Episode 167: Looking Up, Not Seeing True Monarch, Ascent!
『 The two, Rex and Cloud Retainer, knew this clearly, but the mention of Guizhong left the story with an unfinished tale.
Lumine and Paimon were full of questions, and despite their numerous doubts, they weren't far behind in action, both searching for clues around them.
Following the collected clues, meticulously prepared delicacies were piously offered. Immediately after, the gates of the adeptal abode opened in response, accompanied by a low murmur:
"Is this the aura of the Sigil of Permission?"
"Since you possess this item and offer it sincerely, we shall grant you an opportunity for a trial."
After these words fell, the entrance to the cave appeared.
The two then smoothly entered the adeptal abode to undergo the trial.
Upon entering the adeptal realm, both were extremely shocked by the environment within.
Whether it was the beautiful scenery or the ingenious mechanisms, everything filled them with longing. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "Wow! This place it's so big!" ]
[ March 7th (Honkai: Star Rail): "It's so small outside, but so big inside, it's amazing." ]
[ Cloud Retainer (Genshin Impact): "Hmph, this is adeptal techniques, created by this adeptus." ]
[ The Herta (Honkai: Star Rail): "Space folding technology?" ]
[ Oyama Mahiro (Onimai): "Small things, small on the outside." ]
[ Lumine (Genshin Impact): "Big on the inside?" ]
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "What are you guys talking about?" ]
[ Lumine (Genshin Impact): "I don't know, I don't know why that sentence just popped into my head." ]
[ Everyone: "+ 1" ]
[ Umaru Doma (Himouto): "But, isn't this like the TARDIS from Doctor Who earlier?" ]
[ The Doctor ⦍11th⦎ (Doctor Who): "Now that you mention it, it does seem to fit perfectly." ]
[ Cloud Retainer (Genshin Impact): "However, this place of mine only has some mechanisms, and no ability to travel through time." ]
[ Amber (Genshin Impact): "That's already very impressive." ]
[ Cloud Retainer (Genshin Impact): "Indeed." ]
[ .....]
『 However, to meet the legendary Cloud Retainer, traversing through layers of mechanisms was naturally a necessary path.
Lumine, truly exceptional in strength, overcame all the mechanical arrays one by one, quickly reaching the core area of the ruins.
Here, they finally met face-to-face with the owner of that mysterious voice.
Just like Mountain Shaper, Cloud Retainer also appeared in the form of a giant crane. This scene didn't cause much shock to Lumine, who had already anticipated the myriad forms of adepti.
At this moment, she was immersed in Cloud Retainer's praise.
"To be able to overcome the numerous challenges set by this adeptus, you indeed have some skill." The previous aluminum person, oh no, Cloud Retainer, seeing everyone arrive, flapped her wings and flew closer, introducing herself:
"I am Cloud Retainer. Now, speak of the matter which brings you here."
But before explaining their purpose, Lumine was still thinking about the fantastical mechanisms in the abode, and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Are all the mechanisms in this abode arranged by your own hands?" 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Mai Sakurajima (Bunny Girl Senpai): "So white, I want to pet it." ]
[ Cloud Retainer (Genshin Impact): "Impudent!" ]
[ Mai Sakurajima (Bunny Girl Senpai): "My apologies, I couldn't help but say it." ]
[ Yukinoshita Yukino (Oregairu): "There's a cat... cough, never mind." ]
[ .....]
『 Upon hearing this, the other party proudly raised her elegant crane head, saying with immense pride:
"Needless to say! My mechanical arts, in fact, even Guizhong and Rex Lapis themselves found one's technological accomplishments to be worthy of commendation."
Looking at this self-satisfied adeptus, Paimon curiously posed a question:
"This place is huge! And there are so many mechanisms... Do you really have this whole place to yourself? What's it even for? Did you build it as your private mechanism workshop or something? It's just like the stories say. The adepti leave the human world, find somewhere to go be a hermit, and then they research and invent all these amazing things..."
Her deepest secret touched, a blush appeared on Cloud Retainer's old face, and she lightly defended herself:
"No, no, I merely find mortal socializing too cumbersome and wished to find some peace."
"Who knew, I'd only been tranquil for a few days when you two came knocking with that Sigil of Permission."
At this point, Cloud Retainer seriously asked the two:
"But enough! State the matter which brings you here, at once! You have disturbed the tranquility of this place for long enough."
However, when Lumine and Paimon recounted the startling events in Liyue Harbor, the usually calm Cloud Retainer's expression suddenly changed, and she became enraged:
"What! You say Rex Lapis... Assassinated!??" She slammed her wings fiercely. "Impossible! Who would be so audacious! To commit such a heinous crime in Liyue!"
Enraged, Cloud Retainer, driven by her inner turmoil, almost immediately flew to Liyue Harbor to uncover the truth and intended to severely punish the place that had blasphemed a god.
The two beside her, hearing this, quickly stopped the adeptus from taking flight.
In their haste, they suddenly thought of using the contract between the adeptus and Liyue to dissuade her.
Fortunately, when the name of that contract was mentioned, Cloud Retainer finally slowly halted her steps. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Cloud Retainer (Genshin Impact): "Hmph, if it weren't for the contract, this adeptus would have directly suppressed Liyue Harbor." ]
[ Ningguang (Genshin Impact): "Adepti, please calm your anger." ]
[ .....]
『 But she still grumbled about her dissatisfaction with the contract.
This dissatisfaction wasn't due to the contract itself, but because the Geo Archon... the God of Contracts had already fallen. Now, what was the meaning of the contract? Cloud Retainer felt a bit awkward.
But since she had signed an alliance with the Archon and Liyue, what could she do? At present, the two before her held the Sigil of Permission, which embodied the spirit of the contract, and had specifically sought her out.
Though the Geo Archon was gone, the contract could not be abandoned because of it; this was the last tribute to past beliefs.
Thus, Cloud Retainer chose to give everyone a chance.
She decided to seek answers and summon all adepti for a joint discussion.
After a long conversation, she finally dismissed them.
Facing such a resolute Cloud Retainer, Lumine and Paimon could only respectfully take their leave.
After all, there was still one more adeptus waiting for them to visit.
Leaving the secluded abode, the two paused at the door, filled with emotion.
They hadn't expected to have met all three great adepti of Liyue.
And regarding the adepti, only one clue remained... the Conqueror of Demons residing at Wangshu Inn.
The mention of Wangshu Inn seemed to stir a memory in Lumine.
Upon their first arrival in Liyue, they had indeed rested in that peculiar building on the giant tree.
How could such a striking sky-high pavilion not pique their curiosity to explore?
Looking back, it was truly hard to imagine that in such a bustling and lively place, an adeptus's whereabouts could be hidden.
With this curiosity, the two quickly headed towards their destination.
Before long, the two figures running at full speed were already approaching the vicinity of Wangshu Inn. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ March 7th (Honkai: Star Rail): "Wow! What a big tree, what a big house!" ]
[ Tighnari (Genshin Impact): "A house growing on a tree or a tree growing on a house?" ]
[ Cyno (Genshin Impact): "So, if someone walked around this tree in a circle, would they get a new name?" ]
[ Saitama (One Punch Man): "What name?" ]
[ Cyno (Genshin Impact): "Zhou...shu...ren (Zhou Shuren, a famous Chinese writer whose pen name was Lu Xun; literally 'person who circles a tree')." ]
[ Lumine (Genshin Impact): "Hmm?" ]
[ Kiana (Honkai: Impact Third): "What is that?" ]
[ Cyno (Genshin Impact): "This joke, isn't it funny?" ]
[ Theresa (Honkai: Impact Third): "So that was a joke?" ]
[ Tighnari (Genshin Impact): "Eh." ]
[ Genos (One Punch Man): "Why do I, a cyborg, feel a bit uncomfortable?" ]
[ .....]
『 Upon entering the place, Lumine and Paimon were immediately drawn to the majestic inn before their eyes, and unconsciously began to complain.
"This place, compared to Jueyun Karst, is completely devoid of adeptal energy. Are you sure there's an adeptus living in seclusion here?" Lumine looked around, half-doubtfully.
"Hmm, although that adeptus mentioned he was here before, let's still search carefully," Paimon insisted, her eyes sparkling with inquisitive curiosity.
Lumine turned to Paimon, her eyes full of inquiry: "In your opinion, where would an adeptus hide?"
Paimon thought seriously and suggested, "Let's check the rooftop. Don't adepti all prefer quiet and high places? They wouldn't be hiding in the kitchen stir-frying, right?" 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail) "Why can't adepti cook?!" ]
[ Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail) "Are you looking down on adepti?" ]
[ Cloud Retainer (Genshin Impact): "???" ]
[ Mountain Shaper (Genshin Impact): "???" ]
[ Moon Carver (Genshin Impact): "???" ]
[ Zhongli (Genshin Impact): "..." ]
[ Raiden Ei (Genshin Impact): "Cooking, you say?" ]
[ Yae Miko (Genshin Impact): "Please don't do that." ]
[ .....]
『 Lumine immediately nodded in agreement. The two, harboring this suspicion, quickly passed through the lobby of Wangshu Inn and headed straight for the rooftop.
As they chatted, they unknowingly reached the top floor of the inn, where their view suddenly opened up to a magnificent landscape.
Standing there, Lumine was deeply captivated by the beautiful mountains and rivers in the distance, and an indescribable sense of comfort welled up in her heart.
If it weren't for seeking news of the Geo Archon and her brother, she truly wished to stay here for a while.
Paimon, however, had no such sentiments. As soon as she flew onto the rooftop, she began to look around, trying to catch any trace of an adeptus.
Time passed by minute by minute. Paimon searched more and more anxiously, yet found no clues related to an adeptus, and couldn't help but feel a bit discouraged.
"That's strange. Could the information be wrong, or is the adeptus out and hasn't returned?" Paimon mumbled, her tone laced with disappointment.
Perhaps it truly wasn't the right time. Lumine and Paimon were about to give up and turn to leave when a calm voice drifted from behind them:
"To the blind, everything may not be as it appears..."
Hearing that voice, the two's hearts trembled violently, almost crying out in surprise.
Lumine was even quicker, her weapon already gripped in her hand, a battle stance ready to erupt.
However, when she noticed the newcomer's peculiar demeanor and attire, she couldn't help but wonder: could this be the legendary young adeptus living in seclusion here?
That famous, often-talked-about yet rarely-seen Conqueror of Demons?
At this moment, Xiao was completely unaware of their thoughts. His gaze was fixed tightly on the Sigil of Permission in Lumine's hand.
"Oh, is that the Sigil of Permission in your hands?"
"However, even if it is a genuine Sigil of Permission, it can only guarantee that I won't harm you, but it cannot protect you from dangers elsewhere."
"You are too close to the boundary between adepti and demons, which is too risky and not permitted by the rules."
"Mortal souls are not as robust as those of adepti, nor can your blood carry this level of adeptal energy."
"So, for your own good, you should leave this place quickly."
The young man who had suddenly appeared, after a torrent of words, actually intended to turn and leave, coming and going like a gust of wind.
Paimon urgently called out to him, but the other party didn't stop, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
"He's driving me crazy! Argh! Paimon's... peeved! All he does is think about himself!" Paimon complained, pouting her lips helplessly: "I really want to give him an awful nickname, but then I remember he's an adeptus, what if he only gives me cabbages when I find a treasure chest in the future?"
If it weren't for this guy's adeptal status, Paimon's nicknames would have been fired off like a machine gun.
After all, no one wants to find only cabbages when exploring later, right? 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Chika Fujiwara (Love Is War): "Eh? Do adepti have such abilities?" ]
[ Ganyu (Genshin Impact): "I don't think so, do they? I certainly don't have that ability." ]
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "Oh? Is that how it is?" ]
[ Haibara Ai (Detective Conan): "It seems adepti aren't omnipotent either." ]
[ .....]
『 Although communication was unsuccessful, staying at this inn meant they had some connection.
So, they headed directly to the front desk and found the proprietress waiting.
Through the proprietress, they learned of the young adeptus's reclusive nature. His appearance was already rare; in his prime, these matters wouldn't even catch his eye.
Later, the boss also revealed a trial called Almond Tofu. This task required the assistance of the inn's chef, Smiley Yanxiao, but Yanxiao said there was a ghost in the kitchen and vowed not to return until it was removed.
Lumine, left with no choice, had to deal with the ghost named Dusky Ming. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Hu Tao (Genshin Impact): "A ghost! Leave this to me!" ]
[ Chongyun (Genshin Impact): "Director Hu, may I handle this?" ]
[ Hu Tao (Genshin Impact): "This... this is a client, you know." ]
[ Chongyun (Genshin Impact): "But as an exorcist, I've never seen a ghost. Now that there's one readily available, I want to see it." ]
[ Xingqiu (Genshin Impact): "..." ]
[ Ningguang (Genshin Impact): "Alright, you two." ]
[ .....]
『 After dealing with Dusky Ming, Yanxiao finally returned to the kitchen with peace of mind.
Lumine took this opportunity to quickly master the secret of cooking Almond Tofu.
Not long after learning, the two prepared a Satisfying Salad along with the Almond Tofu and went to the rooftop again to seek the adeptus.
As Xiao gazed into the distance from the top floor, he sensed the presence of visitors behind him and coldly tossed out a question:
"It's you two again? What do you want now?"
Lumine merely smiled faintly, saying nothing, and took out two portions of food from her backpack, gently placing them before Xiao. The tempting Almond Tofu made Xiao decide to at least listen to what this peculiar person had to say.
Soon, the two sat side by side on nearby chairs, Lumine and Paimon leisurely recounting the past, while Xiao silently enjoyed the dish of Almond Tofu.
But good times were short-lived. Lumine's words revealed a shocking piece of news that made Xiao, who was chewing, suddenly look up, his gaze piercing through the clouds.
"Rex Lapis... actually suffered such misfortune?" Xiao's tone was filled with disbelief.
"I... can't imagine it. Though times have changed, I've never imagined a Liyue without him. The ruling Qixing... Just what role have they played in this?"
At this point, Xiao had already made up his mind; he would personally investigate certain matters.
Xiao was about to leave when he suddenly stopped, turned to Lumine, his eyes indifferent yet holding a hint of imperceptible tenderness, and softly said:
"Traveler, I will seek Moon Carver, Mountain Shaper, and Cloud Retainer. It is time they, too, made their decisions."
"Then, I too should depart. I look forward to meeting again if fate allows." 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "Ah, that adeptus left so fast." ]
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "We didn't even get to ask anything." ]
[ .....]
『 No sooner had the words fallen than the bewildered Lumine and the hurried Paimon quickly blocked his path.
Lumine pressed him on whether the adepti intended to intervene in Liyue's affairs. Xiao's expression hardened, and he answered firmly:
"As a guardian of Liyue, Adepti do not turn on their responsibilities?"
"Even if I have countless reasons not to meddle in mortal affairs, this is ultimately my mission. Our god is the God of Contracts after all; even if he may have fallen, the spirit of the contract must not be forgotten."
After Xiao finished speaking, he sighed softly and was about to take another step.
At this moment, Paimon remembered their previous strange encounter and couldn't help but ask about the intriguing Dusky Ming. Logically, as an evil spirit that was supposed to be purged by the Conqueror of Demons, how could it remain safe and sound under the adeptus's nose? There must be a hidden reason.
Xiao heard Paimon's question, his back to the two, without turning around, and spoke the truth in a flat tone:
"When conquering demons, on occasion, you can come across spirits who have never hurt anyone, yet are also not yet able to be moved on."
"So I asked the innkeeper and the boss if they could keep her here for a time."
With that, Xiao's figure suddenly vanished without a trace, leaving only the cold moonlight on the ground.
Paimon stood dazed in place. Though Xiao had left, her heart was still churning.
"So really, Wangshu Inn was looking after her! Really keeping a wide range of businesses going, huh!"
Now that the adepti had been visited, Lumine and Paimon's task was considered complete for the time being.
The two prepared to return to the Northland Bank to report back to the person known as "Childe." 』
『 .....』