Tenshukaku.
Xia Zhen was reviewing documents when an attendant arrived.
"General, the Guuji requests an audience."
"Let her in."
"Yes!"
Xia Zhen paused.
She knew Yae Miko had gone to investigate Urakusai's old studio.
If she was coming now, she must have found something.
A moment later, someone knocked.
"Come in," Xia Zhen said, lowering her papers.
The door slid open. Yae Miko entered, Hanachirusato quietly following.
"Lady Makoto."
"What did you find?"
"We located the studio. Judging from the artworks inside, they were definitely Urakusai's originals."
"Only his works?"
"We also found this landscape painting."
Yae Miko unfurled an ancient scroll.
Xia Zhen studied it and felt a faint, eerie aura seep from it.
It was the same kind of defilement she'd sensed from Hanachirusato when they first met. Weak, but unmistakably similar.
As the painting fully opened, a strange breath of energy flowed out. It gathered in the air, forming a blurry silhouette.
A trembling, emotional voice rose from it.
"Lady Baal… it's truly you…"
Xia Zhen stared at the familiar outline, her expression complicated. "Urakusai… you're in terrible shape."
"Lady Baal, do not fear for me. To see you again… this old soul has no regrets. Inazuma will never fall as long as you exist…"
Xia Zhen waved a hand dismissively. "Don't say things like that. My era ended a long time ago. I'm not trying to rule anything again. I'm just helping Ei clean up a mess."
"Lady Baal…"
The spirit grew unstable, its form warping as if it might fade at any moment.
"Save the rest for later. Go back into the painting for now."
The shadow dissolved into strange energy and slipped into the scroll.
The painting returned to normal—but still carried a faintly sinister air.
Yae Miko rolled it up.
"He's extremely weak," Xia Zhen said.
Yae Miko sighed. "There's nothing we can do. He possessed a normal human, wrote A First-Hand Guide to Summoning Spirits, and then the Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual activated. If he hadn't been a great kitsune in life who knew countless arts and spells, he would've been purified completely and returned to the ley lines."
Hanachirusato looked embarrassed. After all, the ritual had been her doing.
Yae Miko continued, "This painting was his proudest work. His remaining youkai power clings to it. Hiding inside is the only reason he still exists at all. But it won't last. Once the power inside fades, he'll disappear with it."
Xia Zhen nodded. "It's fine. We just need to find his ghost. After lunch at the shrine, I'll go find my cousin—"
Her phone buzzed.
She checked the screen.
[Ei]: Sis, come to the shrine for lunch! I made something delicious for you!
Xia Zhen fell silent, then let out a long sigh.
She didn't know Xia Zhi had already fixed Ei's cooking.
"…Let's go."
Yae Miko and Hanachirusato exchanged confused looks as they watched her walk out with the posture of someone heading toward her doom.
---
Inside the cafeteria at the Grand Narukami Shrine, Yoimiya was eating with pure bliss on her face.
It was way too good.
She had never tasted a lunch this delicious in her life.
Cheeks puffed out from the food stuffed in her mouth, she looked up at Xia Zhi, her voice muffled and adorably unclear. "Mr. Xia, did you make all this?"
"Some of it. The rest was made by my disciple."
"Your disciple…"
"Xiangling."
"Eh? Xiangling is your disciple?"
"Yeah. She's still cleaning up in the kitchen. She'll come out soon, and I'll introduce you."
"Oh, okay."
"If you like the food, eat as much as you want. No need to hold back."
"Mm, I won't!"
Yoimiya smiled bright and warm, her eyes curving like crescents. She had that refreshing sweetness of green plums.
After a little while, Xiangling walked over with Guoba beside her.
"Master!"
"Gu!"
"Sit, both of you. You worked hard."
Xia Zhi nodded, smiling.
Xiangling sat next to him and greeted Yoimiya openly. "Hi, I'm Xiangling, a chef from Liyue. Nice to meet you!"
Yoimiya immediately smiled back. "Nice to meet you too! I'm Yoimiya, the owner of Naganohara Fireworks!"
Xiangling blinked in surprise. "Wow, you're the owner? When I visited, I thought you were just a staff member!"
Yoimiya let out a helpless laugh. "I had no choice. My mom's health isn't great and she takes medicine all the time. My dad's hearing isn't good either, so talking to customers is tough for him. Eventually he handed the shop over to me and focused on taking care of my mom… and keeping an eye on the shop."
"Oh, I see. That sounds rough."
"It's fine."
Guoba didn't care about their conversation. After helping in the kitchen for so long, he was starving. All he wanted was to bury his head in the food.
Yoimiya's gaze was drawn to him immediately.
In Inazuma, youkai weren't uncommon in folklore… but this was her first time seeing a pet that sat at the table and ate with chopsticks.
Her eyes widened. "It can use chopsticks?!"
Xiangling laughed. "Of course. Guoba's amazing!"
"Its name is Guoba?"
"That's right!"
"What a cute name."
"I know, right? I came up with it!"
Guoba looked up and made a few urgent noises. "Gu! Gu gu gu!"
Yoimiya tilted her head. "It sounds like he's saying something?"
Xiangling's expression tightened. She coughed lightly, then translated. "Guoba says he's very happy to meet you too."
Yoimiya lit up. "He's so smart!"
"Let's eat as well."
"Okay."
Xia Zhi smiled quietly to himself.
He could understand Guoba now, and Guoba's real words were actually: [If you two don't hurry up and eat, I'm finishing everything myself!]
Xiangling clearly didn't want to repeat that out loud, so she'd… beautified it a little.
Guoba grumbled again. "Gu gu!"
[That's not what I said!]
Xiangling tapped his head. "Eat properly."
"Gu…"
He lowered his head in defeat.
At that moment, Xia Zhen and her group arrived from Tenshukaku.
Since there were lots of regular visitors in the cafeteria, Xia Zhen concealed her true appearance slightly to avoid causing trouble.
Yae Miko walked over, smiling with playful charm at Yoimiya. "Well, if it isn't the Queen of the Summer Festival."
Yoimiya's cheeks flushed. "Guuji, please don't call me something like 'queen'…"
Yae Miko chuckled. "With your fireworks skills, the title suits you perfectly… alright, alright."
She didn't tease further. Instead, she leaned down and wrapped herself around Xia Zhi's arm.
The gesture was unmistakably intimate.
Yoimiya froze.
Mr. Xia and the Guuji… were that close?
"Come here for a moment, Mr. Xia."
Xia Zhi felt the soft warmth around his arm, along with her subtle, alluring scent.
"What is it?"
"You'll hear in a moment."
"Okay. Miss Yoimiya, excuse me for a bit."
"Oh, sure! Go ahead!"
Yoimiya snapped out of her daze and quickly answered. She watched Xia Zhi walk with the Guuji and the other two women to a table nearby.
Xiangling nudged her gently. "Don't mind Master. Let's eat."
Yoimiya pulled her gaze back. "Mm… right…"
Xiangling turned again. "Guoba! Slow down!"
Guoba let out a pitiful sound. "Gu…"
Yoimiya giggled. "He's so cute. Where did you buy those gloves he's wearing?"
"They weren't bought, they were opened from a box… well, technically Master gave them to him as a gift. They make his paws as flexible as human fingers."
"Really?"
"Really."
"That's incredible!"
"Hehe, Master has a lot of incredible things!"
Xiangling began telling her about the effects of those extraordinary cooking tools.
Yoimiya listened, full of amazement.
Her gaze drifted toward Xia Zhi again. The Guuji seemed to be discussing something with him.
Yoimiya felt tempted.
She quietly leaned forward, trying to eavesdrop.
But even though the tables weren't far apart… she couldn't hear a single word.
Oh no.
Did… did I damage my hearing like Dad?
Her heart tightened. She checked other tables. She could still hear all their conversations just fine.
So her ears were okay.
She sighed in relief. The Guuji must have been blocking the sound.
Then she suddenly spotted something more interesting.
Yoimiya whispered, "Xiangling."
Xiangling blinked. "Hm? What is it, Yoimiya?"
Yoimiya leaned in with pure gossip energy. "That girl over there. See her? I think she's been sneaking glances at Mr. Xia."
"…"
Xiangling followed her gaze, quiet for a moment.
"That's also my master."
"Huh? You have two masters?"
"No. I actually have several. She's my grandmaster. Streetward Rambler."
"Streetward Rambler? A Liyue Adeptus?!"
"Mm."
"Wow! Xiangling, I didn't realize your background was this amazing!"
"Hehe, not really. My family just runs a restaurant. Wanmin Restaurant… have you heard of it?"
"I have! Sister Beidou talked about it! She said her favorite dish there is Jueyun Chili Chicken!"
"You know Sister Beidou too?"
"Of course! Sister Beidou is amazing!"
"Yeah! I think she's amazing too! Every time she sails out, I ask her to bring back specialty ingredients from other regions, and she always does. She even catches tons of fresh seafood. Octopus tentacles are perfect for soup, and Sea Ganoderma is best when flash-fried with chilis. And it's not just her, all the sailors in The Crux love my cooking!"
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