The general plan was already decided.
What remained were the finer details—
and naturally, those no longer required Taro's involvement.
"Mr. Taro, our business here is concluded. We'll take our leave," Guizhong said with a smile.
"Be sure not to miss the Lantern Rite, hm?"
She winked mischievously at Cloud Retainer, then departed with the rest of the Adepti—dragging along the two Qixing representatives as well.
"Hey, you all—!"
"Shameless! Utterly shameless!" Cloud Retainer fumed as the group vanished.
Her chest heaved, eyes blazing with indignation.
They'd all agreed to handle this matter together!
Yet when it came time to act, they fled and left her alone?
Truly disgraceful. Not a shred of loyalty among them!
"Looks like they had something important to discuss," Taro said calmly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"So, tell me—since they pushed you forward alone, what do they want this time?"
"Ahh…" Cloud Retainer sighed long and heavy.
"Those old fossils are too embarrassed to ask themselves. This immortal, however, is not."
"Shameless, the lot of them!" she muttered again, flapping her wings irritably.
"Forget it, I'll handle it myself."
Her tone shifted; she reached into her sleeve and drew out a flawless jade pendant—square within round, carved with dragons and phoenixes, radiating divine craftsmanship.
"Mr. Taro," she said seriously, "within this jade lies a pocket world that holds those old fossils.
We can't exactly march back in person—it would look… unseemly."
She extended it toward him. "Please accept it."
"This contains all of our combined treasures, as well as my personal collection over the centuries."
Taro did not hesitate. He accepted the pendant and swept his divine sense inside.
Its contents were immediately clear.
Countless relics and rare materials gathered over ages—
some truly priceless.
Yet amid the wealth, one fragment in particular caught his eye.
"This is…"
He flipped his hand, lifting out a half-broken "painting shard."
It looked like a fragment of some special image plate—
its edges jagged, showing only a piece of a cosmic starfield,
and half of a beautiful, wind-blown face.
"This object fell with a meteor long ago," Cloud Retainer explained softly.
"It landed upon Mount Aocang. It carries a mysterious aura, but it's incomplete.
We've purified it countless times, yet cannot divine its true nature."
"This immortal has no means to preserve its spirit—nor to restore it."
"But the material it's made of doesn't resemble anything found in Teyvat."
"…"
Taro examined the shard closely, then placed it carefully into his personal storage.
He smiled. "This alone is worth quite a lot."
"To you all, it may be just an odd material.
To me… its value depends on who holds it."
What drew him wasn't the fragment itself,
but the image—the half-galaxy shimmering within it.
To others, it was just a painting.
But to one who possessed world-class artifacts like him,
it could just as well be something real—
a glimpse of a galaxy beyond Teyvat, eerily similar to one in his memories.
"If it's useful to you, Mr. Taro," Cloud Retainer said in relief,
"then this immortal's heart is at ease."
Seeing genuine satisfaction in his eyes, she finally relaxed.
Earlier, even the other Adepti had no idea whether this offering would be acceptable.
She herself had only taken a gamble.
Now that it proved helpful, all was well.
"Alright, I'll take it," Taro said with a nod.
"So, who's the next one you wish to resurrect?"
"Immortal Lord of Celestial Guidance—Morax's old comrade."
Cloud Retainer's tone grew solemn. "Please, Mr. Taro, work your miracle once more."
"Understood," Taro replied simply.
"Seems you all have plenty on your plate tonight."
"Let's do it tomorrow evening. I'll have Fanan contact you."
His words held a hint of amusement.
"Tomorrow" meant he would make it happen, but for him it also meant another experiment—another coordinate, perhaps leading somewhere new.
"Much appreciated!" Cloud Retainer's face lit up with joy.
"I won't trouble you further, then. I must return."
She bowed, then turned and departed the Mortal Realm.
Watching her vanish, Taro couldn't resist taking the shard out again.
His fingertips brushed its smooth surface, and a faint gleam flickered in his eyes.
For a long moment, he stared in silence—then finally sighed and slipped it back into storage.
"Forget it. I'll think about it later."
"If it's what I think it is…" he murmured,
"then either side will be dangerous. Probably more so than Teyvat itself."
Better not to meddle—for now.
When the day came that he tired of mortal life,
perhaps then he would venture beyond.
For now, he let it be.
Taro's form shimmered and reappeared before Zanmaran.
"Creator," the spirit's voice greeted instantly.
"Mm."
Taro nodded, glancing at the two golden bodies beside her.
"They seem to be growing well. How much longer until they're fully matured?"
"Resources sufficient. Five days," Zanmaran replied.
"Five days?" He nodded approvingly. "That's quick."
"And the second spirit?"
"With the Creator's blessing, twenty years will suffice."
From five hundred years down to twenty.
Impressive—but still long for him.
Then again, creation wasn't meant to be rushed.
A new race could not be born overnight.
"Don't force growth," he said lightly. "Just make sure they have what they need."
"Understood, O Creator."
"Where's Beru?"
"At the world's edge, cultivating new flora."
"…Heh. Fast learner."
Taro smiled faintly. "Good. Tell her that if she needs anything, she can come to me."
"Yes, Creator."
After confirming Zanmaran's progress, he left the small realm.
Back on the Jade Chamber's deck—
"Mr. Taro!" Fanan called out as soon as he emerged.
"That fox lady is here to see you."
"Fox lady?"
Taro turned—and froze when he saw that familiar pink hair and those sly eyes.
This annoying fox again…?
"Mr. Taro, I—" Yae Miko began, but he cut her off immediately.
"I know who you are. That Raiden Ei couldn't come herself?"
"Please don't misunderstand," Miko said quickly, her voice smooth as silk.
"Allow me to explain. The situation is… complicated."
"Lady Ei has already prepared full payment. She's not here to waste your time."
Taro raised a brow. That was unexpected.
Payment ready in advance? And yet the Thunder God didn't come personally?
Strange.
Could there have been a rebellion of the automatons?
He frowned. It sounded absurd—
but then again… not impossible.
(End of Chapter)
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