Chiyo lowered her head for one last look at her dissipating body, her eyes full of reluctance and longing for life.
But she knew that she had already been killed by Maguu Kenki, who held the memories of her son, over four hundred years ago, and she had only been able to linger in the Maguu Kenki's core for centuries just to see Ei one more time and apologize to her.
Now that her obsession was fulfilled, she could indeed let go.
Ei watched Chiyo's soul about to dissipate, her heart aching as if cut by a knife. She thought that after so many partings, her heart had become as hard as stone, but when faced with truly having to part with Chiyo again, her heart was still filled with reluctance.
She turned to Yae Miko and urgently asked, "Miko, can the power of the Sacred Sakura keep Chiyo's soul in this world indefinitely? Even if only her soul exists, that would be enough."
Hearing Ei's excessive request, Miko could only shake her head helplessly and say, "Ei, you're deluded. The power of the Sacred Sakura is not omnipotent. For Lady Chiyo's incomplete soul to briefly regain consciousness with the Sacred Sakura's help is already the limit of what the Sacred Sakura can do."
Hearing this despair-inducing answer, Ei's heart was filled with immense pain. She was already one of The Seven Archons of Teyvat, possessing unimaginable power, yet even with such power, she was still so helpless in the face of such a parting of life and death.
Ei subconsciously looked at Zhongli, hoping that this most ancient of The Seven Archons would give her hope, but even Zhongli could only shake his head helplessly in this situation.
Zhongli, witnessing this scene, also felt incredibly heavy-hearted. In his over six thousand years, he had experienced such scenes countless times: the God of Dust Guizhong, Skybracer, Minghai Qixia True Monarch, and so on. The departure of these old friends was the sharpest blade that left marks of erode on his divine body.
However, compared to Beelzebul's predicament, Zhongli felt himself to be quite fortunate. At least he still had many friends—Cloud Retainer, Mountain Shaper, Moon Carver, Ann, Xiao, and Ganyu—still alive in the world, offering him some solace.
Unlike Beelzebul, all her old friends had died, not a single one left, leaving only a young little fox.
Miyashiro silently watched Chiyo and Ei, not saying a word, his eyes vacant and unfocused, as if deep in thought.
At this moment, Hu Tao, the Hall Master Hu of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, also stepped forward: "Lady Shogun, this client's obsession has been resolved. She can now proceed to the Land of Beginnings and Rest for reincarnation. The deceased are gone; aging, sickness, and death are the laws of the world. The dead have their own world and no longer belong to our world of the living.
I hope Lady Shogun can temper her grief and come to terms with it."
Although Chiyo's soul was about to dissipate, she was doing her best to comfort her good friend: "Ei, don't be sad, and don't make this little fox uncomfortable. This young lady is right; I died hundreds of years ago, and after lingering in this world for so long, it is indeed time for me to leave.
To be able to see you again, apologize to you, and finally receive your forgiveness and understanding, I am already very satisfied.
At first, I worried that without us, with your proud, reclusive, and taciturn personality, you would become a person without friends. However, now it seems that Miko and Miyashiro have become your new friends. I am very relieved, and I can leave in peace.
I apologize that my sudden appearance has made you experience another parting of life and death. I hope you will take good care of yourself from now on.
Oh, and perhaps becoming a mother is an experience you've never had. Although my and Dao Qi's ending was not as perfect as we wished, I still recommend you try it if you have the chance. I will bless you from the other side.
This time, it truly is goodbye."
After Chiyo finished speaking, she meaningfully glanced at Miyashiro, but Miyashiro was currently deep in thought and did not notice Chiyo's gaze.
Watching Chiyo's figure, Ei clenched her fists tightly, suppressing her grief, not letting her tears fall. If Chiyo could smile as she bid farewell in this situation, Ei should also smile as she said goodbye, as her final blessing to her.
Just as Ei was about to reach out her arm to wave to Chiyo, her arm was blocked by another arm. Ei looked in surprise at the person who had arrived—it was Miyashiro, who had just been deep in thought.
Amidst everyone's astonished gazes, a serious-faced Miyashiro posed a question to Ei: "Ei, I want to ask you a question. The answer to this question determines whether you can save Chiyo!"
Everyone: ?!?!?!?!
What did Miyashiro just say? Especially Hu Tao; hearing Miyashiro's words, her face changed dramatically, and she had an ominous premonition. This reminded her of someone she disliked very much.
Hearing this, Ei grabbed Miyashiro's hand as if clutching at a last straw and asked, "What question?"
Miyashiro: "When you fought Chiyo back then, you severed Chiyo's sword-wielding right arm and one of her oni horns, didn't you?"
Ei: "That's right!"
Miyashiro: "Are that right arm and oni horn still around?"
Hearing this question, a hint of joy appeared on Ei's face. She still kept both of these items in her Plane of Euthymia.
In that battle, Miko Chiyo had fallen and transformed into an oni. After her defeat, she lost her right arm and oni horn and disappeared without a trace.
Out of remembrance for her friend, Ei carefully preserved that right arm and oni horn, because she had a premonition that these might be Chiyo's last remnants.
Miyashiro saw the hint of joy on Ei's face, and he couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, saying, "If the right arm and oni horn are still there, that's good. Then there's still a possibility of saving Chiyo. Otherwise, I would be powerless."
Hearing this answer, Ei quickly opened her Plane of Euthymia and turned to search for them.
And Chiyo, upon hearing the news that she might still be saved, the speed at which the white light on her body dissipated seemed to slow down, and her eyes were filled with disbelief and anticipation.
Hu Tao stepped forward, asking with a serious expression, "Miyashiro, are you trying to turn this client into a zombie, similar to Qiqi, just like Baizhu did?
This method goes against the laws of nature and even the balance of yin and yang; it is an evil path. Lady Chiyo has long passed away, and being imprisoned in the floating world without liberation is a profound suffering. It is the right path to set her free as soon as possible."
It was clear that Hu Tao was genuinely angry at this moment. Not only did she call Miyashiro by his name directly, but her tone was extremely stern. Miyashiro's concept of defying the precepts of life and death was something she could not tolerate.
To this, Miyashiro merely shrugged and said, "Hall Master Hu, don't be anxious. It's just a small attempt. Whether it succeeds or not is still unknown. Doesn't Liyue have Qiqi, that once-in-a-millennium exception? If Hall Master Hu can tolerate Qiqi's existence, why can't she tolerate Chiyo's existence?"
Note:
Happy Lunar New Year 2026!
First of all, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for always being by my side and supporting me throughout this journey.
To ensure the quality of upcoming stories, I've decided to take a week off during the Lunar New Year (February 15th to 22nd) to rest and spend time with my family.
I will return on February 23rd, 2026. During this break, I will prepare many new chapters to post regularly upon my return. So please look forward to it!
Wishing you a warm, joyful, and wonderful holiday season!