn't give you the right to blow up my home."
"My cave! My precious collection, handcrafted with divine power—ruined!"
Qiu Bai looked on in despair.
"Oh, stop whining. I am an Adeptus, after all."
"All I did was drop a few rocks at the entrance. Go see for yourself."
Liuyun huffed, watching Qiu Bai's dramatic reaction with an air of indifference.
"…Really?"
"Really."
"You're not lying?"
"I don't lie!"
"Alright, then."
Qiu Bai let out a sigh of relief, patting his chest.
His gaze then shifted to Shenhe, and he feigned curiosity.
"And who might you be?"
"I am Shenhe, Your Excellency,"
"Disciple of Cloud Retainer."
Shenhe gave a slight bow in greeting.
"Shenhe, no need to be so polite with him."
"From now on, just call him 'idiot.' Don't worry, I give you permission."
Liuyun smirked.
"Yes, Master."
"Hello, idiot."
Shenhe's cold, ethereal beauty only made the blunt words land even harder.
Qiu Bai had been about to tell her there was no need for such formality, but Shenhe's greeting left him completely speechless.
"Hahahaha! Oh, this is priceless!"
"I haven't laughed this hard in ages!"
Liuyun nearly doubled over, clutching her sides as she laughed uncontrollably at Qiu Bai's stunned expression.
"…Alright, alright, I'm heading back to my cave."
"See you, Liuyun. Shenhe."
Qiu Bai's mouth twitched as he quickly took off, flying back toward his cave.
Shenhe watched him disappear into the distance, her voice as calm as ever.
"Master, you and the idiot seem to have a good relationship."
"Hmph! Who has a good relationship with that idiot?"
Liuyun turned away with an indignant snort.
"Come on, Shenhe, let's go back."
She led her disciple back into the cave, still grumbling.
...
At his cave's entrance, Qiu Bai eyed the massive boulders blocking the way.
With a wave of his hand, he used his divine power to move them aside, revealing a pale blue seal. The transparent barrier shimmered with indecipherable runes.
Approaching the seal, Qiu Bai muttered under his breath, "114514."
The barrier instantly vanished. With a casual step forward, he entered, and the seal automatically reformed behind him.
Inside, Qiu Bai walked past the place where he had once slumbered. As he moved forward, the stone wall ahead flickered as if it were an illusion, and he stepped right through.
The sight before him brought a smirk to his lips—rows upon rows of figurines, meticulously sculpted with divine energy, lined the walls. Books lay scattered across nearby tables, along with several strange talismans.
Qiu Bai stroked his chin thoughtfully before storing all the books and talismans into his system space.
Stretching lazily, he made his way out of the cave.
With a flicker of energy, he teleported to the Floating Stone above Qingyun Peak, where a small wooden table sat in front of a solitary structure.
Qiu Bai gazed into the distance, watching as the rolling mountains stretched endlessly, their peaks shrouded in clouds. Jueyun Karst's breathtaking scenery unfolded before him, yet he had never truly taken the time to admire it.
"I've been here for over a thousand years..."
"And I've never really looked at the world."
With his hands behind his back, he stood atop Qingyun Peak, letting the cool, gentle wind brush against his face.
"Perhaps... it's time to walk the mortal realm for a while."
His gaze drifted to the mysterious floating island high above the skies. A faint smile played at the corners of his lips.
"There are still too many mysteries in this world."
"Let's unravel them."
With that, Qiu Bai sat down, quietly taking in the view.
...
Time passed, day and night alternating in an endless cycle. Before he knew it, two days had gone by.
Reflecting on everything since his arrival in this world, he realized—he hadn't done anything particularly meaningful.
"Well, why not start by reviving those Yakshas?"
"Though... I might need to borrow my sister's authority for that."
Qiu Bai muttered to himself before vanishing into thin air.
...
Wangsheng Funeral Parlor
At that moment, Qiu Yue sat quietly, listening intently as Zhongli explained the customs of Liyue and the history of Teyvat.
The parlor was empty aside from the two of them—the Hall Master, the staff, and even the young ceremony assistant were nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly, Qiu Bai's figure appeared before them.
"Haha, old friend, you're here."
Zhongli greeted him with a calm smile.
Qiu Bai nodded in response before turning his attention to his sister, who remained seated, patiently listening to her lesson.
"Sister, what has Morax been teaching you?"
"Just remember—when it comes to eating, the most important rule is always bring Mora."
Qiu Bai grinned, offering his "wisdom."
Zhongli, still seated, twitched slightly at the remark, coughing lightly to mask his embarrassment.
"I know, Brother. Qiu Yue missed you."
"But Mr. Zhongli definitely didn't teach me that rule."
Qiu Yue beamed as she hugged Qiu Bai before looking up at him with bright eyes.
Qiu Bai gently ruffled her hair before shifting his gaze back to Zhongli.
"Old friend, where's Master Hu?"
"Is she out on business?"
Looking around at the unusually empty funeral parlor, he raised an eyebrow.
"The Hall Master went out to promote business."
"Haha, that little troublemaker… Who knows if she'll end up drawing the Qianyan Army's attention?"
Zhongli chuckled.
"Qiu Bai, Brother, Master Hu is doing great."
"I secretly used my authority to extend her lifespan by 200 years."
Qiu Yue grinned proudly.
Qiu Bai's expression stiffened slightly at her words.
The balance of Yin and Yang… the natural order...
Perhaps his very existence was something the Heavenly Principles would never permit.
But does that really matter?
As long as he could protect those he cared about, that was all that mattered.
His gaze grew firm.
Still not strong enough, huh?
"Haha, Master Hu truly is a good person."
"Adding a few more centuries wouldn't hurt."
Qiu Bai patted Qiu Yue's head, his voice gentle.
Even if the Heavenly Principles forbade it—so what?
As long as he became strong enough, he could do whatever he wanted.
...
Within his mind, he issued a command.
"System, accept the task."
"Ding!"
"Mission: Revive the Four Yakshas!"
...