But Hu Tao waited and waited, yet nothing came.
Didn't her grandfather miss her? Didn't he feel regret?
No, it wasn't that. Her grandfather believed in her—believed she could handle her emotions, uphold the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, and deal with all her regrets.
So she stopped crying. She understood. To avoid more regrets, she decided to leave that place, carrying her "regrets" with her.
Later, when visiting the other side, she saw too many such regrets—so many waiting for someone, some even forgetting who they were waiting for.
"In awe of divine might, reverent and fearful," Hu Tao murmured with her eyes closed.
She respected each nation's "farewell culture" and was naturally willing to join in this "sending-off," even though in reality, this farewell likely hadn't happened yet.
At the end of Yae Miko's story, everything concluded beautifully. Yae Miko treated the Traveler to a meal as thanks.
Though, of course, it was Yae Miko's treat but Lumine's bill.
At the dinner, Yae Miko called the Traveler "Teacher," urging her to update the latest chapter on time.
She also complained about the stubborn Ei, who had written her a very long letter scolding her for going overboard.
Yae Miko had indeed stirred up a storm in the city. The citizens all witnessed the wondrous scene that night, but the spell was fake, making it hard to explain afterward.
But with Lucian's prophecy book, there was no issue—everything was explained clearly, cause and effect laid bare. The citizens were too moved to care whether the spell could grant wishes.
This story touched many, as everyone grows up through layers of regrets.
Especially for those like Venti and Zhongli, who've lived long—how many old friends have they bid farewell to?
At that moment, Zhongli was with several Adepti in the mountains. After reading this part, his gaze swept over Xiao.
Zhongli could suppress his own emotions, but he couldn't ignore others'.
In his line of sight was a red flower. After a moment's thought, Zhongli said, "This year's flowers outshine last year's, but next year's will be even better—who will I share them with?"
The flowers bloomed, beautiful, but the moment I saw them bloom, they began to wither.
Where are those who once admired this scenery with me? How did they "wither" faster than the flowers…
In fact, those who "admired flowers" with Zhongli back then were Guizhong, Azhdaha, and others.
Now Guizhong was back, Liyue's mascot was still around, and Azhdaha wasn't dead either, so Zhongli said this mainly to comfort Xiao.
"Rex Lapis… I…" Xiao "heard" Zhongli's intent and spoke up.
He didn't say it outright, but his meaning was, I'm willing to stay by your side.
"This year's Lantern Rite, will you join me?" Zhongli smiled faintly.
Xiao nodded, thinking this would successfully soothe Rex Lapis's emotions.
The Adepti were cultured… cultured beings, naturally understanding Rex Lapis's meaning and intent.
Cultured people speak differently. Ei, for instance, would only mutter, "How nice."
Zhongli comforted Xiao, but he himself wasn't without emotions. He couldn't help but think of his future reunion with Azhdaha.
A brief reunion, another parting—would he, watching her leave, feel a bit lonely too? Just "a little"?
Sigh, even stone can have a heart… how could I escape it?
Guizhong looked at Zhongli, then at Xiao, her face full of smiles as she casually pulled out a small toy.
It was building blocks, modeled after the Five Yakshas, inspired by Lucian.
Back then, she too had no chance to say goodbye to them, but thanks to Lucian, they no longer needed to.
Speaking of which, not just stone but even the wind was the same. In Mondstadt, Venti was currently "drowning his sorrows in wine," one glass after another.
A chance to properly say goodbye to friends… how wonderful. Could I have that?
He once helped Hans say farewell to his friend, but how could Venti himself say goodbye to his old friends?
Kaeya and Diluc exchanged a glance, for once not bickering.
Both had high emotional intelligence—one loved watching the fun, the other was cold on the surface.
With their emotional intelligence, they could naturally see Venti's mood.
Kaeya quietly slid his glass toward Venti, and Rosaria followed, pushing her glass over too.
Seeing this, others in the tavern brought their glasses over, soon gathering all the tavern's glasses at Venti's table.
Venti stared blankly at the scene, then broke into his usual smile.
The wind blew through the tavern again, carrying the scent of wine but no longer "sorrow."
Indeed, this was Mondstadt. Others guide lamps home; we use wine.
"So much wine could buy a good story," Venti said, pulling out his lyre.
The noisy tavern fell silent instantly. Venti plucked the strings, and music echoed through the room.
"Once, a free spirit of the wind met a boy…"
"The boy said, 'I want to see birds soar.'""
"'Friend, won't you come with me?'"
"That was a voice even the howling wind couldn't drown…"
"That was a voice, after thousands of years, still lingering in the wind."
"And the wind gave the boy an answer—a song of rebellion will rise in the wind!"
A breeze passed through the tavern, the music carrying Venti's voice to everyone's ears, and within the wind, there seemed to be a boy's voice too.
"'Friend, won't you come with me?'"
As Venti said, even after thousands of years, that voice lingered in the wind.
That voice was full of anticipation, passion, and stirred longing in the heart.
The music carried nostalgia, reluctance, and a touch of hope.
That boy left a legacy in the world—not a person, not an object.
He left the ever-present wind, the free will it stirred, the "horn" of rebellion it blew.
That boy, who never stepped beyond the wind walls, now travels the world with the wind.
Wind, please bring more stories to the boy.
Where there's wind, there are stories. Freedom and rebellion aren't just in Mondstadt—Inazuma has them too.
Raiden Ei sealed her people's freedom, so they rebelled, just like Decarabian once did.
Similarly, like Decarabian, under the people's will to resist, the god chose to "yield."
From the start, gods never meant to oppose their people; it's just that Archons struggle to understand humans.
But their emotions are mutual. This time, both god and human were steeped in sorrow.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice · Venti: Meeting an "Old Friend"
"Hahaha, if it's real, I've got plenty of stories ready. That fox lady has 500 years of tales to tell, but I've got thousands!"