Ever since Rola gave Paimon a hundred million Mora, Lumine and Paimon no longer worried about money.
They even started ordering extra food, knowing Paimon wouldn't let anything go to waste.
As they were savoring Liyue's delicious snacks, a sudden commotion erupted around them.
Lumine listened carefully and realized someone famous had arrived, causing such a stir.
Soon, not far from their food stall, a valiant female general led a squad of imposing Millelith soldiers past.
The moment Lumine saw the general, the Grilled Tiger Fish she was about to bite froze mid-air, her eyes fixed on the slowly passing figure.
Snapping out of her daze, Lumine took a bite of the fish and found it exceptionally delicious.
"Paimon, aren't you supposed to be the strongest guide in Teyvat? Let's test your knowledge—who was that commanding female general who just passed by?"
"Uh... that's..."
Paimon stammered, embarrassed by her ignorance. She had no idea.
"Ladies, allow me to introduce her," a nearby vendor interjected. "That was Lady Mu Qingge, the Kaiyang of the Liyue Qixing"
"Mu Qingge?!"
Lumine and Paimon exchanged excited glances.
Isn't Mu Qingge, the Kaiyang of Liyue, the person Rola wanted us to deliver this to?
We never expected to meet her so soon!
"Traveler, hurry! We have to catch up before she disappears!" Paimon grabbed her Grilled Tiger Fish and was about to chase after Mu Qingge. She was always eager to help Rola!
Rola had not only paid her handsomely but had also treated her kindly, bringing her snacks and becoming one of her dearest friends. Even when Rola occasionally teased her, Paimon never resorted to mean nicknames—a testament to how much she cherished their bond.
Lumine yanked Paimon back by her small cape. "Paimon, chasing after her like this could cause misunderstandings. Look how fast she's moving—she must be handling something urgent. We're not in a hurry anyway; we can meet her later."
"Besides, you shouldn't run while eating, especially with a grilled skewer! You might poke your mouth!"
Lumine's words sobered Paimon, who apologized for her impulsiveness and resumed enjoying her meal.
The little sprite was such a good girl, quick to admit her mistakes and correct her behavior!
-
Mu Qingge arrived at Yujing Terrace, where preparations were still underway.
Although the Rite of Descension hadn't officially begun, many spectators had already gathered. Yujing Terrace was far grander than its depiction in the game, truly awe-inspiring in scale.
"Everyone, to your posts! Focus on your duties and ensure not a single mistake is made!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
The Millelith generals following Mu Qingge dispersed upon receiving her orders, each heading to their designated area of responsibility.
From afar, Mu Qingge exchanged a glance with Ningguang, who was overseeing the final preparations. The two nodded in silent understanding.
The annual Rite of Descension drew the largest crowds of the year. Among the spectators at Yujing Terrace were guests from all Six Nations, including individuals who had remained in Liyue despite Inazuma's Sakoku Decree.
Mu Qingge's striking presence as a female general naturally drew considerable attention.
As time slowly passed and the sun reached its zenith, all preparations for the Rite of Descension were completed. The orderly crowd encircled Yujing Terrace completely, while the Millelith maintained order throughout the area.
Lumine and Paimon had also arrived at the scene.
"Wow~ It's so grand! There are so many people!" Paimon exclaimed, deeply impressed by the Rite of Descension. Even the usually composed Lumine couldn't help but part her lips slightly in amazement.
"Let's move closer! We can't see anything from here!" Paimon urged. While she could simply fly up, Lumine, being of shorter stature, was completely blocked by the crowd.
Taking Paimon's small hand, Lumine began weaving through the throng, person by person.
-
Real World
After over a month of anticipation, Genshin Impact finally launched its 1.1 update: A New Star Approaches.
Thanks to the System's subtle influence, the game's graphics, scale, and overall quality had been optimized beyond recognition compared to the version Jiang Mumu had played before.
In just over a month, Genshin Impact had skyrocketed to the top of the most popular games charts, attracting players worldwide and boasting overwhelmingly positive reviews.
Mondstadt's map had expanded exponentially, its environments now far more realistic. Character models were more refined and visually appealing, and the combat experience had been vastly improved.
Even NPCs with minor roles weren't lazily modeled; it was rare to find two identical characters, with each frame boasting meticulous detail.
Mihoyo, a previously obscure gaming company, suddenly skyrocketed to fame.
Such lavish production for a free-to-play game baffled countless companies in the same genre. Genshin Impact's arrival dealt a devastating blow to its competitors.
The map had expanded significantly, puzzles had multiplied, yet rewards remained unchanged. Players now spent dozens of times longer grinding, effectively curbing the dreaded "content drought."
As a streamer, Guojia hadn't streamed any other games recently, having become a die-hard Genshin Impact fan. After completing her daily tasks, her routine consisted of taking her live stream audience on daily world tours.
Whenever she accidentally solved a puzzle or stumbled upon a treasure chest, her smile bloomed brighter than any flower.
Today marked the release of Genshin Impact's 1.1 update. Having pre-downloaded the update, Guojia couldn't wait for her usual streaming time. She went live early in the morning, eager to explore the new content with her audience.
"Good morning, family! Today's the Genshin Impact story update. I'll dive right in and give you all a thorough review of the new content!"
As the files loaded and compressed, Guojia rubbed her hands together excitedly.
"I heard Liyue is modeled after our country. Knowing Mihoyo's modeling prowess, I can't lie, I'm really hyped!"
The sheer size and detail of the map did come with a drawback: the memory requirements were substantial. Although the developers had optimized compression and the game ran smoothly even on lower-end devices, the sheer scale of the game still required considerable loading time.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the game loaded. Guojia immediately jumped in.
Sure enough, a vast, undeveloped region had appeared on the left side of the Mondstadt map.
Even though they'd been expecting it, the live stream viewers were still blown away by the sheer scale of the new area.
[Holy crap, they updated this much?! Another new map to grind!]
[Live stream, let's go! Show us what the region modeled after our country looks like!]
Following the mission guide, Guojia arrived at the border between Mondstadt and Liyue.
The scenery here was distinctly different from Mondstadt. Having spent so much time in Mondstadt, she hadn't initially noticed the change.
It wasn't until she reached the large rock overlooking Liyue Harbor that the full grandeur of the city burst into view.
Jade palaces and towering pagodas stood alongside humble dwellings, while the harbor teemed with countless sailing ships and steamships. Lush foliage swayed gently in the breeze, and wisps of cooking smoke curled into the sky. Enhanced by the evocative music, the distinctly Chinese ambiance swept over her, making her feel instantly at home.
[Oh my god, is this harbor really this massive?!]
[Aaaaaah, it's so beautiful! I love it! Mondstadt was pretty too, but the Western-style architecture never really appealed to me. Liyue is truly breathtaking!]
[Holy crap, I can actually see customers and vendors interacting in the harbor from this distance! This... this...]
[This isn't normal! Are there really this many NPCs?!]
[As expected, it's much more comfortable playing on a PC. The phone screen is just too small.]
[Wait, your phone can even run this?!]
[Uh...]