The commotion from Keqing entering the shop caught Luya's attention.
"Looks like I don't need to worry about tomorrow's stock either!"
"First Xingqiu, now Keqing..."
Rex Lapis brought prosperity to Liyue Harbor, and his reign was celebrated in legend and lore.
Yet among those closest to the gods, Keqing seemed the least reverent.
A thousand years of Liyue's history had proven that following Rex Lapis was the correct path; however, Keqing always believed: As humans, they should have human pride, and human thoughts deserved recognition.
So she often voiced views contrary to Rex Lapis and was the first to put them into action.
Her radical methods had indeed achieved impressive results, but also drew backlash from devout followers of Rex Lapis. To Keqing, though, their opposition was nothing more than an excuse for laziness—
Living forever under divine protection, never willing to think of humanity's own future.
Anyhow, someone had to stand at the forefront of the era and carve a new path with their own hands.
As the Yuheng, Keqing saw it as her duty.
So!
When she learned that such a large shop had suddenly appeared near Feiyun Slope, she had wanted to come immediately.
However, yesterday, she was tied up with official business and couldn't break away.
By the time she finished, it was night, and the shop was closed.
Today, finally a rest day, she had time to visit.
This suddenly-appearing [Duel Monsters Specialty Shop]—
She had to see it for herself.
As the Yuheng, Keqing oversaw land and construction. She had already checked the shop's records in advance—they were perfectly in order, with no issues at all.
That said, she herself had no recollection of its existence.
So...
She had to see this [Duel Monsters Specialty Shop] with her own eyes.
Keqing, who devoted most of her energy to Liyue Harbor, often used shopping as leisure when she had free time.
So this visit also doubled as a chance to see if there was anything worth buying.
The moment she stepped in, curiosity stirred at the shop's strange equipment. And right away, she saw two familiar faces—Hu Tao and Zhongli—locked in a duel.
As the Yuheng of the Qixing, Keqing naturally had ties to them both.
Regardless, Hu Tao, engrossed in the duel, didn't notice Keqing's arrival.
Keqing glanced at the other Duel Stages where customers were dueling. Finding it all marvelous, she took a seat among the spectators to watch Hu Tao and Zhongli's match.
The duel pressed on.
Zhongli did not stop Hu Tao's [Terraforming], and it was successfully resolved!
The Duel Stage was instantly bathed in pale-blue light. The ground beneath Hu Tao and Zhongli turned bare and barren.
Above them, a spiral-shaped opening appeared.
From it, a card descended!
Falling swiftly, it landed in Hu Tao's hand—it was [Wangsheng Funeral Parlor].
Since Hu Tao's Deck contained only one Field Spell—
[Tterraforming] had pulled it straight out.
The spectators barely reacted.
But Keqing was dumbfounded. Her violet eyes stared blankly at Hu Tao and Zhongli, at the glowing effects and transformed field.
"This..."
Keqing's state now mirrored the crowd's yesterday, when they had first seen monsters summoned—utterly stunned.
Before she could even recover,
Hu Tao raised the card she had just searched with [Terraforming], pinched between her fingers.
She lifted it high.
"I activate the Field Spell—[Wangsheng Funeral Parlor]!"
"To guard the border of life and death, to save wandering spirits trapped in this world!
"To correct mortals' misconceptions about death and ghosts. Appear—Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"
As her Spell resolved, the pale-blue glow and barren ground vanished.
In their place came a dim night.
In an instant, the Duel Stage transformed into the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Countless white spirits floated about, the scene even eerier than the real parlor.
The ghosts occasionally rushed toward the audience, the realism overwhelming.
With Hu Tao's [Wangsheng Funeral Parlor] now active, Keqing was shocked beyond belief.
"What is going on?!"
"How did... the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor suddenly appear?!"
She couldn't help crying out. As Yuheng was in charge of land and construction, Keqing knew exactly how long it took to build a structure.
For a place as large as Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, at least three to six months of work would be needed!
"Heavens..." Keqing rubbed her eyes hard, shook her head, even making her twin buns bounce.
The surrounding spectators, seeing her confusion, quickly explained:
"The shop sells cards that can be used on the Duel Stage."
"On the Duel Stage, you can summon the monsters from the cards!"
"Packs cost 20,000 Mora each, five cards per pack."
"Hall Master Hu pulled her Legend-rarity Field Spell [Wangsheng Funeral Parlor]."
"There's only one in all of Liyue!"
Hearing this cleared her doubts.
Keqing nodded, regaining composure outwardly, though inside she was shaken to the core. What she had just witnessed completely overturned her understanding of the world.
As Yuheng, Keqing immediately began to ponder…
Could these Duel Monsters bring immense benefits to Liyue Harbor's future development?!
Such marvels surpassed even divine miracles!
Whoever created this…
No ordinary person!
"Under divine protection, humanity never moves forward."
"But someone must always stand at the forefront of the era, and carve a new path."
"Just who is the owner of this shop?!"
...
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