Afterward, Shao Yun split ways with Lumine and Paimon. Shao Yun headed north toward Sumeru City, while Lumine and Paimon accompanied Rana back to Vimara Village.
To put it simply: Lumine and Paimon went to complete the Aranyaka questline, while Shao Yun continued to push the main Archon questline.
…
Shao Yun rode his horse slowly toward Sumeru City.
When he finally arrived, a bustling and peculiar scene unfolded before his eyes.
A line of shaggy rainforest pack beasts and desert pack beasts clad in hardened scales carried heavy cargo, guided by merchants and mercenaries as they passed beneath the grand archway at the city gates in orderly fashion.
Peering curiously through the archway, Shao Yun saw that on either side of the main street stood rows of stalls forming a long marketplace.
Small vendors shouted loudly in front of their stands, their cries of hawking and bargaining echoing throughout the street.
Some people were carefully selecting goods, while others were haggling fiercely with the sellers, creating a lively and noisy atmosphere.
Just as Shao Yun prepared to follow a caravan of pack beasts into the city, a man with two thin mustache lines above his lip suddenly stepped in front of him.
The man wore an Akademiya robe, and beside him stood a mercenary belonging to the Eremites.
This Akademiya official, named Panah, addressed Shao Yun politely from beneath the horse. "Please, wait a moment. This must be your first time visiting Sumeru City?"
At those words, Shao Yun's gaze landed on the man's mustache. In an instant, an odious image flashed across his mind—that wicked demon.
Resentment by association. His expression darkened, and he snapped back irritably, "What's that supposed to mean?" His voice dripped with hostility.
Despite Shao Yun's clear impatience, Panah kept his smile, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as he gestured reassuringly.
"Because within the Akasha, there is currently no information on you."
Shao Yun gave a cold laugh and, with mocking tone, asked, "So what, do I need to register for some kind of entry permit, like Inazuma's old isolationist days?"
The word entry permit caught Panah off guard for a moment, but then he burst into hearty laughter, waving his hand lightly to dismiss the notion.
"No, no, not at all! I'm certainly not here to block your entry. On the contrary, the Akademiya warmly welcomes every traveler from afar."
"In fact, to every visitor arriving in Sumeru City, the Akademiya generously provides a most convenient little tool."
As he spoke, Panah reached into his robe and pulled out a device shaped like a tender green leaf—an "earpiece"—and began eagerly explaining.
"Perhaps you've heard of it. The Akasha is the great legacy left behind by the Dendro Archon, a vast repository of knowledge."
"For centuries, scholars of the Akademiya have relentlessly studied and refined it, and after countless trials and failures, we successfully developed this—our Akasha Terminal!"
Shao Yun frowned, his face showing clear displeasure at the official's endless enthusiasm for what he knew was nothing more than a tool for mining people's brainpower.
Finally, unable to endure the droning any longer, Shao Yun cut him off sharply: "Hey, can you not go on with these long-winded speeches? I don't understand a word of it! Just get to the point, will you?"
Startled by the outburst, Panah's composure faltered. Realizing he might have tried Shao Yun's patience, he hurried to be more concise.
"Oh, forgive me. Simply put: in the past, we only issued Akasha Terminals to locals of Sumeru or to foreigners residing long-term. But now, anyone within Sumeru City may receive one!"
With that, Panah quickly extended the device toward Shao Yun and added, "Here, this is your Akasha Terminal. Please, take it."
"All you need to do is place it in your hand and silently recite: 'May I hear the wisdom of the gods.' That will activate it."
Expressionless, Shao Yun reached out and snatched the terminal without ceremony.
He gave it a brief glance, then tossed it into his satchel as carelessly as if discarding rubbish.
"Fine. I know how it works. Now step aside and quit blocking my way," he said coldly.
Tugging on the reins, he moved to ride past Panah into the city.
But noticing that Shao Yun hadn't put the device on, Panah hastily darted forward again, blocking the horse while exclaiming, "Wait, just a moment!"
The mercenary at his side, burly and fierce-faced, instantly drew his curved blade without hesitation, standing with Panah to block Shao Yun's path.
Shao Yun's eyes locked onto the mercenary's weapon, his voice turning so cold it could freeze marrow: "What's this supposed to mean? Looking for a toll?"
The last fool who tried robbing me—Yurika—should be learning how to roll over in bed by now. (Like a three-month-old infant, that is… assuming she even reincarnated.)
Panah broke into a nervous sweat, flailing his hands in panic. "No, no! Not at all! I just meant—why don't you put the Akasha Terminal on your ear?"
As he spoke, he pointed toward the satchel hanging at Shao Yun's waist.
The corner of Shao Yun's mouth curled into a scornful smirk. "Whether Sumeru hands out free Akasha Terminals is your business. Whether I wear it or not is my business. Do you have a problem with that?"
Still smiling politely, Panah persisted, "But it's truly a marvelous device! It allows you to easily access vast stores of knowledge, improves your sleep, even benefits your health—"
Before he could finish, Shao Yun's eyes flared wide with impatience, his voice cutting like steel in a final ultimatum.
"Listen. I already know how to use it. Don't make me say it again. Do you understand?"
The sheer force of his presence struck Panah like a physical blow, forcing him back two steps involuntarily.
Even the mercenary, gripping his blade tightly, faltered under Shao Yun's suffocating pressure, unable to meet his gaze.
Panah quickly seized the mercenary's arm, pulling him aside to clear the way, and bowed respectfully. "Yes, I understand. My apologies for wasting your valuable time."
Shao Yun shot him a contemptuous sidelong glance, as if at garbage, then urged his horse forward into Sumeru City.
He had no intention of letting his brainpower be tapped so easily. But to avoid drawing the Akademiya's suspicion, he accepted the device nonetheless.
So, the Akademiya's dogs are already this desperate to mine human brainpower, huh? Tch! Do they really take me for a fool?
…
Shao Yun then steered his horse toward the Adventurers' Guild reception.
Along the way, he drew many curious gazes from the people of Sumeru.
Horses fascinated them, and several Akademiya students even accessed the Akasha through their terminals to retrieve information about Mondstadt's horses.
The Akasha revealed that recently, horse populations in Mondstadt had plummeted. Once common, the creatures had grown so rare that they were now nearly endangered.
Though horses were rare and exotic to the people of Sumeru, their own pack beasts were equally unusual to outsiders.
So, after a short-lived curiosity, people quickly lost interest in Shao Yun's mount and returned to their daily lives.
…
Shao Yun arrived at the Adventurers' Guild reception in the heart of Sumeru City.
He took in the distinctive Sumeru-style building, then looked to the wooden counter where a familiar figure stood—Katheryne.
This time, however, Katheryne's back was to him. Still, Shao Yun thought nothing of it and greeted her politely.
"Hello there, Miss Katheryne!"
Hearing his voice, Katheryne swiftly turned around. When she saw Shao Yun, her face lit up with a childlike, innocent smile as she warmly replied, "Good afternoon!"
At that moment, Shao Yun froze. Normally, every time he met Katheryne, she would greet him first with the same phrase: "Ad Astra Abyssosque. Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild."
But today… she hadn't. That was strange.
Still, Shao Yun didn't dwell on it. Quickly regaining his composure, he pulled his Adventurer's Certificate from his satchel and placed it on the counter.
"I'm here to process an adventurer transfer."
Katheryne smiled sweetly, nodded, and picked up the certificate. "Of course. Please wait just a moment."
Lowering her head, she began carefully examining the document.
But Shao Yun faintly caught her murmuring under her breath.
"…How do you even process an adventurer transfer…?"
The words instantly set Shao Yun on edge. His brow furrowed as he fixed her with a sharp stare, raising his voice. "What did you just say?"
Startled like a frightened rabbit, Katheryne flinched.
Quickly looking up again, her reassuring smile returned as she waved her hands frantically. "Oh, nothing, nothing at all…"
Even as she said it, her movements were clumsy, her handling of the transfer procedures lacking all the practiced ease she usually showed.